The Tyrant's Pet

Meanwhile…

SLAM!

Maximus slammed his hands on the surface of the table, splitting it in half. His eyes glowed in bright red, grinding his teeth at the person across the broken desk.

"What do you mean you can't go inside the Forbidden Forest?" he seethed, making the knight's heart rattle in his chest.

"Your Highness, the Duke of Luvic —"

"Your Highness, it is not right to lash out at a poor knight who simply relayed the reports." The knight was cut off when a voice from behind him resonated in the chambers.

The knight looked back and stepped to the side to make way for the noble duke of the House Leviticus. He bowed slightly to show respect.

"You should go." London Leviticus glanced at the knight and then arched a brow when Maximus roared.

"London Leviticus, do not push your luck," warned Maximus through his gritted teeth, watching the man pretending to be a female look back at him. "You and your house are still alive, thanks to me."

"The House Leviticus will always be grateful to Your Eminence."

"Then if that is clear, tell your people to retreat and stop hindering me from getting my wife back."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Your Highness."

"London Leviticus!"

"You are giving that man in that mansion the reason for carnage, Your Highness. Even if you are the highest person on the mainland and could practically do whatever you pleased, you are making a mistake. I am simply trying to stop you from making one." London's countenance slowly grew solemn, staring at the fuming Maximus. "After all, most of the royal knights were nobles from different houses across the Mainland. Sending them in the Forbidden Forest despite knowing Abel Grimsbanne is there only means angering more nobles."

Maximus let out a scoff, in disbelief at London's argument. He was the king, and thus, how dare he threaten him with this petty excuse?

"You got this throne this time through a revolt, Your Highness," London continued in a knowing tone. "Many of the previous king's people were displeased with your accession to the throne. On top of that, you had executed many loyal subjects, such as the members of some particular noble clans."

London shook his head mildly. "The mainland wasn't what it used to be, Your Eminence. The last thing you need is to recover the Queen, who was forced to accept this title. After all, she will come back to you whether or not she wants to."

"Our House Leviticus will always be grateful to you, and thus, I had mustered a lifetime of courage to stop my king," he added with conviction in his tone. "What you need right now are allies, Your Majesty. Especially, since the Grimsbanne's will not sit still anymore."

Maximus's jaw tightened, keeping his gaze on London Leviticus. Everything London said was mildly infuriating, but they were facts.

"I am their king," he stressed, but this time, his temperament calmed down. "From then and now, and yet, that useless bunch thinks I am someone who stole something that isn't rightfully mine."

Maximus kicked the broken piece of the table to the wall, breaking it into smithereens.

"It's all their fault," he breathed out sharply. "Those people in the Forbidden Forest… it's all their fault. I shouldn't have let a single one of them step foot in this land."

While Maximus threw a huge fit, breaking everything in sight, London stayed in the same spot. His eyes followed Maximus's figure with a tinge of coldness underneath his eyes.

'He should've blamed his lack of patience,' thought Leviticus inwardly, mentally sighing. 'If he had planned everything since a long time ago, he should've waited for more instead of getting riled up by Marsella. Now, he's just blaming everyone except the real culprit for why things went south.'

In London's opinion, Maximus's situation was his fault and partly Marsella's. But then again, what was even more shocking was Maximus's trust in Marsella. Trusting that woman and hoping she would actually help was suicide.

But then again, London wasn't the person to talk to. After all, London, whose intention was unclear even to his biggest ally, the Queen.

Which leaves many people with a question: who was London Leviticus?

*******

[ Forbidden Forest ]

"It seemed you were an acquaintance of that man with an appearance of a woman." Abel brought Aries back from her trance, poking the tip of her nose.

The two were still lying lazily on the bed, talking about whatever they could broach.

"Mhm." Aries pressed her lips into a thin line, recalling how she met this mysterious noble vampire named London Leviticus. "When I arrived on the mainland, he requested a private audience with me. I was about to refuse, but then Suzanne told me something that piqued my interest."

She lifted her gaze at Abel. "She — I mean, he told me he can provide shelter to my brother and keep him safe. The rest after our first meeting was history."

"Ahh…" his reply lacked any interest, making her brows raise.

"All he asked for in return is for me to host this world summit," she added despite his lack of interest. "He wanted to establish an international organization, after all. And I helped him with that while he kept my brother safe."

"More than that she-man's agenda. You locked the Marquess as well?" His lips stretched in amusement.

The conflicted expression that resurfaced on Aries's face told everything Abel wanted to know. Aries kept everyone away, even her brother. She didn't need to explain, knowing Maximus would stop at nothing to put a leash on her.

"Anyway, I still don't trust him." Aries cleared her throat. "I've known him for two years now, but somehow, I feel like I still don't know him."

A shallow breath slipped past her lips. "Abel, it seemed you know London. Who is he?"

"You mean London?" Abel arched a brow. "He is not a special person. Just someone… he is Isaiah's cousin and someone who hated Conan to the core."

"Ahh… so he is…" Her expression stiffed while her pupils went wide. "Did you say he is Sir Isaiah's cousin?"

"Mhm. I did, and also Maximus's first love… before he knew London is actually a guy."