The Duke's Passion

Another two days had passed since that talk with Yul. There wasn't much of anything unordinary that happened. It was the same, just like the past eight months.

"You're leaving?" I asked, gazing up at Heliot as I came to send him off. He glanced at the carriage behind him, and then eyes back at me.

"I had a great stay, and it is all thanks to you, Your Grace." A smile that didn't reach his eyes resurfaced on his face. "I feel renewed during my peaceful stay in here. If fate may allow it, I would like to come back and have a vacation."

"Vacation... that sounds so strange coming from you." I humored, shaking my head lightly. "Anyway, I hope you have a safe journey, your highness. If you plan to visit again, please let me know. You're always welcome in Grimsbanne."

Heliot raised a hand for me to clasp, which I did. "I will remember that." He bent over, planting a kiss on the back of my hand with his eyes on me.

"I will see you in a few months, Your Grace. I hope everything will go according to your plan." He remarked in a deep voice, straightening his back. There was a glint that flickered across his eyes — and my eyes.

"Don't hope, Your Highness. I will make sure it will go according to my plan." The corner of my lips curled into a smirk. We stared at each other for a moment before Heliot bid me his farewell. I watched the carriage gallop away until they were out of my sight. 

'That's right. I will make sure things will go according to my plans... although there were changes now.' I took a deep breath as my eyes sharpened, turning around as I walked back to the mansion.

"Call Yulis, Klaus, and Silvia. Tell them to come with me to a picnic and prepare my steed." I ordered to the butler who was standing by the doorstep.

"Yes, Your Grace."

Heliot's visit was the last thing that I had looked forward to before going back to the capital to fulfill my deal with Stefan. From today onwards, we could now focus on my return to the Capital. 

I promised to be that person's karma... as Karma, I would feed him his own virulent medicine.

******

Meanwhile, before Heliot's delegation reach the exit of Grimsbanne, he slid the curtain open. His eyes fixed on a certain direction — the direction of the hill where Lilou lived in the past. 

"She is a strange woman," he muttered, thinking that Lilou didn't end up asking how he found her. A smile appeared on his lips for no apparent reason. 

"But I am more strange to feel a little dishearten leaving this place." His eyes softened as her words previously still sounded appalling for him. To be happy for no reason, and sad for unknown reasons... things like that don't make sense to him. 

However, there was this minor part of him that was curious. What would it feel to be alive?

"I wonder... if she feels alive now that he had returned." His smile remained, withdrawing his hand from the curtain as he leaned back. "It was an interesting stay."

******

"Your Grace...? I believe we have a lot of things to do and this is not the time to have a picnic." Yul voiced out, casting me a look with eyes full of dismay.

I turned my head back while petting Bella's neck. "It's a good day for the four of us to bond. The servants had already prepared lunches. We can't waste their effort, right?"

"This is... too sudden," Silvia commented awkwardly, gazing at the baskets the servant prepared.

"Can you, at least, tell us if we're about to assassinate someone?" Klaus queried, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

I could not help but laugh at hearing their queries and seeing their faces. I had been thinking about this for the past two days and decided.

"I swear we won't do such a thing. Grimsbanne is clean — sort of. So --" I paused, mounting Bella and gazed down at them. "There are no people to kill in here, but they are a lot in a place I know."

"You don't mean to tell us we will..."

"No, Yul, no! The last thing I want to do is go to the capital." I clicked my tongue, checking the reins slightly. "If I were you, mount your horses or you might not catch up."

I cast them one last look and smile. "I'll let you three in a secret." and without further ado, I galloped away from them.

"Your Grace, wait — ah, shit!" Klaus yelled, and I knew he had hurriedly mounted his steed to follow me.

During the entire week, I had been thinking about this and my talk with Yul made me reconsider it. Since Heliot was gone and time was fleeting, I came to a realization that I needed to cook more alternative plans with everything laid on the table.

'Secrets are corrosive... Heliot is right.' I should've known it from the beginning, but I never regretted keeping these secrets. After all, another person also told me that to fool your enemies, you must fool those closest to you.

'But that tactic will come to an end now.' My smirked stretched broader, eyes glinting as adrenaline rush kicked in.

******

Meanwhile, in the royal palace of the Capital, Stefan gazed up at Dominique, who stood across from his desk.

"Heliot left Grimsbanne?" he inquired to confirm.

"Yes, Your Majesty. There were also reports that..." Dominique trailed off, hesitant to relay the reports he had received.

"That...?"

"That the Duchess of Grimsbanne and Prince Heliot are having an affair. It was said that they saw the Duchess with full of skin lesion." 

Stefan let out a low chuckle, leaning back. "She plays around with Yul, and now with the Von Stein..."

"She will still have to fulfill her deal with you."

"Of course." Stefan chuckled once again. "Once she returns here, she won't need those people anymore."

There was a long silence between the two. Stefan gazed at Dominique once again, his eyes fell on his empty sleeve.

"Don't strain yourself too much, Dominique. You only need one hand to yield a sword. You are dismissed." 

Dominique just bowed and left, but when he was by the door, he halted. "Cassara had been throwing a tantrum, looking for Princess Beatrice."

"Oh?" Stefan nodded with disinterest, while Dominique left a second later. Deafening silence immediately pierced his ears, looking at the window.

"Lilou... you really know how to piss me off."