Chapter 127: Rin’s Lessons in Seducing Naviel (A Lesson for a Very Attentive Vaelory) II
Chapter 127: Rin’s Lessons in Seducing Naviel (A Lesson for a Very Attentive Vaelory) II
Vaelory noticed it almost immediately—the way Rin veered left instead of right, slipping past a narrow corridor half-hidden behind a tapestry depicting a long-forgotten war. The castle’s noise dulled with every step they took. The gargoyles’ atrocious singing faded into a distant, merciful echo. The chatter of servants blurred into nothing.
They were going somewhere quiet.
Vaelory clasped her hands in front of herself, eyes narrowing slightly as she followed. "Where are you taking me?"
Rin didn’t slow. "Somewhere useful."
"That is not an appropriate answer."
Rin glanced over her shoulder, dark eyes unimpressed. "You didn’t ask the right question."
Vaelory frowned but kept pace, her gown whispering against the floor. The corridor twisted, sloped downward just enough to make Vaelory aware of every step she took. The walls here were older—darker stone, less polished, faintly etched with sigils meant more for structure than decoration.
Her unease grew.
She hesitated. "You are not... playing tricks on me, are you?"
Rin stopped so abruptly Vaelory nearly walked into her back.
Rin turned slowly, incredulity written all over her sharp features. "Why would I waste my time playing tricks on you?"
Vaelory opened her mouth, then closed it.
Rin crossed her arms. "If I even wanted to play tricks on you, I would just call Versha."
Vaelory gave Rin a look. "How does that translate to playing tricks?"
Rin paused.
She tilted her head, then blinked once, considering Vaelory’s statement.
Then she shrugged. "I don’t know. I just like knowing you’re a weak human."
Vaelory scowled. "If you weren’t helping me, I would have hit you."
"You would have lost the hand," Rin said with humor, like the idea was pleasing to her.
Vaelory froze in shock.
Rin leaned in just slightly, her voice dropping into something casual and dangerous all at once. "You humans forget something important. Shiny things aren’t the only things my kind feeds on."
Vaelory swallowed hard at that.
Rin straightened as if nothing had happened at all, reached forward, and pushed open a narrow door Vaelory hadn’t even noticed was there.
The hinges didn’t creak.
The room beyond surprised her.
It was lower than the main halls—almost like a basement, but not quite. The ceiling arched gently, supported by dark wooden beams. Soft lantern-light glowed from sconces along the walls, bathing everything in a warm, golden hue.
There were clothes everywhere.
Hangers lined one wall from floor to ceiling, dresses arranged by color and cut. Racks filled the center of the room, layered with garments of every imaginable style—flowing silks, structured coats, embroidered vests, delicate underlayers. Shelves held folded fabrics in rich hues, bolts of material stacked with meticulous care.
Several sewing machines sat scattered throughout the room, some old and ornate, others clearly enchanted, faintly humming with residual magic.
There were mirrors too—tall, narrow ones and wide standing mirrors framed in dark metal.
But there was no demon present.
Vaelory stepped inside slowly. "You brought me to a... what is this?"
"A servant wardrobe," Rin said simply, closing the door behind them. "An alteration room."
Vaelory turned in a slow circle, stunned. "This is for servants?"
Rin nodded. "Primarily. Maids, attendants, aides. Anyone who works in the castle is allowed to use it."
Vaelory stared. "These fabrics are—"
"Better than what you’ve seen back home?" Rin finished dryly.
Vaelory pressed her lips together and said nothing, but her eyes betrayed her. She reached out, brushing her fingers lightly over a length of fabric draped across a rack.
It was impossibly soft.
Softer than anything she had ever worn. Finer than even some of the ceremonial dresses of Aelthryndivoryssalindria. The material caught the light in subtle ripples, as if it were alive.
Rin watched her reaction with mild amusement. "The servants are enjoying the gargoyles’ singing. Loudly. Which is why this room is empty."
Vaelory turned to her.
"Just in case you were wondering," Rin told her.
She moved toward one of the racks and began rifling through it with practiced ease. She pushed aside several dresses before stopping.
"This," she said, pulling one free and turning to face Vaelory.
The dress was gold.
It was a soft, warm gold that deepened toward amber in the shadows. It flowed rather than clung, the fabric light enough to move with the body, cut to emphasize motion instead of restriction.
Vaelory reached out instinctively.
The moment her fingers touched the fabric, she inhaled sharply. "This is... incredible."
It seemed Aelthryndivoryssalindria had lost when it came to which realm had better fabrics.
Rin handed it to her. "Try it."
Vaelory blinked. "I do not understand. How is this supposed to help me? I am a maid. You are giving me a dress that is frankly not suited for a maid."
Rin rolled her eyes. "You are a maid, you are a maid," Rin said with thinly veiled irritation.
"I’m a maid too, and I wear clothes like this. Maids are allowed to leave the castle. And when we leave, we get to wear anything we want," she told Vaelory.
Vaelory gave her a wide-eyed look. "We are?"
"Yes. Shockingly, we don’t keep everyone locked up like decorative furniture." Rin waved a hand. "And when we leave, we don’t wear our uniforms. Especially if we aren’t working."
"But that is only done with the permission of your superior, right?" Vaelory asked.
Rin gave her a look. "What permission? We have timetables. Off days and on days. Imagine working every day of your life."
Once more, Vaelory was shocked by that fact, because back in Aelthryndivoryssalindria, maids didn’t have off days and on days. Every day was an on day unless there was an emergency.
Vaelory clutched the dress, choosing not to try to understand how it was even possible.
"Okay... so what exactly am I supposed to do with this dress?" Vaelory asked.
Rin gave her a look.
"Eat it, since you want to be a mold demon."
Vaelory stared in shock, eyes wide. "I can’t eat—"
"Bloody jewels!" Rin cursed. "I don’t mean you should really eat it. Try it on. I want to see how it would look on you."
Vaelory swallowed, giving Rin an offended look. "You should have just said so from the beginning."
"What else were you supposed to do with the dress? If I give you a dress, it obviously means you should try it," Rin argued.
"And you should have said that from the beginning," Vaelory told her.