258: You Dare Spoil My Meal With Her?

You Dare Spoil My Meal With Her?

"Your Highness, this…"0

"Start eating," he interrupted her.

Oriana still hesitated. He stared at her, his ocean blue eyes making her a little breathless. "Take it as my apology for that night when instead of helping you, I walked away."

Complicated feelings spread inside her chest. Oriana realized he was talking about that night she fell in the lake. She pressed her lips into a thin line. That moment was painful to remember, but she was over it already. 

They ate in peace, and aside from the fact neither of them were speaking, Oriana felt everything between them was perfectly fine. She was beginning to enjoy their meal.

'And this taste!' 

The steak was so tender and juicy, each slice was literally melting in her mouth. The vegetables in the salad were fresh and crisp, the flavors exploding with each bite, and then the servers began to bring in more courses, which the head server began to introduce as the specialty of their restaurant. 

However, as soon as the servers left their table, Arlan's brows furrowed. Oriana noticed it. 

'Is the food not to his liking?'

Without warning, Arlan stood up. Imbert was about to stand up from his seat as well, but Arlan's gaze gave him a silent command that made him remain seated.

Oriana was also about to stand up, but heard Arlan say, "Finish your dish by the time I return."

"Huh?" She felt puzzled. "But Your Highness—"

As his personal attendant, wasn't she required to follow him around like his shadow?

"I will be back in a bit. Do as I say." 

His firm authoritative voice made her nod obediently. He walked towards the entrance of the building after he passed another meaningful gaze to his guardian knight. 

Oriana glanced at Imbert who resumed eating even though his master stepped out. Wasn't he supposed to follow the prince? What kind of knight was he? 

Imbert noticed her gaze on him and he stared back fearlessly, which made Oriana immediately avert her gaze. She began to eat once more. She wondered about Arlan's reaction.

'So it's not the taste of the food,' she realized. 'Why did he go out all of a sudden? In the middle of a meal at that. I am no expert at etiquette but I am sure that leaving just like that is considered bad manners. But then again, I'm just his servant, not a noble lady he needs to impress.'

Meanwhile, after stepping outside the restaurant building, Arlan's gaze wandered around. The frown lines on his forehead deepened as he stared in a particular direction. 

Black magic.

Faint enough for most supernatural beings not to notice, but it was no doubt black magic.

A majority of people could not differentiate between black magic and the power of darkness, as both of them had the darkness attribute, but for a divine beast like Arlan, he could sense the corrupted energy possessed by black magic practitioners. 

Since their magic was gained and strengthened using living sacrifices, black magic felt evil and unnatural.

Earlier, he caught a trace of black magic and realized he was being watched. The one who was observing him casted a spell that would allow himself to merge with the shadows, probably not expecting his existence would be given away by his usage of black magic. 

After all, in their eyes, Arlan was a human prince. 

Arlan followed that faint trace of black magic, and soon, he followed the person through a quiet alley. He caught sight of a hooded figure running away as fast as he could. 

After running away for several minutes, taking twists and turns between intersecting streets, the hooded figure stopped at one corner. 

"S-Seemed like I dodged him…" he panted.

"Are you talking about me?"

The hooded figure jumped away like a frightened cat at the sight of the blue-eyed prince lazily leaning against the alley wall. He was a picture of a person bored from waiting, with his arms folded leisurely in front of his chest while a foot up against the wall. 

"Y-Y-You! How did you catch up to me?!" 

Arlan offered him a playful smirk, the smile of a predator ready to play with his prey. 

"Guess?"

What shocked that man the most was that this prince arrived at this corner alley before him. One had to know, he used his magic powers to enhance his speed. 

Mere minutes ago, this prince was accompanying the young witch he had been ordered to monitor, and then he ran away with all his might the moment he felt someone pursuing him. 

The hooded man never thought that it was the same prince who was with the witch!

Arlan uncrossed his arms and took a step towards the hooded man, who stepped back in a frightened response. 

Something was wrong with this prince! His senses were screaming at him how dangerous this prince was. 

How could an ordinary human make him feel scared?

While stepping backwards, that man warned him, "Stay away, young man. I don't want to harm you and create trouble here."

"Really?" 

"Go back from where you came from, while I am being magnanimous—" 

"And if I don't?" Arlan didn't stop walking towards him, his strides slow and leisurely. "Care to show me what you will do?"

"Y-You are asking for it!" 

It would be troublesome if an important figure like the Crown Prince of Griven were to suddenly go missing. The entire city of Nefer would go into an uproar, but at this moment, he had no choice. The hooded man gritted his teeth and raised his hand in front of him. 

A ball of black smoke appeared on his hand, giving off a disgusting aura, but instead of an expression of disbelief or terror like he expected, Arlan stood unfazed in front of his black magic. 

Before the attack could reach the prince, the ball of black smoke dissipated. All Arlan did was to brush it away with his hand even before it could touch his body, as if it was nothing more than ordinary smoke. 

The hooded man was petrified. "H-How did you…"

Even before he could finish his sentence, he began to choke. The human prince in front of him moved at the speed of lightning, and an iron grip strangled his neck before he knew it. His feet were kicking up in the air while he was pinned against the wall of the alley. 

To say he was horrified was an understatement.

The pair of eyes changing colors between gold and red were staring at him in complete mockery.

"A lowly wizard like you dare spoil my meal with her?"

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