***The Saint’s Tree, Cherwoods***

  In contrast to the retive silence of the trees in its surrounding forests, the pace complex and official home to the Elf Saint stirred. On its inner grounds, members of Her Holiness’ Life Guards scoured every nook and cranny of the pce, each group accompanied by pace officials.

  “Her Holiness isn’t here!” one would shout that line heard all over the courtyard as a sign to the others searching.

  “What about her maid, Meanor? Where is she?”

  “Her quarters are empty, yet her personal effects are still there!”

  Outside the pace complex, separated by ancient walls made of tree trunks, twisted old vines, thick overpping leaves, and double lines of elf soldiers of the Life Guards, were the angry mobs of elves hailing from the frontiers of the region of Cherwoods. They all demanded an audience from their saint, and wished for her aid in combatting the encroaching desert, as the proposals to build a network of canals from the Gulf of Cherwoods to the endangered elf cities remained idle.

  “We’re going to die! At least try to help us!” the elves pleaded from the line of elf guards that stood between them and the Saint’s Tree.

  “Her Holiness is leading us into ruin!”

  “Let’s make her hear our calls for help!”

  The shouts grew louder and angrier the longer their demands were ignored. The guards were agitated as well, for they were not spared from the mad elves' abusive words and gestures. They were only prevented from taking action by an earlier decree of their mistress not to start violence, at least not inside and in the immediate areas around the tree pace.

  In a far distance, at the steps of the main tree pace, the senior pace officials led by the Holy Lord Chamberin, Lord Alvis, held their breath as the search parties completed the pces where they suspected the Elf Saint was hiding. As their options were getting smaller, so was their nervousness going higher. Even as nobles, some of them couldn’t keep themselves from chewing on their nails, and others walked back and forth while waiting for any news.

  The Lord Alvis, sensing that they were heading to trouble, asked the head maidservant of the Elf Saint, “Have you looked under those heaps garbage in Her Holiness’ room?”

  “Y-Yes, milord,” the head maidservant replied; her shaky voice betrayed her ‘calm’ demeanor. “H-Her Holiness’ servants are now cleaning her room as we speak, removing anything that can hide the saint from us. If…If they find her buried under those stashes, someone will come and update me immediately on the matter.”

  “Well, you better hurry then!” the Holy Lord Chamberin bellowed, and muttered to himself, “Better if Her Holiness is buried underground than to make us suffer like this! Such life is a shame.”

  “Did you say something, milord?” the head maidservant queried.

  “Nothing of your business!” he snarled. “And get back to your search; dig the grounds if you have to! Those angry mobs outside the pace won’t wait for Her Holiness to get back!”

  The head maidservant bowed and quickly left. Once she was gone, the other senior pace officials gathered around the Holy Lord Chamberin.

  One of them began, “Milord, we’ve been discussing this issue with each other, and…”

  “And…” the Lord Alvis never hid his displeasure; still, he was inclined to listen to them. Perhaps someone knew how to resolve the predicament they were in. “What issue is it that you’re talking amongst yourselves?”

  “We concluded that the disappearance of Her Holiness might be a scheme of that human ‘guest’ of hers.”

  “Human guest? You mean Mister Kuro of Arles?”

  The senior officials nodded. “Think about it!” another one of them argued, “This foolish pn of constructing ‘canal networks’, drawing water from the Gulf of Cherwoods and supplying the elvish cities on the frontier with it, is in direct contrast to the decrees of the gods—made to our ancestors eons ago—that implores us to keep our dependence on the heavens for our provisions!”

  “If this bsphemy continues, then our people will turn away from Her Holiness,” a third official added. “It will embolden them enough to cim that they can solve their problems on their own. This Kuro of Arles is weakening the hold Her Holiness’ worship has among our popuce! This can’t go on unchecked, Lord Chamberin!”

  “And what will you have me do?” the Lord Alvis countered. “Her Holiness has strict order not to harm her human ‘guest’! Are you willing to have us all excommunicated?”

  An air of tense silence ensued, with only the noise of the mad elves outside, and the panicking search groups heard for a few moments. Everyone weighed their options, realizing that if they failed, they could end up chewing more than what they bit. Still, one of them pointed out, “This Kuro of Arles is giving Her Holiness the Elf Saint the idea that she can rule Cherwoods without us, her loyal servants! If he convinced her, and cut us off from the saint, what do you think will happen to all of us?”

  At that moment, the doubts in their minds vanished, and the determination to survive grew strong in their hearts. The danger of their situation was real; after all, no one accustomed to the benefits of power and influence could easily let go of those. The Lord Alvis then called the captain of the Life Guards and gave him permission…

  “Arrest that human, Kuro of Arles.”

  ----------

  Kuro surely didn’t expect any visitors, given that they shut the tree pace down because of the angry crowds outside, and the rumors that Her Holiness the Elf Saint (the real one) disappeared in her room, along with her maid, Meanor. Nevertheless, because he knew he was just a ‘guest’ of the Saint, and subject to the rules and traditions of that pce, he still welcomed the people knocking at his door.

  “Mister Kuro of Arles?” the guard captain asked when he opened the door.

  “Yes? Anything I can help you with?” he stared at the people behind the soldier.

  “I am here to inform you that you are under arrest for usurping the authority of Her Holiness the Elf Saint,” at the captain’s gesture, the other guards forced themselves in and quickly surrounded the human. They also restrained him by tying his hand behind him.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” Kuro, who was taken aback, protested. But his demands were to no avail.

  “I won’t fight back if I were you,” one of the senior pace officials who came with the arresting group showed himself. “Those who love to meddle in the affairs of the proud and noble elves would meet an ignoble demise from the hands of Her Holiness’ servants!”

  “Are you mad? Her Holiness decreed I won’t be harmed!”

  “Coincidentally, Her Holiness is missing,” the official told him. “And we suspect that you have a role in her disappearance. If I may suggest, it’s better that you cooperate with us, and face a quick death, than forcing us to prolong your suffering by hiding the saint!”

  “That’s absurd!” Kuro blurted out. “I don’t even have an idea of where Her Holiness is! I know nothing!”

  “Says all the criminals caught red-handed,” the senior official added, as he turned his back on him to reach for the door. “If there’s anything you want to hide from us, we’ll find out, anyway. I know you have your protests about your arrest, but I’m afraid you’ll have to plead with His Excellency the Holy Lord Chamberin, Lord Alvis. He’ll be the one to decide on the fate of a vermin like you!”

  “You’re exploiting this because you know Her Holiness can’t do anything while she’s gone!” the human countered. “Such underhanded tactics to gain back your power will be paid back in double!”

  The elf stopped in his tracks, and fshed Kuro a sardonic smile, “Well, it’s a pity that you don’t know your pce, human! Your meddling may have worked back in Chersea, where your pitiful race belonged. But here, expect that we will resist you. If ever you survive this—which I’m sure you won’t—you better learn whose side you will serve.” The official then ordered the guard captain, “Take him away!”

  “Erm…correction, I’m actually aware of my position.”

  “!!!” Suddenly, the other guards of the Saint barred the senior official from exiting the doors of Kuro’s private chambers. He couldn’t hide his surprise, yet he tried to maintain composure. “What’s going on?”

  The captain of the guards then told him, “Milord, you are hereby under arrest for grave abuse of discretion, undermining the authority of Her Holiness the Elf Saint, and exploiting your office for private gains.”

  “W-Wha—” the official’s bewildered eyes fell on Kuro, whose restraints were removed by the guards.

  “Just as you said,” the human chuckled, “I know my pce here. And I’m aware how much you pace guys hated my ‘meddling’ in your mistress’ affairs. That’s why, while you idiots are indulging yourselves in the power that is not even yours, I’m doing my assignments. You tried to grab credit from us, and stopped me from shoring up support for Her Holiness. So if I can’t get outside help, guess where will I look?”

  The pace official gred at Kuro; after all, it was the only thing he could do, as his arms were already restrained.

  “That’s right, from the inside!” the human had a gleeful smile on his face. “You keep on hollering orders, but do you even know the name of your guards?”

  Another bnk, angry stare. Kuro savored the look of despair on the poor elf’s face.

  “See?” he ughed. “I remember a saying from my nd. It’s like this: ‘Beware of the ides of March,' which means ‘watch out for betrayals.' Oh…I think it’s too te for that, don’t you think?” Then the human ordered the captain of the guard, showing him a medallion that could only come from their mistress, “Sir Eldarv, please take this traitor away. Arrest every pace official you find within the premises of this complex; kill those who try to harm you. You and your soldiers have permission from Her Holiness the Elf Saint!”

  ----------

  ***The Henristone Ducal Estate, the Kingdom of Cabria***

  Eris’ day as a normal traveling aristocrat began when the light outside touched her eyes. Apparently, someone parted the curtains that obscured the windows of her bedroom in an effort to wake her.

  “Rise and shine, Lady Braunhauer!”

  When her sight finally adjusted to the brightness, the young duchess saw the owl-girl, Salis, at the foot of her bed. Arms to her waist, and wearing her usual intimidating expression on her face, the tter wasted no time in pulling the bnkets and rousing Eris.

  “We don’t got the whole day,” Salis reminded her. “Lady Henristone says we need to catch the train to port of the Mouth of Cabria as soon as possible.”

  Still sleepy, Eris gnced at the hourgss on the table beside her. “You think the train already got their passenger quota?”

  “Beats me,” the owl-girl shrugged. “But in any case, the padin captain is asking us to hurry. I think I heard one of her servants tell her earlier that the train is already half the capacity? So yes, we should get a move on.”

  “Oh, okay…” Though she said that, Eris remained in her bed. Pausing briefly, she asked, “What if we take the hour trains?”

  “Those trains that leave on time?” Salis looked at the hourgss. “Aren’t those expensive? Besides, why take those when we can just hurry and hitch a ride on the quota trains?”

  “Well, if the Duchess of Henristone is doubtful about our finances, my estate can take care of things. Tell her we’re taking the hour trains,” Eris pointed out. “Besides, a proper dy should prepare herself for the journey ahead.”

  “You mean you need to apply those stupid chemicals and poisonous powders on your face? I don’t get you humans; why would you risk your life just to make yourself ‘pretty’ by your standards? Human males are attracted to those?”

  The young duchess got up from her bed and took a washbasin. “Well, it’s only one part of the story. A human dy applies makeup to her face not only to attract but also to boost her confidence, to feel good, something along those lines.”

  “Isn’t that just fake beauty? Why will human males like that?”

  “Let’s say a ‘make up’ improves someone’s look,” Eris replied. “And just because a dy does it doesn’t mean she already wants to attract a man. I, for example, do it because I want to look good.”

  “Hmm…interesting, interesting,” the owl-girl muttered.

  However, the young duchess wasn’t done yet. “Now that I got a good glimpse of your face, you and Her Holiness the Human Saint do really look the same. You’re both really beautiful, yet…”

  “I don’t know why…” Salis commented. “But rest assured, we’re from two different backgrounds.”

  “No worries, I’m aware. Even your attitudes are way too different; one is a serious prude, and the other a raging closet pervert.”

  “Oi, I heard that. I just don’t have any desire to mate with the Lord Kuro yet.”

  “Of course,” Eris chuckled. “He’ll have to consume his love for his human wives first, before tending to others, like you. It’s only fair because we’re the ones who are first to get to know him.”

  “Whatever,” the owl-girl then headed for the door. “Just don’t be an ass and make us wait, okay?”

  “Hey! Wait!”

  “What?”

  “Well, I was thinking,” Eris brought out her makeup kit. “Since we’re here, why don’t I put some makeup on you as well? You know, just for experience, since you’re curious about it?”

  ----------

  In the end, the Duchess of Henristone took care of the traveling expenses for the hour train, as proposed by Eris. While the Duchy of Braunhauer was one of the richest noble houses in Chersea, Lady Sylvia’s pride as an aristocrat wouldn’t accept that her ‘guests’ would shell out money when they were in her estate. So, they took the ‘hour’ train in Sekhtem—which leaves on time scheduled compared to the ‘quota’ train, which was required to fill its passenger capacity first before setting out—to the port city of the Mouth of Cabria.

  “My apologies for forcing this on you, Lady Sylvia,” Eris said to her host as their train traveled through the Cabrian countryside. “I can always compensate your estate for the expenses incurred on this trip.”

  “Please don’t mention it, Lady Eris,” the padin guard captain replied. “I was of the same thought earlier, though Lady Salis insisted on catching the quota train instead.”

  “Hey, I’m no nobles like you two,” the owl-girl defended herself. “Growing up as a chieftain’s daughter of a Cherwindan tribe, I’m fine forgoing the luxuries. I only want my goals done as soon as I can.”

  “Tama’lee loves the sight of the human kingdoms’ countryside,” the orc-girl entered the conversation. “She prefers the hour train than the quota train!”

  “Quota trains are too stuffy,” Nari added.

  “Yes, and I think it will ruin Lady Salis’ make up once she tussled with the passengers in quota trains!” Eris chuckled.

  “Heh, can’t help but be excited about meeting the Lord Kuro again, huh?” Lady Henristone commented. “Well, I won’t bme you; Lady Salis and Her Holiness have the uncanny resembnce to each other. It’s a good thing we really took the hour train to the Mouth of Cabria.”

  “Can, uh…” the lycanthrope spoke, but her soft voice forced everyone to stop talking to hear her, “…Lady Eris t-teach me…?”

  “Oh? You want to learn make up, too?” the Braunhauer duchess’ eyes brightened.

  “You dies should leave those small stuff behind while we travel,” the owl-girl reminded them. “Look, we’re on the road, and we got our important baggage with us. Always be on your guard!”

  “You’re always so serious, Lady Salis,” Lady Henristone chuckled as she patted her shoulder, “Come on! For once, you should be kind to yourself and enjoy what surrounds you! Isn’t this the purpose of those machines you invented?”

  “With the Lord Kuro, yes. We wanted to improve the ‘quality’ of life for everyone.”

  “Yes…right,” Lady Henristone was taken aback by that. “Wi-with the Lord Kuro, haha!”

  “Well, I do enjoy my life, alone,” Salis countered.

  “Lady Salis, you say you’re a scientist, yet you keep on sticking to your routine!” the Braunhauer duchess ughed. “I thought you’re always into trying out what’s new?”

  “Not this kind of ‘new’.”

  “Well, let’s see if you can keep up that boring fa?ade,” the padin captain rang a nearby bell. An attendant quickly came to their seats, handing them menus of the onboard food. “Coincidentally,” Lady Henristone continued, “I bought tickets for the most luxurious spot on this train! Eat up, midies!”

  “Yey!” the entire group couldn’t contain their excitement as they ordered the best dishes.

  ----------

  The ‘hour’ train where Salis’ group rode was composed of three train cars, an open wagon with firewood feeding the locomotive itself, which was the final piece in the series. While this type of transport was ‘pricier’ than the ‘quota’ train, there were still designated spots inside the cars meant for richer and poorer passengers.

  The car where they were at was for the ‘well-off’ and the ‘nobility’, which was the one right after the open wagon. Unlike the others, it had luxurious furnishings for those hard-to-please customers, and could only accommodate ten passengers. Salis’ group had five members, and another group of three people occupied the other seats.

  “…”

  As the travel from Cabria’s capital of Sekhtem up to the port city of the Mouth of Cabria was retively short, the dies from the Holy Patial Gardens expected themselves to arrive at their destination before the day’s long sleep. Then, they’d take up the st spots on the ferry to the Kingdom of Gad and spend the long sleep in its capital city of Tenevre, which was also its main port facing the Cabrian peninsu.

  “Dinner will be served at the 19th hour, midy,” the waitress told Lady Henristone. “Please enjoy our wines and the best spots of our train.”

  “Ah yes, thank you! We enjoyed the lunch.” Once their server bowed and left, the padin captain turned to the owl-girl. “So, what do you think of the experience?”

  “I like the food,” was Salis’ curt reply.

  “That’s it?”

  “Why do you sound surprised, as if expecting more?” the owl-girl asked, never hiding her irritation. But then, she lowered her voice to say, “Thanks for your generosity.”

  “!!!” Lady Henristone sure didn’t expect that. Still, she couldn’t help but smile, “Well, you’re welcome!”

  As they had nothing else to do but watch the passing scenery from their windows, everyone took their breaks for the day. Eris, though she sat by the window opposite Lady Henristone, read the book she brought with her. Salis went back to tinkering with her inventions. Nari slept on Tama’lee’s p, while the padin captain watched the Cabrian countryside she had seen many times during her travels from her estate and into the port.

  ----------

  The only sound that could be heard inside the car was cnking the train wheels against the iron railroads. The other group was silent too, probably asleep in their seats, Lady Henristone noted. Even so, she could make out that they had elvish companions from where she was. Maybe those who came from the exhibits at the Holy Patial Gardens. After all, that event was so famous that even other races, like the elves and the dwarves, traveled from their respective nds to visit.

  As someone who works in the security of Her Holiness the Human Saint, Lady Henristone is confident that everything is going well.

  But then…

  “!!!”

  The padin captain had just enough time to react, as the surge of ‘bloodlust’ went past her body, along with the breaking of the gss panes of the windows. She immediately moved to shield her companions from the flying shards of gss, chanting the ‘barrier’ spell fast to cover the spaces her body couldn’t reach. Then, five figures in their bck clothes swooped in from the broken windows, crashing on Lady Henristone, taking her completely by surprise.

  “!!!”

  With her protective magic barrier gone, the padin captain had no time to reach for her sword and gun, packed with her personal baggage. She had a dagger on her waist, but she was quickly restrained from pulling it when she saw enemy daggers pointed at her companions’ necks. Their attackers also covered their mouths so as not to create a scene; one wrong move and her friends would die.

  “…” one of the bck-cd assaints and the padin captain locked eyes. Lady Henristone could hear her heartbeat as she weighed her options. She could close in against one of her opponents, heading straight for the kill. However, the padin captain won’t risk it; she couldn’t deal with them as fast as she wanted, and they could murder her friends before she could slice their throats.

  Just as Lady Henristone was about to make sense of the events, however…

  “!!!”

  Another bst rang out of the train carriage. One of the attackers fell back, flying out the window and into the Cabrian prairies. The padin captain nearly froze in shock, as the horror of her companions ending up dead fshed briefly in her mind. But then, another figure darted from behind her and dealt the remaining intruders lethal strikes on the assaints to her left even before they could even retaliate. Eris was immediately freed, and Salis bit on the arm of her enemy, distracting him.

  “Deal with the others!” he shouted at her, which brought Lady Henristone back to her senses. Pulling her dagger, she ended the lives of the assaints of the orc-girl and the lycanthrope, even as the tables turned, and Tama’lee herself restrained them.

  ----------

  When normalcy returned, Lady Henristone saw their ‘helper’ as a white-haired elf standing before her, with a bolt-heater revolver (still smoking) in one hand and a Chersean dagger in the other.

  “Are you alright?” asked the armed elf, not bothering to look at her. “Don’t freeze up; you’ll endanger your friends!”

  “Y-Yes, I think we’re good,” the padin captain pulled her own gun and sword from her baggage, in case more enemies showed up. “Wh-What’s going on?”

  But the elf ignored her. He returned to his companions, checking on them, “You guys alright?”

  “Y-Yeah, we’re unscathed,” the maid elf answered him. Their other member, an elf with a face obscured by an enormous hat, just gave him a nod.

  Lady Henristone and Eris came to them. “What’s happening?” the Braunhauer duchess asked the elves. “Why are we being attacked?”

  “Lock the train doors!” the armed elf bellowed. Tama’lee and Nari rushed to the door at the other end of the carriage and barred it shut with the seats.

  At that point, the padin captain demanded answers, “Are you guys being trailed? Because we can’t recall, we did anything that would warrant us being pursued.”

  The entire car fell silent momentarily, as the elves exchanged doubtful gnces until the elf with the enormous hat nodded. At that point, the elf maid said, “Since our dy here deemed you trustworthy, we’ll tell you. She is an important person, that’s why.”

  “Yes, from what I can tell, she seems a noble dy,” Lady Henristone then brought out a medallion, “But who are you guys? Look, no worries. I’m the captain of Her Holi—”

  “Yes, I know who you are, Lady Sylvia, Duchess of Henristone,” the elf with the enormous hat interrupted her. “You are the current captain of the Padin Guards’ Corps—the dies-at-arms of Her Holiness, the Human Saint of Chersea Lady Madeine Ann, Duchess of Rubinforth. Also, you’re a descendant of the esteemed Beastman hero, Lady Terebia of the Bow. That’s why I permitted my servant to speak to you.”

  Eris and Lady Henristone fell silent upon hearing that.

  But the elf continued, “That young girl beside you with wavy auburn hair is the Lady Eris, Duchess of Braunhauer and a maidservant also in service of the Human Saint. If I remember correctly, she’s the heiress of one of the richest noble houses in Chersea…if not the richest.”

  “Oh…” was all Eris could say.

  “And that owl-girl companion of yours is the Lady Salis of the Owls, Directress of the Royal Academy of Cherwind, and inventor of the steam machine which is now being used in this train, the human, beastman and demon ships, and their factories. The orc-girl is the Lady Tama’lee of the Orcs, a famous scientist among the demons, and the one who realigned the demon science into promoting the idea of the ‘four fundamental phases of matter’: solid, liquid, gas and psma.”

  “Tama is famous!” the orc-girl quipped.

  “And the lycanthrope is Lady Nari Tambara, a renowned chef of the Tambara people and an expert in Filipino dishes—the food from Lady Cassandra David’s nd.”

  The dies from the Holy Patial Gardens were dumbfounded. They surely didn’t expect the stranger they’d meet on the train to the Mouth of Cabria would know even some of their pasts, which they kept secret.

  Amused at their reactions, the elf dy then removed her hat, and showed them proof of her divinity—the blue glow of the Elf Saint’s god-power, “Don’t be armed; I know your identities because I can see your hearts and minds, for I am the Elf Saint of Cherwoods, Lady Hinwe Tal-Inwir.”

  Hans.Trondheim