196: Not sharp enough

Not sharp enough

Emily could feel everyone's eyes shifting towards her, some looking at her with pity, while others with a gleam of satisfaction, knowing they had gained an advantage from her apparent downfall. When she first set foot in the Storm Kingdom, she had hoped for the truth never to come out. However, after slapping Marshall Travis, a part of her suspected that it could no longer remain hidden. 

"I am sorry to hear about your rejection, Lady Emily. It must have been devastating." Beatrice openly tried to console her in front of everyone. "You are truly strong. If it were me, I doubt I would have been able to leave my bed at all."

One of the female guests took this opportunity to say, "Perhaps Lady Emily would like to return to the castle for some rest?" 

Despite being introduced as the king's niece, the women present regarded her as a rival and couldn't wait to send her away. Mr. and Mrs. Ruiz were taken aback by the revelation, as this was the first they had heard about it. Mr. Ruiz approached Emily and, in a lowered voice, inquired, 

"Milady, would you like me to arrange the carriage for you?" He could only imagine that the young woman was feeling quite uncomfortable. 

You can either run or stay and face this, Emily said to herself. And she was no coward. 

"Thank you, Mr. Ruiz, but I believe I will stay." Emily offered her host a polite smile. She continued, "King Raylen mentioned he would come to fetch me, and as his relative, he treasures me dearly. I doubt he would be pleased if he didn't find me here upon his return." 

Emily lied through her teeth with a straight face, but it wasn't like anyone was going to challenge her on it. She came to this place to find a suitable man to bond with so that she wouldn't perish, and she was determined to see it through, even if it meant bending the truth. 

A few people continued to murmur as Emily walked to one of the couches and took a seat. She could feel their intense scrutiny and the whispers that accompanied it. 

"She's staying?" 

"Does she really believe she will find a decent man here now? Perhaps she plans to marry Mr. Kirfield," one of the guests jeered snidely. Mr. Kirfield, a man in his late thirties with thinning hair and a far more modest income than the other men, was the subject of their ridicule. "She must definitely lack something for Mr. Lynx to abandon a woman related to the king in favour of a minister's daughter." 

"She should have left when she had the chance…" 

Emily quietly absorbed all the comments with a composed expression. 

Those who had been observing Emily saw her adjusting her dress with graceful movements. Her hand moved with a fluidity akin to water as she gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. However, the rebellious strand of hair returned to frame the side of her beautiful face. Her appearance exuded a delicate softness that many women aspired to possess, and the men found themselves inexplicably drawn towards her, leaning in her direction as if in a trance. 

A faint shiver ran down her body as she reacted to the cold temperature in the room, and within seconds, the men immediately rushed forward, offering their coats to warm her once again.

Emily looked up at the array of coats offered to her with a hint of surprise before shifting her gaze to the men hovering around her. Meanwhile, the women in the room clenched their jaws and rolled their eyes, clearly irked by the sight of these gentlemen still vying for Emily's attention and anticipating her to choose them. 

"Forgive me, but it would be impolite of me to select one over the others. I'm concerned it will reflect poorly on me," Emily politely said to the men. 

"You may choose any one, milady. We would feel terrible if you were to become ill and couldn't participate," one of the men replied earnestly. "Staying warm is essential for your well-being." 

Marshall, who stood on the other side of the room, gritted his teeth in frustration. He had hoped no men would go near Emily again so that she would be forced to choose him as her match. He would have to do something about it. 

"How about I accompany you to the fireplace, Lady Emily?" 

Emily turned to see that it was Julius who had made the offer. It seemed like a better option to her, so she replied, "I believe a fire would not only make me feel better but also keep all of you warm." Saying that, she walked towards the fireplace in the room, accompanied by Julius. 

With their backs turned to the rest of the room, he gently inquired, "Are you feeling alright?" 

Emily nodded and replied, "I am, thank you," mustering a brave smile. 

"People can be vultures sometimes, whenever opportunities arise," Julius remarked, turning to look behind him and catching his mother's approving nod. "I am sure Mr. Lynx regrets not choosing you."

"I no longer care about it, Mr. Ardolf," Emily replied, even though it wasn't true. "We have both made our choices and moved on, and there's no reason to discuss it further." She hadn't journeyed to Storm Kingdom to wallow in her emotional pain but rather to put it behind her. 

Julius offered a slight bow and apologised, "Forgive me for bringing it up. Is there anything you would like me to fetch for you? Perhaps a drink?" 

Emily shook her head and replied, "No, thank you. But if you need to—"

"I am fine," Julius reassured her with a nod, and they continued to stand together in front of the warming fire in silence. 

As time passed, the atmosphere in the room gradually became less awkward. People seemed to become more discreet with their conversations, no longer wearing their thoughts on their sleeves but instead choosing to whisper among themselves after moving to more private corners of the mansion. 

"It was never the cuckoo," Emily murmured, capturing Julius's undivided attention. She continued, "Cuckoos don't keep their precious eggs in their own nests, and instead they lay them among the crows." 

"You are right… I think most of us jumped on the first part of the clue. You would have been the treasure's rightful winner," Julius conceded before adding, "I would have never guessed you had an interest in such things." 

Emily gazed at him intently and inquired, "What did you think of me?" 

"You appear delicate, as though you need to be protected, milady. However, you are articulate and express yourself eloquently when you feel the need to speak," Julius complimented her, and it brought a warm smile to Emily's lips. 

"You would be surprised to discover that there are many women with that description in this room," Emily stated, causing Julius to blush as if she had caught him flattering her. 

"That may be true, but since yesterday, I haven't been able to take my eyes off you long enough to notice other women," Julius confessed, wearing a boyish expression on his face. 

Emily liked the man compared to the others in this mansion, and she pondered if her future might indeed be with him. However, before she could say anything in response, he interjected, 

"May I request the pleasure of meeting you at the castle tomorrow, Lady Emily?" 

Emily took a moment to consider his proposal before giving him a nod, and suggested, "How about tea?" 

"Yes, that would be lovely," Julius replied with a smile. 

The men who had been patiently waiting nearby seized their opportunity one by one. They approached her individually, offering their bows and inquiring, "May I have the privilege of your time tomorrow morning, milady?" She responded with nods, as if granting them each a fair chance to get acquainted. 

After the lunch hour at the Ruiz's mansion, Raylen returned. 

"I hope there has been no trouble in my absence?" Raylen asked the Ruiz couple, who responded with nervous smiles. "What is it?" 

"Oh, nothing, milord! We had thought it would take some time for the gentlemen to approach Lady Emily, but they seem to be doing just fine. They even arranged to visit the castle tomorrow to meet her. Isn't that lovely?" Mrs. Ruiz asked, her grip on her husband's arm tightening. "Was your errand successful? Would you like to sit down and have some tea?" 

"Not really, as it is still being worked on. I will have to return to it later. I came here to fetch the Princess." 

"Princess?" Mr. and Mrs. Ruiz asked with doubt evident in their voices. 

"It is a nickname for Emily. Where is she?" Raylen inquired, then began to walk in search of her. 

"She's in the living room," Mr. Ruiz answered. On his way, Raylen encountered Beatrice. 

"Welcome back, King Raylen. I was hoping we could spend some time together today," Beatrice said, and she was about to step closer to him when Raylen placed his finger on her chest to maintain the distance between them. 

Raylen offered her a kind smile and said. "It seems that something has occurred while I was away. Care to fill me in?" 

Beatrice's lips briefly twisted in annoyance, but she quickly suppressed it, knowing that Raylen didn't tolerate such behaviour or tantrums. She crossed her arms and replied, 

"Your niece slapped Marshall in a private setting, away from others. I offered to take her home, but she declined." She added, "Marshall left." The demoness didn't know whether the demon earthling was particularly sensitive or if Emily had used a significant amount of force in slapping the man, as the handprint was becoming evident on his face. 

"How interesting," Raylen hummed, before making his way towards the living room, leaving the demoness behind, who continued to stare at his retreating figure. She murmured, 

"Your attitude makes me question whether you both are truly relatives. I should probably take a look into it myself."

In the living room, Emily was engaged in conversation with one of the women when she suddenly sensed the room falling silent. She turned and saw Raylen standing at the door, his clever blue eyes scanning the people before coming to settle on her. Finally, she could leave, she thought to herself. She offered a small bow to the woman she had been talking to and then proceeded to walk towards Raylen, who met her halfway with evident amusement in his eyes. 

"I didn't expect to hear about you being violent," Raylen remarked in a hushed tone meant only for her ears. 

"It is all thanks to you," Emily whispered back, her hazel brown eyes locked onto his. She vividly recalled how he had annoyed and provoked her before departing. She then noticed that his coat was conspicuously missing from his body, and after a moment, she saw a mischievous grin spreading across his lips. 

"You are welcome. I am sure he deserved it," Raylen replied before asking, "Ready to leave?" Emily nodded in agreement, to which he responded with a smile, "Wonderful." 

During their carriage ride to the castle, Emily finally felt the tension in her stiff shoulders beginning to ease, and she let out a sigh of relief. When she turned to ask Raylen about the barrier, she found herself momentarily speechless as she caught him already gazing at her. Suddenly, she forgot what she was about to ask him. 

"What?" Emily asked, puzzled by his intense gaze. 

"I was just looking," Raylen replied, his blue eyes continuing to watch her. 

"What for?"  2

"My eyes; I can look anywhere I want," Raylen remarked with a curious expression before asking her, "So, why did you slap the poor man?" 

"The only thing he is poor at is his manners and decency when speaking to a woman," Emily replied with a hint of irritation, and Raylen couldn't help but grin at her response. 

"I thought I was the only one capable of getting on your nerves. Are you sure it's not because you are a bit sensitive, Princess?" Raylen teased, and when she shot him a glare, he chuckled and added, "I jest. So, what did he do to incur the princess's ire?" 

Raylen did get on her nerves, Emily thought to herself, but she recognised it was done to annoy her rather than belittle her. She explained, "He overheard me talking about Nathaniel being my soulmate, and he proceeded to share it with everyone. I can only imagine he'll spread the news to even more people by tomorrow."

Her hands clenched tightly in her lap, and she asked him, "Were you able to repair the barrier?" 

"It will take two days to get it fixed. It is a slow process," Raylen replied. He had to return to provide his demon energy to the barrier. He noticed her eyes lowered to her hands. Returning to their earlier conversation, he whispered, "Want to slap him again? I can arrange for that." 

Emily smiled at Raylen's words, finding them amusing, before shaking her head. 

"No…" Emily replied with a sigh. "It is true that Nathaniel rejected me. I'm only concerned about what else will be added to the story." She had navigated her time at today's gathering, but tomorrow was uncertain. What she had employed in the mansion was an old trick, but one she knew would work on the men. After all, she was Ginger Blackthorn's granddaughter and had an inborn drive to survive. 

She looked away from his intense eyes for a moment before turning back to say, "Did you know that the first clue was the crow's nest?" 

"Mm," Raylen hummed, settling comfortably in his seat. "The second clue was behind the beehive, and the treasure…" He slipped his hand into the coat lying between them and pulled out a sparkling necklace. "…is right here." 

"You found it!" and so fast, Emily thought. "How did you manage to find it so quickly?" They hadn't spent more than thirty minutes inside the forest. 

"Impressed?" A lopsided grin appeared on Raylen's lips. 

Emily concealed her astonished expression and replied, "Surprised."

"Such a difficult princess to please," Raylen murmured teasingly before answering her earlier question. "I have my little tricks. Although the only disappointing part is that the fog appeared at the wrong moment. Otherwise, I would have enjoyed watching people go in circles after I moved the location of the second clue."

Emily observed Raylen's disappointment at not being able to witness people suffer in accordance with his calculated whims. A slight frown creased her brow, and she remarked, 

"You enjoy others' misery a little too much. Why?" 

"Are you attempting to understand me, Princess? How sweet." Raylen's eyes twinkled with a cunning smile etched on his lips. He leaned in, akin to a spider poised to ensnare the butterfly, a predator waiting for the opportunity to trap its next prey. 

"I heard you playing the piano last night," Emily confessed, staring right into his blue eyes even as they turned icy, yet the smile on his lips remained. 

"You didn't do a good job hiding behind the wall," Raylen responded as he pulled away and leaned against the carriage wall while keeping his gaze fixed on her. He continued, "The suffering of others provides my soul with the hope that it needs to thrive. It's like a warm bath during winter." 

Emily found herself without a response to his words. She knew he wasn't lying and was speaking the truth, which was what unsettled her. The corners of Raylen's lips stretched into a broader smile, and he added, 

"You look at me with pity."

She pursed her lips and replied, "I was wondering what happened in your past for you to turn out like this." 

"Oh, Princess. Some of us are born like this. Crazy runs in the family," Raylen chuckled. His tongue absently brushed against his sharp canine, and he said, "If you are feeling sorry for me, I will be willing to take your blood as an afternoon snack." 

Emily swiftly pushed herself into the corner of the carriage, drawing the dagger from under her dress, and pointed it at him, warning, "Don't even dare."

"You amuse me, silly Princess," Raylen said calmly. He placed his index finger on the tip of her dagger, testing its sharpness, and added, "If I wanted to, I would have already sunk my teeth into your neck." 

"That would also be the final nail in your coffin," Emily responded, as her eyes narrowed. 

"To do things people think you can't, there's a certain beauty in it," Raylen remarked, nudging the dagger in her direction. Emily watched as his finger grazed against the sharp edge of the dagger, and she quickly pulled it away upon seeing the skin slice and blood emerge. "Your dagger needs to be sharpened. Come at me after it's done." He pulled back, slipping his finger into his mouth to lick the blood from it. 

When they arrived at the castle, Emily was the first to climb out of the carriage. She didn't wait for Raylen to follow, but instead let the hem of her dress sweep across the marble floor as she swiftly made her way to her room. 

Lauren noticed the princess as she ascended the staircase to her room, and upon spotting Raylen, she greeted him with a bow, "Welcome back home, Master Raylen." She caught her master smiling mischievously as he gazed in the direction of the princess, who disappeared from view after a mere three seconds. "Did you both have a pleasant time at the gathering?" 

"Unfortunately, I missed something interesting that occurred while I was away, as I had to visit the barrier. It was found damaged," Raylen said, the smile on his face fading as a serious expression took its place. He ordered, "Get the men to sweep through the land to check for any intruders." 

The head servant bowed and replied, "I will have the word sent out immediately." 

"Also," Raylen added before heading to his room. Feeling his canine aching, he stated, "I am hungry." 

"Yes, Master Raylen." 

Emily didn't change her clothes right away. Instead, she lay on the bed without removing her shoes, her legs hanging from the edge. She didn't realise when she fell asleep, and when she woke up, the sky had begun to darken. 

She heard footsteps entering the room, and her maid appeared. "Oh! You are finally awake, Princess Emily," Julia greeted. "I came in earlier but didn't want to disturb your sleep. The gathering must have drained your energy."

"It did," Emily replied, pushing herself to sit upright. 

"Dinner is currently being prepared. They have made this wonderfully delicious cake," Julia said in excitement. "You will like it, milady." 

"I might," Emily replied as she got off the bed, letting out a yawn. 

Julia picked out a fresh set of clothes for Emily to change into, and as the princess's dress slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor, the maid bent down to set it aside. It was then that Emily's gaze fell upon her own reflection. 

"Julia, I need a moment alone. Can you please leave the room?" Emily requested, turning away from the maid. 

"Ah, of course. I will be just outside," Julia informed before stepping out of the room.

Emily's gaze returned to the mirror as she turned to face it. She moved closer, her eyes fixed on a faint mark on her chest, just above her beating heart. 

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