The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 161

Chapter 161: I Am Dead Today

Arlan signed and looked outside the window. "Don’t even think about it. The rainforests of Othinia are dangerous. Wild animals can kill you in a single moment of neglect. If you are targeted by unassuming poison frogs or brushed against the tiny armed spiders, you will die in less than an hour. If not that, given your penchant for trouble, I bet your stupidity will attract at least a few poison-dipped arrows from the small tribes residing here."

Oriana frowned at the smug prince.

"Every forest has its own dangers. I have spent my entire life foraging for herbs. Do not think of this as an insult, but in terms of survival skills alone, I bet I will live longer than you in the wilderness, Your Highness."

He looked at her with a mocking gaze. "You sound confident."

"The fact I am living and breathing till this moment is proof of my confidence."

"Try it," Arlan urged, "but do not expect your dead body to be carried back. I rather it be left for wild animals to feed on as a reward for your stupidity."

Oriana scoffed inwardly, not willing to argue with the condescending prince.

After traveling for a solid three hours, their delegation stopped by a river basin. The body of water was so huge that large ships could travel through it.

The river basin branched out like intricate veins. the smaller rivers weaving together to form what appeared to be a huge network of water that connected most corners of the rainforest. The water meandered through expansive valleys, carving their way through thick forests and rolling mountains. However, thick fog hid parts of the river in the distance, making Oriana wonder whether anyone could survive riding boats in this jungle.

The sight of the green and murky river water felt somewhat scary to her, as if a monster could appear any moment and drag a passing boat to the bottom of the river.

’So this is a jungle.’

Oriana took a deep breath. The smell of the rainforest was both familiar yet distinct.

The carpet of moss and fallen leaves, together with the riverwater, released a fusion of water and earthy scents that mingled with the sweetness of the flowering plants nearby.

’A jungle is like an entirely different world. It feels more earthy, more ancient, the ambiance more solemn and mysterious, as if I stepped inside the world written in story books.

When they set out to camp, more knights were employed to scour the perimeter, making sure to clear the space of dangerous elements. While everyone else was doing their respective roles, Arlan’s gaze was on the curious cat standing by his side, whose wandering gaze made it evident she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from getting into trouble.

Arlan sat inside the carriage with the door left open, waiting for their camp to be set, while Oriana climbed down with a rather distracted look, as if figuring out which direction to sneakily head in.

The prince warned, "Do not wander around."

"I dare not, Your Highness. Not after you kindly reminded me of the danger around us. Rest assured," she replied without sincerity, "but there are things that I need to, umm, attend to right away..."

He sighed seeing her fidget in place.

"Do not go far."

She shamelessly pointed in the direction of a bunch of trees furthest away from the prince’s carriage. "Just around there."

Arlan could not stop her, and neither could he order anyone to follow her. Afterall, she was a woman. Every time they took a break in the wilderness, he would generally let her do things on her own, but for some reason, his intuition was telling him Oriana would cause him a massive headache as long as they remained inside the Southern Jungle, the so-called heaven of herbalists.

As he watched her walk away, Arlan could not help but be a bit more shameless than usual. He kept his heightened senses active, with Oriana being the core of his focus.