After finishing my talk with Maya’s parents about getting their permission, I shifted gears toward the real reason I’d co here. It wasn’t just about greetings or formalities at this point, because this part was the core of my visit, sothing that could change everything if it went the way I hoped.
Of course, they weren’t the ones who held the final say in the matter. The one who did was Trill’s father—the king of the Beast Kingdom. Though honestly, calling it a "kingdom" was kind of misleading. Trill’s father only ruled his own tribe, the Feliann Clan, but because of his influence and power, people naturally referred to him as the ruler of all beastfolk. Still, titles aside, it mattered what the others thought. Getting their thoughts first would make what ca next go a whole lot smoother.
"I want to ask you sothing," I said, breaking the silence.
Maya’s father leaned back slightly, his brows raised. "Oh? You’re starting to sound serious now, huh? I half-expected this. Figured you’d have sothing heavy to drop sooner or later. Alright then, what’s on your mind?"
I drew in a slow breath, trying to steady my thoughts before speaking. "Well, I know this might sound insane given the current situation, but I still want your honest opinion on it." My tone grew firr, more grounded. "If it’s at all possible, I want all the kingdoms and tribes in the Great Forest to unite, becoming one single kingdom made up of everyone."
The room fell quiet. For a second, I thought he didn’t hear right. Then, his eyes widened—and the next thing I knew, he was laughing so hard his whole body shook.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" His laughter roared through the room like thunder, his hand slapping his thigh again and again, almost like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Even Aegis’s lips twitched, and I could tell she was holding back a laugh. I wasn’t sure if she found my statent funny or if she was just amused by his reaction, but either way, the ssage was clear—what I’d said sounded completely absurd.
"I’m sorry, Leon," Maya’s father said, still chuckling as he wiped a tear from his eye. "You just caught off guard... I didn’t an to be rude, really. But hearing sothing like that from you with such a straight face—damn, I thought you were joking."
He must’ve truly thought it was so kind of joke, but when he saw that I wasn’t laughing—when I didn’t even crack a smile—his laughter slowly died down. His expression shifted as realization settled in.
"Wait... you’re serious?"
"Yes," I said simply. My tone left no room for doubt.
He blinked a few tis before speaking again. "You do know how impossible that sounds, right? Even from a human’s standpoint?" He exhaled slowly, shaking his head. "The people in the Great Forest—beastfolk, dwarves, elves—none of them get along. The idea of them forming one kingdom together? That’s beyond difficult. It’s practically a dream."
"Well," I replied, keeping my voice calm and steady, "what do you think?"
He stared at , clearly trying to piece together what kind of man he was talking to. Then his gaze shifted to the group around —an elf, a beastwoman, a nine-tailed fox, and an ogre, all standing by my side.
"That’s not all," I continued, taking a step closer. "I’m close to Her Majesty, the Queen of the Elves, and the princess who’s next in line for the throne. I’m also in a relationship with the princess of the beastfolk. And as you can see, I’m not just traveling with an elf—I have an ogre with , too. I’ve even ford ties with the dryads. With that kind of influence, do you really think I don’t stand a chance?"
He was silent for a long mont, the weight of my words sinking in. Finally, he nodded. "You’re right," he said, his tone shifting from disbelief to cautious respect. "Considering everything you just said, you might actually have a shot." He exhaled deeply and closed his eyes for a brief mont. "I can’t speak for what the Beast King will say, but as for ... I already agree with your idea. To be honest, rging might be the best thing for us. Economically, defensively—it could save us. My tribe’s been barely holding on. We managed to fend off the last group of raiders without losing anyone, but we’re on the edge. We’re afraid that one more attack could wipe us out. That’s why... I think uniting would be for the best."
He wasn’t wrong. If they agreed to this, the entire Great Forest would change. Bandits and slavers would never dare step foot here again—not when the tribes stood united. Their defenses would be stronger than ever, and the slavers’ business would crumble into nothing.
For now, I could take his support as a good start.
***
"You sure are going all out with this," Aegis said as we walked away. "You’re even telling your grand plan to a beast clan leader before you’ve spoken to the Beast King himself."
As always, her gaze was sharp, her expression half-disbelieving, half-annoyed. She had that sa look she always gave —like I was a reckless idiot walking straight into chaos.
"Well, what can I say?" I shrugged with a smirk. "I’ve got a soft spot for my won."
She frowned, unimpressed. "And that’s supposed to an what exactly?"
She really wouldn’t understand. For , it wasn’t about politics or strategy—it was about respect. Considering Maya’s parents were involved, I felt it was right to be upfront with them. They deserved to know what I was planning, so they could rest easy about their daughter being with . That was all there was to it.
"Now, now," I said, waving my hand as if brushing the topic aside. "Let’s just move on to our next destination."
Her ears twitched lightly as she crossed her arms. "And where exactly would that be?"
I looked ahead, the wind brushing lightly against my face. "The Nine-Tailed Fox Clan," I said with a small grin. "The Kitsune Clan."
And with that, we continued on our journey.
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