Portrait for First Experience

"I-I'm sorry, Erynew. I used your magic creation without your permission."

Cracking the silence through her timid demeanor for a friend she just met today when the sun rising high in the blue cloudless ceiling and only a few hours since then becoming quite a fast friend with this non-human being yet in human-shaped body with a single horn becoming the most stood out from the rest - from her white hair resembled cold snow and its crimson ends seemingly resembled drops of blood. That friend of hers was no human indeed, but a devil she knew for some time, hence such a manner the little lady showed after what just happened prior this starting point of conversation beneath the lonely yet shady tree on quite a remote place from the remote village where she lived with the others creating a small community.

And now this small community had come to moment of rest, slowing down the busy time they had by loosen up some muscles after their problem with pests had been found its better resolution - vanishing the pest and preserving the field by establishing the unforeseen risk which became the main reason why with the apologies the little lady conveyed - because she who initiated such a resolution.

"I-if you didn't come to undo what I was doing, I--- perhaps things would become that... messy. I should've thought about the risk next time when I about to do something beyond my capacity."

Leaning her tiny back against this tall trunk and resting her body beneath the same tree when the sun was in its brightest moment and breeze at its most breezy rustling the leaves; yet now, only an embrace of a warm orange light from the sun that was about to rest itself behind white mountain chain turning into orange too because of it - the sunset that only a matter of minutes, thus this tranquility overwhelming the atmosphere of the meadow bathed in the same hue that was drowning the little lady with her interlocutor... resting side by side.

Being that a devil the interlocutor was, wearing her sleeveless white dress that was seemingly capable of withstanding the orange tint of the sunset, and her white hair too. And because of the nature of the ambience occurring right now, responding to the little lady's apologies with so much tenderness that a simple smile brought upon - simply exposed itself, as the devil was willingly to reveal it... a pair of rosy lips curving slightly upward and a pair of yellow eyes staring at the little lady's face next to her,

"That is right. Maya, what you just did... that action of yours back in the field was a reckless one - heedless of considering the unwanted consequence. You were lucky, those rodents were living underground so that they could be the target for them instead of Adres who poured that harmful potion. But... I disagree with myself hehe. Ah well, who am I kidding... instead calling it as a lucky coincidence it was more fitting to call it a wildly calculated move. Right, Maya?"

It was at first, the little lady - Maya... guessed the devil's reason to drag her to this place right after that minor incident back in the field, was to give her at least a bit of words for her reckless decision using the devil's creation without any prior permission, for she knew that such creation could be potentially harmful even dangerous as she had already been witnessing what this creation was capable of. But because of her naivety, because she just didn't want to find herself doing nothing to help after so much that happened and when everyone was busy restoring the village... just like the devil said, it was indeed a reckless action, even though she already knew how to initiate, she - at that time - hadn't find one way to undo, and there was no guarantee that the devil's creation wouldn't harm beyond the intended target, for it was a powerful magic as she already knew it.

Quite a shocking way to wipe out the seasonal pest that was, even until her father came out and rebuked her for the excessive suggestion despite it did bring smile for the others peasants. However thanks to the third party intervention; from the crowd of young peasants who explained the real reason behind that excessive suggestion to her father, and the creator of those glowing tendrils who canceled the said excessive suggestion... till she was brought to this place by that creator telling her that there was something to tell.

Therefore Maya, had prepared herself beforehand for perhaps another words of reprimand; now from the creator herself whose creation she used carelessly... or she thought it would be. For it seemed, it was just another excessive prejudgment she guaranteed for herself. Only half of what she was expecting became true, even merely half-true because the first impression she grasped from that devil was vaguely difficult to understand, thus becoming quite clumsy to be answered,

Turned her tiny head, and fixed her pair of brown eyes to meet the devil's beside her, the addled little lady at first slowly nodded, "Y-yes... b-but it wasn't really a thoughtful move just like you said. I-I've told you, haven't I, Erynew? That I was dumb enough not to heed the risk and have you to undo what I've done. I-I mean... I... I thought you'd be mad."

Only a chortle coming from Erynew, that one-horned devil... finally knowing the way the little lady was felt... reasons why with that expression she showed earlier, maybe a bit of confusion and a sense of guilty she merely made up within her too-soon prediction, "My purpose to create them in first place, is to protect and to serve this village and its inhabitants. So, when I saw someone used it properly in tandem with the initial purpose... then, why would I? It is true though, what I just said; if it wasn't for those rodents, Adres who intentionally poured that harmful potion, would be the one that filled the role as a target, and surely I'd soon rushing my way to prevent it from happening. But if it was you... I believed it wouldn't be a problem, since you already knew about it, didn't you, Maya? Well, maybe only the last part when you really had no idea how to make them return to the underground lairs along with the dead bodies they caused."

Perfectly matched with everything that happened in the field at that moment when her little inner-conflict was concealed over the two simple decisions that pushed her invisible boundary; to be some sort of starting point for the little lady to change because the altruistic growth demanded her so... passing what she knew, no more the theater curtain to hide the unspoken talent.

There were no any sense of wonderment within the little lady's thoughts however, listening to her own thoughts that was repeated by the devil... because at this point, it simply became a common thing when the devil knew everything - especially one beside her, "Y-yes, that's exactly what I was thinking of. I-I felt responsible for the dead bodies even though they just a pest. My intention to lessen the burden, in-instead led into another messy things I caused."

"Haha, that wasn't your fault, speaking of... messy things. They do can sometimes tend to do such a thing. Kind of ferocious they are. Sorry to make you saw such a thing."

"S-sorry? N-no! Erynew! You have me to blame for the trouble! I misjudged the result! Should've thought how to finish what I started... because I never thought I'd get that far."

Raising her timid voice a little bit, Maya was. Surely such an occurrence of slightly-out-of-character pattern that the devil regarded as a basic prudence of hers regarding steps to approach such a character... seemingly being prompted through such a convenient word, hence the sudden raising in tone.

"Okay okay, Maya. I understand. Please, calm down for a second, alright?"

"A-ah... I... alright... I'm sorry."

'What is this? I thought it was just a guilty feeling that overburdened herself; but I think there are some sort of frustration too, huh. So, she's kind of upset with herself. Never expecting it even a little bit I was.'

Feeling the compelling nuance as Erynew felt surprised as well by this unforeseen outcome that she began to speak for herself only - discussing the matter only she could make the prejudgment regarding human development, for many things she had yet to discover; mainly their heart and sentiment which compelled the devil to uncover more.

"Haaa~" Erynew, the one-horned devil eventually had a moment to let out breath a sigh of relief when things finally calming down few seconds later, "Well, it's not trouble so long it doesn't cause trouble. You see, Maya... thanks to you, Kasala inhabitants, they were able to sow the seed with no worry about pest nor climate any longer, for everything went in time as they had carefully calculated. After what has happened, your village is really fast at recovery, aren't they? Since you are all already doing this every cycle of seasons, right? That is to say, despite already been quite expert at dealing with that pest problem, the colony has tripled; although they managed – no doubt they would - to deal with them, they wouldn't make it in time before the winter. No... unless with your intervention... the creativity you brought, ignoring the fact that you still are so young. So, which part you called trouble? Well, if you were somewhat felt upset by the result; you shall consider your first failing as your first experience."

Words of silencing the exasperation for oneself eventually reached her, the little lady whose rosy thin lips were motionless throughout the words spoken through the devil's mouth; words that was oddly enough as well... strange as it sounded, for it came from such a being - such comforting words that came from an unthinkable being. Even for the little lady whose books became her everyday's feasting; and because of those books had been telling her all the contrary of reality, she found the eccentricity within the current phenomenon of which she relished.

"I... I see. So, this is what they call first experience," responded the little lady in the end, grasping the intrinsic nature of little failing she committed; although it was hardly to consider them as one of a kind. Failings or no, her past deed regardless, had brought her to this situation in which she could learn too, about something she deemed another first experience of hers. And through that gracious smile of hers bathed under the sunset of radiant orange hue, she was about to convey candidly, "It's also my first experience, speaking of it. It's my first experience feeling... quite a comfort when talking with a devil. Quite a shock indeed, despite the book I've read long ago; told me otherwise. I-if you don't mind telling me, Erynew... are you really a devil?"

A familiar-sounded inquiry for Erynew, that one-horned devil once again. A question seemingly came out of nowhere when the refreshing breeze was nowhere to be found to muffle her sounded hesitancy and confusion that took over, because she had no any dependable inkling on how she was supposed to react; what were the right words capable of satisfying the curiosity of a little lady,

Fortunately though, the little lady's inquiry wasn't a compelled one; and so, only a bit of tricky reaction Erynew must be shown... mostly sort of an awkward grin and seemingly clumsy phrase,

"W-what with that unduly question? Haha, I can assure that I am indeed a devil. That is my born nature after all. See my horns--- I mean... horn? Why do you think it doesn't look that intimidating." tilting her whitehead down and showing her left temple on which a single horn - stygian in hue - protruded and grew; pointed its sharp end, seemingly became her first attempt to convince the curiosity which wasn't sufficient to fill such a content feeling, for it was off the intended mark that was brought with Maya's question.

"Y-yes... Erynew, it does seem quite intimidating. B-but regardless, what I mean---"

"If that's what you want to hear from me, then I encourage you to stop. Because I won't, and because I'd mind. I'm sorry, Maya."

Devoid of hesitation, abruptly ending the words that were supposedly spoken... because already knew the devil was, what the continuation was; for she already heard it before, such a similar question - twice in fact. The first one was through a sinful meaning yet with wishful white, second was a mere inquisitive desire with cordial feeling... and now, a question that seemingly was through a fertile mind that the little lady owned; yet the essence remained the same, for the devil ethos as a vile creature was still being hold tightly within the common mindset of humanity.

Whether the reason that Erynew held to come into the living world; either to change it or to face it. A single reason she couldn't provide an answer for, but a plain smile.

"After all, what kind of book it is you just mentioned? Must be depicted such particular details in it."

Changing the topic by turning the course of this dusk talking, was the second attempt Erynew had, to move both of them out of a subject that was chary of allowing itself to be revealed. By simply constricted the gap between the silence happening between the statements; as the little lady was struggling to find a word to respond, and Erynew seamlessly returned the favor by questioning the book which seemingly became her sole reference.

"I-it's... it is more accurately to call it a manuscript, because it only had a few pieces of pages without any cover nor binding. Lacked of its author's name, even a few pages were missing as I recalled, and it was written in letters I have never seen before. Although there was only one thing that instantly took my interest; It was a portrait of a black-winged tall creature, with a pair of sharp-looking horns on his red head, and a large tail similar to a dragon's."

"Is that so? Heee... that portrait does sound so demonic, huh."

Getting more than she had bargained for; completely baffled yet intrigued by the way that Maya presented for the devil whose yellow gaze was entirely fixed on her explaining the details according to her young experience... depicting seemingly a shadowy silhouette of a figure that seemed to have existed within the mind of the one-horned devil if indeed the portrait was one of her kin in the past after the long history that may have buried something related with the current issue she tried to dig deeper into the rabbit hole – or in this case, hell hole. And it seemed that... she already dug a bit deeper upon listening to Maya's description, albeit remained a little vague, the interpretation had become clear as the minor change on the devil's face turned to be visible... her eyebrows slightly furrowed, seemingly had been guessing the candidate - based on the known-portrait - to be included on her list of interest, mainly that book.

Therefore a sudden urge; wanting to hear more about the said book... however it came to a halt after yet another sudden thing happening and intervening in between. A loud voice coming from a direction that had been silent for almost the entire minutes only moments before this orange light slowly faded into more darker tint and couple of dusk stars had exposed themselves in the distant horizon, in the still-bright sky to call it nocturne time.

"Awesome! Ahahaha! I did it! I finally did it!"

It was quite a joyful voice, resembling one that was supposedly being heard when one had achieved something he struggled and sweated for, after trying and failing many times even hundreds or thousands yet not once giving up until reached the desired result, as he had yearned for a glimpse of success before his pair of small eyes emitting about that light of contentment. After all of the absence of a voice that was allegedly owned by that hyperactive little boy whose energy difficult to measure if there was a target before him - a target he must conquer, and now had been evinced through that voice cracking the conversation of the devil and little lady sitting not far from the source.

"Oh... looks like he did it, Gizado, that hyper-active lad." remarked Erynew, now turning her whitehead and gazing at the direction of the shouting voice seemingly filled with feeling of content, "Thought it would take more time. Never expecting he'd manage right before night."

"Gi-Gizado? Wh-- wait what? What just happened?"

Maya, surely felt surprised by another - an unforeseen occurrence that happened before her pair of brown eyes, catching a sight of an unknown phenomenon happening before her gawking brown eyes after being distracted by the prior sequence of conversation she had with the devil, hence the astonished look on her little face. While the sudden appearance of her same-aged friend, without question quite shocking and brought many questions upon; there was one thing however, that piqued most of her interest,

"Is that--- is that spiral plate beneath him formed from the shining worms?"

Dozens of glowing tendril-like creatures coming from their usual underground lair... somehow, were capable of forming a spiral pattern to create quite a large circle plate; seemingly became a mattress for that little boy who overjoyed by this puzzling scene - for the little lady especially,

"H-how's that even--- could possible?"