The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 76: The Search Began

Chapter 76: The Search Began

"What is it?" asked Kiev’s sister excitedly.

"It’s her handkerchief. I’ll use it to perform a searching magic ritual," he replied, displaying the pink silk handkerchief with delicate embroideries.

"That’s wonderful! I was worried we would lose her again," expressed the princess with relief.

"I shared the same concern," sighed the prince. "I regret not taking her with me the last time I came here. Even if not in Semeta, I could have placed her in Sabel."

"Your Highness, as Nessy informed you, her physical and mental state was severely affected after the shipwreck incident. She wouldn’t have been able to handle the journey to Sabel in her condition," Jessy reminded him.

"It wasn’t your fault, brother. You prioritised cultivating your mana in the mountains so that you could heal her later. No Mederian has been able to do what you have accomplished! The princess should feel privileged to have a betrothed like you," coaxed the princess.

"Princess Callis is correct. The cultivation process requires all of your energy and focus. Once your lifeline is intertwined with the mountain’s force, it cannot be undone until it’s finished," said Jessy.

"Yes. If you try to undo it, it will cost you your life. That’s why we had to wait. We never anticipated that Nessy would stop contacting us abruptly and that this would happen," added Callis.

"I had no other choice. I couldn’t bring her to Semeta if I didn’t do it. The island’s barrier is too powerful for her, and I couldn’t bring her back in her condition," Kiev responded.

"Your decision is wise, brother!" Princess Callis exclaimed, her eyes shining with pride.

"I was thinking," Kiev said thoughtfully, "the knightess who could control the eagle seems to have vanished. I haven’t seen her around the castle."

"Did you inquire about her with the king?" Callis asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

"No. I didn’t want to raise any suspicions. So, I played along with his tricks," Kiev replied, his expression sombre.

"Understood," the princess nodded, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "It’s best to remain vigilant. That man is definitely not trustworthy."

"We’ll find her, no matter what it takes," Kiev vowed, his voice filled with conviction.

"Shall we head up to the rooftop and try the searching magic now?" the prince’s sister suggested.

"I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I’m feeling a bit dizzy," replied the middle-aged woman, her forehead beaded with cold sweat suddenly.

"Oh, no! It must be the fear magic!" exclaimed the prince.

He quickly grabbed the robe he had given her and recited the enchantment to cease it. Callis approached, held Jessy’s shoulders and sat her on the chair.

"Are you feeling better now, Jessy?" Princess Callis asked, showing concern for the woman.

Jessy nodded weakly.

"Brother, how could you do that to my nanny?" the princess scolded her brother, her voice tinged with anger.

She glared at him, her eyes flashing with frustration. "She could have fainted if you had kept her holding your casted item any longer."

Kiev’s expression softened as he realised his mistake.

"Ah, forgive me, Jessy! I didn’t intend to hurt you. I was so focused on finding the princess that I forgot about the casted robe," he apologised, his voice contrite.

"Let me heal you. Your dizziness will cease immediately," the princess offered as she placed her palm on her nanny’s forehead. A bright light emanated beneath her hand and flowed through Jessy’s forehead.

"Thank you, my dear. I apologise for needlessly draining your mana," Jessy expressed her gratitude.

"Nonsense! That small amount of healing won’t cost much of my mana. It can be replenished easily," the princess responded. "Furthermore, my brother possesses the largest mana pool in our clan after the cultivation. He can always give it to me. You have nothing to worry about!"

"Just let me do the healing next time, Callis. Although your mana will replenish, your regenerative ability is slow and takes time. Use your mana sparingly during our journey. You never know when you may need to use it to its full capacity. Depleting your mana can be hazardous and put your life in danger," warned Kiev in a serious tone.

Callis clicked her tongue. "Tchkk... It’s not new to me that you don’t like it when I use magic."

"Do you want it to be like last time when I nearly killed you?" asked the prince in a stern voice.

The princess pouted.

When Kiev set out for Ardel with her nanny, Jessy, the princess couldn’t resist tagging along. Despite her brother’s objections, she snuck onto the ship and hid in a barrel. This reckless decision led to unfortunate consequences when the prince mistook her for a spy and launched a forceful attack.

The princess had no choice but to use most of her mana to defend herself, leaving her bedridden for three days due to mana depletion.

"Please don’t fight," Jessy interjected, her voice gentle and calming. "Princess Callis has never been apart from me. That’s why she insisted on following."

As the princess’s nanny, the middle-aged woman had the privilege of not addressing the child in her care with the royal title. She spoke to Callis as she would with any other child, and the young princess didn’t seem to mind.

"Yes, that’s right! How can I be separated from my beloved nanny?" the princess hugged Jessy and leaned her head on her shoulder.

Kiev sighed, his expression filled with exasperation. "You know why I brought Jessy with me. The princess would be reluctant to follow me, a stranger to her. But when she saw her, she would surely want to come," he explained, his voice patient but firm.

Callis looked at him with a pout still on her lips, but then she nodded in understanding.

"I guess that makes sense," she said, her voice softening.

"Your Highness, Nessy... did she still look the same when you last saw her?" Jessy asked, her voice tinged with sadness.

"Of course, she was more mature as time passed," Kiev replied. "She and you look alike, and there’s no difference since she’s your identical twin. That’s why bringing you with me is important," he explained, his voice reassuring.

Callis looked at him with pleading eyes. Her voice filled with determination. "Not fair! I want to contribute to this mission too. I’ve trained hard, brother. I am strong and capable of protecting myself and others."

"I know your capabilities, and do not doubt it," Kiev replied. "It’s only your mischievousness that worries me. You’ve always caused trouble, and I had to clear up the mess every time," he said.

"How I wish that some strong guy could just marry you and take you out of my sight," he joked, his tone lightening.

"I don’t need a strong guy!" Callis exclaimed, her voice filled with frustration as she stood up. "And those suitors that our parents introduced were awful. They were showing off their strength, making me nauseous." She pursed her lips, crossing her arms over her chest.

"If you keep on like this, one day you’ll become a spinster," Kiev teased, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Jessy smiled at the banter between the siblings.

"Oh, Your Highness. Please don’t mock Princess Callis. She might be a little naughty, but she’s beautiful and smart, just like you. I’m sure there will be a man interested in her someday," she said, her voice gentle and reassuring.

"I doubt that," Kiev replied, his tone resigned. "Every time, she just made her suitors run away with her behaviour."

"Oh, stop it, brother!" Callis exclaimed, a pout forming on her lips. "I’ll deal with my marriage myself. You don’t have to worry about it. Since I’m already here, please let me contribute to the mission too," she pleaded, her eyes shining with determination.

Kiev looked at her for a moment, his expression thoughtful. But then he nodded. "All right. But you have to promise to behave and not cause any trouble," he warned, his voice stern but gentle.

Callis rolled her eyes at him, but then she smiled, her expression filled with warmth. She knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and was determined to make the most of it.

"I’ll give you a task and see whether you can handle it," Kiev said seriously.

The princess’s face brightened with excitement. "Really? What task is that?" she asked eagerly.

"The king has sent his men to tail me. So, I want you to distract them away," Kiev explained.

Callis seemed dissatisfied with the task assigned to her.

"Why are you giving me such a petty task? This is like asking me to feed the cats. It’s not even challenging at all!" she grumbled.

"Petty or not, it’s part of the mission! Do you want it or not?" Kiev retorted.

"All right! All right! I’ll do it!" Callis relented.

"How do you want it to be? Should I kill them all without a trace or just scare them away?" she asked in a sarcastic tone.

Kiev shook his head at her. "No, you don’t have to kill anyone. Just distract them away from me while I perform the search magic. Can you handle that?" he asked.

Callis nodded, her expression serious now. "Yes, I can handle that. I’ll make sure they don’t bother you."

"Use the mind magic. Replace their memory with another and make it real and believable that they see us returning to our ship and departing home. The king must not be suspicious so that we can continue our work without disturbance," ordered Kiev, his voice firm and commanding.

"That’s intermediate-level magic! Yay! Thank you, brother! I promise I won’t disappoint you!" Callis jumped excitedly, almost pouncing on her brother for a hug.

"Don’t even think of hugging me! You know I don’t like it!" Kiev growled, his tone laced with irritation.

The princess quickly apologised, knowing how much her brother despised physical contact. Due to his outstanding beauty, people captivated by him always tried to pounce on the prince.

As a vigilant action, he had to cast a fear-inducing magic on his robe whenever he went public to avoid unwanted attention.

"Go now. You’ll notice them outside of the inn," the prince instructed.

Callis nodded eagerly and quickly made her way outside to complete the task. She knew this was her chance to prove herself and show her brother that she could handle any challenge thrown her way.

"Let’s go to the rooftop, Jessy," ordered Kiev as he grabbed his white bow and arrow.

The two quickly made their way to the rooftop, their steps silent and sure.

"Cast the stealth magic so no one sees us. I need to concentrate my power for the ritual," he instructed the nanny.

Jessy nodded and quickly recited the incantation, her hands moving in a graceful dance. Soon, they were wrapped in an invisible bubble, and no other ordinary people could see them now.

The prince took out the white arrow and tied the handkerchief at the end of it. Then, he placed the arrow onto the archer and pointed it towards the sky.

"Are you ready, Jessy?" he asked, his voice filled with determination.

"I’m ready, Your Highness," she replied, her voice steady and calm.

Kiev closed his eyes and began to focus his power, his mind reaching out as the magic was being cast. His hands began to glow with soft white light, and the arrow on the archer started to vibrate with energy.

As he lifted his eyelids, he softly murmured an incantation under his breath. His red-ruby eyes glimmered under the bright blue sky.

"Mer gain ettar Khasif Majesté."

With a sudden motion, he released the arrow, and it shot into the sky with a brilliant burst of light. Jessy watched in awe as the arrow soared high, leaving behind a trail of shimmering illuminations.

After a moment, the nanny asked, "What do you see, Your Highness?" Her voice was filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Kiev’s face lit up with a bright smile.

"She’s still on the continent. The princess is in the northern region," he replied.

Jessy’s eyes widened in surprise. "Northern region?"

Kiev turned to her with a confident expression.

"Yes. She’s now in the blessed land!"

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