CHAPTER 10 - I - SOME THINGS WORTH MENTIONING

 

In the aftermath of the Battle for Huirot, the Demon army brought by Natasha took charge of clearing the land of west Chersea from the remaining undead of Seirna.  To stop the spread of those creatures to the east, the Saint of Darkness joined hands with the Human Saint to erect another temporary barrier.  Meanwhile, at first, the human populations that survived the ‘Imperial War’ and the ‘Great Rising of the Undead’ were unnerved by the sight of their horned defenders…

 

“Hey Maddie!” it was the Saint of Darkness, Natasha, who raised the issue one day while taking breakfast with us, “The demons were being attacked by the humans who are afraid of them.  We can’t finish the job because we had to defend ourselves from those idiots; fortunately, no one was killed just yet.  But I’m afraid it would be so if we let it go just like that.  Can’t you do something about it?”

 

“Kuro, what do you think?” Maddie asked me.

 

“Well, we could use the Paladin Corps to accompany the demon armies and allay the fears of the population.” I suggested, “I think the sight of your holy guards would make them realize the demons came as friends this time.”

 

“Hmm…that could work.” Maddie agreed.

 

“Hoh…you’re really someone that’s trusted by no other than the Human Saint now, huh, Kuro?” Natasha quipped.

 

“Thanks!” I replied, “Well, I’ll always do my best for Her Holiness.”

 

“Impressive…” Natasha was all-smiles, “You sure did your best.  Now Lady Madelaine is the talk of the town; most people now look up to her as their savior…even from the demon armies.”

 

“I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding, Lady Natasha.” Maddie countered, “You know how our peoples had a bit of bad history together.”

 

“Yes…” the Saint of Darkness seemed to ponder for a moment, but then she returned to her cheerful self, “In any case, Maddie, what do you think?”

 

“What?”

 

“Can you lend me Kuro?”

 

“Are you wishing to die, Natasha?”

 

“Whoa, girl!  Chill!  I was just joking!” Natasha was quick to relent, dismissing Maddie’s threats with a laugh.  But I thought she was serious at the moment…

 

“Well, what are you intending to lend him for?” Maddie asked, “I could part from him for…a couple of days?”

 

That’s great, Maddie!  You threaten, then you ask…

 

“Heh…you’re my guard Kuro, and you must be with me, not with someone else.” Maddie told me in a matter-of-fact manner, “But then, I’d reconsider Natasha since she’s the one who brought you to me.”

 

Oh right!  If I remember, the Saint of Darkness had given Maddie a magic circle that caused me to be summoned here.  I’ve been wanting to ask her about that!

 

“Uh…Your Dark Holiness…”

 

“Not now, Kuro!” the Saint of Darkness seemed to have read my mind, “I prefer we talk about it in a more ‘private’ situation…”

 

“And pray, Lady Natasha, what do you mean by that ‘private’ situation?”

 

“I’ll leave it to your imagination, Your Human Holiness.”

 

“…”  Well, this was getting awkward.

 

Maddie and Natasha were both smiling at each other, but I could see sparks flying from them.  Was this their friendship?  I mean, the Human Saint and the Saint of Darkness were friends, if I remember correctly, right?

 

“Kuro, there were things that even friends would fight out for.” Maddie’s sarcasm was oozing from her.  

 

And Natasha was quick to back her up, “But don’t worry, it’s just a friendly competition…”

 

“Yes…very friendly.”

 

Right.

 

Maybe I’ll just proceed with eating my food while these two get ‘friendly’ with each other for a while…

 

 

And when the job was done, Saint Natasha and every demon with her returned to their own land, never to bother humanity again, but not before Maddie made sure that they were properly rewarded for their deeds.  Though there were no medals or gold given to them, Natasha asked for economic concessions instead, like the right to trade with humans, and preferential treatment over other races with certain products and services.

 

Maddie agreed to most of them, of course.  With the sudden push of humanity from a medieval society to a more modern one, the trade between demons and humans looked beneficial, rather than to have them both kill each other.

 

“…”

 

The event brought a new perspective on the human-demon relationship, and friendship blossomed because of that.

 

“…”

 

“That dark saint…she just did it!” Maddie had a wry smile on her face as she said that.

 

The demons were indeed gone, well, except for the demon merchants.  After the war, there was a huge demand for guns—or what the Cherseans call the ‘demon weapons’.  Armies of the kingdoms in Chersea gradually shifted from swords and shields to guns and bayonets.  

 

Of course, no wise merchant would miss the trend, demon or human, and so the trade for guns and gunpowder became lucrative.

 

I’d say Chersea began to abandon its chivalric past.

 

“Well, indeed.” Maddie observed, “The age of the knights is almost over.  However, I’m getting the feeling that we’re about to have a new type of problem.”

 

“Hmm…with technological advancements, humans would surely create new problems.” I agreed with her, “However, with new problems are new opportunities.”

 

“You’re right.  But what should we do about the demon weapons, first?”

 

Of course it worried Maddie.  The proliferation of guns would surely lead from one tragic thing to another.  Well, I think I’d seen enough consequences for this, so I kept mum about inventing artillery pieces.

 

“If I may suggest…” it was Lily who entered the conversation, “How about you continue with your plan in creating that ‘peacekeeping’ force you’re thinking.”

 

“Oh…right!” Maddie clapped her hands, “I almost forgot about that.”

 

“And also, you could appoint several customs officials to supervise and regulate the import of these demon weapons.” I recommended, “If the kings won’t comply with your new laws, then you could use the sanctions to make them submit, or if they wanted war, the peacekeepers.”

 

“I’d consider those.” Maddie answered, “But could you explain to me what you mean by the customs officials?”

 

“About that…” I brought out several pieces of paper and presented those before her.  I expected this kind of situation, so I made some notes about it, should Maddie deemed it necessary to consult it.  The smile on Maddie’s and Lily’s face was so big it almost reached their ears.

 

“You know, Kuro…” Maddie then told me, “…if there’s anything you want, please tell me!  You see, I haven’t given you any reward for your valuable accomplishments just yet.”

 

“Yes, I agree with Maddie, Kuro!” Lily also said, “With what you did, you could ask for an entire kingdom to rule!  Want me to ask the kings to grant you at least a land to govern?  I’ve already received some proposals about granting you several titles and fiefs, you know?”

 

“And so do I,” Maddie admitted.

 

“Nah!  I’m good, really!” Well, a land to govern was something troublesome, though the monetary gain was good.  I just wanted to have a peaceful, slow life in this other world I’m living in, surrounded by my friends and loved ones.

 

“Lily, Kuro just wanted to live with us.”  With a triumphant smile on her face, Maddie released my thoughts to her head maid.

 

“W-Well!” Lily blushed furiously, “So, do I!  I don’t need any titles nor royal positions if I’m with you, Kuro!”

 

“Yes…and we’ll create lots and lots of children, right?” Maddie’s perverted switch turned on once again, and I could see hearts oozing from her.  She was already biting her lips, and caught my shirt, pulling me to her, “I think it’s the ultimate reward I could give you, see?”

 

“M-Maddie, d-don’t you think t-there’s an order for things?” Lily was stammering.

 

“What are you wavering for now?”

 

“Though my body yearns for him, my heart’s not ready yet!”

 

“Oh, then it’s better!  You’re getting horny!” Maddie then unbuttoned Lily’s maid uniform in front of me, and her other free hand was already fondling her friend’s rich bosom while she licked her neck…

 

“Maddie!” the head maid cried but never resisted, “Ahn…stop!”

 

The sight is simply too erotic to behold, but my eyes looked nowhere…

 

“I-I’m f-f-fine.” I was quick to stop them, before anything gets way out of control, “Don’t you guys worry about my reward or anything.  It’s not like I did it for this.”  Well, to be honest, I wanted to do it too.  My heart was already racing, and my body was raring to have a go.  

 

However, I’m not some reckless pervert who’d take the opportunity to lose his virginity just because some girls were grateful for what I did.  

 

What I mean was, I’d like to marry before I would do it with them!

 

“Hmm…” Maddie stopped at what she was doing, with a gentle smile on her face, “You’re really something Kuro.  How could you even control yourself in this situation?”

 

“I’m a teacher.  Self-control is ingrained in my system.”

 

“Alright!” the Saint chuckled, “I guess we’ll have to wait ‘till we get married then.”

 

“Yes, let me find our own place to live in.” I proposed.

 

“Hmm…but Kuro, how about you make that your reward?” Lily suggested.

 

“Nah…I got something else.”  Well, now that I had thought about it, for a reward, there’s something I have in mind.