Jurao nodded and straightened up – calling out, “We do have a topic.”

The crowd quieted once again, many now risking glances.

“The topic is,” Jurao said, projecting his voice from long battlefield practice, “Which Department Head is the best.”

It felt as though the entire room paused.

Then the crowd burst into chatter – and some spurts of laughter. Hujur and Vajur both leaned forward in their seats to stare at Braelin – the former amused and the latter unimpressed. Ayelma was bent over, containing her own laughter, while Gaele and Messo stared in open shock. Ieresti was snickering, keeping their fan in front of their face to hide it.

For the competitors, Gnori – despite having told everyone else to look away – was looking at them with concern. Kaenaz was grinning in a way very similar to his older brother, while Noga had arched her right brows at them. Demarri’s posture hadn’t changed – but she was smiling just a little.

Mavas let the chatter continue for a bit before calling out, “Alright, we have our topic! Which of our Department Heads is the best!”

“Why?” Vajur asked as the master of ceremonies worked to quiet the crowd once more.

Braelin shrugged, “It seemed like it would be entertaining with so many of us here.”

“You’re as bad as always!” Ayelma declared, standing enough to swat her brother’s shoulder from behind Jurao’s back.

“As always?” Ieresti asked with a grin.

“Don’t let his quiet demeanor fool you!” Ayelma nodded, settling back, “Braelin loves stirring the pot when it isn’t anything important! He did it to me and Malson all the time!”

Braelin smiled while looking out over the crowd, “Then you shouldn’t have argued so much.”

“See?” Ayelma said, holding out a hand to her brother, “He’s not even sorry!”

Despite the accusation, the elf-human young woman had no trace of anger about the subject. In fact, a brilliant grin split her face, showcasing her amusement.

Ieresti chuckled, “Oh, you didn’t even need us here to explain if you already have that much knowledge of argument manipulation.”

“I still appreciate your commentary,” Braelin replied, “And company, thus far.”

“Alright, competitors!” Mavas called, “Announce your choices!”

“The best Department Head is Gavven!” Gnori declared, to no one’s surprise.

Kaenaz hummed loudly – then looked sidelong with lowered eyelids as he said, “I think Captain Gnori is the best Department Head.”

There was laughter as Gnori’s face went dark with blush – looking away from the younger man next to him.

Noga rolled her eyes with pursed lips, then said, “Vajur.”

“She’s only picking me because she’s still annoyed with Min,” Vajur muttered, “Never cared for me otherwise…”

Hujur leaned into his partner’s side, rubbing his knee comfortingly.

Demarri sighed, getting to her feet with great effort to lean on her podium and say, “It’s easiest just to pick the one I work for. So, Lord Braelin, I guess.”

“Your staunch defender,” Ayelma snickered.

“That’s about what I expected from Demarri,” Braelin chuckled.

Gaele groaned a little, “She could at least be a little more certain…”

“That goes against her whole strategy, though,” Ieresti said, “People enjoy her lack of enthusiasm.”

“True,” Gaele chuckled, “It’s also just the way she is, though…”

“… that’s not an act?” Messo asked, genuinely surprised.

“No wonder she’s so good at it,” Ieresti snorted.

“The competitors have made their choices!” Mavas declared, “Now, each will defend them! Begin!”

Gnori slammed a fist onto his podium, “Gavven knows more about everyone than anyone! Being a Department Head is about meeting everyone’s needs, and to do that, you need to know them!”

Kaenaz affected a shiver, leaning closer to Gnori, “Defending your friend like that is so attractive, Captain – that’s why you’re clearly the best. Handsome and full of integrity.”

“He always does this,” Ieresti snorted, “Flirts with the competition. Especially Gnori.”

“It does seem effective at ruffling him,” Braelin replied.

Messo chuckled, “Poor man. Even I’m not sure how much of it Kaenaz means.”

“Vajur is the only Department Head able to identify threats to the court,” Noga grimaced, “His dedication to demonity makes him the best – though the margin is small.”

“She seems like a peach,” Ayelma said dryly.

“A peach,” Jurao questioned.

“Sweet, like the fruit,” Braelin supplied.

“Ah,” the King nodded, “But you meant it sarcastically.”

Ayelma laughed, “Yes, I did!”

“Let’s see,” Demarri mused, “Lord Braelin is courting the King, that’s pretty big… and he lets me sit in the Gardening Office and do nothing, so that’s pretty good, too…”

Noga scoffed loudly.

“While I do still think Gnori is the best Department Head,” Kaenaz added, winking his left eyes at the Captain, “I will admit Lord Braelin is also rather attractive – even being a human. His facial hair is intriguing.”

“Sure, we can go with that,” Demarri shrugged – earning some laughter from the crowd.

“Is that true?” Braelin asked.

“Well,” Ieresti hummed, “You do have a body build considered attractive by classical demon standards.”

“And your… your bond with the garden plants,” Messo added, “It makes you very powerful, which is always attractive.”

Petal stretched long enough to pat Messo’s face approvingly.

Gnori pounded his podium again – and then it seemed to pain him to add, “Lord Braelin did point out a great shortfall in our terrible treatment of the Castle Gardens! By my standards of taking care of those in the castle, Lord Braelin also rates highly – but not as much as Gavven!”

“Maybe you’d rate higher if you shaved,” Ayelma laughed, “When was the last time you did?”

Braelin shifted his weight in his seat, “I haven’t shaved my face completely in… over fifteen years, most likely.”

Jurao’s tail swished as he considered what his partner would look like without his beard and mustache.

Braelin noted the gesture, “Though I suppose I could…”

“You guys are going to argue my choice for me?” Demarri snorted, retaking her seat and waving vaguely, “Great, less work for me.”

“I can’t believe this,” Noga sneered, “All three of you defending that… human. You can’t actually find him attractive, child.”

“I know from your great age, I must seem so,” Kaenaz smiled meanly, “But oh, I do – a man with a soft stomach and broad figure? What demon doesn’t find that attractive, even on a smaller scale? He even has skin markings, unlike many humans.”

Gnori leaned forward on his podium, “Lord Braelin may be human, but he’s worked hard as Royal Gardener! No one can deny the benefits of being able to walk into the gardens without fear of being eaten, or how much more efficiently they deal with intruders! I know as a Gasciezaron, you respect military readiness – and Lord Braelin has increased ours!”

Demarri nodded to herself, gesturing to her opponents as she looked over the crowd.

“… perhaps this wasn’t the best choice of topic,” Braelin said, scratching at his chin sheepishly.

“That’s what you get,” Ayelma snorted.

“I didn’t think I would be this popular…” her brother sighed in reply.

“Neither did I,” Vajur snorted.

Hujur rolled his eyes.

“He has the favor of a goddess,” Noga scoffed, “So you can hardly credit the health of the gardens to him when-”

“That’s not how it works,” Demarri sighed.

“-it’s Iescula’s power that caused such a feat!” Noga went on as if she hadn’t heard.

“Do enlighten us, Demarri,” Kaenaz said, “How does it work?”

Demarri groaned as she got back to her feet, “Lord Braelin carries Iescula’s favor, but that just keeps the plants from attacking him outright. The rest is his own knowledge and skill – and hard work, fuck. Do you know how much time he spends trying out different shit to see what makes the plants stronger, even if they’re already doing fine? He’s been the official Royal Gardener for what, a little over three months? And he’s already compiled enough notes for multiple books about the garden plants – the former High Priest of Iescula spent hours pouring over them and being mad about how accurate they were. He didn’t even like Lord Braelin then.”

“That’s true,” Gaele chuckled, “Now he’s working with Carvve to make them actual books so he can send copies to the Grand Priestess.”

Braelin blushed as he said, “They really don’t all have to defend me this much…”

“I suppose you’ll have to stop working so hard then,” Ieresti snorted, “It may be difficult to become less attractive, though. Unlike what I know of humans, scars would only add to the appeal.”

Messo shook her head, “Don’t tease, he’s already uncomfortable!”

“No, I brought it on myself,” Braelin sighed.

“Yeah, you did,” Ayelma snorted.

“Well, this is quite unprecedented,” Mavas declared loudly, “It seems three debaters are in agreement about Lord Braelin’s merits, while only one stands opposed! And so quickly!”

“I would gladly settle my doubt through a duel,” Noga snorted, “But as the King would no doubt Champion his partner, it would be an empty gesture.”

Braelin hummed, “I wonder if that would be cheating…”

“You are within your rights to have a Champion,” Jurao said – realizing he had forgotten to ask if Braelin would want him to do so.

Braelin shook his head, “Not that part. The part where you also carry the favor of a deity.”

“Pardon?” Kaenaz called loudly, “Could Lord Braelin repeat what he said just now?”

The room quieted in surprise – Jurao suspected Kaenaz had not heard Braelin but had seen the way the rest of the booth looked at him after what he’d said. Feyl had said his brother was sharp, and very observant – and his best friend had often spoken of watching others as closely.

Petal climbed back over to settle in Braelin’s lap.

The man himself focused his gaze on the Crushfern as he said, a little louder than usual, “Lady Noga implied that my ability to tend the gardens so well was a form of cheating due to my status as Iescula’s Beloved. I wondered if, by that standard, Jurao’s strength as King in a duel would also be considered cheating.”

“That is different!” Noga scoffed, “The King proved his strength before being granted favor!”

“But…” Braelin curled in on himself as more of the crowd turned to them.

Surprisingly, it was Vajur who stood with a scoff, “And you assume Iescula granted her favor on a whim?”

Gnori pounded a fist on his podium, “That’s right! Iescula visited the shrine in the gardens herself and declared she granted her favor because of Lord Braelin’s existing love of plants!”

“And who are you to say it happened that way?” Noga huffed, “Were you there?”

“I was,” Hujur added, hesitantly standing as well, “And she did say as such – and that she knew of Braelin before he arrived in the Demon Realm from the human goddess Dwarla. He was brought to the Gardens specifically by her will.”

“So then,” Kaenaz flashed a grin, “Should we switch topics? Is carrying the favor of a deity unfair, even if that favor was earned?”

Vajur sat with a huff, “Use me against my partner, will you…”

Hujur chuckled, joining him, “That was all that was annoying you, was it?”

Vajur just grumbled, wrapping his arms around his partner’s waist.

“Don’t worry,” Ieresti added softly, “The crowd joining in the debates from time to time is expected – you haven’t disrupted the event.”

Braelin just nodded, still looking down at Petal.

Jurao considered only a moment before pulling his partner into his lap.

“Thank you,” Braelin sighed, leaning back into him.