Reincarnated As Both The Villainess And Heroine...?

The Path of A Heroine

"Oversized? We don't have anything smaller."

"I'm going to get blisters with this..." I laughed nervously.

"Can't do anything about that, I'm afraid. Just wrap it as tightly as possible. Maybe add layers of bandages over your feet, too."

"Man. Feels like I'm bringing my daughter on her first hiking trip all over again."

"Watch it. She's our superior, technically. Well, not like I don't understand your sentiment..."

It wasn't as if I asked for this, either!

"Well...she did beat the old man, so I guess there isn't any complaints from me? Wait, old man, you have a kid!?"

What a lively bunch. What a shame they were placed under my care. In fact, anyone being placed under my care was a huge mistake!

"How embarrassing! To think I would lose to a kid! A kid who didn't even take out her second sword, no less!" the aged man laughed away.

"Don't change the topic!"

"You might be strong, but still," the only other woman of the squad huffed. "What were they thinking sending a cute little young girl like you to the battlefield? The Sakura Empire is really starting to lose it."

"You're from the Hierarchy?" I asked.

While they spoke in a language that I was familiar with, there was a rather obvious accent in their words.

"All three of us are. The old man over here is part of the militia. The noisy one is a career soldier. I'm just here to pay off my debts, I suppose."

"What an odd way to organize soldiers."

The old man chuckled, "You're here, aren't you, miss leader from the Empire? Organization has more or less been given to the Empire. To them, we are nothing but numbers to help soften their own losses. They don't care if we are professional soldiers or mere conscripts."

"You're okay with dying for those that doesn't care about your lives at all?"

"Obviously not. I have a family waiting at home. But being in the militia means that they have a roof under their heads."

"It's just business. I can't do anything about it," the professional soldier sighed.

"I have to repay that debt somehow."

"A debt slave?" I tilted my head.

"My, I was being considerate since you're a child and all. It seems that you understand these things, hm?"

"I am a commoner, you know. Slaves aren't that all too uncommon from where I come from. Particularly ones that fell to indentured servitude due to financial difficulties."

"Lived life a bit too carelessly, I did. Luckily, putting your life on the line makes quite a bit of money"

"Isn't that living life carelessly too..."

The debt soldier laughed heartily, "I suppose old habits die hard!"

Her expression immediately grew serious, "That being said, if you recognize the risk involved, why are you here?"

"Consider it the tax of being a practitioner of martial arts, I suppose."

"Aye, I've heard of that," the old man nodded. "Quite illogical if you ask me. Why discourage the development of martial arts if it's a nation that seems to place great value in things such as the way of the sword? From what I understand, the Sakura Empire views martial artists with a great degree of prestige and honor."