Chapter 42 - Giving up his Dukedom

"Touch her and I will burn your whole kingdom. This is not a warning. It's a threat," Raymond shouted, tossing the prince out unceremoniously.

Fred, who was right out the door, caught him and carefully hugged him close. The prince to his surprise was too light. 'He is a teenager, after all…'

"You ... let go…" Dominic wiggled around with a shy look on his face.

"As you command, your highness," he lowered him to the ground and held pat the dust off his knees. "A kind reminder, your highness don't mess with our duke. He might seem kind-hearted but when the beast is out… you don't want to deal with it," he threateningly glared up at him.

The young prince scoffed. "The beast doesn't scare me at all. What scares me is death." he gripped Fred's collar and pulled him up to his face. "I don't want to die. I want to live eternally,"

"That sounds hypocritically coning form a person who has taken so many lives," fete pulled his slender hands off of him. "These young hands have claimed so many lives. I wonder what your punishment would be by the heavenly gods. Is that why you fear death?"

"che," he flung his hands off. "Gods do not exist, only kings do. And I want to be an eternal king!!" he shouted and ran through the corridor.

"I want to kill him." Raymond opened the door slightly and whispered.

Fred stood there, watching his slender back disappear. "He is still a child, your highness."

"I don't care, he hurt her," Raymond gestured for him to come on

They both settled down on the messy sofa.

"Looks like I have to source you a new work table," Fred mumbled, glancing at the broken pieces.

"enough… Fred.. I feel like the imperial family had gone overboard this time. They not only killed many but also tried to hurt her."

"Are you angry Dominic killed people or because he hurt her?,"

"Both!" Raymond plopped down, massaging his forehand. "Should I just kill him?"

"You can't. It will cause a political unrest and even more lives will be shed." Fred calmly poured him a cup of blood wine.

"What else do you suggest we do?" Raymond thanked him softly and took the cup.

Fred paused and placed the wine bottle carefully down. "We can leave."

Raymond, who was right about to sip the wine, froze. "leave? W—why…."

"Dominic and his father are obsessed with the factor of living forever. They will do anything to achieve it. Even hurting the ones you are find of… just like the instance with the pirates, it will continue to get dire."

"Finally, all might be lost," Fred glanced at him intently. "Do you want that?"

Raymond sighed loudly, hugging his head. "I don't… I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me…"

"Then let's leave. We can go to another kingdom and lead a peaceful life. Overtime Dom and his father would have forgotten all of their obsession,"

Raymond leaned back on the sofa, glancing at the wooden ceiling. "When I want to attach myself to a place, it never ends well…"

Someone or the other gets hurt because of him.

Just like yesterday.. Eloise got hurt because of him. Maybe it was the fate of a vampire for devouring innocent human blood.. Maybe it was predestined to be so.

Even his father and mother fell in love so deeply, but they were not able to live on. After his human mother died, his father lost his will to live and killed himself by walking in the sun.

Raymond glanced out the window. "I wish to just end it. But even sunlight can't hurt me…."

"Don't say that." Fred held his hands. "We can live peaceful in some village. I swear I can do farm work. I can grow potatoes and live happily," he proudly proclaimed.

"Your hands won't be able to handle even the slightest work," Raymond scoffed at him. "But you are right. The closer I am to her, the harder it will be to keep her safe from those annoying aristocrats and royals. I will just quit being the duke,"

They both chatted about not knowing that the door was slightly left open. A random maid heard their conversation.

The next day, a rumor went about that duke Raymond was going to give-up on his dukedom even before he took control of it.

The aristocrats on the ship all started to mummer about it loudly.

Even Eloise got to know of this news soon enough.

"This can't happen. I won't let it happen." She sat up and glanced at Odette. "Dress me in my finest."

The young maid rejoiced, thinking her master was finally giving her attention to a man. She swiftly helped her into a white dress and a thick coat to cover her shoulders.

Her white short bob stood was neatly combed. She did try to style it, but it was next to impossible. She just let it free, only tying a ribbon over her head like a head band.

"I'm done miss."

"Great," Eloise ran to the gold crate and picked up a roll of paper. "Odette wish me luck. If I success I will be the luckiest woman in the world,"

"Good luck miss~" Odette gave her a dazzling smile. Internally she was squealing how cute her miss was. 'Oh my god my miss is trying to woo someone. Finally she has taken in interest in a man. I wonder what their future children will look like,'

The little maid deluded herself into thinking that they were already a couple, but what she did not know was that Eloise was about to propose a huge business deal with the duke.