The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 331: A Luncheon With The King And His Men

Chapter 331: A Luncheon With The King And His Men

The chatter in the dining hall gradually died down as the door swung open.

All eyes turned toward the entrance, and the attendees rose from their seats.

"Greetings to the Sun of Cassian and Their Highnesses!"

They bowed in respect to the regal figure of King Kyden, who entered with grace. The Mederian royal siblings, Kiev and Callis, followed closely behind him, accompanied by Rafe.

The king raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to retake their seats once he had settled himself.

The room fell into a peaceful silence, waiting for the king’s speech. Among the ministers and high-ranking officers present were Lord Hugh Anson, the chief scholar; Lord James, the royal court minister; and Lord Aaron Pearce, the first son of the Marquess of Sylvere.

"Thank you, everyone, for joining us today," King Kyden began, his voice carrying authority as usual. "Allow me to introduce Prince Kiev Naver and his sister, Princess Callis Naver, to those who may not have had the pleasure of meeting them yet."

He motioned toward the Mederian siblings, who nodded in acknowledgement.

As the introductions continued, Lord James couldn’t contain his curiosity and spoke up, "It’s a great honour to have lunch with Your Majesty and Their Highnesses. However, may I inquire as to why Mr Rafe Amares, the healer of Gerhard, is in attendance?" Lord James held a questioning gaze; his eyes had caught the figure of the healer entering and walking alongside Callis.

The king smiled subtly, knowing his upcoming announcement would surprise them all.

"Ah, I suppose the news hasn’t reached your ears as I haven’t made an official announcement as of yet. Allow me to enlighten you. Rafe Amares is now the husband of Princess Callis," King Kyden revealed.

The announcement bewildered the ministers and high-ranking officers, their expressions a mix of shock and surprise—all except Lord Aaron Pearce, who remained composed. The king had briefed him earlier that morning when he was summoned to the palace to convey news about his father’s health.

Whispers and murmurs filled the room as the attendees absorbed the unexpected revelation. The atmosphere buzzed with intrigue and speculation as they exchanged glances in surprise.

"Husband? You mean Her Highness Princess Callis is married to him? This is truly surprising! Had they known each other before?" Lord Anson exclaimed, his astonishment evident in his voice.

"They have only just met. As you all know, this is the first time the Mederians have visited Cassian since its establishment. Princess Callis and Rafe Amares developed a fondness for each other, and it was a case of love at first sight. After careful consideration, I decided it would be in their best interest to be married," the king explained.

The king’s gaze briefly flickered toward Prince Kiev, silently gauging his reaction to the news. To his surprise, the Mederian prince appeared calm and composed, his emotions well hidden.

Whispers erupted among the attendees again as they absorbed the explanation, their curiosity piqued.

Clearing his throat, King Kyden regained the men’s attention, and the dining hall returned to silence. The servants promptly began serving the meal, skillfully cutting the meat and attending to the guests as lunch commenced according to the king’s order.

Amid the meal, King Kyden turned to Kiev, his tone casual yet laden with intent as he began his conversation.

"Prince Kiev, does Anna resemble anyone you know?" he asked, his words cutting through the hall’s ambient sounds.

Kiev raised his face, looking at the king; a questioning thought arose within him when the king asked.

After finishing the bite of meat in his mouth, the Mederian Prince responded, "No. Why do you ask?"

King Kyden furrowed his brow, contemplating the situation.

"Hmm... that’s peculiar. You see... during the mid-autumn festival, after the night prayer, there was a commotion. A person I know mistook Anna for someone else."

Lord James, who had been attentively following the conversation, interjected, "Do you mean the Marquess of Sylvere, Your Majesty? I witnessed the commotion from a distance but couldn’t grasp what was happening. By the time I approached, he and the rest around him had already moved to a secluded place, and I was not allowed to follow them."

The king nodded affirmatively.

"Yes, you are correct, Lord James. It was indeed the Marquess of Sylvere."

Curiosity sparked in Kiev’s eyes as he inquired, "Who is this Marquess of Sylvere? Is he one of Cassian’s noblemen?"

"He is my father," Aaron responded. With pride in his tone, he continued, "He is the last remaining northern warrior from the Ro’an Empire and served under Her Imperial Majesty, the last empress."

Kiev’s throat tightened, and he discreetly swallowed, maintaining a calm demeanour while concealing his true emotions upon realising that the marquess’ son was among the lunch attendees.

Curiosity was getting the better of him, and the Mederian Prince asked, "What was the commotion all about?"

The king’s eyes met Kiev’s, and he explained, "The marquess mistakenly believed that Anna was Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Regina. He kept addressing her as such when he saw her. As the first cousin twice removed of her Imperial Majesty the Empress, you may have had the chance to meet her. That’s why I ask."

Lord Anson said, "None of us has seen her, and we don’t possess her portrait. It would be fascinating to know about her appearance."

The room fell silent as all eyes turned expectantly toward Kiev, eagerly anticipating any insight he could provide about the mysterious look of the empress and her potential resemblance to Anna.

"Does this mean that none of you know what she looked like? Not even you, Lord Anson?" asked Kiev.

Lord Anson shook his head, a tinge of regret in his voice as he responded, "I do not know. During the era of the empire, I was merely a junior scholar and never had the opportunity to visit Engarth and see Their Imperial Majesties. Only high-ranking officials were granted such privileges."

Lord James suddenly burst out in laughter, followed by several other ministers and officers. Kiev, initially wearing a severe expression, decided to join in. However, Callis, observing her brother’s change in demeanour, appeared slightly perplexed by the sudden shift.

Lord James, still chuckling, said, "How can the concubine of His Highness the Grand Duke bear any resemblance to Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Regina? They have no connection whatsoever."

Kiev nodded in agreement, his amusement fading as he regained his composure.

"I concur with Lord James. Furthermore, as her relative, I can assure you that they never shared any resemblance. I wonder why the marquess would make such a mistake," he said.

"My father is unwell," Aaron replied. "Ever since the Great War, he has been battling with an illness. His symptoms had lessened in the past few years, so we assumed he was on the road to recovery. However, it resurfaced again on the night of the festival."

"What kind of sickness does he have?" Kiev asked, curious.

"He is experiencing mental disturbances," the marquess’ son responded in a sad tone. "He suffers from bouts of delusion and confusion. Sometimes, he fails to recognise his identity and speaks incoherently."

Lacking tact, Lord James interjected, describing the situation bluntly, "He is not in his right mind, prone to nonsensical ramblings," he stated matter-of-factly.

Aaron’s expression contorted upon hearing the minister’s words, clearly affected by the insensitive remark.

Before the tension escalated further, the king intervened, "Lord James, please show respect. The Marquess of Sylvere is a highly esteemed northern warrior, once my grandfather’s trusted right-hand man and a knight who made significant sacrifices for the empire."

Recognising the need for restraint, Lord James offered a reluctant apology.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I was merely stating the facts. He is well-respected, but his contributions to Cassian have been limited," he responded snobbishly.

"He might not contribute directly, but his three sons, though not participating in the government, have safeguarded the march, paying taxes promptly, and their knights diligently protected the borders. Their contributions have been substantial," said the king.

"Yes. I apologise again for my remarks," said Lord James with a low tone.

"Lord Aaron Pearce, please do not take Lord James’ words to heart," said the king.

"None was taken, Your Majesty," Aaron responded.

His face, however, still displayed a severe demeanour.

Sensing the lingering tension between the minister and the marquess’ son, Rafe sought to divert their attention to ease the situation.

He turned to Aaron, offering, "If you don’t mind, Lord Pearce, I can pay a visit to your father. I’ve been told he is staying at the Count of Medhir’s mansion, accompanied by our knight, Sir Drystan Mills. Perhaps I could assist in his treatment."

Aaron’s gloomy countenance brightened slightly at the offer.

"Thank you, Mr Amares. I appreciate the offer, but the royal healer is already attending to him. Unfortunately, based on his findings, my father’s condition is impossible to treat, as it was caused by dark magic."

"Dark magic?" Callis asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

Aaron nodded grimly.

"Yes. He was affected by the same evil enchantment that led to the death of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor. As a result, conventional treatments and medicines are ineffective."

The king’s gaze shifted to the Mederian Princess, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Hmm... Come to think of it, you possess healing magic. I witnessed how you used it to treat your brother during the duel at the royal arena."

The marquess’ son’s eyes lit up upon hearing about the Mederian royal siblings’ speciality.

"Really? Can you use your magic to treat him, then?" he asked with hopeful eyes.

However, Kiev’s response was resolute.

"I’m afraid it’s not possible."

Confusion clouded Aaron’s features as he pressed further.

"Why not? Don’t you want to help cure him? He once saved Her Imperial Majesty, the empress, who is your relative. Can’t you do this favour for him?"

"It’s not that we don’t want to help, Lord Pearce," Kiev began explaining. "Dark magic is an extremely formidable force. Although my sister and I possess healing abilities, ceasing dark magic effects is beyond our capabilities. If we were to attempt to treat your father, we would be putting ourselves in grave danger."

"Why so?" asked Aaron.

"The healing process would require a tremendous amount of mana, which would drain our energy. The fact that the dark magic’s effects have persisted since the Great War is a testament to its power and danger. It’s precarious to try to heal the effects of dark magic and even more to remove it from someone possessed by it."

Aaron’s gaze fell, his shoulders sagging in defeat as he sighed.

Callis added, her voice filled with empathy, "Please forgive us, Lord Pearce. We thank your father for saving the empress, but my brother is correct. Even my healing magic is not as powerful as his. If he advises against attempting to treat the dark magic, I wouldn’t dare go against his counsel."

Aaron nodded, his expression resigned.

"Very well, then. If it could bring such risk to you, I won’t force you to attempt it."

Turning the conversation to another topic, Lord Anson inquired, "Perhaps, could you share more about Her Imperial Highness Princess, the daughter of Her Imperial Majesty? I’m genuinely intrigued to learn about her as the last descendant of the Ro’an Emperor. You had only told us of the Imperial Majesty the Empress’ passing and her daughter’s existence."

Kiev took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding, "I would love to satisfy your curiosity, but regrettably, I am not at liberty to disclose information about her as it is a matter of safety. Although the empire may have crumbled, her existence still holds great significance."

King Kyden observed Prince Kiev with a discerning gaze, sensing his cautious speech whenever he spoke of the direct descendant of the Ro’an Emperor. Intrigued, he decided to probe further.

"Your discretion is obvious, Prince Kiev. Has something occurred that necessitates such care?"

Although King Kyden was aware of the tragic fate that befell the last descendant of the Ro’an Emperor, as recounted in Kyren’s tale of being healed by her, as well as the stillborn death of the grand duke’s supposed soulmate, the king wished to ascertain Prince Kiev’s honesty.

"Some time ago, an unsettling incident happened at her residence," Kiev began, his expression grave. He paused momentarily, choosing his words carefully. "It caused significant upheaval, and..."

Before Kiev could finish his sentence, King Kyden interrupted, "I understand."

Surprised, the Mederian Prince glanced at King Kyden, curiosity etched on his face.

King Kyden continued, "You fear a repetition of the past. Moreover, divulging too much about her would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention. Ensuring her safety remains our utmost priority."

"Indeed," Kiev affirmed, acknowledging the king’s remarks.

King Kyden nodded, indicating his confidence in Kiev’s words. The Mederian Prince’s honesty assured the king that he was not being deceived.

"But, we are all devoted to her. Aren’t we the loyal men of His Majesty, the King of Cassian, who the Imperial Majesty, the Empress herself, appointed? Don’t we deserve to know something about her? Now, we don’t even know her name," said Lord Anson with disappointment.

"Please accept my apologies for being overly cautious. Perhaps I can share some brief details. Her name is Angel. She was born shortly after Her Imperial Majesty returned to our clan’s island. However, I only had the opportunity to meet her during my youth, so there isn’t much I can tell you," Kiev responded as he relented to the old chief scholar’s request.

Intrigued, another minister inquired about Angel, "Can you describe her? Does she resemble her mother?"

A wistful look crossed Kiev’s face as he conjured an image of the long-forgotten daughter of Empress Regina.

"Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress, was renowned for her elegance and benevolence. Her daughter, too, possessed an exceptional beauty that captivated both the eyes and the hearts of those who beheld her. She has hazel eyes and long locks of auburn hair," he revealed.

Lord Anson thought of Angel’s current age based on Kiev’s explanation. He inquired further, "Assuming her current age, she must be a mature woman. Has she married? Does she have a family of her own?"

"She... was married," the Mederian Prince revealed, his tone carrying a sad note. His reply caught the surprise of the attendees.

"You mean she’s no longer married? What happened to her husband?" Lord Anson inquired with interest.

"He passed away..."