❗️8

At the end of the hall, Azrael turned left towards two silver doors.

One of the doors had already been open, and so she walked into the kitchen.

A scent of something delicious made her mouth water.

The kitchen was big and luxurious.

Her father had bought the most high quality appliances and equipment from the surface, he even placed a quartz chandelier in the middle of the room.

Inside by the cooking area, was Basileus making their breakfast.

The palace did not need many servants—Basileus was already enough being a demon of many talents.

The only time they needed more was if a celebratory event took place.

The loyal servant's power was astonishing to Azrael sometimes.

Vegetables were being steadily chopped by a knife that clearly knew it's duty, and ground beef had been sizzling on a pan with a wooden stirring spoon mixing everything.

Basileus, on the other hand, had just finished drizzling a red liquid on the whipped cream atop her milkshake with a squeeze bottle.

The drink was placed on the marble countertop next to the stoves.

"Well, it smells amazing in here" the demoness smiled.

Basileus looked back and bowed, "I noticed a strong presence coming here, have you adjusted to your strengthened abilities already, princess Azrael?"

"yeah.. I guess" she said walking up to him, "and why are you being more formal than usual? honestly I don't think I'm ever going to get used to the whole 'princess' treatment"

"My apologies, my mind was.. elsewhere" the servant paused, glancing down at the counter.

Azrael's eyes narrowed, "yeah.. me too"

Basileus came out of his daze and picked up the drink, "as you've requested, a chocolate milkshake drizzled with A positive blood"

The girl took it with a small grin, chuckling when the demon placed a red straw into it.

"You still remember my comfort drink down to the tiniest details" she spoke with tenderness, "thank you"

"No need for such gratitude" Basileus replied, "the very existence of you has brought much joy into his highness's life—and mine truthfully, it is an honour to serve you"

Azrael's cheeks heated up, "w-what.. you have Juro and Jun too.. didn't you see them once in awhile back when we lived on the surface?"

The servant sighed, "need I remind you I spent sixteen years posing as a nun in an orphanage awaiting the day of your awakening? Though sometimes I checked on you three from afar, my identity needed to be concealed. However I will not deny that I am grateful for such.. courageous, kind, and charming princes.."

"Kind and courageous?" Azrael repeated as she propped herself up on the counter, "you're forgetting idiotic and arrogant.. and seriously Bas, how do you find Jun of all demons charming? Have you seen the face he makes when he sleeps? His mouth is so wide open he could create a pool for flies with his own saliva"

Basileus's eyes widened.

"I-I" the servant stuttered—this was a sight Azrael had rarely seen: his face started reddening rapidly and it was then that his expression was crystal clear; he was flustered.

Since he was her servant as well, if she was not with Jun or Juro, she was with him.

The two had spent quite a lot of time together since her return to Hell, especially when her best friends were sent on missions that did not require her help.

Basileus usually wore a calm and poised expression, his entire attitude was unperturbed if not unbearably sophisticated.

In his good moods, he would make  snarky comments as well as intelligent insights.

This emotional, vulnerable, almost unruly side of the blond haired demon was something the princess found quite amusing.

"What?" she asked with a smirk.

"H-how did you..."

"I see the way you act around him" she nonchalantly explained, "to others it might seem like nothing but I've known you for so long that I had a feeling, plus you literally broke your own principles just to fist-bump him. It's obvious you like him."

Every time Basileus would see Jun, Azrael always noticed the faint change in his tone, or his slightly wider smile—even the light shade of pink in his cheeks.

It had been plain to see for quite some time, at least to her.

"I cannot deny it, but please don't tell anyone" he gripped her hands, "I know my place, I am aware that I must not let my feelings interfere with my duties, I am only meant to serve, I would not even think of pursuing—"

"—Why not?"

"..Pardon me?"

Azrael chuckled as she took a sip of her milkshake, "I said, why not? - and mm, this tastes amazing, I love when you make these"

"Prince Jun is.. is.." the demon's voice became tight.

"Yes?"

"H-he's a prince!"

Azrael giggled, "yes, Prince Jun is a prince, and why does that matter?"

The demoness then mentally prepared herself to listen as she continued drinking her milkshake.

Basileus ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head.

"Lady Azrael, if it is not the fact we are both male, it is the differences in our titles, not to mention that Prince Jun is unaware and most likely unable to return those inappropriate feelings."

"Or so you say" she mumbled, licking whipped cream off the maroon-coloured glass, "genders shouldn't matter when it comes to love, whoever your heart chooses to fall for is the person you want to be with, and something like that can't be wrong"

Basileus pinched the bridge of his nose, "even if that is true, you are aware that master Beelzebub rules one of the parts of our Kingdom, he and his highness would not allow our Kingdom's prince, who has such high reputation, date a low-status male demon."

Azrael mixed the cream into the chocolate milkshake with her straw, "but you're not just any servant, you're the personal Royal Servant of King Asmodeus: Prince of Hell, ruler of central Edis—the main and largest part of our Kingdom. Heck, you're my servant too. Your status is definitely more than you think, there are some who are even afraid of you"

"With all due respect Lady Azrael" Basileus looked away, "I do not want to talk about this further.. please change the topic"

His tone made her heart sting, but nonetheless she understood.

'It was already hard admitting his feelings.' the demoness thought, 'he probably doesn't think he's good enough..'

"Alright" she said, "but before I do, I really do think your abilities are impressive, you pretty much exceed in everything you do for us - oh and you make a mean milkshake"

Basileus lightly chuckled at the comment.

"Don't say that you're low-status or think that you aren't worthy, because you are.. as corny as that sounds" she put a hand on his shoulder, "trust me, humans think that we aren't capable of love, but here you are, falling for my best friend - a prince at that too. You've already done one supposedly impossible thing, maybe.. you should consider doing another?"

"Please" the servant said, "I'd rather not, I am thinking in favour of Prince Jun.. so let's discuss something else shall we?"

"Okay, okay" Azrael sighed before rubbing her hands together, "so what are you cooking for us?"

"I was thinking about what food you would most enjoy in times like these, and I do recall you talking highly about this one particular dish you tried on the surface"

"wait, you don't mean.." she trailed off with a hopeful glint in her eye.

The corner of Basileus's mouth perked up into a small smirk, "yes my lady, I'm making stir-fry for you"

The demoness threw her hands up, "YESSSSSSS!" she squealed and hugged Basileus.

The servant hugged her back, "that is quite the reaction"

Azrael let go and smiled, "is it? well then let's see how Jun reacts to it"

A hint of red crept up on Basileus's cheeks, "i do not appreciate your behaviour right now.."

"Hey!" she pouted, "you used to tease me all the time back then, can't I get a little payback now?"

"Expect me to tease you back then" he replied.

Azrael crossed her arms, "uh huh, with what? I'm no longer the seventeen year old I was when I first came home"

"That may be, but some feelings do not change no matter how much time has passed"

"Basileus" she hissed, "developing my powers is more important to me and I'm sure you've noticed that"

"Or so you say" he mocked.

"Fine! I'll tone it down" she groaned, "I just want to eat.."

It wasn't necessary to consume human food since she could just as well survive off of blood and human souls, but her years as a human on the surface had not completely parted with her.

She and everyone in the palace were powerful enough to live off of both anyhow.

Everyone enjoyed the taste of human cuisine.

"Bas when will the food be ready?"

"I will start serving it quite soon, do you mind setting the table?"

'He knows he could do it himself.. which means that he probably just wants me to talk to those fools' she thought.

"What do you want me to say to them?" Azrael rolled her eyes.

"Tell them that the food will be ready soon" he said as he put plates and utensils in her arms.

She sighed exasperatedly and began to walk out, "fine but don't expect me to say anything else!"