The Tyrant's Pet

<strong>Meanwhile, in the forbidden mansion within the inner palace…</strong>

"You wouldn't want to make an enemy against Wrath."

Sunny was sitting on the armchair near the bed, flinging her legs back and forth. She was hugging her stuffed bunny, rubbing her little fingers against its drooping ears. There wasn't a single candelabra that was lit in the room, but the moonlight filtering through the window was enough for her to see.

"Sunny is not making an enemy against my grandpa," she explained with an odd combination of an innocent yet decisive voice. She snapped her doe eyes ever so tenderly, setting them on the man on the bed.

There, a middle-aged man was leaning against the headboard. His arm was resting over his bent knee, his hair falling past his shoulders.

The man looked at the window. "Still… he is being consumed with anger."

"It's not Sunny's fault." Sunny kept her eyes on the window.

"Didn't you like her?" the man set his eyes on the little girl. From the outside, Sunny appeared to be a normal toddler who couldn't swat a fly. But he knew beneath this adorable shell lies a vicious young soul, who would only act for her personal interest.

"Mhm. I like Grandma."

"Why did you send her all alone there?" the man inquired immediately. "If Abel is consumed by his own devil, he would kill her. Maleficent… the holder of the abyss can help the Grimsbanne in many ways. Just like your mother, she is gifted."

Sunny kept her mouth shut, still swinging her feet back and forth. She slowly looked at the middle-aged man, blinking ever so slowly.

"She doesn't know how to use her gift, anyway," came out an answer without a tinge of remorse, not suited for a three-year-old girl to speak. "Sunny doesn't see any reason for her to live."

"You… are evil."

"Sunny never said she's a good girl." She shrugged, leaning back. "Although Sunny thinks she won't die… somehow."

The man shook his head weakly, peeling his eyes away from the little girl. "You are way too young, and yet… I cannot read what's in your head."

"Sunny's mind is simple." She flashed him the most innocent smile. "It's either people are worthy or not."

"Too young to be vicious."

"That's why Your Majesty needs to recover quickly, so Sunny doesn't need to be vicious!"

The man gazed at his palms. Bitterness pooled in his eyes, repeating the remarks the little girl had spewed insensitively in his head.

"I had always looked after the Grimsbanne… our family had always looked after them," he breathed out. "You are our family's curse. I lost my family trying to keep yours intact."

"You just have to continue doing that," Sunny mumbled, blinking adorably. Meanwhile, the man laughed dryly, looking back at the innocent face of the devil.

This little girl sounded innocent and looked adorable from every angle. However, what was coming out of her mouth was enough to make anyone's hair raise. There was no doubt Sunny wasn't just speaking because she was young. She was speaking about the things she understood very well.

And she wasn't sorry about anything.

"What can I expect from a Grimsbanne?" he muttered bitterly. "Ameria… your grandmother was like the sunshine of your clan. I'm certain if she was still here, this wouldn't happen."

"Because if she's still here, my papa wouldn't meet my mama." Sunny's smile slowly faded. "You are making Sunny upset."

"I shouldn't have let any of the Grimsbanne leave the mainland," the man continued, ignoring Sunny's remarks. "Even if I had to give up my life… I shouldn't have allowed it. I had already sacrificed my role as the father to my children, and they despised me. I should've kept my promised and fulfilled my duty as the mediator between the vampires and your clan."

Sunny kept her eyes on the middle-aged man with a poker face. "Your Majesty, even if you regret it now, everything already happened. You and I… are alone in my grandpa's territory because you couldn't keep those Bathorys' at bay. You… failed."

She then jumped out of the chair, hugging the stuffed bunny. Sunny stood beside the bed, eyes at the man on the bed.

"You're lucky you're the king and Sunny promised Tilly to help her friend," she continued in a solemn tone. "Sunny forgives His Majesty, even if he tried to harm Sunny."

Her lips stretched, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Do you know why I sent my grandmama all alone?"

The man's brows rose, staring at the little girl's smile. Her smile alone was enough to send a chill down his spine, knowing that smile wasn't as innocent as it appeared to be.

"Because Sunny doesn't like someone who is weak," she explained in a knowing tone. "It's either she dies with Grandpa's hand, or she stops my grandpa. If she managed to do the latter, only then Sunny will accept her as part of the family."

The little girl giggled, stopping when she heard the faint sound of the flute. She gazed at the window, keeping her subtle smile.

"Oh, no! Guests from the mainland are here!" she announced, smiling from ear to ear until her eyes were squinting. "Sunny thinks it's too early for them to come. I promised my pretty grandma not to cause trouble until she comes."

Sunny happily turned on her heel, skipping her steps towards the gaping door. Her steps stopped after five steps, looking back at the bed. However, unlike earlier, where the man was sitting against the headboard, he was lying down like how he had been for the past several months.

"There's also one condition." Her white teeth glinted. "If she survives the night out of pure luck, Sunny will reconsider. Sunny believes in the divine Zodiac. My Grandma might turn out even more interesting than holding the key of the abyss!"

With that being said, Sunny resumed, skipping her steps away. As she crossed the threshold, the finger of the man lying on the bed flinched.