The Tyrant's Pet

The founding celebration in Haimirich was an occasion that everyone looked forward to. From nobles to peasants, this time of the year was something everyone could benefit from. Nobles built connections to bring in more wealth and power, commoners having the opportunity to attend a grand ball hosted by the emperor, and peasants receiving charitable meals from the noble houses supporting the monarch.

Although the founding week was an auspicious occasion that exhibited everyone's unity and the empire's peace, there was also one reason no one even spoke of.

The founding week was the monarch's way of demonstrating his power. And nobles showed their unbending loyalty and support for doing charities, giving out free meals to peasants, instilling the idea of thanking the emperor's greatness.

The festive atmosphere shrouded the entire empire, especially the capital. Only those people who had great power — not from the empire — in their names could tell how eerie this occasion was. The Haimirich Empire was rich with the unity of everyone.

But that was because, in this empire, they had one religion.

Abel.

People in the streets hailing the emperor's name, wishing him to live a long life and protect them. Children sing in the streets about the greatness of the monarch with the lyrics glorifying him. Obviously, the citizens were proud to live in a rich country, and the poor were glad that they weren't being neglected.

Therefore, despite having Abel as a tyrant, his words were just. If he said one must die, they must die, and they deserved it.

It was blurring the lines between how they viewed him; was he an emperor? Or a god? Only a few believed he was a devil in disguise, but not a single one of them had the courage to voice that out.

'Will you look at her?' Abel smirked, eyes on the woman in a stark white dress in the middle of the hall, dancing at the sound of the violin. Half of her upper face was hidden behind the heavily gilded Venetian mask, highlighting her delicate jaw and attractive red lips.

Her emerald locks followed her every spin, bouncing gracefully along with the rhythm. Every time she spun gracefully, like a swan, her ankle and calf would take a peek, showing her fair skin. A true swan, swaying, forcing everyone to focus on her.

She was dazzling.

It was hard to take his eyes off of her as if that would make one feel they were committing an act of disrespect.

'I had seen many women do this ritual,' Abel's eyes behind his black with gold swirls masquerade mask glinted with desire. 'But none had made it appear so beautiful. Surely, my darling is one of a kind.'

He rocked his head lightly, holding a glass of wine whilst brushing shoulders with the crowd he was blending in. Since it was a masquerade, no one would know he wasn't that person sitting on the throne. He glanced at the person sitting on the throne, watching Aries dance from a great view.

"He is always the boring person." Abel quirked a brow, hearing Dexter's voice beside him. "How can he sleep while she is opening the hall before everyone can use it to dance?"

The emperor in disguise peeled his eyes away from Isaiah and cast Dexter a look. Unlike Abel, whose mask covered his entire face. Dexter's mask only covered his right face.

"It's good to see you too, Marquess. What a surprise, though. You never attended any balls in the past." The side of Abel's lips stretched behind his Bauta, not worried that he was found out to be blending in with the crowd.

Dexter flashed a slight smile. "I heard my student will be performing. I was curious about how well she will do."

"And interested in taking you as her partner?" Abel inquired in amusement.

It was a tradition in Haimirich that before everyone could dance by group, someone had to dance a solo. That was for setting the mood. After Aries's solo dance, she could pick anyone in this hall and be her partner where they would join the first group to dance.

She could pick anyone. That included the emperor.

"Will that be a problem, Your..." Dexter trailed off, glancing around them, and decided not to address Abel since he was in disguise. "Lady Aries can choose whoever she wants. I'm curious, though. Will she pick that person sitting over there? Will you be fine with that?"

Abel cast Isaiah, standing as his proxy, a quick look. He smirked, "will I be fine with that? Who knows? I also wonder..." he didn't finish his sentence as applause exploded in the hall.

He snapped his eyes. The violin still continued to play in the background while Aries curtsied, a gesture that her solo dance finally ended.

As the music continued, everyone's eyes were on Aries, including Abel. Now, she just needed to invite someone over to join her and the first group that would dance in the hall.

'I'm looking forward to Isaiah's reaction once she chose him,' Abel thought, planning to tease Isaiah and Aries once she figured out he used a proxy. Not that he didn't want to dance with her, but he was curious if among these crowds, will Aries find him?

Obviously, he didn't have much hope for that. It was impossible. No matter how smart she was, she wouldn't notice.

The crowd held their breaths as Aries stood still, facing the person sitting on the throne. The last time someone invited the emperor over for a dance, that person was banished from the empire the next day. Hence, no performer ever attempted to invite Abel for dance anymore.

But Aries was staring in the emperor's direction! Not many knew Aries was Abel's pet except for those who were quick to hear the rumor in the palace. So, the opinions were split; some were looking forward to seeing if she had the guts to invite the 'emperor' while others already expected her choice.

To their surprise, Aries slowly peeled her eyes away from the man sitting on the throne and looked around. Even Abel arched a brow and within a second, their eyes met as if the crowd weren't even there.

"My, my…" he dawdled, lips curling up as soon as he caught her lips stretching until her teeth showed. His eyes squinted in delight, watching her approach him.

"Will I be fine with that?" he glanced at Dexter and simpered. "I guess not."

Shortly, gasped and murmuring was heard when Aries stopped in front of the man in the audience. She extended her arm, fingers flicked elegantly.

"Found you."