The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

Staying here wouldn't lead to anything, and it was only stirring up some sad memories for Tatia. She turned to leave.

But then, a loud rustling sound suddenly came from the bushes beside her. There shouldn't be anyone else here besides her. Tatsia immediately became alert and looked towards the source of the noise.

The person who emerged from there was someone Tatsia was completely familiar with, and someone she didn't want to see.

"Oz?"

At the same time, Oz also discovered Tatia.

"Is it you?"

reconciliation...?

Oz looked even more travel-worn than when he'd been seen giving the speech. His clothes were more tattered, he was drenched in sweat, and panting heavily. It was as if he'd rushed there. He didn't look like someone the teacher had sent him here.

However, Tatia didn't care what he was in such a hurry for. She just wanted to distance herself from him.

"Hey, you..."

Just as Oz was about to say something, Tasia, unwilling to be associated with him, simply turned and walked away. Having intended to discuss something but being ignored, Oz quickly stepped in front of Tasia.

"What are you doing? You clearly saw me, didn't you?"

"No, I don't know you..."

"Don't you recognize me? You just called out my name, didn't you? And aren't you my roommate?"

Tatia wanted to pretend she didn't know him, but Oz remembered the words she had blurted out earlier. Now Tatia was speechless. She sighed and reluctantly replied...

"...You still remember I'm your roommate? I've been the only one in the dorm these past few days."

"Of course! Although we met once before, I've remembered you very well. Your name is..."

"You call that remembering? You've completely forgotten my name!"

"Excuse me, what's your name again?"

"Tasia!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Tatia!"

Even though they had just fought not long ago, Oz had completely forgotten her name. Oz's dismissive attitude infuriated Tatsia. But as soon as she finished answering, Tatsia wanted to slap herself. The more she tried to avoid him, the more she was led by his lead. By the time she came to her senses, she was already having a proper conversation with him. What was worse, he hadn't even gotten to the point yet. Tatsia had barely finished her loud complaint when Oz immediately grabbed her hand.

"I mean, my good roommate."

"ah!!"

Caught completely off guard by a boy her age suddenly touching her hand, Tatsia let out a scream. This high-pitched scream and unnatural reaction would have immediately made anyone else question Tatsia's true gender. But Oz seemed completely unconcerned. He calmly made a request to Tatsia.

"Could you please not tell anyone that I was here?"

"Why?"

"Uncle Frost asked me to come to class, but I don't want to."

"don't want?"

"Yeah. If I'm going to attend classes, I have to follow the teachers' instructions, right? Why should I be bossed around by them? Even if I listen to them, no matter how strong I become later, people will still say it's all thanks to their excellent teaching. Aren't there a lot of people in this batch of freshmen who are unhappy with my free admission? I'm going to prove them wrong by getting first place on my own merits. That way, they won't have anything to say about my talent."

"...But you still came, didn't you?"

"Don't you know the 'blind spot' tactic? Right now, that guy's probably sending people everywhere to look for me. But they'd never guess that I, who didn't want to go to class at this simulation center, was hiding right there... Anyway, this place is pretty big, isn't it perfect for hiding someone?"

"..."

Having said that, Tatsia had nothing more to say. It wasn't that she thought Oz was right. She simply didn't want to comment on his contradictory behavior: saying he didn't want to rely on others, yet now he was begging them. And to declare in front of his competitors that he could become the top student without studying was tantamount to a declaration of war. Tatsia felt that even if she punched him right then and there, she wouldn't be in the wrong.

"How about it?"

But Oz looked at her expectantly, awaiting her answer. If she didn't give a clear answer, Oz would likely keep stalling. Further conflict would only complicate matters. Tatiana had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

"Fine, I won't tell the teacher... Anyway, whether you study or not is none of my business."

"Really? Thank you!"

Oz grabbed Tatsia's hand and shook it forcefully three times before letting go. The hot-blooded idiot's sweaty hands made Tatsia almost vomit. She hid her hands behind her back and kept wiping them with her clothes. Oz didn't notice her actions. Instead, he refuted something Tatsia had just said.

"However, you're wrong about one thing. It's not that I don't want to learn, it's just that I don't want to learn from those guys who just recite from the book. Tatia, you should understand what I mean, right?"

Why should I understand what you mean?

For some reason, Oz seemed to be confusing himself with him. This displeased Tatia. However, Oz wasn't referring to abstract concepts like personality, character, or way of thinking.

"Because you're just as strong as me. Didn't we have a fight a few days ago? So I know very well that you're really tough! I've never met anyone my age who can fight me on equal terms!"

Although he was praising her, Taqia was completely confused. That day, he had clearly tricked her with a sneak attack and then shamelessly mocked her for her poor combat skills. Now, however, he was praising her highly. Taqia truly couldn't understand which of his words were true and which were false. Moreover, she hadn't gotten over the fight, yet he had brought it up so casually. This boy was utterly incomprehensible. The more she listened, the more it seemed like he was being sarcastic. Finally, Taqia could only reply in a somewhat sarcastic tone...

"Don't say that. I'm just someone whose stats are similar to yours, but whose combat awareness is far inferior. How can I compare to someone who single-handedly defeated some bandit group?"

Even if Oz were oblivious, he could tell there was a hidden meaning in those words. The fight with Tatia that day was simply Oz, being a warlike hero, wanting to test his roommate's abilities. He deliberately said things to provoke her, hoping she would fight him without restraint. It wasn't intentional slander. Oz had long forgotten about it. However, since Tatia was still very bothered by it, he had no choice but to explain.

"What? You still remember what happened back then? We're all grown men, don't be so petty. I didn't mean it... You know, no hero wants to be second to anyone. I was genuinely incredibly curious about what kind of roommate I'd be living with for the next six months. That's why I spoke a bit without thinking... If you're still angry, I apologize. I'm sorry."

One thing is one thing. Oz would never bow down to any of his fellow students in terms of fighting prowess as a hero. However, he understood that it was indeed his responsibility if his unintentional remarks had caused others to harbor resentment. Therefore, Oz readily apologized to Takia and bowed deeply.

Tatia hadn't initially intended to forgive Oz. However, these few short exchanges suggested he wasn't someone who didn't keep his word. Now, he had even apologized directly. If she continued to act indifferent, it would make her seem petty. While peaceful coexistence with him wouldn't be impossible, Tatia wasn't willing to become his friend immediately.

Being soft-hearted but not wanting to be too direct, Tatsia stammered in response.

"No, I'm not angry... I just think if you want to spar, you should just say so honestly..."

"Sure. It's much more meaningful for me to learn from you than to listen to those teachers lecturing on theoretical knowledge. I'll be relying on you a lot in the future, Tatia. Please take care of me."

As he spoke, he extended his hand to Tatsia again. This handshake was different from the first; Oz's intention was entirely goodwill. Tatsia understood that Oz wanted to reconcile. However, the pungent smell of his sweat made Tatsia unable to resist her physical aversion; the scene of him throwing her away during their first handshake was still vivid in her mind. Ultimately, she politely declined his invitation to shake hands.

"No, there's no need for a handshake..."

"Is that so... Well then. It's my fault for ambushing you during our last handshake, so it's only natural that I'm not trusted..."

Oz withdrew his hand somewhat dejectedly. He had always been so unrestrained and never thought he had really done anything wrong. But the fact that others were so resistant to him was truly heartbreaking. Fortunately, Tatsia didn't seem completely unable to accept him. He believed that as long as they maintained positive communication, Tatsia could change her opinion of him. To this end, Oz tried hard to bring up a topic.

"...By the way! Hey Tatsia, what are you doing here? The teacher isn't with you, is she?"

"My teacher told me to come here to experience magic... By the way, do you know magic?"

Tatia couldn't grasp the method Walsh described. If Oz knew magic, perhaps he would have some trick or shortcut. To improve her abilities, Tatia suppressed her awkwardness and asked him for guidance. But she only received a response completely unworthy of her determination.

"Magic? What do you need that for? If you want magical attacks, why don't you just find a mage and team up with them?"

"Huh? Then you..."

"I wouldn't do that kind of thing."

"..."

For a fleeting moment, Tatia thought that perhaps she could communicate and grow together with Oz. Now she only felt that she had been incredibly naive to have such expectations.

Seeing the disappointed look on Tasia's face, it was clear she wasn't satisfied with her answer. The relationship that had been building was about to drift apart again, so Oz quickly tried to salvage the situation by adding a few words of comfort to Tasia—at least he considered them words of consolation.

"Don't worry about that kind of thing. There are plenty of heroes who can use magic, but those things are just icing on the cake. It's not like you can't be a hero without them. I don't know magic, but the old man still took a liking to me, didn't he? Magic isn't for you, to be honest."

"..."

To say that magic is unsuitable for an elf, a race known for its high elemental affinity and superior magical abilities compared to humans, only backfired on Tatsia, who was also an elf. Her already unpleasant expression darkened further, and she lowered her head.

Oz had thought that saying this would cheer her up, but it seemed he had stepped on a landmine. However, Oz, unaware of Tatsia's race, had no idea what he had said wrong. He could only stop commenting on her abilities and simply encourage her, telling her to cheer up. For this, the carefree boy punched Tatsia in the chest.

"Alright! Stop looking so gloomy! As long as you work hard with me, I believe you can at least get into the top three, even if you don't get first place..."

"Aaaaaaahh ...

His well-intentioned encouragement only resulted in screams that echoed throughout the simulation arena, and a stinging punch. Oz didn't know why the more he tried to comfort her, the worse things got. He only knew that when he came to his senses, Tatia was gone. And he was locked inside the arena, forced to spend the night there. Tatia was a woman of her word. She truly hadn't told anyone that Oz had been there.

Tasia's only takeaway from that day was, "I really shouldn't have gotten involved with this man!"

Mitian's test

"Jasmine~~ Naka~~ Where are you~~"

As evening approached, most of the teachers and new students left the classrooms after the first day of classes to go to the cafeteria for dinner and to replenish the nutrients they had used up that day. The teaching buildings for each major were almost empty.

In this environment, a bespectacled saintly woman constantly wandered the campus, calling out the names of two saintly women she was responsible for teaching in a slightly sinister voice, much like the Big Bad Wolf singing "Little Rabbit, open the door, be good."

About ten meters behind her, the two saints were hiding at the corner of the building, using the wall to conceal their figures.

"What is that teacher trying to do? It's disgusting..."

Jasmine hugged her shoulders, her body trembling. Just as class ended, her best friend, Saint Naka, grabbed her hand and ran out of the classroom. When Jasmine asked why, she only said that their teacher, Saint Mytian, was no kind person. They absolutely mustn't let her find them.

At first, Jasmine didn't understand the deeper meaning of Naka's words. While it was true that Mitian's gaze towards them in class was somewhat strange, it didn't warrant such a fuss as avoiding her. However, Mitian seemed possessed by something. She searched every classroom, every restroom, even every cabinet and under every desk and chair in the entire school building, leaving no stone unturned. She thoroughly turned the entire building upside down with a carpet-like search.

Undeterred by her inability to find them in the school building, she began a wandering search throughout the campus, as if determined to find them no matter what. Following closely behind Naka, Jasmine, observing Mitian's obsessive and morbid fixation on her and Naka, felt a chill run down her spine. She could only imagine the most depraved and lewd male perverts.

"Hey Naka, why are we still keeping an eye on her? Let's go back to the dorm..."

"No, that girl will definitely come looking for us in the dorm. We'll just go back after she's been there once and finds we're not there."

Mittian seemed completely unfazed, but Jasmine, who had been following behind her since after class, was already suffering from excruciating leg pain. She couldn't even squat down and could only lean against the wall, her legs stiff as sticks, barely managing to stay upright.

Unlike her, Naka, like Mitian, showed no signs of fatigue. She could still easily squat in the corner, peeking out half her head to keep an eye on Mitian's movements.

To be honest, Naka had been quite wary of Ms. Mitian long before she noticed anything amiss. The fact that she was able to successfully deceive her was thanks to Naka. But why did Naka make that judgment? Jasmine was very curious about this.

"Naka, how did you know that teacher was problematic? And why not just anyone, but us... what did we do to offend her?"

"It's probably because of Tatia."

"Takia? That boy? Why?"

"I only know a little bit of the inside story; it seems that Professor Mittian knows Tatia's mother."

"Eh? The boy's mother?"

Naka nodded. She couldn't keep Tatsia's affair from Jasmine for long. She decided to tell her the truth little by little. For now, it was best to start with this matter.

But Naka could only say so much, while Jasmine remained completely bewildered. She couldn't understand the logical connections between these pieces of information.

"Wait a minute? The boy's mother seems to be missing... Maybe she's also looking for the boy's mother. If that's the case, why doesn't she just go find the boy directly? Why is she coming to us?"

"She probably saw us with Tatsia at the rally this morning. So she's trying to curry favor with us first, and then make contact with Tatsia."

"Then why?"

"...I'm not her, how would I know?"

Naka could only make the above judgment based on the current situation. But she couldn't understand why this was something Mitian was so persistent about. Three hours had passed since get out of class ended. She had just been wandering around the campus. Occasionally, a student or teacher would pass by and greet her, and she would only give a perfunctory reply. Her mind was completely absorbed in what she was doing.

She said she could go back after she went to the dormitory to look for her. But Mitian had no intention of going to the dormitory to look for her at all. If they went back rashly, she might just storm into the dormitory at any moment. At that time, the two of them would have no way to escape, as their escape routes would be blocked.

Meanwhile, Naka was also very worried about Tatia's situation. Since Mitian knew Vilia, she naturally knew that Vilia was an elf. Once she suspected that Tatia was Vilia's daughter, the fact that Tatia was also an elf would be completely exposed to Mitian, an outsider. Naka was willing to keep Tatia's secret, but what about Mitian? That was very hard to say. Naka didn't want to be Mitian's stalker. But she could only keep an eye on her movements at all times.

"...Wait, where is she?"

When answering Jasmine's question, Naka momentarily looked away. When she looked again, Mitian, who had been standing some distance away, was gone. Naka quickly stood up and asked Jasmine beside her.

"What? Where did she go? Jasmine, did you see her?"

"Huh? What did you say?"

Jasmine, completely bewildered, stared blankly at her. Naka realized that her friend was utterly useless. While she was partly to blame for diverting her attention, Naka hadn't expected to lose her in just a second or two.

Naka got up to chase after her, but Jasmine grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"We must find her. We can't move around carelessly if we don't know where she is..."

"Then you can't either."

"Snap!"

Just as Naka and Jasmine were arguing about whether or not they should pursue her, a sudden, powerful force slammed onto their shoulders. A malevolent voice slowly drifted from behind them, each word distinct and menacing.

We found you!

"Aaaaaaah!!!!"

In that instant, the two saintesses saw themselves as prey caught by a hunter.

Naka and Jasmine were communicating in very low voices. But somehow the keyword "Takia" reached Mittian's ears. Even from a distance of more than ten meters, she instantly sensed Naka and Jasmine's location and quietly slipped behind them.

The culprit who nearly scared the two saintesses' hearts to death is now looking pitiful and criticizing her targets as if she's being coquettish, even faking tears.

"Naka ​​and Jasmine are so mean! Why are they hiding from the teacher? The teacher is so sad!"

Naka and Jasmine really wanted to cry out in protest. If Mitian hadn't acted in a way that was physically uncomfortable, they wouldn't have reacted this way.

"No, it's because you're so scary, teacher..."