The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

Ordinary looks, ordinary personality, ordinary grades. She was the kind of mediocre person who would go unnoticed if placed among a group of elves. That's what she thought until her eleventh birthday.

But at some point, Tatia stopped thinking that way. She believed she was special. It wasn't a proper statement, but it came on the day the Elf Kingdom was destroyed. She felt different from all her kin, one of the very few survivors. This feeling intensified after her parents' deaths. She wondered why she was the only elf to survive among millions of her kind. There must be a special purpose in this arrangement. Perhaps this was fate guiding her down the path of revenge. Therefore, she began to consider herself extraordinary, a genius. Even when everyone else had given up, she still saw killing the Demon King as her goal.

But now she finally understands. It was all just a self-delusional illusion.

Her bones began to crack and make strange noises as the tentacles tightened, preventing oxygen from reaching her brain through her compressed carotid arteries, plunging her into darkness. She knew she was nothing special, just an insignificant member of the ordinary masses.

In the elven kingdom, she had accomplished nothing. Even after escaping, she remained mediocre. All her efforts, hardships, and sacrifices seemed laughable before the Demon King's daughter. Her efforts over the past six months had yielded no results. And in the end, all she left for those who cared for her was endless trouble and disappointment. The light of hope never returned. Tatia's life ended in such a regretful way.

...

"oops?"

Just three seconds before Tatia's cervical vertebrae, spine, and limb joints were about to break, and her entire body was about to shatter into pieces, Mayera uttered a questioning sound. She saw clear liquid begin to well up in the corners of Tatia's eyes, who was almost unconscious. In her unfocused pupils, there was something that she could not let go of even in death.

When Mayera killed the three thieves, they wept bitterly. But their tears were only from extreme fear, a desperate plea for mercy. The terrified sight of humans before death is the most delicious side dish for monsters. That's why Mayera ended their lives without hesitation.

But Tatya's tears were different; they weren't from fear. Instead, they were tears brimming with a complex mix of emotions: resentment, regret, self-blame, and lingering attachment. She had accepted the reality of her impending death. Yet, her eyes still lingered on memories that didn't actually exist before her.

Mayera didn't know the details. However, Tatia's reaction wasn't what she wanted to see.

Do humans react drastically differently to death due to individual variations? She wanted to know what Tatia was thinking, and temporarily removed the tentacles that were strangling Tatia's neck and mouth. The other tentacles also stopped contracting.

The first thing Tatia said the moment the tentacle left her mouth was this:

"Sister Naka...I'm sorry..."

"Sister Naka? Who is that?"

"I'm sorry...it's my fault...I wanted to repay you, I wanted to stay by your side, but I did something so wrong...I'm a hopeless fool..."

The tentacles on her neck were gone, and blood flow to her head had returned to normal. But Tatia seemed oblivious, muttering to herself in words Mayera couldn't understand. She kept apologizing to the person most important to her, words that the other person could never hear.

"What is he saying? Hey, wake up, buddy!"

Tatia's eyes were still open, but her consciousness seemed to have entered a dream. Mayera slapped her face hard, pulling her back to reality from the replay of her dying moments.

The memories of her time with Naka, though arduous, were among the happiest days Tatya experienced after losing her homeland, suddenly vanished, replaced by the beautiful face of Mayera. Tatya then realized she was not dead. And Mayera was staring at her with wide, curious eyes.

"Hey, tell me, who is this Naka you're talking about?"

"How...how do you know this name?"

"Weren't you the one who kept shouting?"

Having just teetered on the brink of death, Tatia instinctively called out the name of the person she most wanted to see in her hazy consciousness. She had no memory of it. Hearing Mayera's words, she realized she had called out Naka's name as if in a dream. But she didn't want to tell Mayera Naka's name. She feared that after her death, Mayera would follow the name to Naka and kill her as well.

Unable to repay Naka's kindness even in the end, Tatya believed the only thing she could still do was to protect Naka with her life. She turned her head away, stubbornly saying...

"...This has nothing to do with you. Kill me if you want."

"Huh? There are humans who actively seek death? I really didn't know that."

Killing Tatia would be as easy for Meera as crushing an ant. From the Demon King's castle to here, Meera had already killed many who plotted against her. Each of them, before dying, tried every possible means to beg Meera to spare them. They licked Meera's shoes, killed their own companions, sold everything they owned... they went to any lengths. Of course, none of this could sway Meera.

But for her, who had only recently arrived in the human world, this was the first time she had ever seen someone who wouldn't beg for mercy in the face of death, and who would even sacrifice their own life to protect others. She had seen too many monotonous humans; Tatia was unlike anyone she had ever met. The young child immediately abandoned her original thoughts and formed a new idea.

"...Hmm, I've made up my mind. Since you want to die, then I'll make sure you don't."

She climbed off Tatsia and waved her hand, summoning back the tentacles that had been wrapped around her. The magic circle on the ground also disappeared. Tatsia, who had almost died there, had miraculously been reborn.

"What...what are you going to do?"

But Mayera, who had initially intended to eat her, suddenly changed her mind for some unknown reason, which only increased Tatia's unease. Even when Mayera looked at her with a smile, Tatia only felt that she still harbored ill intentions.

"Don't be so scared, young man. I've changed my mind. Not only will I not kill you, but I'll also heal your wounds. However, in return, you must tell me about this 'Sister Naka' you just mentioned. How about that? Can you accept that?"

"Why...why are you asking Naka about that?"

"Nothing much. I don't know much about you humans. I just wanted to know why you called her name before you died. After all, my hobby is observing animal ecology."

"animal..."

Perhaps in her eyes, she was nothing more than a guinea pig. Tatia realized this clearly once again. However, she was truly unwilling to divulge Naka's information. Mayera waited for her reply, but Tatia gritted her teeth and refused to reveal a single word.

Her refusal was indeed very firm. But Mayera was simply naive. Her observation and comprehension skills were extraordinary. Just by looking at Tatia, she already understood Tatia's inner thoughts perfectly.

"You won't tell me? Is that really alright? It would be so easy for me to kill you, but giving you this chance means I still want to have a proper conversation with you. Are you going to choose death over this great opportunity to live? You just said you felt sorry for Sister Naka... I suppose you really want to apologize to her, and you have so much to say to her, right?"

"....!"

Tatia's thoughts had been completely read by this monster she had only recently met, causing her to waver visibly. Mayera grinned. She was certain she had hit the nail on the head. Extracting more information from Tatia would be a piece of cake for Mayera.

"Well? I'll give you a chance to live. You might be able to see her again and convey everything you want to say and the attitude you want to show her. That's much better than dying without knowing why. However, if you insist on giving up this chance to gain her forgiveness and choosing not to die heroically, then I have nothing more to say. So, life or death... choose one."

"..."

Now, calming down and thinking it over, Tatya understands that Mayera did indeed mean well by saving her when she fainted. And she herself had started this reckless battle. More importantly, Tatya simply couldn't shake off the guilt she felt towards Naka.

To grow into a more mature and composed person, to become someone who earns the respect of one's benefactor, to repay their kindness... once you die, these will only become an eternal regret. But as long as you live, there will always be an opportunity to realize your dreams.

Reuniting with Naka, she would convey her true feelings and repay the debts of gratitude she knew she could never fully repay. Finally, she would slay the Demon King and avenge her people... these were the most important things in Tatsia's heart. Pride was secondary compared to these things.

Being deliberately spared by the monster was a tremendous humiliation for Tatsia. But in the end, she chose to have a chance to make amends rather than die meaninglessly.

Enduring the humiliation, she uttered words that even a hero should never utter, even at the cost of his life.

"...I give up, please spare me..."

"Yes, that's a good girl."

Mayera crouched down and gently stroked the head of the immobile Tatia, just like praising an obedient puppy.

Tatsia desperately wanted to shout, "Get out of here!" But after all, her life was in the other person's hands. She chose to close her eyes, suppressing all her dissatisfaction and complaints, her face already flushed red.

Not only did Mayera escape death, but she also healed Tatsia's wounds. She simply swept her parasol over Tatsia, and all her injuries vanished instantly. The hole Mayera had made in the back of her hand, and the multiple fractures throughout her body, all seemed to disappear as if by illusion. Tatsia immediately stood up. She tried to move her body, feeling as energetic and vibrant as if she had just had a good sleep and a full meal.

How much power did Mayella truly possess? Tatia didn't know. But judging from the battle just now, she believed Mayella had only used a small fraction of her true strength. Coupled with her healing abilities, which even surpassed Naka's intermediate healing magic, Mayella seemed unfathomable. Even after fully recovering, Tatia dared not act rashly again. She could only sheathe her weapon and calmly sit down, honestly recounting to Mayella, as promised, how she and Naka had met and how Naka had treated her with such kindness and generosity. Tatia didn't want to miss a single detail, not even the smallest thing.

The adventures and emotional development between humans were tales Mayella had only ever seen in books. Now, a living example was unfolding before her eyes. She listened, completely captivated. At crucial moments, she couldn't help but ask, "And then? And then?" After Tatia finished telling her story, she clapped her hands in satisfaction.

"Wow! You and that sister named Naka have had so many interesting stories! It's so much fun! I was definitely right not to kill you! Otherwise, I wouldn't have heard such interesting stories!"

"..."

Mayera was happy, but the story ended abruptly when Tatsia was abandoned by Naka. This was a painful memory that Tatsia didn't want to talk about, but couldn't avoid. She lowered her head, a sorrowful expression on her face.

Tatia's story also mentions the destruction of her hometown by the Demon King's army, where all her relatives and friends were slaughtered. After hearing this intriguing tale, Mayera recalled these devastating past events that had plagued Tatia. She understood why Tatia had been so ruthless towards her after learning her true identity. She realized that the current situation was simply an unavoidable tragedy culminating in a multitude of unavoidable circumstances.

Mayera sighed and placed her hand on the dejected Tatia's shoulder.

"Young man, I understand your hatred for the Demon King's army. Your homeland was destroyed by my own people; you must be very distressed. You are different from those humans who only harbor unilateral malice towards me and covet my possessions, so ultimately, I don't want to pursue the matter of your disrespect towards me. But I also want to say that I only knew about these things, but I never participated in them, and I did not support everything the Demon King's army did. I feel very wronged that you vented your anger on me."

"...sorry"

Although she was a demon capable of killing humans without hesitation, the fact that Mayera saved her and spared her despite her provocation made Tatia reflect. Perhaps demons weren't all mortal enemies to be killed. Mayera's behavior when Tatia recounted her past revealed that Mayera was simply a child with a deep interest in humans. Transferring all her resentment towards the Demon King onto Mayera had indeed been too reckless. After all, aside from killing the thief in self-defense and retaliating against Tatia, Mayera hadn't done anything truly heinous. Even if she was the Demon King's daughter, she shouldn't have treated her this way. Tatia ultimately apologized to Mayera for her impulsiveness.

This was nothing more than a trivial matter to Mayara. She waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't worry, I don't hold a grudge... By the way, young man, what's your name? Now that you know my name, could you please tell me yours as well?"

"I...I'm called Tatia."

"Takia...yes, I understand, Brother Takia!"

Mayra emphasized the word "brother" when she called out to her, making Tatia, who was a woman, feel extremely uncomfortable. Although Mayra hadn't intentionally deceived her, Tatia was dressed in her usual attire, making it easy to mistake her for a man. The innocent Mayra had already accepted her gender. Having lost the need to conceal her gender, Tatia decided it was best to clarify things.

Just as Tatia was considering how to begin, Mayera asked again.

"Ah, I haven't confirmed Tatya's age yet. How old is Tatya this year? Perhaps I shouldn't call you 'brother' but 'younger brother'!"

"Um, I'm fourteen years old this year."

"Fourteen years old... I'm thirteen! So if I'm not mistaken, you are my brother, Brother Tatya!"

"..."

No matter how much she tried to explain, Tatia couldn't find the words. She truly hadn't expected a demon to possess such a radiant and innocent smile. Even more surprising to Tatia was that, although her hair length, demeanor, and expression were completely different, upon closer inspection, this Demon King's daughter's features bore a striking resemblance to Naka, whom she longed for day and night. With a little imagination, it was as if Naka was smiling directly at her. After staring at her face for a mere two seconds, Tatia shyly turned her gaze away.

Her reaction did not escape Maya's notice. Seeing Tatia blushing in front of her, Maya gave a subtle, meaningful smile that Tatia did not notice.

Her decision to spare Tatsia was certainly not based on simple reasons like "goodwill" or "a spur-of-the-moment" whim. In reality, she had ulterior motives.

Feeling shy about herself meant she had feelings for him. Since she had those feelings, her resolve and reserve would crumble before her beauty. That's why Mayera deliberately acted cute to seduce Tatsia. And it worked. Now Tatsia was completely under her control, just as she had planned.

"By the way, Brother Tatia, I have a favor to ask of you."

Mayera didn't just talk; she also moved closer to Tatia, pressing her body against hers.

A tiny, adorable little girl, who looked remarkably like Naka, was crawling towards her on all fours. The sight made Tatsia's heart race and her blood boil. She dared not look at her face, turning her head even further back, and stammered in response.

"Is...is there something you need?"

"Um, would you like to be my travel companion?"

"....What?"

旅伴

Tatia hadn't dared to look at Mayera's face initially, but upon hearing such astonishing words, she decisively turned her head away.

"What...what did you say?"

"As I've already said, I'd like to find a travel companion... so could I possibly ask Brother Tatya for help?"

Tatia initially thought she had misheard. But after Mayera repeated it, she realized that the Demon King's daughter wasn't joking; she was genuinely extending an invitation. Tatia shook her head vigorously.

"No, no, no... Even if I shouldn't fight you, the fact that we're still enemies hasn't changed. How can I possibly feel at ease traveling with the Demon King's daughter?"

"But..."

Such a somewhat unreasonable request was naturally rejected at first. Mayera feigned a pitiful expression, somewhat reluctantly explaining her purpose.

"Before I met you, I had killed many who tried to harm me. I was thinking that killing along the way wasn't a good way to go. After all, I've learned about this place and know that killing is forbidden. I was thinking, it would be wonderful if someone could travel with me and act as my bodyguard, while also helping me conceal my identity..."

"You've killed quite a few people?"

Upon hearing this, an ominous premonition arose in Tasia's heart.

"Could there be some kind of pursuers chasing you...?"

"Well, I haven't seen that kind of person yet... but I can't say for sure they don't exist."

"..."

Perhaps for Mayera, who possesses immortality, the presence or absence of pursuers is irrelevant; after all, she is unkillable. Anyone who dares to harm her can simply be killed. However, Tatia, sitting beside her, feels a strange sense of crisis. If her pursuers were to witness this scene, she might be mistaken for one of Mayera's accomplices.

This is completely unnecessary trouble. Tatsia still refuses to agree.

"No, even if you say that... why should I help the Demon King's daughter?"

"How could you do this? Brother Tatiya, do you really have the heart to let me travel alone in this vast and treacherous world? I wanted to travel with you because you are a good person. What should I do if we encounter bad people? If I don't kill them, I won't be able to protect myself; if I do kill them, I will be arrested sooner or later... Waaah, poor me, what should I do?"

Seeing that Tatia refused, Mayera lightly wiped her lower eyelid with her index finger and began to sob. Two streams of tears fell straight down her beautiful eyes. As the saying goes, tears like pear blossoms in the rain are truly beautiful. Already very beautiful, and bearing a resemblance to the person Tatia respected and loved most, her crying made Tatia's heart flutter like a deer, completely unable to resist.

"Don't cry! It makes it sound like I'm bullying you..."

Tatya tried to comfort her, but suddenly realized she understood somewhat how Naka had felt when she was crying. The tears of a child younger than herself were truly irresistible. Therefore, she softened a little.

"Please don't cry, okay? Let's talk this out..."

"Um"

Mayra's tears subsided even faster than Tatia had anticipated. The moment Tatia loosened her grip slightly, Mayra instantly regained her calm expression. The tears vanished completely. This made Tatia wonder if Mayra possessed some kind of magic that allowed her to manipulate bodily fluids at will.

However, Tatia hadn't completely disregarded what Meera said. If she were left to wander alone in human cities, it was hard to predict who she would encounter, what she would do, or how she would react. Judging from Meera's open revelation of her identity as the Demon King's daughter, she seemed oblivious to the depth of human hatred for the Demon King. Perhaps many of the humans she killed weren't driven by greed or lust, but simply by a desire to kill the Demon King's daughter and gain merit. Letting her go alone could very well cause a major disaster in the human kingdom, potentially killing even more people. She was immortal; relentlessly attacking her would only lead to human casualties while she remained unscathed. This was certainly not a good thing for humanity. Having someone who knew her identity stay by her side to provide cover, thereby reducing the number of people who knew her and preventing further deaths, wouldn't be a bad thing.

"Hmm...that's not right..."

However, it was only then that Tasia remembered a fundamental problem.

"So why did you even come to the human kingdom? If you're worried about people having ill intentions towards you, why don't you just go home?"

Ultimately, once she returns to the Demon King's castle, all these problems will cease to exist. Rather than traveling with her, Tatia now prefers to persuade her to go back.

But Mayera was somewhat surprised when she heard Tatia's suggestion. She then lowered her head, revealing an uneasy and dissatisfied expression.

"I don't want to go back..."

"why?"

"From birth, I've lived in that gloomy and cold Demon King's castle. My room didn't even have a window. Leaving the Demon King's castle this time is the first time in my life I've basked in the sun and breathed fresh air... If I go back, what awaits me is still that unchanging, dark and gloomy life... I finally escaped, and I never want to live that kind of life again!"

Mayra grew increasingly agitated as she spoke, eventually becoming almost hysterical. Tatya understood that the Demon King would surely raise his daughter carefully within the Demon King's castle, treating her like a precious treasure, unwilling to let her experience the outside world. She also understood how much Mayra, having gone through such hardships, longed to see a new and unknown world. Tatya wasn't so cold-hearted as to say, "What you do is none of my business." Unconsciously, she began to feel sympathy for her.

"Really... You've had a tough time too..."

Sympathy aside, judging from Meera's account, she ran away from home without telling the Demon King. Upon learning of her disappearance, the Demon King will undoubtedly send troops to capture her. Although Tatia wants to kill the Demon King, she understands from the recent battle that she, who couldn't even defeat the Demon King's daughter, is still a long, long way from defeating him. Going with her would inevitably lead to pursuit. Fighting the Demon King, or his pursuers, is not the best strategy at this moment. Even though her resolve has shifted, she still leans towards rejection.