The Grand Duke's Soulmate-Chapter 499: Redemption and Retribution

An eerie silence swept through the royal court instantly, leaving everyone in utter shock.

Sarah’s head jerked to the left side from the impact, leaving her feeling numb. A sharp sting hit her right cheek, followed by a throbbing pain.

She blinked, placing a hand on her cheek. Her mind temporarily went blank from the sudden assault. When she realised what had happened, she turned to Anna in disbelief.

"Did you just slap me?" she asked, astonished.

"Why shouldn’t I?" Anna replied nonchalantly.

"How dare yo—"

’Pangg!’

Another slap landed on Sarah’s left cheek.

Kyren and the king were speechless; they had never seen the princess so hostile. Eric, however, had a different concern.

"I think it’s best if we step back," he said quietly to his team.

"Why?" Alex asked, confused.

"Our lady said she remembered everything. That means she has regained her memory about the possession incident. Now that she has her abilities back, God knows what she might do to that chief lady-in-waiting," the second-in-command knight explained with a serious expression.

"Oh, boy!" Garin muttered, sharing the same concern.

None of the knights who had faced Anna during the incident were worried about her. Their concern was more for Sarah and the others in the royal court who opposed her, wondering how bad it would be.

"Let’s move!" Eric commanded, swiftly standing up and moving to the wall at one end of the hall, away from the crowd.

Alex hesitated initially, but as the other knights followed the second-in-command knight, including Rafe and Ayden, he joined them.

He had never witnessed Anna’s combat prowess and missed seeing her summon the storm on the cog ship. But Eric’s wary expression told him this was not the time to question further.

Noah quickly followed after Eric. Seeing that both high-ranking knights, who were far superior to him, retreated without hesitation, Alex was convinced this was necessary. Those two would be the best judges of when to withdraw or fight back in such situations.

The other attendees in the royal court were surprised by the Knights of Gerhard and their healer and assistant’s sudden movement. Just as their eyes turned to the knights, Lord James’s voice pierced the air.

"How dare you assault my daughter! Guards! Hold her this instant!" the minister ordered.

In the meantime, Sarah, who had been struck by the second blow she received, staggered as she tried to rise. Never had she thought the once meek and hopeless concubine could deliver such a firm slap.

The chief lady-in-waiting was taller than Anna, with a slender yet striking figure, good posture, and a bigger build. So, how did the petite concubine manage to hit her in such a brutal way?

What was more surprising was that the princess appeared calm and composed, as if the assault didn’t take much effort from her.

The royal guards stepped forward at Lord James’s command to detain Anna. The heads and representative of the four Pillar Families could do nothing to stop them, as it was clear that she had initiated the attack.

Kyren wanted to intervene to protect his wife, but Kiev urged him to stand down. Now was not the time for the Khasif’s guardian to act.

The Grand Duke felt anxious, but having allowed Anna to handle the situation, he decided to let events unfold naturally.

An unexpected spectacle caught the crowd’s attention.

The royal guards advancing on Anna were suddenly sent stumbling back as she grabbed Sarah’s fan and twirled it, flicking it at them.

Though the fan only lightly touched their shoulders, the impact was enough to topple them. In the blink of an eye, Anna returned to her composed stance.

Alex nearly dropped his jaw at the sight, while Rafe, Ayden, the king, and Kyren were equally speechless.

Bewildered, Sarah shouted, "You’re a witch! A witch!"

’Pang!’

Another slap struck the chief lady-in-waiting’s face, sending her sprawling. Trembling, she lifted her head while holding her reddened cheek.

"What’s the matter? Feeling pain? Isn’t this what you did to me when you visited me in my chamber?" Anna mocked. "Oh, wait! We haven’t finished. There’s more that you did. So now, I’m returning the ’favour.’"

Anna grabbed Sarah’s long, blonde hair, eliciting a scream.

The Knights of Gerhard winced at the sight, except Damon, who felt a sense of satisfaction. He had seen the marks on Anna’s face when he cared for her during the escape.

Fortunately, Helen used snow wrapped in cloth on the princess’s injured face, significantly reducing the marks and making them nearly unnoticeable.

Lord James rushed to save his daughter, but as he attempted to grab Anna’s hand, he also received a hard slap that sent him collapsing to the ground. The crowd was now bewildered, wondering how Anna had suddenly become so strong.

Rising from the floor, Lord James exclaimed to the king, "Your Majesty! Aren’t you going to do something about this?"

King Kyden smirked, amused that Anna’s way of handling the situation had turned the hall into one of panic, yet it was undeniably entertaining.

"Why should I? You said I’ve lost my credibility to lead the trial and am no longer entitled to be the judge. You can handle this yourself!" the king replied.

Anger simmered beneath the minister’s skin as he received such a response from the king.

"All royal guards and Knights of Neblim! Get hold of her right now! Use force and weapons if she resists!" Lord James ordered.

Adam swiftly stood up.

"Using force and weapons against a woman is unacceptable! How could you issue such an order?! Under my command, the Knights of Neblim will not act!" he declared.

"She is dangerous! Don’t you see she’s attacking your sister?!" the minister retorted.

"She’s a pregnant lady! Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for trying to involve men in a women’s altercation?" countered the admiral.

"This isn’t just a women’s quarrel! The vicious concubine is hurting others! She’s showing her true colours! Apprehend her at once!" Lord James shouted in rage.

Adam glared at his knights. Though he was concerned about Anna’s assault on Sarah, he didn’t want to intervene, knowing that this conflict stemmed from his sister’s own actions.

Back at the old safe house, Anna might have denied Sarah’s wrongdoing, but he could see through her emerald eyes that it was all a lie to protect his reputation as the chief lady-in-waiting’s brother.

"Any Knights of Neblim that receive orders other than from me shall face heavy punishment!" Adam declared.

At this demand, the Knights of Neblim retreated. None dared to disobey their commander, regardless of Lord James’s orders.

"No weapons against Lady Raychard! She is not armed!" King Kyden added, addressing the royal knights.

"You have no say in this anymore, Your Majesty! Since you refuse to take action against her, I will, as the leader of the royal court members," Lord James said.

Embarrassed that the king had not supported him, he directly commanded the royal guards, "Seize Lady Raychard immediately! I don’t care what it takes, she must be apprehended!

The king was about to counter, but Anna spoke first.

"Bring it on, Lord James! If that’s how you want it," Anna challenged.

At this, the king remained silent, eager to see more of her actions. His instincts told him there was more to come.

Though he was beginning to lean toward Kiev’s side and started to believe the Mederian prince, the princess still needed to prove herself to the others.

Meanwhile, Kyren, who had been anxious, grew more confident as he watched his wife effortlessly take down several royal guards with a single strike.

Her movements appeared flawless and effortless to the untrained eye, but anyone skilled in combat would recognise the precision and technique behind them. How astonishing it was to see the power Anna had gained.

Sarah kept screaming as the princess’s fierce grip tangled her hair. She tried pulling it back, but the strong hold made it hard to break free.

Her makeup started to run from her tears of pain, but Anna didn’t move; her grasp felt like it would pull the chief lady-in-waiting’s hair right out.

The Knights of Neblim and the Knights of Gerhard stood by, watching intently. Then, another group of royal guards approached to drag Anna away.

In response, the princess waved her fan at the guards reaching for her. One strike deflected a spear aimed at her, causing it to veer off course and send the guard tumbling.

A second swift move struck another guard between the neck and shoulder, knocking him unconscious instantly.

Just in time, Anna deflected an attack from behind. Another royal knight closed in, and she swung her fan at his head, sending his helmet flying and smashing into his face. The decisive blow made the guard fall and scream in pain.

"Wow... our lady is so fearless!" Alex remarked in awe.

"Fearless is an understatement. She’s an amazing bad*ss!" Luke exclaimed, grinning with pride.

Rafe placed his hands over his chest, astonished, and Ayden shared the same expression.

"Our lady is indeed the Great Khasif! Oh, heavens! I never imagined this day would come!" he said, nearly in tears.

"At ease, Mr Amares," Drystan replied. "We know now who our lady is. She just needs to show those foolish people who doubt her. And that chief lady-in-waiting? She deserves every bit of this punishment. After all, what goes around comes around."

Noah crossed his arms, smiling as he enjoyed the spectacle.

"My... I wish she’d call us to join the fun, but I suppose our lady is revelling in this all on her own!"

All the royal guards were subdued by Anna in just a few minutes, using only a fan. Throughout the commotion, she didn’t let go of Sarah’s hair, causing the chief lady-in-waiting to holler in pain as she was dragged into the fray.

Lord James was speechless at this outbreak. He turned to the heads and representative of the Pillar Families, seeking their support, as they were the nobles in the hall who were more adept in combat than the rest.

"Are you just going to watch this? Do something!" he urged.

Aaron raised his hands, palms facing the minister.

"We’re not here to fight. We’re only here to give our opinions for the trial," he said.

"And we certainly don’t hit a pregnant woman. Whatever is happening here is between her and your daughter," added Gabriel, the Duke of Greene.

"Yes. Lady James has a slender and solid figure. It’s surprising to see a much smaller woman take her down like that. Couldn’t she fight back? I thought she had some training with Knights of Neblim," said Benjamin, the Duke of Sanad, almost teasingly.

Lord Grey couldn’t help but smirk in satisfaction. Where had the once cunning and sharp-tongued Lord James gone?

He used to brag endlessly about his family’s bravery and strength, boasting of their lineage and conquests. But now, he resembled a timid mouse, desperately trying to evade the trouble that had befallen him.

Adam felt his face turn red with embarrassment. He couldn’t defend his sister and father; they had reaped what they sowed.

The heads and representative of the Pillar Families were now convinced that Anna wasn’t just the docile princess they had once seen. Her close combat skills astounded them, and they were eager to see how she would prove herself as the Khasif.

"Now, where were we?" Anna asked, refocusing on Sarah after the commotion died down. "Oh, yes..."

The slaps began to rain down on Sarah’s face, mimicking the punishment the chief lady-in-waiting had inflicted on her before.

Lord James turned to the other royal court members and noblemen for help, but none were brave enough to confront the raging princess.

He was also filled with fear after witnessing the group of royal guards defeated by her with just one hand holding a fan.

Most of them were either fainting or crying out in pain from the aftermath. Even his cheek still throbbed from the powerful slap he had received.

Anna finally stopped slapping when blood began to trickle down Sarah’s chin. She pushed her down, and the helpless chief lady-in-waiting toppled to the floor.

"That’s for calling my child a b*stard and for threatening my people! I wouldn’t have stooped this low just for you, but your desire knows no bounds! You tried to harm those I cherish and wanted to steal my husband! I won’t be so merciful next time!" the princess warned.

Then, Anna looked up at the watchful crowd, her gaze sweeping over them.

"Since you all wanted proof so much, open your eyes and see this carefully," she said.

With that, she held out her hand and closed her eyes, her lips moving as she began to summon, "Ramios, kaam et ker masta!"

("Ramios, come to your master!")

The atmosphere suddenly turned eerily silent. Not a whisper of wind came through the open window, nor was there any birdsong.

King Kyden’s blue eyes widened as he heard the summoning in Ro’an language.

He had heard stories from Eric about Anna’s prowess in battle against the Knights of Gerhard during the possession incident. However, the second-in-command knight had omitted the part about her summoning Ramios.

Eric hadn’t mentioned it, as the tale of their fierce fight and the possession itself was already hard to believe, let alone the summoning of the emperor’s sword.

"My God!" King Kyden uttered.

He now realised that Kiev’s words were indeed valid. Only the emperor, as the true master, could summon Ramios.

The crowd grew anxious as shouts echoed outside the main hall’s door, likely from the doorkeeper and the guards. Before they could process what was happening, loud banging resonated, as if warhammers were striking at the closed door.

Once... twice... and on the third impact, the door burst open with a powerful ram. A long sword flew towards Anna, who raised her arm to catch it with a firm grip.

An extraordinary scene unfolded before the onlookers; Ramios, the emperor’s sword, was now in the princess’s possession. Anna leapt and swirled toward Kiev in a flash, swinging the blade at him.

Surprised, the Mederian Prince pushed Kyren aside to avoid harm. He was uncertain why Anna targeted him, but felt compelled to protect the Grand Duke.

Kyren, caught off guard by the shove, fell. It was too late for retaliation, and both men closed their eyes, bracing for the impending strike, as did the astonished crowd.

’Kruh!’ ’Drup!’

The sound of metal slicing and dropping to the ground through the air echoed in the hall. Eyelids started to flutter open when it fell silent once more.

As Kiev opened his eyes, he noticed the handcuffs that had once bound him were now lying on the floor at his feet. A sigh of relief escaped his lips.

Anna tossed Ramios to the ground as if it were nothing.

Immediately, King Kyden knelt on the floor.

"Hail Her Imperial Majesty, the Great Khasif!" he proclaimed, bowing towards the princess.

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