The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic

The sky rumbled as gentle rain traced silver streaks across the storm-darkened heavens.

Each drop was soft, but together they whispered of tension, of a coming downpour—of more than weather.

Kael stood silently before the colossal stone gates of the Duchy of Salvatore, his cloak fluttering faintly in the breeze. Elfie, the snowy dragon, perched on his shoulder. Her small claws dug into his collar lightly as her golden eyes blinked in sleepy confusion.

Behind him stood Barret, Vic, and Chris—all three equally dumbstruck.

The soldiers around was the first to speak, his voice cracking, "Did I just hear that right?"

"You heard it," another one said, his jaw tight. "They've barred the entire Veydrin delegation. Even the Grand Duke."

Chris, visibly agitated, snapped, "This is insane. Salvatore's still under the central alliance. There are rules!"

SLAM!

A spear cracked against the stone wall.

The captain of the guards—a burly man with a cruel scar down one eye—shouted from above, pointing to the crude parchment nailed to the gate.

"Did you fail to understand what I say."

"Proclamation of Salvatore Duchy"

Veydrin-affiliated forces, known criminals, and suspected threats are hereby banned from entering Salvatore lands.

Order enforced by decree of Acting Duke Salvatore

"Now,get the fuck out of here Clowns of Veydrin."

Kael read it word by word. The words didn't cut—they detonated.

His fingers twitched. A thin sweat formed on his brow.

'Just what the fuck did you do, old man?' he thought, screaming inside. 'How are we criminals now?!'

It didn't just smear his name. It smeared Ruth Veydrin, the Grand Duke. How did he allow this?

And yet… Kael smirked faintly.

'So even he can't completely control her… This is kind of fun.'

Even Ariana and Gare—who were already inside—seemed completely blindsided by this explosive escalation.

'No way this is just politics… This is a declaration of war in everything but name.'

Barret turned, tense. "My Lord, do you want me to—"

Kael lifted his hand, calm. "Not yet."

He stepped closer to the towering gate, locking eyes with the captain above.

"You there," Kael called.

The man sneered down. "What?"

"How deep is this hatred you carry for the Veydrins?"

"Hatred?" the captain echoed, raising an eyebrow. "We don't hate you."

"...?"

Kael's expression shifted. Confusion rippled across the Veydrin knights.

Then the captain continued, voice sharp:

"We have a blood feud. We have standing kill-on-sight order. Anyone bearing the name Veydrin or serving them dies the moment they step in these lands."

The rain suddenly felt heavier.

Kael inhaled sharply. "What's the reason for this?"

Even Elfie tensed, her little wings rising in reaction to the intensity around them.

The captain's lip curled.

"You don't know?" he laughed bitterly. "The world knows. How that bastard son-of-a-whore Grand Duke destroyed the Flower of Salvatore. He trampled her, shattered her smile—left our Lady broken."

"He should've been butchered a thousand times over."

Murmurs and growls echoed from the guards on the ramparts.

"She was the gentlest of souls."

"She laughed like spring wind... until he came."

"She trusted him. And he ruined her."

"Monster..."

Their words were not political rather they were personal. They burned with rage, with loyalty. With grief.

Kael's breath slowed. Note:CheckM_VLEMPY_Rforanycorrections.

''Was my mother really loved by so many?What's up with this nonsense..You are speaking as if she is your family.'

"You deaf, Veydrin bastard?! This is Salvatore! We don't want criminals or the bastard sons of criminals inside our walls!"

Another man spat over the wall.

"Ask your old man, Ruth Veydrin! He disgraced our Lady. We should've sent his damn head back in a box!"

Elfie hissed. A chill danced across her body, frost flickering from her tiny jaw.

Kael lifted a hand to her gently.

She had sensed her "Grandpa" was being humiliated.

Kael sighed. "Hey… Look, I get it. You hate the Veydrins. But I'm not him. I haven't even properly met her. Just let me through."

His words fell like a pebble in an ocean of fury.

The knights above studied him coldly.

Then the captain barked, "You look just like that piece of shit. For all we know, you're here to finish the job."

"Yeah! What if it's the Grand Duke in disguise?"

"We can't risk it!"

Kael's gaze turned sharp.

Behind him, Blue Knights began stepping forward. Their hands hovered near their hilts. The air tightened.

On the other side, Salvatore's guards braced.

One breath.One move.

And blood would flood the gates.

Kael turned slightly.

"Barret."

"My Lord?"

"Read their lines. How many will fall before the gate breaks?"

Barret, Chris, and Vic shared a glance.

Chris muttered, "Three dozen minimum. Their morale high, but they're reckless."

Vic added, "But we'll lose a dozen, maybe more. They're not green."

Kael exhaled. "Not worth it… yet."

Then he stepped forward.

Even his motion made the enemy flinch.

Rain slid off his silver hair like silk. His sharp gaze locked with the captain's.

"I came to see my mother," he said softly. "Not as a soldier. Not as a Duke's heir. I came… as a family."

The captain scoffed. "The Salvatore family doesn't recognize filth."

Kael smiled.

It wasn't warm.

"You sure?"

Elfie's tail curled. A thin swirl of frost spun into the air.

Kael whispered, "Elfie… do you want to roast a gate?"

"Papa... roast?" she chirped.

"Barret!" Chris snapped. "He's serious!"

Barret rushed up and grabbed Kael's shoulder. "My Lord, please!"

Kael clenched his jaw, aura curling around his feet.

Then—

BOOOOOOM—!

A long horn blew.

The walls shook.

The great iron gate began to creak, the gears groaning in protest.

Kael narrowed his eyes.

Two figures emerged.

Ariana, drenched but composed, her golden hair plastered to her armor. Her expression was unreadable.

Beside her—

A woman with a commanding presence stepped into the rain.

She wore a long emerald cloak emblazoned with the green phoenix. Her aquamarine hair, braided over one shoulder, shimmered beneath the stormlight.

Her voice cut across the chaos like a whip:

"Stand down."

The captain stiffened. "But Lady Seraphina—!"

"I said. Stand down."

The guards withdrew reluctantly.

Kael looked at her as she stepped forward.

Seraphina Salvatore.

She was tall elegant and stern.

Her gaze held Kael like a predator studying a rival.

"So," she said coolly. "You must be Kael Veydrin."

He nodded. "Indeed."

"You came to visit your mother?"

"Yes."

"Then enter. But don't think this means you're welcome. You're here only because the order came from above."

She turned, storming back into the fortress.

Kael stepped forward.