The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 462: A Dangerous Suspicion (III)

Chapter 462: A Dangerous Suspicion (III)

The second-in-command knight raised an eyebrow, puzzled by how the princess addressed the grand duke.

Calling Kyren just ’Lord Kyren’ didn’t seem sufficient. Given his high status as the previous Crown Prince and a member of the royal family, only a few would call him by his first name, and those were typically family members.

"You address His Highness by his first name? You do realise he’s the Grand Duke of Gerhard, don’t you?" Eric asked, scrutinising the young girl.

Athillia was taken aback by the question, but being a royal princess, it didn’t instil fear in her. Perhaps the burly knight was merely curious.

"He introduced himself that way and told me I could continue calling him so. Is there an issue?" she replied defensively.

Eric sensed the boldness in her response. Though young and quite pretty, the girl didn’t appear scared of him. Instead, her concern was clearly focused on Kyren’s absence.

The second-in-command knight turned toward the admiral, seeking confirmation.

"His Highness did," Adam confirmed. "He didn’t reveal his identity to her at first, but after he did, he said Lady Athillia could continue addressing him that way."

"I see..." Eric nodded, although his curiosity about the young girl continued to grow. "I have no problem if His Highness has decided so, as long as she doesn’t disrespect him."

"You still haven’t answered my question. Where is Lord Kyren? Is he with His Majesty the King?" Athillia pressed again.

"His Highness is with Lady Raychard. His Majesty King Kyden, on the other hand, is unable to spare time for an audience with you and said he will get back to you at a more appropriate time. Therefore, Sir Eric Navin, being in charge of the Gerhard mansion right now, will escort you back for accommodation," Charles interjected.

Athillia’s light brown eyes darted back to the man with grey hair who had just interrupted their conversation.

"Will Lord Kyren be joining us?" she asked once more.

Charles and Eric exchanged glances.

The second-in-command knight quickly understood the gesture from the chamberlain and responded, "Not for the moment. He has some urgent matters to attend to, so he will prioritise that first."

Athillia’s face fell. The grand duke had promised her an audience with the king as soon as possible and would summon the Marquess of Roland, her maternal half-uncle who resided in Cassian.

Meeting him was her main purpose, as she had promised her mother, and she prayed hard that the Marquess and his family would accept her. But now, it seemed that her plans would have to wait.

"He’s already forgetting about me now that he’s with Anna, it seems," Athillia mumbled, her lips turning sulky.

Eric’s forehead creased. The fact that this young girl had daringly addressed Kyren with his first name and now Anna’s first name piqued his interest. From her demeanour, she did exude an air of nobility, as Charles had mentioned on their way to the antechamber.

"It’s Lady Anna Raychard. I would prefer if you addressed her properly, as she is our respected lady," Eric said, correcting her.

Athillia chuckled.

"Oh, sorry about that. Lord Kyren always called her by her first name whenever he talked about her during our late-night conversations. So, I just got used to it," she explained.

Again, her remarks made the second-in-command knight uneasy.

"Late-night conversations? You and His Highness the Grand Duke?" he asked in disbelief.

Had they spent those supposedly private time together?

"Well, yes... Mostly when we were on our voyage," Athillia replied, unaware of the scrutiny from Eric.

"Perhaps, may I know who you are and how you got to know His Highness?" Eric inquired.

Athillia looked a bit surprised by the question.

"Didn’t he say anything about me when he met you?"

"No. He only mentioned Sir Ashburne," the second-in-command knight responded.

Athillia crossed her arms over her chest, pouting.

"Lord Kyren is so cruel! He didn’t even tell his second-in-command knight about me and just left me here even though he knows how much I need him!" she grumbled.

Eric could no longer ignore the thought that had started brewing when he first laid eyes on the young girl.

She had the same build as Anna, albeit much younger and slightly taller. Her fair skin and radiant eyes accentuated her beauty, along with her long reddish-brown hair. Her speech showed her close connection to Kyren during the expedition.

"Come on! It must be something important for him to attend to first. Don’t worry. He won’t leave you alone and will get back to you. He promised he would protect you, didn’t he?" Adam interjected, persuading her.

The remarks were becoming more intriguing. Eric’s eyes darted between the two; the admiral seemed to know exactly who she was based on how he spoke to her.

As the pieces began to come together in Eric’s mind, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Athillia’s presence and connection to Kyren were far more significant than she let on. The mystery surrounding her identity and relationship with the grand duke only deepened his curiosity.

"Perhaps, may I know who you really are? I don’t even know your surname," Eric asked, his curiosity piqued.

Athillia shifted her gaze to the admiral as if seeking permission to reveal her identity to the second-in-command knight. Adam, however, responded with a slight shake of his head.

"Lady Athillia is a very special guest. But, I’m afraid her identity shall not be disclosed for now," the admiral replied.

He was genuinely concerned for Athillia’s safety; if her lineage as the Bargesian Princess became known before meeting King Kyden, the Cassians would not hesitate to torment her.

She would undoubtedly face a far harsher rejection than Anna had endured. This truth weighed heavily on Adam as he considered the potential consequences of revealing her true identity too soon.

It was better to keep her background hidden now, especially since Kyren wasn’t there to protect her. Although Adam was present to assist, his voice alone would not suffice to shield her from other nobles who might wish to harm her.

Precautions were necessary until the king accepted her presence and acknowledged her contribution to Cassian and Ardel’s victories.

"Why not?" Eric pressed, visibly intrigued.

"His Highness, the Grand Duke, declared that he would reveal her to everyone after we met with His Majesty. He brought her here, so I hope you will respect your lord’s decision," said the admiral, standing firm.

Eric sensed that there was much more than met the eye. Adam’s reluctance to reveal the young girl confirmed she couldn’t just be anyone. But it wasn’t the time for further interrogation; he needed to carry out King Kyden’s orders first.

"Very well, then. I will follow accordingly," the second-in-command knight nodded in deference. "As Lord Enos mentioned, you won’t be seeing His Majesty today. So, let me escort you both, Sir Ashburne and Lady Athillia, to my lord’s residence, the Gerhard mansion, so you can rest."

"That’s a good idea since we have nothing else to do. Honestly, we could use some rest after our long journey," said Sir Ashburne, feeling weary from the voyage. He turned to Athillia and asked, "What do you say?"

The Bargesian princess gave a brooding look.

"Can’t we just wait for Lord Kyren here?"

"I’m afraid that wouldn’t be suitable. He may need some time... perhaps a few days to sort out his pressing affairs," Charles carefully deduced. "So, it would be best for you to follow Sir Navin."

Athillia sighed, her eyes downcast. Being in a new environment without Kyren around was beginning to make her feel more anxious.

The Bargesian Princess couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of isolation and uncertainty in this unfamiliar place as she stood there.

Despite the presence of the knight and the admiral, the absence of Kyren deeply affected her emotions. The grand duke had always been like a pillar, a true support for her, and she held him in high respect. After all, he was her life saviour.

"Don’t worry! Sir Navin here will surely attend to you and Sir Ashburne well. Take your time to rest and rejuvenate while in the mansion. You need that as Sir Ashburne said. We’ll meet again when His Highness summons us," said Adam, trying to reassure her.

"Wait! You’re not coming with us?" Athillia asked the admiral, surprised.

"Why should I? My residence is just nearby, and I want to meet my family, too. Furthermore, I would be much more comfortable at my own home," Adam replied with a smile.

Athillia had no choice but to accept his decision. The group then exited the antechamber, and Charles excused himself. Adam, too, voiced out his intention to depart.

"All right, Lady Athillia. I’ll see you later," said the admiral, nodding as he was about to make his way down a different hallway path.

Athillia waved her hand, reluctantly allowing Adam to leave.

"Right this way, Lady Athillia, Sir Ashburne," said Eric, urging the princess and the Ardel commander to follow him after the short goodbye.

Both of them nodded, and just as they were about to continue walking, a voice emerged from the other end of the hallway.

"Sir Navin! Sir Navin!"

A young blonde man with striking blue eyes and a fair complexion rushed toward them.

Athillia caught sight of this youthful figure coming their way, and something about him captured her attention. His strides were nimble, and from his movement, she could tell he was almost as agile as Kyren.

As Eli approached the group, his eyes locked onto Athillia, surprise and curiosity flooding his expression. He halted his rushed steps, scanning the young girl up and down.

While he could assume who the man beside her was, his focus remained entirely on her. Who was she?

"What’s the matter, Sir Henderson?" asked Eric, noticing the young man’s abrupt stop.

Athillia perked up her ears, intrigued by the unexpected arrival.

’So, his name is Sir Henderson... That means he’s a knight!’ she pondered inside, intrigued by the new figure.

The young man’s uniform, which mirrored Eric’s and bore the same insignia, confirmed that he was indeed a Knight of Gerhard. Athillia was mesmerised, witnessing someone so young bestowed with such a title.

Eli blinked, his briefly fixed gaze on the Bargesian Princess shifting to the second-in-command knight.

Shaking off the initial distracting thoughts, he returned to the main reason for his pursuit.

"It’s... Lady Raychard..." he said, his features darkening.

"Excuse me for a moment, gentleman and lady," Eric said, pulling the young knight aside.

Eli whispered urgent news to the second-in-command knight, causing his already serious expression to harden into something even more severe.

Eric considered the critical situation for a moment. Anna was currently restrained in her chamber, tightly guarded not only by the royal knights but also by the Knights of Neblim, and no one had been granted permission to meet her. Even Callis had been made to wait outside, unable to approach the door.

"Has Mrs Amares revealed her reasoning for hiding the pregnancy?" Eric asked in a hushed tone.

Eli shook his head.

"I don’t know. Mr. Amares asked me to report the current situation to you firsthand. We discovered the situation upon reaching Lady Raychard’s chamber. He is still with his wife right now, accompanied by Sir McQuinn," the young knight answered quietly.

Eric nodded, understanding the severity of the news.

"There’s nothing we can do now, so let’s stay calm. I’ll think of something and get back to this. For now, I need to escort His Highness’s guests back to the mansion," he said.

Eli turned to Athillia and Sir Ashburne.

"They are His Highness’s guests?"

"Yes."

"That man must be Sir Ashburne, the Ardelian Commander, right? What about her? Is she a guest, too?" Eli asked, indicating the young girl.

"Yes. I’ll be taking them to the mansion. You may return to Rafael," Eric ordered.

"Yes, Sir Navin!" Eli replied, bowing slightly.

As he lifted his head, Eli’s eyes caught Athillia’s and Sir Ashburne’s gaze from afar. There was something in the way the young girl looked at him that intrigued him. It felt as if her gaze was infused with curiosity... or could it be out of interest?

Athillia’s expression was one of innocence yet being cautious, her fair skin glowing against the dim light of the hallway. She seemed to be assessing him, her large, expressive eyes reflecting a wonder.

Eli felt a slight flutter in his chest, a sensation he couldn’t quite place.

"On second thought... why don’t you come with me?" Eric said suddenly, not having made a move yet, when an idea crossed his mind.

"Huh? For what?" Eli asked, confused as he looked back at his superior.

Eric leaned closer and whispered, "I need you to watch over her. She’s suspicious!"

"Who is she? I know she’s His Highness’s guest. But, who is she really?" Eli asked, curiosity growing in him.

"That’s exactly what you need to find out," replied the second-in-command knight.

Both of them looked at Athillia, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

But Eric’s concern was far more intense and alarming.

Could it be that this young lady was Kyren’s new romantic interest?

Suspicions became more pronounced as the story continued.

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