The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

After the iron gate was removed and the iron spikes embedded in Mayra's body were cut off, Mayra was finally released.

Although the iron spikes had been cut off, the parts that had already pierced through were not yet fully healed. The gray wolf wasn't a doctor and dared not take any unnecessary action. What puzzled it even more was that after landing, Mayera began to cry loudly. Despite having two iron spikes still embedded in her abdomen and lungs, her cries were so loud and powerful.

"Oh, this is so scary!!! Waaaaaaaahhhhhh!"

She wasn't crying from the pain, but from the terror of falling from such a height. The gray wolf had never witnessed such a bizarre sight in its life. After rescuing Maya, it truly didn't know what to do next.

When Farn arrived late, he saw the weeping Mayera, the iron spikes embedded in her body, and the bewildered Gray Wolf and his men. He went to Gray Wolf's side. Farn offered no explanation, only ordering him...

"Thank you for your hard work, General Wolf. Now, please return to your post and await further orders."

"Can we...can we go now? But Her Majesty the Princess..."

"I told you to return to your original post and await further orders. Are you going to disobey?"

"No...I wouldn't dare!"

"Don't tell anyone what happened today. Go now."

"Yes, yes..."

Even at the end, Gray Wolf remained completely bewildered and was forcibly driven back by Farn. The events of that day were truly shrouded in mystery. Gray Wolf obeyed Farn's orders without daring to divulge a single word. Until one day, it got completely drunk at a party for the officers... but that's another story.

Farn arrived without his men; only the grandfather and granddaughter remained beneath the iron gate. Farn did not comfort the weeping Mayella. He simply pressed down on her shoulder, his hand gripping the iron spike embedded in her body. He uttered only three words to her.

"Bear with it."

Then, with a sudden burst of strength, he forcefully pulled the iron spikes out of her body.

"good..."

"besides"

Before Mayera could cry out in pain, Farn grabbed the second spike. With another pull, he yanked it out. He casually tossed it to the ground. He asked...

"How are you feeling, Princess?"

"Okay...wait, what?"

Just as Mayara was about to cry out in pain, she realized that the pain had vanished instantly. Looking down again, she saw that the two large holes that had been stabbed were now emitting wisps of smoke, her body healing itself at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, the two bloody holes were completely filled with new flesh. It was as if nothing had ever happened, and she was perfectly healed.

Mayera, who had always lived in her room, had never been hurt. But she had also learned from books that injuries required medical treatment, and that severe injuries could lead to death. When she fell from a great height and was impaled, Mayera was terrified that she might die. But now, her heart was filled with doubt.

"Grandpa, what's wrong with me? Why is my body..."

You don't need to know.

"...Huh?"

Mayra's heartfelt question was met with only a cold rejection from Farn. He grabbed Mayra's timid hand and shouted sternly.

"If you had listened to me, if you had stayed there obediently as His Majesty the Demon King, none of this trouble would have happened! You will spend the rest of your life in this room, don't step out even once! That way, you will never encounter anything like this again! So you don't need to know about your body! Just know to obey orders! Understand?!"

"Ee! Yes, I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Grandpa..."

The usually amiable Farn suddenly flew into a rage, revealing a terrifying and ferocious expression. This terrified Mayera, who trembled all over and kept apologizing, no longer daring to resist.

Although the specific reason was unknown, from that day on, Mayera learned that she possessed the ability to be immortal.

...

However, the story of that day did not end there. Fan dragged Mayella back to the Demon King's castle from outside the city. But they didn't immediately return to Mayella's room. On the way, Fan said to Mayella...

"Princess. You wish to see your mother... His Majesty the Demon King, is that right?"

"Um...."

"That's perfect... Her Majesty the Demon King just instructed me that she wants to see you."

A night I can't let go of

These words were like a bolt from the blue for Maya.

The mother who had appeared countless times in her mind since infancy, a mother who existed only in her imagination, actually wanted to see her? This was something Maya couldn't believe at the time. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn't have run out of her room and fallen out of the city.

Although she was a demon king, what did her mother actually look like, what did she sound like? The only thing Maya could use as a reference was her own appearance and voice as her daughter. She had repeatedly looked at herself in the mirror and guessed that her mother was "herself about twenty years from now".

What kind of person was her mother? As the ruler of a nation, she must be incredibly dignified and meticulous. And how would she react to seeing her daughter? On the way to the Demon King's court, pulled by Faen, Mayera imagined many things. Based solely on the knowledge she had gained from stories in books, she could only picture her mother smiling, opening her arms, and embracing her.

Mayra naively believed the explanation that her mother had been too busy to visit her. Now that her mother wanted to see her, she believed her mother still loved her. She believed that after this meeting, she and her mother would have the kind of mother-daughter relationship depicted in books, and they would usher in a truly happy life.

Even when she arrived at the thick iron gate between the Demon King's chambers, Meera still held this belief.

"...Are you mentally prepared? His Majesty the Demon King is waiting for you inside."

"Yes, I'm... ready."

Before bringing her here, Farn had specially changed her into new clothes. Farn told Mayra that her previous clothes were pierced by spikes and stained with blood, and it was inappropriate for her to see her mother looking like that. Now, Mayra, dressed in a brand-new dress and adorned with the gold and silver jewelry her mother had given her and had just brought to her room, stood before the door separating her from her mother, looking her best.

"Really? Okay, let's go in then."

After receiving confirmation from Mayra, Fane raised his hand, and a beam of light flew from his hand, heading towards a magic circle on the door. Once the magic was confirmed to be working correctly, the door finally opened.

"Mother...my lady!"

As the door slowly opened, and the crack in the door gradually widened, Mayera's eyes widened...

"...Are you Mayella?"

However, the moment she finally saw her mother with her own eyes, all her dreams and imaginations collapsed.

Before her stood a figure clad in terrifying black armor. She sat cross-legged on a vast, opulent throne. Mayera could only vaguely discern from the voice that the armored figure was female. It was only when Farn stepped forward, knelt, and addressed her as "Your Majesty the Demon King" that Mayera realized she was her mother.

What kind of expression did her mother, whose face was hidden in the helmet, show when she saw her? Mayera couldn't tell at all. But the words she uttered upon seeing her were so calm. Her attitude was as if the visitor wasn't her daughter, but merely an ordinary monster coming to report.

If her mother had smiled and opened her arms to Mayra, Mayra would have run to her without hesitation, jumped into her mother's arms, and cried her heart out, telling her how much she wanted to see her biological mother... But Mayra's legs were rooted to the spot, completely unable to move. She simply bowed her head and remained silent before her mother.

Upon seeing her like this, the mother angrily reprimanded Farn.

"Fan! Didn't I tell you to send someone to carefully educate her? Why can't she even perform the most basic courtesy of bowing when she sees me?"

"I am truly sorry, Your Majesty! This is the princess's first time meeting you, and she may be a little nervous and unsure of what to do... Princess, please kneel down and pay your respects to Your Majesty!"

As Fan knelt and apologized to the Demon King, he tugged at Mayella's sleeve. Mayella, of course, had learned about etiquette. Not only how to bow to a monarch, but also table manners, social etiquette, and so on, were all well-versed in under the strict guidance of her demon teacher.

But for some reason, she didn't want to bow to her mother. A strange sense of resistance welled up inside her. However, under Farn's repeated urging, she reluctantly knelt and bowed to her mother, who sat comfortably on the throne on the high platform, watching her.

"...This humble servant greets Your Majesty, Mother."

"Hmm, that's more like it. Get up."

Only after Maya performed the expected bow did the Demon King's mood seem to improve slightly. Following her mother's instructions, Maya stood up. The Demon King then watched her posture and appearance with great interest. Although she couldn't see her mother's eyes, Maya still felt herself being scrutinized from head to toe. The uncomfortable feeling made Maya want to look away. But she remembered her teacher's teachings to always present her best and most perfect self to others, because she was a princess. She desperately tried to keep her body still, but she couldn't suppress the instinctive trembling.

After an unknown amount of time, the Demon King finally finished admiring Mayella's appearance. She nodded.

"Hmm. Looks like you've grown up well. This outfit and those accessories complement each other perfectly. If I hadn't participated in battles and had been born into a wealthy family, I probably would have looked like this."

"Thank you, thank you for the compliment, Mother..."

"Your appearance is passable. Although you were reminded, it's clear you've taken etiquette lessons. Finally, I'd like to confirm one more thing... Maya, do you have a teacher in charge of your vocal and dance instruction?"

"Yes, yes..."

"So..."

Then, for the first time since birth, Mayella received a request from her mother.

"Show me how you dance right now."

"Dance, you mean?"

"It's not just about dancing. You also need to sing the songs you've learned. Don't try to cheat. I've been busy these past few days, and I've finally managed to squeeze out a little time to relax. Maya, you're the one to please me. I ordered Farn to find someone to teach you these things so I could unwind."

"..."

Upon seeing her daughter, the mother didn't hug her, nor did she inquire about her life, daily routine, or mental state. Instead, without thinking, she made demands solely to satisfy her own needs. More importantly, the monotonous and boring lessons that had tormented her since she was three, robbing her of her freedom and playtime, were, in the mother's words, merely meant to entertain and relax her. The meaning of her own existence and efforts seemed like a burst bubble. Mayera simply stood still. Her silent resistance was nothing more than a ploy to get her mother's attention to her current feelings.

However, this small effort was ultimately futile. Her indifference only earned her the Demon King's disgruntled urging.

"What's wrong? Hurry up and dance and sing!"

".......yes"

Knowing she couldn't defy her mother, Mayera bit her lip and stiffly began the dance she should have known by heart. She sang the songs she knew by heart in a choked voice. She danced gracefully before her mother. The Demon King didn't notice the tears streaming down his face as his daughter danced and sang. He simply tapped the armrest of his throne rhythmically with Mayera's angelic voice, watching her movements with great interest.

She had recently fallen from a great height, nearly losing her life. Now, she was forced to fulfill her mother's desires, which were completely different from her own. Anxiety, panic, sadness, pain... all these emotions erupted uncontrollably, ultimately affecting her movements. Before the song was finished, Mayera suddenly lost her balance due to a misstep and fell heavily to the ground.

The daughter suddenly fell to the ground, and any other parent would be worried and rush to help their child up, anxiously checking on her condition... But the Demon King was different.

"What's going on! Have you even been practicing properly?! Faen! Is the teacher you found really teaching her well?!"

The Demon King merely stood up angrily. He didn't descend from the platform to Meera's side, but instead remained there, looking down at his daughter and Fane, relentlessly berating them. Meera lay prostrate on the ground, weeping uncontrollably. Fane hurriedly knelt and explained...

"Yes, I'm sorry! The princess's dancing and singing are usually flawless. I think she was just too nervous..."

"Nervous? Then tell her to practice until she's no longer nervous before she comes to see me! Tell her teacher to double her training! She needs to practice until she can finish the routine even with her eyes closed! Until then, she's not allowed to leave the room! Understand?!"

"Yes, yes..."

"Then step back!"

After a deafening roar, the Demon King turned and left, disappearing into the depths of the Demon King's Chamber. Only Fan remained kneeling, and Meera wept uncontrollably...

She was thrown from the high wall onto the iron spikes, her flesh mercilessly pierced. Her mother, who never asked any questions about life or feelings, only demanded that Maya meet her expectations... experienced immense physical and mental trauma in a single day. All her beautiful fantasies shattered on that day, leaving her with only pain and sorrow far exceeding even the concept of the worst-case scenario. This was Maya's only feeling upon her first encounter with her mother: the Demon King.

"Since then, I've only been summoned by Mother when she's tired from work. Just to watch my singing and dancing to fill her boring rest time. Otherwise, I'm confined to my room, forced to learn more and more, waiting for the next order from Mother, which may never come... Do you understand, Sister Tatya...? To Mother, I'm nothing more than a toy for her to pass the time, for her amusement and entertainment..."

As she recounted her story, Meera's expression was one of profound sorrow. Her eyes were fixed on the bright moon hanging in the sky. This was a common sight for most, but a beautiful spectacle Meera could never witness in the Demon King's castle. Tears welled in her eyes again. Being able to stand here and confide her troubles to Tatia was one of the things Meera had always dreamed of.

Her appearance was truly heartbreaking. Even Tatia, listening to the story, felt a tightness in her chest, a pang of sadness. She had initially thought that Mayella's life of luxury and privilege in the Demon King's castle was something to be envied. But now, she felt pity for her because of her sorrow. She said apologetically...

"Well, how should I put it... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have asked."

Tatia had only asked the question to satisfy her own curiosity. She hadn't expected such a secret to be hidden in the Demon King's household. Her rash question had been quite rude and hurtful to Maya. Maya could only bow her head and sincerely apologize.

Although they had only met for two or three days, this wicked little devil had already deceived Tatia, and many others, on numerous occasions. But Tatia believed that only this recounting of the past, which had brought Mayra to tears multiple times, was a genuine expression of emotion without any lies.

At the same time, Tatia was once again convinced of a certain view.

"That demon king is so cold-blooded and indifferent even to her own daughter, no wonder she would order such a horrific decision as to exterminate our entire race..."

For Tatia, time spent with her parents was always blissful. She couldn't imagine, nor could she comprehend, that there were parents in the world so cruel and heartless towards their children. Although her mother was still alive, for Mayera, life with her mother was far more painful than life for someone who had already lost both parents. Tatia had initially harbored the illusion that the demon king who ravaged the world might actually be kind to her children. Now she realized that was merely her misplaced humility. There truly are evil people in the world who are so ruthless and cold-blooded towards everyone, even their own flesh and blood.

Mayra forced a smile and waved her hand dismissively.

"It's alright. That's all in the past. There haven't been any conflicts between my mother and me in recent years. Besides... I haven't seen her for almost three years. Perhaps my mother has already forgotten about me... But if I'm taken back, what awaits me is still this kind of dark and hopeless life..."

"..."

"I truly envy you, Sister Tatsia. You can live freely in this vast world, going wherever you want, doing whatever you want, without having to worry about anyone... And there's that sister named Naka. She's a complete stranger to you, yet she's willing to do everything in her power to help you through your troubles, and almost sacrificed herself for you... So I really want to meet Sister Naka. To be able to go to such lengths for a complete stranger, she must be a very kind and compassionate person... Why are all the strangers Sister Tatsia encounters so kind to you, while my own mother... Sigh, sometimes I really hate my immortality. If only I could die and choose my parents again, how wonderful that would be..."

"Mayera..."

"Alright, Sister Tatya... since you answered my question, I've mercifully resolved your doubts as well. Let's rest. Aren't we going to that... Adventurers' Guild, for example, early tomorrow morning?"

"...Um"

A heavy feeling lingered in Tatsia's heart. Those stories left her with so much to say, but she didn't know how to begin, given her position and circumstances. Dawn was breaking. They could only cherish their remaining sleep. They lay down on the bed without even unpacking their luggage.

The bed in the top-tier suite was even more comfortable and softer than Tatia had imagined. But she had no heart to enjoy it. Soon, Mayera was snoring, while she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. The story Mayera had just told her lingered in her mind.

The apparent disparity in their wealth had fueled Tatsia's jealousy and resentment towards Mayra. But unbeknownst to her, Mayra saw much more in her, something that aroused even greater envy. Mayra's words were no longer simply filled with envy or jealousy, but rather with a desperate lament about the injustice of fate.

Taqia couldn't help but see someone in her figure... none other than herself from the past.

When she learned that she had killed her mother with her own hands, and that her father had died shortly afterward, Tatia was filled with the same despair. She also hated the world that had burdened her with such a heavy fate. She even considered ending her own life, bidding farewell forever to this world that made life unbearable...

Then, a ray of light appeared before Tatsia. She pulled Tatsia back from the brink of despair. She told Tatsia that she could not die yet. She told Tatsia that she must personally deal with the culprits who had forced her to accept this fate. Her words became Tatsia's pillar of support, her reason to continue living in this world.

That sole hope was named Naka. And the demon who took everything from Tatia, forcing her to part from her parents at such a young age and bear a heavy burden that a girl her age should not have to carry, was named the Demon King: Nama Kallenra.

And now, the Demon King's daughter before her was, in a sense, a victim whose everything had been taken from and destroyed by the Demon King. If it weren't for the Demon King, she wouldn't have ended up so unfortunate. And now she was trapped in the same state as she had been. Tatia knew all too well what fate awaited Mayara if she were left unattended, or allowed to be captured by the Demon King's army. Unable to die, her long-cooled heart would eventually crumble...

But what can I do?

Tatia was just an orphan elven girl, currently relying on the Demon King's daughter's charity to avoid ending up on the streets. Even if she sympathized with Meera and wanted to help her, she was powerless to do so. Moreover, Tatia never forgot her ultimate goal: to find Naka and kill the Demon King. No matter how much the Demon King had wronged Meera, he was still one of Meera's few remaining relatives. Tatia couldn't abandon her goal of killing the Demon King. Meera, in turn, was destined not to readily agree to Tatia killing her mother. The two were destined to go in completely different directions, destined to never reach the same destination.

Tatiana didn't sleep a wink that night. She was filled with the bitter feeling of wanting to help others in similar situations, but being forced to suppress those feelings for various reasons.

All parties began to take action

When Pais saw the two people again, he was really startled.

Pais arrived home late last night, long after her parents had gone to bed. The next morning, she had to handle Mayera's adventurer registration and party formation procedures. Pais hadn't managed a good night's sleep. When she met up with the drowsy Mayera and Tatia in front of the guild, both women walked over listlessly, their eyes heavy with dark circles and drooping eyelids. Mayera, who had had the energy to smirk and mock her yesterday, could only weakly say "Good morning," while Tatia didn't even have the strength to speak, merely nodding perfunctorily. Pais didn't know what had happened between them last night, but it was clear that neither of them had gotten a good night's sleep.

After a brief inquiry, Pais learned from Mayra that after parting ways with him the previous night, they had gone to find a hotel and were now sharing a suite. However, Mayra didn't explain why they both looked so dejected. Pais tried to ask, but they both gave vague and evasive answers, as if they had rehearsed their stories beforehand. Pais, exasperated, finally gave up trying to get to the bottom of it. He figured they were old acquaintances, and perhaps they were talking about something irrelevant to him, something they couldn't tell him.

After exchanging a few pleasantries and expressing their gratitude for last night's mission, the three of them entered the guild.