The Tyrant's Pet

There was a long silence after Aries's remarks. Ismael kept his eyes on her, noticing the contempt in those pairs of opalescent eyes.

She was basically telling him this wasn't an invitation to an alliance. Aries was asking him to work for her and hand over the little power that was still left in him.

"What about my people?" he asked under his breath. "My brother Carlos, what will happen to him?"

"Hmm… the report I received before your arrival is that the crown prince's sword arrested him for his involvement in illegal gambling operations," Aries briefed, watching Ismael breathe out heavily. "Sadly, I can't do anything about it anymore and even if I had means of getting him a lighter sentence, why would I?"

"You..."

She tilted her head to the side and sneered. "Don't tell me you had forgotten what he had done to me? Wasn't he gloating about bedding me to confirm my identity?"

Her remarks caused Ismael's blood to run cold. His heart sank deeper, unable to feel his own pulse at the weight of her words.

"Carlos… is someone who is important to me and is essential to my influence."

"Was, your highness. The eighth prince was an essential piece for you, but he had zero value for me. Keeping him will only hurt your name further." Aries corrected. "I'm certain if the eighth prince truly believed in you, he will understand and accept this… honorable sacrifice for the person he believed who must inherit the throne. He wouldn't drag your name through the mud, will he?"
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"Honorable sacrifice?" he scoffed through his gritted teeth, seeing her shrug as she quirked a brow.

"Surviving, your highness, requires necessary sacrifices. I learned that years ago when my people shed their blood and lost their life for me," came out a quick reply as she sat up properly. "That is the reason my life is not just mine alone, which I can throw away just because things are hard. An entire nation lives within the cemetery in my soul, and I can't let them all down the second time."

"What I am implying is you mustn't let down the deaths that you will carry after tonight," she continued in a knowing tone. "They will perish, yes, but it is your duty to make sure their deaths will not be in vain."

Cruel as it may sound, Aries had a point. For him to emerge from this incident clean, he must let his people take the fall. In other words, she wanted him to use their remains as a stepping stone and stand atop the piled-up corpses of his people.

"So, what will be your decision, your highness?" She asked after a minute of silence. "Will it be you? Or the crown prince?"

Ismael swallowed the frustrating tension building up in his throat. Her question wasn't the toughest question he had heard, but words were stuck in his throat. Under a different circumstance, he was certain it wouldn't be this hard to answer the question, as it was obvious.

However, this wasn't a situation that favored him. This predicament was something he needed to treat with all seriousness and put his stakes. Otherwise, it'll just be a total loss on his end.

He just had one chip left.

"How do I emerge from this clean?" he inquired after a few more minutes. Aries smiled as she nodded, pleased that he had finally decided.

"Although the eighth prince is one of your people, it is still not enough for them to pin you down completely. The reason the crown prince waited for a chance for you to meet the chief of justice was to accuse you of bribery and an attempt of obstruction of justice. However, since the arrest was executed in haste and Sir Conan saved you right on time. It will put the crown prince at a setback," she explained, reviewing the situation aloud. "Since you weren't dragged back to the imperial palace, there's no evidence to prove their accusations."
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"But that isn't enough. They will still put me in questioning and knowing the crown prince, he will surely do something just so I'd fall. Fleeing isn't the best choice as well," argued Ismael.

He was at a loss in here and honestly, he didn't know how Aries would turn things around. They were just at a grave disadvantage where every route had one ending: the gallows.

"Yes, that's true. Fleeing now will only make you guilty, and thus, you'll be on the run forever. That is why you have to return to the Jade Palace, your highness." His brows furrowed while she smiled. "Once they notice the carriage that is ought to bring you back to the palace is delayed, the crown prince will send out a search. But I am certain no one will search the Jade Palace. Why would they? You shouldn't be there in the first place."

Aries arched a brow as her lips stretched. "Let's take them by surprise once you get out of your chambers, requesting for an emergency court meeting by the shocking news of the eighth prince's involvement in the illegal gambling operations."

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"What…?" Ismael was following her plan closely, but couldn't help but get lost midway. Aries simply laughed and cast Conan a glance, who managed to make Ismael forget he was present all along.

"Putting on an act will not save me. I'm certain they will still drag me for questioning!"

"Haha, your highness." Aries shook her head as she waved. "I didn't say you will not be questioned. However, that is what we want. We need them to question you — it's even better if they treated you terribly in the process. You might inflict more bruises than you already did, but the sacrifice will be worth it."

"What I'm telling you is, you must do your best as if your life is on the line at your acting tomorrow. Because once you regain your freedom after giving out the alibi no one else had seen coming, Joaquin… will have nothing else to do but grit his teeth and take a step back," she continued as a glint flickered across her eyes with a smile dominating her face.

"An alibi that no one else had seen coming…?" his eyes narrowed as the space between his brows creased. "Just what kind of alibi will grant me freedom from all of this? No one will believe me if I say I was in the Jade Palace all along."

"Of course, no one will. However, I didn't say you were there all night!" Aries raised her brows and what came out of her mouth next caused his eyes to dilate and his jaw to drop.

"See? Even you didn't see that coming, right?" She laughed in delight, enjoying the sight of Ismael after hearing the alibi he would use to clear his name.