The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

But she had no time to dwell on memories and sentimentality. She strode towards the villagers and asked, feigning friendliness,

"that..."

"Huh?... It's... it's a witch!"

However, the moment the villagers saw Naka, their expressions changed drastically, as if they had encountered some kind of evil spirit or monster. Pointing at Naka and screaming in terror, they threw their tools to the ground and vanished from the street in a flash. The once-popular village instantly became as desolate as a ghost town. Naka was left standing there, bewildered and confused.

Where the witch once set foot

"W-what happened?"

Before entering the city, Nakat deliberately used "disguise." Now, even if scanned by an ability detection device, she would only appear as a human saintess. She even smiled when greeting people to show that she meant no harm. There shouldn't have been anything wrong, but the villagers fled for their lives the moment they saw her.

More importantly, the villagers called her a "witch" simply because they saw her. What does "witch" mean? And why would they mistake her, an ordinary saint who was visiting this place for a first-timer, for a witch?

Just as Naka was wondering what was going on, the villagers who had fled earlier suddenly rushed out again. This time, they were all fully armed, each carrying a knife—either for slaughtering pigs or chopping vegetables—and surrounded Naka from all sides, shouting slogans.

"That damned witch! She's killed so many people, and she still dares to come back!"

"Now that you're back, it seems that even that hero couldn't defeat you... But we will absolutely not surrender! Our village will never allow a great demon like you to run rampant!"

The first two sentences were still somewhat tolerable. The rest were filled with vulgar and offensive language, directly attacking Naka personally. Naka's forehead veins bulged. But despite their rant, not one of them dared to step forward and be the first to speak up. They simply surrounded Naka, and then made no further move.

However, upon closer listening to their statements, their use of phrases like "dared to come back" and "came back again" clearly indicated that the witch they hated had visited the village. Naka, on the other hand, had absolutely no recollection of this. She had neither been to this village nor done anything to harm it. Although she had killed many people, it was all done in extremely secretive circumstances, only after confirming there were no third-party informants. It was impossible for the people of this small village to know.

It was obvious they had mistaken her for someone else. They had confused her with someone else entirely. This allowed Naka, who at least felt no guilt in this village, to suppress her anger and prevent herself from immediately razing the entire village to the ground. She tried to calmly explain to the villagers who were brandishing weapons at her.

"Um, excuse me. I'm just a traveler, this is my first time passing through this village... You haven't made a mistake, have you?"

"A mistake...?"

Upon hearing Naka's words, the villagers, who had been feigning a death-defying resolve, immediately exchanged bewildered glances and began to murmur amongst themselves.

"Isn't that her? Her hair color and build are almost identical..."

"But the clothes seem a bit different, don't they? I've seen that witch before, and she wasn't wearing this nun's habit."

"Are you stupid? Clothes can be changed. Maybe that witch killed some saintess and stole her clothes?"

"But...it doesn't feel like a single person..."

At first, most of the villagers refused to believe Naka. However, as they discussed the matter, they observed that Naka's appearance and behavior were not what they had expected. Gradually, more and more people genuinely became skeptical. Soon, the number of those who believed they had mistaken Naka for someone else and those who thought Naka was simply lying reached an equal number. They were caught between raising their weapons and not daring to easily discard them. Chaos erupted at the scene, and no one knew what to do.

During this time, Naka simply stood there motionless, letting them think and speculate. Rather than wasting words explaining anything, she decided to demonstrate her lack of hostility through her actions. Her indifference only further confused the villagers. The situation reached a stalemate.

"...Disperse, everyone."

Just then, an aged voice rang out from behind the crowd, breaking the awkward atmosphere. The villagers immediately parted to make way. From the very back, an elderly man with white hair and a cane slowly walked over. He made his way through the crowd to Naka's side.

"Village chief! She..."

A villager cried out in alarm, fearing that Naka might do something dangerous to the old man. But the old man simply waved his hand to stop him. He could tell that if Naka were truly the target they were wary of, she wouldn't just stand there obediently, waiting for them to figure it out themselves. Moreover, the aura emanating from Naka was different from the witches he knew. Therefore, he dared to approach Naka to confirm her identity.

"Are you the village chief?"

Before the old man could speak, Naka seized the opportunity to speak. Judging from the man's address and the villagers' unanimous gesture of making way for him, this old man was clearly a person of extremely high status in the village. And indeed, the old man nodded to her.

"Yes. I am the village chief of this village... May I ask this young lady's name, where she comes from, and where she is going?"

"Are you going to interrogate everyone who passes through this village like they're checking their household registration? Even the entry procedures for big cities aren't this complicated."

"I'm truly sorry, young lady, but your appearance is remarkably similar to that of a man who once terrorized our village and caused havoc, making everyone somewhat wary. If you could explain your purpose, I'm sure they would understand and stop bothering you."

The village chief's words did make some sense. To quickly clear up the misunderstanding, Naka honestly revealed her identity.

"My name is Naka..."

Of course, all the information she provided was a lie. But Naka, who had already memorized these deceptive statements and elaborate narratives, spoke fluently and methodically. The simple villagers were immediately fooled by her lies. They all laid down their weapons, and not a single one expressed any further doubt.

After hearing the whole story of how she came to be there, the village chief bowed deeply to Naka in apology.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Naka. My villagers really misunderstood you, mistaking you for that wicked witch. You are a guest, and we failed to fulfill our hospitality, causing a very bad impression on you. Please allow me to apologize to you on behalf of the villagers and the village."

"No...it's okay."

Although Naka wanted to conceal her identity and avoid large-scale human slaughter—an act that could potentially expose her identity and actions—before her grand plan was completed, this didn't mean she would readily accept the insults. If the misunderstanding wasn't cleared up, this place would be reduced to ashes tonight. Fortunately, the village chief's intervention calmed Naka's anger. In the end, it was just a misunderstanding caused by a series of unfortunate events. Naka didn't want to dwell on it any longer.

But the village chief's words went beyond a simple apology. He raised his head, slightly turned his body, and spread his palms out towards a house behind the crowd.

"Miss Naka, if you have the time, please come to my humble abode for a chat. I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Isn't that necessary? I still have a long way to go..."

"Miss Naka just mentioned that you're looking for a young hero named Oz, right? ... I, this old man, know a little about that boy."

"...What?"

"It's cold outside, and I don't think it's a wise choice to have a long talk in the street... So, Miss Naka, would you do me the honor?"

"..."

Naka didn't want to delve into the matter of the witch. Now that the misunderstanding had been cleared up, she just wanted to get on her way quickly. However, the village chief suddenly stated that he knew about her target: Oz. Therefore, Naka had no reason to refuse the invitation. At the village chief's invitation, she finally followed him to his home. Soon after, the villagers who had gathered together naturally dispersed and went home. The village, which had been stirred up by an unexpected misunderstanding, once again returned to the embrace of the peaceful night.

"Please have a seat, Miss Naka."

After inviting Naka to his home, the village chief asked Naka to sit down in a chair in the living room, while he poured a cup of hot tea and placed it on the table in front of Naka.

For the Demon King of Level ∞, nothing in the world posed any threat to Naka. However, just to be on the safe side, Naka carefully examined the color and floating matter of her tea before drinking it, and meticulously smelled it to ensure there were no unnecessary additives. Her cautious manner prompted the village chief to jokingly remark...

"Miss Naka truly lives up to her reputation as a strong woman."

"A strong, independent woman?"

"Yes. As a saintess without any combat abilities, you dare to embark on a journey alone. Before accepting anything from strangers, you repeatedly check for any danger. It's clear you're an experienced and courageous woman who never lets her guard down... Can't we call you a strong woman?"

"All right..."

Naka didn't intend to deny his praise, after all, what he said was the truth that resonated with her. However, Naka only took a sip of tea before putting it down, solemnly reminding him...

"Let's leave the gossip here... I came here with you to find out about Oz."

"Yes, I remember. Although I'm getting old, I'm not so senile as to forget such a crucial matter."

"Then tell me quickly."

"I understand, cough cough..."

The village chief hadn't lied to Naka. He did know about Oz. While not in great detail—as he'd said before, only to a superficial degree—it was enough to point Naka in a clear direction.

But when he actually spoke, he said...

"...It all started with that witch."

.........

"Witch"... this isn't the scientific name of the creature that had troubled the villagers for so long. It's just a common name that unknowingly spread among the villagers because of the creature's overwhelming power and extremely cruel methods of killing. And the source of it all was that day half a month ago.

This village is located right next to a road leading to a large city. Therefore, many adventurers come and go every day. Outsiders are not a novelty here. When the witch arrived, the villagers simply treated her as an ordinary traveler. Her slender figure, silver-white hair, and elegant movements were not frightening at all; in fact, they were quite alluring. Her gorgeous dress gave her the air of a wealthy young lady from somewhere.

But the night she checked into a village house under the pretext of spending the night, they knew they were wrong... The woman who came to the village was not as harmless as she appeared. Beneath her small body lurked a demon that terrified everyone.

That night, a group of fully armed soldiers shattered the silence. They pounded on the doors and roared in a way that could be heard by many families in the village.

"We are soldiers of the kingdom! Woman in the house! We have evidence that you are the murderer in the serial killings that occurred in three cities! Lay down your weapons and surrender! Otherwise, we have the right to execute you on the spot!"

They appeared to be government officials on a long-distance manhunt. They were certain the girl staying at the guesthouse was the vicious criminal they were after. Having shown their identification, the guesthouse owner had no choice but to open the door for them. The soldiers swarmed in and rushed into the small room.

What happened next can only be described as hell on earth.

Large amounts of blood were splattered on the mud-brick walls and windows. The blood seeped into the walls, turning the outer edges crimson. The stench of blood was clearly audible even from outside. The scene inside was even more gruesome. Soldiers' torsos, entrails, heads... and other human parts filled every corner of the room. Even the most recognizable human corpse was gone. When villagers came to investigate afterward, they couldn't even determine how many people had died inside.

As the massacre began, the soldiers' screams echoed through the sky. Many villagers rushed to see what was happening, and after the guesthouse owner explained what had happened, some villagers, driven by a strong sense of justice, decided to help the soldiers. They grabbed whatever weapons they could find and rushed into the house. As a result, they too became part of the mangled carnage within the house. Even their families were ultimately unable to find their loved ones' remains amidst that gruesome mess.

The brutal slaughter continued until no one dared approach the house anymore. The villagers who had come to watch, and those who had initially intended to help, were all terrified when they saw the endless rivers of blood flowing from the doors and windows. They didn't even think to approach; everyone turned and ran. In less than a minute, the once bustling little house was completely deserted within a hundred-meter radius.

After all the attackers had died, a loud crash suddenly came from the roof of the house. A beautiful, silver-white figure, amidst the blood, leaped onto the roof. A melodious laugh, which became a nightmare for all the villagers, escaped before disappearing from the village.

The next day, no matter how hard the villagers searched, they couldn't find any trace of the girl. Only her terrifying figure and the sinister laugh she left behind before disappearing remained forever in the villagers' hearts, leading them to call her that.

"witch"

...

"...About a week ago, a boy named Oz came to the village. For some reason, he was very weak. He was covered in wounds and looked like he hadn't eaten for days. He collapsed at the entrance of our village. Although we've all become somewhat distrustful of outsiders after this incident, his condition wasn't feigned; he was genuinely starving and freezing. His wounds were starting to reopen. If we left him alone, I thought he would surely die in our village...so we ended up rescuing him. We treated his wounds and fed him. He finally woke up after being unconscious for a day."

The boy said his name was Oz. He was on his way to find someone very important to him, and in his haste, he had forgotten to eat and forget his pain. But we had saved his life, so he was determined to repay us.

At that time, our work at the scene wasn't completely finished. He happened to pass by and asked what had happened. After we told him what had happened that night, he said he would cut off the witch's head as a reward for saving his life, to wipe away our nightmare forever. After all, the witch might very well return to this village... That very day, he dragged his still-healing body on his way. The witch's voice disappeared from the west. So he also headed west of the village... That's all I know.”

"..."

As the village chief recounted the events that had transpired in the village, Naka remained silent throughout. However, her fists were clenched tightly, trembling uncontrollably.

Remarkably similar in appearance to Naka, possessing the combat prowess to easily annihilate hordes of soldiers, coupled with the strange ability to vanish into thin air... in Naka's mind, there is only one person who fits these characteristics.

"Could it be... Plum...?"

The name of the creature she had bestowed upon herself—the Demon Princess, the Dark Queen—a creation she had made using the "Demon King's Power of Creation," a being that resembled an avatar of herself, immediately flashed into Naka's mind. The girl who had disappeared without a trace after leaving the Demon King's castle without a word had appeared here.

They came to this village to find Oz, but unexpectedly, they had a discovery that even the word "coincidence" cannot describe.

Naka didn't want Meera to kill humans. Not out of kindness, but because she believed that Meera, who had never left the Demon King's castle, would be reckless and ruthless. If Meera were to use her power recklessly in the human world, it would inevitably cause a huge ripple effect. This would be a major unplanned event for both Naka's covert operations and the Demon King's army, which was in a standoff with humanity. Yet, Meera had already gone against her own will and committed numerous atrocities. Judging from the words of the soldiers she had killed, this wasn't the only bloodshed she had committed in the human world that was known to the kingdom. Naka had underestimated Meera's abilities and capabilities; the situation had already escalated to a point of no return without Naka's knowledge.

While the village chief wasn't looking, Naka secretly gripped the cross-shaped communication device hanging around her neck. In her mind, she shouted to Fane on the other end.

"Fan! Emergency!"

"I understand, Your Majesty... It seems the situation is more serious than we imagined!"

Farn didn't seem to be busy with any work today. He quickly responded to Naka. Naka immediately gave the order.

"I ordered Diaz to report to me immediately upon finding Mayra and not to act rashly... but now there's no time to wait for me to get there! Tell Diaz that once he finds Mayra, he doesn't need to report to me first. He must immediately take Mayra into custody and not let her move an inch! Report to me only after Diaz has confirmed her capture! Otherwise, while I'm on my way, it's hard to say whether Mayra might do something foolish that would cause us trouble! I grant him the right to disregard the formalities between ruler and subject and take any measures against Mayra if necessary!"

"Yes, sir!"

"besides..."

From the village chief's words, we know that Oz has also changed his plans and is now searching for Mayra's whereabouts. Naka believes that Oz is no match for Mayra. There's no way he can bring Mayra's head back to the village. However, if he does make contact with Mayra, he might be coerced or lured into becoming her bodyguard and working alongside her.

If that's the case, Naka thinks she doesn't need to personally kill Oz anymore.

"...If he discovers a young hero, around fourteen or fifteen years old, with Meira, order him to decapitate that young hero while capturing Meira. Then, hand him over to me along with Meira."

"Understood, Lord Fan."

Farn dared not neglect the Demon King's urgent order. After ending his communication with the Demon King, he immediately relayed it to Diaz, who was in Vado Town. Although it was different from what had been agreed upon, Diaz naturally accepted the Demon King's command without hesitation.

"You must be careful, Diaz. The princess...

"I am well aware that Her Majesty is immortal, Lord Fane. Please rest assured, both you and the Demon King... Even though the princess possesses many extraordinary abilities, I, Dias, am still confident in capturing Her Majesty."

"...I trust you"

Diaz is unlike any of the other officers. He's a seasoned warrior who has been working alongside Naka for over a century. It's fair to say that, besides Fan, he's Naka's most trusted subordinate. With some prior precautions, Fan believes Diaz can easily handle Meera. This time, the loyal Diaz will surely return victorious.

In fact, Diaz immediately lived up to Fan's expectations and informed him of a very important piece of information.

"Lord Fan, in fact, I have now found Her Majesty the Princess... and there is indeed a young hero accompanying her."

"Really...really?!"

"Yes. I will immediately begin the operation. Please convey to Her Majesty the Demon King, Lord Fan, that she should await good news. I will soon deliver Her Majesty the princess and the young hero's heads to her."

After saying this, Diaz cut off the communication. He emerged from behind a tree and stood before Tatia and Meera, who were now at their wits' end.

"Your Highness, I have been waiting here for quite some time."

.......

After leaving the Adventurers' Guild, where did Tatia, Meera, and Pais go? What happened? And how were they discovered by Diaz?

To explain all this, we need to go back in time a bit...

Author's Note: There are guild wars to fight on PCR these next few days. I may not be able to guarantee daily updates until the 30th. I hope you can understand.

A small celebration banquet

Diaz picked up the cup of coffee in front of him and drank it all in one gulp.

Finding the princess was no easy task. He visited every crowded place in the city. Whether it was due to bad timing or because his target wasn't in the city at the moment, Diaz found nothing. Now, he was in a small Western restaurant, enjoying human cuisine while observing the passersby inside and outside. The princess he was searching for, Nama Mayera, had silver hair, making her stand out in a crowd. As an insectoid, she possessed compound eyes with a field of vision far exceeding that of humans. Even after transforming her appearance into that of a young human male, she could still use the natural advantages of her race. But Diaz still couldn't find that glimmer of white light among the common black and brown hair.

Vado Town was, after all, a prosperous city with thriving commerce. Its area was also among the largest in the human kingdoms. However, sitting here wasn't a wise move. Diaz wasn't a hasty person. But completing the mission and reporting to the Demon King as soon as possible would not only benefit the Demon King's army's subsequent strategic deployment but also greatly assist the Demon King, while simultaneously securing unparalleled rewards for himself. Therefore, Diaz decided to set off again. Not waiting for the princess to come to him, but relying on his own two legs... no, strictly speaking, multiple legs to search.

He tilted his head back and finished the entire cup of coffee. This beverage, which didn't exist in the Demon Kingdom, had a strange bitter taste, but after the bitterness subsided, a mellow aroma followed. It was truly irresistible. Because of his many battles and conflicts with humans as a general in the Demon King's army, Diaz harbored many prejudices and contempts towards them. But he had to admit that there were indeed some interesting things that only humans could create.

"Boss, please pay the bill."

After finishing his coffee, it was time to get started. He called the owner over to his table to inquire about the price. After paying the amount the owner quoted, he suddenly asked...