The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 162: A Petulant Grand Duke’s Advertisement

Chapter 162: A Petulant Grand Duke’s Advertisement

Queen Emelda rose from her chair, a surge of emotions propelling her towards Anna as she descended from the elevated dais. Overwhelmed with compassion and concern, she enveloped the princess in a warm and comforting embrace, her voice filled with genuine distress.

"Oh, Anna! I struggle to find the right words to express my dismay. It pains me to see you subjected to such treatment. You deserve so much better," she whispered with sorrow and anger.

Displaying a resilience that belied her circumstances, Anna responded with a gentle reassurance.

"Please, Your Majesty, do not worry for me. I have come to terms with this situation. I believe it to be the best course of action for the well-being of everyone involved," she replied calmly.

Witnessing the heartfelt exchange, King Kyden felt compelled to join them, descending from the dais with a contemplative expression etched upon his face. Kyren, however, reacted with a visible shift in his demeanour as he locked eyes with his brother.

"You orchestrated this entire plan without my knowledge or consent! How could you?" He admonished the king, his tone a mix of anger and betrayal.

King Kyden’s countenance was full of remorse, reflecting a sombre acknowledgement of his actions.

"I understand your frustration, Kyren, and for that, I apologise. However, it was Anna herself who sought me out late last night. We engaged in a lengthy and heartfelt discussion, and she ultimately made the decision," he explained.

"Just how could you? How could you do this to me after everything I’ve done for you?" the grand duke’s voice rang out, directed at the king.

Sensing the tension and anguish in Kyren’s words, Anna sought to assuage his indignation.

"Kyren, please, try not to be consumed by anger. I explained everything in the letter I wrote to you. You understand me, don’t you?" she implored.

Kyren turned towards his wife. Disappointment was etched across his features.

"You should have told me about this sooner," he expressed, his voice tinged with a sense of longing for inclusion and shared decision-making.

Anna met his gaze. Her emerald eyes were filled with sincerity.

"If I had told you earlier, you would reject the idea outright," she confessed. "Remember our conversation on the way to the palace? I meant every word when I said that having a title or not was inconsequential to me. As long as we are together, it is more than enough."

Kyren’s desperation became evident.

"But you saw how the ministers reacted! They would inevitably pressure me to take a legal wife in the future. Do you really want me to embrace another woman?"

Anna responded firmly, "Of course not! Haven’t you realised that His Majesty also stated that only someone who can surpass my skills is considered? I have proven myself to everyone," she asserted, her confidence shining through.

The king interjected, lending his support to Anna’s claims, "She is right. I firmly believe that no one can match her talent. Even Lord Anson has admitted defeat," he declared.

"Easy for you to say! One skill won’t be enough to make them stop. They’ll come up with other ideas soon! It’s as if you don’t know them at all!" Kyren countered, his frustration evident in his tone.

"I have faith in Anna. Your wife possesses not only one skill in the Ro’an language but is also intelligent, compassionate, and brave. I witnessed this firsthand when she advocated for Lady Grey’s release from the dungeon just the other day. Also, her willingness to confront the pirates with a clever strategy and her selflessness in not seeking extravagant wedding gifts have already showcased her exceptional character," the king explained, unwavering in his belief in Anna’s capabilities.

Kyren remained sceptical, his distrust of Lord James apparent.

"Tell that to Lord James, who constantly schemes to marry his daughter into the royal family! That man will never cease his pursuit until his ambitions are fulfilled!" Kyren retorted. His expression was full of resentment.

The king acknowledged Lord James’s cunning nature but also recognised the longstanding loyalty and influence of his family.

"We are well aware of Lord James’s scheming behaviour. However, we cannot deny that his family has faithfully served the Cassian kingdom since its inception. Their influence is significant, and we still require their support," King Kyden reasoned, attempting to strike a delicate balance between political realities and personal reservations.

Kyren’s frustration grew, his voice taking on a grumpy tone. "So, what do you expect me to do? Take Lord James’s daughter as my legal wife? Is that your next suggestion?" he questioned, his tone laced with resistance.

Queen Emelda interjected with a resolute voice, "Absolutely not! I strongly disagree with that, Your Majesty!" she inserted. "If she were to ascend to power, it would only lead to more problems. She is a deceitful and two-faced woman."

Her words were cautionary and wise, drawing attention to the potential pitfalls of aligning with Lord James’s family.

"You heard your queen! Even Her Majesty recognises the true nature of her chief lady-in-waiting!" Kyren exclaimed with frustration.

"I would never force you to take her as your legal wife, Kyren. Please, put your trust in me," the king pleaded to Kyren.

Consumed by doubt and hurt, Kyren expressed his lack of trust.

"I don’t know if I can trust you anymore! I pleaded with you not to turn my wife into my concubine, yet you conspired behind my back with her! I’m starting to question whether she truly cares about my feelings anymore," he lamented, his voice heavy with a mix of sorrow and frustration.

"That’s not true, Kyren! I care for you deeply. Please believe me," Anna implored, her words carrying a sense of longing and earnestness.

Kyren’s anger simmered, his tone growing resolute.

"You know what... Since you all seem to enjoy making decisions without my input, let’s simplify things for you," he declared, striding over to the table, grabbing a parchment and the quill.

The sound of the quill scratching against the surface resonated through the room as he swiftly wrote down his thoughts. Once finished, he approached the king and handed him the parchment.

Curious, the king examined the document, his eyes scanning the words written upon it.

"What is this?" he inquired, his voice filled with intrigue and anticipation.

"An advertisement. You can distribute it all over Gantz by tomorrow. It will supposedly solve all the problems, just as you desired, and my life will finally be at peace," Kyren stated bitterly in frustration.

As King Kyden’s eyes scanned the contents of the parchment, they twitched involuntarily, betraying his reaction to the words written before him. Queen Emelda leaned in for a closer look, her voice hesitant as she attempted to decipher the Ro’an language in which it was written.

"Legal... wife... wanted... Please... come... to... Gerhard’s mansion... to... be... assessed," she read. The queen’s eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, my! Kyren, you must be joking!" the queen exclaimed, her disbelief palpable.

"No, I’m not joking!" Kyren retorted, his anger mounting. "Let them all come! I’ll flip the coin and select one of them. Then I’ll play the role of a puppet husband, and she will be nothing more than a trophy wife, a mere facade for public display."

As his emotions got the better of him, Kyren’s face flushed with a deep shade of red, his fury barely contained. The room fell into an uneasy silence, the tension thick with the weight of shattered trust and unfulfilled expectations.

"Kyren, you are taking this too far! We never intended for things to escalate like this!" King Kyden retorted, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and concern.

Kyren scoffed with bitterness. "Really? Who initiated all of this in the first place? And now you want to shift the blame onto me?" he countered, his resentment apparent.

Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, the grand duke’s anger reached its peak.

"I’ve had enough of this nonsense! After the proclamation, Anna and I are returning to Gerhard. If any of your ministers dare to interfere with our lives again, I will not hesitate to take drastic measures, regardless of their loyalty!" he declared, his words heavy with a sense of finality.

With that, Kyren turned his back on the king, displaying a lack of respect as he stormed out of the room, leaving the others behind.

Queen Emelda, who was worried about the situation, expressed her concern.

"Oh, no! He’s truly enraged now. Your Majesty, you are well aware of Kyren’s temperament. If we just let him be, there’s a chance he’ll truly take severe action against the ministers," she said anxiously.

"It’s all right, Your Majesty. I’ll go and try to calm him down," Anna offered in an attempt to subside the tension.

"Please talk some sense into him. I never intended to hurt his feelings, and don’t take to heart what he said about the advertisement. I’m certain he didn’t mean it," King Kyden requested, his voice filled with sincerity.

"I understand. I know him well," Anna replied.

"Thank you, Anna. I truly appreciate all your efforts," the king expressed his gratitude. "Until the proclamation day, please do your best to prevent him from returning to the mansion. It’s better for both of you to stay in the palace, as many eyes will watch your every move."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will do my best to persuade Kyren to stay," Anna nodded, accepting the task at hand.

With that, the princess excused herself from the throne hall, determined to pursue her husband and find a way to bring understanding and reconciliation to their strained relationship.

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