The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 489: When Love Hurts

Chapter 489: When Love Hurts

The knights watched solemnly in silence, the only sounds being the grand duke’s anguished cries filling the dark atmosphere beneath the cold winter wind.

Here, in this secluded place, far from prying eyes, Kyren could finally let his guard down—the same place where he had mourned his fate upon learning of the binding spell and its consequences from his mother, the former queen.

Eric sighed, recognising the alarming nature of the situation. It would have made more sense if Kyren had lashed out in rage, a reaction they were familiar with and knew how to handle. But this... this was beyond words.

The grand duke had never displayed such vulnerability. He had always presented himself with pride and strength, and his commanding presence intimidated others.

Now, he was shattered, stripped of his confidence. His chest heaved in a suffocating void of despair as tears streamed down his face.

"Retreat to Lady Raychard’s chamber and stay on guard. I’ll handle this," said the second-in-command knight. "Also, inform Rafael that the ladies can accompany her for the night."

"The ladies? But His Highness never said he allows that. You haven’t even asked his permission," Drystan pointed out.

"I don’t have to. I already know his answer," said Eric. "Now, off you go!"

"Yes, Sir Navin!" both knights responded in unison.

The cold air billowed softly, producing white fog from Eric’s breath. As the surroundings fell silent again, he approached the grand duke cautiously.

Kyren turned his head slightly, acknowledging the presence of his right-hand man before looking away, wiping the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand.

It was embarrassing to be caught in such a state, but he was too emotionally exhausted to retreat and hide. No matter how much he tried, the sorrow and pain in his heart remained, growing increasingly unbearable.

Strangely, he found himself consumed by disgust at himself for having tried to harm his wife even more than his anger towards her wrongdoing. The shame was so intense that he wished he could simply disappear.

"Your Highness..." Eric began, hesitating to continue.

The second-in-command knight stood still momentarily, allowing the grand duke to compose himself. The wet stains on Kyren’s cheeks and reddened eyes showed his unspeakable devastation.

"How... how is she?" Kyren asked in a quiet voice.

He didn’t need to tell... didn’t need to elaborate. Eric would have figured out what had occurred.

"She’s all right. Mrs Amares, Jessy, and Miss Reed, the royal governess, are attending to her," the second-in-command knight replied.

Kyren didn’t yell back, nor did he refute the matter. His silence proved he was not against the ladies accompanying his wife, just as Eric had expected.

"Just so you know... Rafael didn’t attend to or treat her, as you desired," the second-in-command knight added.

Once more, a stabbing pain pierced Kyren’s heart as guilt engulfed him.

"But don’t worry. Mrs Amares will be casting healing magic on her. The marks and bruises will be gone," Eric reassured him.

"Bruises..." the grand duke repeated softly, as if in a trance.

A stream of tears trickled from his deep blue eyes.

"His Majesty wouldn’t know what happened. Of course, Lady Raychard didn’t blame you. She told everyone you didn’t harm her," the second-in-command said in a low tone.

Kyren scoffed. In truth, he was directing that at himself, not Anna.

"Wouldn’t it be much easier for her to hate me and spill words of disgust rather than not blaming me?" he said.

Eric took a deep breath instead of answering. He recognised that it wasn’t even a question; it was a statement born of guilt and shame from the near-assault incident. Even if Anna was Kyren’s wife, the fact that the grand duke attempted such a thing was indeed a fault they both acknowledged silently.

"Your Highness... Can I speak with you as a friend, not as your subordinate?" he requested instead.

Another silence enveloped the air, interrupted only by the quiet sobs of a man burdened by disgrace and anger.

Eric didn’t wait for a response and sat next to him. Kyren turned his head away, unwilling to be seen crying, even though it was evident.

"The trial will begin tomorrow, whether we’re ready or not. Given the situation, we can predict the outcome, and it won’t be good for either her or him," Eric said.

"Him?"

"The one whose name you don’t want to hear, of course," the second-in-command knight replied, referring to Kiev.

Kyren pressed his lips together and wiped away his remaining tears.

"What’s your decision on this?" Eric asked suddenly.

"What decision?" the grand duke said casually.

"Are you going to get involved in the trial or just let it happen?"

Silence filled the air once more.

"Does it even matter? She deserves the consequences for what she did!" Kyren said, defending his right to repulse Anna.

"Really? Do you truly believe she did it?" Eric asked.

"For God’s sake, she’s pregnant, Eric!" Kyren shouted in anger. "That alone proves she has cheated on me! How can you not see that?"

"That’s not the answer. I’m asking, do you believe it?" the second-in-command knight pressed. "Put aside all the evidence and circumstances for a moment. From the bottom of your heart, do you truly believe that Lady Raychard betrayed you for a man she didn’t even want in the first place? Do you?"

Kyren turned to face Eric, whose sharp gaze bore through him, seeking a clear answer.

Unable to meet his stare, Kyren lowered his eyes.

"I... I don’t know," he stuttered.

"You’re lying! The truth is, you don’t believe it! That’s why you trembled when I told you she was in danger. When I said she would be punished for escaping, you ran to her like the wind! Yes, I begged and knelt to you to save her. But the decision was yours in the end. If you truly believed she had betrayed you, you wouldn’t have reacted that way! Deep down, you know this, but your pride won’t let you admit it!" the second-in-command knight shot back.

"Even if I do, how do I let go of this doubt?! She’s carrying a child that’s obviously not mine! I’m impotent because of the d*mn binding spell! I could never give her that! She could ask for anything, and I would give her the world! But not a baby, and she’s having it!"

Kyren’s tears burst forth like a dam breaking, flooding his cheeks with anguish as he rose to his feet.

"To h*ll with that spell or whatever magic! Lady James’s accusations have manipulated your mind! That’s the first thing that clouded your judgment when you arrived at the chamber. Have you considered any other possibilities?" Eric shouted as he stood up.

"What do you mean?" Kyren asked, suspicion rising within him as he looked back at his subordinate.

Until now, betrayal had seemed the only explanation for Anna’s pregnancy, but the second-in-command knight appeared to know more.

Eric took a deep breath.

"I’ve wanted to tell you, but you’ve shut your heart and distanced yourself. So now, please listen, as I won’t repeat it. After this, I won’t interfere again."

"Tell me!" the grand duke urged, stepping forward and grabbing his right-hand man’s collar.

Eric pushed him back. Kyren felt a pang of shame for his drastic action, but stood firm. This time, he opened his ears to listen.

"Rafael and I went to the dungeon to extract his confession and uncover the reasons behind his secrecy regarding the pregnancy. Even Mrs Amares and her nanny, Jessy, were prohibited from disclosing any details, as they were bound by a mystical oath."

Kyren scoffed.

"The Mederians possessed magic. It wouldn’t be surprising for them to know about the pregnancy beforehand and keep it a secret to protect his child."

"We didn’t get a chance to ask about that, as time and the situation didn’t permit. However, we did probe him about the confession..." Eric paused.

"And?"

"He confessed," the second-in-command knight replied curtly.

"Hah! Truly not surprising!" the grand duke said mockingly.

"Not to an affair, but to a s*xual assault," Eric continued.

"What??" Kyren’s eyes widened in shock. "You mean... Anna was r*ped?" His voice trembled.

"The knights and I had that suspicion before seeing him, so we wanted to confirm it. However, upon arriving, he mentioned some disturbing things."

"What are they?"

"He received a visit from an unknown woman who intended to harm Lady Raychard, and he claimed the child is yours. But when we expressed doubts about him taking advantage of her, he willingly stated he would admit to violating her, which led to the pregnancy," Eric revealed, his tone sombre.

Kyren’s resolve wavered, but he protested, "He could be lying!"

"Then why would he risk his own life? By admitting to s*xually assaulting Lady Raychard, he would face the death penalty! Not to mention the damage to his reputation. That’s far worse than admitting to an affair, which carries a lesser punishment! He didn’t hesitate to admit to the crime as long as Lady Raychard and the child were safe!" Eric voiced his opinion.

"We don’t know if he’ll really follow through or just say that to reassure you!" Kyren countered.

"He certainly will! He’s a man of his word, just as you are! During your absence, he restored the honour of Sir Brook and the knighthood, bringing justice to the true culprits."

"He did that?" Kyren asked, surprised.

"Yes. Turned out, they were the same people who assaulted Miss Canton, whom he married on the day you arrived. His Majesty the King bestowed her upon him after he won a duel. He protected her and never laid a hand on her, even after she was given to him. He even restored her chastity physically. The royal midwives physically examined her under the order of His Majesty the King. You can ask him himself if you don’t believe me," the second-in-command knight revealed.

"And how is that related to this case?" Kyren asked, confused.

"Miss Canton, now Her Highness Princess Elisabeth, is his soulmate!" Eric explained. "You know that the Mederians take their soulmates’ bond seriously. If he didn’t even touch his own woman, how can I believe he assaulted Lady Raychard? Furthermore, after he rescued her from the forest, he nearly died from mana depletion!"

"Are you serious?" Kyren asked in disbelief.

"Sir Mills witnessed it himself! That man vomited blood and could barely walk! He was on the brink of collapse before us all, but he hid it from us and rushed back to reach his chamber. Sir Mills, who escorted him, had to carry him on his back midway! He made our knight keep this a secret, and I wouldn’t know it if Sir Mills hadn’t revealed to me how severe his condition was at that time. Tell me, Your Highness! Would a man who sacrifices himself to such an extent repeatedly do such a thing to Lady Raychard?"

The grand duke shook his head.

"This doesn’t make any sense! Why would he offer his life for Anna when he already has a soulmate?"

Kyren recalled how fiercely Callis had opposed Kiev when the Mederian Prince wanted to kill Rafe because of the soulmate ritual she performed.

As Eric mentioned, Kiev could have salvaged his reputation and escaped a much severe punishment by admitting to a secret love affair rather than reducing himself to being a s*xual offender, a crime so detested and deemed the most despicable in the kingdom.

"D*mn right! This is exactly what puzzles me and the knights! Even after gathering all the clues and evidence, we still can’t find the answer!" Eric exclaimed.

"It can’t be! What he said cannot be true! The child is not mine!" Kyren’s heart resisted accepting Kiev’s claim of fatherhood. "The binding spell cast on me by the Princess of Ro’an when I was saved from the brink of death prevents me from loving or having heirs with any woman other than her child!"

"I find that even more ridiculous, Your Highness!" Eric replied. "We can all see that you love Lady Raychard."

"No! I can’t love anyone else! I don’t know what love feels like. I don’t-"

"Can’t you feel it already by now? Everything you’ve done for her... Those crazy acts of possessiveness, the will to protect her, the desire to make her happy..." the second-in-command knight cut off.

"It can’t be! All I feel is pain! Pain!! If this is love, then why does it hurt so much?" Kyren shouted.

"Because that’s what love is! Love isn’t always joyful! You share your whole self with your partner. You feel pain not only because the trust in your relationship has been shaken but also because she’s hurting... hurt by the accusations, hurt by your actions and hurt because you believe she no longer wants you and has given her heart to another man. You’ve lost your confidence and feel defeated! That’s why it hurts!"

Kyren sobbed. Eric’s words cut deep into his heart.

"Don’t you remember, Your Highness? What were the feelings you had for her back at the camp? The moment you carried her in your arms after she ran to you, welcoming you back from duty with tears in her eyes... I knew then that you were in love with Lady Raychard, and so was she. Anyone who witnessed it would say the same. Even until now, you are both in love!"

Silence filled the space, broken only by Kyren’s tears. He couldn’t make sense of his emotions; everything felt chaotic.

"I’ll leave you to think deeply and decide for yourself. If you wish to punish me for my negligence while you were away, so be it," Eric said, sensing that the grand duke needed time to reflect by himself.

The second-in-command knight reached into the inner pocket of his surcoat and pulled out the insignia badge Kyren had given him before departing for Agathe Island.

"I hereby return this to you and step down from the position you appointed me to. Whatever punishment you see fit, I will accept wholeheartedly, even if it means losing my honour as a knight," Eric said somberly.

As he took it back, Kyren looked at the metal insignia badge in his bare, calloused hands.

"All of us, the knights, Rafael, Ayden and the mansion’s occupants, believe Lady Raychard is innocent. I trust they all share the same sentiment about the man implicated in the accusations, but none of us can explain the pregnancy. That’s all I’m going to say."

With that, Eric requested to be excused, leaving Kyren alone under the Elm tree.

The icy breeze blew again, and the insignia badge felt solid and cold in his hand, mirroring his broken heart.

Was there still a chance for reconciliation and healing, or was this the end of the soft feeling that had once stirred his soul?

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.