Little Picky

“Well… not exactly.”

Lucia paused, gathering her thoughts before responding to Vivian.

“It’s merely a suggestion for safety’s sake, nothing more.”

“I know.”

Vivian let out a sigh.

“Evernight Territory’s revival naturally draws attention—like from Garen, the Radiant Blade, or the Rhine Holy Church.”

The territory’s resurgence was good news, but it also attracted predators.

A revitalized land was a boon, yet it transformed from a forgotten ruin into a tempting target.

At this stage, Evernight was at its most vulnerable, barely able to withstand any storm.

Before, with nothing to lose, there was no fear of theft or attack—worst case, they could flee.

Now, the territory’s fledgling assets were just taking shape.

The new city’s framework was barely built, work and personnel assignments only recently stabilized—like an infant just learning to stand, fragile and unsteady.

As for the military, though Vivian had tasked Aria with recruiting and training new soldiers, the focus remained on drilling basic troops.

Against any organized enemy, their forces were woefully inadequate.

Rebuilding an army was a slow process.

Training a competent soldier demanded time, equipment, and supplies—resources that could only grow with the population and the territory’s finances.

In the short term, restoring the former scale of a ten-thousand-strong army was unthinkable.

Even adding one or two thousand combat-ready troops would be a monumental challenge, a success that would take time.

“Let’s put this matter on hold for now. We lack the manpower and resources to build a large standing army.”

Vivian waved her hand dismissively.

“For now, we’ll strengthen patrols and vigilance. Our priority is laying a solid, stable foundation.”

“Fair enough.”

Vivian’s words gave Lucia pause, sinking her into thought.

She nodded in agreement.

“Alright, I’m heading back to rest.”

Vivian rubbed her brow, betraying a hint of fatigue.

“Come to my tent tomorrow morning for your rewards—no need for armor.”

“…Why does that sound so odd?”

Lucia’s face flickered with rare surprise, her brows raising as she sensed something off.

But Vivian, too tired to entertain further discussion, waved it off, signaling the end of the conversation.

She turned and headed back to her tent.

****

“Lord Demon Lord, you’re back so soon? How’s the literacy program going? Smoothly?”

Aria’s voice greeted her as she entered the tent.

She was gently rocking a babbling Luna in her arms, having been patiently entertaining her before Vivian’s return.

During Vivian’s absence, she had entrusted her daughter to her head maid’s care.

Nearly two weeks had passed since Luna’s birth.

Demon children grew rapidly, and Luna was no exception.

Compared to her wrinkled newborn self, she had grown noticeably.

Her features were more defined, her skin now fair and soft.

She stayed awake longer, her large eyes curiously scanning her surroundings, no longer just eating and sleeping.

“The little princess is doing well. I just fed her some warm goat’s milk, and she’s full of energy…”

“Wahhh—”

Before Aria could finish, Luna, sensing Vivian’s return, let out a distinct cry.

Her chubby little arms flailed in the air, her head turning toward Vivian.

“She’s only been resting a bit, and already she’s looking for her mama.”

Vivian sighed, a mix of helplessness and affection on her face.

She reached out, taking Luna from Aria’s arms.

“Wahhh—!”

Seeing Vivian’s face, Luna made joyful noises, her face breaking into an unguarded smile.

She looked delighted, a side of her she only showed Vivian.

With Aria or Luna, she was merely obedient, never this excited or “happy.”

‘Two weeks old, and she’s already recognizing her “mother,” huh?’

Vivian chuckled, waving a hand playfully in front of Luna, teasing her.

Luna, captivated by her mother’s simple antics, giggled happily.

“Thank you for looking after her. I may need to leave for a day soon, so I’ll trouble you or Luna to watch her again. For now, you can rest.”

“Yes, Lord Demon Lord.”

Vivian didn’t want to overtax her subordinates’ rest time.

Aria bowed gracefully and left.

“Woo…”

As Aria departed, the tent grew quieter.

Luna, perhaps fond of Aria, let out a faint, disappointed whimper, her little lips pouting.

“Come on, your mama’s here now. What’s there to be upset about, you picky little thing?”

Vivian gave a wry smile at Luna’s expression, playing with her a bit longer.

When Luna began rubbing her eyes, showing signs of sleepiness, Vivian gently placed her on a cushioned cot, humming an off-key lullaby from another world, patting her until she drifted off.

Only then did she turn to her work.

Over these two weeks, Vivian had learned the basics of caring for a child.

Newborns were curious about everything.

A simple object waved in front of Luna was enough to hold her attention.

Her awake periods were still short, and she’d tire and sleep after a bit of play.

Though Vivian was tempted to leave her be, she’d heard that neglected infants could grow into troubled children with warped minds.

Not daring to take risks, she stayed by Luna’s side whenever possible, unless swamped with work.

In a few days, Vivian planned to check on the core of the crystal mines.

She wanted to see how they’d developed over the past month.

For safety, she’d been breastfeeding Luna these two weeks, but per demon growth patterns, Luna would soon be ready for mashed, digestible foods or specially prepared demonic beast milk.

Vivian sighed in relief at this.

Luna’s growth leaned more toward her demon heritage.

Demons, in general, had far stronger reproductive and growth rates than humans.

Even highborn demons with long lifespans had brief childhoods, quickly becoming independent.

This resilience allowed demons to face the world’s hostility from other races.

For Vivian, this was a blessing.

She wouldn’t be tethered to Luna for long, unable to undertake distant or dangerous tasks.

Enduring a short period would free her up significantly.

A few days later, once Luna’s routine stabilized and she began accepting other foods, Vivian prepared to head to Blackthorn Village to inspect the mine’s core growth over the past month.

“Aria, Luna, I’ll be gone for a day or two. I’m entrusting Luna to you.”

The two nodded respectfully, and Vivian prepared to depart.

“Oh, right, Lord Demon Lord—”

As Vivian turned to leave, Aria suddenly spoke up, as if recalling something.

“According to the caravan’s message, a s*ave caravan from the southern Obsidian Plains will arrive in Evernight City in about a day. They often carry… special ‘goods.’”

“Noted.”

Slavery was a widespread reality in the demon realm and beyond, and Vivian didn’t shy away from it.

She nodded to Aria and set off for Blackthorn Village.