Reincarnated As Both The Villainess And Heroine...?

Innocent Monster

W-well, let's calm down for now. The situation wasn't that bad, considering Lily hadn't stabbed me. Yet. In other words, Lily didn't know Rin me was actually responsible for the situation regarding Elizabeth me's mother.

It wasn't that surprising if I considered it, actually. Nobody outside the officers involved actually knew what Rin looked like, and even if they did, I doubt someone like the Duke of Bathory would concern himself with the appearance of a commoner, even if she did wrong him.

So as long as Ifrit doesn't show up and ruin the party for the lot of us, my life should be out of immediate danger...for now. In the first place, was this even necessary!? I refuse to believe it was a mere coincidence that it was Elizabeth that I ran into! I refuse!

Well whatever. It was likely some sort of hidden scenario the script writers wrote as a sick joke, but didn't put in the actual game for obvious reasons. However, that constituted a whole new problem.

I had no access to my foresight cheat. In other words, I have absolutely zero information to work with. No knowledge of the conclusion, no idea of what anyone or even I should say, and no clue how this incident would impact the greater script as a whole.

"Have you been traveling alone? Do you not have any guardians that care for your safety?" Lily initiated conversation as she studied my blades.

"It's difficult for my mother to leave the country," I explained. "It's the same situation for my father. I don't know why, but the men in the fancy clothes said so."

Of course I knew why, but revealing their identity would likely result in me getting slain there and then.

"Those blades of yours have admirable craftsmanship. Are you entering the martial department?" utilizing Elizabeth me's body, I steered the conversation away form anything that would reveal Rin me's identity.

"Ah yes! These two are gorgeous, aren't they? Father gave it to me after when I departed for the kingdom,  so they must be something special!"

"Indeed," Lily replied in a neutral manner, choosing to not pursue the matter further.

...Or so I thought.

"Your attire and mannerisms remind me of the Sakura Empire. Am I mistaken to say you are a citizen of the nation in the east?"

Oh dear. This conversation went off the rails the moment I tried to praise my brilliant and cunning plan. Damn you, me!

No no no, wait a minute. This hasn't completely derailed yet. If I had to describe it, the train was currently operating with one side slightly lifted into the air. We could still land back down and have a pleasant trip, yes! Hope was not lost!

I explained, "It is as you have guessed. Ah, but I'm not from the core provinces or anything like that. Instead, I hail from one of the fringe regions."

"A barbarian, then," her words dropped below the freezing point.

Yikes. I wasn't used to Lily being this hostile, but I suppose this was fated in a way...I certainly didn't like it, though.

"Lily," Elizabeth me chided gently.

"I apologize," Lily bowed in deference. "I spoke out of turn."

I laughed awkwardly, "Well, I don't rea—"

"Monsters ahead!" once again, an interruption came barreling through with the unstoppable force of plot device.

Damn authors. I knew they weren't good people when they wrote such a needlessly dark plot, but had no way of confirming it. However, this awful joke of a scene was definitely deleted when they had to dispose of the evidence of their sick fetish. Spirits bless my soul.

Lily immediately perked her head up, reaching for an object that was hidden beneath her skirt, "How many?"

"A dozen! Have the carriage run ahead, I shall hold them off for Lady Bathory's safety!" the soldier cried as I heard a weight leap off the carriage.

"As admirable as your bravery is, allow me to assist."

"Wait, Lily—" I protested out of instinct.

For the first time in quite a while, I noticed a thin smile spread across my maid's lips. I have nearly forgotten how beautiful she was when she smiled, especially considering how stoic she was after mother's death.

Lily's expression revealed a gentle soul beneath, but currently it was concealed by such...determination. It was a strong will to the point of negativity. Rolled into a miserable pile of blind emotions, I had hoped it wouldn't be so soon that I had to deal with such a terrible truth.

"I will be fine, my lady," Lily said, grasping my hand tightly. "No personal servant of an individual of high personal stature such as my mistress would be untrained in self defense."

No, that wasn't what I...

"It will be just a short while. It would be as if there was no interruption at all," Lily stretched her cheeks into a brilliant smile.

That wasn't what I was worried about at all.

"Come, barbarian. Let's make this short with our cooperation," Lily handed back Rin me's swords.

What I was worried about was the affirmation of who Lily was. If one considered the timeline of events, Lily was someone terrifying during the scenarios of the game. That would mean whatever happened between the death of my mother and several years later would be the catalyst of Lily's change.

I had first assumed her change to be something caused by the innocent monster, Elizabeth Bathory. However, over the course of the past few months, the truth began to slowly creep up on me, unraveling an ugly sight that I did not wish to see.

As Lily stepped on the soil gracefully, chains fell down from within her skirt. With a slight flick of her wrist, the chains rose from the ground, animating itself with the lifelike movements of a serpentine creature. It coiled itself around the graceful maid, awaiting for instructions.

There it was. The terrible truth that I averted my eyes from. Ah, I should have know. I should have known. The script writers were too vile to allow Elizabeth the villainy of corrupting the pure Lily. Oh, certainly not.

After living through several scenarios in this foreign world, I've come to grasp at a chilling fact. From the very beginning, Elizabeth wasn't the villainess. The players thought her as such, simply because they were viewing events through the eyes of Rin.

However, being in both bodies, I've come to understand this fundamental difference. Elizabeth was an...innocent monster. A being that should pay for her crimes, but it just so happens many of those crimes "happened" to her.

Now, do you understand why I called the writers vile? It was half intended to be a joke, but at the same time, could you deny my accusation? Try it. Try to do so as you witness my innocent Lily display a power that would later on be capable of taking on the strongest warriors.

The young girl who ultimately could not be defeated by anyone. Not the heroine, not the male leads...not a single individual. She conceded because it was in the best interest of her mistress, but that begs the question, doesn't it?

Did Lily serve Elizabeth out of some twisted manipulation done by Elizabeth? Or was the truth something much more logical and sane? Something that was fundamental to human relationships, but everyone failed to grasp simply due to the "lack of information".

This scene was removed from the final product for one simple reason, I reckon. After all, it was easier to explain Lily's actions that way. Everything was more convenient if the players, and ultimately me, hadn't observed this scene. But now? I...I don't know. Just what...what...

What happened to you, Lily?