The Otome Heroine's Fight for Survival (Crossdressing)
Orphaned by a monster attack on her village, young Alicia spends three horrid years in an orphanage before finally running away. When she flees, however, Alicia has a violent encounter with an older woman hell-bent on killing her. During their tussle, she comes into contact with a strange crystal that bestows upon her a wealth of knowledge, transforming her from an innocent child into a cool and calculated planner. Now aware that she was meant to be the protagonist of an otome game and disgusted with her supposed fate, Alicia decides to take matters into her own hands and become strong—by any means necessary. Using her newfound knowledge, and with some help from a stranger she meets in the woods, she learns to survive by herself in a world far too harsh and unforgiving for a girl her age. Ready or not, she's determined to carve her own path.
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Alicia is an orphan living in Ciel, a world of swords and magic. One day, she discovers that she is "the heroine of an otome game." Even the death of her parents was simply part of the story.
Alicia decisively rejects the heroine's role as "nonsense." Taking the name "Aria" as an adventurer, she gradually grows into the "Ash-crowned Princess of Slaughter" who wields multiple weapons and magic!
But, when she receives a request to escort a "villainess," without realizing it she finds herself caught up in the stage of the game where nobles struggle against each other...?
"I am 'me.' I'm not a character in a game!"
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[Original Web Novel](https://ncode.syosetu.com/n1391fj/)
[Official English Light Novel Translation](https://j-novel.club/series/the-otome-heroine-s-fight-for-survival)