The Otome Heroine's Fight for Survival: Volume 4

Chapter 4: The Ashen Princess, Part Two

Prologue

Dungeons were living structures—ancient hermit crabs that, upon becoming monsters, had claimed caves or ruins as their shells.

These monstrous hermit crabs had evolved over time to feed on the aether and life force of living beings that ventured inside and became lost within their corridors. In order to determine the best ways to attract their most efficient prey—humans and monsters—dungeons could even read the lingering thoughts and desires of beings who died inside them. From those thoughts, they could craft various things within themselves to lure in more unsuspecting victims: ideal environments for monsters, precious metals and gems favored by people, equipment and magical tools made from special minerals, and so forth.

Since dungeons weren’t themselves human, much of what they crafted was essentially trash. However, after absorbing lingering thoughts for prolonged periods of time, dungeons grew more sophisticated. They expanded their layers, turned caves into stone corridors, and eventually began to create items humans couldn’t produce, such as magical swords and mythical treasures.

Eventually, the thousands of years’ worth of thoughts that the dungeons had absorbed developed self-awareness, becoming dungeon spirits—beings distinct from the spirits of the natural world. These dungeon spirits could bestow blessings upon intelligent creatures who reached a dungeon’s deepest levels. These blessings, known as gifts, consisted of special abilities that surpassed the usual limits of human power.

Heroes of eld had sought these gifts, and with their power had overcome numerous hardships, leading the world and its nations to peace. Because of this, even today, people continued to venture into dungeons in hopes of receiving gifts—despite knowing that more than just their dreams awaited them.

***

Once more, the young royals of the Kingdom of Claydale were preparing to challenge a dungeon.

A few centuries ago, the Kingdom of Claydale had grown into a major power by absorbing the old Dukedoms of Dandorl and Melrose. This had made the nation a threat in their neighbors’ eyes and, to counter any aggression that might result, they had begun a tradition of sending the next generation of royals into dungeons in hopes they would attain gifts. Thus, the current crown prince, his half sister the princess, and two of his fiancées were all being sent on a dungeon venture.

While the preparations were ongoing, Count Leicester, the chief court sorcerer, was in his estate’s office conversing coldly with a young lady—one of the prince’s fiancées who would be participating in the excursion. Their exchange was so distant that one would doubt they were father and daughter at all.

Listen, Karla, the count began, I will not tell you to return safely. All I want is for you to ensure His Highness doesn’t die.

As you wish, father.

I will not permit that you bring our servants as your attendants. Find a suitable escort elsewhere.

I understand.

These were not the words one might expect a parent to say to a child heading toward near-certain death, but Count Ignace Leicester nevertheless bluntly said them, scowling all the while. Karla, meanwhile, simply narrowed her sunken eyes and smiled cheerfully.

How many years had it been since they’d last had a familial conversation?

The father treated his daughter as an object. The daughter regarded her father as less than human. The gulf between them was impossible to cross; one might’ve even described the pair as enemies. Ignace had, in fact, tried to kill Karla more than once. He’d kept her alive as a child only because he’d thought she might be of use, but the older she grew, the greater the danger she posed. The only reason they hadn’t tried to kill each other directly yet was Karla’s status as the prince’s fiancée.

She didn’t have long to live, regardless. A simple strike from an ordinary person could have killed her. And yet, even when poisoned by the people of her household, Karla had endured.

Hurry and go, the count commanded. Preferably, be a shield for His Highness and die as an act of service by House Leicester for the crown.

The father told his daughter to die. The daughter laughed in response.

While that sounds fun, I might need a shield of my very own. Might I bring one of my brothers?

You...!

Oh, I jest, dear father. I forgot I only have one brother left. Indeed, of her three brothers, only one remained. And even that brother had been away from the estate for years, fearing that Karla would kill him too. Now then, father, have a wonderful day. Shall I also pay my respects to mother?

Get out!!!

Count Leicester hurled a bottle of ink at Karla, hitting the door just as she closed it and leaving a dark stain and an unsightly dent in the wood. Hearing the sound from outside, Karla chuckled softly and walked merrily down the hallway.

***

Karla’s desire lay inside the dungeon, and her opportunity to seize it had arrived sooner than she’d expected.

Normally, a teen—royal or otherwise—who wasn’t even of age to attend the Sorcerers’ Academy would’ve been considered too young to venture into a dungeon. The reason that this expedition was being conducted so soon likely had something to do with Princess Elena and Karla herself.

Karla had grown more and more obsessed with power. She’d surpassed even the court sorcerers in skill, which had made the royal family view her as abnormal and a threat. Elena, meanwhile, had grown wiser and wiser. She was displaying more and more of the qualities befitting a queen, which had made the royal family want to assess her capabilities relative to the crown prince’s sooner rather than later.

Ideally, they would’ve waited until the crown prince came of age or, at the very least, until the princess’s enrollment in the Sorcerers’ Academy. Karla’s original plan had been to continue honing her abilities until then.

But what pleased Karla wasn’t the fact that her opportunity had arrived sooner than anticipated. It was the fact that, since Princess Elena would be in danger, there was a chance that a certain girl—one who had changed both the princess’s fate and her own—would make an appearance.

Now, who needs to die so that I may see you sooner...?

***

Adjacent to the main royal palace, where the king and those involved in politics worked, was the royal villa, where the royal family actually resided. The villa wasn’t a single structure—the castle at the center housed the king’s chambers and was surrounded by the residences of the three queens. Scattered beyond them were various other castles, both large and small, among which was the relatively new princess’s palace, located on the eastern side.

My attendants for this dungeon expedition will be Sera and Chloe, Princess Elena explained. Sera was one of the chiefs of security for the queens’ palaces, but as of today, she is officially appointed chief of security for the princess’s palace. I thank you both for your service.

Yes, Your Highness, the two handmaidens replied in unison, bowing gracefully.

Due to concerns over potential interference from the nobility faction, the dungeon excursion was being conducted in secret, with the number of assigned personnel kept to a minimum. Aside from guards and porters, each participant was only allowed to bring two attendants.

One of Elena’s chosen, Chloe, was still young but had been caring for Elena since the princess’s birth. Elena trusted the handmaiden deeply, and because Chloe was also a knight with the Order of Shadows, her participation had been all but assured from the start.

There was likewise a reason that Sera—originally responsible for the queens’ security—was being appointed as Elena’s exclusive guard. Elvan, Elena’s older half brother, had lost trust in the Order of Shadows after the attempted kidnapping of his sister during her trip to Dandorl. As a result, he’d chosen not to bring any members of the Order with him on this excursion.

While Elvan had acted out of concern for his sister, from Elena’s perspective, things were more complex than that. Practically speaking, there weren’t many people capable of acting as both bodyguards and attendants to the royal family. Among those, the number of trustworthy personnel was lower still. Elvan’s only option had been to bring the attendants who usually cared for him. These attendants weren’t as skilled as members of the Order. As royal aides, they did possess basic fighting skills, but not of the caliber required to navigate a dungeon.

Thus, the king had decided to protect both of his children by appointing Sera—a Rank 4 member of the royal guard—Elena’s exclusive guard. However, just as His Majesty’s mentality as a king was different from his mentality as a father, so too did his mentality differ from his daughter’s.

Our objective is not to obtain a gift for me, fortunate as such an outcome would be. Our priority is to ensure my brother, the crown prince, returns safely, Elena declared with steely determination. To that end, we must all protect him. You two must be prepared to lay down your lives if need be. She was fully willing to include herself among those acting as shields for her brother.

Yes, Your Highness, the two replied, nodding firmly.

Seeing their resolve, Elena allowed her stern expression to soften slightly. I’m sorry, Chloe, and I’m especially sorry, Sera, for dragging you into this.

There’s no need for apologies, Your Highness, Sera said with a smile. Chloe and I have been prepared for this from the moment we joined the Order of Shadows.

Chloe, who stood serenely next to Sera, nodded in quiet agreement.

This was a dangerous mission, and they might not return alive. Yet there was no sense of despair in the two resolute handmaidens’ eyes—they were filled with only strength.

This is a rare opportunity, Sera, and so I have plucked you from my mother’s side. I do hope this isn’t an issue.

I am at your command, Your Highness. Sera gave a small, wry smile at Elena’s display of political acumen and maneuvering far beyond her eleven years.

Elena was prepared to risk her life for this mission, but she had no intention of dying. Instead, she was already considering what would happen after her safe return. She wasn’t simply thinking of the immediate results of the expedition but their further ramifications as well. This foresight was a quality that the crown prince lacked, demonstrating that Elena had a greater capacity for rulership than her brother. Although the enlarged aethercrystal in her heart—a byproduct of her four elemental affinities—had left her physically frail and incapable of being a proper queen, she hadn’t resigned herself to anything.

After all, when she was younger, she’d met a certain girl. That girl hadn’t given up, even in the face of enormous adversity, and had saved Elena’s life. The princess had been fighting alone in the darkness of her uncertain future, and the girl had come into her life like a ray of moonlight illuminating her path.

From that moment forward, Elena had resolved that she would never give up either.

I wonder what you’d think of me now, Alia.

***

Father, you must let me go as well! I’m Clara’s older brother, and it’s my duty to protect the crown prince, besides!

Absolutely not, Rockwell. You’re the heir to the Margravate of Dandorl. Act like it.

Rockwell had only just learned that his sister, the crown prince’s fiancée, had been assigned by the royal family to join the dungeon expedition. Desperate to protect her and his friend Elvan, he had pleaded with his father to allow him to take part, but his father, the current Margrave of Dandorl, had staunchly refused.

Perhaps if Rockwell had asked his hotheaded grandfather, who adored Clara, he would’ve obtained permission to tag along. But, since the family peerage had already descended to his father, that decision could have come from no one else. In contrast with Rockwell’s grandfather, his father was a rational man—as befit the position of grand general of the royal army. It was his father’s responsibility to help navigate the current unstable political climate.

As a rational young man himself, Rockwell understood his father’s reasoning and knew he couldn’t take any reckless actions.

Clara watched the exchange between her father and brother in silence, almost as though the subject didn’t concern her. If she asked her grandfather, would he forbid her to go? If she earnestly begged her father, would she be spared from walking such a deadly path?

No, of course not.

House Dandorl and its vassals were unanimous in their wish for Clara to become the first queen; it stemmed from a desire to honor her aunt, who’d been forced into the position of second queen despite having been originally intended as the first. Before regaining the memories of her past life, Clara, too, had wanted to be first queen. She hadn’t known any better. It was her family’s wish, and so she’d convinced herself it would be the best path for her as well, and now it was far too late for her to say she no longer wished for it.

In the otome game, Clara had no gift. It was possible she’d simply failed to obtain it, but in the game’s story, the dungeon excursion didn’t take place until much later. During the game’s demon plotline, the characters would venture into a dungeon to grow stronger. Perhaps the trigger for that plotline had happened sooner in the current timeline.

The original game only began after the heroine enrolled in the Sorcerers’ Academy. Even if Clara were to befriend her, there was a chance Elvan would become romantically interested in the heroine. And if that happened, those around them, captivated by her charms, would consider getting Clara out of the way to make the heroine the first queen.

Though the game didn’t delve too deeply into these details, Clara understood the situation now. To make the heroine, a princess from the Margravate of Melrose, the first queen, false charges would be brought against Clara to eliminate her politically. She’d spent a long while thinking of how to proactively neutralize the heroine, but now, faced with the possibility of dying before that could happen, she felt her world grow darker.

What...am I even doing...?

The Rainbow Blade

After fighting off the orcs threatening the barony I’d once lived in, I’d reunited with my former mentor—well, he was rather hands-off, but still qualified as my mentor—and teamed up with his ally, the sorceress Samantha, to take down the traitor Graves. In the process, we’d fought against and alongside a mythical coeurl named Nero. While we’d managed to drive Graves away, we hadn’t been able to finish him off, leaving the situation and our feelings unresolved—and a rematch looming ahead.

Now, as it turned out, Viro had a new job for me.

He wanted me to protect the royal children during a dungeon excursion...which meant protecting Elena. I wouldn’t refuse. If she was going to be in danger, I would protect her; I’d vowed as much. But Viro said that to complete that assignment, I needed to join his party, the Rainbow Blade—and he told me as much with a coy little smile, as though he’d just made a great offer.

I couldn’t help but give him a half-lidded glare. No.

What?! Viro’s voice cracked in disbelief, and he looked stunned; clearly he hadn’t been expecting my blunt refusal.

If I recalled correctly, the Rainbow Blade was one of the few Rank 5 parties in this country. I had no idea why Viro wanted me to join them. If he wanted to fill Samantha’s position, a proper sorcery user should’ve been the choice. Viro had been searching for one for a long time, as I recalled.

Besides, I’d always been a solo agent and didn’t really know how to fight in a group. It wasn’t that I couldn’t do it at all, but my fighting style relied on stealth and assassination, so it was more effective for me to fight alone, as I had against the orcs.

Samantha cackled loudly. Another flat rejection, boy!

Don’t act like I just got dumped, Samantha! Viro growled. Besides, I’ve got at least one woman in my life, you know!

Still getting milked for all you’re worth, huh? Samantha looked at Viro with a mix of exasperation and pity. You never learn...

No, no, listen! It’s different this time, all right?! Alia, don’t listen to the old bat’s nonsense! Wait, why are we talking about this?! Having finally remembered the topic at hand, Viro roughly ran a hand through his brown hair, then suddenly turned back toward me.

You’re going to go bald at this rate, I pointed out.

Shut it! Just listen to me, okay?! With a somewhat strained expression, as if holding back, Viro began to explain the reasoning behind his invitation.

On top of needing a replacement for the sorceress Samantha, Viro had been looking for a scout to be his own successor. A typical adventurer would start thinking about retirement by the time they hit forty. High-ranking adventurers with significant aether aged slower, however, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to remain active into their fifties. Although Viro was in his late thirties, he looked to be in his early thirties, so he was very much still in his prime as an adventurer.

I’m not gonna retire anytime soon, but the Rainbow Blade is special. It has a long history. Not just anyone can take over for a departing member, and it takes years to pass down all the knowledge necessary to work with us. Besides that, well, my woman wants me to find a stable job with a proper salary. And the Order of Shadows has offered me a high-paying role as a knight instructor...

I listened quietly as the conversation took a strange turn.

Girlie, take at least half of what he says about his woman with a grain of salt! Samantha interjected. Every few years he says stuff like that, then comes crawling back!

Okay, I replied with a nod. I could see that being the case.

"Hey, you two, what the hell?! I’m telling you, it’s for real this time! Viro protested. Wait, that’s not what we’re talking about. Point is, I’ve decided you’re capable enough to take over for me, Alia. Also, a random adventurer can’t act as the princess’s guard. Guarding the royals was a direct request to the Rainbow Blade. Doesn’t matter if the princess trusts you when the others don’t see it that way, yeah?"

Now that reasoning, I could understand. I was indeed a former urchin turned adventurer. Although I’d reached Rank 4, which afforded me recognition as an adventurer, that didn’t necessarily translate into social trust.

"Don’t think of it as joining any old party. Think of it as joining a clan. A group with a purpose. I mean, you see me taking on solo work all the time, right? All of us are strong individually, so we can do individual assignments, but for big jobs, we act as a party. Besides, if you end