Starting Out As The God of Beasts

The atmosphere inside the high council chambers of Yeren City was thick with an uneasy, suffocating tension.

Varania had sent a messenger to deliver the words of the supreme assembly.

The air, usually filled with the lazy murmurs of wealthy politicians, was dead silent as the four governors of Yeren sat behind their elevated mahogany desks.

Before them stood a lone messenger from the newly established Kingdom of Varania.

The envoy , a Frog-kin wore the sleek, dark leather uniform of the kingdom’s administrative branch, carrying himself with a terrifying quiet confidence that could only belong to a citizen of a sovereign apex power.

With cold, precise execution, the messenger delivered Varania’s absolute decree.

”The Holy Kingdom of Varania offers a peaceful merger,” the messenger announced, his voice echoing clearly against the stone walls.

”Unification of Hudeii must be made under the banner of the God of Beast” the envoy declared.

”Surrender your provincial sovereignty, and your families will be completely integrated into the Kingdom’s flourishing aristocracy as official county households.” the envoy smiled.

”Furthermore, Governor Vance will be permitted to retain direct operational control of his lucrative mining domains” the Frog-kin added.

”I would be allowed to run the mines?” Governor Vance asked.

”Yes” the envoy nodded, ”On the condition that they run under the strict supervision of the Varanian Administration, and the specific Duke he is assigned to serve under.”

The reaction in the room was instantaneous and volatile.

Governor Kaelen slammed his fist onto his desk, the force rattling the inkwells.

”A merger?! They dare call it a merger?!” he roared, his face flushing a deep, furious red.

”They are demanding we drop to our knees and hand over the keys to our city to a bunch of upstart beastmen!”

”We are an independent power!”

Governor Vance was equally livid.

His eyes bulged as he stared at the envoy, his fingers gripping the edge of his table so hard his knuckles turned white.

The thought of losing absolute, unchecked control over his mining sectors—and worse, having to answer to a fellow beastman Duke as a mere supervisor—cut deep into his pride.

”Supervision?!” Vance spat, his voice trembling with unadulterated rage. ”I built those mining conduits with my own capital!”

”I answer to no one, let alone some feral creature playing king in the desert!” he roared.

The envoy watched with a lopsided grin plastered on his face.

Amidst the explosive fury of her colleagues, Governor Sorsha remained entirely unbothered.

She sat perfectly still, her hands gracefully folded on her desk, her sharp, calculating gaze tracking the messenger’s unflinching demeanor.

She could see that the envoy didn’t fear Yeren’s military power in the slightest.

Varania wasn’t begging; they were giving an ultimatum disguised as a courtesy.

”We have heard your kingdom’s terms,” Sorsha spoke, her voice calm, icy, and authoritative enough to cut through the men’s shouting.

She looked directly at the envoy. ”Return to your master and tell them the High Council requires time to deliberate on this matter.”

”I understand”

The messenger gave a precise, rhythmic bow.

”Varania is patient, but our unification project waits for no one.” the envoy smiled, ”I shall await your council’s final answer,” he stated smoothly before turning on his heel and exiting the grand chamber.

The heavy iron doors clanging shut behind him.

The moment the doors closed, the restraint in the room completely shattered.

”Are we seriously going to sit here and consider this?!” Kaelen snapped, throwing his hands in the air.

”They want to strip us of our titles! A county household? We are Governors!”

”This is an insult!” Vance yelled, turning his furious gaze toward Sorsha. ”Why didn’t you let us drag that arrogant bastard out and execute him? We should be preparing our defenses, not asking for time!”

Only Governor Corin and Governor Sorsha stayed calm.

Sorsha slowly leaned back in her high-backed chair, her expression completely stoic as she met their angry gazes.

”We will not be preparing any defenses,” she stated flatly. ”It is my formal recommendation that Yeren City accepts the terms and merges with the Holy Kingdom of Varania.”

”WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY??”

Vance practically surged out of his seat, leaning over his desk as he screamed at her.

”Have you lost your mind, Sorsha?! Are you a traitor to your own city?!”

”Are you selling us out to Varania?!”

”Watch your tongue, Vance,” Sorsha countered, her voice dropping into a dangerous, low register that instantly froze the air.

She didn’t flinch, her calm eyes locking onto his.

”I am no traitor” she inhaled deeply, ”I am looking at the cold, hard reality that you two are completely blind to.”

”This is for the absolute best interest of Yeren.”

”Absolute best interest to Yeren? What do you mean by that?” Governor Corin asked.

”Yeren City may be a stronghold which stood against Norona City, but Norona was just like us” she sighed.

”Back then, the Troll King was a Martial General and we too were Martial Generals”

”But Varania has three Martial Generals and two Martial Lords, multiple Martial Masters and dozens of Martial Warriors”

”We are a merchant based city. We can’t go to war with the likes of Varania” she explained.

She stood up, looking down at the remaining governors.

”But can’t we atleast push them back?” Governor Vance asked.

”Push them back? Open your eyes!” she clenched her fist.

”Tempest City alone crippled Norona.”

”They stole thousands of mana cores, crippled their economy”

”Slaughtered their armies, and left a historical city in absolute shambles.” she inhaled deeply, ”And now, that same Tempest has multiplied its military presence tenfold and formed a Holy Kingdom.”

”If they could do that to Norona, what do you think they will do to us if we reject their grace?”

Sorsha slammed her hand lightly on the table, her tone unyielding. ”We cannot afford a war with the current Varania Kingdom.”

”If we fight, we die, and our bloodlines will be erased from the Hudeii Desert entirely. If we accept, we preserve our wealth, secure noble titles in a rising empire, and ensure our people survive.”

”We don’t have much to lose”

Vance opened his mouth to argue, but the words died in his throat.

Kaelen sank back into his chair, staring blankly at the mahogany surface.

And Governor Corin smiled.

The weight of her words settled like a physical mountain over the council room.

No one spoke.

No one shouted.

The explosive fury was completely suffocated by the brutal, undeniable truth of their situation, leaving the grand hall in a deafening, terrifying silence.

”Send a word to the messenger, we will accept the grace of Varania”

”Yeren City will merge with the Holy Kingdom!”