CHAPTER 990: CHAPTER 151 - THE FELIANN CLAN AND THE KINGDOM OF BEASTKIN (2)

Lionel and I sat across from each other inside his house, the heavy scent of burning wood from the nearby fireplace filling the air. The crackling sound of the flames was the only thing breaking the silence between us. His gaze—sharp and piercing like a predator sizing up its prey—was locked on me, unblinking.

Honestly, I didn’t expect him to step out and face me personally. Lionel wasn’t the kind of man to leave his comfort unless it was for something serious. The fact that he came out of his home just to see me... yeah, that already said a lot.

"You must be confused, Leon—and understandably so," Lionel finally said, his tone low but commanding. "I came out of my house personally to get you. Or maybe," his lips curled slightly, "you already have an idea why I did that, huh? You’re not that dumb."

His voice carried weight, like each word was meant to crush hesitation.

I straightened up a bit, meeting his eyes without flinching. "So, I guess you’ve already heard what I’m planning to do?"

Rumors travel faster than sound in this forest. No matter how much I tried to keep things under wraps, somehow the words always spread—twisted, exaggerated, and shared in whispers. By the time I even set foot somewhere, people were already talking. That’s how things always went.

"Unification of the whole Great Forest, huh?" Lionel finally said, leaning back in his chair. His deep voice carried a hint of disbelief. "You really don’t think small, do you?"

He planted his palm on his knee and slowly stood up. His sheer size made the room feel smaller. I had to tilt my head up just to look at him properly. His presence alone was enough to make anyone’s gut tighten.

"You do know how impossible that sounds, right?" he asked, his tone sharp.

"Yes," I replied, calm and firm.

He raised a brow. "And you’re still suggesting something that insane?" His tail flicked once, a sign of irritation. "You’re smart, Leon. And strong. That’s exactly why I trusted you with my daughter. I don’t think there’s another man out there more fitting for her. But to hear something this naive coming from you, without any logical sense behind it... honestly, that’s disappointing."

The disappointment in his tone wasn’t subtle—it was crushing. But even then, I didn’t flinch. His words bounced off me because deep down, I knew exactly what I was doing.

"The Empire will attack the Great Forest sooner or later," I said, letting the seriousness of my voice hang in the air. "And when that happens, I don’t think any of you are ready to take them on."

Lionel snorted, folding his arms. "It’s the Elven Kingdom’s fault the Empire’s going wild. Why should we care? If they want to bring destruction upon themselves, then let them. We’ll just point the Imperial soldiers in the right direction and tell them where to strike. The Elves can rot in slavery for all I care."

The way he said it was cold. His face didn’t even twitch. There wasn’t a drop of sympathy in his voice, only apathy.

"But it’s not going to stop there, Lionel," I countered. "You don’t understand how the Empire moves. They’re not just after land or power—they’re after control. Complete domination. Even if you turn a blind eye to what’s happening now, it’ll be your people next. I’m sure you’ve heard about how the Emperor operates. The man’s greed knows no bounds. He won’t stop after the kingdoms fall. He’ll take the seas, the mountains... even this forest. Everything."

I paused for a moment, my eyes locking with his. "He’s not the kind of man who stops when he’s satisfied. Because he never is."

I knew that kind of mind—because it was the same as mine. We were both conquerors, driven by desire and ambition. The difference was that while the Emperor used brute strength, I preferred intelligence... strategy. He took what he wanted by force, while I got what I wanted through manipulation, wit, and, well, sometimes by using my dick if that’s what it took to get the job done. Same hunger, different weapons.

Lionel’s expression darkened. He stayed quiet for a while, the firelight reflecting in his eyes. Then he exhaled heavily, his chest rising and falling like a beast trying to calm itself. I could see it—the realization in his eyes. He knew what I was saying wasn’t just paranoia. The Empire wouldn’t stop even if the Beastkin Kingdom betrayed the Elves. Eventually, they’d come for the beastkin too.

After all, most of the Empire’s slaves were beastkin. That alone was enough reason for Lionel to hate them from the core of his soul.

"That’s why I’m proposing this," I continued. "I know it won’t be easy. But if I can unite the Great Forest under one banner, the Empire won’t be able to invade so easily. We could save those still enslaved under them. We can do that—if we work together and drop the ego that’s been dividing everyone."

Lionel let out a low scoff. The tension in his shoulders relaxed slightly as he gave me a look that was half amusement, half annoyance. "You really do have a way with words, Leon," he said. "Is that how you managed to charm and capture my daughter?"

I simply shrugged, refusing to answer. That alone was enough to make him grin faintly, showing a hint of his fangs.

"I can’t agree to it," he said finally, his tone dropping low again. "I don’t like the idea of joining hands with other races—especially not the people from the North. And I doubt they’d agree to it either."

The people from the North... meaning the Centaurs.

The Centaur Kingdom lay far to the north of the Great Forest. Warriors with human torsos and the lower bodies of horses, known for their unmatched speed and strength. The perfect embodiment of pride and battle spirit. But between them and the Beastkin? There was a long, bitter history. Bloodshed that neither side had forgotten.

From the look in Lionel’s eyes, I could tell that grudge hadn’t faded one bit.