The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

Pais was overjoyed that her brother was safe and sound, but the pungent smell of alcohol that followed made her cover her nose in annoyance. Her brother wasn't usually a heavy drinker. Today, however, he seemed to have had a good time.

"It's Pais. Yes, she had a little to drink today..."

It wasn't appropriate to talk with the door open. Pacio and Pais went inside first. Pacio stumbled into the house, and if Pais hadn't been there to support him, he probably would have fallen several times and broken a lot of things before finally getting back to his room.

After settling her brother in, the sister handed him a damp towel she had prepared, which he took and vigorously wiped his face. The moisture and warmth soothed his nerves, which had been somewhat numbed by alcohol. Afterward, Pacio explained why he was late that day.

"I broke up with that guy..."

The saintess, who had been teaming up with Pacio for many years, decided to retire due to pregnancy and marry him.

Pacio, who had always secretly loved her, had never heard that she had a boyfriend. This news was undoubtedly a double blow to him. As an adventurer, he lost a reliable teammate. As a man, he also bid farewell to his love. Therefore, after completing the disbandment procedures with the saintess and saying his final goodbye, he went to a tavern to drown his sorrows in alcohol. He, who didn't usually drink, seemed to have a deep misunderstanding of his own alcohol tolerance. When he came to his senses, he found himself no longer in the tavern, but collapsed on the roadside. He had no recollection of whether he had walked out on his own or been carried out. Unable to walk properly, he relied solely on instinct and feeling to return home.

After listening, Pais also felt deep regret for her brother's situation.

"Oh, is that so... I thought that older sister liked you too, older brother."

"Sigh, that was just wishful thinking on my part."

Pacio said with a helpless self-deprecating laugh.

To be honest, Pais felt more happy than sad for her brother that the woman had left him. But she absolutely didn't want to see him so heartbroken and dejected. To help her brother recover, and also for a little bit of her own selfish desire, Pais resolutely stood up, patted her chest, and expressed her determination to her brother.

"Brother, don't take it to heart. If you need teammates, then Pais can become a saintess and team up with you. I'm different from those women; no matter what happens, I will never abandon you!"

These words startled Pacio at first. After his slightly delayed reaction, he understood Pais's good intentions and smiled with satisfaction, patting his little sister's head as she thought of her brother.

"Well said, Pais. You'll definitely become a very reliable saintess. I can rest assured if I team up with you."

Pais just grinned foolishly at her brother. She didn't say anything, but silently made a promise to him: she would never leave him because of a pregnancy. Absolutely not...

However, that seemed a long way off for Pais. When she said those words, she hadn't received any training in sainthood. If she started learning now, how long would it take to gain the Church's approval, and truly becoming a saint seemed a distant dream. But as long as her sister had this thought for her brother, it could become the motivation for him to regroup. Pasio patted his sister's shoulder, his previously dejected eyes rekindling with fighting spirit.

"Okay! To help you raise money for your tuition, I'll start working hard on tasks and earning more money from tomorrow."

"Brother, are you sure you'll be okay going by yourself?"

"I'm not going by myself. When I went to the guild today, the guild receptionist said there's a Saintess with good stats who hasn't teamed up with anyone yet. I'll go ask her about it tomorrow."

"Huh? You said you wanted it and were waiting for Pais to team up!"

Seeing that her brother was going to team up with another woman again, Pais threw a little tantrum.

"It's only temporary. Mr. Frost's adventurer school will start in about two months. If you want to learn, I can send you there to learn some basic knowledge and magic. But the tuition is very expensive. Mom and Dad don't want you to become an adventurer, and they definitely won't give it to you if you ask them. If I don't earn more money for you, when will you ever finish your studies?"

"...All right"

"So good"

Despite her dissatisfaction, Pais could only pout and reluctantly agree. To become a saintess, she was willing to endure and wait. Her brother had a mission early the next morning, and she didn't want to disturb his rest any longer. To ensure he was in peak condition for tomorrow's battle, Pais obediently left her brother's room. She didn't even manage to say a final "goodnight" before leaving.

At that time, she did not know that that night would be the last farewell between her and her brother.

When he woke up the next morning, his brother had already left. On the living room table, he had left a note for Pais and their parents, saying he wouldn't be late and that they shouldn't worry, to prepare dinner for him.

That evening, the family of three sat around the table laden with steaming food, waiting for Pacio to return so the whole family could have a meal together. But no matter how long they waited, Pacio didn't come back. Yesterday, Pacio had also stayed out very late without saying goodbye. Perhaps it would be the same today? His parents didn't think much of it and started dinner without waiting for him.

Pais joined her parents in starting to eat. But she had a bad feeling. She didn't know what it was, but she hadn't felt this way when her brother hadn't come home yesterday. Now, deep inside her, it seemed like a voice was constantly warning her. Whether it was a hallucination or just her imagination, she even heard her brother's cries for help...

She couldn't eat and decided to go out to look for her brother. But her parents, who still didn't take the matter seriously, stopped her. "Girls aren't allowed to run around outside so late!"...Pais couldn't disobey her parents' orders. She could only wait anxiously at home for someone to open the door.

She didn't sleep a wink all night. She kept waiting and waiting. Finally, the next day, her wait came. A soft knock sounded at the door.

However, the younger sister, who had opened the door for her brother countless times, immediately recognized it: it wasn't her brother knocking. When she opened the door, she saw several people in uniform standing there.

He was also holding a square sandalwood box with his brother's name written on it: Pasio.

It is said that my brother was ambushed and killed by a group of organized and disciplined goblins while on a mission. His body was completely destroyed and could not be shown to his family for identification. If it weren't for the saintess who managed to escape from the goblins and return to report the incident, perhaps no one would ever have known that such a terrible thing had happened.

Those goblins don't always stay in one place; they frequently migrate. They've long since scattered and fled. Seeking revenge on the goblin who killed Pacio is virtually impossible. The Adventurers' Guild ruled this incident an unfortunate accident and awarded a substantial sum in compensation. For them, that was the end of it.

At the farewell ceremony, relatives, friends, and neighbors all expressed their deep sorrow and grief. The parents fainted from crying countless times.

Pais, who had always loved her brother, remained unusually calm. It wasn't that she wasn't heartbroken. She simply understood that someone needed to care for her parents, to be the pillar of support for those who had lost their son. With her brother gone, only she could fulfill this responsibility. Besides, a new idea was also taking shape in the young girl's heart.

Later, she learned the name of the saintess her brother had partnered with that day. Her name was...

"...The so-called cursed saint...Naka, it's you!"

Pais's short, thin fingers pointed at the man who had "cursed his own brother to death."

"..."

From the moment Naka first saw Pais, she felt Pais looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn't quite place her. Now she realized that this girl did indeed resemble the hero. She never imagined she was his sister.

Speaking of the hero Pasio, Naka certainly wouldn't forget him. He was the first hero she personally killed on her journey to eliminate talented and promising warriors. She couldn't forget the scene of him crying and begging for mercy before he died. To the Demon King, nothing was more delicious than prey covered in blood. The claim of dying in a goblin attack was merely a lie Naka spread to cover up her actions. It was all to clear her name and ensure she wouldn't be in the wrong when someone came knocking. Facing Pais, Naka remained calm and composed.

"I see. Your brother did indeed die while we were in a team. But so what?" Naka asked coldly. "Are you trying to say I stood by and watched him die?"

"Um, Pais, I know you're upset. But you can't take your anger out on Naka for no reason. She was a victim too. If anything had gone wrong, she might not be standing here now. If anyone's at fault, it's all those goblins' fault, isn't it..."

Jasmine also tried to smooth things over. She absolutely could not agree with Pais trying to pin all the blame for that tragedy on Naka.

Pais nodded. She wasn't holding a grudge against Naka. She knew it was just an accident. But that didn't mean she completely forgave Naka.

If Naka's physical enhancement magic were stronger, perhaps even if she were ambushed, her brother could have easily dealt with it. If Naka's reaction time were faster, perhaps she could have healed him the instant he was injured. If Naka's healing magic were stronger, perhaps she could have pulled her brother back from the brink of death... If the Saintess were strong enough, such a tragedy could actually be avoided. It was to become such a Saintess, to reduce such tragedies, that she came here to begin her Saintess training.

The parents, having lost their son, harbored a deep hatred for the profession of adventurer and were unwilling to let their daughter follow in her son's footsteps. To persuade them, Pais painstakingly fabricated numerous lies, claiming she wouldn't become an adventurer, but only wanted to study to heal her family and friends, and to experience a new life. Through various forms of gentle persuasion, she finally convinced her parents. As for her encounter with Naka, she said it was merely a coincidence. However, she didn't believe it was just a coincidence.

Facing Naka, who pretended to be debt-free, Pais gritted her teeth and revealed her regret and determination.

"Those goblins weren't even that strong monsters. If you were a little stronger, my brother might not have died... And I've heard that most of the adventurers who teamed up with you ended up dying tragically... Don't let your current seemingly highest stats fool you; I absolutely refuse to acknowledge that someone like you, who can't even save his teammates, is worthy of being called a saintess! No, you're more like a disgrace to saintesses!"

Pais extended his index finger again, pointing at Naka.

"I will definitely defeat you in the final exam and become the top scorer this year. I'll prove that I'm more suitable to be the saintess... more suitable to team up with my brother! Also, I will definitely destroy those goblins and the demon king who controls them, and avenge my brother! Just you wait and see!"

Having said that, she unlocked the door and strode away, leaving the two saintesses staring at each other in bewilderment.

"...Is this guy crazy? She's been stalking you just for this?"

Jasmine said

"Judging from how serious she is, I guess so..."

Naka replied

This young girl, who wasn't even a saint yet, dared to boast that she could surpass Naka, who was just a step away from becoming a mid-level saint, within six months. Naka couldn't tell if she genuinely had high confidence in her abilities or was just trying to be clever.

All she knew was that, including what happened to Mitis and Tatia, her upcoming six months of campus life would likely be anything but turbulent.

Give him a lesson

The next morning, before the cafeteria opened for breakfast, Jasmine, who had been starving all night, was already waiting at the entrance with Naka. The moment the cafeteria door opened, she wished she could squeeze through the crack without waiting for it to fully open.

In other matters, Jasmine always appeared calm and composed. But when it came to her own problems, she was quicker than anyone else to act. That was just the kind of girl Jasmine was, and Naka was used to her good friend. Not very hungry yet, she slowly walked into the cafeteria.

Breakfast is simply meant to fill the students' stomachs and replenish the sugars that help their brains function so they can face a full day of classes in better condition. Therefore, it's mostly prepared with light flavors, small portions, but high sugar content. Three dishes and a soup are usually enough for most people. But Jasmine prepared it like lunch, her table piled high with all sorts of breakfast items. From Eastern-style to Royal Capital-style, to Isaac Town-style, and even Sunflower Town's own specialties... it was as if she were on a pilgrimage to a culinary kingdom. When the new students who arrived later saw this scene, they couldn't help but miss their hometowns. Incidentally, this particular student grew up in a remote mountain village.

Naka was used to her large appetite. She only took four slices of bread and ate them in small bites. The stark contrast between the two sitting opposite each other, with their vastly different appetites, was striking. However, they finished their breakfasts at almost the same pace. By the time Naka had finished two slices of bread, Jasmine had also eaten half of her meal.

Even so, the remaining half was enough to make Jasmine stand out in the entire cafeteria. Someone who knew her fairly well spotted her from afar when they saw the stack of plates and walked towards Naka and the others.

"Sister Naka..."

The newcomer was none other than Tatsia. Hearing her voice from behind, Naka quickly stood up, offering her the outer seat and taking the inner one herself.

"Good morning, Tatia. How was yesterday's class...?"

Naka was about to ask Tatya about her classes and life when she noticed Tatya's swollen, red eyes and dark circles around them. She looked listless and tired. Needless to say, she hadn't slept well last night.

To sort out the recent events, Naka hadn't slept a wink last night. For the Demon King, staying up all night was nothing. But Tatya was still a growing girl. Naka was very worried about why she was having insomnia and the harm that lack of sleep would do to her health. She quickly went up to Tatya, took her hand, and asked anxiously.

"What's wrong? What happened? Could it be... that brat Oz again? Did he fight with you again?"

This wasn't the first time Naka had seen Tatia in this state. The last time she looked like this was because of her fight with Oz. In a sense, Naka's guess was quite accurate. Tatia nodded.

"Is that kid never going to stop? One beating wasn't enough, he has to do it again? When will this ever end? Is it really going to last for half a year?"

Upon hearing that it was Oz again, Jasmine put down her chopsticks and couldn't help but harshly criticize Oz. She even jumped on Tatia to retaliate, as if she wanted to stir up trouble.

"Let me tell you, all that talk about 'a moment of patience brings peace,' and 'a step back opens up a vast sky' is nonsense. The more you give in to him, the more arrogant he'll become. Next time he dares to mess with you, just beat him up. Don't worry, your sisters will back you up."

"No, that..."

"Jasmine is right. Oz thinks he's superior just because Frost recommended him. You need to show him with your actions that he's not."

Even Naka, who usually avoids trouble, chimed in. This made it really difficult for Tatsia to explain herself.

It's true that Oz was the culprit who made Tatsia cry all night. But he didn't cause trouble again. Tatsia knew perfectly well that it wasn't Oz's fault for not knowing she was a woman and touching her chest. Although Tatsia had punched him hard, preventing him from returning to his dorm all night.

The fact that a man of similar age had touched her private parts was incredibly stimulating, shameful, and humiliating for Tatsia, who had zero experience with male sexual relations. Tatsia felt as if she had been defiled, which is why she couldn't sleep soundly all night.

The two saintesses were unaware of this. Being non-combatants, they even began to rub their hands together, seemingly determined not only for Tatia to retaliate but also for them to join in the fun and fight Oz. Jasmine didn't know Tatia's gender, so Tatia had to explain in a low voice to Naka beside her.

"Um, Naka-nee. Oz didn't fight with me..."

"Then what happened?"

Actually, he... accidentally touched it here.

As she spoke, Tatia pointed to her chest.

"He didn't know my real gender, so it was just an unintentional mistake. Sister Naka, you and Sister Jasmine should explain it to him too. It's really not as serious as you think..."

"....What?"

Tatia intended to let the matter drop, but Naka, already furious, became even more enraged upon hearing this. She spoke through gritted teeth, her expression shifting from "hostility" to "murderous intent." If someone were to take out an ability detection device and examine Naka at that moment, they would likely discover that she was an absolute Demon Lord.

"That brat dared to touch you like that? Outrageous, absolutely outrageous... Fine, it's decided. I'm going to kill him."

"Kill...kill? Sister Naka, it's not that bad..."

"I don't care if I don't kill him. Then let him give up an arm. Tatia, which hand did he use to touch you?"

"Sister Naka! Calm down!"

Tatya's attempt to explain only made things worse. Naka was now completely deaf to reason. Even when Tatya loudly tried to stop her, Naka showed no sign of suppressing her almost palpable murderous intent.

After seeing Tatia and Naka whisper to each other for a moment and then suddenly shout, Jasmine asked...

"Young man, what's wrong?"

"Nothing much. Tatia just told me that kid is pushing his luck and we should teach him a lesson."

"Yeah, I agree. I may not be as good at fighting as Naka, but I've been through a lot in boys' circles since I was little, so don't underestimate my fists, Jasmine!"

Before Tatiya could answer, Naka interrupted, sealing the deal completely. No matter how much Tatiya said "no," Jasmine simply ignored her.

Initially, Tatia simply wanted to vent her frustrations and had no intention of having the two saintesses confront Oz. The two saintesses' reactions completely surprised Tatia. She could only lie to Jasmine, but telling Naka the truth had the opposite effect. Tatia didn't know what to do.

Right now, the two of them are probably mentally prepared to accept punishment or even expulsion. To avoid escalating the situation and affecting anyone else, Tatia can only pray that Oz doesn't run into them.

"Hey! Is Tatia here?"

His prayers were cut short, barely lasting a second, before a boisterous boy's loud voice, loud enough for the entire cafeteria to hear, ruined his chances. Tadiya sighed and shook her head in exasperation. As the saying goes, you can run from the first day of the month, but you can't escape it forever. But Oz, that unlucky boy, didn't even get to see the morning sun before he was caught.

"Is it him?"

"Yes, that's him."

Anyone who attended that lecture was intimately familiar with Oz's appearance and voice. Especially for Naka, finally having a chance to meet this boy face-to-face was an opportunity she couldn't miss. Naka and Molly had already set their sights on him. They stood up and walked straight towards him.

Oz, who was still looking around for Tatia, didn't notice the two menacing saintesses approaching him. By the time he realized it, he was almost bumping into them, as they blocked his way in the passageway. From their attire, Oz knew they were saintesses. But he didn't understand why they were looking at him like he was trash. Oz asked, slightly puzzled...

"Who are you two? Why are you blocking my way?"

"Who we are doesn't matter. All we know is that you're the stupid guy who got in through connections and still doesn't know how to behave, the one who needs a good beating. Right, Naka?"

"Hey, you..."

Jasmine was in charge of making threats, while Naka grabbed Oz's right wrist before Oz could react at all. With just a light squeeze, Oz felt his wrist go numb.

"Is it this hand that's always causing trouble, always getting into trouble? Or is it this hand?"

As she spoke, she also grabbed Oz's left wrist with her right hand. The Demon Queen, now free of her disguise, exerted less than a fraction of her strength on his wrist, yet Oz screamed in agony.

He had no idea where this diminutive saintess got her immense strength. He, who prided himself on his strength and could stop a galloping horse with one hand without it budging an inch, couldn't break free no matter what he did. The intense pain even made him feel as if his wrist was about to be severed.

"Ouch! You, you..."

He didn't know whether to say to Naka, "Where did you get so much strength?" or "Let me go!" He could only keep repeating the words "it hurts" and "you."

Oz's tone and voice had already made the three of them the center of attention in the entire cafeteria. A saintess, in full view of everyone, could suppress the hero recommended by Fros with sheer strength. If word got out, it would be highly suspicious. Naka, seeing that she had already taught him a lesson, released her grip before most of the people in the cafeteria had even realized what was happening.

Finally free, Oz raised his numb arms, only to find that Naka had pinched his once-thick wrists, leaving bright red handprints that were about a centimeter shorter in diameter. Compared to the confusion and surprise of being disciplined by two strangers, fear instantly overwhelmed Oz.

"What...what's wrong with you? You're not the saintess, are you?"