The thunderous sound echoed through the vast and silent wilderness as a high-speed hover train raced across the third administrative zone of Auraka, on the planet Nomeka.

Since the Kingdom of Astralis had enacted a strict law five years ago prohibiting any non-military units from flying, high-speed hover trains had become the only legal means of transportation for citizens traveling to distant cities.

Of course, tickets weren’t cheap, especially for express trains departing in the middle of the night, which could cost nearly twice the usual fare.

In general, the passengers who traveled at this hour were wealthy individuals in a hurry.

However, that night, in an almost empty economy-class carriage, there was only one girl who seemed a little lost and disoriented.

That girl was Alice.

Without an adult accompanying her or any friends by her side, she might have seemed, to most people, like a rebellious teenager running away from home.

But since the night train was practically deserted, with only one or two passengers sleeping soundly, no one paid attention to Alice’s melancholic expression.

Except for Nisha, who had nothing better to do...

He formed two small hands and began playing with the girl’s hair, twisting the strands and pulling them upward.

-Look, cat ears!

ฅ^>⩊<^ฅ

"Stop it, Nisha. Leave me alone."

Alice waved the little spectral entity away with a tired motion of her hand. Her voice was low and hoarse.

Nisha only wanted to cheer her up in his own way. After all, his intelligence wasn’t enough to comprehend the meaning of death, nor to feel sadness for any living being other than Alice.

So even after witnessing Doctor Elock’s corpse with his own eyes, the heartless little ghost remained indifferent. And since he could sense the unprecedented sorrow within his little master’s heart, he thought that playing a small prank might help lighten her mood.

But for Alice, who was on the run on this stormy night, nothing could cheer her up. She had lost a beloved relative and her home.

The words of scolding she had heard that morning had now become the last her father had ever spoken to her.

The only thing she still carried from home was a silver suitcase. How could she possibly find joy in this moment?

As memories of her happy life with her father resurfaced in her mind, the young girl, now faced with the harsh reality of death, could only sink deeper into sorrow.

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But she couldn’t cry. Alice hated crying because crying was useless.

In fact, she had already unlocked her last suitcase.

After all, nearly every password Doctor Elock used was Alice’s birthday, and the small metallic cube before her was no exception.

Now, taking advantage of the quiet train ride, Alice forced herself to remain calm and carefully examine the belongings her father had left behind.

Partly to plan her escape, partly to honor her late father.

..............

Most of the suitcase’s space was taken up by spare clothing. Besides two sets of Alice’s winter clothes, there was also one of her father’s suits. Nothing particularly unusual.

However, among the clothes, there were two items stored in a hidden compartment in the suitcase lining, and these items were anything but ordinary.

The first was a bright white magnetic card with no inscriptions.

The second was a notebook… one that looked incredibly old.

Alice had no idea what the magnetic card was for. But considering that her father had carefully stored it away, it was clear that it was extremely important.

Since she couldn’t extract any information from the card, she decided to tuck it into the inner pocket of her clothing.

As for the second item…

The reason she called it "old" was that, in an era dominated by digital technology, a paper-and-ink notebook was a rare relic.

The reason she called it a "research notebook" was simple: the words "Research Notebook" were written in large letters on the cover.

It was evident that Doctor Elock had meticulously planned the fate of this notebook. On its slightly worn cover, there was a later-added dedication written in a familiar handwriting:

[For my beloved daughter, Alice.]

"Father… Your identity was far more than it seemed, wasn’t it?"

Alice recalled the expressions of the men in black when they witnessed Nisha’s power. They had looked visibly shocked. They didn’t seem to have been sent specifically for her.

The Kingdom of Astralis also had no reason to dispatch special agents to eliminate an ordinary middle school student.

"So…"

"Could the answers be in this notebook?"

Alice traced her fingers delicately over the cover. Her movements were hesitant and careful.

At eleven years old, she was no longer a naive child. Her maturity far exceeded that of many her age. Now that she thought about it, her life, which had always seemed "normal," had already shown several strange signs.

"But… If her father wasn’t just the gentle Doctor Elock, then… who was he really?"

With her heart filled with doubts and anxiety, Alice took a deep breath and turned to the first page of the notebook, reading each line with care.

"Yes, some truths must be uncovered, regardless of the consequences."

...............

"To Alice, my beloved daughter,"

"If you are reading this notebook, then I have probably already died.

After all, Nisha is your 'Inverse Entropy Companion,' an entity that can only protect you—and will only protect you. Among the countless dangers of the future, my death could have occurred in many unforeseen ways.

That’s why I left this notebook for you. I hope it can help you… and also reveal the words I never had the courage to say."

On the first page, there was a message left by her father.

His handwriting was firm and orderly. It was clear that, even while anticipating his own death, Doctor Elock remained calm.

However, as Alice turned the page, the words that followed were far from composed…

"First of all, let me apologize as your father! Forgive me, Alice.

I have lied to you about many things, both about my identity and about the cause of your mother’s death.

In reality, my name is not Elock. My identity as 'the doctor of the small town of Avril,' as well as yours, was never legitimate.

My real name is Andal-Seraphio.

I was the second son of the Seraphio House, one of the sixteen ducal families of the Kingdom of Astralis… and also one of the core researchers of the 'Divinity' Project at the Seventh Imperial Institute."