The Tyrant's Pet

Conan stood outside the Rose palace, eyes full of worry. Last night was a disaster and a nightmare. Even though Abel suddenly went silent last night, everyone assumed it was because he snapped. Right... Abel shouting and going crazy was the first level of the emperor's craziness.

If Abel went silent all at once, that was dangerous. That only meant something bad was brewing in his head. Aside from that, Conan's genuine worry was Abel's well-being.

Who wouldn't?

Abel was the happiest around Aries. She was the emperor's breath of fresh air, the only woman... no, the only person in history who actually tamed Abel. Although she was human, Abel did things no one would ever think he would in this lifetime.

Not to mention the gradual change of atmosphere in the palace and the entire empire. Since Abel was so busy fawning over Aries, everyone could relax around him. They just had to remind him of Aries and everything would be flat out, avoiding the catastrophe named Abel.

Even Isaiah used Aries's name at least once or twice to get Abel to think rationally. In other words, Aries didn't just become Abel's pet but also everyone's shield without her knowledge.

Now that she left the palace, they could only think everything would be back to what it was used to... or worse.

"It will take some time for His Majesty to come out from there." Conan snapped his eyes and turned his head to his side upon hearing Isaiah's voice. "While he is wallowing inside the Rose palace, it is better if you work on the things he had to deal with so he wouldn't return with a mountain of paperwork."

"I think a mountain of paperwork is what he needs once he comes out of the Rose palace." Conan peeled his eyes away from the man standing beside him, setting his eyes back at the Rose Palace. He fixed his eyes on the particular balcony — Aries's room. They knew Abel was inside that room.

"His Majesty will need distractions, lots of distractions if he didn't want to chase after Lady Aries. He said he would, after a few months, so I have to make sure he will be busy for the following months."

"This is for the better," said Isaiah, staring in the same direction Conan was looking at. "Lady Aries is a smart lady. The more she stays in here, the more curious she will be. It'll be a shame if the person His Majesty was so fond of dies in his hands. You know very well how humans can be so fickle. They care for you one second, and then condemn you in a blink of an eye."

Isaiah's eyes glinted as he watched the glass door of the balcony open ever so slowly. "His Majesty shouldn't experience the same betrayal from humans again. Let's set aside his personal feelings, but he will destroy everything. The only reason he isn't doing that now is that he had forgotten his reason for establishing Haimirich in the first place."

Conan flashed a depressed expression while listening to Isaiah's remarks. He couldn't disagree with him, because what he said was nothing but facts. Abel's past was heart-wrenching that until now angered Conan whenever he thought about it.

Abel wasn't like this way back. He was kind like an angel, but alas... people condemned him because he was different.

It would be no different if Aries knew that. She wasn't lovesick enough for her to accept what even this world couldn't accept.

Aries simply wanted to survive, and Abel fell for her, knowing that. So, even if they turned the world upside down, Aries was her own person and they couldn't force her to accept everything, especially after all the atrocities inflicted on her.

"I hope His Majesty will find... peace...?" Conan trailed off as his brows furrowed, watching Abel appear on the balcony. Unlike what they expected, Abel leaned against the railings with a clear smile plastered on his face.

Isaiah also could not help but knit his brows, tilting his head in confusion. They assumed Abel wouldn't leave that room for days and stay in it doing nothing but talk to his own demons. However, right now, not only did Abel come out of the room, but he had this smile as if he had the best night of his life.

"What the...?" Conan mumbled, feeling a little anxious at Abel's good mood. "... why is he smiling from ear to ear? Did he forget about last night?"

He nearly jumped when Abel arched a brow and moved his gaze at them. To their surprise, Abel waved at them with his lips still stretched from ear to ear.

"Oh, my god... did he snap already?" Conan gasped in horror, staring back at the emperor on the balcony with hostility. They would understand if Abel would appear distraught or if he wouldn't appear for a week at all.

But this? Abel smiling? As if he was living the best days of his life? That was even more alarming.

"He's saying something. Shut up." Isaiah narrowed his eyes as Abel was mouthing something. "Breakfast?" he tilted his head, entirely confused at this situation.

"He wants breakfast?" he repeated in a questioning tone.

Before they could crack what happened for Abel to be in this great mood — as if he didn't stab himself repeatedly last night — they saw him crook a finger. Isaiah and Conan looked at each other briefly before walking to the garden where the balcony was at.

"Please bring me a sumptuous meal." Abel propped his jaw against his knuckles, gazing down at the two below the balcony. "And don't let people come to the Rose palace for a week. I want to stay here for a... vacation."

"Your Majesty, are you planning to set the world on fire??" asked Conan without beating around the bush.

"Conan, I am not that irrational." Abel frowned, making Conan look at him with disdain. "Although I might... some people let themselves known in my head, but I will deal with them later."

The side of Abel's lips curled up evilly, showing that he was thinking of something evil in his head. Whatever it was, his vassal knew it was not good... especially for those people he mentioned.

"Anyway, bring me healthy meals on time and even snacks that are rich in nutrients." Abel smacked his lips before he looked back inside the room. "Darling, you're awake?"

Abel just waved at the two outside, strutting back inside the room without another word. Meanwhile, Conan and Isaiah looked at each other once again before gazing up at the balcony. The former's eyes dilated as he heard Aries' hoarse voice even from this distance.

Conan gasped, covering his mouth with his palm. He couldn't speak a word as he gazed at the empty balcony blankly.

"It seems... Marquess Vandran purposely mislead us," Isaiah muttered, eyes still on the balcony. "I bet he was laughing whilst knowing we were worried about His Majesty. I will surely teach him a lesson next time."

"That abominable bastard...!" Conan ground his teeth, recalling Dexter's poker face while telling them Aries left the capital safely. "I will kill him!"