The Duke's Passion

Chapter 87 - Cunningham

I was never a holy person. BUT, this blasphemy had shaken me to the core. All throughout our journey towards the distinguished Crawford Clan castle, the people praised my name repeatedly.

At this rate, my name would reach the heavens. I could only wait for the heavenly judgment to befall me.

To make things worse, Sam had been smiling the entire time. I glanced at him and that stupidly charming grin of his never left his lips.

"We should've taken a detour." I mumbled helplessly.

It felt strange to have an entire city calling your name. No, this entire Cunningham was a strange place.

It was entirely different from Whistlebird. That town was expected. I mean, what happened there was not entirely expected, but how the community followed the difference between humans and vampires was.

Or not.

Either way, Cunningham was something I would never forget. I might as well offer my neck to the king for this blasphemy.

Soon, our carriage stopped, and the cheering from the outside subsided. Fabian knocked from the outside and informed us we've arrived.

"You hear that?" Sam turned to me with a grin.

He seemed thrilled about all this. I'm not.

"Didn't you dislike the Crawford?" I raised my brow. "What's this sudden change of heart?"

"Don't worry. They're kind folks. They won't hurt you." Sam reassured as he smiled until his eyes squinted into a thin line.

"If they're kind folks, why did you dislike them?"

"Because they're people, I'm not fond of." Sam answered almost immediately.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "I doubt."

Their enthusiasm and quick change of heart bothered me. If they were as what they call themselves worshipers of hell, how they suddenly sing praises to my name only told me how shallow their beliefs.

This was just… ridiculous.

"Come, Holy Lilou." Sam teased, offering his hand for me to clasp.

"You're enjoying this, huh?" My tone was flat as I slipped my fingers in his hand.

"Heh. I finally got rid of some annoying devotee after hundreds of years." Sam chuckled as he escorted me out of the carriage.

"You got rid of that problem and I inherited it." I muttered.

As soon as we hitched outside the carriage, several people wearing strange white and black uniform welcomed us with a bow. Unlike the Remingtons', whose hair shared the same stroke of red mixed with black, the Crawford had this jet black hairs.

"Thank you for accepting our invitation, Your Highness." A youth greeted politely.

He seemed younger than me. Was he a vampire as well?

When he raised his head and set his eyes on me, they suddenly twinkled. I stepped back, taken aback at his emotional eyes.

"Your Grace, we are very pleased to meet you." The youth expressed as he slowly bent down on his one knee.

Just like what the youth did, everyone with him went down on their knees.

"Sam…" Instinctively, I clipped my fingers on Sam's sleeve and shrunk beside him.

Sam cocked his head to me and offered a kind smile. Stop smiling. This felt very weird.

"I'm Cameron Crawford, the marquess of Cunningham. This humble one will be at your grace's service." The youth, who turned out to be the Marquess of Cunningham, expressed.

But wasn't he too young to be in that position? Even though he's a vampire, I still could not help but judge him by his youthful appearance. Its human nature.

"I hope you find your stay here comfortable." Cameron expressed sincerely.

He should stop doing this if they truly wished me a comfortable stay. I glanced at Sam, and I could not help but glare at him.

He's so happy that he had sold his bride. A sigh slipped past my lips. I should start questioning this love between us.

Just as I waited for more formal pleasantries, Cameron said nothing anymore. Instead, they remained kneeling with their heads hung low.

"Huh?" My brows furrowed as I turned my head to Sam.

"They will kneel there until you tell them to rise." Sam explained in a knowing tone.

Were they truly giving someone they haven't known that power over them?

"If I were you, I would let them kneel until sunrise. If you do, they won't bother you until we set off."

Sam added, nodding in agreement with his own statement. Hearing him state such cruel words made me pity the Crawford.

How could they worship Sam…?

Ah… they're kind folks... that's why Sam disliked them. Somehow, I finally got his point.

Sam was the type of person who liked freedom the most. He did things because he wanted to. However, the Crawford's were the kind of people who willingly and extremely bind themselves in this stuff.

We're truly slaves of something to move forward, huh?

A subtle smile resurfaced on my lips. "Please rise. Thank you for your warm welcome."

Since Sam told me they're "harmless" folks, I don't see the point of being cruel to them. Their mean and fickle, religious hearts might be strange, but part of me grasped the founding idea of Cunningham.

"Thank you, Your Grace." Cameron smiled as soon as he stood on his feet. "I know you had a long journey. Why don't we go inside our humble abode?"

I glanced at the enormous castle behind them. That's not what you call humble abode. That's bigger than the Duke of Whistlebird and the mansion of the Duke of Grimsbanne.

But before I could accept their invitation, I snuck a look at Sam, who looked proudly at me. And then shifted my attention to Fabian, who bore his usual smile.

If these two weren't refusing, that only means it was alright, right?

"We're in your care, Lord Cameron." I agreed politely.

Expectedly, Cameron's face brightened up as his eyes twinkled once again. I could not help but think that his eyes were like a night sky full of stars whenever they twinkle.

They're beautiful.

"Please." Cameron beckoned as he led the way. The other clan members stayed behind as we headed inside the castle.

As we headed in, Cameron had briefed us about the history of this castle. I didn't pay attention as I looked around.

Paintings hanged on the concrete walls. Although the castle was huge, it wasn't furnished inside. I'm only grateful that it had a generous amount of torches that gave us this place a warm and bright ambiance.

"It had been hundreds of years since blessed this place with his presence. But now, not only we had to be graced by Hell's presence but also our new Goddess." Cameron's tone grew gentle. He sounded so happy and satisfied, it was contagious.

However, the more Cameron talk, the more question rose from my head.

"How did I become someone important here?" I queried without my realization. I only realized my words when Cameron stopped and faced me.

"You were chosen, Your Grace." Cameron smiled subtly.

Confused, I glanced at Sam who stood beside me and then to Fabian standing behind us. They seemed they already knew about what Cameron was saying.

"Chosen, by who?" I queried, out of curiosity. I still didn't know if talking casually to a marquess was rude. But it didn't seem he mind.

"By the founding leader of the Crawford, my lady."

"???"