The Tyrant's Pet

"Isaiah."

Abel walked away from the throne hall with a child on his leg as an accessory. As he marched through the hallway, he called Isaiah, and the latter appeared out of nowhere from behind the emperor.

"Where's Conan?" asked Abel without looking back. His steps didn't falter as he headed straight to the emperor's palace.

"He went home to enjoy the last day of his freedom," Isaiah reported, as he had made sure Conan wouldn't approach the imperial palace. His eyes then fell on the little girl, clinging to Abel's leg. "This girl...?"

The little girl looked back at Isaiah and smiled adorably. But her charms didn't faze the coldhearted duke.

"She's the one who attempted to rename Haimirich to Chocolate Empire. Make sure to charge her with treason," Abel explained, treating the little girl with utter nonchalance.

Isaiah wasn't compassionate enough as he tilted his head down. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Grandpa will kill me?" asked the little girl, blinking her doe eyes adorably.

"No." This time, Isaiah was the person who answered this felon's inquiry. "You will get tried in the royal court first and then you'll get executed in the plaza."

"Ohh..." The little girl nodded in understanding as if she didn't understand the gravity of her crimes. "How will you execute me?"

"Depends on the court result."

"Can you bring me chocolates?"

"No."

The little girl frowned as she hugged Abel's leg tighter. "I don't want to get tried, then."

"That's not for you to decide."

"Grandpa's friend is a wicked witch." The little girl mumbled, huffing, as she looked away from Isaiah. "No likey."

Isaiah, as usual, didn't react to the little girl's remarks. Although he was a little surprised, the little girl knew what he was. Not many would understand Isaiah's disposition at first glance, but then again, this little girl exhibited remarkable talent by putting up a spell Isaiah put up in the imperial palace to protect it. Although it wasn't the most powerful spell Isaiah could do, a normal witch would still have a hard time undoing it or using a different spell to fight it.

As Isaiah scrutinized the little girl clinging to the emperor's leg like a monkey, Abel didn't care about her anymore. He walked normally, eyes ahead, and his mind could only think of finishing whatever business he needed to settle in this place so he could return to the inn where he left Aries.

It didn't take long when the three of them arrived at the emperor's palace. Abel didn't stop until he was standing in front of the emperor's palace.

Planting his palm on the door, it creaked loudly as he pushed it open.

"I knew it," he breathed out as soon as his eyes landed on the figure lying on the emperor's bed. Abel's expression sharpened, stepping foot inside the chamber and stopping midway. Isaiah followed behind him, while the little girl finally jumped away and run towards the side of the bed.

"Grandpa~!" the little girl called sweetly, jumping to the side of the bed. Her little arms were over the edge of the mattress, pushing herself up while her scant feet pedaled in the air. Anyone who was watching her climbs the bed would find her adorable, but not these men's rotten, cold heart.

Abel and Isaiah kept their sharp gaze on the bed as the little girl sat beside the person lying motionless on it. Their expression was solemn, but there was no trace of anger or pleasure in their eyes.

"What is he doing here?" Abel inquired, watching the little girl look back at them. "Did you bring him here?"

The little girl nodded, blinking almost innocently.

"Why did you bring this person here?" he threw the follow-up question almost immediately, but the girl didn't answer. Abel didn't force the child to answer his question, since he already had a good grasp of the situation. "Where are your travel companions?"

The little girl pointed at the man lying motionless on the bed.

"Just you two?" this time, Isaiah raised a question with furrowed brows. There was no way this little girl could carry a grown man all on her own. Especially if his theory was correct, which Isaiah was certain was the case, then she must've done something.

"I asked for the uncles' help and they carried him on our journey to meet grandpa," explained the little girl honestly.

"Where are those uncles now?" Isaiah pried, and the little girl pointed in a certain direction.

"Behind the palace."

"Isaiah," called Abel, and Isaiah immediately respond with, "I will meet them," before he left without another word.

When Isaiah left, Abel kept his eyes locked on the little girl. He stayed on his spot before marching forward until he was standing on the side of the bed. His eyes didn't linger on the child but on the middle-aged man sleeping soundlessly on the bed.

"Hah... this is why I said I don't want to meet them," he mumbled. "Meeting them would only mean they were bringing trouble."

His eyelids drooped, staring at the middle-aged man's face. "Who did this to you...?" Abel whispered, eyes glinting with killing intent. "... Your Majesty?"

"Some bad guys set his house on fire." Abel shifted his eyes to the little girl's adorable face. "Grandpa was fighting all on his own, so I took him away with me."

"I see..." Abel rocked his head in understanding, snapping his eyes ever so tenderly on the person sleeping on the bed. "He is always so foolish... he never changes."

His expression stiffened as his eyes exuded murderous intent. "You are always so old-fashion, my old friend. This is not the scenario I had in my head for our reunion."

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

Meanwhile, at the back of the Imperial Palace...

Isaiah stood in front of the newly dug soil in the middle of the garden. He didn't need to look around as there was no person lingering in the area, but he knew there were bodies underneath the ground.

"How polite," he muttered, staring at the three new graves with some chocolate bar as their tomb stone. "At least, she cleaned up their bodies and didn't let them rot to attract insect."