Chapter 77 - Stress Eating

Abel picked up a gold cup to drink wine, chugging it down, and hissed in satisfaction. He smacked his lips, clearing his throat before picking up the cutlery to eat. 

"So? The carriage left the capital?" he asked while slicing through the tender steak with his bloodstained hands. He forked it out and devoured it, shifting his pair of nonchalant eyes at Isaiah. 

Isaiah stood several feet away from the host seat at the long dining table. He glanced at the other people occupying the seats around the long table. But unlike Abel, who had the appetite to eat, the people joining him in his meal were all... unconscious. 

Some had their face on the plates, others were leaning back with their eyes opened. Most of them were men and only a few were women. But eating with the dead didn't faze Abel. 

"Yes," Isaiah answered after a few seconds of silence, eyes back at Abel. "Marquess Vandran sent her off. He will deal with the people who were after her."

"Good." Abel rocked his head, stabbing a baby potato with his fork. "And Conan?" 

"He is still throwing a tantrum about Lady Aries's departure."

Abel let out a dark laugh while chewing. His eyes landed on the guest around the table, shaking his head lightly. It was a dreadful sight to behold, but he was quite used to it. 

"Too bad they didn't get to enjoy the potato we grew and harvest." He let out a deep exhale, tongue running to the side of his gum. He picked up the golden cup of wine, scanning the table once again, only to shake his head. 

"What a shame." 

He guided the cup to his lips to wash down the food and calm the turmoil in his heart. After Aries left the garden, Abel dragged the woman whom he slew for questioning. Sadly, she bit her tongue off and killed herself, knowing she would face an even worst fate if Abel started questioning her. 

So, in the end, Abel invited everyone from the council. He didn't pay attention to it before because he was so busy with Aries. But the attendees in the council meeting were only representatives. Thus, he didn't find any reason to let them all leave this dining hall. 

They all met their demise even before they could eat. Abel didn't have time to play games with the council, nor would he indulge in talking to stand-ins. It was an insult, but well, that saved him the trouble of talking to those troublesome people. That only meant he would see them in a few years again. It was a win-win, nonetheless. 

The only problem was, they were targeting Aries.

"Tonight, she would've died twice," Abel crooned, hands on the table as he thought about it. "First, in the hallway, and second, in her changing room. Isaiah, loosen the security in the palace. I'd like to see how these rats who snuck inside will do."

"I already did when Lady Aries left the palace."

Abel cast Isaiah a look, nodding in satisfaction. "Very good." The side of his lips stretched. "I need a distraction for a while. We'll deal with these people in a few months. She would've left the continent by then."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"What do you think they prepared for me? Women? Golds? Poison? Assassins, perhaps?" he inquired with a ridiculing tone, stabbing another baby potato. But instead of shoving it inside his mouth, he leaned back, eyes on Isaiah, while carefully guiding the potato to his lips. 

"I think..." Isaiah glanced at the table, noticing the empty bottle of wines Abel had already downed and some empty plates stacked up near him. "... you are stress eating."

"Huh?" Abel cocked his head to the side, still chewing. 

"Shall I bring her back?"

"Isaiah, do you think I am not a man of my words?" Abel swallowed down his food, reaching for the gold-plated cup, only to see it empty. Hence, he reached for the unopened bottle of wine and poured himself a glass.

"I don't see any reason for my loyal sword to suggest something so ridiculous. Did you spend a second with... the girl whose name I forgot, for you to want her back in here?"

"I am simply worried about Your Majesty," Isaiah confessed in his usual deep baritone voice. "You want to chase after her and I would like to save you the trouble."

Abel cast Isaiah a look. "Who?"

"Your Majesty…"

"Isaiah, you are always worried about me. Are you afraid I'd actually die?" he humored with a dark laugh, shaking his head as he twirled the glass in his hand. "Of course, I can barely stop myself from flying to her to drag her back in here. However, I gave her my word and I will uphold that."

"I will look for her months later. If I find her, then that's the sign to lock her up. But if I didn't, good for her," Abel added, letting out a sharp exhale. "I mean, come on… I've never met a woman who can get along with me so perfectly well."

"She was smart."

"Exactly." Abel rocked his head, glancing at Isaiah briefly. "She is smart and it will be a shame if her intelligence will be the cause of destroying our little… friendship."

Isaiah pressed his lips into a thin line, lowering his eyes. He knew what Abel meant by that. Aries was smart and with a snake like Dexter slithering around her, it wouldn't be a surprise if she figure out the secret behind the empire. 

That secret was something one wouldn't easily accept after all. Abel simply wanted to preserve Aries memories just the way it was.

The emperor was rather a simple man, surprisingly. That was all he wanted from her, nothing else. Or rather… Abel wanted more from her, but he wouldn't risk letting her in this secret because it could change everything with a snap of a finger. 

"Anyway, tell everyone in the Rose palace to desert the place until further notice. I'll be staying there for the night and I do not like any disturbances." Abel ordered after a minute of silence, smacking his lips as he gazed at Isaiah. 

"Yes, Your Majesty.." The latter bowed before executing the order.