The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 388: Pursuing The Princess

Chapter 388: Pursuing The Princess

It was well past midnight, and the rain still poured heavily outside.

"D*mn it! D*mn it! D*mn it!" Derek’s scream reverberated through the cramped, worn-out room. The two men, fleeing the mansion just in time to evade exposure, sought refuge in a tiny inn on the outskirts of Gantz.

The small window offered only the view of darkness and rain, with occasional lightning flickering brightly in the surroundings for mere seconds.

Escaping by foot earlier that afternoon, they had just secured this modest room for the night. The room was meagre, with low-quality, aged furnishings—a decrepit bed, table, and cupboard—and was dimly lit by a nearby wall lamp.

Water droplets fell to the wooden floor from their soaked clothes. The damp chill made them shiver. However, the downpour had fortunately washed away their tracks just in time for them to evade the pursuing Knights of Gerhard.

Enraged, Derek shoved the small table beside the bed, sending the brass kettle and glasses on it clattering to the ground with a loud noise.

"What did you expect me to do?! We’d be dead by now if we hadn’t escaped in time!" Brone retorted.

"Didn’t I remind you that my stealth magic loses its power upon contact with a Ro’an descendant’s skin? Couldn’t you have been more cautious?" the mage berated.

"I didn’t know it was her! You were just as clueless as I!" the Bargesian leader yelled back.

Frustration and anger mingled as Brone slumped his body onto the bed. His prominent figure caused the wooden frame to creak.

"Anna Adhemar..." Derek clenched his hands in contempt. "It was you all along! My instincts were right!"

"What are you blabbering about?"

"The first time we met in the forest... I told you that I sensed the Ro’an descendant at Ardel’s Castle. My intuition was correct, but you never believed me! You never did!" Derek accused.

Brone scoffed, feeling unfairly blamed.

"Don’t shift the blame to me, Derek! We both mistook the red-eyed woman for the Ro’an Princess!"

Derek bit his lip. Memories of the Royal Concubine of Gerhard’s proclamation day flooded back. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He had the same feeling of her presence at that time.

Ironically, she was right before his nose, but he didn’t notice. Yet, he mistakenly thought Callis, with her peculiar looks and beauty, who also stood near the stage as the Ro’an princess.

The constant presence of the Mederian Princess in Anna’s vicinity led him to believe she was the one. Had he cast his magic spell at that moment, he would have instantly discerned the true descendant between them.

"How could it be her, of all people? I had her within my grasp when I conspired with Kaizer Ronan to overthrow her! I was so close!" Brone rambled.

"Who would have thought it was her? She’s the Princess of Ardel. How could she suddenly become the descendant of the Ro’an Emperor?" Derek remarked, still struggling to accept their startling discovery.

"It can’t be from her father’s lineage! He was an Adhemar, a descendant of one of the lords who aided our first king in toppling the empire! It must be from her mother’s side!" the Bargesian leader deduced.

"Her mother? Do you have any knowledge of her? You spent so much time with Kaizer Ronan. Didn’t you notice anything unusual?" the mage inquired.

Brone shook his head.

"I doubt he knew. There was no information about this woman. She was never seen in Ardel. As far as I know, King Adhemar IV wed her away from the continent. Some rumours suggest she was a maiden from an isolated island. The king only returned to his kingdom with his child after her death during childbirth and remarried soon after."

"A maiden from an island was a direct descendant of the Ro’an Emperor? How absurd!" Derek exclaimed. "This doesn’t make sense!"

His dissatisfaction was evident on his face.

"Perhaps she and all the red-eyed siblings are descendants of the Ro’an lineage!" Brone suggested. His chuckles were tinged with bitterness as he mocked his own misjudgment.

Derek contemplated the idea but then shook his head.

"No... I don’t think so. When we clashed with the grand duke and his knights in the forest, the red-eyed male was among them and fought against me. I didn’t sense anything then. I assumed he was masking it with his magic. But now, I’m convinced we’ve made an error. I don’t know what bloodline he carries, but he certainly possesses his own abilities."

The Bargesian leader then clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Tchkk... You told me that the Ro’an descendants possess extraordinary combat skills and exceptional magical talents, yet she displays none of that! I carried her on my shoulder after capturing her from Ardel’s castle, and all she did was cry and scream! She was nothing like what you described! If she truly held such power, why didn’t she confront me and let her people perish?" Brone questioned arrogantly.

Derek fell silent. His eyes scanned the room as he deliberated.

"Something must have happened... something unknown to us. Despite being powerless, her touch affected you. That confirms her Ro’an lineage, a genuine direct descendant!"

"Knowing that is meaningless now! By this time, she must have discarded the flower! Even if she had been possessed by your magic, what would have happened? Nothing! It’s a useless effort!" Brone vented his frustration.

"But her blood is precious! I need that!" Derek insisted.

"Dream on! We can’t just return to the mansion and kidnap her!" the Bargesian leader retorted.

"No! I can’t give up! I’ve poured almost every ounce of my mana into this! I can’t let my efforts go to waste!" the mage shouted determinedly.

Approaching the window, Derek began chanting his wind-bounded search spell. He exhaled towards the window pane as he cast it.

"Stop wasting your magic, Derek! It won’t make any difference and will only harm you!" Brone warned.

"Urgh! Uhukkk!" the mage coughed violently, spitting out a blood clot.

"You fool! Why won’t you listen to me!" Brone scolded, observing the blood trickling down Derek’s chin.

Wiping his lips, the mage’s expression shifted to disappointment. He turned away from the window, but a sudden intuition made him turn back, his brow knitted in concentration.

"What’s the matter? Are you going to die here? If so, I’ll just leave your body as it is! Sorry, but I don’t have time for a proper burial!" Brone mocked.

"Silence!" Derek snapped, his voice sharp.

Listening intently, the mage was drawn to a peculiar sound from outside. His eyes widened as the magic’s response became more apparent to his hearing.

"This is strange!" he muttered, perplexed by the unexpected discovery.

"You’re losing your mind!" the Bargesian leader scoffed.

"No, I’m not! Derek then exclaimed excitedly. "She is not in the mansion!"

"What are you saying?" Brone questioned.

"The princess... She’s nearby! In the forest! In that direction!" the mage asserted confidently as he pointed towards the window.

"You’ve got to be kidding me! How could she suddenly be in the forest?" Brone was incredulous.

"Shut up, you idi*t! Open your mind and listen to me for once! I know exactly where she is!" Derek insisted.

"Are you sure she’s nearby?"

"Yes! We have to find her!" Derek urged.

"For what? She is useless!" Brone objected.

"Her blood is! How many times have I told you? I don’t care if she lacks the power or magic she’s supposed to possess. It would be even better if she were weak and defenceless! That would make our task easier!" the mage pressed on. "Once we have her blood, we can reclaim our abilities! I can regain my youth and magic while you have your hand back!"

Intrigued by the promising benefit, Brone stood up from the bed. His determination gleamed in his black eyes.

"Show me the way!" he urged, ready to take immediate action.

***

The sun rose from the eastern skyline. Beads of raindrops fell from the trees, glistening on the damp ground as the sun’s rays brightened the earth. The torrential downpour that had persisted throughout the night had finally given way to the arrival of a new day.

Callis stirred softly, turning her head on the pillow as she awoke from her slumber. A gentle warmth enveloped her body, making her feel tranquil and rested. She had enjoyed an uninterrupted night’s sleep.

The melodious chirping of morning birds reached her ears, prompting a soft moan from the Mederian Princess. Suddenly, she felt a tender hand touch her forehead. Her eyelids fluttered, and she slowly opened them.

A shirtless figure came into her focus. Callis thought it might be a figment of her usual imagination. She smiled as she recognised the face of the man she loved.

"You’re here..." she murmured.

"I am. How are you feeling, Callis?" he asked as he gently rubbed her head.

The Mederian Princess creased her brow. In her dreams, she had always imagined waking up in Rafe’s embrace, with him showering her with affectionate kisses. The inquiry from his lips, however, felt strikingly real.

Callis blinked several times, her consciousness fully returning as she processed her surroundings. She raised her hand, feeling the bare skin of Rafe’s chest as he lay on his side, watching her intently.

His pale, delicate fingers now caressed her cheek, and she caught the familiar scent of medicinal herbs from him that she found comforting.

The rhythmic beating of his heart was palpable under her touch - this was no mere fantasy!

"R-Rafe?" she uttered, her eyes widening in surprise.

The healer smiled. "Yes, Callis. It’s me. Why are you so shocked?"

Callis bolted upright, the blanket falling to her lap, revealing her thin chemise. Rafe, in contrast, was only dressed in his breeches.

The Mederian Princess’s cheeks flushed with colour as she recalled the previous night’s events. Weakened and requiring assistance, she had been tended to by her husband and nanny.

Jessy had carefully cleaned her up and helped her change into a clean nightgown, while Rafe had diligently fed her and ensured she rested.

"I... I... Why are you here?" she stammered, her mind still jumbling with confusion.

"After you fell asleep, I told Jessy to get some rest, and I continued to look after you. That’s why I’m here," Rafe explained.

"But... w-why are we... like this?" asked the Mederian Princess, wondering.

"Last night, you mumbled in your sleep, saying you’re cold. So, I slipped into the blanket to warm you. Bare skin-to-skin contact is the best way to transfer heat from one’s body to another," the healer added.

"Oh... so you embraced me the whole night?" Callis asked, her voice tinged with both surprise and a hint of shyness.

Rafe nodded.

"Then... did we... urmm..." Callis bit her lower lip, too embarrassed to complete the question yet too curious to let it go.

The healer, understanding her unfinished inquiry, responded gently.

"Of course not! How could I do that when you’re in such a state? After all, the first time is always special and meaningful. If we were to engage in that kind of physical intimacy, I would ensure you are awake and willing."

Callis’s cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red at his reassuring words. Rafe’s smile widened, finding her endearing embarrassment quite charming.

However, a sudden thought raced through the Mederian Princess, interrupting the sweet moment.

"Anna! Has my brother returned with her?" Callis exclaimed, her concern evident as her eyes rounded.

"I don’t know. I haven’t received any news from the knights yet. It had been raining heavily all night, so I’m not sure if they had taken any action due to the weather," Rafe said.

The Mederian Princess hurriedly got up from the bed.

"I need to find out! Let’s go downstairs, Rafe!" she urged.

"Are you sure you’re all right now?" he asked, sitting up and revealing his bare torso to her.

He was looking so sexy in her eyes, but now was not the right time to think about that!

"I’m all good. We need to hurry up! I need to know how the situation is," she said, discarding her naughty thoughts.

"Fine. But let’s get dressed first, shall we? I’ll help you as well," Rafe offered.

The Mederian Princess nodded hastily.