The once unknown location known to only two people had somehow been found. That was one thing that stuck in Marilyn's mind. And in turn, she wondered what kind of person she was about to encounter here.

It was a terrifying experience for her, as if reality itself warped to this person's very whims to ask her to come here. The two people she considered friends were apparently possessed and taken over in that moment, speaking to her those vague words. What do they want, even?

Aside from her reincarnated status, and perhaps some other abilities, she considered herself nothing special. And despite her father saying that her potential in magic was vast, she was still very average when it came to doing magic.

Perhaps it was because his potential in magic was also considered very average, and the only way he ever really won against that Dragon Phantom years ago was due to his capacity to absorb and control Essence Energy. She would either need a new teacher or perhaps find out herself how strong she could be in the Royal Academy.

Behind the tree line, passing by the overgrowth of hedges and plant life, Marilyn tried to enter the meadow that was intended to be the Althorn sisters' secret location. But what she found was…

"I swear it was right here…"

A straight pathway, formed by an extreme overgrowth of hedges curled upwards, formed into a tunnel. The dirt path that she stood upon was littered with falling leaves and flowers.

What was odd, though, was that she could see the light at the end of the nature-themed tunnel. And then…

"Is that…?"

The silhouette of a rabbit, standing on its hind legs. It seemed to have noticed her and approached. It took a few moments, but the hare eventually met her directly face to face.

For some odd reason, it wore a golden monocle. It reminded her of that fairy tale from her previous world, of a girl entering a magical wonderland.

What kind of joke is this? She thought to herself.

The girl knelt down to get a closer look at the rabbit, as it dropped to its four-legged posture. She tried to pet the rabbit, but it soon got away, back towards the end of the tunnel, prompting her to follow.

"Hey! Wait up!"

Marilyn ran to chase the white hare, hoping to see for herself what the source of this sorcery could be. The tunnel seemed to grow longer and longer the more she ran, to the point she resorted to flying instead.

Removing air resistance from herself, she boosted onwards, the rabbit somehow still being faster than her.

The more she noticed, the more she realised.

Rabbits shouldn't be faster than her when she's flying, nor any land animal for that matter. So the only possible answer to the problem is that—

"Space…shifting!?"

It felt to her like she was entering a completely different dimension, of a nature far beyond her and outside of her current world. The sensation was as familiar as the time when she saw creation unfolding before her very eyes.

She remembered the phrase from somewhere, that any sufficiently advanced technology was indistinguishable from magic. But in a world where magic and arcane technology reigned in place of conventional science, what would be considered beyond it?

Truly, this was not sorcery at all. If it could be considered as such, it would be one of a very high level, to the point it cannot be quantified as magic, but an act of God.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Then, she heard those words. Not from her ears, but her mind.

"Marilyn Althorn, you have been invited to Wonderland."

The shifting infinite space soon was made finite by the unknown force, and Marilyn finally reached the end of the tunnel, her hand reaching for the light.

"Oof—!"

As she crashed into the soft grass beyond the tunnel, what she encountered was…

"What the…"

She stood up and observed her surroundings. It felt like she was in a meadow of sorts, but not the one she knew to be here. There was no lake, just an endless field of flowers. In the distance, she could see that this was simply part of a larger world, but that did not matter.

What mattered most to her was that the person who had presumably called for her was now here.

"Ah, quite the landing you've experienced, haven't you?"

Pale green hair and ocean blue eyes. A soft face, but bearing a neutral expression. She seemed to be a girl of her age physically, her height the same too, but she exuded an aura of someone far older.

Her clothing reminded Marilyn of a classical British character Violet once told her about, a magical nanny who loved to teach children good deeds and morals.

"Did you just compare me to Mary Poppins? Quite the pleasant surprise, that's certainly the first time it happened."

Did she just read her mind? Marilyn shook that thought off, trying not to get herself distracted.

The girl before her was sitting in a Victorian-style lawn chair, with a tea table present. She could see snacks, obviously tea cups and a kettle, as well as another chair.

"Come and sit, it shouldn't take long…our talk, that is."

Marilyn, having no choice, decided to pull herself in and sit right across from her. She was still a bit nervous about this, but the peaceful atmosphere of this 'Wonderland' made her feel at ease.

But even so, she furrowed her eyebrows in concern, and naturally, she asked the first question, the unknown girl waiting as she drank her tea.

"Who…are you?"

The girl placed down her tea cup and smiled. Her eyes bore an aura of a rather calm and easy-going expression, and judging by her tilted head, she was quite dignified.

"Sophia 'Haniel' Winchester, a wandering Sage and ruler of Wonderland." The girl said.

Quite the…interesting introduction, Marilyn thought to herself. And Sophia certainly had noticed such a thought.

"First time seeing someone introducing herself in such a verbose manner, hm?"

"N-not exactly…"

It wasn't unfamiliar to her. Many pieces of fiction she remembered had characters that did what she did. It just felt unnatural, considering that this is reality and not a story…to her at least.

"Well then, off to a good start. No need to introduce yourself, I already know." Sophia said again, her British accent quite apparent.

"What is this place? Why have you called me here? And…"

"Where's the secret meadow? Do not worry, that place of memory that you so loved is still in the same location. I just decided to place my Veil here."

"Veil…?"

"A term you will learn when the time is right, quite the complex topic if I do say so myself," she responded. "But to answer the rest of your questions…this is my Wonderland, a world fully under my control, outside of the conventional material world, with its own timestream too. As to why I have called you here...that will come later."

"So…even if we talk for days here, no time would've passed outside?"

"Correct, not even a single microsecond."

That thought was certainly perplexing to her. What kind of force was she even talking to?

But if that were true, that she could spend as long as needed here, she could perhaps try to gain more answers from her.

"B-before I want to know my purpose here…can I ask you a few questions?"

"Sure thing." Sophia placed her chin upon the back of her own hands, leaning forward a little.

"How much more do you know about me?"

"I know your previous name, your past, your condition, your reason for being in this world, as well as why you were given the opportunity to see creation unfolding."

Perplexing, utterly perplexing. "So practically all of it…"

Sophia nodded. It was a bit scary to have someone know every bit of information you possessed, but it was something that was her specialty.

"You've been blessed with a second chance to fulfill a certain reverie that you've always dreamed of being. Of wanting to be relied upon, to be someone useful, capable of helping those in need," she said, leaning back again in her chair.

"What are you…?"

"There shall be questions that you may want to ask now, but I or the world itself would answer them for you when the time's right. You are confused and perplexed; I am well aware of that. But your wish…your dream, that is something that I want to guide and aid you in," she said. "However, every action that you will take is your own to make, for that is the definition and idea of free will. I shall simply be your advisor whenever the moment is crucial."

Marilyn sat silently, in deep thought. Sophia, however, continued on her own.

Sophia crossed her legs, her fingers intertwined. "I've been assigned to watch over, guide, and console you, ever since you're born in this very world, and your previous one. I'm your Guardian Angel, Marilyn Althorn, and you are my Chosen Person."