CHAPTER 6.5: HINWE TAL-INWIR, MANGAKA

***Dupree Palace***

The entourage of the Duke of Maverny returned to his official residence exactly a week after they set off to survey his lands. Upon reaching the main courtyard, they were met by some paladin guards—serving as helpers, since Kuro won’t hire additional staff until his projects were done—who took their things away to their rooms. The Lady Hinwe, in her usual lazy self, had to drag her body across the carriage parking and into the palace itself, assisted by Meanor.

However, Kuro called her. “Your Holiness?”

“I’m tired, Kuro, can it wait tomorrow?”

Meanor also stood between him and her mistress. However, Kuro whispered something to the elf servant, and she backed down. Together with Eris and Salis, she excused herself, much to the Elf Saint’s surprise and dismay.

“I’m sorry, milady, but I won’t wait till tomorrow,” the duke insisted. “And it’ll be short, depending on your answer; I just want you to create a manga.”

The Elf Saint’s droopy eyes suddenly went alive the moment she heard it. “Wait…wait, you are asking me to make a manga?”

“Did I say otherwise, Your Holiness?”

“Me, a lazy bum, making a manga? Do you even know what you’re asking from me?”

Kuro nodded.

“You said you’re an otaku before, right?”

He nodded once again.

“Have you ever read Bak*man?”

“I was already a teacher that time, so I was busy. But I did hear of it. Says a lot about the struggles of mangakas.”

“Then dude…” the duke was having fun watching Her Lazy Holiness’ ‘shocked’ reactions. “You must be joking! I’m the only one here who can draw anime, aside from you. Who’s going to be my assistant?”

“You don’t need one.”

“Ha?”

“Your Holiness, before I became a teacher, I’m an otaku, right? So, I also have a dream to create the best manga there is, a foolish effort because I thought back then that I can become a mangaka,” Kuro chuckled. “Heh, childhood stupidity.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, I want to tell you that I experienced making a manga…though it was only a single chapter work. Not one shot, just one chapter of an unfinished story. And you know how long did I create that?”

“You tell me.”

“Eight fucking months.”

“Short!”

“Oh…” Kuro remembered they had a huge difference in time perspective, so he corrected himself. “Let’s say, in your time, Your Holiness, at least from the days of Cassandra David, down to when you summoned me. Now, how long is that?”

“Oh shit! It’s indeed long!”

“See?” he flashed a triumphant smile. “And people read it for less than ten minutes.”

Kuro and the Lady Hinwe locked stares, as the human realized the error of his words.

“See? That’s why I’m telling you, I can’t create what you want from me!”

“No! I told you that because I want you to see that I know what you’re talking about. I experienced it, too, see?” he insisted. “Now, before we get derailed by this talk, I’m sure you’re familiar with 4-koma format?”

“You want me to do that?” the Elf Saint balked at the idea.

“Yep,” the duke winked at her, then continued, “and not just a simple, comedy 4-koma. I heard before that you’re an advocate of efficient farming, right? My proposal is, make a manga about farming, one that we can distribute not only to the people of this duchy, but also outside. See, not everyone is literate in Chersea, so your illustrations can help the people understand what we want to teach them. Isn’t that what you really want before?”

“Yes…and my people hated me because they see its origins instead of its benefits,” there was a poignant look at Her Lazy Holiness’ face. “I did combine demon knowledge with elvish wisdom, after all.

“Well, now you can share your knowledge with others who are more willing to listen!” Kuro told her. “See? Unlike the elves in Cherwoods, the elves here are more ‘open’ to new ideas…and new religions, too.” He said the last part with a soft voice.

“What?”

“Nothing. Oh, also—if I may add, other races would really appreciate your work if they got something new to learn from those.”

“Eh…” Her Lazy Holiness remained unconvinced, “In any case, you’re asking for the impossible.”

“Not even when you just draw chibis, and do actual anime-art just on the cover?”

The Elf Saint shook her head.

“I’ll only ask for 20 pages…”

The Lady Hinwe still refused.

“I’ll throw in gold and figmas…”

“You can ask me for illustrations, but not mangas!”

Kuro took a deep breath, held it for a bit, then heaved a sigh. After that, he tapped on Her Lazy Holiness’ shoulder and said, “It’s fine; I understand. Doing manga is a bit difficult…however, as such, I guess we’ll be forced to sell this palace to make ends meet for this duchy.”

The Lady Hinwe looked at him like he just said the most outrageous thing possible, “You’re the newest rich kid in the house, and you’re selling your properties just because a lazy elf like me doesn’t want to make manga? That’s absurd!”

“Look, if the people won’t farm, or their crops fail, then we can’t tax them. No tax means no funds. No fund means no money going into the treasury. No money in the treasury…well, how do we get to complete the projects we planned?”

“Then just ditch those! You’re being too kind to your subjects; they will leave you in the end! If I were you, I’d tell those people, ‘You can’t pay my tax? Get out of my lands!’”

“Such bitterness…” Kuro threw a mocking look at her. “However, I can’t. I’m not a politician, I’m a lord. At least, a ‘trying-hard’ lord; I don’t want to eat food from money extorted from people. I want them to benefit from me as well, see?”

“You’re really one weird human!” Her Lazy Holiness clicked her tongue. She never hid her irritation because of Kuro’s persistence.

However, the duke played it cool; he had seen a lot of people do that to him, even when he worked as a teacher. “Thanks for the compliment!”

“Grr…”

The Lady Hinwe got into another staring contest with Kuro, though this time, the duke showed no signs of backing down. When it got awkward between them, the Elf Saint just sighed, and said, “Alright, you win with your absurd reasoning. I wanted to try making a manga, too, anyway. Though I may ask for your help, if that’s alright?”

Kuro flashed his business-like smile and reached out for a handshake. And with that, the Chersean mangaka known as Hinwe Tal-Inwir was born…