The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 245: Healing The Maid

Chapter 245: Healing The Maid

The soft knock on the door early in the morning startled Elis, who was in the midst of serving Calis’s medicine. Setting down the tray, she approached the entrance, curious to see who was seeking entry.

"Who is it?" she asked, her voice echoing through the wooden, pristine white door.

"It’s me, Prince Kiev," came the reply from the other side.

Elis paused for a moment, processing.

"Please wait a moment. Her Highness Princess Callis is getting ready," she informed him.

"Noted," Kiev responded patiently.

Elis made her way to the dressing room, where Jessy was assisting the Mederian Princess in combing her long, silken white hair. Callis had woken up early, feeling refreshed after a restful night’s sleep, thanks to the medicine she had taken. She had recovered from her fever, and the skin of the injured area had improved.

"Your Highness, His Highness Prince Kiev is outside," Elis reported to the princess.

A smile lit up Callis’s face.

"Oh, my brother is back? Tell him to come in," she replied cheerfully.

"Yes, Your Highness," Elis acknowledged before returning to the door to invite Kiev into the room.

As Elis swung the door open, the figure of the tall Mederian Prince stood before her. She was about to cast her gaze away as she always did when something caught her attention.

The maid looked at Kiev with a brooding expression. Her eyes focused on him intently. It was not the usual gaze of admiration or attraction that the Mederian Prince was accustomed to but rather a mixture of confusion and anger.

Kiev, ready to enter, noticed the unusual look on Elis’s face. He furrowed his brow, sensing something amiss.

"Why are you staring at me like that, Miss Canton?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Elis’s thoughts returned to her, but the curiosity remained etched on her face.

"What’s the matter?" Kiev asked again, determined to understand the cause of her distress.

The maid blurted out, "These clothes... Why are you wearing His Highness the Grand Duke’s outfit?"

Her certainty grew as she recalled the mansion’s servants cleaning and drying the Grand Duke’s distinctive attire on multiple occasions. There was no doubt in her mind that the clothes Kiev wore belonged to Kyren.

"Ah... these?" Kiev’s voice trailed off as he lowered his head, contemplating the situation.

His gaze shifted to the clothes he was wearing. Last night, after completing the mission to pursue and eliminate the Bargesians alongside the grand duke and his knights, they had returned to Gerhard’s mansion upon Kyren’s orders to freshen up.

Surprisingly, unlike his initial encounter, Kiev’s visit to the grand duke’s mansion was met with hospitality. Kyren treated him well as an honourable guest, providing him with fresh clothes after washing up.

The two princes had the same height, and though the Mederian Prince’s body was a bit leaner than the muscular grand duke’s, they both wore the same size.

Both even sat down and had a late dinner together with the knights, engaging in conversation about various topics such as war, combat skills, and more. However, the matter concerning Anna was deliberately left untouched and not brought to the table.

During their time together, Kyren also mentioned his mission to Agathe Islands and the potential involvement of Ardel and Barges. The Knights of Gerhard and the mansion’s servants treated Kiev with respect, making him feel welcomed.

The time he spent with the grand duke and his men was a delightful experience. They discovered many similarities and shared interests, finding common ground in their discussions.

It was precisely as Kyren had previously stated. If it hadn’t been for the dispute regarding Anna, they could have become friends. Unfortunately, their time together was cut short due to their return to the palace.

Having arrived late the previous night, Kiev’s intention to tend to his sister’s injury had been postponed. Therefore, he woke up early today, and without changing his clothes, he proceeded straight to Callis’s room after washing his face, which was adjacent to his own, to carry out the healing process.

"His Highness gave it to me last night to change into. We had a game, and my clothes became soiled," Prince Kiev explained, trying to clarify the situation.

Curiosity sparked within Elis as she listened to his explanation.

"A game? What sort of game?" she inquired.

"It was a hunting game," the prince replied. "Now, could you please step aside and let me enter to see my sister?" he asked politely, eager to attend to Callis.

However, Elis remained steadfast, her gaze unwavering. She pressed on with her questioning, her voice laced with daring.

"You didn’t do anything weird to His Highness, did you?" she asked, challenging the Mederian Prince directly.

Kiev’s eyes locked with Elis’s, and the tension between them was apparent. He noticed her slight, usual trembling when facing him, but her determination shone through her resolute stance.

His irritation grew, and he responded with a hint of arrogance, "Since when is a maid eligible to question the actions of her lord?"

Elis, undeterred by his obnoxious remark, held her ground.

Her voice remained firm as she replied, "Forgive me, Your Highness. But you are not my lord. My lord is His Highness, the Grand Duke of Gerhard, and I am here solely to serve Her Highness Princess Callis at his order."

The maid’s words resonated with a sense of loyalty and conviction. She made it clear that her allegiance lay with the grand duke, and she would not tolerate any perceived transgressions against him.

Kiev was taken aback by her daring reply towards him. He found it unusual that this maid would not only avoid him constantly but also suddenly harbour a sense of despise. This was a new experience for the Mederian Prince, as he was accustomed to receiving attention and admiration from women.

Teasingly, he taunted Elis with a menacing look.

"So what if I did anything to him?" he challenged, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.

He wanted to see how far the timid maid would confront him with the baseless assertion.

Kiev took a step forward, closing the distance between them, taking Elis aback by his daring remarks and actions. Startled, she quickly retreated, taking several steps back in an attempt to maintain her distance. However, the determined prince, with his long strides, continued to advance.

Panic filled Elis’s voice as she pleaded with him.

"Just... sst... stay... stay back! Don’t come near me!" she whispered, her voice filled with fear. She tried to control her voice, aware that raising suspicion or causing embarrassment would be undesirable.

"Why are you so scared of me?" Kiev asked, seeing the genuine terror in her blue eyes.

He continued to move forward, ignoring her warning and determined to confront her about her accusation and perception of him as a dangerous figure.

Elis’s trembling intensified, and in her attempt to retreat, she inadvertently backed into a table, her back hitting it.

’Prangg!’

The tranquillity in the room shattered as the flower vase on the table plummeted to the floor, breaking into countless pieces. The loud crash echoed through the room as it fell inches away from the nearby carpet, prompting Callis’s concerned voice to emerge from the dressing room.

"Elis! What’s going on?" the Mederian Princess called out.

The room fell into an uneasy silence as Kiev, and the maid exchanged glances.

Inquisitively, Callis and Jessy emerged from the dressing room, their eyes widening at the sight of the shattered vase.

Confusion marked the nanny’s face as she questioned the situation, "What happened?"

Kiev paused, his mind racing as he wondered whether Elis would accuse him of threatening her. However, to his astonishment, the maid took responsibility, her voice filled with remorse and sincerity.

"I mistakenly hit the vase! Please forgive me," Elis admitted, bowing deeply as she accepted the blame.

Callis’s voice softened as she responded, "Please be more careful next time."

The maid nodded earnestly, determined to rectify her mistake.

"Yes, Your Highness. I will dispose of the broken glass right away."

With a sense of urgency, Elis knelt on the floor, her hands trembling as she swiftly began picking up the shards of glass. In her haste, she accidentally caused a piece of it to pierce through her palm, eliciting a sharp cry of pain. Drops of blood fell onto the carpet, staining it.

"Oh, no! Elis!" Callis cried out in a panic, rushing to her maid’s side.

"I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to stain the carpet!" Elis responded nervously, a mixture of pain and fear in her expression.

"Never mind the carpet! It’s your well-being that concerns me! That’s a lot of blood!" she exclaimed as she saw more and more of the red liquid flowing out from the cut.

Kiev, though appearing emotionless on the surface, felt a surge of shock deep within. The unexpected turn of events had caught him off guard, and he struggled to process the incident unfolding before him.

Callis’s heart raced with concern as she knelt beside Elis, cradling her injured hand. The blood flowed profusely from the deep cut caused by the glass shard embedded in her palm.

"Oh, my God! This cut is so deep! If I pulled the glass out, she’d bleed even more," Callis exclaimed, her voice filled with worry and urgency.

Jessy approached to assess the situation, her experienced eyes recognising the severity of the wound.

"It must have cut through a vein or something. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be bleeding so heavily," she observed.

Thinking quickly, Jessy grabbed a clean cloth and gently covered Elis’s injured hand.

"Come and sit down first," she urged, understanding that the maid needed to be attended to immediately.

Elis hesitated, wanting to refuse and downplay the severity of the situation. However, the pain surged through her hand, and the blood continued to flow, making it impossible to ignore. Reluctantly, she acquiesced and took a seat, her face contorted with discomfort.

Meanwhile, Callis turned to her brother.

"Can you heal her, brother? If the grand duke finds out she’s hurt like this, he might think I bullied her," she requested.

However, she then recalled that Kiev had lost his magic abilities.

"Oh, no! I totally forgot that you —"

"I can do it now," he interrupted, surprising both Callis and Jessy.

"You already can?" Jessy asked, her astonishment evident, knowing that the Mederian Prince had regained his abilities.

Kiev nodded.

"We’ll discuss it later," he replied, carefully choosing his words as he decided to keep the matter of his temporary loss of magic abilities a secret from Elis.

Understanding the need for discretion, Callis and Jessy exchanged knowing glances.

"I will heal her," Kiev stated calmly, his gaze focused on the maid’s injured hand.

The prince approached Elis, who was seated on the settee. Jessy respectfully stood up, creating space for Kiev to sit beside the maid and tend to her injury.

"Give me your hand," the Mederian Prince instructed gently, noticing the maid’s initial recoil from him.

Elis’s hands trembled noticeably as Kiev took a seat beside her, causing her anxiety to intensify.

Sensing her unease, Callis spoke reassuringly. "Elis, hold your hand out. My brother will heal you in no time. Don’t be scared," she told her, her voice filled with warmth and kindness.

Nervous but encouraged by the princess’s words, Elis summoned her bravery and extended her hand towards Kiev. Her trembling intensified, but she tried to remain as steady as possible.

Kiev held her hand gently. Sensing her fear, he spoke to her softly, preparing her for the upcoming procedure.

"I’m going to remove the glass, and it will hurt. Just bear with it for now," he explained, ensuring she understood what was about to happen.

Elis nodded in acknowledgement, mentally bracing herself for the pain to come. Kiev carefully began extracting the glass shard, causing her to cry out in pain as blood gushed from the sizable wound. Reacting swiftly, the prince covered the wound with his palm.

A warm white light emanated from Kiev’s hand, enveloping Elis’s injured palm. With a combination of concentration and power, he directed his healing abilities towards the deep cut, the magic slowly mending the damaged tissues and stemming the flow of blood.

As the healing energy flowed through Elis’s hand, she felt a comforting warmth enveloping her. The pain began to subside, and the bleeding gradually halted, leaving her astonished. This was her first experience being healed by magic, and the relief she felt was overwhelming.

Jessy quickly prepared the basin and water for Kiev to wash his smeared hand after the healing was complete.

Once finished cleaning, the prince instructed Elis, "Wash your hands carefully. Make sure there’s no more shard of glass anywhere that could pose a risk of further injury," nudging his chin towards the same basin and water the nanny had put on the table before them.

"I’ll go and wash at the washroom," Elis responded, recognising the customary decorum that dictated she shouldn’t use the same basin and water as the Mederian Prince due to their differing social status.

"Just use this," Callis insisted.

"But... this is for Your Highness’s usage," Elis hesitated, aware of the impropriety.

"My brother told you so. He’ll want to recheck your hand after you wash it since he’s always meticulous with his healing. So, just use it," the Mederian Princess ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Yes, Your Highness," Elis acquiesced, feeling the weight of everyone’s gaze upon her.

She couldn’t excuse herself from their presence, so she began to wash her hands slowly, trying to steady her nerves.

As Elis started washing her hands, Jessy, concerned about her sleeves getting wet, moved to help raise them.

"Your sleeves will be wet. Here, let me help you raise it a bit."

"Jessy... wait!"

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