CHAPTER 4: PERMISSION

**Kuro**

There was a deafening silent between us after what Seirna said. I thought I was just hallucinating when she declared that, but she brought me back to reality by gently slapping my head. Honestly, I was surprised when the Overseer Saint—one of the most pain-in-the-ass people I dealt with—

“Fuck you!” she interrupted my train of thoughts, much to my own amusement. “It’s not like I have any choice, so I’ll support you.”

“Yeah, thanks for that, too. And fuck you for passing this heavy burden on me as well!”” Yes, I was caught off-guard by her declaration of support for my bid to become Chersea’s god, after her master, Gaius.

“You’re very much welcome, Otherworlder!” Nevertheless, Seirna disregarded my cuss words and continued to laugh until she settled down. Then, when she was finally calm, she gave me a scroll.

I asked, “What for?”

“Open it, of course!” was her sarcastic reply. “Don’t ask me every damn time you have the chance!”

It was a delicate document, almost ‘ready to disintegrate’ if I made a wrong turn in handling it. However, after a few hair-raising moments and a couple of holding my breaths, I finally manage to spread the scroll wide on the table.

“Did you have fun?”

“Thanks for the torture, Your Crazy Holiness,” I sarcastically quipped. “If this is how you’re going to help me, I’d rather not take your offer.”

She countered with a nasty grin, “You can’t refuse me, Otherworlder! Told ‘ya I’ll support you, lovingly hard if I must.”

Upon unraveling it, I realized it was a map, filled with mountainous topography, and spaces in-between labeled as ‘blackness’.

“It’s the map of the land of the dwarves,” she told me. “And those parts labeled ‘blackness’ are what it is; dark, empty spaces in-between those mountain peaks.”

“So, this is…Equality?”

“I won’t dare say the name that is uttered by the tongues of mortals. That land has its original name, given by the heavens. Yet, the dwarves are eager to blaspheme and go against the will of the gods, so they forgot it, and called it by the current name…you can find it on the lower part.”

I was not aware that the name ‘Equality’ was a big deal for Seirna. But well, knowing her and how uptight she was with heavenly matters, I guess it’s a natural reaction. She was—after all—infamous for ‘enforcing’ Gaius’ will, whether everyone liked it, in the name of god.

“You already got the god-powers of the human, beastman, demon and elf saints,” she pointed out. “Obviously, the next you’ll need is the god-power wielded by the dwarf saint, who is currently missing.”

“What kind of god-power?”

“Control over land. You know that part in your old world’s holy book where your god multiplied harvests, and cursed trees for not bearing fruit when it should have? That kind of power.”

“So, if I possessed this ability, I can make the land fertile again?”

Seirna nodded. “Or multiply anything the land produces, like fruits, and plants. You can also change the nature of all things on land, similar to that famous event in your own world’s holy book, where your god was tempted to command the stones to become bread.”

“Ah! Just like what Salis told me before; it can really help the elves make Cherwoods’ soil viable for agriculture once again.”

“Indeed,” the Overseer Saint quipped. “You’re really prioritizing others above your interests, eh?”

“If everyone’s happy, then I’m good with it,” I countered. “And we’d also defeat the Seductress if no one’s after their enemy’s throat because they’re all busy making themselves rich. So, yeah, it’s hitting two birds in one stone.”

Seirna chuckled, but said nothing. Then, I suddenly remembered something. “Oh…but what about—”

“L-Let’s cross the bridge when we get there, otherworlder. Your biggest problem now is the dwarf saint; my god-power is always available for you,” she insisted, reading my thoughts. After all, I wondered if she could pass her god-powers to me now, then take on the problem about the dwarf saint later.

“R-Right…” I quickly averted my eyes when I realized how awkward my thoughts were. Then, not wishing to dwell on that talk, I changed the topic, “Well, any idea of what happened to the dwarf saint?”

“If I do, I would’ve told you already,” Seirna snapped. “All that I know is, the dwarf saint, the Lady Helgath of the Underground Caverns, is in the worse version of the Lady Hinwe’s situation with her people.”

“Meaning…” Cold sweat formed on my forehead, as I slowly realized what the Overseer Saint meant by those words.

“Yes,” she confirmed. “She ‘lost’ her god-powers after the dwarves stopped worshipping her.”

----------

The dwarves of Equality.

Contrary to the usual, Tolkienistic depiction of this race that was a common staple of high fantasy literature, the dwarves of this world couldn’t be called a ‘real’ dwarf. Well, at least from the point of view of someone like me, whose idea of a dwarf’s appearance came from Tolkien’s novels, or that D*sney movie from the 1950s narrating a story about a girl with snow white skin, and the seven dwarves who saved her ass from her stepmother. The image of the dwarves of Equality became clear to me as I buried myself in my study, researching about their appearance and culture.

“…”

Yes, made their heights a bit taller, almost close to that of Chersean humans that the distinction was already blurred. The ‘stocky’ bodies remained though, and their love for industry and craftsmanship, too. Their attitudes toward the other races were that of simple distrust, though it never reached to violent isolation, for they were fiercely protective of their properties and cargo. As such, dwarves rarely venture out of their realm to trade with the other races.

“…”

In battle, according to the books I read, dwarves march with their ‘kobos’, which looked like a cross between a mountain troll, and a bear. Their weapons were the usual war hammers, and battleaxes, though I was surprised to see they were using steam propulsion to make their deadly weapons even more lethal.

And here I thought we are the ones who introduced that technology here. The dwarves have been doing it for long, but only under a different term, and a misunderstood process.

“This is interesting…”

Well, what caught my fancy even more was the geographical setting of the land, now called ‘Equality’. See, the ‘black gaps’ in the map Seirna gave me were actual voids—absolute nothingness, shrouded by fog, untouched by the sun (or whatever light that was, at their sky). One explorer who had been to their world (one of the few that was permitted) described it as like ‘peering into the depths of emptiness’. And the mountain peaks I saw were dwarf settlements, where each ‘guild’ administratively divided their people.

Summed up, it’s like merchant companies perched at each mountaintop, connected only by hanging bridges, cobblestone roads and dirt paths.

And I’ll have to look for the dwarf saint in this place…

Seirna provided me with a description of Her Holiness the Dwarf Saint. According to her, that holy lady looked like—or at least, how she remembered her—a giant. Well, if I could remember right, some of my friends and acquaintances did refer to her as the ‘giantess saint’.

“They’re right,” Seirna confirmed.

“Really, eh?” Considering it was the land of the dwarves, I guess it’s a matter of racial perspective. Like how humans appear to ants as colossal creatures.

“No,” the Overseer Saint flew upwards to a certain distance, before calling out to me. “This is how tall she is, that Lady Helgath.”

What the fuck? It’s almost as tall as a 10-floor building! And with that height, how the fuck did she—

“You’re talking of a person who can shapeshift,” Seirna pointed out. “The Lady Helgath was born a giant, and her people have been using shapeshifting magic spells since time immemorial, so they can live together with the dwarves.”

“You mean, we’re dealing with two significantly different races once we set foot in that place?”

“Only the dwarves remain,” she replied. “Among the giants, the Lady Helgath is the sole remaining member of her people.”

“W-What happened?”

“Beats me,” Seirna shrugged. “If anything, I think your concern is what the Lady Helgath looks like, not how she ended up alone.”

“I love history, see?” I defended myself, though I ultimately decided not to pursue the topic further. “Well, if you’re so adamant in finding her, this is the right time you describe her to me.”

“She’s a lady with a short, brown hair.”

“Taken, but I suppose there are lots of similar people, right?”

“Of course.”

“Anything else then?”

“Green eyes.”

“Again, the possibility of having an identical person is high with that description.”

“She’s tall.”

“You said she’s a giant, so it’s a given,” I heaved a sigh. “Your Holiness, I don’t think your answers will help me.”

“I think so as well,” she concurred, and let out an awkward laugh. “But, yeah…you’d have to understand, otherworlder, the last time I saw her was eons ago, shortly after the Lord Gaius stepped down from his holy office. She was a funny, and cheerful, giantess back then. Since that moment, she had been absent in all the rituals acclaiming the human saints. And I’m a demi-mortal, so I’m liable to forget some parts, see?”

Save that, those are important parts you forgotten, Your Holiness…

“Sorry…”

And so, with scarce information on the appearance of the person we’re looking for, I planned my ‘expedition’ to the land of the dwarves, Equality.

----------

***The Holy Palatial Gardens, a few days after Seirna’s visit…***

“No, I won’t allow it,” was Maddie’s calm, yet resolute—if not sarcastic—reply.

Well, Kuro already expected that answer from her, given that she was already wearing an engagement ring (temporary) from him, and they’re expecting to get married soon. And, it’s not like he couldn’t understand her sentiments; he couldn’t help but remember that staple trope of movies back in his world where couples who were just married, or was about to marry, would encounter tragic events that often led to their separation, or worse…death of one of them.

Shut up, brain! Don’t jinx it.

In any case, Kuro never believed in those things. And yes, as someone capable, he thought it’s criminal of him to pass on the chance once an opportunity presents itself. Now that they had a solid plan to defeat the Seductress, and the determination to go through it—whatever it took, this was their closest attempt to getting his loved ones—and this world as well—safe and with a future.

So, anticipating resistance from Maddie, Kuro enlisted the help of the Overseer Saint.

“Lady Rubinforth,” Seirna stepped forward. “I believe the otherworlder should go, and search for the Lady Helgath.”

“It’s not that I’m wholly against the idea,” the Human Saint countered. “But my condition for allowing it remains. Kuro shall be accompanied by at least two squads of paladins, or I won’t permit any crossings.”

“Don’t you think it’s too much, and you’re getting overprotective again?” Seirna pointed out. “Besides, the otherworlder would only search, not go off to war. Why should he be escorted by dozens of your paladins? Their job is to guard you, not escort your lover!”

“As an irreplaceable part of my household, it’s for his safety!” Maddie insisted.

“He can take care of himself!” the Overseer Saint reiterated. “This guy already fought and won against legionnaires, undead, rampaging beastfolk, demons, elves, and even otherworldly horrors—”

“And edgy saints,” the Human Saint was quick to add.

“And edgy sai—” Seirna was about to repeat when she realized who Maddie was referring to. She stopped, cleared her throat, and changed course, “He even cheated Death and came back! At this point, I can’t even think of anyone who can stop him!”

“Lady Seirna, I believe you haven’t loved someone so dearly in your life to say such things!” Maddie reasoned. “Obviously, as a girl who loves Kuro, I don’t want to lose him, no matter how much he has survived all those enemies so far. He may be a living, legendary hero in the eyes of many, but I still can’t stop to worry for him. And, I’m sure everyone in this court can relate to my feelings…except for you, of course. You also get what I’m saying, Kuro?”

Kuro nodded. Even if she looked into his mind, he was telling the truth.

“I…” the Overseer Saint was about to say something, but she eventually relented. And honestly, this was the first time Kuro saw Seirna flabbergasted, and incensed. Yet, for some reason, she couldn’t mount a comeback.

Seeing the tension slowly spiraling out of control, the captain of the Paladin Corps, Lady Sylvia Henristone, intervened. “Milady,” she began, bowing before Maddie. “I offer myself to personally escort the Lord Kuro to Equality.”

“Please stand down, Lady Henristone,” the Human Saint ordered. “It’s not that I doubt your abilities, and Kuro’s capability to protect himself. But I believe, by looking into her heart, that the Overseer Saint is hiding something from us. Hence, I insist on the squads of paladins.”

With that, everyone’s eyes fell on Seirna, who couldn’t even look at those present to refute Maddie’s accusations. She just stood at her spot, taking whatever the Human Saint threw at her, which was a ‘first’ to Kuro.

Maddie, sensing that she had the upper hand, probed further. “Tell us, milady,” she grinned, “what is it that you’re keeping from us? Why do you insist that Kuro go alone to the land of the dwarves?”

Caught in an ever-closing trap, Seirna realized she couldn’t bulldoze her way out of the conversation. So, instead of defending her cause, she uttered a teleportation spell, and disappeared into thin air.

“…” Surprised at her actions, Kuro could only stare at Maddie, who was also looking at him.

----------

“You want to know how I figured out she is hiding something?” the Human Saint asked, but continued to answer her own question, anyway. “Well, the Lady Seirna keeps on insisting that you go to Equality alone. So, I tried peering unto her thoughts, and found out that her mind is just on a loop. Of course, anyone would suspect that she had prepared magic of some sort to prevent us from reading her, just like what happened between me and Eris before.”

“Well, yes, I’m aware…at least, of the part where she wanted me to Equality on my own,” Kuro replied. “But what I’m asking myself is, why would she insist I go there alone?”

“Beats me,” she just shrugged. “Though I’d really ask for you to stay, Kuro. Please? It’s for your safety, anyway. You have no business in that place, and you’ve done more than enough to save this world, and the others. However, in case you’d still insist on going, I won’t stop you; just bring those squads of paladins along.”

“Uh…” Kuro threw a stare towards the Lady Henristone. Good thing she was quick to pick up his gesture, and stepped forward.

“Milord, I don’t think you should worry about our duties to Her Holiness,” the Paladin captain reassured him. “It’s our responsibility to protect Lady Madelaine…and her loved ones. It says so in our oaths before we entered her service. And personally, the paladins would also follow you; you are the ‘Rock of Chersea’, after all.”

“Well, thanks for that,” Kuro bowed to express his gratitude, but it’s not what he meant when he stared at the Lady Henristone. “Though, I’d like to think it over once again. Heading to the land of the dwarves quite blind would require lots of funding, not to mention we’ll attract unnecessary attention.”

“You don’t have to worry about the mo—”

“Your Holiness, please,” he stopped Maddie from saying anything further. “The offerings you receive from the people are for you, not for some commoner-turned-noble guy who loves you. I’m heading to Equality for my own goals. At least, let me spend for myself and my needs.”

“Understood.”

“And you too, Lady Henristone.”

“Y-Yes! Eh, what?”

“I’ll spend my money for my escorts’ needs, so don’t think of using your own finances, even if it’s just for a little.”

The Human Saint and her paladin captain exchanged amused looks as Kuro asserted his demands. Well, as long as Maddie’s reasonable, he could still salvage his plans to search for the dwarf saint.

----------

***The Palace of the Duke of Maverny, a few hours into the long sleep…***

Returning from his meeting with the Human Saint at the Holy Palatial Gardens (she teleported him), the duke of Maverny searched for the Overseer Saint, whom he thought to have run to this place after Maddie pissed her off.

“Eh?” Eris couldn’t keep her surprise to herself. “I thought Her Holiness the Lady Seirna is with you?”

“They nearly fought earlier, see? Maddie’s adamant on letting me go, on the condition I bring squads of paladins with me, and the Lady Seirna would not agree to that. However, I concur with the latter; crossing into Equality with human soldiers is tantamount to an invasion, if that’s how the dwarves will take it. It’s not a good idea if we aim to go in unnoticed,” Kuro explained. “It’s a good thing that the Overseer Saint retreated before their tensions escalated.”

“I see…well, in any case, Her Holiness didn’t come here.”

“Thanks…”

“So, uhm…” the duchess then changed the topic. “I cooked dinner. Would you…”

“Ah, now that you’ve mentioned it, I’d like to have a bite.”

“But…Her Holiness the Lady Madelaine already fed you, right? And don’t lie to me! Her Holiness wouldn’t let you off without giving you an entire day’s worth of food!”

“H-Ha?”

“You don’t have to be considerate,” she smiled. “A human body can’t handle too much food in the stomach. And your surprised reply to me is the confirmation that you’re already stuffed. We can always eat the dish I cooked later, especially when we wake up after the long sleep.”

“Well, yes, but does it have to matter? I’d like to taste it now.”

“You’ll feel bloated.”

“I won’t let your food go to waste,” Kuro declared.

“But—” Eris would’ve resisted even further, had it not for him shutting her down with a kiss.

“Well, I believe my stomach still has some space, and I won’t let you serve me. I know you’re tired from all the housework and dealing with the guests. I still got my hands and I shall serve myself. Please, take a rest for now, milady. If you won’t follow my suggestions, I shall sweep you off to your feet, and bring you to your room in a princess’ carry.”

“I—” Kuro’s sudden ‘attack’ made Eris’ apprehensions and insecurities crumble. Her mind floated as she marched to her bedroom, trying to remember the sensation of her man’s lips to hers.

----------

When the Duchess of Braunhauer left, Kuro immediately went to the kitchen. Eris had made his favorite ‘adobo’, and even though he felt his stomach ‘near-full’, he still took the chance to eat some of her dish. After all, he never wanted to waste the duchess’ hard-work. But, while he was preparing his food, his mind was disturbed by…

‘Kuro! Kuro, you there?’ the former god’s voice was tense.

Yep, what’s up, Gaius?

‘Get your gun ready!’

H-Ha? What for? Kuro dropped the plate of his food when he heard Gaius almost shout inside his head. He immediately reached for his gun, though he was unsure of what to do with it next.

‘Don’t ask! They’ll be here soon!’

Who?

‘Just pull the damn gun out and warm that iron-mithril needle!’

Alright! Alright! Jeez, why are you so—

Kuro was still in the middle of lighting the iron-mithril needle of his bolt-heater revolver, when the windows of his palace kitchen exploded. Needless to say, the force overturned everything, as bits of glass, wood and stone flew and cut through his skin. Nevertheless, the duke quickly found a hiding spot to shield himself from the debris.

Gaius, what’s going on?

‘You’re being attacked.’

I know that, Einstein, but…ah fuck it! Just shut up for the meantime!

The security of the Maverny palace was managed by a combined team of paladins, imperial legionnaires, and a shifting group of beastfolk from the Royal Army of Cherwind and demon soldiers from the House of Usarved and Goblin Legion. Nevertheless, Kuro would never let his guard down, especially when he had already experienced several betrayals before. As such, he always kept a bolt-heater revolver with him, and a dagger—disguised as a harmless ceremonial weapon—on his belt.

It is exactly for this kind of situation that Kuro prepared his weapons with him.

Shooting a couple of bullets towards the smoke that obscured the destroyed kitchen, the duke saw shadows moving in from the breach. At this point, he wasted no second in pouring another pair of shots at the intruders.

“The target’s got a gun!” was the shout Kuro heard the moment one of the shadows fell down.

“We can’t stop here! Swarm the duke!”

Encouraged by the obscurity of the flying smoke and dust, the intruders forced themselves in. However, Kuro was waiting for them, and quickly poured bullets in their direction. Of course, they didn’t wait there to be shot. The shadowy figures scattered as soon as a couple of their comrades fell.

But the duke won’t let them take a breather. Using the chaos to his advantage, Kuro eliminated one more of his attackers with a dagger to the poor guy’s throat. The intruder’s comrades only realized he was dying when they heard his death rattle. As if that was not enough, the duke started flinging whatever he got his hands on, even cooking pans, to confuse his enemies as to his spot.

“What the—” one of the intruders blurted out when he got hit by a frying pan on his head. Nevertheless, even with such heavy force, the guy barely flinched, much to Kuro’s shock. It’s either he shot at them, or sink his dagger’s blade unto their throats to kill them. At that point, he emptied an entire revolver cylinder on them as he switched places.

“Toss ‘em grenades!” came the order from someone outside. “The paladins will soon arrive! Obliterate that bastard now, or die trying, damn it!”

Anticipating those lethal explosives landing on his hiding spot, Kuro carefully navigated his way through the wreck while shooting blindly at his attackers. By this time, he knew the explosion earlier as well as his gunshots had alerted his guards to the situation, but he couldn’t wait for them. Any second more, and the enemy would kill him. So, relying on the god-powers of the Beastman Saint, Kuro blew off the smoke and debris with gale-force winds back to his attackers. In doing so, he also sent back the grenades hurtling to them.

“!!!” The ensuing explosion, as well as the cries of pain, was sufficient for Kuro to know his enemies were either injured, or dead.

“Kuro!” It was Eris, who rushed from her room towards the kitchen. By then, the guards—all armed with bolt-heaters—appeared with her. They found the duke finishing those who still bore weapons to resist.

“Ah, Eris, everyone! Please stand back,” Kuro gestured for them to stay where they were, shooting at one of the surviving intruder’s legs and arms, ensuring his immobility. When the duke of Maverny was confident that no one was strong enough to stand and kill him, he extinguished his bolt-heater needle, and ordered the guards to check on the trespassers. “Look for those who are still alive. Bring them to me, so I can heal them. I got tons of questions for these people…”

One of the guards removed the balaclava that obscured one of the wounded’s face, revealing him to be a dwarf.