The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 197: Diamond Cuts Diamond

Chapter 197: Diamond Cuts Diamond

As the clash of swords echoed through the air, Kiev’s blade met Garin’s with a resounding blow. The intensity of their duel heightened, each combatant seeking an opportunity to gain the upper hand.

Amid the chaos, Drystan seized a moment to strike, launching a sudden attack aimed at bringing down the prince. However, Kiev let out a thunderous bellow, countering with a powerful kick directed at Garin while simultaneously delivering a mighty backhanded swing toward Drystan. His sword honed in on the knight’s neck, poised for a potentially fatal strike.

Alarmed by the unfolding scene, Eric quickly reacted, leaping forward to save his companion. Yet, before he could reach Drystan, Kiev’s reflexes proved faster than his actions.

In a moment of desperation, the second-in-command knight nearly screamed for Drystan’s life. However, his alarm turned to bewilderment as he witnessed Kiev twist the sharp edge of his blade to the flat side, using it to strike the knight’s head instead and knock him down.

Eric squinted his eyes, his mind racing to comprehend the situation. He was sure Kiev had the chance to kill Drystan, but the sudden change in the prince’s behaviour left him confused.

Questions swirled in Eric’s mind as he tried to make sense of Kiev’s surprising decision, wondering what could have prompted such an unexpected shift in the prince’s behaviour and tactics.

Why would an enemy spare his rival from death so easily when he had all the chance to finish him?

Still disoriented from the previous attack, Drystan resigned himself to his fate and closed his eyes, believing that the blade had struck his neck and ended his life. However, to his astonishment, he heard Kiev’s voice shouting at him.

"Get up, lazy knight! We haven’t finished!"

Confused by the contradiction between what he had expected and what he was experiencing, Drystan tentatively opened his eyes. As he glanced around, he realised that his head was still firmly attached to his body, and he was very much alive.

Relief flooded through him as he reached up to touch his neck, confirming that he had miraculously escaped a fatal blow. With a mixture of bewilderment and surprise, he scrambled to his feet, gathering his posture.

Meanwhile, Garin remained sprawled on the floor, subdued by the force of Kiev’s kick.

Eric quickly assessed the situation, his attention turning to Damon, who had already succumbed to the relentless kick he had received. The knight lay unconscious on the ground, unable to continue the fight.

On the other hand, Alex showed resilience, still wielding his swords and launching relentless attacks against the prince. Although he bore several cuts on his body, they were mostly superficial, mere grazes that hadn’t hindered him.

As Alex unleashed a flurry of stabbing motions and swings, his blade clashing against Kiev’s weapon, the metallic bashing sounds filled the air. The knight’s reckless charge had left him vulnerable to the prince’s counterattack.

Observing the unfolding scene, Eric could discern Kiev’s intentions clearly. The prince had an opportunity to thrust his sword into Alex’s undefended chest, but instead, he delivered a blow with his fist to the knight’s abdomen, bringing him down without a cut.

At that moment, a realisation dawned upon Eric—Kiev was undeniably more potent than them, but he had no intention of killing.

Meanwhile, Callis raised her boot high, aiming to strike Luke’s head. However, the nimble knight evaded the attack by twisting his body, bringing himself closer to the princess within dagger range.

Both combatants had their swords discarded during their previous fight, and now the confrontation had turned into a brawl. Luke attempted to restrain Callis by catching her waist, seeking to pin her down, but the princess squirmed and fought to free herself. Amid her struggle, Luke’s hand accidentally grabbed her br*ast, causing the princess to yelp in surprise and embarrassment.

The knight’s face flushed red, and he froze, realising his inappropriate behaviour. Before he could utter an apology, Callis turned around, her face also dyed crimson with anger.

Without hesitation, her hand swung, and her palm slapped hard on Luke’s cheek, expressing her indignation and asserting her boundaries. The sound of the clashing flesh reverberated in the air, momentarily silencing the chaos of the brawl.

"Dirty man!" The princess yelled at him.

"That wasn’t intentional!" Luke defended himself.

"Fight like a real man, idi*t! Not like a pervert!" shouted Callis again.

Her anger was palpable, evident in the rise and fall of her shoulders as she breathed heavily with fury.

"At least your young knight is a true fighter! Unlike you, he didn’t take advantage of me at all!" shouted the princess as her eyes turned to Eli, who was unconscious on the ground with a battered face.

"I told you I didn’t mean it!" Luke reiterated, but Callis ignored his protestations.

She leapt up, retrieved her sword from the ground, and wielded it menacingly against the knight.

"I swear I’ll cut off your hand this time!"

Luke grunted, his annoyance palpable. He realised that arguing further would be futile. The woman had made up her mind, determined to view his action as a s*xual assault, regardless of his explanations or intentions.

With a resigned expression, he acquiesced to her challenge. Their fight raged on.

Eric charged towards Kiev again with determination despite the uncertainty surrounding the prince’s intentions, engaging in a clash of blades. However, the prince’s immense strength proved superior as he deflected Eric’s sword, causing it to be forcefully dislodged from the knight’s grip.

Eric watched helplessly as his weapon somersaulted through the air before stabbing into the earth, out of reach.

Realising his defeat, he braced himself for the worst, expecting Kiev’s blade to be thrust towards his body or face. However, to his surprise, the prince’s sword remained still, lacking the intention to deliver a fatal blow.

At that moment, another figure emerged; a man with raven-black hair and deep blue eyes. The man was none other than the grand duke.

He stepped between Eric and Kiev, wielding a long sword with a force that bashed against the prince’s weapon, causing it to slip from Kiev’s grasp. The prince staggered back in surprise, caught off guard by the unexpected event.

With a quick motion, he landed a punch with gallant force against Kiev’s face, causing the prince to fall to the ground. Blood trickled from Kiev’s nose, marking the first visible sign of vulnerability during the fight. The sight of her fallen brother drew Callis’s attention, and she called out to him in concern.

"Brother!"

"I’m all right, Callis!" Kiev responded.

The grand duke’s eyes burned with fury as he glared at his opponent. Armel, who stood nearby, could feel the blood drain from his face as he saw the grand duke.

"Pick up your sword and fight!" Kyren bellowed, his voice filled with rage. "You dared to breach my mansion and ruin my gates! I’ll make you pay for it!"

Kiev wiped the blood from his lips, a result of the earlier skirmish. Despite the tension in the air, he couldn’t help but notice the grand duke’s striking appearance up close. Gathering his strength, the prince grabbed his sword and leapt to his feet.

"So, you’re the grand duke who turned Princess Anna into your concubine!" Kiev exclaimed, his voice filled with righteous anger. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"

The grand duke’s face twisted at the accusation. "Don’t you dare speak ill of me!" he spat.

Kiev, undeterred, continued to taunt the grand duke. "How arrogant! So, after this, will you gather more concubines and build your harem? Is that your plan?"

Kiev’s words struck a nerve, and the grand duke’s patience wore thin. With a snarl, he threatened, "I have only one wife, and that is my Anna! Dare to raise my marriage matters again, and I’ll slit your tongue!"

Undaunted by the grand duke’s threats, Kiev stood his ground. "I’m not afraid of your empty words! Let’s fight!"

As the battle between Kiev and Kyren intensified, their swords clashed with a deafening sound. The prince launched a thrust, but the grand duke skillfully dipped and weaved, narrowly avoiding the attack.

In a quick motion, Kiev executed a downward slash, aiming to strike Kyren. However, the grand duke parried the blow with his gauntlet, the clash of metal sending sparks flying into the air.

He was still clad in his armour and yet to change into his hunting attire when Anryr came running anxiously to him, bringing news of the commotion.

Remaining agile, Kiev wasted no time and attempted an uppercut slash, targeting Kyren in close combat. But the grand duke swiftly sidestepped to the right, narrowly evading the attack.

Seizing the opportunity, Kyren counterattacked with a simple yet effective sidekick to Kiev’s stomach, causing the prince to double over in pain. Capitalising on his advantage, the grand duke followed up with a quick-rising uppercut, intensifying the fight further.

Meanwhile, Callis continued her own battle against Luke, refusing to back down. Recognising that Kyren had taken on Kiev single-handedly, the knights refrained from interfering and instead focused on rounding up the princess.

Aware that she couldn’t overcome the strength in numbers, the princess began to channel her mana and started her enchantment, preparing to unleash a magical attack. However, a commanding shout interrupted the chaos before she could finish her incantation.

"Stop!"

A voice called out, demanding attention and halting the ongoing battle. The sudden intrusion caused a momentary pause in the fight as all participants turned their attention to the source of the shout.