The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

From the very beginning, this was not an equivalent exchange.

"It's not just about these material possessions... I would rather sacrifice my life than submit to you again!!"

In the cave that day, the Demon King mocked himself for his past, for his submission to her and his groveling before her. That was an undeniable fact, and the direct reason why Mayera had come to this point.

But from now on, she wouldn't do that again. She finally realized that her relationship with the Demon King wasn't that of master and slave, nor mother and daughter...

Instead, they are mortal enemies who must fight to the death, irreconcilable foes.

"Hahahaha! Demon King! Feel this well! Hatred... This is the only remaining affection your own daughter has for you!"

Amidst her almost ecstatic laughter, she once again gathered and surged her magic. The purplish-black magic began to gradually change, constantly glowing and brightening. Finally, it became a pure purple.

As her magic increased, the trees in the grove began to crack and break. A gust of wind shot from the ground into the sky and outwards. In an instant, sand and stones flew everywhere. That night, countless birds and beasts fled that dangerous place.

"Not enough...not enough..."

Even after causing such a huge commotion, Mayera still showed no sign of stopping.

Mayera had never used such immense power in any previous battle, not even when fighting Diaz alongside Tatia.

Now, Meera stands alone, facing an enemy far superior to Diaz, the very force that had caused her and Tatsia so much suffering. She has to push herself, force herself. She tells herself: It's time...

Now is the time to go all in.

Throughout her life, Meera had never used her full power at once. Even she herself wasn't entirely sure how powerful her magic truly was. She only occasionally thought that even without any combat training, she was still the daughter of the Demon Lord: Nama Kallenra. Her mother was the most powerful being in the world, so she couldn't be far behind... Ironically, in a corner of her heart, Meera might even harbor a tiny bit of pride in her identity...

But now, all that pride and confidence are irrelevant. What matters is whether I can defeat this most powerful enemy and avenge my life.

She exerted all her strength, as if she were completely draining herself, constantly unleashing her magical power...

...It wasn't just to oppose her mother. It was also because she would never have been able to defeat her mother otherwise.

Finally, her clothes were completely torn to shreds and burned by the magical energy...

"ha!"

With a final roar, the massive vortex of magic came to an abrupt end, concluding with the largest tremor and impact of the day.

Amidst the smoke and dust, Mayella walked slowly. Passing through the sand, her face was revealed.

"Thank you so much for waiting for me, Mother..."

Human craftsmanship and clothing made of cloth have completely disappeared. In their place is a gown woven from dark purple magic, resembling a wedding dress. The long skirt covers Mayera's legs, gloves protect her arms, and the veil on her head, like the headscarf worn by a bride, flutters behind her. This magic meticulously protects every corner of Mayera's body. It is more like armor than a wedding dress.

Her changes are not limited to her clothing.

Driven by magic, Mayra's fingernails grew wildly, resembling the claws of a wild beast. Even on Mayra's head, two long, sharp, horn-like growths sprouted...

Now, she looks like a beast in a wedding dress. Elegance and brutality, propriety and savagery. These contradictory elements constitute a tragic monster.

Her veins bulged all over her body, her expression a mixture of pain and rage. But a faint smile played on Mayella's lips.

Mayera used her magic to equip herself with entirely new gear, reaching a new realm she had never imagined. She was now in a state of true "limit," a state she was experiencing for the first time.

Just like three months ago, when she witnessed Tatia's "evolution," she believed that she herself had also "evolved" into a completely new being. Therefore, Mayera was extremely happy. Even happier than the small moments of happiness she had experienced during the day...

This is both to defeat his greatest enemy and to seize his own future.

"...In gratitude, 'this humble servant' will let you truly savor the power of your daughter... 'Mother'!!"

Mother VS Daughter (Part 2)

"This is..."

Even Naka couldn't help but marvel at the changes that had taken place in Mayera.

She had never even tried to materialize her magic into armor that directly covered her body before. The clothes she had made for Mayera had gone through a series of somewhat complicated processes. Yet now, Mayera was effortlessly weaving new garments for herself with magic right before her eyes. When did this girl become so adept at manipulating magic?

More importantly, what are those dark purple horns...?

Although she was born a demon, her appearance was exactly the same as a human's... From birth until now, Naka had always believed this. There wasn't a single feature on her that was the same as a demon's, or different from a human's. This was an unsolved mystery. Naka had sought the true answer to this question for many years, but still hadn't found it. But what appeared on Mayera, rather than being human, seemed more like... a dragon? Naka could only make this connection.

Mayera was merely a creature created from a tiny fragment of her own magic and soul. She was, in essence, just a part of herself. No matter how much she tormented herself, how much she forced herself to her limits, she was ultimately only a part of Naka. Aside from possessing her own thoughts and abilities, she was no different from a single hair, a piece of dead skin, or a fingernail on Naka's body...

But now, she is undergoing a strange change that she has never seen or imagined before.

What does this mean? ... Naka fell into deep thought.

"I see. No wonder those guys wanted to kidnap Mayera and study her body. Now even I want to study her anatomy and the secrets hidden within her... Maybe I can find the key to unlocking the mystery I've been searching for all these years... No, that's not right. I can't do that..."

As she pondered, her thoughts seemed to drift to some strange places. Naka quickly shook her head, trying to banish them from her mind.

But to Mayara, the Demon King looked troubled and shook his head, as if he had truly encountered a very difficult problem. This only made Mayara feel incredibly happy and supremely pleased.

"Hahahaha!! You seem quite surprised... Mother!! Even someone as powerful as you would be surprised!!"

From childhood, she had always faced the Demon King's unchanging, iron-blue helmet. The person wearing that helmet always appeared before others with an air of confidence, majesty, and superiority. But now, her mother, who possessed such imposing authority, openly showed surprise. She was wavering over her own change.

Nothing could make Mayella happier or fill her with more confidence than this.

"This proves that I... am far more powerful than you imagine!!!"

"that..."

It was a pity, but Naka still interrupted Mayella's cheerful mood. It was good that her daughter was happy, but she couldn't let her get too carried away...

Surprise as it may be, unexpected as it may be, these are merely Naka's simple thoughts. There is one fact that Mayella cannot change no matter what:

"You are indeed a bit stronger than I thought. But... you're still quite weak."

Perhaps it's a mother's duty to stop her daughter from daydreaming and to face reality... That's what Naka thought.

"Your potential is indeed not to be underestimated, but I advise you not to do this, Mayera. It will put a great strain on your body... and even if you do it, you certainly won't be a match for me. Don't subject yourself to unnecessary damage."

"...Hehe, hehehehehe..."

Upon hearing her mother's words, Mayera was initially startled. But she quickly regained her composure, revealing a sarcastic, mocking laugh that seemed malicious and as if she were intentionally mocking the other party.

"Stop pretending!"

After the laughter came a furious roar from the bottom of her heart.

Perhaps I am currently in a state unknown even to myself, and may have unleashed a power I am unaware of. But my mother is right. This alone is far from enough to contend with my mother, who truly possesses limitless power.

What she truly found unbearable was that piece of advice, which sounded completely insincere to her daughter.

Mayera raised her powerful right arm and, without getting close to Naka, threw a punch at her.

In that instant, a massive gust of air swept in. The powerful hurricane shredded the trees on both sides of the path, and with a deafening crack, a fissure was carved into the ground, stretching directly towards Naka. This strike was devoid of any magic. The mere airflow created by the swing of the arm was enough to constitute the attack itself.

Although Naka only slightly shifted her body, allowing the attack to narrowly miss her, it then struck a large tree behind her with a loud "boom!" snapping it in two. As the impact sent another shockwave through the tree, Naka's expression hardened. She glanced at the broken tree, then at Mayera, and frowned.

"Mayera...please, don't make such a commotion, okay?"

The attack itself posed no threat to Naka. However, the deafening roar, the plumes of dust shooting into the sky, and the force that shook the entire forest... these things would certainly be noticed. This was the royal capital, not some deserted island or the center of a desert. The people of the capital would definitely be aware of this. Soldiers and adventurers from within the capital would soon arrive to investigate.

Whether it's her own identity or Mayera's identity, Naka doesn't want to be exposed at this time for such a reason.

"No... I think it's not enough..."

But the current Maya is no longer the obedient girl who listens to her mother.

Her hands clenched tightly, and the magic that had formed her gloves began to shimmer. This time, she infused her own magic into the attack...

"...If I want to defeat you, that little commotion just now is far from enough!! No matter how big the commotion, I'll make it... As long as I can defeat you, I won't care how much noise it causes!!!!"

The light expanded. The air currents stirred up dust, causing the earth to tremble slightly in response to her power. Mayera had no intention of diminishing her power. She would use a power greater than she currently possessed, with her own hands, to reclaim what rightfully belonged to her.

Therefore, she had neither a way out nor a choice.

"No, don't do this, Mayera. You don't have to. If you want freedom, I'll give it to you..."

But Naka had already decided to give Mayera what she wanted. Even if she didn't fight so hard, she wouldn't lose anything. Naka tried to stop Mayera's reckless and pointless behavior with words. But all she got in return was Mayera's angry roars.

"Don't try to fool me with this kind of lie!!"

In her view, Naka's behavior was entirely a deliberate attempt to deceive her.

What convincing words can someone who has concealed her identity and would rather pretend to be a saint to keep an eye on her mother at all times say now?

"I...I'm changing too...I want to do something a little different..."

"What? Did I hear that right? Mother? Just a few months ago you sent General Diaz, and even presumptuously declared him my husband. After General Diaz failed, you even personally tried to kill Sister Tatsia and kidnap me... And now you want to change things?"

"No, well... I've already retracted that order..."

"And how do you plan to explain what happened to Sister Taqia! You infiltrated Sister Taqia's inner circle precisely to eliminate this threat! You deceived her! Under your orders, Sister Taqia's country was destroyed! Her people were slaughtered! And now you want to make a lifelong promise to her? To have an ambiguous relationship with her? Hahaha... You've taken advantage of her feelings for you! You plan to kill her when she's off guard, or gain her trust and then reveal your identity at the right moment, leaving Sister Taqia utterly hopeless and completely at your mercy... Isn't that your goal?! Don't think I don't know!"

"No, it's not..."

"Not only is it your goal to capture me, but also to take me back to the Demon King's castle... to give me to that insect Diaz as his wife, that's your purpose for coming here!!"

"Really, it's not like that... The reasons are complicated, and I want you to hear me out..."

"Then why are you clinging to Sister Tatya! Why...why are you still bothering us even today?! If you want to explain, then explain clearly! 'Dear Mother'!!!!"

"I......"

"If you really don't mean it that way, if you really want to change, then get out of our lives! My life, the lives of my sister Tatia, my sister Pais, and my sister Malya...we don't need you at all!!!"

"........."

Mayera's soul-stirring roar silenced Naka.

She couldn't explain it. Whether it was the prophesied hero, her realization of her past mistakes, or Mayra's true identity... even though Naka was prepared to confess her identity to Mayra, she wasn't mentally prepared to reveal the whole truth. She couldn't explain it. The answers Mayra wanted, the truth she desired, the outcome she desired—Naka couldn't give her any of them.

Not a single thought he wanted to convey was transmitted. The girl before him had never trusted him in the slightest.

Perhaps from the very beginning, the idea of ​​resolving conflicts through dialogue—conflicts that could never be resolved with just a few words—was merely an illusion existing only in one's own mind.

Perhaps this blissful day of mother and daughter enjoying family time is just a fleeting dream...

"........ha......."

To this, Naka could only offer a faint sigh.

She knew her daughter hated her, but she had never truly understood the weight of that hatred. Now, she did.

Even a demon king would find it unbearable to be hated by the only blood relative in the world.

"Enough with the nonsense! Take this, Demon King!"

Mayera, however, seemed unwilling to let this pain remain confined to Naka's heart. She roared and unleashed another slash. The crimson blade of light left a deep gash in the ground, sending sand and gravel hurtling towards Naka with a deafening cracking sound and a gust of wind.

"...Since this is what you want, then I have no choice but to comply."

But just as the blade of light was about to strike Naka, she slowly spoke. This time, her tone seemed less calm and more ruthless.

Then, a pitch-black and deep black hole appeared in front of Naka. The light blade that Meera fired flew into it and was swallowed up into the endless darkness, just like a drop of water flowing into a river or sea.

It is an abyss from which even light cannot escape. There is no turning back; it is a one-way street leading to hell.

"Snap"

Naka snapped her fingers again, and the darkness expanded rapidly, spreading out like a sphere. Before Mayela could react, it completely enveloped her and her surroundings, utterly covering both girls.

Later, noticing the strangeness of the situation and receiving news that "strange vibrations and explosions were coming from the woods near the lake in the royal capital," Kusika himself went to investigate. Aside from the corpse of one of the adventurers he had sent, he found nothing of value.

As for Maya, and the girl he originally intended to capture, who was believed to be Maya's twin sister, their whereabouts remained an unsolved mystery for the organization...

"here it is...."

When Mayera came to her senses, she noticed that the scene around her... no, the world had become completely different from before.

A pitch-black sun floated in the sky, its black flames radiating a suffocating heat far exceeding the fires of hell. The forest surrounding her had transformed into a mountain of corpses and bones. With the slightest movement, she heard a rushing sound beneath her—the sound of blood flowing up to her ankles.

The dim sky, the surroundings littered with corpses, and the ground saturated with blood like a churning river... all of this was familiar to Mayera. The scorching air, capable of instantly burning an ordinary human, and the acrid smell of blood also felt all too familiar.

Because several months ago, she and Tatsia had already experienced the exact same thing.

"....Hahaha...."

Mayera could only manage a wry smile in response.

She knew this was a world created by her mother, a barrier from which there was no escape.

The mother's purpose in deliberately locking herself in here is self-evident...

"...That way, I'll definitely have no way to escape...right!!! 'Dear Mother'!!!"

She looked down at Mayera, a girl floating lightly in mid-air not far in front of her. Like a judge looking down at a condemned person.

"....yes"

Naka, the culprit who created this barrier and imprisoned Mayera within it, nodded slightly.

.......