Chapter 106: Unpleasant Memories
Chapter 106: Unpleasant Memories
Today was a normal day like any other.
"What's with that notebook? It's really disgusting hahaha."
"How old are you to have that, a magical girl anime? How disgusting."
"I bet when you go to buy them you have to hide your face so the seller won't be creeped out by your age before your face."
Again Suguro and company were teasing me.
This time they were teasing me since I bought a new notebook, the cover was from a popular magical girl anime. I watched it a lot as a child.
Their insults and taunts have gotten me used to it by now.
As they tease me, all I can think about is what I will do when I get home.
Today my sister is having her boyfriend over for dinner.
That would be good news, but the problem is that I'm not used to men, my father is different, my classmates don't even see me as a girl so there's no problem there.
When the teasing was over, the teacher came in.
"We will begin class today. Remember to have your notes from last time because I don't plan to repeat what I said yesterday."
With those words we started the normal day.
Class was over.
Before leaving the classroom I had gone to the bathroom.
I left my bag with my things in the classroom, when I came back I couldn't find it.
I looked everywhere, but I couldn't find it anywhere.
It was already dark.
I was scared.
My Smartphone, bag and even my bus pass was in it.
I can't go home without it.
"Emm, excuse me."
A voice came behind me.
I panicked thinking it was a kidnapper.
Lately kidnappings of women at night have been on the rise.
I know I'm not in danger because I'm not attractive, but I still have items that such a person might be interested in.
I ran out of the place.
"P-Please hold on. I want to give this to you."
Hearing his voice, I noticed it was that of a young man.
I turned around and saw a black-haired boy.
His hair was tousled and covered his eyes, reminding me of those characters that come out in adult anime.
He had something in his hands, it was...
"My bag!"
I immediately took my bag. I thanked the boy.
"Thank you very much, really very much"
I stopped as it seemed strange to me.
Why did he have my bag?
I looked at him to see and he noticed my look himself.
"Ah, it's not what you think. It gives the curiosity that when I was about to leave, I saw some girls throw something into the trash can. I noticed what they threw as it had a PuriPuri Fashion anime pendant on it."
"Since it was on my mind to see that, I turned back from the train station."
"Then I saw you running here and there and tried to return it to you."
The boy was right, my bag smelled weird.
I apologized for thinking badly of him.
"Thank you very much."
"You're welcome. What's more, I feel grateful myself actually."
"Why?"
I asked intrigued, he said.
"It's just that... it's rare to find someone in this place who likes anime like me. Even if I try to engage in conversation with other people, they ignore me, even guys from other classes who talk about weird topics, I can't get into conversation with them either."
"That's why it makes me happy to see that there is someone else like me who really likes anime. Also, that it's from my same classroom."
"Classroom?"
"Are we from the same classroom?"
"Yes. In fact, I sit in the middle of the second row."
"I sit almost at the end of the fifth row."
"I usually get disturbed before the teacher arrives and maybe at dismissal time."
"How come you don't hear that teasing?"
"... I'm always late, Hiyama's group teases me."
Hiyama, is a bully who comes from a family said to be linked with the yakuza. Very dangerous people who are best avoided.
"I'm very sorry."
"You're welcome."
"By the way, my name is Shiomiya Kanade, nice to meet you. And you are?"
He introduced himself, a name I'll never forget.
"Naoto. Shishigami Naoto."
I smiled at him.
"Nice to meet you, Shishigami-kun."
"Likewise, Shiomiya-san."
It can be said that day, I made a friend.
But unfortunately we can't be one, I left immediately.
The reason why we can't be one is because of that name.
Hiyama Masaomi. It's someone that everyone knows.
I'm really sorry, but if I get involved with you, my life which is horrible will become hell.
Worst of all, I heard that Hiyama takes girls from other schools to hotels and records them doing something.
I'm really sorry, I'm sorry.
I arrived past ten o'clock at night as expected.
Upon entering I found my family laughing and eating snacks.
They seemed to have forgotten about my existence.
Since my mom upon seeing me said.
"Kanade, you are early."
(Early she says.)
(It's time for bed.)
(Good thing it's Friday and some people come home very late from work.)
In one armchair were my parents.
On the other were my older sisters.
The boyfriend of my older sister, the first daughter, was on a couch in the middle.
He was a man with tanned skin, blond hair, pierced ears and tattoos on his arms.
I heard that he is an actor and because of the current movie role he will be directing he must dress like that.
Unlike my first older sister: my second, middle sister Sayori, she is almost similar to my older sister and me.
She has a boyfriend, but she likes otome games.
In fact, I heard that she recently bought one which became a quite popular RPG game.
I heard her mutter the other time that the easiest character to capture was a guy named Luke or something.
I waved to my family and went straight to the kitchen to get something to eat and go to sleep.
After a few hours I woke up.
I went out to see if everyone was already asleep since I got hungry again.
In the living room I found only my older sister's boyfriend watching TV.
On the news they were showing a heinous event, apparently a young man committed suicide on the tracks of a train.
I asked him.
"Where are the others?"
"They said they were going to the hotel where your sister was staying as she forgot an important document."
"I understand."
I went to the kitchen, drank some water and then went straight to my room.
I was about to close the door, but he stopped it.
"Wait a moment."
I was shocked as I didn't expect this.
"S-Something's wrong?"
"Yes. You see, your sister promised me something today."
"Well, good for you. But you'll have to talk that over with my sister and not me."
"That's the thing. I can't wait."
"... Like I said, if you need something it should be with her not me"
Suddenly he grabbed my cheek and kissed me.
It was my first kiss and it was with a man I barely know and he's my older sister's boyfriend to boot.
I used all my strength to pull his hand away from me.
I spat on the floor.
"... What do you think you're doing!"
He came into my room and locked the door.
Huh?
"You see, I'm someone who always gets what he wants. That's why I date your sister, she's the kind of woman worth bragging about."
"...?"
He took off his shirt.
"But because that bitch thinks she's in control. She's left me wanting, that's why I'm sure you'll make an excellent replacement for her."
"You have potential, I can see it. Believe me this experience will help you in work life too."
He was getting closer and closer, I screamed for help, I remembered that this apartment has very solid walls so the internal noise is not heard on the outside.
He threw me on the bed.
"Seeing your reaction, you sure are a virgin. I don't like virgins because they scream too much, but for today I'll tolerate that."
"No..."
I don't want this.
"Stay away..."
Somebody help me.
"I don't want this..."
I'm supposed to be unpopular, but this right here is something I don't want to happen.
"Hey, Kanade! Shut your mouth! I'm trying to play peacefully, but I can't do it for your free!"
I heard my sister Sayori's voice, I yelled at her.
"Hel"
He covered my mouth and whispered to me.
"Hey, it would be really bad for both of us if someone found out about this."
"Don't think about me, think about how your sister would be upset with you."
"...!"
What is this guy talking about?
"I'm not kidding when I say she badmouths you. Believe me if you tell her it will come out bad for you than for me."
Does he really think I'm going to believe that stupidity?
He left after that.
Tomorrow morning I'll tell my sister.
*Slap*
"... Huh?"
I went to tell my older sister what happened yesterday with her boyfriend.
Sayori was present since I called her as well.
After telling her what happened, my older sister slapped me hard.
I looked at her to see and said.
"Why, it's not me you should hit."
"Shut your mouth, you little slut."
My older sister called me in a strange way.
"You think I don't know that a repulsive otaku like you has no interest in real men?"
"No, sister."
"You think I don't know that on your computer you have lots of pictures of 2D characters that are men! Obviously you must want to have contact with a real man don't you?"
"Don't use my boyfriend to experience a real romance, you repulsive otaku!"
My sister was being irrational. I asked her if he said anything weird to her.
"Yes, he told me everything yesterday. That he came to your room and wanted to force himself on you, so I beat him up and wrote shameful things like 'thoughts' from his private accounts."
"For a while he'll be grounded. But you are another story."
She came up to me and said.
"I've always been disgusted by otaku since I was a kid and you being one is just bad karma for me."
My older sister left after that, only Sayori and I were left.
"Seriously, I don't know who's worse, her or you for not asking for help."
I yelled at her annoyed.
"I asked for help! If you were here, you could have done something!"
"I was here, playing, but I never listened to you."
"You came banging on the door because you heard my screams, so you certainly heard me!..."
"Wait... you... you heard me and yet you didn't do anything..."
I looked at Sayori who averted her gaze.
"It's not my problem, other people's problems have nothing to do with mine. Even if it's my older sister or younger sister with the problem, it's none of my business."
She turned away.
"I must finish Jude's capture, that boy is very annoying when the heroine goes around having fun with the other capture targets."
No way...
My older sister thinks I tried to seduce him and Sayori didn't care about my existence.
My parents aren't even useful to help since they only care about the star daughter.
I crumbled to the floor.
"My life is horrible... everyone is horrible to me for no reason!"
This sucks.
Monday came.
For some reason the weather was dark.
When I got to the classroom I found something odd.
It was a vase on top of a desk.
I remember seeing that several times.
But this was the first time where it was a white flower and not just any kind of flower.
Suguro and the others didn't come to class either.
The teacher came in.
Instead of saying the same sentence he says upon arrival, he said a new one.
"Let me give you some sad news today."
"Your classmate. Shi... Shion was it? Shushi? No... it was... ah I remembered."
He said a name I never expected to hear.
"Your classmate, Shishigami Naoto has died."
"His father came by this morning to leave some flowers on his desk."
"Apparently he died while crossing the street."
"He is not the only one. There have been many more people who have passed away over the weekend, among her classmates, Suguro"
I heard that Suguro and the others died in an accident at a theme park.
Their families are still processing this, no flower on their desks for a reason.
But, that he died.
Is this karma?
For rejecting a person who could have been my first friend, was I punished like this?
Do I deserve to suffer like this without actually doing anything wrong?
At the end of the school day.
I went straight home. But when I arrived I found something very strange.
The door was open.
I wondered if this was something similar to those cases where there is a kidnapper inside.
"What are you doing? Come in."
I heard Sayori's voice behind me.
"Why is the door open?"
"My keys got misplaced somewhere inside, I didn't mean to lock the door."
"I understand."
That reassured me, I went inside and there was no one inside.
"I'll go play some more, food will come later."
My sister said that and I went to do my homework until the delivery man arrived.
Hours passed and I heard voices, it was my family.
I was going to ask them if there is food, but I was horrified by what I heard.
"Really that girl did that?"
"Hahahaha, I know."
"Kanade really is embarrassing."
My mother was talking about me.
Why was she doing that?
"My computer wouldn't turn on and I had to use hers to send a document to the company, that's where I found all this hahaha."
"As a father I'm disappointed, I mean really is this 2D stuff nice?"
"There's nothing to understand dad, she's an otaku. Otakus are the shame of Japan."
"They're all losers for a reason."
"But Kanade is supposed to study hard to be someone important in the future."
"Check her grades mom. You'll see they're not great, even Sayori has better grades than her."
"Sayori is an otaku too?"
"No. She's more like a fan, whenever she gets something in her head she does it."
I couldn't believe my ears.
My own family was making fun of me.
"Here, your food. Sorry, but I ate your pudding."
Sayori put my food on the floor, I opened the door to ask her.
"... Do you also make fun of me like them?"
With her usual cold look she said.
"You are none of my business for me to be interested in."
Certainly, she said my existence was none of her business, she saw me as her sister, but not as someone worthwhile.
......
I get it at last.
I... am the undesirable one in this family.
I can't take this anymore.
I went to the bathroom in my room and opened the medicine cabinet next to the mirror.
There was a bottle of sleeping pills there.
My hand hesitated to grab them.
But the voices of my family slandering me were still painful.
"By the way, what time does Kanade arrive?"
"I don't know, she had to be here by now."
They didn't even notice that my shoes are at the entrance?
No, I shouldn't hesitate.
I never hated my family, but without a doubt, they are the worst.
Especially my older sister, they all praise her for the way she is.
But they despise me.
They treat me like a freak.
Even if I try to act like a normal girl.
They're all horrible.
People are horrible.
If I had one wish, it would be to be reincarnated in a better world.
Yeah, like the world of that otome game.
Even though there is danger, the heroine's life is a field of roses and flowers surrounded by people who love her.
I would love to live there. I'm sure a game world is better than this one.
I took several pills along with tap water.
I sat on the bed waiting.
Minutes passed and suddenly I started to get sleepy.
This is for the best.
If no one loves me, no one will care what happens to me.
I hate this cruel world where I suffer for no reason.
I want to live in a better one where I am treated well.
They pamper me and treat me with love.
Yes, like a princess.
My body doesn't respond, my heart stopped, my eyes are heavy.
I guess... it's over now really.
"eyes..."
"Open your eyes, Livie!"
I opened my eyes as I heard someone calling my name.
I was in a different place than my room.
The ceiling was huge and blue.
There were many women dressed as maids.
Among them a beautiful girl cried when she saw me.
"Isn't it wonderful that Princess Livie is well, Princess Gale?"
(Princess?)
(Do they mean me?)
They helped me to my feet.
I noticed this, my body isn't too small.?
I noticed there was a large table, snacks and tea on top.
But one of the chairs was down.
"Princess, are you all right? Doesn't your head hurt?"
"Princess? Me?"
"Yes. You're Princess Livie of the Arklight Empire. Don't you remember?"
"We should call the doctor in any case."
"I'll go call him."
All these women looked worried about me.
I approached the nearest mirror accompanied by one of them.
There I could see something that is undoubtedly strange and unreal.
In front of me, a beautiful girl with hair just like rainbows and an angelic face was reflecting.
I made different faces and after pinching myself, I checked it out.
(I was reincarnated!)
(I really reincarnated!)
(And what's even better, into a real princess!)
I jumped for joy.
"Finally heaven smiles on me!"
"Princess hold still, please."
Sometime later I discovered that this world was the world of that otome game.
It was supposed to be all fun and peace, but...
Livie opened her eyes after hearing a voice calling her.
She found Razel who was holding her, next to her were Amy and Leila.
Since Amy does not possess healing magic, she could only use water magic to help heal the blood and speed up the cellular process of regenerating the damaged parts.
After Olgren and Linhard were defeated, they stood there waiting for Livie to wake up while they rested from their battles, it was getting dark.
Livie stood up and asked.
"What happened here?"
"All I remember is that I was eating lunch next to Chris, heard a voice and then fell asleep."
Amy answered her.
"You were kidnapped by a lunatic who wanted to do an experiment on you. There were remains of other people underground, but none of them survived."
"We were only able to rescue that one."
Amy pointed to the side. Judal was there, tied up as if he were a captured animal.
They also dressed his wounds.
They were going to release him to the palace.
Livie asked.
"So I was captured and you guys saved me. Thank you very much, but what about Chris?"
Razel answered.
"Christina is at an inn resting. She's probably awake by now."
Livie looked at Razel.
For some reason she had a strange thought.
(Opening my eyes, for a moment I felt like I was looking at Shishigami-kun.)
(It must have been the loud bang my head.)
Livie smiled at the three of them and lifted the ends of her skirts.
"Please allow me to thank you for saving me. I'll make sure the imperial family rewards you."
"Leila wants to eat a lot of meat! Give me food!"
"I don't want anything at all. I don't feel any interest in anything coming from the palace."
Leila expressed her wish as Amy wished for nothing.
Livie looked at Razel who said.
"I am of the same opinion as Amy. I just don't want the palace looking for an excuse to say they are indebted to me. I want to have as little contact with them as necessary."
"That's wrong!"
Livie protested.
"Leaving aside the wolf girl and the long-eared beauty. I can't allow you to go unrewarded."
"More so that you came all the way out here. I want to reward you."
"You want an island?"
"Maybe a new mansion?"
"Or perhaps a high position in the cabinet of ministers?"
"If you tell me what your wish is. I'll make sure you get it"
*Pinch*
Razel stopped Livie after tugging on her cheeks.
"They're unexpectedly soft. They remind me of Lily, only she gets happy when I do that."
"Huh?"
Livie exclaimed not understanding why Razel tugged on her cheeks.
"I'm sorry. I meant to shut you up, but I had fun doing this."
"What I was getting at was... you don't need to give me a gift."
"But more than that. I'd like you to stop saying that your father or the palace will make sure to fulfill your wishes."
"The truth is... I hate snooty women."
"And even more so women whose family is in charge of rewarding others and not them."
"I don't hate you, but I hate princesses who act like that, sorry."
Livie was speechless after hearing how Razel hated the way she was.
She thought after hearing that.
(What he says... that's exactly what I thought.)
(I always hated those kinds of girls. That's why by reincarnating as a princess, I thought acting like one would make my life better.)
(Now I kind of understand my older sisters when they picked on me. I was really irritable.)
(Geez. A mob boy has to tell me I'm a hideous person when I pretend to be one myself.)
(How pathetic of me.)
Livie remembered her older sister, too. She wanted to act like her, but understood that it only made people angry.
She began to cry as she understood that even in this world, her current self is irritable to other people.
"I'm so sorry. I thought everyone would like it that way, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to cause trouble for anyone."
Razel was upset to see her crying.
He was frightened.
"N-No! I'm the one who should apologize! I made you cry just because I didn't like your attitude... or the bullying to Eli, which I feel is wrong, but I don't dislike seeing it."
"That's why, Livie!"
Livie looked at Razel.
"Due to this, I'd like to ask you for a favor."
*Tears*
"What?"
"Let's be friends."
"..."
She couldn't believe her ears.
It was the first time in both her lives that someone had said this to her.
No, it was the second time. The first time she couldn't give an answer.
Again, the image of someone she remembered popped into her head.
(It's almost like that time.)
"I want to get along because you are Cid's sister, you are also someone who is very fond of Eli. If you had been with her at that time, she wouldn't have had a terrible time."
"I could also tell how you enjoyed being on the trip with us. That's why I want us to be friends."
"I'm not doing it because I want to have a bond with the imperial family. You are you, just like Cid. I want our friendship to be honest."
Livie smiled at Razel's honesty.
"I'm sure, if you change your attitude, Eli will stop avoiding you. You want to be her friend don't you?"
"I'm sure Eli wants to have more friends. Even me, I am a friend with people I never expected to be friends with."
Razel raised his hand, Livie too.
"Thank you. It's nice to be friends with you, mob Razel-kun."
"Only Razel is fine."
"Razel. Nice to be friends with you."
"Ah."
Livie looked at Amy and Leila.
Amy turned away and raised her hand, Leila too.
"It's not that I'm happy to have more people around me. I'm just doing it because I don't want this to be an awkward moment."
"Rainbow pigtails girl, I want meat. I'll be your friend if you give me meat."
"Leila, friends don't ask for that in return. I'll buy you a huge steak all to yourself."
"Yes! Master will give me a steak!"
"Don't be happy about that Leila."
Livie watched this scene she never saw in her past life.
If she saw anything similar to this, it was in anime or games.
Livie closed her eyes and more tears fell down her cheeks.
(It feels warm.)
(To have someone who wants to be with you. It's really nice.)
(Now I understand why those five loved the heroine-chan so much. This warmth is something you want to appreciate.)
Livie had obtained something that I will never let go of. Friends.
"Chris must be waiting for me very worried. We'll be right back."
Amy added.
"She certainly must be worried. We took all day here."
Amy snapped her fingers and they all began to float.
"Uwahh, I'm flying!"
"It doesn't feel weird anymore when you experience it for the second time."
"Hahaha, rainbow pigtails girl, your underwear smells funny."
"Don't smell it!"
Everyone went back to Christina's to end this busy day.
Christina was sleeping at the inn where Razel and the girls were.
She was sleeping peacefully... or so one would hope.
Christina was in fact deserted.
When Judal hit her, it only immobilized part of her nerves.
Her consciousness was still awake.
She could hear some voices.
"We must go save Livie."
Razel's voice echoes in her head.
Christina thought only of that.
(My job was to take care of the princess and I couldn't do it. I was completely useless.)
(As an escort and imperial guard I'm a failure.)
(What would my father say if he saw me like this?)
(No. My father is not important.)
(What's important here is what the emperor will do to me when he finds out about it.)
(My situation in the palace was already horrible, but with this they will surely seek to lower my salary or take away my vacation.)
(This is the worst.)
From the window, a strange black fog rolled in.
Little by little it approached Christina's bed.
Like a cat, it circled her head.
A voice said to Christina.
(You are useless.)
(I am useless.)
(You are a failure as a knight.)
(I am a failure as a knight.)
Christina began to move.
Her fingers clutched her sheet tightly.
(But, in spite of all that, it's not your fault.)
(It's not my fault?)
(No. It's his fault.)
(Him? Who are you talking about?)
(The man who betrayed you.)
(The man who... betrayed me?)
(Yes. The reason for your suffering is his fault. That man is responsible for everything bad that has happened to you since you were a child.)
(The kicking out of your home.)
(The bad treatment by the ministers.)
(And above all... that no one loves you. After all, he's responsible for your eyes being like this.)
Christina gritted her teeth, her magical power was increasing, but she was acting strange.
The air in the room was distorting.
Something strange was happening to Christina's body.
(That man disowned you, used you, abandoned you.)
(He filled you with dreams and hopes and then crushed it like an egg.)
(All your life you've cursed yourself for having those eyes, but it's his fault. It's his fault that all men loathe you and make fun of you.)
(Do you hate him?)
(... Yes.)
Christina's skin began to darken as if she had tanned.
(Do you despise him?)
(Yes...)
Her hair starting from the ends turned black as night.
(But what will you do when you see it?)
(I'll kill him!)
(I'll kill that bastard who betrayed me and made fun of me.)
(I'll make him pay for making me suffer even though he made me love him and then spit on me.)
Half of Christina's hair turned white and her skin darkened completely.
When she opened her eyes...
*Burst*
A huge explosion of magical power had occurred.
Christina walked through those flames as if nothing, the mist around her took a strange sphere shape and settled near her shoulder.
(Listen, the name of the man who betrayed you was...)
She manifested a sword made of magical power, which was black due to the state known as "Falling into Depravity".
Christina had become...
"I swear I will kill you, Razel Bartlet!"
"The sin of your betrayal of me shall never be cleansed from this world! I swear in the name of the sin of lust that I will kill you with my own hands!"
At a dark elf, as well as the bearer of the sin of lust.
____________
You didn't expect that script twist did you?
I leave fan art of Livie and Christina.
As Christina has H design, I can't upload it, but I'll leave the closest I found.
You can also think of Christina as an older version of Amy or as if Amy is an aunt.
Livie: https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/3237544
Christina: https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/4719724
Dark elf ver: https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/5507077
Detail of interest to the reader as it's irrelevant to the novel!
Kanade's entire family, with the exception of Sayori(she died mysteriously in a fight with her boyfriend), died in a plane crash, which was a terrorist act.
A turbine exploded and the mother flew straight into the turbine.
The father went flying as well and after hitting the wing of the plane, he fell to the ground.
The boyfriend was riddled with bullets as he used a woman as a shield.
The sister died when the plane crashed, but not from that, from the flames.
All this was recorded by the black box and it is up to you if you think it is a reference to the plane that had the number 86 by chance.
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