Chapter 2 I Really Was Trash, Wasn’t I？
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The villain Shin Seyfried—yes, that Shin from The Maidens Fall for the Cross-Dressing Maiden—was rotten to the core. In the sensual game world of Alysphere, he was the second son of a Duke, a noble’s brat who used his position to commit every sin the scenario allowed.
He exploited heroines, ruined them, broke them. In one of Alexia’s defeat routes, he even tortured her until she became his plaything. Trafficking, black-market sales, prostitution—the list of his crimes went on without end. He was filth wrapped in silk.
Apparently, that cruelty had taken root early. Even as a child, he’d left Alexia alone in the forest to save his own skin. That betrayal had scarred her, turning her into someone who couldn’t trust men. From then on, Alexia began disguising herself as one—finding comfort, instead, in loving beautiful girls.
”So that’s what I was like, huh? A real piece of work,” I muttered.
A goblin had smashed my head not long ago while I was with Alexia in that very forest. I blacked out—only for a moment—but that instant was enough. Memories of my previous life surged back like a flood.
”It makes sense now,” I said, rubbing my temples. “I got confused at first, but yeah, I used to be obsessed with this world—the game itself. Figures.”
My head had been a jumble, old and new memories tangling like wires, but at last the haze cleared. I was six years old now—Shin Seyfried, age six. Even in those short years, I’d already earned a reputation as a menace. Mischief-maker. Brat. Devil child. Everyone seemed to hate me, and honestly, I couldn’t blame them.
”Yeah, no wonder Alexia took me down later. Why was I laughing while feeding roasted frogs to the maids again? Was I brain-damaged or just stupid?” I sighed. “Guess it’s both.”
The more I remembered, the worse it got. But still—wait. There was a reason Shin had turned out like this. The family’s heir, my perfect older brother Saghir, was everything our parents adored. Their love never reached me. So I stopped caring about anything and started hurting everyone instead. The game’s hidden notes even said as much.
”It’s a shame,” I murmured at my reflection. “He’s not even ugly. A beautiful boy—my face, anyway. If I’d looked like this in my past life, maybe I’d have been popular.”
I shook my head. That way led nowhere good. Self-pity wouldn’t help. What mattered now was survival—avoiding the death and ruin flags set for Shin Seyfried.
”I’m six,” I muttered. “Too young for this world. I need to disappear—before Alexia ever finds me.”
The world of Alysphere looked like some twisted medieval Europe, a so-called yuri (girl’s love) fantasy where, for some reason, magic, swords, monsters, and bandits all roamed freely. Civilization? Barely hanging by a thread. How the hell was a six-year-old supposed to survive here?
By seven, the story would begin—the Alys Magic Academy, where Alexia and the game’s heroines would gather. And I’d be forced to enroll too, thanks to dear brother Saghir’s suggestion.
The guidebook had said it clearly: Saghir despised me, saw me as an obstacle. When I joined the academy, I’d neglected swordplay and magic both, grew jealous of Alexia and the other girls’ talent, and twisted even further until my hatred consumed me. Sure, I was responsible—but Saghir’s constant slander had pushed me there.
Well, whatever. I didn’t care what he said now. Once I was old enough, I’d disappear—long before Alexia got the chance to kill me.
”A year left before enrollment… not much time.” I drummed my fingers on the table. “If I don’t run away first, who knows what Alexia or the heroines might do to me. I’ll have to hide—and before that, train. Sword and magic both.”
I laughed softly. “Not that anyone would help me. With my reputation—and Saghir’s gossip—no one wants to even stand near me. I mean, I’m sitting here in the library, studying this world, and not a single maid’s attending me. Aren’t I supposed to be a Duke’s son?”
Yeah, well. That’s what happens when you’re awful to everyone. Treat people like garbage, they’ll vanish. From now on, I’d bow, speak politely, smile even. I’d do anything to avoid the guillotine of judgment.
”At least I can read,” I mused, flipping a page. “Alysphere’s letters look a lot like Roman characters, so with my old memories, even difficult books aren’t a problem. That means I can study… but the real issue is magic and swordsmanship.”
Magic, I could probably learn by begging my parents for a tutor. But first—swordsmanship. My past life’s family had been all about martial arts, so I wasn’t starting from zero there either.
Swordsmanship, though… I was hopeless at it. I’d have to find someone to train me from scratch.
If memory served, the complete guidebook had mentioned something interesting—
”The Seyfried family’s head butler, Orphen Zelectra, once served as a Holy Knight of the Regain Kingdom. There couldn’t be a better teacher. I’ll grovel if I have to!”
* * *
(The Seyfried family’s back garden)
”Orphen, I owe you an apology for my rude behavior until now. I’ve decided to change. Please—teach me swordsmanship from the beginning.”
”Shin-sama?! What has come over you?”
I knelt, forehead pressed to the ground before the old man. Dirt in my hair, pride shattered. But who cared about pride when death was the alternative?
”My nemesis is going to kill me someday! I need to avoid that death flag! To do that, I need the skill to survive! Please, Orphen—teach this hopeless brat how to wield a sword!”
”P-Please, raise your head, Shin-sama! A Seyfried noble bowing to anyone—such a thing should never happen!”
Maybe not. But dying would be worse. With only a year left before I was dragged into the academy, desperation was my only friend.
”Orphen, I want to learn your sword. The sword of the man they once called the Demon Knight of the Kingdom.”
”…Who told you such a thing, young master?”
”Huh? Oh, the royal record book in the library. It mentioned you. Fascinating stuff.”
A lie, of course. I’d just remembered it from the game’s profile notes.
”You deciphered that encrypted royal chronicle?” he asked, eyes narrowing.
”Uh, something like that. Anyway—please, teach me swordsmanship!”
I dropped to my knees again.
(As the maid-in-training Layla once said, ever since that day in the forest with Lady Alexia, Shin-sama has seemed like a completely different person. What could have changed him so? …Still, if the young master humbles himself this far, I, Orphen, cannot refuse.)
”Very well, young master,” he said at last.
”Really?!” My heart leapt. The legendary knight from The Maidens Fall for the Cross-Dressing Maiden—my mentor! This was unreal.
”But I will not go easy on you. Is that acceptable?”
”O-of course! Let’s start now! Right now! I—I really don’t want to die!”
”Die? Shin-sama, you are the son of a Duke. No one outside royalty would dare harm you.”
I gave a hollow laugh. “Oh, plenty would. There are entire routes where I’m skewered by angry mobs—and one where Alexia chops off my head!”
He blinked, confused. I clapped my hands. “Anyway! Less talking, more training! Here, take this stick.”
”Ah—thank you… (For the slothful Shin-sama to request sword training of his own accord… people truly can change.)”
”Here I go!” I shouted.
”Hm. Your stance is surprisingly good… no, the fundamentals are already there?”
Crack! The wood clashed with a sharp report.
And so my desperate training began—under the tutelage of Orphen Zelectra, the cheat-tier knight himself—all to avoid the death flag set by my destined rival, Alexia.
* * *
(One month later)
Crack! Crackle!
”You’ve begun channeling magic through your blade, I see,” Orphen said. “It seems your magic lessons are progressing well, too.”
”Yeah. That’s thanks to you—and to Teacher Cynthia. I really appreciate it.”
It had been a month since I’d started training. My swordsmanship had grown leaps and bounds under Orphen’s precise instruction. Guess that lifetime of martial arts knowledge from before reincarnation wasn’t going to waste. Past me, good job.
Actually, I was starting to think… maybe if I kept training both magic and swordplay seriously, I could become strong enough to survive on my own.
The guidebook had hinted I was talented—a “bundle of potential,” it said in tiny print. Maybe they weren’t wrong.
”Good,” I murmured between swings. “If I keep improving, maybe I can leave this house someday. See the world.”
After all, Alexia probably despised me now, especially after the mess in the forest. The next time I’d see her would likely be in eleven months—when we were both forced into Alys Magic Academy.
”If possible,” I said to no one in particular, “I’d rather never meet her again. Maybe fade out, live quietly in the frontier somewhere… yeah. Sounds perfect. Dream big, Shin. Let’s go, no-death flag life! Alexia, let’s just never meet again, okay?”
I was in the middle of daydreaming about that peaceful future when Layla came running, breathless.
”Shin-sama! Forgive me for interrupting your training!”
”Layla? You’re out of breath—here, drink some water.”
I poured from the pot into a cup and handed it to her. Kindness first. Rudeness kills—literally.
”Th-thank you… but that’s not it! Lady Alexia has arrived. She insists on seeing you immediately. What shall I tell her?”
”Wait… what?! My nemesis—Alexia—came here? To see me?!”
Notes:
• Saghir – Shin’s perfect older brother and the family heir. He is everything the parents adore and secretly despises Shin, viewing him as an obstacle. His slander helped push Shin toward villainy.
• Orphen – The Seyfried family’s head butler and Shin’s swordsmanship mentor. He is a retired legend—the Demon Knight of the Kingdom and a former Holy Knight. He agreed to train Shin only after the child abandoned his pride and groveled.
• Layla – A maid-in-training for the Seyfried family. She is observing Shin’s dramatic change in behavior after the incident with Alexia.
• Cynthia – Shin’s magic instructor. Shin’s magic lessons are progressing well under her tutelage.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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