5. Another Round (5)

“Frankly speaking, you came back in too fine a state for a rogue’s kidnapping victim.”

A dry laugh escaped from my mouth. “Fine, huh?”

Do I look fine in his eyes?

Is this why those officials slandered me that I had changed sides? They consider it impossible for a person, especially a woman, to return in one piece after being kidnapped by a group of rogues.

What was running wild through their heads right now must be the thought that I had been brainwashed or threatened by my captors to destroy the government from within.

Given that the kingdom’s security situation is currently in flux, my return must be pretty suspicious.

I understand how they could think that. If I were in their position, I would also suspect myself.

“On top of that, the officials are questioning your competencies as their wolf queen. They alluded to how weak you are despite your high status because those rogues managed to kidnap you for four months.”

“I see.”

They want a strong wolf queen, and I understand that. That’s why there’s a Crown Princess contest to find the best partner for Jermaine. Even after being elected, I have continually honed my skills and influence to the extent that they have already seen the results during my leadership with Jermaine.

But because of this one thing, their trust in me wavered.

“They say the kidnapping would never have happened if it were the former queen wolf. They even mentioned that a similar incident had almost happened to my mother. But she managed to fight off her captors.”

“I see. I respect mother-in-law more and more.”

Silence fell between us again.

In the past, I would have tried to refute all those words that hurt my pride, but this time, I knew it wouldn’t change anything.

I looked into his eyes, unwavering. No tears, no emotions.

Jermaine blinked slowly. Maybe he was starting to sense the strangeness of my muted reaction, so he cleared his throat.

He opened his mouth slowly. “…You must also have a lot of questions for me. So, ask.”

‘A question, huh?’

In my past lives, my questions were inseparable from; what’s going on between you and Luelle?

I always spit that question out while in rage, crying, or other hysterical actions, befitting the nickname of a crazy woman that stuck with me at that time. In contrast, Jermaine answered lightly, like he was conveying the time of the day.

A confession that he had impregnated Luelle while I was missing. And after his light confession, he always justifies his actions.

“That’s because you disappeared, and I always failed to find you. The kingdom was also in a crisis period because of the conflict with the Northern. Did you know that because you disappeared, the people’s morale weakened, the internal affairs of the court were neglected, and I was so… lonely?”

A flower bud grew in my heart when I heard he was lonely when I was not by his side.

“It was during that time Luelle reached out her hand to me. You should thank her for helping me.”

“…What?”

A flower bud that has not had time to bloom is torn into pieces.

I, in that lifetime, snort in disbelief. “Oh please, say it properly. She’s not only reaching out her hand at you, but her lower body as well!”

“QUEEN!”

“WHAT?!”

I took a deep breath while closing my eyes as I recalled what I had done in my past life. ‘Haaaa.’

Well, those are just old stories. I don’t need to repeat it now.

My question for now is...

“You and Luelle… what should I do for you two?”

“… What?” Jermaine’s blue eyes widened and shook. It resembles a big wave rolling in the blue ocean, crashing against the rocks.

I was about to repeat my question in case he didn’t catch it very clearly. But Jermaine got ahead of me.

“You, ha,” Jermaine sighed. He furrows his brows while keeping his astonished gaze on me.

Perhaps, sensing the seriousness of my question, he answered matter-of-factly and as if challenging me.

“I want you to appoint Luelle as my royal concubine formally.”

Thump. Thump.

I’ve been waiting for this to come out of his mouth. During my ten lifetimes, he’s asked precisely the same thing from me. To officially welcome Luelle as his royal concubine.

He looked at me carefully. Seeing that I still didn’t change my expression at all, Jermaine’s face hardened. “You can’t do that, can you?”

“No.”

“Ha, as expected.” He looked relieved for some strange reason.

He continued.

“I know you wouldn’t be willing to do that. But think, you played a part in causing all this. In the name of the sacred Royal Family, you should-”

“No, listen. I mean, I will do that.”

“You will… what?”

“I will do that for you.”

“You will? You?” He pressed his last word.

I nodded my head.

Jermaine is at a loss for words. He stared at me without batting an eye for a few seconds.

In the many lives I’ve lived, two things never changed. One, my love for Jermaine, and two, my decision against appointing Luelle as a royal concubine.

Whenever I time loop, I always prevent Luelle from becoming Jermaine’s royal concubine. It was like a life mission in itself for me. I mustered various means so that Luelle would never serve as a royal concubine. Of course, the end of my efforts was death.

But this is related to my pride and my baby’s birth right. I don’t want to be the first queen wolf whose husband has a concubine. It had never happened in the history of the Southern Olf Royal family before, even though there was no law against it.

In the Southern Olf, having a concubine was not taboo. This proves that we are no longer bound by destiny handed down by the Moon Goddess, who instilled the rule of one woman for one man only.

Studying the matter, the Alpha King then limited the number of concubines a man could have. That is as many as three women only.

Even though the Alpha King decided the rules then, he had never taken a concubine in his life. This mindset was passed on to the following Alpha King descendants, except now Jermaine intends to change it.

“What is it? Isn’t that what you want?” I looked at Jermaine, who was still stunned.

Naturally, Jermaine was shocked by my confession just now. I never let other women get close to him, including the maidservant. If any woman deliberately seeks his attention, I will threaten her gracefully.

He certainly didn’t expect the woman who had been infatuated with him and had always been greedy to monopolize him to be waving a white flag for another woman to have him.

“Are you protesting now?”

I shook my head while Jermaine rolled his eyes.

This is the time for me to let go of one of the two things I could never do before. This time, I’ll make Luelle to be Jermaine’s companion.

And maybe, there will be a time when I can also let go of my heavy love for Jermaine. At that time, could I live a quieter life be possible?

“Forget about concubine. I can even give her my position, Jermaine. Just say the words.”

“… What are you saying now?”

“Let’s get a divorce.”