The Duke's Passion

Fabian swung his spear down, gazing at the multiple figures behind Zero. His eyes glinted as the corner of his lips curled up into a polite smile. There was no greater honor for him than getting this recognition from these powerful vampires. For them to come at him like this, only meant Fabian's presence was a threat. 

"I like it," he said in delight. "For you to come at me, I am flattered."

"Well, we cannot keep underestimating you, can we?" Zero grinned until his fangs showed. "Mister Butler, this is unlike you. From what I heard, an act of heroism is the last thing you will ever do, unlike that big brother of yours."

Fabian's smile persisted, watching Zero tilt his head as he glanced at the alarmed people behind him. Even though Fabian couldn't see the people's faces, he could tell that they were scared out of their wits. After all, Zero's aura changed. He could tell with just a glance that this man... had become ten times stronger from the last time he had seen him.

"Are you protecting them because of Lilou? That former fiance of mine surely never changed, huh? She still thinks she can protect everyone whilst putting herself in danger," Zero added as he turned his head in Lilou's direction before setting his eyes back to the butler. "Of all people, you're the last person I think will get influenced by her."

"I am simply following Her Majesty's orders. Nothing personal."

"Nothing personal?" Zero chuckled while shaking his head lightly. "Sure, sure. If that is what you want."

Everyone held their breaths as they instinctively took a step back. Fabian and Zero and his lackeys weren't saying anything, but the tension between them thickened; suspending the air around them. They were certain if they got too close, they would suffocate to death before any weapons could take their lives.

Omar didn't blink, eyes on Fabian's back. This was too much for all of them. Four against one? Although Fabian faced two opponents earlier, he had been fighting with them ever since. Not to mention, these people were even stronger. Just who was this butler for these people to come together to take just one opponent?

Zero lifted his chin up a little as his eyes drooped. "Take him."

As soon as those words escaped his mouth, the three figures standing behind him disappeared. They were even faster than the bearers and Acheron as everyone looked around to find them. Only a second later did they see three figures above the butler, while the latter stood still. 

Fabian slowly looked up, only to see three tips thrusting in his direction. He didn't move, nor did he show it alarmed him. Instead, his eyelashes fluttered ever so slowly.

"If you are coming at me, you should give your all from the very beginning," came out a whisper and disappeared inches before the swords pierce through his skull. All they had seen a second later was Fabian reappearing behind them, stabbing one man from his nape through his throat, sliding it up to his head as if a person's bones were as soft as tofu. 

Everyone's jaw fell down as they heard a soft thud. Two figures hopped back while Fabian stepped his foot on the dead man's back. Their eyes fell on the man's split head, making their hearts drop to their stomach. Not because it was too gory for them, but because of how things happened in a split second. 

Slowly, all eyes raised at Fabian and saw him stretching his neck leisurely. Jaime's mouth opened and closed, but he had already lost his voice at this point. He was already a noble vampire, but even so, he knew he wouldn't stand a chance against this butler. On the second thought, Fabian was the royal family's butler. So, of course, he wouldn't be normal. 

"That was fast." Zero clapped while staring at his dead shadow knight, but he wasn't surprised. "This is what happens if they go easy on you. I'm glad you're teaching my people a lesson."

"I will be holding a class soon. You can sign them up if you like." Fabian's smile persisted before he vanished and reappeared in front of Zero. "It's no fun if you just observe, Your Majesty."

Fabian swung his spear towards him, only to get blocked by the other two figures. This time, they were even faster after knowing sizing up Fabian's strength on the get-go was a mistake. This man's very tactic was his first move, and they fell for it. 

"Impatient, are we?" Zero smiled as the two pushed Fabian away. "Are you that in a hurry to kill me?"

"I'm just the type of person who goes after the root of the problem, Your Majesty."

"Make sense." 

"It will be efficient if you attack with them, though," Fabian advised, darting his eyes between the two figures standing guard on either side of Zero. "Or are you conserving your energy, knowing Her Majesty will come for your head?"

"Well, maybe you are right. I know she will get rid of those annoying ones, so I'd rather not exhaust myself since..." Zero bat his eyes and cocked his head to feel Lilou's growing aura. "... she will surely try to kill me this time."

Zero laughed, and as he did, those two figures dash in Fabian's direction once again. This time, the latter didn't idle as he knew these two wouldn't drop their guards anymore. So he fought them with everything he got, keeping him busy while still maintaining his other focus on those people.

Zero watched them clash, clapping in awe as this butler surely never disappoints. These two fighters were one of the best warriors in the Spade Kingdom, but Fabian was fighting them without getting overwhelmed. Among all of them, he was the only one who could see every movement. 

After some time, Zero tilted his head to the side and pressed his lips until the sides of it curved down. As he did, he raised his brows and set his eyes on the 'insects' standing on the same ground as him. He noticed that Fabian couldn't fight to his heart's content because his focus was split. 

"It's no fun if he doesn't show me everything," he muttered as the side of his lips stretched into a diabolical grin, staring at the distracted crowd. "Let's see."

His eyes drooped, keeping his smirk as he suddenly appeared in front of Jaime. Once his presence to them was known, Jaime, who was the closest to him, held his breath, wide-eyed. He slowly set his eyes to Zero like a rusty robot, frozen in place when he met the latter's eyes. 

"It seems your existence is distracting him." Zero carefully raised his hand and reached for Jaime's head. No one dared to run because they couldn't. Before this man, his aura alone was enough to subdue inferior vampires and humans like them.

They're dead, was what their mind told them. This time, for sure, they were dead. 

Just as Zero's claws were an inch away from Jaime's, he stopped. The side of his lips curled up into a smirk, turning around to see a small darkfield was created from a distance before it instantly exploded. Even from this vantage point, he could see the only person who came out alive of that darkfield, standing tall among the mountain of corpses with a gigantic scythe. 

"My... how lovely," he whispered, staring at Lilou as she ran her bloodstained fingers through her silver hair. She then tilted her head back before cocking it in his direction, eyes glowing in bright red. 

Zero licked his fangs because even in this distance, she was locking eyes with him. "I should have a taste of her before killing her. She always has her own strange way of arousing me." He leaped away when Fabian sent someone flying to his standpoint.

Zero gazed up, only to see Fabian's unblinking eyes with no trace of human emotion. "Oh? Did you hear me, Butler?"