189: Warning of the conveyance

Warning of the conveyance

Emily had moved aside in shock, allowing Raylen to step in front of the vessel and lean forward. He smiled at the Mother Queen and said,  0

"Good evening, Queen Ginger. You don't look like you've aged a day," Raylen greeted her with a charming smile.

The Mother Queen had looked forward to a one-on-one conversation with her granddaughter, but she didn't mind the slight interruption. She greeted the archdemon back, saying, "I hope you are taking good care of my granddaughter."

"Providing her with ample candle stands, despite being called insufferable," Raylen smiled, the corners of his eyes and lips crinkling, and Emily shot him a glare. 

"Don't take her words to heart, Prince Raylen. I hope you can excuse her. Sophia raised Emily too strictly, without letting her breathe," the Mother Queen remarked. 

"I am breathing just fine," Emily retorted with a frown. "I just don't want to suck up all the air around me," she added, taunting Raylen. 

"Ahahaha!" the Mother Queen laughed heartily. "It seems both of you are getting along just fine." 

"Better than you can imagine," Raylen replied politely. 

Emily questioned whether her grandmother and Raylen were cut from the same cloth. She muttered something under her breath, earning a quizzical look from him. 

As the Mother Queen observed them, something struck her. Emily didn't seem as sullen as she had been in the Blackthorn Palace, and it must be due to the presence of the man next to her. She appeared much more lively, and this brought her a sense of relief. 

She had done well in sending Emily to the Storm Castle. Of course, she was never wrong in her decisions, except for a few unmentionable instances, she thought.

"It is reassuring to know that you are there to take care of our Emily. We would be quite concerned otherwise," the Mother Queen expressed, showering her gratitude upon Raylen. 

"You seem to forget that Aunt Cecelia is also here," Emily replied, her eyes narrowing at her grandmother as she wondered what was running through her grandmother's devious mind.

"There's no reason for you to impose yourself upon their mansion. Cecelia will have her own duties to attend to, while you can keep yourself occupied with your own matters," the Mother Queen suggested with a smile. 

"Emily." Emily heard her eldest brother's voice, and an instant smile graced her face when she saw him appear in her view. "How are you doing?"

"I am doing well, Brother Dante. How are you and Anna doing? I miss everyone," Emily confessed, despite the fact that only three days had passed since she had arrived at Storm Kingdom. 

"We are doing well. You make sure to take good care of yourself." Dante's words were full of concern, and his gaze then shifted from his sister to Raylen, and the warmth in his eyes instantly evaporated. 

"Keep your claws off my sister," Dante stated explicitly, and Emily's face reddened in response.

"Brother Dante… There's nothing to worry about," Emily assured her brother. 

While Dante had entrusted his sister to be taken care of during her stay in the Storm Kingdom so that she could meet potential suitors, at the same time, he also kept a vigilant eye on Raylen. He was protective of his family and wanted his siblings to have good partners. A woman like Emily needed to be handled with care, to be cherished and protected, with all attention focused solely on her. Having known Raylen for an unduly long time, he was aware of the archdemon's preferences. 

"The princess is far too refined for my tastes," Raylen smiled. And while the women pondered his words, Dante's eyes narrowed.

The Mother Queen began, "Refined is—"

"Okay! I will talk to you again. Convey my love to all!" Emily hurriedly responded before using her hands to ripple the water, severing the connection. 

Emily gazed at the rippling water when she heard Raylen say, "Insufferable? I don't believe you truly understand the definition of the word, Princess. Would you like me to enlighten you?" 

"No thanks," came her quick response. She had tested Raylen once but wasn't foolish enough to test him again. Instead, she asked him, "How did you get in?"

Raylen tilted his head and replied, "Through the door?" 

"No. I mean to say that I locked the door… How did you get in?" Emily's expression turned cautious. 

"Something to think about," Raylen hummed thoughtfully, and Emily narrowed her eyes at him. Now that she thought about it, it occurred to her that Julia had entered her room in the morning. Did the lock not work? They gazed at each other, and he said, "The lock must be loose since this room hasn't been used in a while. I will have Westley fix it." 

Emily noticed his eyes shift to the vessel, where the contents had become still. She asked him, "Was there something you needed from me?" 

Raylen ran his tongue over his canine and said, "I was wondering who opened the conveyance portal earlier, but it turned out to be you. I wasn't aware you knew how to perform a conveyance through the water medium."

"I learned it before leaving Versailles," Emily replied, noticing his intense gaze fixed on her. There was something eerie about the way he watched her closely, as if dissecting her with his eyes alone. "I did it so I could communicate with my family. Is there a problem?" she asked. 

"No. None at all," Raylen smiled at her, though his eyes were empty. The tips of his slender fingers brushed around the circle she had made. He cautioned, "You should be careful with the summons and connections. A wrong symbol, an excess line, or an absence of one can bring forth unknown entities. The last thing I need is you unintentionally disrupting the protective barriers I've so fondly built around my kingdom." 

The subtle warning didn't go unnoticed by Emily. She replied, "Grandmother mentioned it to me. I always double check before reciting the incantations and making the connection." 

"That is good to hear. It is better to be meticulous than to invite something unexpected, isn't it, Princess?" Raylen asked her, the once-daunting atmosphere around him dissipating akin to the darkness before dawn as night rapidly descended upon the Storm Kingdom. He said, 

"In the past, there were a few instances of earthlings stumbling upon scrolls belonging to Hell. These writings were designed for demons, but earthlings are foolish creatures, always wanting to dabble in things they do not comprehend. The consequences varied—some met their demise at the hands of vengeful demons, while others found themselves enslaved."

Emily watched Raylen leave the room and close the door behind him with a soft click. 

When it was time for supper, she entered the dining room and took a seat at the table, and the minutes ticked by with maids coming in to serve her. However, the Storm King never made an appearance. She finished her meal in silence. 

[Music Recommendation: Astronaut and Butterfly - Infinite Stream]

After her meal, Emily was strolling through one of the corridors when she heard the sound of the piano coming from another part of the castle. The music that drifted through the corridors seemed to cast a shadow over the walls, making them appear duller and darker, but the occasional flashes in the sky pierced through the darkness, illuminating sections of the corridor. She turned to gaze at the view outside, where the ongoing lightning continued as the clouds collided with each other. 

"Princess Emily?" 

Emily turned to meet Lauren's eyes, which now held a calmer expression than the day before. She heard the woman inquire, "Would you like me to bring the candles to your room, milady? I prepared the stand with five candles already." 

Having been taunted earlier, Emily remained stubborn and refused, saying, "No, that won't be necessary." As she continued to hear the piano being played, and although she had a strong suspicion about the answer, she couldn't resist asking, "Who is playing the piano?" 

"It is the Master who plays the music, milady," Lauren replied. "He has always played it well, ever since he was young."

The woman's words had Emily feeling curious. She whispered, "You are from here too…" The woman nodded. To think they knew each other longer than she had expected, the princess thought to herself. 

"You should return to your room and get some rest, milady. The rain will start pouring soon," Lauren advised her. "Let me know if you need more firewood for the night. For the fireplace," she added with a warm smile. 

Emily cast one final glance at the end of the corridor and then said, "I will; thank you, Lauren. Goodnight." 

"Goodnight, Princess Emily." Lauren bowed, raising her head only when she heard the young lady's footsteps walking away, her eyes following the princess as she headed in the direction of her room. 

The head servant then cast a grim gaze at the deserted corridor from which the music echoed. It had been so long since her master had played this particular song. It made her wonder what had inspired his choice, especially as the music grew in intensity, mirroring the fierce clashes among the tempestuous clouds outside. 

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