Chapter 241 - Dead And Buried
If Stefan still saw Lilou as someone whom he could dispose of any time, that images of the future wouldn't bother him. However, she's the only person who had given him warmth, and her death would give him misery more terrifying than his own death.
"Lexx?" Lilou called out, snapping him out of his trance. "I will go out for a walk. Come to me once you're done with your business with Lena."
Her voice was soft with a touch of loneliness. How could he take a gamble with both their lives at stake?
"Alright." Stefan nodded, letting her hand go reluctantly before hiding his trembling hand behind him.
Lilou stared at him for a moment, pressing her lips together before turning around. Before she left, she glanced at Lena and smiled meekly. The latter smiled back and bowed slightly.
"Your Majesty, are you sure you want to turn Lilou into a vampire?" Lena inquired as soon as Lilou left the prison dungeon. She was aware of Lilou's importance to Stefan, and Lilou's resolve to stay with him, so making this decision required more time to think over as she could die because of it.
"Lena, what do you think of Lilou?" Stefan asked, startling Lena, his trusted aide, who had been working in the shadows for him. "Do you think we should go with her decision?"
He turned around, facing the subject that just died, and had met the end of his sufferings. What would Stefan do if Lilou would be in this same situation?
Lena stayed silent for a moment before her lips parted. "Your Majesty, am I require to answer such a question?"
"Tell me," He muttered with eyes drooping. "What do you think of Lilou?"
"Lilou is a remarkable human, just like the Barrett brothers. She shared the same compassion as Rufus and bloodthirst like Fabian. But if you're asking me what I think of her as a person, I will say she is a precious friend." Lena answered with all honesty while staring at Stefan's back. "I enjoyed my time with her, but this may sound insolent and presumptuous, but I think it is wrong to take her with you, Your Majesty."
"Why, so?"
Lena took a deep breath and sighed, hanging her head low as her eyes softened. "Because she changed you, Your Majesty."
Silence enveloped the two of them and only the sound of a drop of water dripping from the cracks on the wall slowly filled the underground dungeon. Stefan couldn't deny that, as he had changed because of Lilou. He told himself to only use her to his advantage, but he found himself craving for her warmth.
The thought of losing that warmth and holding her cold hands… he could feel the pieces of his heart falling.
"I saw her future, Lena." Stefan raised his hand and stared at his palm. "Lilou… I will hold her funeral and grieve for her."
His fingers slowly curled as he clenched his hand into a fist. His eyes glinting with bitterness and sorrow.
Lena clenched her teeth tightly. "Then, will you let her undergo the process just as she wished?"
"The only reason this world become bearable is because she's in it," He muttered, taking a deep breath as he turned around and faced Lena. "Ten out of hundreds survived the experiments and we have yet to find the secret of successfully turning humans into vampires."
"Then…?"
"Until we find the answer, erase everyone's memories about Lilou," Stefan ordered without faltering. "That includes the Remingtons and the people Lilou knew in Banse."
"Your Majesty, are you planning to isolate her?" Lena asked in disbelief as she misunderstood the vague orders.
"You misunderstood, Lena." He let out a deep sigh, grinding his teeth momentarily as he swallowed down the slightest hesitation he had. "I want you to erase her existence on our side, and alter the memories of the people in Banse. Make them believe Lilou had always been there… without meeting me, you, or everything that had happened in the past two years."
"Your Majesty…" she trailed off while slowly balling her hand into a fist. "Are you saying you want me to erase your existence to her?"
"Until we find the answer, she will be safer if she stayed in Grimsbanne." Stefan turned around as he couldn't hesitate right now. He couldn't keep Lilou by his side for now if he wanted to continue his plans and seek the answers.
"I had to find Alphonse since he might know a thing or two. Also, I saw a premonition of Hell waking up." He uttered firmly, steeling his heart, as he had to decide the best method to do everything whilst keeping Lilou safe.
"Your Majesty." Lena's eyes slowly widened upon hearing his last remarks.
"Before Hell went into his slumber, he said something about the throne and something having a right for it." Stefan's eyes glinted menacingly. "Although our investigation says that Hell didn't affiliate with the other founding clans aside from Lara and the Bloodfang, he wouldn't say such a thing for no reason."
"Is it possible that the third prince means he will take the throne for himself?"
Stefan shook his head lightly. "He could've fought for it if he wanted to, but knowing him, he might've had something in his sleeve to agitate everyone. If he gets the wind of my affair with a human, he will surely go extra mile to use Lilou for his own entertainment."
Again, silence befell on them as another problem arose with Samael's possible awakening in a few years. Although Stefan had been preparing for it, he couldn't underestimate Samael's wickedness and otherworldly strength.
"Make preparations. I will take Lilou back in Banse." Stefan turned around and faced Lena once again. "I entrust this to you, Lena. I want no mistake."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Lena bowed with her fist across her chest.
He nodded in understanding, taking another deep breath as he convinced himself that this was the best for the both of them. Stefan then strode forward, walking past Lena, who stepped aside to make way.
"Destroy all evidence in this place." Stefan ordered, and Lena responded with resolve, "Yes, Your Majesty," before he went out to find Lilou.
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