Grishaw was pleasantly surprised upon hearing Vestor’s words. As the leader of the Eagle Beastn, he possessed the sharpest eyes among his kind, and it was he who had first noticed the unique family in the south.
Now that Kael wished to travel with him, it ant he was more than just an unnad subordinate.
He was being entrusted with the responsibility of aiding the Beast King directly.
"Certainly, My King!" Grishaw declared. "I will do my utmost to ensure your journey is comfortable and that this strange family does not leave before you et them. I will send my subordinates ahead to watch over them and report back!"
"Hm," Kael nodded. "We depart now. There is no need for preparation. I won’t die from re cold—"
’—And I refuse to die. I won’t let Jojo suffer because of this curse,’ Kael added silently.
Seeing his haste, Vestor cleared his throat and reminded him, "My King, the concubine—"
Kael nodded in acknowledgnt.
He lifted his head and gazed at the leaders of the beastn tribes gathered in the valley below his summit. This gathering had beco a habit for their usual morning assembly, where each leader reported matters ranging from newly discovered resources for the kingdom’s treasury to minor disputes within their tribes.
Today, however, no one dared to speak.
That was because of a young woman standing behind Kael, panting slightly as though she had just completed a long run. She was too conspicuous to be mistaken for a servant, and every leader reached the sa conclusion:
The Beast King had finally taken a concubine.
After a long ti of being chaste, he finally couldn’t hold his urge anymore.
"I will be traveling south for a ti," Kael announced. "Vestor will oversee the kingdom in my absence. I have also appointed a concubine as a temporary figurehead—"
He glanced over his shoulder, silently signaling Ruela to step forward.
Ruela fidgeted as she moved to stand beside him. She was intimidated by the gazes of so many powerful beastn, many of whom looked at her with awe and curiosity. In their minds, she must be extraordinary, after all, she was the first woman the Beast King had chosen.
’M-maybe I really am that special,’ Ruela told herself, forcing her shoulders back. ’There’s nothing wrong with having a little confidence... right?’
She stood beside Kael as proudly as she could, like a regal queen beside her king.
"She will serve as the figurehead while I’m gone," Kael continued coolly. "If any of you wish to challenge my authority, you may challenge her first. Let’s see who dares to fight a woman."
His gaze swept pointedly over several tribe leaders known for their rebellious tendencies. Most of them were apex predators like him; from bears, jaguar, and even a snake.
But none was a tiger beastman, because Kael never spared any tiger beastman he fought after Jojo’s incident.
As expected, no one spoke up. Challenging the Beast King was unthinkable because of their disparity in power, but challenging a woman who showed no ability to fight was even more disgraceful.
"M-my na is Ruela," she said nervously. "I-I will do my best."
Her clumsy introduction imdiately softened the atmosphere, lowering the other leaders’ guards.
Kael had to admit that Vestor’s advice was remarkably effective. He had fully expected to kill soone today to deter rebellion, but this thod was far cleaner—and far less bloody.
More importantly, it would ease the tornt of his dreams.
After countless battles, his cursed body had grown accustod to bloodshed. The Dusk Star within him often writhed at night, craving more violence if he went too long without killing.
Today, however, Kael felt lighter after knowing that he didn’t have to kill.
He departed imdiately with Grishaw, leaving the kingdom in the hands of Vestor and Ruela.
*
Vestor soon beca occupied with state affairs, while Ruela sat quietly behind him, waiting for her chance to speak.
Once they were finally alone, she asked hesitantly, "V-Vestor... do I need to do sothing now? Since our king doesn’t wish to mate with yet, should I return to my pack?"
"What are you talking about?" Vestor exclaid. "Didn’t His Majesty appoint you as the figurehead? That makes you the queen!"
"A queen?!" Ruela gasped, stumbling back in shock.
"Yes. And as queen, you must not return to your pack. I will assign you a den befitting your status not far from our king’s summit, along with several maids. If you already have a personal maid, bring her here. You must be treated with utmost respect so no one dares challenge your authority," Vestor said briskly, his eyes never leaving the reports he was reviewing.
Ruela, anwhile, felt as though she had been struck by divine lightning graced by the Moon Goddess.
’From an ordinary girl to a queen... am I living in a fairy tale?’ she thought in disbelief. ’They say forest faeries likes to help the cubs and the pure-hearted. Does this an I’ve been blessed by the Moon Goddess and the faeries?’
Her thoughts imdiately drifted to her childhood maid.
’I have to bring Leah here. She’ll be so happy to serve the queen,’ Ruela decided happily. ’Thank you, Moon Goddess... and thank you, faeries. I know that I deserve a kind reward after my father’s death!’
*
anwhile, an unidentified faerie watched quietly from afar as a tiger beastman and a young wolf cub hunted a fawn together.
Sisi sighed softly.
It had been a week since Marik’s sudden outburst. She had assud Jojo would forget about it quickly, since he was still just a child, but the boy remained cautious.
Marik and Jojo still hunted together every day and worked side by side while waiting for spring to arrive, yet sothing had changed. Jojo was no longer as carefree around Marik as he once was.
He did what he needed to do, then imdiately ran back to Sisi.
Only with her did his tense expression finally ease—a stark contrast to the guarded look he wore in Marik’s presence.
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