The Tyrant's Pet

The next day came the night of the full moon. As a tradition, tonight was a feast for many noble houses on the mainland. Many of the nobles left the royal palace not just to attend any grandiose party being hosted tonight, but to give enough space for the coven.

The first and last full moons on the Mainland were important gatherings that the king and only selected individuals in the land could attend. The invitation spoke volumes of a person's value, power, and status symbol on the land. Therefore, it was no surprise many in this land made it their goal to be a part of the Raven.

But none of them knew what was happening in these gatherings, since no one had talked about it. The secrecy of the coven simply hid what lay behind during these times. 

"In the coven in Haimirich…" Aries spread her fingers open, sitting on the divan in a plain, white chemise. Her eyes were fixed on the metal band around her wrists, connecting with each other. When she moved her feet, a faint sound of metal echoed. 

"... was Abel chained?" she wondered, recalling the first coven she witnessed in the past. "I can vaguely remember."

"Your Majesty." Suddenly, Gustav came into the Queen's boudoir. He stood at a safe distance, placing his hand across his chest while bowing. 

Aries blinked ever so slowly before lifting her gaze to her servant. "Where's Suzanne?"

"Suzanne is preparing the last touches for tonight's coven," Gustav answered as he straightened his back. "There were a few that didn't go as planned, apparently."

"Should I worry about it?"

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"You shouldn't, Your Majesty." Gustav offered the Queen a subtle smile. "It is just a slight miscalculation, which isn't worthy of your concern."

"I see." Aries rocked her head in understanding, shifting her attention back to her wrist. "Say, Gustav. What's the purpose of the coven in Haimirich?"

"It is to contain the Emperor's power. His Majesty carries a power that is beyond one's imagination. The power was one thing, but the burden which came along with it made it a hundred times heavier. Thus, the existence of the Coven. It is meant to drain the Emperor of his power," explained Gustav, even though he was certain Aries had already heard of this in much greater detail. "However, even if that is the original purpose of the coven, draining the power of the emperor was impossible. It was more like the coven stand as a force so that power wouldn't overflow and overwhelm the Emperor. It is for the safety of Haimirich and everyone in the world."

"Right…"

"Although it was inevitable that some people will grow greedy," Gustav continued, knowing the coven Aries had witnessed was different from the usual coven in Haimirich. "After all, during those covens, the Emperor was in his weakened state; a state before entering berserk. It was the perfect chance to take him down."

He paused for a moment to take a breath. "Many have tried even before you came into His Majesty's life, but none of them succeeded. Sir Isaiah made sure of that."

"What was the difference between their attempt before and now?" she asked out of plain curiosity. "Back then, those night councils nearly succeeded. Was it because Conan was the one present, replacing Isaiah's absence?"

"No, Your Majesty." Gustav shook his head mildly. "It is because one of them got a hold of a divine weapon. The Divine Weapons were blessed by deities, and thus, could slay even the most wicked demon."

"Right…" Aries rocked her head once again, making Gustav wonder whether she was simply trying to kill time or if she truly forgot about it. "That weapon, huh? Even before Maximus came into Haimirich, we hadn't figured out how that weapon landed on the night council."I think you should take a look at

Aries caressed the metal band on her wrist. "Do you think the Raven carries a weapon just like that divine weapon?"

"I doubt."

"And why is that?"

"Because only those chosen by the gods can wield them." Gustav's voice laced with confidence, watching Aries lift her eyes back to him. "The mainland is the land of vampires; the land of the damned. Even if they got a hold of such a weapon, they would need someone to wield it. Because if someone wielded it without caution, the consequences were dire. The Raven consisted of meticulous individuals. Provoking the Grimsbannes was already a risk; an uncertain battle. Taking more risk than they already did would only drag them down."

"But they have enough time to make sure those risks wouldn't drag them down," Aries returned, pushing herself up from the divan. She slowly made her way in front of the window, listening to the clang of metals with her slightest movement. 

"I think Giselle is a genius," she continued, setting her eyes on the empty expanse outside the window. "But what makes her even more dangerous is her patience. Not many can fight a patient fight; even vampires who have all the time in the world weren't as patient as her."

"Does that bother you, Your Majesty?" 

"A bit — if I am being honest." Her reflection on the glass slowly turns clear. "Though… I don't think she is as prepared as she thought they were."

Gustav's brows slowly rose. This was the first time he heard her give such a comment. Was it because her plans were flawless? Gustav was confident in the plans Aries put together to survive tonight. However, no matter how perfect it was, there was always a slim chance things wouldn't go as planned. 

'Ah…' Suddenly, Gustav has a realization. His previous thoughts don't only apply to Aries, but to the Raven as well.

"Thing was, we already know their goal, which makes it easier for us to sabotage it." The corner of her lips curled up into a smirk, looking back at Gustav while carrying that smile on her face. "It's just a matter of whose plan will work out in the end."

Knock Knock

"Suzanne's here." Her smile stretched a bit more, shifting her eyes to the door. As soon as her eyes landed on it, the door opened ever so slowly, revealing Suzanne. 

"Your Majesty," greeted Suzanne with a bow, closing the door behind her. "Giselle is here to escort you to the great hall."

Gustav furrowed his brows, but before he could speak, Aries already did.

"Perfect!" Gustav looked at Aries in disbelief, only to see her smiling. "They've been waiting for a lifetime. Let's not make them wait for more."