The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 74: [Bonus - ] The Request and The Mistake

Chapter 74: [Bonus Chapter] The Request and The Mistake

On the last Kiev’s brief visit to Ardel, the prince didn’t show much expression, and Kaizer did notice he abruptly left after speaking with Nessica, Anna’s nanny. The prince didn’t even take a glance at his sick betrothed and was not seen until now.

It was assumed that he had lost interest in the marriage, prompting Kaizer to carry out his rebellious plan to seize the throne by eliminating all his enemies.

The then Prime Minister was not willing to take the risk of the princess bearing an heir and someday making a claim to the throne if she were to be married.

Kaizer held his breath. He already knew why this person came; fortunately, he had made up a good excuse for that.

"I’m afraid I can’t do that. The princess has died," he replied.

A crease formed on Kiev’s forehead as he heard the king’s reply, tainting his alluring good looks. His mesmerising red ruby eyes glared at Kaizer persistently.

"How come? What happened to her?" he asked.

"She was devastated after her parents’ deaths. The princess had a frail constitution and had been sick since childhood. The healers tried everything they could to save her but failed," replied the king.

"When did she die?" asked the prince.

"About a few months ago."

Kiev paused momentarily before saying, " I see...," and returned to his calm expression.

"I thought you were no longer interested in the marriage since you’ve never contacted us," Kaizer said.

"I have my reason for not sending any response to you. Of course, it has never been my intention to annul the engagement. Sadly, the marriage can’t continue now," he replied.

"Well, things happen... Forgive me as well for not sending any news to you of her death. So many things happened here in Ardel, and since the demise of the royal families, I have had to take up the responsibility of taking over everything. We’re still adjusting to the changes," explained Kaizer.

"I understand. Your Majesty must have been burdened with a lot of responsibilities. Forgive me for taking your time. I should take my leave," Kiev bowed respectfully at the king.

A little relief emanated from Kaizer’s heart upon hearing his decision to retreat. However, the joy was interrupted when the prince suddenly said, "Forgive me again, as I would like to make some requests since I’ve come here from afar."

The king squinted at the prince upon hearing his request.

"And what may that be?"

"I’ve never had the chance to meet my betrothed when she was alive. If you don’t mind, can I see her last breath place and also her grave?" requested Kiev.

"That would be her bedroom. It has been closed ever since then," said the king.

"It would be just for a moment. I’m sure Your Majesty would be benevolent enough to permit it. This would allow me to pay my last respects to her and say goodbye properly," pleaded the prince again.

Kaizer paused as he considered the prince’s request. While the first request seemed harmless enough, the second one was more delicate and needed to be handled carefully to avoid raising any suspicion.

As Kaizer contemplated, the prince’s face revealed a subtle amusement. The king, who had faith in his own intelligence, was convinced he could outwit the prince no matter what request was made.

"No problem. Since you have come a long way and received such despairing news, I wouldn’t mind at all. I will walk you to the places myself," he offered.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." A smile formed on Kiev’s lips.

***

Kyren’s voice rose in anger as he shouted at the old seaman.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" he demanded, his eyes narrowed.

But the old seaman seemed unfazed by his outburst.

"The lady got green eyes," he repeated. "Just like the first Ro’an Emperor. She be surely the descendant of His Imperial Majesty, me lord!"

"Say that once more, and I’ll slit your tongue!" shouted the commander.

As Eric and the shipmaster stood on the ship’s stern castle, they heard a commotion coming from the deck below. Both exchanged bewildered looks, their expressions reflecting their confusion.

"What’s going on down there?" Eric asked, his voice laced with concern.

The shipmaster shook his head, equally puzzled.

"Blimey, I’ve got no bleedin’ clue," he said, "but we oughta weigh anchor and make way down to the deck to check out what’s goin’ on."

Without another word, they hurried down to the main deck, their footsteps rapping on the wooden floor.

As they reached the source, Eric asked, his gaze flickering between the old seaman and Kyren, "What’s happening here?"

The shipmaster’s gaze went around, grasping the situation. His rolling eyes stopped and widened as he caught sight of Anna’s appearance.

He stood stilled momentarily as his eyes met hers. The princess returned an awkward look at him, confused by his stare.

"Shiver me timbers!" the shipmaster exclaimed, his voice filled with surprise and awe. "Your Imperial Highness! Forgive me rudeness!"

Sharing the same thought as the old seaman, the shipmaster dropped to the ground and bowed to her respectfully.

Kyren’s frustration was palpable. He let out a low groan and slapped his forehead with his palm. His face scrunched up in annoyance at the shipmaster’s act.

"Urgh! Not you too," he muttered, clearly fed up with the sudden attention paid to his wife’s supposed status.

As the princess stood up to calm her husband’s anger, her hood fell back, revealing her face. A gust of wind blew past, causing her hair to fly in every direction. The crew on deck was shocked to see her and couldn’t believe what they were witnessing.

It was evident why the shipmaster and old seaman had bowed down to her. The myth they had heard about for years had come true — a lady with green eyes, just as the legend foretold, was standing before them.

As if on cue, they all suddenly dropped to their knees and bowed their heads respectfully.

"Your Imperial Highness!" they exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with reverence.

Anna was taken aback by their sudden reaction and lifted her hands, gesturing with her palms to them.

"Wait! Wait!" she cried out, her voice shaking with emotion. "This is all wrong! I’m not the person you think I am!"

The crews remained on their knees, their heads bowed in unwavering devotion. It was as if they were utterly convinced of her identity.

Meanwhile, the rest of the entourage looked on in confusion, exchanging puzzled glances as they tried to make sense of the strange scene unfolding before them. Kyren erupted in a fit of anger, causing the onlookers to startle and take notice.

As Anna watched the crews that didn’t rise despite her husband reprimanding them, she felt a sense of déjà vu that sent shivers down her spine.

It was the same feeling she had experienced years ago after her parents’ demise. She remembered standing on the dais in the throne hall, surrounded by ministers and cabinet members who all bowed to her, the last heir of the Ardel Dynasty.

The memory of her parents flooded back to her now, and she felt a sudden surge of grief. Though she didn’t get good treatment from them, she still couldn’t push away the fact that they were her family.

Anna took a moment to close her eyes and take a deep breath to calm her nerves. However, the vivid recollection of the incident and the screams surged into her mind. Fear erupted through her veins as the vessel lightly shook from the crashing waves, causing her breathing to become short and uneven.

The princess’s head began to spin. She felt as though the world was closing in on her, suffocating her with its pressure.

Suddenly, her vision blurred, and her legs gave way beneath her. She stumbled forward, reaching out to grab hold of something, anything to steady herself. But her hands found only empty air, and she felt herself falling.

"Anna!" A scream escaped from Kyren’s lips as he noticed her swaying body. His large hand promptly caught her petite figure.

"I... I don’t feel so well, Kyren. Please, take me away," Anna said weakly, trembling in his embrace.

"Of course," Kyren replied with a creasing forehead.

He scooped her up into his muscled arms, her light body weightless against his chest. Ignoring the men still kneeling around them, he carried her away towards the cabin.

As they passed Eric, the commander paused for a moment.

"Get a hold of this immediately!" he ordered, his eyes flashing angrily. "Otherwise, there will be consequences!"

Eric bowed to him without hesitation.

"Yes, commander," he replied, his voice steady despite the serious demeanour of the grand duke.

The knight had known him for a long time and was well aware that his stern warning was not to be taken lightly.

The couple moved swiftly towards the cabin, leaving the men behind them in a state of confusion. Anna’s body continued to tremble in Kyren’s arms, and he held her tightly, whispering words of comfort to her as they went.