The Duke's Passion

Over two years ago...

It had been a month since I woke up from yet another short slumber. This time, I was only dead for eight months. Yes. Dead. My existence was surely a blasphemy that broke the natural law of order in this world. But alas... I didn't care about that anymore. What mattered to me was I had more chances to spend time with my family.

"So, that's what happened." I nodded as Sam was explaining what happened to the empire bit by bit. A week after I woke up, Sam explained to me what happened to us, where we were, and who was my savior. Since I was a bit weak, he didn't want to bombard me with new information. So, we were taking it slow and steady. One information at a time.

I glanced at Sam, who was sitting on the chair beside my bed. "After I died, Heliot proposed to meet Tilly?" I asked for confirmation, seeing him nod as a response.

"Sam, if you rushed in the mainland, how about the empire?" I asked in worry, even though I knew this could put him off in a way. "Without an emperor, how about your people?" Sam raised a brow, making me press my lips into a thin line.

"I'm just a bit worried. This is not like in Minowa, where you can live a double life. We're not in the Empire anymore," I explained, just in case.

Sam let out a deep sigh. "I didn't want to make your head hurt with more information, but don't worry about that. We proceeded with our plan."

"What plan?" I tilted my head to the side, blinking curiously.

"My plan when you were in your five-year slumber, love. Didn't I tell you the reason Law didn't need to know about being a royalty?" he asked in a knowing tone.

"You did say 'because there's no need for him to live the life within the palace rules.'"

"Exactly." Sam nodded, leaning back against his chair comfortably. "Law didn't need to since I already had an heir."

His words somehow made my brain freeze. "What?"

"I didn't tell you because it's too early to give you a shock, but we have another son, you know?" Sam averted his eyes as he shrugged.

"We... what?" the space between my brows wrinkled as I tried to make sense of the words he uttered. Sam already had an heir? That was why he kept Law in the dark? Wait. What? He said, "we" had another son. I gasped while gazing at him in dismay, hand across my chest.

"We have another son I didn't know about?"

Sam stared at me for a moment before he sighed. "It's not like you didn't know him..."

"Sam." I scoffed, having all these ridiculous ideas hovering over my head. "Don't tell me we had a twin? And you simply chose to keep one and let the other carry the burden of the throne? Oh, my goodness, Sam!"

Before I get too emotional about the silly conclusion my brain was coming up with, Sam's lips parted that stopped my brain from working altogether.

"Rufus," he said, along with a deep breath. "I adopted Rufus and registered him as the emperor and empress's first son."

"...."

"We simply improvised your first plan before your slumber. Vampires wouldn't easily bow down to anyone, especially to a human. That is why, while I was the emperor, Rufus had to make his name known. I made sure all his victories would be heard across the continent; that people would see him as a hero while enemies would fear his name," Sam explained in one breath, pausing to take a swallow. "But despite Rufus' merits in the first five years, it wasn't enough to convince everyone that he is suited for the position as the emperor."

"But the battle in Minowa gave Rufus more reasons why he should lead, taking the last step towards the crown," he continued solemnly while I gazed at him wide-eyed. "A good story with evidence is something no one can discredit. Rufus challenged Zero, losing his eye during the intense battle, but still stood victorious. With Rufus winning against a powerful pureblood, the noble vampires could doubt and challenge him all they want. But after that fight, I'm two hundred percent certain Rufus was stronger than before."

All I could do was listen to Sam's explanation, but I couldn't voice out my thoughts. Actually, even if I had the voice to speak, this rendered me speechless. He was saying, from the beginning, Sam and Rufus already planned to transfer the power to him?

And all this time, I was Rufus's mother in our family registry?

"Heliot finally acknowledged Rufus as well. So, it was easier to appoint Rufus as the crown prince," Sam continued to explain what he did until Rufus eventually became the emperor as Rufus La Crox, the first son of Samael Vaughnn Caecilius La Crox, and the late Empress Lilou Bloodfang.

In simple words, with the death of the empress, the emperor, who couldn't accept this, decided to enter an eternal slumber. The previous emperor, Samael, retired early and passed his authority to the crown prince, Rufus. No one heard about Law and those selected individuals who knew about Law promised to never speak a word.

That was the story about how Sam and I ended with a lot of people in the Great Heart's Kingdom. A wonderful story that ended with tragedy for Sam and I lived in the harsh and cruel reality. But not known to many, Sam and I and our growing family settled down in a place where we're not important people with duties.

The kind of life just like... what we had in Grimsbanne.

A subtle smile resurfaced on my face as I looked at Sam. "It's funny," I muttered, watching his brows elevate in confusion. "That the two of us returned to the beginning."

"Hah... the beginning?" he chuckled while cocking his head.

I nodded, taking a deep breath as I peeled my eyes away from him and set them on the window. "From the beginning, Sam. We're back to Grimsbanne. Not the same Grimsbanne, but in the end, we're back to Grimsbanne."

I heard him chuckle and his gaze on my side. "I know, right? Maybe Grimsbanne was already a premonition that we will end up living in the Grimsbanne Territory."

"Anyway, if I see Ruru again, does that mean I am his mother?" I looked back at him and sighed helplessly. "Our first son is even older than me, love. Did Law know this now?"

"He was excited. You'll be surprised how he loved calling Rufus his big brother. I am on the verge of regretting adopting him, honestly." Sam frowned as he recalled an unpleasant memory.

I chuckled, as I could imagine.. "Well, all decisions had their own consequences."

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