The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 368: Betrayal And The Incoming Rivals

He then mounted his warhorse and trotted along the cobblestone path, his mind preoccupied with the challenges ahead. He was acutely aware that Eric was unlikely to change his stance, and even the grand duke might disapprove of his desire to be with Emily.

Noah’s face grew dark as he recalled Kyren’s specific order after he was sentenced to his punishment.

’Until you are proven innocent, do not involve yourself with any woman, Noah!’

Those words lingered in his mind, causing him to hesitate in revealing his intention to marry Emily before the grand duke’s departure to Agathe Island.

The knight found himself lost in thought. Before he knew it, he had arrived at the bustling city centre of Gantz. Dismounting his warhorse, he strolled while holding onto the reins.

Amidst the busy crowd passing by, his shoulder was suddenly brushed by a man accompanied by his group.

"Hey, watch it!" the man exclaimed, voicing his annoyance.

Noah whirled around, ready to yell back. However, his eyes widened in surprise upon seeing the familiar figure.

"Ivar?" he asked, astonishment clear in his voice.

The man looked back at him with a bewildered expression as if he were seeing a ghost.

"Noah??" Ivar exclaimed. "You... you’re still alive?"

He scrutinised the knight from head to toe. His companions, who had previously been in high spirits after their outing, now looked on in surprise. Fear crept onto their faces at the sight of the knight. An immediate hush fell over the group.

Noah chuckled dryly.

"Of course I am! Did you think I would meet my end easily?" he asked.

Ivar swallowed hard, a sense of nervousness gripping his heart. However, he quickly composed his alarmed expression, attempting to appear calm.

"No, I’m just... surprised. I haven’t seen you in years, not since you left and joined the Knighthood of Gerhard," he said.

"What are you doing here?" asked Noah.

"I’m in charge of security for my lord’s business dealings at the plaza. My men and I escorted the goods delivery for his shops," Ivar replied.

"Your lord?" Noah raised a brow.

His gaze then fell on the insignia adorning Ivar’s surcoat, identifying him serving a noble house.

"You work for a high-ranking noble? Which one?" he asked.

"The Count of Abinair from Dracor. I’m currently the leader of his knights. The Grand Duke of Gerhard funded his business. Don’t you know?" Ivar said, a hint of pride in his voice.

Noah nodded slowly, aware of the situation. He recalled that Garin had mentioned Elis as one of the slaves rescued from the count’s mansion. Based on the knight’s story, Noah assumed she had met Ivar and his companions the other day.

Thinking of how traumatised she was, he couldn’t let out the thought that this old comrade of his had done something to her when she served the count.

However, Noah decided not to bring up the matter, respecting her dignity. Instead, he said, "I’m quite surprised to learn that you’ve become a knight for a count."

"Why? You think I’m not fit for the role?" Ivar asked, his tone scornful. "Do you believe only you are good enough to be a knight?"

Noah’s lips curled into a sarcastic smile.

"I won’t complain since you’ve already chosen your path. But I’m amazed at how you became a knight. As far as I know, a knight is expected to uphold a code of chivalry and honour, which I didn’t see in you before," Noah said.

"Shut up!" Ivar exclaimed, his face flushing with anger. "You still have the gall to mock me after all these years! Have you forgotten that we were both of the same origin and used to work together as mercenaries? What makes you feel you’re better than me? You were as bad as I was!"

Noah responded calmly, "I admit I was, but I still have some conscience compared to you. At least I didn’t k*ll women and children. You, on the other hand, had no such reservations."

Ivar shook his head angrily.

"You’re so full of yourself, Noah! Even after all these years, you haven’t changed! You always think you’re better than me and the rest!"

Noah let out a sigh.

"Look, I’m not in the mood for another fight. I had a terrible argument with someone today. So, for old time’s sake, let’s forget what I said. I apologise if I’ve offended you."

Ivar took a moment to consider his options. He knew fighting against the knight wouldn’t benefit him, especially since they were on a busy street in Gantz.

"Fine, I accept your apology," Ivar relented. "As I said, I’m quite surprised to see you. I heard something bad happened to you a few years back, and then it was quiet. I didn’t hear anything from you afterwards, so I thought for the worse."

"Yeah... well, there was an unfortunate incident. Since you’ve heard about it, you must know what it was," Noah said, his face growing sombre.

"I do. Knowing the rule of Cassian, you’re surely lucky to be alive," Ivar added.

"I am."

"So, are you still with the Knighthood of Gerhard?" Ivar asked.

"Yes."

The man’s eyes widened.

"Seriously? The grand duke still keeps you after what happened?"

"I had to bear some consequences because of it," Noah said, his body language showing discomfort with the topic.

"You don’t seem at ease talking about the matter," Ivar observed.

"I don’t," Noah replied in a moody tone.

"Well, perhaps we can catch up later. I need to be going back now. I have work to do, so please excuse me and my men," said Ivar.

Noah nodded in acknowledgement, and they soon went their separate ways.

As the knight disappeared from sight, one of Ivar’s men couldn’t contain his thoughts.

"D*mn! Why is he still alive? He should be dead by now!" he exclaimed in exasperation.

Another companion chimed in, expressing relief tinged with alarm.

"That was terrifying! Imagine if he knew! Thankfully, he didn’t seem to suspect anything!" he said, his voice trembling slightly.

Ivar halted his steps, his face clouded with worry. Sensing his unease, one of his companions inquired, "What’s the matter?"

In a low voice, he responded, "It’s about Elis... They might’ve crossed paths if Noah is still alive since his comrades rescued her."

Another companion realised this and exclaimed, "Oh, God! How could we forget about her? The last time we met her, the Gerhard’s healer came after her with her husband, the handsome man!"

Ivar’s worry deepened, but another companion tried to assuage his concerns.

"Elis is unaware of our scheme. There’s nothing to worry about. If Noah had any evidence connecting us to the incident, he would have taken action long ago, don’t you think?"

Nodding slowly, Ivar regained some of his confidence.

"You’re right. Elis bears no resemblance to her sister. Noah wouldn’t suspect a thing," he agreed.

His other companion lowered his voice in concern and asked, "Do you think she told her husband, the handsome nobleman, about what we did to her? He surely has seen the scars on her body."

The first companion shrugged dismissively.

"Who cares if she did? What can he do to us? She was a slave during that time and didn’t reside in Cassian. Does he scare you or something?"

"Of course not!" the other companion denied despite a flicker of doubt crossed his face. "I was just wondering. Judging by his appearance and outfit, that nobleman seemed to possess great influence and high-ranked. I don’t want us to get into trouble while we’re here."

"Even if she tells him, he has no grounds to bring us to justice. What happened occurred in Dracor, so the laws here can’t convict us," Ivar argued. "But, it would be risky if Noah finds out about what we did to her sister and how it connects to his situation. That guy is a maniac and can go crazy when he holds a grudge against someone."

A sense of worry crept over Ivar whenever he thought about the knight.

"Don’t fret unnecessarily. We have everything under control. It’s been two years already, and the truth remains buried. No one will ever uncover it. You saw him yourself, completely clueless," reassured the dismissive companion.

"I thought when he got caught, he would be tortured to death. Isn’t it the Cassian rules to protect women with utmost care?" said another.

"The grand duke must have thrown all his support behind Noah. He favoured him above all else," Ivar muttered, a bitter resentment colouring his words.

His companion added, "But Noah is no longer the second-in-command knight. When the grand duke and his men visited the mansion, I remember a burly knight with brunette hair named Sir Eric Navin holding that position. So, Noah must have been demoted."

"They didn’t even mention his name during their stay, so we thought the plan had succeeded," the other companion added, "The last we heard of him, he was imposed with a hundred lashes as part of his punishment. D*mn, he must be incredibly strong to survive that!"

Ivar abruptly shouted, "Shut up! He’s nothing more than a scumbag!"

The group fell silent at their leader’s anger.

After a moment, his companion inquired curiously, "So, what’s your plan now that he’s still alive?"

Ivar’s gaze shifted to the bustling street, his mind consumed by thoughts of the knight.

"Nothing," he replied after a short moment. His response left his men surprised.

"Why?" one of them asked.

"I saw how his face went gloomy when we talked about the incident. He must’ve been living in shame and enduring a bad reputation all this while. That is way even worse than death! Let him taste my vengeance for the rest of his life!"

A sly smile played on Ivar’s lips as he recalled the incident that befell Noah two years ago, which he and his men orchestrated—all in the name of envy.

***

Kyren gazed at the sunset as its light poured down on the vast sea, creating the illusion of a thousand sparkles. The night would soon fall.

Adam approached and updated him on the camp’s situation.

"My Lord," the admiral began, "The civilians have returned to their homes, and our healer is tending to the injured in the infirmary. We have also addressed the casualties among the mercenaries and pirates affected by our warning attack. The water supplies have been restored to their original state, too, and Captain Blackmane has ordered his men to prepare their vessels for the voyage to Ardel."

The grand duke nodded, his mind occupied with the fallen Knights of Barges. He turned to the admiral and inquired, "Have you fulfilled my request regarding the deceased knights?"

"Yes, My Lord," replied Adam. "As instructed, we have hung their bodies on poles along the beach in the marina area. But forgive me, what purpose does this serve? Are we not setting sail for Ardel soon?"

Kyren smirked.

"Yes, we will, but not just yet. The reinforcements for Ardel are approaching, and we should ’welcome’ them first."

Adam’s curiosity piqued, and he asked, "Welcome them? Shouldn’t we join forces with the new alliance to fight against them instead?"

The grand duke chuckled softly.

"I would only intimidate them if they resist us. Though they might be larger in numbers, they surely lack the skill of our men. Instead of confronting them as adversaries, I intend to win them over as allies."

Adam’s interest grew, and he inquired, "How do you propose we accomplish that? Also, how do you know about the strength of their forces?"

"As Athillia mentioned, loyalty to their king is not their strongest suit since the King of Ardel is not likeable to them. Given the short time, most likely, he has coerced his people of various backgrounds into coming to face us, which means one thing... they are not properly trained as soldiers."

"Yes. That does make sense," Adam agreed.

"So, think about it... Who would willingly fight against the formidable armies that would surely defeat them? I will convince the Ardelian forces that their kingdom is in jeopardy and will soon be attacked by the Bargesians. They will be compelled to return and defend it. By supporting their cause, they will eagerly fight alongside us for their land. Their families and home are there, and protecting them is an instinct ingrained in every person."

Adam’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

"You are right! Adding the numbers of their forces to us will boost the confidence and motivation of our battalion and ally as well as intimidate the enemies. This plan would benefit both us and them if they cooperated. I can’t wait to see the King of Ardel’s shocked face when he realises his own people have turned against him!"

"These events unfolded due to his actions. He should not have provoked this conflict. But perhaps I should thank him," mused Kyren.

Adam was puzzled.

"Thank him? For what?"

The grand duke smiled warmly.

"Because, if not for his rebellion, I would not have met my wife."

"I see... You hold her dear in your thoughts," Adam remarked with a grin.

"Why wouldn’t I? She’s my woman," Kyren replied.

Adam had observed Kyren’s deep, longing affection for his wife during their journey, recognising this as a profound development in the grand duke’s typically reserved emotions.

In all their years of friendship, this was the first time the admiral had witnessed him exhibit such heartfelt feelings towards any woman.

Kyren had confided in him about Anna’s status as the heir to Ardel’s throne and the coup d’état orchestrated by the former Prime Minister, Kaizer Ronan.

Understandingly, he suggested, "If you wish to return home to be with her, I can arrange a vessel and handpick a group of knights to accompany you. The rest of us can continue the mission."

"Nonsense!" Kyren dismissed the idea. "We have embarked on this quest together and shall see it to its completion. Until Ardel is fully secure, I will not return."

"Are you sure about this? I don’t want to burden you since it was originally my responsibility to take the lead. Your wife seems to be a good lady. She surely misses you too," said the admiral.

"Trust me. Though she’s always in my thoughts, Anna is not a distraction to me. Rather, she is a source of inspiration for me to achieve our goals. I would want to do this more than anything," declared Kyren.

This presented an opportunity for him to seek retribution against Kaizer for his evil actions towards the princess.

"I understand and am grateful for your support," Adam said sincerely. "If you wish to seek revenge on Ardel for your wife, then I’m with you."

"Don’t worry. I assure you that I won’t wage war on their land solely for that purpose. The Ardelians have also endured hardships due to the rebellion. Therefore, my focus will solely be on holding the responsible person accountable," the grand duke remarked.

"That is a wise insight, My Lord. I wouldn’t be more than agree with you."

"Our mission is to achieve the planned goal and safely return home as a team. Let us not forget our debt of gratitude to Athillia for her invaluable contributions to our success thus far. Once we return, I shall fulfil her request and bring her to the Marquess of Roland."

Adam voiced his concern, "But will they accept her?"

"That remains a challenge, but I will try convincing him. Ah... one more thing," Kyren added, pausing briefly.

"What is it?" Adam inquired.

"Since our expedition has deviated from its original target, I believe it is fitting for me to assume leadership and guide our battalion forward. What do you think?"

The admiral’s face lit up with delight.

"I was just about to propose the same! Your negotiation skills are far more convincing, and your strategic insight into large-scale warfare surpasses mine. I would be thrilled to learn from you about the land battles!"

"Excellent! Let us prepare ourselves for the Ardel armies’ arrival," Kyren ordered.

"Yes, My Lord!" Adam responded, ready to face the forthcoming challenges.