Akashic Records of the Bastard Child Engaged to a Goddess

Chapter 56: I've been setup and I don't even know?

I let out a tired sigh and gestured for Verpace to leave, my subordinates' faces twisted in shock.

Martini asked, "are you sure, my lord?"

Fasit chimed in, "just a moment ago, he admitted to attacking Mojito."

I leaned back in my chair and reminded them that I was trying to establish peace, and as much as I wanted to get revenge for Mojito's injury, I couldn't let my emotions control me.

Besides, Flora healed Mojito so no harm done, right?

Verpace chuckled at my response and quipped, "well, you couldn't detain me even if you tried," causing Isadora to visibly tense up and ask me to let her have a go at him.

I shook my head, "as tempting as that may be, we can't just go around killing people without giving them a fair trial."

"Politics," Verpace snorted, to which I replied, "yes, even the Great Forest has its politics."

"Hm, and I suppose barging into a domain unannounced is part of your politics?" Serena asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Isadora leaned in and pleaded with me to let her take care of Verpace, but I reiterated my stance and told him instead to convey my message to Beast King Kaelin.

Verpace rolled his eyes upon hearing my proposition and muttered, "as if he would care."

I ignored his sarcasm and continued, "let's send delegates to each other's domains and see if we can establish a diplomatic relationship that doesn't involve fighting."

Verpace let out an exasperated sigh and replied, "Fine, I'll pass the message on. But don't expect much."

"That much is enough... Sangria will escort you out of the city." (Lumiere)

With that, he turned and made his exit, leaving behind a tense silence that was quickly broken by Martini's relieved laughter. "Well, that was easier than we thought," he chuckled, eliciting chuckles from the rest of the room.

Despite the potentially serious consequences, we couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

---

I turned to face my subordinates and gestured for them to take a seat.

They all drew chairs to sit around the table, and I began, "Fasit, since you're the most knowledgeable, do you know anything about the Beast King Kaelin?"

Fasit thought for a moment before replying, "Kaelin is a fourth-generation descendant of the Immortal Beast King, who is known only as The First."

I nodded, intrigued, and Martini added, "Oh yes, I've read a bit on it... Apparently, centuries ago, The First united the beastpeople of the Great Forest and brought an era of prosperity and order to the region. His descendants followed in his footsteps, ruling with strength, wisdom, and a deep respect for the natural world."

Skarz rubbed his chin thoughtfully and spoke up, "True... and Kaelin is widely regarded as the strongest of the three Beast Kings, not including the Immortal Beast King, who is in a league of his own."

Serena frowned, folding her arms, "It's a bit scary."

Isadora rolled her eyes, "We have nothing to worry about. If anything, I'm pretty sure you could defeat him, master."

I scratched the back of my head, "I'm not so sure of that, Isadora. Even Serena isn't confident she could beat the Beast King. And she's stronger than me.."

Isadora raised her eyebrow, intrigued, "Really? How does that even work?"

I sighed, "It's a long story."

Fasit interrupted, shifting our focus back to the matter at hand, "Before Kaelin, there were Drogan, the third-generation Beast King, and Sorin, the second-generation Beast King. Although less is known about the two, they're equally as respected as the current Beast King."

I decided to change the subject.

"As our domain expands its territory, it's important that we establish good relationships with neighboring domains. I believe sending these delegates I spoke of earlier, to the Feral Dominion to meet with the Beast King will help a lot." (Lumiere)

"Delegate?" Serena interrupted, raising an eyebrow in confusion, "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean we should send representatives to the Beast Kingdom to make an official visit," I explained, "to discuss trade agreements and political alliances."

Serena seemed hesitant, "But is it really necessary?"

"Absolutely," I replied firmly. "We need to show our respect and interest in their kingdom. Our willingness to cooperate... it's a form of diplomacy."

"Wouldn't that make Martini the perfect man for the job?" Serena smiled at the old man.

Old man Martini seemed to panic at the idea, "Me? But I've never been a delegate before. Are you sure about this?"

I smiled reassuringly, "I have faith in you. Your Unique Skill - [Linguistics] - will come in handy. You'll be able to converse with the Beast Kingdom in their language, which will help build trust and rapport."

Isadora interjected, "But why would he need to speak their language? Beastpeople can already speak the normal language."

Fasit weighed in, "I think I understand what Great Lumiere is trying to do. By speaking the Beast Kingdom's language, it will demonstrate our willingness to understand and appreciate their culture. It's a sign of respect."

I snapped my fingers, impressed with Fasit's insight, "Exactly. It's a form of flattery that will go a long way. Martini, I know you can do this."

Martini gulped nervously, "I'll try my best not to let you down."

Skarz spoke up, "If we're sending a Grygan, then it's only fitting that a Minotaur join as well. I volunteer myself along with Bazirta."

I nodded, "Excellent. Bazirta's commerce skills will come in handy. We can establish an economic relationship with the Beast Kingdom and perhaps learn new trades from them."

Overall, the delegation was shaping up to be a step towards building positive relations with the Feral Dominion.

---

[POV: The Omniscient Akashic Records]

Sangria escorted Verpace out of the northeastern domain as ordered. On his way back to the Feral Dominion, Verpace felt anxious as he thought about the Beast King Kaelin's reaction to his return. Lumiere, the ruler of the northeastern domain, had kindly gifted Verpace a wooden bottle of their enhanced healing potion to be given to the Beast King Kaelin. It was a gesture to show that their domain meant no harm towards the Feral Dominion.

Verpace knew that his inability to secure the northeastern domain might lead the Beast King to believe that Verpace was weak and incompetent. He had to come up with an excuse to cover up his failure. Verpace then decided to take matters into his own hands.

He charged his fists with energy and began punching himself nonstop, inflicting numerous wounds and bruises on his face. He even used his claws to make deep cuts on his body. It was a desperate attempt to make himself look beaten up. After doing that, Verpace didn't waste any time and ran towards the Feral Dominion, his heart racing with excitement.

"(If I do this, then I won't be at fault! Beast King Kaelin won't be able to put the blame on me!)" (Verpace)

As he ran into the Feral Dominion, several beastpeople looked at him with concern.

They asked him, "Are you alright?" Verpace, in pain and seemingly disturbed, didn't answer them.

Instead, he began to scream, "They're savages! They're savages!"

The beastpeople were shocked at Verpace's sudden outburst. They weren't sure how to react, but they knew something was up.

Verpace secretly chuckled to himself, enjoying the chaos he had created. He knew that if his plan worked, the Beast King would believe that Lumiere was actually a threat to him and wouldn't blame Verpace for his inability to establish relationships.

It was a clever strategy, and he felt that it would save him from the wrath of the Beast King.

The Feral Dominion was located in the heart of the Great Forest, which was situated in the center of the Beast's Domain. To the north lay the Spirit's Domain, with its vast plains and deep valleys.