Sometimes, no matter what, one could meet hopeless fools beyond saving in the world, even if it's somewhere close enough to be called as cheap joke.
Yes. For example...
"Hand over your belongings and we might spare you, lousy nobles!!" A man with common feature of a bandit announced.
Standing boldly, he was accompanied by fifteen people wearing patched clothes, bandannas and blunt daggers. It's blatant obvious that they hold malicious intents as they eyed the carriage.
"Hoh ho... Now this certainly sounds like a hassle. What shall we do, Milady?" The coach... or rather, Mr. Rudolph turned a calm glance at me who's sitting inside.
Even though his hair had turned grey and his wrinkled face denied him of any violent impression, his eyes certainly hid the brutal intent to massacre the bandits. Well, he's a butler, alright...
A head butler sent personally by the king of Aeinsland.
Of course, I sighed as one of the bandits noticed me through the window. They sure made some hell of an expression to behold.
"A woman... and it's a young girl!! We're lucky, Boss!"
"Heh he... just our luck. The last one happened to go wasted so..."
"Oh, and she has golden hair and those eyes... it's a damn good stuff!!"
"Eh, but I think someone said this kind fetches for five years worth of gold..."
...ah. Rudolph-san, please calm down a little. These guys are scums but they deserve the time to be the bad guys.
"Mr. Rudolph, restraint yourself. I would like to inquire them." I stated.
"...very well then. But please be careful." Mr. Rudolph responded.
Then he went down from his seat and opened the door. I descended with light steps and I turned to face the bandits. Stop whistling, the one in the corner.
"It seems that you people like to ambush travelers. Is this your hunting ground?"
"Oh? Well, this is a surprise. You're quite smart, little girl."
...little, huh? It's true that compared to ordinary people, my growth rate is as slow as snail. Even after I checked at the beginning of spring, my height rose only up to five and half feet.
Well, I'm still 13 years old. I still have rooms for growth but it's kind of frustrating as I have to look up just to face someone. Craning my head all the time is like a torture.
Not to mention...
"I see. Then allow me to remove you all for the sake of those wandering for their dreams."
Since they pissed me off, I'll just get rid of them!
I drew out a sword and swung it sideways. It's nothing more than a simple sword with average quality made from ordinary iron. It's a replacement for my partners, Tyrfingg and Tsukuyomi, were shattered beyond repair.
Though it's pretty heavy nonetheless. Ordinary humans would not be able to wield this properly, much less women if they don't live in a world with triple the force of gravity.
But seeing me setting a stance, the bandits laughed.
"Oy oy... is she serious?"
"Ha! A willful princess... She will be fun to toy with!!"
"Stupid... Do you think you can defeat us?!"
Well... just shut your mouths already. I'm not in the mood since I'm in my period. Sheesh, talk about troublesome thing.
"If you don't come then I will begin." I muttered. "En garde!!"
With a leap and I reached the bandit leader in a mere instance. His eyes turned round and his body stiffened in surprise.
I immediately landed one of my feet and turned around. In a flash, the sword followed my movement.
First Step: Tail Smash.
The technique struck the burly person and he was blasted along with six of his men due to them standing in a straight row.
*CRASH!* A cloud of dust rose up, bodies scattered everywhere and no signs of waking up could be seen.
I didn't kill them since it's not worth of my time and I happened to train using aura as a blunt weapon if coated.
Hmm... maybe I should stop calling out my skills. It's a bit embarrassing shouting out every time and not speaking allowed me to not reveal any hint if a tough enemy appeared.
"Half is down. Next is... you guys." I turned a calm and indifferent gaze.
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"Ah. Now that I think about it... My thought pattern seemed to change as of lately." I muttered and sighed. "Looks like I'm getting used to it... I wonder if Iris liked to talk strangely."
After the easy Bandit Extermination, I decided to have Mr. Rudolph tie the bandits and dragged them to the nearest village. While waiting near the carriage, I observed the mundane village life.
Hm... I guess it's normal to see more humans than other races here. But elves are sometimes mixed in.
Although I'm a bit bothered about something as of lately.but anyway...
"I'm back at Human Territory... finally." I looked up and exhaled in relief.
It's been yet another month. I - Charlotte Augmund am a daughter of a low-ranked noble once living at the edge of the Territory.
But actually... I'm a reincarnated person.
Pretty amazing right? Not to mention I seemed to live for more than twice. And apparently, I'm just a fragment of my original existence.
Of course I heard all this from a piece of myself... a Soul Fragment named Iris. How did I acquaint myself with her?
After some serious ordeals, I was studying in Leimburg Academy like usual. But my grades were falling and I sought for alternative in the form of a Quest. I was ordered to participate in a peace talk with two nobles (one was an elven and the other a young prince from my homeland) to the Southern Territory.
But I happened to encounter bizarre events there. Like me being not supposed to be born as human, or about my fragmented soul, or about a Demon General turning his head to me like a necrophiliac.
Anyway, I cleared the Quest and accomplished the peace talk just fine.. As the two other nobles have their own people to send them back, we parted ways once we reached the border between Territories. I was on my own when Mr. Rudolph arrived to escort me to Raumia and we had quite an ordinary yet eventful travel...
When bandits emerged.
Since the frequency would probably increase, I have to endure my desire from reaching the Academy faster than expected. It's true that defending public safety is a must in this brutal and savage world, but...
I have too much suspicions about my homeland now.
After all... they killed Iris, an important figure for the beastmen and glossed the truth over with a rebellion. From the looks of it, she was obviously ambushed while on her way by a King or some sorts. Possibly the ruler of the place she aimed to go to.
Other than that, I realized that the Human Territory, aside the places I traveled to, were all known with vicious problems. For example, slavery, heavy taxation, epidemics, bandits' dens or simply lawless places where the strong makes right.
Considering my situation, it's actually pretty odd that I'm being hunted by bandits. Maybe the King has yet to stop from finding people like me. Don't tell me he's a supporter of the demons...?
"...and now I'm starting to think like a politician." I laughed, mocking myself for behaving uncharacteristically.
Honestly... I looked at myself for once. Long golden hair tied at the left and right side while the rest was flowing down my back.
A modest and fragile figure and a short stature. I'm seriously a kid befitting a 13 years old girl even though I'm already 30 years old mentally speaking.
"What's more, I don't know what I should call myself with." I closed my eyes and sighed yet again.
Before I reincarnated, I lived as a boy named 'Akamaru Toribe.' Someone whose sense of justice was outstandingly high and proclaimed as a defender of the weak. I even fought like a delinquent to protect my little sister.
But ever since I reincarnated, I realized that the few quirks I had became something as natural as breathing for me. And those quirks, oddly enough, are things good housewives could do. Even my thinking pattern as well as behavior inclined more and more to how adolescent girls would have.
Is my mind being brainwashed? Or did the hormones affected my psychology? It's pretty hard to know without modern psychologists in this medieval era.
"Milady, I terribly apologize for the wait." Mr. Rudolph came over to me with an apologetic smile.
"No, it is better to negotiate properly with the village chief. After all, there are some cases where unequal distribution of reward might make your honor to plummet." I answered.
The old butler laughed like santa claus and he began to rub his refined mustache.
"Milady sure have grown up... This old servant is truly astounded."
"Is that so? Well, shall we resume the travel?"
"Ah, excuse me, Milady..."
Uh... yes? I tilted my head at the answer I did not expect.
"As additional hospitality, the village chief has lent us rooms to stay for a night. As Solaris will drown soon, perhaps, Milady might wish to rest considering her conditions."
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And... in the end, I'm going to sleep in an inn for tonight rather than camping outside. While it's true that hay bed is more comfortable than rough ground... I was too used to sleep in a bunk bed for royalty.
"Well, whatever... At least playing with children is quite interesting."
When evening arrived, the inn's tavern was crowded and I joined in with Mr. Rudolph for dinner. For some reasons, though, the innkeepers' children came out and approached me with glittering eyes if not flushed cheeks.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Honestly, a little boy suddenly proposed to me. It caused quite an uproar when I heard that he's the village chief's son. But to preserve my feelings, I told him to not say careless things so easily and to look around him more.
"And there's that shy girl who's staring with tears stricken face in the corner, after all." I mumbled.
It sure is easy for children to say their feelings so bluntly like that. Their honesty knows no bound unlike clumsy adults who thought too much before trying.
"...now that I think about it." I put a hand on my chest and pondered.
Though hidden by my shirts, there is a Black Crest carved on a wound there. It's something given to me to save my life by my childhood friend, Fei.
Both the wound and the Crest.
Once, when the whole new students went down into a Dungeon supervised by the Academy, an incident happened and Fei went berserk.
I tried to stop him, of course. As a result, I almost died and Fei carved this Crest to save me when he snapped out from his Terminator Mode.
Haa... he's a handful one. That Black Hero.
I laid my back on the bed and glimpsed the twin moons through the window. Recalling my past, I sure have gone through a lot of things. But, as I curled into fetal position, all I remembered is Him. That dummy Fei. Just because of that, my body felt like it's heating up.
For some reasons, I have been developing feelings in him. Even more, for five or more years. It's surprising that I could yearn for someone this long. This might be the taste of having a first love...
"But I'm a..." I paused as words could not come out as I wanted.
Who am I? What am I? I'm nothing more but fragmented existence given chances to live by gods. My true self already died long time ago...
Even though I lived as a man in Earth.
Even though I reincarnated as a woman in Magnis.
I... couldn't make sure whether or not I'm a man or a woman in the inside. Yes... to be honest, I felt very conflicted about this matter. I'm even having a hard time to answer if I'm a straight or the other way around.
Hmm.... If all souls are born pure and natural, then the first vessels would be their longest impressions. I don't feel anything weird about loving Fei (surprisingly) so it could be said that before I reincarnated... I was born in a female vessel.
"...then, no wonder I have an assortment of feminine behaviors." I nodded down. "It's like a hatchling imprinting the very first creature before them as their parents."
The moment 'I' was born, the soul recorded ALL of the information, experiences, memories and habits done during my First Life. Although the memories and experiences were not carried over after death, things like preferences, personality, hobbies and whatnot were probably retained by the soul.
So... in order, my journey goes like this: Woman > ???(for x times) > Man (Akamaru Toribe) > Woman (Charlotte.)
If you were to ask why I put '???' in the equation, it's because I have nothing but bits of my real self. Currently, I'm being influenced by my previous life where I was once a male. The memories and experiences Toribe had served as my main reference but the possibility of my personality being rewritten is quite high now that I 'recognized myself as a woman.'
"...Uuuh... my head hurts..." I groaned as headache struck me.
Just like this, my days full of agony continued. Because the secret behind my existence was leaked incompletely, I couldn't make sure what my next step is. Even though I (possibly) have a Maiden Heart, my confusion meant I lacked any real experience in romance.
To begin with, how does love work?
"Guu...! So complicated!" I grumbled and. curled in fetal position.
After a few moments, I heaved a deep sigh.
"...I guess... I feel lonely." I closed my eyes. "Un. So that's it."
I want to see him. I want to see you now that I'm back here. I want to talk with you. I want to spend times with you. I wish time could move faster so that I can reach you earlier.
"Fei..." I snuggled as I called out. My body became increasingly hot and my breathe turned ragged.
Before I noticed, I drowned in euphoria, my hand slowly moved down below my stomach and to my private place.
I can't stop thinking about him. I can't stop the wild thumping of my heart. Feeling the butterflies in my stomach, I moaned as I dreamed of meeting him again.
"...I missed you..."
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-George's POV-
"Well, then. What is the meaning of this, Vladimir?"
His majesty, the great demon who ruled over Daemonia questioned. A terrible gaze was cast upon one of us Demon Generals with contempt.
"Not only you have failed to capture Southern Territory... You have also wasted one usage of Demon Mark." He said. "How do you want to explain this?"
My heart shook upon hearing His Majesty's words. This meant... Vladimir will be punished no matter what if he did not have enough reasons to gloss over his mistake.
He's too lenient! How could this failure who tarnished His Majesty's face be let off so easily! Even though nobody but His Majesty knew how slick this snake's silver tongue could be...!
"Assss you desssiiirrre, my Lord..." The Astral Serpent bowed down. "To tell the truth... I have found another one in that place..."
Found? Another? I exchanged looks with Ivory but she seemed too silent. I knew she was punished but she looked too docile.
"Explain." His Majesty urged.
"Yesss... In that place... I have encountered Her once again. It issss That One, my Lord..." Vladimir mutteted. "And sssshe issss probably the besssst candidate sssso far."
What does this mean? I squinted my eyes in doubts about his seriousness to come up with excuses. Is he trying to toy with His Majesty?
But when I looked at His Majesty...
"...I see. Another Fragment." He exhaled with an exhausted looks. "How many does this count now?"
...what is the meaning of this? His Majesty knew? This is... could it be a secret between him and Vladimir?
"Not only that... It issssss the one who accompanied the 7th Vagnalossss."
The great king furrowed his brows hearing that. He gave a glance at Ivory then back to Vladimir.
The seventh Vagnalos... That thing which escaped from Ivory? I certainly heard that she tried to hunt it down but it was the first time that I heard it was accompanied.
"Your eyes seemed wishing to know, George." His Majesty suddenly told me.
"M-my deepest apology, your majesty...! It is not because I am doubting..." I hurriedly knelt down.
"It mattered not. This is related to you as well. Hear and listen well, as there will be a day for us to encounter her."
What...? What does this mean? I will encounter her...?
"She is a maiden with golden hair and emerald eyes." His Majesty explained. "With eloquent graces and pure determination, she continued to appear throughout eons, bringing a change regardless of it being small or large."
As he explained, I noticed a degree of emotions in his voice. His Majesty sounded as if he was reminiscing a precious past. As he told us something resembling a story of the past, he raised his hand.
"But she is not the same person. Her conviction, her life, her power, even her feelings... They could never be the same. Do you know why?"
...upon hearing His Majesty's inquiry, only one voice answered. With a hiss of his tongue, with a gleaming three pairs of serpentine eyes...
"Becaussse ssshe issss a Fragment. A mere sssshadow of her former exissssstence.... sssseparated, isssooolated and alssssoo in piecessss."
Indeed, His Majesty muttered.
"Sooner or later, even her traces will vanish. She will, without a doubt... had she not been born as a Divine Being."
"Divine... Being...?"
I heard of that term... It always referred to those bearing holy power and are made from it. They are the purest existences with not an ounce of imperfection. But if I remembered correctly... They are Gods, not humans...
"That's right... an extremely powerful being to add for."
His Majesty curved up a smile. For once, I noticed how strong of an emotion swelling inside his eyes. That was excitement and thrill. It was bloodlust.
"...what exactly is this maiden, Your Majesty...?" I raised a question.
To think that something other than absolute dominion could entice His Majesty... As I waited patiently for an answer to quench my curiosity, Vladimir laughed and His Majesty's smirk deepened.
"She is a tool. A wretched, bloodstained tool just like Liberia's 12 Living Weapons."
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-Author's Notes-
It's here! The Fifth Volume, yay! And monday (tomorrow) is the start of Final Exam week, f*ck! Isn't this the wrong time to write & release chapters...!?
...*cough* Ignoring my outburst, I tried my best to prepare this volume. Maybe. I don't really know as I have been forced to accept that I'm dame-dame when dealing with lighthearted situations. Looks like my senses, including fashion sense is considered as old like from the '80s. Now we're back at Raumia so let's see some worldbuilding and a little romcom~ Also a teensy bit suspenseful yet bittersweet chaos.