The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 117

Chapter 117: Investigation

"Hmm." Arlan took a step towards the assaulted woman. "Will you explain to us how it happened from the start?"

Before she could answer, Count Milton interrupted, "Your Highness, we shall not embarrass the lady like this. She is already—"

"Lord Walter, as you have left everything to me, as the one to decide the punishment, isn’t it fair to know every detail of this case?"

"But Your Highness..."

"Are you doubting my ability of judgment?" His voice was cold and his eyes were daring him to say another word.

"A-Apologies, Your Highness."

Walter lowered his head but he had nothing to worry as that woman was going to blame it on the servant. The woman’s family was his vassal—he knew how much her family was scared of the power he held.

"So, lady, will you explain everything to us?" Arlan looked at her, not minding her condition.

Her dress was torn at the shoulder and she was trying to cover it with the bedsheet. Others felt hesitant to look at her, but not Arlan. He felt nothing at all. She was nothing but a subject who was going to answer his questions.

He could have left the interrogation to a female knight or a court lady, which would be more proper, but not only would that take time, the chances of the truth being buried would be high by then.

"Y- Yes, Your Highness," she started. "I-I was coming back from meeting Young Lady Milton from her chamber as she had called for me for some help. When I was passing by this hallway, a man—t-this servant pulled me inside this chamber and...." she stopped, "...the rest, you all know."

"Hmm, so this servant pulled you inside this chamber so easily?" Arlan asked, his eyes still at the trembling woman, making her feel nervous under his gaze. "When this servant pulled you inside the chamber, you must have shouted for help, didn’t you?"

"I-I wanted to but... he covered my mouth with his hand before I could." Her voice was low, like mumbling to herself.

"He sure acted violently against a delicate young lady like yourself, to pull you inside the chamber all of a sudden and even timely managed to cover your mouth while holding you captive, isn’t it?"

"Y-Yes, Your Highness."

"Hmm, then what did he do next?" Arlan asked again.

"Y-Your Highness?"

"Indulge me, young lady. I need to make an impartial judgment."

"Uhm, he...he..." she began to cry. "He pushed me to this bed and...and tried to do an indecent act with me."

"Then? Tell us what happened."

"H-He tried to remove my clothes," her shaking voice said, while clutching the torn cloth on her shoulder, "and then pinned me on the bed under him."

"I do not want to believe a noble lady will allow a man to have his way with her so easily without a fight. You must have tried to resist him, even though he is stronger. "

"I did, Your Highness."

"How?"

"I...I tried...but had no other way." Tears rolled down her eyes as she remembered those moments. "I tried to hit him...I scratched him with my nails...I even bit him on his shoulder..." At this point, she was sobbing.

Hearing it, the Count’s son gulped as he was the receiver of all of that. He sneakily covered those nail marks on his neck and his right cheek with the blood coming out from his nose. Fortunately, unless carefully scrutinized, onlookers would think they were injuries caused by the servant’s beating.

"Still, he didn’t stop?" Arlan asked.

"He held my hands tightly...He slapped me after I bit him...I-I..."

The sound of her pitiful sobs echoed within the chamber, making bystanders feel bad about her.

"Your Highness, this young lady is like a daughter to the Miltons. We can’t spare this animal," one man spoke, glaring daggers at the kneeling Oriana.

"Yes, Your Highness! Please deliver justice to Lady Beatrice and Lord Wallace. Behead this felon right away," others chimed in.

"Patience, gentlemen." Arlan raised his hand, which silenced everyone.

"And then after that?" Arlan asked again.

"After that...The servant—I mean, Young Master Milton came in time to save me..." _{freeweɓnovēl.coɱ}

"Is that all?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Arlan nodded and gestured for one of the young lords behind him to lend his coat to the trembling woman. Thinking the interrogation was over, the Count then ordered some of his servants to quickly help the woman to sit on the bed, even giving her warm tea to soothe her nerves.

The pale woman with flaxen hair was relieved as well that everything was over, but then Arlan’s puzzled voice caused her body to tremble once more.

"Which shoulder did you bite him on?" he asked.