My Next Life as a Heroine: All Routes Lead to Het!?

Part 3

Dragging Rachel by the hand, I quickly left the house behind in favor of the wide dirt road that ran through town. Looking back and forth, I saw many houses, and several stores, but no trees. This, however, was why I had a guide! An angry guide, who was currently glaring at me, but a guide nonetheless.

"Let go of my hand. I don't want you touching me!" Rachel gave a fierce tug, not waiting for me to let go, and almost pulled me off my feet. Rather than apologizing, she began to wipe both sides of her hand on the grey skirt she wore. "I'll take you to the trees, but I don't want you touching me."

"Why? You don't think I have cooties, do you?" I flashed Rachel a small grin as I spoke, but the brunette only gave me a disgusted look in return.

"Maybe you do! I've never heard of a commoner using magic, before!" The girl narrowed her eyes at me. "Momma said only nobles can use magic. She said healing magic is really rare, too. That means you're secretly a noble, right? And you used your weird noble magic on me!"

"W-Wait a minute!" I protested, a little flustered by the angered look in Rachel's eyes. "I'm not a noble! I'm just a commoner who happens to have light magic. I don't know why any more than you do, though, so don't ask me to explain it."

The anger in Rachel's eyes flickered, replaced for a moment by surprise. Then she narrowed her eyes again. "No way. Momma said that only a noble could ever have healing magic."

His mother said what!? Were rumors about my supposed nobility already beginning to sprout? Were people doubting my mother's faithfulness? Wasn't this too early!? At least let me grow to eight without any flags! But no, rumors such as these would only grow stronger if I wasted a moment. I needed to pluck them out immediately! With that thought, I grabbed Rachel by the shoulders, and leaned as close as I could while glaring up at her. Her face actually turned a little pink, when faced with my anger. ...I would have preferred her turning pale, but I could only assume she was embarrassed when she realized how angry she had made me! "I am not a noble," I whispered to her, my voice low. "I am a commoner. Please tell your parents that, okay?" I then gave her my most threatening of smiles.

...I know it's bad to bully a six year old. Even if my body was five, I was mentally sixteen (plus five). But still! My parents' happiness was on the line! Yet this kid was flapping her gums in the middle of the street... It made me a little mad. "...If you understand that much, then take me to where we can climb trees. I don't care where you go after that."

"H-Huh? You don't care?" asked Rachel, in a confused mutter. "After all that?"

"The sooner you go home, the sooner you can tell your parents the truth. Isn't that right?" I smiled brightly at the girl with those last words.

"Y-Yeah. I'll tell them. You're a commoner! Just like me!" Rachel puffed out her chest proudly as she spoke. I wasn't sure why she suddenly sounded so enthusiastic about this mission, but as long as she was working to keep my parents together... enthusiasm was A-okay!

"First, show me to the trees," I reminded Rachel, not wanting the first mission to get lost in her excitement for the second. She gave a quick nod in response, and began to walk down the road

I followed, of course, mentally patting myself for the good work I had done. I knew that my parents still had a rough road ahead, but surely I had at least delayed the start of rumors? I was starting to wonder if I should perhaps give the other kids in town the same treatment as I had Rachel, when my guide suddenly stopped, causing me in turn to walk straight into her back and bang my nose on her spine.

"Ow..." we whispered, at once, as I lifted my hand to my nose and she began to rub her back.

"That hurt," I whispered, reproachfully.