Leina Vance, middle daughter of the Vance nobility, abandoned her destined inheritance of her father's title to pursue a warrior's life. She entered the Queen's Blade tournament to carve her own path and honor her mother's legacy. Later, adopting the alias "Maria" during the Rebellion era, she fought under a debilitating sleep curse causing sudden narcoleptic episodes, even mid-battle. Physically, Leina possesses blonde hair, blue eyes (shifting to purple when cursed), and stands approximately 170cm tall. She typically wears practical armor featuring a distinct breastplate offering magical protection against demonic attacks, complemented by a left-arm gauntlet equipped with a buckler. Her "Maria" persona adopted black coverings with a blue-and-white breastplate and thong. Her weapon is Evindil ("Wind of Destiny" or "Wind of Victory"), a sword reforged with Iron Mountain ore after her inherited blade shattered. Evindil proved pivotal in exorcising the demon Delmore from Queen Aldra. Leina's signature technique, "Dragon Tail," unleashes a golden or green energy projectile capable of destroying castle structures and defeating powerful demons. After gaining Queen Claudette's lightning abilities, she evolved this into "Lightning Dragon Tail." Leina's personality balances headstrong determination and a sense of justice with occasional vulnerability. Easily inspired by others, like her admiration for Risty, she can also succumb to fear when overwhelmed, sometimes resulting in involuntary urination. Despite her noble upbringing, she exhibits humility and heroic self-deprecation, believing herself unworthy of rulership compared to Claudette. Her story spans multiple continuities. Prior to the tournament, she traveled the Continent honing her skills against bandits and monsters. During Queen's Blade, she allied with warriors like Tomoe and Echidna to thwart the Swamp Witch's demonic invasion, ultimately winning but forfeiting the throne to Claudette to continue adventuring. In the *Vanquished Queens* OVA (Episode 3), Leina endured her darkest ordeal: captured by Werbellia, she suffered systematic torture, physical abuse, and sexual humiliation as a personal slave. This broke her psychologically, leading to moments of immobility during assault and dull-eyed despair. The narrative presents two endings: one where she escapes her captors, and an alternate non-canon conclusion implying permanent mental destruction after further violation. During the *Rebellion* arc, operating as "Maria," she fought against Claudette's tyrannical rule while managing her sleep curse, her name alone intimidating criminals across the Continent. In the *Unlimited* reboot continuity, Leina retained her longer hair and adventurer identity, appearing briefly during travels.