The Tyrant's Pet

<strong>[ FORBIDDEN MANSION ]</strong>

Conan was sitting on a chair beside the bed where his father was resting. His arms were propped on his spread leg, hands dangling in between his thigh. Unlike his usual expensive clothing, he was in an inner armor suit, which he hadn\'t worn for a long time.

"The banquet had started," he murmured, lifting his eyes up at the person on the bed. A deep breath slipped past his lips, straightening his back. "This is all your fault."

"You stood untouchable for many years, only to fall into your son\'s scheme." Conan shook his head, pushing himself up to stand. "Now here he was, bringing us problems you avoided in the past. We will have to do the fixing again… again."

Conan stressed the last word before his teeth clenched. His eyes bore no affection for the man lying motionless on the bed.

"I don\'t think this will end in a single night. However, once this is concluded, I hope that will be the last time I will see your face," he added under his breath, gripping his fist on his side firmly. "Do not… make me and Abel wield our swords again."

Another deep exhale escaped his mouth before he loosened his grip and relaxed his shoulders. Conan closed his eyes momentarily, and when he reopened them, calmness replaced the animosity that was filling them.

Conan didn\'t idle for too long as he pivoted on his heel. He stood still for a moment, clenching his teeth, before sauntering off silently. This would probably be the last time he would come to this place and in this very room. There was no other reason for him to visit his father or tell the person in slumber how much he loathed him.

When Conan closed the door behind him, he stopped. He turned his head to his right, only to see Sunny standing up in the corner. She was dressed up as a boy, and from her attire, she was supposed to be at the banquet. But here she was, looking back at Conan with a solemn front.

"What are you doing here?" asked Conan out of plain curiosity, glancing up to see if Leon was with her. He wasn\'t. "Where\'s Leon?"

"Handsome Uncle, are you off to the banquet now?" she inquired, completely ignoring his questions.

"No." He shook his head, marching to Sunny\'s vantage point. Conan then squatted down in front of her. "Shouldn\'t you be there?"

"Should I?" Sunny cocked her head to the side. "Who will be left behind here?"

"That man doesn\'t need someone to look after him," Conan reassured, referring to his father, who was still in a coma. "Maximus doesn\'t need him anymore."

​ "For as long as your father is breathing, your brother will need him."

"If he dies, then he dies."

"Sunny doesn\'t approve." Her chubby cheek puffed slightly as she pursed her lips. "Sunny brought him here, so Sunny will not allow any harm to befall him."

Conan forced a thin smile, raising a hand to pat her head. "That\'s nice of you."

"Will everyone be in danger tonight?"

"The Forbidden Palace will be left untouched for sure." He nodded reassuringly. "Don\'t worry."

"I\'m not worried," said Sunny quickly.

"Is that so?"

"Sunny will not let anyone get harmed." Her lips curled up slightly until innocence dominated her adorable countenance. "Do not die, Handsome Uncle. Sunny likes Handsome Uncle the most."

"I will not." Conan chuckled, snapping his brows up. "Are you heading to his room?"

"Mhm."

"Should I help you get there?"

Sunny shook her head. "Sunny is fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Very well." Conan cleared his throat and flashed her another kind smile. "I\'ll be on my way now. Stay here. The Forbidden Mansion is the only safe place tonight. Isaiah and the witches cast a strong protection barrier in this area. It\'s best if you stay here."

"Mhm!" Sunny nodded with a smile, gazing up as Conan stood.

"I\'m going then."

"Bye-bye, Handsome Uncle." Sunny waved, pivoting on her heel as Conan walked past her. The latter looked back at her and smiled before he sauntered off, fading into the dark turn of the hallway.

Sunny remained on her spot for a minute, even after Conan left her line of sight. Her countenance remained the same, blinking, cocking her head to the side.

"Handsome Uncle had a strong back," she commented to herself, noticing how Conan had drastically changed over the past several days. Or maybe Conan just didn\'t change. It was just that he was going back to his old habits as Abel\'s sword.

"Sunny wishes him good luck." When those words rolled out of Sunny\'s tiny mouth, she spun and headed to her initial destination.

She tiptoed to reach the knob, having slight difficulty opening it.  The second the door creaked open, Sunny went in. Her steps stopped, eyes falling onto the bed where a man was sitting up with his back against the headboard.

"He truly must\'ve hated me," said the man, staring at the chair Conan had previously sat on. "Though I cannot blame him. It was me who left his heart broken."

"No one can blame you either because you had responsibilities bigger than anyone," Sunny replied, taking little steps to the bed. "You did your best to keep things from happening."

"But my best wasn\'t enough." The man slowly shifted his attention to Sunny when the latter reached the bed. "Because the worst will happen."

Sunny climbed up onto the bed and sat on the edge, hands on either side of her, eyes on him. "The worst will always happen. One just needs to be prepared for the result."

"Are you not going to do anything?" he asked, seeing how relaxed she was despite the tension the night had brought. "Tonight… might change a lot of things. It only takes one night for something to turn around. You had seen what happened to the mainland."

He assessed Sunny\'s unchanging countenance and then added, "it will happen here."

"I do have plans tonight," she answered truthfully, flinging her legs up on the bed. She then knelt on the surface of the soft mattress, slipping her hand inside her suit, only to take out a tiny knife. Her lips stretched, looking back at the man.

"I will stab you."