The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 211

Chapter 211: Cian’s Doubt

Meanwhile, within the guest palace of Abetha, Cian stopped in his tracks the moment he entered his study. He glanced at the surroundings before walking towards the large desk. Something seemed off, and only realized what it was when he felt a breeze enter the room.

’The window is open?’

He went towards the desk and observed each and every item placed on it. Others would see nothing strange, but Cian who would notice even the slightest differences in how his things were arranged.

His fingers touched the ink bottle, adjusting it slightly to be perfectly perpendicular to the stack of papers placed next to it, the minor change causing his brows to furrow. He touched the brush of the quill pen and it was wet with ink, as if the last user tried to clean it in a hurry.

"Eliot," was all Cian needed to say, but his guardian knight, Eliot Fletcher, began to move.

Seeing his liege frown while inspecting his own things, the knight immediately looked around the study to find clues of anyone barging in. He even checked outside the window, but the ground below was empty, and the grass and bushes showed no signs of being trampled. There were no signs of people jumping out.

"I see no clues, Your Highness," Eliot said, aware of what was going on his prince’s mind.

The third day of the conference was still ongoing, but the Crown Prince of Abetha left the conference hall abruptly, leaving the state affairs to his officials. From the time Cian departed in the morning to the time he returned to the mansion, merely an hour had passed. Whoever intruded in his study targeted that small window of time.

"Give me a list of the people who came in and out of the mansion this morning, or anyone sighted by the gatekeepers nearby," Cian ordered. "All the servants had been informed prior that no one is permitted to enter the study without my permission. It means someone deliberately sneaked in. This might be related to the window incident."

"I will get the information, Your Highness," the knight said with a salute.

It did not take long for the knight to return to the study. "Reporting to Your Highness, none of the servants left to run errands this morning due to the window incident, and other than Prince Arlan’s aide, no outsider visited the mansion in your absence."

"Prince Arlan’s aide?" Cian asked, startled. "You mean Physician Orian? What did he come here for?"

"He brought medication for your hand injury. Your attendant says he left after handing over the medicines."

There was a doubtful look on Cian’s face, but then he let out a smirk. "He seems to care too much for a small injury of someone not his master."

"He came here just before the incident of window shattering happened," the knight added. "Shall we bring him here for interrogation?"

"No need," Cian informed.

The knight didn’t question his leige’s decision and asked, "Your Highness was hurt yesterday again. Since Griven’s physician is suspicious, shall I ask for a new physician to come and check?"

"I am fine," he rejected. "We have to leave for the investigation today. King Drayce and Prince Arlan will join us this time."