The mont Vestor stepped into the pavilion, the atmosphere grew even more tense than before. The Beast King glared at him as though he had committed an unforgivable sin by interrupting his ti there.
Vestor gulped.
Once again, he cursed his terrible luck. He had arrived at the worst possible mont. Yet if he hadn’t announced his presence, the King might accuse him of neglecting his duties.
So the wise owl swallowed his grievance and conducted himself properly.
"This subordinate greets My King and Mistress Sisi," Vestor said as he knelt.
"Stand," Kael ordered. Vestor obeyed at once. "You’re here about the garnts, correct?"
"Yes, My King, as per your instruction," Vestor replied. "I’ve inford the head maid. She should arrive shortly so the Mistress may choose whichever garnts she prefers."
"What garnts are you referring to, Sir?" Sisi asked with a polite smile.
For so reason, whenever she argued with Kael, all her practiced politeness vanished. She beca cold, detached, and oddly more aware of her emotions.
In a way, she beca her most authentic self when it was just the two of them.
Kael noticed her polite smile and felt irritated, even though he knew she wore the sa expression toward everyone except him and Jojo.
That strange possessiveness stirred again, making him restless whenever he saw Sisi smile at another man.
If he could, he wanted Sisi to show her smile only to Jojo... and to him.
But, even Kael knew that thought was unreasonable, so he stayed silent... for now.
"Our King instructed to prepare a selection of garnts for your daily wear, Mistress," Vestor explained. Internally, he wondered how she hadn’t known this already when the King himself was standing right beside her.
’So, if they’re not talking about the garnts, then what were they talking about earlier?’ Vestor couldn’t help but wonder.
"Oh?" Sisi glanced down at herself. "I think what I’m wearing now is good enough, isn’t it?"
Kael looked her up and down. "You wore that yesterday."
"And I’ll wear it tomorrow too," Sisi said cheekily. "No need to waste precious garnts. I can just wash it."
"No," Kael insisted. "You need better clothes, and a few dresses for special occasions as well. I won’t allow Jojo to see you dressed in rags."
"As if you’re dressed any better," Sisi shot back. "You’re wearing a tattered cloak. It looks like it might tear at any mont."
"T-that’s because I’m a man!" Kael retorted. "Male wolves don’t need adornnt. We’re busy surviving, hunting, and going to war."
Sisi raised her brow, then her gaze shifted to Vestor, who wore a golden pin on his chest, with additional gold woven into the feathers beneath his arms.
Compared to his advisor, it was obvious that Kael cared little about appearances.
He always wore the sa worn cloak, with only an athyst clasp at his chest.
Vestor suddenly felt himself under scrutiny once again.
"T-there are differences among beastman species, Mistress," he said smoothly. "Our King’s kind doesn’t favor jewelry, especially the n. However, under his rule, the Beast Kingdom has grown prosperous. Thus, high-ranking female wolves often adorn themselves with jewelry to show their wealth or status."
Vestor was relieved.
Once again, his speech skill ca in handy, as he found a neat way to remove himself from the spotlight while also praising the King.
"Then why are you still wearing that cloak?" Sisi asked casually. "You’re lucky you’re handso, Kael. Otherwise, you’d look holess."
Kael’s expression shifted several tis.
Should he be offended... or pleased?
She insulted her for looking so tattered and uncared for after all. If it wasn’t Sisi, that remark would’ve granted them an execution.
But, being called handso—especially by Sisi—made his heart itch strangely.
Usually, he scoffed at such remarks. His face had brought him nothing but suffering in his youth.
Once, when he was about eight years old, he had nearly been sold into a human brothel as an exotic curiosity for those with strange tastes.
But hearing it from her felt different, it gave him a surge of joy and pride...
For the first ti, he felt grateful to be born with this face.
"Excuse , My King, Mistress, Advisor," Diane interrupted gently as she arrived carrying a stack of folded garnt materials.
Vestor quickly cleared the table so she could set them down.
"These are only the materials," Diane explained. "The treasury holds many colors you may choose from later, Mistress. We have wool, cotton, silk, cashre, damask, lace, leather—"
She pointed to each in turn until her throat nearly dried out.
Sisi was stunned by the sheer variety. She glanced at Kael, who had been watching her quietly.
"Most are gifts from other tribes," he explained. "So are traded, others produced here—like the wool."
"And don’t think about refusing," Kael added quickly. "These are reserved for royalty. Since that’s only Jojo and , it’s better you use them than let them rot."
"Our King is correct," Vestor agreed. "Garnts age. Left unused, they’ll eventually be ruined. It’s best to turn them into dresses."
"And I’ll find the best seamstress in the city," Kael said firmly.
Faced with such determined persuasion, Sisi couldn’t refuse.
Besides, they were right.
She had worked as a seamstress both in the orphanage to help earning so money to keep the orphanage running, and in the farm, as she had to stitch all of Mr. and Mrs. Piker’s clothing.
She knew most of these materials because the nobles who hired her orphanage to make clothes often had the fancy ones, like silk or cashre.
She began inspecting the fabrics carefully, selecting several and specifying colors to make sure that Diane would bring her the correct ones.
Finally, she added, "Oh, I also want black-dyed wool, red thread, and silver thread."
"Black wool?" Kael frowned. "I didn’t know you liked black dresses."
"I don’t," Sisi replied with a mysterious smile as she looked at him. "But I have other plans. You’ll find out later."
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