The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

"Never mind... just remember to report anything promptly."

"Your subordinate will keep this in mind."

Having given her final instructions, Naka vanished from Kemre's sight in a flash.

"..."

Long after Naka left, Kemre didn't move. He just stared at the magic circle on the ground, lost in thought. Then he turned back to look at the fallen mage. In that instant, something sprouted in Kemre's heart.

"Uh-huh?"

Jasmine was having a series of heart-pounding dates with all sorts of handsome men. But suddenly, the sound of rushing water abruptly broke them up. After saying goodbye to the guys, the first thing Jasmine saw was a wooden ceiling. She realized she was still lying in her hotel bed. Sitting up, she looked out the window; it was still pitch black. At the same time, she caught a glimpse of light coming from the bathroom, and the sound of water that had woken her was coming from there.

Did I forget to turn off the water?

Jasmine rubbed her sleepy eyes and went to check the bathroom. Pushing open the door, she saw Naka sitting naked on a wooden chair. She picked up a basin of water and poured it over her head, making a loud splashing sound.

"Naka...? You're back?"

"You're awake, Jasmine. Sorry to disturb your sleep."

"No...where did you go? Why are you back so late?"

"I didn't go anywhere, just had some personal business... but it's all taken care of now. I'm going to take a bath later. I shouldn't make too much noise. You go back to sleep. I'll go to sleep after I'm done."

"Alright. You should go to sleep early too. Didn't you agree to meet that boy tomorrow morning? Don't be late. Heh..."

Although Jasmine was worried about Naka and wanted to know why she was back so late, and why she was taking a shower so late instead of waiting until morning, she was too sleepy to keep her eyes open and just wanted to crawl back into bed. She didn't bother asking any more questions. After a brief exchange, Jasmine yawned and went back to bed, returning to her paradise where handsome men gathered.

Before Jasmine went to the bathroom, Naka had already washed her hair many times. Each time, she would pull a strand of hair to her nose and smell it several times. After Jasmine left, she repeated this process four more times before finally immersing herself in the bathtub filled with hot water.

"Phew...that feels good!"

The comforting hot water relieved Naka's fatigue from the long journey, and she enjoyed the sensation of the water's warmth spreading across her skin. Even using the Demon King's power, returning from the Eastern Kingdom would have consumed a great deal of energy. Even the Demon King needs to nourish himself when he's tired.

As she scooped up a handful of hot water and splashed it on herself, Naka recalled the meeting she had just had, still filled with many emotions. It had been two years since she had held a meeting with her subordinates as the Demon King, and to be honest, she was starting to feel a little out of sorts. Especially referring to herself as "I" in front of them. It was a slightly embarrassing title for Naka at this point. However, she had recently encountered too many troubles that she could only suffer in silence, and being able to freely display her authority as a king had given Naka a much-needed relief from stress.

The meeting ended with a less than optimistic outcome. There are many things around her that warrant attention. However, what Naka is most concerned about is Komre's final words.

"Do I have any particularly noticeable odor?"

...

According to Jasmine, she was woken up twice that night. The second time she was woken up, she could hear Nakana's rapid and heavy breathing echoing throughout the room, even while she was lying in bed.

The first mission in fact

Thank you for your patronage!

The shop owner warmly saw off the two customers who had just made a lavish purchase. Encountering such generous customers so early in the morning was perhaps a sign of good business.

When she left the store, Tatia was dressed completely differently than when she entered.

Unlike his previous tattered, rusty, and worn-out armor, his current attire, from his breastplate to his boots, is completely new, lightweight, and sturdy. His sword has also been replaced with a gleaming, sharp blade. The boy, who was recently covered in dust and grime, now exudes energy and vitality. He incredulously touches his new gear with disbelief. For this poor boy, these were luxuries he had only ever seen through shop windows before. Now, actually wearing them, he can hardly contain his excitement.

"Naka-nee... thank you so much!"

Tatiana bowed deeply to Naka, his great benefactor who had bought these things for him, in gratitude. Naka gently lifted him up by the shoulder.

"There are only the two of us in the team now. We won't be able to beat the monsters if you don't get better gear. This is just to ensure the mission succeeds."

"Yeah, I know... but even if Naka doesn't team up with me anymore, I'll be able to fight monsters on my own. I'll always remember Naka's help!"

"Your little scheme has been exposed, Your Majesty the Demon King."

"Shut up, Fan."

After dismissing Fan's sudden interruption, Naka began to walk forward. Tatsia skipped and hopped ahead of her.

Seeing Tatsia cheering with joy after receiving her new equipment, Naka's heart warmed considerably. It reminded Naka of the boys in the village. Actually, at Tatsia's age, she should naturally be this lively. The equipment she had chosen for her made him look quite imposing.

However, there was one thing that still bothered Naka quite a bit.

"I already told you I'd buy you some equipment, why are you still carrying this piece of junk? You should just throw it away."

Yesterday I told him I'd buy him new gear so he could come without it. But today at the assembly, he was still wearing that tattered outfit. Naka had no choice but to carry his old gear for him. But the only thing Tatya insisted on carrying was the longsword. Even after changing into the new gear, she refused to take it off.

"Um... this sword was left to me by my mother..."

"Takia said softly. The mention of his mother brought a touch of sadness to his face, which had just been cheerful.

"Your mother? Speaking of which, what is your mother doing now? Is your father sick at home, and your mother taking care of him? Or is she out looking for work like you?"

My mother...is missing.

At this point, Tatia's eyelids drooped. Her hopping and skipping steps came to a halt.

"My mother has been missing for many years. I've been searching for her, but I can't find any news about her. Later, my father fell ill. I had to take care of him first. This sword was forged by my mother herself before she disappeared. Seeing it reminds me of what I should do..."

"...Sorry, I didn't know."

The usually tearful Tatya clenched her teeth to hold back her tears when she mentioned her mother. Although she might cry over other things, she knew she had to be strong and not show weakness in this matter. Her forced bravado was truly heartbreaking. Naka couldn't help but apologize for her slip of the tongue.

"But even if you don't throw away this sword, carrying it won't help you in combat at all. In fact, carrying an extra weight will hinder your agility. You might as well just leave it at home."

Tatia shook her head

"Carrying this sword gives me a strange sense of security. It's like my mother is always by my side, never leaving. When I want to give up, I always feel like my mother is secretly encouraging me... It's like a talisman."

"..."

The boy projected his longing for his mother onto objects, a sentiment Naka dismissed. Inanimate objects are, after all, inanimate; they cannot replace the living. Excessive emotion only gets in the way at crucial moments. But Naka swallowed these words. Sometimes, it's best to leave these truthful yet hurtful words unsaid.

However, besides weapons, Naka had other things she cared about.

"Is this headband one too?"

Naka pointed to the green headband wrapped around his forehead.

"You were wearing it when I first met you. Even when you changed equipment, you didn't switch to the iron headband I recommended. Is it something you cherish?"

"Um, this..."

Tatia's sorrowful expression instantly transformed into one of tension and panic. It seemed to differ from the hidden story surrounding the sword. She began to stammer.

"This... well, it's kind of a keepsake from my mother. Without wearing it, I... how should I put it, I feel uncomfortable?"

"..."

"It's the same situation as with the sword. Sister Naka, you don't need to worry about it... Let's go, or we won't be able to get any good quests."

After saying that, Tatya started running off again. Naka had observed all of this.

"This kid was definitely hiding something from me."

Yesterday when I asked him why he was rejected from joining a team, it was the same thing, and it's happening now. His unnatural behavior makes it impossible to hide the fact that he's lying. Abruptly changing the subject will only expose him further.

Naka had initially intended to say, "It's none of my business; we'll be saying goodbye in a month." But now she was becoming quite curious about what the boy was hiding. It couldn't be ignored any longer. However, there wasn't a good opportunity to bring it up right now. Naka could only follow along, taking it one step at a time.

Since Naka and Tatsia were using fake identities to team up, they couldn't let others see them accepting quests together. So Naka suggested that Tatsia go somewhere else first, while she went in alone to accept the quest, and then they would meet up again. Fortunately, their old friend, the receptionist, was also there, and Naka easily accepted the quest.

Their task today is to deal with the fish monsters that inhabit the Isaad Forest.

According to the mission description, this strange fish suddenly appeared in the lake in the Isard Forest last week. It is over ten meters long, incredibly strong, and exceptionally ferocious. It not only devours large numbers of fish and shrimp in the lake but also attacks humans traveling by boat. It can even swallow a large person whole.

The mission was quite difficult and carried a certain degree of danger. But precisely because of this, the reward was very substantial. So Naka accepted the mission without hesitation.

This time, the goal isn't to kill the hero, but to successfully complete the quest. Naka now needs a high-difficulty mission to wash away the stigma of being a "cursed saintess." It could be said that this mission is her true first quest as an adventurer.

"Are you the adventurers who came to help us after receiving our request for assistance?"

The mission location is a lake in the heart of the Isard Forest. An elderly couple lives in a small cabin by the lake, making a living by logging. This mission was initiated by them.

The old man looked at Naka and Tatya, who had rushed over with the mission order, with a distrustful expression.

"I thought a few strong young men would come. It's just a little girl and a kid, what can you two do?"

Please don't judge a book by its cover.

Naka responded righteously and sternly.

"I've already checked the difficulty of this mission. We're both fine."

"Um...."

Although the saintess seemed reliable, the hero on the other side was visibly tense, constantly looking around and clutching his robes. "Are these two really alright?" the old man couldn't help but wonder.

"Fine, let you try. Anyway, I won't be responsible if anything goes wrong."

The old man led them to the lakeside. There, a small wooden boat was moored. Numerous repairs suggested it was quite old. The narrow, short boat could probably only accommodate two people.

"This target is different from ordinary fish. It's incredibly clever. I tried leading a large group of people to the surface of the lake, but it just wouldn't come out. I thought it had escaped, but when I went fishing alone, it caught me off guard and nearly killed me. It's better to lure it out with fewer people. Miss, if you want to back out, now's the time. Once you're on the lake, no one can guarantee you'll come back alive."

"Get on board, young man."

"Um!"

Naka had given a long and earnest plea, but the old man completely ignored her. Without hesitation, she boarded the wooden boat, and Tatsia followed suit. The two sat facing each other. The old man couldn't tell if they were truly confident or simply didn't take his senile words seriously. He could only conclude with a simple "May you have a safe journey," helping them push the boat into the water, and watching them row into the middle of the vast lake.

Naka was at the helm. She held the oar and rowed gently. The small boat moved slowly across the vast lake.

Real identity

In the past, many people would travel by boat across this lake, either to enjoy the scenery or to run errands on the other side. But because of the strange fish, now only Naka's small boat is on the lake.

A gentle breeze rippled across the water, spreading outwards. The steaming wind caressed Naka and Tatsia, bringing a comforting feeling rarely found in the city. Gradually, Tatsia's gaze was drawn to the dark green forest on the other side of the lake. She stared intently into the distance. This exhilarating feeling seemed to remind her of something, and a hint of loneliness crept into her eyes.

"Don't get distracted. We're here to do a mission, not for sightseeing."

"Ah, yes, I'm sorry..."

When they reached a certain point in the lake, Naka put down her oars, drawing Tatsia's attention back from her reverie. Now, their mission officially began.

"Young man, try using magic to strike underwater."

"Huh? Magic?"

"Yes. That guy hasn't shown up yet. So we can try to lure it out. The most effective way is, of course, to give it a little stimulation."

"but..."

While heroes are a class that fights with swords as their weapons and martial arts as their primary skills, they also have some knowledge of magic. Although not as powerful as formal mages, a level 5 hero has at least a basic grasp of the lowest level of elemental magic. However, when faced with the request to use a spell, Tatya stammered and seemed completely at a loss for words.

"What's wrong? Go ahead and hit me."

"I...I..."

"You don't even know how to use magic, do you?"

"!!"

Tatya, who was still trying to figure out how to brush it off, was genuinely startled by Naka's words. In fact, Naka had already guessed most of what was going on during their initial battle.

"That day I told you you could use magic or weapons. In the end, you only used sword skills and didn't use magic once. At that time, I thought it wasn't that you didn't want to, but that you simply didn't know how."

"sorry..."

A level 5 hero who can't even cast the lowest-level spell would be a laughingstock. Tatya really didn't want others to know she had little magical talent. It was simply too shameful.

However, Naka didn't seem to care at all.

"It's alright. I knew you couldn't use magic, so I prepared this in advance."

As she spoke, Naka pulled a long hemp rope from her bosom. Smiling, she approached Tatya.

"It might hurt a little. Just bear with it."

"Na... Naka-nee, what are you doing...?"

Naka's smile appeared entirely malicious to Tatsia. He immediately had a bad feeling. Naka's answer confirmed his fears.

"Nothing much. Since you can't cast a spell down there, you'll just have to go down into the water and find our giant monster fish yourself."

"Eh? Eh? Eh?"

Because Naka had assured him there would be no problems when she accepted the mission, he felt reassured and followed her here. Now, however, Taqia felt like she had been tricked. While he was still in shock, trying to figure out what to say, the quick-witted Naka had already tied a rope around his waist with lightning speed.

"Alright, go down. If you find it, try cutting it once, then pull the rope three times. I'll pull you up, and that will lure it to the surface."

"No no no no no no..."

Tatiana waved her hands repeatedly. He still had many questions that needed to be answered.

"Sister Naka, I'm not doubting you... but do you have the strength to pull me up? Even if you could, I don't think this boat could hold up..."

"It doesn't matter"

"Besides, what if it swallows me whole...?"