The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Scum Of A Shopkeeper

Oriana felt emboldened at the thought of him not recognizing her.

Why would she refuse such an easy job? As long as she satisfies the whims of this bored nobleman for an hour or two, she could probably earn enough to not head to the city for the next few days.

As she walked to lead their way, Arlan stopped her. "Wait!"

She almost missed a step, but as she faced him, her anxious expression turned into a smiling one. "Yes, Young Master?"

"You are yet to tell me your name," he replied and watched her give out a sigh of relief.

"Ah, my name? It's Oriana—Orian! My name is Orian!"

"Orian," Arlan repeated. "Silly name."

Oriana narrowed her eyes at him, but seeing his innocent face, unaware how offensive his reaction was, she stomped at her growing irritation.

'Oriana' was the name her grandfather gave her. This noble brat dared—

"If you find my name silly, you can call me Ian if you like, Young Master."

She was inwardly gagged at her own words, but with the threat of the city guards looming over her, together with the allure of the pay he promised, she was forced to keep a humble smile on her face.

"Uhm, may I ask how I should address you, Young Master?"

Arlan clearly saw the displeasure in her eyes, and it was admirable how she held her temper in. This kind of talent, she would be useful in the future. He could not help but grin inwardly.

"Call me Arlan," he answered.

'Arlan? Doesn't ring a bell. Is he not a local noble? Maybe he is some hidden illegitimate child—'

Realizing she had enough unnecessary trouble as it is, she kept her thoughts to herself.

"Such an elegant name befitting a noble like you, Young Master Arlan!"

If Arlan did not know better, he would have thought this woman called Oriana was a genuine bootlicker.

"So, Oriana—ah! Orian, shall we get going?"

Leaving the deserted alley, the pair returned to the market once more. Oriana did her role as guide seriously—she introduced the market of Jerusha to him from the perspective of a commoner. She also briefly explained the common dangers of collecting herbs, allowing him to see her in a new light, sharing a few stories of her being chased by wild animals.

Observant and adaptable, not to mention quick to think on her feet.

They stopped at the main square, leading to the other districts of the marketplace. It was pretty crowded.

"Young Master, do you see that line of shops? The first up to the third street from here, they are mostly shops that sell medicinal ingredients. The apothecaries and large shops do not buy from unaffiliated collectors like me since they have regular herb suppliers. We will go to the smaller shops to sell."

With his adorable teacher acting so serious, Arlan could only behave like an obedient student, listening attentively to her explanations