183: Dark side of the Storm castle

Dark side of the Storm castle

Emily stared at the door as it closed behind Lauren.  2

Outside, raindrops were beginning to patter against the closed windows while the wind bustled and pushed against them. The view outside appeared hazy, and the sky seemed noticeably darker than it had been when they had left for town to do some shopping. 

Upon hearing footsteps outside her room once again, Emily wondered whether her maid had returned. She then walked to the door and opened it, saying, 

"Julia, I think the gown might need—"

However, there was no one in sight. Before she could step back into her room, she heard the faint creaking of the floor, as though someone was walking away from her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as her brown eyes scanned through the empty corridor. 

As the creaking sound shifted to the adjacent corridor, faint piano music drifted through the air, sparking Emily's curiosity and compelling her to investigate its source. The back hem of her dress swept behind her as she moved along the corridors, eventually coming to a stop at the top of a staircase leading to the lower levels of the castle. She made her way down the steps, and the moment her foot made contact with the floor below, her gaze was drawn to the high ceilings and intricately carved walls. 

Emily moved through the dimly lit corridor until she came to a stop in front of a wall adorned with family portraits, yet these were far from ordinary. Most of the faces depicted in the frames bore scorch marks, making her wonder whether they had been Raylen's family before he turned into an archdemon. 

'I am not an earthling like you,' she recalled the archdemon's words.

Emily understood that his statement was in the context of the present, given that her brother and former soulmate had been earthlings reborn as demons in the living world to fulfil specific purposes. Raylen, on the other hand, had always remained a pure demon. 

Observing the eight individuals depicted in the portraits, Emily guessed that the Storm family was as large as her own. Upon hearing another creak from the end of the corridor, she tore her eyes away from the gallery wall and began to walk in the direction of the sound. 

Spotting a door, she grasped the doorknob when she reached it and picked up a nearby lantern to peer inside, since it seemed the creaking sound had led her here. However, her attention was so focused on what lay ahead of her that she failed to notice that the haunting piano melody had abruptly ceased, enveloping the walls of the corridor in a melancholic, eerie silence. When she stepped inside the room, the wooden floor creaked louder beneath her arched foot, and the lantern's light spilled onto the space just ahead of where she stood. 

"What are you doing here?" 

Startled by Raylen's voice behind her, Emily gasped, accidentally dropping the lantern on the ground. The lantern's glass shattered, and when the impact momentarily intensified the glow of the flame, her eyes fell upon the lower halves of scattered chairs, revealing trousers, skirts, and shoes to her sight. But the light never extended further, leaving the rest concealed by the darkness. 

Her heartbeat quickened, and she spun around to meet Raylen's cold, blue-eyed gaze. His eyes bore into hers, and she uttered, 

"I heard a noise… and that's why I came down here."

The customary smile on his lips and the mirth in his eyes were conspicuously absent, unveiling a side of Raylen that he typically kept hidden from everyone. His words, while as soft as the drizzle, carried a certain emptiness as he said, 

"It must be the rain. It makes the windows, doors, and sometimes even the floors rattle, unsettling both the living and the departed souls. Not everyone enjoys the rain."

He paused, ushering in a silence that seemed as though it could engulf them like the roaring sea. He advised, "It would be wiser if you avoided stepping in this place."

Emily promptly offered a bow and apologised, "I am sorry. I wasn't aware." She had taken the liberty to explore the castle without his knowledge or permission.

"You weren't briefed about it. There's no need to apologise," Raylen stated before adding, "Lunch should be ready in the dining room. Tread carefully as you step outside. We wouldn't want your pretty feet to get injured." 

Taking this as her cue to leave, Emily gingerly made her way out of the room towards Raylen, who stood in the corridor just beyond the door. The atmosphere they had earlier shared in the town had dissipated, replaced by a noticeable aloofness. She wondered whether Raylen had been the one playing the piano earlier, considering the instrument had now fallen silent. 

Bowing again as she passed him, Emily retraced her steps in the direction she had come from, this time moving at a swifter pace than before. She heard Raylen closing the door with a discernible click and then trail a few steps behind her, silently reminding her of his presence without the need for her to turn around to confirm it.

"Princess Emily, here you are," Lauren exclaimed, relieved to have found her as she had been searching for her. However, her relief was short-lived as, just behind the princess, she suddenly caught sight of the grim expression on her Master's face.

"One of the rooms below requires cleaning. I startled the Princess," Raylen stated, causing the head servant's eyes to widen with the realisation that she shouldn't have uttered a word earlier. "Go clean it."

"Yes, Master!" Lauren responded promptly and hurried away to retrieve the mop and the dusting pan. 

Emily headed to the dining room, with Raylen close behind, seemingly ensuring that she wouldn't stray or attempt to sprint out of the castle. After all, Dante had placed her under his care during her stay in the Storm Kingdom. 

"Master." Westley bowed respectfully. 

"Fix a plate for me," Raylen ordered before settling into the chair at the head of the table. When Emily reached for a chair to sit in, seemingly at random, he remarked, "You can take a seat on the other side. It would be a pity to have someone at the table and not have them facing you, don't you agree?" 

Although she had initially believed that having company during meals would be pleasant, Emily began to feel a little jittery as she sensed his eyes following her every move. Deciding to walk around the table, she selected the seat across from him, maintaining a slight distance while allowing them to maintain eye contact. 

"Could it be that you saw something down there that has made you so quiet, Princess?" Raylen casually inquired as the maids entered to set their plates. 

Emily met his eyes from across the table, and she responded, "There wasn't enough light to see anything." 

Soon after, Westley re-entered the room with another set of maids, who carried the dishes and started serving them to Emily and Raylen. For dessert, a cake was presented on the table, with each slice carefully cut before being placed beside their plates. Completing the setup, an ornate glass was placed beside Raylen, containing a dark, rich red liquid. 

"Did you know that the earthling demons can also consume blood?" Raylen inquired in a nonchalant tone, smoothly shifting the subject, as if her earlier trespass into the forbidden space had not occurred.

"I think it would shock the humans if we were to openly consume blood, potentially causing a riot and disrupting the balance," Emily replied, her voice carrying to him as effortlessly as the surrounding air, despite the distance between them. 

"One of these days, you should give it a try. Who knows, you might seek more of it," Raylen suggested with a smile, his cold eyes continuing to study her. He reached for the glass beside him and took a sip. 

"Addiction isn't a good quality to possess. Consuming things in moderation often leads to better outcomes," Emily responded to him. "Grandmother always complains about having morning headaches, but that doesn't stop her from emptying bottles of liquor."

"Surely she has a good reason for it," Raylen said, taking another sip before setting the glass back on the table. 

"Probably," Emily whispered, and when a maid had finished serving her, she said, "Thank you," before the maid withdrew. She said, "If there's even a slight possibility of becoming addicted to something, it is wiser to stay away from it. Not to be consumed by it."

"What's the point of life if you haven't lived a little and savoured the worldly pleasures it offers, Princess? Surrendering yourself and relinquishing control by fully immersing into it is an entirely different experience," Raylen remarked, taking a bite from the food before him. 

"You don't strike me as someone who relinquishes control," Emily responded, noting the wicked smile on Raylen's lips. The cold demeanour that had earlier enveloped him seemed to dissolve. 

Raylen's eyes seemed to hold a wealth of unspoken thoughts, but instead, he chose to reply with a simple, "Depends." 

The following morning, while Emily was still soaking in the bathtub, Lauren knocked on the door. Julia promptly opened it, allowing the older woman to step inside while carrying a box in her hands. 

"Princess Emily, your gown has arrived," Lauren informed Emily, which brought a smile to the latter's lips. 

"He finished it in time!" Emily exclaimed with a smile, rising from the bathtub as it was time to get ready. 

"Mr. Hatt is renowned for his quick hands and beautiful gowns," Lauren remarked, opening the box and carefully laying the gown on the bed. "This one looks different from the ones I have grown accustomed to seeing him create," she said, her gaze fixed on the muted, pastel blue fabric. "Nonetheless, it's pretty."

Soon, Emily donned the gown, carefully layering each piece until she was fully dressed. Thigh-high white stockings adorned her legs, and she slipped her feet into her new shoes. Her hair was parted at the centre, and a few strands from her crown were loosely braided on both sides, which were then pinned at the back, while the rest of her honey-blonde hair flowed freely. 

Her face was lightly powdered, and her lips were delicately tinted pink. Once she was ready, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. 

"You look stunning, Princess Emily!" Julia exclaimed with excitement as she beheld the royal princess dressed in the distinctive attire of the West. 

"I must agree, it has been a while since I've had the pleasure to dress someone as pretty as you. I believe you will shine at the gathering today," Lauren encouraged the young princess, boosting her confidence. 

Emily smiled at them, though she remained unsure about how smoothly the conversations would flow as the spectre of the past continued to occupy her mind. As she observed the gown, she found herself liking it a little more than she initially did, especially appreciating how the skirt flowed like gentle water ripples as she moved. 

"I will let Master know that you are ready," Lauren said with a smile before leaving the room. 

"Princess, wait!" Julia exclaimed, and Emily turned to her maid, who held a thin stick. Julia then gently pressed the tip just below the outer corner of her eye. "To ward off evil eyes." 

"Thank you, Julia." Emily was thankful to have such a caring maid. Although no one could replace the companionship she had shared with Anastasia, she was more than glad that the woman was now by her brother's side. 

Examining herself one last time in the mirror, Emily wondered whether the lingering physical pain she concealed would fully leave her when she found a man her heart truly accepted, and they healed it through their bond. 

As she left her room and descended down the stairs, Emily noticed that one side of her upper sleeve had become loose. With no time for last-minute adjustments, she pulled the sleeve back into place and made her way towards the carriage waiting to transport her to the gathering. 

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