The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

"What's wrong, young man? What you just struck was merely an afterimage of me in your mind's eye. Because you were too slow, I took the opportunity to take a short walk. Would you like to come along for a stroll?"

"You, you bastard!"

This sarcastic remark thoroughly enraged Tatia. She forcefully drew her sword, turned, and charged at Mayera again, unleashing another furious strike. But Mayera easily dodged it by simply sidestepping. As they passed each other, Mayera whispered something in Tatia's ear.

"Bastard is not a word to describe a lady."

"you!"

Tatia stopped abruptly, twisting her upper body and slashing her sword to the side. But by the time her sword reached her, Meera was already gone. Tatia looked left and right, front and back, but couldn't find Meera, who had just been beside her ear. She roared...

"Where have you been! Show yourself!"

"Where are you looking, young man? I'm right here."

Her voice rang out again, this time right next to Tatia. Tatia looked in the direction of the voice and her eyes widened in surprise: Mayera stood steadily atop the tip of her raised greatsword, holding an umbrella and tilting her head back, seemingly gazing into the distance. Suddenly, she pointed in a direction and exclaimed excitedly...

"Look! There's a beautiful lake over there! Thank you so much, young man. I'm not tall enough; if you hadn't helped me, I wouldn't be able to see that far!"

"What, are you kidding me!"

These words were clearly an insult to herself. Tatia's initial righteous indignation at the need for revenge for her race and nation had turned into a rage and loss of composure. She wildly swung her sword, trying to throw Mayera off. But no matter how she tried, Mayera remained as still as if she were glued to her sword.

By this point, Tatia didn't care about anything else. Initially, she only wanted to end the fight with ordinary attacks. Using skills would inevitably cause too much of a commotion, especially since there was a main road nearby. She didn't want to make too much of a scene, having recently learned this the hard way. However, she underestimated Mayera's abilities. Relying solely on ordinary attacks would only leave her completely at Mayera's mercy. Now that things had come to this, Tatia had no other choice.

"You're not coming down, huh? Fine, then don't come down if you dare..."

As she spoke, she touched the red gem on the greatsword. A burst of crimson flame instantly surged from the gem across the entire sword. Sensing the sudden increase in temperature beneath her feet, Mayera gracefully somersaulted and leaped down before the flames reached her. She landed with an elegant spin.

Tatsia had to admit that her movements were indeed as noble and graceful as her attire and status. But more than admiring her movements, Tatsia was concerned about the reason for her choice to dodge. She couldn't help but grin, and retorted sarcastically.

"Oh dear? Why did Your Highness come down? Is she feeling dizzy from the height?"

"Your sword is quite interesting."

However, the mockery seemed to have no effect. Mayera watched with great interest the greatsword blazing in Tatsia's hand, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"This sword was just a little broken a moment ago, and now it's become so beautiful! Not only that, it can even set things on fire! What a wonderful treasure! Although I've seen many rare and precious items, this is the first time I've ever seen something so fascinating!"

"Really...that's a real shame...because this is the last time you'll see it!"

The fire had reached its raging peak. This was the perfect opportunity for Tatiya to launch her attack. She held her sword horizontally, then swept it fiercely. The blazing flaming scythe "Crimson Lotus Ichimonji" aimed directly at Mayera. Seeing this strange object flying towards her, Mayera did not dodge.

"boom!"

A massive explosion occurred where she stood. Due to Tatiya's enhanced abilities, the power of "Crimson Ichimonji" was several times greater than when she fought in the mansion. The roar, accompanied by a huge tremor, caused the residents of the surrounding towns to feel the shockwave.

This time she didn't dodge it; it definitely felt like she'd hit something. Looking at the enormous flames she'd created, Tatsia clicked her tongue.

"Oh no, this might mean we've killed her. I was hoping to get some information out of her about the Demon King and his army... Ugh, what a missed opportunity! What?!"

As she spoke, the fire suddenly subsided rapidly. A small, thin figure stood amidst the flames. Upon seeing that figure, Tatia's self-righteous declaration of victory vanished, replaced by a look of astonishment.

Before her appeared a pale blue parasol. It absorbed the flames from all directions. The raging fire was extinguished within seconds. After the fire was out, the parasol was raised, revealing Mayella's sweet smile behind it, and her still composed words.

"What's wrong, young man? This little fire isn't even enough to make me sweat."

"..."

By this point, Tatia was deeply shaken. "Elf Paradise" was her strongest weapon, capable of unleashing powerful skills far beyond what she could master through training. Whether it was the ferocious wolf demons of the past or Oz, who had always been superior to her, they were all utterly powerless before this sword imbued with mysterious power. Before this sword, any opponent was nothing more than an insignificant mayfly trying to shake a tree, a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Although she had lost to Fros, Tatia believed that Fros was, after all, the most powerful being among humanity, and there was nothing she could do about it.

But now, this weapon, which had given her immense confidence and made her believe she was invincible, was utterly useless against such a little girl. This cruel reality ruthlessly shattered everything she believed in, her pride, and her self-esteem. She looked at the greatsword in her hand, and at the hand that held it. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but she felt the sword no longer possessed the imposing, sacred, and reliable aura it had when she first wielded it. Her hand, too, trembled uncontrollably, defying its master's will, due to a lack of confidence.

"No...that's not true! This sword's power is far greater than that!"

But Tatia shook her head frantically. The battle wasn't over yet, and she banished all the restlessness and anxiety that might affect the fight from her mind. She hadn't lost yet. It wasn't time to give up. Since "Crimson Lotus Ichimonji" was ineffective, then skills comparable to "Crimson Lotus Ichimonji," such as "Azure Aura" and the "Golden Sacred Axe" which she hadn't used alone yet, would naturally be ineffective as well. Her only way to win now was that move that shared the same name.

Tatia's fingers swiftly pressed down on the red, blue, and yellow gems in quick succession. Instantly, the three colors and their power converged, transforming into a green blade of light. This change made Mayera clap her hands in delight.

"Wow! There's something new in it! It's so beautiful!"

The pale green light and the butterfly-like fluttering specks of light captivated her, leaving her mesmerized. Her strongest skill had been used as a stage performance by her opponent. Although Tatia was angry, she suppressed her rage. She thought, "Let this poor princess have one last moment of joy... after all, this is the last thing she'll see."

Now everything is ready, all that's left is to send her on her way.

Having made her final preparations, Tatia pushed off the ground with all her might, her figure vanishing from her spot as if by teleportation, appearing in front of Mayera, whose eyes were still fixed on the point of light. This time, Mayera truly did not move, nor did she react to Tatia's movements, which were amplified by the power of the greatsword.

"The Fairy Paradise...!"

Gathering information is irrelevant now. All that matters is killing this infuriating woman. Tatiana shouted the name of her attack and mercilessly aimed for her neck.

"Swish"

The sensation of flesh striking flesh was unmistakable. The head, with its peerless beauty, detached from her body and flew through the air. Then it crashed to the ground, rolling with a "clattering" sound. A long trail of blood followed its path.

Tatia was certain that this time it was truly over. The Demon King's daughter, Meera, had indeed been beheaded. She could no longer utter those words that angered her with her beautiful voice. She had become a hero who had slain the Demon King's trusted confidant. Her once dark future was now filled with light.

Tatiana raised her holy sword high and let out a victor's roar.

"I win..."

She wanted to say, "I won." But she couldn't finish the sentence.

It's not that she didn't want to talk about it. It's that she couldn't talk about it anymore.

Immersed in the joy of victory, she didn't notice that Meera's headless body hadn't fallen at all. It remained firmly standing before her. Nor did she notice that as she celebrated her victory, that body suddenly raised its umbrella. The tip of the umbrella pierced Tatsia's throat precisely.

Having suffered a severe blow to the throat, he was naturally unable to utter a single word.

"cough!"

She clutched her neck and quickly backed away. Only then did she realize the unbelievable scene before her: Mayera, headless and bald, was taking steps and slowly approaching her. But what etched even more deeply into Tatsia's memory was what happened next.

"That was a powerful blow, young man. I wanted to dodge, but I really didn't have time to react."

The head, lying on the ground, suddenly rose into the air, swiftly flying towards the advancing body and landing firmly on the neck. With a graceful flick of her beautiful silver hair, Mayella's sweet smile reappeared before Tatia.

Not only that, her pink lips opened naturally, uttering words as calmly as if nothing had happened.

"However, you can't kill me... because I'm 'immortal'."

The distant Demon King's castle was bustling with activity at this moment.

The news of the Demon King's return from his journey caused all the officials who knew of it to immediately gather before the throne, intending to pay their respects to their monarch, whom they hadn't seen for nearly three years, and report on their respective achievements. However, when they arrived, they found only an empty throne. Just as they were about to ask, they discovered that Faen, who had always come to support the assembly, was also absent. What should they do next? The officials and generals didn't know, and could only chatter amongst themselves among the thrones.

The Demon King, Nama Karenla, or Naka for short, has indeed returned here. She hasn't left yet. She is currently in an empty room deep within the Demon King's castle.

The enormous room was filled with all sorts of toys and dolls. There were also textbooks for learning various dances, etiquette, and languages. On the wall was a small lift-up cabinet; at mealtimes, the Demon King's castle chefs would use this cabinet to deliver the prepared, expensive ingredients to the room. After the room's occupant finished eating, they could also use it to return the ingredients to the kitchen. It was incredibly convenient.

Of course, where there's entry, there's exit. The room also has a private bathroom, fully equipped with all sorts of luxurious toiletries. The bathtub, larger than the entire size of an average person's home, is filled with hot water that is continuously changed and disinfected every hour, allowing the room's occupants to enjoy a clean, tidy, and comfortable bathing experience at all times.

Whether it's intellectual needs like learning and entertainment supplies, or physical needs like food, clothing, and shelter, everything is available here. Even without leaving home, you can enjoy a luxurious and carefree life.

However, there was one thing missing: a window. The entire room was dark and gloomy, devoid of sunlight. Although there were lighting fixtures to brighten the room, it still created a suffocating, oppressive feeling. Aside from that, it was perfect.

Naka stared silently at the room where her master had left. Farn followed behind her, repeatedly apologizing.

"I am so sorry, Your Majesty! It was just a carelessness on our part, and Lady Meera has disappeared without a trace... I have already dispatched many people to search for her, and once she is found, we will bring her back immediately..."

"Should we bring her back?"

"Um...this..."

"You can't do it... That child inherited my abilities. Even if she's never received any combat training, what can those soldiers do to her? And don't forget, that child is 'that thing'..."

Naka was tired of Fan's pointless apologies. She interrupted his annoying rant, walked somewhat absentmindedly to a chair in the room, and sat down, her right hand supporting her forehead.

"Sigh...Fan, is this my fault? Did she get angry and run away because I haven't seen her in a long time?"

"No, it's not His Majesty the Demon King's fault... 'That thing' is still something we can't control after all..."

"Isn't that still my fault? All the Demon Lords in the past only treated 'it' as a tool for battle. Only I felt it was unnecessary, and just because of a whim, I treated 'it' like my own daughter, made her a princess, and hoped that she could grow up to be a plaything to please me... But it's not that simple after all."

Naka sighed. She deeply regretted her decision without considering the consequences. But regret was pointless now. Although she had already made plans for Fan, she now had to change them.

"Fan. The plan has changed."

"how?"

"My journey to the capital to find Agar's tooth will proceed as planned. However, Diaz's investigation into the organization that modifies monsters will be temporarily put on hold. I will personally handle that matter after I have finished dealing with Agar's case."

"What should we do about General Nadias?"

"Send him to the great human city. Meera must be there."

"What...human? Why?"

"I guess it's...intuition."

Naka picked up a book from the bed. It was a popular science book that recorded the history of the human kingdom and related information about humans.

Other monster-related books were still in pristine condition, but this one showed far more signs of being handled. Both the cover and the inner pages were yellowed and the corners were curled. Many locations related to the human kingdom were marked with circles in pen. While not direct evidence, Naka believed it was enough to determine the room's owner's whereabouts.

"Tell Diaz that the first target is the human trading center: Vado Town. Report to me immediately upon finding Meira, and don't let him act on his own. No matter where I am, I'll be there as soon as possible. Have him keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't escape."

"Is that really a good idea? If you had been far away from Lady Meera at the time... General Diaz is stronger than Lady Meera, wouldn't it have been better to let him handle it?"

No, he can't.

Naka shook her head. Even a general she greatly admired, who had rendered countless meritorious services, Naka didn't believe he could bring the room's owner back. She had experienced this deeply long ago.

"Have you forgotten, Fan? I'm not the Demon King yet. What happened the day we came here to kill the former Demon King..."

"About that day...?"

"Are you senile?! Before we stormed the Demon King's castle, we encountered a monster at the gate... No matter how we killed it, no matter how hard we tried, it wouldn't die. No matter how badly it was injured, it could get up and keep attacking us."

"Ah! I think there was such a thing..."

"That child, Mayera, is exactly like that monster... she's a 'Demon King's clone'."

"That's right! Come to think of it, it really is..."

Because so much time had passed, Farn almost forgot about such an important matter.

There is a type of monster that is not recorded in any monster classification. Even with detection devices, its species cannot be identified.

This monster only dwells near the Demon King. While its combat abilities are inferior to the Demon King and his generals and officers, this monster possesses an ability that even the Demon King lacks.

The only way to defeat this monster is to kill the Demon King. Otherwise, no matter how powerful the attack, it will never be destroyed. Even a force capable of destroying the entire world will have no effect on it.

These monsters are created by demon lords using their own magic and a part of their souls. They obey only the demon lord and are connected to the demon lord by an invisible "umbilical cord." If a demon lord uses "Demon Lord's Power - Creation," he will create this unique monster.

The lizard-like monster that once fought Naka, as well as the owner of this room, are both such monsters. Although their appearances are completely different, they are both "Demon Lord's clones," a race that cannot be identified by any instruments.

The former was created by the former Demon King, whom Naka killed. The latter, however, was created when Naka, after killing the former Demon King and becoming the new Demon King, explored and experimented with the various abilities of the "Demon King's Authority." The former was sent by the former Demon King to fight against Naka and her companions as a combat machine, while the latter was not used as a combat weapon because Naka believed she did not need such protection.

Naka regarded this monster, who inherited her abilities, appearance, and soul, as her daughter, bestowed upon her the title of princess, and named her Nama Mayera.

This is also the real reason why Naka insisted on personally resolving this matter, even if it meant traveling thousands of miles.

"Although Mayera has never received combat training, she is, after all, a being created by my Lv∞ power... In this world, only I, the 'Demon King,' can subdue this 'Demon King's clone.'"

The author's words:

In conclusion, the new character, Mayella, has officially made her debut.

Although not born through traditional means, everything about her—flesh and blood, soul and all—originates from Naka. Therefore, the role she plays in the drama is indeed that of "Naka's daughter." While I myself find it quite strange that Naka, who has never been in a relationship, has no experience, and is still a virgin, would have a child (laughs).

However, it is precisely because of her identity that many stories will unfold later... What exactly are these stories, and where will the relationships between the characters lead?

Stay tuned.

Nama Mayera

Twenty years ago, a momentous event occurred in the distant demon realm. The fiftieth Demon King, who had ruled this land for a thousand years, was killed by a female demon who looked exactly like a human. Having lost its host, the "Demon King's Authority" chose the strongest demon on the spot as its new master. Thus, the fifty-first Demon King, Nama Karenla, was born.

She reversed all the policies of her predecessor, the Demon King. She executed all of the Demon King's loyalists who had failed to submit to her, confiscated their property, and invested heavily in national development. The once lifeless nation quickly regained its vitality. The law of the jungle was completely reformed, and the kingdom, like those of humans and elves, boasted various educational and recreational facilities. The newly appointed Demon King quickly gained the adoration of most of the demons. The Demon Kingdom's power increased dramatically. When the Demon King declared war on the Elf Kingdom for the continued development of her nation, territorial expansion, and resource acquisition, the demons readily joined her army, willingly sacrificing their lives for her.

And so, seven years passed...

"A new ability of the Demon King's authority?"

That day, the Demon Queen Nama Kallenra summoned her trusted lieutenant and adoptive father, the undead demon Fane, to her room. She said she wanted to conduct an experiment.

After becoming the Demon Lord, she experimented with abilities such as disguise, detection, wormholes, and enhancement. In addition, she possessed three other abilities. One of these abilities, named "Demon Lord's Authority: Breakthrough," automatically activated the moment she became the Demon Lord. This ability allows her to break through the Demon Lord's own limits, instantly raising Naka's power from Lv100 to Lv∞. Naka, who had assumed 100 was her level cap, was astonished by the sudden surge of power. Because it doesn't require conscious use and cannot be deactivated by her own will, the effect of this ability is clearly defined.

However, the remaining two abilities were the only ones she hadn't had the chance to use, as Naka had been busy for years stabilizing the nation during the transition between the old and new Demon Kings and personally overseeing its future development. She finally remembered them amidst her busy schedule that day, as she finished work early.

"So, what skill do you want to try?"

As Farn took out paper and pen to take notes, he asked, "So far, Naka hasn't tried the only abilities she has: 'Creation' and 'Insight.' After careful consideration, she chose the former."

"Let's try 'creation.' Let's see what we can create."

"OK"

When Naka was chosen by the "Demon King's Authority," she automatically learned of its existence and the names of its seven abilities. However, she didn't know the specific effects of each ability. She rolled up her sleeves and eagerly gathered magic power in her hands.