Chapter 109: Disguises: Zorathys Apparently Had Gone Undercover Once, Disguised As Himself
Chapter 109: Disguises: Zorathys Apparently Had Gone Undercover Once, Disguised As Himself
Elyn’s POV
Zorathys stared at me like I had personally offended time itself...nit that it was possible but the look he gave me the right now was one that screamed ’are you okay? Are you trying to kill me?’
And yes I had answers to those questions. I am not okay, at least from what I’ve seen here...and the fact that I was taking it all in like it was normal, that proved that I wasn’t okay, not even a little bit.
And the answer to the second question...no, I wasn’t trying to kill Zorathys but given the fact that anything closely related to work means that someone is trying to kill him, I wasn’t surprised that he had the thought.
"Why," he asked slowly, eyes half-lidded and voice laced with the weight of a man, sorry, a demon deeply inconvenienced, "do we have to do this now?"
I didn’t even hesitate. "Because the earlier we do it, the better."
It was better to work fast and effectively than to work slow and haphazardly especially when it came to situations like this. If we didn’t nip it in the bud and fast at that, another one will spring up and then another and then another.
It will never stop, putting other children in danger when they were not supposed to be in danger.I could not let that happen and I wouldn’t let it happen.
Zorathys sighed like I had just shaved ten years off his lifespan.
Before he could argue further, Naviel nodded, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose in that precise, deliberate way of his that I was sure was part of the charms that Vaelory had fallen for. Not that I can blame her.
"Her highness is right," Naviel said. "It is better you go now especially given the time."
Zorathys just glanced at him his ruby eyes glaring at Naviel.
Naviel noticed and gave a little space between him and Zorathys but it wasn’t as much as the distance Morthen had put between him and Zorathys.
"Is anything the matter?" I asked Naviel.
He frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You said that I am right and that it’s better Zorathys and I go now especially given the time. I’m just trying to understand if something is the matter." I told him.
"Oh, it’s nothing to be at alert for. There’s a festival currently underway in the Beast Territory," Naviel continued. "It’s a small festival and is just mainly for the beast demons. It’s called the Ravelroot festival."
He added the name of the festival as if he knew I would have had questions about the name.
I tilted my head. "Ravelroot?"
Naviel nodded. "It marks the end of the molting season for several beast bloodlines. It’s mostly a trade festival—clothing, adornments, alterations, enchantments. Most demons will be focused on buying, selling, or modifying garments to suit their forms."
"That territory will be busy," Ignivar added. "Crowded, loud and chaotic."
Naviel continued smoothly, "No one will notice two additional demons moving through the area. Especially not if they appear to be doing exactly what everyone else is doing."
Zorathys hummed. "Spying."
"Blending," Naviel corrected.
Zorathys waved a hand. "Same thing."
He straightened slightly. "Regardless, no one would have noticed us either way. We’ll be using disguises."
Naviel nodded automatically—then froze.
Slowly, he turned his head toward Zorathys.
"...Your Majesty," he said carefully, "when you say ’disguise’... you don’t mean like the last time, do you?"
Zorathys smiled.
It was not a reassuring smile.
It was the kind of smile that suggested poor life choices and even poorer planning.
"Of course not," he said lightly. "But that was a perfectly adequate disguise."
Naviel stared at him. "You went as yourself."
"And yet," Zorathys replied, tilting his head smugly, "no one suspected a thing."
Naviel’s eye twitched. "Everyone suspected it was you."
Zorathys paused, actually considered that for a moment, then shrugged. "It made the work easier."
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
I wasn’t even remotely interested in knowing what situation had required the Demon King to use no disguise whatsoever and still call it espionage. I already knew, instinctively, that he had put in exactly zero effort.
I looked up at him sharply. "Don’t even think about trying that with me."
He blinked. "Trying what?"
"Whatever that was," I said flatly. "If we’re going in disguise, it needs to actually blend in. I am not spying while standing next to the most recognizable demon in the realm wearing... whatever you usually wear."
Zorathys sighed dramatically. "You wound me."
"I’m serious."
"I know," he said. "That’s the problem."
He straightened, rolling his shoulders once like a man bracing himself for unbearable labor. "Very well. Since you seem to enjoy working so much," he said pointedly, "I will make the effort."
I raised a brow. "You hate effort."
"I despise it," he agreed. "But for you, I will tolerate it."
I can’t even explain why my traitorous heart skipped a beat at his words but it did.
I schooled my expression though before I gave what I was feeling away and instead turned to Ignivar and Naviel. "You two can go home."
Both of them blinked in shock.
Ignivar hesitated. "Are you... sure?"
Naviel glanced at Zorathys, clearly measuring his odds of survival.
Zorathys noticed.
He stared at them with half-lidded eyes and let out a long, lazy yawn. "Why are you looking at me?" he asked. "She told you to leave."
Ignivar straightened immediately. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Naviel bowed. "We’ll await further instructions."
They both bowed to me next—and before I could even blink, they were out the door.
Gone.
Vanished.
Efficient little escape artists.
The office felt strangely larger without them.
Zorathys watched the door for a moment, then turned back to me, yawning again.
"Anyone who saw that," he said thoughtfully, "might think I have poor work ethics and overwork my subordinates."
I gave him a deadpan look. "You do."