CHAPTER 4:

TWO REINCARNATIONS MEET

Harry frowned as he read through The Tales of Beedle the Bard. He'd never really heard of these before, and yet, they were wizarding tales any child of magical blood would know. In theory.

But he hadn't been raised in the magical world. He was ignorant of that. And that aggravated him a little. Many of these stories were actually quite interesting, even if the tropes of many felt familiar from Muggle stories.

But there was one in particular that had him disturbed. The Tale of the Three Brothers. He couldn't help but read that one: someone had made a dog-ear of the first page as a makeshift bookmark, and he had an idea he knew who. And why.

Instead of eating the pre-packaged meals, he was eating something Hiiro had caught, and had cooked it using the pan D had provided, in a small cave not far from the road they were taking. As they finished their meal, Hiiro said, I'm pretty sure we're being tracked and watched by someone. Whoever they are, they're keeping their distance, the creepy voyeur.

"Which is probably good news. If they were approaching us, I'd be more worried."

Yeah, well, they're not the only problem. I've received more than a few demands from Mother, the Queen Taratect, to return via mental link. I basically told her to sod off. I'm not sure that's the end of it, but she can't dominate my thoughts like she wants to.

"Well, there's something to this," Harry said, waving his copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. "D sent this for a reason, and I think I know why. There's a story where Death gives three wizard brothers gifts. The eldest she gives a powerful wand, the middle child, she gave a stone that can call back the spirits of the dead, and the youngest…she gave an Invisibility Cloak. I had one that my…so-called father supposedly had. But I think someone told me most Invisibility Cloaks fade after a few years."

Shame you don't have it now, Hiiro said with a sigh. It'd come in handy. But what does this have to do with D?

"…She mentioned me being descended from Cadmus Peverell, and the Resurrection Stone," Harry explained. "Antioch probably meant the one with the wand. And I think D is Death in the story. Maybe 'D' stands for Death."

Nai wa…that explains a lot. I mean, if she's a death goddess, it'd explain how she meddled with our souls, Hiiro said. I mean, assuming I'm not the only one in my class who ended up here. But I've got a notion I'm right. I just hope I haven't eaten any of them in the Labyrinth. Oh, and I noticed that my experience points do have a big boost due to this Peverell Inheritance Link thing. Anyway, I've set up a security system. If someone trips the threads, I'll know.

"Good. Though…Araba fed me some meat from him, right? I don't feel any different. So why did he do it?"

Beats me. I can't Appraise you, so I can't tell what it did. Maybe later, you could try some spells or something. I mean, like Araba could use


Lady Yuri watched the two travellers from a distance, concealed by magic. So, what do you think? Ariel asked via their link.

I don't know. I've only seen them from a distance. The boy is too old to be a reincarnation, at least of the latest lot we've been alerted to, Yuri mused. He seems human, so he can't be a monster that regained a semblance of his original form. The Ede Saine is another matter. I wouldn't expect a human to be able to form a rapport with such a monster, so it's certainly possible that it is a reincarnation. What about the Queen that birthed her?

Eh, she's getting annoyed by her rebellious child, but I've told her not to take any action for now. Potimas is too interested in the fate of these particular reincarnations, from what I can gather, and anything he is interested in is bad news. A good thing he doesn't know about you, Yuri.

Yuri sighed. I know, but…I don't remember much of my life back on Earth, Ariel. D scrambled my memories, and probably deliberately. I can't even remember my old name. That boy, for example…for some reason, he seems familiar, and I can't put my finger on it. If nothing else…I think he could be a potential ally, along with the Ede Saine.

Well, for now, we'll take a wait-and-see approach, Ariel replied. Getting allies to our cause is going to be hard enough, especially as I am the Demon Lord. That does put a damper on public relations, you know? We're lucky we found that half-Elf before Potimas killed her. Thankfully, she's gone to sleep. Ugh, all those questions about life here, including my own. Bossy little thing.

Yuri chuckled. I think I was a bit like that myself. We're getting close to the borders of Keren Country, though. Here's hoping they don't stir too much up there


Hey, Harry. Hear that?

It was the next day, and the pair of them were embarking on their journey again. However, Hiiro had drawn his attention to something. Namely, the sounds of yelling and screaming. The unlikely duo hurried over to a cliff, and looked down on a road, where a group of bandits were attacking a carriage and its escorts.

Harry frowned. He didn't know much about this world, or whether the people in the carriage were decent, but…those bandits were murdering the escorts of that carriage. "What do you reckon?"

Honestly, I don't want to get involved. I'm still a spider, and it's not like human affairs mean much. But…on the other hand…I guess I still have something of a conscience after all, even without you being here. But given how nasty these guys look…you're fine with me letting loose?

Harry watched them. One of them was pulling on the door, leering, while a woman screamed inside the carriage he was trying to enter, while a baby bawled. "They killed the escorts, and that guy sounds like he wants to rape that woman. And there's a baby. Go nuts." He then sent a Cutting Curse through the skull of one of the bandits, his head and upper torso vanishing into a brief fountain of gore. He frowned. Was it him, or was the spell more powerful than usual?

He had to admit, watching Hiiro in action was a bit scary, wielding thread, poisonous globules, and her lethal Evil Eyes with ease, even as he used a rope she had provided via her spider thread to get down. One of the bandits tried to surrender to him, but he coldly sent another Cutting Curse through the ugly man's chest, annihilating most of his body in the process. One of the guards, the driver with blue hair, was attacked by a bandit, but Hiiro retaliated swiftly, before using healing magic on the prone driver.

You know, if this was a standard fantasy thing, I'd be all like a knight in shining armour, coming to the rescue, Hiiro remarked as she healed the other guards, the ones who survived.

As she finished up, the door opened, and the woman who had screamed earlier gingerly stepped out, carrying a baby girl in her arms. The blue-haired driver protested, presumably warning her off, but the woman, an aristocratic beauty with ash-blonde hair came forward to Harry and Hiiro, and bowed slightly, speaking something in another language. Presumably she was saying thank you.

Harry held up his hands, waving them in a placating manner. "We just happened to be in the area," he said. He had no hope that his words would be understood, but the meaning would, hopefully.

However, he then saw Hiiro stiffen, and mutter, What's this? Nai wa…

"What's the matter, Hiiro?" Harry asked.

I just used Appraisal. This baby…she's a reincarnation like me. She's got two names: Shouko Negishi, and Sophia Keren. Nai wa…how come she's as a human…well, Vampire Progenitor, actually.

"Vampire?" He looked to the baby. She was actually quite cute for a baby, looking at them in bemusement, even a little anxiety…with crimson eyes. And she was looking at him, startled. Did she know English too?

"Hey…girl…Sophia, was it? Or rather, Shouko Negishi?" The baby's eyes widened in surprise. "So you understand me? I think you have a Telepathy Skill you can acquire. If you can, can you get it and talk to both of us?"

The baby blinked, before concentrating. Or maybe she was filling her nappy. But then, he heard a voice, a girl's voice, accented like Hiiro's, a little more heavily, but perfectly understandable. You're speaking English?

Hey there! Hiiro said. Shouko…do you remember me? It's Hiiro Wakaba.

…Wakaba? the baby responded, furrowing her brows in a frown. Wait, really? The Queen of Heishin High?! What are you doing here as a spider?

So I'm a spider, so what?! You hit the reincarnation jackpot, Little Miss Pretty Princess Vampire! Hiiro retorted.

"Hey, girls, girls, don't argue!" Harry snapped. "What's your problem?"

My problem is that Little Miss Muffet over there was the most beautiful person in our high school, and I was stuck as a gawky, ugly wreck who was called Rihoko!

Rihoko? Hiiro suddenly seemed to blink, what should have been impossible when spider eyes couldn't blink. Oh, it's you! Now I remember you! Geez, you definitely hit the jackpot.

"Rihoko?" Harry asked.

If you must know, Shouko said with an impressive glare for an infant, helped by the crimson eyes, it roughly translates to 'Real Horror Girl' in English. It's basically the same as calling me 'Spooky'. And since when did you talk so much, Wakaba?

…Since meeting Harry and realising what I've been missing for years, Hiiro said solemnly.

The parents of Shouko's reincarnation, plus the driver and the guards, were watching them with mixed wariness and curiosity. Harry decided to break the standoff. "Shouko…or would you prefer your name in this life, Sophia?"

You know what, I'd prefer Sophia. Shouko Negishi was the spooky girl with no friends and shitty parents.

"Okay, Sophia it is. Do you know anything of this world's language yet? Can you use it to speak to your parents and tell them we mean them no harm? Can you explain the situation as best as you can?"

Sophia blinked, before saying, I'll…I'll try. But what is the situation? How did we end up on this world?

"An evil bitch of a goddess named D. We don't know all the details. But will you be able to communicate this to your parents? Oh, and who are they?"

Oh, my parents are the local lords, the leaders of this country. The blue-haired man is our head servant, Merazophis. Give me a moment. There was some silence, before the parents and Merazophis looked to Sophia in shock. They began speaking to her in another language. Harry and Hiiro didn't hear Sophia's side of the conversation, but the man turned to them both, and gave a quick bow. Okay, my father, Lord John Keren, has just thanked you both. But he wants to know…is Wakaba the Nightmare of the Labyrinth?

Hey, whoa, hold up! Hiiro yelped. What? Are they seriously calling me that?

"Look, I dunno if that's true, but we decided to help out."

Sophia seemed to shrug. My mother, Lady Seras, wanted to know whether you're a Divine Beast, sent by the Goddess Sariel. Should I tell her no?

Just say I'm a magical spider with your classmate's soul shoved into it. Oi, Sophia, even if you've been living the dream, have you met any other reincarnations?

No. You're the first one, Wakaba. How does it feel to be stuck in a spider, huh, O Queen of Heishin? Sophia's tone became biting and spiteful.

ALL OF MY SALT, SOPHIA! Hiiro retorted, before rolling along the ground, screeching as she threw a tantrum, the Kerens and Merazophis looking on in bemusement. You've been living the easy life, Rihoko, while I was stuck in that Great Elroe Labyrinth, fighting for my life every day! You think you know suffering because you were gawky and got bullied by Shinohara and Kengo, but believe me, that's nothing compared to that place! You know what? Screw this, I'm out of here! Have fun with your new parents, Vampire Princess! And with that, Hiiro began storming off.

Harry sighed, looking to Sophia. "Okay, so…a little nice to meet you, I guess? We'll be in touch, and hopefully, you two won't be at each other's throats. So try and think about how you can be a wee bit nicer to her."

Sophia looked somewhat sulky. Whatever. But…Wakaba called you Harry, right? Thanks, Harry


Harry hurried to catch up with Hiiro. The spider monster looked distinctly sulky herself. "Hiiro!" Harry called out. "Hey, Hiiro! Wait up, dammit!"

WHAT?! Hiiro snapped at him as she stopped, glaring at him. Why don't you go off with little miss Vampire Princess?

"You're being petulant and childish, and believe me, I know what that's like!" Harry retorted. "But why were you two sniping at each other? Did you know each other?"

Not really. Rihoko…sorry, Shouko, she was infamous in her own way, but…look, I know people called me the mysterious Queen of Heishin High, but… Hiiro sagged. I wasn't so special. I didn't like talking to people. They thought I was being all mysterious and aloof, but…I was just socially awkward. Shouko didn't really have any friends either, but…okay, I get it, I lost my temper. But I'm not apologising, not at the moment. I'm still feeling jealous.

"…Well, at least you're talking. Maybe we can go back later. I mean, if the local lord knows what you are, then that's one potential misunderstanding out of the way. Besides, unlike you, she's pretty helpless."

Not entirely helpless. I saw her Skills when I used Appraisal. She's a Vampire Progenitor. In other words, she seems to have all the strengths of a vampire, but with no weaknesses. One Skill even lets her survive a normally-lethal attack every day. But…yeah, I see your point. So…you're not going to leave me?

"Is it because of the Peverell Inheritance Link, or the company?"

I'll be honest and say it's both. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to the boost to my Skills and experience, but…I'm enjoying your company, I really am. She turned and waddled up to him, before rearing up on her hind legs. Harry realised that the Japanese schoolgirl-turned-spider monster was giving him, albeit awkwardly, a hug. He returned it gently.

Please don't leave me, Harry, she said quietly.

"…I won't, Hiiro…"

CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Hiiro's first meeting with Sophia is somewhat different to canon, because she actually tries to communicate. And they have a good English teacher, don't they?

Actually, when I wrote that scene where Hiiro begs Harry not to leave her, I had some chills, as I remembered that Aoi Yuuki played Kumoko in the Japanese version of the anime…as well as Tiamat from Fate/Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front Babylonia. After all, she had that lovely scene in the anime adaptation where she begs Ritsuka not to leave her…and yet to never love her again.

Review-answering time! Fallen-Ryu: Eventually, Harry will gain wings, and when he starts practising, Araba's little gift will grant him Earth magic.

GiantPsychoGecko: I honestly don't know. Wikipedia is coy about any predators of feral rabbits, but it says that the rabbit population exploded after a decade of introduction. Also, that the famous rabbit-proof fence erected in Western Australia turned out to be not-so-rabbit-proof. Myxomatosis and other rabbit-targeting diseases are more successful, but feral rabbits are gaining a resistance, and there's always the problem of pet rabbits getting ill. Australia has a big problem with introduced species. Aside from feral animals, particularly pets, there's also the infamous clusterfuck with the cane toad, which itself was introduced to try and get rid of another introduced pest, the cane beetle…

No numbered annotations this time.