Look at You

As Luna prepared to leave with the tray, she paused, turning to look at Vivian’s back.

Her voice was soft and cautious as she spoke.

“Lord Demon Lord, in the future… could I come by often to help care for the little princess?”

“You know, when you’re busy, to hold her or watch over her?”

“I promise I’ll be super careful and won’t disturb your work!”

Her tone was tentative, as if fearing Vivian’s disapproval.

Vivian’s hand, flipping through documents, paused.

She looked up, meeting Luna’s earnest, blood-red eyes.

After a brief silence, she gave a soft “mm.”

“Come whenever you want.”

She added, “But don’t neglect your own duties.”

“Absolutely not!”

Luna’s face lit up with a joyful smile.

“Thank you, Lord Demon Lord! I’ll make sure to complete my tasks!”

She chirped happily, leaving the tent with a light step, tray in hand.

The heavy curtain fell, muffling the outside noise.

The tent returned to quiet, filled only with the rustle of Vivian’s papers and Luna’s faint breathing.

Vivian’s gaze lingered on the cradle, then flicked to where Luna had exited.

She shook her head with a wry smile and refocused on her work.

That night, Luna returned with a late-night snack.

Postpartum, Vivian needed the extra nourishment to recover.

****

The next morning, as dawn’s light crept in, Aria appeared promptly outside the tent.

“Come in.”

“Yes.”

With permission, Aria entered swiftly, a trace of fatigue barely visible on her face, though her eyes remained sharp.

“Lord Demon Lord, yesterday’s public punishments have been carried out.”

“The new oversight system and resource management rules have been communicated to all camps and teams.”

“The civilians had no objections to the punishments themselves.”

“In fact, some privately remarked that the penalties were too light, saying such parasites should be executed to set an example.”

“Mm… as expected.”

Vivian nodded.

The lower classes often harbored a raw, intense hatred for corruptors.

She set down her pen and handed Aria a few pages of freshly inked drafts from her desk.

“Take a look. These are the supplementary regulations I drafted last night.”

Aria scanned the documents, her eyes widening slightly.

“Reinstating tiered rewards and officer stipends, distributed after monthly evaluations…”

“Bribers won’t be punished for their first reported offense, but a second offense warrants lashes…”

“Bribe-takers will face demotion and lashes upon verified reports…”

“Project leaders and squad captains will receive a fixed percentage of the profits from their tasks…”

“Lord Demon Lord, this…?”

“I’ve thought it over. Punishment alone can only deter temporarily, not forever.”

Vivian rubbed her chin.

“At its core, the current system fails to meet the needs of different tiers.”

“Civilians work hard and earn basic sustenance and some rewards, but the path upward and the sense of greater incentive are lacking.”

“As for our soldiers, captains, and managers…”

Vivian’s gaze met Aria’s as she continued.

“They take on more responsibilities and pour in more effort, yet their stable, dignified returns don’t match.”

“While we’ve focused on sparking productivity at the lowest levels, we’ve neglected the needs of the mid-tier backbone.”

“These new rules aim to address that gap.”

She handed over the planning document.

Vivian had countless plans she wanted to implement—literacy programs, integrating magic and skills, boosting productivity, and more.

As a transmigrator, she had grand goals and ideals, but they were still far off.

For now, she had to proceed step by step.

“Announce these changes in a few days. Any issues?”

“No issues, Lord Demon Lord.”

Aria replied simply and directly.

Vivian noticed the faint exhaustion in her head maid’s appearance.

“Aria, during the month I was gone, have you been resting properly?”

Her eyes fell on Aria’s still-immaculate but slightly worn maid uniform, then on her disheveled black fur and drooping fox ears, their gloss dulled.

“I-I have, Lord Demon Lord.”

Aria nodded repeatedly, but Vivian could tell she was forcing herself to hold up.

With a helpless sigh, she beckoned Aria closer.

“Come here.”

“…Yes.”

At Vivian’s words, Aria approached nervously.

Without hesitation, Vivian reached out, her touch almost brusquely affectionate, and began vigorously ruffling Aria’s head and those fluffy black fox ears.

“W-Wah!”

Caught off guard, Aria let out a startled yelp, her body stiffening.

Her Demon Lord’s warm, unyielding hands kneaded her scalp and sensitive ear bases.

It was less a caress and more a playful, scolding “mauling.”

“Look at you! Your fur feels awful, almost as bad as when we first came back.”

Vivian grumbled as she rubbed, her tone laced with unmistakable concern.

“This rough, dry texture—it’s practically gritty! And those shadows under your eyes could rival the mines!”

“Are you trying to work yourself to death so I have to dig your grave myself?”

“W-Wuu…”

Aria, dizzy from the ruffling, felt her ears burn and her cheeks flush.

Her Demon Lord’s sudden, almost improper action left her mind blank, overwhelmed by the strange, heart-pounding sensation radiating from her scalp and ear tips.

She stood rigid, not daring to resist or respond, feeling a mix of warmth and overwhelming embarrassment spreading through her, as if she might evaporate on the spot.

“W-Wuu… Lord Demon Lord…”

After a long moment, she could only muster trembling, nonsensical syllables, letting Vivian’s hands continue their “assault” on her head.

Just then, as if to rescue the flustered maid—or perhaps to add to her mother’s troubles—Luna, sleeping in her cradle, smacked her lips a few times and, without warning—

“Waaa!”

Burst into a loud cry.