Kael was curious about what Sisi planned to do with the black wool, but he figured that whatever she had in mind shouldn’t be too dangerous.
"Since you’ve chosen the materials, I’ll find a seamstress for you in the kingdom," Kael muttered. "If I can’t find one, I’ll just locate a tribe with a seamstress and conquer them. That way, we’ll have at least one."
His line of thinking was befitting of a conqueror and a king, but Sisi couldn’t help frowning.
Was he always this extre over such trivial matters?
"You don’t need to," Sisi said calmly. "We already have a seamstress."
Kael blinked. "Who?"
". Obviously." Sisi said smugly. "I’ve worked as a seamstress since I was a child. Just give the materials, and I can make anything: dresses, cloaks, trousers, even hats and gloves."
"M-Mistress," Vestor interjected nervously, "Working on garnts is not suitable for soone of your status. It would be better to leave it to a servant. I’ll personally find a good seamstress for you, even if there is nobody in the kingdom, then we will find soone outside."
"That won’t work," Sisi replied. "I’ve always made everything I wear myself. Dresses, tunics, boots, pouches. In fact—"
She lifted her hand, revealing gloves made of deer hide. It looked neatly stitched and sturdy, which gave off the impression that the one who made them must be very skilled.
"These were made from the yearling Jojo hunted."
She nearly ntioned the bear-pelt cloak she wore, but that hide had co from the bear Marik killed in that fateful winter night.
Knowing Marik was a sensitive subject for Kael, she wisely kept quiet as she wanted to preserve as much peace as she could.
Kael examined the gloves closely and was genuinely impressed. "Have you shown these to Jojo? He’s the kind of boy who won’t stop bragging once he does sothing impressive."
"I have," Sisi chuckled. "And yes, you’re right. He keeps boasting that they’re made from his hunt. He’s very proud."
"Heh. That’s my boy." Kael grinned, picturing Jojo’s smug little face. "Fine. If you insist, handle the sewing yourself. But tell if you need help, I’ll still look for a seamstress."
"Trust ," Sisi said confidently. "I’m very confident of what I can do."
Once the matter of the garnts was settled, Diane excused herself, readily going to the treasury to grab all the garnt sheets that the Mistress required.
Vestor was about to follow, but hesitated when he noticed that the Beast King made no move to leave, still seated and facing Sisi.
"My King... will you return to the throne room with , or... remain here?" Vestor asked cautiously.
It was already dusk, and humans were far less resistant to cold than beastn. So, he thought that Mistress Sisi would’e preferred to stay indoor right now.
Kael hesitated.
He wanted to stay longer as he still hadn’t said what he ca here to say.
"I think you should leave," Sisi said gently as she stood. "It’s getting dark, and Jojo might wake up and panic if he’s alone at the summit." She paused. "Oh, didn’t you want to tell sothing earlier?"
Kael opened his mouth, but then rembered Vestor was still behind him.
There was no way he’d reveal anything that made him look vulnerable in front of his advisor.
He turned his head and glared at Vestor, silently ordering him to leave.
Vestor imdiately understood, fearing for each second he spent being glared at by those crimson eyes, "I—I’ll take my leave. Please excuse , My King, Mistress."
He scurried away as if chased by a mad beast.
"Is he really that scared to you?" Sisi muttered. "You shouldn’t intimidate your subordinates like that. If they feel oppressed, they might rebel."
"This isn’t human civilization, where a king is just a weak man wearing a crown," Kael scoffed. "And I didn’t intimidate him. I rely told him to leave—"
"—By glaring," Sisi finished. "You really are stubborn as a mule."
"I’m not a mule. I’m a wolf."
"It’s an idiom... alright, never mind." She sighed. "So? What do you want to say?"
Kael inhaled deeply.
He knew what he was about to say was selfish.
But he had always been selfish.
He had selfishly volunteered to beco a killing machine just so he could be accepted in a pack.
He selfishly conquered tribes to give Jojo a safe holand after living as nomads for four years straight, hiding from everyone, feared that they could be ambushed at anyti.
He even selfishly severed his bond with his fated mate to achieve his ambition.
So what difference did this make?
If he wanted to selfishly restrain Sisi and keep her by his side no matter what, then he should be able to do it in a heartbeat.
"Sisi, I demand that you not to—"
"My King!"
Kael froze.
Vestor rushed back into the pavilion, his expression more anxious than before.
"What is it now?" Kael snapped. He wasn’t even in the mood to hide his anger after being interrupted twice by this damn owl!
"My apologies, My King. It’s... the concubine."
"And?" Kael said coldly.
"She insists on eting you and Mistress Sisi imdiately!"
Kael scoffed. "Is she truly that foolish? I’ve dismissed her. She has no right to remain in the palace, much less interrupt ."
"She claims that if you refuse, she’ll strip herself in the middle of the palace grounds."
Kael laughed derisively. "Let her. What kind of threat is that?"
He wouldn’t care even if Ruela disgraced herself publicly as long as she didn’t do it in front of Jojo.
But Sisi frowned.
She was already surprised that Kael would dismiss Ruela so easily, even though her position must be very high in the court by now.
But other than that, she sensed sothing wrong.
"Let her in," Sisi said.
Kael turned sharply. "Why? She’s clearly unhinged."
"Let her in," Sisi repeated calmly. "This is my courtyard, is it not? Am I not allowed to govern it? Or must I et her in secret simply because you forbid to see her openly?"
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