The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 239: The Ambush

Chapter 239: The Ambush

As the hours passed, the sun began its descent towards the western horizon. Brone and his men had long left the woods and now found themselves in a hilly and steep area. Mikhal, the Bargesian leader’s assistant, approached him with the news.

"My lord, we have found a nearby cave suitable for our stay tonight. What do you say?" Mikhal inquired, having sent two of his men ahead to assess the area for safety and appropriateness.

Brone considered the suggestion and nodded in agreement.

"Let’s call it a day. It will soon be dark, and continuing our journey in these conditions would not be wise. We will resume our travels first thing in the morning," he commanded, signalling to the rest of his men.

Following Brone’s order, the weary group dismounted from their horses and began preparing for the night. Some of them ventured into the surroundings, collecting firewood, while others retrieved supplies from their packs.

Pausing momentarily, Brone gazed up at the sky, observing the fading light. He then turned his attention to his surroundings as if assessing the security of their temporary haven in the cave.

"What is it, my lord?" Mikhal inquired, noticing the brooding expression on the Bargesian leader’s face, which seemed out of the ordinary.

"I’m not entirely sure... Something just feels a bit off, as if we’re being watched," he replied slowly. "Are you certain that no one is tailing us?"

Mikhal’s confidence radiated as he reassured his leader, "Absolutely! We dealt with the spies thoroughly and left no trace behind. There is no way anyone could follow our trail."

"Good," Brone nodded with a hint of relief. "Prepare some food and a resting place for me."

"Yes, my lord!" Mikhal acknowledged, swiftly joining the other Bargesians in making arrangements to ensure their leader’s comfort.

An eagle soared across the sky, cackling as they worked, and its piercing call caught Brone’s attention.

"Stupid bird!" he muttered, annoyance evident in his voice. "Still making a racket at this hour!"

***

Kyren, Kiev, and the Knights of Gerhard cautiously followed the trail led by the eagle. It didn’t take long for them to spot a group of men camping near a cave situated close to a ravine.

"Could that be them?" Kiev whispered, his voice barely audible.

Kyren nodded, his piercing blue eyes fixed on Brone, seated on a rock, enjoying his meal.

"That’s Lord Brone Morro, the so-called ambassador," the grand duke confirmed.

Kiev snorted dismissively.

"Sounds like the name of a dog."

The grand duke chuckled softly, a wistful smile gracing his face.

"That’s precisely what I thought."

Counting the number of men present, Kiev turned to Kyren. "There are twelve of them, and we’re only eight. Do you think we can handle them?"

Kyren exuded confidence as he responded, "They’re not as formidable as they might appear. My second-in-command knight, Eric, had encountered them before. He can easily outwit Brone’s assistant."

"Ah, then this should be a straightforward task," the Mederian Prince remarked, having become acquainted with the knights during their shared quest.

With a determined glint in his eyes, Kyren nodded.

An old man, cloaked in a long dark robe, suddenly emerged from the cave, capturing Kyren’s attention. In an instant, a tingling sensation jolted through him.

"There’s someone with magic abilities around," Kyren whispered to Kiev cautiously.

"Who? Me?" The Mederian Prince asked back, genuinely surprised.

He knew his mana line was still blocked, rendering him unable to use magic. Therefore, it would be strange if Kyren sensed it.

"Not you! Someone among them!" the grand duke clarified. "You have the ability to conceal your magic from my senses, remember? I can only detect it when you start using it."

"Ah... yes, you’re right," the Mederian Prince acknowledged foolishly, feeling a little relieved that his secret was still safe and sound.

"Which one of them?" he continued, peering at the Bargesians again.

"I’m not certain. At this distance, it’s difficult to determine," the grand duke admitted.

Kiev’s forehead creased in concentration as he observed the old man, now revealing his face after pushing back his hood. Suddenly, realisation dawned on him.

"Wait a minute! I know that old man!"

"You knew him?" Kyren inquired, intrigued by the Mederian Prince’s revelation.

"Yes! During the proclamation at the plaza, he tapped my back and then said he got the wrong person after looking at me," Kiev recounted. "Now, when I think about it again, I find it quite peculiar."

"Why is that?" Kyren probed, eager to uncover the truth.

"I have a fear-inducing magic cast on my robe to prevent unknown individuals from getting close to me," Kiev clarified. "Only my entourage, who possess a special enchantment, can be near me. It has always worked, and no one has managed to interfere before. But he somehow came close. At the time, I didn’t think much about it, as I was distracted by the fact that you had turned my betrothed into your concubine," he added, his tone laced with bitterness.

The grand duke raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

"Why would you use such magic in public?"

"To avoid being overwhelmed by eager ladies from the crowd," Kiev admitted. "You have no idea what happens when the maidens catch sight of me. They become uncontrollable."

A mischievous smile played on Kyren’s lips.

"Oh, I can relate. I have my own fan club, remember?" he boasted, alluding to his own experiences with adoring fans.

Kiev scoffed but soon refocused the conversation on the main topic.

"So, you can’t sense the old man’s magic abilities?" asked Kyren.

"No, that’s not my area of expertise," Kiev replied, shaking his head.

"Then it must be a combination of your magic and his abilities that I sensed during the proclamation," Kiev concluded, connecting the dots. "There was also a similar sensation coming from the palace’s east wing, where these Bargesians stayed several days before the proclamation. Judging from the situation, it’s likely to be coming from him too."

"The Barbarians of the South were notorious for their dark magic," Kiev continued, recalling stories of the region. "It was well-known that their dark magic was used to assassinate His Imperial Majesty. This old man may be practising that same magic."

Kyren nodded in agreement.

"I believe so, too. In that case, I might need your help to counter his magic. It’s time to put your abilities to good use," he ordered, his tone filled with determination.

"W-Wait... what?" Kiev stammered, eyes widening in surprise.

Kyren didn’t wait for a response. He quickly gathered his men and devised a plan to ambush the Bargesians.

"Luke and Garin, use your bows and arrows to launch long-distance attacks from the treetops on both sides," Kyren instructed, pointing to the selected trees. "The rest of you surround them and attack from all angles. Leave only the cliff area open. They’ll have no choice but to fall into the deep ravine if they want to escape. Be cautious of the old man within their group, as he’s a magic practitioner."

The knights nodded, taking their positions and preparing for the imminent battle.

Meanwhile, Brone was leisurely sipping his wine when suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the tranquillity.

"We’re under attack!" one of his men exclaimed, realising their dire situation.

At that exact moment, an arrow flew in a curving trajectory, finding its mark in the shouting Bargesian.

’Zapp!’

The arrow struck the man’s forehead. Blood trickled down, staining his face. With wide-opened eyes, the man’s body fell to the ground, lifeless. The swift and precise shot came from Luke, one of Kyren’s knights, who was also a skilled archer.

Reacting promptly, Brone snatched his scimitar from the ground and leapt to his feet, narrowly evading another arrow aimed directly at him. The Bargesian leader’s keen senses saved him from harm.

"What the h*ll?" Derek, who had been about to join Brone for dinner, shouted in shock.

"Get inside the cave, Derek!" the Bargesian leader commanded, knowing that the mage wouldn’t be of much use amid the attack.

Derek rushed, intending to seek refuge in the safety of the cave. However, he was met with a scene of chaotic turmoil. Arrows continued to rain down, targeting and hitting several Bargesians with deadly precision.

Simultaneously, a group of knights emerged from the bushes, surrounding the Bargesians from all angles and thrusting their swords with determination.

In his moment of fear and confusion, Derek’s gaze fell upon two outstanding figures who stood out amidst the chaos. One had beautiful pearly blue eyes, short dark-raven hair, and a muscular build emanating an air of strength and command. The other possessed long, silky white hair, captivating red ruby eyes, and an alluring, slender figure. Both exuded an irresistible charm.

"You!" Derek yelled, realisation dawning upon him as he recognised the white-haired man. Kiev swung his sword, countering the menacing Bargesian’s attacks and pushing forward.

"So, you were spying on me yesterday," Kiev stated as he confronted the mage. "Turns out you are one of the Bargesians."

Derek stepped back, his face filled with worry and his hands trembling. In his mind, he believed Kiev to be the descendant of the Ro’an Emperor, a figure of great significance to the empire.

Meanwhile, Kyren rushed forward to Brone, who was engaged in a tense one-on-one sword fight with Eric.

"Move aside, Eric! He’s mine!" Kyren declared, his voice filled with determination.

Eric, his chest heaving from the intense battle with the Bargesian leader, stepped back. It was evident that Brone possessed excellent fighting skills and was a formidable opponent, as he couldn’t subdue him. Backing off, the knight joined his team, slashing the other Bargesians.

"So... it’s the grand duke! I bet your cheeky concubine reported to you about me... that wh*re definitely doesn’t know how to keep her mouth shut," Brone sneered, a look of disdain crossing his face.

A flash of anger coloured Kyren’s expression.

"I’ll make sure you are dead today for what you did to my wife and the others, and it won’t be an honourable death!" the grand duke shouted, raising his blade against the Bargesian leader.

A fierce battle began to erupt between the northern and southern warriors. The sound of steel meeting steel filled the air as their blades collided, sending sparks of fire into the red sky.

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