The Tyrant's Pet

While Abel and Conan were engaged in an intense duel, showcasing how the coven was supposed to be, another duel was happening in the same great hall. But unlike the two, Leon and the witch, who was coming for Aries, had been at each other's throats.

The witch had her sword against the side of Leon's neck, while the latter's sharp nails were an inch away from the woman's chest. One wrong move and someone's head might roll over or someone's heart would be ripped out.

The two of them looked at each other, both of them concealing their presence. Hence, despite meeting a stalemate, no one had noticed them.

"Leave her alone," Leon warned, eyes flaring. "His Majesty and His Highness were already putting justice into your beloved coven. Leave the woman alone."

"She isn't just a woman," argued the witch firmly. "This coven shouldn't end with her knowing nothing. We, the witches, wouldn't allow that demon to nurture her, only to take advantage of her."

Leon's mouth was kept into a tight slash, unable to rebut the woman's argument. He had only arrived in the empire a few days ago. Hence, he barely had the general details of what was going on and the true nature of Aries and Abel's relationship.

For him, Abel wasn't the type who could genuinely care about someone else. Unless he would benefit from it. That was the Abel he had heard about from the mainland. Actually, that was the nature of the Grimsbanne clan.

"Bring this up once the coven ends," was all he could tell her, but the witch laughed sarcastically.

"Do you think we, the night council, hadn't raised our concerns regarding her?" the woman's eyes glinted. "She's the holder of Maleficent. Therefore, she deserves a seat in the night council. Why do you think she hadn't known about it until now?"

The witch smirked. "Yes. He doesn't want her to know more than she had already known." Ridicule filled the woman's eyes before her expression turned solemn.

"I'll ask you one last time," she continued. "Get out of my way and let her in. She… my sister deserves to know how rotten the man she married was."

Leon's expression turned stiff as well, blinking ever so tenderly. "I…" he trailed off as he breathed out heavily. When he raised his eyes at her once again, determination flickered across his eyes.

"... can't."

The woman gnashed her teeth, mustering all the energy she could muster to swing the sword against Leon's neck. The latter had also stretched his hand forth until the tip of his sharp nails pierced the fabric of her cloak, sinking his nails skin deep.

However, just as blood oozed from the side of his neck with the shallow wound, and from her chest, where her heart was located, both of them stopped. Leon looked back at the door where he shoved Aries away; the witch also gazed at the shut door.

The two of them hadn't discovered from the chilling aura from the other side of the door when a loud BAM erupted in the air. They naturally set their eyes to the center of the great hall, seeing thick smoke ascend. All they could see was a silhouette of a person standing up in the middle of it.

"What happened?" Leon muttered in disbelief. Even though all they could see was a silhouette, the aura of the person was enough for them to recognize who it was.

Conan.

Everyone stared at the thick smoke thin out with bated breaths. Even Leon and the witch had set aside their private dispute, staring in the same direction, wide-eyed. When everyone could finally see through the smoke, most of them gasped.

Conan stood still, holding a sword down. Under his foot was Abel, stepping on the latter's back. Conan was hanging his head low, making it difficult to see what sort of expression he was sporting. Only when he raised his head did everyone see his somber front.

"Drag him back to the magic circle," was all that Conan said, taking his foot out of Abel. Yet, no one reacted immediately, looking at him in awe.

"Impossible," Leon whispered, holding his breath in disbelief. He didn't see what exactly happened, but he was certain it was impossible for Conan to take down Abel so easily. His eyes fell on Abel, and the latter's face was facing the cracked ground.

Everyone was just as baffled as Leon. Even if they were watching, everyone was certain Abel had the upper hand. Up until a second ago, Abel was simply toying with Conan and Conan could barely keep up.

But then, in a blink of an eye, both of them (Conan and Abel) crashed on the floor. No one knew what exactly happened, but for them, they concluded it was Conan simply waiting for the perfect time to strike.

They weren't wrong, though, but also not entirely correct. What happened? Only Conan knew, but he didn't have the spare energy to detail everything.

"Should I drag him myself?" Conan's voice pitched, snapping everyone to the current lapse. He kicked the divine weapon away, glaring daggers at everyone. "Drag him back to the magic circle and contain him. However, if any of you tried to inflict more harm on His Majesty, I… will kill you all myself."

Conan's voice shook, warning everyone lest they still proceed in forcing Abel to a forced slumber. Right now, Abel could no longer protect himself or retaliate.

The vampires around looked at each other and nodded, jogging toward Conan's direction. When they stood a few steps away from Abel's body, they cast Conan a hesitant look.

"He's still conscious," Conan breathed out. "But he wouldn't be able to lift a finger. Don't let him rest and drag him inside the magic circle."

"Ye — yes."

With that being said, two members of the night council hesitatingly lifted Abel by the shoulder. Abel didn't retaliate, getting dragged like a withered leaf, hanging his head low.

Little did everyone know, Aries had managed to enter and saw them dragging Abel. His knees were grazing the floor, head hanging low. In her eyes, Abel looked pretty much dead. When she gazed in the direction they were dragging Abel, her heart dropped to her stomach.

"Let him go," she whispered, balling her hand into a fist, misunderstanding everything from that very second… or maybe not.

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