The Duke's Passion

Just as what Samael ordered, Ramin prepared a carriage for them. Charlotte and Ramin stayed outside so the father and son could have some privacy together. Although they simply wanted to avoid the young master's questions. 

Inside the carriage, the young boy gazed at his father, who sat from across him. Samael's demeanor was relaxed as ever, looking out the window without a trace of panic or worry. He could not help but wonder what was going on inside his father's mind most of the time.

"What will you do if Mother is arrested?" asked the young boy, out of plain curiosity. "You can't fight back."

Samael slowly peeled his eyes away from the window to his son. "Pay them money?"

His son frowned in disappointment. Samael couldn't blame his son, though. Since having him, he tried not to cause trouble for anyone. His son's existence was his constant reminder that he couldn't act rashly anymore. So, if he could resolve things peacefully, he would choose that path.

So far, Samael had survived with that method. 

But his son had a short temper. He didn't like when his father wouldn't fight back, even when someone spilled a drink on him. It annoyed him that his father would let things slide, even when other nobles mocked him for being a rich merchant without a noble status.

The young boy wanted his father to teach those people a lesson, but Samael was a 'coward.' He could only assume that his father fought no one all his life. That Samael only looked intimidating, but actually couldn't land a punch. 

"Father, what if someone hurt Mother?" the young boy threw another question. "Will you also pay the person who hurt Mother? or will you bribe Mother so she wouldn't be in pain?"

Samael pressed his lips together. "Your mother won't get hurt."

"How can you say that?" his frown disappeared, replaced with a dead expression not suited for a child his age. "Father, your money can't protect us all the time. You are kind and I admire that, but there should be a limit to kindness."

"I didn't know my son see me as a kind person." A smile resurfaced on Samael's face, hearing how his son viewed him. 

"And a coward."

Samael's smile died down just as fast as when his bright smile appeared. He gazed at his son solemnly, and the young child looked back at him sharply. 

"Father, you should change. There is a limit to a person's kindness and there are situations that money can't help. I do not mind if other people mocked us for not having a noble status, but I won't just sit still if they hurt my mother's feelings." The child expressed solemnly while staring into his father's eye.

A subtle smile resurfaced on Samael's face and nodded. "You are quite smart, son. But violence is not an answer to everything." 

'Because if it is, we wouldn't be in such a situation,' he continued the rest of his words inside his head as the carriage soon stopped, and Ramin stood outside the door.

"Master, we've arrived at the Earl's estate where two girls were said to be taken in," Ramin announced as he opened the door for them.

The young boy gazed at Ramin and then cast his father a quick look. His brows furrowed when he caught the menacing glint that flickered across his Samael's eyes.

Samael hitched outside first and then helped his son. He didn't let go of his son and just carried him in his arms. The latter kept looking at his father, but he couldn't trace the danger in his eyes anymore.

"Ra, are you sure they had taken them to this Earl's estate?" he inquired, turning to Ramin, who was walking beside them on the long pathway.

"Yes, Master."

"Where is the maid?" asked the little boy, looking around, but the maid wasn't with Ramin. 

Ramin sported a forced smile and chuckled awkwardly. "She will look after the carriage."

"Now we're minus one." the Child frowned and looked at his father. "This is the Earl's estate. It's already a surprise to come in here without an invitation. The guard has some guts to accept a bribe to let us enter."

Ramin bit his tongue as he glanced at Samael. Actually, they bribed no one. Charlotte was just in the guardhouse and tied the guards to let their carriage pass through. It was a good thing it was Samael's job to explain this to his son.

"Aren't you friend with the young earl?" Samael quirked a brow as he cocked his head to the child he was carrying. "That's why you keep running away and coming back since the young Lord can't go to your meeting place."

"How did you know that?"

"I saw him the last time while he was being dragged back to this place."

The young boy frowned, forgetting his inquiry about Charlotte and the 'bribery'. Samael guessed it right. His son was good friends with the young Earl. Unlike his son's almost carefree life, the young Earl's life was very strict with Jaime Malum as his political advisor.

"I wanted to take him away from here. They weren't respecting him or considering his decision at all," the child mumbled as he snapped his tongue in annoyance, recalling his friend's situation. "The south should follow how the northerners do it. I heard the young prince of the royal family, who is also an Earl in the North Monarey, had all absolute control over his land. But in here, the Malum's control everything — even trying to take control of my friend's life."

A faint chuckle slipped past Samael's lips, ruffling his son's head. "Your friend will learn how to fight back. Being in power is not as easy as it looks and sounds on the outside. There are a lot of greedy people, and your friend is doing a good job keeping his ground."

"Father, you speak like you know everything when we don't even have a noble status."

Ramin could not help but cough in his own saliva upon hearing the young master's claims. He nearly choked when Samael glanced at him, feeling the sudden wave of chill running down his spine with just the gaze.

"I didn't need status to know that, my son." Samael shrugged, and they soon reached the entrance of the estate. 

The young boy looked around and could not help but furrow his brows. The entrance was oddly deserted, but he assumed it was because it was already late in the night.

"Ramin, open that door for me," Samael ordered, and Ramin looked at him with questioning eyes. So, Samael had to specify just in case Ramin planned to break the entire door.

"Gently."