The Devil's Betrothed

With a steady gait, Oriana walked into the shop and stopped next to the man who was being bullied. A look of pleasant surprise appeared on her face.

"My, are my eyes fooling me? Featherfew, and they look freshly plucked? Brother, how did you get these rare herbs?" she loudly gasped. "Last night, my fellow villagers told me there was a landslide on the part where these are found. These herbs are the most precious thing now!"

The man looked at her in surprise. "Is it?"

She leaned closer to him, as if trying to tell him a secret, but her voice was loud enough for the shopkeeper to hear her words as well.

"The news is not out yet but it's true. You have these precious herbs with you. I heard the shopkeeper wants to buy them for only thirty coppers when the current market price is fifty. I suggest you not sell it right now."

"Not sell it?" the man asked in a low voice as well.

Oriana nodded. "Besides, winter season has arrived. People get easily sick around this time, so the price can only grow higher, not lower. I suggest you sell it after a couple more days."

"I need the pay now. My daughter is not well and…" the man sighed.

"Worry not, brother. I can buy your herbs at a higher price!"

She was about to pull out the stack of coins from her pouch, when the shopkeeper interrupted them."Stop! I will buy it! I will buy!" he yelled. Turning to the man, he pulled out a small chest where he kept the shop's earnings. "I will give you more than this young man is giving. Sell me the herbs."

"What?" Oriana exclaimed, her brows creased. "Mister, it is not good to interrupt—"

"Hey, I recognize you, boy. You often sell well-preserved herbs to my son. You should not disrupt business."

"The deal is not yet complete, right? I am not disrupting."

"You rudely interrupted our transaction."

"Well, Mister, there are two buyers and one seller. How much you can give him?" Oriana argued, her eyes mocking.

"More than you," the shopkeeper replied as he opened the small chest.

"I am giving him sixty coppers."

"I am giving him seventy."

"You are bluffing," she scoffed.

The shopkeeper pulled out a pouch of coins from the chest and began to count in front of them. "Here, seventy coppers, no more, no less. Give me the featherfew."

Oriana sighed, her shoulders drooping. "Alas, I only have sixty-five copper coins with me. You win, you win."

The shopkeeper got the herbs from the man and the man got his bag of coins. A grateful smile graced his face as he bowed towards Oriana.

"You have my thanks, young man. I can have my daughter treated now."

Oriana was about to leave but she tripped a little and some of the herbs she had in her waist pouch spilled on the ground. The shopkeeper noticed it, and they were stalks of featherfew as well! His eyes brightened up. "Hah, no wonder you want to buy these herbs. Are you hoarding them because of the landslide, young man?"

Arlan was observing Oriana's every word and action, and discovered all them were calculated—from how she emphasized the low supply, how she raised the value of the featherfew, and how 'accidentally' exposed her own herbs by 'tripping'.

Oriana hurried to pick up the herbs from the ground. "Mister, as I said, the prices of featherfew will only go higher in the next few days."

"So you have no plans to sell them now?"

"No plans."

"I can give you little more than what I gave to that man," the shopkeeper replied. "How does seventy-five coppers per bundle sound?"

"Ninety."

"Eighty."

"Eighty-five. Buy it, or no deal."

The shopkeeper smiled as if he won and hastily threw a bag of coins at Oriana which she caught without a miss. She gave him five bundles of featherfew, and she earned four silvers and twenty-five coppers.

"If you get more of these herbs, sell it to me again," she heard the shopkeeper say as she walked out of the shop.

As she reached Arlan, she gave him a wink before bowing as if she was in a stage play. "This is how you do business, Young Master. Be sly with sly people."

"The landslide was not real," Arlan said, but it was not a question but a statement.

"Hmm, but it is true the price will increase due to the coming cold days. The shopkeeper won't suffer a loss."

Arlan thought she was quite ruthless, but he realized she had a moral bottomline. Afterall, the shopkeeper might be a little greedy, but he was also only doing it for his shop's profit.

Her quick wit, coupled with her daring personality and fighting prowess, Arlan found himself liking and liking her more.

'I should send Imbert to investigate Oriana. As long as her background is clean, I will make her one of my trusted people.'

As she walked ahead, he followed her until she turned around to face him.

"Young Master, so how was it? Did you learn a lot from our little adventure?"

"Indeed, you opened my eyes, Orian."

Oriana nodded, a triumphant smile on her pretty face. "Then, we shall part ways, Young Master Arlan. I am done selling all of my herbs. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon!"

Arlan raised a brow.

"Orian," he said with deep emphasis, "is it me or you sound like you are trying to get rid of me?"

"No, of course not!" Oriana denied. "I-I was just thinking there is nothing more I can teach you. A smart young master like you can roam the market and learn everything on his own."

"Hmm, that's true as well. Then you can just keep me company as I am not a native of this land. There are many things I want to experience. Besides, I am yet to pay you for being my guide. Since I did not bring coins with me, you will have to come with me to my residence later."

"But…"

"I also need the knife you have," he interrupted her.

"W-Why?"

"So that I can use it as a reference to catch that trespasser who stabbed me. He had a similar knife."

"That knife, you can find it anywhere. No need to get mine."

Arlan wordlessly stared at her, and she stared back, unwilling to give in.

Recalling this man was a noble, she begrudgingly pulled her knife out. Arlan got that knife from her slightly trembling hands. "I will pass it to the investigation team. Once it's over, you will get your knife back."

She could only press her lips into a thin line. She had no other option but to agree.

'That knife is like my family heirloom. How dare you take it away, you brat of a noble?'

Reeling in the strong urge to kick this annoying noble brat, Oriana entertained him until after sundown.

She sighed a relief thinking she could finally go home. "Young Master, I must go. It is getting late—"

"You can not," Arlan said, his expressions dominioring as if he would not take 'no' for an answer. "The day can not end without us sharing drinks and you had promised."

"Drinks?" she gulped. 'What is this man saying? I never agreed to drink!'

"The night is still young. We must drink!"

Oriana pointed out the obvious. "You said you do not have coins with you."

"It is fine. I can put it on the tab and have our expenses be delivered to my household."

"That's…possible?"

"I forget you are a lowly commoner," Arlan chuckled in a casual manner. "Yes, for us nobles, we can eat and drink without having to pay outright."

'Lowly commoner?' She frowned at his mocking. She was indeed a commoner, but to rub it to her face repeatedly, it was unpleasant. 'Noble blood and their arrogance.'

"Apologies, Young Master. I truly cannot accompany you to drink. Please understand that I have a family who waits for me at home. My grandfather is alone."

"Then that means you will not return with me tonight to get your pay?"

"Apologies."

"Fine, we can have drinks tomorrow. I enjoyed your guidance today, so I assure you that you will be satisfied with the amount of your pay. Around this time tomorrow, come to this tavern again. I will return your knife as well."

Oriana sighed in relief. Finally, he was letting her go! She was tired of entertaining this spoiled nobleman who didn't value other's time.

"Aren't you leaving? If not, we can enter the tavern—"

"N-No, I am leaving. Farewell, Young Master Arlan. Keep my knife safe."

"See you tomorrow, Shortie."

"What?"

Arlan merely laughed as he waved her away. He continued to look at her retreating back until she disappeared from his sight.

Arlan caressed the handle of the knife tucked in his belt. 'She will surely come back for this. Doesn't seem like just an ordinary knife for her.'

Upon finding the person with his liege gone, Imbert came out of hiding. "Shall I investigate that person?"

"Yes, but it is not a priority," Arlan replied and turned to leave. Horses had been prepared for him by his knight.

On their ride back to the Wimark Estate, Imbert informed him, "Your Highness, we received an intel from the spies within the palace of Thevailes."

"What is it?"

"The King of Thevailes had called for the royal painter to make a portrait of a purple-eyed woman."

Arlan frowned, "There is only one woman with purple eyes."

Imbert nodded as he knew who this woman was- The Queen of Megaris.

Arlan thought, 'Seems like that black witch is going to use the King of Thevailes to get Seren Ivanov when she could not abduct her successfully. They don't know how possessive and dangerous my friend Drayce can be when someone eyes his woman.'

"Shall we inform King Drayce?" Imbert asked.

"I will meet him soon," Arlan replied and they continued to ride.