Garden Of Poison-Chapter 243: After the intrusion

Emily’s face turned pale upon seeing Julia lying cold on the blood-stained floor. She couldn’t believe her maid had been murdered within the castle.

"Who could have done this?!" she asked in disbelief.

Raylen stared at the lifeless body, noticing the distinctive cut on its front. Despite the murderer’s attempt to make a straight incision with the knife, there was a hint of waviness to it. He commanded, "Gather all the servants in the hall. Right now."

"Yes, Master!" Lauren hurried away, apprehensive about finding herself on the receiving end of her master’s ire.

"I am sorry about the loss of your maid, Princess," Raylen said, and when he turned to look at her, he noticed her lips trembling.

"Why?" Emily asked in bewilderment and confusion. Why kill her? Julia was her faithful maid, who had journeyed from Versailles to the Storm Kingdom with eyes full of enthusiasm, eager to see the world, only to be cruelly snatched away from it.

"Whoever is responsible for killing the commoners in the towns appears to have infiltrated the castle during our absence," Raylen replied, noting the striking similarity in the knife cuts. He couldn’t help but entertain the thought that there might be a connection between the events within the castle and those outside, something he hadn’t considered until now.

"You think it’s the... person who wants my soul?" Emily asked, the burden of the guilt weighing even heavier on her heart. Julia was dead because of her.

Emily suddenly realised how each of her maids had met a swift and tragic end, as if the position itself was cursed and she was not meant to have assistance. A sudden pang of pain tore through her heart, and she cried out in distress.

Raylen was quick to come to her side, holding her as her knees gave way.

"Her death isn’t on your hands," he consoled her. "The killer knew we weren’t around and seized the opportunity to strike. They were aware that your maid’s death would affect you deeply."

Emily’s heart continued to ache, and tears began to trickle down her cheeks as she spoke with anguish, "But she’s dead because of me. What if... others suffered the same fate for the same reason?" What if there were more innocent victims than she initially thought? What if the man had been slowly working to corrupt her all along?

The weight in Emily’s heart intensified, only worsening her corruption.

"Little Red, her death isn’t your fault, so you don’t need to feel guilty." Raylen’s voice remained gentle as he held her arms. "Repeat after me. You had nothing to do with it."

"But my soul—"

"You possess an exceptionally empathetic soul, which is why you feel things so deeply," Raylen responded, not wanting her to blame herself. Given that the intruder had been successful in hurting her, he had no intention of allowing anyone to take her away from him.

Typically, when an earthling was killed, their soul went to either Heaven or Hell. However, when it came to the Barter Soul bearer being killed for the purpose of trading, their soul ceased to exist. He said to her softly,

"Some people go through their lives without ever experiencing deep emotions because they are mostly shallow, filled with their own feelings, and driven by their own self-interests. They may claim to understand, but they really don’t. And then there are those who possess the gift of feeling, Princess. Their emotions run so deep that they feel them in their very bones. They live not only their own lives but also the lives of those around them."

Raylen’s tender words only caused Emily to break down into further tears and sobbing, and he gently took her in his arms. He caressed the back of her head while his lips wore a grim expression, displeased that someone had made his princess cry.

"She must be in Heaven, knowing she was your maid. I will inquire about her with someone I know who keeps an eye on the realm above," he assured her, hoping to bring some comfort to her troubled heart. He pulled away from her, not wanting to alarm her once she had collected her emotions.

Emily’s hazel brown eyes and her lashes glistened with moisture, holding remnants of tears in them. She attempted to blink away her tears and felt the archdemon’s thumbs gently brush the droplets from her cheeks.

Her eyes glanced at her maid, and she inquired, "What if he won’t stop hurting others who are dear to me?" The burden of guilt had now been replaced by profound fear for her loved ones. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

"Whoever he is, he is in the Storm Kingdom. He won’t be able to harm anyone in Versailles, which leaves your mother," Raylen stated. If there were no other deaths, the suspicion might have fallen on Celeste, but he doubted she had any involvement with the matter at all.

"Master Raylen." Lauren reappeared and informed him, "The servants have been assembled."

As Raylen and Lauren began to walk away, Emily pulled out her handkerchief, turning away from them to wipe her eyes and blow her nose before following.

Upon arriving at the hall, Emily caught sight of all the servants gathered in one room for the very first time. The assembly included the kitchen staff, the coachmen, the stablemen, and the other personnel responsible for handling various cleaning duties.

"I need each of you to inform me if you saw anyone acting suspiciously or departing from their assigned duties in the last two days," Raylen declared, fixing them with his icy blue eyes. "If you have, it is about time you speak up, as one of the maids has been found dead in the castle."

"Master..." One of the maids stepped forward and began, "After Jayson and I went to the market and returned, he wasn’t present in the kitchen. He went towards the shed and didn’t come back for a long time."

Unfamiliar with the names, Emily noticed one of the men’s eyes widen. The servant stuttered, "W—what are you talking about?! I went to assist Westley with the windows as he had requested."

"He did," Westley confirmed.

"But I was sure he went to the stable before returning and didn’t lend us a hand. He said ’I have work’, and left..." the maid added with a concerned expression.

Raylen’s lips twisted in annoyance. After further interrogation, the servants were dismissed, and he stated, "We might have had an imposter in the castle for a brief period before Julia was killed."

"Like the archdemon Magnus? Or my brother?" Emily inquired, feeling worried.

"It doesn’t look like this person possesses an inherent ability but is using some other method to shift. Unless, of course, he is a demon," Raylen remarked, meeting Emily’s eyes. "I had never considered the possibility of shifting before, but at least within the castle, it can be fixed. This way, we can distinguish when an intruder shows up, ensuring it’s not one of our own." Though this was something available in Hell and not in the living realm, he contemplated.

Before Westley and Lauren could head to the corridor to take Julia’s body in order to prepare her for burial, the sound of footsteps echoed from the stairs, and soon after, Emily’s eyes fell on her mother, who appeared a little tired as she approached.

"I rang the bell in the room, but no one responded," Lady Sophia said as she made her way to where they stood, failing to read the atmosphere. "My head hurts," she added, rubbing the side of her head.

Emily noticed Raylen’s blank expression as he stared at her mother, and fearing that he would decide to snap his fingers to use his powers on her, she swiftly moved to intercept and meet her mother halfway.

"Mother, what have you done?" Emily whispered with a furrowed brow.

"What? Since when is ringing the bell wrong?" Lady Sophia inquired and then turned to look at Raylen before briefly glancing at the two servants she remembered seeing before falling unconscious.

"You released an archdemon whom I had imprisoned in the cells. Who has weakened my barrier during her escape, making it easier for hellish beings to appear here. Like the Devil. Any thoughts on that, Lady Sophia?" Raylen’s words carried a sharp edge of irritation and were nothing less than snippy. If the woman weren’t Emily’s mother, he would have resorted to more drastic means to alleviate his annoyance, such as dissecting her.

Although both servants kept their eyes cast on the ground, one could see their peeved expressions if they were to observe closely. It took three seconds before Lady Sophia finally realised the connection to the woman who had requested water.

"That—I didn’t know she was an archdemon," Lady Sophia answered. "I wasn’t informed about it. I heard a noise, and then she wanted water. No one warned me."

I did, Lauren said in her mind, but she remained quiet.

Raylen’s fingers ran through his hair as if he were struggling to maintain a composed demeanour. His tongue ran over one of his sharp canines, causing it to draw blood in his frustration.

Lady Sophia found herself at a loss for words because she had only meant to help quench the prisoner’s thirst, not knowing that it would lead to aiding the woman to break out of this place. When her gaze shifted to her daughter, she noticed the concern in Emily’s eyes.

"There has been a death," Raylen stated, his expression remaining impassive. "Emily’s maid has been found dead. You were likely used as a distraction." He paused, allowing his words to sink in, then continued, "If it weren’t for the fact that I respect you and hold you in high regard, Lady Sophia, the consequences would have been more severe. However, I am willing to forgive you for the mistake that has occurred."

Westley’s eyebrows raised ever so subtly at his Master’s words.

Lady Sophia didn’t know what to say and nodded. "Okay..."

Raylen then ordered, "Prepare a coffin for the maid. I believe the princess would want her to have her own grave rather than being sunk in the sea."

"Yes, Master," Lauren and Westley replied in unison before departing to carry out the task.

While Emily stayed with her mother, Raylen went to the lower floor where Amara was still confined in the cell. The demoness was visibly irked that Celeste had left her behind, gritting her teeth in frustration.

"I would say good afternoon, but it has been quite shitty, so let us drop the pleasantries," Raylen said as he walked through the passage and came to stand before Amara’s cell.

Amara was wary of Raylen and responded, "I didn’t know she was planning to escape."

"But you might have heard someone, even smelled their presence." Raylen’s blue eyes glowed faintly as he continued to probe. "Someone who you saw leaving a jug of water to be spilled on the ground for Celeste to use to escape? Hm?"

"I was sleeping until I heard a zap when Celeste left. I swear I heard nothing," Amara replied quickly. "I don’t remember anyone coming here with water. I didn’t even hear any footsteps, but I did catch a scent, something that smelled dead."

Was Emily’s maid killed before Celeste had escaped from the cell? Raylen pondered.

"Do you know where the Potion of Caution is?" Raylen questioned her.

"I don’t know. It must be—Wait! Why am I being punis—" Amara began to question when Raylen raised his hand, and his fingers pressed against each other.

"Holding onto anger is not healthy, and one needs to let it out," Raylen replied before snapping his fingers, and Amara exploded into a pile of blood.

Using the blood that trickled out of the cell, he drew a circle and began writing inscriptions into it before placing his hand at the centre, causing a red light to emanate from the markings.

"I didn’t expect you to use the open medium to talk," came Dante’s voice from the other side.

"It is a pressing matter," Raylen said, raising his hand and inspecting his fingertips. "I will be brief. Your sister’s stalker broke into my castle and killed her maid. I need the Potion of Caution, which is in my father’s possession. Since I cannot retrieve it myself or have Balor do it, I need your assistance."

"I will send Migdre to fetch it," Dante responded immediately, as it concerned his sister’s well-being. He asked, "How are they doing?"

"Apart from your family members, who enjoy giving me trouble by breaking my barrier and by aiding my prisoner out of their cell, things have been excellent," Raylen hummed, a smile forming on his lips as he recalled the moment he had stroked Emily’s head. "I will be waiting," he added, and he moved his hand, causing the markings on the ground to vanish.

Before dusk, Emily was accompanied by Raylen and two servants to one of the nicest cemeteries around. Julia’s casket was lowered into the freshly dug ground. Once the priest offered his prayers, the muddy soil was pushed back into the cold earth, and a headstone was erected to mark the end of her maid’s journey.