The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

"Then, Demon King, why did you choose Her Majesty the Princess?"

Only then did the Demon King finally raise her head. Looking at her distraught subordinates and lover, she answered with some guilt.

"Um... I really feel bad for Diaz and Tatia, who participated in the competition, with this answer. But..."

If he could, the Demon King would also like to choose between the two of them. However, the Demon King has had a considerable amount of time with each of them. And there is only one person who has almost never had such precious time.

"...If one day I could put aside my busy work and spend a day alone with someone, I would still hope that person is someone who has never had the chance to be alone with me, living a lonely life... my daughter. Since birth, she has never spent a day alone with me like a normal mother and daughter. For Maya, this reward is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Compared to the two of us who can see each other frequently, this day seems more important to Maya, something to cherish... that's what I think."

The Demon King wanted to reflect on her overly cold attitude towards her daughter, and even if it was just for a day, she wanted to interact with her like a normal mother and daughter... The Demon King, Nama Kalena, held this thought in mind, which is why she took it upon herself to write her daughter's name even after learning that her daughter hadn't participated. As she wrote, the Demon King felt nothing but endless regret. But this also reflected a guilty mother's determination to make a change.

"Wow! What magnificent maternal love! Audience, please give the Demon King a round of applause!"

"good!"

"Long live the Demon King!"

Deeply moved by the Demon King's speech, the audience erupted in thunderous applause. Diaz and Tatia, who were on stage, knew Maya well and nodded in empathy. If they were to lose to her, they would have no complaints.

But soon, they realized an important problem that seemed to have been forgotten. Diaz, snapping out of his daze, immediately rushed in front of Sacchubas, blocking the view, and shouted repeatedly...

"Wait, wait, wait! Give me a break! Why are you creating this feeling that everything's happy and all the fuss is over?! Hey, Sarciubasi! Have you forgotten something?!"

"Yes, yes!"

Tatia echoed her sentiment, and then the two spoke together.

"What should we do with the prize then?!"

The rules stated that the winner would have the opportunity to spend a day alone with the Demon King, during which the Demon King must obey all the winner's requests and commands. However, there was no winner. So, who should lead the Demon King away? This was the only question on their minds.

"Well... the Demon Queen is the absolute ruler. Since she wants Princess Mayera to win, then the one who can take the Demon Queen away is naturally Princess Mayera!"

"Wha...what?! What's the point of our match then?!"

"Just consider it... a pastime for the people of the world, hehe..."

"Sacciobas!!!!!"

Unable to contain his anger any longer, Diaz instantly transformed back into his insect form, brandishing his scythe and slashing at the grinning Sachibath. She knew from the beginning that this would be the outcome; she had never intended for herself or Tatia to win. Having been tricked, he only wanted to kill this infuriating woman to vent his anger.

Saccursas merely smiled slightly, and before the scythe could strike, she transformed into countless specks of light and vanished from the stage. The megaphone in her hand slammed to the ground with a loud thud.

"First published on 705u.com - Book Club"

His attack failed, and his opponent slipped away right before his eyes. Furious, Diaz turned and lashed out at his opponent, Tatia.

"You little brat! Why didn't you answer fifty questions correctly and get fifty points before me? If you had, I wouldn't believe that damned woman Saccubasi could still find an excuse to mess with us! How could you be so useless!"

She was already furious, and then Diaz blamed her like that. Tatia was enraged and retorted directly.

"What? Why couldn't you just go easy on me and give me a few points? If you'd given me even one point, I would have been at fifty by now!"

"How was I supposed to know you couldn't even answer such a simple question! You brat, didn't you claim to love His Majesty the Demon King the most?! You're so unreliable when it really matters! I misjudged you!"

"What did you say!"

Unable to contain her anger any longer, Tatia drew two giant swords from behind her and absorbed them into her body, transforming into her evolved form.

"What! You want to fight?! You think I'm afraid of you?! As expected, you're going to die!"

"It seems you won't understand your own limitations until I beat you one more time, General Diaz!"

Seeing that his opponent was now ready to fight, Diaz also raised his scythe and gathered his magic. Taqia flapped her wings, her entire body erupting with powerful elven energy. The scene instantly descended into chaos.

The director repeatedly yelled at the crew holding the camera's telescopic camera, "Into the commercial break! Into the commercial break!" Meanwhile, the audience, seemingly enjoying the spectacle, fanned the flames, shouting, "Fight! Let's start fighting! A real, live duel between the Princess and the Fifth General is a rare sight!"

Only one person, looking blankly at the stage that had spiraled out of control, muttered to himself indifferently.

"Um... what should I do?"

The Demon King had merely shared her thoughts, and for some reason, within minutes the scene had devolved into this chaotic exchange of magical energy. She was tightly bound and unable to move. They had agreed to release her after the competition, but it seemed even the staff, the two contestants, and the host had forgotten about her.

...No, there is actually another person who knows that there is a demon king here who is now beyond resistance.

"Mother~"

"babble!"

A female voice, almost identical to the Demon King's, came from behind him, and a pair of cold, small hands wrapped around his neck. The unexpected chill and the voice startled the Demon King, causing him to let out a scream completely out of character. At the same time, the voice continued...

"I've heard everything from General Saccubass, Mother wants to be alone with me... I'm so happy, so happy! Mother. You've finally looked at me, even if it's just for a day, you're finally mine alone... You know, this is the day I've dreamed of since I was born, a day I've dreamed of but never had. I've been waiting and waiting, and finally it's here... I won't miss it, I'll cherish it and make the most of these twenty-four hours!"

The hands that had been touching his neck slowly moved down, eventually encircling the Demon King's chest. The owner of those hands, with a subtly provocative tone, uttered these words...

"The next day, I will let Mother get to know your daughter better... Please take good care of me, Mother~~"

..........

If asked about the Demon Queen's state of mind at this moment, she would probably answer like this:

My daughter...maybe...

They don't seem much safer than those two...

The author's words:

Although this chapter is an "what if" story, it also conveys information about Volume 4 to the readers. Not only Tatia, but also the changing relationship between Naka and her daughter Mayera will be a key plotline in Volume 4.

The next chapter will begin the story of Volume Four. After that, I'll also be updating with some "what if" stories that seem to have some connection to the main plot, but also some seemingly unrelated. Please look forward to it! (By the way, there have been fewer book reviews and comments lately... are you still reading?)

# Extra Chapter: Two Saintesses

A girl who dreams of becoming a saint

Nineteen years ago, a baby girl was born into an ordinary family in a remote, peaceful village.

The child's parents had her late in life; the couple were over forty when the baby girl was born. Therefore, they cherished this hard-won child immensely.

The village wasn't large. Local specialties? Scenery? Commerce? None of the above. If anything, there were only two things the villagers could boast about. One was the chapel where many nuns came to practice, and the other was the jasmine flowers blooming profusely in the village fields. Even in the sweltering heat of summer, as long as they could smell the fragrance of jasmine and see that pleasing color, the villagers would no longer complain. The baby girl's parents were one such farmer. Therefore, they decided to name their daughter something that would relieve all their stress and fatigue, and bring them endless joy and comfort: Jasmine.

However, Jasmine was by no means a child who gave her parents any peace of mind. From the age of three, she became inseparable from the neighborhood boys. No matter what games they played, Jasmine was determined not to be left behind. She even got into fights with the boys over conflicts during games. Every day, she would come home covered in mud and with her clothes torn to shreds. This truly worried her parents a great deal.

Time passed day by day, and Jasmine gradually grew up. Gradually, she was no longer the tomboyish, wild girl who played with the other farmers' sons in the fields, but became a well-behaved and sensible girl. Meanwhile, her parents were no longer young and strong.

When Jasmine was eight, her father was injured while doing farm work. He could barely get out of bed, let alone continue working. His injury was very serious, and coupled with years of overwork, his health gradually deteriorated. Even Sister Jessie said she couldn't help. From that moment on, all the burdens fell on her mother's shoulders.

Seeing her increasingly frail father and her mother working tirelessly from dawn till dusk, Jasmine made a decision: she would become the most powerful saint in the world and use her magic to heal her father. To this end, at the age of eight, she became an apprentice of Sister Jess, beginning her journey to become a saint.

Becoming a saintess is no easy feat. In this village, devoid of formal adventurer schools and textbooks on sainthood, only High Sister Jess teaches aspiring nuns through oral instruction and personal example. Success depends entirely on individual comprehension and talent. Jasmine seems to fall into the latter category, lacking some talent. Even at seventeen, she hasn't been formally recognized as a saintess. She can only occasionally heal the villagers' minor injuries from falls and collisions with her limited healing abilities, barely qualifying as low-level healing magic. Although her father's health has stabilized over the years, at least not deteriorating further, he's still unable to return to the fields. Her mother's burden remains heavy, causing Jasmine immense anxiety.

"Am I really not qualified to be a saint...?"

Nine years have passed, and it will soon be her tenth year of cultivation. However, her progress has been very slow. Jasmine lives each day in frustration.

Eighteen years old should mean adulthood, the ability to stand on one's own. But right now, she's capable of nothing more than occasionally offering some minor, roadside remedy. Some of her fellow nuns suggested that Jasmine either remain a nun for life, at least ensuring she'd never have to worry about food and clothing, or go home to help her mother with chores, easing her burden. Whether their advice was frank or sarcastic, Jasmine didn't feel any sense of relief after hearing it. Instead, she became even more depressed.

It wasn't that she was unwilling to help her mother, nor that she looked down on the nun's profession. It was simply that she wanted to learn real skills to heal her father and, at the same time, help others suffering from the same incurable illness. But for seventeen-year-old Jasmine, these seemed like unattainable dreams...

Until that day, the priest brought a young girl to this village.

Before the morning prayers that day, the priest had specially summoned all the saints, even Sister Jess, early to assemble in the chapel. Jasmine initially thought something important was amiss, but upon arrival, she learned it was simply a welcome party for the new girl. Neither she nor the other nuns had ever received such treatment. Although the priest had said this girl was extraordinary and would surely become a very powerful saint, why was such a large-scale event being held for a mere newcomer, not even a nun? Jasmine couldn't help but become wary of this girl enjoying such special treatment.

The girl was more than a head shorter than Jasmine. Her figure also seemed underdeveloped, yet the priest said she was already eighteen, a year older than Jasmine. Jasmine couldn't believe that this girl, who looked the same age as the village boys, could be her older sister.

She wore a leather jacket in black and red, paired with red trousers. A gleaming silver necklace shimmered around her neck. Judging by her attire alone, no one would believe she was planning a saintly ascetic practice; they would simply mistake her for the lead singer of some band.

For some reason, this girl always wore a cold expression. Her eyes were devoid of any emotion, and she looked at the nuns as if they were lifeless objects. When introducing herself, she simply uttered a plain "Nice to meet you" in a flat, monotone voice. It was only after the priest reminded her that she realized she hadn't given her name yet.

She said her name was Naka.

To be honest, Jasmine's first impression of Naka was absolutely terrible.

Her strange attire and aloof attitude towards everyone were completely out of place for a nun who was supposed to be humble, friendly, and dedicated to helping those in need. Initially, she even struggled to wear her habit, sometimes attending prayers in her gaudy leather outfit. Her fellow nuns questioned her about this, but Naka dismissed it, saying that prayer was prayer and had nothing to do with clothing. While that was true to some extent, rules were rules. Everyone wore their habit to work, even Sister Jess, so why should a newcomer be treated differently?

Although the High Priestess and Sister Jess both hoped that everyone would take care of Naka, her overly eccentric behavior gradually alienated the nuns. Jasmine was one of them. There was no need to befriend someone so aloof and unsociable.

This idea had been lingering in Jasmine's mind for three months. It was only after an event occurred three months later that Jasmine began to try to understand Naka, this strange girl.

The worst guy

One day, not long after Naka arrived in the village, Sister Jess called Jasmine to her office early in the morning.

"Are you calling me, Sister Jeunesse?"

"Come in, Jasmine."

When Jasmine arrived, she found Jess's door open. Jasmine could see Jess standing in the room facing the door. She was waiting for her. But out of politeness, Jasmine knocked lightly on the door and only stepped into the room after receiving Jess's permission.

So early, is there something important? Jasmine had been hoping for news of her becoming a saintess, but in reality, she was simply asked to show Naka around the village. Therefore, Jasmine didn't need to come to work or train today.

"Why me?"

"Because among all these nuns, you've lived in this village the longest. So I'm entrusting this to you."

Jasmine was utterly perplexed. While it was true that most of the saintesses currently working there were from out of town, with only a few being native girls from specific villages, and all of them younger than Jasmine, sacrificing Jasmine's precious cultivation time for this reason was simply too much of a loss. Even just one day meant that Jasmine's becoming a saintesse would be postponed by one day.

But Jasmine dared not disobey Elder Sister Jess's orders. Reluctantly, she lowered her head and replied, "Understood."

Upon arriving at Naka's residence, Jasmine silently cursed all the injustices in the world.

Jasmine, who didn't want anything to do with Naka, had never been to Naka's place before. Now she discovered that Naka lived alone in a duplex house, very close to the center of the village. In contrast, Jasmine lived in a small bungalow in a corner of the village. Despite her family having contributed to the village for many years, why was she treated worse than a new stranger? Jasmine wasn't trying to be competitive, but she still felt this arrangement was unfair. Her dislike for Naka deepened.

"Hey! Open the door! High Sister Jess sent me to show you around the village!"

Jasmine pounded on the door. But no matter how much she knocked or called out, there was no response from Naka. The sunlight shone on Jasmine, and she quickly became drenched in sweat, standing motionless in the doorway.

"What's going on? It's so late and you're still not up?"

The village wasn't big. Taking her around casually would be enough. That way, they could probably save half a day to do what they wanted... but reality didn't seem to be so smooth. Just waiting for her to open the door took Jasmine quite a bit of time.

Waiting like this isn't a solution. Jasmine needs to confirm whether Naka is actually in the room and what she's doing. So she reaches for the doorknob.

"Huh? The door's unlocked?"

Jasmine simply turned her wrist and opened the door. Although the villagers were known for their simple and honest nature, it was far too careless for a newcomer to leave the door unlocked after only a few days.

However, Jasmine knew she wasn't there to do anything wrong, and she had a clear conscience. So she pushed open the door and went in to find out what was going on.

However, just as she stepped over the doorframe, she felt something cold pressing against her neck, accompanied by a sharp pain. She didn't see Naka, but she heard her soft voice in Jasmine's ear.

"If you dare to move, I'll kill you."

Naka wasn't asleep. She was now crouching on the table by the door, pointing a gleaming dagger at Jasmine. Having heard her words, Jasmine roughly guessed her current dangerous situation. She dared not move a muscle, only her words remained sharp.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't trust anyone except Jessie and the priestess."

"I...didn't I say I was sent by High Sister Jess? Since you were lying in ambush here, you should have heard what I just said, right?"

"Yes, I heard you. But that could also be a lie you told to lower my guard. How can you prove you were sent by Jeunesse?"

"No... are you out of your mind? Didn't you see me when the High Priest took you to the chapel a few days ago? I was in that row of nuns."

Is that true?

"you...."

On the day Naka arrived, Jasmine clearly introduced herself to Naka and even extended her hand in a friendly gesture. However, Naka completely ignored her handshake, leaving Jasmine extremely embarrassed as her hand remained stiffly in mid-air. Not only Jasmine, but other nuns' greetings also went unanswered by Naka. Therefore, in the days that followed, the nuns secretly complained a lot about what happened that day. Now Jasmine realized that Naka truly didn't respect her or the other nuns. She said angrily...

"Or you could go ask High Sister Jess and the High Priest right now! They can both testify for me!"

Naka didn't respond, only placing her hand on the cross. After a brief silence, she finally removed the dagger from Jasmine's neck and gently jumped off the table.

"Okay, it seems you're not lying."

Jasmine couldn't understand how her daughter had come to believe her. She hadn't even asked anyone. If she were so easily convinced, why bother with this sudden attack that nearly gave Jasmine's heart a heart attack? Jasmine simply couldn't comprehend this annoying and irrational oddball.

"What's wrong with you? Do you have some kind of enemy? Why are you all so nervous?"

"As a frail woman traveling abroad, if I weren't so careful, I don't know how many times I would have died by now."

Spouting a string of lies, Naka placed her right foot on the chair and rolled up her trouser leg. A scabbard was visible, bandaged around her ankle. Naka put the dagger back into its sheath.

Besides the dagger, Jasmine also noticed the tip of another rectangular object peeking out from Naka's calf. It seemed to be yet another weapon.

Once there's one, there's two; once there's two, there's three. This seemingly young girl was not only annoying, but also far more dangerous than Jasmine had imagined. The thought that other things might be hidden in the other, unseen parts of her body sent chills down Jasmine's spine.

"How much are you hiding on you...? Are you some kind of arms dealer? Is this really necessary?"

"This is none of your business."

Naka pulled down her trouser leg, walked up to Jasmine, looked up at Jasmine who was more than a head taller than her, and coldly asked...

"So, what do you need me for?"

"Didn't I tell you I was going to show you around the village?! You really don't listen to what others are saying!"