The Tyrant's Pet

Meanwhile, in the imperial palace of Haimirich…

"How many years has it been?" Abel inquired whilst hanging his head low. His voice was low and weak as if he was barely alive or sane.

"How many years has it been when Aries left Haimirich?"

'So dramatic as ever.' Conan mentally clicked his tongue, standing by the door of a particular bathing area inside the forbidden mansion in the palace. He cleared his throat, putting his fist in front of his lips, ignoring the usual sight of blood and bodies inside the same bathtub full of blood where Abel was dipped into.

"Your Majesty, it's only been days since you returned to the empire."

"How many thousand days exactly?" Abel slowly raised his head, staring at Conan through his damped hair dangling down in front of his eyes. "Three thousand days?"

"Your Majesty, please don't tell me you're planning to go to the Maganti Empire again? Hadn't you heard the rumors going around the neighboring kingdom about a gigantic bat people sighted?" Conan frowned, having this strong gut feeling where this situation would lead once again. "Although we managed to control these rumors from developing by spreading information about the effect of this addicting drug, there were still those who were watching the sky, waiting for you to appear."

"Five thousand days? Or was it ten?" Instead of listening to Conan, Abel gazed down at his palms, which were covered with blood, counting how long it felt since he was with Aries. He knew it was just days, but the numbers he was spewing were what it feels since he parted with Aries.

"Ten thousand?"

"Your Majesty!" Conan bellowed while grinding his teeth, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "Fine! Let's just go to the Maganti Empire and see Lady Aries! My god! I'll burn this empire!"

Abel stopped as he slowly raised his head once again, setting his eyes at Conan while the latter threw a huge fit. He blinked his eyes, ignoring everything that was coming out of Conan's mouth, and just stared at how the latter's lips moved.

"Lance." His voice came out only above a whisper.

THUD!

Conan's eyes dilated as a hand suddenly covered his mouth from behind. He didn't even realize what was happening as the door behind him suddenly flew open, and before he knew it, Isaiah was already standing behind him whilst covering his mouth.

"Your Majesty, get a hold of yourself." Isaiah's eyes grew icy, ignoring the slash that resurfaced on the back of his ripped gloves and the blood that oozed from it. "This is Conan, one of your own."

Abel blinked his eyes ever so tenderly before his mouth fell open. "Ahh… it's Conan? Why would you want to burn me, Conan?"

Upon hearing Abel's question, Isaiah heaved a sigh of relief before he released Conan from under his grip. He glanced at Conan, catching his eyes that went round as he realized what had just happened. If Isaiah was a second late, not only Conan's tongue was cut but also half of his head.

"Your Majesty, did you just try to kill me?!" Conan gasped in disbelief.

"You said you want to burn me."

"No!" the poor Conan's complexion turned pale as his widened eyes barely blinked. "I said this empire! I don't care about it anymore! I am so done with the mountain of paperwork if you'll destroy it, anyway!"

"Ah… why would you do that to the empire? What would be our people's future if you do that?" Abel frowned, causing Conan's face to contort completely, rendering the latter speechless. "You should've told me you dislike your position. I would've given you a different role. Maybe my son would please you."

"…" At this point, Conan could only look at Isaiah in disbelief.

Abel literally snapped! Just now, he was going crazy about counting how many thousand days had it been since he last saw Aries, but now, he was speaking as if he was some sort of sage king.

Isaiah let out a deep exhale before setting his eyes back to Abel. "Your Majesty, your name is Eustass Silvestri Abel Bloodworth, the 56th emperor of Haimirich." He reminded the emperor, knowing Abel was currently having an identity crisis due to his distress in his insatiable hunger and Aries's absence wasn't helping.

Until now, they couldn't understand why Abel even proposed Aries's return to Maganti Empire if he was going crazy about it.

"56th…?" Abel furrowed his brows before he rocked his head in understanding.

There was a moment of silence as Abel closed his eyes and drew a breath. When he breathed out, he ran his fingers through his hair, brushing it back, revealing his abnormal left eye that had black sclera matched with his natural crimson pupils.

Unlike his desperate and pitiful countenance, his expression returned to his usual arrogance. He licked the lingering blood on his lips, smiling at Conan until his eyes were mere slits.

"Sorry about that, Conan." He laughed while raising his hand. "I didn't mean to harm you. It's a misunderstanding."

His sudden shift of mood caused Conan's nose to flare up. This time, he raised his sleeves as he advanced towards the man in the tub, only to get stopped by Isaiah, who simply placed a hand on Conan's shoulder.

"Stop stepping on my shadow. I'll really burn him this time!" Conan glared at Isaiah, as he couldn't move a muscle.

"You should calm down too."

"My, my. Conan, you should get yourself together! I know you miss my darling, but that is not the right thing to do!" Abel laughed playfully, warranting him a roar from the vexed Conan, whose eyes were slowly seeing just red.

The emperor was just too shameless! How could he speak as if Conan was the one who was insane here?! Well, Conan was about to lose it as well if he kept hanging around Abel. It was already an achievement he lasted sane this long.

Isaiah remained silent as Abel's waves of laughter and Conan's barking bounced across each corner of this room. When he let out a shallow breath, his lips parted.

"Didn't you say you will make a short trip to the Maganti Empire?" asked Isaiah, putting a halt to Abel's laughter and Conan's barking. His expression was still unreadable, but the shallow sigh that slipped past his lips and the disinterest in his eyes told anyone with eyes he felt like he was the only adult trying to make two kids happy.

"I need to make a stop in the Maganti to meet with Morro. You can tag…"

"Let's go!" Abel planted his palm on the rims of the tub and pushed himself up, revealing his unclad body covered with nothing but red.

"Kyah!" Conan squealed like a pig being slaughtered, shutting his eyes almost instantly.

"Oh, come on, Conan." Abel planted his hand on his hips, facing the two confidently butt-naked. "You don't have to be shy. You share the same genitalia as mine! Or are you perhaps a girl all this time? Can I see just in case?"

"Ughh!!"

"You're so emotional, Conan." Abel shook his head, seeing that Conan was confused about whether to cover his eyes or ears. "Anyway, this is not my idea. I'm visiting Aries because Isaiah is forcing me and needs my brilliant mind!"

He then pointed a finger at Conan. "Don't you berate me about being too irresponsible!"

The side of Abel's lips stretched from ear to ear, completely forgetting his woes minutes ago at the thought of meeting Aries once again. As Abel continued to tease Conan, Isaiah studied the emperor in silence and was certain of one thing.

Aries needed to be safe at all times. Even if they planned meticulously before she left the empire, according to his informant, something was brewing in the Maganti Empire. If it was as simple as human matters, he wouldn't concern himself with it.

However, with the coven, the council's strange silence, and Abel's lack of interest in the vampire matters despite having a vague idea of what was going on in the shadows, it alarmed Isaiah in a way it left this restlessness in his heart. It was better to be safe than sorry, and his priority was Aries's life.

'If she dies…' Isaiah glanced at the Conan who was breathing invisible fire and then at Abel who was laughing evilly. '… that will be his last straw. He will never regain control once again.'