Otome Game no Heroine de Saikyou Survival [WN] - Chapter 142.2
I would still be fine if I just stayed awake, but I was also pretty sure my energy level was way down. Besides, I reminded myself that Elena wouldn’t back out because of her personality, so I decided to do as she said.
“Then I’ll give you this too. I’m sorry it’s mine, but it’s better than that flimsy thing, right?”
Elena’s current attire consisted of a spare cloak over a thin nightgown and the short boots I used to wear at the school. I pulled out my school uniform from [Shadow Storage] and handed it to her, since she might have problems with her future activities dressed like that.
Unlike the standard clothes worn by aristocrats, the school uniform was made to be sturdy and durable. Not only were they designed to be worn over a long period of time, but they also seemed to have a temperature control function, albeit a weak one.
I felt that her entourage would be angry if I let Elena, the princess, wear what I had been wearing, but I had no choice but to ignore them.
Elena took the uniform I offered her in a slightly suspicious manner and suddenly made a curious face.
“Your Shadow Storage…was it? You must have a lot of space for everything from clothes to food.”
“You think so?”
When I first activated [Shadow Storage], it only had the capacity of a bag. But as my level of magic control increased, my dark magic became level 4, which enabled me to create a subspace storage bag, and as I became accustomed to using it over and over again, its capacity had expanded to about the same size as a closet.
Since the inside of [Shadow Storage] was sterilized, food became like bottled food, and the smell of clothes disappeared, making them less likely to be damaged, so I put most of the things I normally use inside.
Since my magic control had reached level 5, I might be able to put a few more things in there now.
“Well then, I’ll go ahead and rest. Wake me up right away if you need anything.”
I curled up to hold my knees with my back against the rock and quietly let my consciousness sink into the darkness as I listened to Elena’s voice.
“Good night…Aria.”
***
A faint smile appeared on Elena’s mouth as she looked at Aria, who had fallen asleep in the blink of an eye.
The sleeping face of a strong and beautiful girl who would make anyone let out a sigh at the sight of her, looking so childish that it was hard to imagine her being so out of the ordinary.
A closer look revealed that not only had Aria not slept for days, but she also had lingering unhealed scars on her arms and cheeks, and her glossy hair and skin were stained with blood and mud.
“…[Clean]…”
Elena chanted Magic in a whisper, purifying Aria’s stains. But in this way, it reminded her that [Clean] was better handled by Aria.
Disease was said to be caused by atmospheric filth or spirits playing tricks on people. But Aria said that invisible little creatures were the true source of the disease, and that Purification of them could keep one’s health in good shape.
“Mysterious child…”
Running her fingers through Aria’s clean peach-blonde hair with her strange knowledge, Elena used [Heal] to erase any scars left on her.
How hard did she have to fight? Elena almost cried as she healed the wounds remaining on Aria’s body, knowing that she had fought against the most formidable Grave of the Dark Side and had rushed to her aid.
From now on, the two of them must cooperate with each other. But neither Clean nor Heal could match Aria’s knowledge of the human body, and there was a huge gap between them in terms of combat power, like a wall.
Elena wanted to be strong. She wanted to be strong enough to protect herself, so that Aria would not be hurt anymore.
As she healed Aria’s wounds, the sun was becoming more intense, just as she had said it would.
Elena quietly stood up and thought about getting dressed while the shadows were still darker.
Some of the high-ranking young ladies of the nobility leave the dressing from one to ten to their attendants; Elena, too, had lived that way as royalty until the age of four, but her consciousness changed when her mother passed away, and she met Aria at the age of seven, practicing being able to take care of herself at the very least.
As she took off her thin nightgown and picked up the uniform she had borrowed from Aria, her cheeks blushed a little as she remembered that this was what Aria used to wear.
As a princess, Elena did not share things with others. Her clothes, chair, and even her tea cup were made exclusively for her.
Even when dining outside the palace, Elena’s attendants brought their own cutlery and tableware. But Elena did not feel so bad about the fact that she would probably have to eat something that was not sanitary from now on.
When Elena entered the school, she was surprised and even envied that the children of middle-class nobles shared things with their friends as a matter of course.
Elena had no friends. She exchanged words with some young ladies, but their relationship was that of a princess and a vassal. She and her cousin Clara used to be friends and like sisters, but now there existed a rift between them that was difficult to repair.
The only relationship that remained close to being equal was Aria, but she was a kindred spirit, and there was a line that divided them: princess and her guard.
But…borrowing and lending her personal belongings was like being “friends” with her, and it made Elena’s heart beat like a fine wave.
She had always watched Aria, so she knew how to wear it. When she finished changing into the dress, she found that the sleeves were too short for her height and were dragging the hem of the skirt.
Although she was slightly dismayed at not being able to put it on as neatly as Aria, the experience of sharing things with Aria for the first time brought a smile to Elena’s face.
“…”
The truth was, she was scared. She was ready to die, but she never really thought about wanting to die. The pressure of being a princess and the determination to carry the country on her shoulders were only possible because Aria was by her side, watching her live and struggle.
She wanted to go back home with Aria. Wishing to be strong for that, Elena gently sat down beside her and laid her head on her shoulder as she dozed off a little.
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Also check out my other novels: Reincarnated into a Game as the Hero’s Friend, Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear, and A Girl Who Was Told “You Have No Talent” Turned Out To Be A Talented Monster