The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

"What's wrong?"

"I shouldn't be the only adventurer who left alive after you... there was someone else, wasn't there?"

Naka said she embarked on her journey because of a prophecy that she would be killed by a hero, in order to nip any potentially powerful adventurers who might threaten her in the bud. She did indeed kill many such adventurers. But there was one exception.

"It's Tatia. Her talent is second to none no matter how you look at it. If your goal is to eliminate anyone who might pose a threat to you, why don't you just kill her and let her go?"

"..."

Whenever Tatsia was mentioned, Naka's usually icy expression would falter, and she would subtly shift her gaze away. This reaction, in turn, betrayed her true feelings. Watching the Demon King's petulant sulking, Fros smiled. This time, it was a smile of satisfaction. The answer to the question he had posed was no longer important.

"Hahaha! That child Tatia is truly remarkable. She managed to make that bloodthirsty and tyrannical demon king so compassionate and human. Perhaps kicking her out was the biggest mistake of my life... It seems she really possesses a talent that Oz doesn't have."

"Emotional...humanity?"

"Yes. Demon King, haven't you noticed? Aside from being ridiculously strong, you're just an ordinary human girl no matter how you look at it."

During the battle, she didn't initiate attacks, holding back at every turn so that she could finally settle all her regrets. She spared herself chance after chance to kill herself, all for her own sake. She deliberately chose this secluded spot away from the school, a place where no one would disturb her, to allow herself to fully unleash her power and fight with unbridled abandon. Even if she didn't admit it, Frost genuinely felt Naka's thoughtfulness.

The terrifying demon king of yesteryear was gone. Now, sitting beside him, confiding her troubles, was simply a girl genuinely tormented by love. Naka herself didn't realize it. But the two tear tracks beneath her eyes were more compelling evidence than anything else. Fros could imagine her crying after parting from Tatia, just like that night when she hid under the tree and wept alone.

This kind of demon king only brought Frost genuine comfort. The reason she talked to him so much after the battle was simply because she wanted someone to confide in. Right now, she was less like a demon king and more like a girl who had come to an unfamiliar environment and was experiencing a lot of troubles.

In that case, Frost felt that she should no longer be treated with the same eyes or the same titles as before.

"Demon King... no, Naka. I've thought about the possibility of meeting you again someday. But I never imagined we'd chat and communicate like this. You're not a bad person. You now possess the same emotions as us humans. This is something we've never envisioned in all our years of studying monsters. How about... we try to stop fighting against us humans and join forces to build this world together? Wouldn't that be a better outcome for both humans and monsters?"

Naka showed a hint of surprise at Frost's sudden invitation for a truce and reconciliation.

"Why? Don't you want to avenge Hito and the others?"

"Yes, I want to. But what good is just thinking about it? I have no power to kill you. But if you could give up and make peace with us, I suppose they wouldn't object. We never intended to eliminate all monsters... to end war and usher in peace. That is my and my comrades' ultimate goal."

"Yeah..."

Without war, monsters and humans live in peace, sharing joy... If such a day truly comes, Naka will be happy. At that time, the hero prophesied to kill Naka will not appear.

Unfortunately, Naka will not allow that day to come.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Frost. I have reasons that compel me to rule the world and exterminate you humans. I cannot reconcile with you."

"What's the reason?"

"..."

Naka stopped there. Even though she had promised Frost she would tell him about herself, there was one thing she would rather break her promise than reveal to anyone—a secret hidden deep in her heart.

Naka was unwilling to reveal anything, and Frost didn't ask any further. He could only sigh, perhaps the peaceful and beautiful future he hoped for was still just a distant dream.

At this point, both men fell silent. Frost understood that what had been said was enough. To have been allowed to live so long and learn so much after his defeat was the greatest mercy from a victor.

More importantly, the conversation before his death brought Frost not the terror of impending death, nor the despair and worry of his impending destruction of his homeland. On the contrary, his heart was filled with hope. Therefore, he had no more desires and could accept his fate with equanimity.

Frost pushed himself up to his feet, head held high, and extended a final invitation to the girl who held his life in her hands.

"That's enough, let's stop here, Naka. Send me on my way."

"Yes, it's time..."

Naka had delivered all the agreed-upon information before the battle. Her conversation with him had been a very pleasant experience for her. Now, all that remained was to bring everything to a close.

Naka also stood up. She began to gather magic power, and a dark vortex of magic power gradually took shape in her hand.

"I'm sorry. Because of your special status, it would be really troublesome if others found your body. So I can only make sure you die without a complete corpse, disappearing without a trace, so that the humans will just think you're missing for now... Can you accept that?"

"Since death is inevitable, why bother about whether the body is intact or not?"

"You're easy to talk to... but before you die, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you. I've already answered many of your questions, so I hope you won't hold back."

"Ask away. I'll try my best to answer."

Naka's first question was about the reason why Frost accepted his death so openly.

"Don't you have any regrets?"

"That's all. I fought you with all my might. I was no match for you, and it was only natural that I was killed. After I die, I can tell my fallen comrades that I was not a deserter. And even without me, the Adventurers' School will continue to thrive under the guidance of the principal and the other teachers. If you want to destroy it, I can't stop you. So what is there to regret?"

"Aren't you afraid of dying?"

"If I were afraid of death, I wouldn't have chosen to be a hero in the first place. Losing to any monster means death. Let alone the Demon King."

Although this young demon lord had seen plenty of heroes begging for mercy on their deathbeds, Fros seemed completely different from them, having already prepared herself for the worst. Naka smiled awkwardly; it seemed her first question had only been a waste of time.

"Is that so... Then the second question... Where is the dragon's fang that Oz gave you?"

This is a question that Naka has been concerned about since the beginning of her schooling. She just hasn't found the right time to bring it up, but if she doesn't speak up now, she may never have the chance to ask again.

"That... I submitted it to the King last month, and the research department in the capital will study it."

"...You really didn't hesitate to tell me that. Because you're about to die, you betrayed your country without a second thought?"

Frost, an absolute patriot, was being accused of treason. This surprised him somewhat. But he quickly regained his composure and said with a smile...

"Haha... I didn't mean to betray the kingdom. I just understand you."

"To understand me?"

"Yes. I've heard that those ten dragons were created by you using your own power, like clones of yourself. You care about them just as I would care about the next generation of children in our human kingdom... If the same thing happened to Oz, I would definitely do the same thing as you... I believe you went to save the dragon to investigate the danger it was in, not to destroy the capital. So, I'll tell you."

"Really? Well, thank you so much for your trust in me."

Although the fact that the humans had thoroughly investigated her relationship with the dragon she had released made Naka somewhat uncomfortable, she had obtained the information she wanted, and given that Fros was about to die, she decided not to pursue the matter further. Finally, she had one more question.

"So... do you have any last words? Please feel free to say them."

"I've already said I have no regrets..."

"No, it's not about regrets. I'm asking if you have anything to say in the end."

"What's the difference? I feel like I've talked to you enough. I have nothing to say about dying at your hands."

"...Of course they're different."

Just hearing this didn't seem to make Fros understand Naka's intention. She suddenly withdrew her magic and bent down to pick something up from the ground. It was the dagger Fros had given to Hito years ago for self-defense. It had fallen from Fros's arms during the fierce battle. Naka placed it back into Fros's hand.

"When I killed Hito, I asked her the same question. She knew she was going to die, and she knew her voice wouldn't reach you. But she still spoke her last words, the truth she couldn't tell you herself."

"Wh...what?"

She said she loves you.

"!"

Frost, who thought he had no more worries and regrets, realized he was wrong when he heard those words. Regrets, indeed, were there. Unforgettable things, indeed, were there.

"Hito...she..."

Young Frost was too shy to confess his feelings to the person he secretly loved. How did Hito view him? If he confessed to her, would she accept him? After they married, where would they settle down and how many children would they have?

These youthful daydreams vanished completely from Frost's mind on that day twenty years ago. Only after her death did Frost realize his deep regret. This feeling became an unresolved knot in his heart; even though Frost tried to forget and pretend not to care, he finally understood that it was nothing more than an escape from reality.

And now he finally understood. He understood the true feelings of Hito, who had been waiting for Fros to confess his love, and who, like Fros, had kept his feelings for his lover hidden in his heart. The feelings that neither of them had expressed while they were alive, spanning twenty years, were now finally conveyed to Fros through Naka's words.

"She loves you." Those three words were everything. Twenty years... no, over fifty years of life, all completed with those one sentence, leaving a perfectly whole ending. Frost knelt on the ground. An old man nearing sixty, weeping bitterly before the young demon queen.

When faced with setbacks in practice, when frustrated by plateaus, when Hito and his teammates died, when he lost to Naka, Frost hadn't shed a single tear. But this sentence caused his tear ducts, which had been held back for decades, to finally burst forth. A hero beloved by all adventurers cried like a child. Dignity, restraint, honor... compared to those insignificant things, he only wanted to follow his truest desires in the final moments of his life.

Naka simply watched from the sidelines, waiting for him to vent his emotions. Watching him like this, she thought about many things. What were those things? Perhaps only she herself knew.

He cried for an unknown amount of time, until dawn broke, and finally, with his tears almost dried, Frost regained his composure. He silently stood up. His expression at this moment was completely different from before. It was the most straightforward and spirited expression Naka had ever seen on a human, after the last trace of confusion, worry, and reluctance had been swept away.

Naka waited for her defeated foe, whom she could kill at any moment, all night long. She granted him the happiest time of his life. He had something to say to Naka, to the Naka who had given him this sense of "relief."

"Naka... no, Miss Nama Kalena. You just said you were grateful to me, right?"

"yes"

"Actually, I feel the same way... Our meeting twenty years ago was truly awful. But now, I'm so grateful to be able to reunite with you. I'm so thankful to you, thank you."

The hero, whose teammates had been killed by the Demon King, bowed respectfully to the Demon King at that moment. This bow was deeper and more sincere than the two bows Naka had given him.

Naka was truly strange. She should have been hated and feared by adventurers. Yet, after even a brief interaction with them, they all expressed gratitude towards her like this. She didn't believe she, who had killed Fros's lover and teammate, and was about to kill him himself, should bear such feelings. It only made her feel worse.

"Don't thank me. Hito said those words; I was merely relaying them."

"No, you could have chosen not to say it. But you deliberately kept her words in your heart for twenty years and then gave them to me... This is salvation for me. It's a huge relief. Compared to dragging this wretched body through the night for another twenty years, this moment of bliss is worth my life... So, please allow me to express my gratitude to you."

"All right..."

Since that's the case, Naka had no choice but to accept his kindness. However, Frost hadn't yet uttered his crucial last words. Naka reminded him again.

"Mr. Frost, didn't you tell me before? Don't keep your true feelings to yourself. You must speak them out, or you'll regret it for the rest of your life. This applies not only to the living, but also to those who are about to die. If there's a chance, I'll help you convey your last words. They may be irrelevant to you now that you're dead, but perhaps your words will be just as important to someone as they were to you, offering them salvation. This is very important, so please say it. If you can't think of anything, I can wait until you do before I kill you."

"You're right, Miss Nama Kalena."

Just call me Naka, no need for any honorifics.

"Alright, Naka. I've kept you waiting long enough, and I don't want to waste any more of your time. You still have many things to do after I die, right? Well then, I'm ready to give my last words."

"Speak."

His parents had long since passed away, and he had never married. So, to whom would he leave his last words? Naka had made some guesses before he uttered them. Perhaps it was for the headmaster who had co-founded the adventurers' school with him, perhaps for his colleagues in the kingdom, or more likely for Oz, whom he had recommended.

But in fact, Naka guessed all of them wrong.

"...My last words are for you, Naka."

"What...to me?"

Fros nodded. If his words, spoken to someone, could potentially bring salvation to that person, or even an entire race or the world, in the future, then it was this young demon king before him.

"Naka, although it's just my guess... I think I already know who the hero in the prophecy you spoke of is."

"Who is it?"

"That person is Tatia."

The moment the unexpected name appeared, Naka once again showed obvious shock and unease. But she quickly and immediately denied it. Farn had told her the same thing, and she had reacted the same way then.

"...No, impossible. She doesn't have that ability. Don't be fooled by her seemingly powerful weapon; even its strongest skill can't match your normal attack. You're no match for me, let alone that girl..."

"It's not a matter of strength."

"...And what is that?"

Naka has always chosen her targets based on their potential and talent. But Fros doesn't think that way. For Naka, who effortlessly deflected an attack beyond human limits without even using her full power, it's impossible for anyone to defeat her in terms of strength.

If she were to die at the hands of a hero one day, Frost believed there was only one possibility...

"I think you'd probably willingly choose to be killed by her."

"...ha?"

Fros spoke his mind frankly, prompting Naka to utter only one question.

"You mean I would deliberately let her kill me? Why? Am I crazy? I have a country to govern, many subordinates who trust me, and long-term goals. How could I willingly let myself be killed?... Although I do care about her! I admit I've always been a little worried about her... but just because of that, I'd rather be killed by her? Are you serious? Even if I were to suddenly decide to end my life, that girl wouldn't have the ability to kill me. Even if I stood still and let her hack at me until she was exhausted, she wouldn't be able to hurt me in the slightest..."

"As the Demon King, you are naturally impossible for her to kill... but what about you, as the Holy Maiden?"

"...What?"

Perhaps it was because she was directly involved that she was blinded, or perhaps she simply refused to believe it. But Naka recounted how she had evaded the detection devices. And the very nature of that method made it the best way to kill the demon king.

"If it were you disguised as the saintess, she could have easily killed you, couldn't she?"

"You...you mean...?"

Naka had never considered this possibility. But upon hearing Frost's words, a sense of foreboding and unease immediately welled up in her heart.

"I'll deliberately use disguise when fighting her so that she can kill me...?"

"I'm not bragging. But from the perspective of someone with the highest level of human combat power, there's only one possibility. Otherwise, I believe you will never be invincible in this world. Even in the future, I dare say it's impossible for any hero to defeat you in terms of strength."

"....."

At this point, Naka couldn't refute any further. She lowered her head, clenching her fists tightly. She wanted to say that she would never take her own life. But once Tatsia's face appeared in her mind, she lost the courage to say such a confident statement. Separating from her hadn't lessened this insecurity? Where was she now? Was she eating well? Was she healthy? Was she in danger? Thinking of these questions, her worry for her immediately overwhelmed all other emotions.

If things continue to develop like this, perhaps... who knows.

At this moment, Frost spoke again.

"Naka, I'm telling you this not so that I want you to kill Tatia. I know you can't do it. But at the same time, I don't want you to be killed by her. Tatia's feelings for you are deeper than you can imagine. If she finds out she killed you, what awaits her will probably be something more painful and desperate than death."

"...So, what do you mean?"

"Although you are the Demon King, through our conversation, I understand that your true nature is not that of a heinous villain. During your time living in human society, the kindness buried deep within you is gradually revealing itself. You have changed; you are no longer the Demon King of twenty years ago. You have become capable of considering others, of giving your own feelings, and of trying to accept the feelings of others. You are no longer the nemesis that we humans must defeat. Therefore, I hope you can at least understand that the future is not unchangeable."

"Change...the future?"