Chapter 11: And so, the boy kidnapped the girl.

I was reminiscing about the past.

Ever since meeting Yous in the flower field, we had made it a habit to meet there regularly and spend time together.

"Heh, ho, ha—how’s this?"

With a flourish, he deftly twirled his rapier, showing off.

Our activities mainly consisted of Yous giving me sword lessons and me demonstrating my magic.

A few years after meeting Yous, I had finally been allowed to learn magic.

Sure, magic could hurt someone if used carelessly, so it made sense to teach it only once a child had developed some judgment—but I was a reincarnator.

I’d wanted the cheat-like experience of starting my studies young and reaching a level where I wouldn’t even need a teacher by the time formal training began.

In that sense, I envied Yous for being able to learn swordsmanship from such an early age.

"Yeah, your core’s gotten way stronger. You’ve got real talent, Rina."

"Talent’s not what I need."

My goal was to surpass Yous, so being merely talented wasn’t enough.

Still, his assessment was spot-on—no matter how much I trained after that, I never once beat him in pure swordsmanship.

If we went all out, mixing in magic, I might be able to make it a fifty-fifty fight.

But in a straightforward contest of skill, blade against blade with no tricks, I never came out on top.

On the other hand, Yous couldn’t use magic to save his life.

Not that he needed to—if he was aiming to be an attacker-type adventurer, deep magic study wasn’t necessary.

Someone like me, trying to be an all-rounder, was the odd one out.

"All I have is the sword, but you—you’ve got both the sword and magic. That’s something special, you know?"

"I know, I know. But your swordsmanship’s just so damn cool, Yous. I can’t help wanting to reach that level."

"Being your goal… makes me happy, but…"

"Quit blushing," I teased, laughing as he averted his gaze in embarrassment.

"What? Got a problem with that?"

"Nah, just thinkin’ you’re a weird guy. Getting all happy ‘cause a girl like me praised you? You’ve got some strange tastes."

"No, it’s just… you’re… uh…"

"Hah? Spit it out."

As he mumbled something under his breath, I shot back, "Seriously, what’re you even saying?"

But for some reason—though I couldn’t begin to understand why—looking at his face just then made me feel like I had to say it.

"...Hey, Yous."

"What’s up?"

There was something I needed to tell him.

No—maybe it was something I shouldn’t tell him. But at that moment, I felt like I had to.

In a way, it was the first real decision I’d made.

Because my past-life male ego had kept me from understanding the weight of my own actions until now.

"—I’m engaged. My father arranged it."

I’d never forget the look on Yous’s face when I told him.

Stunned. Grieving. Despairing. And then—

"...I see."

The quiet resolve in his voice when he whispered those words.

I told him that tomorrow, I’d be meeting my fiancé for the first time.

And then, that very night—

Yous took me from my home. By all definitions, it was kidnapping.

Honestly? I was shocked.

I woke up to the sound of Yous—fully armed—knocking on my window.

As he whisked me away, I ran alongside him, utterly bewildered.

I knew he was a reckless idiot, but I never imagined he’d go this far.

More than that—I couldn’t fathom why.

And above all else—

What the hell was he smiling for, when this could very well get him executed?

"Hah… hah… Yous, stop—stop! I can’t keep this up!"

"...Alright. Let’s rest for a bit."

We came to a halt, scanning our surroundings.

Bathed in moonlight, our secret hideout—the flower field—looked different than usual.

It felt… strange.

This place had always been ours, but for the first time, it seemed like something more.

As I took in the surreal beauty of the scene, I turned to Yous and asked:

"Hey, Yous… Why’d you do this? There’s no reason—no meaning—in you going this far."

"I… It’s because I… you’re…"

"Hah? The hell’re you saying?"

"…………You!"

When I stared at the mumbling Yous like he’d lost his mind, he shook his head in defeat.

The hell’s his problem?

…Though, looking back now, I was the real idiot here.

Honestly, I almost feel bad for Yous, falling for a dumbass like me.

Then again, that blockhead’s refusal to just say it straight is its own problem.

"When you talked about your engagement… you looked so hurt!"

"……Hah? Me?"

"Yeah! Maybe I misread it, but—once I thought that, I couldn’t just stand by and—"

His words tumbled into incoherence.

And for some reason, I—

"……Pfft—ahahaha!"

I couldn’t help but laugh.

"Don’t laugh! I’m serious here!"

"Sorry, sorry. But damn, going this far ‘cause of that? Sounds about right for you."

Honestly? I wasn’t even mad.

It was liberating. For the first time, someone had shattered the chains binding me.

But god, this whole plan was so half-baked.

Hiding in our flower field? Might as well hang a sign saying "Come find us!"

And yet—that’s exactly why I saw hope in him.

"So. What’s the grand plan now?"

"……Working on it."

"Oh come on. You dragged us into this!"

This guy—the model student with a face like a saint—had just pulled the most reckless stunt imaginable.

But that’s why I knew he’d change everything.

Because Yous wasn’t just my rival.

He was the first spark of something that’d someday be called "love."

A warmth like a bouquet of flowers.

————Or so I’d thought.

At least, back then.

"————Look out!"

Reality tore through the fantasy like a blade.

Before I could react, Yous shoved me aside—and took a wind-blade straight through his chest.

---

Miraculously, Yous’s idiocy ended up saving me.

Turns out my so-called "fiancé" was scum.

The very night of our arranged meeting, they’d planned to alter me—body and soul.

"Can’t believe Father didn’t see through this. Guess even a duke has blind spots."

Who’d expect a noble family of that standing to risk such a brazen move?

Hell, I almost admire their audacity. Father’s oversight was almost understandable.

Especially since their scheme targeted my biggest secret—the one even Father kept buried.

How’d they figure it out? You’ll laugh—they guessed.

(Or so they claimed. The bastards stuck to that story ‘til the end.)

But none of that mattered then.

The only thing that did?

The "kidnapping."

When they realized someone else had taken me first, they panicked—tracked us to the flower field—and attacked.

"God, hearing it now, their plan was so fucking stupid."

Reckless. Absurd. But—

In the end?

Yous was the bigger idiot.

And that’s who saved me.

————Not that we knew any of this yet.

All I saw was Yous—bleeding out—after taking a hit meant for me.

A mortal wound. His breathing faltered. Enemies closed in.

Until that moment, part of me had treated this world like a dream.

Reborn as a girl, disoriented by reality—then meeting him, a boy straight out of a fairy tale.

I worshipped him.

And in doing so, I stopped seeing the truth.

What a joke.

A delusional fool, neither man nor woman—that’s what I was.

So when Yous nearly died protecting me—

The fantasy shattered.

"—The hell? Why’s Yous the one dying? Hey—you’re amazing, right? The guy I look up to? You’re not dying here. You’re gonna crush these bastards and run away with me. Right?!"

The Night of the Bloodstained Moon

The night was unnervingly silent under a full moon.

Yous lay collapsed, bleeding out in my arms.

The enemies surrounding us watched with cold precision—if I made a move, they’d kill him without hesitation.

Their restraint wasn’t mercy.

I was their target.

But to me, their stillness wasn’t caution—it was mockery.

"The hell’re you lookin’ at?! Stop grinnin’, you bastards! He’s not some fucking sideshow—Yous is—!"

I screamed.

Pathetic. I was pathetic.

Who was the one who’d treated him like a spectacle? Who’d convinced herself he was different?

—Me.

"He didn’t lose! You cheap-shotting cowards just got lucky! Yous is stronger than any of you!"

I kept screaming.

Hopeless. This was hopeless.

Who shoved her stupid expectations onto him? Who dragged him into this?

—No one else but me.

Stupid.

So goddamn stupid.

—This was my fault. And here I was, throwing a tantrum like a brat.

"Hey… Yous… This is my fault, so… open your eyes, alright? Get up like you always do. Wipe these bastards out like before. And this time… I’ll fight with you."

My voice cracked as I stared at the sky.

"…It’s beautiful. The flower field at night… It’s different from how we remember. I wanted to swing swords with you here again—somewhere this beautiful—"

Then, my trembling eyes sharpened.

Grief hardened into rage.

"—Hey. If there’s anyone out there who dragged me here just to laugh… I won’t accept this fucking joke of an ending."

If my reincarnation meant anything—

If meeting Yous was fate—

"Then if you won’t let me change it—I’ll tear everything apart! The despair, the chains—all of it!"

—And in that instant—

Light erupted from the flowers.

Platinum radiance exploded outward, painting the moonlit field in surreal brilliance.

The enemies reacted too late—weapons raised, spells half-cast—useless.

The light repelled everything.

"I’LL SMASH FATE TO PIECES!!"

—And then.

Yous opened his eyes.

I didn’t notice—too lost in the storm of emotions—but he would remember it clearly.

The moment I wielded a miracle, my eyes burned the same platinum as the light.

---

——That was the first time I ever used it—my Alternative Skill.

And the one I chose as the "target" to save with that skill was Yuuse.

My Alternative Skill is incredibly unique.

First, you select a target—but what kind of target? The target whose Alternative Skill will be rewritten.

That’s right. My Alternative Skill has the power to overwrite someone else’s skill and turn it into the same skill as mine.

And once you choose that target, you can never change it for the rest of your life.

In a way, it’s one hell of a proposal.

Of course, back then, I had no way of knowing that.

Either way, the skill that awakened in me was immensely powerful.

After all, it was now a skill shared by two people.

Alternative Skills already grant power beyond human comprehension—but ours became even stronger.

This was an advantage that belonged solely to us.

And its effect was brutally simple.

Yous and I stood side by side, swords raised.

At his battle cry, our blades ignited in a platinum glow—the skill activating.

The effect lasted roughly ten seconds.

We lunged forward without hesitation, charging across the battlefield.

What we had to do was straightforward.

First, Yous would strike the enemy—the current foe, <Nation Devourer>, was immobilized by our leader’s Alternative Skill, unable to move.

For Yous, this was child’s play.

Next, I would pierce the <Nation Devourer> with a single thrust.

Even though the monster thrashed violently right after Yous’s strike, making it harder to aim, it didn’t matter.

"——OOOOOOOHHHH!!"

With a fierce cry, my rapier impaled the <Nation Devourer>.

And then—

The <Nation Devourer> was suddenly consumed by shadow, vanishing without a trace.

This was our Alternative Skill—mine and Yous’s.

Right now, Yous’s blade was imbued with a probability-based instant death effect.

And my rapier carried a probability selection effect.

Therefore—once Yous’s strike introduced the chance of instant death, my follow-up attack locked in that probability.

In other words, our skill was, in essence, guaranteed instant death.

Of course, since we had to land both hits, immobilizing the enemy with our leader’s skill was essential.

Additionally, A-rank and above monsters had the ability to nullify instant death entirely unless they took a certain amount of damage first, so we also needed to wear them down.

As a result, this was the only possible moment we could use it.

But once we reached this point—once we set it up—our instant death would always succeed.

Moreover, Yuuse’s effect could also induce unconsciousness instead of death, making it safe to use against human opponents.

This was our skill—

"——Alternative Skill."

“‘Till Death Do Us Part’——"

And so,

standing side by side, Yous and I swung our swords in unison—declaring victory.