The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 351: A Punishment Awaits Her

Chapter 351: A Punishment Awaits Her

"Let her go!" Kiev’s voice boomed, filled with urgency as he witnessed Elis being tied up.

Panic etched across his face, he instinctively rushed forward to reach the maid, but the royal knights swiftly blocked his path. Rafe stood by, shocked and unable to utter a word, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Amid the commotion, Eric, accompanied by the Knights of Gerhard, arrived on the scene. They, too, were taken aback by the unprecedented situation before them.

The king, mounted on his steed, dismissed Kiev’s outcry as he spoke with disdain, "How impudent! Have the occupants of the Gerhard’s mansion forgotten to greet their king in the absence of its master?"

Eric stepped forward, leading his comrades, and respectfully addressed the king, "Greetings to the Sun of Cassian!"

With a deep bow, he paid his respects, and the Knights of Gerhard followed suit, showing reverence to their sovereign.

"Forgive us, Your Majesty, for not greeting you properly just now. We were taken aback by this unforeseen situation. May I humbly inquire as to why Miss Canton is being apprehended?" the second-in-command knight respectfully inquired, seeking clarity amidst the confusion.

The king descended from his steed with deliberate grace, his regal steps bringing him closer to Eric and his men. He regarded them with a discerning gaze before speaking.

"Were you not aware of what happened?"

"I’m truly sorry, but I must confess my confusion. Could you kindly enlighten us as to what transpired?" asked Eric.

"I encountered your maid attempting to flee on my way here. It was clear that she has abandoned her duties," the king asserted.

"Nonsense! Elis would never do such a thing!" Kiev interjected with conviction.

"Oh, really?" the king responded. "Were you not aware that she had packed her belongings and left? It seems quite cunning of her to have slipped away unnoticed by the mansion’s occupants."

Eric turned his gaze towards Elis, his expression stern and questioning.

"Is this true, Miss Canton? Did you leave the mansion without proper approval?" he asked, his raised eyebrow conveying a sense of severity.

"I... I submitted my resignation letter, Sir Navin, and I left afterwards," Elis replied, her voice trembling with fear, her eyes downcast.

Just as the tension thickened, Anryr, Rosalie, and the other servants arrived onsite. Though taken aback by the situation, they quickly composed themselves and respectfully bowed and greeted the king.

"Anryr, step forward!" the king gestured, summoning the steward to approach him.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Anryr promptly responded, approaching in obedience to the king’s command.

"This maid of yours claims to have submitted her resignation letter before leaving the mansion. As the steward in charge of managing the servants, did you receive it?" the king inquired, his gaze fixed on the perplexed steward.

Anryr’s eyes darted between Elis, Eric, and Kiev before returning to the king.

With a hint of confusion, he responded, "No, Your Majesty. I did not receive it."

"It’s with me!" Rafe interjected, catching everyone’s attention.

The healer swiftly approached the king and handed him the crumpled letter.

King Kyden opened the letter and read its contents. He took a moment to absorb the information, then passed it to his attendant.

He then spoke, "So, you did tender your resignation... neat. However, it was not approved by the person in charge, yet you still chose to leave without permission," directing his words towards Elis.

"I did not know I had to ask for permission to leave. I just told the guards that I’ve resigned, and they let me pass. I thought that after submitting the letter, I was free to go," the maid responded, her voice filled with uncertainty.

"It doesn’t work that way here in Cassian, Miss Elisabeth Canton. Weren’t you briefed on the rules of employment beforehand?" the king questioned.

"I... I wasn’t," Elis replied with a tone of regret.

"Your Majesty, she didn’t know. She was employed based on my recommendation, and..."

The king raised his hand, interrupting Garin’s attempt to intervene.

"I did not ask you to explain on her behalf," he stated firmly.

The knight quickly apologised, bowing his head in deference, his expression solemn.

"Perhaps because you originate from Dracor, you are not familiar with the rules and regulations in this kingdom, am I correct?" King Kyden inquired, his tone slightly softer.

Elis nodded in response, "Yes, Your Majesty. I am from there. But how did you know?"

"You are my brother’s maid. As you can see, the grand duke does not typically employ female servants in his mansion or duchy. So, when he made an exception for you, it naturally caught my attention. However, the fact that you didn’t know the rules cannot be made as an excuse for your mistake. That is considered as a matter of ignorance," the king explained.

At that moment, Princess Callis and her nanny, Jessy, wearing a veiled hat, arrived from the main building. Simultaneously, Anna, Emily, Clara, and Ayden also appeared, respectfully bowing and greeting the king.

"Welcome to Gerhard’s mansion, Your Majesty. It is a surprise to see you today. Please forgive us for being unprepared, as we were not informed of your visit," Anna expressed her apology.

"I purposely refrained from notifying you in advance. I was informed that you have returned to your mansion to rest. As your guardian, I came to check on your well-being and ensure your comfort," the king explained, his gaze briefly scanning the princess’ attire. "Why are you dressed differently?"

"Oh, I was engaging in some light exercise at the back, so I opted for more comfortable attire," Anna explained.

"Exercise? In this season?" the king raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Yes, it is beneficial for my body. It was just a simple routine, and I just finished it," Anna replied cautiously.

The king smiled knowingly, aware that the princess was concealing the true nature of her training. However, he chose not to delve further into the matter.

"Your Majesty, what is happening here? Why is Miss Canton being tied up?" Anna asked, her confusion evident upon noticing Elis being apprehended.

"Ah, we were just discussing this matter. This maid fled from the mansion, and I caught her red-handed attempting to leave when I was on my way here. Therefore, I brought her back for judgment," the king explained.

"Fled? But why?" Anna questioned, bewildered.

"She claimed to have submitted her resignation letter, but it was not processed, and she left without authorisation. The reason for her leaving... you should ask her," the king replied.

"Elis did not flee! She informed my sister and me about her decision to quit. I granted her permission!" Kiev interjected, defending the maid.

"Ah, now that’s entirely wrong, Prince Kiev. You see, you are not her master and didn’t employ her. She was only lent to you to serve your sister. Therefore, you’re unauthorised to permit her from ending her service," the king countered.

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Kiev realised he had no grounds to argue against the valid point put forth by King Kyden.

"Now, I recall that my brother mentioned this maid was meant to serve Callis before he embarked on his expedition. When the grand duke issued that order, were any of you unaware?" the king announced, directing his attention to Eric, seeking clarification.

"You called my sister’s name just like that?" asked the Mederian Prince, surprised.

"I asked him to. I’m now His Majesty’s subject, brother," replied Callis.

Kiev’s frustration grew, and he let out a low grunt, revealing his displeasure with the decision.

"Your Majesty, we were aware of the order. All of us were present when it was given. His Highness had demanded Miss Canton before we departed to the palace for the duel," the second-in-command knight promptly responded.

"So, you all knew. Repeat to me. What was his exact order then?" the king demanded in a commanding tone.

"Miss Canton is not allowed to leave and must attend to Her Highness, Princess Callis, until she and her brother depart from Cassian. Additionally, she is expected to provide her utmost service to the princess, as His Highness did not wish to owe them anything," Eric reiterated Kyren’s exact instructions.

"But the situation has changed. I’m married to Rafe and not leaving! So the order is no longer valid!" countered Callis.

"The grand duke did not rescind the order despite the change in your status due to your marriage, Callis. Therefore, as he explicitly stated, the directive remains valid until his return. Now, isn’t it abundantly clear that Miss Canton is guilty based on her actions?" the king questioned, his piercing gaze sweeping across the group.

Silence enveloped the air, intensifying the gravity of the situation for everyone present.

"Anryr, as the steward, tell me what mistakes Miss Canton has made?" King Kyden ordered, his expression unwavering.

The steward clasped his hands together, feeling the weight of the moment. However, under the stern gaze of the king, he knew he had no choice but to answer truthfully.

"Disobedience towards the master’s order, Your Majesty," Anryr replied, his voice filled with reluctance.

"That is the gravest mistake any servant can make! What else?" the king pressed on.

"Leaving the mansion without permission," Anryr responded hesitantly again.

"And next?" the king demanded.

"Abandonment of duty," the steward admitted, his voice lowering.

"Next!" the king’s voice boomed, demanding a complete account of Elis’s transgressions.

"Um..." the steward hesitated, furrowing his brow in concentration.

"Offending me and my esteemed guest! Callis is still my honoured guest until the duel is over, and by not providing her with the best service, Miss Canton has not only offended her but also disgraced me as the king!" King Kyden declared, his voice filled with authority.

Anryr bowed his head, fearing the king’s anger. He was acutely aware that Elis’s mistakes were significant offences. The maid herself grew increasingly anxious, realising the severity of her mistakes.

"No! She did not offend me at all! Elis never did such a thing!" Callis interjected.

"Are you sure? She was meant to attend to you. You are still wearing that sling, indicating that your injury is not fully healed yet, and she should have been taking care of you. But she didn’t," King Kyden remarked, his blue eyes glancing at the Mederian princess’ sling on her shoulder.

"It’s fine now! I don’t need the sling anymore! It’s just that I got used to wearing it after some time! I’m all good! Jessy, help me remove it!" Callis exclaimed to her nanny, attempting to reassure the king.

All eyes then turned to Jessy, whose face was concealed by the black veil.

"You don’t have to lie to defend her, Callis! I can tell from your movements that your injury has not fully recovered yet," the king asserted with his firm voice.

Embarrassed, the Mederian Princess cast her gaze downward, feeling a mix of shame and disappointment. Jessy, who had initially intended to offer assistance, hesitated and refrained from intervening.

"What’s with your nanny? Why is she wearing a veil?" the king inquired, his curiosity piqued by Jessy’s unusual appearance.

"She... she has a flu. So, I asked her to cover her face," Callis replied, attempting to explain.

"Please leave the ground. I don’t want you to be affecting everyone else," the king ordered, flicking his fingers to dismiss the nanny.

Jessy bowed respectfully and excused herself, complying with the king’s directive.

"Your Majesty, as the representative of His Highness the Grand Duke, I apologise for the wrongdoings committed by Miss Canton. However, since this matter pertains to the Gerhard’s mansion household, I kindly request that you leave it to me to address and take the necessary actions against her," Eric interjected, attempting to assert his authority.

"Your maid has consecutively committed more than three grave mistakes, including disgracing me. How can I simply let this go?" King Kyden responded.

The king’s stern words hung in the air, casting a sense of guilt over the gathering.

"I truly apologise for my shortcomings. If I had known, I would have halted Miss Canton and reprimanded her promptly," the second-in-command knight expressed with regret.

"Too late! Now I question whether my brother made a wise decision by appointing you as his representative. Should I remove you from your position due to this failure?" the king contemplated aloud, his disappointment evident.

"Your Majesty, it wasn’t Sir Navin’s fault! None of us knew that Miss Canton had left. We were all at the training ground," Garin interjected, stepping forward to defend his superior.

However, Eric swiftly intervened, pressing his hand against the knight’s shoulder.

"Step back, Sir Skyler!" Eric warned, his tone firm.

"But, Sir Navin! Your reputation will be tarnished if your appointment is withdrawn! Miss Canton is not at..." Garin attempted to argue but was quickly cut off.

"Silence! I said step back now before it gets worse!" the second-in-command knight reprimanded him, determined to maintain order.

Reluctantly, Garin retreated with frustration. The tension heightened as the king contemplated his next course of action.

"Forget it! I won’t interfere with your position. My brother would argue with me non-stop if I were to meddle with your appointment. However, in Miss Canton’s case, I will not back down, as she has brought disgrace upon me in front of my guests. Therefore, she shall be punished accordingly," the king declared firmly.

"What?" Anna, Kiev, and Callis exclaimed in disbelief at the decision.

"This is outrageous! You are blowing things out of proportion!" the Mederian Prince protested, his frustration mounting.

"According to the rules, this is not a matter to be taken lightly, and I am fair in my judgment," King Kyden decided, his voice resolute.

"Your Majesty! This maid here has saved my life. I’m begging you to reconsider!" Clara suddenly interjected.

The king’s attention shifted to the knightess with dark skin and short black hair, who was bound to her wheelchair. Ayden stood behind her, gripping the wheelchair’s handles.

"Who are you?" the king inquired, curious about her presence.

"I am Dame Clara Verns, the escort of Lady Raychard from Ardel," Clara introduced herself.

"Ah... So you’re the knightess my brother spoke of. Yes, I am aware of Miss Canton’s contribution to your well-being. Rafe informed me," the king acknowledged, recalling the information shared with him.

"Your Majesty, Miss Canton is currently unwell. Subjecting her to further punishment would be detrimental to her health. I implore you to reconsider. Perhaps a stern warning would suffice for now," Rafe interceded, attempting to persuade the king.

"So you believe that my wounded pride in front of my guests should be disregarded?" the king challenged.

"I did not say that, but considering Miss Canton’s circumstances..." Rafe tried to reason.

"Enough! If it were only one mistake, I might turn a blind eye. But this involves more than three grave mistakes that cannot be ignored! A lesson must be learned by her and all the servants of the Gerhard’s mansion," the king asserted.

"Anryr!" the king called upon the steward again after a brief silence.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Anryr responded attentively.

"Tell me, according to the mansion’s rules, what would be the appropriate punishment for such repeated grave offences?" the king inquired.

"That... that..." Anryr stammered, feeling the weight of the tension upon him.

"Say it out loud! I want everyone to hear it so no one would accuse me of being biased!" ordered King Kyden.

"For committing such grave offences more than three times in a row... a servant would... would be punished with ten lashings."