Machiavellia - Prologue

Machiavellia

Prologue


What do you think of when it comes to “Isekai”?

It’s a fairly heavily represented genre. Perhaps even calling it a genre isn’t strictly accurate, it could be said to be a setting, a plot device, a premise, etc, etc.
But, let’s be honest, if anything can be said for it, it’s that it’s oversaturated at this point. Much like the zombie apocalypse, it’s a concept so overused that even the most farcical and absurd variations have been done to excess. Whether it’s overpowered mothers clearing dungeons for their awkward sons, pop culture icons springing to life and fighting each other in the real world, or eldritch horrors in the forms of cute girls attempting to adapt to normal human society, there is very little that has yet to be explored. Or at least, very little of interest.
So for something as cliché as ‘our protagonist wakes up in a fantasy world’, calling it tired and unimaginative would be an understatement.

“But wait, there’s more! Our dear protagonist was tragically killed, and has reincarnated in this new world, retaining his memories of his previous life!”

Again, not very imaginative. Reasonably speaking, that only cuts down the precedents to about a quarter of all Isekai scenarios, rather than nearly all of them.

“But more to this, he is, in fact, now a she!”

…So there’s still a good five, ten or more cases for that scenario. And moreover, you’ve narrowed down the target audience to a very specific niche. Probably not the best plan.

Really, without a unique feature to reel in a potential reader, there isn’t a lot going for it. At least consider the patience of your audience, for goodness sake…
Maybe going into the nitty gritty of the setting itself would be a sounder plan? Try to draw people in with a rich set-dressing rather than focusing on the (frankly) drab premise.

“It’s a fantasy variation of pre-Revolutionary France! With features from Renaissance Italy!”

Well, it’s not AS generic as your standard Tolkien-esque world or MMO setting, but even so, it’s not much to go on, is it? You’re not really telling me anything about it.
Really, at this point, you should just lay it all out. At least if there’s anything worth keeping in there, it can be picked out. Does our protagonist have cheat powers? Please tell me s/he doesn’t…

“Nope! Moreover, s/he’s born into nobility, which is supposed to have the highest of magical ability, so s/he’s already at a disadvantage!”

Uhuh. So you’re just going to rip off Z*ro no Ts*kaima or Cr*ss A*ge? That’s not really much better than generic cheat heroes…

“Well, it’s not like non-magic users are discriminated against…moreover, it’s possible to use magic without innate talent, but only specific types and with particular circumstances-“

<Does she have a flat chest? This is important. Flat chests are justice!>

Oh god, now the pleb parade is here to shit things up…

“Er…that wasn’t really a key point, but it’s doable…”

Pandering to specific tastes has already narrowed your options down, you probably don’t want to narrow it any further…
Look, I just don’t think there’s much going for it, unless you’ve got something you’re holding back on. I’d say lay the rest out or consider going back to square one.

“…Maybe it’d just be easier if I showed it to you?”

…What?

“Well…this is kind of awkward, but I should probably stop tiptoeing around the subject and address the elephant in the room. Especially since we now have an audience.”

You’ve lost me. Is this a troll?

“I’m not a troll. I’m a god.”

…

Fuck off.

“I’m serious. I will freely admit, I’m not a very good one though. It’s still my first week here, and this is kind of a trial scenario we’re working with here…”

<KEK. I saw this pasta on /UMA/>

“The thing is…you’re already dead. Sorry about that…”

I already told you to fuck off. Stop replying to me.

<Trust the /bunko/fag to get baited into replying. LOLFAG :-)))))>

You guys are fucking idiots. I’m out of here.

“Look, you’re actually ALL dead. This is kind of like a waiting room for divine judgement before you go back into the cycle of reincarnation or a suitable afterlife. You guys were all assessed and, frankly, you didn’t make a very strong impression. So all we have left for you are, well…the scraps no one else wanted. I HAVE to give this to one of you guys, I’m sorry. But those are the breaks. We’ve got an ETA of like five minutes to conception for this new life, so I need one of you to work with me here. It’s that, or I just pick one of you at random.”

…Okay, I know I said I was out, but really, WHO are you trying to fool here? This wouldn’t work on anyone. It’s not contrived, it’s FUCKING RETARDED.

<LOLOLOL. Ur fags. ;-P>

<Kekmaster has left the chat>

“…Huh. Guess someone else got him. Oh well. You didn’t seem to hate the scenario THAT much, right? Well, it doesn’t matter. You’ll probably learn to like it. Probably. Have fun!”

Look, seriously, stop. Even the gods in Y*ujo S*nki or K*noS*ba weren’t this contrived or stupidly written. What do you even expect fro-

“Reincarnation designation confirmed. Commencing soul jettison in 3…2…1…”

I TOLD YOU-

------

Darkness. A cacophony of muffled sounds. A sensation of suspension, almost weightlessness…

How long has it been like this? Hard to say. It’s like trying to keep track of how long you’ve been asleep, whilst still asleep.

And then, finally, light. Good god, it’s fucking blinding.

And so I scream.

“Shush, shush! Oui, oui, ma petit cherie!”

“Ma bebe! Je veux a voire ma bebe!”

“Mais oui, Madame! C’est une belle fille!”

“Ma fille…”

Warmth. Though it’s so much more than that. If there is a word for this feeling in English, I don’t remember it. The kind of sensation that’s only really remembered when it’s taken away.

It’s one of my earliest memories, my mother walking away from my crib. Maybe because I’ve never had anyone close to me die before, it was the strongest feeling of loss I’ve ever experienced.

…So what’s happening now?

“Que es sa prenom?”

“…Marie…Ma belle fille…Marie…”

“Madame? Madame! Docteur!”

Her face. A face I’ve never known, will never know, yet will never forget.

“Ma belle Marie. Ta propre bien a vivre…”

And the light fades.

Oh. So that’s what it’s like…