Sisi’s eyes widened. "W-what nonsense are you talking about? There is absolutely nothing between the Beast King and . We’re only acquainted because we both care for the Little Prince."
"Perhaps that’s when your bond with him began to grow, Mistress. You two care for the Little Prince, so it’s natural for you and the King to have an attraction," Diane replied with a thin smile. "I don’t dare overstep my boundaries. I’m rely stating what I’ve observed, and I happen to have a keen eye."
"In fact, if I didn’t know that the Beast King’s fated mate passed away long ago, I might have thought you were his fated one," Diane added calmly, without a trace of flattery. "When you speak with him, it feels as though you and the Beast King have your own little world. Add the Little Prince, and all of you look like a harmonious wolf family."
"Is this so skill head maids acquire after serving their masters for too long?" Sisi sneered. "Your flattery is impeccable, but I’m not trying to climb his bed, so your flattery is wasted on ."
Diane rely smiled faintly.
She wasn’t frightened by her mistress’s sneer, especially when Sisi’s cheeks reddened despite her sharp tongue.
More importantly, Diane didn’t believe Mistress Sisi was the one trying to climb the Beast King’s bed.
If anything, the balance tipped heavily toward the King.
It was obvious to her that Kael harbored deeper feelings. Still, Mistress Sisi didn’t seem entirely closed off either, her blushing cheeks were proof that she wasn’t as cold-hearted as she pretended to be.
’We’ll see how this develops,’ Diane thought. ’I have a good feeling about it.’
At that mont, a maid entered and bowed to Sisi. "Mistress, the hot water for your bath is ready. We’ve added aromatherapy and flower petals for your relaxation."
"G-good! Take there. I’m ready for a bath!" Sisi rose hurriedly, then turned to Diane. "Y-you may leave now. And rember, don’t spread such nonsense. You know how dangerous rumors like that can be."
"I understand, Mistress," Diane replied with a respectful nod.
Though privately, she doubted she needed to spread anything.
Anyone with eyes could see the tension between Mistress Sisi and the Beast King. Their chemistry was undeniable, even if both stubbornly rejected it.
Sisi followed the maid into the bathroom, where a large tub awaited her, filled with warm water and floating flower petals.
A soothing aroma filled the air, even the rising steam carrying a calming fragrance.
"Mistress, do you require assistance with undressing?" the maid asked.
"No need. I can manage on my own. Just leave the anities and go," Sisi instructed.
Once alone, she finally undressed, removed her hair tie, and let her long hair fall loose. She dipped a toe into the water first, testing the temperature, before slowly lowering herself into the bath until the water reached her neck.
This was the first hot bath Sisi had ever taken, and she never knew it could feel this good.
At the orphanage, hot baths were impossible. All the coal was used to heat the main hall so no one would freeze to death.
At the farm, she had only ever prepared hot baths for the late Mrs. Piker.
After Mrs. Piker’s death, Sisi had been worked to exhaustion and abused by Mr. Piker almost daily. She could only take quick outdoor showers with icy water, even during autumn and winter.
Painful as those mories were, she supposed they had one benefit: they built her resistance to cold. Without it, she might have frozen to death even beside a bonfire when she lived with Jojo inside the cave.
As she soaked in the warm water, her thoughts drifted back to everything Diane had said about the concubine.
The head maid possessed information Sisi needed, both about Ruela’s standing in the palace and her personality.
Sisi had no intention of attacking Ruela.
Even if Ruela had beco a concubine due to a fleeting whim on Kael’s part, she still earned her place in the palace.
Yet Sisi didn’t believe Ruela was simple. Her instincts warned her that the concubine would make a move, especially after being humiliated at the royal banquet.
’She’ll explode once she learns that Kael has given the Queen’s Courtyard as my place to stay,’ Sisi thought. ’I’ll wait and see what she does... then make my move.’
Her gaze sharpened as she calculated Ruela’s possible actions. She had several guesses, but guesses were still guesses.
Regardless, Jojo’s safety remained her top priority.
"If that woman dares harm Jojo..." Sisi muttered, her voice cold. "I won’t spare her."
...
Sisi leaned against the tub, gradually relaxing. She tried to clear her mind and simply enjoy the warmth.
But Diane’s words lingered in her head.
She knew such rumors were inevitable, especially given how Kael treated her. Even if everything stemd from Jojo’s request for her to be treated with the best. The servants, guards, and high-ranking beastn would inevitably assu there was sothing more between her and Kael .
"What a load of nonsense," Sisi muttered as she disdained being paired by that unreasonable man.
Yet her cheeks ward again as she recalled Diane’s claim about the undeniable chemistry between her and Kael.
She denied it, but mories surfaced anyway: Kael’s crimson eyes, his ruggedly handso face, the mischievous grin he wore while descending from the summit.
A strange sensation stirred in her stomach, a ticklish discomfort that unsettled her. Because se never felt this way before.
Then, the feeling vanished when she rembered how terrifying Kael had been during their first encounter in the blizzard. He was ruthless, to the point that Jojo was terrified.
Recalling all the terrible events she had with Kael, the odd sensation began to fade, and her usual steady, realistic mindset returned.
Sisi scoffed softly.
"Ridiculous," she murmured. "Why would I ever beco his concubine? If I were to settle with a man... I’d want to be his one and only."
Reviews
All reviews (0)