The Tyrant's Pet



Meanwhile, in the fort of the mainland, which was also known as the center of trade, things were still moving like usual. Ships from different kingdoms were authorized to unload their goods, move hand in hand, and then they would load other goods produced on the mainland. 

It was busy, as always.

Miguel had kept his eyes on the scene, leaning against the stacked crates with his arms folded under his chest. Even though he already had a 'proper' talk with the queen, Miguel continued securing the security in the fort for a reason he also didn't know exactly. 

"I am no longer the Aries I used to be, and I don't blame anyone for it, nor do I feel sorry about it. I will ruin this land just like how it ruined the peace I painstakingly built. Try as much as you can to stop me, Lord Miguel. If you do, you might just save everyone just as you wish. However, until then, I will not stop or delay my plans."

"I hope you succeed. I really do, Miguel."

A deep exhale slipped past his lips, recalling his last encounter with Aries. Everything that came out of her mouth was stuck in his head; her voice would flash in his head, making it hard for him to focus on his day-to-day life. 

'She's a truly baffling person,' he thought, shaking his head mildly to get rid of the remarks echoing in his head. 'I don't understand her.'

Understanding Aries was proven to be a headache. She would talk about destroying this land Miguel was so devoted to, but then would tell him she was rooting for him. Now, Miguel was in great conflict about what to do with it. 

Do Aries truly want the mainland to fall? Or does she want something else? 

Either way, Miguel was certain of one thing. Aries had plans that could potentially destroy something. Be it the mainland or something else, he was certain whatever the queen had in mind, the mainland wouldn't get out of it unscathed. 

"I need to stop thinking of things that I might not get answers to right now," he told himself, letting out another deep sigh. 

Miguel cleared his throat, shaking his head to get himself together. To distract himself from these distracting thoughts, he widened his eyes and looked around at the scene before him. Everything was moving exactly the same. 

The scene was almost similar to the occurrence yesterday. His knights were still doing quick inspections just to make sure that nothing suspicious would enter the land. So far, everything was clear… just as what the queen said. Still, Miguel couldn't get rid of the restlessness in his chest about this sudden influx of imports and exports. Though according to the records, the economy on the mainland drastically increased. 

'I have nothing else to do here,' he thought, peeling his side from the crates. His folded arms fell to his sides, straightening his back. Miguel stretched his neck from one side to the other, soothing the tension in his shoulders and spine. Giving the fort one last look, Miguel turned on his heel and walked away. 

Just as Miguel was heading back to his steed, leaving the rest of the inspection to his men, a person brushed past his shoulder. Bumping into someone in a crowded place like the fort was not something new, but this time, Miguel froze. 

His heart suddenly thudded against his chest while his breathing hitched for a moment. With pupils growing wide as shock dominated their faces, Miguel turned around to search for the person his shoulder grazed against with. 

'What the hell was that?' he wondered, searching the busy scene with wide eyes. 

He could feel his heart thudding against his chest and he knew it only meant one thing: danger. Miguel had been in danger countless times and he had grown more familiar with this feeling than other feelings that one would normally feel every day. 

'This feeling…' Miguel balled his hands into a tight fist, grinding his teeth that made his teeth clench. 'I never met someone who reeked of malevolence before… and to think someone like that walks on the mainland.' 

His countenance turned sour at the thought that crossed his mind. The mainland sheltered vampires with the purest blood, noble blood, royal blood, and all sorts of variety that differed one from another. Everyone in this land was stronger than an average human in the outside world. Miguel was well aware of that since he was granted the privilege of going in and out of the mainland under the premise of undertaking his duty. 

And because of that awareness, Miguel knew that the aura he felt just now was different. He didn't need to use his head; his blood could tell.

'There's only one person that could shake my core this way.' His eyes sharpened even more as they glinted, clenching his teeth. 'Abel Grimsbanne.'

"What is his business in here?" asked Miguel to himself, creating plausible scenarios and reasons in his head. "No wonder I've been feeling restless ever since I heard about the trades on the mainland."

It wasn't just in his head.

Lowering the security on the mainland was a great loophole for someone who bore ill intentions. Many kingdoms fell because of secret infiltration. It was one of the many reasons kingdoms had allotted knights on every border because, once a border fell, it only meant war. 

"Abel Grimsbanne…" he hissed under his breath, still looking around the fort even though he couldn't find the person he had bumped into just now. "I knew you were bad news when I heard you are in this land." — Abel was already bad news the moment Maximus IV died in Abel's hands, but no action was done just because of the damn blood hierarchy. 

Justice wasn't served to the death of the late king. However, that didn't mean Miguel would just allow Abel to do whatever he pleased.

This was still the land he was born and raised; the land Miguel pledged to protect until his last breath. Abel might be the strongest Grimsbanne out there, but Miguel was still a Rothschild. 

Little did Miguel know, Abel was watching him from the distance with delight in his eyes. 

"What an adorable child. However, it's baffling why my darling thinks he looks like his brother," commented Abel, tugging the hood of his cloak before turning on his heel to walk into the dark alley he was idling. "He doesn't look like anything like my late brother-in-law."