Reincarnated As Both The Villainess And Heroine...?

The Third Lead

When I was younger, there was this saying that used to float around in my rather superstitious family. Not the current one, but the one from that distant life. That mother of mine used to say, "when it rains, it pours."

I have always been, even now, unsure of how that saying actually helped whatever predicament I found myself to be in. Even so, it was somewhat of a fitting observation of how little I could do against the hand of fate.

Ah, I miss you, mother from another life. You weren't a particularly good parent, but at least you sent all the boys I've played with crying like a father with a shotgun. I disliked you for that in the past, but I desperately needed someone like that in my life right about now.

I know I sound quite like the type of girl to go "oh dear, I'm suffering from success!" and all, but when the livelihood of the entire world was concerned, I would very much like to spend at least these childhood years in peace, thank you very much.

That was not to say, I wasn't getting no sort of enjoyment out of this. If I had to describe it, it would be like eating a lot of tasty snacks even though the calorie counter was ticking up by the second at terrifying speeds.

At the end of the day, I still had a heart for pleasant things, you know. This world existed for the sake of being a pleasure to the eyes, and it was a fantasy through and through. Naturally, the characters that existed within such a realm were those with appearances that appealed to my tastes.

The young boy who reached out to me was bizarrely well built for an individual of his age, which was not that far from the prince's age. His sharp features revealed the potential for quite the handsome man several years down the road, although he was missing his distinct physical blemish that would define him as another of the potential male leads. For now, anyway.

Much like me, he carried a weapon that was slung across his back. Unlike me however, he only retained a single sword, perhaps the much sensible choice that wasn't completely devoid of reason.

By the way, could I point out how absurd it is to ask a girl that was not even six years of age to lug around two swords? They're pretty light, being made in the east and all, but they're still objects crafted from steel! Calluses are going to form on my hands if I keep dragging these two around!

"Are you perhaps lost?" he asked me again, displaying an emotion of genuine concern.

"N-no," I was caught off guard by the sudden meeting with another key figure in the disastrous prophecy of doom, making myself sound suspicious with a stutter. "My destination is this place."

"Really now?" he raised an eyebrow.

May the lords above bless my heart, just why were children of this world so awfully skeptical of things? Be more naive! Be like, I don't know, children! When I was your age,  I was tricked into jumping into a freezing river in the middle of winter! I...I was not a bright kid.

"Frankly speaking, you seem rather rough around the edges for someone having business with this prestigious institution."

What...? Did this boy just...!?

"Ah," he caught his tongue as he observed the change in my expression. "I apologize. It appears that my manner of articulation has been crude."

Wait, what? I mean...well...

It's just, I was quite taken aback. Someone was bizarrely nice to me. What a surprise! What a gift from the spirits! For once there was someone agreeable to talk to!

How my standards have fallen.

"Still, it's undeniable that you look quite poor," his blunt words made my eyebrows twitch uncontrollably.

His innocence was insufferable. He unknowingly threw insults around as if they were but neutral words of conversation, but he himself seemed he genuinely did not comprehend the depths of his words. Unless, of course, he was merely putting on a facade. However, that was merely unfounded skepticism.

The young boy held out a single hand, tucking his other hand behind his back, "Then, may I be allowed to escort this young miss to her desired destination?"

Although it would be at least a decade before I would be able to observe that charming smile of his, there was some semblance of of the lady charmer in how he conducted himself. He was, in every sense, an individual who was too dense to realize own his own.

"No, like I said, this academy really is my destination. There really is no need to escort me anywhere," despite what I had contemplated earlier, I was still one to avoid trouble, you know.

"No, I insist," he tugged on the cord that was attached to his scabbard, "The campus exists as a separate city district, and the dormitory is quite the walk away, even if this is the main entrance. There has be unsavory individuals lately, after all."

"Wouldn't you know?" I responded halfheartedly, resulting in the boy showing some degree of displeasure.

He must have interpreted my genuine words as sarcasm, "I would. After all, I am assigned to guard duty for this region."

"A seven-year-old is?"

"Quite the astute guess," his patient smile was saintly. "Indeed, consider this training for me. Don't worry, I have confidence in my abilities. Although I may not be as physically strong as the guards, but when it comes to temporary bursts of strength, I do not suffer a disadvantage."

Yeah. I figured that much already. How? Well, in one of the endings, you would do some, uh, "violent" things to Elizabeth me. The strength needed to do those things aren't human, you know. Gentle appearances aside, one shouldn't really underestimate the immense strength this young boy was capable of...

"Fine, I guess. I don't have a peculiar reason to reject your offer if you're that insistent," I gave in, seeing no way out of this troublesome affair.

The madness that Elizabeth me was currently going through was taking a strain on my sanity, anyway. Both of them, to be exact.

"Then an introduction is in order, young miss."

Ah yes, how can I forget. The charming individual that was a bit too stupid for his own good. He meant well, but he wasn't very emotionally sensitive. In an adorable sort of way...in the context of a game, at least.

I personally thought the haughty way the prince acted was quite charming too, but now that I had to interact with him, I only realized how utterly insufferable he was.

It was same for this little boy here. He was dense in an adorable sort of way, but when the fate of the world was concerned, I couldn't really feel excited about the whole matter now, could I?

Anyway, there was absolutely nothing I could do at this point but to leave favorable first impressions. Yes, at this point, the despair of unpredictable events was too much for me. Let's just accept my fate, at least for the next ten years or so...

The son of the head knight bowed with a charismatic motion, "It is a pleasure to provide my service as a city guard. I am Isaac. Once again, allow me to escort you, my fair lady."

Remember, perfect white knights only existed in fantasies. They serve as fantastic male leads in stories, but if you ever meet an individual like this one over here in real life...

You should run, or you better strap in.