The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 430: Time For A Revenge

Chapter 430: Time For A Revenge

The night was growing late, and the occupants of the mansion were mostly preparing for sleep. After returning from Drystan and Sylvia’s wedding feast, Anna, appearing exhausted, went straight to bed. The knights escorting her dispersed to allow her some much-needed rest, as it had been a long day for her.

The five knights—Eli, Damon, Garin, Noah and Luke, who received permission to go out of the mansion for a break, headed to the knights’ quarters to change out of their formal Gerhard duty attire. They opted for more modest and casual outfits for their outing.

Once ready, they gathered in the mansion’s courtyard. It didn’t take long for Kiev to arrive. The Mederian Prince, dressed in a thick leather jerkin with a dark blue long-sleeve tunic underneath paired with long black leather pants, looked strikingly handsome.

Though his attire was simple and resembled a huntsman, he still appeared strikingly gorgeous. His crimson eyes and neatly tied long silver hair added to his allure.

"D*mn! How can he still look good in that?! I bet, even if he wore a potato sack, he’d still be attractive!" Eli exclaimed, mesmerised by Kiev’s stunning appearance.

"Who do you think is more handsome? Our Grand Duke or him?" Damon asked, glancing at the Mederian Prince.

Both knights scrutinised the approaching Kiev.

"I’ll vote for His Highness the Grand Duke! I’m forever his loyal man!" Garin interjected.

"Of course, we all are! But putting sentiment aside for a moment, based on looks and figures, who would you choose?" Damon pressed.

"Hmm... that’s a tough one. Both are good-looking," the third-in-command knight mused, rubbing his stubbled chin.

"I agree. We’ve been to two wedding ceremonies and seen how crazy the ladies get when they look at him. As for His Highness, the Grand Duke, we all know his fans can be wild," Noah, who rarely made such remarks, chimed in.

The knight had admired the Mederian Prince not only for his charm but also for his kindness and wisdom. At the same time, he remained loyal to Kyren and highly respected the Grand Duke.

"Put them side by side at an event, and it would be a feast for the ladies’ eyes," Luke joked, giggling. "Or maybe another riot..."

"Those ladies can forget about the two princes as they’re already taken. One has a wife, and the other has a beloved lady bestowed by His Majesty himself," Garin remarked.

"And both are obsessed with their women!" Luke added playfully.

A small laugh escaped the lips of the knights.

"What are you laughing at?" Kiev asked as he arrived. "Were you talking about me?"

"Ah, no, Your Highness. We were just remarking on how fine the night was. Perfect timing for a little sweet revenge," Luke replied, giving an excuse.

Kiev nodded, his expression turning serious. The knights’ demeanour shifted from playful to focused; it was time for business.

"We’re in casual clothing for tonight’s task so that we won’t be recognised. Have you all brought your masks?" he asked.

"We do. They’re in our pockets. We’ll put them on the way before we arrive at the location," Damon replied.

"Good. What about our weapons?" the Mederian Prince inquired again. None of them were carrying visible weapons, like long swords or bows.

"I had them stashed outside the mansion. We should be able to retrieve them on the way," Garin said.

Their discreet plan had been carefully arranged. The weapons were hidden in a sack behind a boulder in the bushes, placed there when the knights had escorted Anna to Drystan and Sylvia’s wedding earlier that day.

"Great. Let’s start moving," Kiev ordered. "Those b*stards from Abinair should have a good nightmare tonight!"

"Seriously... how come you came up with such a simple plan? Can’t you do any better?" a voice suddenly emerged from the darkness.

*Clang!*

A sack full of weapons was thrown to the ground, the impact producing a loud clanging sound. All eyes widened in shock as two knights stepped forward solemnly.

"Sh*t!" Garin cursed, recognising them. His confident demeanour shifted to one of disbelief, mirrored by the others.

"Sir Navin and Sir Jarr!" Eli exclaimed, almost at a loss for words.

Eric and Alex approached, their faces devoid of smiles. This was a serious matter.

The five knights exchanged glances, bewildered as if trying to figure out who had broken their secret pact.

"Who told them about our plan?!" Kiev shouted, clearly shocked.

Having temporarily lost his magical abilities, his alertness had waned, and he hadn’t noticed the two knights prying on them.

"No one did," Eric replied.

"But... but... how did you know then?" Damon asked, confusion in his voice.

Eli was paling, cursing inwardly. Since Eric and Alex already knew their plan, the five of them would be reprimanded severely.

"You think you can fool me with a ’pleasurable night out’ excuse? Haven’t I known you for years?" Eric said, silencing them.

His gaze shifted to Eli, causing the young knight to hunch his shoulders and bow his head.

"I trained you to be a knight, kid! You were my protégé! I know you so well that everything is written all over your face without you opening your mouth!"

Garin glanced back at the two, but Alex shot him a glare.

"How could you not inform me about this, Sir Skyler? You’re the third-in-command, and we’re both high-ranking knights! Am I not worthy enough to know?" Alex demanded.

Garin’s brown eyes fell in remorse.

"I’m sorry. It was a pact made inadvertently when His Highness Prince Kiev and Sir Brooks met, and we were there as well. We promised not to mention it to anyone else. Besides, you’re always the righteous, rules-abiding one. If you knew, it would reach Sir Navin in no time," he explained.

"So, you’ve been silently snooping on us!" Noah accused, glaring at Alex.

"It wasn’t him, so don’t blame him!" Eric interjected.

"Then who?" Luke asked.

"It’s my wife, Meredith. From the moment she learned the truth about the perpetrator of Miss Canton’s sister’s murder and the framing of Sir Brooks, she anticipated this would happen," Alex revealed.

"How come? We don’t even cross paths with her!" Eli exclaimed. "Well... not directly..."

"That’s because she’s a smart and observant woman. She’s the president of His Highness, the Grand Duke’s fan club, so her alertness to him and us is quite high," Eric explained. "She said, Your Highness, Prince Kiev has the same temperament as our Grand Duke. Therefore, inevitably, you will seek revenge for Miss Canton. No man can just sit still when his beloved is deeply hurt in such a way.’"

"Yes. She also thought that Your Highness would surely turn to you, Sir Brooks, being the main victim of the case, and she understood your behaviour as well. So, she knew a collaboration would occur," Alex added.

"What about us? How did she find out we would be a part of it?" Damon asked.

"The knights of Gerhard put honour above all. Since our reputation was tarnished in such a vile way, would you just stand still and ignore this? The silence and vigilance you maintained after the perpetrator was revealed reassured her that something was going on. Besides, two people alone wouldn’t make up enough resources to round up everything," Eric said.

"So, you acted based on assumptions?" Kiev asked.

"I don’t assume. I know them. They are my men, and Lady Jarr couldn’t have been wrong. You, Sir Brooks, are the most obvious. Someone who is hot-tempered, keen to retaliate, and determined to fight for his reputation wouldn’t just withdraw after mere talks with Rafael. He wasn’t convincing enough to waver your resolve, and I can tell just by looking into your eyes. You’ve been avoiding direct eye contact with me ever since," Eric said to Noah.

"So what are you going to do about it? Are you going to stop us now?" the knight raised his voice, ready to confront Eric if that was the second-in-command knight’s decision.

Damon, Luke, and Eli felt divided. Although they shared Noah’s resolve, they still respected Eric as their leader.

"Sir Navin, with all due respect, this isn’t just about revenge or hatred. It’s about fairness for Elis, Sir Brooks, and the knighthood. We’re doing this to bring the responsible parties to justice so that not only our reputation will be restored, but everyone affected can find closure!" Garin stated firmly. "If you want me to withdraw this plan, I don’t think I can do it!"

"Who says I want to stop you?" Eric replied, shocking the group.

"You’re not?" Noah asked, disbelief etched on his face.

The second-in-command knight had always opposed him and acted as an obstacle when he wanted to pursue his desires. Noah never expected that Eric would readily acquiesce this time.

"I’m not that amoral! It would be unjust of me to stop you, not only to you but to everyone else. Even Lady Jarr begged me to allow you to seek your revenge," Eric explained.

"You... you are allowing us to go? You agree with this?" Eli asked, his eyes wide.

"Not with these shabby clothes and useless weapons!" Eric replied.

Reaching into his robe, the second-in-command pulled out a handful of iron keys and tossed them to Garin.

"Catch!"

The knight swiftly caught the keys. His eyes turned to the heavy key set, and he wondered what it was for.

"It’s the key to the armoury in the smithy area. Inside, you’ll find various armour and weapons that you can use. I can’t allow you to take your warhorses as the guards and authorities in charge of the plaza might recognise them. So, take the horses prepared for you at the barn. Armel will be there to assist with your departure," Eric instructed.

"What?? You... you’re facilitating us with equipment and supporting our cause, too?" Damon asked, astonished.

Eric nodded.

"This is as much as I can do to help. Though I want to get my hands on those b*stards from Abinair so badly, I have to stay back to ensure Lady Raychard’s safety. The Bargesians are still at large, so I must take precautions," Eric explained.

"My goodness! This is such a rare opportunity! Sir Navin, you are truly a knight of wisdom!" Damon exclaimed.

"I’ll leave this mission to you, Your Highness, to lead. Also, take Sir Jarr with you. He’s a high-ranking knight, and it would be a waste not to bring him along. In the meantime, I’ll cover for all of you here," Eric added.

"I’m going to cry!" Eli said, his blue eyes sparkling with gratitude.

"Save that for later. Now is the best time to move," the second-in-command knight replied. He then turned his gaze to Kiev, who was silently processing all these bizarre occurrences. "Your Highness?"

Kiev looked back at him with a composed expression.

"I must say, I least expected this from you, Sir Navin. You’ve always tried to maintain righteousness in accordance with your position, so going against it seems unlike you. But I understand the sentiment and why you chose to side with us now. I’m very grateful for your support and appreciate it. As for the offer to take Sir Jarr with us..."

"You don’t get to ditch me from this mission! I’m already pissed off for being left out and kept in the dark! So, like it or not, I’m coming along!" Alex cut in before Kiev could finish.

The Mederian Prince smirked, impressed by the knight’s determination.

"I never said I didn’t want to take you with me. It’s a great offer, so why would I decline?" he said, then turned to his team. "What do you all say?"

"Agree! The more, the merrier!" Luke exclaimed.

The other knights nodded, with Noah being the last to respond.

"Sir Navin, you’re not setting us up, are you?" Noah asked, still sceptical.

"Do I look like it?" Eric shot back.

The knight fell silent. He recalled that during the last duel, Eric had purposely lost to him and later agreed to give him a chance to be with Emily. Now, the second-in-command knight was supporting him again. The dynamic of their long-term disagreement had shifted, and it seemed their strained bond was improving.

"Thank you, Sir Navin," Noah acknowledged, feeling at ease.

With Alex’s participation, the group’s excitement grew, lifting everyone’s spirits.

"I’m in full rage now, and I’m going to teach those b*stards a good lesson! But, as Sir Navin ordered, I’ll follow Your Highness’s lead in this," Alex said, glancing at his fellow knights, "However, know this, everyone... I’m still angry about what you all did! Don’t think a stoic person has no emotions!" Alex stated.

"My bad! I’m really sorry for excluding you. Let me buy you some drinks after this is all over," Garin offered with a smile.

Alex remained with his sulking expression, but the other knights giggled already.

Kiev suddenly gestured with his hand, calling for someone, and from the shadows, one of his guards appeared.

"I ordered you to stay and guard Princess Anna. Now that Sir Navin will remain here for her, please assist him accordingly. Follow his orders until my return," the Mederian Prince instructed.

"Yes, Your Highness!" the guard replied, bowing in deference.

Kiev then turned to Eric and said, "Sir Navin, my guards are at your disposal. I’ll leave them in your hands. You may order them as you wish."

"Why don’t you take them with you?" Eric asked.

Kiev smirked.

"This task is personal. Furthermore, I must ensure Princess Anna’s safety."

"Very well, then. Thank you," replied the second-in-command knight," said Eric, nodding in acknowledgement. "All right! Now that everything is sorted, go on! Don’t waste any more time! Do whatever you deem necessary. For the cruelty they’ve shown, the insolents deserve every beating and torture they can have. But heed my advice..."

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the second-in-command knight, waiting for his following words.

"Whatever you do, don’t get caught. As of tonight, for all I know, you all went out of the mansion for a break and nothing else. Got it?"

The group nodded enthusiastically. They understood that with Eric’s position and the responsibilities on his shoulders, he couldn’t openly show support for such actions. The legal implications for the knighthood would be dire if they were apprehended during their mission, so it had to be executed carefully.

The group swiftly moved to the armoury to collect their weapons and armour. The items, specifically prepared for them, were meticulously arranged. The armour was shined and polished, and the swords were clean and sharpened.

"This is so much better than what we planned to use! I still can’t believe Sir Navin would facilitate this for us!" Eli exclaimed as he brandished a sword and swung it to test its weight and balance.

"He wants us to be fully prepared and succeed," Garin replied.

"Notice that all these items are without the Gerhard emblems. Sir Navin thought of our safety, too, so this mission wouldn’t appear as if the knighthood was coercing the Knights of Abinair by force. With the business collaboration between His Highness the Grand Duke and the Count of Abinair, political issues will arise if it is linked back to the knighthood, and we could be accused of treason against him," Alex explained.

"Understood, Sir Jarr. Thank you for enlightening us on this. We will be careful," Kiev said.

After donning their armour and arming themselves, the group moved to the barn where Armel was waiting. The young teenager smiled upon seeing Kiev and his men.

"You all look great in your gear! I guess the time I spent shining those armours and sharpening the blades was worth it!" he said.

"You did that for us?" Damon asked, surprised.

Armel nodded.

"All by myself since Sir Navin said it’s a discreet task. He told me about the incident and how Miss Canton and all of you are affected by it, especially Sir Brooks. So, I’m willing to do everything I can to support you. I’ve also saddled the horses for you!"

"Sir Navin surely knows the best person to sort things out quietly!" Luke said in appreciation as he patted the teenager’s shoulder.

Armel smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh, one more thing. You’ll be leaving the mansion through the secured back path. Mr Foster is already waiting for you there," he then added.

"Thank you, Armel. Please look out for Elis while I’m gone," Kiev replied. "I’ll be back before you know it."

"I will! You can count on me!" said the teenager with a bright smile. "Bring back the victory for us!"

Kiev nodded determinedly.

The Mederian Prince and the knights then mounted their horses, preparing to embark on their mission. Once they were ready, Kiev gave the cue.

"Everyone! Let’s kick some *ss!"