The Devil's Cursed Witch novel Chapter 276

When Ember returned to her chamber, she started playing with her pet bird, though she was somewhat still in a distracted state, her thoughts sometimes on the chained woman in her dream, at times on the scars on Morpheus' body, and from time to time, her hand subconsciously touching the changed crimson blossom on her neck as well.

After some time, her servants informed her that Yula had returned to the palace for some work reason, and would be leaving the palace again after she took care of the leftover work.

"Please ask her to see me before she leaves…if that is all right with her?"

"Of course, Miss. You are His Majesty's mate."

"Indeed, Miss. You don't have to hesitate when asking anything from us."

Ember was relieved that she would get to talk to Yula about one of the concerns she had in her mind. Other than Yula, she had no other choice as her two maidservants were still young and immature just like her.

After a while, Yula arrived at her chamber. "Miss, I heard you were asking for me?"

Ember felt relieved to see the short blue-haired elf. "Glad to see you back, Yula. I had something to talk about with you."

The two servants quietly left, closing the door behind them without making a noise. They were smart enough to understand and didn't have to be told to leave. Once the servants left, Yula said, "You can tell me, Miss. Do you have a problem?"

"Please have a seat first," Ember said as she herself sat in one chair while Yula sat opposite to her.

Ember felt a little hesitant but said in the end, "I wish to talk about mating…"

"What about it?"

"Uhm, the so-called fertile days."

"Sure, Miss," Yula smiled in understanding. "Those are the days when you can conceive a child after you become intimate with your partner."

Ember cleared her throat. "That, I understood from the books I read. But I want to know if males can really smell if females are on their fertile days. His Majesty said something along that line…and…I could not understand…"

Yula nodded. "What you heard from His Majesty is right. Beastmen in general have senses as sharp. It is natural for males to be able to smell when females are in their fertile days."

,m "Is that so? Uhm, I don't know what to say."

"I will explain to you why?" Yula said, "You are human, Miss, so it's normal for you to go on fertile days every month but it's not the case for females of our kind.

Ember focussed on what Yula would tell her.

"You have already learned that beast females get their estrous cycle once a year so they have to wait for another year to get into fertile days. That is why mating and having offspring is an important part of beasts' clans or any other supernatural clans here. Because we don't produce children like humans do, we have a pitiful number of children.

"For divine beasts, it's even rarer to conceive a child. Most of them have only one child or some end up childless. That is why males have their senses heightened to know when their females are ovulating so they won't miss the chance to have a child."

Ember understood the need for males to be able to smell a female's fertility but she had other concerns. She awkwardly cleared her throat.

"So… it is compulsory to mate?"

"Not compulsory, but it is the most basic instinct of survival. Mating will ensure their kind will continue to live on. No one wants their kind to be extinct."

"Then it is fine to not mate?" Ember probed.

"Of course, it is a choice that should be decided by the mated couple. But males' attraction towards their mated female is difficult to control. During days when their mates are fertile, or on nights when the moon is at its peak, on both occasions it is difficult for them to not mate. They will be troubled—they will experience suffering similar to that of unsatiated hunger, and I am sure you know best what His Majesty was like on the night of the full moon."

'Effect is the same as the night of the full moon?'

Ember remembered Draven's actions in the garden. He sure looked affected and looked like he wished to be intimate with her... mate with her. It gave Ember goosebumps.