Reincarnated As Both The Villainess And Heroine...?

He Always Causes Problems

The rest of the trip could largely be summarized as a strained silence. Or perhaps a comfortable silence. I couldn't be sure. Was it Rin's air-headedness that was the reason for my inability to perceive the tension? Or was it Elizabeth's nature to overthink things to blame for the perceived awkwardness?

Nevertheless, it appears that it was only me, or should I say "us", that was concerned with such a pointless matter.

"I understand the wound hurts, but please, hold still. Or must I bind you with my chains?" Lily threatened lightly as she tended to my wounds.

"Okay, okay! I get it!" I shivered slightly, remembering the poor beasts who were eviscerated by her magical chains.

As Lily forcefully wrapped the bandages around my arm almost begrudgingly, she tilted her head slightly upwards, her eyes gazing up at me with a seemingly puzzled expression.

She mused, "For one of your age, you are quite impressive with the handling of the blade."

"I don't feel very good about that compliment when you say it while patching up the evidences of my mediocrity, though..." I laughed uneasily.

"For an individual that stands at the lowest rung of society, it is worthy praise. The amount of futile effort, that is. Nevertheless, your contribution to the carriage's defense is laudable."

A massacre was what it should be called. Despite being aggressive monsters, they were butchered nearly instantly, to the point where I had difficulty recognizing what kind of creatures they were.

However, I was the one who struggled with the brawl. Lily was the vanguard that slaughtered the bulk of of the creatures, with the escort guards clearing up any stragglers. My responsibility was similar to that of the guards, but I ended up having trouble with just a single beast.

It was nothing like killing wolves that father had already weakened. The strength was overwhelming. The stench of death was overpowering. The speed was immense. If not for Ifrit's protection secretly warding much of the wolves' attacks away, I likely wouldn't have made it out with just scrapes and bruises.

Although it wasn't the first time I had thrown down with monsters before, but it was the first time that I truly did feel my life was in danger. Even so, the impact of it all largely dissipated as it smashed against the insurmountable wall that was Elizabeth me's despair.

There was a certain beauty to Lily's techniques. Still, it was mostly atrocious. Merciless. Indifferent. Even against savage monsters who did not deserve human compassion, the chains strangled and wrung out the life with indiscriminate brutality.

I do not wish to go into detail of what had happened, since it honestly did make my stomachs churn. Out of physical disgust, for once. The manner at which Lily approached the killing was cold and efficient, yet at the same time a bit...harrowing.

Ah, really, Elizabeth was ruining my mood. It wasn't as if I didn't understand it either, because I was, well, her. How would this body of mine feel if Shiro has suddenly became a cold blooded killer? It was something similar for Elizabeth me, but worse. After all, Lily's change seemed to be something written in fate, a cruel joke on the developers' end.

What a depressing this day was. Being reincarnated into an idyllic romance story wasn't as nice as it sounded, after all. Or perhaps it was. I just shouldn't have been born as the individual who would receive the short end of the stick. Guess, I should have picked better, huh? If only I could have picked better...isn't that right, tunnel!?

Damned tunnel.

Lily interrupted my grievances with the accursed tunnel, "There you go. Good timing as well, it seems we have arrived at the capital."