Jouvi announced the cottage was done, so after breakfast, Jurao went with her and Braelin to see it out of curiosity. It was built around the side of the castle where the other staff cottages were, but not as large as the demon cottages while being just as tall.
“I thought,” Jouvi sighed, crossing her arms, “The ceiling should be high enough so any guests,” for some reason she looked at the Demon King, “Can move around comfortably inside.”
“Very considerate,” Jurao nodded.
Braelin opened the door and stepped inside, with the two demons following behind. The space was mostly empty - one large open room with a central stone and clay hearth like most demon cottages, the kitchen built into its side. The main feature not common to demon cottages was a loft in the back, splitting the height in half in that area.
“I wasn’t sure what amenities humans might need, so I just got a child’s bed from the carpenters and made sure there was privy,” Jouvi said, “The fenced-in area is yours to do with as you please - I figured once we get human plants in, you’d know how to handle them.”
Breslin nodded, walking around to inspect the space, and said, “Thank you.”
“For anything else, I brought in civil smith,” Jouvi said, smiling a little at a knock at the door, “And that’s probably her.”
Jurao watched as she went over to open the door and was surprised to see who she answered it for, asking, “Aunt Nevve.”
“Hey, kid,” his aunt said, toolbag slung over her chest as she stepped inside, “Finally making some big changes, huh?”
“Aunt?” Braelin asked, coming to stand at the King’s side.
Jurao - not noticing how he reached out to tap Braelin’s shoulder once again without looking at the human - could understand the confusion from a human point of view. His aunt was around eight feet tall and a traditional demon with two equally sized sets of arms, hooved feet, and a spade-ended tail. Her skin was a pale gray-blue with red slash-like markings similar to Jurao’s pink ones, and her two left eyes were yellow while the right two were red. Her white hair was cropped short. She and his mother had been twins, making recognizing her easier when he first arrived.
“Sorry, let me properly introduce myself,” she said, standing with one set of hands on her hips - jerking a thumb at herself with another hand, “Nevve, Head of the Civil Smiths - that is, the blacksmiths that handle anything that isn’t a weapon. Also the aunt of his highness over there - raised him after my sister and her wife passed.”
“Nice to meet you,” Braelin said, inclining his head, “I’m Braelin.”
“So I’ve heard,” Nevve said, walking over and bending down. She pulled something out of her bag's pockets, “Here - proper sized staff badge for you. Most demon smiths have no talent for small work, though my workers do their best to keep up with me. Why I’m here instead of one of them - all thumbs, the lot of them.”
“Ah,” Jurao said, watching as she pinned the badge to Braelin’s jacket and took the old badge, “I see now; that makes sense.”
“Thank you,” Braelin said, pulling his coat out to examine the badge.
“Quiet one, eh?” Nevve said, stepping back and straightening up, “Well, not like Jurao's much different. Anyway, let me know what’s missing here and we should be able to get it all set up within the week.”
Braelin nodded, walked to one corner of the cottage, and tilted his head, “Maybe… a pantry?”
Nevve cupped her chin and nodded, “Probably want a table too, yeah?”
Braelin considered, then nodded, “That’s all I can think of.”
“That’s it?” Jouvi arched a brow, but didn’t actually sound surprised, “A pantry and a table?”
The human nodded, “Since it’s just me and I spend most my time in the garden anyway, I don’t need much more than that.”
Nevve snorted, “Sounds about right,” she reached out and lightly punched her nephew’s upper arm, “How’s that last lock going?”
“Haven’t gotten it once yet,” Jurao sighed.
“Lock?” Braelin asked.
“I enjoy lockpicking as a hobby,” Jurao replied.
“And I enjoy trying to stump this brat,” Nevve replied with a grin, “My record is three years - trying to hit at least five with my latest masterpiece.”
“Well, you’ve already hit two,” Jurao replied, “Making the locks synchronous is making things very difficult.”
“Good, that was the idea,” his aunt laughed, “Anyway, go on about your day - kitchen shouldn’t be too much trouble to get built, and we can probably scrounge up a table. Just leave it to me.”
“Thank you,” Braelin said, and nodded to her, then Jurao before heading out.
“You know,” Nevve said casually, “Humans propose using rings.”
Jouvi choked on air, seemingly in surprise.
“I’m not romantically attracted to Braelin,” Jurao replied. Had it not been such a common subject, he would not have understood why she brought up that particular fact.
Nevve laughed, “Oh, I just wanted to see what you’d say after all the rumors. I wasn’t expecting you to address it directly though…”
“It’s come up often,” Jurao replied.
“You at least understand why though, right?” Jouvi sighed, scratching the back of her neck.
“Yes,” the Demon King said, “Minaz and Feyl pointed out how my behavior could be mistaken as romantic interest.”
“Huh,” Nevve said, taking out tools to mark off the area Braelin had indicated for a kitchen, “You’ve never done anything that could be mistaken as romantic interest before.”
Jurao considered that and realized she was right.
“Don’t mean anything by it,” his aunt said, pulling out her notebook to write a few things down, “But it’s interesting - you’d think it would have happened when you were a young man at least once or twice, huh? Especially with a heartbreaker like Feyl hanging around…”
The King hummed in consideration, then shrugged, “Well, it doesn’t make much difference now.”
“You don’t see how-” Jouvi started.
“Well,” Nevve interrupted her, slinging an arm over the other woman’s shoulder, “Better get to work ourselves, huh? No use standing around here!”
“True,” Jurao agreed, heading out just behind the pair - and was surprised to see Gaele outside.
“Oh! Um!” they hesitated, then quickly bowed from the waist and popped back up, “Hello, your highness!”
“Lordis Gaele,” Jurao replied, impressed by their speed.
“Oh,” Jouvi said, shrugging off Nevve and pointing to an extension of the cottage Jurao had forgotten about, “Right - forgot to show Braelin the office. It’s that part - and the storage shed is on the other side of it.”
“Yes!” Gaele said, then cleared their throat with a dark flush, “I mean, yes, I heard about the office, and Braelin said it was fine to see it for myself so…”
“I’m curious about the office as well,” Jurao said.
“Of course you are,” Jouvi sighed and led the way over - unlocking the door before tossing the keyring to Gaele, “That’s copies of the keys for the office and storage shed, so you can give a set to Braelin later,” she waved over her shoulder as she walked away, “But you don’t need me to look at it - just send a missive if there’s something else you need.”
“Th-thank you, Lady Jouvi!” Gaele said, bowing to her as she left.
“I better head out too,” Nevve said, and reached out to mock punch Jurao’s jaw, “Take care of yourself, kid.”
“You too, Aunt Nevve,” Jurao replied, watching her go. Then he turned to Gaele.
They looked after his aunt with wide-eyed awe, which the Demon King didn’t quite understand.
“Lordis Gaele,” he said, drawing their attention.
“Ah!” Gaele jumped and bowed quickly again, “Apologies, your highness! You… ah, wanted to see the office?”
Jurao nodded and waved for them to enter first, since it was their office and all.
The lordis made a little noise with a happy smile, practically skipping to the door as they spoke under their breath, “The Demon King is letting me show him the office all by myself!”
They really do admire me, Jurao thought, scratching at his chin as he walked into the office himself. Since he couldn’t puzzle it out, he simply asked, “Lordis Gaele, why do you admire me?”
“Huh!?” Gaele jumped again, slamming shut the desk drawer they’d opened shut in surprise - then yelped and pulled their hand back, shaking it in a familiar indication of pain.
“You seem to admire me more than most people do just for my position,” Jurao replied, looking around the space - while there were currently only two people working in the gardens, four desks had been set up. Three were demon sized, while one on a raised dais in the back was human-sized. A board that was half cork and half chalk had been set up on most of one wall, though nothing else was noteworthy. He turned back, “I wondered why.”
“Oh, um,” Gaele sighed, rubbing the back of their neck, “I guess it’s just… um, because you weren’t a lordis? And still became King?”
“I’m not the first,” Jurao replied, tilting his head.
“Well, no, but, um,” Gaele sighed again, slumping into the chair at the desk, “Can I be uh… a little rude?”
“I don’t mind,” the King replied.
“You didn’t do anything special,” Gaele replied, then held up their hands, “I mean, you’re really strong and all that, but you didn’t like! Single-handedly defeat a hundred armies or slay a great beast or any of those other things non-nobles did before Ascending!”
“That’s true,” Jurao said - though he wasn’t sure how that was rude, “The Demon Realm has been at peace for a long time - there was nothing that needed to be done to elevate me to the position of hero.”
“Yeah,” Gaele chuckled nervously, “So I guess, um,” their cheeks darkened, “As a lordis, I was always taught that everyone filled the roles they were meant to - and the way people act, I always assumed they meant the roles they were born into - but you!” they jumped to their feet, eyes shining, “You joined the army with no history for it, then worked your way up to General! Then! The old King recommended you as his successor, and you did it! And if you can do something so amazingly different than what you were born into, then I-” Gaele made a little squeak and covered their mouth. They cleared their throat and straightened up, “I mean, anyone could do something different than what they were born into, and, um, that’s… really amazing to me…”
Jurao hummed, considering, then nodded, “I see.”
“You… do?” Gaele asked with a blank look.
“Your explanation makes sense,” the Demon King said, then waved as he headed out, “Thank you for answering me. Keep up the good work.”
“... oh… alright, your… highness…” they replied, chuchkling nervously again.
“Ah, and Lordis Gaele,” Jurao said, turning back.
They straightened up, “Yes!”
“If there is something else you want to do, make sure to let Braelin know,” he said, “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, but we’d have to find someone else for your position.”
Gaele’s eyes lit up again, and they bowed, “Yes, of course! There’s nothing else I want to do now, but I’ll keep that in mind!”
Jurao nodded and continued out to get to his own work.
***
“Your highness,” Alae said, opening the door to his office, “Festi and Voga are here seeking an audience.”
“Show them in,” Jurao said, setting aside his paperwork.
“Your highness I refuse!” Voga shouted, pushing past Alae to enter.
His assistant sighed but merely stepped back to wave Festi in as well.
“First you want me to make plant food,” Voga huffed, scowling, “Then you give away one of my jobs to the human - now you’re expecting me to make human food!? At least the plants are demonic and harvesting was annoying anyway!”
Voga was a traditional demon with green skin, bright yellow circular markings, brown hair, and purple eyes. He was heavyset with soft features, but that was common of demon cooks - since they tended to build functional muscle.
“Sorry, my lord,” Festi sighed, rubbing their forehead, “The shipment of human food came in, and well…” they waved at Voga.
I suppose it would have come to this eventually, Jurao sighed, clasping one set of hands on his desk and the other under his chin. He asked, “Chef Voga, what is your job in the castle.”
“Eh?” Voga said, then crossed his lower arms and scratched at his temple with another hand, “I keep everyone fed, of course.”
Jurao nodded, “And would ‘everyone’ not include the human I appointed as Royal Gardener?”
Voga cleared his throat, “Well, yeah, but-”
“And were you aware that if Braelin continues to eat demon food, it will cause demonic poison to build up - which will eventually kill him,” the Demon King asked.
“He is,” Festi glared, “Because Kloy told me, and I told him.”
Voga shifted his weight uncomfortably, growling a little.
“Chef Voga, are you incapable of preparing human food,” Jurao asked, “Because if you are, that would mean you are unable to fulfill your job.”
Voga looked like he’d swallowed something sour, “I understand, your highness.”
“Very well,” Jurao replied, pulling his paperwork back, “You’re dismissed then.”
Voga held up a hand - then groaned and bowed, “Of course, your highness.”
After the Head Chef had left, Festi sighed, “Sorry again, my lord - I wish he took me that seriously when I threatened to fire him…”
“What,” Jurao asked.
“... what?” Festi replied.
“When did I threaten to fire Voga,” the King asked.
“... did you… not threaten to fire him…?” Festi asked, “When you said he wouldn’t be able to do his job if he couldn’t prepare human food… ?”
“No,” Jurao frowned, “I thought maybe he was embarrassed that he didn’t know how, so I was going to recommend covert lessons if he needed them.”
“And… why would you think that?” Festi asked.
“Well,” the Demon King said, “He’s the Head Chef, but there’s no reason he should know how to prepare human food. Voga is also prideful, so I assumed it would hurt his ego to admit he didn’t know.”
“I…” Festi sighed, “I mean, you aren’t wrong… hmm, maybe there’s a way to fix that…”
“I trust you know best,” Jurao said, returning to his paperwork.
“It’s easy enough,” she shrugged, “Find someone who knows how to make human food, hire them, and Voga will act like it’s a newbie punishment.”
The King nodded, “Sounds reasonable. Oh, and please keep some of any fruits or vegetables back for Braelin to plant.”
“Sure,” his Quartermaster replied - then added, “You know, now that he has a place for it, Braelin should get a proper wardrobe - as a Department Head, he should have some finery at least, yeah?”
“Finery,” Jurao considered. It was hard to picture his gardener in anything less than functional wear - but Festi was right in that a Department Head should have something to wear to formal events. Not that Braelin would be comfortable at events like that in the first place…
Somehow, the thought of Braelin finding somewhere to hide to avoid nobles at a formal event made the Demon King smile as he resumed his work and said, “Yes, I leave that in your capable hands as well.”
Festi sighed and asked, “Are you really sure you don’t have any romantic feelings for Braelin, my lord?”
“Yes, I’m sure,” Jurao replied.
They hummed, then sighed and shrugged, “Well, if you’re sure you’re sure - see you at the evening meal, my lord.”
Jurao hummed, raising one hand in farewell.
