The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 200: A Reasonable Approach

Chapter 200: A Reasonable Approach

Meredith came to a sudden halt just before Anna, her breath heavy and laboured. The unexpected sight of her bewildered the onlookers. Rania, who had been running after her lady from behind, also paused to catch her breath.

"Mer, what are you doing here?" Anna asked, clearly taken aback by her sudden appearance.

Kiev, Callis, and Armel turned their attention to the unfamiliar noblewoman who appeared out of nowhere.

"You... are you..." Meredith’s words were interrupted by her jagged breaths.

The weight of her elegant gown hindered her during the sprint, as running was not an activity commonly associated with the daughter of an aristocrat. The expectations of remaining calm and composed seemed to have been momentarily forgotten in her clumsiness and anxiety.

Meredith was about to ask about Anna’s well-being when her eyes were drawn to Alex, who stood nearby with blood trickling from a small slit on his neck. The sight of his injury sent a jolt of panic through her, momentarily diverting her attention from her friend.

She rushed toward the wounded knight, paying no mind to the stares of others. Recognising her approach, Alex lowered his sword, ensuring it wouldn’t accidentally harm her in the process.

As Meredith reached him, her hand instinctively went to his wounded neck, her face draining of colour at the sight of blood. Her eyes scanned his body, taking note of the minor cuts and grazes on his attire and skin.

Her worry spilt out in her words with genuine distress.

"Oh, God! You’re hurt!" she exclaimed, her concern evident as she focused her attention on him.

Alex reassured her with a calm demeanour.

"It’s all right, Lady Grey. It’s just a few nicks," he replied, attempting to downplay the severity of his injuries.

He couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his heart at the sight of her worried expression, momentarily forgetting the quarrel they had before due to his rejection of her.

Meredith’s anger began to simmer beneath her concern as she sought answers. Her gaze locked onto Alex.

"Who did this to you?" she demanded, her anger fueling her determination to identify the person responsible for causing harm to the knight who was her saviour.

Alex remained silent, but his hazel eyes flickered towards Kiev, expressing his unspoken thoughts. Meredith, filled with indignation, was ready to unleash her angry words upon the knight’s eyes direction.

She began, "How dare you..." However, as she turned and caught sight of the Mederian prince, her words stumbled, lost in the mesmerising presence before her. Not only did his unique eye colour captivate her, but his face shone like a radiant moon, rendering her speechless.

Unsatisfied with the sudden shift in her attitude, Alex cleared his throat, pulling Meredith back to reality.

Collecting herself, the noblewoman redirected her reprimanding words towards Kiev, her tone firm.

"You have no right to hurt him! Just because you possess outstanding beauty and charm doesn’t grant you the privilege to act as you please!"

Meanwhile, observing the scene, Drystan couldn’t help but be consumed by curiosity. He wondered why Meredith had suddenly rushed to Alex’s defence and reprimanded their enemy on his behalf.

The interactions he had witnessed between the noblewoman and his fellow friend in the past showed no signs of affection or closeness. He recalled their encounters at the palace and during the proclamation day, where Meredith seemed indifferent towards the knight. Drystan’s curiosity intensified as he pondered when and how their relationship had developed.

"Who is this woman, and why is she interfering with us?" Kiev asked in confusion.

His beautiful voice again made Meredith stare at him unwaveringly. Rania, who also caught sight of the prince, couldn’t take her eyes off him.

"Don’t hurt her! She’s my friend!" Anna tried to step forward to get to Meredith, fearing she would be caught in the fight, but she was halted when the hardened grip of Kyren pulled her back.

"Who are you?" Meredith asked Kiev.

"I am Princess Anna’s betrothed," the prince responded.

"You what?" the noblewoman’s eyes rounded as she heard his reply. Meredith turned her head to Anna with a bewildered and jaw-opening look, seeking confirmation.

"It’s a long story, Mer, and his claim hasn’t been proven yet," Anna responded cautiously.

Kiev asserted confidently, "I’ve brought all the evidence to support my claim. You just need to examine it and verify it for yourself."

Kyren, still sceptical, shouted, "I don’t believe a word you say, intruder!"

The prince let out a frustrated grunt.

"Here we go again! Are you truly deaf or just willingly ignorant? Didn’t you hear the reasons why I had to use force to enter? I never intended to be an intruder! Your servant even admitted to the truth of my words!"

Unable to hold back, Meredith stepped forward and warned Kiev, "Hey! Watch your words, handsome man! You better not dare to refer to His Highness that way! He’s the grand duke, the first prince of Cassian! You should listen to me or..."

Kiev interrupted with a scoff, "Why should I listen to you? You’re not a key figure in this dispute!"

Meredith’s voice grew stronger as she retorted, "Because I am Anna’s friend and also the president of His Highness, the grand duke’s fan club!"

The mention of a fan club caught Callis’s attention, causing her to interrupt unexpectedly.

"A fan club?" she repeated, her curiosity piqued.

Meredith’s gaze shifted towards the beautiful woman who resembled Kiev. Her surprise was evident on her face. She swiftly composed herself, imposing a facade of calmness to cover up.

"Yes! It is composed of the young maidens of Cassians. If you dare to speak ill of him, our members will ensure you face severe repercussions!" Meredith asserted.

Kiev chuckled, seemingly amused by her statement.

"What can a group of mere ladies do to me? Do you truly believe you have the power to harm me?" he teased.

Meredith studied the prince carefully, taking in his appearance and demeanour. From his build, it was evident that he was a powerful individual, someone who could pose a significant challenge. Considering the current state of the knights, she knew he had been a formidable adversary in the fight.

Meredith’s words spilt out hastily, some of them incoherent, as she tried to come up with a response.

"Well, maybe we can’t physically harm strong men like you, but we excel at harassment, spreading gossip, and, worst of all, ruining lives! We can fabricate false accusations of perversion and attempted assault against you! We have plenty of members who would be willing to act as false witnesses. And with your attractiveness, they wouldn’t hesitate to take advantage of you. You won’t be able to escape the consequences in this city!" Her words were a mixture of bravado and desperation.

Seeing the heated exchange, Rania hurried to her lady’s side and pulled her away, whispering urgently, "My lady, please don’t get involved in their confrontation! We are outsiders here!"

Kiev squinted his eyes, clearly perplexed by Meredith’s outburst.

"You northerners are truly peculiar! Your grand duke is ignorant and in denial, while this one here is delusional. The rest of you are simply reckless and blinded by arrogance!"

Kyren couldn’t hold back his indignation. "How dare you!"

Exasperation filled Anna’s voice as she pleaded, "Oh, please! I beg all of you, for the love of God, stop quarrelling and fighting!"

"He started it!" both the grand duke and the prince shouted the exact words simultaneously.

They exchanged huffs of annoyance, displaying their mutual exasperation with the situation.

"Everyone, please, let’s calm down!" Rafe finally broke through the argument.

Recognising the need for intervention to resolve the conflict, he stepped forward.

"First and foremost, let’s clear up this misunderstanding. Can you introduce yourself to us beyond the claim of being Lady Raychard’s betrothed?"

Upon hearing the healer’s sensible suggestion, a small smile graced Callis’s lips. Finally, someone had made a reasonable move to address the issue accordingly.

Kiev’s glare fixated on the healer, prompting Rafe to clarify, "I am not a knight. I am a healer, and I approach situations with a rational mindset rather than a blade. You claimed you are not a threat, so I kindly ask for your cooperation."

Frustrated, the prince responded, "So you want me to listen to your words, but none of you have made an effort to listen to me instead."

Rafe acknowledged Kiev’s concern, attempting to find common ground. "I understand your apprehension. Look, I am a peaceful man who prefers to avoid bloodshed."

"Fine!" Kiev nodded, "I am Prince Kiev, and this is my sister, Princess Callis. We hail from Sabel Island," the prince introduced himself, his tone slightly softened.

Noah listened attentively to the conversation, his mind racing with doubts and suspicions. While the information provided by Kiev aligned with Clara’s story about Anna’s engagement, he couldn’t shake off the possibility that Kaizer Ronan or the Bargesians might have hired the man to target the princess and that the new Ardel’s king had shared the matter to this man.

"You’re a prince?" Anna responded, a hint of confusion in her voice. The revelation also surprised everyone.

"But my father never mentioned that to me. He only said that my betrothed is someone from Sabel Island."

Kiev’s disbelief was evident as he asked, "He didn’t?" Averting his eyes, he let out a sigh and muttered, "That greedy man..."

The prince looked at Anna again and asked, "I bet he took all the gifts I sent you, didn’t he?"

"I only received the ring," the princess replied.

While attempting to find a resolution, Rafe said, "You mentioned having a similar ring and a document. Can you provide them to me? I can pass them on to Lady Raychard for verification."

The grand duke sneered, "Are you taking his side, Rafe?"

Rafe quickly clarified, "I am not, Your Highness. However, if his claim is true, it becomes an official matter that cannot be disregarded. Our kingdom’s laws dictate so, and I’m certain you are well aware of this, too."

The mention of the kingdom’s laws seemed to resonate with the grand duke, who momentarily contemplated the weight of the situation. Kyren sighed, worrying about the consequences.

Conversely, the prince appeared hesitant, saying, "You might take it to yourself and destroy it!"

"I promise you, I won’t! I swear it under my mother’s name," Rafe assured with sincerity.

However, Kiev wasn’t convinced.

"That’s not enough!"