The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

As she spoke, Naka twitched her fingers in front of the astonished crowd, making a "crackling" sound.

"Unfortunate humans, you are unaware that you are facing the most terrifying being in the world. You rashly reveal your malice and murderous intent, bringing about your own annihilation... I feel sorry for you, how pitiful."

"Why...? Him...you...eh?"

At this critical moment, the leading adventurer realized that his side had lost a combatant. Looking at Naka, her normally beautiful and charming figure, illuminated by the moonlight, appeared terrifying and enormous, like the entrance to hell.

Even her shadow cast on the ground began to appear grotesque and bizarre...

"Hey...you...you are...?"

Finally, he realized the enormity of his mistake. He also realized just how utterly wrong the information Kusika had given them was.

But it was too late.

"Swish"

This time, a mage who was about to launch a magical attack on Naka vanished instantly, disappearing from everyone's sight. Naka blew on her fingertips. Extremely high temperatures, enough to instantly vaporize a human, emanated from them.

"What you think is your business. Just know that I'm not going to spare your lives. If you have to hate someone, hate the man who sent you here."

"Gulp...Go...Go all of you!!!"

This courageous man never deserted, not even at the very end. At his command, the circle surrounding Naka instantly shrank...

...but just seconds later, the part that made up the circle disappeared.

Some people didn't even realize their own death before turning to ashes. Others, after witnessing the successive deaths of their teammates, were pierced through the body by Naka in a state of terror.

Only when Naka lifted the leader of the adventurers' strong bodies with one hand did he shed tears.

"Please...please spare my life! I won't do it again! We were wrong!"

"call"

His pleas for mercy had no positive effect; instead, they hastened his death. Just as his tears were about to fall onto Naka's hand, his tears, along with himself, vanished from the world without a trace.

"You filthy thing, if your dirty tears soil my clothes, even if I resurrected you and killed you again, you still wouldn't be able to pay for it."

Naka waved her hand dismissively. To her, it was far easier than stepping on an ant. And far less worth the effort than stepping on an ant.

However, Naka felt a sense of relief and let out a long, satisfying sigh. Looking at the corpse on the ground, she muttered to herself with a hint of self-praise.

"Hmm...it seems I haven't completely become a saint after all..."

I have indeed changed, becoming somewhat indecisive. But I haven't stooped to the level of being overly compassionate. Faced with complete strangers brimming with murderous intent, I can still act like a demon king, decisively ending the lives of these reckless challengers.

Perhaps this isn't such a bad thing... Naka couldn't help but think that way.

But her soliloquy ultimately failed to become a true soliloquy...

"Na, Naka-neechan!?"

Suddenly, a voice, seemingly listening but sounding very surprised, rang out. Naka looked over and saw it was Mayera. She was holding two tickets in her hand and standing next to the only adventurer whose body was intact.

"What...what is this!?"

After buying the ticket, she discovered that Naka was nowhere to be found. At the same time, a strong sense of unease washed over her. This unease quickly turned into fear, even despair...

Because in the small grove before them, the same absolute oppression that he and Tatsia had felt in the cave that day reappeared. A tremendous power, as if announcing the imminent end of the world, as terrifying as a death sentence for Mayera, appeared out of nowhere.

She couldn't believe her feelings, but she withstood the pressure and fear and walked into the woods. Then, she saw that horrific scene.

Naka, however, disagreed. She believed that Mayera already knew her identity, which was why she answered so frankly.

"It's nothing. These guys mistakenly thought I was also the Demon King's daughter and wanted to capture me for research... I only did it to protect myself."

"Wh...what...?"

"They think I'm some kind of demon king's daughter, like you... What a bunch of fools. They don't even know you're my only daughter, yet they dared to attack me..."

"Eh... The Demon King... only has one daughter?"

"Yes. What's wrong?"

"Then... Sister Naka, you..."

Mayera's voice slowly trembled, gripped by terror. Finally, she realized how naive she had been. The boat rental ticket was crumpled tightly in her hand, soaked with her sweat.

"...You...could it be...?"

Although it was a little late

But Mayella eventually arrived at the truth.

Author's Note: I've been busy with some things lately, so updates might be a bit slower. Sorry.

Mother VS Daughter (Part 1)

"This...this belongs to Sister Naka!"

"Sister Naka came to save me...she came to find me!"

The sheer ecstatic joy Tatia displayed on that day, months ago, was still vivid in Maya's memory. It was an expression Tatia would never show for Maya. An expression that Tatia would never develop feelings for Maya.

Although Tatsia herself was unaware of this, she should have thought of it long ago.

Why did Tatiya say that something belonging to Naka would fall into that cave?

Why would the invincible Demon King spare their lives when victory was assured?

Why was that sister Naka able to save them from the Demon King...?

In fact, the answer becomes obvious with just a little thought.

Because Naka is the Demon King: Nama Karenla

Only now, having pieced together all the suspicious points and finally uncovered the obvious truth, Mayera scoffed at her own slowness and ignorance...

"Ha, ha ha ha ha... So that's how it is... No wonder... No wonder so many strange things have happened around me..."

Even for a fleeting moment, Mayella dreamed of a free life and a happy future.

But all of this was utterly shattered by the harsh reality. Mayera mocked her own naiveté, and looked mockingly at the girl before her who seemed even younger than herself.

Because of her presence, I have no chance of finding happiness.

"You always present yourself with that frightening appearance, but it turns out it was all just an act... I've imagined more than once what your true face would be like... a terrifying beast, or a menacing alien... I never imagined that hidden beneath that enormous armor was such a petite and adorable creature... How unexpected!! 'Mother'!!"

"..."

Mayera's face was contorted, and she roared hysterically, her hands scratching frantically at her face, head, and hair. The most extreme and tragic reality had driven this young girl to utter hysteria. She shouted out the names of those who should have been her closest relatives, but her voice was filled with anger and despair.

Looking at her and listening to her words, Naka remained calm. It was impossible not to be surprised. But this outcome seemed normal, reasonable. Regardless of what she had done today, all Mayra would remember was the torture she had inflicted upon her.

Being resented by Mayra... that's only natural. Rather, thinking all day that Mayra might not actually hate me, and that she still wants to acknowledge me even knowing I'm her mother... that's the most foolish thing to do.

"well...."

She sighed.

"It seems the misunderstanding isn't limited to the adventurers I just killed. Actually, I was one of them... But even without this whole mess, once we were on the ship, I planned to tell you the truth. You would have known how things turned out, and how things would have unfolded this way... I'm sorry, Meera. I've kept this from you for a long time. Yes, I am the Demon King. Nama Kalena."

At this point, continuing to deceive her and make excuses would be pointless. Naka frankly extended her hand to her.

"This isn't the first time I've met you in my true form. But there's something I want to tell you, Mayera. Even if it's just for a moment, could you please listen to me..."

"That's enough!"

Naka didn't ask for Mayra's forgiveness. She only wanted a chance to communicate with her. But how could Mayra possibly have such a chance?

"More than once... I've wanted to communicate with you, to speak to you, more than once... But have you ever given me a chance? When I first saw you, I wanted to acknowledge you... When you made me step back and dance for you, did you ever think about having any chance to communicate? You didn't even dare to show your true face, only using that armor to scare people, did you really want to speak to me...? Now you still want to pretend to be a mother? Only now do you think of communicating with me? Hahahaha... It's a little too late! Mother!!"

Rather, Naka's invitation only fueled her anger.

A powerful surge of magic erupted from her body, transforming into raging flames. A ball of fire rose from her palm, burning the two tickets to ashes.

That was a signal that he was rejecting Naka's invitation and denying everything Naka had done for him.

By this point, Mayera had become somewhat calmer. Her magic surged, and within the magical vortex enveloping her, she coldly observed her opponent through the gaps in the magical energy that passed before her.

"Do you know, Mother... from the very first day I saw you, a seed of hatred was planted in my heart and began to sprout... Yes, that day was the day the seed sprouted, not the day it was planted..."

"....."

"Because that seed called hatred has existed in my heart since the moment I was born!! Like my twin, it coexists with me and accompanies me!!!"

As time passed and her own experiences unfolded, the seed of hatred grew strong. It truly blossomed after the Battle of Diaz, when she heard that her mother had betrothed her to that insect.

And now, it's time for it to bear fruit.

"Even if Tatia isn't by my side, even if I'm all alone... I won't back down! As a member of humanity, I will stand here and defeat the greatest enemy threatening the entire world: the Demon King!"

From the moment Meera launched her attack on the Demon King during the cave battle, she no longer hesitated.

Whether Tatia accepts her feelings or not is irrelevant to what she's about to do. Meera is fighting for herself. For herself, she's determined to defeat the Demon King. To defeat her own mother. Even if it costs her everything.

"To avenge Tatsia's people, and for the murder of Pais's brother, and for the countless other victims whose stories remain untold... to repay the countless blood debts you owe them, prepare to die!! Demon King!!"

Finally, even the hypocritical "Mother" has been abandoned. Now, isolated and helpless, Meera, an adventurer, challenges the Demon King.

With her roar, a massive ball of magical energy, crackling with black lightning, shot straight towards Naka. This attack was imbued with a large amount of Meera's magical power; clearly, it was an attack intended to kill its target.

"Boom!"

Naka neither dodged nor flinched, facing the immense magical power head-on. Instantly, a powerful storm raged outwards, whipping up a torrent of sand and stones.

But from within the cloud of smoke where the person struck was hiding, came a voice that sounded like a scolding for a naughty child.

"Don't make such a commotion, Mayera. You'll disturb others."

As Naka slowly emerged from the smoke, a faint defensive barrier seemed to remain on her body. It wasn't until she met Mayera's gaze again that Naka dispelled the magical barrier.

Mayera responded with a sneer to Naka's earlier statement.

"Don't make a scene... Is that an order, 'Mother'?"

"...No, that's just a suggestion..."

"Because if things get out of hand, everyone will know you're the Demon King... You're afraid of that outcome. You're even more afraid of Tatia finding out... Am I right?"

"..."

"Looks like I guessed right!! Hahaha... I was thinking, if you were my sister, someone who also longs for some freedom and companionship from Mother's clutches, then giving you Tatia wouldn't be a problem... But Demon King! You're even trying to take Tatia away from me?!"

Neither her childhood nor the happiness of being a daughter were ever given to Mayera by the Demon King. That's why she fled the Demon King's castle. In the outside world, she encountered many new and wondrous things for the first time. She came to understand emotions she had never imagined...

Although the outcome wasn't perfect, everything she learned was from Tatia. In this respect, Mayera remained deeply grateful to Tatia. What she initially heard as merely an interesting story about Tatia's tragic past, Mayera now felt a deep empathy and sorrow for her.

But now, even Tatia, who had once offered her solace, has been taken away by the Demon King. The one who took everything from Meera left his daughter nothing in the end—not even a shred of comfort.

The place he once thought might be his refuge still fell under the Demon King's clutches. No matter where he fled, he couldn't escape the Demon King's shadow. Even the people he finally found, the people he cherished, the important people in his life, had already been bewitched by the Demon King...

Faced with such a cruel reality, the young girl had no other choice.

"I have never asked you for anything, yet you won't even grant me a moment's peace!"

Despite her unchangeable identity, Mayera stared intently at the girl who looked exactly like her, recognizing her as the greatest enemy of her life.

"Demon King! If you continue to press your advantage, then there's only one thing I can do..."

"Click!"

Mayera swung her hand sharply, shoving the parasol into the ground. Then, she clasped her hands together, took a deep breath, and shouted.

"ha!!!!!"

Instantly, Mayella's pupils filled with bloodshot veins. Her crimson pupils emitted an even more intense crimson light. At the same time, a powerful magical force began to swirl around her, steadily growing stronger.

"...I will defeat you...even if it's against human ethics and utterly rebellious...I will defeat you right here and now, and save Sister Tatsia...Xiaoya...and myself...from your evil clutches!"

Besides that, Mayella had no other desires.

The immense magical power was like a tornado, whipping up dust and leaves. Not only that, but Mayera's clothes gradually succumbed to the strong airflow, beginning to tear and rip...

"Mayera, don't do this. If you do this, you'll put yourself in a very awkward position."

Naka reached out, trying to stop Maya. Not only was Maya unleashing an incredibly powerful force, but the new clothes Naka had just bought for her that day were also beginning to tear and peel away from her body.

Even though she was aware of this, Mayera continued to mobilize all her strength.

"I won't!"

Now, whatever Naka doesn't want to happen, Mayra will do. If Naka tells her to be quiet, she'll deliberately make a huge fuss. This feeling, somewhat similar to, yet different from, "rebellious phase," strengthens Mayra's resolve to defy her mother.

"I don't want your charity! I won't accept anything you give me! Now that things have come to this, do you still think you can win my sympathy and approval with this insignificant charity?!"

Compared to what I've lost, what do the clothes I wear or the false happiness I feel today amount to?