The Duke's Passion

Chapter 763 A hero in some eyes, a cruel villain in another's perspective.

"No one… will touch my land. Not under my watch."

With that being said, Heliot sauntered off without another word. As he left, Florence's grip on the quilt trembled as tears rolled down her cheek. This time, her tears weren't from fear or confusion, but because of anger and disappointment. That was the Heliot Von Stein she knew. If this was before, Florence would rather feel assured. After all, Heliot was a man of his words. Once Heliot gave his word, he would do it no matter what. But time reversed and there were certain things that left a crack in Florence's trust towards Heliot. "You… changed back then, brother," she whispered after some time, eyes still fixed on the shut door where Heliot left. "How did I not notice that?"

Florence bit her inner lower lip, recalling the time before she was crowned the empress. Back then, when Heliot first attended the founding celebration of the Heart's Kingdom and got acquainted with the Duchess of Grimsbanne, Heliot had changed. They thought Heliot and Lilou, the Duchess of Grimsbanne and also the former Empress before Florence, were developing feelings. Who wouldn't?

Heliot never exchanged letters with anyone in the past just as much as he exchanged letters with Lilou. Not just that, but Heliot had sent many gifts to Lilou, and he had also visited her a couple of times. Just the travel time Heliot spent to meet Lilou was enough to consider it a courtship. However, everyone knew Heliot and Lilou didn't end up exchanging vows since the Duke of Grimsbanne turned up alive. The officials in the land of Karo were worried back then — Florence had remembered that time. The thing was, Heliot's reaction wasn't what everyone had expected. Heliot wasn't broken-hearted or anything of the sort, but instead, he had always been in a great mood. Florence never met Lilou personally, but she knew the things she knew as she watched this side of the story unfold. Still, she couldn't deny that Heliot slowly became less and less insufferable. And because of that… he felt like someone who was within anyone's reach, unlike the untouchable man he used to be.

"Brother… you might not remember, but I do not want you to regret letting me stay," she whispered, loosening her grip on the quilt. "Moreover, that Butler, Fabian… is the only person who knew what happened that night."

*******

[ HEART'S KINGDOM ]

"Cassara, I am not in the mood to play word games with you. Tell me. Where did Hell go?" Silvia gazed at Cassara across from her. Her eyes were sharp while Cassara was reclining on her side, showing her lack of interest in Silvia's inquiry. Ever since Silvia regained her consciousness, she had been investigating the kingdom. Yulis didn't remember anything; it was the same with Dominique. Her hair would even raise whenever she would bump into Hanzel and the people she knew had died, but now well and just as vicious as before. Silvia had been careful and had acted almost the same as before. However, in front of Cassara, she wasn't. After all, Cassara definitely knew things Silvia didn't. Samael and his people were here months ago, and Silvia was certain they used Cassara's ability to retrieve Fabian's memories. She witnessed all that, which didn't make sense to her until Silvia mysteriously regained her memories. The problem was that Cassara would either give her a silent treatment or wouldn't meet her at all. If Silvia didn't force her way in, she wouldn't be sitting across from Cassara while the latter was lazing on the settee.

"Cassara!"

"You are so loud, sister." Cassara fluttered her eyelashes ever so tenderly, looking back at Silvia's burning eyes. "I don't know where the hell that man went and even if I know, why would I tell you? It's a good thing you retrieved your memories, but will you not implicate me with your personal dilemma?"

"Cassara, how can you be so relaxed after knowing this reversal of time? You know yourself this was a defiance of the natural order of this world and —"

"And then, what?" Cassara arched a brow. "Sister, aren't you being too much? I know you are surprised by this revelation. However, must you speak this way? Have you forgotten that I… had died?"

Silvia's breath hitched at Cassara's remarks, watching the latter push herself from her reclining position. The latter faced Silvia squarely, bearing a dull expression. "For you, this is a problem. But for me, it's a blessing in disguise. I do not know why I am back here, but what I do know is that all I want right now is to survive." Cassara leaned back, sizing up Silvia from head to toe. She folded her arms under her chest, smirking. "If you want to go and follow Hell, just kill yourself. For sure, you'll go straight to hell."

"Cassara —!"

"Silvia, I will repeat myself. I don't know where Hell went, and I absolutely don't care about him. However, I'll give you a piece of advice. If I were you, leave this place." A glint flickered across Cassara's eyes, keeping her smirk up. "Go somewhere far, far away, sister. Or else someone will come for you and deliver you to hell."

Cassara pushed herself up, walking around the coffee table that was separating the two of them. She then stood beside Silvia, planting a hand on her shoulder.

"Even if that person won't kill you…" she bent over to whisper in Silvia's ear. "... I will. After all, his memories were mine to bear, and if his memories managed to dominate mine, I will kill you for everything you had done the night of the regression."

Cassara scoffed as she straightened her back, looking down at Silvia's side profile. "He might've good control of his memories, but I don't. Remember the time I ventured that peasant's memory? She passed her craziness to me, and I hope that won't happen again."

"This is why I loathed Hell." She retrieved her hand from Silvia as she walked away. "All I want is to survive now, only for him to give me an ultimatum on when that butler's memories reign over me and lead me to my death."

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