The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

"But I still can't act alongside you. Your father ordered the killing of my people, and one day I will kill him to avenge them... Can you willingly act with someone who wants to kill your father?"

"Father?"

Mayella tilted her head.

"Nama Karenla is my mother."

"........Huh? Huh?!!!!!"

Legends of past Demon Lords have always depicted them clad in full armor. No human or elf knows their true appearance. Nama Kalena, a radical figure who declared war on the elves upon assuming power and transformed the entire Demon Kingdom within a few short years, has always been considered a male Demon Lord by the higher-ups of both the elven and human kingdoms. Tatya has always believed this as well. Therefore, she cried out in surprise upon hearing the Demon Lord's true gender.

"Mother... Mother? Is the Demon King a woman? That Level ∞, ruthless, bloodthirsty Nama Kalena?"

"Yes. What, you all thought Mother was a man?"

"This... I'm ashamed to admit... but that's not important! Even if she's a woman, it doesn't change the fact that she did something absolutely unforgivable! I'm the one who swore to kill your mother, and I can't travel with you!"

"What does it matter? Because you definitely can't kill Mother. You can't even beat me, yet you think you can defeat Mother, who is a thousand times stronger than me? It's only because of my gentle and kind nature that you've survived this long. If you had met my mother, you would have died countless times already."

"..."

Tatia thought the same thing after losing to Meera. She didn't intend to give up, but whether she could truly kill the Demon King in her lifetime was completely unknown. "I will kill your mother" was merely a pretext to reject Meera. But this reason couldn't fool Meera, who saw things much more clearly than Tatia.

Mayera even picked up on this topic, using it as leverage to offer Tatia a condition that was favorable to her.

"However, if you travel with me, even if you happen to meet Mother one day and a fight breaks out, I can plead for you and ask Mother to spare your life."

"No, there's no need. My people, my parents, wouldn't want me to be someone who kneels before the Demon King, someone who clings to life and fears death. If I lose to her, even if she doesn't kill me, I'll take my own life."

If that day ever comes, Tatia will surely be prepared to die before challenging the Demon King. Even if she fails, Tatia doesn't intend to live on. Instead, she chooses to die a martyr. This condition still hasn't changed Tatia's attitude. She'll improve her personal cultivation, find Naka in a better form, reunite with her, and this time, she won't disappoint her again, defeating the Demon King together... In Tatia's planned future, there's absolutely no room for this Demon King's daughter who appeared out of nowhere.

Even with feigned crying, Tatia remained unmoved. It seemed difficult to persuade her directly. Mayera's eyes darted around, and she flashed a strange smile that Tatia didn't notice.

Then she suddenly stood up and said, as if relieved.

"Ah~ Ah, since Brother Tatya won't help me no matter what I say, then I can't force you to do anything. But Brother Tatya, do you have any specific goals for the future? Like, which city to go to and what to do?"

"this...."

Although the ultimate goal was clearly defined, how to implement it? Tatia truly had no clue. After all, she didn't even know where she was right now.

Maya stretched out her finger and pointed to the road ahead.

"In that case, why don't you go check out the town of Vado ahead, brother Tatsia?"

"Vado Town?"

"Yes, the three thieves I killed said before they died that Vado Town is about a two-day walk from here, and it's a big city with an Adventurers' Guild where you can accept quests. I happen to be heading there myself. If you don't know what to do, Tatya, how about you come with me for the next two days? Once we get there, I'll naturally part ways with you, so I won't cause you any trouble."

"..."

Since she had nowhere else to go, she figured she might as well find a place to settle down first. If there was an adventurer's guild, she could earn money and hone her skills through quests. For Tatya, who was severely lacking in both strength and funds, this seemed like a good option. In a big city, it would be easier to obtain the information she needed. Besides, she had only spent two short days with Mayera, and wasn't really her travel companion. With almost no other choice, Tatya ultimately agreed to her suggestion.

"Okay, let's do it this way for now..."

"That's great! Please take care of me for the next two days, Takiya-nii-nii."

Overjoyed, Mayera grabbed Tatia's hand. Tatia hadn't noticed during the battle that Mayera's soft little hands were as warm as a fireplace in the winter heat. Even warmer was the smile Mayera gave Tatia, her face still streaked with tears from her crying. Because of her longing for Naka, Tatia once again inadvertently superimposed her image onto Naka's. It was as if Naka was smiling at her in the same way. Faced with this beautiful sight, Tatia was naturally flustered and at a loss for what to do.

"No, it's nothing, just a small favor..."

"Is that so? Then, Brother Tatya, I have a small request..."

"Wh-what?"

Mayella deliberately adopted a coquettish voice and a affected posture, making a capricious request.

"Brother Tatya, will you carry me on your back?"

"What...carry you on my back?"

"Because I simply cannot walk any further."

She rubbed her legs perfunctorily, then complained in a coquettish voice.

"I walked here step by step from the Demon King's castle on these legs that have never left it. That's why I said I was hungry and wanted to eat you. Now that I've mercifully spared your life, my stomach is growling... Can't you help me out?"

"Can..."

Tatia was about to ask, "Didn't you also eat three men?", but Mayera cut her off first.

"Isn't the grace of not killing you a grace? That sister Naka was kind to you, and you want to repay her. Are you just going to treat this concubine, who was also kind to you, with a casual dismissal?...Please, brother Tatsia."

As she spoke, she clenched her fists and placed them on her chin, making no attempt to persuade Tatsia through moral blackmail and feigning innocence.

Even though Tatia now understood that she had been deliberately using this method to gain sympathy from the beginning, she still succumbed to her charm and posture.

"All right..."

"Wow! That's great! I love Tatia the most!"

"..."

Tatya closed her eyes, repeatedly telling herself that she wasn't a lesbian. Her attraction to Naka was purely due to her personal charm. She would have liked Naka just as much if she were a man; she was definitely not like Teacher Mitian, who would sexually assault women. She was merely repaying Naka's mercy. But when she came to her senses, she found herself already crouching down, ready to let Maya ride on her back at any moment. It was too late to back out now. She said softly, somewhat unwillingly.

"...Come on up."

"Well then, I won't stand on ceremony."

Mayera gently placed her legs into Tatia's hands, while simultaneously wrapping her arms tightly around Tatia's neck. Once Mayera was in position, Tatia embraced the inside of her knees and lifted her onto her back.

The moment she picked her up, Tatia couldn't help but exclaim.

"It's so light...and smells so good..."

Perhaps due to the significant increase in strength resulting from six months of intensive training, Tatiya felt that Mayla was so light she seemed as if a gust of wind could carry her away, and instinctively hugged her legs even tighter. At the same time, the incomparably fragrant perfume, a blend of various floral scents, wafted from Mayla's body into Tatiya's nose. Upon closer inspection, the fragrance was even more complex and layered. For Tatiya, who had never experienced such luxury, the scent was so wonderful it opened her eyes to a whole new world.

But after the initial novelty wore off, all that welled up in Tatsia's heart was an overwhelming sense of inferiority and shame.

The Demon King's daughter was dressed in beautiful silks and satins, her entire body as white as frost, exuding an air of wealth and luxury. Meanwhile, she herself was covered in grime, wearing only coarse cloth clothing that was barely better than rags. She had never had the privilege of enjoying such adornments and cosmetics. This pampered child possessed such immense power that she herself could never attain through hard work. Tatya couldn't help but lament the injustice of the world. Some people are born with everything, while others, no matter how hard they strive, ultimately achieve nothing. She and the child she carried, Mayera, were the most vivid examples.

"What's wrong, Brother Tatia?"

After carrying her on her back, Tatia just stood there motionless. Mayera whispered in her ear, "..." Tatia then snapped out of her reverie and replied shyly.

"No, nothing. I was just thinking about something... So, do you know how to get to that town of Vado?"

"Yes, I know."

"Then I'll trouble you to give me directions."

"Okay~"

........

Tatia had no idea what wicked scheme Mayera was plotting. She was also unaware that she had once again fallen for the mischievous little devil's trick. Obediently, she followed Mayera's directions, walking down that path of no return...

Naka sat upon her throne within the Demon King's castle. Despite her daughter's disappearance, she appeared unusually calm. About a week had passed since her return to the Demon King's castle. She had somewhat rediscovered the feeling of those days. Sitting on her supreme throne, looking down upon all those who obeyed her—she hadn't experienced this for almost three years. She felt good now. Those thoughts clouded by human emotions had been completely replaced by the superiority and sense of dominance she felt from her lofty position, vanishing without a trace.

The council meeting has ended, and Naka has dismissed the other officials, including Fan. Only one person remains. A tall, thin insect-like monster with two huge red compound eyes on either side of its face, and covered in scythe-like curved blades, lies before Naka.

Its name is Dias. It knew Naka when the previous Demon King was alive, and they were comrades who rose up in rebellion together. After Naka became Demon King, it wholeheartedly assisted her, fighting for her in countless battles. It was one of the few executives who gained Naka's recognition and knew her true nature. Now, it has been summoned back from its base at the front lines.

Even though they were old acquaintances, Diaz dared not be impolite. Facing Naka, who had been urgently recalled, he respectfully inquired...

"Your Majesty, what urgent matter warrants your summons?"

"Diaz, I have a very important task for you."

"Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."

You'll understand once you see this.

Naka picked up a stack of documents from the armrest and tossed them in front of Diaz. Diaz reached out a tentacle, picked up the documents, and carefully read their contents. After reading them, Diaz understood why Naka had entrusted him with this matter.

"Are you asking me to find Her Majesty the Princess?"

"That's right. You possess the ability to transform into a human form, making it impossible for anyone but you to find Mayera, who has infiltrated human society."

Princess: Diaz had also heard about Mayera's disappearance. However, unlike Fan, who was frantically trying to handle the situation, it didn't show any reaction. It simply felt that the matter had nothing to do with it and would just casually comply with Fan's orders.

However, now that the Demon King was issuing the orders directly, Diaz dared not take it lightly. He memorized every crucial detail mentioned in the document. He bowed again to Naka and kowtowed.

"To receive such appreciation and affirmation from His Majesty the Demon King is an honor I am deeply humbled and overwhelmed with gratitude. I will certainly fulfill my mission and bring Her Majesty the Princess back to you."

"No...you don't need to bring her back. Just find her, tell Fan her location, and Fan will relay it to me. That will complete your task."

"...Understood."

Naka stepped down from the throne, approached Diaz, and gently stroked its shell.

"General Diaz. This mission is rather special; it may take a long time and require a great deal of effort. However, considering your usual hard work, loyalty, and dedication, I will bestow upon you a reward far exceeding monetary wealth upon its success. That reward is..."

Naka whispered the details of the reward in Diaz's ear. It was indeed, as she said, an immense favor, completely unlike any ordinary reward Diaz or the other generals had ever received. Diaz was overjoyed upon hearing this, repeatedly banging his head against the ground in celebration.

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Demon King! Thank you, Your Majesty the Demon King! I am willing to risk my life for this!"

Using generous rewards to motivate subordinates is an essential strategy for any ruler. Even though this reward was indeed too much for Naka, she was willing to pay this price for the sake of her plans. Finally, she instructed Diaz:

"Mayera is a quirky girl. To make things easier, she'll definitely pull in a human to cover for her. I doubt any human could resist her sweet talk; they'd probably willingly risk their lives for her. So... anyone who dares to get in her way, kill them without mercy... understand?"

Faced with such immense favor, Diaz's only response was one sentence.

"Your subordinate obeys."

Mayella's scam

Although they were roughly the same size, Tatsia didn't find carrying Mayera difficult. Mayera's body was light and supple, and she exuded a refreshing fragrance. She carried her from day to night without ever complaining of hardship or fatigue.

However, along the way, many people who occasionally brushed past them recognized Tatsia. Because of what happened during her graduation exams, she had already gained a certain degree of notoriety. However, the world's attitude towards her wasn't very friendly because of her attempted murder. Those who chose to ignore her after recognizing her were considered kind people. Some people maliciously insulted her, even picking up stones to attack her, or some adventurers wanted to spar with her. But because she had an unrelated girl on her back, and because she frequently glared at those who tried to harm Tatsia with her piercing gaze, most of the ill-intentioned people eventually gave up, only indulging in verbal sparring before leaving.

Tatsia chose to ignore all these accusations. She had long expected to be treated this way. And what they said was true; she had no way to refute it. All she could do was continue moving forward without hesitation.

"Brother Tatia..."

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"...fine"

Mayera, carried on Tatya's back, looked somewhat worried. If she were in that situation, she probably would have killed all these humans long ago. Tatya had told Mayera about being expelled from school when recounting her story with Naka. Mayera understood the reasons. Tatya had indeed done wrong, but she didn't believe it was something outsiders unrelated to Tatya and the incident could freely speculate about. Tatya didn't respond, and Mayera didn't bother to comfort her. She simply tightened her grip on Tatya's neck.

And so, the two maintained this state of non-existent communication, except for asking and giving directions. The hour of midnight arrived. Following Mayera's directions, Tatia arrived at an intersection.

The intersection split into three directions, each leading in a different direction. There were no signs or anything like that nearby. Tatia, unsure of which way to go, asked Mayra on her back.

"I'm saying, what should I do next... Hey? Are you listening?"

She asked several times, but Mayera didn't respond. Tatia turned to look at her own face. Mayera's lovely smiling face was right there.

"Hmm... Huff..."

However, she was now breathing softly and rhythmically with her eyes closed, seemingly asleep. Tatia wanted to wake her, but looking at her peaceful sleeping face, she couldn't bear to disturb her.

By this time of day, the streets were nearly deserted. Even if someone did pass by, Tatsia didn't think she'd be inclined to ask for directions from someone who had just made a grave mistake. Asking others wasn't a viable option either.

The person who knew the way was asleep, and there was no one to ask. Finally, Tatsia decided to end her journey there for the day. It was getting late, and she should get some rest.

She carried Mayra to a large tree by the roadside and gently placed her on the grass, letting her back rest against the trunk. Tatia's movements were so gentle that Mayra was not awakened.

"Phew... I'll spend the night here."

Tatia sat down next to Mayella. She then took out a blanket from her bag and spread it out for herself and Mayella. In this cold winter, this was the only way she could keep warm. As for why she covered Mayella with it too, she wasn't entirely sure.

"I never thought I'd actually care about this Demon King's daughter..."

Before going to sleep, Tatia took a good look at the girl. For various reasons, she hadn't been able to observe Mayera properly when they first met. But in the bright moonlight, she seemed even more beautiful than she had been during the day. This prompted Tatia to scrutinize her more closely from head to toe.

Having lost Naka, Tatsia thought her life was over. No one could move her or attract her anymore. She had fallen into despair before collapsing. But when she opened her eyes again, she was greeted by a girl with incredible charm. Most of the negative emotions that had driven her to ruin seemed to have vanished. It was a truly strange feeling.

Someone once said that there are three people in the world who look almost exactly like you. Tatsia had heard this before. But she never expected that after separating from Naka, she would immediately encounter a girl who looked remarkably like Naka. However, her personality, speech, and the aura she exuded were completely different from Naka's. This feeling was like seeing "another side of Naka that she would never see again," both fresh and interesting. It was truly irresistible... Tatsia was now thinking about something that Faen had also thought about before.

As she watched, a question arose in Tatsia's mind.

"She said she's the Demon Princess, the Demon King's daughter... but why does she look just like us humans?"

Before confirming through battle that she truly possessed the abilities befitting the Demon King's daughter, Tatia wasn't entirely convinced by her words. That's why, before the battle, she had asked Meera to confirm, "If you're joking, then let's stop here..." and so on. Later, blinded by anger and hatred, she was overwhelmed with mixed feelings when Meera let her go after the battle. Therefore, she hadn't noticed the enormous incongruity: monsters were supposed to be beasts, animals, or plants. She had never seen or heard of a monster indistinguishable from a human. Moreover, Meera's appearance was undoubtedly top-tier by human standards. Monsters had always been a grotesque, terrifying, and ugly image in Tatia's mind. But now, that prejudice had been shaken.

She bears a striking resemblance to Naka, and she is also the daughter of the Demon King. The Demon King's real name is Nama Kalena, and combining the first character of her surname and given name results in Naka...

If it were anyone else, given these known facts, they would more or less start to think, "Maybe Naka is the Demon King?" Even if it's just a baseless guess, something to be dismissed with a laugh, at least for a moment, that thought would cross their mind.

But this thought never even crossed Tatsia's mind once. Not even for an immeasurable moment.

"Could it be that her father was human?"

The possibility that Tatia ultimately deduced was that her mother, the Demon King Nama Kalena, might be a monster, but her father was a handsome man. Therefore, Mayera's appearance was due to inheriting more of her father's features than her mother's... Even now, she so tragically trusts Naka.

However, these were merely random thoughts arising from aimless daydreams before bed. Tatya quickly swept them out of her mind and closed her eyes.