Helena Fox's Point Of View

Jesmaine has disappeared... so has all the students from Headal. The nobles won't talk to me about it. They all brush me off with 'politics', so I have no idea what is going on, or where I should look for her... Meanwhile I hear rumors that we're going to war with Headal. Is she going to be okay? If we go to war, won't she be in danger?

This place is different than it is in the game. They have slums, although hidden away... and many people have lost limbs in the wars to the east... and all they can do is beg.

Not just that, but it suffers from over-taxation, flooding from the mountains and military trained bandits... and meanwhile the nobles visit extravagant parties and act as if they're better than everyone else... how can I accept a world like this?

It was one thing to hear about it in a game... but the first time you see someone get their hand cut off for stealing as you visit the slums... that's... just too much... that is nothing like in the game, or perhaps it's just that they never actually showed it in the game.

---*---

I hoped that Claire was reincarnated, but she wasn't... she was still kind though, so she understood what I told her. She understood that things needed to change... or so I thought, but she was hesitant in changing anything. She said it would be hard. I know it will be hard, but she will have the position to change that as long as she ends up together with Alstair.

Alstair is kind, so he should be able to make the changes. If Alstair wanted to change something and the nobles went against him, then Lionel would rip them apart.

I know I am taking advantage of Claire, but I can't let things be as they are.

I... found a little oasis when I found Jesmaine.

I knew the moment I heard she had argued with Lily Celeste.

Jesmaine was a side love interest for Lionel... but not just that, she was a friend of Lily Celeste... Jesmaine would help Lily in bullying the heroine in both Lionel's route, but also in Alstair's. They would assist each other... and that is why I knew that something was wrong immediately... it wasn't the same with Lily... I... really thought she was just her normal arrogant self... no... I thought she had just leveled up just like the heroine...

I am willing to use people, if that means I can save others from being victims of war and the greed of nobles. I know that things can be better, and I want to see this world turn into something more beautiful.

That includes Claire. I sincerely want the best for her, and Alstair is incredibly kind. He would take very good care of her, so I don't feel guilt for trying to match the two of them... but I overlooked something...

The main villainess was much more sly than the original one... and she was a reincarnated person as well.

She humiliated me.

And she smiled while doing it.

She ruined my friendship with Claire as well. She still smiles at me, but she always has a hint of hesitance when she talks with me.

---*---

I was shocked to find out Lily was reincarnated... you wouldn't be able to tell. She fit in perfectly... no... I think she was worse than most of them... because she... she knew all of the horrible things that happened to the peasants, but she was fine with it. She just brushed it off like 'they should be happy their lord wants it good for them'... but she doesn't mind killing them at all!

How do you go from modern japan to this place and become so cold and so uncaring about people?!

And yet... she's now the only one I can rely on.

Even though I suspect her of having something to do with Jesmaine's disappearance... I'll ask her about that while I... ask her to co-operate. She wants Claire to be with Alstair too, so if I can get her to pitch the idea as well, then things should be fine. She has a lot of power too. Even if Claire doesn't end with Alstair, then Lily takes the role of queen, and she can push it through.

"Lily-sama, can we talk... privately..."

I asked her bluntly... or as bluntly as possible... there was something wrong with her. She had the air of a criminal...

What if she was a criminal?

But I can't go back. I need to pull this through, for every kid and every person in this kingdom.

"...Of course."

She smiled at me. A smile that doesn't reach the eyes at all.

Her eyes are like ice... like something out of a horror movie.

---*---

We head into an empty room.

Lily actually made Magdalin leave as well, so there was nothing to keep me from approaching that subject.

"You're reincarnated just like me, so why did you get in the way of my suggestion? You didn't even try to help. It was a good opportunity to make things better for the people here. We've seen what life can be like and the feeling of never needing to worry about waking up in the morning."

I breached the subject and took a deep breath. There was no one around now, so she should give me her actual opinion... and I called her out on being reincarnated.

Her polite smile crumbled.

She stared at me quietly like a statue of ice.

Her gaze felt uncomfortable, as if she was sizing me up.

"...I suppose you mean, 'reincarnated with memories of my former life intact'. I am."

She crossed her arms calmly, though her chin lifted a little. She was looking down on me.

"I shut you down because you stepped out of line. It is well above your station. I didn't help you because you're filth that starts rebellions." Her words were as cold as her eyes.

"F-Filth?" What is wrong with this girl?

I needed to shrug this off.

"You're only interested in the capture targets?"

I can't figure her out. I remember all the routes, so if she wants a specific outcome I may be able to help. I may be able to trade with her... unexpectedly she narrowed her eyes.

"...You mean the guys Claire is supposed to charm?"

A casual? At least it seemed like she knew about the plot...

"Yes. I know their secrets, so if there is something you want to know-"

She stopped me with the wave of a hand.

"More importantly... does the 'running water' thing make sense to you?"

...

..

.

"Wh- I mean I was surprised since it wasn't described in the game, but I'm happy they have it. It would have been quite uncomfortable otherwise."

What kind of question is that?!

Her eyes narrowed again, this time looking plainly annoyed.

"And the school uniform?"

"What about it? I mean, it is very military like, but it looks kind of cool. I think the designers did a good job on it."

My shoulders slumped a bit. Why was she interested in these things? No, before that, what in the world did she intend to get out of asking that?

She put a hand to her lips in thought.

"What about the magic?"

Well... if this got the deal done then I didn't mind asking these seemingly pointless questions... I... expected her to be more sly though...

"It's fairy magic? It's cool that there is magic in the world, but I wish it was used to make life better for the people... I mean... we can actually use something as fantastical as magic so of course it should be used to make people happy."

She stared at me again, very quietly and then motioned to the fish flying around her.

"Do you know what that is?"

....A fish out of water?

"A magical beast."

These questions are getting out of hand.

"Could we get back on the subject, I want to make this place better, and because of you, you're the only one I can ask."

She stared at me with a somewhat tiring look, like I was an idiot. She wasn't even looking down at me anymore, she was looking at me like I was sincerely an idiot.

"You said this story was a game. I've never heard of that sort of... game... and from your questions I can clearly judge that our worlds are not the same."

Eh?

Wait, what?

"What do you mean?"

"I am saying, little commoner, that whatever peaceful world you come from is not my homeland. I was born in the year 1101 by our calendar, and I have never seen anything like the 'running water' you have here... however... you appear rather comfortable with these... exotic items."

I stand dumbfounded for a moment. 1101?! Heimin?! Wait... courage, honor... those insults she had tossed at commoners... b-bushido?

"Y-you're a samurai?"

She lit up with interest for a moment.

"Yes, quite unlike you."

Oh god...

A fucking samurai!

I end up backing away a bit. I mean, consider this for a moment. We are talking someone that kills other people over insults.

A soldier with pride taller than the sun.

Furthermore... a supremacist... this is someone that would never accept my changes of pulling down the nobles... and I've already insulted nobility once... in ancient japan nobility equals samurai!

"I... was... born in 1999... so, I am from the future..."

She stared at me.

"I see. So your goal is to implement things from your time into this world?"

We were suddenly back on topic, but perhaps this was good. I knew what I could I expect of her in an instant... I need to be a lot more careful if I want her to co-operate.

"Mainly education and... improvements for the commoners. As a samurai you had a stipend, right? So you should understand that the current nobility is too greedy."

She had certainly said so last time, right?

So... why... what is that look?

Why is she smiling... no... why is she grinning so cruelly?

Her smile is definitely cruel.

...

What is this feeling?

I feel cold...

Freezing...

My breath is caught in my throat.

She stepped in closer... so why is it that I can't move?

My legs are quivering... my mind is going blank...

Am I going to die?

Is she going to kill me?

"You better not, 'Helena'."

It's a warning, but I end up jolting... her eyes almost seem to glow... golden... her lips curled into that cruel grin that made her canines stand out...

"Did you consider the consequences, even a little? Or did you think it would go smoothly?"

She actually gives a mocking laugh... and... it sends a chill through my spine.

"It may go well for an idea or two... but then they'll realize... you're worth more than money... you're worth power. Whoever holds you hold the future... do you know what that means 'Helena'? That means you'll be fought over... ah, but having you in public is hard... so you'll be hidden away..."

Her grin grew colder with every word.

"They don't even need your co-operation, they just need the ideas... in other words..."

She leans in towards my ear as she whispers the next words.

"You'll be tortured for the remainder of your life."

She pulls back and then her smile fades.

"I hear they can even remove halves of your eyes without you dying nowadays... You'll be used and betrayed for those ideas, and you know... unlike in my world, violation here is a main stay... so some would likely go low enough to make you pregnant and then use the child to blackmail you, and likely more than once... just over and over..."

She grabs my jaw and stares me down with that bone chilling gaze.

"I won't stop you, but, I certainly won't help you. Just know, 'Helena'... I will remember this."

She let go... but I still couldn't move... I just realized what she meant...

I just spent this entire 'meeting' signing my own death sentence...

'Lily' left calmly... and it wasn't until then that I realized I'd slumped down on the floor in a puddle of my own pee.

I... had to warn Jesmaine... she... she could end up going through that too... b-but if I asked Lily then Jesmaine would... Jesmaine would be in this with me... I can't let her go through that...