The Devil's Betrothed
Chapter 445: Inhuman

Chapter 445: Inhuman

Arlan stood in a corner of his chamber, his body radiating a golden gleam that flickered like the ebb and flow of ocean waves. His eyes, once bright, were now darkened, filled with a fury that glared hatefully at the woman before him. Despite his small stature, a strong and threatening aura emanated from him.

A woman, roughly the same age as Julien, stood in front of Arlan, attempting to approach him but seemingly unable to do so. Karla observed from the side as the tension unfolded.

"What’s happening here?" Julien exclaimed, still processing the shock.

The expressions on the two women’s faces changed upon seeing Julien, and the young woman glared at Karla, accusing, "You didn’t lock the door?"

"Forgive me, Master."

Ignoring the two women, Julien walked toward the Prince. "Arlan, what’s going on... Ahh... cough...?"

Thud!

In the next instant, the chamber door slammed shut. Julien, mid-approach to Arlan, was halted by an unknown force, coughing and gasping as if something were suffocating her. She collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain.

"It’s fortunate you arrived, Lady Julien," the woman approached. Her dark gray eyes held an ominous mist, her fair and delicate features tainted with malevolence. Her long, dark hair swayed as she advanced toward Julien.

With a pained gaze, Julien struggled to breathe and couldn’t utter a word. The woman knelt beside her, then turned her attention to Arlan. "Did you see, my Prince, how powerful I am? I can end your second mother’s life with just a snap of my fingers."

Arlan, resembling a wild, lost creature, displayed a flicker of emotion in his dark gaze. The woman glanced at Julien and laughed as she observed his reaction.

She then looked at suffering Julien, "What? Are you so shocked that you can’t even ask anything?"

Julien, wanting to question and confront the woman, found herself weakened.

The woman taunted, "You want to ask what I am doing here and what happened to our lovely prince?" She stood up, snapping her fingers. Julien felt the grip around her throat suddenly loosen, allowing her to cough violently and gasp for breath.

"Let me tell you something," the woman began, "I am a witch, and this young prince is my delicious food."

While still on the floor, Julien gathered herself and issued a warning, "Edna, I am warning you to stop whatever you are doing."

Edna laughed, "You weakling, haven’t tasted my strength just now? Just because I was acting as Verner family’s servant, do you take me for granted? To make you believe me, do you want me to strangle you to death? Won’t it be painful for the king to lose both of his wives in a single night?"

"You... are you the one...."

"If I was, I wouldn’t need a sword to kill her," Edna interrupted, "But you are free to think whatever you want. It will only make every passing moment of your life more terrifying."

"What do you want? Why are you doing this? What have you done to Arlan?"

Edna glanced at Arlan, who glared at her with an unsettling intensity. He seemed transformed, as if a different, inhuman essence had taken over.

"I did nothing to him. This is who he really is. You are fortunate to witness his true form, an inhuman one," Edna explained.

"What do you mean?"

"Our little prince, he is not human but a monster. A kind of monster capable of killing us all," Edna pointed at Arlan. "Look at that little monster. Right now, all he wants is to kill us."

Julien gazed at Arlan, conflicted and unsure of what to believe. Despite the frightening form he assumed, her maternal instinct prevailed, and she couldn’t help but worry for him.

Calling out to him, she said, "Arlan... Are you alright? Have they hurt you?"

Though not his birth mother, Julien loved and cherished Arlan as her own. Even in this terrifying form, her concern for him overpowered any fear.

Upon hearing her voice, a glimmer of recognition crossed Arlan’s eyes, as if the darkness was momentarily lifted.

"So, my Prince, you finally recognized someone," Edna chuckled. "Now that you’re back to your senses, come to me." She walked towards him, but the next moment, Arlan growled at her like an animal. An invisible energy emitted from his body, pushing her away and stopping her from reaching him.

"This is so annoying," Edna gritted her teeth. "If this is how you want things to go...."

"Arlan, come to Mother. You will be fine," Julien’s words interrupted Edna.

The little guy looked at Julien with a longing gaze, as if she held the key to his salvation. Edna observed and laughed, "Very well. Now I know how to make him obey me."

She flicked her fingers, and once again, Julien winced in pain, her throat constricting, her body covered in sweat.

"My Prince, if you do not obey me, I will kill her. Do you want to lose your second mother as well?"

Arlan’s initially calmed gaze darkened once more as he growled angrily at Edna, as if warning her to let Julien go.

"You may not let me reach you, but I have my ways. I can make you come to me," Edna laughed wickedly. "Give up and come to me, or I will kill her."

Arlan shifted his gaze to Julien, who was in pain. His dark eyes began to reveal emotions once more. Despite her suffering, Julien looked at him helplessly, shaking her head, signalling him not to listen to the wicked witch.

Though Julien couldn’t grasp the intricacies of the situation, the woman claiming to be a witch and her malevolent actions were enough for her to understand that wicked intentions were at play. In the midst of her own pain, all Julien could focus on was Arlan’s wellbeing.

Arlan glanced at Julien once more, and gradually, the strong, threatening energy surrounding him began to dissipate. His eyes returned to their normal shade of sea blue, a sign that he was yielding to Edna’s wishes to protect Julien.