The Duke's Passion

Three years ago, when Lilou took the hit for Samael, she died. Yes, she died. It was a fatal attack that would kill a powerful, pureblooded vampire. Hence, the slash across her back was a wound that wouldn't heal, losing too much blood.

Samael didn't speak a word after that and carried his beloved wife in his arms and walked back to their house. Even the cries of the people who fought alongside her didn't stop him — those brave citizens who took up their weapons even dropped to their knees at the sight of the emperor with the empress in his arms.

Her blood left a trail on her husband's path.

That night... everyone had believed Her Majesty's death also ended the seemingly endless night of terror. Everyone could only watch the emperor's back as he headed inside the estate, carrying Lilou in their bedroom to rest.

Thanks to Heliot and Rufus, who forced themselves to carry on, cleaned up the matters in the south. With the emperor's absence, because Samael didn't leave the room for days, the two joined hands along with Samael's other vassals to resolve the matters of the almost ruined fief.

Unity never happened on the continent as schemes and opposition often take place. But the south proved that unity was possible. Those nobles who held power and influence across the south lent their knowledge and cooperated with the young earl to recover their losses.

One week has passed, and Minowa was slowly recovering. But alas, not a single word was heard from Samael. Even Law, who woke up a week later, could only stand in front of his parent's door, staring at it with eyes full of worry. He heard everything, but he didn't want to believe a single word.

But Law couldn't muster the courage to enter this room. He didn't have the courage to see what he would see inside. He didn't have the heart, nor was he prepared to see her mother lying on the bed once again.

"Mother..." came out a tiny voice, planting his palm on the door that separated him from his parents. "Father..."

Meanwhile, inside the room, Samael was sitting on the armchair beside the bed. There lies Lilou, his beloved wife. His eyes were blank, staring at her, barely blinking. After he carried Lilou back to their room, he cleaned her up. The water in the tub even turned red as he cleaned her, even the dirt stuck on her fingernails.

Days later, she still hadn't woken up, and he just sat there for days. Samael knew she would never wake up again, but he was still waiting for the impossible miracle. He held onto that tiny hope she would fight death itself — even though it was ridiculous.

"Law is outside," came out a dead voice, breaking the suffocating silence inside the room. "Our son... is outside waiting for you to play with him."

Lilou didn't answer... just like how she didn't answer his cries on the first night. Samael hung his head low, gazing at his trembling hands as his elbows rested on his legs.

He could still feel her. His hands could still feel the weight of her body and how the warmth of her body slowly slipped away from her. He could still remember how she slowly grew cold under his grip, forcing him to stop touching her with the fear of feeling her stiff body.

"It's my fault," he whispered, burying his face with his palms. "She can't... die."

Another night had passed with Samael grieving and blaming himself, thinking of ways to resurrect her. He even thought of finding witches to bring the dead alive, but he couldn't think of any witch he knew as he killed everyone he had met in his long life.

Samael racked his brain day and night, losing count of how many days that passed. Sometimes, he would feel his people's presence outside the door, but no one aside from Rufus and Ramin had enough courage to speak from outside the door. Whatever they reported to him, nothing registered in Samael's head.

He treated all the reports as noises he would constantly hear.

Until one night, Heliot finally visited him with Fabian. Heliot didn't stay outside, but knocked on the door and asked permission to enter. Although he didn't receive any permission to enter, he still did. As soon as he stepped foot inside, his eyes landed on Samael's distraught figure and the dead lying cold on the bed.

Unlike when they put Lilou to slumber, she looked pretty much dead. She was just as white as the sheet without a sign of life in her. One could tell she was already dead — although a pleasant scent of flowers mixed along with the scent of the dry blood.

"Your Majesty," Heliot spoke to gain Samael's slightest attention. "I knew Rufus and Ramin had been reporting to you about the matters of the south, but I came here because... Her Majesty needs a proper funeral."

No answer.

Heliot glanced at Fabian, who was staring at Samael's back in silence. A shallow breath slipped past his lips before setting his eyes back on Samael.

"If you keep her here, she will soon rot," he added in a solemn tone, knowing this could trigger Samael. "She deserves to lie in peace. Give her people a chance to grieve for the death of the mother of the nation."

Samael batted his eyes every so tenderly. "Heliot, one more word, and the people of the Karo Kingdom will grieve for you." His voice was dead and empty, but one knew it wasn't just an empty threat. It was Samael's leniency for giving him a heads up. Heliot knew next time, Samael wouldn't just speak, but take action.

But that wasn't enough to stop him. Samael was the emperor, and they had reached this far. Therefore, they couldn't stop.

"Her death..." Heliot trailed off as a hand suddenly grabbed his neck, lifting him up with one hand like he was nothing.

"I guess you didn't want your head attached to your shoulders anymore, Heliot." Samael's eyes, which bore absolutely nothing, gazed at him. Life or death meant nothing to him anymore.. Power? Duty? The only reason Samael took up the job of the emperor was that he wanted to protect his beloved wife.