The Tyrant's Pet

"Greetings, Your Grace."

The candidates curtsied gracefully as Conan, the emperor's trusted and loyal aide, approached them. When they straightened their backs to face him, they brought forth their delicate smiles, but their eyes failed to disguise their curiosity.

"Greetings Princesses, and my lady." Conan smiled, setting his eyes at Aries. The latter raised her brows, blinking cluelessly, refraining from casually asking him a question.

The four of them waited for Conan to state his reason, only to raise their brows when Conan just kept his eyes on Aries. Suzanne, Sybil, and Veronika cast each other a quick look, but when they set their eyes back to Conan, all they saw was his figure walking past them.

As the wind blew past their hair, the three stood frozen. Looking to their side, their brows knitted. Meanwhile, Aries held her breath, looking back at Conan, wide-eyed.

"Lady Daniella, where is it?" Conan inquired desperately, holding Aries's hand as if the candidates weren't there. "I heard what happened and… do you hate me so much?"

"Ah?"

"How can you be in an accident just hours after you stroll in the capital? Seriously, do you have a magnet for trouble!?" he harrumphed. "I told you multiple times! Take care of yourself! Am I a joke to you that my reminders had no value?"

Aries laughed awkwardly, glancing at Suzanne, Sybil, and Veronika, only to see their mouths falling open. Just their eyes alone were enough to know what was in the princesses' minds; they were puzzled why Conan was acting all chummy with her.

"Ha ha… Your Grace…" Aries awkwardly peeled Conan's fingers from her whilst gritting her teeth. "It seemed the news quickly reached your ears —"

"Not just quick, but we get it in real time!"

"Ahh…" her face contorted, taking a step back to create distance from him. "Did my brother trouble you? I haven't seen him, but it seemed he had been watching me closely."

"The Marquess?" Conan cocked his head to the side. "Lady Daniella, do you think I'd react like this if it's just the Marquess Vandran? Do you know what His Ma —"

A vein protruded on her forehead as Aries quickly lurched and kicked his shin with discretion. Her ruthless action stopped him from speaking further, gasping, trying to process the striking pain in his shin.

"Oh, no! Sir Conan, are you alright?" Aries gasped dramatically while Conan hunched in, raising her eyes at the three princesses. "It seemed the duke needs to have a word with me. Please give us a moment while I assist him."

Aries didn't wait for their response as she grabbed Conan's shoulder and dragged him to a distance. She looked back to see if the distance from the three was safe enough to argue, flashing them an awkward smile, before glaring daggers at him.

"Are you out of your mind?" she whispered yell, grinding her teeth, hiding her face from the three princesses. "What do you think you're doing?"

Conan raised his fiery eyes at her, grinding his teeth as well. "Lady Aries, I should be the one saying that! Are you out of your mind? What do you think you're doing jumping in the middle of the street just to save a child, knowing there's an incoming carriage?"

"Of course, I'd do what a normal person would do!" she hissed. "How the hell did you expect me to do nothing when I know I could've helped?"

"And if His Majesty and the Marquess didn't plant their people in your shadows? Do you think you won't get crushed like a bug?" Conan gasped in distress, stopping himself from grabbing her hair to fight her again. Aries was too stubborn and definitely not good for his mental health — both Aries and Abel! "Girl… if something happened to you, do you think His Majesty will stay still? He'll crush that child with his bare hands, her family, her relatives, and continue to torment them for ten generations!"

"But nothing like that happened to me. Am I correct?"

"Wow…" Conan scrunched his nose up, looking at her up and down. "Look at that palm and tell me nothing happened."

"It's just a graze…! It's nothing serious." Aries pinched the bridge of her nose in distress. "Aren't you going overboard?"

His expression turned uglier. "Did you know? I nearly lost my tongue the last time I said that nonsense you just spewed just now?"

"Oh, come on…!"

"Ughh…!" Conan took a step back and raised his hands, flexing his fingers before closing his fist.

"Whatever!" he huffed, clicking his tongue in irritation, and then pointed a finger at her. "Don't go to me seeking my help, then. Hmph!"

"Tss… as if!" Aries grumbled, lifting her skirt as she turned to leave. As soon as she faced the princesses and saw them looking at her with intrigued, Aries realized they were watching. Her lips automatically turned into a polite smile, twisting her body smoothly to look back at Conan.

"Thank you for your reminders, Your Grace," she said louder, trying her best to sound polite so Suzanne, Veronika, and Sybil would hear it.

Conan snorted and spoke under his breath. "What a hypocrite."

"One more nonsense, and I'll flay you from head to toe." She widened her eyes and mumbled, warning him to get along.

"Tsk!"

Aries then smiled again. "We'll be on our way. Have a great day, my lord."

"It's already ruined, thanks to you." Conan huffed as he stomped his way in the other direction, leaving Aries gritting her teeth.

'That guy…! He better not sleep in his chambers here or I'll visit him tonight to teach him a lesson.' Aries's eyes blazed, watching Conan's retreating back. She stared at him for several seconds and then smiled warmly upon looking back at the three.

Aries kept her friendly demeanor as she returned to the ladies. "Apologies for that."

"Lady Daniella, we didn't know you have a friendly rapport with Duke Hakebourne," said Suzanne, looking back in the direction where Conan left. The other two looked at Aries with intrigue, waiting for her to give them enlightenment.

"Haha… it's not what it looks like." Aries denied with a smile. "It was just that since my brother is the marquess, we usually coordinate with His Majesty's secretary. Hence, I had interacted with him a few times."

"Ohh… is that so?" Suzanne rocked her head, but her eyes shone a little doubt in Aries's explanation.

"Yes. It seemed that my brother made a fuss about what happened yesterday, but it's alright." Aries chuckled, motioning her hand ahead. "Why don't we resume our stroll? I'll fill you in on our way to the west garden."

Suzanne pursed her lips, glancing at Sybil and Veronika. When the two nodded in agreement, Suzanne also nodded and looked back at Aries.

"Alright, Lady Daniella."