CHAPTER 2: A PORTRAIT OF A MAN

By the end of the second week before the opening of the expositions, distinguished guests from the three races started to arrive at the Holy Palatial Gardens. The first to come was the contingent from Cherwind, led by the Beastman Queen, Ursura of the Beastmen. She was accompanied by her ministers—most of whom were former ‘Orphaned’ tribe members, her earliest friends and supporters. Also, with them were the esteemed directress of the Royal Academy of Cherwind and the famed inventor of the ‘steam engine’, Lady Salis of the Owls, the former Chersean noble and current First Admiral of the Cherwind Royal Fleet, Jean Margarette Malvette, and the governor of the Avinus Isles, Lady Ghislaine of the Eagles.

“It’s been a while, Your Holiness!” Queen Ursura greeted the moment she got down from the carriage that brought them to the Holy Palatial Gardens.

“Greetings, Beastman Queen!” Maddie reciprocated the gesture, “Though I wouldn’t say that ‘it’s been a while’; a month since your last visit isn’t that long.”

“True, but…” the Beastman Queen looked at the surrounding people, and when she made sure that everyone present were those close to her… “Ah, fuck it! I’m dropping the formal pleasantries; it doesn’t fit me, Lady Maddie!”

Maddie and her entourage were laughing, “It’s fine, Lady Ursura!”

“Just Ursura is fine!” the queen replied, “It’s not like we’re not close, you know?”

“Then I suggest you also call me Maddie—”

“No can do, milady! You’re the saint, I’m just a queen.”

They both exchanged laughs and jokes, before they went back to the matter at hand, “Any case, U-Ursura, erm…you’ll be staying at the Golden Horn guest building, along with your companions. I also asked my carpenters to build a temporary nest for the Lady Ghislaine.”

“Great! The orphans and I are already exhausted from the long train travel,” the Beastman Queen did some stretches, “And I’m sure the Lady Salis would like to get back to her weird shit, so it’s right on timing.”

Everyone’s attention fell on the silver-haired owl-lady standing behind the Beastman delegation; her unwavering eyes never left the device she was tinkering with. It was only when the Chief Royal Scientist of Cherwind noticed that it was all quiet around her that she realized she was the object of the conversation.

“What?” the owl-lady asked, a bit irritated.

“Nothing,” the Beastman Queen chuckled, “we’re just talking about how dedicated you are with your…erm…stuff.”

“I’m a genius,” Salis countered. “I’ve got no time listening to the talk of idiots.”

“Why you—”

“It’s fine, Ursura!” the Human Saint stopped the bear-woman. “It’s not like we’re not used to how sharp Lady Salis’ tongue is.”

“Heh, at least you can learn a thing or two with Her Holiness, Your Majesty,” the owl-lady was sardonic. “And I even requested that I be left back in Cherwind. Geniuses have no time for social events like this.”

“Just say that you get tired easily talking to people,” it was the Chief of the General Staff of Cherwind, Lady Rumia of the Dogs. She entered the conversation by ruffling and tussling with Salis’ hair, much to the latter’s annoyance. “And come on, Lady Salis! Stop with your ‘genius’ stuff; take a break and let’s play around for the meantime!”

“I agree with the dog-lady. Well, treat this as a break from the train journey from Malvette,” Maddie led them back to the topic. “Please follow my servants; they’ll attend to your needs.”

“Ah! Finally, can I request that I be given an isolated room?” Salis asked. “If possible, far from the dogs’ room.”

“Riiiight…” Maddie called a servant and ordered her to show the Beastman delegation the way to their accommodation.

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The demon leaders were the second to arrive, with the demon king-president Hurion Devras IV bringing his entourage of servants and cabinet ministers, as well as their children, like the famed historian and engineer, Lady Srexe of the Goblins, renowned chef Lady Nari Tambara, and the well-known state scientist, Lady Tama’lee of the Orcs.

“Just as usual, this place is grand!”

“I’m glad that you liked my place, Lady Baraquiel!” Maddie welcomed the demon delegation with more formality than the earlier party.

“Well, I’d say it’s so-so,” the leader of that group, the demon king-president, Lord Hurion Devras, commented.

“So-so?” it was the Lady Srexe, who was equally impressed as her engineer mother. “I don’t know what eyes you have, Your Excellency, but for sure, those pair of eyeballs in your skull sockets are blind.”

“Ah? Is someone speaking to me?” Lord Hurion feigned his blindness. “Is some little squirt telling me that I’m blind?”

“Hah? What little squirt? At least it’s better than being blind!”

The two quickly became locked in a tense battle of insults while their companions watched them with amusement. Lady Baraquiel whispered to the Human Saint, “I apologize for these two…”

“No worries,” Maddie chuckled, “I can see that they are really close.”

“Then you’re the one who must be truly blind, Your Holiness!” Lord Hurion snapped at her. “I’m not even friends with this green dwarf!”

“For someone whose breasts are small and hidden, you sure have a sharp tongue, Lord Hurion,” Maddie countered.

“Wha—What are you talking about?” the demon king-president was incensed. He began to unbutton his dress, “Let me show you—”

“Aah!” Lady Nari Tambara and Lady Baraquiel were quick to stop him. “You’re breaking character, Lord Hurion! Remember that you’re a boy! A boy!”

“I’m going to show this lascivious saint that I also got the bombs—”

“You can’t! Boys don’t have big breasts!”

“If you call that big,” Maddie continued on her offensive, flashing a ‘smile of pity’ on him and emphasizing on her chest, “then mine must be leviathan! A fulfilled dream for every man out the—gueh!”

Everyone stopped when the Head Maid of the Holy Palatial Gardens, Lily, finally showed up with her usual prim and proper demeanor and hit the Human Saint to stop her from embarrassing herself. She was smiling; however, they could feel the intense pressure oozing out from her, telling them to cease their stupid talk, “Pardon me, dear guests, but word reached me that there’s a perverted saint who escalated the trouble here.”

“Ahehehe…sorry Lily,” the Human Saint was quick to bow before her. “Please spare us of your wrath.”

However, the Head Maid won’t listen. She brought out a whip and stared down at her mistress, “Your Holiness, I allowed you to be in the welcoming party because you asked me to. But, seeing that you’re stirring up trouble, you must be punished.”

“Ah…please be gentle, Lily,” was all Maddie could say.

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And the last to grace their presence at the Holy Palatial Gardens were the human kings and queens themselves, starting from the Queen Jessica of Amaranth, Emperor Jean of the Empire of Chersea, King Simon II of Nerfes, Duke Marcus Albert Sidney of the Duchy of Rubinforth (the Human Saint’s father) along with his other children, Sophia and William, Sir Chancellor Dane Bellingstein of Calabrian Kingdom, and the half-dwarf Prince of the City-State of Stadtsberg, Lord Giuseppe Uhrian. They all arrived by the third and fourth weeks before the start of the expositions…

“Ooh! You mean there’s a lot of wine stored in my room, Your Holiness?” the half-dwarf prince exclaimed upon learning the ‘features’ of his accommodation.

“Yes, milord,” the Human Saint confirmed. “I and my servants made sure that each room we’re assigning you is tailored to your liking.”

“Ahem,” it was the Chancellor Bellingstein, “So that means…”

“No, Lord Chancellor, that’s the one thing we can’t permit here,” Maddie replied with a smile, though a sardonic one, “I forbid prostitutes inside my holy grounds.”

“R-Right…my bad, Your Holiness…” the Chancellor of Calabria then went away with the half-dwarf prince, his shoulders drooping. The only one that remained with her was her father, Duke Marcus Albert Sidney.

“Anyway, Your Holiness—”

“Pa, please don’t be so formal around your daughter.”

“A-Alright, ahem…” the Duke of Rubinforth cleared his throat before continuing, “Maddie, so that means, my room’s got a lot of books, no?”

“Of course, Paps!” Maddie smiled, “And Sophia’s got a lot of cushions, and for William, I had his and your rooms near the library building.”

“I-I see…”

“And no perverted books, yes.”

“Uh…”

“Well, I know men will be men, so I sent a messenger to Arles about allowing you to access their libraries for the duration of your stay, milords,” the Human Saint revealed. “Of course, there’s a collection of those…uhm, you know what, in there…”

“Yes, Her Holiness knows because she’s a regular there,” Lily added.

“Lily!” Maddie protested, “Please stop telling them that! I don’t even read the HHM, Laidboy and Haxim magazines!”

“Heh, I didn’t even say you’re reading those,” the Head Maid threw a sly look, “I just told them you’re a regular in the Arles library.”

“And for someone who ‘doesn’t read perverted stuff’,” the duke backed Lily, “you sure know its titles.”

By that moment, Maddie’s face was beet red, “Papa…”

“Alright!” the Duke of Rubinforth laughed, but deep inside, he was embarrassed, “Just don’t go overboard, Maddie, my holy daughter! And since His Majesty the King of Nerfes is already here with us, please consider his offer of marriage.”

“I will, Papa,” the Human Saint smiled. “Though I’d really like to think more about it, as Simon loved Ja—”

Maddie stopped short of saying the Nerfes ruler’s love, just as Lily pinched her.

“Simon loves who?” the duke asked.

“N-Nothing…I’ll talk to Simon about it.”

“Great! I want lots of grandkids, by the way! And please, with normal-sized bosoms, if you will, so they can approach their grandfather.”

“Hah?”

“Forget what I said,” masking his retreat with a hearty laugh, the duke then went with a servant to his room and left the Human Saint with the Head Maid.

“You sure take after your father, Maddie,” Lily commented. “Both of you are subtle perverts.”

“I learned from the best. What else?”

“Sure.”

And with that, it was only less than a week remaining before the grand opening of the exhibits, so all preparations were in full-swing, and everyone was busy.

It will be the pinnacle of what a unified group of humans, beastmen and demon folk can accomplish…

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***Somewhere in Cherwoods…***

Although the land of the elves was a world filled with mighty, ancient trees, and thick shrubs on most of its ground, a few elvish cities could still be found, slowly expanding on the clearings the inhabitants themselves had made. The elves, while they learned how to co-exist with the nature that surrounded them, still couldn’t resist the wonders brought about by agriculture. Not only did it permit them to settle in the safety of their forest towns and villages, agriculture—originally a human ‘invention’ from eons ago—helped them augment their food supplies, half of which came from the trees they protect and nurture.

And vital to this was the god-power vested in their demi-goddess, the Elf Saint. Since the end of the Lord Gaius’ reign in the heavens, the elves had to rely on their holy maiden to bring forth a bountiful harvest in their community farms, and keep the forests alive with her ‘water golems’: those giant creatures that Her Holiness created to supply water to every known corner of Cherwoods.

However, such an arrangement was the norm way back in the past. Nowadays, for some reason, the water golems died out, and the Elf Saint decided to seclude herself in her own tree palace.

This was the situation that the new leader of the elvish settlement of Dorian, the Lord Ingwer, found himself involved. The farmlands that they—including his ancestors—had so lovingly cultivated and used were slowly turning into sand. The immense trees that marked the farthest known borders of Cherwoods were dying out, and the desert from beyond the forest was inching towards their homes.

“…”

And as if to make their situation worse, Dorian was far from the shores of Cherwoods, where water supply from the Great Gulf was plentiful.

Their solution? They organized the Dorian elves into several groups tasked with fetching water from the Gulf. It was a journey that took several ‘long sleeps’ to complete, and even with people working all the time to make sure that the supply was uninterrupted, the amount of water they needed barely satisfied the needs of their city population. The farms were left untilled, and with the encroaching desert, the forest game was moving away from them.

The food in the city will not last long, unless they will do something drastic.

“…”

There were calls from several prominent people in the city that the Elvish lord should think of moving his population away from Dorian and find a spot closer to the shore. And, while he was considering such option, the Lord Ingwer was still concerned that it would never satisfy the advancing desert until it reached the edges of the Gulf. If it did happen, then the move was all for naught; a waste of resources and people’s efforts. Not to mention, the shores of Cherwoods were already full of elvish settlements—both old and new—and they were risking conflict should the Dorians joined the exodus.

So with no other choice, the Lord Ingwer gathered his fellow leaders, and they set off for the Saint’s Tree, ostensibly to prod Her Holiness the Elf Saint to do something more about their situation.

----------

However, when they arrived…

“What do you mean Her Holiness can’t see us?” the Elvish lord couldn’t keep himself from raising his voice. “We traveled from the frontier up to this place, tired and weary, wanting to ask for the Saint’s help with the encroaching sands! Why would you turn us away? This is an emergency!”

“I offer our sincerest apologies, milord, but Her Holiness can’t be disturbed right now,” one of the Elf Saint’s servants replied, panicked as the Lord Ingwer’s hand was on the hilt of his sword. He was only held back from committing violence by his companions, and the guards of the holy maiden.

“I don’t need your apologies,” he screamed his frustrations, “I want permission to tell Her Holiness that we’re dying out there. That we need those damned water golems at the frontier!”

“Milord, please stay your—”

“Damn it, let me through!”

“Restrain him!”

A brief scuffle then ensued as the Lord Ingwer tried to go past the servants and guards of the Elf Saint, and the latter prevented him from doing so, along with his own retinue. As the Elvish lord was born a warrior, it took the soldiers and the other Dorians their greatest effort in disarming him, but in the end, he was forced to put his sword down.

“…” the Lord Ingwer could only stare at the Saint’s servants with disbelief, as the hope of enlisting Her Holiness’ help slowly escaped his grasp. At that moment, he wanted to cry, lash out in anger, and bury himself…all at the same time. Nevertheless, he was also aware that whatever he did, it won’t change the fact that this option of his was already lost.

“Milord,” one of his companions whispered to him, pulling one of his arm, “please…let’s go now. It’s useless anyway. We’re to fend for ourselves in the frontier.”

Though burdened with defeat, the Dorians eventually left. However, they were already at the gates of the Saint’s Tree, when they were suddenly called back by one of Her Holiness’ servant. At once, the Lord Ingwer’s eyes were filled with life, and he hurried to the maid.

“Milord,” she told him, “I was sent here not by Her Holiness, but by someone else.”

“Who?”

It took the servant a few moments before she said, “Erm…well, it’s not Her Holiness, though I think he can help you with your problem…”

“Huh?” the Lord Ingwer was suspicious, “What are you talking about?”

“Uh…can you just follow me, milord?” the maid never hid her displeasure at the Elvish lord’s questions. “Or will you be content of being turned away after traveling far?”

At that point, the Lord Ingwer knew he had to try every choice he was presented with, rather than going back to Dorian empty-handed.

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The Saint’s servant led the Dorian delegation to a smaller tree palace, somewhere in the hidden parts of the Saint’s Tree complex. The Elvish lord, though his suspicions increased with every step he took, continued to follow the elf-lady. Then, once they reached the entrance—guarded only by two warriors—everyone was surprised to see the person waiting for them.

“Y-You…” the Lord Ingwer could only say with effort, “…a-a round ear!”

“A human!” one of his fellow Dorians confirmed. “Wh-What’s a human doing here?”

The person in question, however, never let the rest speak their thoughts. He smiled, got up from his chair, and welcomed them. The Dorians were stunned at his actions; for the human knew the elf customs and traditions.

“Milords,” the Saint’s servant finally spoke, “may I introduce to you, Mister Kuro of Arles?”

“Mi-Mister? This man only has ‘mister’ to his name?” the Lord Ingwer cast a stare at the human, from his head to toe. “What is the meaning of this? How can this commoner help us?”

“Erm…again, milord, I offer my apologies,” she answered, along with a bow. “However, with everything going on inside the palace, Mister Kuro is the only one who can give time to your concerns.”

“This is sacrilege!” the Elvish lord bellowed. “Not only did we receive nothing from Her Holiness, she also insulted us by sending this…this human commoner to deal with our problems! How low can you get? How low will you treat our lives as if we’re expendable?”

While the Dorians were giving the maid an earful, Kuro finally intervened, “Lord Ingwer of the city of Dorian, I presume?”

“And what do you know of solving our problems, human commoner?” the Elvish lord countered. “I don’t know what sorcery you did to our seduce our saint and cloud her judgment, but you won’t fool me, or anyone of us!”

“There is no sorcery, milord, only science…and of course, a bit of magic,” Kuro replied, pulling some chairs for the Dorian delegation to sit upon. “While I’m indeed a commoner, Her Holiness has seen merit in my suggestions on your—and the other settlements’—issues about the water supply, and desertification of Cherwoods.”

“Deser—what?” the Lord Ingwer stopped in his rage, and turned his full attention on the human.

“Desertification,” Kuro repeated, while pointing to one of the chairs. “It is what’s happening to your land; basically, every green patch of ground is turning into sand, killing plants and driving animals away. If left unattended, the entire greenery that is Cherwoods would eventually turn into a sea of sand, devoid of life that we know of at this moment. Now, if you’ll just listen to what I will say, milord, perhaps we can do something about your situation. What do you think?”

The Dorians, though they were mad earlier, exchanged doubtful looks. While they were insulted by the treatment accorded to them by the Saint’s household, it’s not like they could do something about it. Besides, the Dorians needed all the help they could get, and at that point, there was an agreement that they could lend an ear to everyone…even if it’s a human commoner, or even a demon lord. Then, when they sorted out their thoughts and feelings, the Lord Ingwer and his companions removed every bias they had at the moment, sat with the human commoner, and discussed his ideas.

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***The Holy Palatial Gardens***

“Maddie!”

“!!!”

“Maddie!”

The Human Saint opened her eyes, and what greeted her was not the dull, white-and-gold ceiling of her private chamber, but rather, a bright, pure white light that initially blinded her. Confused as to what’s happening, she sat up, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Surely, she thought, this was not heaven.

“Maddie!” That man’s voice again, Maddie thought. Her eyes went around, searching for its owner. However, she found no one, save for the swirling white smoke, and the direction of where that bright white light was coming from (it was above her).

“Wh-Who are you?” she called out. While she couldn’t recognize the identity of the speaker, somehow Maddie did not feel any hostility from him. If she could describe what she felt at the moment, all that came out in her mind was ‘security’.

“Ah, I guess you really can’t remember,” the disembodied voice said. “Six years of disappearance had taken its toll; not to mention, you and the other saints severed your connections to him.”

“What…What are you talking about?” Maddie wanted to be scared, or at least, alarmed. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to feel that way. All that her chest could sense was the overwhelming feeling of sadness and longing, just like whenever her eyes looked at that mysterious, unfinished painting of hers, or when Lily cooks that dish, adobo. But, a warm feeling also enveloped her heart, like someone who kept on protecting her…a man she could always rely on.

“Haa…” the voice heaved a sigh, “Alright, I know I’ve done a lot of the worst things to you, as well as the others, because of my foolishness before. So, at least, let me help you remember…”

“!!!”

There was a change in the swirling clouds, as its movement suddenly grew tense and fast. From a random direction, it gathered into a spot before Maddie and formed into a body of a man. Then, with a flash of light, the remaining vapor dissipated, revealing a familiar face she had long forgotten…

“Y-You are…” Maddie’s voice trailed as tears fell from her eyes. Now she understood why she felt that way about that unfinished painting. Why she felt sadness whenever she eats that adobo. And why she would always long for someone, she couldn’t even remember…

“I’m back, Maddie…” the man smiled, reaching out his arms to her.

“Kuro!” Maddie never cared for anything at that moment; in her mind, the warmth of his arms was enough to fill her emptiness. “How did I forget you?”

And then the dream ended. The Human Saint returned to the real world, her pillows wet with her tears and her arms outstretched as if she was reaching for something, or someone.

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Maddie wasted no time. She grabbed her robes and rushed towards the guest house where she kept her unfinished painting.

At last, she can finally finish that artwork, as a tribute to the man she loves…

As she ran, the blots in her memories disappeared. The Human Saint could now remember those ‘gaps’ in many events from her past that were a mystery to her until now. How the humans defeated the zombie hordes of Seirna. Why she crossed from Chersea to Cherwind, even as Ruro forbid it. Why the demons ended up in Chersea. And why many of her friends suffered from those ‘blots’.

Kuro! They are Kuro’s deeds. It is Kuro who did it all, sacrificing himself to save them from the Seductress’ and the Lord Gaius’ wrath.

“…”

How can she forget him? After all that he did, and expecting no reward!

The Human Saint wanted to cover her face in shame. She—of all the people who professed to love him—let herself erase his memories. Maddie thought she didn’t deserve his feelings, that he would be better off in someone else’s arms, but…

“…”

Yeah, she won’t let herself end up being the last of the ladies who’d marry Kuro. So, tough luck, she’ll always be the first. Even in his death…

Just as Maddie appeared at the guesthouse, however, her daydreams stopped as she saw that it was crowded already. Everyone who had been with Kuro was there; the Beastmen, the demons, the human rulers, including her family, and even the other saints. They all exchanged meaningful and happy glances as she arrived and asked, “Wh-What’s going on? Don’t tell me…”

It was Seirna who revealed their purpose there. “I’m pretty sure you’re not the only one who forgot him for six years and dreamed of the otherworlder just now.”

“You guys…” the Human Saint couldn’t contain her happiness, now that it confirmed her dream.

Simon, the King of Nerfes, and Lily smiled and hugged her. “Maddie! Kuro, he has come back to us!”