Hinata POV
I looked at the rest of the men after slitting the throat of the one who had gone for Lilia's neck.
It seems the card really sent me to an alternate universe, one where she died before ever meeting the Greyrat family, just like I asked.
Honestly, choosing Mushoku Tensei felt a bit stupid at first. I could've gone somewhere far more powerful, but the card's "low-level world restriction" cut off most of my top picks. DBZ, Naruto, Bleach, all were off-limits. Apparently, it seems the world tiers are ranked not just by the strength of their powers, but by the destructive potential of their characters.
Otherwise, there's no way One Piece would've been allowed, considering people there can mess with time and souls. I still need to try more to get conclusion.
Still, I picked this world over many others because I needed a caretaker.
After just a few days with Alpha, I realised something obvious: I can't take care of her properly while doing quests and other things. And I definitely can't leave her alone.
So, I needed someone who could look after her… and the others I plan to find later, the rest of the Shadow Garden girls.
I couldn't just leave them with a random stranger. It had to be someone I could trust, or at least someone I could understand. The best option was to use the Gacha, but aside from Cassandra, I didn't have any proper character cards yet. That's why I decided to recruit someone myself.
I needed someone from a fantasy world, preferably medieval, so they'd have no trouble adjusting once we return to Tensura. Someone experienced in chores, caregiving, and daily management. They didn't have to be strong, just reliable. Even with all those filters, there were still dozens of options.
I could have gone to Slave Harem in the Labyrinth of Another World, a place where slaves are trained to serve and support their masters. Roxanne would have been an obvious pick, loyal, gentle, and skilled at everything from combat to care.
But no… I chose Lilia.
Her actions always impressed me in a strange way. Everyone sees the same story differently, and people draw their own conclusions. Many hate her, saying she was wrong for training Aisha to serve Rudeus as a maid.
But to me, it actually makes sense.
Paul cheated on Zenith, and yes, Lilia was part of that, but it wasn't that simple. She was emotionally and physically torn, forced to hear their voices every night, the constant reminders of what she could have. Maybe what she did was wrong… but she was human.
Even without Rudeus, Zenith might have eventually accepted her, though not with the same warmth she did after Rudeus defended Lilia and blamed Paul instead. That single moment changed everything.
To Lilia, Rudeus became more than just her employer's son. He became her saviour, the one who gave her and her daughter a chance to live without shame. Because honestly, Zenith, as a devoted follower of Milis, might have done something far worse in her rage, maybe even taken Lilia's life or cast her out with her unborn child.
Her loyalty wasn't born out of servitude, it was gratitude.
She wanted Aisha to dedicate her life to the one who made their survival possible. To the person because of whom they could still live with dignity.
And honestly, it wasn't just about loyalty, it was about her daughter's well-being. What choices did Lilia really have? She couldn't afford to send Aisha to school or let her wander off to find work, and being an adventurer in that world would only lead to danger.
But serving under Rudeus… that was different. Lilia knew how much he cared for his little sister, and even at a young age, his potential was obvious. He was destined to become someone powerful.
By becoming his maid, Aisha would always stay by his side… protected, valued, and safe from the cruelties of the world.
At least, that's how I see it.
"#63!28/"
I had no idea what they were shouting. Their language was still being processed through my analysis skill, but honestly… I didn't need words to understand their intent. The rage in their eyes said everything. I had just killed one of their comrades.
As they charged, I exhaled slowly and shifted into stance.
Alright then… let's get this over with.
In a blur, I dashed forward. My blade flashed once, twice, and the sound of bodies hitting the ground followed. Thud, thud, thud, echoing through the forest in rhythm.
Even without using any arts, this body moves perfectly. It's strong, far stronger than I expected. When an otherworlder successfully transfers into a cardinal world, their body adapts, becoming capable of containing far more magicules than an ordinary person.
In short… this new body is like a mini version of Superman back in Hinata's old world.
As for where I'd rank in this one… probably at least an advanced swordsman.
Within seconds, the last body hit the ground. None of them even managed to resist; it was a one-sided slaughter from start to finish.
I exhaled, flicking the blood from my blade before turning around. Lilia was still standing exactly where I'd left her, frozen, eyes wide but unflinching. She hadn't even tried to run.
I'm not sure if she'll be willing to follow me… but I have to try. At least once.
I jumped down and landed in front of her. She was still staring in my direction, though I knew she couldn't actually see me beneath the robe.
Her body was covered in cuts, blood still dripping from a few of them. I sighed and checked my inventory. Good, I still had a couple of red potions left. I had given two to Alpha before leaving, just in case.
Lilia's eyes flicked toward the small glass flask that appeared in my hand, confusion clear on her face. I raised it slightly toward her, wordlessly offering it.
She said something. I couldn't understand the words, but the hesitation in her tone was obvious. She didn't trust me, not yet. Still, I held the potion out, unmoving.
After a moment, she seemed to realise she didn't have a choice. Her shoulders dropped slightly as she reached out, fingers trembling, and uncorked the bottle.
She took a small sip… then froze, eyes widening.I wasn't sure what surprised her, the taste or the warmth of the potion starting to heal her wounds. Before I could stop her, she tilted her head back and drank the whole thing in one go.
I had only planned for her to take half, just to see if it was enough. But well… too late to complain now.
Within moments, the cuts on her arms began to close, and the blood stopped flowing. Even the bruises faded like mist under sunlight. She looked down at her body in disbelief, then lifted her gaze to me.
She said something again, this time softer, and bowed slightly.
If I had to guess… that was a "thank you."
I really need to learn her language soon otherwise, I won't be able to communicate properly with her. I can't use Thought communication either; who knows what kind of effect the magicules might have on her?
I crouched down and checked the corpses' clothes. Ah… just what I wanted, coins.
I showed them to her, and she said something again. I assume it was the coin's name, or maybe just the word for money. I pointed toward the rest of the corpses, and realization flashed across her face. She understood what I wanted, and before long, she moved over and crouched down to search the others, taking out anything valuable she could find.
As she brought the rest of the coins in a small pouch, I nodded, already thinking about what to do next.
She seemed to be waiting, probably not wanting to anger me.
"Do you understand me?"
"....."
"....."
"....."
Sigh. What should I even do with this?
Hmm…
She suddenly waved her hand at me, did she want to say something?
She pointed at herself, then at me… then raised two fingers and began walking in place. Ah, walking? Then she pointed in a direction, made a circle with her hands, and followed it up with a few strange gestures.
Was that supposed to be… a hut? A settlement? Maybe she meant a town or a village nearby.
When I gave her an "OK" sign, she visibly sighed in relief.
I don't know how in those Isekai story mc understand other world language from the start, is every other world only uses Japanes, Chinese or korean.....this topic can be point of discussion.
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How strong she should be physically in this world?