January 9, the 586th year of the Ervania kingdom date.
"T-this is?!"
It was a day that would deeply imprint on the memory of all the inhabitants of the kingdom of Ervania as well as the world.
"Albert Cour Draviel of the venerable Duke Draviel family has proven to have the greatest, most sacred job, the guide of mankind who will bring salvation to the world: Hero!!!"
Because it is the birthday of the Hero of Humankind who will end the war between Humankind and Demonkind.
Of course that's not me. I was just a random city girl watching all the festivities as the pastor of the church announced it to all the residents of the Capital.
In other words, I'm just a mere NPC if you understand what I mean.
The difference between myself and ordinary townspeople is just the fact that I have something called a previous life.
I have been reincarnated.
I was a man in my previous life, a man who was full of mistakes and eventually ruined his own life.
Well, enough about the past.
On the other hand, I am currently reborn as a girl named Arisa Waterbloom.
Even though I have a last name it doesn't mean that I'm a nobleman or anything like that, I'm just a child of a 'little' popular bakery owner in this capital. In other words, I've lived pretty well since I was born into this world. Our family's finances weren't big enough to be called rich, but we didn't struggle financially either.
Long story short, we're just an ordinary family that is kind and harmonious enough that you can find anywhere.
Because our bakery is called Waterbloom bakery, Waterbloom has long been the last name of our entire family.
Actually, I like this family more than my family in my previous life.
Unlike my family in my previous life who always had high expectations of me that made me even start to forget what was called 'family' from the beginning, my current family is not too strict about it.
They almost never demand or impose their will on me except when I make a mistake (not that I want to do anything wrong in the first place).
They have been content with only me being willing to help them in the bakery once in a while and being able to bake bread that is decent enough to sell.
I don't really understand, but it's probably because I'm a woman in my current life. They seem to be thinking of appointing whoever will be my husband in the future to be the successor of the bakery.
So, whoever will become my husband will definitely receive quite a hard training on some of the things needed to run this bakery later before being accepted by my parents.
However, this is an obvious thing, but it actually troubles me more than my family's great expectations in my previous life. I mean, thinking of me being a man's partner is just... Ugh, that's too scary.
"-With that, I promise I will live up to your expectations and defeat the Demon King!!"
"Oooohhhhh!!"
Hm?
Unbeknownst to me, a blond boy who looked at age not too far away from me was already standing by the priest's side and announcing it to the entire townspeople with determination.
The boy's face looked very motivated and fearless.
"Maybe that's what you can expect from a chosen hero, I think... He so different from a person like me."
Turning my face away from the crowd, I sank into my thoughts again as the crowd behind me began to go crazy with excitement.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
***
I've been reincarnated into this world for about over 14 years – or maybe more accurately if I call it 15 years? After all, tomorrow is my 15th birthday.
Tomorrow I have to come to church to get my own 'Job' like the boy who became the Hero.
Job it is a designation for a blessing from the gods to mankind. This blessing itself has various types of effects that vary depending on the individual, although it is not uncommon to find the owner of the same Job as yours if your Job is just an ordinary Job such as 'Farmer' or 'Trader'.
On the other hand, special jobs like 'Hero' can only be held by one person at a time. From this alone, maybe you can already know how unfair this world is.
"Well, although in that respect this world is not too different from Earth, anyway..."
*Tap*
On the edge of commercial district that was always crowded with buying and selling activities from day to night, my feet led me to the front of a familiar little store.
It has 2 floors, brick walls that look a little old but sturdy, a blue tile roof with a chimney that sticks up, It was a small bakery owned by my family, Waterbloom Bakery.
Behind the small glass window on the wall near the entrance, I found the figure of my mother who was serving customers who came to buy some bread with a gentle smile on her face.
There are fewer customers today than usual, probably because the fuss about heroes has caught the attention of most of our potential customers today.
Well, not that it's a big deal or anything like that. After all, this kind of situation also benefits me because I don't have to help in serving customers.
"I'm home..." Pushing open the entrance of the store, I stepped in.
Perhaps realizing that it was me, my mother turned to me when she finished serving all the customers at the time.
"... Welcome back, Arisa. How was the Job awarding ceremony? Have you managed to get rid of your nervousness after seeing it in person??"
Lalaine Waterbloom, she is a beautiful long black-haired woman with big chest with an appearance that can make you misunderstand that she is actually still around 20.
I, who is her own daughter, don't even know how old this woman really is.
This woman who is also my mother in my current life is someone who has a very gentle and kind personality. In addition, she will also always turn off that she will always display a smiling face outside.
Yes, outside...
"... Well, it's not too bad, I guess." A while ago, I had been shutting myself in my room for quite a long time to think about what I would do after I got my own job.
However, it seems that this actually made my mother - Lalaine misunderstand that I was too nervous to go through the Job Awarding Ceremony and told me to go and see what the Job Awarding Ceremony really was.
"Oh, is that so? You look better now... So I guess you are not nervous anymore?"
"Sigh... I was never nervous in the first place."
"Fufufu~... You don't have to be so shy to your mother, you know? Little Arisa~ As your mother, I am obliged to listen to all your grievances!"
Uh... Is this woman serious? She can always say it all with a serious expression on her face.
"Ah, right."
"Hm?"
"I saw a boy named Albert who seemed to be a hero."
"...E-eh?"
"Then Mom, I still have some things to do so I'll go back to my room."
"Eh?! W-wait...!"
Leaving Lalaine still confused, I went into my room and began to plan again about all the possibilities that I would encounter after I got the Job.
Yes, I still do things like this even though I have been reincarnated.
However, this time, I will not fail. I won't lose anything anymore. Even if...
... I have to do much of taboo things, this time I'll get my happy life.
#POV: Third person view.
"Hero, huh..."
Standing alone on the first floor of the store that had now been empty of customers, Lalaine narrowed her eyes as she gazed far beyond what she could see from behind the shop window.
The expression on Lalaine's face instantly turned cold when she understood what had really happened, "I see. Looks like it's time for me to do my another job, hum?"
Removing the apron she always wears when serving customers, Lalaine clasped the apron tightly close to her chest before reluctantly placing it gently on the table.
"That's right, I have to do this. I have to protect my family." Closing both eyes, Lalaine recalled the sweet face of her beloved daughter who had short silver hair and red eyes which was actually quite strange considering she and her husband had black hair.
She also remembers her husband's face that... Well, not too special except for the sharp look in his eyes. However, even so, Lalaine still loves that man who has accepted her as a wife and given her a family warmth.
Illust 01 [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BcVZQonqgbDpdq3Alp8MipWZt7ZiYhh8/view?usp=drivesdk]
"Arisa, David... I love you..." When Lalaine's teardrops fell onto the silent shop floor, Lalaine's figure was no longer there as if it had been swallowed by thin air.
At this time, Arisa still didn't realize it. However, this was the beginning of a major change that would happen to her life.
Even if he's reborn already, it doesn't mean that he has escaped his destiny.
Like the hands of a devil thirsting for human blood, one problem after another will come to Manuel - no, Arisa to knock her down to the lowest point she can imagine.
However, God was not that cruel either. Instead of bad luck, it was more like a wind of change for Arisa. If she can overcome the problems that will come to her whether they happen because of her fault or not, she will get a reward she deserves - or many times greater than the problems she received.
However, if she can't cope with it... Then it won't have to wait long for Arisa to meet her end.
...
...
"Hm? Lala's apron? It's rare for her to take it off when it's still opening hours like this... Hm... Arisa!! Did your mother go somewhere? Dad can't find it anywhere!" (David, Arisa's father confused because he can't find Lalaine anywhere after he has just finished baking new loaves of bread from the kitchen.)
"I don't know! Maybe mom went shopping or something!"