Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Be Prepared


    "Princess, I think you should be more careful with Lady Jade," Long Xiurong warned during theirte noon tea time. "I''ve heard the gossip that Lady Jade and His Majesty were arguing in the throne room yesterday and heard about their quarrel again just now. I don''t know what she is nning next."


    "Lady Jade has been going in and out of the throne room? I thought she was already unneeded after I''ve set up a good system for Gale to continue governing even without me by his side since I cannot survive autumn and winter in that cold room," Swan said. "Where do you get this information, Lady Long?"


    "From my attendant. She is a bunny beastman called Alice. She''s quite gossipy, but the information I get from her can be useful," Long Xiurong wanted to continue her sentence by saying that she had caught various rumors, including Swan being a witch, from that bunny maid.


    But then again, she didn''t want to anger Princess Swan, nor did she want that bunny maid to get punished for gossiping.


    To have ears around the castle was very important for her, so she wouldn''t be disadvantaged by letting Alice get punished.


    "I see..." Swan''s mind instantly recalled the night before, when Gale suddenly asked her whether she remembered anything about what happened when Rock attacked her. He even asked if she had manifested into an unknown magic power. ''So, it''s Lady Jade who has been poisoning Gale''s mind.''


    "Thank you for telling me this. We didn''t fight, but he had a few rather strange questionsst night," Swan replied. "But it''s fine, everything has been sorted out. You should also be more careful, Lady Long. Jade is not your ally. She''s nobody''s ally, honestly."


    Long Xiurong nodded as she knew it wasn''t wise to be too close to anyone in this castle.


    "Oh, Princess, I''ve always been told by my attendant that the coldest night of this year would arrive in less than a week. She told me that His Majesty would get into a dangerous situation once a year because of his rut," Long Xiurong informed, unsure if Princess Swan already knew about this or not. "Have you already prepared for it?"


    The teacup on Swan''s hand shook a little and a few drops spilled from the edge. She got nervous instantly, "Y-yes, I have been informed by my attendants that the coldest night woulde soon, but I''m also waiting for Gale toe and talk to me about it."


    "Huh? Strange. I''ve been told that a werewolf would spend the whole night with his mate during his worst rut. Shouldn''t His Majesty inform you first, since you''re his mate? Unless..." Long Xiurong immediately stopped talking when she saw Princess Swan''s gaze dimmed a bit. "N-nevermind, Princess. I''m sure His Majesty woulde and talk about it today. It''s a once-in-a-year situation, after all."


    Swan smiled bitterly and replied, "You should prepare yourself as well, Lady Long."


    "W-what for?"


    "Just in case Gale wants to spend the night with you. We don''t know what would happen during his rut, maybe I''m not enough for him, or maybe he wants the taste of a new woman. Since you''re his unmarked bride, there''s still a chance of you getting marked," Swan exined.


    "B-but, Princess... isn''t that... cheating?" Long Xiurong asked.


    "Cheating? I thought the Eastern Long Dynasty has a long history with harem."


    "We do, but... this situation between us and His Majesty is a little different, Long Xiurong sighed. "I''ve seen how my Emperor Father acts


    just to appease his Empress as


    concubines. He would try to spare equal amounts of attentiveness to the four of his favorite concubines, including my mother, and generally seem to have a cordial rtionship with the Empress."


    "But His Majesty the Beast King is different. He... he doesn''t even try to appease me. He doesn''t give me gifts, he doesn''t visit my room, and he never summoned me to have a small conversation," Long Xiurong added. "I think it''s fairly obvious that he doesn''t want to have anything to do with me."


    "Even so, nobody can guess what will happen during his rut. So, I want you to be prepared nheless," Swan said, which sounded more like an order, and Long Xiurong nodded reluctantly before excusing herself to return to her room.


    After arriving in her room, Alice, the bunny maid, helped Long Xiurong to take off her intricate hair ornaments before asking, "Mdy, I heard about your conversation with Princess Swan."


    Long Xiurong frowned, "How did you know? Did you eavesdrop?"


    "N-no, Mdy! My natural ability as a bunny beastman is enhanced hearing. So I cannot help but listen


    1.n


    ???


    Alice denied the usation immediately. "I think what Princess Swan said is true. You need to be prepared for the coldest night of this year, Mdy. What if His Majesty chose you to spend the night with instead?"


    "I doubt that will ever happen," Long Xiurong chuckled mirthlessly.


    "Why not? Do you know that when His Majesty is in his rut, he will lose his mind for the whole night? He


    would be nothing but a mind/ecmet


    beast and I''m sure he would


    love


    your new scent since youe from the Eastern Long Dynasty!" Alice encouraged as if she wanted


    Lady Long to be the one mating with the Beast King.


    Long Xiurong noticed the excitement and raised a brow, "You seem to be too eager for my liking. Why do you want me to end up with His Majesty when his love has been fully spent on Princess Swan? And don''t give me that ''Swan is a witch'' response. It''s not proven yet, and I don''t like baseless usations."


    "I-It''s not only about that, Mdy. It''s also because we have been expecting a cub or two from His Majesty. We dedicate our lives to him, and though we believe he will live forever, we still want to serve Little Master or Little Miss," Alice rified.