The Devil's Betrothed
Chapter 433: Another Trouble

Chapter 433: Another Trouble

As Arlan started to regain his consciousness, coming out of that deep slumber of sleep while his body had recovered its vitality. His brows were furrowed as in his mind he was repeating one name.

Oriana. Oriana.

His eyes slowly opened, and he found himself beneath an ornate ceiling. Anxiousness coursed through him, his heart pounding in his chest. With the swiftness of lightning, he sprang out of bed, his singular focus on rescuing Oriana. But...

In the next instant, he noticed a woman standing by the window in his room. Her hazel eyes conveyed a myriad of emotions as they fixed on him.

The step he had taken to leave abruptly halted, and he stood frozen in place, his gaze seemingly locked onto her face, as if trying to confirm that she was not a mirage but indeed standing there in the flesh.

Both of them simply stared at each other, attempting to fathom each other’s emotions. For several moments, neither of them uttered a word, and silence enveloped the room.

"I am alright," Oriana finally spoke after a prolonged silence.

Her words brought Arlan back to his senses, and he finally comprehended that she was not an illusion but was genuinely standing there, safe and sound.

However, as relief washed over him, a strange realization struck him, and his expression shifted from calm to panic. He strode toward a nearby wooden stand, hastily draping an overcoat over his body, ready to leave.

"Where are you going?" Oriana asked, her words rushed, unable to discern his intentions.

In response, he shot an angry glare to her and vanished in an instant, leaving Oriana bewildered. "What happened? Where did he go? To that witch again? Why?" Worry clouded her mind, and she rushed out of the room.

Outside Imbert greeted her, "Your Highness..."

"Get me the carriage, quickly," Oriana continued her sprint down the stairs, berating herself for not having learned the art of teleportation. The Queen’s mansion was quite a distance away, and running there was not an option at this moment.

Imber promptly followed her orders, moving faster than her, understanding the urgency of a situation even though he didn’t know what exactly happened. By the time she reached the outdoors, Imbert stood there with a carriage ready to transport her.

Commander Conor Loyset was also present. "Your Highness...."

"Commander, to the Queen’s palace," Oriana declared as she hastened to sit inside the carriage, not waiting for assistance.

Witnessing her distress, no one dared to question her. They swiftly complied with her request, and the carriage set off towards the Queen’s palace. Oriana’s hands were clenched together, and she prayed fervently to any listening entity. ’Let him take his anger out on me, but please, do not allow him to fall into that witch’s clutches again. Do not let him return to her.’

Just then, a mysterious figure materialized in her carriage. "Where are you going?"

Oriana’s eyes widened with relief upon seeing the elf. She spoke with a sense of urgency, "Queen’s palace. He disappeared... suddenly after seeing me.... He looked terrified. I believe... I believe he went to that witch."

"Please, calm down..."

"How can I? I can’t allow her to harm him again. He’s still weak..."

"He’s gone to the King’s palace," the elf informed.

"The King’s palace? Why?"

"I was inspecting those beautiful roses when I sensed him appearing inside King’s palace. The King’s palace is in turmoil."

"Can you tell me what’s happened?"

"The King’s condition has deteriorated suddenly."

Oriana was taken aback, but now she understood that Arlan had anticipated it the moment he saw him her safe and sound. That’s why he appeared so frightened and left without wasting a moment to confront her about the previous night.

"It’s not entirely sudden. That witch is responsible. She... she’s punishing the Prince for what happened last night," Oriana said, her voice tinged with sadness. "It’s my fault for not considering all aspects and being reckless. What if something happens to His Majesty? Neither he nor I will ever forgive ourselves."

"Please, try to stay calm," Yorian attempted to comfort her. "First, go and assess the situation. From what I know, it’s not just the King’s palace; the Second Prince’s palace is facing a similar situation."

"Prince Lenard?" Oriana asked in a panic, to which Yorian nodded.

Tears welled in Oriana’s eyes as she mumbled, "What... am I going to do..."

Suddenly, the carriage came to an abrupt halt. She snapped back to reality, and Yorian spoke, "We’ve arrived at the King’s palace."

Oriana understood that Yorian had employed his magical abilities to halt the carriage.

"What’s happening?" she heard the commander inquire of the coachman.

"Commander, the horses won’t budge. They stopped all of a sudden."

Oriana opened the door and stepped out of the carriage, saying, "Commander, it’s fine. I need to visit His Majesty." Without waiting for his response, she rushed inside the palace gate, where no one dared to impede her progress as the Crown Princess. Furthermore, the commander of the knights accompanied her.

Upon reaching the King’s chamber, she found a few servants coming and going, attending to Erich Winfield’s needs. Arlan stood by his father’s bedside, appearing worn and troubled.

"His Majesty’s condition seems to be deteriorating. I’m doing everything I can, but I can’t make any guarantees yet," Erich informed Arlan.

Oriana’s heart sank to hear it. As if he had sensed her presence, Arlan turn to look at her, his bloodshot eyes, offering her cold glare, seemingly accusing her of bringing harm to his family. However, he remained silent and walked out of the chamber, passing by her and disappearing when no servants were present.

’He must have gone to see his brother,’ Oriana thought. She proceeded further into the room and met her master’s helpless gaze.

Suppressing her tears, Oriana held the King’s hand and closed her eyes, attempting to discern the effects of the black magic upon his body. As she realized that the curse was draining the King’s life force, tears finally streamed down her cheeks.

"It’s all because of me," she whispered, wiping her tears away. "I need to find a solution."

She gazed at her master before departing and said, "Please do everything within your power to sustain his vitality. I will find a solution."

Erich nodded in acknowledgment. Oriana then turned to the King’s personal aide and inquired, "Where is Her Majesty?"

"Her Majesty was here a short while ago, but we received distressing news about Prince Lenard, so Her Majesty went to see him."

Oriana hummed in response and issued an order, "No women or lady servants are to be allowed inside His Majesty’s chamber. This is my order."

Garian, the King’s personal aide, appeared puzzled but complied with her directive.