The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

"Senior Vilia...?"

The woman she referred to, named Vilia, was a saintess and scientist of the elven race. She was also Tatia's mother.

The woman seemed unaware of this. She looked at Tatia with a puzzled expression. From every angle, Tatia looked almost exactly like the young Vilia she remembered.

But the woman immediately shook her head, denying her own idea. She smiled apologetically at Tatsia and apologized.

"I'm sorry, you look a lot like one of my senior classmates who has passed away... I respected her a lot, so I accidentally mistook you for her."

"Is that so? Haha..."

"Here's your information."

As Tatsia spoke to her, Naka picked up all the documents Naka had dropped and returned them to her. The female employee didn't say much, bowed to the two of them in thanks, and immediately ran away, seemingly in a hurry.

Watching her departing figure, Tatsia remained silent. Naka gently patted her shoulder; she knew what Tatsia was thinking.

"Your adaptability is quite good, Tatia."

Although she laughed it off, Tatsia almost blurted out, "Do you know my mother?" She didn't because saying it would mean revealing she was an elf's child, immediately exposing her true identity. It was common knowledge in human society that elves were extinct, and revealing her identity would only bring Tatsia endless trouble. That's why she chose to pretend to be completely unaware.

The ability to make a calm and prudent judgment in such an environment proves that Tatsia has not only improved in terms of ability but also in her interpersonal skills. Naka is proud of her.

But Tatsia wasn't particularly happy. It was a strange coincidence to meet an old friend in a foreign land... although not a familiar face herself, the fact that her mother knew someone here was both unexpected and exciting. She still had many questions for her mother, but Tatsia could only suppress these feelings. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"Sister Naka...that person knows my mother..."

"It seems so. Also, I just looked at the information she had; she seems to be our Saintess Class instructor."

"..."

Mother: Vilia was a saintess of the Elven race. Thinking about it that way, Tatia could understand. This woman looked younger than her mother and called her "senior," so she was probably one of her mother's juniors.

Her mother, known for her friendliness and helpfulness, enjoyed immense popularity and renown among both seniors and juniors, as well as among the wounded who received her assistance. It wasn't surprising that some of her admirers had become accomplished adventurers. Because of this, she still didn't believe her mother would abandon her family to modify monsters. But now that her mother was dead, nothing she said mattered. Even without the hidden identity of her elven race, Tatsia, who had killed her own mother, knew she had no right to proudly declare herself Vilia's daughter in front of her mother's admirers.

Heavy memories she didn't want to recall flooded back. Tatya was deeply saddened. She nestled into Naka's arms, head bowed, silent. Now that her parents were gone, only Naka was the pillar of support that could help her through her sorrows.

Naka knew Tatsia wasn't in a good mood, so she didn't press the matter further. She simply put her arm around Tatsia's shoulder, offering silent support. Then the two continued walking side by side.

As they walked, Naka suddenly remembered something. She asked Tatya...

"By the way, you ran up to me just now, is there something you wanted to tell me?"

"No...it's nothing..."

"You're such a strange child..."

Tatya was unwilling to talk about it, and Naka didn't press her for details. She simply led her on a aimless walk around the campus.

However, from Tatia's own perspective, it wasn't so much that she was unwilling to speak, but rather that she dared not. Naka and Vilia were irreplaceable to her. Her mother had given her life, and Naka had been kind to her by keeping secrets, teaching her, rescuing her, and spending time, effort, and money on her behalf.

And what about herself? Tatya reflected deeply, only to discover that she was someone who had murdered her mother and harbored impure intentions towards her benefactor. Despite failing to repay any debt of gratitude, she only thought about expressing her feelings freely, hoping Naka would respond to her illegitimate demands. Tatya wanted nothing more than to slap her selfish and self-serving self twice across the face.

"I...I really am the worst person..."

That day, Tatia spent in endless self-reproach.

When she saw the freshman's face, she was truly taken aback. But she knew it was just a coincidence. The senior she admired was long gone. It seemed that she had chosen to hastily flee from that freshman simply to escape this reality.

The woman's name is Mitian, and she is thirty years old. She works as a teacher at this school... and before that, she was an adventurer.

She was a saintess. Twenty years ago, when she first embarked on her adventures and began her saintly training at the monastery, the senior saintess who took the best care of her was a woman from the elven kingdom: Vilia.

Vilia possessed special skills that no human saint could learn, and her medical expertise was unparalleled. She provided young Mittian with a great deal of help and guidance, as well as meticulous care in his daily life. She left an indelible impression on Mittian, who was only ten years old at the time.

After completing their training, the two traveled together for a time. Vilia could be considered Mitian's guide on her adventures. In Mitian's eyes, Vilia was a supreme being. Her favorite thing was Vilia's smile. She knew she had developed feelings for Vilia that she shouldn't have; it wasn't a normal attraction. If she were to confess rashly, it would only frighten Vilia and drive her away. Mitian kept her feelings buried deep inside. But she believed that one day she would find the right time to speak.

Later, Vilia joined a team with others, separating her from Mitian. At that time, Mitian hadn't had a chance to express her feelings or thank her for her years of help. Afterwards, Mitian also found a team, and the two, busy with quests, lost contact for a long time. When Mitian heard that Vilia had given up adventures and returned to the Elf Kingdom to marry and have children, she felt deeply regretful. But she also felt that if she visited the Elf Kingdom someday, there was still a chance they could meet again. Even if Vilia married a man, Mitian would never waver in her beliefs.

But three years ago, that last chance vanished completely. The Demon King's army breached the Elf Kingdom. The news of the Elf race's extinction, which reached her ears in a human city, was like a bolt from the blue. It's no exaggeration to say that after learning of this, Mittian was unconscious for three whole days.

Now thirty years old, she remains unmarried and has never had a boyfriend. Her heart still belongs to Vilia. Knowing she cannot defeat the Demon King, she dedicates all her energy and time to nurturing a new generation of adventurers. In this endeavor, she shares the same vision as the school's founder, Fros.

I've been teaching here for several years now. Everything I've done is to avenge Vilia and to train someone who can kill the demon king who stole her love.

Therefore, it was that face, exactly the same as Vilia's only memory, that made her waver. Although she had escaped from Tatia's side, Mittian continued to make wild guesses.

"That boy...or was it a girl? Who exactly is he...?"

The person she thought she would never see again appeared before her once more, and to be honest, Mitis was overjoyed. Her reason told her it wasn't Vilia; she had simply been blinded by love. But her emotions made her eager to see Tatia again. Her mind was completely elsewhere; she was simply carrying on with her work unconsciously. Until someone tapped her hard on the head...

"Hey, sis. What are you thinking about that's making you so absent-minded?"

"Ouch... Misha?"

The person who punched Mitian hard on the head was her sister, Misha. Only now did Mitian realize she had unknowingly wandered into her sister's office. Although, as she knew, this was her original destination, and she hadn't gone to the wrong place.

But she didn't listen to a word of the tasks Misha gave her next. She just stood there grinning foolishly. Misha wondered if her sister had gone mad again, so she pulled her back from her reverie.

"Seriously, sister, are you even capable? You've been working here for so many years, and you still daydream at work."

"Haha... I'm sorry, Misha."

Unlike himself, a half-baked individual, Misha was efficient and decisive in her work. Although it was her older sister, Mitian, who introduced her to the job, Misha's performance fully lived up to the promises Mitian had made to the school, and even exceeded them. Therefore, no one gossiped that Misha had gotten the job through connections or back channels.

The elder sister, Mitis, was in charge of teaching the beginner saintess class, while the younger sister, Misha, was not an adventurer and therefore only handled student recruitment and logistics. Considering that the younger sister personally reviewed almost all the new students, Mitis secretly asked...

"Um... Misha, I have a question for you."

"If it's not work-related, please shut up, sister."

"Why are you so cold, girl... Just one question, nothing more. It won't take up your time."

"...Sigh, fine."

Misha was used to her sister's unreliable nature. She put down her work and looked at her sister, who was acting all awkward and hesitant. She said...

"Sis, you're disgusting."

"Um... Misha, when you were recruiting students... did you see someone with short green hair, a straw rope tied around their head, and who looked to be around thirteen or fourteen years old?"

Misha completely ignored her sister's sharp criticism. She asked herself the same question. It was common for her sister to ignore her complaints; Misha was already used to it. Arguing with her would only waste time, so she simply replied...

"I've seen it before."

"Yes, yes! I just saw him!"

"...So what? It's the time for new students to enroll, what's so surprising about seeing a new student?"

"What's his name? Where is he from? What's his race? What's his occupation? How old is he exactly? And is he male or female? You're in charge of admissions, don't tell me you don't know!"

"Sis, why are you asking this?"

Misha, who had never been an adventurer, didn't know Vilia; she'd only heard her sister mention her name. Naturally, she didn't understand why her sister was so interested in a seemingly ordinary new student. Her inquisitive manner would make it look like she was checking someone's household registration—quite intimidating.

"You could have just told me!"

"well..."

Watching Mitian act like a child, whining and pleading with her, Misha felt utterly helpless. Her older sister had always been a bit eccentric, acting on a whim and causing their parents no end of trouble. Later, she declared she wanted to marry a woman named Vilia, throwing her family into chaos. Misha herself didn't object, believing love transcends gender. But her conservative parents disagreed. In the end, the conflict fizzled out because her sister's lover apparently passed away.

Since then, Mitian has lost interest in everyone. She's always listless and seems lost in thought. People around her find her a bit scary and gradually distance themselves from her. Now, her unwavering devotion to a new student is a welcome sight for Misha, a rare glimpse of her sister's happiness. She thinks, perhaps this isn't such a bad thing after all.

The person was strange, but her sister was definitely not a bad person. Misha believed that Mitian wouldn't use the students' personal information for anything shady. So, without thinking too much, she agreed.

"That boy had rather unusual hair color and a somewhat peculiar mannerisms, so I remember him quite well... His name is Tatsia. He's a fourteen-year-old male human hero, I think he's from Isard Town. Yesterday he got into a fight with that student and was sent to the disciplinary office..."

"What...!? Tatya?"

Upon hearing the name, Mitian showed undisguised surprise and delight. She also remembered the age of fourteen. She didn't think much of what came afterward.

Her memory flashed back fifteen years. That year, Vilia had sent her a letter. It was an invitation to a wedding. Because of Vilia's situation, which had been a huge blow to Mittian, she couldn't attend. However, she had memorized the entire letter. She was absolutely certain that it contained the following:

"If we have a child in the future, and it's a girl, we plan to name her Tatia; if it's a boy, we plan to name him..."

Therefore, the name Tatsia was very familiar to Mitian. Calculating her age, her marriage to Vilia, and the timing of her pregnancy all matched perfectly. The significance of the straw rope tied around her head was also self-evident. Mitian now fully understood Tatsia's true identity.

She kept muttering Tasia's name, her eyes gleaming with malice, and let out a chilling, sinister laugh.

"Takia...Takia...hehe..."

"Waaah... Sister, has your condition finally worsened?"

The older sister's expression was that of a villain plotting some treacherous scheme. Even Misha, the younger sister, felt a chill. She couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. If something had happened to Tatsia during her studies, perhaps arresting her sister wouldn't have been a wrongful conviction. Employees had an obligation to protect students' personal information, and she herself would be punished for revealing Tatsia's information to her sister. Misha could only advise her sister to behave herself, though she knew her sister most likely wouldn't listen.

"Sister, I don't know what you're trying to achieve by asking him, but don't get any funny ideas..."

"No, no."

Although Mitian readily agreed, her drooling, darting eyes betrayed her ill intentions. If she were a man, Misha would believe it if someone told her she'd immediately start harassing women and children. As her younger sister, Misha could only hope her older sister retained some conscience and reason, before offering a dismissive, meaningless remark.

"Sigh, I'm really worried that having you as a teacher will have a very negative influence on the character of the future saintesses."

Of course, neither she, Naka, nor Tatia could have foreseen that Mitian would take such actions in the future.

Opening Ceremony

On Tuesday morning, almost everyone in Sunflower Town could faintly hear the chattering coming from the town's school. The residents were used to it; this happened every year around this time.

At this moment, the huge auditorium in the center of the Adventurers' School in Sunflower Town was packed with a bustling crowd. The school was finally welcoming its new class of students for their opening ceremony.

Since it was just a vocational skills training school, there were no uniforms provided. The audience was a sea of ​​colors; everyone was wearing their own clothes. People of all professions and ages gathered together, creating a chaotic and noisy scene, much like a bustling market.

To pass the time before the ceremony officially began, they shared their opinions on various social events, large and small, happening in the kingdom, the invasion of the Demon King and his army, and other similar topics. They also exchanged adventure experiences or boasted about their past achievements. It was all the kind of discussion that adventurers would have.

Naka was different from them; she simply sat in a chair, covering her ears with her hands to block out the noisy sounds. For someone who loves quiet, this was pure torture. And for a demon king, it was naturally unpleasant to hear those who attacked him and his people.

If it were just strangers around her acting like this, it wouldn't be so bad. The worst part is that Naka's best friend, Jasmine, is also joining in the commotion. And what's more, they're not even talking about anything respectable.

"Hey kid, how far are you and Naka planning to go? Are you getting married when you're an adult? How many kids do you want? Have you thought about names yet?"

Sitting to Naka's left, Jasmine, across Naka's neck, kept bombarding Tatya, who sat to Naka's right, with incredibly embarrassing questions. She wasn't malicious; ever since she'd witnessed Tatya and Naka together a few days prior, she'd been wanting to pry into her friend's marriage prospects. In her eyes, this seemingly perfect young couple was only a matter of time before they tied the knot. If she asked Naka, she was sure Naka would give her a cold, dismissive answer. So Jasmine set her sights on the still-young Tatya and began relentlessly questioning her. Tatya blushed deeply and couldn't utter a single word.

Although she didn't hear exactly what they were saying, Naka could guess the gist of it from Tatya's troubled expression. So she couldn't help but try to stop the incessant chatter of Jasmine.

"I said, that's enough. Can't you see how bothered he is?"

Jasmine was obedient; she stopped talking when Naka stopped her. But she gave them a mischievous smile. Naka thought to herself, maybe in Jasmine's eyes she was just a fiercely protective husband. If this continued, who knew what other crazy things Jasmine would think or say? It was best to clear up this misunderstanding sooner or later.

"Tia"

"Sister Naka..."

"I think it would be better to find an opportunity to tell Jasmine about your situation clearly."

"I agree..."

"Ahem, sound check, sound check"

As Naka and Tatsia whispered to each other, a deafening sound emanated from the speakers hanging in the ceiling. A technician, holding a magical device that amplified the sound, adjusted the clarity and volume. The ritual was about to begin.

The new students returned to their seats one by one. The entire hall quickly quieted down.

The fact that everyone was gathering here this morning seemed to have been conveyed to every new student. Taking advantage of this opportunity, where no one was supposed to be absent, Naka asked Tatsia to confirm what Tatsia had confided in her about the other day.

"Did Oz, the one you mentioned, come too? Where is he sitting?"

Although Naka didn't intend to interfere in the conflict between him and Tatsia, she was still quite curious about what that audacious young man looked like. Tatsia looked around at the people around her and then shook her head.

"I don't know either... Actually, I haven't seen him for the past few days."

"Aren't you roommates?"

"Yes, his luggage is still in the room, but we don't know where he went. He didn't come back when we went to bed at night, and his bed didn't show any signs of being moved when we woke up in the morning."

His feigned friendliness followed by a sudden attack made Tatsia wary of him. Every time she returned to her room, she was extra cautious, wondering if Oz had set any traps. But she never saw him again, leaving her alone for the days leading up to the start of school. This was actually a good thing for Tatsia, who wanted to conceal her identity, though she still worried he might try to sabotage her again.

In Naka's view, this was simply normal behavior for a child.

"What a mischievous fellow!"

After all, he was only a fifteen-year-old boy. Perhaps he was just taking advantage of the last bit of free time before school started to go somewhere and didn't even realize he was late. It was quite something that a mischievous child would dare to ambush and provoke someone he'd just met. Naka didn't think much of it. She straightened her posture and waited for the ceremony to begin.

The preliminary inspection was completed quickly. The technicians stepped off the stage, and several teachers in staff uniforms stood side-by-side in front of the stage curtain. One of them, a woman wearing thick glasses, craned her neck, looking around at the audience, seemingly searching for something.

"ah"

It's her.

The woman was none other than the saint Mittian, who had bumped into Tatia that day and was an old acquaintance of Tatia's mother. The moment Naka recognized her, she grabbed Tatia's head, pressing her upper and lower body at a 170° angle.

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

"Keep your head down, that guy is most likely looking for you."

"Huh? Looking for me?"

"She might want to confirm with you again... It's best if you don't appear in front of her."