any person willing to sacrifice their own child for something as vague as "for their kingdom" is not a good person... @Kayriel sure, if it was clear that she was really doing it for her people. Tbh, I'm not entirely convinced she is doing it for her kingdom more than she is doing it for her own personal desire to take over the other country.
@Kayriel the thing is, she's absolutely banking on her daughter using her power on MC and not paying much attention to him too, even dismissing him like no other with no plan b/c/d/e in case something goes south, like a competent ruler/strategist would. This goes to show how bad of a politician she is, let alone as a character overall. This is why I don't like political stuff from LN/WN/Manga because they often do a shallow take on important/core issues.
Again, being a leader is not about being a good person or a bad person. Only a good leader or a bad leader. Trying to apply an individual's morality is useless.
Because you're genre-savvy. These people are not. They don't have access to veritable libraries of reading as we do at the touch of their fingers to make comparisons to similar situations either fictional or historical.
To them, the idea that you're willing to put up what should be your most precious thing as a person as collateral shows you are VERY sincere about whatever it is you're saying. Modern wisdom says you don't bet something you can't afford to lose, but for them seeing that you are betting something you can't afford to lose, that means you're 100% not bullshitting, because otherwise... well, you lose it.
@Kayriel It's nothing about being genre-savvy, just basic human values, especially for someone who just found out he lost his whole family. The fact that she's willing to sacrifice her daughter shows that it's in fact, NOT her most precious thing. If the queen said do anything except kill her, or insist that she be a bride, then maybe it'd show that she actually gave a damn.
Sure, she said she thought the daughter was a safe bet and he wouldn't kill her, but he doesn't know that. Betting your own daughter's life and not your own is suspicious and shows off how selfish you are.
If he hide the fact his job is hero because he doesn't want deal with nobles, why he suddenly build a country and make alliance to those noble he hated? Better build a country in silent