The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

"Is that so? I'm so sorry, Miss Mittian. I didn't mean to scare you, but I saw you were about to push Mr. Igima out, and I thought I should stop you, so I spoke up."

"Wh...what?"

Even though they spoke as if apologizing to her, Mittian still couldn't understand what had happened. However, from the conversation, Mittian did understand one thing. She looked at Ijima, who was hiding behind the robed figure called "Priest," and asked in a still trembling voice...

"You...you know him? You two...were in cahoots all along?"

"I'm sorry, Sister Mi, I didn't know how to introduce him to you properly, that's why I didn't say anything."

Ijima clasped his hands together in an apologetic gesture. Then he opened his right palm to the robed man and introduced himself.

"This is our organization's high priest."

...

After Ijima's explanation, Mitian learned that this priest possessed incredibly powerful abilities. He could freely manipulate many spells unheard of by humans. His teleportation magic was also on a completely different level from what humans possessed. He could travel freely between any locations without magic circles or incantations. This was why Ijima had appeared here from Isard Town, and why he was able to pass through the wall and enter Mitian's locked door. Mitian finally felt a little relieved.

But that didn't mean Mitiam completely trusted him. She asked tentatively.

"Then...what brings you here?"

"What for? Didn't Mr. Ijima already make it very clear to you?"

The priest said, sounding slightly impatient.

"Our organization's goal is to modify existing monsters. Don't you think it's a good thing to make them work for us?"

"very good...?"

"Yes. The current Demon King is tyrannical and incompetent, having shattered the peace that the previous Demon King had painstakingly maintained with the human and elven kingdoms. He has raised an army to attack us... Although the Demon King's army only contains monsters with a certain level of intelligence, some unintelligent wild monsters inhabiting the elven and human kingdoms seem to be becoming increasingly ferocious due to an instinctive resonance... Because the Demon King is a being above all monsters, as long as the Demon King harbors hostility towards other races, the lower-level monsters will naturally be affected. But what if we could completely free those monsters from the Demon King's control and use them instead...?"

The priest seemed to grow more and more agitated as he spoke. He opened his arms wide and passionately recounted his lofty ideals to Mitian.

"You can imagine! This will not only reduce the threat to us but also increase our combat power... It's a two-birds-with-one-stone plan! Using monsters to fight the Demon King—if the Demon King knew, he would be shocked! His only subordinates are monsters. If we can win over all the monsters to our side, then the Demon King will only be fighting alone against the entire world! No matter how powerful he is, he can't defeat an enemy of the whole world alone!"

"..."

From the perspective of acting in the best interests of humanity and defeating the Demon King, the idea of ​​sacrifice is indeed a very good proposal. However, it is far too idealistic. Furthermore, Mitian has many questions about this plan.

"If things really develop as you hope, that would be a good thing. But how are you going to get the monsters to obey your commands instead of the Demon King's? Have you found a good method? And why did you come to me in the first place?"

The reason I contacted you is actually very simple.

The priest slowly approached Mittian. Before she could react, he placed his hand on her face and gently stroked it.

"Because I need you"

"Please, please don't do this."

His sudden physical contact left Mittian utterly bewildered. If he were a man, Mittian would have pushed him away without hesitation. While a woman wouldn't necessarily object, being treated so intimately by a stranger she'd only recently met would inevitably make her feel somewhat uncomfortable. Even so close, Mittian couldn't determine the man's true gender, nor did she know how to react. She could only awkwardly wave her hand away from his arm and ask...

"Why do you need me? I'm just an ordinary adventurer..."

"To modify monsters, you definitely need relevant biological knowledge. You're not just an ordinary adventurer. You're a saint, with extensive research not only on the human body but also on the ecology and physiology of monsters. Our organization has just been established and is currently recruiting. We desperately need someone like you who can contribute their expertise to our goals."

Although the priest offered an explanation, it only fueled Mytian's growing doubts.

"But... but I'm just an ordinary saintess. While my rank isn't low... there are saintesses of higher rank than me. Why did you specifically target me? And what exactly is your background? Judging from your words just now, it seems His Majesty the King didn't order you to do this. So after you defeat the Demon King, wouldn't you possibly use the monsters who obey you to overthrow His Majesty the King's rule? I am an adventurer who has been favored by His Majesty the King and owes him a debt of gratitude. Even if it's just a possibility, I cannot help you!"

"You...aren't you going to help us?"

"No! Even if you want to kill me to silence me, I will..."

"Killing you to silence you wouldn't be the case. We're an organization created to fight the Demon King, not one that seeks illicit gains. We won't overthrow the King, and we certainly won't silence anyone who knows the truth. You're overestimating us."

"Your promises are just empty words! I won't help you!"

"Is that so? Sigh..."

Seeing that he couldn't persuade Mitian, the priest sighed in disappointment. Mitian's attitude was resolute. He had no intention of participating in this absurd experiment, which was nothing short of a pipe dream and couldn't even provide any concrete evidence. He also didn't trust those who broke into people's homes in the middle of the night and didn't dare show their faces to anyone. Furthermore, he didn't believe they were acting solely out of a desire to fight the Demon King and had no other motives. No matter what he said, even if he might not see the sunrise the next day, Mitian was determined to grit his teeth and refuse to agree.

They thought they would give up here. But the priest suddenly played a card that Mitian hadn't expected.

"So, how is your beloved senior, Vilia, doing?"

"Varied..."

The person mentioned in the ritual was none other than Mitian's beloved, the elven saintess and his senior, Vilia. But Mitian ultimately failed to win her heart. She married a man and returned to the elven kingdom.

This was a devastating blow to Mitian. For years, she had deliberately avoided mentioning Vilia to any of her old friends. Her friends knew this and wouldn't deliberately provoke her. But now, the name of the person she loved had been uttered by this stranger.

"Who are you?! How do you know about Senior Vilia, and about me... Who are you?!"

"I'm nobody... I only heard about what happened between you and Vilia from him."

As he spoke, the priest gave a thumbs-up to Ijima behind him. Ijima, however, turned his head away somewhat guiltily.

"Ijima! You bastard, how dare you take my business so lightly...!"

Seeing his reaction, Mittian knew the priest was telling the truth. Ijima had betrayed her. She angrily tried to rush forward to confront Ijima, but the priest standing between them stretched out her arm to block Mittian's path.

"Oh, don't be angry. He told me this for the sake of the organization, for the sake of humanity... and for your own good, Miss Mittian."

"For my own good?"

"Yes. Think about it, the Demon King's army is attacking the Elf Kingdom right now, isn't it?...Aren't you worried about Vilia's safety?"

"!!"

The priestess's words echoed Mitian's concerns. Although Mitian hadn't mentioned Vilia since her marriage, she constantly worried about the only person who had taken her true heart. How was she? Had her husband wronged her? Had she faced danger during childbirth? Was her postpartum period difficult? Was her child behaving? ...and so on. The Demon King declared war on the Elf Kingdom. Initially, the Elf Kingdom offered some resistance, but recently, reports of the Elf army's indiscretions had been frequent. The Demon King's army was gradually conquering the Elf Kingdom's territory. More and more elves active in human kingdoms were returning home to defend their country. Recently, there weren't even any elves to be seen in human territory. This indirectly indicated how dire the situation was on the front lines. Naturally, Mitian was constantly worried about Vilia's safety in the Elf Kingdom.

This point was fully seen through by the priest, and it became the key breakthrough for the priest to persuade Mitian.

"Our organization doesn't need people with ability but no dreams or motivation to keep striving. But you're different, Miss Mittian. The sooner we can defeat the Demon King's army, the sooner we can ensure Vilia's safety... Otherwise, if things continue like this, the Elf Kingdom will be completely conquered. The victorious Demon King's army will definitely seal off the Elf Kingdom to prevent any elves from escaping. At that time, your senior Vilia will be trapped like a turtle in a jar, unable to escape, captured by the Demon King's army, and ultimately die a tragic death... Is that really a good thing?"

"No...no good!"

When discussing anything with Mitian, she would always consider it before giving an answer. But this was the only exception; Mitian didn't even hesitate. She gave a decisive answer. And this played right into the priestess's hands.

"In that case, why not try trusting us for now? Even though the Elven Kingdom is currently at a disadvantage, judging from the battle situation, it can still hold out for another eight to ten years. If our plan succeeds, we can assist the Elven army before they collapse, helping them repel the Demon King's army. So, don't you really want to give it a try? Not to become one of us... but to maximize the value of your knowledge in order to save your beloved Vilia. I'm not asking you to lend us a hand... but to lend a hand to the person most important to you."

Mitian, who had been so resolute, was almost powerless against the offer of Vilia. Her wavering and hesitation lasted only a moment. When the image of Vilia's gruesome death flashed through her mind, she agreed without hesitation...

"But I was so stupid. I believed those guys' nonsense."

After recounting the story of that day, Mittian coldly mocked herself. Now, looking back, she felt only endless regret.

"I agreed to his request and joined his organization. It was all to rescue Senior Vilia from the war... When I joined, his organization had only been established for a short time. The organization consisted only of him, the priest, the elusive leader 'King,' the King's lover 'Queen,' Ijima, and me... I completed all the research projects they gave me on time and to the required quantity, even exceeding the quota. I completed the most basic theory on altering the emotional activity of monsters. But just as I was fully implementing these theories, that thing happened..."

Mitian closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears that were about to burst forth. But she failed. Before she could even utter a word, tears were already streaming down her face.

Three years ago, the Elf Kingdom was conquered by the Demon King's army...

The author says:

Lately, both book reviews and complaints have been incredibly quiet. It's been a while since any readers have shared their opinions on the work. Is it because the recent stories have been too boring...?

The End of the Betrayer

"Priest! Come out here!"

Wearing her research uniform, Mittian ran through the organization's secret base, roaring the code name of the person who had brought her into the organization.

Within this organization, everyone except Mitian and Ijima was addressed by code names. Mitian knew she and Ijima were merely pawns being used... a fact she had long been aware of. But she didn't care about such things, only focused on developing magic to help the elves defeat the Demon King's army. She tirelessly conducted cruel live experiments day and night.

After class, she rushed here. Even sacrificing her free time and rest didn't matter, even if many innocent demons and humans perished at her hands, it didn't matter. She kept imagining the scene of Vilia smiling and thanking her after the Demon King's army retreated. As long as she could witness that scene, Mitian would rather sacrifice anyone else's life. She would rather bear unforgivable sins. The elven army could still resist the Demon King's army, and her project, after more than a year of repeated research and experimentation, would soon be ready for formal application. The official completion of this magic was just around the corner.

The thought of reuniting with his beloved Vilia and becoming the hero who would save the elven kingdom drew ever closer filled Mitian with excitement. He couldn't sleep peacefully during the few moments of rest he managed to squeeze out from his work and research. Even when he did fall asleep, he would laugh out loud in his dreams. As long as that day came, it would all be worth it.

But all of this ultimately vanished. The day of the extinction of the elves arrived without warning.

The elven army, which had initially been able to hold off the Demon King's forces, inexplicably crumbled overnight. Multiple strongholds fell in quick succession within hours. Ultimately, even the elven kingdom's palace was captured.

According to reports from the front lines, the Demon King ordered the complete extermination of all elves, leaving no survivors. The Demon King's army meticulously surrounded all entrances and exits to the Elf Forest. There was no sign of any elf successfully escaping. This meant that on that day, Vilia, whom Mitian deeply loved, also perished.

This wasn't what was initially agreed upon. The elven army couldn't hold out for another eight years or so. They didn't even last until the magic was complete. Mitian couldn't help but wonder, what was the point of all his hard work and the lives he had sacrificed over the past year? He had been full of ambition, but reality was so disheartening. Even if there's a saying that man proposes, God disposes, Mitian felt that fate had to go to such lengths.

This cruel reality was a complete negation of her twenty years of emotions and a year of work. It was like countless sharp knives stabbing into her heart. Mitian wept bitterly in her office at the secret base. In the end, what flowed from her eyes was no longer tears, but blood staining her entire face. All the effort and emotions she had invested so far had been meaningless. Therefore, she no longer had any reason to continue this inhumane and immoral act.

She angrily searched the base for the priest's whereabouts. She wanted to confront him about the promises he had made to her, promises he could never keep. She wanted to clearly state her current stance: to immediately withdraw from this absurd experiment, to leave this ridiculous organization. But no matter how hard she searched, the priest refused to show himself. Even his usual office was empty. Asking any low-ranking member of the organization, everyone said they didn't know his whereabouts.

Since even the employees without code names were completely unaware, Mitian decided to confront the higher-ups who did possess "code names." Those closely associated with the priests would surely know...

"Hey, Mittian, what are you yelling about?"

Just then, a young man's voice rang out behind Mitian, who was grabbing an ordinary employee by the collar. Mitian released the trembling, ignorant passerby. Turning to face the source of the voice, she replied curtly.

"You should know perfectly well what I'm arguing about, 'Soldier'."

The person who stopped her was a tall, handsome, lean man with short hair. Unlike the priest who covered up every detail of his appearance, as if afraid that others would know nothing about him, the "soldier" openly revealed his face to her.

To be honest, while Mitian couldn't see men as romantic partners, she had to admit that the "soldier" was undeniably dashing. If she weren't sexually attracted to men, she might actually have fallen for him because of his looks.

However, Mittian wasn't in the mood to think about such things right now. She was on her way to find someone with a code name, and the fact that "Soldier" was here saved her a lot of trouble.

"What about offering sacrifices to others? I have something to ask him."

"The priest has gone out on business. He's not here."

"Something's up again... He's always been busy ever since he dragged me into this organization!"

It had been a year since Mittian last saw him in person. Their direct confrontation began that night and ended with him bringing her to this mysterious base. Since then, they hadn't met. All contact had been through letters. But in recent days, even when Mittian explained her thoughts in her routine reports to him, she received no response from the priest. Finally, she could no longer bear it.

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

"Enough! Since he's avoiding me, I'll make things clear. Starting today, I'm leaving this organization! Please pass this on to the 'King'! Goodbye!"

"Hey, wait a minute..."

After saying her final words, Mittian turned and left. Whether the soldier wanted to stop her or had another purpose, he immediately reached out to try to stop her.

Just then, someone who would never normally appear here showed up in front of Mitian.

"Let her go if she wants to. Our organization won't force anyone to stay."

A mature woman with long, flowing hair and a voluptuous figure stepped out from behind the employees. Looking at the furious Mitian, she smiled slightly.

"I know, your beloved woman died at the hands of the Demon King's army, so this experiment is meaningless to you now... right?"

"Since you already know, then I have even less to say, 'Knight'."

Upon seeing the woman, the "soldier" behind Mitian bowed deeply to her respectfully. Although she didn't know their names, Mitian understood that this woman was the one codenamed "Knight" in the organization, and the "soldier" was her subordinate. While both were important members with codenames, there was a difference in their rank.

The "Knight's" reasoning was absolutely correct. Mitian joined the organization to rescue Vilia from the Demon King's army. This was the sole driving force behind all the experiments. Now that Vilia was dead, Mitian had no reason to remain. The priest's promise that the elves could hold out until the magic was fully developed had completely failed to materialize. Mitian realized that it was merely bait to lure him into joining the organization. As for the survival of humanity, it was utterly worthless in Mitian's eyes compared to Vilia's plight.

"Hmm, I knew it..."

The "Knight" wore a somewhat troubled expression, resting her chin on her hand in deep thought. Mitian knew they wouldn't let her escape so easily, given her access to the organization's core secrets. They would certainly try every excuse and obstacle to prevent her departure. But her mind was made up. Even if everyone present rushed at her and pinned her down, or killed her on the spot to silence her, Mitian would not waver.

But once again, reality contradicted her expectations.

"...Alright. You can leave now. You don't need to come here anymore starting tomorrow."

After some thought, the "knight's" answer was surprisingly simple: he readily stepped aside, making way for Mittian. He didn't try to stop her at all. Mittian, who was expecting him to say "no," was somewhat surprised.

"What, what did you say?"

"What did you say? Didn't you say you didn't want to work here anymore and wanted to leave? The 'King' said that we're not some shady, immoral organization doing anything illegal. We won't kill anyone who knows anything, nor will we threaten them into staying where they don't want to. Anyone can come and go as they please. So goodbye, Miss Mittian."

"..."

While it might sound like self-praise to say it herself, Mitian genuinely believed she had made a significant contribution to the plan and provided the organization with substantial research results. How could they be so lenient with her? Mitian initially suspected a trap, fearing she might be ambushed from both sides as she passed them, leaving her with no escape. She dared not relax, maintaining maximum vigilance as she cautiously approached the exit. But nothing happened. Until she reached the exit, able to leave completely and bid farewell to this base forever, the organization members simply watched her with smiles.

While escaping was exactly what Mittian wanted, being treated this way inevitably left her with a sense of anger at being slighted. However, there are priorities, and compared to parting from them forever, she suppressed her anger at being slighted and did not show it.

The "knight" and the "soldier" simply waved goodbye. But in the very end, the "knight" left behind one last sentence.

Those weren't the "knight's" own words. They were words relayed on behalf of someone else. They were also his final words of advice to Mytian before their parting.

"Miss Mytian, the 'Priest' said she hopes we will meet again someday..."

"And so, I left that organization... that was three years ago. In these three years, I simply returned to my job as a regular teacher. I haven't seen anyone from that organization since, including Xiao Yi. Speaking of Xiao Yi... his hometown was destroyed by wild monsters when he was a child. Therefore, he also hates monsters very much. He probably listened to the organization's slander and used his position to open back doors for them. I wanted to wake him up, but I never had the chance to meet him. I suppose he's been completely fooled by that organization and believes their absurd theories without a doubt... what a pitiful guy. You asked me about him, I suppose he's clumsy and slipped up somewhere. Haha, he's always been so reckless. So when I heard he became the head of the Adventurers' Guild, I told everyone around me that it was too early for him to take on such a responsibility."

"There's such a thing..."

After hearing this long story, Naka was deeply moved. She hadn't expected that the monster modification incident would hide so many secrets and involved parties. The word "organization" echoed in Naka's mind. It seemed that besides the human kingdom's army and adventurers on the surface, there were many others behind the scenes who wanted to target her and the Demon King's army. This was certainly not good news for the Demon King. And one piece of information caught Naka's attention.

"A priest in a black robe who uses strange magic...?"

Naka was familiar with the person Mitian described. She remembered that three years ago, her orc general, Kemre, had mentioned such a person in his report after conquering the elven kingdom. The person also shared the same attire of a long black robe concealing his face and the ability to use strange magic.

However, according to Khemre, the robed man was the greatest contributor to their victory over the elven army. He also said that his goal was the destruction of the elven kingdom... This clearly contradicts the words and actions of the man mentioned by Mithian.

One said he helped the Demon King's army to destroy the elves. Another said he persuaded Mittian to resist the Demon King's army and save the elves. If they were describing the same person, what was his true purpose? Was helping Nabe his real intention, or neither? Where was he now, and what schemes was he planning? Naka was completely baffled. She hadn't previously taken the person Krimley mentioned seriously. But now she had to be vigilant: such a powerful and mysterious person was operating in the shadows.

However, thanks to Mitian, Naka was fully aware that Ijima had personally participated in the monster modification experiments. He had a very close relationship with that "organization." Naka's suspicions about him officially turned into unwavering certainty. But judging from Mitian's words, she seemed unaware that Vilia was still alive and had participated in the experiments. At least when Naka left the organization three years ago, Vilia hadn't yet joined. Revealing this would only complicate matters, so Naka didn't say it. She only raised her initial and most fundamental question.

"So, why are you telling me all this?"