The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

"Don't be shy, Naka! It's because Naka is so beautiful and cute... even as cute as me, that's why everyone's looking at you! You have to be confident in your looks! It would be such a waste to hide such a pretty face!"

Not only that, she also cheered Naka on, encouraging her to be brave.

"Am I... good-looking...? Am I cute...?"

Naka asked Mayera the question, and at the same time, she was asking herself the question.

Because before this, no one had ever said such a thing to her.

Mayera nodded, giving an affirmative answer.

If there were only one, it wouldn't be surprising. But when two identical things appear, it draws attention to the incredible and unusual. Perhaps it's because Naka, as the former Demon King, was too powerful, her strength too dazzling, to the point that it overshadowed her appearance. For these reasons, Naka didn't have a clear understanding of her own appearance, and was never praised for her looks by those around her.

Although the specific reasons and process are unknown, that's roughly how Mayera believes it.

At the same time, Mayella believes that she is the same.

Previously, due to her suspicions about Naka and her jealousy of Naka's relationship with Tatsia, Mayera hadn't carefully observed Naka's appearance. Now, considering her as her own older sister, Mayera couldn't help but be attracted by Naka's natural maturity beyond her youthful appearance, a maturity only a strong person could possess, a completely different androgynous temperament, and a learned and knowledgeable intellectual aura.

Although she wasn't good at makeup, Naka's hidden potential even made Mayera feel inferior...

"Oh, right!"

Suddenly remembering something, Mayera slapped her hand. Then she grabbed Naka and pointed to a cosmetics store on the street.

"Sister Naka, to thank you for buying me clothes, I'll buy you something in return... Since you don't realize how beautiful you are, I'll dress you up nicely! But clothes alone can't bring out all of your charm!"

"Huh?...No, that's not necessary...It's only natural for me to spend money on you, how can I let you spend money on me..."

"Alright, alright~"

Without giving Naka a chance to refuse, Mayera pulled her along, and they walked into the cosmetics store in full view of everyone...

"...Hmm, the foundation is done, and the eyelashes are combed. All that's left is the lipstick... Since Naka's style is more androgynous, bright colors don't suit her... Hmm, let's choose this light red one then~"

Inside the shop, Mayera cupped her face in one hand, picked up a lipstick, and gently applied a light red lipstick to her thin lips. Naka watched Mayera silently. Although she had verbally refused when she entered, she froze the moment Mayera's hand touched her.

To get a better look, Mayera pressed her face directly against Naka's. The sight of Mayera's face at such close range instantly captivated Naka. Her crimson pupils, identical to her own, were like red black holes, drawing one in irrevocably. The warmth and breath of her daughter enveloped Naka, and she completely lost all will to resist. She allowed her daughter to apply makeup and adorn her face.

Perhaps the process and the time spent on it are the greatest treasures, more so than the result...

"Alright! Look! Sister Naka! This is my masterpiece!"

After completing the final step, Mayera put down the cosmetics she was holding and brought a small mirror to Naka's face. What appeared before Naka's eyes was a face as delicate and beautiful as a doll.

Her once deathly pale skin now possessed a healthy glow and vitality; even without special grooming after a long journey, every pore was clean and refreshed, as if reborn. The eyebrow line, extended by the eyebrow pencil, flowed beautifully to the corners of her eyes. Her lips were as translucent as newly polished diamond rings, and her red pupils, framed by two crescent-shaped black eyelashes, almost rivaled Mayella's diamond-like eyes...

"Who...who is this?"

Naka couldn't help but ask. That wasn't the person she remembered. It was someone else she had never met before.

"This is the real you, Naka-neechan~"

Mayera placed her hands on Naka's shoulders and rested her head on her shoulders, so that both faces were reflected in the mirror at the same time.

Because they were pressed so close together, the contrast was stark. Both Maya and Naka were acutely aware that Naka in the mirror was far more captivating and astonishing than Maya beside her. Maya, however, didn't care about being outshone. In fact, she was overjoyed to be able to do her family's makeup herself.

For Naka, this was quite a shock.

"Can...can I still become...like this...?"

She never thought she was prettier or more beautiful than Mayera. Even in her dreams, Naka had never considered such a thing. Now, more than pride and arrogance, she felt confusion and bewilderment.

Moreover, what puzzled her even more was...

"Mayera...when did you learn such superb makeup skills...?"

She couldn't believe that her current appearance was the work of her own daughter. She didn't remember ever arranging a makeup course for Maya. Like Maya, back in the Demon King's castle, all of Maya's daily care was handled by the butler demon who was specifically responsible for her living arrangements.

This question surprised Maya somewhat. But her surprise didn't last long. She simply answered with a touch of melancholy after her initial astonishment.

"I figured it all out myself on my journey after leaving home... It wasn't like this at first. At first, I didn't even know how to open a toner bottle, how to apply eye cream to a brush... or how to twist open a lipstick. It was only after countless failures that I learned... At first, I could only experiment on myself, often making my face look like a wailing ghost! I don't know how many people I scared away, or how many times I made mistakes... But I persevered and learned everything myself... because no one else would be willing to do this for me..."

"............"

Her answer left Naka speechless, and she gripped the mirror tightly in her hand. After a long silence, she finally uttered two words.

"sorry..."

She wanted to apologize to her daughter, whom she had neglected, as a mother.

It's okay.

Mayella, however, interpreted it as an apology for asking an inappropriate question.

The misunderstanding between the two continued in this way, a result of a series of unfortunate events...

As Mayera had predicted, Naka's allure after her meticulous makeover was explosive. After leaving the cosmetics shop, both the number and frequency of glances she attracted far surpassed before. Everyone was captivated by the Naka she had created; a phenomenon that even the kingdom's most famous stage actors rarely caused was now being amplified by Mayera. Wherever they went, they drew the attention of men, women, and children alike, becoming the center of everyone's conversation.

And they all praised Naka, marveling at her stunning beauty. Or perhaps they were secretly amazed by the fact that these "twins," both possessing breathtaking beauty, were so captivating. Not a single person praised Mayella individually.

But in Mayella's heart, there was not a trace of dissatisfaction or jealousy.

In contrast, Naka no longer hid herself as before. She walked with her head held high and confidence, displaying her face fully. She was filled with pride.

It wasn't about his own appearance, but about being proud of his daughter's skills.

......

They had bought clothes, drunk beverages, and even dressed up specially. Their trip for the day was drawing to a close. Finally, Naka suggested going to a famous scenic lake in the capital, where they could spend their last moments alone in a small boat. Naka decided that there, she would tell Mayera the whole truth. No more hiding, no more deception.

Mayera, however, believed that her sister also wanted to reveal her true identity there and reunite with her sisters. Therefore, she agreed.

They arrived at the lake. There was a sign there saying that tickets were required to rent a boat. It was one of the most popular tourist attractions in the capital, so there was a long queue at the ticket window. Mayera stood on tiptoe and looked over; it seemed like it would be quite a while before she could buy a ticket.

"But since we're here, and the two girls can't reveal their identities to humans, we should find a private opportunity to talk things out. We can't let the crowd deter us." Mayera smiled and pointed to a bench next to the ticket booth, saying to Naka...

"Sister Naka, please sit down and wait for a while. I'll go queue up."

Naka shook her head, indicating that she wanted to queue up herself and that Mayra should sit down. But Mayra refused no matter what. Naka didn't want to spoil her daughter's fun. She also understood that she shouldn't force her daughter's behavior and thoughts as she had before. So she didn't refuse too much, slowly walked to the bench, and sat down.

Because her makeup hadn't faded yet, she attracted a lot of attention just by sitting there, and people talked about her. But Naka didn't care about the noise at all; she just silently watched Maya standing in the queue from a distance, her gaze never leaving her.

To be honest, Naka still felt like she was in a dream. It was all unreal, like a dream. She could actually spend a day with her daughter in such a harmonious way... This was a scene she had never dared to imagine.

Looking back now, she can't help but sigh at the twists and turns of fate. Her daughter running away from home was an accident, and her meeting with Tatsia was an even bigger accident. And now, she's reunited with Tatsia and herself... this is an accident within an accident.

But these unexpected events quickly shortened the distance between their hearts.

Because of this series of somewhat surprising events, the mother and daughter were able to understand each other more deeply. Naka realized the differences between herself and her daughter, and Mayella also gained something from Naka that she had desperately wanted but couldn't have. More importantly, Naka also came to know another side of herself that she herself had never known. Looking back now, it's quite interesting.

Thinking of this, Naka couldn't help but sigh. Without realizing it, Mayera had grown up. She was now taller and more voluptuous than Naka. She was capable of standing on her own.

Perhaps after making amends for my mistakes, I should disappear from her sight completely...

Today was truly enjoyable and joyful. It was an unforgettable day for Naka. If she could, she wished these days could repeat themselves many more times. She even began to imagine that if she weren't the Demon King, but just an ordinary mother, and Meera weren't a princess, but just an ordinary girl, could they maintain this happiness forever...?

"First published on 705u.com - Book Club"

But she quickly dismissed the thought, keeping her happiness hidden in her heart. She was a sinner, not someone who could expect happiness. She should be grateful to God for the happiness she had today. She couldn't ask for anything more.

For Mayra, the best outcome would be for her to leave someone like him...

Just as she was thinking this, a streak of water rolled down Naka's cheek, washing away some of her makeup...

"Miss! You're so beautiful!"

Just then, a slightly frivolous young man's voice rang in Naka's ears. She looked in the direction of the voice and saw several flashy young men approaching her.

There was no one else on the bench, only herself. And no one else was nearby, resting in the shade. Naka knew these young men were after her. She didn't choose to ignore them, but calmly replied...

"...What are you doing?"

"Phew! What a cool and aloof girl! But she's my type!"

A young man whistled, looking somewhat excited.

"Miss, we're not bad people. We're talent scouts who discover promising new actors!"

Another young man wearing glasses approached and sat down next to Naka. He spoke in a serious tone. At the same time, the others surrounded her, blocking all her paths. They all spoke in unison.

"Yes, yes! We think if you became an actress, you'd definitely be a national sensation! Maybe even some of the monsters in the Demon Kingdom would become your fans!"

"Don't even mention monsters, even the Demon King might fall in love with you at first sight and end the war between the two nations! Hahaha!"

They were talking and laughing loudly. Naka, however, didn't look directly at any of them; instead, she closed her eyes and asked...

"...So what do you want?"

"We don't want anything special! We just want to chat with you, Miss! We want to talk about your debut, how to make you famous, and things like that! There are too many people here, should we go somewhere quieter to talk? We don't want such a good opportunity to be snatched up by someone else!"

As he spoke, one of the young men gestured with his thumb towards a small grove of trees behind him. He grinned and extended an invitation to Naka in a strange accent.

"So, how about it? Would you like to consider it, Miss...?"

But just a few seconds later, Naka stood up and turned to face the grove of trees.

"...Alright then."

She didn't refuse. She even took the initiative to walk towards it.

"Whoosh! Great! Then we can spend more time... chatting slowly for a while, Miss..."

The men exchanged glances, a sinister smile spreading across their faces. They surrounded Naka from all sides and led her into the woods...

Not just at the entrance to the woods. They walked very, very far. They didn't stop even when they were deep inside the woods.

Because they had walked so far, even Naka, who had remained silent until now, couldn't help but ask...

"Hey, where are you going? You can just say it here. And..."

"ah!"

As she spoke, Naka slightly turned her body, letting a roar that suddenly came from behind her pass by.

"when!"

The iron rod slammed heavily onto the ground with a loud thud. Naka coldly watched the young man who had suddenly attacked her from behind, calmly questioning him.

"...When discussing debut matters, is it customary to first surprise the actor? I've never heard of such a rule before."

"Hmph, so it wasn't that easy after all... No wonder she's the Demon King's daughter!"

At this point, the other youths also stopped advancing. At someone's command, they all pulled out iron bars, daggers, chains, and even magic runes from their robes, surrounding Naka and brandishing their weapons.

The young man who gave the order chuckled and swung his meteor hammer.

"We thought pampered young ladies like you were all easy lambs to fool, but we didn't expect you to be so wary..."

"...Because you all have your ill intentions written all over your faces, it would be strange if I wasn't wary...and it seems you've misunderstood something."

Naka twisted her neck in exasperation. They dared to use such a charade to fool her? It seemed she'd been underestimated. And their words were strange. It sounded as if they'd mistaken her for Mayera.

Recalling the experiences Tatsia had told her, Naka quickly realized the other woman's true colors:

"You're from that... Kushika organization, right?"

"How clever you are, miss!"

The young man readily admitted his identity and slowly approached Naka.

"Our boss said that because of the agreement with Tatia, we can't capture that little girl, but he didn't say we can't capture her sisters! You're also the daughter of the Demon King, and your research value is no less than that little girl's! So our boss ordered us to capture you alive and send you to our organization's lab! Miss, if you don't resist, we won't be rough with you, after all, you're important research material, hehehe..."

"...What are you talking about? I really don't understand."

The other person, having somehow obtained this information, seemed to believe that there were two Demon King's daughters. And she was therefore considered the other Demon King's daughter. Naka simply found the person who drew this conclusion ridiculously foolish, yet endearingly so.

She was genuinely curious how such baseless information could be so easily taken as truth, and how some cannon fodder could be sent to their deaths. She was truly curious about what kind of nonsense was going through that person's mind.

However, that doesn't matter anymore. Since they've misunderstood, it's not so bad to let them die with that misunderstanding.

Naka slowly opened her arms, and in that instant, she shed her "disguise".

"You guys deliberately brought me this deep into the ground so that no one, not even Meera, would see me when you captured me, right... But that's backfired... Because now you can't escape or call for help..."

"What...you, don't you understand your situation?! We are all elite adventurers in disguise! We are not comparable to those trash from the reserve teams! No matter how strong you are, you can't fight against so many of us!"

Although a warrior's instinct made the young leader... no, the adventurer realize that something seemed amiss, he remained extremely confident. Each of them was a seasoned warrior many times stronger than Lucia, Ruri, and the others taking the exam. Their opponent was merely a fledgling Demon King's daughter; even if she might possess some kind of immortality, she couldn't possibly escape his grasp...

Even now, he still believes that.

No sooner had he finished speaking than one of his companions' heads exploded like an egg crushed by an elephant.

"Thump"

That was the man who had just tried to ambush Naka with an iron rod, but now, having lost control of his body, he collapsed to the ground. His blood stained the forest floor.

"Although I know I'm a deeply sinful person, and what I should do next isn't to worsen my sins, but to find a way to atone for them... But in this situation, it could also be considered self-defense, right? Then I won't have any reservations."