Chapter 141: The Gargoyles, the Board, and the King Who Begged
Chapter 141: The Gargoyles, the Board, and the King Who Begged
Elyn’s POV
I had no idea what Morthen had just taught me, but I did know that it was something. Whether I actually learned it or not was another matter entirely. Perhaps time would tell.
At some point, Azerion walked into the dining hall, rubbing at his eyes as he did so. He looked like he had just woken up from sleep and headed straight toward me.
Cute.
His hands were stretched out in front of him, and I picked him up immediately—the action shocked even me.
"My lady!" Rin and Vaelory gasped in unison.
I didn’t mind it, though. Azerion was cute, after all.
"Sleep well?" I asked him.
He nodded. "I was, but the gargoyles started disturbing me and I couldn’t sleep anymore. Then I went to your room and didn’t find you, and I thought you were gone."
I smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Don’t worry, I’m not leaving you yet. But what did you mean by the gargoyles were disturbing you? They came into your room?" I asked.
He shook his head. "They’re downstairs, just next to the grand staircase."
Morthen adjusted his glasses as we started moving out of the dining hall and toward the open hall.
We were not even down the last step of the staircase when I heard noise. I could hear Marrok’s voice above it—and Versha’s.
"Calm down, you all," Marrok said. "Bartholomew, you are to go to the beast territory, not the hellfire territory."
"Casmir, that is not the direction," Marrok said.
"But I was to deliver the news to the hellfire territory," Casmir replied. I suspected he was a gargoyle because his voice sounded strange.
"No, you were told to go to the Thalassar domain," Marrok said.
There was a beat of silence before Casmir spoke again. "Where is that again?" he asked.
"Water, water, WATER! This is the fifth time I’m telling you this," Marrok said calmly, though his eye twitched.
"You don’t have to shout," Casmir muttered.
I had just reached the bottom of the steps when a gargoyle almost flew into me, but thankfully Versha held him back with one of her spare arms.
"Faggy, that’s not the direction," she said sternly.
I observed the gargoyle—his short legs flailing in the air, tiny hands clutching a letter. He blinked, then turned to Versha.
"Oh," he said.
Versha rolled her eyes. "Use the door, please."
The gargoyle tilted his head. "But why would I use the door? This is my home."
"You’ve been sent on an errand," Versha replied.
"What errand?"
"You are to deliver the news to the Kitsunegawa Territory. That’s why you’re holding a letter in your hand," Versha said.
Faggy looked at the letter, then back at her. "Oh."
Versha nodded. "Then use the door."
Faggy frowned. "But why?"
Versha sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Versha," I called.
"Oh," she said, bowing. "My lady, I didn’t even see you there."
"I can understand why," I replied, then placed Azerion on the floor. "Is anything the matter? Why are there gargoyles everywhere?" I asked.
"Because we have to spread news regarding the introduction ball. Every demon is to be informed," Versha explained.
"Oh, so you’re using the messenger gargoyles," I said.
"Yes, but they have issues focusing on the message in particular. We inform them of what they’re supposed to do and what territory to send the message to, but they keep asking where and when and how—just normal gargoyle questions, even if it’s annoying," Versha said.
I passed my hand to Azerion, who immediately took it. I walked with Versha, who dragged Faggy along as we entered the main hallway, where gargoyles were flying everywhere, surrounding Marrok, who looked utterly exasperated.
"My lady, I apologize for the commotion this early in the morning," Marrok said with a bow.
I waved him off. "No need to apologize. I’m just curious—is this a normal thing for gargoyles, to forget messages and errands given to them?"
He sighed and nodded. "Extremely so, my lady."
"And what has been done to rectify the issue?" I asked.
"There’s nothing we can do. Gargoyles are used as messengers because they’re effective—even if they tend to be a tad forgetful," he replied.
"Ah," I said, nodding. "And how exactly do you tell the gargoyles this information?"
"We tell them," Versha said.
"Like... with words?" I asked.
"Yes, my lady."
An idea was already forming in my head. "If they always come back to ask questions, why don’t you come up with a different way to pass the message?" I asked.
Versha and Marrok exchanged a look, then turned back to me. "Do you perhaps have an idea, my lady?" Marrok asked.
I nodded. "Yes. Instead of telling the gargoyles what to do every time, why don’t we have a board where we can post their tasks? They’ll go there instead of coming back to ask you and giving you headaches."
"A board," Marrok and Versha echoed.
I nodded again.
Morthen adjusted his glasses. "That is a good idea."
"But wouldn’t the gargoyles forget where the board is?" Rin asked.
"We’ll create something like a pointer to direct them. So when they ask someone, we’ll just point at it," I said.
"But is there anyone who can do it? And what about the king—would he allow that?" Vaelory asked.
"The king wouldn’t mind. Now that there’s a queen, she’s in charge of the castle and everything in it. She can do anything she wants," Versha said.
"The king is lazy. The queen is in charge," Azerion added with a smile.
I was quiet. "Perhaps I should meet with Zorathys—"
I didn’t even finish the sentence before a very sleepy, very tired voice echoed through the castle.
"Please don’t."
There was no need to guess who the voice belonged to, there was only one person or rather one demon who was always tired and always sleepy.