Chapter 186: Chapter 186: She is not your fated mate


    Aria nced at Swan for a second, before returning her gaze to the Beast King.


    "I''ve heard the rumor that you are meant to find your fated mate and produce an heir. I also heard the rumor that wolf beastmen, in general, cannot produce offspring if they don''t mate with their fated one," Aria mentioned two of the mostmon topics about wolf beastmen. The wolf beastmen were simr to the swan beastmen. Both could only bond with one mate in their lifetime, so the Moon Goddess forbade them to produce an heir except with their fated mates.


    "And what about it?" Gale asked. He sensed a dreadful question that was about toe out of Aria''s mouth, but he knew it was toote to stop Aria from saying it.


    He pursed his lips as he let her roll with that question.


    "May I know if Queen Swan has been pregnant with your offspring yet, Your Majesty?" Aria asked. "If she is not, then does that mean she is not your fated mate?"


    Aria asked the question loud and clear, and she was met with absolute silence, as both Gale and Swan didn''t give her an immediate answer.


    Swan''s body tensed, but Gale wasn''t angry or offended by it.


    Everyone in the castle had long suspected that Princess Swan might not be the Beast King''s fated mate.


    But nobody dared to question him except for Jade, and Gale treated those rumors as mere noise.


    He checked on Swan whose face paled instantly, and finally replied, "You must''ve known about the rumor that I have been cursed, right?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "I have been cursed by the Moon Goddess herself, and she granted me immortality on top of having strength that nobody could match for the next millennia or so. But it makes me unable to find my fated mate," Gale exined.


    Aria quickly suppressed the smile on her face once she thought that she had woken Gale out of Swan''s dark charm and hypnosis.


    "If that''s the case, then why are you treasuring her like she is your fated one? What would happen once you find your fated mate?" Aria asked. "Pardon me for being upfront, Your Majesty, but isn''t it unfair for your fated mate? She must''ve been waiting for you out there, and yet here you are, indulging yourself with a woman who cannot bear you a child!"


    Aria was told by Madam Harsetti, the Great Witch, that Gale was immune to dark charm, but he could still be fooled by logic.


    Swan might''ve been lying about one thing or another to persuade Gale, but he had to wake up eventually because that cripple wasn''t his fated mate.


    Swan was speechless.


    She had never been confronted right in her face about this problem by other people. Aria''s words physically and mentally hurt her knowing that she had to be separated from her husband eventually.


    She didn''t dare to look at Gale, not because she was scared of being abandoned, but because she was scared of him fiercely defending her despite being in the wrong.


    He shouldn''t have defended her.


    "I cannot identify my fated mate, that is the lifetime curse that I have to bear," Gale responded lightly. "Swan might or might not be my fated mate, but that doesn''t matter for me, because even if I''ve eventually found that woman, I will still love Swan more."


    "You can say that because you


    haven''t met her," Aria insisted. "I''m sorry Your Majesty, but I cannot truly believe that you won''t have a change of heart once you see your fated one. What you did right now s feeding into the delusion that you are in love with Swan."


    "ENOUGH!" Gate gritted his teeth as he got triggered. He vastly underestimated Aria, because he


    vel


    didn''t expect this dung-scented woman to have such a sharp tongue. "Just do what you need to do. Beg for my Queen for


    forgiveness, and if she forgives you, then I would be willing to lift the trade ban from Holy Achate entirely."


    Aria looked at Swan who already looked sad after listening to their conversation.


    She found it ridiculous that Swan could still put up a sweet and sad face even though both of them knew that she had been tricking him the entire time.


    "I''m sorry, Your Majesty, but I don''t think I can apologize to Swan right now, at least not in this throne room when you are present," Aria said. "Why not?"


    "Because I prefer to have a heart-to-heart conversation with my sister," Arja smiled. "Only the two of us, and I''m sure Swan would prefer the same. I understand that you are trying to make a show out of us. You want to humiliate us in front of Swan, but I don''t think it''s what she wants."


    "Nonsense, I—"


    "She is right, husband..." Swan interrupted. "I... I understand what you want to do,


    but I want them to apologize privately. I-I''m not someone who wants to be worshiped, kneeled, or revered like this. Those are exclusive only for you." "But you and I—"


    "You are the Beast King," Swan cut his words humbly. She smiled this time, but her smile only made her look even sadder. "Can you give Aria and I a moment alone to talk?"


    "No," Gale rejected firmly. "Don''t you remember what she did before? She threw a teapot with boiling tea to your face. If I wasn''t there, you would get hurt!"


    "You can wait outside, or let the cat maids and one or two guards inside. I want to have a conversation with Aria alone," Swan stated firmly.


    Gale couldn''t guess what was in Swan''s mind right now, or why she suddenly wanted to have a private conversation with her half-sister who had been tormenting her for a long time.


    He was unwilling, but Swan''s pleading gaze was truly his weakness because he


    found himself nodded in agreement before he realized it.


    "Don''t worry. I promised you that I will not make a mistake in my decision," Swan assured. "Trust me, husband."