When I realized that I had been reborn in a novel with a tragic plot, and there was no way back, I had to summon all the remnants of my courage to stay sober.
Because to realize and accept what happened to me, in fact, was very difficult. It would have been easy to get depressed, but I was able to restrain myself from this impulse.
I will still need these forces for the upcoming battle. And for what and with what… The future will show.
Having got into the past ten years before the beginning of the main story of «Bloody Camellia», I, at the same time, found myself in a completely alien world, about which I knew nothing.
Azeroth «before» and «after» the seizure of power by Razor was a completely different kingdom, which was not mentioned in the novel. Other people lived here, there were other rules, what can I say, life itself at that time was different from the one in which the main characters fought for justice.
Now Azeroth was an absolutely peaceful state, where conflicts rarely arose, and wars did happen once in a hundred years. Leriana Ashford's time was very different from what would come in the future.
On the one hand, I should have been happy about it, but on the other… I knew perfectly well that all the hardest things were yet to come.
The starting point of all the tragedy that will happen to the country and the main characters will be the Royal Academy. It is there that the conflict that arose on the basis of love will grow into a real war.
But can I change that?
I didn't know this answer, and, to be honest, I was afraid to think ahead.
The two days I spent at the Ashford family estate flew by too quickly, and I didn't have time to track when my father and the servants were already escorting me to my train.
Henry Ashford, the current duke and my father, was a stout man with blond hair who looked very much like a kind fat man from fairy tales.
The Duchy of Ashford was one of the most influential in the kingdom, and Henry had been its head for the past twenty years. Although outwardly he looked harmless, but in fact he possessed a solid core that allowed him to hold power for so many years.
Leriana was his only daughter, and therefore it is not at all surprising why he loved her so madly. Ten years later, after receiving news of Leriana's death, he could not stand it for long, and died of a heart attack literally a year later.
So looking at him now, I was a little sorry that in the original story this happened to him.
There were less than ten minutes left before the train left, and we were about to say goodbye. And all this time my father was crying on my shoulder, because for the first time in his life he let his daughter go alone so far and for a long time.
— I can't believe it's time to say goodbye, — tears blurred the man's eyes when he looked at me. — Lea, you've already become such an adult. But just yesterday, I was still carrying you in my arms.
Despite the fact that, in fact, we had known each other for only two days, the memories of the real Leriana involuntarily penetrated my head, and I knew in absentia that we really had a very warm relationship with him.
Leriana loved her father no less than he loved her.
Therefore, rather than mine, but the voice of the girl herself escaped from my mouth:
— Dad, you'll see, these months will fly by very quickly. I will definitely come home on vacation!
— My daughter… — when we were hugging, he squeezed me so tightly that it seemed to me that I was going to break, — Lea, be sure to write to me if anything happens.
«I'll be fine,» I smiled, «After all, I'm your daughter, aren't I?» I can definitely take care of myself.
Saying these words, I lied a little. In fact, deep down, I was shaking terribly with fear.
No sooner had I fully adapted to this world, than I was immediately shoved into the local purgatory. This is the word I used to describe the school.
Not only will I have to study subjects that I have never encountered before, but I will also find myself in the very epicenter of future tragic events, where the flag of death will most likely be hung on me.
And who said that after death comes rest?! My main difficulties are just beginning here.
As soon as my father finally let me go, I said goodbye to all the servants who came to see me off, and finally got on the train.
This means of transportation was discovered in the kingdom, and in general, all over the world, quite recently, and was still considered a great rarity. Only very privileged people had access to it. In addition to the royal family, only one institution had its own train in Azeroth. And she was…
Royal Academy.
Elite transport took her students there and back several times a year.
It was very convenient. Especially considering that the academy itself was not located in the capital, and in the usual way in the form of a carriage, it was possible to get there only in a few days of travel.
Finding myself in a carriage filled with my peers from different strata of the aristocracy, I was confused at first.
I had no idea how I should behave in such a society. But I hope that I won't have time to make problems until I learn the etiquette and rules of local communication of aristocrats.
Studiously ignoring the appraising glances, I quickly slipped between the compartments, looking for at least one free one.
Fortunately, one of them turned out to be completely empty, and that's what I decided to occupy.
I plopped down on the seat and leaned against the window, still trying to stop my knees from shaking.
As far as I knew, the journey to the Royal Academy would take only a few hours, after which I would certainly have to do something to protect myself from the coming terrible catastrophe.
The main goal of my stay in this world, I decided to make a peaceful and peaceful life, so as not to become a dead woman in ten years.
Or, to put it more simply, I decided not to meet Prince Philip and his brother in order to prevent a repetition of the common tragic future described in the novel.
On the one hand, I understood that it was somewhat selfish, because in this case, Leriana's children, or rather, the main characters Brisney and Josh will never be born.
But on the other side…
Wouldn't it be better if I initially save this world, and then there will simply be no need for the main character?
Because of Razor's rebellion, many innocent lives were taken, including mine, so I decided that it would be simply unwise to continue acting on the plot of the novel.
Most likely, it will be difficult, but I will try not to meet them.
In the end, Philip and Razor will be able to live in harmony for the rest of their lives, remaining best friends, and this country will never endure crises.
As for me… Unlike my past not too rich life, I was reborn as the daughter of a very wealthy man, and now I was going to use it to the fullest.
I planned my whole life to exist carefree, which was quite possible with my kind father. It is unlikely that he will insist that I ever get married.
That's exactly how perfect my plan seemed when it first matured in my head.
Only the most important problem remained…
How exactly can I avoid running into these two? Especially considering I don't even know what they look like!
In the novel, Razor was portrayed as a man of mature age, so I had no idea what he looked like in his youth. And as for Philip… I didn't know anything about him at all.
Since neither Philip nor Leriana were the acting characters of the novel, and died before the events began, their appearance was described only by the most basic characteristics.
So all I knew was that Philip was a handsome young man with blond hair and blue eyes.
But these descriptions were too vague to follow.
After all, if I avoid all blonds, I will definitely be considered crazy!
This was the main problem that I had to solve.
I had to figure out their identities and deliberately avoid them until the very end of my studies at the academy.
It's the only way for all of us to stay alive.
And while I was thinking about all this, I did not immediately hear a knock on the door of my compartment.
— Excuse me, is it busy here?