Chapter 179: More the better
Upon arriving at the Storm Castle, Raylen was the first to disembark, followed by Emily, whose eyes drank in the vastness and towering presence of the place that would be her temporary residence. A maid, who appeared older than her own mother, awaited them at the entrance.
"Welcome back home, Master Raylen," the maid greeted with a respectful bow, and it was only when she raised her head that Emily noticed a shadow beneath the woman’s eyes. The maid offered her a polite bow, and Emily reciprocated in kind.
"Princess, allow me to introduce you. This is Lauren De Maitree, the head of the servants here. She will be the one to assist you during your stay at Storm Castle." Raylen addressed Emily before shifting his gaze towards the woman. "Lauren, this is Princess Emily Blackthorn, who will be staying here with us until the conclusion of the gathering."
Emily looked slightly stunned by the revelation. Where she came from, women were never granted such esteemed positions in the king’s domain, regardless of their experience. Those positions were invariably reserved for men, even if they were of a young age.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess Emily," the woman greeted her with a warm smile.
"Good afternoon, Lauren. It’s a pleasure to meet you as well," Emily greeted the maid back, who stared at her for a while longer before turning to the prince and asking,
"Forgive me, Master, but I was under the impression that we were expecting two princesses, not just one."
"One fell into the sea and died," Raylen responded, prompting the maid to subtly raise her eyebrows. "The princess doesn’t seem bothered by it, so I doubt it is something we should be overly concerned about."
This man was utterly insufferable, Emily thought to herself. She couldn’t comprehend why others failed to see who he truly was behind that polite and friendly mask he always wore. In an attempt to clarify the situation, she stated, "Niyasa is alive. My family said they have arranged for her retrieval and return to Versailles." She then said, "Thank you for your generous hospitality, but I already have my maid, Julia, to attend to my needs. I wouldn’t want to impose any additional burdens on Lauren."
Emily and Raylen stared at each other, a crackle of electricity and undeniable friction simmering between them, leading the maid to note that they clearly didn’t get along with each other.
Lauren proposed, "How about I show the princess to her room?" She then guided Emily through the castle corridors, leaving Raylen standing at the entrance.