The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 367: A Mederian Prince’s Reprimand

Chapter 367: A Mederian Prince’s Reprimand

Upon meeting the knight and Emily in the garden, Noah and Eric found themselves entangled in a fierce altercation. The second-in-command knight adamantly disagreed with his subordinate’s intention to marry the woman.

Despite Noah’s passionate pleas and Emily’s persuasive words, Eric remained resolute in his decision.

"You can’t do this, Sir Navin! I have obtained her consent, which grants me the right to marry her! We love each other deeply!" Noah exclaimed in anger.

"Oh, yes, I can! As the representative of His Highness, the Grand Duke, I now have the decision regarding the Gerhard household resting in my hands. As our lady’s person, Miss Emily Baker is under the protection and governance of His Highness. Therefore, she falls under my responsibility, and I serve as her guardian in the absence of His Highness. I forbid her from marrying you because I know the kind of person you are!" Eric stated firmly.

"You despicable fool! Just because His Highness appointed you so does not give you the right to interfere in my personal life! Emily wants to be with me, and I want to be with her! She believes in my innocence, unlike you!" Noah shouted at the second-in-command knight, his voice filled with frustration and resentment.

"She may believe what she wishes, but marrying you is out of the question! You will only bring misery upon her. If Miss Baker wishes to leave her maidenhood behind, there are numerous better choices for her than you! I will not allow the same pain you inflicted upon those women to befall her!" Eric exclaimed resolutely.

"Sir Navin! Noah has explained everything to me! I know about his affairs, but that is all in the past. He has changed!" Emily defended her lover.

"Are you absolutely certain? Do you realise how many women he has been involved with? Some have even come to the duchy claiming to have his children, but he never acknowledged them and heartlessly turned them away!" Eric’s words caused the young woman’s eyes to widen in disbelief.

"C... children?" she uttered in shock.

"That is not true!" Noah retorted. "I admit I had affairs, but I never fathered any children. I have always been cautious and assure you that the children are not mine! Those women were liars seeking my wealth and title!"

Eric scoffed dismissively.

"I remember you callously discarded them as if they meant nothing to you! Not an ounce of compassion could be found in your eyes as they knelt before you, begging for your acknowledgement! And yet, you continued to engage in new affairs as if women were mere numbers to you!"

"I swear I did not impregnate any of them! I took precautions before each encounter to prevent such situations!" Noah vehemently defended himself.

"Do you expect me to believe your words? I have kept their visits to the duchy hidden from His Highness for the sake of the knighthood and your reputation as my predecessor! But I will not stand idly by if you intend to ruin Miss Baker’s life! She is a cherished individual under our lady’s care, and I will protect her from any harm, even if it means shielding her from you!" Eric countered.

"Emily holds a special place in my heart! She is unlike any other woman! I am sincere in my love for her! Have you ever heard me propose to anyone else? Do you truly believe I would bring harm to the woman I wish to marry?" Noah asked back determinedly.

Ignoring the knight’s words, Eric turned his attention to Emily, who appeared confused.

He asked, "Miss Baker, I understand you have fallen for him and choose to believe him despite my words. But would you be willing to live with a man who has children born out of wedlock? And what if, one day, those children and their mothers resurface? Sir Brooks would never admit his past mistakes, but what about you? How can you love a man who has committed such a sin? Do you not have any concerns for your reputation?"

Emily’s eyes downcasted. Noah swiftly took hold of her hands.

"Do not listen to him! He is trying to confuse you because he doesn’t want us to be together! He holds a deep grudge against me, and we have always been at odds with each other! Emily, you have to believe me! I have no children with anyone else, and if I ever wanted a family, it would only be with you!" Noah’s words were filled with sincerity and urgency.

Emily looked into the knight’s eyes, their dark depths pleading for understanding. She had never seen Noah gaze at her with such desperation before. The young woman took a moment to gather her thoughts, contemplating the situation.

Then, after a brief pause, she responded, her gaze shifting back to Eric.

"Sir Navin, I understand that you and Noah have differences, and I know you intend to protect me. However, I love this man. Regardless of what happened, it remains in the past for me."

"Is it truly that simple, Miss Baker? We are discussing your future here! You cannot solely rely on his words!" Eric said with concern.

"He is a flawed human being, just as we all are. You come from a noble background and have received a proper upbringing, so in your eyes, what he has done is seen as a sin before God. But Noah and I... we are both orphans."

Emily’s words silenced them.

She then continued, "We didn’t have the privilege of a good education, and we did what we could to survive our harsh lives from a young age. I was fortunate enough to become a maid and lived well, but Noah... he didn’t have such opportunities and perhaps fell in with the wrong crowd as he grew up. I know he regrets his past actions and wants to become a better person. So, please let me be with him and guide him towards the right path," Emily explained with conviction.

"I’m sorry, but I cannot allow that! While His Highness may value his skills as a talented knight, he does not condone his past behaviour! I cannot risk him causing you harm. As per the mandate I have been given, I forbid him from marrying you. You must forget about this man, Miss Baker. This discussion is over," Eric firmly declared.

"D*mn you! I will report this to His Highness!" Noah exclaimed, his frustration boiling over.

"Go ahead! Once His Highness returns, you can complain to him all you want, but deep down, you know his decision already! You know he won’t take your side in this matter!"

Noah’s anger began to consume him.

"You f*cking *sshole!"

The knight lunged forward, his fist flying towards the second-in-command knight. Emily screamed and closed her eyes, fearing the worst.

However, a strong hand swiftly caught and subdued Noah’s fist. With a single push, the knight was forced backwards and almost fell to the ground.

Noah was taken aback by the sudden intervention that prevented his attack on Eric. He looked up, surprised to find Kiev standing before him.

"Enough, Sir Brooks! You and Sir Navin have been so loud, interrupting my precious moment with Elis! Have you no shame, shouting and bickering like this?" the Mederian Prince scolded.

Noah fell silent after feeling the overpowering force emanating from Kiev, reminiscent of Kyren’s power. He now remembered Eric’s warning about the Mederian Prince’s prowess during the fight when Kiev and his sister arrived at the mansion.

It was no exaggeration that the Mederian Prince was indeed a formidable opponent to the grand duke.

"Your Highness! When did you arrive?" Eric asked, surprised by Kiev’s sudden appearance.

Unbeknownst to them, the Mederian Prince and Elis had been in the garden all this while. Eric, Emily and Noah bowed respectfully to the Mederian Prince.

"Elis and I have been here the whole time before any of you arrived. I’ve witnessed your entire drama, and it has become increasingly irritating. From persuasion to a marriage proposal and now a fight... oh, please! My Elis simply wanted to enjoy the scenery, and all of you have ruined it!" Kiev continued.

"Please forgive us, Your Highness. We had no idea," Eric apologised sincerely.

Feeling caught up, Elis approached them and pleaded with the Mederian Prince to dissuade the situation.

"It’s alright, Kiev! They were unaware of our presence. Please don’t be angry with them," she implored.

Kiev paused, although his face still wore a sour expression as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Did you... did you hear everything?" Emily asked hesitantly, her face turning red.

"Every single word! Shall I repeat them all for you?" Kiev interjected, his tone cutting.

The young woman felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. The Mederian Prince had certainly overheard her argument with Noah and her warning about severing his ’thing’ should he betray her.

Due to the reprimand, a solemn silence fell upon them.

Kiev cleared his throat and broke the quietness, "I have no interest in the affairs of the mansion. However, as royalty, allow me to offer you some advice. Any disagreement within the knighthood should be resolved in an honourable manner, not by shouting at each other in an open space, especially when it concerns someone’s dignity."

"Yes, Your Highness. I apologise for my behaviour and will heed your advice."

Eric bowed respectfully.

Kiev nodded slightly, acknowledging the second-in-command knight’s response.

He then turned his attention to Noah and said, "As for you, Sir Brooks... I admire your talent and skills. But do not use them to harm someone who cares about your well-being. Regardless of your thoughts towards Sir Navin, he is still your superior, and you should show him respect. After all, he represents the grand duke. If your feelings for this lady are genuine, then prove yourself as a worthy man to make her your lawful spouse."

"Yes, Your Highness," Noah responded quietly, his heart heavy with emotion.

"Come, Elis. Let us go inside. The weather is turning colder, and so are the people. We do not want it to affect us," Kiev said, taking Elis by the hand.

The woman hesitated, but knowing that it would be best to leave rather than get entangled in the awkward moment, she adhered.

"Yes, Kiev," Elis replied, following him as they left the garden.

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