The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

Despite her words, Tatsia's angry expression betrayed her unforgiveness towards Oz. She was only able to enroll with Naka's help, while he received free admission. This matter deeply troubled Tatsia. How would they spend the next six months together? Tatsia could only imagine the escalating conflicts that would follow.

Unlike the two who were each preoccupied with their own thoughts, Jasmine instead began to fan the flames.

"You'd better do your best, kid. Make your sister Naka proud, beat that Oz guy, and take first place!"

"I will..."

Jasmine's words were the best encouragement for Tatya. She clenched her fists tightly. To repay Naka's expectations, and to make Oz look at her with new eyes, she vowed that even if she had to compete with all the heroes, she would never be second to anyone else. Tatya made a vow in her heart to be the best. The three who left last departed from the hall.

However, another pair of eyes remained hidden behind the stage curtain, watching the three figures depart. From behind that curtain came a sinister, malicious laugh.

"Found you..."

The first lesson of the Saintess Class

In the afternoon, the classroom for the nuns' class was filled with the chatter of girls. About a dozen nuns were waiting for the class to begin.

The beginner-level saintesses in the introductory class were mostly young girls of similar age, and they had many topics to discuss. They shared their cultivation experiences, exchanged adventure tips, boasted about famous adventurers they had teamed up with, or discussed the upcoming course content. One girl was asking her classmates about their romantic experiences, hoping they could be introduced to handsome, mature men. Another girl didn't even introduce herself, simply sitting there silently. With her upper body slumped over the table and her hands covering her head, she exuded a distinctly unapproachable aura. A few girls approached, wanting to greet her, but they weren't sure if she was asleep or preoccupied. Disturbing her abruptly would only cause unnecessary trouble, so they ultimately chose to leave.

The saintess named Naka wasn't actually sleeping, nor was she refusing to communicate. She was simply having a conversation with Fan, an undead high-ranking officer of the Demon King's army, in a way that humans couldn't hear.

"What did you say? Yagta..."

"I would never admit I was wrong."

For days, Fan hadn't received any contact from Naka. The last time she finally reached out, it was with the shocking news that one of the demon dragons under the Demon King's command might have met with misfortune.

"But... how is that possible? Back then, it took a whole team of level 60 heroes to defeat Dajie. Only a group of top adventurers could handle Yag, who is no weaker than Dajie... But do humans that strong really exist? The Demon King's castle has never received any reports of this..."

"It doesn't necessarily mean they were defeated."

When Naka saw Yag's teeth, she did consider that the dragon might have met with misfortune. However, at this stage, it wasn't the only possibility.

Although their strength is guaranteed, the dragons, aside from obeying the commands of Naka, the Demon King, are no different from ordinary wild beasts. Their actions are purely instinctive; they will attack any creature they see. Where they go is entirely determined by their whims. Therefore, no one in the Demon King's army can constantly monitor them, and naturally, they cannot accurately track the dragons' whereabouts and condition.

Dragons don't "change their teeth." Their teeth are so hard and sharp that they can easily crush most substances in the world like tofu. Ordinary eating wouldn't knock out a dragon's teeth. Even without defeating a dragon, anyone capable of knocking out its teeth is a formidable opponent to be wary of. What's here now is just one of Yag's teeth, not its corpse. It's possible someone simply knocked out its tooth and retrieved it. This is Naka's optimistic guess at the moment.

However, what Naka didn't understand was why that tooth was in the hands of the bandits? The bandit group that was wiped out by a mere Lv9 Oz couldn't possibly be the same guys who took down Agu's tooth.

"Regardless, Fan, send men to investigate Aag's whereabouts. Report back to me immediately with any news, whether he's dead or alive. Also, inquire about the whereabouts of the other dragons. They are our Demon King's army's trump cards. I'm very worried that they've been targeted as well."

"I see"

"Sigh, there might have been people who knew about Yag, or who had been in contact with people who had fought against Yag, but thanks to that brat, those who knew are probably either dead or arrested..."

"So what do you plan to do?"

"Need I say more?"

Even without the "Ag" incident, Naka seemed to have some kind of connection with the young hero named Oz. And he was none other than Tatya's troublesome roommate, now her rival. Naka had long wanted to meet him. The "Ag" incident only strengthened Naka's resolve.

"I'm going to thoroughly investigate that Oz, and also, get Yag's teeth back from Frost."

If that tooth had been transferred to the kingdom's headquarters and handed over to the king, it would be virtually impossible for Naka to retrieve it without anyone noticing. It's unclear whether Fros has such intentions. The current situation leaves Naka with no time for hesitation. Investigating Oz and retrieving the dragon tooth are Naka's top priorities.

However, before that, there was something Naka had to do, and that was...

"Hi, girls, good afternoon!"

A young woman's voice suddenly rang out. Her loud voice even interrupted Naka's thoughts. And Naka was familiar with this voice.

"The teacher is here, Fan. We can talk later."

"I see"

After cancelling the call, Naka immediately looked up. The woman standing before her was exactly as she had imagined—the same woman she had bumped into that day, and the one she had seen during the teacher introduction lecture earlier that day. Wearing thick glasses and with two braids, Naka remembered her name was Mittian. She was the lecturer for this Saintess class. However, the tone of her voice when she entered surprised Naka.

"Was she really such a frivolous person?... "

Upon hearing her voice, the saintesses who had been scattered throughout the classroom took their seats. Jasmine, who had been trying to find an opportunity to be introduced to a boyfriend, sat down next to Naka.

The two sat in the back row of the classroom. Mitian maintained a calm expression while observing the students, but when her gaze swept over the students in the front row and finally landed on Naka and Jasmine, her expression visibly changed completely. Her mouth stretched into a wide crescent shape, and her eyes narrowed into full crescents. A faint giggling sound could be heard. It was incredibly eerie. Jasmine whispered to Naka...

"Hey Naka, is there something wrong with that teacher? Why is she smiling like that when she sees us?"

"Who knows..."

To be honest, Naka wasn't entirely clueless. When she left the auditorium with Tatia, she sensed a pair of eyes watching her from behind. Now it seemed that Tatia had discovered that she and Jasmine were friends with her. Naka couldn't help but blame herself for her carelessness. She had only dared to act with Tatia because all the teachers on stage had left. She hadn't expected someone to be lurking behind the scenes. This teacher named Mitian was even more cunning than Naka had imagined. Naka decided she should be much more careful around her in the future.

This only explains why she cares about herself and Jasmine. Why she smiled so lewdly remains a mystery.

"Teacher? What's wrong?"

Even the other classmates noticed Mitian's strange expression and asked her with concern. Only then did Mitian seem to realize her lapse in composure. She cleared her throat and, adopting a gentlemanly demeanor, introduced herself.

"Well, I think you all saw me during the Headmaster's speech and know my name. However, I had to make time for other teachers and the Hero Fros, so I couldn't give a proper explanation. Now, let me reintroduce myself: My name is Mitis, and I'm a high-ranking saintess. I've been a saintess for twenty years, so I'm quite a senior to you ladies. If you don't want to call me 'teacher,' you can call me 'senior sister' if you prefer. Oh? Do you have any questions, young lady?"

As Mytian introduced himself, a saint raised her hand. After receiving Mytian's permission, she stood up and asked...

"You said you've been a saint for twenty years, so teacher, how many years have you been...?"

"Excuse me, even if you're a girl, you can't just ask a girl's age, okay?"

"No, no... I just think you look very young, teacher, and I don't think you're much older than twenty."

"Although I'm twenty years old, I'm forever ten!"

Mitian was approachable and her humorous manner drew laughter from the saints. Jasmine couldn't help but chuckle. Only Naka remained expressionless, not understanding the humor in the conversation.

"Well then, since we're all adventurers, there's no need to hide anything. I'll tell you my stats so you can have a reference. These are the real numbers I tested last night, no deception involved!"

Mitian picked up the chalk and quickly wrote down a series of ability values ​​and skills on the blackboard. Details are as follows:

Lv: 45

Power: 4

Defense: 5

Sensitivity: 7

Mana: 1431

Skills: Supreme Healing Magic, Supreme Physical Enhancement Magic, Supreme Detoxification Magic, Supreme Magic Barrier Magic, High-Level Holy Magic

Although she seemed unreliable, her abilities and numerous top-level spells left the beginner-level saintesses speechless. Jasmine exclaimed in amazement.

"Although the teacher is definitely more capable than us, I never expected her magic power to be over a thousand... Naka, when will we ever reach that number...?"

"There's nothing to be surprised about. You couldn't be a teacher without these skills."

Naka used "Demon King's Authority: Insight" to confirm Mitian's ability values, which were indeed completely consistent with what she had written. For Jasmine, who had worked hard for many years and only had a magic power value in the double digits, an ability value of over a thousand was indeed unimaginable, an astronomical figure that was difficult to reach. However, in Naka's eyes, having witnessed the ability values ​​of Fros and his companions, this was just a very ordinary level. Naka also understood why she was only responsible for teaching the beginner class.

"As you can see, the Saintess is a class that helps teammates fight better and heals others' injuries. Therefore, for Saintess, abilities such as strength, defense, and agility are not the focus of development. As long as their magic power increases, the effectiveness of their magic will also increase significantly. So Saintess are basically dedicated to enhancing their magic power."

After introducing herself, Mitian extended her palm to a long-haired brown girl sitting in the front row.

"I'm sure you all already know each other before I came, but I don't know you all very well yet. Could you please introduce yourselves to me? Let's start with you."

The girl who was called stood up and said in a loud voice

"My name is Pais, I'm 15 years old, and I'm from..."

The following time consisted entirely of self-introductions from each student. Some of the more introverted girls gave brief introductions, while others, more outgoing, talked on and on about their lives. Naka had absolutely no interest in remembering these people who had only been with her for about six months. Until it was her turn, she simply stood there, lost in thought.

After what seemed like an eternity, Jasmine stood up beside her. Only then did Naka refocus her attention on the lesson. Once Jasmine finished speaking, it would be her turn.

"My name is Jasmine, and I'm 19 years old. I'm a Level 2 Saintess. Those of you who chatted with me earlier probably already know that I'm currently actively seeking a boyfriend. If anyone knows any mature, manly men, please feel free to contact me!"

Mitian narrowed his eyes again and smiled at Jasmine, saying...

"Haha, it seems Jasmine is still a girl in love. There are some older male teachers at school, and I'll try to find one for Jasmine if I get the chance... Well then, the last one is you, the student next to Jasmine."

Jasmine sat down, and Naka stood up. She spoke in a completely flat voice.

"Naka. 20 years old, nice to meet you."

Upon hearing her self-introduction, all the saintesses in the class turned their heads to the back of the classroom in surprise. No one had imagined that this girl, who looked to be perhaps the youngest among all the saintesses in the class, was actually twenty years old. In fact, she wasn't even a fraction of Naka's actual age. She claimed to be twenty simply because she had been the Demon King for exactly twenty years.

Naka's introduction was much shorter than Mittian had expected. She had wanted to try and get closer to her, but didn't know how to begin. In the end, she could only force a smile and offer a stiff compliment.

"Oh, Naka is so straightforward and efficient! I really like this kind of child—direct and decisive. That's a very important quality, and I hope..."

"Teacher, I've finished the last introduction. Can we begin the lesson now?"

Mitian seemed determined to drag things out a bit longer. Naka had no choice but to interrupt her. Mitian awkwardly scratched her hair.

"Well, that's true... Well then, everyone, I look forward to your guidance for the next six months. Naka, please..."

Just as Mitian was about to offer a seat, she noticed that Naka had already taken her seat first. The scene became extremely awkward.

"W-what's going on? This child..."

Although she was always considered strange by others, Naka was one of the most eccentric people Mitian had ever met. Mitian inwardly grumbled; if it weren't for needing to curry favor with Naka to get closer to Tatya, she wouldn't have bothered paying attention to these two. But since she needed their help, she had no choice but to obey their wishes. Mitian suppressed her anger and forced a smile.

"Alright, let's begin the lesson. Students, please take out the textbooks that have been prepared for you..."

Naka took a thick textbook from her desk. It was titled "Introduction to Sainthood." Upon seeing those four words, Naka put the book down again.

Because it was a beginner's class, besides the current Holy Maidens, there were also a few beginners with zero experience in the same class as Naka. To accommodate them, they could only start with the most basic content. Naka already knew all of that content by heart; there was no need for review. For Naka, who only wanted to learn new skills and increase her magic power, the next long period of classes would likely be fruitless. Naka leaned over the table, intending to continue discussing important military matters with Fain.

But just then, Jasmine gently patted Naka's shoulder.

"Naka, Naka..."

"What's wrong?"

"Someone's watching you."

"It's that teacher again, isn't it? The way she looked at us just now was really weird, wasn't it?"

"It wasn't her. Besides, she only looked at you, not me."

"What?"

Naka looked up. All the girls in the class were engrossed in their books, leaving Naka with only the back of their heads visible. Only one person was facing Naka directly. The brown-haired girl sitting in the front row had her head turned back, staring intently at Naka's face, her eyes seemingly filled with intense emotion. Even though Naka noticed her, she didn't look away.

But Naka didn't know her.

"What's wrong with her? I remember her name was... something like that?"

"Pays"

"Yes, yes...but why is she looking at me? Is there something weird on my face?"

"How would I know? I'd like to ask Naka if you've ever offended her in any way."

"How could that be? This class was the first time I'd ever seen her."

"Then why?"

"Who knows... I'll ask her after class."

Naka had absolutely no clue about Pais. She had intended to use the class, which was optional, to further consider her next steps, but Pais's constant, unwavering gaze made her extremely uncomfortable. She was completely unable to think things through properly.

Since birth, Naka had never experienced a single second of school life. She had hoped to take this opportunity to experience it, but the lessons turned out to be incredibly boring, and she was also being stared at by a stranger. As a result, Naka's first class ended in this bizarre state.

The First Lesson of the Hero Class (Part 1)

Just as Naka was being targeted by Mitian and the unfamiliar girl Pais, the advanced class for heroes, where Tatia was enrolled, also began its lessons.

Unlike the beginner Saintess class, where theoretical knowledge is learned first, the Hero class has no teachers. All new students in the Hero class are uniformly assigned to a huge venue located in the northeast of the school. From the outside, it looks like a domed theater, with its eggshell-like bright silver roof faintly visible from a distance, indicating its vast size. Upon entering, one is greeted by an interior design simulating various natural environments: jungles, plains, mountain paths, architectural ruins, and even a pool simulating waves... almost every place where monsters might appear has been recreated with a remarkably high degree of accuracy.

"Human hands can create such exquisite works of art?" Tatia thought to herself as she entered the venue. As she ventured deeper, more and more intricate and realistic scenes appeared one after another. The elven girl couldn't help but admire human imagination and technological prowess. The elves living in the forest would never have the means to create such things.

The new students in the advanced class were required to assemble in a simulated palace ruins scene. When Tatia arrived there following the signs, four other heroes had already arrived, but their teacher, Worth, was nowhere to be seen. This relieved Tatia somewhat; at least it meant she had avoided being late for her first class.

At this time, everyone in the Saintess Class was happily introducing themselves to each other. However, such a harmonious atmosphere was nowhere to be seen in the Hero Class.

The warriors who had already arrived maintained a considerable distance from each other, avoiding direct eye contact. Instead, they carefully observed the posture, movements, and center of gravity of those around them. It was as if anyone who dared to make the slightest move would be immediately attacked by the others, as they used their aura and posture to suppress each other.

"Ugh, why does the atmosphere seem so awkward..."

Tatia wanted to greet her classmates in a friendly manner, but faced with the tense atmosphere, she had no choice but to back down and shrink to the side, too afraid to go forward.

This isn't surprising. Unlike the novice saintesses who lack competition and experience, the advanced class heroes are all seasoned warriors who have weathered countless battles. Driven by the pursuit of greater strength, they possess abundant confidence and pride. They're not here to experience school life, but to utilize the kingdom's resources to fundamentally improve their skills. Moreover, this year's program includes the enticing new system proposed by Fros. Faced with such tempting rewards, the heroes are locked in a life-or-death competition. Naturally, no one wants to cultivate interpersonal relationships.

Of course, the still young Tatia didn't think that far ahead. She only assumed that everyone here had had a fight over some conflict before she arrived.

However, someone did notice Tatsia. It was a young man with a light beard. After his eyes swept over Tatsia, he spoke to the most innocent-looking girl.

"Hey, you over there?"

"..."

"Hey there! I'm talking to you, you green-haired kid! Don't pretend you didn't hear me!"

Tatsia's name is Tatsia, not "over there." It wasn't until the young man angrily pointed out the distinctive feature of her hair that she realized he was calling her. Tatsia, who hadn't wanted to provoke anyone, was startled and quickly apologized profusely.