Chapter 253: News at Versailles
Lady Sophia hurried further inside the Blackthorn Palace. Knowing where she would find the individual she sought, she made her way to the drawing room and, upon entering, immediately caught sight of the short, red-headed woman, who was holding a glass of liquor in her hand.
"Mother Queen!" Lady Sophia exclaimed, her voice laced with anxiousness. The sudden outburst caught the older woman by surprise, causing her to startle and inadvertently spill the drink she was holding.
"Sophia?" The Mother Queen’s eyebrows knit together in a mix of confusion and concern. Setting her drink aside, she rose to her feet and inquired, "How and when did you return?"
Still standing by the door, Lady Sophia replied with exasperation, "It was that damned Devil! I’ll explain everything later. But first, we need to contact King Raylen right away to get an update on Emily," her voice ending in impatience.
"What happened to Emily?" the Mother Queen asked, moving briskly towards the entrance of the drawing room, her steps quickening with worry. As Lady Sophia appeared to be taking her time, almost as if she were still processing the answer, the Mother Queen’s concern deepened. "Sophia!"
"Yes," Lady Sophia answered, coming back to her senses. She said, "Emily’s corruption finally caught up to her. She was in such a fragile state before I returned here."
"Has the corruption stopped?!" the Mother Queen inquired urgently, and Lady Sophia nodded in response.
"Yes... King Raylen said that, in order to stop the corruption, he—he marked her."
The Mother Queen’s eyebrows arched in surprise. Meanwhile, Lady Sophia continued, "I don’t know what the Devil was doing there, but we need to make sure Emily is doing alright and check if she is awake."
Her granddaughter formed a soul bond with the Archdemon? Knowing that Raylen came from a powerful bloodline and Emily’s fragile condition after Nathaniel severed their bond, which had left a fracture in her soul, she had considered Raylen as a potential strong pillar for her granddaughter.
It was a long shot, but she had persuaded Dante to arrange for Emily’s stay at the castle, where Raylen would be present. And now that her plan had borne fruit, a hint of satisfaction flickered in her eyes.