Chương 6: Chapter 105: Gossip

These… these idiot demons! After giving the troublesome quartermaster and officer a thorough dressing-down—consisting of titanic levels of pouting, puffed cheeks and a few thrown sofa cushions—Amelia sheepishly thanked the sniggering demons and promised them that she would eventually show them the best carving the Empire had ever seen. Her mock annoyance didn't hold for long. By the time she'd left Tomes' office to find her next giftee, she found herself giggling at the humorous present.

Amelia roamed the ship for her next target. She still couldn't go anywhere she liked, Serena had been very firm on that, but she had enough freedom to travel to the common areas, where she found another pair of horns from her list at work.

"For me? Truly?" the demon said, eyeing the neatly-wrapped present with suspicion, as if he couldn't believe anyone would want to give him a gift.

"Mmm!" Amelia nodded encouragingly.

"You've taught me so much, and you're always working so hard providing delicious meals for everyone! I thought you could do even more with this, so go on"—she wiggled the present— "what do you think it is?"

"Um," the head chef mumbled, taking the present from Amelia and squeezing it through the packaging. The demon glanced around at his subordinates, who had formed an eager audience.

"Knives?" he guessed.

"You're not supposed to guess it the first time!" Amelia complained. Well, she couldn't blame the man. There were more than a few leather-wrapped chefs' knife sets around the kitchen, and the head chef likely knew the sensation of them by heart. In fact, Amelia reckoned if the demon was ever blinded, his cooking probably wouldn't slow down one second.

"Quick, open it!" she encouraged, trying not to hop on her feet while the head chef slowly obliged, unwrapping the present and laying it out for everyone to see.

"Whoa…" someone muttered. The head chef voiced his appreciation as he lifted one of the knives and examined it. The blade's dark metal had wavy patterning throughout—a consequence of the manufacturing process—and possessed a weight that made it feel as expensive as it looked.

"They're Asamaywa steel, with ironwood handles!" Amelia said cheerfully.

"A twenty-four-piece set! There are knives in there that I didn't know existed, like this one"—Amelia pointed to a strangely curved and thin knife—"is for cutting around the spine in longtail fish! Anyway, I thought it would make a good Christmas gift for the kitchen as a whole! Make sure you use them, okay?"

"Oh, we'll use them alright, Miss Liona," the head chef said seriously, casting his eyes over his subordinates, prompting each one to nod in agreement.

"Have you eaten this morning?" he asked her. Seeing her shake her head, he ordered the kitchen staff, "Get Miss Liona some of the hog. The good stuff we're keeping for the captain." After a brief surge of activity, Amelia now owned a plate of steaming meat that threatened to make her salivate. Before she could give her thanks, the head chef shooed her, saying, "Scamper! You're in the way, Liona!"

"Yes, Head Chef!" she squeaked, darting out of the kitchens and into the quiet mess hall. She was just considering where to look for another recipient when a familiar pair of neat, straight horns and fiery-red hair appeared. The demon in question yawned politely as she sat down on the long officers' table, nursing a cup of military-grade coffee.

"Hello!" Amelia chirped, bouncing over and sitting opposite the Northerner.

"That looks good," Finella responded with a tired expression, gesturing towards the steaming meat Amelia carried.

"Can I have some?"

"We can share!" Amelia affirmed, sitting down and passing Finella a fork. They ate for a minute and Amelia watched as Finella's complexion slowly restored. There weren't enough trained personnel aboard the ship who could operate the aetherscopes with sufficient competence, so Finella had been working long hours while they searched the Southern Passage for any sign of the Indefatigable's and the Myrmidon's crew. Feeling a surge of empathy, Amelia asked the demon if she wanted a burst of healing.

"Are you sure?" Finella asked, her forehead furrowing as she looked around the messhall.

"Captain wouldn't like to hear about you using that magic in case you're seen by the wrong person. And isn't the ship still feeling sensitive? I'd rather not be strung up if the Vengeance reacts badly and sails into an island. You know what the Captain's like"—Finella shuddered, looking uncomfortable as she rubbed her arms—"don't you?"

"Yes," Amelia replied, "which is why I know Serena wouldn't hang anyone for accepting my healing! Besides, if she tried to, I'll use my secret technique to convince her otherwise!"

"Secret technique?" Amelia puffed her cheeks out and made her eyes wide and pleading.

"Huh," Finella intoned, picking a bit of pork from her teeth.

"Might work." The Northerner looked Amelia over for a moment.

"It's interesting how much… warmer the Captain seems. By warmth, I don't mean"—Finella looked around to ensure no one was eavesdropping—"the hellfire type of warmth that'll burn you to ash, I mean a more… demon warmth. Hmm, I suppose for you that would be a human warmth, right?"

"Right!" Amelia echoed, grinning.

"So you think she's more friendly?"

"I guess, but it's more accurate to say she's"—Finella waved a hand with a thoughtful expression—"less angry. I'm sure you know she lost her elder brother to the war. People who lose family to conflict carry with them a mentality that is difficult to change. Yet, somehow you seem to have done it, haven't you?" Finella looked Amelia over with a careful eye before asking in a quiet voice, "You're sleeping with her, aren't you?"

"Pfft!" Amelia breathed out before uncontrollable giggling took over her. Her cheeks flushed and she tried to control herself but felt her mouth break open into a wide and stupid grin.

"Well," Finella began, picking her teeth in a Dagon-like fashion, "I thought so."

"You can't just ask questions like that out of the blue!" Amelia chastised the Northerner while hurriedly constructing a sound-blocking ward around them. It likely wasn't needed, as they were alone in the mess hall and the kitchen window was closed, but Amelia wanted to be careful.

"Just verifying," Finella mused.

"Besides, I already asked the Captain when we first met, remember?"

"You did?"

"While you were busy making coffee. She told me to shut up, so I wasn't completely sure. But now I know, don't I?" Finella flashed her a grin.

"The captain and a human. Who would have thought? I bet that'll cause a scandal or two when it comes out. Well, it's not unexpected, considering the captain's past." Amelia tilted her head.

"Her past?"

"Mmm." Finella nodded.

"There were rumours when she was at the academy. Apparently, there was something between her and my sister." Finella suddenly frowned, a worried look on her face.

"I, uh, shouldn't have shared that. You won't tell anyone, will you? I'm so damn tired, I'm gossiping without realising…"

"Here!" Amelia chirped, carefully spooling up a little bit of Aseco's divine healing after checking there was no-one else in the mess hall. With a quick burst of willpower, Finella was soon bathing in a subtle golden light with flecks of royal blue. The magic danced across and throughout her body before fading away, leaving behind a refreshed-looking demon.

"I fear I might become addicted to that," Finella said.

"I don't know what I prefer: your healing or Jimari coffee. Do you ever need to sleep? Could you just… go on forever without eating or drinking?"

"I think so, but it feels unnatural not to sleep." Amelia grinned, reaching forward and tapping the now empty plate.

"Not to mention, there's a whole world of delicious food and drink I want to experience, and I don't plan on denying myself all that pleasure, right?"

"Right…" Finella slowly replied, looking around.

"And your magic just now, the ship's okay with that?" Amelia nodded, explaining that after thoroughly testing, they discovered it was more the magnitude of aether that mattered. Hinako, Dachi, and the rest of the ship's mages faced no such restrictions. The ship's unusual reaction was due to its unique connection with Amelia and her healing, after all.

"Figures," Finella said.

"A human on a demon ship. Makes sense that there would be some friction. Ah, well, I'm sure the ship'll come around eventually." Amelia voiced her agreement. It was strange how easily Finella and the rest of the crew had just accepted the supernatural disturbance. She was sure most people wouldn't be so casual when their ship screamed in battle.

Then again, when there was a bodiless guardian onboard and ethereal music that could be heard from the fourth deck, a bit of screaming wasn't necessarily something out of the ordinary.

"Enough about the ship," Amelia began, "tell me about these rumours. Your sister and Serena. Tell me…" Amelia narrowed her eyes. She tried her best to sound threatening, but she couldn't hide the cheeky grin she knew she was sporting.

"Tell me everything."

"You're not going to run to the captain and tell her I told you, are you?"

"No!" Amelia quickly exclaimed.

"I'm going to go and visit Mel and the others because I have presents to give them, then I'm going to run to Serena and tell her everything! But!" Amelia raised a finger to cut off the panicked-looking Northerner.

"I'll tell her I made you tell me, as payment for my healing. So now you have to tell me, right?" Finella looked at Amelia for a few seconds before sighing.

"If she throws me overboard, I'm going to haunt you for the rest of your life," Finella said, squeezing her fists.

"Mmm!" Amelia nodded happily.

"Sure!" The demon rolled her eyes and leaned forward. In a low voice, she began, "The rumours only ever simmered due to how prestigious House Halen was becoming at the time, but it was obvious to anyone paying attention. I don't mean to make you jealous"—Finella waved a hand quickly—"as far as I know, it was a fleeting thing. But I was curious, you know? My sister had only hinted at it. I think she felt ashamed. I asked the captain about it a while back. She, uh, got a little defensive, so I pushed.

Some unkind words were said regarding my sister and I may or may not have…" Finella swallowed with a nervous smile.

"May or may not have..." The demon brought a closed fist into an empty palm. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"You punched Serena!?" Amelia asked with wide eyes.

"I suppose I did," Finella said with a sigh.

"But she punched me back. Quite a bit." The demon's eyes narrowed as a complicated expression formed on her face.

"An awful lot, actually. I broke into orange the first time just surviving. That breakthrough earned me—according to her—a reprieve. I was sent to the aetherscope installation instead of being hanged for striking a superior officer." Finella shrugged.

"Ah…" Amelia mumbled. Ah! she thought, her mind racing. Serena! What a scandalous demon you are!

"Who else knows?" Finella asked.

"About you two?"

"Only Aiden, and Anathor, I suppose," Amelia said.

"Do you think anyone else on the ship might figure it out?" It wasn't that Amelia minded anyone else knowing; she was merely concerned that if it spread too much during their trip through the passage, it might distract the crew from doing their duties. She was sure it would stay hidden as long as she wanted. After all, Amelia was excellent at covering her tracks!

"Probably," Finella replied.

"After all, you're terrible at covering your tracks."

"W-what do you mean!?"

"I mean the pieces are easy to put together, if you're paying attention," Finella explained.

"The captain putting you in her quarters to keep you away from the general crew might make sense at first, but to still be keeping to that arrangement after you've settled in? And everyone knows you like cooking and bringing her meals." Finella took a moment to cast her eyes over the room again before returning to Amelia and continuing in a quiet voice, "You're a Speaker and a Lord-Prospect. For someone of your position in society to do something like that…"

Finella gave Amelia a sympathetic look and continued, "That and in addition to how you look at her sometimes…"

"What do you mean, 'How you look at her sometimes?'""Your pupils dilate. It's quite funny actually."

"W-well!" Amelia said, folding her hands and pouting.

"You're exactly the same when it comes to Jimari coffee!"

"No, I'm not," Finella said, shaking her head.

"I'm a respected Sensors Officer of the Imperial Navy. I have enough self—" Finella stopped speaking as Amelia produced the demon's present. Despite being well wrapped, the tantalising fragrance poured out of the package, causing Finella's nostrils to flare and her eyes to dilate.

"Case in point!" Amelia declared triumphantly.

"Here you go, your present!" She passed the gift to Finella, who took it and cradled it as if it were a newborn baby.

"Are you serious? Is this… for me?" Finella asked in a small voice, as if she were a peeka that had been given a plate of sardis. As Amelia nodded, Finella's aether surged and Amelia sensed the familiar movement of the warrior's convection inside the demon. A moment later, red, then orange aura blossomed from the Northerner. Watching Finella take a deep, satisfying breath, Amelia asked, "Are you really using aura so you can smell it better? That's weird, Finella."

"You're weird," Finella countered, breathing in again.

"Ah…" the demon mumbled, "I think this wins out over your healing. Sorry, Amelia. And, uh, I haven't got you a present myself. I don't really do Christmas." The demon gave her an apologetic look.

"Don't worry about it! Just share a cup or two with me and Serena. Speaking of…" Amelia placed a finger on the table, nervously tapping it.

"You're okay with it?"

"With what?"

"You know… me and her… two women?"

"Oh!" Finella's eyes widened, as if she'd only just remembered the groundbreaking revelation that had just taken place.

"I think… well…" Finella cast her eyes over Amelia for a second.

"It's a little strange, isn't it? How… I mean, what are you going to do"—Finella swallowed—"regarding children?"" That's your concern?" Amelia questioned, laughing softly.

"Is everyone in this world obsessed with making children?"

"No, I mean, it's just the obvious question, isn't it? Don't either of you want children? I want children. Who doesn't want children?"

"I know, right?" Amelia sighed with exaggerated exasperation.

"I don't know what's going wrong. We keep trying, but neither of us has gotten pregnant yet!" Finella choked on air for a brief moment.

"Seven hells," the demon muttered, her cheeks blushing.

"Don't go around saying things like that! You'll make me think of strange things!"

"Sorry," Amelia said with a smug grin that implied she wasn't at all sorry.

"Is it… is it serious?" Finella asked quietly.

"Between you? Because you know you won't be able to get married, right? At least not under the Demon Church. I can't think of any religion that permits it. Maybe in the West?"

"Ah, don't worry about that," Amelia said happily.

"I have a plan for that."

"A plan?"

"Well, the Empress is the head of the Demon Church, isn't she?"

"So?"

"So when I have my Ceremony of Vows in Centralis, or when I attend the Golden Ball, to which I'm apparently expected to receive an invite… you know…" Amelia shrugged casually.

"I'll ask her to make an exception." At her words, Amelia was again treated to the bizarre sight of a demon choking on air.

"Are you… are you serious!?" Finella spluttered.

"You can't ask the Empress something like that!"

"Why not?"

"Because, because…" Finella waved a hand at Amelia.

"It's crazy. It's crazy, isn't it? I'm not crazy thinking it's crazy? You're the crazy one!" The demon continued for a while before finishing, "Why would the Empress make such an exception? Even if you're a Second-Word Speaker, you're only a Lord-Prospect! Even if you become a full Lord, it wouldn't be enough, would it?"

"Well," Amelia replied with a grin, "I'll just have to become a highlord or greatlord then. Who knows, you might be speaking to a future overlord!" To emphasise her point, she flexed her bicep. Strangely, there wasn't any reaction from the Northerner. Finella had become quiet with a complicated expression in her eyes. As they looked at each other, Amelia felt herself frown at the sudden change of atmosphere.

Then her eyes widened as she realised what the Northerner had actually said, and what Amelia had given away from her lack of response.

"Ah, shit," Amelia muttered, letting her arm drop.

"That was mean."

"Sorry," Finella replied with a small smile.

"Ever since my team detected the Asclepius embodiment, I've always wondered. As unlikely as it was, you were the best fit." Finella breathed out slowly before continuing, "I won't share it, but if I can put the pieces together, I'm sure many others can. Tomes and Dagon, for example, especially Dagon. They might pretend to be idiots, but they're some of the sharpest horns you'll ever meet. I'd bet this coffee here that they know about you and the captain as well."

"I don't know what to say…" Amelia trailed off awkwardly.

"Are you truly only twenty-five?" Finella asked.

"That's two things," Amelia protested, rolling her eyes.

"Two things everyone is obsessed over! Having children and how old I am! Can't the Empire find something else to gossip about? Isn't there a bunch of wars and an angry arcwhale to pay attention to!?" After venting for a minute, Amelia eventually relented and finished with, "I'm truly only twenty-five. Pinky promise."

"... What's a pinky promise?" After Amelia had ensured the sacred ritual of the pinky promise would spread to the North, Finella said, "It's almost unbelievable. Actually, it is unbelievable. Yet, I must believe it because you're right here in front of me! Twenty-five! An embodiment at twenty-five! You know only two people in history have done that, right? The Empress herself and Tamerlane. What next? Am I going to find out you were behind the Suijin embodiment as well!?"

"... Hehe…" Amelia giggled. Finella looked at Amelia.

"Fucking hells," the Northerner muttered.

"I mean, fucking hells, Amelia!"

"You mean Miss Liona, mmm?" Amelia gestured to her Kanaxai -manifested Cerulean horns." Fucking hells, Miss Liona!"

"Sorry…"

"I… I…" Finella swallowed, seemingly taking some time to choose her words.

"I wasn't trying to trick you then. Really, I wasn't. Oh wow…" Finella mumbled to herself about how suddenly lots of things lined up and made sense.

"I heard you were in the centre of the fire, working your healing. So that means Greatlord Oshiro and even the Eastern Overlord… they covered it up…"

"You can't tell anyone," Amelia said.

"I'll get in loads of trouble! I mean, I always get in trouble anyway, but it's much easier to solve when I cause the trouble because I can sort of…" Amelia motioned a slow punch, "... force my way through."

"But… how?" Finella asked in a low voice, scanning the mess hall again to make sure they were alone.

"You're a human. It doesn't…" Finella's eyes suddenly went wide as she asked, "Does Miss Mori know? She was with you in the fire, wasn't she? Wait!" Finella suddenly raised both palms, forming a stop gesture.

"Don't say anything. I actually don't want to know any more. It's too much to handle. I fear if I know too much, Intelligence will cart me off into some dark underground cell."

"They can try," Amelia said with a grin.

"I'll stop them!"

"Uh…" Finella groaned. She leaned forward and grabbed both her horns.

"Ha," Amelia intoned with a chuckle.

"Serena does that all the time! You know…" Amelia motioned the horn-clutching, careful not to let her hands pass through her illusory horns and ruin the disguise.

"No wonder."

"Hey!" Finella chuckled.

"I had a feeling coming back here would lead to something ridiculous. Ah, Freya, give me strength…"

"Freya?" Amelia tilted her head.

"The Northern Overlord?" The demon nodded.

"Freya Synnøve. The pinnacle of Northern power. We Northerners take pride in being led by the most powerful woman in all of the Known World, not including the Empress above, of course. Oh, and assuming the Western Overlord isn't a woman. I've always heard he's a man. Anyway"—Finella shook her head as if exorcising a thought—"now, with, with… with you, I don't even know if that's true anymore. I mean… to handle Suijin. I thought only the Empress could…" Finella trailed off, her eyes widening as she looked at Amelia.

"Nah," Amelia said, waving a hand.

"I'm not her. You're not the first to think that, though."

"Thank the Hells for that," Finella mused.

"I wasn't expecting this when I came in here for a coffee." The demon chuckled, hugging the Jimari coffee closer as if it provided her as much strength as the muttered prayer to her overlord. Well, knowing Finella, it probably did.

"Sorry for the shocks," Amelia said quietly.

"It's fine. I'm over it. Now I've heard what I've heard, nothing can surprise me now." Oh? Was that a challenge? The temptation was too great!

"Finella…" Amelia said slowly.

"Want to make a bet?" The Northerner's emerald eyes narrowed.

"A bet?"

"Mmm! If I can, as you say, surprise you by saying something, you have to provide Serena and me a cup of Jimari. Every day, till we reach Ishaq." Finella's mouth opened momentarily before closing.

"That would be more than half of this!" she explained, tapping her recently acquired stock.

"What do I get if I don't become, as you say, surprised?"

"I'll double what I just gave you."

"Double?"

"Triple."

"Deal," Finella said with finality, nodding to herself.

"There's no way. I'm ready." She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms and caressing the coffee.

"Do your worst."

"Are you sure?" Amelia inquired, feeling her lips curl.

"With this much Jimari at stake? There's nothing you can say that'll surprise me now. Absolutely nothing."

"Well then…" Amelia grinned, leaning forward.

"Now, this is absolutely, one hundred percent true. I swear on my name, my honour and everything else an adorable woman like myself can swear on. Now, listen carefully…" After pausing for a dramatic second, Amelia said what needed to be said. And, after being treated to the sight of Finella choking on air for the third time in one conversation…

"Thanks for the coffee!" Amelia chirped, unable to stop herself from laughing. This Christmas was turning out to be the best one yet!