#changing plotlines

You sighed. “What now?”

“Nothing, nothing,” she mused. “Perhaps I’m just reading into things too much. It just seems like a rather bold statement to make given that he barely knows you, so I can’t help but feel like you must’ve made a very strong impression.”

“Are you implying that he has a crush on me or something?”

“Oh, who knows?”

“Hilarious,” you chuckled. “Cedric’s super sweet and friendly. I’m pretty sure he was just treating me the same way he treats everyone. He only wrote something like that because I’m quite literally the only noblewoman who’s ever come to him asking to have a sword crafted. Get your mind of the gutter, my goodness.”

“My mind has never once been in the gutter,” Lizbell denied. “But I suppose I might be making too big of a deal out of this. The thought of someone having romantic feelings for you just makes me happy, that’s all. Especially since you say he’s such a nice person.”

Aw. When she put it that way, her intentions seemed rather sweet. But you were going to have to burst her bubble, unfortunately. Cedric hadn’t fallen for you. Well, not yet, at least. Only time would tell.

“I’m glad you just want what’s best for me,” you smiled. “But... would you really want a blacksmith like Cedric pursuing me? I mean, I obviously don’t care about social status or any of that garbage, but I was convinced you’d be telling me to only consider other nobles as prospective partners.”

Lizbell frowned. “What does any of that matter? I’ve known for a long time that you’re far from conventional, my lady. So long as you find someone who cherishes you and treats you with respect, it shouldn’t matter what sort of blood they have running through their veins. And I know for a fact that your parents feel the same way.”

Another smile was quick to stretch across your lips. Although Zodin’s Benevolence took place in a fictional fantasy world, the traditions and etiquette had clearly been inspired by time periods similar to the Victorian era. As such, it went without saying that nobles were expected to court and marry those of similar rank to them. Yet here she was, actively encouraging you to follow your heart and do whatever made you happy, regardless of what others might think.

It didn’t surprise you that your parents were as lovely as always, but this just reaffirmed that you had a kind, reliable ally in Lizbell as well.

“Lizbell,” you sniffled. “You’re going to make me cry.”

She blushed, hurriedly averting her gaze. “T-That doesn’t mean that you can just get away with anything, though. It’s still important to carry yourself with poise and grace. You have plenty of duties to uphold, my lady. It’s just that I can’t bear the thought of you becoming trapped in some loveless marriage purely out of obligation. At the very least, you should marry for love.”

“Right. And that’s exactly what I’ll do.”

It was true. You couldn’t have even entertained the thought of falling in love back in your previous world. You were too sick and miserable to envision something like that happening to you. Not to mention that you would feel absolutely horrible for whoever did fall in love with you, given that your condition was terminal.

But now, love was a very real possibility. It couldn’t be planned for, of course. It still needed to happen organically. But the point was that with this body, you could fall in love, and go on to live a long, happy life together.

Lizbell seemed content to continue cleaning in silence after having said her piece, but you noticed that she looked even more cheerful than before.

Not long after the fact, a different servant came along to relay a message. “Lady [Name],” they said. “Sir Sergei has just arrived for your sword training. He’s waiting downstairs in the foyer.”

“Oh, perfect!” you grinned, springing up from your seat. “I can hardly wait!”

Initially, your plan to take up swordsmanship had been purely in an effort to protect yourself. Even now, it was still your biggest reason for pushing forward. But you had to admit that you’d come to enjoy it quite a bit, as well. It was fun pushing your body to its limits, seeing how far it could go and what sorts of things it was capable of. Even if the reality was that you were still rather weak, you already felt immeasurably stronger than ever before in your life. It was something to take pride in. The type of person you’d always sought to be, even when it wasn’t possible.

Plus, you still had to hone your skills and make Sergei apologize for teasing you so much. That was another one of your motivators.

Speaking of Sergei, he looked a lot more like himself today. His expression was still somewhat aloof, as it usually was, but he seemed to be in better spirits than when you’d last spoken to him. He really must have just been having a bad day.

“Why hello there, my devoted knight,” you beamed. He tilted his head at you, looking a bit puzzled, but he shook it off quickly enough, realizing you were just being annoying like always.

“I am devoted to all citizens of Zodite,” Sergei replied calmly.

“I know that, of course. Which is why what I said wasn’t technically incorrect.”

“Right,” he sighed, already looking tired. “I see you’re in a chipper mood, as per usual.”

“Of course I am!” you grinned. “Life is beautiful, and we should appreciate every moment. I’m just happy to be here.”

Try as he might, he couldn’t quite seem to hide his smile in time. “Yes, that much is true. We should never take what we have for granted. Now, then. Shall we head over to the courtyard, or do you need a bit more time to get ready?”

“Nope! I’m good to go.”

“After you, my lady.”

He did an exaggerated bow and everything, which was probably intended to mock you somewhat, but you were too excited to even care. Your sword was still in its sheath, but it was now dangling from the belt wrapped around your waist. As you walked, the bit of added weight served as a reminder that you were actually equipped with a weapon now, and it made your chest swell with pride.

You didn’t waste any time once you made it out into the courtyard. “Kachow!” you cried out, brandishing your sword and assuming your stance. “Hehe. Be honest, did it look cool when I pulled it out of the sheath?”

“Not particularly.”

“Aw. But I practiced that move for like two hours last night...”

Sergei was staring quite intently at your sword. It was extremely badass, so you couldn’t blame him. Cedric’s craftsmanship was seriously no joke.

“Isn’t it nice?” you beamed. “You left the smithy pretty quick the other day, but now you’ve got the chance to see it in action. Lucky you.”

“Mhm,” Sergei replied. He offered you a smile, albeit a thin-lipped one.

“So, what are we doing today?” you asked eagerly.

“Good question.” Sergei paused for a moment, and it might have just been a trick of the light, but you could’ve sworn his violet eyes looked awfully vindictive. “I was thinking we could give sparring a try.”

“S-Sparring?” you gaped. “As in... you and me?”

“Is there anyone else here?”

“No, but... I-I'm still a newbie,” you stammered. The thought of sparring did excite you, but you knew it could also go horribly wrong. Then again, practice made perfect, and you definitely needed to experience what it was like fighting against a real person. That was the whole point of taking up a weapon in the first place.

Sergei chuckled, then picked up one of the wooden swords he always brought along. “Relax. I would never dare to use a real weapon against you. I won’t strike you, either. I’ll just be using this wooden sword to deflect your attacks. There’s no need to be nervous. I promise you won’t get hurt.”

“Er, no,” you swallowed. “I’m worried that I might hurt you.”

“Oh, wow.” He actually looked rather offended. “You really are underestimating me.”

“Not like that! I mean, I still don’t really know what I’m doing, so what if I make a really unpredictable attack all of a sudden and it catches you off guard? My arm muscles are basically nonexistent, so when I swing one of these things for too long, everything starts to go numb and—”

“Lady [Name],” Sergei chuckled. “Please. I am still a professional. I fight against people that are similar to me in skill, sometimes even higher. If I couldn’t handle a complete beginner, I would be unworthy of my title.”

Your shoulders sagged. “I guess you’re right. Sorry... I’m starting to feel a bit nervous. I’ve never fought anyone before.”

“Well, I would certainly hope so. A lady such as yourself shouldn’t go around being violent.”

“Ah,” you realized. “Actually. I threw my shoe at someone’s face before. Does that count as fighting?”

Sergei looked both incredibly bewildered and somehow completely unsurprised. “Let’s, uh, just gloss over that for now,” he said, clearing his throat. “In any case. I’ve got my wooden sword, so come at me whenever you’re ready. I promise neither of us will get injured.”

“Alright, then,” you said unsurely. “Here I go...”

Despite the fact that Sergei was a trained professional and you had plenty of confidence in his strength, you couldn’t help but take it slow to start. You sliced your sword through the air, giving him plenty of time to react. When he easily deflected your blade, you took a moment to respire, then attacked again, this time more aggressively.

Your hands were shaking as you swung the sword, both from nerves and excitement. You were really doing this. To an outsider, you probably looked ridiculously clumsy and unstable, but you could care less right now. You were proud of yourself just for making the effort.

Sergei’s expression remained impassive as always. Your attacks hastened as time went on, but he wasn’t even breaking a sweat. It was just proof of how big the gap between the two of you was. Knowing that you wouldn’t be able to hurt him, even by mistake, was making you feel a lot more comfortable with the situation. You were moving quicker and more boldly than before. You decided that your goal for today would be to make Sergei exert himself, if only a little.

“I’ll show you,” you huffed, blood rising to your cheeks. “Cedric made me this amazing sword, after all. I have no intention of letting him down...!”

Just then, Sergei’s eyes turned cold, and he deflected your next blow with considerable strength, fully knocking the sword out of your hands. You were even forced backwards from the pressure, and two seconds later, you’d fallen onto your butt.

“Ouch,” you said simply.

“Sorry,” Sergei replied, but it didn’t sound very genuine. He leaned forward and offered you his hand, helping you up. “I put a bit too much muscle into that one. Forgive me, Lady [Name]. Did I scare you?”

“Nah, it’s all good,” you reassured with a smile. You patted your butt down, shaking some of the grass off, then picked your sword back up. “I need to learn, one way or another. And I know you wouldn’t try to hurt me, Sergei. I’m not afraid of getting a bit bruised up, though. I expect to take a few more tumbles here and there.”

“Alright,” he nodded, suddenly looking a bit guilty. “Still. This is only your first sparring session. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

“Seriously, I promise I’m fine! No need to coddle me too much. I’m tougher than I look.” You proceeded to puff out your chest and make a rather pathetic attempt at flexing your biceps. Sergei looked slightly amused, at least.

Your training resumed, and went on for a while longer. Even though you’d assured Sergei that you weren’t afraid, he seemed to be acting much more cautious than earlier. As a result, you managed to finish the session without falling over on your behind again. It had obviously been a very rudimentary lesson, but you’d gotten to use your new sword and practice sparring for the very first time, so all in all, you were happy.

“Thanks as always for your time, Sergei,” you smiled. You reached down to remove your tunic and air your sweaty skin out, but he caught you just in the nick of time.

“Nuh-uh,” Sergei protested, shaking his head vigorously. “Lady [Name], if you’re going to strip again, I’ll have to ask that you wait until I leave!”

“Ugh. Okay, okay,” you sighed. “No need to bite my head off.”

“I’ll be going, then. Good work today. Make sure to take it easy for the next little while. You may feel a bit sore tomorrow.” He turned to leave, but paused to look at you one last time. His brows were furrowed, to the point that it was casting a shadow over his entire expression. “Cedric is a good blacksmith,” he started, “but I’m not so sure you’d benefit from getting too close to him. He means well enough, but he’s noticeably lacking in intelligence. I just wouldn’t want him to drag you down, that’s all.”

He then smiled politely, bowed his head, and walked away.

You stood there, visibly confused.

“Well, that was... kind of mean.”

After what you considered to have been a fruitful training session (minus Sergei’s unnecessary remarks at the end), you ate a hearty meal and then sat down to review some notes you’d taken in class.

“I can calculate this part using the formula from last time... right? Ah, perfect. Yeah. I knew I remembered it.”

You eagerly scribbled onto your notebook, tongue poking out of the corner of your mouth. In your opinion, learning was a lot of fun. Especially now that you led such a luxurious lifestyle and had plenty of time to yourself. Studying and doing homework didn’t feel stressful at all, although perhaps that had to do with the fact that you were getting to do something you’d been deprived of in your previous life.

Most of all, though, you liked excelling at something. It felt really good. And you wanted to excel at all sorts of different things, not just school. You wanted to make the most of this amazing opportunity you’d been blessed with. Academics, friends, athleticism—you were fully intent on having them all. When you looked back on things at the end of this life, you didn’t want to have any regrets.

You finished solving one of the problems you’d been working on and spent a moment looking it over. “That should be correct. I think.”

“Yes, it’s correct.”

“Good, good. Wait, what the—?”

You spun around in a hurry and immediately locked eyes with Zodin, who was peering down at you with a big grin.

“What in the fuck?!” you cried out. “Why do you always appear out of nowhere?! Seriously, one of these days you’re going to give me a heart attack!”

Zodin chuckled. “Sorry. I’ll try to be more mindful from now on. But anyways.” He leaned closer, eyes skimming over your notes. “You seem quite devoted to your studies, I have to say. It’s a great thing. Knowledge will always enrich a person’s life.”

“Thanks,” you grinned up at him. “I was way too sick to attend university back in my old life, so I don’t want to waste this new chance I’ve been given.”

“Your diligence is very admirable,” he commented cheerfully.

“Aw. I’m glad you think so.”

For a god, he was definitely pretty laid-back. Then again, he was the only god you’d ever met. Perhaps all of them were like this. Either way, it worked out in your favor because it allowed you to have this kind of casual, friendly relationship.

Suddenly, you realized something.

“Zodin!” you blurted excitedly. “Uh... I know this is a bit of an odd request, but I was wondering... is there any way for you to predict what might happen in the future? Specifically involving me, I mean.”

Unfortunately, your hopes were quickly dashed. “Sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “I am nothing more than an observer. I am aware of very many things that happen in my land, but I have no way of knowing how the future might unfold. Ultimately, the fate of humans is in their own hands.”

You drooped a bit, but quickly realized it was probably for the best. Even though this world was based off a game, so many things had already changed. Just as Zodin said, everyone was responsible for shaping their future, and no future was ever guaranteed. The ability to know exactly what kind of awful things might happen was also more of a curse than a blessing, you realized. It would just make you sick with nerves. The best course of action was just to keep on doing as you had up to this point. The way things were right now, you had a pretty good shot at keeping Flora away from the yanderes and enjoying a peaceful life.

“I hope I haven’t disappointed you too much,” Zodin chuckled. “But even if I could predict the future, it wouldn’t be good to go around telling people. You may be a unique case, but you’re still a mortal all the same. I’m not allowed to meddle, remember?”

“Right. No, it’s fine. Everything will work out for the best, as long as I’m careful.”

“Interesting,” he hummed, regarding you with wide eyes. “Do you anticipate something bad happening? Forgive me if I’m mistaken, but you seem rather wary. Do you have some sort of premonition that’s been worrying you?”

“Uh, not really,” you lied. “I’m just the type of person that likes to plan ahead. My old life was so shitty that I’m just doing my best to be prepared for anything, you know what I mean?”

“I see.” Zodin gave you a sympathetic look. “I’m very sorry that you’ve had to deal with so much suffering. I hope this life will treat you better.”

“Thanks. I do too. Although it’s already been a massive improvement,” you chuckled. “Oh, right,” you remembered, suddenly springing up from your desk. “Last time we talked, I said I’d have some snacks for us to munch on while we chatted, right? Just give me a sec. I’ll be right back with the goodies!”

You rushed out the room, feeling quite peckish yourself. It didn’t take long for you to run into one of the servants, and you requested that they bring over a cart stacked to the brim with all sorts of different pastries and finger food. You weren’t sure what Zodin liked, but you doubted he got to eat food very often, so you gathered an impressive collection for him to choose from.

By the time you were done, the cart was so cluttered and heavy that the servant was struggling to push it along.

“My lady,” they huffed. “I-If you don’t mind me asking... is there really a need for so much food? Are you anticipating any guests later on?”

“Nope,” you beamed. “It’s just for me.”

“Ah... of course it is,” they sighed. “Please just be careful not to eat too much or you’ll end up getting sick.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got an iron stomach,” you winked, grabbing the cart from them right as they stopped in front of your room. They continued to sigh as they walked away.

Once you were certain they were gone, you locked your bedroom door and turned, proudly displaying the mini feast you’d brought along.

“Behold! All the delicacies the [Last Name] manor has to offer!”

Zodin looked excited. His eyes were gleaming as he looked the spread over, and he even clapped his hands as a show of enthusiasm. “It all looks delicious,” he drooled.

“Hehe. Please, help yourself. There’s more than enough for both of us.”

That’s what you thought, at least. It turned out that Zodin’s appetite was quite literally bottomless. Gods had no need for any form of sustenance. They had no lower or upper limit to how much they could consume, which meant that he could eat to his heart’s desire purely to delight in how everything tasted. He experienced neither hunger not the sensation of being full.

And as such, he polished off every single thing on the cart.

“Wow,” Zodin sighed, lying back on your bed and stretching his limbs out. “That was sublime. Human food really is incredible. I could eat for hours straight and never get sick of it.”

You cast a nervous glance towards all the empty plates, which had been practically licked clean. “Uh... yeah. I definitely believe you.”

“Is there any more?” he asked hopefully.

“More?!” you squeaked. “All due respect, Mr. God, you’ve just eaten enough food to fill up ten people."

“Aw,” he pouted. “I suppose you’re right. It wouldn’t be good to get greedy. Humans are the ones that do that best, after all.”

Cool. He was even sneaking in some casual burns now. Although he wasn’t wrong. Humans could be really shitty.

Looking rather reluctant, Zodin peeled himself off the bed and stood up. “Well. This was a lot of fun, but I’m afraid I can’t stick around too much longer. Thank you as usual for your hospitality. I always look forward to seeing you.”

Right as he was about to pull his usual disappearing stunt, he reconsidered at the last moment, and instead happily ruffled your hair with his fingers.

“Okay,” he then smiled. “I’m leaving for real now. Bye-bye.”

Less than a second later, he was gone, and you now looked like you had bedhead.

You fussed with it for a few moments, putting it back in its usual style, then you turned to look back at the cart, which was now completely barren.

Sighing, you wheeled it out of your room and down one of the ramps, all the way over to the kitchen.

“Hi,” you said awkwardly. “I’m here to return this.”

As luck would have it, you ran into the same servant from before, who was now staring at you in absolute horror.

“L-Lady [Name],” they gaped. “You can’t have eaten all of this on your own...?”

“Uh, haha. Oopsie. I got a bit carried away, I guess.”

They accepted the cart nonetheless, although you could hear them gossiping with the other servants once they all thought you were out of earshot.

“We need to call a doctor,” they whispered. “I’m afraid her stomach might explode at some point during the night.”

Goddamn you, Zodin.

You imagined him laughing as he watched you.  

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The servant let out a sigh. “Yes, I suppose we must.”

Much like last time, he didn’t smother you too much once you were inside. You could tell he really didn’t want to be here, so it kind of sucked to be him, but hey—jobs were shitty sometimes. Such was the way of life.

“Cedric!” you called out towards the back. “It’s [Name]! I got your letter and I’ve come to pick up my sword.”

A few moments later, you spotted Cedric’s toned frame pushing through the clutter. As always, he had on his usual good-natured smile, and his skin was once again flushed and lightly glazed in sweat. Although his character had never been mentioned in the game, you decided he fit the “gentle giant” trope quite well. Even with the sole interaction you’d had with him thus far, you could tell he was a sweet guy with nothing but good intentions.

“Hiya, [Name]!” Cedric beamed. “I’m glad you swung by so soon. I gotta tell ya, I was real excited to show this thing off, especially since you’ve never had a sword before. This will be your first one! I’m pretty proud of how it turned out, hehe.”

You brushed away an imaginary tear.

Aw. He’s so damn cute. Like a big teddy bear.

“I’m excited too,” you grinned. “Will you do the honors?”

“Of course! I’ve got it tucked away real snug near the back, just come right this way.” He hummed as he led you over, and he even seemed to have a bit of a bounce in his step. You supposed he must really have been looking forward to showing you how the sword had turned out. Admittedly, your expectations were pretty damn high, but you had a feeling he wouldn’t let you down. Eventually, he stopped and carefully withdrew a sword within its sheath from inside one of the drawers.

He handed it to you, smiling expectantly. “Here. Go ahead and take a look for yourself.”

You didn’t need to be told twice. The second the sheathed blade brushed against your fingertips, you could feel your heart beating a little quicker. Already, it was a massive improvement compared to Sergei’s sword. You weren’t yet wielding it in a proper stance or anything, but it was a good deal lighter and overall a much more comfortable fit for your height and build.

You slowly pulled the sword all the way out of its sheath, pausing to marvel at how damn glossy the blade was. There was even a small engraving, upon closer inspection. It read: Property of [Name], Zodite’s strongest and prettiest noblewoman.

“Oh my god!” you squeaked in adoration. “This is so cool! I love, love, love it!”

Cedric blushed a bit, folding in on himself. “I’m really happy you like it. I ain’t never crafted a sword for a lady before, but I was thinkin’ something a bit lighter like this would be better, especially since you were saying Sergei’s sword felt a bit uncomfortable to use. The reach on your sword won’t be quite as long, but it’ll make a lot of movements simpler as a result.”

“Yep,” you beamed, repeatedly rotating the sword just to see it from all different angles. “It’s perfect. And the engraving you added is super cute. I wasn’t expecting it. You really think I’m the prettiest noblewoman in the kingdom? Surely that’s just you stroking my ego, haha.”

“No, honest!” Cedric insisted. “You’re super pretty and nice! Granted, I haven’t met very many noblewomen, but I doubt they’d be as pleasant as you. Your friendliness makes you prettier in my eyes. I bet you have a lot of suitors lined up already.”

“Pfft, nothing like that,” you mused. “But I’m flattered you think so. But seriously, you did a great job with the sword. I’m so happy I finally have one to call my own. I realize my request was a bit unconventional, but you still took it seriously, so thank you for that.”

“No need to thank me! I was just doin’ my job, and—o-oh!”

Cedric stiffened up a bit. You were so darn happy right now that you just couldn’t help but wrap him in a big hug. His already flushed cheeks seemed to deepen several shades, but he got over his embarrassment rather quickly and proceeded to hug you back while chuckling.

“I gotta say, this is somehow better than the generous sum you already paid me,” he grinned happily, patting you on the shoulder a few times.

You felt your own cheeks heat up in response. It felt nice to hug someone like this. Honestly, your new life was so freaking awesome. You already had a sweetheart like Flora as your friend, and Cedric seemed like the type of guy you could really hit it off with—whether simply as friends or perhaps something even more than that one day.

But before you could sing his praises any more, you heard the front door opening and shutting with a distinct thud, and scarcely a few seconds later, a familiar face had joined you inside the smithy.

It was Sergei. And when he walked in on you and Cedric hugging with content expressions, he made a sour face.

“Lady [Name]? And Cedric? I... didn’t realize the two of you were already so close,” he remarked.

You pulled away from Cedric and smiled. “I was just thanking him for making me such an awesome sword. Here, take a look!”

You proceeded to show off the sword you’d just recently laid eyes upon yourself, with Cedric watching proudly and occasionally nodding his head in silent approval. But for some reason, Sergei didn’t look anywhere as thrilled as you’d been expecting. You finally had a weapon that felt natural to use, which would make your training go a lot more smoothly. Why wasn’t he happy for you?

Maybe I’m just being overly sensitive. Sergei isn’t exactly the most expressive guy to begin with.

You decided not to read into things too much. Meanwhile, Sergei withdrew his own sword—the unnecessarily long one that was too heavy for your brittle wrists—and handed it off to Cedric.

“I’d like it to be sharpened and greased a bit,” Sergei said. “There are some small chips here and there, so let me know if those need to be mended right away. If so, I’ll come by and pick it up another time.”

“Sure thing!” Cedric agreed, as chipper as always. “Just from a quick look, I don’t think they’ll be much of an issue, so there's no need for a mending quite yet. The maintenance shouldn’t take much longer than usual. Ya mind waitin’ a few minutes?"

“No, of course not.”

“Great! Then, I’ll be right back.”

You’d already finished your business at the smithy, but truthfully, you were still oohing and awing over your new sword. It really was cool getting to live in a completely different time period than you were used to. There was surely nobody else but you who could say they’d ever had such an incredible experience.

While you kept grinning stupidly, all too pleased with your newest exploit, Sergei looked over at you with pinched lips and a furrowed brow.

“You should be careful, Lady [Name],” he advised. “It wouldn’t do your reputation any favors to be seen embracing a person of lower status.”

“Hm? Oh, trust me, I don’t care about any of that,” you shrugged. “Come to think of it, my servant was saying something similar earlier. But yeah, I don’t focus on trivial matters like those. Let people talk. Cedric’s a nice guy. I really like him!”

Sergei’s expression still looked awfully sullen. He was normally quite stony-faced in the game, so this wasn’t too unexpected, but you really thought he’d started behaving quite comfortably around you. Perhaps he was just having a bad day?

“Maybe I’m just imagining it, but you look like you could use a hug,” you offered, then proceeded to extend your arms out. “C’mon. Don’t be shy.”

Sergei reacted by blushing profusely, then shaking his head. One thing was for certain, he was still remarkably easy to fluster.  

“I just told you why you shouldn’t do those things!” he exclaimed. “Don’t—I’m serious, Lady [Name], you can’t—”

Except you’d already hugged him, delighting in how awkwardly adorable he was. The fool, thinking he could dissuade someone as stubborn as yourself. What an amateur move.

He was pretty much stiff as a board and seemed at a loss as to where to put his hands, which sort of made for a crappy hug, but you didn’t mind it much. Even though he was standing around, as if waiting for it to be over, you didn’t miss the small smile twitching upon his lips. He was enjoying it somewhat, even if he refused to admit to it.

Eventually, you stopped. “There,” you smiled. “Now, was that so bad? You big grump.”

“I’m not a grump,” Sergei huffed grumpily.

“Yes, yes, whatever you say.” You had half a mind to tease him a bit more, but if he really was having a bad day, it was probably best to just leave it at that. Cedric didn’t take much longer to return from refining Sergei’s sword, anyways.

“Here ya go,” Cedric smiled while handing the sword off. “Good as new, I’d say.”

Sergei sheathed his sword and nodded, but didn’t bother to thank him. “I have to go now,” he blurted suddenly, and walked right out of the smithy without so much as a goodbye to either of you.

You frowned. “Seriously, what’s up with him? Is it just me, or does he seem kind of off today?”

“Nah, there ain’t nothin’ to it,” Cedric reassured. He didn’t seem bothered at all, so perhaps you really were being too sensitive about things. “Sergei looks all serious and stuff, but he’s a real good guy. He’s patient and helpful. I’ve never even seen him get mad.”

Well, even you knew that based on having witnessed his character in action inside the game, but interacting with him in real life was a significantly difference experience. Here, Sergei was much more three-dimensional and multi-faceted, and without his relationship with Flora in the picture, it was difficult to tell what exactly was going on through his head.

I wonder if he’ll still meet Flora and fall in love with her. If the yanderes don’t get involved, they could finally be happy together. I sure hope that happens.

Hopefully, regardless of what Sergei was dealing with, it would all be alright. He was a good person. Whatever he wanted, he deserved to have.

“Flora, at the risk of sounding too full of myself, I think might be a genius,” you said. You then proceeded to lift up three quizzes you’d gotten back during your various classes today, all of which you’d obtained a perfect mark for.

She pressed a palm to her mouth and reacted with just as much enthusiasm as you’d been hoping for. “Oh, my! [Name], I always knew you were more remarkable than most people, but I had no idea you were such a diligent student as well! This truly is impressive. You’re incredible at whatever you do!”

You lifted your chin up to the sky and chuckled. “Hehe, yes. Praise me more.” It was possible that your academic success was getting to your head a bit, but you wanted to savor the moment while it lasted. You’d never gotten to attend university in your previous life. It was nice that you finally had the chance to excel at learning, something you’d always been passionate about.

“I really could learn a thing or two from you,” Flora sighed. “I do my best to study, but I’m afraid academics have never come easily to me. I don’t have much of an educational background, after all. I’m sorry. You must be embarrassed to have a country bumpkin like me by your side.”

“Stop that,” you frowned, poking her on the forehead. “You’re kind and lovely. There’s no reason to get so down on yourself. Everyone’s good at different things, and the majority of people here have an advantage because they’ve been receiving an education for far longer than you. You’ll catch up soon, I promise.”

Flora blushed. “It’s strange. I’ve never been all that confident in myself, but hearing you say those things really makes me think I can pull them off.”

“Of course you can! Soon enough, we’ll both be scoring perfect on our tests.”

She flashed another cheerful smile your way. The two of you were currently resting on one of the benches in the middle of campus, with a bit of a break before your last class of the day. The weather was sunny and pleasantly warm, perfect for basking outside. You’d had a rather plentiful meal for lunch earlier, so you and Flora were sharing jam-covered scones as a midday snack.

Everything was going perfectly. You couldn’t recall having ever felt such happiness before.

“Hey! You there! That’s right, I’m talking to you!”

Sigh. Why does the universe hate me?

It was Theresa Simmons, that insufferable brat. She really couldn’t give you a break and mind her own business, could she? Like yes, you had thrown a shoe at her face, but only because she’d been acting like a bitch to start with! Your reaction had been totally warranted.

“It’s unsurprising that someone as crude as you would choose to spend your time around a commoner,” Theresa scoffed. “Seriously, have you no shame at all?”

You rolled your eyes at her, unbothered. “Are you trying to get hit in the face again, or what?”

“W-What is it with you and always threatening violence?” Theresa gasped. “You’re behaving even more like a commoner than the one sitting next to you!”

“I don’t know,” you shrugged, taking a bite out of your scone. “Violence works sometimes. All I’m saying is, don’t harass people without expecting them to retaliate. Now, shoo, please. I’m trying to enjoy my break.”

By now, Theresa was practically blowing steam out of her ears, bright red from humiliation. It didn’t help that her usual posse was with her, and she was currently being made an absolute fool of.

“You—you!” she cried out. “The night of the gathering at my estate, you told me that you were sorry for hurting me! Was that just a lie?!”

“No, I meant it,” you affirmed. “But I was kind of hoping that you would've learned your lesson after that and maybe toned down the bullying a bit. If you leave me and Flora alone, I have no reason to throw any more shoes. Sound good?”

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Theresa gritted out. Tears were rising to her eyes. God, she was such a big baby. You’d hardly even said anything mean. People who dished out what they couldn’t handle were the absolute worst.

“I’m good,” you smiled. “I’m quite proud of myself, actually.”

“Ugh!”

“Miss Theresa,” one of the other noblewomen prodded. She looked troubled by the fact that their ringleader was progressively embarrassing herself more. “Let’s just leave it there for today. There’s no point in arguing with people beneath us, right?”

The other women nodded in agreement, looking very eager to remove themselves from this uncomfortable situation.

Too bad Theresa lacked the same social awareness.

“You—[Name]!” she exclaimed, jutting her index finger towards you accusingly. “You are very fortunate that my time is so valuable. Otherwise, I would’ve rendered you into a pitiful, weeping mess. But make sure not to get too comfortable. Sooner or later, I will make you regret what you’ve done.”

“I wonder why I don’t believe you,” you sighed.

“Grr!” she fumed. “J-Just shut your mouth, already! I’ve had enough of your foolish-looking face for today. I hope you have nightmares every day for the next, um... three weeks or so! Actually—even longer than that! You stupid idiot!”

She stomped away from you, with her underlings in tow, although they looked quite sheepish as they fled the scene. Which was fair enough, considering her last words had been "stupid idiot”.

“Man, that was lame,” you eye-rolled, then promptly polished off the rest of your scone. “Yummy. It’s sweet, but without being too sweet, you know?”

Although you, for one, were completely unruffled, Flora was staring at you with wide, trembling eyes. “[N-Name],” she said, voice quivering slightly. “I’m very sorry to put you through that. This is all because... you saved me that day. Now she’s decided to start picking on you as well. You must regret having ever interfered...”

You licked the leftover jam off your fingers, then gave her a confused look. “Who, Theresa? Nah, I really don’t care. She’s a bit of a bully, but she doesn’t scare me. Trust me when I say that there are far worse people you could get involved with. Compared to them, this is child’s play.”

“Which people are you referring to?”

“Huh? O-Oh, I was just making a general statement,” you recovered hurriedly. “As in, there are really scummy people that can be found all around, so when you think about it in the grander scheme of things, a bit of harassment from time to time isn’t so scary.”

“Ah. I think I understand what you mean.” Flora cast her head down and fiddled with her thumbs. “But still... having to deal with Theresa can’t be pleasant. I really hope you’re not too upset with me.”

“Flora,” you said sternly, grabbing her hands in yours. “I’m not upset with you. It would take a lot to make me upset with you, and I know you’re a good person, so there will never be any reason for something like that to happen. Theresa will get bored of pestering us before long, that much I’m quite certain of. All I need to do is keep standing my ground, and soon enough she’ll lose her nerve. I think she could stand to learn a good lesson anyways.”

Flora’s cheeks flushed that lovely shade of pink you’d gotten so used to seeing these past few days. You knew from playing Zodin’s Benevolence that she was rather timid and insecure, so you really hoped you could help her build up her confidence somewhat.

“Thank you, [Name].” She eagerly squeezed your hands and smiled once more. “I’m so lucky to have met you. I will always be grateful towards my adoptive father for taking me in and providing me with so much, but I knew the transition into a new lifestyle would be difficult. But thanks to you, I feel hopeful and optimistic for the future. I think... you might be my first real friend.”

You giggled. “Yeah. You’re my first real friend, too.”  

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It felt really good to excel at something. It was completely different from what you were used to. Being sick drastically limited the number of things a person was able to do, not to mention how much it affected the quality of their life. It really sucked how severe illness plagued such an alarming percentage of the population. You knew it wasn’t possible for all of them to miraculously recover, but you hoped that their suffering would lessen somewhat.

But onto less depressing topics, you’d scored another perfect grade on a quiz! Hooray! Come to think of it, you had yet to receive anything less than a perfect score in this class. Was it possible to keep this up until the end of the semester?

Hopelessly optimistic, you decided to make that another goal of yours—finishing your botany class with nothing short of 100 percent. Which, compared to completely altering the plot of this yandere game and preventing several deaths in the process, was really no big deal.

The good news had put you in even better spirits, and right as you were packing up your books and preparing to head over to your next class, the professor called out to you.

“Ah, [Name]. Wait a moment, please,” he said. “If you don’t mind sparing me a minute, come by my desk. I have something I’d like to talk about.”

You wondered what he wanted. Perhaps he hadn’t yet gotten his fill of congratulating you for your excellence, and wanted to discuss your impressive intelligence more at length. Well, if that was the case, you certainly weren’t about to complain.

Still smiling, you made your way to the professor’s desk at the front of the class. “Yes? What do you want to speak to me about, sir...?”

You trailed off near the end, and the other person standing in front of the prof’s desk peered over at you inquisitively.

It was Lawrence Fleming. Holy mother of fuck. Why was he in the same class as you?!

You tried not to freak out. It was a big class, after all. There were countless other students in this class. You hadn’t even realized he was in it until now. Besides, you knew from the start that he attended the same academy as you, just like Cassius did, so it really wasn’t that surprising.

Right. No reason to panic. No reason to overreact and drop the course, not when you were doing so well for yourself. You didn’t know why the professor had called him over too, but it was probably something so minor that you’d end up chuckling at it later on after getting so pointlessly riled up.

“Thank you both for taking a bit of time out of your schedules,” the professor smiled. “The reason I’ve called you down here is because the two of you are my best students so far. Both of you are doing remarkably well, and I felt that your hard work deserved to be acknowledged.”

You strained a smile. Cool, this was cool. He was just praising the both of you. No big deal.

“And precisely because you’re both doing so well, I was thinking of pairing you together for an extra credit project.”

Oh my god. What the fuck? Not cool. This was, in fact, not cool!

Lawrence, however, seemed positively giddy. “Why, of course. That sounds like an amazing opportunity. Thank you, sir. We very much appreciate it.”

You couldn’t hide the grimace that swept across your expression. Ugh. You really should’ve expected his response to be something along those lines. Lawrence was ever determined to uphold his “goody-two-shoes" persona. It had something to do with making his family proud. He always went out of his way to get involved in extracurriculars and help organize different kinds of events. Considering how nasty his real personality was, it was kind of incredible how so many people held him in such high regard. They were convinced he was some sort of angel.

But you knew better. He was a stinky man. As stinky and two-faced as they came.

Get away from me, gross stinky man.

In a different timeline, you imagined yourself uttering those exact words to his face. Needless to say, you probably ended up dying in that timeline, so you opted for a different approach in this one.

“No thanks,” you politely declined, making both of them stare at you in disbelief. “I’m happy just following along with the current curriculum as is. I’m doing my best to maintain my grades across all my classes, so if I spend too much time on this one, I’m worried it’ll affect my performance in the rest of them.”

“A-Are you absolutely certain?” the professor stammered. “It would just be a simple research project, but I have no doubt that intelligent students such as yourselves would benefit from it. Research opens up all kinds of doors. You must already know, but the top student at this academy, Cassius Crowe, started off doing similar projects. And now he’s become a valued member of the faculty, on par with some of our most accomplished senior professors.”

Bringing up Cassius, huh? This prof must’ve thought he was making a very persuasive case, but really all he was doing was steering you in the opposite direction.

“I’m sure,” you smiled. “But I do appreciate the opportunity. Thank you for reaching out to me. I look forward to seeing you next class!”

“Ah, [Name]!” the professor called out after you. “I do urge you to think on your decision for a while longer!”

Unfortunately for him, you were already walking away. And seriously, what kind of “acknowledgment” was this? Rewarding all your hard work with yet more work? You liked learning and all, but you still wanted to have some free time to yourself.

Thankfully, that was over and done with. Another sticky situation successfully avoided. God, you were badass.

Except when you left the building, you realized that Lawrence was following you.

Haha... man, fuck my life.

Lawrence was wearing his superficial smile, like always, but you could tell based on the look in his eyes that he was pretty annoyed with you. “I think this would be good for both of us,” he persisted. “I’m sure I can probably carry out the project on my own, but having a partner would help save a lot of time. Not to mention that the professor personally selected the two of us. It would be discourteous to refuse his offer.”

He was the type of guy who, in your previous world, would’ve certainly gotten picked on in high school for being the teacher’s pet. But here, given his noble status, he not only got away with it, but people even respected him for it. As far as most were concerned, he could do no wrong. Just a good guy, eager to get things done and help others out.

But would a good guy be going out of his way to pressure you into something you clearly didn’t want?

Yeah... probably not.

“I’m sorry,” you said, declining once more. “I’m just too busy with other things, and like I said before, I’d rather excel at all my classes instead of getting too tied up with one in particular. But I’m sure the professor will let you do the project on your own.”

And then, it happened. The smile you were so used to seeing on Lawrence’s face, the one he wore around everyone, including Flora...

It finally disappeared.

“You know, I didn’t make a fuss that day when you spilled your drink all over me during the food festival,” he glared. “I was quite embarrassed, but I was gracious enough to let it slide.”

So, he definitely still remembered you from back then. But seriously? He was trying to hold something as nonsensical as that over your head?

You scrunched up your brows. “It was just an accident. And I’m not sure what that has anything to do with our current situation.”

“You owe me,” he said simply. “And really, I shouldn’t have to beg in the first place. Don’t you have any desire to push yourself and strive to be better? Why would you settle for mediocrity? As I’ve already said before, this will be good for both of us. The more opportunities you have, the better.”

God, you felt like screaming! How dare he call your perfect grades mediocre! You were probably doing better than him in the class, anyways!

But ego aside, you really didn’t want to do this. And he wasn’t about to force you.

So, you clenched your fists and puffed out your chest. “I don’t owe you anything—”

“You owe me,” Lawrence repeated. He placed his hand down on your shoulder and gripped down hard. His smile had returned, but it was nothing like before. It was cold, even downright malicious. “Just do this with me, alright? It will all be worth it in the end.”

Only after his thinly-veiled threat did he leave, and by that point, your heart was already hammering away in your chest.

For a moment there, you’d almost forgotten. You’d been so focused on avoiding him by any means that you’d actually forgotten what he was capable of. He wasn’t the type of man who would ever take no for an answer. In the game, he’d trapped Flora in a cage, as if she was some sort of animal, and even as she screamed and wailed, he still wouldn’t let her go.

Which meant that there was no way he was going to let you do as you wanted, either.

“Fuck,” you shuddered, and you only then realized that you were shaking. “That was... terrifying.”

Quite literally against your will, you’d been forced into doing a whole-ass project with Lawrence. At this point, you kind of were contemplating dropping the class, but who knew how Lawrence would react after hearing the news. It wasn’t as if you could completely avoid him, especially when you attended the same academy. If he wanted to, he could show up unannounced at your home, just like Flora had done, except his family wielded much more power than yours and could easily get away with it.

This sucked. This sucked hard. The only thing you took solace in was that he still hadn’t met Flora, and probably wouldn’t, as long as you kept an eye on her. He had a shitty personality, that was for sure, but if you went along with his selfish desires and did the stupid project with him, you hopefully wouldn’t have any problems.

Key word being hopefully.

Back at home, your sighs kept coming endlessly. You just couldn’t believe your luck. Who knew that your academic achievements would come back to bite you in the ass? You thought that being smart was supposed to be good. Those stupid perfect scores. If only you’d gotten slightly less than perfect, then maybe the prof would’ve picked someone else to partner up with Lawrence.

Whatever. It was already in the past. You’d just have to get the project done as quickly as possible, so that you could move on with your life and never have to deal with Lawrence ever again.

“You seem to be a bit down in the dumps today.”

“Ah,” you blinked, glancing around. “Zodin? Is that you?”

“Who else would it be? Unless I’m mistaken, I’m the only god in these parts.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. I’m just so drained, I can hardly think straight right now,” you sighed.

“There it is again.”

“There what is?”

“Another sigh. You keep on sighing.”

“Well, yeah,” you muttered, impatiently scratching your head. “I got stuck doing some stupid project with some stupid bastard.”

You heard Zodin chuckle. It was weird being able to talk to him like this, even when he wasn’t actually in the room.

“What do you have against that man? I thought you only recently came to this world. Surely you can’t have already made an enemy out of him?”

“Nothing, really,” you lied. “He just gives me a bad vibe, so I’m trying to avoid him. By the way, are you gonna come talk to me face to face? This is kind of weird. I’m all alone here.”

“Not today, I’m afraid. As hard as it may be to believe, I do still have my fair share of responsibilities, so I can’t always pop down and visit the mortal realm.”

“You’re right,” you chuckled. “That is hard to believe.”

“Haha. You’re lucky I’ve got an excellent sense of humor. In any case, like I said before, I’m not allowed to interfere with your affairs, but you seem capable enough. I’m sure that you’ll find a way to resolve the issue peacefully.”

That would be nice. But if worse came to worst, you would soon have a trusty sword to fall back upon.

“Come hang out whenever you have the chance,” you said, spreading yourself out on your bed. “I’ll make sure we have some snacks to munch on. You can eat, right?”

“Of course. My body has no real need for nourishment, but I can smell and taste things, just like you.”

“Cool. Sounds like a plan, then.”

Before Zodin could say anything else, you heard a knock on your door.

“Um, my lady?” Lizbell frowned, carefully peering into the room. “Are you... talking to yourself?”

You flushed. Okay, this was embarrassing. “N-No,” you denied suspiciously. “I was just, um, singing! I like to sing in my spare time. Haha...”

“I see,” Lizbell nodded, clearly unconvinced. “In that case, I’ll, uh, let you get back to it. You have a lovely voice, Lady [Name]. You should sing more in front of your family. Ahem.”

She left, and you could hear her muttering to herself.

“My poor, sweet lady. She’s so lonely that she’s even begun to have conversations on her own...”

You slapped a palm against your forehead. Goddammit! One way or another, Lizbell always managed to bear witness to your most embarrassing moments.

Zodin was laughing again.

“What a funny misunderstanding. Next time, you should just tell her that you’re talking with me, their god.”

Right. Because that would go over splendidly.

You decided to stop talking to him for the time being, lest Lizbell come back and see you having another passionate debate with thin air.

Feeling a bit restless after your unfortunate interaction with Lawrence earlier, you decided you may as well make use of your time and practice your sword skills some more. You grabbed your wooden sword and headed out into the courtyard, and soon enough, you were slashing and swinging in every direction.

All things considered, you’d lucked out a bit getting stuck with Lawrence, of all the yanderes. Triston and Friedrich were both very adept with a sword, but as far as you knew from the game, Lawrence and Cassius preferred to focus more on their reputation and academic studies. Flora was the sort of protagonist who was innocent and naive, almost to a fault. She was incredibly vulnerable due to her rushed transition into high society. As a result, she didn’t end up realizing how dire her situation was until it was already too late.

But you were no Flora, and if Lawrence wanted to fuck with you, he was going to find himself facing the pointed end of your sword.

“Stupid Lawrence,” you muttered, swinging with more enthusiasm—and more anger—than before. “Why do I have to do this project with you? Get someone else. I have better things to do than to babysit you and stare at plants for hours. Goddamn kiss-up...”

This went on for a while longer, up until Lizbell came out to greet you in the courtyard.

You sighed, lowering the wooden sword.

I bet she’s back to laugh at me for talking to myself.

Thankfully, she was not. Instead, she came bearing good news.

“Lady [Name],” she approached, holding an envelope out towards you. “You’ve received a letter. It doesn’t have a crest on it, so I don’t think it’s from another noble family. Cedric Lightsteel, it says? Are you familiar with this name at all?”

It hardly took a second for your expression to light up. “A letter from Cedric? Yay! That must mean he’s all done crafting my sword!”

You grabbed the envelope from Lizbell and opened it up all too eagerly. The contents were just about what you’d been expecting. He was writing to inform you that your sword was finished and ready to be picked up at your earliest convenience.

After the shitty turn of events from earlier in the day, this was exactly the sort of news you’d been needing.

“Oh, yeah,” you snickered. “Even Lawrence won’t dare to fuck with me once he sees what I’m packing.” 

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Is it possible to keep him from dying? So long as he doesn’t meet the protagonist, then... 

You quickly shook your head. No, you couldn’t think like that. You’d already made up your mind not to interfere with the canon events of the game. If you tried to protect Sergei, you could unwittingly place yourself in danger. As upsetting as it was, you couldn’t risk interfering.  

“Er, my lady?” Sergei frowned. “Is everything alright? Were you perhaps expecting someone else...?”  

“Not at all!” you spluttered. “I’m very happy you’re here! Sorry, I’m just really eager to start training, so I guess I must look like I’m a bit out of it. It’s nice to meet you, Sergei. I’m [Name], as you already know. Thank you for making the effort to be here on such short notice.”  

“It would have been discourteous to refuse your family’s request. Although, it was certainly a rather strange request,” he said with a knit brow.  

You laughed. “Right. Sorry. It’s probably not every day a noblewoman decides to take up sword-fighting. But I’ve always been interested in it, and what’s the harm in learning to protect myself?”  

“It’s far from traditional,” he admitted, “but I’m not one to scorn a person looking to hone their strength. If this is truly what you want to do, I will do my best to facilitate the process for you.”  

“Great! So, can I try swinging a sword now?”  

“I’d say it’s a bit early for wielding a real blade, so you can start with a wooden sword first.” He removed the bag he’d been carrying over his shoulders and pulled out two wooden swords. One of them was noticeably bigger than the other. He handed you the smallest of the two. 

You weighed the object in your hands. “It’s a bit heavier than I was expecting. Aren’t these things usually hollow on the inside?”  

“They can be. But I thought it was better for you to get used to something with a bit more weight to it, especially since a real sword is quite heavy.”  

“Pfft, I’m sure I can handle it,” you waved off, grossly overconfident for some reason.  

Sergei gave you an unimpressed look. “And what makes you so sure?”  

“Uh... I’m optimistic?”  

“I see. So, no real reason, then.”  

“Ugh.” You obviously couldn’t tell him that you’d watched countless anime and were stupidly hoping that the moves you’d seen there could be somehow applied to real life.  

Sergei took a step back and crossed his arms. “Show me how you would swing that thing. Treat it as if it is a real sword. Go on, I’m curious to see what kind of approach you’ll have.”  

“Ready to be impressed?” you grinned.  

“No, not really.”  

“Hey!”  

Sergei looked like he wanted to crack a smile, but he maintained his stern, stoic expression. He wasn’t fooling you. You already knew full well from the game that despite his serious-looking face and rather blunt mannerisms, he was a real gentleman at heart.  

“Okay... here goes nothing!”  

You inhaled sharply, gathering up all your energy, then proceeded to lunge forward and slash the wooden sword through the air, in a downwards motion.  

“Ooh, that actually felt pretty powerful!” you enthused, turning towards Sergei with a bright smile. “Well? How was it? Amazing, huh?”  

Sergei’s expression hadn’t changed. “Definitely not amazing.”  

“But pretty good, though?”  

“Definitely not good.”  

“Uh... at least sort of okay?”  

He didn’t respond, which made you nervous. What was the big deal? It was just a wooden sword, for crying out loud! And it was your first time swinging one. For a total newbie, it couldn’t have been that bad. 

“Sort of okay,” Sergei hummed, pressing his forefinger against his lips. “I suppose that’s a reasonably accurate description. Then again, it’s only a wooden sword. If you were to replicate that same motion with a real sword, your score would drop considerably.”  

“You’re scoring me?” you gaped.  

He tapped on his head, smiling faintly. “In here, yes. But I’ll be keeping your scores to myself, so as not to discourage you.”  

“That just means I suck!”  

“There’s no point in getting worked up right at the start. Come on, try swinging it again. This time, adjust your grip so that it stays higher on the hilt. It’ll be easier for you to swing it that way. And make sure to keep your torso firm. A strong foundation is what determines how hard your attack will hit.”  

“Like this?” you asked, inadvertently arching your back. 

“What? No, that’s not—ah, I’ll just show you myself,” he sighed, picking up his own sword. “Look closely now. See how I hold the sword, and what angle I’m striking at. See how my body stays perfectly straight and doesn’t wobble around the way yours does.”  

It was only a wooden sword, but you could swear you felt the air in front of you being sliced in half. His motion left a distinct whipping noise behind, fierce enough that it rang in your ears.  

Sergei looked back towards you. “Do you understand now?”  

“Totally,” you nodded. “Basically, it’s all about how big your muscles are.”  

“I see you’ve understood nothing.”  

“I was just kidding! Look, I’ll do it again.” You took up your stance, tensing up just enough that your torse was nice and stable, just like Sergei had said. With even more strength than before, you stepped forward and swung downwards. “Hyah!”  

You were hoping to have been met with enthusiastic clapping, but Sergei was merely staring at you in disbelief.  

“What was that sound you just made?”  

“A battle cry, I think.”  

“I can assure you it was not a battle cry,” he frowned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “And a lady like you shouldn’t be making such vocalizations anyways.”  

“But I thought a battle cry drastically enhances your physical prowess.”  

“...”   

“I'm getting the impression that you might not want to be here.”  

“You’re imagining it,” Sergei coughed into his hand. “Anyways. It was... better, I suppose. But you still need a lot more work. Keep repeating that same motion with your wooden sword, and I’ll be watching you to make sure you have proper form.”  

“But that’s boring,” you whined. “I want to move on to using a real sword. A wooden sword won’t be enough to protect myself with.”  

“I understand that you’re excited, but why do you keep stressing that you’ll need to protect yourself?” he frowned. “A lady like you should never have to fear for her safety. Is there something in particular you’re worried about?”  

Yes. The crazy bastards that live in this world.  

“Not really,” you lied. “But you never know what could go wrong, right? It’s best to be prepared for even the worst-case scenario. It’s a dangerous world out there for women, you know.”  

“That’s certainly true,” Sergei nodded. “I must say, you’re quite earnest, trying to prepare yourself for situations like that. It doesn’t exactly match your personality.”  

“Hey, what’s wrong with my personality?”  

“Nothing, of course.” He bit back a chuckle. “Forgive me. I just meant that of all the noblewomen I’ve ever met, you stand out quite a bit. You don’t seem anywhere near as concerned with etiquette, and you’re even treating someone like me as your equal. Perhaps that’s why I’ve gotten comfortable voicing my opinions.”  

“Well, that’s not surprising,” you said, proudly sticking your nose into the air. “I am pretty amazing.”

“And your boundless confidence leaves nothing to be desired, that’s for sure.”  

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”  

“Yes, please do.”  

You rolled your eyes at him, though it was in a playful, well-intentioned way. Even if Sergei’s tale was a sad one, you were happy to be interacting with one of your favorite characters from the game. There were few genuinely good people in Zodin’s Benevolence, apart from the protagonist, and he was definitely one of them.  

“Just you wait,” you huffed. “I’m going to become so good at wielding a sword, I’ll surpass you in no time.”  

Although Sergei’s expression was stern, his eyes were filled with mirth.  

“I look forward to seeing it.”  

In the end, you hadn’t gotten to use a real sword even once during your training session with Sergei. It was a bit disappointing, but he was the instructor, so you had no choice but to trust in his judgment. It was probably for the best that you build up some skills and confidence first, before attempting the real deal. Plus, the plot had yet to officially begin, so you weren’t in any imminent danger.  

Your parents frantically approached you after your session was over, checking you all over for any cuts or bruises. When you told them you hadn’t even gotten to try out a proper sword yet, they exhaled loudly. Look at you, endlessly worrying your parents even in a different world. Some things never changed.  

Still, you felt confident about the way you were choosing to approach things. There was no reason to afraid so long as you never interacted with the yanderes or the protagonist. Although the initial revelation about being transported into a game had come as a massive shock, you could very well live out a happy life here, just like you’d always wanted.  

“You seem like you’re having a good time.”  

Sometime after your training had come to an end, and you were relaxing in a bubble bath, you began to hear an oddly familiar, distinctively masculine voice in your head.  

“Hello?” you jolted, glancing around. There was no one, as expected. You were all alone in the bathroom, and even your bedroom was empty since the servants had left to give you space to relax. 

No response came, so you sank deeper into the bath, knitting your brows together. Was it just your imagination? A lot of strange things had happened to you recently, so you wouldn’t be surprised if you were hearing the odd remark every now and then. But that voice... you knew you’d heard it somewhere before. It was practically on the tip of your tongue.  

“Hehe. It’s fun watching you get all worked up over nothing. Your reactions are so expressive.”  

“Um—?!” You glanced around for the second time, but there was nobody there again. The voice was definitely coming from your head, and based on what it was saying, it didn’t seem like it was just your imagination.  

You clutched your arms around your chest, though the bubbles concealed most of everything, because apparently, they could see you right now.  

“This isn’t cool,” you muttered. “Whoever you are, can you give it a rest? How are you even talking to me right now? You’re freaking me out.”  

“I’m afraid that’s a secret. You’ll find out soon enough, I’m sure.”  

Great. As if you didn’t already have enough things to worry about with yanderes dominating the major plot of this world, now you had some creepy voice that could talk to you whenever it liked. And why did it sound so familiar? 

Could it be...?  

You didn’t know for certain, since you’d literally been dying at the time, but a strange voice had called out to you back then too. That voice was the whole reason you’d been transported here in the first place. Was this that same voice? The higher power that had saved you and given you a new chance at life?  

“Are you the one that saved me when I was dying?” you asked.  

No response. Either they had no idea what you were talking about, or they really were the same being from before, and they were deliberating avoiding your question.  

“Fine, don’t respond,” you sighed, lathering bubbles and squishing them between your palms.  

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but I definitely didn’t save anyone who was dying.”  

Ah, so they were still here.  

“Who are you, then?”  

“Like I said—that’s a secret.”  

“Ugh. Great. Looks like I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight.” 

“I’m not here to hurt you, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m just here to observe. Don’t worry about me and just focus on what you’ve been doing up until now. It’s quite amusing.”  

You weren’t sure how you felt about someone calling your life amusing, but it wasn’t like you could do anything about it. At the very least, you knew whoever this was wasn’t one of the yanderes, because none of them had these kinds of strange powers. The owner of the voice had promised not to hurt you, still, you weren’t sure how much you could trust them, especially since you didn’t even know who they were.  

For the time being, you just had one simple request.

“Please don’t spy on me while I’m taking a bath from now on,” you said crossly.  

Instead of answering, the voice laughed.

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“Again with the strange jokes...”

She sighed and shook her head, looking just about fed up with your nonsense.  Nothing was really making any sense. Every time you brought up dying or being in heaven, she kept giving you all sorts of judgmental looks. If this wasn’t heaven, then where were you?

“Are my parents here?” you asked. It couldn’t be possible. You’d died, and even if you were in some sort of strange afterlife, there was no way your parents would be with you. Not yet, at least.

The maid cocked her head to the side. “By here, do you mean inside the manor? Of course they are. Why, would you like me to bring them to your room?”

“Uh, yes please.”

She nodded hastily and left the room, only to return with two awfully familiar people by her side.

Yep. They were your parents, alright. But how? And why didn’t they look surprised to see you, even though you should be dead right now?

“Mom, dad,” you spluttered, rushing towards them. “How am I here? Didn’t I die? The last thing I remember is being in the hospital bed...”

Just like the maid, they too stared at you in bewilderment.

“She’s been talking this nonsense ever since she woke up,” the maid said tiredly. “I’m assuming it’s meant to be some sort of roleplay, but I’m having a great deal of trouble following along.”

“Oh, [Name], you’re ever the joker,” your parents laughed. “Of all the stories to contrive, why would you make up some ridiculous tale about being in the hospital? You’ve always been healthy as a horse. This is a stretch, even for you.”

“Healthy as a horse,” you gaped. “Me?”

“Yes, of course. Did you not sleep well, my dear? You’re obviously kidding, but the expression on your face is oddly serious.”

Things were getting more perplexing by the second, but you needed to try and reassess your situation and not give anyone reason to believe that you were absolutely mental.

You knew for a fact that you’d been chronically ill for a very long time. The pain and suffering you’d experienced was altogether too vivid to forget. But for whatever reason, after passing out in the hospital that day—when you were certain you’d died—you seem to have woken up here instead. Where exactly here was, you had yet to find out, but you were fairly certain about one thing, and it was that you weren’t actually dead.

I’ve been transported somewhere else?

It seemed too farfetched to be true, but everything felt so real. It couldn’t simply be a vivid dream. Your memories and your senses were completely intact. You had full awareness of what you were thinking and doing. You weren’t in the hospital anymore, neither were your parents, and the longer you stared at them, you came to realize that their attire was completely unlike anything they would have ever worn. It was just like the room you were in—the opposite of modern.

Okay. You really needed to figure out what the hell was going on.

“I’m gonna walk around,” you announced abruptly.

“My lady, you can’t!” the maid called out after you. “You’re still in your nightgown—”

You sped out the room before she could keep you from leaving. Clearly, the bedroom was no exception, because the hallways and the rest of the building appeared to be just as extravagantly decorated. What did the maid call it again? Ah, right—a manor. Your first assumption was right. This place was for the filthy rich, which begged the question of what you were doing here.

You spent a good while walking around. There were other maids and servants working here, it appeared, and they all averted their gazes when they saw you passing by. Probably because you were in your nightgown, though you didn’t really get what the big deal was. It was hardly anything indecent.

As you took in your surroundings, you noted that there wasn’t any sign of the technology you’d been surrounded with your entire life. Everything was tasteful and aesthetically pleasing, but it didn’t seem like the type of stuff a normal person would keep around in their house. It just wasn’t practical. But the fact that there was no technology at all, coupled with the antique feel of the place, made you feel like it wasn’t just a personal preference. Rather, it didn’t seem like there was any technology to make use of.

So, not only did you not die that day, but you seemed to have woken up in a completely different time period. How the fuck?

“I can’t believe this is actually happening,” you mumbled in bewilderment. “Sure, the isekai trope is super common in media, but I never thought it could be real. So, this is like reincarnation? Except I’ve been reincarnated as... myself. In the past, no less.”

It was only then that you vaguely recalled that strange voice in your head back when you were dying in the hospital bed. At the time, you’d been so desperate to stay alive that you said you were willing to do anything. Had some higher deity actually heard you and answered your calls by giving you a new chance at life? If so, that was...

“Fucking epic!” you cried out, fist-pumping the air. “I’m actually alive, and I’m healthy! And apparently rich too? This is awesome!”

You didn’t care if this really was all a dream. At this point, you’d take even an extremely vivid dream if it meant you could experience life as a normal, able-bodied person. There was no point in questioning too much and feeling panicked over this situation. It was your new reality, and already much better than what you’d had to endure in the past.

Feeling immensely grateful and much more at ease about the whole thing, you decided to familiarize yourself with your new environment and get your bearings while you were at it.

During that time, you managed to acquire some information without coming across as too suspicious (you hoped).

Firstly, you were apparently the daughter of nobles. Your father was a baron, and your mother, his baroness. From what you could recall in your high school history classes, as far as nobles went, it was one of the lowest ranks. But who really cared about all that petty nonsense when you were clearly wealthier than you ever needed and could live out a happy life?

Secondly, apart from your vastly improved health, everything else seemed to be mostly the same as in your previous life. You still looked to be about twenty years old, your parents still had the same personalities—apart from acting a bit more formally according to their positions—and it didn’t seem as though anyone realized you were acting that much differently than normal, which meant that the “you” of this universe was still, well, you—just in a different timeline.

You didn’t get reincarnated and put into some stranger’s body. You’d literally gotten a fresh start to properly enjoy the rest of your life, which was better than you could have ever asked for. The only thing that would have been more ideal was somehow making a miraculous recovery back in your original timeline, but even modern science had failed to save you.

One way or another, you’d avoided death. Sure, it would probably take a bit of getting used to not having convenient devices like phones and computers, but if it meant that you could finally be healthy and happy, it was truly a small price to pay.

And lastly, but certainly not least, you were now free to do all the things you couldn’t do before.

What came to your mind right away was taking the time to enjoy your new, healthy body. You did so by running around in the grass in the courtyard—yes, you had a courtyard. It was so incredibly blissful and cathartic that it almost couldn’t be put into the words. The sensation of the fresh air filling your lungs and the sunlight warming your cheeks... it was enough to bring tears to your eyes. You kept running and running, still with plenty of stamina left over. It must’ve been years since you’d been able to run like this.

“Oh, Lady [Name],” the maid called out to you with a weary expression. Her name, from what you’d gathered, was Lizbell, and it seemed that she was your personal maid, based on how she kept following you around all over the place. “I’m glad that you seem to be in very high spirits, but you really shouldn’t be running outside like that in your nightgown. Come, at least change into some comfortable clothing first.”

You looked back over your shoulder, grinning widely. “Sorry! I just can’t help it. I’ve got so much energy, I don’t know what to do with it!”

“That’s very nice. But do you mind changing out of the nightgown? A young lady like you shouldn’t be seen in such a state of undress.”

“Eh, maybe later. I’m gonna run some more now!”

“No, wait—!”

It was clear that she was getting exasperated with your antics, but you were far too excited to feel bad about it. Never in a million years could you have imagined your frantic plea for a new chance at life actually being answered. For once, the universe was smiling down upon you.

You stayed out for a while longer, up until you started to reach the end of your energy reserves. Sure, you had a nice healthy body now, but it wasn’t as if you were superhuman. Now that you had been blessed with such a constitution, you were going to do your damn best not to squander it, especially since you found yourself in an age of far less advanced medicinal practices.

After running around, you were pleased to find that a big, hearty breakfast had been prepared for you. The sight alone had you salivating. Everything looked so good. Back in your previous world, you’d been kept on a strict, bland diet due to your weak immunity. Having the chance to eat delicious food without any consequences really was a miracle.

“Dis ish sho good,” you half-sobbed, stuffing your face without caring how unappealing you looked at the moment.

Once again, Lizbell let out a sigh. “Good heavens... I know you enjoy your food, but there’s no need to devour it like that. Were you really that famished? Please take it slow. Your meal isn’t going anywhere.”

Obviously, you couldn’t tell her that it had been years since you’d eaten anything as palatable as this. Actually, had you ever eaten something so delicious? This meal had clearly been prepared by the well-trained chefs working in the manor. It was probably the equivalent of a fancy gourmet meal, and you’d certainly never had one of those before.

You’d really struck gold here, that was for sure.

Breakfast was incredible, and better yet, you didn’t feel sick after consuming it. You stood up from the dining table, stretched out your arms, and sighed happily. This was almost too good to be true. And being placed in a different time setting was amazing in its own respect. This was basically like time travelling, getting to experience all sorts of unique things from the past.

Still, it would probably be best to find out a bit more about where exactly I am.

Funnily enough, right as you had that thought, your parents walked into the room.

“[Name],” they beamed. “Good, you’ve finished breakfast. A bit later than usual, since you ran around for so long. You’ve woken up with quite a bit of energy today, hm?”

“Oh, you don’t know the half of it,” you laughed.

“Well, now that you’ve eaten, would you like to go into town together with us? We can enjoy a nice walk, and we were hoping to stop by the tailor to get some new clothes fitted anyhow. If you come with us, you’re free to pick out whatever trinkets you like.”

Bless your parents. No matter the time or place, they were still as lovely as ever. This was good for them, too. At least here in this world, they wouldn’t have to live on mourning your death.

“Okay!” you beamed. “I’ll come with.”

And so, you took a trip in a carriage all the way into town. The carriage ride was a bit bumpy and uncomfortable, but a new experience in its own right. Cars were easily more convenient, but again—you would trade all of that in a heartbeat for your new body.

The town was certainly bustling, alright. Unlike in a modern setting, there were probably a limited number of places where so many people would gather and buy or sell things. But all of it was rather refreshing. Back in your previous life, you were used to seeing people travel around in a hurry, irritated by their long shifts at work and eager to get home already. People back there were used to working themselves half to death, but here, everything seemed to move at a much slower pace, and people actually looked like they were enjoying their lives.

Science and technology certainly made things more convenient, but none of that really guarantees happiness, huh?

You could definitely get used to this. A novel setting, a healthy body, and countess possibilities.

Clearly, you were quite distracted by all the new sights, because you accidentally bumped into someone on the street.

“Oops,” you blinked. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

You turned towards a man with a very handsome face. As in, supermodel handsome. He had raven black hair and yellow, snake-like eyes. And those eyes were currently glaring a hole into you.

“Can’t you pay attention?” he snapped. “You’ve gotten dust on my coat.” He proceeded to gesture towards the coat in question, as if there was some sort of damage there that was visible to the naked eye.

He had a rather nasty attitude, which pissed you off. You weren’t going to stand for this when you’d been enjoying one of the happiest days you’d had in a very long time.

Right as you were about to give him a piece of your mind, you heard your parents gasp beside you.

“Please excuse her, Lord Cassius. She tends to get distracted quite easily, that’s all.”

The man, Cassius, by the sounds of it, merely scoffed at you, then walked away. You could hardly believe the nerve of him, not to mention the dramatics. As if bumping into someone ever ruined a person’s clothing.

But for some reason, you were getting a strange feeling. It almost felt like you’d seen him somewhere before, and even his name was giving you a weird sense of déjà vu.

“That guy sure seemed like a dick,” you remarked aloud.

Your mother immediately jabbed you in the ribs. “Language!” she hissed. “You’re just lucky he didn’t stir up any more of a fuss. He’s always so temperamental. Thankfully, we seem to have caught him in a good mood.”

“That was his good mood? Who is he, anyways?”

They both stared at you in disbelief. “You know... all of today, you’ve been acting rather strange. You’ve heard of Cassius Crowe countless times by now. He’s practically famous around the academy. Haven’t you ever spotted him on campus before?”

You’d been so caught up in everything that you’d forgotten to pretend like you had any memories of this place prior to today, but that was hardly important right now, because a weird sense of dread was gradually washing over you.

Cassius Crowe... it can’t be.

“The academy,” you swallowed, no longer caring how suspicious you came cross. “The academy I attend?”

“Yes,” they frowned. “Of course. You were very insistent on enrolling, and it had to be at Zodite’s finest institution. [Name], you’re really starting to concern us now. Have you hit your head? Are you suffering from some sort of memory loss? If it’s serious, please don’t hide it from us. We’ll call a doctor right away and have them check on you.”

They kept rambling on, clearly worried that something might actually be wrong with you, but you weren’t listening at all anymore.

What they’d just said had finally helped you put all the pieces together. Cassius Crowe, and Zodite. Zodite Kingdom, from Zodin’s Benevolence, the most recent dating sim you’d played. You hadn’t been reincarnated into the past, or even into some alternate universe.

You’d been transported into the world of a yandere game. 

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