Garden Of Poison-Chapter 212: Bringing dinner home

Music Recommendation: Define Dancing - Thomas Newman

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Emily pulled her hands away from the keys when she saw Raylen making his way over to where she sat. He remarked,

"I had been wondering how long I would have to keep hearing you play like a pendulum in a clock."

"What do you mean?" Emily furrowed her brow as she watched him approach and stand beside the piano. "Are you saying it’s boring?" She had asked him to teach her a week ago, but he had refused.

Raylen clicked his tongue, noticing that the princess appeared upset by his words, sounding defensive. It was such a rare sight that he couldn’t resist moving a little closer. He said, "Scoot over to the side."

"What?" Emily asked, but Raylen had already slid in to sit on the bench with her, prompting her to quickly shift over.

"I am not going to lie, it was boring," Raylen replied, but before his words could further affect her mood, he added, "But it cannot be helped, considering that you have a teacher who’s as lively as a pendulum." He cracked his knuckles.

Emily watched as he placed his long, slender fingers on the keys without pressing them. She then heard soft music begin to fill the piano room. She listened as he said,

"There’s no point doing something if you haven’t poured your heart into it. Concentration and focus alone aren’t enough. You’re not chopping a damn log of wood where precision is all that matters. Embrace mistakes, for they will teach you how to correct them. Even bad situations can be rectified."

"You heard," Emily stated flatly, realising that Raylen had been informed by Westley about what had transpired.

Raylen turned to look at her, gauging her sombre expression, and remarked, "Your short responses are starting to make me depressed."

"You should keep your eyes on the keys," Emily said, looking at his fingers as they picked up their pace and quickened to a tempo reminiscent of the night she had caught him playing. The music transitioned from soft to furious, as if probing her emotions. When her eyes moved to glance at him, she noticed the crooked smile on his lips.

"You seem angry," he noted.

"I am," Emily replied, adding under her breath, "If I could, I would kill him." But would that be going too far? She entertained the thought of opting to torture him instead. Yes, she could settle for that, she resolved to herself. Gazing at the piano keys in front of her, she murmured, "People are disappointing..."

The smile on Raylen’s lips widened, and he responded, "They are." He murmured, "Looks like we share more than one thing in common now."

Emily wondered what the other thing was, though her question did not carry all that much interest as she inquired, "That we both have connections to the underworld?"

When their eyes met, Raylen continued to wear a smile while Emily turned her attention back to watching and listening to him play. She had chosen to come to the piano room when she was upset, he thought to himself, something he liked to do as well.

"It seems like there is something else on your mind beyond what Marshall said in town today," Raylen stated. The music had returned to softer tones, delicately caressing the walls of the room. "What weighs on the princess’s mind? I promise not to share," he whispered the last words, evoking a smile on Emily’s lips that faltered halfway before fading.

"My parents, they weren’t soulmates, and you know plenty about my father’s deeds," Emily began, her eyes drifting to the window. "So when I grew up, I decided to wait for my destined one. I’ve made my peace with how that turned out... but today, the path I’m on right now, I don’t know, I felt uncertain."

"And what did Julius do?" Raylen asked her directly, his eyes momentarily closing as if he were immersing himself in the song he played.

Emily clenched her hands and pursed her lips before confessing, "I like Mr. Ardolf."

"That I have noted," Raylen replied.

"And he’s a polite and decent gentleman who treats me well," Emily added.

"Mhm."

"I thought we shared similar thoughts and ideals, but it appears our minds aren’t entirely in sync. Like there is something missing, like a bridge that isn’t connecting from my side to his, and it’s making me anxious now..." Emily explained, reflecting on the time she had spent with Julius today. "I thought everything would go smoothly between us. I mean, we seem so compatible with each other. I do enjoy his company very much."

The archdemon hummed in acknowledgment before Emily continued, "In addition to the scene Marshall created, sabotaging my name by loudly claiming that I am carrying his child, I felt sad. It was probably because Julius didn’t behave the way I expected regarding certain matters. It felt as if we were on different wavelengths compared to the last few days. Maybe today was just an unusual day, and things won’t be as they were today in the future."

Raylen, who had previously closed his eyes, had instinctively turned his head towards Emily as if paying more attention to her voice than the music he was playing. He subtly leaned closer to her and caught the sweet scent of cake. As his eyes reopened, they were met by the beautiful hazel brown eyes that now peered back at him. He softly murmured,

"I don’t know why you ever wanted to pluck out my eyes at all."

Emily frowned at his words as he seemed to have ignored what she had just said, and responded, "Maybe because you asked a question and weren’t really listening to my answer." She sighed and then waved it off, saying, "I am just blabbering things. Forget it."

"Why don’t you try what you did before?" Raylen suggested as he concluded the song.

"You mean... hitting the piano keys? But that didn’t create any music," Emily pointed out to him.

"Not everything has to be a piece of music, Princess," Raylen stated. "Go on. We don’t need you bottling up your anger and then taking it out on unsuspecting men by whacking them on the streets."

Emily turned slightly pink at the mention of it. She hesitantly hovered her fingers above the piano keys before finally pressing them. However, when she turned to look at the archdemon, he looked disappointed.

"You are holding back. So careful. Again," Raylen urged, and when Emily pressed her fingers down again, he repeated, "Again. I am sure you can do better than that."

The jarring sound of the piano keys continued to reverberate throughout the room, spilling into the corridor and catching the attention of the servants, who turned to look in their direction. Raylen’s insistence on ’again’ didn’t cease until Emily channelled her anger through her fingers, hammering the keys furiously. Somewhere along the way, Raylen joined in, and she found the whole situation rather silly, making her burst into laughter.

"What are we doing?" Emily asked, bringing her fingers to a halt, and when he did the same, the lingering echoes of the sounds seemed to resonate even as the room fell silent.

Raylen observed the princess enjoying herself amidst the discordant sounds. He replied, "Consider that your first piano lesson. It will take a while, but you will get there."

Emily shook her head and said, "You know, you are crazy."

"I am aware," Raylen remarked with a grin on his lips.

The tension in Emily’s shoulders dissipated like morning mist in the presence of the sun. She brought her hands up to play with two of the piano keys in front of her when she heard him ask,

"Do you want to know what you are doing, Princess?" Raylen watched her turn towards him, giving him her full attention. "You are comparing Julius to men like Marshall, which is why he seems pleasant. Not that he isn’t the things you listed, but you know what I mean. Regardless of your status, you are an attractive woman—one who is reasonable, kind, and thoughtful. Despite the condition of your broken heart, you are a great catch, Princess."

Emily hadn’t expected Raylen to say those things, and somewhere deep down, she understood that he wasn’t just paying her lip service, as he often did with others. It was evident in the absence of his usual smile. She found herself at a loss for words, and he pointed out,

"And you aren’t very good at receiving compliments. You hesitate, as though not knowing how to handle them. As if you don’t believe you deserve them."

"..." Emily fell silent, unexpectedly feeling a little too vulnerable, as she hadn’t realised she had been watched so closely, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Anyway, getting back to the subject at hand. You’ve caught a fish—a fish you are considering marrying. You hoped this fish would be flavourful, even if it’s not exactly your preferred taste. And now, you are hoping you will acquire a taste for its flavour," Raylen remarked.

"You are making me sound like a fisherman," Emily said, her imagination momentarily wandering to the idea of actually fishing for men from the sea.

Raylen gently reminded her, "That is because the choice is yours to make, not the fish’s."

The truth was, Emily hoped that Julius wasn’t too far from the person she believed him to be. "Maybe the fish will taste better next time?"

"Maybe. It seems you have some doubts. And this is the freshest taste. Fish taste best when they’re fresh, and yet, even at its best, you had a mixed impression. It could be a false alarm," Raylen stated, mindlessly running his tongue over his canine. "If it helps, you could always help him improve. To become a better man, of course, although we don’t know how far he would be willing to go for that."

"You mean subtly manipulating him or reteaching him on subjects I don’t agree with?" Emily asked, her discomfort evident, as the idea didn’t sit well with her because of her strong sense of morals. She added, "I already feel like I am deceiving him."

"And in what way is that?" Raylen inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"We went near Deathfall, and I, I remembered how I enjoyed that night very much. But Julius despises the place, as if anyone who sets foot there is inherently bad," Emily explained. She realised that if Julius were to find out about her night out, he would likely look at her in shock.

Raylen rolled his eyes and said, "You aren’t married to him. Not yet, at least. Feel free to do whatever you want. And if it is such a hassle, you can always reject him. There are plenty of other men in the sea. Maybe you should find someone who will challenge you, although it seems like I am the only one who does that."

"Yeah, I think I will pass," Emily replied, getting up from the bench and moving around the room. Even though men had initially flocked around her, only two of them continued to show interest in her.

Raylen pretended to be offended and questioned, "You think I am not good at challenging you?"

"Oh, you definitely are. You’re so good at it that I want to stab you sometimes. But I don’t think it would be healthy to harbour murderous intentions towards a future husband who might share your remarkable qualities." Emily laughed at Raylen’s suggestion, finding it amusing. When her smile faded, she said, "Thank you for talking with me. I feel much better now."

"You can thank me with your blood." Raylen smiled, shifting over to the spot on the bench where she had been sitting earlier before patting the seat. "Sit. Don’t be shy."

This cunning archdemon... she thought to herself, realising that in some way he had coaxed her into a better mood with the intention of obtaining her blood.

However, considering that it helped with reducing the progress rate of her corruption, she didn’t refuse and sat down on the bench with her legs facing the opposite direction of the piano. Raylen followed suit by standing up to straddle the bench before moving closer.

Emily could detect a hint of excitement in Raylen’s blue eyes as he prepared to suck her blood. She extended her hand towards him and saw him gaze at her as if momentarily diverted by some thought that crossed his mind. However, he didn’t bring her hand to his lips and instead smiled. She asked him, "Have you ever taken more than what you required before?"

Raylen had always bitten into people’s necks, and the princess was the only woman from whom he had drawn blood from the wrist. He gently wrapped his fingers around her delicate hand before replying, "A handful of times."

"You mean people have died?" Emily’s eyes widened in astonishment.

"I suppose that’s what happens when you drain a person dry, doesn’t it?" Raylen asked, his eyes twinkling mischievously, before he added, "Don’t worry. I intend to keep you alive."

Emily noticed his sharp canines as he spoke, and she recalled the pain left behind after his previous bite. She watched as he brought her wrist to his mouth before breaking the surface of her skin, and his lips latched onto her wrist to drink her blood.

Her heart skipped a beat at the sensation of his lips on her skin, at the intimate contact, and she reminded herself that this was for the sake of her soul. This felt like another secret she would have to keep hidden from others, as no one could know. Somehow... it was as though she was gradually accumulating many secrets with this archdemon. She was thankful to him for sharing his perspective.

On the other hand, when the first drop of Emily’s blood touched Raylen’s tongue, he discovered that the taste of blood could get even better. The taste was just as he had last remembered, but even finer.

Raylen had originally intended to have Emily’s blood today. He had invited Beatrice to the castle to feed on her blood, enough to satisfy his needs so that he wouldn’t take too much from the princess. However, at this moment, he found himself unable to stop, drinking more than he had initially planned. His cheeks grew hollow, a craving for more overpowering him as the taste consumed his senses.

Emily, who had placed her other hand on the edge of the piano for support, lost her balance and slipped when she felt the sudden ache in her wrist beginning to surge, causing her to inadvertently hit the piano keys. This abrupt noise snapped Raylen out of his bloodthirsty trance, and he retracted his canines from her skin.

Raylen’s mind was still intoxicated by the delicious taste, and he didn’t let go of her hand.

Emily observed the snake-like bite mark, feeling the area throb with pain, and she inquired, "Are all bites meant to hurt for an entire day?"

Raylen’s eyes, fixated on the two droplets of blood on her skin, subtly narrowed. He questioned, "Do you intend to offer your blood to others?" The thought of sharing it with someone else struck a nerve within him.

The thought that passed through his mind made Raylen pause as he realised their future would be troublesome. Despite having his fill, he wished to take another bite. Yet he knew that a single bite wouldn’t satisfy him. He couldn’t help but wonder why her blood tasted so exceptionally good.

"Of course not," Emily replied, unable to see his intense gaze focused on her wrist. "The last time you bit me like a snake, it was painful."

"That is because you didn’t allow me to close the bite before you ran away, Princess," Raylen replied, leaning forward.

Emily wondered if he was about to bite her again, but instead, his tongue peeked out from his mouth before it languidly ran across the bite he had made, instantly healing her skin. She blushed at his action and became flustered. She quickly said,

"I think pain is good. You don’t have to do that next time."

A broad smile appeared on Raylen’s lips as he replied, "If that is what you wish, Princess."

Emily’s emotions had transitioned from anger caused by Marshall and sadness caused by Julius to flustered thanks to Raylen. She saw his head slowly move away from her, his blue eyes still on her, while he released her hand from his grasp.

"What?" Emily asked him cautiously, her guard up as he continued to maintain his intense gaze.

"You should go get changed. Dinner is about to be served," Raylen suggested.

"You are right," Emily replied, quickly getting to her feet. Before she left, she inquired, "Will you be giving me piano lessons?"

Raylen’s head tilted as he stared at the woman before him. "Sure, when I have time. You don’t have to stop the lessons with Julius," he said, and she nodded in acknowledgment.

He heard her footsteps receding in the corridor, and his fingers slowly ghosted above the keys as if he could hear the music playing in his mind. But soon, his fingers began to move faster until he struck the keys forcefully enough to create an echoing sound in the room.

When Raylen heard another pair of footsteps approaching, he didn’t turn to see who it was.

"Will you be dining with the princess, Master?" Lauren inquired.

"I probably shouldn’t," Raylen replied, feeling slightly irritated with himself for his lack of self-control. As much as he had been looking forward to the bite, there was just something in her blood that stirred an insatiable desire within him, and he bit the inside of his cheek to taste his own blood. He then smiled and said, "I guess it’s a good time to go hunting tonight."

"I guess it is, Master," Lauren responded. The demoness didn’t question him further.

As the night hours ticked away, Lauren and Westley heard a door open and close somewhere in the castle. Curious, Lauren picked up a lantern and, accompanied by the fellow demon, ventured to investigate.

As they made their way downstairs, they discovered it was their master, but he wasn’t alone. Their eyes were drawn to his hand, which held a person’s leg. Upon taking a closer look, they realised that the person in his grasp was none other than Marshall Travis, who appeared to be unconscious.

The corners of Raylen’s eyes crinkled as he smiled and remarked, "I thought I’d prefer to enjoy my dinner comfortably in the castle."