CHAPTER 10 - II -

 

The Duke was already at the breakfast table with his wives and daughters, as well as some of his supporters, waiting for the Saint.  He was relaxed than earlier, and they’ve been chatting happily about their activities for the day.

 

However…

 

Why am I sitting beside the Duke?

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Sir Kuro.”

 

“L-Likewise, Y-Your Excellency.”

 

I don’t know what happened, but when I tried to sit far from the VIPs, the servants of the House of Braunhauer told me that my place was at the right side of the Duke, to where his wife, Mistress Johanna, should be.  I quickly turned to Maddie for help, but she purposefully avoided her eyes from me, all the while gleefully smiling.

 

This isn’t the time for pranks, Your Holiness!

 

However, since I’m already here, I’d try my best not to stand out.

 

“…”

 

“What kind of an elvish way of eating is that?” the Duke joked at my table manners, “Can you even be considered human?  Look, this is how humans should eat!”  He showed his own way of eating.

 

The others besides those from our group laughed.  However, I’m used to this situation by now that I’m rarely offended.

 

“My apologies, Your Excellency, but from where I came from, that would be considered a commoner’s way of table manners.” I took great care with my words since I didn’t want to offend the Duke.  I could tell that he meant no ridicule to me; it’s just he’s trying to get friendly…though with a touch of rudeness.

 

“A commoner’s way, huh?” the Duke bellowed, “Well, I’ll be damned!  I’d like to come to such a country someday!  Hahahahahaha!!!”

 

The dining hall erupted in laughter once again.  His Excellency then called in a few bottles of alcoholic drinks to be served at the table.

 

“Well, let’s see how you fare in ale and wine, Sir Kuro the Elf!”

 

“…”

 

The Duke had a triumphant look on his face.  The Ban of Kistral noted my silence.

 

“Err…Your Excellency, I think you should stop this.” I heard him say, “Looks like Sir Kuro won’t keep up with drinking.”

 

“Nonsense!  I’m sure the lad could do it!  He’s an elf after all!” the Duke countered the Ban.

 

Maddie had a concerned look on her face; still, she didn’t even try to intervene.  So were Lily, Eris, and the Marquise of Monfort.  I knew they were thinking of me…

 

“…”

 

Several bottles of wine and ale were set on the table.  The Duke then poured me a glass of wine, filling it to the brim.  He then declared, “Okay!  Let’s watch how Sir Kuro the Elf handles his drin—”

 

“!!!”

 

Everyone’s eyes aside from the Duke were pasted on me as a put the glass down on the table, without a drop remaining, “What is that all?”

 

The Duke once again filled my glass, this time with ale.  Just like before, he announced how he wanted to watch me drink all the wine and alcohol he served.

 

“!!!”

 

And once again, I amazed everyone at how fast I drank it all.

 

Not wanting to admit his defeat, the Duke then called for a big mug of ale and wine to be served separately for me.  This time though, he didn’t bother to declare his intentions; he remained watchful over me as I emptied the mugs of all its contents.

 

“…”

 

“Kuro?” Maddie had finally spoken, “Are you okay?  Can you tell me how many fingers I raised?”  She put up three of her fingers in front of me to count.

 

“It’s three, Your Holiness.”

 

“Wha—” the Duke and his supporters were all flabbergasted after watching me.

 

“What?  Is that all, Your Excellency?” I asked.  I could feel my body was getting hot.  I guess I told no one that I could drink three bottles of wine and several bottles of beer without getting woozy.  That’s how much I could handle my alcohol.

 

You clearly underestimated me, people!

 

 

“Ahahahahaha!!!  You’re really an interesting man, Sir Kuro!” the Duke kept on slapping my back after his ‘alcohol challenge’.  I only took in a few spoonfuls of the food, since the wine and ale stuffed my stomach, “You’re a good man!  I bet you could take care of your women as you could handle your alcohol well!”

 

I think this dude is out of his mind?  You don’t equate women with alcohol.

 

“Looks like the Duke was in an excellent mood, huh?” I whispered to Lily.

 

“Well, everyone is, Kuro.” she replied, “If our proposals would be accepted by the nobility, then this will be over before the ‘long sleep’.”

 

“Right.”

 

“So yes, let’s enjoy this moment for a while.” she told me, “And you know, I’m impressed you could handle your alcohol well.”

 

“I don’t know about that.  I rarely drink beer and wine back in my world.  But when I do—especially at parties, I got a ridiculously high tolerance for it.”

 

“Interesting…and now because of that, I guess you amazed the Duke.  He’s been monitoring you ever since we arrived here.”

 

“If it helps in the negotiations, then I guess it’s good.”

 

“Well, Sir Kuro, what do you think?” the Duke suddenly turned to me and asked a question.

 

“Your Excellency?”

 

“I was just talking to Her Holiness about you.” he explained, “She says you’re a commoner from a faraway country and is currently staying with her at the Holy Palatial Gardens.  I’m asking you if you’d like to be adopted by our house.”

 

“!!!” I almost choked on my food.  Lily was quick to assist me in freeing my throat.

 

“That’s a great idea, Dad!” Eris happily aired her approval.

 

“Heh!  Would you look at that…” the Marquise of Monfort had a sly expression on her face, “Nice having you here, brother!”

 

“Hey!  I didn’t approve yet!” I countered her.

 

“But Your Excellency, Sir Kuro is with me.” Maddie reiterated, “He’s my responsibility!”

 

“Well, that’s why I’m asking him, Your Holiness.  If he decides not to return to his country, maybe Sir Kuro would consider becoming a Braunhauer.”

 

The Duke’s servants and supporters were all astonished by his proposal.  Still, unlike the reactions of the ministers in the Crown Prince’s court, it’s more subdued.  Maybe he had a reputation for doing something unusual, after all.

 

“Your Excellency!” the Ban of Kistral finally spoke up, “While I am not against your idea, but I guess your intelligence is enough to lead your house to success.  Are you sure you really have to adopt a commoner, like Sir Kuro, just because he displayed a sound mind?”

 

“It’s all fine, Stefan!” the Duke dismissed his objections, “Another thinking mind is a welcome addition to my house.”

 

The Ban fell silent and glared at me.

 

Hey dude, it’s not like I told him to say it in my favor!  What’s your problem with me, anyway?

 

 

The town of Coventry was once again brought to life by several nobles—VIPs—of Amaranth.  They gathered at the courtyard of the town hall, with their escorting soldiers waiting around the main square.  The Duke then finally showed himself, accompanied by the town mayor, and proceeded with the meeting.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, noble lords of the land of Amaranth, I bid you welcome to our duchy!”

 

The other nobles responded by giving their bows and curtsies.  After all, the Duke was a respected figure around these parts.

 

“As you know by now, Her Holiness the Saint of Chersea has come to our land to bring a peaceful resolution to this conflict that was brewing.” the Duke spoke with dignity and conviction, “She had clarified that her priority is that we reach an accord with His Majesty, the King, through his son and heir, the Prince David of Amaranth, all for the sake of the people’s welfare.”

 

“But what about our demands?” a noble asked, “Don’t we have something to say about it?”

 

“I already talked to Her Holiness about our complaints, well, most of them.  I would not speak of other petty matters to her; that is for you to solve.” the Duke then brought out a paper where he had his wife wrote my recommendations, “However, if you would listen, here are some suggestions brought forth by the Saint’s wise counsel.”

 

The nobles drew near the Duke as he read the contents of the paper.

 

“…”

 

Maddie, Lily, and I watched from within the town hall as the nobility listened.  Lily had specifically instructed the town mayor to keep quiet about our presence, so as not to influence the nobles in their decision.  It’s how human politics work—there’s a possibility that if they knew we’re here, they’d keep quiet about their reservations on our proposals to please the Saint.

 

 It will make the purpose of our mediation practically useless.

 

Everyone was quiet, with an air of light tension permeating the room where we’re staying.  Silently, I hoped that these men and women in-charged of ruling Amaranth would see reason in my suggestions, and agree.  We already had a runner ready to dash towards the Amaranthine capital to notify the prince once we succeeded.

 

“…”

 

Uh…is Maddie alright?  She kept on staring at me from time to time.

 

“What do you think Maddie?” Lily asked her, “Do the nobles agree?”

 

“I’m really having difficulty in reading their thoughts.” Maddie admitted, “That’s why I’m occasionally looking at your mind, Kuro.  I need to make sure it’s not me who’s having problems.”

 

Lily and I exchanged horrified looks.

 

“This is bad…” the head maid muttered.

 

“Hey, Maddie!  You said before that this is a work of a saint like you, right?” I asked her.

 

“Yes.  We’re the only ones who possess that magic to read minds, and also the power to keep the privacy of our thoughts.”

 

“How many saints are there, anyway?”

 

“We got one for each race, so that’s five, plus an overseer appointed by our Lord Gaius, so it’s six of us.”

 

“Do you know them?” I hoped Maddie would know some important information about these saints’ personalities so that we could determine who were we fighting against.

 

“Hm…if you’re asking me about their personalities, I don’t know them that much.  I became a saint just recently, so compared to them, I’m the newest.” Maddie tried to dig deeper within her memories, “But I met most of them several times in the past; it’s just that, I didn’t talk to some of them.”

 

“Okay, so let’s determine the likely enemy in this scenario by elimination.” I took a pen and paper and began writing, “Ruro wouldn’t be our enemy, since logic dictates that she’s been a big help to us a lot of times before.  Also, that black-haired saint can’t do it.  She’s giving me advice in the past as well.”

 

“Hoh…I didn’t know you already met the Saint of Darkness.”

 

“Who?  Natasha?”

 

Maddie nodded, but she stared at me with jealous eyes.

 

I tell you, Natasha wasn’t someone you should be jealous of, Maddie.  We’re just friends.

 

“Indeed, ‘friends’.  Well, maybe you’re the only one who’s thinking that way.”

 

“Ha?”

 

“Nevermind.  Well, Natasha’s also a friend to me.” she confirmed, “In fact, she’s the only saint whom I can peek into her thoughts freely.”

 

“Oh…”

 

“So that leaves three saints to determine from friend or foe…” Lily commented.

 

“Yep, the Elven Saint, the Dwarven Saint, and the Overseer.”

 

“Got any useful information on any of them?” I asked.

 

“Well, the Elven Saint should be out of the equation.” Maddie told us, “That elf girl is the most introverted person I ever knew.  It’s said that she never went out of her room for about 300 thousand seasons already.”

 

“Wha—” Lily and I were both flabbergasted about the figures.  Even for me, who has had no ideas on the equivalent earth-years of Chersea’s seasons, such number was still high.

 

“Is she even alive?” I asked.

 

“She is.  Elves are among the longest-lived in all the five races here.  Besides, we’d be having an enthronement ceremony if a new saint was proclaimed.  So far, there had been no record of that event taking place in the elves’ territory of Cherwoods, not even in my ancestors’ time.”

 

“Okay…so that leaves us with two.  The dwarf saint and the overseer.”

 

“If that’s so, I’d pick the overseer,” Maddie advised.

 

“Me too, as well.” Lily seconded.

 

“And what made you guys say that?”

 

“Well, the dwarf saint had been in slumber for a long time now, since there were only a few worshippers and ‘old believers’ left in the dwarfs’ land.”

 

“They’ve been focused on their craft that they isolated themselves as well.” picking up on Maddie’s answer, Lily further explained, “The dwarves also stopped in venerating their saint, that she grew weak and had to sleep to preserve her powers.”

 

“Well…that’s sad.”

 

“But she’s not dead yet, so she’s still a saint,” Maddie confirmed.

 

“Alright.” with the suspect narrowed down to one candidate, I proceeded with my follow-up questions, “So we got the overseer saint left.”

 

“Right.  That would be Seirna of the Flame, Lord Gaius’ most trusted servant.”