"Damn witch!"
When Noah received a violent slap from his "mother," he realized several things.
First, he was apparently in a video game world if the 2 HP he had just lost and the green bar that appeared before his eyes were anything to go by.
Second, Vasilisa seemed to be his name, or at least the name of the body he now inhabited. He was certain of it since that was the name the woman used when she wasn't calling him something else, like witch.
Lastly, this was unfortunately not a dream. The pain on his cheek was too sharp to be imaginary. In fact, the woman's voice buzzed in his ears too much for him to see her, even for a second, as just a figment of his imagination.
"What did I do to deserve this?! We had finally managed to settle in the capital! All I asked of you was a little patience! What do you think?! That everything was easy for your father?! He endured! He endured, and that's how we got to where we are today! And now, because of you..."
"B-But..."
He tried to explain that it had all been an accident, but the woman wouldn't listen. A common behavior apparently ever since he woke up at the beach.
"But? But what?! You dare open that mouth of yours in front of me?! You dare?! Ruining your father wasn't enough for you, and now you want to kill me too?! Oh no, I won't let you!"
She raised her arm, ready to slap him again. Reflexively, he blocked the blow, which sent his "mother" into a rage. She headed toward a cabinet and grabbed a carefully carved piece of wood resting on it.
"You'll see! I'll break that useless mouth of yours, little witch!"
That night, Noah learned something else about the world he had landed in—even if you take a hit with just 1 HP left, the bar never drops any lower.
–––
When he woke up the next day, Noah once again hoped that the previous day's events had only been fragments of a hyper-realistic dream.
That moment where he woke up in an unknown location. Those nobles or knights that tried to kill him. That princess that seemingly spared him without even saying a word. That "mother" who almost beat him to death afterwards.
He wished all of this was merely a fabrication of his spirit.
Unfortunately, the room he woke up in was not his cramped student dorm but an ornate chamber. His aching body had not regained its original size or gender. Moreover, he could still see that stupid green bar in front of him—though it was more yellow this time, probably because he had only 25 HP left.
"No... No... I..."
I must be dreaming. Yes, I must be in the middle of a dream even now…
Summoning superhuman effort, Noah sat up in "his" bed and took painful steps toward the dresser he had spotted in the room. On it rested a mirror—an object that would confirm whether this nightmare was indeed an alcohol-fueled illusion.
Surely, this mirror would tell him the truth. It would dispel what was undoubtedly the effects of drinking. He had always known alcohol was bad! Why had he drunk so much, huh? Especially if it led to things like this!
Noah stumbled toward the dresser. His aching body screamed in protest, but he needed to know.
He reached for the mirror—and knocked it to the floor.
Finally, he held the shard he had been seeking so desperately. However, the person he expected to see in its reflection was absent. Instead, there was this poor creature—this thing with hollow black eyes, messy light brown hair, and skin so pale that only the bruises on its face confirmed it was not a corpse. What was this thing? Was it even human?
"N-No... Oh no... Wh-What..."
Once again, words got caught in his throat, choking him further. Never mind the mirror; even a shard would suffice. He needed to see. He needed to know.
As he pondered this question, something appeared in the shard's reflection. A panel with a familiar structure:
[Status]
Path : Blue
Level: 0
Health: 23/100
Name: Vasilisa
Age: 14
Gender: X
Class: Noble II
Summary: Young human, daughter of minor nobles from Grmina. Muddy tongue.
Equipment: Null; Null;Null;Null;Null;
Skills: Magic (E), Implicit Communication (E)
Slots:Null;Null;Null;
Effects: Human, Living, Muddy Tongue, Bleeding ⅔;
Affiliations: Froschköning (Family), @?' (???), Null, Null, Null;
[/Status]
The information displayed was cryptic aside from parts about the name and age, but he recognized the screen. It was a status screen like the ones he'd seen in countless games he had played, and it left no doubt—the thing, the person reflected, was named Vasilisa, not Noah.
"No…" the unknown voice that was now his cracked. "This… This… isn't me…"
Suddenly, someone entered the room. It was a young woman dressed as a maid, probably a servant of this house.
"Oh my god, what happened here?!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth at the mess he'd made. "Ah! Miss, put down that piece of glass, will you?! You'll hurt yourself!"
Looking concerned, the young woman took the shard Noah was clutching without realizing it.
"Oh dear, look at this cut!" she said, taking his hand. "I understand that your..."
She paused for a moment to look around. Seeing that no one else was there, she sighed in relief and continued.
"I understand that you wanted to show these marks to your father, miss, but you should think about regenerating a bit! You're putting yourself in danger, you know?"
The apparent kindness of this young woman moved Noah deeply. In his confused state, even a small act of compassion seemed much larger than it was.
"Th-Tha... Thank you."
For the first time, he managed to convey his gratitude correctly, a small victory in his eyes. At least this time, he had been able to thank someone who showed him kindness, even if it was far from perfect. It calmed him somewhat.
"..."
However, the supposed maid froze upon hearing him speak. Frantically, she shook her head as she rose to her feet.
"H-Huh?" Noah said as he watched the young woman retreat, shaking her head wildly and crossing her fingers as if warding off a curse.
The maid left that day without a word. He later learned that she had resigned, with rumors among the other servants claiming she had spat on the ground in disdain toward the mistress.
Noah didn't know if it was true, but the cane blows he received from said mistress afterward were all too real.
Quickly, he realized he had left a miserable life for an even more miserable one. However, the extent of this misery became clear when he overheard a conversation between two servants outside "his" bedroom door.
"What are you doing here?" one voice asked outside the room.
"Hm? Oh, I'm just watching over the young mistress," replied the other. "She was beaten again today, so I'm checking to ensure her HP doesn't drop below 1."
"Is that an order from the mistress?" asked the first.
"No. Have you forgotten, chief-maid? I thought Mr. wouldn't be happy to learn of his daughter's death upon his return. Being summoned by the king to stand trial and then this—don't you think one misfortune is enough for him?"
The question was met with audible disdain.
"Hmph. Dora, so now you're thinking? First I've heard of it."
"P-Pardon?"
"Let me remind you who your employer is, as you seem to have forgotten. Here, you're supposed to obey only Mr., the mistress, and the young mistress, understood?"
"Yes, but—"
"But?"
"Mr. isn't here right now..." she said hesitantly. "And... The young mistress, she can't..."
"You see, you understand quickly," the chief-maid said. "The mistress gave no such orders. Stick to what your contract stipulates if you don't want to find yourself back on the streets anytime soon."
The other was momentarily silenced by this remark but apparently did not abandon her vigil outside the door. At least, not until the chief-maid added her next words.
"I understand you, you know? It's often people with big hearts like yours who learn resurrection magic," she said in an almost sympathetic tone. "Surely, you've been through a lot in your past; I can understand. But think carefully—is this child worth such attention?"
Once again, she received no response from the other, but this silence carried a truly unsettling weight.
"First, she rejects the mistress without cause. Then, she causes a scandal at that reception and sullies the princess's name. Oh, and clothing too. Do you have any idea how much Mr. will have to pay for these offenses? And that's not all—rather than using her HP to heal the blows she received from the mistress, she prefers to risk her life just to make her appear monstrous in Mr.'s eyes upon his return. Don't you see this child's wicked heart?"
"B-But..." the other tried before lowering her tone as if in fear. "The mistress... She exaggerates. Hitting so hard... So regularly... Is she trying to kill the young mistress?"
The chief-maid approached the employee, the sound of her heels echoing on the floor.
"I couldn't say," she answered softly. "The mistress can be excessive, but it's understandable. Mr. didn't deserve a daughter like that, with a cursed tongue and a heart darker than night. I share her view."
"C-Chief-maid! What... What are you saying?!"
"Don't you remember Gloria? She also tried to help the little one, only to be cursed in return! And more recently, Dana, who caught her trying to worsen the injuries she received from the mistress with a mirror! Once caught, she cursed her too, and she had to flee! See? This child is a demon! Mr. deserves better! Much better than this!"
"Yes, but... She's just a poor child... She didn't ask for a cursed tongue!" the other protested.
"And no one asked to be victims of that tongue! Besides, why defend her specifically? The children from the slums were beaten far more violently, and you did nothing!"
"I-It's not that! It's—"
"Wait, is that her I hear calling you from inside?"
"Huh?! She's... She's calling me?!"
The servant's voice filled with terror in an instant.
"Who knows?" she replied, Noah almost picturing her shrugging with a light smile on her face. "Just know that your kindness is wasted on such people. Isn't that what the clergy says? That every misfortune that befalls us is, in some sense, deserved. This cursed tongue must come from her deplorable attitude today and her mother's deplorable attitude before her if you ask me."
Perhaps noticing that her voice was becoming increasingly filled with hatred, the chief-maid cut herself off with a deep sigh.
"Very well. I won't stop you from following your heart. It was just friendly advice. You know the employees of this house are like family, don't you, Dora?"
She emphasized the name as if to show she remembered it before continuing her way in silence.
"..."
Maria lingered a moment outside Noah's door. He heard her hand gently turning the doorknob before thinking better of it. In the end, she too left in silence, her footsteps echoing on the floor.
Again, Noah was alone and ridiculed. Oh, guess he was beaten too now—didn't happen for years that one. He almost forgot how miserable that made him feel each time.
"Fine…"
He has made his decision. If he wasn't needed here too, it was fine. He was able to leave the family he grew up with—leaving those people wouldn't be any harder, would it?
He just needed an occasion. This time, he wouldn't just sit and take it.