“Poisons,” Jurao asked.

Braelin nodded, “They – ah, their name is Soth – happened to stop in Yheor’s restaurant in Fouran on their way back to the Kinfolk Realm to visit their mother. They heard me, Yheor, and Huo’a discussing plants and joined in to ask about poisonous ones. Since they’re a poison-eater assassin.”

“They just… told you they were an assassin?” Feyl scoffed in amusement.

Braelin shrugged, “Soth is a bit… funny, like that. They said most people just don’t believe them when they say it.”

“I can’t argue with that,” the valet shrugged as well.

“Huo’a,” Jurao asked, the name having a slight ring of familiarity.

“A petal elf botanist,” Braelin clarified, “Apparently, he’s very well-known in his home realm. Eweylona suggested I write to him when I asked her more about elven plants, and he came to Jost to investigate the frost garden I’d planted for her,” the human smiled, “He wanted to take soil samples and compare ambient magicka levels, that sort of thing.”

“So,” Feyl counted on his fingers, “A gardener, a horticultural chef, a botanist, and an assassin that eats poisons. Quite the diverse group of plant enthusiasts you had back home.”

“Ah, and Baroness Everyn,” Braelin added, “She became a florist shortly after we met.”

I’ve heard that name somewhere, Jurao thought, but couldn’t recall where.

“And a noblewoman florist,” Feyl chuckled, “Sounds like the lot of you left no plant leaf unturned.”

Braelin sighed as he nodded, “I miss talking with them – well, it’s been nice talking with Yheor again, but we were able to learn so much from each other with our crossed disciplines…”

Jurao hummed, looking through his reports – while he couldn’t recall where he had heard of Baroness Everyn, he felt as though he’d seen the elf’s name in a document or – yes, there it was.

“Huo’a Uetsua,” the King read, “Famed elven botanist and twin brother to Queen Heje’a Etsashi’s Economic Advisor, Otsi’i Itatsu. Arrived in the Demon Realm through the Veden Gate after accepting travel restrictions to obfuscate the Gate’s location due to the close political ties Queen Etsashi maintains with the Empire. Accompanied by his husband, accomplished spell knight Isholog Uetsua.”

“Hm?” Braelin asked, getting up from his seat.

Jurao held out the report he’d retrieved, “It appears your friend is currently studying the plants of the Great Western Plains – his country’s connections to the Empire have caused us to monitor him for suspicious activity, though we haven’t found any.”

Braelin blinked several times as he looked over the report himself, then chuckled, “Loge would leak Huo’a’s reports to prove they’re useless.”

“What?” Feyl asked.

“It seems Huo’a’s brother did ask him to spy on the Demon Realm,” Braelin replied, “But his reports are,” he marked the passage he was reading with a finger, “‘full of nothing more than plant-based diatribes and long-winded descriptions of an entirely mundane nature, with no discernible cipher.’”

“That does sound like a friend of yours,” Feyl snorted.

“You could write to him,” Jurao suggested, “I am uncertain if Vajur would approve of inviting a known spy – even an ineffective one – to the castle directly, though… perhaps if he were to agree to turn over his communication device…”

“I’m not sure if he’s aware of what’s happened in Jost,” Braelin replied, setting the report back on his partner’s desk, “But I’ll definitely write. I’d love to hear his findings as well.”

Jurao smiled, “You won’t need to send it by special means, though Vajur may request to look over your correspondence for security reasons.”

“Understandable,” Braelin nodded, returning to the low table and pulling out a fresh piece of paper, “I’ve never met Osti’i, but Loge mentioned he was a close friend of a previous Champion – I can understand being wary of sending him anything sensitive by accident.”

“How intriguing,” Feyl chuckled, “That’s two of your number that have ended up here by coincidence.”

Braelin chuckled, “Well, Yheor is a Beastkin, of course – but Huo’a shared my fascination of demon plants, since they were especially difficult for him to come by as an elf from a kingdom with direct ties to the Empire. Soth was eager to try demonic poisons but worried about running into a demon spy they’d had several run-ins with, so I’m not sure if they’d take the risk. I don’t recall Everyn having a personal interest in demon plants, but she was always very attentive when we spoke about them, so perhaps she did.”

Ah, Jurao finally recalled, That was the one the twins said had a crush on Braelin.

However, without knowing more about the matter, he decided not to bring it up at that moment.

They brought up the letter to Huo’a with Vajur at the evening meal.

“Of course you know that plant-obsessed fool,” the spymaster scoffed, accepting the letter Braelin had written and inspecting the contents, “You know his husband keeps him on an actual leash and harness to keep him from running off and getting himself killed?”

“No, but that doesn’t surprise me,” Braelin chuckled.

“If you weren’t Beloved, Jurao might have to do the same for you,” Festi snorted.

“That’s fair,” the human replied mildly.

Minaz laughed, “Give yourself a little credit – you’d have a plan before approaching random wild plants, at least. Maybe even a good one.”

“Mm, probably,” Braelin conceded easily.

“Didn’t you first ask the garden plants for fruit?” Jouvi asked with a smile, “Would your plan just be talking to them? The former groundskeepers say you talk to the plants a lot.”

“I did that in the Human Realm, too,” the gardener replied, “But human plants couldn’t answer me obviously like demon ones can. Ah, but yes – that would likely be my first option.”

“This is fine,” Vajur said, folding the letter and returning it, “And yeah, sure, if he agrees to give up his communication bracer, he can come here. Suliscu would welcome the break from monitoring him after the past decade, I’m sure… I know I’m tired of trying to find a cipher in his ramblings…”

“Does he… know you know he’s a spy?” Braelin asked, tucking the letter away, “I mean, Loge clearly does, but…”

“Who knows?” Vajur shrugged, “Went out to meet him once myself – he was so excited about something to do with frog eggs and soil acid that he didn’t even notice I was there. For an hour.”

Braelin chuckled, “Yes, that sounds like Huo’a.”

“What do either of those things have to do with plants?” Festi asked.

“It’s all connected, really,” Braelin replied, “Plants and animals adapt to their environment and each other. The red soil here is rich in metals – my Uncle is worried there’s too much for human plants to grow on their own, but demon plants have adapted to it.”

“Yes, which is the cause of your current inability to consume demon food,” Kloy mused.

Braelin sighed, “Indeed. But that’s also part of it – because demon plants are so full of metals, animals and demons themselves also have a high tolerance for it. And it comes back around – I don’t make a study of it the way Huo’a does, but I imagine some component in the frog eggs aided plant growth in some way. The plants might have even adapted in some way to make it more attractive for frogs to lay eggs near them. It can get… complicated, over time.”

“Ah, that explains your request for human soil imported from Vede,” Hujur nodded, making a note, “In addition to the request for soil from the Great Plains…”

“Oh, now I see why your Uncle requested raised plant beds, too,” Jouvi added, “I didn’t see much point when it wouldn’t help the plants reach anyone…”

“It’s also easier on his back,” Braelin chuckled, “Though he won’t admit that.”

“Have you and Yheor set up a department meeting yet?” Hujur asked, “If my schedule allows, I’d like to attend – or at least send another administrative assistant to take notes or offer guidance. Gaele has the skill, but as your assistant, fos should really be directing fos focus on the meeting rather than on recording it.”

“Next Ligamae,” Braelin replied, “After the midday meal.”

“I believe I should be able to attend, then,” Hujur nodded to himself, making a note.

Gavven giggled as e leaned forward, “And this Ligamae, you’ll be attending a debate, yes?”

“What!?” Gnori demanded, face going dark with a blush for some reason.

“Yes?” Braelin replied, also noting the reaction.

Gavven grinned, patting the guard captain on the shoulder, “Gnori is one of the competitors; I might have forgotten to tell him I’d invited you two.”

“Ah, that’s right,” Jurao nodded, “You are a frequent debater, aren’t you, Gnori.”

“… yes,” Gnori replied uncertainly, then cleared his throat to add, “Yes! I am!”

Vajur scoffed, “Your strategy is just being loud!”

Gnori pounded the table with a fist to declare, “People need to be able to hear your argument to judge it!”

“Yeah, but just because you’re loud doesn’t make you right!” Vajur shot back.

“Debates aren’t about being right!” the guard captain replied.

“They aren’t…?” Braelin asked.

Minaz leaned over as the two continued arguing about debate form, explaining, “We have two forms of debates – debates for entertainment and serious debates. Gnori debates in the entertainment style – it’s silly shit with no ‘right’ answer, like is wine or beer better.”

“Obviously, it’s wine,” Vajur paused to huff.

“Just because it’s the more expensive one doesn’t make it better!” Gnori replied.

Vajur scoffed, “You’re right – it’s better because it’s better.”

Minaz rolled her eyes as the two went off on the new tangent, “My wonderful partner takes entertainment debates very seriously, but it’s accurate to say the point of them is to be entertaining more than factual.”

Gnori got to his feet at that, “Just because it’s not a serious topic doesn’t mean I don’t take debating seriously! Being an entertaining debater is hard work!”

“At least we can agree on that,” Vajur rolled his own eyes, crossing all four arms.

Braelin seemed to hesitate before asking, “Are you a fan of debates, Vajur?”

The spymaster flinched in surprise at being addressed – then cleared his throat, “I… suppose you could say that.”

Hujur chuckled from the other side of the table, “At least you admit it now…”

Minaz put a conspiratorial hand over her mouth that did little to conceal her whisper to Braelin, “If you’d asked a decade or so back, he’d say they’re too frivolous for someone of his standing in the same breath as listing all the major competitors in the past few centuries.”

Vajur grumbled to himself, face darkening in embarrassment as he looked askance.

Braelin chuckled, “I see.”

Vajur snorted but didn’t add further comment.

“Does knowing the King and Braelin will be attending the debate make you nervous, Gnori?” Gavven grinned.

“No!” Gnori declared, crossing his arms, “It doesn’t! Not at all! Besides, it’s not the first time his highness has attended!”

“I look forward seeing how you’ve improved in the past thirty years,” Jurao replied – as he hadn’t had time to attend a debate since his return from his Reunification Campaign.

“Er,” Gnori’s face darkened, “Yes… thank you, my lord….”

Gavven giggled, turning eir face away from the guard captain.

“Do you enjoy debates,” Braelin paused, then asked, “Since we’re courting, is it appropriate for me to use your name?”

Jurao hummed, then looked to Hujur.

“As long as it isn’t a strictly formal event, yes,” the Steward replied with a wry smile.

Jurao nodded and looked back, “To answer your other question, yes, I quite enjoy debates – though I usually wear ear plugs to partially dampen the sound. The debates and crowd can be overwhelming.”

Braelin nodded, “Well, I look forward to attending.”