Mommy Wolf: Raise A Cub, Claimed By His Beast Daddy-Chapter 102: Mistress of the Queen’s Courtyard (II)
Sisi knew that she was biased toward the little wolf cub, and she had no intention of hiding it.
If anyone wanted to harm Jojo, she would be the first to protect him, even if it cost her life.
In fact, she might even strike first before that person could do anything to Jojo. Just as Kael had said before: one should eliminate enemies early to prevent future trouble.
If Jojo genuinely hated someone, then she would hate them just as fiercely.
Though she wondered if Jojo was even capable of hatred. At most, he seemed wary of certain groups—like tiger beastmen—because of the trauma he suffered when he was separated from his father.
Still, Jojo was a simple boy. He cared more about hunting and his small family than about anything beyond his narrow circle.
That reminded Sisi of Kael.
’Like father, like son,’ she thought. ’He only cares about Jojo’s well-being and ignores the rest of the palace. It’s fortunate that he’s genuinely powerful. If this were a human kingdom, he might’ve been assassinated long ago.His advisor must be very capable to keep everything in order.’
"Then I want to ask your opinion about Concubine Ruela," Sisi said as she leaned back in her chair, carefully observing every twitch and fidget Diane made to ensure she received an honest answer. "What do you and the other maids think of her? You’ve served her before, haven’t you?"
Diane hesitated before shaking her head. "I’ve never served her personally, Mistress. There are a few cleaning maids assigned to her courtyard, but she’s mainly attended by a maid she brought from outside named Leah. However, based on her behavior while the King was away, I’d say she is rather... vain."
"Vain?"
"Yes," Diane replied. "We all believed she was the King’s favored woman and future queen. While the King was absent, she frequently requested jewelry to be delivered to her courtyard, along with imported fragrances, tea, and silk traded from the beastmen of Jing Forest. She also demanded the finest food. The head chef often complained because she would insist on variety, or else she’d grow bored."
"I never realized she is so high-maintenance," Sisi muttered.
"Truthfully, no one likes her except the wise Advisor Vestor," Diane said. "But since we believed she would become our queen, we had no choice but to comply with her whims. She behaved like a queen long before being crowned."
Diane’s complaints sounded like resentment she had been holding in for a long time. As Sisi observed her carefully, she could tell Diane was telling the truth.
They didn’t like Ruela. They were simply afraid of her status as a concubine.
Growing up in the orphanage had made Sisi a keen observer of people. Ruela reminded her of a girl she once knew, someone who wasn’t necessarily cruel, but incredibly vain and demanding.
That girl often insisted on taking things from other children. If she didn’t get her way, she would throw tantrums so fierce that even the Matriarch struggled to discipline her.
Sisi later learned from the Matriarch that the girl’s parents had once been wealthy business owners before falling into bankruptcy. Overwhelmed by debt, they took their own lives, and the girl was sent to the orphanage because no relatives would take her in.
The girl was accustomed to luxury, so she never adapted to orphanage life.
The girl had been younger than Sisi when she arrived, and by the time Mr. and Mrs. Piker adopted her, Sisi no longer knew what became of her.
But she suspected the girl’s fate hadn’t been a good one, because most adults didn’t tolerate such princess-like behavior.
"I have one more question, Diane," Sisi paused briefly before asking, "What do you think of me and the Beast King?"
"Ah—" Diane stiffened. This new mistress was exceedingly direct, unlike most noble beastmen who would speak in a roundabout way.
In fact, she reminded Diane of the Beast King himself.
He despised frivolous conversation and brushed aside hollow praise. Once, he had even dismissed a beastman poet who wanted to make a hymn for him. Kael claimed that he didn’t deserve to be immortalized in verse.
Instead, he assigned the poet as a language teacher for young beastmen so his talent wouldn’t be wasted.
"I-is it truly acceptable for me to answer that, Mistress?" Diane asked cautiously. "It concerns your private relationship with the Beast King."
"It’s fine," Sisi replied calmly. "I’m just curious."
That wasn’t entirely true. She also wanted to prevent further misunderstandings, especially anyone mistaking her for a second concubine.
Under Sisi’s steady gaze, Diane had no way to evade the question. She took a deep breath before answering.
"I believe you and our King are well matched, Mistress," Diane said. "There’s a rumor among the servants and guards that you’re a human girl kidnapped by the King because of your beauty. But seeing how close you are to the Little Prince, most of us doubt that story."
Sisi frowned at being called beautiful. It still felt strange, having never been described that way in her life.
Still, beauty was subjective. She didn’t bother refuting it.
What concerned her more was the rumor itself.
"I left human civilization of my own free will," Sisi clarified. "I left together with the Little Prince. Before the Beast King found us, it was just the two of us in Roc Forest."
She deliberately omitted many details: Marik, the blizzard chase, and how hostile she and Kael had initially been toward each other.
Now, she saw Kael as a mighty king... but an unreliable father.
"I see," Diane murmured. "No wonder the King holds you in such high regard. You’re like a mother to the Little Prince." She hesitated before adding, "To be honest, Mistress... I also sense a spark between you and the Beast King."
Sisi’s frown deepened. "What do you mean?"
"I’ve observed your interactions at the royal banquet and here in the courtyard," Diane admitted. "The two of you seem to have a special chemistry, as if you were made for each other."
