The Duke's Passion

761  The night of the regression V

The Emperor's Palace was no different from the previous ones Florence and Fabian went through. The hallways were filled with servants and knights, but unlike the bloody scene from the previous hallways, there was no blood around. It only meant they were simply unconscious. However, that didn't mean the scent of blood didn't waft into their nostrils. There was this distinct sweet scent of blood and the closer Fabian and Florence were to the Emperor's chambers, the stronger it got. Fabian's expression slowly grew darker, while the fear in her eyes amplified until Fabian kicked the door open. Both of them froze by the door as the aromatic scent of blood wafted in their nose. Florence covered her nose and mouth because the scent left this tingling sensation in her teeth. It smelled delicious. "You…" she snapped her eyes when Fabian spoke. Florence glanced at Fabian's side, seeing him staring in a direction. Her gaze followed where he was staring, only for her pupils to slowly go wide.

There, straddling the emperor's body, was… Silvia. Silvia was holding a knife tainted with blood. When Fabian's voice reached her ears, her trembling hands dropped the knife on top of Rufus's bleeding chest. She slowly raised her head, revealing the tears flooding her face. Fear and confusion filled her eyes as she fixed her gaze on Fabian. "Fabi…" she whispered, her lips trembling. "... I… don't know what happened."

Fabian's eyes darkened as a murderous glint flickered across his eyes. He raised his hand to the side, flexing his fingers as he call forth, "Maleficent."

Florence's breath hitched as Fabian disappeared right in front of her in a blink of an eye, only to see him standing beside the bed. His dark spear was pointing at Silvia's throat while the latter had her chin raised. "You don't know what happened…?" Fabian repeated with bloodlust laced in his dark voice. "Let me tell you what happened, marchioness. You snuck inside the emperor's chambers and stabbed him…"

His eyes fell on Rufus's chest. His brother's clothes had turned red, making his dark spear tremble. "... thirty-three times. He probably woke up the first time your blade went through his chest, but the first time was fatal. The rest that followed weren't. but they were enough for him to feel every pain as he bleed out to his death."

"Marchioness, I thought, since things are already peaceful… the prophecy will not happen." Fabian's jaw tightened as the veins underneath the back of his hand protruded angrily. "However, it seemed although the two of you didn't end up together, the prophesy eventually transpired."

Silvia's eyes, which were filled with tears, shone with a different type of confusion. She knew Fabian well; they got along well through the years. Therefore, she was confused why Fabian wasn't even surprised. The butler was furious; it was obvious in his eyes. Yet, he was rather calm, which shouldn't surprise anyone, since Fabian had always been calm. But this involved Rufus, and Fabian's calmness was strange. 11:20

Silvia's eyes, which were filled with tears, shone with a different type of confusion. She knew Fabian well; they got along well through the years. Therefore, she was confused why Fabian wasn't even surprised. The butler was furious; it was obvious in his eyes. Yet, he was rather calm, which shouldn't surprise anyone, since Fabian had always been calm. But this involved Rufus, and Fabian's calmness was strange. "Fabian, what are you saying?" she asked in a tiny voice, feeling the tip of Maleficent pressed against her throat. "No… what is going on? I don't know. I… I didn't mean to hurt Ruru."

Tears blurred her vision as she tried to remember how she got to this place. She couldn't remember, no matter how much she racks her brain. It was blank. All she could remember was going back to her senses when she heard Fabian's voice.

"I… killed him." Silvia looked back at Rufus, ignoring the graze on her neck when she did. Her mouth fell open as reality sank in. She felt his chest and his wounds oozed with blood, causing her hands to tremble uncontrollably. "No." She shook her head. "No, no. no…" Watching Silvia slowly wake up from a moment of haze and shock, Fabian's jaw tightened. He glanced at Rufus's side profile and then at Silvia's. "My lady," Fabian called, but Silvia was busy crying and stopping the blood from Rufus's wounds. Hence, he called louder. "Silvia!"

Silvia's shoulder stiffened, looking back at Fabian slowly. "Forget about everything," he muttered, gripping his dark spear. Fabian raised his blades and placed them on her forehead. He pressed it slightly until blood seeped out of her wound. Yet the blood seemed to be absorbed by his dark spear, producing a dark shroud.

"It is my fault for not dealing with you earlier. But the next time I do… I will definitely end you."

Florence gasped when Fabian suddenly thrust his dark spear into Silvia's head as if her skull were as soft as a watermelon. From her vantage point, she could see Silvia's dilated eyes as she stared at Fabian, and how those eyes slowly dim of life. When Fabian pulled his blade out, Silvia's body collapsed on the bed helplessly. Florence took a careful step back, staring at Fabian's back with utter dread. Emperor was dead, and he died in his sleep. Silvia, the empress' lady-in-waiting and also the Marchioness of La Lona March, killed him, and now she was also dead. There was no reason for Silvia to kill Rufus, and it was strange how Rufus died so easily. Rufus was the strongest knight. Hence, he would've woken up when Silvia came in here. Florence wanted to mistake this scenario for Silvia and Rufus having an affair, and things just went wrong. However, she knew Silvia and Rufus very well. Those two… wouldn't do that.

'Heliot's sister isn't as dumb as she looks.'  Florence froze when she heard a devious voice in her head, but before she could even do or speak, she felt her hand twitch. Her vision slowly blurred, and the last thing she saw was Fabian turning in her direction. She stretched her hand to him, but the next thing she knew she was falling to her side. And then there was just darkness. It was sudden. She didn't even feel any pain aside from this distinct tightness in her chest. That was the last thing Florence remembered before she woke up carrying these memories after Fabian abducted her while she was still a princess in Karo.

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