Chapter 1 - II -

 

**Kuro**

 

Ah!  We’re finally here…

 

Well, in all honesty, I missed these familiar sceneries.  Those moss-green ramparts that made up the walls, the tall towers of that dominant, colossal building in the middle of this place, and the pearly-white, and gilded doorframes of that 5-story palace we call the ‘Saint’s Chambers’…

 

Yep, at long last, we’re back at the Holy Palatial Gardens.

 

“…”

 

“Uh, can you guys help with these luggage cases here?”

 

“Sure thing!  Here, hand me that thing over there.”

 

“Get those stuff here!  Don’t you dare drop a single bag!”

 

The maids who remained in here for the duration of the Saint’s vacation quickly moved to assist us in unloading our baggage.  Well, let me correct that…it’s their baggage.  In all the time I stayed at the Rubinforth estate, I bought nothing else, save for that gunpowder.  The flasks were made by me, and it’s from several discarded potion bottles.  Virtually all of those bags and suitcases being unloaded were from the guards and maids who were with our group, and the two saints.  They were the ones who took time to shop for anything since they had the means to do so…

 

Hah, typical girls.

 

But yeah, I guess I needed to help with that stuff because I’m the only guy here.  I didn’t want to be seen as an irresponsible and lazy adult…

 

“Hey, Mister Kuro, you can leave that to us.” a maid told me.

 

Well, it’s a bit of a sting unto my pride, so I insisted, “Ah, I can help you with that, at least.”

 

The maid stared at me.  I could tell those eyes seemed to emit some kind of meaning to it.  Then she giggled and quickly took the case from me, “You may reserve your energy for when you’re alone with Her Holiness!”  The maid mischievously smiled and scurried away.

 

I pretended not to hear anything and moved on to the next group of suitcases.  Well, not wishing to appear ‘weak’, I took every bag I could lift.  

 

Heh, you know, ‘guy’ problems…

 

“Please, Mister Kuro!” it’s the Head Maid, Lily.  Her voice was strangely aloof and formal, compared to when she was talking to me before.  It’s like she was putting on an invisible wall between us, “Put down those bags and let the girls carry it.  That’s our job, see?”

 

“Well, at least let me get mine.”  Embarrassed, I tried to salvage my situation by offering to take care of my belongings.

 

But Lily won’t even budge, “No.  Don’t meddle in our work.”

 

Err…the blunt refusal from Lily made the air between us extremely awkward.

 

Is she mad because of that ‘engagement’ between me and Maddie?  I mean, Lily’s pretty attached to Maddie before, since they were childhood friends.  Could it be that she’s getting jealous now that I came between them and technically ‘snatched’ Maddie away from her?

 

Well, Maddie’s attention nowadays always focused on me, so I guess that’s understandable.

 

“…”

 

Nah.  It’s better that I didn’t presume on things, especially with girls.  I might be just mistaken; from what I observed, Lily’s matured enough not to let this matter get into her head.  Maybe it just that she’s tired from the long journey, like the rest of us.

 

It’d be bad if the head maid would see me as someone threatening to her.

 

But man, she can be snappy when tired, eh?

 

“…”

 

Anyway, though the air was awkward, Lily remained beside me.  It’s as if she wanted to tell me something.

 

“Mister Kuro.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“It’s about Her Holiness, Madelaine.” she began, her indifferent tone piercing my ears.  Lily’s sudden change of behavior towards me was just painful to experience; you know, like an old, close friend of yours getting all angry at you?  It felt like that.  

 

“What do you mean?”

 

She continued her explanations, “Although Her Holiness may seem to be like that—sweet and whimsical at times, I advise that you still keep your distance.  You may be engaged to her, but you could be certain that the winds of change would come, so be careful.”

 

“…”

 

“You can be sure that we’re always watching.”  Lily then bowed politely and returned to her work, fixing our luggage.

 

I found myself unable to say anything.  I felt like I wanted to cry; it seemed like Lily suspected me.  This was a big change from being her friend!  

 

Man…this is why I don’t like that ‘engagement’ thing.  It’s not that I also wanted to be Maddie’s fiancée.  I mean, not that I hated it, but she deserved a much better person than me!

 

I didn’t even know what to do when the Duke of Rubinforth happily announced it to everyone in our group, all the while the Rubinforth kids happily chirped in.  The servants and paladins initially couldn’t believe the big change of heart of the ‘Iron Duke’ of Nerfes, but when they saw that the Saint’s old man was sincere, they also began teasing us.

 

I remembered Lily’s face back then.  She had no expression on her eyes; but I could feel hostility oozing from her.  

 

And then, amidst their merry-making, Lily posted a suggestion:  that was to keep this matter a secret for now.  Yes, I agree as well.  If this issue gets out to the public, it would only increase scrutiny towards my private life, and my relationship with Maddie.  

 

Not only that, nobles and royalty would soon swarm around me—either challenge me for a duel (since it’s not a secret that the Saint has a legion of admirers in both the aristocrats and commoners) or, they’d vie for my favor (since I’m technically the closest person to Maddie).  

 

Of course, petty human politics entering in…

 

“…”

 

Besides, I guess Maddie’s just being swept by the suddenness of the events around her.  She’s got heartbroken just recently, and I’m the closest man to her ever since; so it’s all due to what happened before.  There would come a time that she and everyone else around her would suddenly wake up from this ‘dream’, and I’ll be once again a nobody.

 

Yes, that’s why I didn’t like to presume things; and would treat this as carefully as possible.  It’s painful when you realized that you’re just a replacement in someone’s heart in the end.

 

And, I knew full well that no one would fall in love with someone like me; back on Earth, all the girls whom I tried to court flatly rejected me—BUH!

 

A small branch from the tree flew and hit my head fair and square.  My eyes quickly went to Maddie, who was smiling at the person she was talking to as of the moment.  Well, I guess it’s just a coincidence that the branch broke off and hit me.  

 

I mean, look at that girl; she’s all smiles and a dark, threatening aura is coming out of her…

 

“…”

 

Yep, she read my mind.  These branches would only go off like that whenever she’s pissed.

 

Ah, anyway.  I guess I did my part.  It’s just that they—I mean, Lily—didn’t allow me to help them with anything.  And with that, I should just sit back, relax, and remove my useless self in this place so that the maids could focus on their work…

 

Good lord, I guess I should find work soon.  It feels like I’m becoming more and more of a liability here rather than an asset.