The Tyrant's Pet

According to the book of record, although the Grimsbanne Clan never took part in royal affairs and politics, they were still a part of the nobility. It was just that they steered clear of anything and stayed inconspicuous. Although they were infamous for many things, such as having the purest form of blood and being descendants of the devil, being a nobility wasn't a part of it. Therefore, that fact was buried until it was nearly forgotten.

Aries read about it before, making use of her free access to the royal library where a good deal of information about the royalties, nobilities, and the mainland was recorded. She didn't give much thought to it before because she didn't find any reason to dwell on it.

But now that Tilly mentioned it, many ideas came into her mind. Having someone from the Grimsbanne Clan claim a noble title, Abel could come in and out of the royal palace. He would also gain access to the royal court and his right to vote in it would make a vast difference.

If Aries could secure the throne with Conan by her side as a prince, they wouldn't be much at a disadvantage. Not to mention, London Leviticus would surely side with them for the right purpose. Of course, the possibility that the enemy had considered this hadn't left the table. However, having more people in the royal court was better than just Aries as the queen.

Just like Abel said, the time these people challenge the Grimsbanne, the blood hierarchy had lost its effectiveness. But at the same time, titles were surprisingly powerful in this land. Aries didn't know the reason for it, but considering vampires liked the idea of ranks and nobility, it wasn't surprising.

"I don't want to go back to that place." Conan frowned deeply, speaking his mind when Samael, Lilou, Claude, and Rufus left the workshop where they had their meeting.

The meeting concluded with Aries and Conan returning to the royal palace to claim what was "theirs." Aries never claimed the seat of the queen in this land as hers, but her desire to secure her throne was twice as her determination back in the land of Rikhill. Meanwhile, Conan didn't agree just yet, but his reluctance about it was as clear as day.

"No one is forcing you," replied Aries, sitting across from Conan. "It was merely a suggestion, but if you hate the idea, you can just stay here with everyone. No pressure."

"That makes it even worse," Conan mumbled as he sighed, making his shoulders relax. "Prince — pwe! I was better when I was a duke in Haimirich. I may not be royalty in there, but I at least, get decent treatment compared to when I was a prince."

"I'd be there with you." Conan lifted his eyes at Aries, only to see her reassuring smile. "I won't let them bully you."

"Yet, you do it."

"I am the only one who is allowed to do that."

"Wicked woman." Conan snapped his tongue in irritation. "Knowing you'd be there with me doesn't make it reassuring even the slightest."

From all the things Aries and Abel put Conan through, the latter was so done with them. But then again, he couldn't also stand the sheer thought that the two of them might die. It was a complicated feeling of love and hate.

Aries chuckled faintly, knowing that despite Conan's reluctance, the latter already got his answer. It wasn't about having no choice or other options. Conan wouldn't let Aries all alone in that damn palace, knowing that was the most dangerous place Aries had been and would ever be in.

Conan knew because he used to live in that place.

"Your Majesty —" Conan stopped as soon as his eyes fell on Abel, catching the latter staring at the table, deep in thought. 𝘧𝑟𝘦𝒆w𝚎𝙗nov𝘦𝗹.𝐜o𝓶

Noticing the sudden confusion plastered on Conan's face, Aries also turned her head in Abel's direction. Deep lines appeared in between her brows, staring at Abel. There was no memory in their heads that they could recall Abel spacing out, so seeing him spacing out for the first time was a shocking sight to behold.

Aries's lips parted, only to press them into a thin line again. She then cast Conan a look at the same time the latter looked at her. They only stared at each other for a moment before setting them back to Abel. Worry instantly shone in their eyes. 𝘧𝒓e𝑒𝑤e𝙗𝚗o𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝐜𝐨ｍ

After a minute of total silence, Abel blinked ever so tenderly, only to meet the pairs of worried eyes cast upon him. The corner of his lips curled up slightly.

"I once said I will never inherit more from my father right in front of his face," he remarked in a low tone with a tinge of playfulness and mockery in it. "And his only response is that the things they had set out for me to protect my kin… will come in handy in the future. I never thought what he had said in the past would come true."

The events took quite some time to happen, but they still happened. Quite unbelievable, and silly, but Abel felt slightly irked that his father was right.

"Not only did they pass this cursed blood on me, but now I'd have to seek the title he was once known." The smile lines on the corners of his lips slightly faded. "I feel like slapping him from where he was buried."

"He wasn't buried," Tilly chimed in, making Abel look at her. "I burned their bodies when I couldn't see in the night, only to realize I had my eyes closed all along."

"Too bad then."

"No one can claim the title aside from you," continued Tilly, picking up the biscuit she had been munching but still hadn't finished half of it. "Get it before Marsella does."

Abel leaned back comfortably, cocking his head until his lazy eyes fell on Aries. "Darling, will you marry me when I get the title of the Marquess? I need some motivation."

"If you don't want to —"

"Will you?"

"You already know the answer to that."

"Then it's decided." Abel grinned, peeling his eyes from her to the ceiling. The place they were idling in was Samael's workshop, and it wasn't a surprise that even the ceiling had the art of angels and demons on it. "We — they will soon understand the reason the blood hierarchy exists."