"That's all there is to it." Hinata finished her explanation and settled back. She had deliberately avoided delving into the deep lore and intricate plot details, only sharing personal experiences and vital operational knowledge that wouldn't compromise her if it fell into the wrong hands.
Both of them sat in stunned silence. Even Lilia, who'd heard bits and pieces, looked genuinely shaken now that the story was real and that the 'Elsa' she'd been told about was, in fact, Hinata herself. Ghislain's tail twitched—fwip, fwip—a telltale sign of inner turmoil, though her poker face didn't budge. This sight gave Hinata a moment of self-doubt about her confession.
She couldn't afford a flicker of hesitation. If Ghislain chose to follow her, Hinata needed absolute conviction that the decision was a fully conscious choice, not based on some misguided hero worship. With this in mind, she kept her voice cold and utterly pragmatic.
"Ghislain," Hinata began, securing the beastwoman's narrowed, focused gaze, "if you harbor any illusion that I am some saint who races around saving worlds out of altruism, you need to discard that thought immediately. I will not put my life on the line for strangers. If the world outside is collapsing and that collapse inconveniences my lifestyle, I won't lift a finger to fix it unless there's a significant profit involved. I am not the type to sacrifice my own happiness for anyone else's benefit. Frankly, if it gives me an advantage, I might even be the one to light the match."
The air went still.Neither woman flinched.
Lilia's lips parted slightly. Ghislain just gave a small, acknowledging nod, as if this level of cold pragmatism was exactly what she expected.
Hinata's eyes softened for just a second. Good. They're not naive.
Then Ghislain spoke. "Can you take me with you?" she asked, her voice calm, unwavering.
Hinata blinked. "Well… yes," she said, scratching her cheek slightly, "but it's not that simple. There are restrictions."
"I want to ser—"
"Hold it," Hinata raised a hand sharply. "Let me finish first." Sigh~ "This isn't a casual invitation. You would have to enter a magical contract. I can only form a few of these contracts, perhaps more in the future, but that is currently beyond my control. The major issue is that I do not yet understand its limits." She settled back slightly, her expression becoming dead serious. "Once you sign it, I cannot guarantee that you'll retain the ability to deny my orders or that it won't functionally compel you to obey me no matter what. For all I know, I could tell you to slit your own throat… and your body might obey."
The silence that followed was heavy. Hinata's voice was calm, but her thoughts were somber. I could lie… but I won't. If she's coming, it'll be her true decision.
She took a slow breath before continuing. "Second, we won't be coming back. As I said before, travelling between worlds is random. I might never get this chance again. And even if I do, there's no guarantee it'll be the same world, the same time, or even the same version of it. There are countless worlds out there, some weaker than this one, some far stronger than mine. For all we know, even if we return to this place, it could be centuries in the past or far in the future."
Her gaze became steely. "So, if you decide to come, you must possess the resolve to abandon everything here. Because once we cross that boundary, the guarantee of a return ticket ceases to exist." The unspoken meaning lingered between them her words, if you have loved ones, you'll never see them again.
The weight of her words settled like gravity in the room.
Then, Lilia finally spoke up. "Everything you said about Elsa… was it true?" Her tone trembled just slightly. "About her travels, Alpha… all of it. And if it's true… why tell me?"
Ghislain blinked, she clearly didn't understand but stayed quiet.
Hinata turned her gaze toward Lilia, her expression softening just a little. "Yes," she said simply. "Every word was true. That was my experience from the moment I was suddenly pulled into that world."
"As for why I told you," she continued, her voice steady and introspective, "the reason is simple. I wanted an outside perspective on my choices, whether they were right, where I might've gone wrong, and if there were paths I didn't see back then."
Lilia's hands tightened in her lap. She's strong, but she's… lonely, she thought. Should I really say it? There wasn't anyone left in this world she could call her own, no bonds, no roots. At the brink of death, it had been this girl who pulled her back.
Hinata claimed she wasn't kind, that everything she did had a reason. And yet, that same person had shown mercy when no one else would.
After a long breath, she finally did. "…Can I come with you?"
Hinata blinked twice. "Eh?" Of all people, she didn't expect that from Lilia. "Are you… sure?"
Lilia nodded firmly. "Yes, my lady. All my life, I've never had a choice. Every command I followed belonged to someone else. I was a tool, used, then thrown away." Her voice trembled, but her resolve didn't. "But you… you gave me a choice. You saved me. So I choose to follow you."
Her eyes flickered toward Ghislain before returning to Hinata. "I may not be strong, but I can support you. As you said, Elsa struggled after Alpha appeared. If she's planning to save others, she'll need someone who can manage things from behind the scenes. I have experience. I won't let you down."
For a moment, Hinata could almost see it, a faint, glowing screen flickering into existence before her eyes.
Maid Collection +1
"Cough!" she quickly erased the invisible screen. No, stop it brain. Not now.
Turning toward Ghislain, she asked, "And you? What's your answer?"
Ghislain didn't even pause. "I will not change my decision," she said resolutely. "I'll follow you, wherever you go."
Hinata's expression softened. "Heh… good."
Then, Lilia spoke again. "Should we… make the contract now?"
Hinata immediately waved a hand. "Nope. Not yet." She frowned thoughtfully. I still don't know how the recruitment card actually works, whether it would bind them spiritually or convert them into cards like Cassandra. If that's the case, she thought grimly, I'd only be able to call them back in my world.
"Let's wait for now," she continued aloud, her tone leaving no room for argument. "We'll do it when I'm about to leave. Until then, you both will have time to think carefully and change your minds if you want to."
"You don't—!"
"I can—!"
Both women started to protest, but Hinata pressed a finger to her lips. "Shhh~ my decision is final."
Lilia sighed in defeat. Ghislain just hmph'd, her tail flicking once in annoyance.
Hinata smirked. "Good girls."
Then she turned to Lilia. "Anyway… can you make something to eat?"
Lilia straightened immediately. "Yes, my lady! Right away!" Dash! She practically ran out of the room.
Now alone, Hinata turned to Ghislain again, expression suddenly playful."Can I ask you something?"
Ghislain tilted her head slightly. "Hmm?"
Hinata leaned closer, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Can I… pet you?"
"Yes," Ghislain answered automatically, blinking once before realising what she'd just agreed to. Wait, what did she just say?
Too late. A dark blur flashed forward.
"Eh?!"
A jolt shot up her spine as Hinata's hands sank into the soft fluff of her tail. Her entire body stiffened, a small kyun! escaping her lips before she could stop it.
"W–Wait! That's ngh, sensitive!" she yelped, her ears twitching wildly.
Hinata, meanwhile, had the smug grin of someone who had just unlocked a secret achievement. "Fufufu, so soft. As expected of a beastwoman." Fluffy supremacy!
Ghislain hissed, tail swishing frantically as Hinata nuzzled it against her cheek with pure bliss.
"Hehe~ tail fluff acquired~!"
**************
So how were my options, Ghislain and lilia were my choice given one is loyal guard and other a loyal maid. While I think they are enough you can suggest more though remember she don't have much time. I was planning to add ruijerd, but he is too far away.