Chapter 52: The Assistant I Didn’t Apply To Be
Chapter 52: The Assistant I Didn’t Apply To Be
I woke up to knocking.
Again.
My soul tried to leave my body through sheer irritation, but unfortunately, I was still alive, and the knocking didn’t stop. It just kept politely assaulting the door—three taps, a pause, three taps again—like whoever was out there wanted me awake but also didn’t want to die for it.
I groaned and rolled onto my stomach, muffling my face into the pillow.
"Maybe if I stay very still," I muttered, "they’ll think I’m dead."
"Nope!" Rin chirped, way too close to my head.
I flinched so hard I almost threw myself off the bed.
She stood beside me, bright-eyed—at least as bright as those dark orbs could be.
"Good morning, my lady."
I groaned and turned to the window. Unsurprisingly, it was still dark outside. It was the early hours of the morning, after all.
"Someone’s at the door. Should I open it? I think it’s Vaelory," Rin told me.
"Yes, you can," I said, waving at her.
Rin nodded and moved to the door. She opened it, and Vaelory stepped into the room.
"Your Highness," Vaelory said to me, "good morning."
"There’s nothing good about the morning, especially with your knocks," I grumbled.
She ignored me—which wasn’t surprising. "Your Highness, how is it that she always gets into your room before me?" Vaelory asked.
"Grow wings and become a bird and you’ll know," Rin told her.
Vaelory frowned. I had no idea if she understood what Rin meant.
"Your Highness, you shouldn’t still be in bed," she said, changing the topic. "It is unbecoming of a princess of Aelthryndivoryssalindria."
"Right now, I’m the demon king’s fiancée," I told her with an eyeroll and a yawn, which made her frown.
I stepped out of bed, and Vaelory helped me bathe while Rin selected the clothes.
Vaelory didn’t try to stop Rin this time. It seemed she had finally gotten the memo that I wasn’t going to be wearing anything with corsets or any puffy, uncomfortable dresses.
When I was done bathing, Rin held up a soft, elegant gown. It was a creamy color and fit what I liked. It screamed comfort and sexy at the same time.
"Or would you like to wear pants instead?" she asked me.
"No," I shook my head. "The gown is okay."
Rin grinned triumphantly.
Vaelory sighed in defeat but didn’t say anything.
I ignored her and stood so Rin could help me into the gown. It slid over my skin like a whisper—light, cool, comfortable.
Vaelory frowned throughout, while Rin beamed throughout.
When she finished, we moved to the vanity. This time, Vaelory did my hair while Rin picked the jewelry.
If there was one thing I knew Vaelory would do well, it was my hair. She placed it in an elegant bun with some strands falling down. The sides were woven, and it looked pretty.
Just as I finished putting on my jewelry and minimal makeup, a knock sounded at the door.
"That’ll be Morthen," Rin said excitedly, and I sighed. It seemed I would be receiving another lecture today.
Rin moved to the door and opened it, and truly, Morthen was standing there.
He was dressed in a perfectly pressed charcoal suit, his moth face composed and politely unreadable. His delicate spectacles perched on the bridge of his inhuman face, gleaming faintly. His antennae curled in a mild greeting.
"Good morning, my lady," he said, bowing with impeccable grace.
Vaelory squeaked behind me but, miraculously, did not faint this time.
Progress.
"Vaelory," I said, "this is Morthen. He’s my assistant."
Vaelory released a sound—then suddenly it was like the fear evaporated from her.
She blinked rapidly. "Um, Your Highness, what do you need an assistant for?" she asked me.
But I didn’t even get to answer. Rin answered for me.
"That’s because she has work to do, unlike you," Rin told her.
Vaelory gasped, hand over her heart. "I work! You forget I’m Her Highness’s personal maid."
"Well, I’m her personal maid too, and I’ve done much more work than you have since you arrived here," Rin told her.
"That’s because I am not used to the things in this realm. I’m trying to adjust," she told Rin.
"You are too slow," Rin told her.
I sighed. "Rin," I called, stopping their argument. "Can you get me my snack box?"
"Yes, my lady." She went back into the room to get the snack box.
She handed it to me and I shook it, taking one piece.
I frowned though. I wondered if it was just me, or if the snack box felt lighter. But I shrugged, choosing not to dwell on it.
Morthen, Rin, Vaelory, and I started walking toward the office.
I thought Vaelory and Rin’s conversation would have ended, but instead, it continued.
"What work could a queen possibly be doing?" Vaelory asked Rin.
Rin paused and then tilted her head in that birdlike way that made Vaelory squeak in fear.
"I can’t say for sure."
I didn’t pay them any mind because I was sure that if there was work, it wouldn’t be something hard. And besides, we were just going to continue the lecture Morthen started yesterday. I was sure of it.
When we got to the office, I sat down in my designated seat—the same one I used yesterday.
"All right," I said. "Are you going to continue yesterday’s lecture today? I think my brain is ready."
Morthen moved toward the cabinet near the wall.
"No, my lady," he said. "There will be no lecture today."
"Oh?" I blinked. "Why not?"
"Because we have reached the point," he said, opening the cabinet, "where theory must give way to practice."
Then he pulled out a stack of papers so tall it could have been used as a weapon. I’m not kidding.
He set it on my desk with a heavy thud that rattled the inkpot.
"We have things to do, so there will be no more lectures," he told me.
I stared at the huge stack of papers in front of me, and it stared right back.
"...Morthen?" I said slowly. "What is this?"
"Work," he said, in the same tone one might use to say doom.
"You’ll need to review these documents, classify them, sign the ones requiring royal approval, and prepare summaries for His Majesty."
I stared harder.
"Morthen," I said again, "are you sure this isn’t some kind of joke?"
"I do not joke, my lady."
"I know," I said miserably. "That’s why I’m asking."
He folded his hands neatly. "Traditionally, the queen serves as the demon king’s assistant. These are the standard duties."
I inhaled sharply.
Then I dragged a hand down my face.
I had escaped office life. I had escaped paperwork. I had escaped being the underpaid, overworked assistant to someone who thought printer queues were optional.
And now?
Now I was signing up for round two.
"Fate," I whispered, "is a spiteful grandma."
Morthen tilted his head in polite confusion. "Pardon?"
"Nothing," I said. "Just my mortality crumbling."
He nodded sympathetically. "A common reaction."
I pointed at the monolithic stack of paper. "And where is Zorathys during all of this? If I’m his assistant, shouldn’t he be here?"
Morthen’s antennae twitched.
His wings—barely visible behind him—stilled.
He swallowed.
"Ah," he said carefully. "About that..."