No Matter How Hard, Yukino Simply Does Her Best

Being a Viscountess brought forth a legal loop when the lord of Marren left. The administration is automatically the responsibility of the highest ranked individual until the lord comes back. But it so happens that now Yukino has the same rank. Meaning that with some reverse psychology she ended up as the person in charge while Vincent took him to the capital.

The man hadn't liked that the marquis child ignored his position as the ruler in favor to go see Yukino directly, but his complains wouldn't fly after Hayama's mood got to its all-time low and lashed out at the Viscount. Too bad he couldn't be a boot licker to his heart's content.

Anyways, her father feared for her health, but such a golden opportunity couldn't be passed. She brought as many servants from the house as possible, and began reading and copying achieves about various affairs of the city.

Originally meant as a settlement to prepare for arrivals at the capital, Marren intercepts commerce and travelers alike, people looking for some rest before their arrival into the capital city end up spending some money in the city for a day or two, which means it flourished as a town instead of city. It couldn't develop further with the level of traffic it gets, but it could do a lot worse.

And so, Yukino hollered down in the studio of the Viscount's residence. That is, until her retainers had enough of her nonsense.

"Milady, visit."

"Joseph, I already told you. I will not host any of those uncourt savages. If they wish to talk to me, they can do it through you or…"

"Wow, rude." The voice made Yukino snap out of the reports she had on hand and almost threw her chair away as she stood up to her full height.

"Lady Char…"

The girl gave her the evil eye. Yukino cringed.

"I mean, Charlotte. What a surprise." Yukino saw Joseph smirk. She would have hit him with a water whip, but didn't want to hint the aristocrat to the house of wolves her household actually is.

Surrounded by lunatics, deviants, perverts and heretics, the noble would think she's one of them. Especially with the number of perverts in her roaster of servants.

She is not, in any way or form, one of them. Absolutely no possibility. Yukino is a cultured individual who lives her life politely and following etiquette. They're just opportunists that took advantage of her generosity and never left.

Truly, a bunch of scoundrels. Doesn't help Yukino distributed a copy of the house's keys. But she's only human.

Not at fault there.

"Well, imagine mine when the newly appointed Viscountess ran away before any kind of celebration could be arranged." The noble girl scoffed, letting herself in followed by her usual two maids. She took a seat without another word and smiled "And here you are, Viscountess Maria holed in a small town like some kind of fairy tale princess waiting for her prince."

Now Yukino scoffed.

"Right." She hid her eyes with her fingers. Closing them hurt. How much time has it been since she blinked? "I was not given the title for free. I shall live to the duties I'm entitled to, and I'll begin with making Marren great again." Heh, not the best of jokes. But Yukino could use someone who got it.

"This is your birthplace, yes?"

"I am unsure. When I gained consciousness of myself, it had been a while since I was adopted. I could have been born in Bandeaux for all I know." She couldn't say she came from Japan, as no country like that exists in this world as far as she knows. The maps only describe landmasses and seas without any sort of resemblance to any continent Yukino was familiar with, not real nor fantastical anyways, so it could be that there were more countries beyond the Great Dune Sea of Sarin*. Which did make her think of the Sahara, but that wasn't more than speculations.

Merica exists, though. Imagine the coincidence.

"Is that so?" Yukino knew she killed the conversation. Normally she wouldn't mind it. But the marquis daughter came just to see her. It'd make her a poor host.

"I planned to send a letter to you, by the way." Yukino procured a sealed letter from the parchments scattered around the desk "I wanted to discuss the curriculum we're going to cover."

"Us?" Charlotte raised her eyes "You are the teacher here."

Yukino remembered her cooking lessons with Yuigahama, and the tennis practice with… Sai… Saika-san.

"I am unknowledgeable when it comes to teaching." Yukino limited herself to state that.

"That didn't stop you with us." Charlotte rose an eyebrow "Nervous?"

"Indeed." Yukino decided to cut the chase "And since you people are my first students; you'll be helping me train the school."

"Hold on." Charlotte's eyes became sharper. She got a meaning she didn't quite like "The school? Why did you word it like that?"

Yukino smirked. Charlotte shuddered a bit.

"I plan on teach the whole school, teachers and students alike, at the same time."

"What?! Why?!" Charlotte stood up as she rose her voice "That's madness!"

No, not really.

"Because, as Arnold said, it's for the country's betterment. It'd be unfair to teach normally. Not only would the third years not get as much use as the first and second years, but the teachers would lose their jobs permanently. I will teach as many people as I can, so when it leaks to our neighbors we already have the beginning of squads moderately capable of cooperating with the spirits."

"When it leaks?"

"Why, of course. Knowledge is power. Do you think his highness the king sleeps peacefully at night just because of the royal guards? No. He does because he has spies and a net of information that keeps him informed of the movements of other countries. It's not infallible, but it takes a lot of weight off the shoulders." That's why she's raiding the manor for fishy deals, after all. The sooner the lecherous man leaves Marren, the better.

"Ah, that's what you mean." Charlotte sat down, still disturbed "I get the idea, but this is still too big a task to ask of us."

"I will be focusing on third years." Yukino pointed at the letter Charlotte had in hand "You'll mainly aid me with the first years and I still don't know what to do with the teachers. Maybe a presentation? No, I'd need PowerPoint for that…"

"Huh?"

"Ah, please don't mind me. It's just nonsense." Yukino waved it off and continued "No, wait. I need you with the second years. Since you personally know some of them, it comes to reason you'll have an easier time dealing with them. The first years have more time. I'll prepare a schedule. We'll try different approaches, so make sure to write down any idea you have. Same goes for Lancelot and Lord Arnold. I'll send them their letters."

"I can tell them, if you want." The noble stretched her arms, placing them on her knees and pulling "We'll be seeing each other anyways. Won't Maria come to our tea parties? Lancelot insisted you should meet Erwin."

"I am unaware of who that might be." She knew, of course. Hayama had disclosed it in confidentiality, so she'd pretend she knew nothing. Maybe Yukino could even give his fellow reincarnator a heads up when it came to the battle of succession.

Erwin being an illegitimate child had little chance to become the head of the Windhill house. Yet before Hayama awakened, Vincent consistently pummeled the good faith of the household's followers. When the rumors of Erwin being better suited even while younger began to spread, the poor thing couldn't correct his mistakes anymore.

And on top of that, Hayama awakened amidst that problem. She could imagine the derail of the boy's plans when he suddenly remembered what being a smooth operator feels like. Yukino became catatonic for some time when she awakened. She could understand the dilemma.

"Oh, it's the third son of the marquis of Windhill." Hmmm… "He's a sweetheart. Too bad he isn't allowed into the main state." The noble leaned in, as if conspiring "He's an illegitimate child, you see." Gross. The marquis is gross "He's worked really hard to be acknowledged in the smallest of ways. I think you'd find a kindred soul in him."

Doubtful. The only kindred soul she's found in all her years in this world was, in a particularly hilarious twist of events, none other than Hayama Hayato. If she were to be told another person like her would be introduced by other people Yukino wasn't sure she would not cry in outrage.

Imagine if Erwin ended up being Hikigaya-kun's weirdo of a friend. Yukino wouldn't be able to endure it.

Hikigaya…

He wouldn't survive the nobles. Nor would Yuigahama, for that matter. In a way, Yukino felt relief the bubbly girl didn't come to the world. She'd be devoured by the perversion lying in the heart of men with too much power. Hikigaya-kun would get himself killed. Yuigahama-san?

Yukino felt sorrow just thinking about it.

Yes, if… If anyone could be out there. Then Hikigaya-kun would do. She would teach him proper manners. That alone would make him useful enough to go through with her plans. If it was with him, then she'd learn to be okay.

The only other person that could work this world into making some semblance of sense would be the other Yukinoshita. But Yukino felt conflicted about the elder sister she learned to miss.

She changed, how would Haruno change when the sky is the limit?

"Maria?"

"Eh?" Yukino blinked. The noble in front of her looked worried.

"Is everything alright?" Charlotte turned slightly, as if seeing the viscountess from another angle would give her some insight "You look... Unwell."

"Milady has hardly eating anything." Joseph, who had stayed close to the door, spoke "Maybe lady Charlotte could get some sense into milady's thick skull."

"That's no good!" Charlotte rose once more "A proper lady should take care of herself! C'mon, Maria. Let's get you in shape. You can't look intimidating wearing those eye bags!"

"I'm not looking to look intimidating, though…"

"And you!" Charlotte pointed a finger at Joseph "You've got some nerve to let her do this to herself! Are you even worried about her well-being at all?!"

"Don't treat him so harshly."

"Why? He deserves this much."

"Because…" Yukino stopped, looking at her retainer "Just don't."

"Well, someone's got to take responsibility for this." The noble scoffed, bringing her fists to her sides.

"I will." Yukino calmly approached the Fatillas girl "Joseph, prepare us the tea table."

The man sighed, a relieved smile lighting his mood "At once, milady."

Yukino simply sighed. The concept of taking it slow returning to her as her mind began taking more and more details, exiting from the zone as she did her best to walk straight.

Not her firmest steps by any margin, but she didn't feel like her legs would be failing her anytime soon, so she'd take that as her not hitting her limits yet.

"You look terrible." As if prompted by Charlotte, Yukino felt light headed. She blinked to get her bearing, stopping in her tracks and placing her hand on the chair nearby as discretely as possible.

"You must be exaggerating." Yukino lied while trying to focus her sight in the bookshelves and excessively expensive decoration of the viscount's studio "Must be I'm not taking enough sunlight."

"Must be that." Without another word, Charlotte offered her hand. The trans-dimensional viscountess didn't think too much about it and took it, letting herself be led out of the office in spite of time being crucial for… For…

Huh.

"Now, Maria. I came to distract you from the surprise gathering that's being prepared at your home." Charlotte informed the black haired mage when she made sure she was sitting down "But this won't do. You cannot go there and look like a ghost." Charlotte clapped, her maids hurrying to see what their master needed "So, in light of how poorly you take care of yourself, I have no choice but to steal you and teach you how high society ladies take care of themselves." Yukino faintly recognized the mischief in the look the noble girl gave her maids, if only because their eyes lighted up with a giggle. Yukino shuddered "So, we'll have a girl's evening. Don't worry, you're in good hands."

*Sarin is the name of my first Terraria world. Bite me.