The Tyrant's Pet

Aries stayed in the emperor's quarters all day and night, getting the rest she needed to recover. With enough rest, she was back to full health the next day. They returned to their normal schedule after that. 

She returned to the palace where she dwelled, attending her lessons from Dexter and Conan. Meanwhile, Abel returned to becoming the emperor. It had been a week since then. 

And... it had been a week since Aries refused to wear anything feminine. Abel backed her up so no one could scold her actions and decisions. 

"Lady Aries."

"Ariel." She corrected, casting Conan a knowing look as they walked through the hallway, heading to the library. 

"Sir Ariel?" Conan called, walking beside her with a distorted expression. 

"Yes?"

"Oh, come on!" he exclaimed in distress, exiting the castle as they walked down the gravel path connecting to the other castle. "Please tell me this is a part of the research to find your replacement! Just look at you! Wearing men's clothes is alright, but do you have to take it this far as to wear a wig? Where did you even get it?"

"His Majesty gifted it to me." 

Conan gasped in disbelief. "Just what happened during your date? I thought you two had gotten close since you were eating each other under the pouring rain!" 

This time, her steps stopped. She turned and faced Conan squarely, surrounded by the greenery between two palaces. 

"Sir Conan, I didn't ask you before because you looked like you turned gaunt after playing as the emperor for a day," came out a dead voice, blinking blankly at him. "But now that you mentioned it, were you trying to make me close to His Majesty?"

His entire face went blank as he took a step back, waving awkwardly. "Of course not! I'm just saying because that's what it looks like to me!" he explained in panic, studying Aries's blank countenance. 

Although she had kept her hair tied up for the past several days, seeing her in a short wig made her look like a young nobleman. The servant who helped her in this 'disguise' or 'costume' surely did a good job. Aries was handsome; like a pretty boy that women would fawn over.

"Really?" she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. 

"Yes!" Conan affirmed, gulping under her investigative gaze. "Really! Cross my heart!"

"Hope to die?" she continued, but Conan frowned. "Well, never mind then."

He heaved a sigh as she didn't probe, running to her side to ask. "Lady Aries, I mean, Ariel, why are you doing this?" 

"I want to be a man, obviously." She glanced at him as they continued to walk down the long gravel path. "For research purposes."

"Re — research?"

She nodded, eyes ahead. "Being a woman is tough. I am trying to see if His Majesty will still like me if I am a man. If he did, that means my replacement doesn't mean she should be a female, right?" 

"Ah?"

"Also, I'm trying to see if I can be a man once my assignment is fulfilled," she continued with a shrug. "This world is safer for men. Women just become a subject for worldly desires."

"Goodness..." Conan could only look at her rear, noticing the determination in her eyes. Did the date help? He thought it did. But it seemed it only fueled Aries's determination to complete this ridiculous assignment.

The two of them hurried to get into the palace but stopped when they heard Abel. Aries and Conan stopped, turning around and then looking up. There, on the balcony, Abel was leaning against the railing with a few people behind him. 

"Who is that gorgeous thing over there?!" Abel yelled, grinning from ear to ear, hand cupping his cheek. His eyes fixed on Aries, who was barely recognizable with that brown wig covering her green one. 

Aries frowned, placing the side of her hands on the corners of her lips as she yelled back. "It's handsome! I'm a man, remember?!" 

Conan instantly scrunched his nose, casting her a look of dismay. But Aries's focus was on Abel on the terrace. 

"Ah, right, right! My bad." He raised a hand as he apologized while laughing. 

"Gosh... how can he forget when it's obvious what I'm trying to do?" she grumbled, clicking her tongue as she turned around to walk away. "Why do I keep correcting people?"

"Lady Aries, are you sure you haven't gotten close to him?" Conan hurriedly followed her after gazing at Abel on the terrace. "I know His Majesty is troublesome but did his personality also rub on you? I heard it's contagious!" 

She cast him a side-eye. "It is contagious, Sir Conan. And I only realized that when you started betraying your only ally."

"I didn't! I swear!!" 

While Conan was whining around Aries, like how he would whine around Abel, the latter chuckled delightfully. He kept his eyes on the two figures heading to the opposite palace while his grin remained. 

"My... I'm bent," he chuckled happily, ignoring the awkward eyes on his back. "At this rate, even women would desire her. Ahh... is she trying to make me go against the world for her?"

His eyes squinted into mere slits as he slowly turned around. His elbows propped against the railings, facing the noblemen accompanying him.

"What do you think?" he asked and tilted his head to the side.

"Your Majesty?"

"About my pet, who is going through a gender identity crisis," he explained in a knowing tone. "The state of affairs is boring! Indulge with me. How do I win against her?"

"..."

"Come on, my humble subject. I gathered you here because you were scholars and smart people! Obviously, if you can strategize on how to win and conquer a war, this question should be easy, correct?" he laughed delightfully, raising his brows up. "As you can see, she is spoiled rotten that she now wants to be called Ariel!"

Abel placed a palm across his chest dramatically, sighing as if he was carrying the entire world on his back. "Should I act like a damsel in distress so my prince saves me? If you don't figure it out, I will announce that the empire will be ruled by an empress, me."

"Your Majesty…" the group of noblemen from the ministry of affairs could only look at Abel helplessly. They were people who used their brilliant minds to contribute to the progress of the empire. However, this was beyond their line of work!!

"What a useless bunch." Abel shook his head as he turned around, eyes on the castle where Aries headed. "They are all so boring, darling. I'm envious of Conan. Hmm.... let's go there."