Otome Game no Heroine de Saikyou Survival [WN] - Chapter 162.4

As a princess, Elena was prepared to be a “Bridge Queen” who would educate the Crown Prince’s children or those of royal blood to become the next king if her brother, the Crown Prince, was deemed “unfit” to be king.

The young Elena directly appealed to her father, saying that this was the best thing she could do as a sick and incapable child, but in retrospect, it seemed to be a passive resolve…a resolve to run away.

It was not a decision for the “People,” even if it was for the nation.

For the sake of the nation, she would rather die than let her political opponents use her. But wouldn’t that be “running away”? If she truly cared about her people, she should live and struggle as a Princess.

Elena thought that even her brother, who had been raised by that peace loving third child of a countess, would be a King to a certain extent if Elena assisted him.

But if she really cared about her people, that brother… would he really be capable to become a “King”?

Elena’s body was already healed. Who should really be the Ruler at this point? 

Being a Ruler was a solitary position. But a Ruler could not rule the country on their own.

A nation was made up of subjects who supported the lonely Ruler with all their hearts.

Adults who pay taxes. The children who assist them and would also succeed them. The nobles who protect them. These were all “the people” whom the Ruler should love and care for, and those who prey on them were enemies, even if they were citizens.

That was why the young Naru, who wished to help Elena who had to return to her country and tried to do so on her own volition, was already a beloved subject of Elena’s.

Even so, she had to be prepared to cut them off if necessary.

Nevertheless, if they were prepared to put their lives on the line, they would be appreciated.

She should not let her feelings get the better of her. Even so, Elena thought to herself, the number of lives she could save with her own hands would be the measure of her “Ability” to stand as a Queen.

“Rena, look at that!”

Near the rocky area where Naru was headed, Elena saw a group of monsters.

“…We can’t take on all of them. Let’s avoid them as much as possible, secure Naru, and escape.”

“I guess that’s the only way…”

The red grass Naru went to pick grows everywhere in colonies around the area.

There would be no problem for a child to pick as much of it as they could by hand and leave. Children living in this area should know how to escape from monsters, even if they encountered them.

But if there were too many monsters, even the slow-footed caterpillars could trap them.

“This is…”

On the way to avoid the swarm of monsters, they found a caterpillar that had been crushed by a stick-like, thin object.

“…Is it an adventurer?”

“No, it has marks where it has been struck many times. Maybe it was done by someone who lives around here.”

“Someone who lives in a place like this? If so, Naru might have escaped there as well.”

“…Yes, I guess.”

Ron trailed off a bit as Elena brightened at finding hope.

“Don’t get your hopes up too high.”

“…?”

As they headed toward the place where Ron seemed to know the residents, Elena realized why Ron had been mumbling.

To put it bluntly, this was probably the lowest rank in town, in the worst sense of the word.

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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