The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 505: The Return and the Welcome

Chapter 505: The Return and the Welcome

Not long after, Armel and Eli appeared and approached the second-in-command knight.

"Welcome back, Sir Navin."

Eli bowed respectfully to his superior.

"Ah... you’re here. Where’s Lady Athillia?" asked Eric.

Eli exchanged a glance with Armel.

"She’s in her chamber. She’ll be coming shortly," said the young knight.

Something was clearly weighing on Eli’s mind.

Though Athillia had insisted she wasn’t interested in Kyren, the moment news of the Grand Duke’s return came, she grew unexpectedly eager to see him.

She’d even ignored Eli’s suggestion to stay in bed and rest, and asked Emily to help her get dressed. Not wanting to keep the knight and the teenager waiting, she told them to come downstairs ahead of her.

"And Sir Ashburne?" Eric asked again.

"He went out early this morning with a servant, saying he wanted to tour around Gantz. He’s been planning that outing for some time. I doubt he’ll be back soon," Eli replied.

"I see..." the second-in-command knight nodded. Then, glancing at Eli, he suddenly asked, "Why are you damp?"

Eric’s keen eyes had noticed Eli’s condition. Though the young knight wore a dark-toned outfit, it was easy to see that the fabric was soaked and still damp.

"I... I..." Eli stammered, nervousness creeping into his voice.

The young knight silently cursed his own carelessness. He should have listened to Emily and changed his attire when he had the chance.

"He fell into the pond!" Armel suddenly exclaimed, trying to help.

Eli turned to the teenager in surprise, while Eric shot the teenager a curious look.

"I was there and helped him out!" Armel continued before either of them could say anything else.

"That is so not you," said the second-in-command knight, fixing Eli with a sharp stare. "For all I know, you’re quite nimble and cautious with your steps."

Again, Eric’s words threatened to crack their resolve.

"The pond has been extended, remember?" Armel quickly added. "Sir Henderson might have forgotten about it. And there was thin ice on the surface, with fallen leaves covering it, making the new edge hard to see."

Eric paused, considering it momentarily. Then, slowly, he nodded, bringing a wave of relief to the two young men.

"Be careful next time. You’re on duty. Don’t make mistakes like this. Otherwise, I’ll make sure you learn your lesson at my hand," Eric warned, his tone firm.

Eli swallowed hard. He had intended to come clean and tell the second-in-command knight the whole truth about the morning’s incident, but Eric’s warning abruptly killed that intention.

The second-in-command knight might be a lively and friendly superior, but his personality could flip entirely when it came to duty. He was not someone anyone wanted to mess with.

Armel had observed this firsthand. Knowing Eric’s nature, he decided it was best not to bring up the matter right now. Perhaps, with Kiev’s intervention, Eli could explain what had truly happened in a way that might avoid harsher consequences, or so - Armel hoped.

The young knight looked at the teenager, who gave him a slight shake of his head.

Eli knew exactly what that signal meant; Armel was helping to cover for him. Another subtle signal followed, indicating they should discuss it later. Eventually, the two discreetly agreed to bury the matter for now.

Like it or not, the teenager was partly involved, even if not directly. So his advice carried weight.

Eli cleared his throat and quickly asked another question, hoping to divert Eric’s attention from his condition and also because a concern was lingering in his mind.

"Sir Navin, does Lady Raychard know about Lady Athillia’s presence?"

Eric turned to him, rubbing his bearded chin thoughtfully.

"Now that you mention it... I wonder the same thing!" he said.

The second-in-command knight had been so preoccupied with other things that the matters regarding the guests the Grand Duke had brought back—especially his suspicions about Athillia—had slipped from his mind.

"So you don’t know?" Eli pressed, wanting to be sure.

Eric shook his head.

"I just hope His Highness explained it to her on their way back. That would have been the wise thing to do and could have avoided misunderstandings."

Eli nodded, agreeing.

"Never mind. Let’s see how it goes," said Eric, brushing the thought away.

Soon, the mansion’s occupants gathered in the main hall and then moved toward the foyer to welcome Anna and Kyren’s return. However, Emily and Athillia had yet to come downstairs.

Eric briefed everyone on the Grand Duke’s message, and they quickly understood the situation.

Excitement and relief were apparent on their faces. The news that the charges against Anna and Kiev had been withdrawn, and that the princess was confirmed to be carrying Kyren’s heir, filled them with joy.

Everyone was eager to hear the detailed account Eric had promised to share, but for now, they focused on preparing to greet their lord and lady.

Soon, the procession arrived in the most regal manner, escorted by the heads and representative of the Pillar Families and Lord Grey, along with the Knights of Gerhard.

Although it wasn’t a large entourage—by Kyren’s deliberate choice—it radiated nobility and chivalry. Everyone could feel the distinguished presence as the group entered the courtyard, as though a new aura surrounded them.

When the door of the main carriage was opened, Kyren stepped down, carrying Anna gently in his arms.

The mansion’s occupants greeted their lord and lady with hearty welcomes and broad smiles. Seeing how close and affectionate the couple was, it seemed as if the accusations against Lady Raychard had been nothing but unfounded rumours.

"Put me down, Kyren," Anna pleaded, aware of the onlookers’ gazes.

Embarrassment prickled at her as she noticed a few mischievous smiles among the servants and knights.

"What’s wrong with me carrying my whole world with me?" Kyren declared proudly, referring to his wife and the child with her.

"I can walk. Jessy said I’m free to move around. The restrictions are only on certain activities," Anna reminded him.

The Grand Duke frowned at his wife, clearly dissatisfied.

"You’re carrying our child. What if you fall and something happens?" he argued.

"I’ll be fine. I’m not as weak as before!" the princess insisted.

"Forget about it! You’re not going anywhere, whether you’re strong or not! You’re in my care, and I will carry you!" Kyren decided firmly.

"You can’t do this to me! I’m only pregnant, not injured!" Anna retorted, anger beginning to flash across her face. "Besides, I’m only four months along, and my belly isn’t even bulging yet. There are another five months to go, and by then, I won’t be as petite as this. Are you planning to carry your heavily pregnant wife around too when that time comes?" she teased.

Kyren smirked wickedly.

"Well, darling... get used to it."

Anna smacked the Grand Duke’s broad chest.

"Put. Me. Down!" she demanded, punctuating each word.

Callis, Rafe, and the rest of the entourage struggled to stifle their laughter at the playful quarrel, while Kiev remained composed.

The Mederian prince wasn’t distraught. Either way was fine with him, as long as Anna was safe, since he understood why Kyren was so protective.

Perhaps, if Elis were pregnant one day, it might not be a bad idea to carry her around too, like the grand duke did... just to keep her safe, of course.

After Anna’s adamant demand, Kyren finally had no choice but to comply. He carefully set his wife down, allowing her to stand on her own.

Just as the princess was about to take a step forward, a cheerful voice rang out from the wide-open main entrance, belonging to a figure, foreign to her.

"Lord Kyren! You’re back!"

Athillia came running, with Emily hurrying behind her. A wide, joyful smile lit up her face.

At that moment, Anna froze. She stared at the unfamiliar young girl, wondering who she was, where she had come from, and why she was looking so delightedly at her husband.

She turned and then noticed Kyren smiling back at the girl, which only made things seem more peculiar.

"Kyren, who is she?" Anna demanded.

Athillia’s hurried steps came to a stop right in front of the couple as the others instinctively stepped aside to let her through.

The heads and representative of the Pillar Families, along with Lord Grey, all looked equally surprised to see the unfamiliar young girl.

The Knights of Gerhard, however, remained calm, as they already knew about the ’special guest.’ Still, seeing Athillia in person for the first time for those who hadn’t fed their curiosity.

She was younger and slightly taller than Anna, but her other features were almost similar to the princess’s—except for her light brown eyes.

"Let me introduce her to you, Anna. This is Athillia. I met her at the Agathe Islands and brought her home. She’s our special guest," Kyren said with a smile.

"You must be Anna!" Athillia exclaimed, gazing at the princess with bright excitement.

She let out her hand for a handshake, which was accepted reluctantly by the grand duke’s wife.

Anna’s unique emerald eyes were indeed captivating, just as the Grand Duke had described to Athillia in his stories. Those striking eyes shone even among the crowd, making the princess easily distinguishable.

"How do you know my name?" Anna asked, surprised.

"Oh, Lord Kyren talked about you so much while we spent time together! If I hadn’t stopped him, we might never have gotten any sleep!" Athillia said, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, Kyren smiled sheepishly as the Bargesian Princess revealed just how much he’d spoken about his wife during his mission.

However, the entire crowd fell into an awkward silence. A certain thought seemed to cross everyone’s minds—and Anna’s as well.

"Spent time... together? Even at night?" Anna asked slowly.

Since Athillia had mentioned the probability of being unable to sleep, it was easy for anyone to conclude that these conversations sometimes occurred late into the night.

"Well... mostly when he had free time and wasn’t engaged in battle," Athillia explained cheerfully. "He had so many things on his mind, so having someone to talk to helped ease his burdens. Don’t worry, I didn’t mind him ranting to me sometimes. That’s just his way of showing he cares."

Anna was utterly speechless. Her confused expression darkened into something far more ominous.

"Oh, stop it, Athillia. You’re making me sound like an old man," Kyren said with a laugh, still oblivious to his wife’s changing expression as he stood behind her. "Now, Anna. Athillia is alone and doesn’t know anyone here. I hope you can treat her like a sister."

Anna trembled. Her emotions spiralled into chaos almost immediately. She turned toward Kyren, her emerald eyes flashing dangerously.

"Sister of mine? Is that what you want her to be?" she asked in a flat, icy tone.

The crowd had already noticed the shift in Anna’s demeanour—all except Kyren and Athillia.

"Definitely! She’s my saviour. Besides, she’ll be staying with us until I sort out a big matter concerning her," said the Grand Duke.

"What big matter?" Anna demanded, her tone turning deeper as she clenched her fists, struggling to hold back her rising fury.

Suspicion churned inside her, but she needed to hear the reason from his own lips before deciding what to do.

"Why... to give her the family she’s always wanted, of course!" Kyren declared excitedly.