The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

"Could it be because of me? Because of her disappointment in me, so Sister Naka... No, it can't be... absolutely not..."

The worst-case scenario Tatsia could imagine was that Naka felt she had invested too much effort and resources in her without receiving the rewards she deserved, and thus took her own life. Tatsia vehemently denied that things would escalate to that point. She unilaterally believed that Naka was a very intelligent and insightful person and wouldn't be so distraught over something like this. Although at this stage, this was merely Tatsia's unfounded attempt to comfort herself.

But if that weren't the case, why did Naka disappear, and where did she go? Tatya, already deeply concerned about Naka's whereabouts, was now even more anxious. She feared Naka might encounter danger traveling alone. Without her by her side, she couldn't protect her. She feared Naka had returned to her hometown, a place Tatya didn't know the exact location of, and would never leave the mountains again. In that case, Tatya would never find her again. More importantly, she feared Naka might team up with others, eventually associating with people Tatya didn't know, and completely forgetting her.

Originally, she only planned to fill her stomach first, train hard, and then search for Naka in a better state. But Tatsia now felt that time was no longer sufficient for her to leisurely level up. She grabbed Pais's hand and said...

"Your name is Pais, right... From what I'm getting at, you want to compete against Naka, is that right?"

"Huh?...Yes, yes?"

"Alright then. Pais... I approve your request to team up with me."

"Really! That's great!"

"Don't get too excited yet. I have one condition. You have to come with me to find Sister Naka. For me, finding Sister Naka is all that matters. I don't care about anything else! Once I find her, you can compete with her! How about it? Can you accept that?"

Tatsia believed that her relationship with Naka was not open to outside interference or meddling. Therefore, she only wanted to meet Naka on her own. However, finding Naka as quickly as possible was her top priority. Tatsia believed that more people meant more power. Two people with the same goal gathering intelligence separately would be far more efficient than acting alone. Therefore, she changed her mind and agreed to Pais's request to team up.

Pais initially felt some confusion and reluctance. While it was truly regrettable that she hadn't been able to compete with Naka, it didn't mean she desperately wanted to find Naka and challenge her. However, if the opportunity to see her again arose, Pais wouldn't refuse the challenge. Finding Naka and resolving her regret would be more beneficial than harmful for Pais. Moreover, Taqia offered to team up with her in exchange. This was a rare opportunity for Pais. After all, adventurers stronger than Taqia already had established teams or didn't consider Pais worthwhile. Pais also didn't intend to abandon Taqia and choose adventurers weaker than her. Currently, she was the only one strong enough and in dire need of help.

The other party's request didn't sound like an unacceptable condition. After careful consideration, Pais finally nodded.

"Hmm. Okay... I also want to know if she was afraid of me, which is why she ran away at the last minute. If I can find her, I must prove to her that if I had been the one teaming up with my brother, he would definitely have come back alive! I'll make her admit defeat and be completely convinced!"

"Okay, then it's a deal."

"learn!"

Tatia and Pais clasped hands and shook them vigorously to show that they had reached an agreement.

"Um...have you finished talking?"

It wasn't until then that the guild leader, who had been silently watching them rapidly advance the conversation and was still completely bewildered when they finally quieted down, spoke up to emphasize her presence. Their enthusiastic chatter made her wonder if the two girls had forgotten she, an outsider, was still there.

The two girls called out to her in unison after noticing her voice.

"We want to form a team! Hurry up and process our paperwork!"

The guild leader was still hesitant about whether Tatia could team up with others to accept quests. But faced with the unanimous agreement of everyone, she finally gave in.

"Okay, alright... Anyway, you guys seemed to be having a good time chatting, and it looks like you've reached an agreement. Since you have no objections, I can't really use any rules or regulations to refuse you... But Pais, are you sure you're okay with this? You only registered here yesterday, maybe there will be other opportunities if you wait a little longer..."

"It's okay!"

"Well, then I have nothing more to say..."

Since both parties had no objections, the guild leader had no choice but to maintain the neutrality expected of her position. She took Tatsia's written documents and then retrieved the documents Pais had left behind the day before from her drawer. She stacked the two documents together, clipped them together, and stamped both documents with the official seal, indicating "Party Permitted." She then wrote her own name in the "Guild Operator" section as a guarantor. With that, their party formation was complete.

Now officially teammates, Tatia and Pais shook hands again. Tatia solemnly addressed Pais.

"Nice to meet you from today onwards, Pais."

"I look forward to you unleashing your mysterious power on that day, Tatia."

Now that they've formed a team, their next task as adventurers is naturally to carry out their mission.

After taking a quest with a difficulty level of 15 from the guild's quest board and passing the guild's review, Tatia and Pais left the Adventurers' Guild. There was no extra time left for them; completing the quest as quickly as possible, earning money quickly, and starting the search for Naka as soon as possible were Tatia's primary objectives.

But this was not Pais's main objective.

Even though Tatia gritted her teeth and refused to complain of hunger, her constantly rumbling stomach couldn't hide it from Pais. Walking along the sidewalk in Vado town, on their way to the city gate, she suggested to Tatia...

"Takia, shall we grab a bite to eat first?"

"No need, we need to hurry..."

"Gurgle..."

"Forehead..."

The rumbling in her stomach was proof that she was lying. Taqia blushed, clutching her stomach, and smiled sheepishly at Pais. Her forced bravado was quite amusing, and it made Pais chuckle as well.

"Haha. If you're hungry, just say so. Even the strongest adventurer can't go into battle on an empty stomach. Being well-prepared is always the most important thing, no matter what you do. Come on, let's go get something to eat first, and then we'll set off."

"But...but I don't have any money..."

"It's okay, it's on me."

"Hey? Do you have money?"

"Of course! I was the runner-up in the Saintess Class. The school gave me quite a bit of scholarship money! Treating you to a meal is nothing."

"That..."

Tatia wanted to be polite, but after nearly ten days of fasting, refusing such a tempting invitation was nearly impossible. Even though she felt a little embarrassed, Tatia ultimately succumbed to the lure of food and gave in.

"...I won't stand on ceremony..."

"It's okay, let's go. I know a really good restaurant nearby."

With that, Pais took Tatsia's hand and led her into a small restaurant by the roadside.

"Huh? Tatia, are you a girl? I thought you were a boy..."

"No...it's just that I like wearing men's clothes..."

During the meal, the two comrades who would soon be fighting side by side briefly got to know each other. After all, they were about to entrust their lives to each other, and not understanding each other well would not be conducive to a good working relationship. First, Pais briefly explained his situation.

She originally lived in Isard Town with her brother and parents. After graduating, the three of them moved to this city. She had only officially settled in yesterday. During the few days of moving, she received her qualification notice from the Royal Capital Church Headquarters. Therefore, on the day she arrived, she immediately went to the Adventurers' Guild to register as a formal adventurer and submitted a party application. Today, she was just there to inquire about the situation when she ran into Tatia.

After hearing her explanation, Tatsia also truthfully reported her own situation.

This time, unlike others, Tatia went straight to the point and told Pais her true gender. Wols had already shown her that women could also become remarkable heroes. And she herself had suffered greatly because of concealing her gender. Rather than telling more lies and paying an unknown price to cover up this no longer important lie, it was better to be open and honest. Of course, Tatia still kept her elf identity a secret.

After hearing Tatiana's astonishing coming-out statement, Pais looked at Tatiana again in surprise.

"You do look a bit androgynous... but I never expected you to be a woman. And your breasts..."

"I wrapped it up with a breast wrap."

"why?"

"Well... that's a long story. But there's no need for me to bother with it anymore. I'll find a secluded spot to take it down after we leave the city..."

"Okay, let's do it this way. I'll keep watch for you."

"Thanks...."

In the time it takes to eat a meal, that's about all they can learn. After putting the last bit of food into their mouths, the two put down their utensils.

"Thank you for your hospitality. Shall we be going now..."

"Hmm, if we leave now, we might be able to get there before sunset..."

Just as the two were discussing their next task and preparing to leave, a melodious voice, both somewhat spoiled and elegant, rang out not far from them.

"Boss, I'd like to settle the bill."

Conditions for being a travel companion

A silver-haired girl dressed in an elegant Western-style dress, with a light blue parasol draped over her arm, was waving to the waiter from her seat. Two empty plates sat in front of her, suggesting she had finished her meal and was preparing to leave.

The girl appeared to be just out of adulthood, a tender young woman. Her unforgettable, sweet voice drew many glances at her, leaving them speechless with awe at her breathtaking beauty. Tatsia was one of them.

However, she wasn't stunned by the girl's beauty...that was a long time ago. Now she was surprised for only one reason: the girl was undoubtedly someone Tatia knew very well.

However, due to her stunning beauty, before the waiter could even arrive to calculate the bill, several men with ill intentions surrounded her with lewd grins. A young man with blond hair, leading the group, approached her and said...

"Miss, are you alone?"

The girl, seemingly unaware of their ulterior motives, innocently answered...

"Yes, I am alone."

"Oh? You call yourself 'this concubine'? Not bad, you're quite the romantic... How about it? Want to come and have some fun with us later?"

"Just for fun? But I don't know anything about this city."

"Wouldn't that be perfect? ​​We're native to this city. If you're interested, we can show you around. And if you'd like, you could get to know us too, we wouldn't mind, hehehe..."

After the blond-haired youth finished speaking, the men around him all let out the same lewd laughter, their eyes scanning every inch of the girl's body with even more obscene gazes.

"Get to know you all?... Ah, I understand now, so that's what you meant..."

The girl pondered for a moment, then suddenly nodded as if she had just realized something. She then returned their even more sinister smiles.

"I am but a humble servant, and if possible, I would greatly appreciate it if you gentlemen could spend more time with me..."

"Okay, okay! We can stay with you as long as you want..."

"Ugh, those thugs are acting crazy again... Tatia, we can't handle this, let's go."

Pais looked at the men with utter disgust. She'd only been there a day, but she'd already heard stories of unemployed young men lurking around the streets and shops, lewdly flirting with young women. Seeing it firsthand truly disgusted her. Although she felt sorry for the girl, Pais tried to avoid any association with them and tugged at Tatsia's sleeve, trying to pull away.

But Tatia didn't think so.

"Wait a minute! You guys stay away from her!"

She rushed forward and loudly stopped the lecherous men. Their pleasant time interrupted, the young men glared back at the meddlesome woman with menacing eyes.

"Huh? Who are you? Can't you see we're having a chat? What's it to you? Get lost!"

Meanwhile, the girl who had been approached also noticed Tatia, who actually had no intention of "helping out." She was slightly startled at first, then feigned surprise and said...

"Oh my, isn't this Brother Tatya? It's been so long!"

That's right. The girl sitting there, preparing to turn these men who had struck up a conversation with her into slaves who would serve her, was none other than the Demon King's daughter, the Demon Princess: Nama Meera.

Upon hearing Mayella call out the name of the troublesome person, the blond-haired youth spat in displeasure.

"Tch! Turns out it's someone we know... What bad luck! Let's go! Let's see if there's anyone else alone somewhere else!"

As their leader, he turned and left, his underlings immediately following. This unpopular group finally left the restaurant.

"Hey! Tatia, what exactly are you...?"

Pais was quite surprised. Why would Tatsia interfere in something that clearly had nothing to do with them? But from the conversation, it seemed that Tatsia and the girl being approached were acquaintances. Just as she was about to ask, she noticed Tatsia staring at the girl with a very serious expression. Those frivolous young men didn't seem to interest her at all. Her expression was quite intimidating. Pais didn't dare to ask. She shut her mouth halfway through her sentence.

At this moment, the restaurant owner came out. He had noticed the situation earlier, but hadn't dared to intervene for fear of retaliation from those idle youths. Seeing that Tatiya had resolved the crisis for him, he came to thank her.

"Thank you so much. If they had caused trouble in the shop, it would have been very difficult for me as a business owner. As the boss, I couldn't just ask anyone to leave... The rest of the town has been ignoring them. If it weren't for someone as righteous as you speaking up for them, I really don't know what would have happened to me and that girl!"

"..."

"Brother Tatia, thank you for saving me!"

Mayera also stood up and gave Tatia a graceful, deep bow. Her words, at first glance, sounded like thanks to Tatia, but in reality, they concealed a different layer of emotion that only Tatia could hear.

Although the restaurant owner, Pais, the other customers, and even the young men all believed that Tatia had saved the girl and chased them away, only Tatia herself knew that she wasn't saving the girl who had been approached. She was saving the men who had approached her.

She didn't respond to the boss's thanks, nor did she greet her teammate Pais. Tatsia immediately went to the girl's side and grabbed her hand.

"Come out with me for a moment."

"Oh dear? What are you doing, Tasia?"

Mayera, still feigning innocence, stared at Tatia with her seemingly ignorant eyes and asked a question. Tatia, however, completely ignored her lies and pulled her outside. When they reached Pais, she didn't stop, but quickly whispered to her...

"Please pay the money for her first. I still need to talk to her."

"What... Hey! Tatia!"

This request left Pais completely baffled. But before she could stop Tatia to ask for details, Tatia and Mayera had already walked out of the restaurant together.

"They walk really fast..."

In the blink of an eye, Tatia had disappeared from Pais's sight. Pais didn't know if she really had something so important to do, nor what had happened between her and that girl. He could only admire Tatia's ability to win the exam. Putting everything else aside, her running speed was certainly top-notch.

How Pais explained to the restaurant owner how he had paid for a meal for three people is another story.

"Hey! Brother Tatya! Where are you taking me? I'm not ready yet..."

Despite Mayella's easily misunderstood remarks from behind, Tatia didn't stop or respond to her. She simply pulled her along quickly to the back of some less crowded buildings in the city. Only after confirming that there were no other people around did she let go of her hand.

By this time, Mayera had stopped chattering as much as she had on the way. She lowered her head and rubbed her forehead. When she raised her head again to look at Tatia, her expression was one of utter disgust.

"...You've ruined my plans, Brother Tatia...no, I should call you Sister Tatia, shouldn't I?"

Her kind and innocent demeanor was entirely a facade she used to deceive people. This true nature was a reflection of her inner self. Having anticipated this, Tatia retorted without backing down.

"Mayera, were you just trying to use your looks to seduce those men, trick them into becoming your teammates, and then use them as scapegoats to take the bullets for you?"

"So what if they are? Aren't those guys also quite interested in me? With just a little manipulation, it'll be a piece of cake for me to have them obediently follow my orders and risk their lives for me... It's a matter of mutual consent, so why shouldn't I agree to it? But Sister Taqia, you're so clueless about romance. They were the kind of guys I finally found who would willingly be used by me to the death, and now they've escaped like this. It's such a pity. What, does Sister Taqia like them and are afraid I'll steal them away?"

Mayera deliberately threw out provocative words at Tatia. But Tatia, understanding that Mayera was only trying to provoke her, didn't take the bait. She simply watched her calmly. The more Tatia acted this way, the more annoyed Mayera became.

"What? Don't look at me like that. I was just joking... But I've made myself clear, haven't I? Since Sister Tatya isn't going to be my travel companion, please stop meddling in my affairs, okay? Meeting you is really bad luck... I have other things to attend to, please excuse me..."