Chapter 333: The Problem That Belonged to Everyone Else
Chapter 333: The Problem That Belonged to Everyone Else
"I’m very certain the whole realm noticed," Ignivar said dryly.
"The beast is larger than half the castles in the realm," he continued. "When it flies, windows shake. When it lands, people begin questioning their life choices."
"And when it roars," Naviel added matter-of-factly, "the elderly begin writing their wills."
Ignivar nodded.
"Exactly."
He dipped his quill into ink.
"I thought for a minute another human kingdom had declared war."
"I thought His Majesty had become bored," Naviel said. Then he paused at the same time Ignivar paused.
"...Actually, that’s significantly more terrifying," he said.
"It is," Ignivar agreed.
Silence settled over them once more as both demons returned to their paperwork.
A few moments later, Ignivar spoke again.
"Are you still annoyed at the demon?"
Naviel adjusted his glasses.
"Matter of fact," he said calmly, "Dracolthar ate my girlfriend."
Ignivar didn’t even blink.
"Ex-girlfriend."
Naviel continued as though he hadn’t spoken.
"He also ate my boyfriend."
Ignivar sighed.
"Ex-boyfriend."
Naviel’s expression remained perfectly blank.
"At that point," he replied, "I was still seeing them."
Ignivar shrugged.
"You were already planning to break up with both of them. And also, you got the boyfriend immediately after Dracolthar ate the girlfriend."
"So?"
Naviel stared at him.
"That still doesn’t explain why Dracolthar ate them."
Ignivar rubbed his forehead.
"You already know the reason why but pretend not to know," he said.
Naviel folded his arms, ignoring Ignivar’s words.
"I suspect Dracolthar ate them because it was me."
Ignivar looked at him for a long moment.
"...What?"
Naviel nodded once.
"Dracolthar has always been jealous of my relationship with His Majesty."
Ignivar stared.
Then he slowly lowered the parchment he had been reading.
"...Relationship?"
"Yes."
Ignivar blinked.
"The one where you’re friends."
"Exactly."
Ignivar rolled his eyes so hard they almost disappeared into the back of his head.
"I distinctly remember you saying that whenever you tell people you’re friends with Zorathys, I should remind you that it was against your will."
Naviel adjusted his glasses again.
He paused, then his face scrunched up in visible disgust.
"That is true."
Ignivar nodded triumphantly.
"I thought so."
Naviel sighed.
"When is Dracolthar leaving?"
Ignivar looked around the office dramatically.
He even checked beneath one of the parchment stacks.
"What are you doing?" Naviel asked.
"I’m looking."
"For what?"
"For His Majesty."
Naviel frowned.
"...He’s not here."
"I noticed."
Ignivar folded his arms.
"So why are you asking me?"
Naviel looked confused.
"Asking you what?"
"When Dracolthar is leaving."
"I assumed you knew."
"I don’t."
"You work for His Majesty. You are practically glued to him."
"Is that so?" Ignivar asked him. "I’m glued to him, but I’m working here right now when he’s not present?"
Naviel considered that.
"...Fair point."
Ignivar spread his hands.
"So once again..."
He gestured toward himself.
"...do I look like Zorathys?"
Naviel examined him thoughtfully.
"No."
"Exactly."
"You look significantly more tired, especially due to the work you’ve been doing."
"And compared to the King..."
"...who always looks tired?"
"...even when he’s not doing anything?"
"Exactly."
Naviel exhaled.
"Soon this palace is going to turn into a literal zoo. Every pet of His Majesty is eventually going to show up out of jealousy."
Ignivar winced.
"...That’s true."
This had happened before, and there was every probability that it would happen again. And then there would be a fight between the demons or, as Zorathys liked to call them, pets.
He and Naviel locked gazes, and then they shuddered. They had the same thought, it seemed, and the last time the pets had gathered... yeah, there had been a war between the pets, and the King, as usual, had slept through it all until they destroyed his bedroom. That was when he stopped the fight... and he may have killed some pets out of anger and also brought them back to life numerous times because, after all, the King was that powerful.
It was bloody.
Naviel and Ignivar shuddered once more.
Silence returned after that, and only the scratching of quills echoed through the office.
Ignivar signed another document.
Set that one aside for later.
Then he reached for another parchment.
His hand stopped halfway.
He frowned.
Naviel noticed immediately.
"What is it?"
Ignivar looked down at the parchment.
"...We still haven’t gotten a new leader for the Beast Demon Territory."
Naviel glanced at the document before immediately looking away again.
"That sounds like an issue for people like you."
Ignivar slowly lowered the parchment.
"...People like me?"
"You’re a duke."
"So?"
"The selection of a new Duke or Duchess falls under the responsibility of the nobility."
Ignivar narrowed his eyes.
"I suddenly don’t like where this conversation is going."
Naviel smiled faintly.
"It isn’t going anywhere."
"It sounds like you’re trying to escape responsibility."
"I am."
"I feel like you are spending too much time with Zorathys."
Naviel shrugged unashamedly.
"He’s a friend," he said, his voice filled with heavy reluctance.
"I wish you the very best of luck convincing His Majesty to do the work," he said to Ignivar, who stared at him.
Then a slow smile spread across his face.
The kind of smile that usually preceded disaster.
Naviel noticed it immediately.
"...Why are you smiling?"
Ignivar leaned back comfortably.
"Surely..."
His smile widened.
"...you know that you are His Majesty’s assistant."
Naviel narrowed his eyes.
"What exactly are you getting at?"
Ignivar’s grin became almost radiant.
"This involves all of us."
He pointed directly at Naviel.
"You included."
Naviel was silent.
Very silent.
The sort of silence that suggested he was mentally calculating every possible escape route.
Unfortunately for him...
There weren’t any.
He sighed.
"...I dislike where this is heading."
"I know."
"I dislike that you’re smiling."
"I know."
"I dislike that you’re enjoying this."
"I absolutely am."
Naviel removed his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and then placed them back on.
Then he looked at Ignivar with one raised eyebrow.
"...Will the Queen help?"
Ignivar’s grin softened into something considerably more hopeful.
"...We should ask her."
Naviel nodded thoughtfully.
"But we’ll have to wait until she’s done with all her outings so as not to disturb her."
Ignivar nodded in agreement.
"Besides..."
A genuine smile crossed his face.
"...she works better than His Majesty."
Naviel was quiet for a moment.
Then he gave a single, solemn nod.
"...She does."