The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

Although Mitian said that she had apologized that day, saving Naka the trouble of making up excuses, she couldn't be sure if Mitian would realize her mistake and bring it up again. For now, it was best to keep her from seeing Tatia.

After searching around and not finding Tatia, Mittian's face clearly showed disappointment. This also relieved Naka. It seemed that Tatia hadn't remembered her appearance despite her being with her. This would save Naka from having to avoid Tatia all over school from now on.

The teacher's strange behavior also drew the attention of the new students in the audience. All eyes turned to her. Realizing her actions might have been too conspicuous, Mitian coughed lightly, adopting a serious demeanor, and stood as straight as a wooden post in front of the stage, completely motionless. This contrasted sharply with her previous behavior, making her seem even stranger. Scattered chuckles rose from the audience.

"Quiet, quiet"

Suddenly, a faint, listless voice echoed through the auditorium through the loudspeakers. Only then did the new students notice a short, elderly gentleman standing on the stage. He held a megaphone, and the opening ceremony officially began under his direction.

"Welcome, new students. I am Carvado, the principal of this school..."

After his self-introduction, the new students realized that this was actually the principal. This school had always attracted students with Fros, an elite hero from the kingdom's adventure party, as its biggest selling point. Many people assumed Fros was the principal and were hoping to catch a glimpse of him at the opening ceremony. Now, sighs of disappointment echoed from the audience. Principal Kavado, whether oblivious to the commotion or simply indifferent, continued speaking. He talked about what he did before the school was founded, what Fros did, how he persuaded the king to allocate funds to help them establish the school, and then recounted the school's history, its famous graduates, and so on. The new students below were collectively starting to feel drowsy.

Naka had originally wanted to see what the first hero who had challenged her after twenty years looked like now. Seeing that no one on the stage resembled Frost, she lost interest in listening to Kavado's boring official jargon about the school's history and principles. After all, once she ruled the world, all of that would be forgotten dust. So Naka grinned, yawned, and her mind began to wander.

"Um, how much longer do I have to stay like this? My neck is so sore."

Tatia was one of the few people who really wanted to listen to Kavado's speech, but Naka immediately replied, "That woman is still watching," without relaxing her hands at all. Tatia had no choice but to rely solely on her ears to gather information.

Kavado seemed to have endless stories to tell about this school. He talked on and on until the freshmen in the audience began to lose focus, and even Tatya was starting to get bored, before finally ending his lengthy speech and moving on to the next segment.

"Now, let me introduce the teachers who will be accompanying you for the next six months, for each of your respective professions. First up is the Hero Course, and our beginner class instructor is Astend..."

This segment was much faster than the previous historical stories, and it quickly provided a brief introduction to all the teachers and mentors in the Hero Department. Tatya hurriedly asked...

"Sister Naka, can I get up and take a look now? Otherwise, I don't know which teacher is responsible for teaching me..."

Naka still showed no intention of letting her up, only verbally describing the information about the instructors in Tatsia's advanced hero class.

"She's a female hero from Vols. She's about the same height as Jasmine, has red hair, and a small bust."

"There's no need to go into so much detail... But, a female hero? That's quite rare..."

Tatiana had barely learned who was responsible for her instruction when the introductions on stage began for the Saintess Department. First up was Mitian. She stepped forward and bowed to the audience, while the headmistress introduced her to the new students.

"This is Ms. Mitianne, the instructor of the beginner's class at the St. Mary's Department."

"Oh, so this guy's name is Mitian."

Naka nodded from below the stage. Now she finally knew the name of this person she should be wary of. However, Tatia seemed quite familiar with the name.

"Mi...tian? I remember she was..."

Although they had never met, Tatia vaguely remembered her mother mentioning a younger saintess who greatly admired her in stories she told her as a child about her past as an adventurer. The specific details of the stories were hazy, but her mother described the younger saintess as follows: a woman who liked women, and unusually oblivious to others. Tatia remembered the younger saintess's name was Mittian.

"What's wrong?"

Noticing that Tatsia seemed to be making some noise, Naka quickly asked her if she had any clues. But Tatsia just pretended not to know.

"No, it's nothing..."

The information her mother shared about Mitian wasn't particularly confidential. Telling Naka wouldn't hurt. It was just that the fact that Mitian was "a woman who likes women" was something Tatia found difficult to talk about right now, even if it didn't refer to herself.

"Oh, Ms. Mitian. She's quite a pretty older sister."

Jasmine, being a complete outsider, simply gave her teacher a cursory initial assessment of her appearance upon meeting her. As for what happened next, none of the three paid any attention.

A few minutes later, all the mentors had finished introducing themselves. A murmur of discussion about the mentors began in the audience. Then, Kavado suddenly dropped a bombshell, an exciting announcement.

"Dear students, in addition to these instructors, our school also has a chief instructor who came all the way from the capital to be the final teacher to be introduced... You all know his name, right?"

This statement had an immense effect on calming the crowd. All the freshmen immediately fell silent, their eyes fixed on the podium. At that moment, no one dared to daydream.

Even Naka was the same. Just hearing the introduction, she knew who was going to be introduced next. She sat up straight, waiting for that person to arrive. The hand that was pressing down on Tatya's head unconsciously loosened its grip.

"Please welcome the founder of the Sunflower Town Adventurers' School: the Hero Frost!"

Frost's speech

A middle-aged man strode confidently before the crowd. The moment he appeared, the entire auditorium erupted in cheers that nearly lifted the ceiling. Countless people had traveled from all corners of the continent just to see him. In the hearts of many, he was the greatest warrior among humankind. And his mere presence fulfilled the dreams of countless people.

The man's face was covered in wrinkles, his hair and beard were disheveled and somewhat gray, and he had become overweight. The strong, young man Naka remembered was no more. The marks of time had ravaged him, making him look much older. But Naka recognized him immediately.

The brave Frost is now standing on the stage.

"He...he is the hero Fros himself...! My god, he's so imposing and manly...even though he's much older than me, if only we could be boyfriend and girlfriend..."

Jasmine, who is attracted to mature men, had eyes that seemed to turn into two hearts the moment she saw him. She began to swoon, her mouth filled with nonsensical fantasies. Only two people's attitudes differed from everyone else's.

Tatia, born in the Elf Kingdom, knew little about this human hero. Even after Naka released her, allowing her to witness Fros in person, she didn't find anything unusual. Naka, on the other hand, gleamed with murderous intent, watching her once-impressive defeated opponent with a mocking expression.

"A guy who couldn't even launch a decent attack against me, who could only run away in a panic under the protection of women, has now become some kind of idol... If I could, I really want to know if these guys would still idolize you after seeing you like that. Unfortunately, now that I've found you, I guess I won't have that chance."

At this moment, no one knew that the terrifying Demon King had infiltrated the new life and made a decision in his heart that would make humanity despair.

Kavado handed the magical device to Fros and retreated to the ranks of the other teachers. He knew that once this hero among heroes appeared, he would be nothing more than an insignificant supporting character. Fros, on the other hand, cleared his throat and began to entrust his dreams to the future generations he envisioned.

"Friends from all corners of the world, those who dream of becoming adventurers, those who aspire to become adventurers, or those who are already adventurers and hope to reach even greater heights here... I, the hero Fros, on behalf of the kingdom and His Majesty the King, welcome you!"

That one sentence alone sparked another explosive cheer. Frost waited a full two minutes before the hall gradually quieted down. He continued...

"Although it's only been half a year, I wish you can find the answers to the questions you seek here. May you break through your limitations, realize your dreams, or become the foundation of your own dreams. If that's all, it will be my honor, and my efforts in establishing this school will not have been in vain. If I can contribute even a little to all future adventurers, then my dream will have been fulfilled!"

Those around him were moved by Fros's impassioned speech. Tatya, though unaware of his true abilities, resonated with his ambition to contribute to the world and his concern for the younger generation even after retiring from the front lines, and couldn't help but applaud and support him. Only Naka, who wanted to destroy it all, was filled with disdain.

"Hmph, this guy's all talk and no action. But isn't the whole point of this school just to fight against our Demon King's army? Why doesn't he just say so directly?"

What Fros said next was just as boring as Kavado's storytelling. While the other freshmen listened with great interest due to the speaker's status, for Naka it was nothing more than a second round of torture.

After the ceremony, Naka initially thought she would find an opportunity to kill this rambling guy... until Frost mentioned this matter.

"Training courses for all professions and levels will undergo a collective assessment in six months to rank all students. The top graduate of each profession and level will receive a full set of top-tier adventure gear directly provided by the kingdom, a lifetime exemption from the adventurer rank exam, a pass allowing free travel between the kingdom's major hub cities and the capital, and a special exemption permit allowing them to team up with adventurers of any level for quests. Of course, the second to top five graduates will also receive generous rewards."

These conditions would be irresistible temptations for any incoming student, making them willing to fight tooth and nail for them. But for Naka, they held no allure whatsoever. However, the truly important matter was quite different. After a brief pause, Frost began to address the main point.

"...The above content represents the standard assessment and reward criteria from previous years. However, due to the continuous improvement in graduation performance by each new batch of students, there are countless individuals with limitless potential. Therefore, starting this year, we have decided to add new rewards... namely, the top graduate will be taught one-on-one by the most elite adventurers in our kingdom's adventurer group. They will directly impart the latest and strongest skills that only we can master. As for the graduates of the Hero Course, needless to say... they will become my personal disciples, receiving all the knowledge I have acquired throughout my life!"

These words caused an uproar in the audience. As the saying goes, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Compared to inanimate objects and consumables, rewards that can sustain their value for a long time and allow adventurers to achieve fundamental personal growth have a different level of appeal. With such tempting conditions, who could refuse?

The students, who had been listless not long ago, were now bursting with enthusiasm. They were eager to seize the title of top scorer. Anyone in the same profession now saw each other as an enemy.

It was at this moment that Naka turned to Tatia and asked her a question.

"Takia...do you also want to be the top student?"

The material rewards alone were enough to whet Tatsia's appetite. Judging from the excitement of everyone else, Tatsia could more or less guess that following Frost would yield something infinitely more valuable than any material reward. Her dream was to slay the Demon King of Level ∞. She wouldn't refuse any method to improve her personal cultivation, even if it meant competing with all the heroes. Facing Naka's question, she clenched her fists tightly and nodded in response.

"Yes, I want to."

"Really?... Well then, you'd better do your best!"

Although she spoke casually, the moment Tatia gave Naka a very satisfactory answer, she abandoned the idea of ​​immediately killing Frost.

At first, Naka was worried about whether Tatia intended to win first place. Unlike the others, she didn't see Fros as a hero or a star. Becoming Fros's apprentice probably didn't hold much appeal for her. But now Naka was relieved; those thoughts were just unfounded worries. Even if she didn't know if she could defeat the experienced heroes of her generation, even if her talent might not be quite there yet, Tatia, who was still gritting her teeth and constantly striving to climb higher, was the Tatia Naka wanted to see.

Although Fros is no match for Naka, his experience, techniques, and skills at level 64 are invaluable assets to the still young Tatia. They will undoubtedly benefit her immensely. Naka believes in Tatia. As long as she works hard, this year's top graduate is sure to be...

"Hey! I've never heard of that!"

However, at that moment, a young but loud voice came from below the stage, interrupting Frost's speech on stage.

Who dares to be so disrespectful? Everyone looked up and saw a young man in black standing below the stage, head held high, hands on his hips, looking at Frost on the stage with obvious displeasure. He was covered in dirt, and there seemed to be some fresh bloodstains on his face.

The moment she saw him, Tatia turned deathly pale. She jumped to her feet and shouted the boy's name.

"Oh, Oz!?"

Special Admissions

As the revered hero Fros was giving his speech, someone in the audience dared to openly interrupt and raise a question. This was utterly incomprehensible to at least 90% of the adventurers present. This arrogant young man, whose origins were unknown, greatly displeased them. Only one person was familiar with him: Tatia.

Surprised to see her nemesis, whom she hadn't seen for days, appear in this setting, Tatia, based on his wounds, quickly deduced his whereabouts. Clearly, he'd been in another fight.

"Is he Oz?"

Tatia called out his name, allowing Naka to see this boy who could have been her teammate for the first time. She also noticed Oz's injuries. Naka thought to herself, "Just as Tatia said, he's a troublemaker. And to dare to openly cause trouble in this situation—his audacity is admirable." Let's see what he's up to.

A commotion erupted, but Oz didn't notice Tatia's voice mixed in with the noise. He also ignored the doubts and criticisms from the adventurers around him. He continued speaking to Fros on the stage.

"Uncle, you invited me to your school because you saw my potential. I initially didn't want to come, but you pleaded with me repeatedly and even agreed to waive all my tuition fees, so I reluctantly agreed. Why bother with exams and rankings? Just take me on as your apprentice and teach me skills, wouldn't that be better?"

"Repeatedly pleading? Waiving tuition? What does that mean?"

"I paid so much money to attend these classes because of the quality of teaching here. And you're saying there are people who get in through connections?"

Oz's words inadvertently revealed information unknown to the other students, eliciting an even more intense reaction from the audience. The focus shifted from Oz to Frost and the school, who were suspected of abusing their power to treat students differently. Amidst the initial support and praise for Frost, some voices of doubt began to emerge.

Frost remained silent for a few seconds. Then, calmly, he spoke to Oz.

"Oz, what have you been doing these past few days? I've been looking for you for days, but I can't find you anywhere."

"I would suffocate staying in a place like this where even fighting is controlled, so I ran away from school for a stroll and got into a fight along the way."

As he spoke, Oz pulled a long, grayish-white object from his pocket and threw it onto the podium. Fros walked over and picked it up. At this moment, some experienced adventurers noticed something amiss and exclaimed in surprise: It was a dragon's tooth!

Throughout this continent dwell ten demonic dragons. These are the minions unleashed by the Demon King, Nama Kalena. Each dragon possesses strength that even the kingdom's elite adventurer teams struggle to defeat. In terms of level, none are below 60. This dragon tooth naturally belongs to one of those dragons. Before Oz produced this item, many adventurers questioned whether he was merely an incompetent nepotism hire. But now, they are speechless. The significance of obtaining such a precious item is self-evident.

Even Naka was taken aback. She not only knew what it was, but also knew exactly which dragon the tooth belonged to.

"How is this possible? I remember he was just a level 9 hero, at most on par with Tatia, yet he managed to...?"

Even twenty years ago, it took the combined efforts of all five of Fros's group to defeat "Daje," another dragon under Naka's command. "Yag" was a higher-level dragon no less powerful than "Daje." In Naka's view, the probability of this boy even returning alive was infinitesimally small, let alone defeating it.

Frost couldn't hide the surprise on his face. He had spoken highly of Oz, but he certainly didn't believe he was already at such a level. Furthermore, there had never been any reports of dragons appearing near Sunflower Town. Therefore, he asked...

"Oz, where did you get this thing?"

"I didn't hit this thing. I raided a bandit hideout, and I found it inside. Uncle, fighting bandits is much more interesting than staying cooped up in bed here."

Oz spoke with a relaxed and nonchalant tone, seemingly regarding the Dragon Fang as merely a trophy without grasping its extraordinary significance. This relieved the adventurers, who dismissed him as nothing more than an ignorant child.

However, some adventurers had heard of the bandits entrenched near Sunflower Town. They weren't ordinary thieves; each was a highly skilled fighter, and under the command and training of their former leader, they maintained strict discipline and teamwork. Even groups of monsters were no match for them. Some adventurers who went to fight them were killed due to their lack of strength. Even if Oz hadn't defeated the dragon, his single-handedly wiping out the bandit group was no small feat.

Fros put away the dragon tooth. While it was good that he hadn't recklessly challenged the dragon, fighting such a dangerous organization without telling others was equally dangerous. Looking at Oz's injuries, Fros could imagine that even if he won, the battle wouldn't have been easy. He advised him with concern.

"Oz, once school officially starts, we'll be under closed management. You absolutely mustn't go out and do anything so dangerous again."

But Oz didn't care.

"You're so long-winded, old man. It's all because your kingdom kept dragging its feet and wouldn't deal with it that I had to personally rid the people of this menace. Besides, I'd heard about your reward policy. That's why I went to capture them to prove I'm the best apprentice. Now what do you have to say? Isn't that enough to prove I'm the best?"

It's truly admirable that someone could single-handedly eliminate a bandit organization. However, some heroes, warriors, and mages didn't believe they couldn't do the same. They were also deeply dissatisfied with Oz's arrogant attitude. Their anger was thus directed at Frost. Discontented voices rose and fell from the audience.

Now that things have come to this, if an explanation isn't given, it will likely be difficult to manage the students for the next six months. So Frost cleared his throat and formally responded to this unexpected incident.

"I'm very sorry. I've caused a lot of confusion and trouble. I originally planned to bring this child on stage with me and explain the situation when I came on stage. But as you can see, he's a disobedient fellow. I have no choice but to postpone dealing with this matter. Since we're on the topic now, let me introduce the new policy... To fight against the Demon King's army, we humans need more and stronger talents, a point I believe everyone agrees on. That's why I specifically established this school. Although it might sound a bit boastful, the teaching resources of our Sunflower Town Adventurers' School are second to none in the entire kingdom. Correspondingly, the tuition is also for many potential adventurers..." This is a number that most families cannot afford. But it would be putting the cart before the horse to shut out children who could potentially become valuable talents for humanity because of financial constraints. Therefore, for many years I have been searching for individuals with extraordinary talent throughout the kingdom's towns and villages. If someone truly has potential, I believe we can waive their tuition and nurture them into powerful adventurers. Therefore, starting this year, we will introduce a special admissions system. Students I approve of will be admitted for free. In principle, there is no limit to the number of places, but this system is still in the experimental testing phase, so this year there is only one special admission: a boy named Oz.”

Although Frost invoked grand principles at the national level, many adventurers were only concerned with their own finances and whether the treatment was fair. They had never heard of such a system before; it was strange that such a thing had appeared in their own year. Some adventurers could accept it, but many others expressed their inability to agree. Frost continued...

"Of course, my eyes aren't always 100% accurate. So, in the end, I still implemented an exam and reward system. If anyone manages to eliminate the talent I recommended, then I'll honor my bet and abolish this rule altogether. Furthermore, the top student will receive more compensation. But please believe me, I, the Hero Fros, guarantee with my reputation that although Oz isn't at a high level now, he will definitely become one of the few top adventurers who can surpass me. I hope everyone can get along peacefully and progress together."

"I see..."

Tatia now understood why Oz's worn-out suitcase and the faculty's aloofness towards him had caused all this trouble. She'd been assigned to be roommates with someone recommended by the school's founder and exempt from tuition; no wonder no one dared to reprimand him when they clashed.

Oz was certainly not a likable fellow. But since the Hero Fros had already put it that way, many adventurers had no choice but to look at Oz, who still leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, with a haughty attitude. Could he surpass the Hero Fros? No one thought so.

The previously lively atmosphere became extremely stiff and awkward because of Oz. Frost had no choice but to hastily end his speech, step down from the stage, and return the magical device to Kavado.

Carvado returned to the podium in an attempt to ease the chilly atmosphere.

"Um... please don't take it too seriously, everyone. This system is still in the trial phase. And if Oz commits a serious disciplinary offense, we will take appropriate disciplinary measures. It's not like he can enjoy the school's educational resources for free without any conditions. After he graduates, the rewards he earns from missions will be handed over to the school at 110% of his tuition... But who will ultimately receive the top prize is still unknown. I hope everyone will strive for excellence! Meeting adjourned!"

Although Cavado tried to salvage the situation, it ultimately ended in a half-hearted effort, leaving everyone with some lingering resentment. The gathering ended as if it had been prematurely aborted. The faculty and staff on the stage left with Frost, and the freshmen below gradually departed. Everyone had different opinions about Oz, his actions, and Frost's promises.

Ultimately, as long as it comes down to ability, the most important thing is to do your best and have a six-month period without any regrets. This afternoon, the first class will officially begin. The adventurers left the auditorium full of energy and enthusiasm. Some went to eat, some went back to their dormitories to rest, and some strolled around the school, each preparing themselves for the afternoon's class in their own way. Oz, too, had disappeared without a trace.

Naka sat silently in her chair with a serious expression, until Jasmine and Tatsia pulled her back from her reverie.

"Naka, Naka! What's wrong? Are you sleeping with your eyes open?"

"Sister Naka, the meeting is over, you can go now."

"Oh? Ah, I see..."

When she came to her senses, she found the huge auditorium completely empty, with only two familiar faces standing before her. Naka had no choice but to stand up and leave with Jasmine and Tatsia. However, as she walked, she was still pondering what had just happened.

Everyone else was only concerned with Oz, Fros, and the school. But Naka was still thinking about the dragon named "Yag." Although it wasn't defeated by Oz, which was a relief, otherwise this boy with terrifying potential would have died at Naka's hands shortly after the meeting. But Yag's teeth were indeed there. Naka worried about what had happened to the dragon, because she hadn't received any reports of Yag being attacked.

"Yag's" teeth are still in Frost's hands, which Naka is very concerned about. She wants to reclaim what belonged to her subordinate. But how? Naka hasn't figured out a good way yet.

"Sister Naka? What's wrong?"

Seeing that Naka looked preoccupied, Tatya couldn't help but ask with concern. Naka naturally dodged the question and began to change the subject.

"It's nothing... By the way, Tatia. Is that Oz your roommate? Living with him must be really tough for you. I don't think you two will be able to get along peacefully for the next six months."

"...As long as he doesn't provoke me, I don't want to provoke him either."