Swan gulped when Gale kept on staring at her intently. His brows furrowed, waiting for her to speak more.
She wasn't used to being the center of attention, and to be taken so seriously by the beast king was enough to make her stomach churn.
Yet, she kept telling herself this was her only chance to save the people in her kingdom.
"I'm n-nervous. I'm scared because I might make you angry. I-I don't know if I should be talking in the first place. I'm sorry."
Swan began to ramble amid her speech. She lowered herself, ashamed that she was not good enough to convince him.
If only she had the charm and eloquence that Aria had, Gale would've been smiling at her and catered to all her needs.
She had seen Aria being surrounded by many nobles—men and women, young and old. She was like a diamond that shone bright even in the brightest place.
Swan had long accepted their differences despite being half-sisters, but she wished this time, she could miraculously become her just for this night.
Gale stared at Swan who was on the verge of tears. Truthfully, he still didn't understand what Swan said before.
A gentle monster.
It was strange how she could come up with such a ridiculous term, but he didn't hate it either.
Thus, he slowly walked towards the trembling frail princess and sat next to her.
He wanted to wipe her tears but halted before he could reach her cheek. He felt awkward and somewhat guilty for no reason, so he said, "If you find me not repulsive, then stop shedding your tears. I'm not a bastard who likes seeing my bride cry on our first night."
Swan quickly wiped her tears, and apologized, "S-sorry…"
"Stop apologizing. You did nothing wrong."
Swan nodded, but she knew that was simply impossible for her. Apology was her best weapon to save herself. If she didn't use it often, she would be seen as ungrateful or uncouth, and her mother and sister would beat her for it. It had become a spontaneous reaction from her.
Swan glanced at Gale a few times and found him sitting so close to her, staring at her intensely behind that blindfold.
She became tense again, but sensing no danger coming from him was more than enough to stop her from trembling.
"I-I am a war tribute. I've been given to you as a price of my kingdom's defeat. P-please, just do me as such."
"Do you as such? What do you mean?" Gale asked, but not denying Swan's status as a war tribute to the King of Beasts.
Swan gulped as she guessed this might be her end. The beast must've been very hungry. He probably held off from not eating her because he wanted to eat her in his territory.
Swan remembered the giant wolf who growled with his sharp fangs in the palace yard. Even the tall soldiers looked tiny compared to him, and he could've chewed them like snacks.
It was already such a kind gesture from Gale to wait until they were in his kingdom so he could devour her.
'You have to be ready, Swan. This is what you are meant for…' Swan told herself as she muttered, "Please eat me…"
…
…
"Huh?" Gale thought he misheard it. Of course, his sharp hearing picked that off easily, but he was just making sure that he didn't mishear it.
"P-please eat me!" Swan raised her voice. "Y-you take me as a war tribute to eat me, right? So, please, eat me as you like. I'm all yours…"
Gale was stunned.
He did not expect such a sweet-looking timid lady to be so bold.
He leaned closer so he could smell her natural scent more, and asked, "Do you mean what you are saying just now?"
"I mean it!" Swan exclaimed. There was no turning back anymore, so she had to face her fate.
Gale went quiet for a moment, but Swan noticed that his breath started getting heavier, tickling her ear and neck. He whispered, "Why are you so eager? Have you tried this with someone else before me?"
Swan didn't understand what he was saying, but she shook her head as she had never been in this situation before.
"I-I just think this is the right thing to do."
"The right thing to do… I like the sound of that," Gale said. He leaned closer until his lips almost touched her neck. His breath continued tickling her neck and nape and it made her shiver. "You are eager. Did you do this because it's your responsibility, or because you have a fancy in me?"
Swan still didn't understand what he meant, but she had been nothing but honest this whole time. "I-It's my responsibility—Ah!"
Swan jolted when she felt a warm and moist kiss on her neck. She didn't reject him, knowing that she would be eaten, and Gale probably wanted to taste her skin before she was chewed inside out.
But she found it strange that Gale kept on kissing and sucking on her neck, making her feel ticklish, and also felt a strange hot feeling all over her body.
She began trembling, clenching her wedding dress, and bit her lower lip as she didn't want to make any noise while the beast was tasting her. This was important because if Gale found her unsuitable for consumption, he might get mad and take it on the people in her kingdom instead.
However, she soon couldn't hold it anymore when Gale began to kiss her nape.
"G-Gale, p-please just eat me now. I can't take this anymore."
"So impatient? Do you know that in the beast world, I would have to mark you after I eat you? That means you will only be mine for the rest of our lives," Gale stated as he wanted to make sure that Swan understood what would happen next.
"Uhm—I-I understand."
She did not.
"I-I just want to be done with this and have my peace," Swan added as she had steeled her resolution to sacrifice herself. "Please eat me, and I will be yours forever."
'In your stomach,' Swan added in her heart.
"You are deadly, Princess," Gale said as he hooked his finger on her sleeveless wedding dress and pulled it down. Swan screamed when her boobs were exposed, and she quickly covered it with her hands.
"W-why do you need to do this?!" Swan asked as she desperately covered her exposed areas.
"Because I want to eat you," Gale replied. "Or do you want to do it with your dress on?"