The Tyrant's Pet

<strong>[ Love is choosing the many things a person did right rather than the things they did wrong. True love does not keep the records of wrong. ]</strong>

<strong>******</strong>

"No, I am."

All it took was a question and an honest answer, and the turmoil in Aries and Abel's hearts ceased. The better tomorrow they kept hoping to come finally came, happily dancing in the present to welcome both of them home.

Two years… what a long vacation.

"You will be very busy, darling." The corner of Abel's lips stretched, wiping the tears that stained her cheek with his thumb. "You saved us the trouble of the tremendous journey, darling."

Abel smoothly turned on his heel, facing everyone sitting around the enormous round table. His lips stretched even wider until his teeth were showing.

"Can we add another agenda to this summit? You see, I promised my wife whom I married thrice to marry her in different countries, so annulling this marriage will give me a long grace period to win her heart back." A twinkle in his eyes shone. "Care to use that tiny little seal of yours to approve of our marriage?"

There was a moment of silence in the room, puzzled by what they just heard. Even Aries was confused momentarily, only to snap back to reality when Abel glanced over his shoulder.

"Your ideas and efficiency always amaze me, darling," he mused before setting his eyes back on the people. "Good work."

"That wasn't in my plan," she mumbled. "But well… alright. I'll take credit."

"Heh." A short chuckle slipped past his lips before his eyes slid to the corner, cocking his head back to cast Maximus a look.

"What are you all doing?!" Maximus snapped back from his trance, slamming his hands on the surface of the table. "

His voice was akin to a clap of thunder, snapping everyone back to reality. Everyone's eyes slowly widened while some of them glanced at the trail of red footprints leading to the door. A pool of blood was still by the door, alarming everyone to panic.

"What is the meaning of this, Your Majesty, the Queen of the Mainland?!" someone harrumphed, seeing an explanation for what he believed was a trap. Although everyone knew the risk of coming to another land under someone else's rule, there was a small part of them that believed in the queen's spirit and words.

"Oy… is this your first time attending a summit?" Abel arched his brow, cocking his head to the side.

"Presump —" the king, who was secretly another king's spokesperson to do the latter's bidding, halted when the king on his side shook his head. "Huh?"

At the World Summit, it was true that all the kings all across the globe would gather to discuss world affairs. It was the reason the wars had become less and less; the ongoing ones back then ended. All were settled in this gathering of the sovereigns.

But discussing affairs and peace was not the only thing that happened at the world summit. It was only a small part of the summit.

The highlight and main agenda of the world summit were to discreetly gloat about one's standing. Everyone in this room was the ruler of their own land. However, even in this place, there was a hierarchy. Those monarchs ruling prosperous and wealthy countries would remain silent, while those who were struggling would do their bidding.

In this case, those monarchs could directly get away from doing any diplomatic discourtesy. Some of them used this practice to make themselves appear good, playing bad and good cop. It was basically a game of wits to gain allies, get an upper hand, and establish their standing so no other king would come up with a silly thought of coveting what's theirs.

Those who had attended the summit previously could only think of one man who was able to manipulate the world summit and create waves if he so pleased.

That man standing over there, looking all dirty and haggard.

And one thing that everyone was aware of and was common knowledge to everyone was that, no matter how insufferable Abel was, one would want his favor than his wrath. Peace talks were pointless to him; he was the only person who would be crazy enough to wage a war over nothing.

"What happened, Your Majesty?" the king, who stopped his lackey (the other king) from offending Abel, inquired sternly. "Just now… I didn't know you. To be precise, I didn't remember Your Majesty of the Great Haimirich Empire."

The monarchs, who didn't meet Abel in the previous summits, couldn't help but furrow their brows. But alas, they couldn't raise a question, as the majority of them bore the same solemn and intrigue in their eyes.

"What happened?" Abel hummed and glanced at the fuming Maximus. "You can say I went on a vacation. The entire Haimirich went on a vacation and had the time of their lives spending day and night doing just whatever without any worry of starvation and the sort."

"My son attended as my knight." Another one chimed in, speaking through his gritted teeth. "The knights outside… did you kill all of them to get in?"

By his tone and the fierce look in his eyes, the man appeared as though he wouldn't hesitate to wage a war against Abel if the latter gave the wrong answer. Some of them held their breaths as they waited for Abel's 'confirmation,' as they also brought their most trusted and capable knight lest the summit would turn for the worst. None of them expected this type of worse called Abel, though.

Abel let out a short laugh and waved dismissively, propping his bottom against the edge of the table. He folded his arms under his chest, smirking.

"I need your favor and killing your people contradicts that! I still want to frame all our marriage certificates on the wall as our memento," he exclaimed in a knowing tone. "Don't look at me as if I don't have any notion of what manners are. The blood that I am willing to waste without even tasting is not your people or any of you, I assure you."

"I don't plan on committing any crime aside from one," Abel added, cocking his head back, and his eyes fell on Maximus. "A crime of passion. Hello there, my dearest best friend. Nice to see you alive and well. That only means you have a life I can end."