Garden Of Poison-Chapter 227: Devil’s Choice of Earthling

Music Recommendation: Ladies of the court - Johannes Lehniger

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A few minutes ago in Versailles.

The atmosphere in the palace was calm, devoid of any noticeable tension. Right now, the Mother Queen and Lady Sophia hovered over Anastasia, who was seated on the couch in front of them.

"I am telling you, you drink this and you will have a healthy baby, Anna," the Mother Queen insisted, huffing as she poured a bubbling dark liquid into a glass.

Anastasia and Lady Sophia both wore grim expressions upon seeing the concoction. The latter remarked, "It looks like nothing less than poison. It would be better for her to drink milk with these red flower flakes in it instead. After all, she’s a fae, not a demon, for heaven’s sake."

The Mother Queen waved her hand dismissively, saying, "Don’t look down on my concoction, Sophia. This is what I drank when I was pregnant, and now look at our large and healthy family."

Anastasia noticed that Lady Sophia seemed eager to offer a retort, but she bit her tongue, refraining from mentioning what the Mother Queen had birthed. Anastasia had been perfectly fine, taking a stroll barefoot on the grass, when the two women rushed her back inside as if she were about to give birth at any moment. She inquired,

"Isn’t there like nine months before the baby comes?"

"Yes, but we must take care of the mother to ensure that the baby is well nourished," the Mother Queen asserted firmly. "Two sips, and you will have a restful sleep."

Lady Sophia frowned and insisted, "It is clear that neither of us trusts this liquid. Let her have regular food, Mother Queen, or I will have to report it to Dante." She asked, "Where is Gilbert? The flowers on these saffron sticks are scarce, and the drink needs more colour."

Anastasia smiled at being doted on and taken care of by everyone in the palace. There was always someone looking after her, and lately, she had noticed that Lady Sophia had started paying more attention to her than before. She believed it was possible the woman might be missing her daughter and had redirected her maternal instincts to her instead, especially since Aiden was always out of the palace.

When Lady Sophia stepped out of the room, after no more than two seconds had passed, they heard a loud clatter coming from the corridor. Concerned, Anastasia and the Mother Queen rushed out of the room to find a shattered glass and spilt milk on the ground.

Confused, Anastasia asked, "Where did Lady Sophia disappear to?" She looked left and right, but the lady was nowhere to be seen.

"That damned bastard," the Mother Queen cursed in frustration, knowing that this was the Devil’s doing. It was one thing for him to take her Pumpkin, but taking Sophia to Hell was a step too far! With Anastasia bringing joy to her life, she had temporarily forgotten about the missing cat and had been focusing on the baby. She placed her hand on Anastasia’s shoulder and said reassuringly, "I will go deal with this situation. Don’t worry about it. Stress is not good for you. Take a deep breath."

Anastasia believed that the Mother Queen needed to take a breath more than she did at the moment. She decided to go and inform Dante, who was in the courtroom, while the older woman made her way to her concoction room.

The Mother Queen quickly drew the circle and pentagram inside it, meticulously writing the words to summon the Devil with a drop of her blood falling into the vessel. Her fingernail lightly tapped the table as she impatiently waited to connect to the other realm.

Soon, the liquid in the vessel wavered and went still, and the Devil appeared in view. The Mother Queen offered the dead man a brilliant smile and said, "I’ve summoned you because someone from the palace has gone missing. I hope she hasn’t been transported to Hell like my Pumpkin and my servants, because my grandson will wage a war against you if she has."

Viktor stared at the woman with a grim expression. Upon seeing red hair, he had briefly hoped to greet his son, but it was only this woman. Then again, Raylen’s hair was dark, unlike this tomato. He replied, "If you are asking about your daughter-in-law, she isn’t in my realm."

The Mother Queen’s smile faltered, and she asked, "But you know where she is?"

"She’s where she has been wanting to be until now," Viktor responded, bringing his hand before him to inspect his nails.

"And?" the Mother Queen drawled, her patience wearing thin as she waited for the Devil to answer, who was taking his own sweet time to respond.

"She’s in Storm Kingdom," Viktor replied calmly.

The Mother Queen closed her eyes upon hearing this news. Thank Heavens, Sophia wasn’t in Hell. She wondered why he had taken her without any prior request or notice. She asked, "And what about my other granddaughter? Niyasa."

"Breathing," Viktor replied with a hint of disappointment, as if he had hoped for her to die on the island, but she had managed to survive.

The Mother Queen announced, "You know what? I have decided to pay a visit to the underworld." Before you whisk away any other members of my family, she added in her mind.

But Viktor wasn’t in the mood to entertain her. In a dry tone, he replied, "I am busy with family matters. Until next time." The connection broke, leaving the Mother Queen to see her own reflection in the vessel.

The Mother Queen sighed and muttered to herself, "Out of everyone, he sent Sophia where Emily is."

Back in the Storm Castle, Lady Sophia was still in shock.

"Oh, Emily! It is so good to see you!" Lady Sophia exclaimed, walking up to where Emily stood and putting her arms around her.

Emily, still confused, doubtfully said, "Neither Grandmother nor Brother Dante mentioned that you boarded a ship."

"That’s because I didn’t," Lady Sophia said, pulling away from her daughter and examining Emily closely. "Why do you have dark circles under your eyes? Haven’t you been sleeping well?"

"I have," Emily replied, then asked, "How did you get here then?"

Lady Sophia’s eyebrows drew together, and she said, "One second I was walking through the corridor to call Gilbert, and the next instant, I found myself here. Seeing the unfamiliar walls and ceiling, I grew worried, but this maid said that this place is the Storm Palace! How wonderful is this?"

Emily offered a faint smile at her mother’s words because she had hoped for her mother not to tag along this time.

"Why are you just standing there idly and doing nothing? Go and bring me some tea." Lady Sophia dismissed Lauren to fetch her refreshments and added, "In the meantime, let us catch up on how things have been going here."

Lauren stared at Lady Sophia, and her eyes then shifted to the princess. This was her mother? They seemed to have such a different air about them.

"Lauren, this is my mother, Lady Sophia Blackthorn." Emily introduced her mother and then said, "Mother, this is Lauren. She’s the king’s trusted demoness."

Lady Sophia rolled her eyes and stated, "You have demon blood in you too, Emily."

"I meant, she’s from the underworld," Emily clarified, ensuring that her mother understood not to use the same tone as she did with the servants back in Versailles.

"Oh..." Lady Sophia murmured, her demeanour becoming wary upon learning this information.

"I will prepare some snacks and bring them to the drawing room," Lauren informed with a polite bow, and as she turned around, a subtle smile crept up her lips when she heard the woman speak.

"Emily, we cannot have you living in the company of those from the underworld. Are you aware that your grandmother’s meddling has resulted in people disappearing from the palace?" Lady Sophia asked her daughter, her gaze shifting from her daughter to the departing demoness.

"Lauren is a good woman, Mother. Better than most of the earthlings. You will like her. Let us get you seated in the drawing room," Emily proposed, eager to hear about how everyone was doing and how things were in Versailles.

Emily carefully selected and tailored her own stories to suit her mother’s ears and opinions. On the other hand, Lady Sophia predominantly shared complaints about the Mother Queen’s antics and arguments during their conversations.

"I sometimes think I should move to the old palace, but then Maya’s there. And even if I were to leave the palace, I worry that your grandmother might feed something strange to Anna. Just a while ago, she gave her something black." Lady Sophia huffed in disbelief. "What are you smiling at?" she inquired, noticing Emily’s amused expression.

Emily had concerns about her mother being here, yet at the same time, she had missed her dearly. After all, she was her mother. She said,

"It is good to hear that things back at home have been lively."

"We all miss you. The palace has grown noticeably quieter with so many people absent," Lady Sophia said with a pensive expression. "It feels like a whole different year, Lily."

Emily placed her hand on her mother’s, saying, "Some were good, and some not so much. But you have us, Mother. Brother Dante will make sure that no harm befalls you or any of us."

Lady Sophia nodded and replied, "I am aware."

The doors to the drawing room swung open, and Lauren entered with a trolley. While Lauren carefully poured tea for the ladies, Emily turned to look at the clock on the wall. She then turned back to her mother and said,

"You should get some rest, Mother, to ensure that your body isn’t overly stressed by the move." It was obvious that the Devil had something to do with her mother’s sudden appearance. She continued, "Lauren has made an appointment for me with one of the Storm Kingdom’s renowned tailors."

Lady Sophia’s eyebrows rose, and she responded, "Is that so? It has been so long since we last spent time together. I shall accompany you to this tailor... Although, don’t people usually come here to the castle for such matters?"

"We thought it would be a nice change to visit in person. It gives us a good excuse to leave the castle and enjoy some fresh air," Emily replied with a smile.

"I see. I guess I’ll join you, and now that I am here, I should get some clothes for myself." Lady Sophia laughed softly and took a sip from her teacup. As if something caught her attention, she asked, "But don’t you have enough dresses already? It has only been two weeks since you arrived here. I would expect such things to have been handled for you. Has Prince Raylen not taken care of it?"

As Lauren arranged the tray of biscuits on the small table, her eyes subtly shifted to glance at the princess’s mother. Master Raylen was taking more care of her daughter than she would want him to, she thought.

"It is King Raylen, Mother," Emily reminded, and her mother nodded in acknowledgment.

"Yes, King Raylen. Where is he?" Lady Sophia inquired.

"Master Raylen has gone out on official duties but is expected to return before the sun sets, milady," Lauren responded.

Soon, the three women boarded a carriage, and Lady Sophia contemplated mentioning the presence of the servant riding with them, but heeding her daughter’s subtle warning, she tried hard not to comment on it. At the rear of the carriage sat Westley, silently staring at the shrinking castle in the distance.

"Apart from the sea, the kingdom is quite beautiful, isn’t it?" Lady Sophia noted as she continued to admire the view outside the window. She then turned her gaze back to her daughter and said, "I am glad that Niyasa isn’t with you."

"Mother." Emily’s expression carried a sense of disappointment.

"I cannot help but think so. She would have stolen all the good suitors," Lady Sophia remarked. Then she inquired, "Where did you go earlier? I hope you had guards accompanying you. It’s not safe for a woman to travel alone, not to mention you are in a foreign land, and after wha—"

"Everything is well taken care of, Mother," Emily reassured her mother before she spiralled into worry.

When they arrived at Bramsfield, the carriage came to a halt in front of Mr. Hatt’s store. Lady Sophia couldn’t resist glancing around the town, and the people around them couldn’t help but return her curious gaze.

"It seems like everyone knows who I am from the way they are all staring at me," Lady Sophia remarked with a lopsided smile. "Come, Emily. Time to look for some lovely dresses."

Upon seeing the princess and her mother disappear inside the shop, Westley remarked, "She speaks a lot." After a pause, he added, "I now know."

"Hm? Know what?" Lauren asked as they slowly approached the shop door.

"The princess has so much patience because of her mother. The same patience that Master is interested in breaking," Westley replied with a dull expression and stepped inside the shop.

Once Emily and Lady Sophia met Mr. Hatt, who was surprised by the latter’s unexpected visit as he hadn’t been informed of it, he presented the dresses that were currently in the making. Emily had been away from her mother for over three weeks, and her hand mindlessly reached out towards the red fabric.

"A beautiful shade of red, isn’t it? Not too bright, but just enough to highlight your complexion." Mr. Hatt went on to say, "I know exactly what to pair with it. The jew—"

"Emily doesn’t wear red," Lady Sophia interjected with a furrowed brow, cutting off the tailor mid-sentence.

"I think it would look lovely on her, as it’s not a regular shade," Mr. Hatt replied.

"You are only trying to get us to buy it from you. Red is too attention-seeking, and—"

"Mother, I think I can decide for myself," Emily responded calmly. She didn’t raise her voice, but her words were clear enough to be heard by everyone in the store.

Lady Sophia frowned at her daughter’s words. "Don’t you know that this colour—"

"Is that the king’s woman?" someone remarked from behind.

When Emily turned, she noticed a pair of women looking at them.

Lady Sophia, not knowing the context of what had occurred in the Storm Kingdom, raised her voice and asked, "Do we know you?"

The women maintained their smiles as one of them responded, "I don’t think so, milady. But we certainly know you." Leaning towards her companion, the woman added, "I cannot believe how shameless some women can be. If it were me, I would have never left my house."

Lady Sophia responded with a challenge, "If you have something to say, say it louder." Meanwhile, in an attempt to diffuse the situation, Mr. Hatt suggested, "Why don’t we move on and look at the next set of fabrics?"

"You are that king’s woman, who had four women with him. I hear he was a bastard and slept with every woman in the vicinity. Were you his poor wife or one of his prostitutes?" the first woman asked.

Lady Sophia was caught off guard by the confrontation, and considering it was a sensitive subject, her lips tightened.

"The princess is living in the castle. I can only guess," the other woman murmured.

"And what do you mean by that?" Emily asked them, stepping forward to stand before them.

"Because of you, the man named Marshall was killed by Mr. Ardolf. He was a good man, and you didn’t spare him. And you live with the king—"

"So?" Emily asked, her voice steady as she waited for the women to continue. "Slandering the king so openly is a crime that could get you executed, and I doubt you have the courage to face such consequences, given that you are only capable of speaking in whispers."

"Is it a lie then? That you are that bastard king’s daughter?" the stranger questioned.

"You are going to be executed if you continue to accuse the—" Lauren started, but Emily raised her hand to indicate that she could speak to these women on her own.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, I am that man’s daughter, and there is nothing I can do to erase it. We cannot choose our parents, but we must accept and carry their mistakes," Emily said, her eyes shifting between the two women. "He has done terrible things to many people, but this woman here, my mother, instead of showing her compassion, you insult her when she bears no fault in this matter. I wonder if you ever question yourselves, if you will realise how ridiculous you sound. But perhaps you never will, because you lead such privileged lives."

The women fell silent at her words and, without further ado, harrumphed their disapproval and left the shop.

Emily took a deep breath to calm her nerves and turned to face Mr. Hatt. She said, "I apologise for losing you two customers today. I will compensate you for it."

"You don’t have to, milady. This shop is exclusively for the esteemed, and we wouldn’t have provided service to them. We don’t serve those who speak ill of the king’s guests," Mr. Hatt responded, adding, "I will have the new fabrics brought to you right away." He then led his assistant away.

"Why did you say that about your father, Emily?" Lady Sophia inquired, and she suddenly looked drained after hearing those few words.

Emily had grown up without ever hearing a negative word about her father from her mother. Perhaps there was a good reason for this, because insulting the king often led to punishment. She replied, "No matter how much we try to run away from the truth, it eventually catches up. Father was good to Aiden and me, but not to you, not to my siblings, and so many others. It is what it is, Mother. He was a bad person."

Lady Sophia refrained from commenting, her heart feeling heavy. She hadn’t expected to be ambushed like this, and it was one of the reasons why she avoided walking near the commoners. She then inquired,

"What is this talk of the death of a man by another man? Are men killing each other to gain your attention?" clearly worried and not wanting Emily to be anywhere near violence.

"It isn’t like that. Someone was killed, and another person was wrongly blamed for it. The matter has been handled," Emily reassured her mother.

While they waited, Lady Sophia observed her daughter as she browsed through the dresses on display. Her daughter appeared to have grown up significantly since the time when they rescued her from that dreadful time in the past.

Was it the broken heart caused by her daughter’s previous, useless soulmate that was troubling her? She hadn’t gotten to ask about her health, but from her appearance, Emily seemed to have been doing well. Unlike the other members of the Blackthorn family, Sophia knew her daughter was special.

"Here they are. These are some of the options that might interest you," Mr. Hatt said, presenting the various fabrics.

Emily’s hand once again picked up the red fabric, her gaze fixed on it. She then turned to her mother and suggested, "I think you should choose this one, Mother."

"Now you are being ridiculous, Emily. You know I don’t wear red, and that colour is—"

"Someone once told me that red represents strength, boldness, and power," Emily said, aware that her mother had restricted her choices because her mind was caged, and she wanted to help her break free. "Unless you’re not looking for it, Mr. Hatt will craft it into a dress that will bring you joy."

Lady Sophia pursed her lips and said, "You can have it tailored into your dress. I am not comfortable with the colour for myself." Her hand reached for another fabric, and she said, "I shall have this one."

Emily let out an internal sigh. At least it appeared that her mother would no longer be dictating the colours of her dresses, which was a step forward.