The Tyrant's Pet

Two years had passed in a blur for Isaiah and Sunny. They fled the scene that night, realizing Aries awakened her witch and the powers that came along with it had brought out the darkness that Aries kept within her for a long time. With everyone in the empire migrating to the world she created and trapping their spirits inside, Isaiah had to patiently wait until Aries and her new crew leave this place.

Since then, Isaiah had to make a choice.

And he chose to preserve everyone and everything, using most of his energies to maintain their bodies and the once-flourishing empire. He created dimensions within it. Hence, anyone who would step foot inside the empire would see different things.

Sunny was a great help to him since she had the blood of Grimsbanne and a trace of an ancient spell she got from her mother's blood. It was safe to say the two had built this close, familiar, and ally relationship during these two years.

The only downside of this was that Isaiah's movements were limited. He couldn't get news that was going outside the empire because if he leave the empire, the barrier surrounding the empire would disappear. Fortunately, Sunny was adventurous enough to go in and out of the empire to know the situation outside.

"Grandpa." Sunny climbed onto the bed where Abel was lying, poking his arm with her finger. "Just how long are you going to sleep? Grandmama is already getting married."

"He won't wake up even if you threaten him with real marriage news." Isaiah, on the other side of the bed, glanced at Sunny, who surprisingly didn't lose weight despite the lack of supply they had. She grew a bit taller and her facial structure slightly grew refined, though. "You've been in Maleficent's world that night. You knew how the structure of that spirit world is."

Sunny pursed her lips, revealing a deep dimple on her right cheek. "Do you think they will have a divorce once he wakes up?"

"That's the least of our concerns at the moment." Isaiah fixed his eyes on Abel's sleeping face. "We don't know what happened in the Spirit World that night. But what we're certain of is that they were aware they were trapped in that world."

He paused as his expression turned firmer. "That is something that would definitely anger him and those with him."

Inside the Maleficent World was not just Abel, but Conan, Roman, Morro, and many more. Isaiah didn't worry that Abel and those people would be in a stalemate with their enemies. Matter of fact, Isaiah was confident the battle ended that same night two years ago.

It was just that no matter what they would do, they wouldn't get out of Maleficent World.

"He must be dying of boredom," Sunny crooned, moving her little feet back and forth. She was cupping her cheeks, eyes on Abel's side profile. "I would too. I am barely surviving with Your Grace's company."

Sunny glanced up at Isaiah, who didn't care about her comments. "Your Grace, should we move them to the chapel and prepare a funeral for them?"

"Hmm?" Isaiah slowly shifted his attention to the little girl lying on her tummy beside Abel.

"Tilly, my brothers, and my cousin were already snooping around." A large and mischievous grin turned up on her pretty face. "I haven't felt my mother and father's presence, and I can only think he probably locked her in an inn for some quality time. But it won't take long before they reach the imperial palace. So, a funeral is a good theme for a welcome party and also a family reunion!"

Her brows wiggled playfully, knowing their wait wouldn't be that long. Soonest, the guests of the empire, whom Sunny had been waiting for before the downfall of the empire would reach where they were. She felt no rush, though. She waited for years, so she could wait for a few more hours or days.

Isaiah fluttered his eyelashes ever so slowly. "There is no need for that."

"Your Grace, you are so pretentious." Sunny blinked innocently. "You were angry that they allowed themselves to get trapped in her world and leave you behind here."

"I don't have spare funeral clothes."

Her grin stretched wider until her teeth were showing. "Just get something from Handsome Uncle's wardrobe."

Isaiah glanced up momentarily, recalling how he burned Conan's closet, where he kept the expensive clothes he kept bragging about. He wouldn't deny his frustration, and to release it, he burned Conan's clothes lest that would be enough to wake up the man. Obviously, that wasn't enough.

"I'll prepare your clothes!" Sunny jumped out of the bed giddily. "Handsome Uncle's house is very pretty — I never realize that until I went there. I thought the House Vandran was already luxurious."

"You don't have to —"

"I'll be back! Bye~!"

Isaiah watched the little girl skip her steps away from the Forbidden Mansion, where they kept Abel's body while the man was in deep slumber. A deep exhale slipped past his lips, shaking his head.

"Did she use me as an excuse again?" he murmured, keeping his eyes on the open door where she went without looking back. "It's not like anyone is stopping her to greet the guests."

Isaiah slowly shifted his eyes back to Abel's peaceful, sleeping face. Staring at his emperor, a mix of emotions dominated his face.

"I'm worried…" he dragged his feet away, stopping in front of the window. He faced the window, staring at the view outside, particularly at the border where a woman initially idled minutes ago. "I barely heard stories about the Grimsbanne and the Originals."

But the first original he met turned out to be a self-centered and crazy demon. If only Isaiah knew Marsella was just as bad as his gut feeling told him, Isaiah would've done something before things went south.

In other words, Isaiah didn't have a good impression of the Originals. First, Marsella. Not that Abel was way better. From another person's perspective, Marsella and Abel would just be pure villains. Hence, Isaiah didn't know what to expect from Mathilda Grimsbanne. Sunny reassured him this person was different, but at this point, there was only little credibility in Sunny's words since the little girl had confused words such as madness to normal.

"But a funeral, huh?" Isaiah hummed a low tune, turned on his heel, and then walked away. "Good thing Sunny taught me gardening. The coffin where I buried Hakebourne and Morro had grown beautiful daisies."