Reincarnated As Both The Villainess And Heroine...?

Children Were Not Children

If only the world showed mercy. That sort of wishful lament often felt rather cynical to me, yet it couldn't be helped.

I tilted my head as I stared into the distant sky, unsure of why I had done so. As much as I dreaded this particular day, it was nevertheless here and present.

Children were, by and large, children. Such an obvious thing shouldn't be stated, yet it was just as that hero of humanity had described it. This world had gone mad.

Why the digression, you ask? Well, let's just say children were not children, but they were political tools. Chess pieces, if you will. Once they mastered the ability to think and speak coherently, they were to be used. More so for Elizabeth me, a noble who had just turned six.

Of course, that meant on this awful, cynical, and deranged day, I was to attend a ceremony of nobles on the behalf of my twisted father. To play cruel games instead of harmless ones a child should.

A ceremony that, in many ways, I dreaded. Oh, did I say it was a ceremony for nobility? Not quite right. It was a party hosted by the royals. The fact that the prince was not the center of said party was both relieving and harrowing at the same time.

"Lily. Did you know? Traditionally, the first party to be hosted by any child of the royal family would be in the palace, not elsewhere."

"How odd then, to have Her Highness' first party to be in the ballroom of the academy."

I smiled bitterly, "By right, it shouldn't be much of a concern since her official debut to noble society is still years off..."

"But if nobles did things the proper way without any tricks, then it would be quite the loss in identity," Lily remarked, being comfortable enough with me to bring up such dangerous ideas.

I snorted, "Indeed. For the sister of that boy, you would think she would be more vain."

I lazily scanned the venue beneath me, observing the somewhat unnerving crowd of participants. I easily spotted my other self among the crowd, perhaps in part due to the ability to cross reference both of my locations.

"Everyone was invited, huh...So she really did mean everyone."

"Why? Are you accusing my dear sister of committing the dreadful crime of twisting the truth?"

"No. I merely said something provocative to lure you out of hiding, Your Highness," I grumbled.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself, Bathory," his sarcasm burned like acid. "As much as the time you tortured the poor girl, I hope?"

The prince's words were accusatory, but his eyes maintained the same indifferent gaze. Despite understanding his personality quite well, I could never grasp what he was truly feeling at any given moment.

"Well, I'll offer you a bit of my sympathy, I suppose. My dear sister has always been rather...free spirited. She always did prioritize fun over family obligations. Actions like inviting commoners to her parties have angered other nobles in the past."

"Hm? I'm not talking about that...I don't mind, frankly."

"Oh?"

Uh, I mean...

"I guess you could say the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference."

"As expected of the individual who revels in inflicting physical harm, hm?"

Yes, that was it. The image of Elizabeth Bathroy should be the monstrous girl who viewed her victims as less than humans, and perhaps even less than animals. It was hard to maintain that image at times, since it wasn't exactly my first instinct to degrade others. Although...as I grew up in this body, I could at times feel a darkness lurking within me.