PHYSIENTS WILL ALWAYS OFFER BEST NOVELS || LATEST MOVIES || LIVE STREAMING ALL TIME
GARDEN OF POISON
More the better (Chapter 179)
Upon arriving at the Storm Castle, Raylen was the first to disembark, followed by Emily, whose eyes drank in the vastness and towering presence of the place that would be her temporary residence. A maid, who appeared older than her own mother, awaited them at the entrance.
"Welcome back home, Master Raylen," the maid greeted with a respectful bow, and it was only when she raised her head that Emily noticed a shadow beneath the woman's eyes. The maid offered her a polite bow, and Emily reciprocated in kind.
"Princess, allow me to introduce you. This is Lauren De Maitree, the head of the servants here. She will be the one to assist you during your stay at Storm Castle." Raylen addressed Emily before shifting his gaze towards the woman. "Lauren, this is Princess Emily Blackthorn, who will be staying here with us until the conclusion of the gathering."
Emily looked slightly stunned by the revelation. Where she came from, women were never granted such esteemed positions in the king's domain, regardless of their experience. Those positions were invariably reserved for men, even if they were of a young age.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Princess Emily," the woman greeted her with a warm smile.
"Good afternoon, Lauren. It's a pleasure to meet you as well," Emily greeted the maid back, who stared at her for a while longer before turning to the prince and asking,
"Forgive me, Master, but I was under the impression that we were expecting two princesses, not just one."
"One fell into the sea and died," Raylen responded, prompting the maid to subtly raise her eyebrows. "The princess doesn't seem bothered by it, so I doubt it is something we should be overly concerned about."
This man was utterly insufferable, Emily thought to herself. She couldn't comprehend why others failed to see who he truly was behind that polite and friendly mask he always wore. In an attempt to clarify the situation, she stated, "Niyasa is alive. My family said they have arranged for her retrieval and return to Versailles." She then said, "Thank you for your generous hospitality, but I already have my maid, Julia, to attend to my needs. I wouldn't want to impose any additional burdens on Lauren."
Emily and Raylen stared at each other, a crackle of electricity and undeniable friction simmering between them, leading the maid to note that they clearly didn't get along with each other.
Lauren proposed, "How about I show the princess to her room?" She then guided Emily through the castle corridors, leaving Raylen standing at the entrance.
As she walked behind the maid, Emily observed the architecture, which bore a resemblance to the style she had seen in the demons' lair; however, the motifs were notably more intricate. Despite the ceiling retaining a touch of darkness, contrasting with the dark maroon and white walls, the space was illuminated by elegant chandeliers.
"I am truly sorry to hear about your sister, milady. I hope they can retrieve her quickly and that she is safe," the maid's sympathetic words reached her ears.
"She's resilient. She will survive," Emily responded, taking a deep breath. Growing curious, she inquired, "I couldn't help but notice that you address the prince as 'Master' rather than 'Prince'."
The maid blinked for a moment before replying, "He is the master of this castle, and it is only fitting that we address him as such."
Emily turned slightly perplexed, and she asked, "How do you address the king, then?"
"Master," Lauren replied before realisation struck her, and she added, "I mean to say that Master is the king, the reigning prince of the Storm Kingdom. The other rulers before him, until the existence of the Elder ministers, were merely figurehead kings and queens."
This meant she would have to refine her words and expressions, temper her gaze, and keep her glares to herself, Emily thought. What the maid said did make sense. After all, Raylen had been the demon who had never died and continued to thrive, unlike her eldest brother, who had been reborn after decades of absence.
Once they reached her designated room, Lauren opened the door for the princess to enter, and she offered, "I hope you find it to your satisfaction, Princess Emily. Should you require anything, please don't hesitate to let me know. I will take my leave to allow you to rest, as I can imagine the journey here must have been quite arduous. Additional blankets have already been placed inside the cupboard, as I believe it may take some time for you to acclimatise to the Storm Kingdom's weather."
When Lauren tended to the fireplace, where the freshly cut logs awaited kindling, Emily's gaze drifted towards the window. Through it, she could see the sea surging near the horizon.
"It is odd," Emily murmured, a remark that caught the maid's attention as she turned to face her. Emily continued, "For a demon of peace to choose to settle in a place like this." She could feel a growing sense of unease in her chest at the sight of the dark clouds continuing to gather as if nature itself was preparing to release an impending tempest she was yet to experience.
Upon hearing the maid's laughter, Emily turned to look at her. Lauren said, "You shouldn't believe everything the earthlings say, milady."
Earthlings… Emily's eyes widened as it dawned on her that it was possible that this maid might also be a demon from the underworld. The maid went on to say,
"Demon of Peace, Destruction, Mischief—all these are titles that the earthlings denoted on them on a whim. Something they like to do, often by jumping to conclusions. Master is like the storm." She smiled before inquiring, "Would you like me to bring your meal here?"
"No, I will dine in the dining room," Emily replied, and the maid extended a respectful bow. "Thank you, Lauren."
"You are welcome, milady," Lauren replied before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind her.
With her trunks delivered to her room, Emily quickly opened one, pulled out a vessel, and poured the contents of a prepared vial into it. After softly reciting a few words of an incantation, her grandmother's face finally appeared before her.
"Grandmother!"
"Oh! You scared me!" the Mother Queen exclaimed, startled as she was sipping from her teacup filled with alcohol. She then furrowed her brow and asked, "What happened to your hair? It looks like you will need to fix it before you reach lan—"
"I am at the Storm Castle." Emily's eyes narrowed at her grandmother before she continued, "You told me we would be staying in Aunt Cecelia's mansion. How could you lie to me?" The least she could have done was to provide her with the truth so she could have been prepared.
"That was my initial understanding, but Dante felt it was better for you to stay somewhere with greater security. If you ask me, it must be your mother who pestered him to change your lodgings," the Mother Queen replied and gave a nod. She then questioned, "But, what is wrong with Storm Castle? Prince Raylen is a delight, and the climate there is truly something I wish we had here in Versailles."
Emily wished she could say the same. Changing the subject, she asked, "Have you dispatched men to fetch Niyasa yet?"
"We did so some time ago. Everything is under control, and you don't have to worry about us," the Mother Queen reassured her granddaughter.
"Mother Queen, are you talking to yourself?" Emily heard her mother's voice.
"Take good care of yourself, Emily. Kisses to you," her grandmother whispered before the liquid's surface stilled and fell silent.
Emily sighed deeply, her voice barely above a whisper as she pondered, "What am I doing here?"
She was far away from home, with no one of her own within this huge castle. Now alone in the room, the sorrow she had momentarily set aside started to creep back in, and the pain that had briefly abated returned, weighing heavily on her soul.
Over the last few days, Emily had begun to question why, out of everyone, she was fated for rejection. Negative thoughts had been accumulating, piling one upon another, causing her to doubt her own worth and wonder what it was she lacked. However, the truth was, regardless of her qualities or shortcomings, she had been late in meeting her soulmate, and someone else had captured his heart. Ironically, it appeared that one could develop feelings for their fated soulmate even without spending hours with them. Yet, it had been effortless for Nathaniel to let her go.
Just outside the door, the maid had positioned herself to attentively listen in on the princess. She then quietly moved away from the door and departed from the corridor before returning to her master's side.
"The young lady has settled in her room, Master."
"That's good to hear," Raylen responded, with a cigar between his teeth and a knife in hand. He stood in front of a table where a lifeless body lay.
"It is very unlike you to host someone or to look after an earthling," Lauren pointed out as Westley also entered the room.
"She is Dante's precious sister, and I had to repay a favour in return for something he did for me when we left the underworld. With this, we are even," Raylen replied as he continued to examine the earthling's body.
"It sounds strange that the archdemon who once came to this realm to destroy now has a family he cares about, not to mention, he's married," Westley stated in the same volume as the other two.
"The lady seems quite pleasant," Lauren remarked, referring to Emily. She continued, saying, "You seem to treat her differently, Master." The demoness had grown accustomed to witnessing both sides of her Master—veiled and unveiled.
Raylen took a drag from the cigar before exhaling a plume of smoke. With a smile forming on his lips, he removed the cigar from his mouth and remarked, "She prefers it that way."
His memory of his second encounter with the princess was as clear as the light streaming down from the heavens.
'This is a pure cashmere woollen shawl. Isn't it lovely?' asked an acquaintance who was familiar with both Emily and Raylen. The woman leaned closer to the prince, subtly seeking his attention.
Raylen humoured the woman, offering praise by saying, 'A beautiful piece carried by a beautiful woman, almost like an angel.' This garnered some envious reactions. Meanwhile, Emily paid him no attention. As the women were departing, Emily accidentally dropped her handkerchief, and when Raylen went to assist her, she snatched it as if he were a contagion. 'I have a feeling that I have unintentionally offended you,' he said.
The young lady maintained a stoic expression and replied, 'Probably because you have done things you have conveniently forgotten.'
Her response only made him smile, and he remarked, 'So much disdain doesn't look good on a beautiful lady like yourself.'
'Don't,' Emily warned him, her eyes steady. 'Don't call me beautiful if you think I am like the women who eagerly flock around you.'
'If I see a beautiful woman, why wouldn't I call her beautiful? Do you prefer I call you ugly?' A smile crept onto Raylen's lips when he noticed a flicker of annoyance in the princess's eyes.
'I find it preferable to your words laced with mocking flattery. Don't imagine for a moment that I have forgotten that you tried to attack my kingdom,' Emily retorted, quietly glaring at him.
'Ah, so you are the princess. It was hard to remember where I had seen you,' Raylen chuckled. As she turned to leave, he added, 'People enjoy honeyed words, even if they are laced with poison. I don't believe you would take it well if I were honest, but allow me to lower the volume next time we meet, Princess.'
However, during their next encounter, when he had greeted her the way she had preferred, he believed she would have stabbed him if she were a high-ranking demon. Earthlings were entertaining, Raylen thought to himself.
When it was time for supper, Emily had already finished bathing and washing away the sea salt from her hair and skin. She was now dried and dressed with her hair detangled by her new maid, a girl her own age. A clock on the wall chimed in the corridor, marking the passage of time.
"Princess Emily, I am here to escort you to the dining room," a castle maid announced outside her room.
"You should go and have your meal too, Julia," Emily informed her maid, as she no longer required her assistance.
"Yes, milady," her maid replied with a deep bow, and Emily proceeded to follow the other maid.
Upon entering the spacious dining room with its long table and empty chairs awaiting occupants, Emily was guided to a seat. When the dishes were brought in one after another, she turned to address the head of the servants and inquired,
"Will the food not grow cold by the time the king arrives, Lauren?"
"Master doesn't eat, Princess Emily."
"I see..." Emily murmured, unsure of whether she should be sad that she would be dining alone or relieved that she would be spared from dealing with Raylen. "It's a blessing," she muttered, receiving a quizzical look from the maid in charge.
"Milady?" Lauren asked.
"I am famished," Emily said with a smile, and soon food was brought to the table. After she had eaten a substantial portion of her meal and her stomach was satisfied, she expressed her gratitude, saying, "Please convey my regards to the cook for preparing such delicious food. And thank you for keeping me company, Lauren."
"You are welcome." Lauren bowed. She said, "Master instructed me to tell you to be ready tomorrow morning at ten."
As Emily rose from her seat, her gaze fixed on the sky outside the window. When she redirected her attention to the maid, she asked,
"Tomorrow? The gathering is scheduled for the day after tomorrow." Why did he need her to be ready tomorrow morning?
"I haven't been given the details except to relay the information," Lauren replied, while turning to the other maids to commence clearing the table.
Emily inquired, "Where is he now?"
Lauren looked a little tongue-tied before she said, "He's currently occupied with work." And before the princess could insist on seeing him, she added, "I will let him know that you were looking for him."
Before Emily exited the room, she requested, "Could you send two additional candle stands to my room?"
"Two candle stands and one spare have already been placed in your room, milady."
"I will still require two more of them," Emily said with a smile before departing from the room, leaving Lauren to wonder if she intended to stay up all night. Unless... she was planning to summon something.
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GARDEN OF POISON
Polite people in the carriage (Chapter 180)
Music Recommendation: Tea Later - Nathan Barr
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Raylen was washing the blood from his hands when the head servant entered the room. She informed him,
"Master Raylen, the princess was looking for you."
Grabbing a cloth, he used it to wipe his hands dry before turning to look at her, and remarked, "Sounds very unlike the princess to look for me. Was the room or the food not to her taste?"
"It wasn't about that. She wanted to know why you asked her to be ready tomorrow," Lauren replied, watching her master pick up his cigar and extinguish it in an ashtray. "Also, I believe she may be attempting to summon someone."
Raylen's grim gaze met the curious eyes of the maid before he ordered,
"Clean this table and throw the bones to the hound. Have the other one set up before I return," and stepped out of the room. His black shoes made a clicking sound against the white marble floor as he strode towards Emily's room. Upon reaching her door, he turned the doorknob and entered the room. His perfectly arched eyebrows lifted in response to the brightness, and he remarked,
"Are you trying to manifest the sun in here?"
Emily was in the process of lighting the last candle when his voice startled her, and her hand moved forward, causing her to accidentally burn herself instead of the candle's wick. She winced in pain before turning around to meet his eyes. She said,
"In Versailles, it is considered basic manners to knock before entering a room, especially when it belongs to a woman."
"In the Storm Kingdom, we have locks in place to prevent anyone from entering a room. You should try using them; we wouldn't want any unwanted intruders entering unannounced," Raylen responded, turning to look at the door.
"Thank you for the reminder," Emily said, before muttering, "You are lucky I wasn't in the middle of undressing when you barged in, or I would have reported it." She caught a subtle smile on the archdemon's face in response to her words.
"I have no interest in undeveloped children. I prefer them ripened, so there's nothing for you to fret about," Raylen responded. "And your brother is the last thing I want to tackle."
Emily took a deep breath, realising that the more she reacted, the more pleasure he took at her expense. One would think remaining silent would be sufficient to divert this chaotic man, but it was the way he regarded her with smugness that caused a vein to visibly pop on her forehead. She then said,
"Do you have to be so…"
"Rude?"
"I don't think that is enough to cover it," Emily retorted, turning away from him and resuming lighting the last candle before carefully setting it on the stand.
"Wasn't that what you wanted, Princess?" Raylen asked her in a soothing tone. "Raw, unfiltered honesty, when I warned you. I thought you would be pleased."
Emily cursed herself for unwittingly digging a grave for herself with it. However, in her defence, she had met numerous gentlemen who had been accommodating and well-mannered, unlike this one. Normally, when she expressed her displeasure, people adjusted their behaviour accordingly and stopped. Yet, in Raylen's case, it was almost as if he had discovered a source of amusement in her discomfort.
She recalled the words he had spoken to her in the past.
'For someone who doesn't like flattery, you sure smile a lot, even though you don't mean it,' Raylen said courteously.
'I smile out of politeness, whereas you tend to embellish things with deceitful words,' Emily replied, and she attempted to disengage from the conversation by turning on her heel.
'I must disagree with you,' Raylen interjected, halting her departure. 'My words don't harm anyone, yet they seem to bother you. There's nothing wrong with offering a few words of encouragement when they're needed. If my words are deceitful, your smile is too. In some ways, we are alike. You hadn't realised it, had you?'
Emily was on the verge of speaking when she paused, staring at him with a hint of incredulity before offering him a polite smile, saying,
'Forgive me. I stand corrected; I was wrong, and you are right.' However, by that point, Raylen had already found a spot to dig and figuratively bury her in, something he found agreeable.
There was a twinkle in his eyes, and perhaps Emily should have considered running away at that moment. He remarked, 'Your life is short; you shouldn't be so uptight. Most princesses are, so don't take offence.'
Emily couldn't believe that she was now staying under his roof. She had secretly hoped that her younger brothers would emulate her eldest brother, a gentleman with strong moral values, rather than turn out like the Storm Prince.
She realised that Raylen wasn't dressed as she had frequently seen him in the past or when he had come to collect her. He wore brown trousers and a white full-sleeved shirt, with the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows. The suspenders dangled loosely below his waist and at the sides.
Due to the number of candles burning in the room, she caught sight of smudges on his clothing. She asked him, "Were you painting?"
Raylen quickly glanced down at his clothes before his eyes met hers, wondering if she was giving him the benefit of the doubt. He replied, "Sure." He then shifted his attention back to the candles and asked, "What's the deal with all these candles? If you are attempting any kind of summoning, it isn't going to work."
"I am not trying to summon anything," Emily responded to him, realising she should have waited for their conversation to finish before lighting all the candles. "I just prefer my room to be well-lit."
"Sure," Raylen replied as if he accepted her explanation, though his watchful eyes told a different story, revealing a lingering suspicion. Despite the existence of a peace treaty between their respective kingdoms, he didn't completely trust or believe her. Both kingdoms were ruled by archdemons, and demons were never to be trusted.
"You wanted me to be ready tomorrow morning. Why?" Emily asked him.
"You are in the Storm Kingdom now, and if you are attending the gathering, you will need suitable attire and not what you typically wear in your homeland," Raylen explained to her, and Emily couldn't help but be impressed by his thoughtfulness. Here she was, cursing him for no rea— "We wouldn't want an odd duckling attracting unnecessary attention when we are trying to find you a suitable husband."
Emily brushed off the last part of his words as if she hadn't heard him and asked, "Why did you say earlier if I attempted to summon something, it wouldn't work?"
The smile on Raylen's face faded slightly as if he were trying to read her. He explained, "That's because I have placed invisible barriers and markings, which make it impossible for anyone to be summoned or to apparate here without my explicit permission."
His words caused her to frown. Was that what happened when Migdre abruptly vanished from her sight? It seemed like this demon ran a tight ship here, wanting to keep everything under his control, Emily contemplated.
"I believe that was all you wished to discuss?" Raylen questioned her, and she responded by giving him a nod.
"Yes. That was all."
"Wonderful. I will meet you at the entrance at ten, then," Raylen responded, and Emily saw his eyes sweep across her room before he added, "Goodnight, Princess."
"Goodnight, King Raylen," Emily replied with a polite bow.
As Raylen started to exit the room, Emily followed him to the door, and once he stepped out, she secured the lock and made her way to her bed. She let out a relaxed sigh, revelling in the solitude of her own space and company. And with Raylen gone, she could hear the faint sound of the rumbling of clouds in the sky outside. When her gaze shifted to the heavens, she observed the faraway clouds lighting from within.
Emily took shelter in her bed, pulling the quilt snugly around her as she sat reading a book until her eyelids grew heavy in the presence of the still-burning candles, their wax slowly melting away. When the wicks touched the candle bases, they extinguished one after another, ushering in darkness along with dreams for the princess.
In her dream, Emily found herself running through the heart of the forest. The soles of her feet were wounded and bleeding from the thorns she stepped on as she ran, and she could hear footsteps following her from behind. But no matter how fast she fled, the lurking shadows eventually closed in and seized her.
"…!" Emily gasped, her eyes snapping open to a new day in the Storm Kingdom. And even though she knew it had been just a dream, she could still feel her heart racing and throbbing in her ears.
"Princess Emily, you are awake. Good morning to you," Julia greeted her, drawing the curtains wide open to let light flood in before inquiring, "Would you like to drink something before your bath?"
"I think I will bathe first."
"I will prepare the bath right away," Julia stated before walking to the bathtub. "Did you sleep well, milady? The weather was quite cold, wasn't it?" She wore a warm smile. Now that they were away from the Blackthorn Palace and her mother's scrutinising gaze, the maid spoke a little bit more freely than usual.
"It was colder than what we are accustomed to," Emily hummed, pushing the blanket aside and placing her feet on the fur mat. She added, "I hope your bed was cosy and you had a warm blanket."
"It was, milady. It has been a while since I slept that well," her maid responded. "King Raylen is truly generous, isn't he? He had the head maid ensure I was taken care of. So kind of him," she praised, and Emily merely hummed in response.
"But the man named Westley," Julia whispered, lowering her volume. "He scares me. He stares without blinking, and for a moment last night, I mistook him for a statue."
"They are all demons here," Emily responded, and the maid frowned, her lips tightening.
"But people back in Versailles don't act that way," the maid said.
"It is probably because the demons here are pureblooded demons. Not the ones born in this realm, but born in the underworld," Emily explained to her maid, who appeared frightened upon hearing this information. She had noticed the subtle differences between the residents of this castle and those from her home, and she wasn't sure whether it was due to cultural differences or their inherent nature.
When it was time for breakfast, Emily didn't shy away by staying in her room, even though she had no company in the dining room aside from the maids. She took a seat and finished her meal before making her way to the castle entrance.
"Princess Emily, Master awaits you in the carriage," Westley said as he appeared before her at the entrance. The man was lean with a gaunt appearance, and had eerie, gloomy eyes that stared without blinking.
Emily was escorted to the awaiting carriage, its door already open. Soon, she stepped inside the vehicle and found herself face to face with Raylen. He didn't utter a word but only stared at her, which made her wonder whether she had unintentionally said something she wasn't supposed to the previous night. Had something affected his mood?
She was living under his roof, and the least she could do was express gratitude and display the courtesy her mother had instilled in her.
"Morning greetings to you, King Raylen," Emily greeted him politely with a bow.
"Morning greetings to you too." Raylen's words sounded clipped, and when she turned to look at the closing door, he added, "Your precious maid will ride at the back with my precious servant."
Emily discerned the slight shift in the carriage's balance originating from the rear, prompting her to take a seat beside him. She felt his eyes on her, or more precisely, on the dress she was wearing, before turning to look ahead.
"Start the carriage," Raylen ordered the coachman, who promptly set the four horses and the attached carriage in motion.
"Where are we going?" Emily inquired, wondering if she would have the opportunity to explore the various parts of the Storm Kingdom.
"Bramsfield. It is a place most ladies around here visit for shopping. You will find plenty of seamstresses there, along with their ready-made dresses, if you want to buy any," Raylen replied, with his legs crossed one over the other.
"And what about you?" Emily inquired cautiously, as if she were still gauging his current mood.
"Me? I am an old-fashioned demon who has his own personal tailor. Are you thinking of dressing me up, Princess?" Raylen playfully teased her with a chuckle. He noticed her shoulders relax, and then asked, "How is your hand? You burnt it yesterday."
"It was just a tiny flame. Nothing to worry about," Emily replied, hiding the hand in question behind the other.
"Glad to know. I thought you might want to report it to your brother," Raylen stated with a straight face, though the mirth in his eyes was evident, prompting Emily to shift her gaze to the scenery outside the window. She said,
"I would like to pay a visit to my uncle and aunt this week. May I borrow the carriage for that?"
"Let Westley know when you wish to go, and it will be arranged," Raylen replied to her request. He watched her gaze at the sky and remarked, "Always so polite."
Emily returned her gaze to him and said, "I could say the same."
"I believe our politeness stems from different motives," Raylen remarked, a faint curl forming at one corner of his lips.
The rest of the ride passed in silence, allowing Emily to take in a closer view of the fresh scenery. It took more than forty minutes before they finally arrived at the town named Bramsfield. As the carriage slowed down, Emily noticed some of the onlookers casting curious glances at the fanciful carriage, and she questioned,
"May I ask something without causing offence?"
"You don't have to request permission to ask. What do you want to know?" Raylen asked her.
Emily hesitated for a moment before inquiring, "How do people here perceive you?"
"A very odd question to pose to a king," Raylen remarked, and though he didn't appear offended, his eyes narrowed subtly. "Your question will be answered soon."
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