188: Unconventional help of the archdemon

Unconventional help of the archdemon

Seated alongside Janelle and Layla, Emily listened as they discussed Layla's recent wedding, which had taken place a few weeks ago. Despite her best efforts not to reveal her inner turmoil, she struggled to contribute more than two or three words to the conversation. Although she wore a smile, it didn't reach her eyes. 

She wanted to be happy for the woman, who, like herself, had always dreamed of marrying the man who would love her and whom she could love in return. Yet Emily had never imagined that she would have to make a personal sacrifice to help her friend realise that dream. 

"I will go and see if Nathaniel needs me; excuse me." Layla politely bowed to the two women before swiftly making her way towards the room, her focus on the attending guests. 

"Lily?" Janelle called, and Emily turned to look at her. "Did something happen between you and Layla?" 

"What do you mean?" Emily asked cautiously. 

Janelle brought her glass to her lap, holding it by the neck, and she said, "Unlike many other times, you barely spoke to her today. And before that, you abruptly left the room when you saw her."

Earlier, Emily had experienced a moment of panic upon seeing Nathaniel and Layla together; their presence had thrown her off balance. 

Her hands were loosely clenched. She knew she would have to do a better job of concealing her emotions, no matter how much she was hurting inside. She finally said, 

"There is something I haven't told you. The reason why I'm here."

"Your secret is safe with me, Lily," Janelle assured her, her eyebrows frowning with concern. 

In a hushed whisper, Emily finally confided in Janelle about her soulmate while making sure there was no one nearby to eavesdrop. Janelle brought her hand to cover her mouth, her eyes widening in surprise as she said, 

"I cannot believe this. Why didn't you tell Layla? I am sure she would understand."

"No," Emily firmly stated. "I don't want to tell her, and I need you to promise me not to tell her either." 

Janelle shook her head in disbelief, as if struggling to comprehend why they would choose to defy destiny. She asked, "How could he bond with her and leave you behind like that?"

"They were already in love. Did you not hear how many times Layla spoke fondly about him when we met earlier?" Emily reminded her. "They have been together for months. I might have been his destined mate, but he doesn't even know me."

"Many soulmates don't know about each other when they meet, Lily," Janelle replied, "Your family didn't confront—"

"I told them not to," Emily sighed softly. She continued, "There's no point, Jane. The decision has already been made, and there's no point in telling Layla now. It would only ruin us all."

Nathaniel had severed his connection with Emily and established a bond with Layla, forming a connection with the woman instead. 

Janelle looked guilty and offered an apology, saying, "I can only imagine how our thoughtless conversation about their wedding must have made you feel now. I'm sorry, Lily. I cannot believe it's Layla who stole him from you. People—"

"It would be wrong to blame her for something she's unaware of," Emily remarked, taking a deep breath as she contemplated the situation. She went on, "Layla has led a similar life to mine, perhaps a bit more liberal. If this were to become public knowledge, it would harm her, Jane. Nathaniel is a demon, while she… she will be the one to bear the brunt of people's anger." 

Emily was a princess, King Dante Blackthorn's sister, whereas Layla was merely a minister's daughter, and people would not spare her from their gossip and slander. They had made their choices, and there was no returning to the past now. 

'Lady Layla, it has been a while. I heard that you have been ill for the last few months,' Emily said upon seeing the young woman. 'I apologise for not visiting you.'

'You don't need to apologise, Princess Emily. It makes me feel more important than I am,' Lady Layla replied before adding, 'I am certain you had many responsibilities in the palace, and your mother must have kept you occupied.'

Emily smiled at the young woman and inquired, 'I hope you are feeling better now?'

Lady Layla nodded appreciatively and replied, 'I am; thank you for your kind thoughts. It was a bit lonely as my father has been busy. He said that they were working on a plan to attack Totus, but it gave me the opportunity to spend more time with Mr. Lynx. He took good care of me.' Layla, having lost her mother shortly after her birth, had been raised by the servants despite her father's remarriage, as he was busy with his constant commitments to the kingdom's affairs. 

'Mr. Lynx?' 

'Yes, he came from the South and has been working in Slade's town. We crossed paths when he happened to visit our house, and we started talking,' Layla said earnestly. 'I believe it would be wonderful to have a husband like him, someone who genuinely cares.'

"Perhaps the most painful part of it all is that I actually like her, which makes it incredibly hard for me to hate her," Emily whispered softly, looking down at her hands resting on her lap. 

Janelle reached out, placing her hand on Emily's, and said, "I wish there was something I could do to help you, Lily, to bring comfort to your heart. I am truly sorry that you had to go through this; you are the last person who deserves such pain."

Emily shook her head and offered a warm smile, saying, "You sitting with me here is more than enough." 

Emily's decisions and choices had led her to question the course of her life. The faint realisation that often, good-hearted people seemed to suffer more than the wicked ones sunk into her mind. With a sense of quiet determination, she uttered, "I will be fine one day."

"You will," Janelle offered her support, though the concern about Emily's broken heart lingered in her mind. They were all demon earthlings who, at some point in their lives, waited for their destined soulmate before giving up and settling down with someone else. "How can th—"

As they conversed, they both heard a sudden sneeze emanate from the corner behind them. Emily swiftly stood up and walked over to the window, peering outside. However, she found no one there. The possibility that someone had been listening to their conversation filled her with a sense of dread. 

"I should go," Emily informed her friend, who nodded in understanding, and they both rose from their seats. 

They shared a warm hug, and Janelle gently stroked her back before stepping back slightly. She said, "You will come tomorrow, won't you?"

Emily nodded and returned the smile, saying, "I will see you tomorrow." 

As Emily made her way towards the entrance of the mansion, she encountered Mrs. Ruiz, who was engaged in conversation with another guest. Upon noticing her, the woman turned her attention towards her and smiled. "Are you leaving now, Lady Emily?" 

"Yes, Mrs. Ruiz. Thank you for hosting such a beautiful gathering today," Emily replied with a polite bow, praising the woman for her hospitality and efforts. 

"I am hoping you had a good time," Mrs. Ruiz said, prompting Emily to try to concentrate solely on the enjoyable moments from the first half of her time at the gathering. "Did you find any suitable men? I would be more than happy to make arrangements for a potential match for you." 

"That is very kind of you. I think I will need to talk to them a little more before making any decisions about who has caught my interest," Emily replied graciously. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Nathaniel and Layla talking to another guest. As much as she tried to keep her emotions in check, her heart couldn't help but yearn to plunge into the depths of a bottomless ocean. 

Raylen materialised next to Emily's side like a ghost, and upon seeing him, Mrs. Ruiz gracefully bowed and addressed him, "Thank you for bringing dear Emily to the gathering, King Raylen. She truly shone on the first day and has given other women quite the competition," she praised. 

"Her bloodline is strong. It would be shocking if she didn't radiate such brilliance," Raylen agreed with Mrs. Ruiz's words. 

"I hope both you and the young lady will join us for tomorrow's open-door gathering. We have organised a few activities to make it more than the usual dance and drinks affair," Mrs. Ruiz informed them. 

"You have worked hard on these gatherings, Mrs. Ruiz. You are the true star." Raylen didn't spare showering the woman with his honeyed words, and Emily observed how the older woman modestly waved off his praise, as if she were pleasantly overwhelmed by the compliments. "We eagerly anticipate tomorrow, don't we, Emily?" 

Hearing Raylen utter her name felt foreign to her, as she was used to him addressing her as 'Princess'. 

"Thank you, Mrs. Ruiz." Emily expressed her gratitude with a respectful bow. 

Mrs. Ruiz returned the gesture and replied, "It was a pleasure to have you attend the gathering today."

Emily smiled, turning away and walking towards the waiting carriage stationed at the front of the mansion's entrance. The coachman stood at the ready, and as she reached the door, he extended his hand to assist the princess in climbing inside. Raylen followed suit, and once he boarded, the carriage door was closed. 

Subconsciously, Emily turned to gaze out the window, her eyes falling upon a group of guests standing outside, whose attention was fixed on their departing carriage. 

"Don't bother," she heard Raylen remark beside her. Turning towards him, she noticed him removing his coat and undoing another button on his shirt. He continued, "Don't look for him. It won't bring you any solace." 

"I wasn't looking for him," Emily refuted, prompting Raylen's blue eyes to lift from the cuff of his shirt to meet her hazel brown gaze. 

"And I am a virtuous man," Raylen said with a slight roll of his eyes.

At least he was aware, Emily thought to herself, and she pressed her lips together. She adjusted her skirt by smoothing out the fabric on her lap. She contemplated asking Raylen if Nathaniel had said something to him after she and Layla left the room. 

As if reading the curiosity in her expression, Raylen advised, "Forget about the smoke and find another scent, another connection." 

"I know. I am over him," Emily replied with a touch of pride, not wanting Raylen to lecture her on the matter. It wasn't that she didn't understand there was no point in dwelling on her former soulmate, but that some things were beyond her control. 

Raylen stared at her, his blue eyes subtly narrowing. It was clear that the princess was too proud to reveal her true feelings. 

"Good to hear that you are over him," he responded, pulling a cigar case from his coat pocket. Emily stared at him. 

"What are you doing?" She asked him.

"If you are truly committed to letting go of him for good, we might as well make it foolproof and shift your association with the scent of smoke from pain to annoyance. So, the next time you catch the scent, your heart won't race like it's going into an overdrive," Raylen said, his tone suggesting that his reasoning made perfect sense, and he picked up a cigar. 

Emily pinched the bridge of her nose, realising that either way, she was going to feel miserable. She sighed and said, "You make me angry, King Raylen. Very angry."

"That's a healthy emotion. Expressing it is good for the mind and body," Raylen responded, placing the cigar between his teeth. "It is better to feel anger than to bottle it up, Princess."1

"I think my next expression of anger might involve me stabbing you," Emily muttered under her breath, and Raylen couldn't help but find amusement in her words. 

"Aw, don't be mean to me, Princess. It is easier to confront your demons than to run from them. Keep smelling it until you feel nothing but indifference," Raylen imparted his wisdom. He took out the matchbox and began to flick the stick over the rough surface, but before he could light it, Emily snatched the cigar from between his teeth and said, 

"I can smell it just fine as it is."

"You think the cigar is going to smoke by itself, or are you going to light it?" Raylen raised one of his arched eyebrows at her. "I believe you said it was smoke, not the cigar itself that was the problem. And that was quite coy of you." 

Emily stared at him quizzically, and asked, "Coy about what?" 

"Taking the cigar that was dampened by me," Raylen pointed out to her with a smirk, and Emily threw it back at him. "I know I am an attractive man, but to steal m—"

"You are getting way ahead of yourself. That will happen when the underworld freezes over," Emily replied, crossing her arms firmly across her chest. 

"You might be surprised to learn that there are parts of Hell that are as cold as some of the lands here, and they can freeze you," Raylen enlightened her. "The only difference is that the inhabitants there are mostly made of bones, so they don't feel the cold."

As a lull in their back-and-forth conversation filled the carriage with silence, Emily asked him, "Will it work?" 

Raylen wasn't entirely sure if she was still referring to the cigar smoke. Her voice sounded distant. He replied, 

"It is a step forward."

Emily avoided meeting Raylen's eyes and instead, they both gazed outside of the carriage window, watching the trees passing by one after another. The wind that entered through the window tousled the strands of her dark blonde hair. As if recollecting something, she asked, 

"Why did you say those things in front of Layla? About soulmates." 

"I was merely expressing my views," Raylen replied, but his response only deepened her frown. 

"Keep Layla out of it. Keep both of them out of it," Emily asserted, wanting no involvement with either of them. "Please," she added with a note of pleading in her voice. 

Raylen's blue eyes flickered, and he remarked, "When you say it like that, it only makes me want to do worse things, Princess. How else will I find satisfaction in making people suffer and enjoying their plight?" 

"I am sure you will find something more enjoyable," Emily stated. "Layla had a hard life."

"And what about you?" 

He was a sly demon, fishing for information, a tactic Emily knew he often used against her. She replied, "I had a better life than her."

"Is that why you use so many candles?" 

"I was just getting accustomed to the new room and place," Emily muttered, and then added, "And I only did it twice," though she couldn't help but think that both instances occurred in the Storm Kingdom. 

Emily leaned her head against the carriage's wall beside the window and closed her eyes, allowing herself a moment of rest until they reached the castle. The cessation of the horses' hooves, coupled with the silence, brought a momentary peace to her mind, as if her brief nap had contributed to her calmness. Her eyes fluttered open, and she straightened her body when hearing the carriage door open. 

As they entered the castle, Westley stood at the front, offering a bow. "Welcome back, Master and Princess Emily." He then took the coat from Raylen and followed closely behind them. 

"I will be going to my room," Emily informed in a soft tone and made her way up the stairs ahead of Raylen. 

On her way, Emily encountered Julia, who, upon seeing her, became visibly excited and quickly hurried over. "Princess Emily, you've returned," she greeted with a deep bow and then said, "How was the gathering, milady? Did you meet many men of Storm? Did you enjoy it? Are you tired?" 

Emily's smile grew upon hearing the curious questions from the young maid. It was good to have someone so enthusiastic and cheerful by her side, even though her mother found the maid incompetent and had suggested that she bring a more experienced senior maid along instead. 

"Forgive me for asking so many questions!" Julia quickly apologised. 

"The gathering was attended by many delightful people, and it was different from the events we host in Versailles," Emily replied as she walked along with the maid trailing behind. She continued, "The gowns were beautiful, and the jewellery was less colourful than what we typically see back in our kingdom. There was music and dancing."

"All of it sounds amazing, milady," Julia expressed her happiness just hearing about the gathering. "Did you meet any promising gentleman?"

"I did," Emily replied, adding, "But none of them managed to hold my interest. We'll see how things unfold in the coming days."

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Before the sky could darken, Emily locked the door and retrieved the vessel containing the necessary ingredients, ready to use it to contact her grandmother. 

"Emily, my dear!" The Mother Queen greeted her granddaughter with a wide smile. She was seated in front of a large water vessel she had filled in advance, hoping to catch a glimpse of her granddaughter, as they had discussed earlier. 

"Good evening, Grandmother," Emily greeted warmly, happy to see her. 

"Actually it is night here. But don't you look lovely with some colour in your cheeks now? I told you that going to Storm Kingdom would hel—"

"Nathaniel is here," Emily interrupted her grandmother, who looked confused before her eyes quickly shifted to a narrowed gaze. 

"What is that bastard doing there?" her grandmother questioned, her eyes flashing with anger. "It's as if he's following you, determined to torment you."

"He's here with his wife—"

"If I didn't have to guard the palace, I would have—"

"Grandmother," Emily interrupted her grandmother again, stopping her from saying more. She explained, "Layla's cousin is looking for a husband here. At the gathering." 

While the Mother Queen pursed her lips in disapproval, Emily inquired further, "Also, isn't Brother Dante there with Anna to guard the palace?" 

"They are," the Mother Queen confirmed, looking like she was up to no good again, making Emily narrow her eyes, wondering what her grandmother was plotting this time. Leaning closer to the vessel, the Mother Queen whispered, "I fear I may have meddled and poked a little too much with that man. Two servants gone, Emily."

"…" Emily stared at her grandmother in astonishment, marvelling at her guts of iron steel. Or maybe diamond. 

"Anyway, tell me how things are going aside from those useless people I couldn't care less about." Her grandmother redirected the conversation back to Emily, who continued to stare at her in disbelief. "Today was the first day of the gathering, wasn't it?" 

Emily nodded and answered, "It was alright. Better than I expected, until it wasn't." 

"And what did you wear?" her grandmother inquired.

"What I am wearing right now," Emily said, adding with a soft smile, "I thought you might ask about it and would like to see it," which elicited a smile from her grandmother in return. 

"My loveliest granddaughter," the Mother Queen remarked, taking a good look at the gown and nodding appreciatively. "You look just like me when I was young, except I have red hair. This is a good time for you, especially with your mother not there trying to cover your eyes and ears," she said. "You must make sure to live your life to the fullest, I have everything under control here. Also, speaking of red hair, how is Raylen?"

"Being his unapologetically insufferable self," Emily deadpanned in a hushed tone. She then noticed her grandmother's eyes shift to look behind her as if something had captured her attention. When she turned to look, she was startled to see Raylen standing behind her, causing her to scream in fright. 

How did he get inside the room?! Emily was sure she had locked the door. 

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