The Duke's Passion

Samael and the children rode the carriage back to one of Remington's estates near Libira, and when they arrived, the servants took care of the children. Noah Remington also arrived almost the same time and caught Samael and Fabian still outside the mansion.

"You're quick, Noah," Samael clapped, watching Noah dismounted his steed. "Fabian is about to send you a word!"

"Greetings, Your Grace. I came here because Sir Rufus send a word," Noah explained as he placed his fist across his chest and bowed at Samael.

"You don't have to bow your head every time we see each other." Samael clicked his tongue while Noah raised his head. "You're a Duke now. So, there's no need to do that." 

"Will you blame me, Your Grace? I swore in my blood that I will serve you, and only you." 

Samael only glanced at him but held back on saying anything, as it was pointless. He held his hand behind him and walked away. Fabian and Noah followed a few steps behind him.

"Sir Rufus must've foreseen what will happen, so he sent me a word to assist you." Noah broke the ice, sounding grateful to Rufus because what the latter said in the letter was accurate.

Rufus was surely a reliable fellow. Noah couldn't rely on Fabian as the only thing he was reliable about was house chores or if they needed someone dead.

Receiving no response from Samael, Noah inquired. "Did we guess it right, your grace? Does the current king plans to bring ruin to this country?"

"Ruin is not the word, Noah." Samael thrust his lower lip forward as he looked around at the scenery of the vast estate of the House Remington. 

"That god damned fool wants is change." Fabian chimed in, casting Noah a side-eye coldly.

"A change?" Noah furrowed his brows and momentarily stopped in his tracks. "What…"

He trailed off when Fabian uttered. "Apparently, these experiments had been going on for centuries. If his grace hadn't woke up, that person will soon become an emperor."

"What?!" Noah snapped as he hastened his steps to catch up with them.

"A kingdom of just vampires or half-bloods," Samael muttered without looking back at them. "The undead are one thing, but the more we dig deeper, the more rotting truths we uncover."

This small yet understandable information slightly took Noah aback, as it was easy to put the pieces together. He didn't know what to do with it if this had been going on for centuries.

"My lord," called Noah as sweats broke out from his forehead and back. "Did you think my father had some involvement with it?"

"Who knows? The dead tell no tales." 

Again, Noah went silent as the three of them continued their idle walk. Noah's Father, Anton, and his big brother Arthur were long dead. A week after Samael's visit in Whistlebird, Anton and Arthur, who were locked up in the dungeon prison of the Remington estate, were found dead. They thought it was suicide, but the more Noah thought more about it, that might not be the case.

"What we are certain is that the king entrusts the case of the undead to his grace for him to know this information," Fabian concluded because Stefan wasn't the reckless type. Recklessness and lack of planning might suit Samael's style, but not Stefan.

"Does that mean the king has some sort of involvement with the Undead as well?" Noah inquired. This would be a lot more to handle if Stefan had already built an army, centuries prior to the present.

Noah's question was left unanswered as Samael didn't speak anymore with his hands behind his head. In Noah's eyes, Samael was too relaxed, as if this matter didn't concern him.

"My lord, what are your thoughts about it?" asked Noah while his eyes fixed on Samael's back.

"My thoughts? Hmm…" Samael hummed, pressing his lips into a thin line as he pondered for a moment. "Honestly, I don't care. I'm thinking of traveling the world with my wife."

"My lord!" Noah yelled, disgruntled by Samael's careless remarks. "Do you plan on abandoning your people? How about Grimsbanne?"

"Grimsbanne is a place I had fun building with the Barrett's. Rufus can take care of it since Stefan would see him as an asset in building an empire." Samael explained nonchalantly, as there was nothing that can overvalue a peaceful life with Lilou. "Fabian can come with us if he wants since I'm sure he'll just end up dead if I left him behind."

"My lord, please don't jest like that," Noah uttered in a shaking voice. The lack of interest from Samael and knowing Fabian's only interest in sticking his lord was disheartening. 

"Lord Remington, don't you think this kingdom will benefit more if it becomes an empire?" Fabian inquired while casting Noah a quick glance. "If the king's plans started taking action, the House of Remington will benefit as well if you pledge your loyalty to the monarchy."

Noah let out a soft scoffed as these two were speaking as if they didn't plan on opposing the idea. Turning this kingdom into an empire wasn't a bad idea. However, a place where all humans were turned into vampires was never the will of the founding families of the country or the original purpose of this country.

"Will you really just let the king do as he please?" Noah gazed down, clenching his hand into a tight fist. "Will you really just run away?"

"I only care about Lilou and I don't care whatever happens in this world." Samael halted and slowly turned around. "Don't look so sad, Lord Remington. You look like you're about to cry!" 

"Your Grace, will you really just drop everything and flee?" His eyes glinting, facing Samael squarely.

The side of Samael's lips slowly curled into a smile. "I plan to, since I absolutely don't care, nor do I want anything from this country. However, my sweet brother wants something from me and will follow me even to the pits of hell to get it." 

"He wants Catharsis?" 

Samael just smiled, but Noah immediately caught the sly glint that flickered across his eyes. He turned to Fabian when the latter said, "You're a little slow, Lord Remington. My respect towards you pummeled down and hit the flames of the eternal damnation."

"Mister Fabian, please don't forget our difference in status."

"Even if I engrave the difference between our social status in my brain, I will still say the same." Fabian raised his shoulder nonchalantly. "If you're this slow, I advised you to do some gardening. It will help you think faster."

"Haha!" Samael chuckled, turning around and resuming his steps. "Stop teasing Lord Remington, Fabian."

"I'm not teasing him, Your Grace. I'm stating my personal opinion and trying to help him improve where he lacks."

"Mister Fabian, did I do something to you to gain your hate?" Noah scrunched his nose up as he was never insulted right in front of his face, aside from Samael.

"If I do, you will be breathing your last breath six feet under," Fabian answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "How can you conclude that fool wants Catharsis when His Grace's weapon had been in the black market for a long time?" 

"Then, what does the king want from his grace?" 

"My wife," Samael spoke after whistling softly. "He is obsessed with my wife, and we all know how annoying he is when he is obsessed with something."

His answer rendered Noah speechless. Stefan was obsessed with Lilou? Why? What did Samael and Stefan see in Lilou? Sure, she was quite pretty and kind — also a bearer of Lakresha — but it was not that Lilou was the only female bearer nor her beauty was unrivaled.

"It was a long history between them, back when I was in my slumber." Samael clarified, after sensing Noah's confusion. "But she is mine now, and I don't like sharing."

Silence dawned on them as they walked. It was only broken when Samael spoke once again.

"Stefan entrusts me with this situation with the undead to humor me." He paused as the corner of his lips curled into a smirk. "Don't you think it's only polite to humor him back?" 

"My lord?" 

Samael turned around and faced them with a smile. "The festival will take place in a month. Fabian will brief you about the plan."

Noah blinked in disbelief seeing the wicked smile plastered on Samael's face. He instinctively glanced at Fabian, and the latter was also smiling.

"Your Grace, Mister Fabian, does Sir Rufus know about any of your plans?" And when the two didn't respond, Noah immediately knew Rufus was kept in the dark.