The Duke's Passion

Chapter 733  I'll see you in Spade

[Back in the residence]

"Good night, Law." Lilou smiled at Law after tucking him in. She just finished one story for him, brushing his hair with her fingers gently. "Good night, Mother." Law smiled back, holding the end of the quilt over his shoulder. Lilou was wearing a smile on her face, but for someone who had always looked at his mother, Law was able to discern the difference. "Is there something wrong, Mother?" he asked without beating around the bush, making her brows raise. "You can tell me if something is bothering you."

Her eyes and smile grew gentle. "Do I worry too much before as well? How can you be so mature at your age?"

"Mother never worries me, but I know when she's upset."

"You..." A shallow breath slipped past Lilou's lips. "I feel ashamed that my ten-year-old son is offering his ears to listen to my dilemma."

He shook his head. "Mother is also my friend. She is my mother, but she is also my best friend. That's what you always tell me, so whenever I need a friend, Mother will be there to listen as a friend."

"She really sounds amazing, doesn't she?"

"Yes."

Lilou just smiled and ruffled his hair gently. Her son's eyes twinkled with anticipation and eagerness to listen to her, but Lilou decided to keep it to herself. Even though she didn't recall what she had told Law before the regression or how she raised him, Lilou knew deep in her heart that she wouldn't burden her child with the problems of the adults. No matter how mature and keen Law was, he was still a child. "Nothing is bothering me. I was simply tired and only came here to put you to sleep, and then I will return to my room to rest as well," she explained. Not that she was totally lying. Lilou was exhausted from last night and this morning's activity. She only snuck out of her room to put him to sleep, but she planned to return to her room right after.

"Come on, my sweet son." She fixed the quilt once again and smiled broader. "Sleep now, alright?"

"Mhm."

Lilou stared at him for a moment before leaving the edge of the bed she was perching on. As a routine, Lilou went to the stands to blow out the candles. She went from one to another, blowing the candles until there were only a three left to keep the room dim. Once she finished, Lilou glanced at the bed one more time and smiled upon seeing his shut eyes. When Law heard the faint click of the door, he turned his head to make sure Lilou left. Propping his elbow against the mattress, Law pushed himself to sit upright. "Tilly," he whispered, turning his head in the balcony's direction. "What is she doing at this hour?"

His eyes didn't bear any sense of urgency, but they bore worry. He kept staring at the entrance of the balcony for as long as he could as if that could help him see what was going on. "Sunny..." came out another whisper, frowning. "What is that girl doing now?"

*****

Meanwhile, in Stefan's chambers...

Stefan was standing in front of the window with his hands behind him. His gaze was also lost in the thick darkness ahead.

"Mathilda Grimsbanne..." he whispered. His expression was solemn. "Surely, their bloodline was on an entirely different level."

His throat bobbed, still sheltering this lingering feeling he felt for a brief second. It was brief, but until now, his heart was thudding against his ribcage. The sudden burst of aura and inexplicable power left a deep impression and even if it only lasted a split second, one would remember the dread it left.

"Just what does she think she's... ah." He snapped his eyes ever so tenderly. "There's only one person who isn't here that she claimed as her friend."

Stefan drew a deep breath, closing his eyes. When he reopened his eyes, a glint flickered across them. "The king had fallen, huh?" his jaw tightening, clutching his wrist behind him tighter. "They are... moving and gaining results quite fast. I'm afraid at this speed, we might fall a step behind and that is already dangerous."

His reflection on the window glinted, growing clear in his eyes. Stefan looked at his solemn countenance and then caught a figure standing behind him in the darkness. Despite that, his expression didn't change, nor did he move an inch from his spot. "When will you visit me with your physical body?" he asked, eyes fixed on the figure the window was mirroring. "I had told you everything you need to learn. I need to hear your response, Alphonse."

Silence was the only response he received, but Stefan was used to it. He wasn't even surprised, since Alphonse would send his shadow to Stefan only to watch him in silence. Maybe to mock Stefan or observe him; either way, Stefan didn't mind knowing that his brother was still alive. "Alphonse..." he called after minutes of silence, letting out a deep exhale. "Let us... follow our heart in this lifetime. You might see me as a hypocrite since we didn't go back to the time when everything went down."

Stefan paused, thinking about everything he had done for years. If he could reverse the time, he would've reversed it to the time when they were still peaceful. To the days their common enemy was their father and not each other. Because Samael and Stefan might be acting cooler with each other now, Stefan couldn't erase the things he had done before this. "Lucia and Dyrroth... still died in our hands. We took that child's parents and we do not have an excuse for that. It was the same with the massacre with the Bloodfang, Lara... and the list goes on." His eyes softened and were filled with bitterness. They only returned for ten years, but ten years... was still too short to erase what they had done for centuries. "Even if they had seemed to forgive us, they would never forget. Let's repent and die without regrets... brother."

There was another long silence that dominated the chambers once again. He wasn't expecting anything in particular, since Stefan couldn't force his change of heart on others. But when another minute had passed, his brows rose as the shadow spoke in a rasped, deep baritone.

"I'll see you in Spade."