The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 159

Chapter 159: Oriana...Beautiful Name She Has

When Oriana entered Arlan’s room, she watched him stride towards his makeshift work table which had papers scattered on its surface.

’Is he going to work the entire night? Why is he working during a trip anyway? It’s just the first night too.’

Instead of sitting to work, she saw him collecting all the papers and arranging them in stacks.

’Shall I offer to help him?’ She changed her mind. ’I guess I am not allowed to touch royal documents. The last time, he got angry when I touched one.’

Oriana quietly watched him move around, choosing to lessen her presence as much as she could in order to not disturb him. Though she was often a victim of the prince’s whims, there was one thing Oriana respected about Arlan—and that was his work ethics.

When it came to important matters, Arlan would never idle or fool around. He would turn into a different person, a reliable person, a person worthy of admiration and trust.

Just as he finished arranging the piles of paperwork, he walked towards the bed, causing his attendant to grow confused.

’Wait, didn’t he say he was going to work? Did he change his mind? Is he going to sleep?’ _{ƒгeewёbnovel.com}

Oriana moved out of habit. When the prince climbed his bed, she approached to cover his body with a blanket. She also extinguished the lamps, merely leaving the curtains open to flood the room with faint silvery moonlight.

Oriana slowly pulled one chair to his bedside. This time, she was not doing it for her master’s or for her job’s sake, but for herself.

For unfathomable reasons, Arlan’s presence comforted her. To think a day would come when she would willingly stay by the prince’s side to spend the night, it was nothing short of preposterous.

’It is because of that nightmare...that horrible voice calling me Esmeray...’

Oriana tiredly rubbed her face as she remembered her strange recurring dream. Tonight was the worst of them all.

All of a sudden, her eyes widened at a certain memory.

’Oriana, wake up!’

A second voice also appeared this time, interrupting the dream and helping her escape its clutches.

’The Crown Prince... did he...?’

Her brows furrowed.

’Why do I feel like he called me Oriana instead of Orian? Was I mistaken? That should be the case, right? There is no way he discovered that I am a woman and that my real name is Oriana. Even Grandpa only calls me Ori. There’s no way...’

In a while, she began to yawn once more, dozing off in her chair despite her lack of intention. Maybe it was the low temperature, or perhaps the stillness of the night. Maybe it was the sight of the prince peacefully slumbering, or the combination of stress and fatigue in her body. Whatever the cause, it overcame her fear of returning to sleep.

After listening to her soft, steady breaths, Arlan opened his eyes. He would normally not bother, but he could not pretend he did not see her trembling due to the cold. Though there was a fireplace, from Oriana’s position, the warmth barely reached her.

Grabbing the spare quilt placed on a dresser, he proceeded to cover her with it.

Not even a minute later, he saw her instinctively grabbing that quilt around her shoulder, her expression turning more relaxed.

Arlan wondered about carrying her sleeping body to bed, but he decided otherwise. As much as possible, he wanted to maintain their boundaries as master and servant, fearing the outcome of repeating that drunken episode in his bedchamber.

Seeing her small body comfortable in that large chair, he returned to bed and resumed sleeping. Or at least, attempted to.

His brain drifted to that night when he slept while holding her in his arms. Though he was incredibly intoxicated back then, there were glimpses of memories that would struck him from time to time.

The moment she entered his room, his satisfaction to see her return, the part where he pulled her into his arms, that closeness he shared with her...

Her words, ’Let’s go to sleep’, were like a melody to him who had not slept peacefully the entire week she was gone. Once he pulled her to bed, the warmth of her small body in his embrace, coupled with that sweet scent of hers, calmed his thinly stretched nerves.

His next memory was that in a half-awake state, he sensed Oriana leaving before his day started. A woman with long hair hurrying out of his room, without even once turning back to look at him.

He preferred to act as if he didn’t remember anything. Her gender was a secret Oriana kept in the first place, and he respected that. It was better to maintain the status quo.

But he had one regret.

’I wish I had woken up earlier than her. I could have seen her face framed with her long hair. Such a close miss.’

He then realized how worried he was for her when she was having a nightmare and ended up calling her her real name— Oriana.

’I believe she doesn’t remember I called her Oriana, otherwise she would have guessed I know she is a woman. I have to be careful.’