The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 201: Undisputable Evidence

Chapter 201: Undisputable Evidence

"I want you to swear under the name of His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Ro’an," Kiev insisted.

Kyren’s forehead creased in thought. The fact that the person before them not only had knowledge of the emperor but also referred to them as ’northerners,’ a term used to describe the Cassian people before the kingdom was established, caught his attention.

"You know about His Imperial Majesty," Kyren remarked, his voice laced with curiosity.

"Of course I do," Kiev replied, displaying a depth of understanding. "Though Sabel Island is located remote from the continent, the great story of the emperor reached our kingdom long ago. We know well what transpired on the continent and how the Kingdom of Cassian was established. Also, I knew you all uphold great respect for him."

Kyren didn’t argue further. The prince’s response was neutral, devoid of disrespect towards the fallen empire. Instead, it conveyed a sense of reverence for the emperor. This revelation left Kyren pondering Kiev’s knowledge.

As Rafe conceded to the demand, the knights kept a watchful eye on the proceedings. The prince reached into the fold of his clothes, retrieved a small document case from the pocket of his doublets and took off the ring he wore. He moved slowly to the healer, handing them to him, and then stepped back, allowing Rafe to present the evidence to Anna.

The princess carefully examined the markings on the ring. True to the prince’s words, the intricate design matched her engagement ring, complete with the initials of their names engraved on the back.

She then turned her attention to the document, studying the emblem of the stamp and the signatures. Her father’s signature and her own, alongside Kiev’s, were present.

Meredith raised her head, attempting to catch a glimpse of the document, but the towering presence of the grand duke blocked her view. Kyren, too, took a closer look at it and the ring held by Anna.

With concern, he asked, "Is it valid, Anna?"

Looking up with a disheartened expression, the princess responded slowly, "It is."

Realisation dawned on Kyren as he absorbed the implications, and his face contorted instantly.

Kiev smiled and responded, "That means I have the right to take her now."

"This is absurd!" Kyren’s voice echoed with disbelief. "I won’t hand her over to you! You could be an imposter, and those documents might be forged! She explicitly told me she had never known or met you!"

Kiev stood his ground, countering Kyren’s accusation. "Yes, she never did know me personally. However, I have met her escort and nanny before!"

Noah interjected abruptly, bringing attention to a crucial detail, "Her nanny has passed away," he stated matter-of-factly.

"But her escort is still alive," Eric suddenly spoke up.

The knight acknowledged that while his loyalty was with the grand duke, he couldn’t dismiss the possibility that the prince was telling the truth, especially since he hadn’t been lying, as admitted by Anryr. Also, had the prince really been a person with ill intentions, he would’ve grabbed the chance to kill them before.

Kiev turned his gaze towards Eric, seeking confirmation. "She’s alive? But she wasn’t in Ardel. When I visited there, she was nowhere to be found."

"That’s because she had escaped," Noah added. "She was likely hiding in the forest or already with me when you arrived in Ardel. I went there and brought her here."

Rafe, seeking a resolution, proposed a course of action.

"Then, let’s take him to Dame Verns for identification," he suggested, hoping the process would reveal the truth.

"I don’t think so!" Noah interjected firmly. "Dame Verns told me she has never seen our lady’s betrothed."

Undeterred, Kiev swiftly responded, "That’s because I wore my robe all the time during the funeral! She might not have seen me directly, but she would undoubtedly remember the details we talked about. Let me see her!"

The sudden movement from Kiev caused the knights to react with heightened vigilance. They gripped their swords tightly and aimed them at the prince.

"Everyone, please!" Rafe called for calm.

He took the document and the ring from Anna, then stepped between Kiev and the knights to return them to the prince.

"We can’t allow him to see her. He poses a potential threat. What if he tries to harm her?" Garin voiced his concerns.

Frustrated, Kiev abruptly threw his sword to the ground, leaving everyone bewildered.

"I am unarmed now. Are you satisfied?" he challenged.

"You truly are cunning, aren’t you?" Kyren remarked with sarcasm.

"I am not afraid because I am telling the truth, unlike someone here who is in constant denial!" Kiev retorted, mockingly addressing the grand duke.

The tension continued to escalate as trust faltered and suspicions lingered.

Kyren, seething with anger, issued a sharp command, "Throw him and his sister out!"

Callis, taken aback by the order, couldn’t hide her disbelief.

"What?" she exclaimed.

Unfazed, Kiev challenged them defiantly. "Go ahead! Try to make me leave!"

Realising the need for a calmer approach, Rafe interjected, attempting to defuse the situation. "Wait! Your Highness," he addressed Kyren. "Can we talk about this for a moment?"

"What’s there to be talked about?"

"Just listen to me for a second, will you?" pleaded the healer. "Please!"

"Fine!" Kyren grunted.

Though furious, the grand duke finally agreed to listen. He had always considered Rafe’s counsel, recognising his brilliant mind and strategic thinking.

"Sir Navin, could you join us as well?" The healer asked for his cooperation. "Just the three of us."

Kiev, suspicious of the intent, raised his concern.

"Are you plotting something now?" he questioned.

"I am doing my best to resolve this matter. Please give us a moment," said Rafe, composedly.

Reluctantly, Kiev grumbled, "All right. Since you’re the only one who seems to possess common sense, I will trust you for now."

The three men, Rafe, Kyren, and Eric, positioned themselves away from the crowd, seeking privacy for their discussion.

Meanwhile, Meredith took the opportunity to approach Anna, grasping her hand to comfort her. The rest of the knights remained watchful, guarding the prince.

"Don’t worry, Anna," the noblewoman whispered reassuringly. "Help is on the way. I informed Sylvia to contact the authorities!"

Surprised, the princess asked, "What? Did she come with you too?"

"Yes, we came to apologise to you," Meredith replied.

"Apologise?" Anna questioned, puzzled by the statement.

"We’ll talk about it later, all right?" Meredith suggested. Anna nodded, understanding that now wasn’t the right time to discuss it.

Kiev’s eyes scanned the surroundings, and they eventually fell upon Elis, a maid who seemed to behave oddly compared to the other women present.

While everyone else glanced at him or met his gaze, the maid deliberately averted her eyes, refusing to even look in his direction from the beginning of her arrival with Anna. Her unusual conduct caught his attention, sparking curiosity within him.

Observing Elis standing behind Anna with her head bowed, Kiev couldn’t help but wonder about the reason behind her avoidance. It seemed peculiar that she didn’t once steal a glance at him, unlike the usual attention he got from all the ladies who met him.

At a distance, the grand duke, healer, and knight huddled together. Rafe initiated the conversation, stating, "We need to give him the chance to see Dame Verns to prove his claim."

Kyren, filled with determination, responded fiercely, "For what? Even if his claim is true, I will not surrender Anna to him! She is my wife!"

Eric, attempting to provide his own perspective, interjected, "Forgive me for saying this, Your Highness, but I believe Rafael’s right."

Kyren lashed out, questioning them, "Are both of you out of your minds? Where is your loyalty to me? And you, Eric, you even blurted that the knightess is here!"

"My loyalty is always with you, Your Highness. However, you’re also the one who preached to me and the knights about honour and dignity. A knight who refuses to uphold honesty in a dispute is someone without it, and I don’t plan to be one. Not at least in this matter."

Rafe, Kyren, and Eric intensified their conversation as they debated the best course of action regarding Kiev’s claim. The knight then raised a crucial point, warning that if they denied the prince the opportunity to prove himself, he might take his case to the king and demand Anna forcefully.

Feeling the weight of the situation, the grand duke responded with scepticism, "Isn’t he doing that already?"

Rafe persisted, explaining his view, "Yes, I know. But if you show some willingness to engage in a dialogue with him, we can propose a compensation or alternative resolution."

"Do you truly believe in him?" the grand duke scoffed.

Eric pointed out Kiev’s actions thus far, "He hasn’t been lying. In fact, he had ample opportunities to harm us severely during the previous encounter, but he refrained from doing so. I witnessed the fight, and he could have easily killed Drystan, but he held back. He wouldn’t hesitate to take such action if he were indeed hired by the Ardel’s King or the Bargesians."

Eric paused for emphasis. "And I must say, he’s as strong as you. Even his sister is quite a formidable opponent. She managed to knock down Sir Henderson and fought against Sir Parker simultaneously. I don’t think they are ordinary."

Rafe fervently nodded, showing his support for Eric’s assessment. "I agree... I don’t know why, but it’s obvious that they are unique. I’ve never seen anyone with such an appearance before. From what Sir Navin said, it might be a long battle if you keep fighting with them. We better solve this as soon as possible."

Kyren’s expression grew darker as he weighed the words of his trusted men. "I refuse to surrender Anna to him! Let’s just kill them!"

Horrified, Rafe pleaded, "Oh, God! Please, Your Highness! That’s a crime!"

Driven by his emotions, Kyren disregarded Rafe’s plea. "Who cares! Just bury him and his sister’s body at the back of the mansion!"

Before their discussion could escalate further, the sound of heavy horses’ hooves interrupted them. A group of armed soldiers suddenly emerged from the entrance, and among them was Sylvia, sitting atop a horse on the front with an anxious expression on her face.

Eric’s gaze shifted towards the approaching troop, and he quickly recognised them by their attires and insignia.

"I guess you can’t do that anymore," Eric remarked, realising the implications of their arrival.

He turned back to face the grand duke, his expression grave.

"There are so many witnesses now. If we surrender him and his sister to the authorities, they will undoubtedly take him to trial. The matter would reach His Majesty, and by then, it would be too late to propose any compensation or alternative solutions if his claim is valid."

Kyren grunted in disdain, realising the predicament they were in.

Sensing the tension, the knight pressed further, seeking a decision. "So, what are you going to do now?"