The Tyrant's Pet

"Papa!"

Isaiah caught little Sunny's figure running from the first pew to the two figures at the entrance. The two newcomers stopped from their steps, turning their attention to the little girl running toward them.

"Ah, my princess!" the man with silver hair and bright pair of crimson eyes squatted down. He spread his arms wide open, smiling from ear to ear to welcome his daughter. "Did you miss your papa —"

"Mama!"

The man's smile froze as Sunny ran past him, jumping to the woman behind the man. The woman simply bent her knees, catching the little girl in her embrace.

"Mama, Sunny miss you so much!" Sunny expressed, melting into the woman's embrace.

The woman's beautiful face softened, pulling the little girl's body closer as she tightened her embrace.

"Me too, Sunny. Mama misses Sunny so much. There wasn't a time I didn't think about you." The woman's already gentle voice sounded more affectionate, leaning the side of her head against the little girl. "I'm sorry that it took us some time to come to you."

Sunny rested her chin over the woman's shoulder, grinning. "Sunny understands! I had loads of fun while waiting for mama to fetch Sunny."

The woman slowly drew her head back to look at the little girl in her arms. Her smile was gentle and genuine, and her eyes delivered thousands of unspoken words that could describe her longing, worry, and love for the little girl.

"Hey." As the mother and daughter stared and smiled at each other, they heard the man's dead voice. Both of them shifted their attention to the other man, only to see displeasure plastered on his face.

"Sunny, didn't you miss me?" asked the man, pointing at himself. "How can you just run past me like that and pounce on my wife?"

Sunny leaned closer to her mother. "I missed Papa."

"Don't lie." The man scrunched his face, seeing the insincerity in his daughter's eyes. "You were disappointed that I came back with your mother."

"Sam." The woman snapped her tongue faintly, shaking her head. "This is why your children aren't fond of you. You see them as competition."

"What?" the man named Samael gasped at his wife. "Lilou, it was not me who see them as competition! It's them!"

"If only you stop trying to get Auntie Lilou pregnant, Law and Sunny might tolerate you." Suddenly, Claude's lazy voice reached their ears. The three, Lilou, Samael, and Sunny, turned their heads in Claude's direction, only to see the latter sitting on the first pew.

Claude had his arms over the pew, eyes on them. "Hi, Auntie Lilove."

"Claude." Lilou flashed the young man a kind smile.

"It's no use," Law chimed in lazily, looking back at his parents dead in the eye. "I'd rather compete with my father than my cousin, who obviously held ulterior motives."

"Sunny isn't competing." Sunny crooned, facing her mother with her ultimate weapon: her sweet smile. "Mother likes Sunny the best, right?"

"Of course. Sunny is my princess." Lilou smiled and nudged her nose against the little girl. "Mama likes Sunny the most."

Samael, Law, and Claude gazed at the pretentious little girl and the woman, who was purposely turning a blind eye to little Sunny's manipulative nature, in dismal. Watching their reaction, Isaiah was certain this relationship wasn't normal at all.

"Whatever!" Samael huffed, and his frown grew deeper. He then looked around the chapel, and only then did he notice Isaiah.

"Ah!" Samael raised a finger and pointed at Isaiah. "You're that warlock?"

"Hmm?" Isaiah's brows rose. He would've understood it if Samael called him the grand duke since only a few knew he was a witch. But then, he quickly realized that the entire Haimirich was under his spell.

Samael smiled upon noticing how Isaiah realized his words.

"Nice to meet you." The man marched towards Isaiah and then stopped several steps from the latter. "Samael La Crox is the name. The woman over there is my wife, Lilou Bloodfang - La Crox."

Samael pointed his thumb over his shoulder while the woman behind him approached them with Sunny in her arms.

"Sunny is my daughter. That boy over there is our firstborn, Law." He then pointed in Law's direction, introducing all of them, knowing these people didn't have the energy for an introduction. "The man sitting beside him is my adopted son, Rufus."

"That guy on that side is Claude, my nephew. And then you probably met Tilly," he continued with a smile, jerking his chin to the coffin behind Isaiah. "Tilly is my aunt and also my mother and that man's sister."

After giving everyone a quick introduction, Samael offered his hand to Isaiah. "I'm pleased to meet you, Duke Isaiah Darkmore."

Isaiah's eyes fell on the man's long and slender hands before lifting his gaze back to him. The latter was friendlier than he looks, and if not because of him, Isaiah would probably leave everything as it was.

"It was a pleasure to meet His Majesty's kin." Isaiah slowly held Samael's hand for a handshake.

"It took us quite some time, didn't we?" Samael's lips stretched in a kindly manner, releasing Isaiah's hand slowly. "Well, our last opponent gave us a troublesome time."

"I'm glad you seemed to have won your battle."

"We always do." Samael winked at him, tilting his upper body to the side to peek at the person in the coffin. "So that's my uncle. Woo… may he rest in peace."

"Please refrain from spewing such an insolent joke."

"Ohh…" Samael straightened his back with a chuckle. "Apologies. My bad."

"Sam, stop teasing His Grace." After a moment, the woman named Lilou reached them. She stood a step behind her husband, eyes on Isaiah. "Please do not take his words to the heart. He enjoys pressing people's nerves, but he is a reliable person."

Gazing at Lilou, Isaiah felt this slight relief, as it seemed there was one normal and rational person in this group.

"Do not worry. No offense was taken."

"Thank you." The woman flashed him a smile and sighed, stretching her neck to see the coffin behind Isaiah. She gazed at Abel for a moment before shifting her eyes to Isaiah. "Can we see him?"

Isaiah hesitated for a moment, but then stepped aside. "Of course."

"Thank you, Your Grace." The woman nodded in satisfaction before bending down to put down Sunny. "Baby, Mama and Papa will just greet your grandpa, alright? You can hold my hand if you want to."

Sunny still bore a sweet and bright smile, but instead of sticking to her mother, she skipped a step and clutched Isaiah's trousers. "I'll stay with His Grace for protection!"

Lilou glanced at Isaiah and saw the latter nod slightly. "It seems our family owes you a great debt."

"Not at all --"

"My daughter barely likes me, so for her to like you is truly an admirable feat," Samael chimed in, waiting for Isaiah to shift his eyes to him. "It might be shameless to ask for more, but please look after her for a moment."

His eyes then glinted as he slowly set his eyes on the man lying in the coffin. "That emperor of yours… even in his slumber, still manages to glare at me. What a monster."