CHAPTER 1026: CHAPTER 157 - THE CENTAUR KINGDOM (2)

Reilhahand’s expression didn’t change much. He just stroked his beard, almost amused. "Oh? To kill the man who’s trying to unite the entire Great Forest? I wouldn’t know anything about that," he said smoothly, though the lie was practically dripping off his words. His gaze slid toward me, his eyes narrowing slightly. "So this is the human I’ve heard about, huh?"

Lionel smirked, crossing his arms. "Unfortunately for you, your plan failed. He didn’t even need help—he crushed your son and his men all by himself."

Reilhahand raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued, a faint smile curling at the edge of his lips. "By himself?" he repeated, chuckling under his breath. "Interesting...~"

After a brief interlude filled with uneasy silence, we were finally allowed to step past the gates and enter the Kingdom.

The heavy creak of the wooden doors echoed through the air as they opened, revealing the vast settlement within. The scent of dirt, wood, and faint incense mixed together, creating an oddly nostalgic atmosphere. But even then, I could still feel it—the eyes of the people watching us from every corner. Some were peeking from windows, others stood at the edges of the street, their gazes sharp, cautious, and full of uncertainty.

Yeah... that kind of tension was hard to miss.

"This must be the first time beast people were ever allowed past the borders of the kingdom," Lionel muttered, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd as if reading their thoughts. "Naturally, they’re going to be a little cautious with us walking around like this."

I let out a quiet breath. "Yeah... can’t really blame them. Would’ve been weirder if they greeted us with flowers and smiles."

Then Reilhahand’s deep, commanding voice broke the silence. "Lionel, that man—" his gaze landed directly on me "—he must’ve been really capable to defeat my son so easily. At first, I thought it was just an easy assassination. He looked frail—weak, even. Nothing about him matches the physical strength of a centaur. But I suppose appearances can lie. He was that capable, huh?"

Lionel smirked faintly, crossing his arms. "So, you actually knew he was going to assassinate Leon, huh?"

Reilhahand chuckled under his breath, the sound carrying a strange mix of pride and bitterness. "There’s no point in lying now, is there? Yes, I gave the order. I ordered the assassination to eliminate the one who dared to unify the tribes and kingdoms of the Great Forest. The one who somehow seduced the Elven Queen and her people. That alone was shocking. Not even the most noble or powerful suitors ever made her yield... but he did. You see now why I’m wary of him? He’s a problem. A real one."

Lionel laughed lightly, shaking his head. "Yeah, I get where you’re coming from. Still, it’s possible he’s in a relationship with my daughter because he wants to rule the world. But honestly? I wouldn’t mind that. If my daughter’s the woman of someone who actually achieves world domination, I’d be proud as hell."

I couldn’t tell if they were just throwing guesses around or if they’d actually caught on to my real intentions. Either way, it didn’t matter. I wasn’t about to correct them.

"So," Reilhahand asked, his tone calm but curious now, "what’s his true intention behind all of this?"

He wasn’t speaking to me directly, so I stayed quiet. Lionel, on the other hand, glanced at me briefly before answering on my behalf.

"I think this kid’s got a point," he said. "The world outside the forest is changing—fast. Faster than we can even imagine. Our claws, muscles, and legs aren’t going to be enough forever. Out there, there are beings... made of metal. Things we can’t fight with just strength."

Reilhahand’s expression stiffened slightly. "People made of metal?"

"Not exactly people," Lionel explained, his tone steady. "They’re constructs—created to fight wars for humans. Built for destruction. Humans are getting smarter, using every ounce of intelligence to make tools and beings that give them an advantage."

Reilhahand’s voice lowered, skeptical. "And how can I be sure that what you’re saying is true?"

"Leon showed me one of them," Lionel said, glancing in my direction. "A real one. A being made entirely of metal. After that, it wasn’t hard to believe. The outside world is evolving faster than we can keep up. Everything’s changing—and if we don’t adapt, we’ll get left behind. Or worse, swallowed whole."

Reilhahand fell silent for a moment, his tail flicking slightly. Then, he exhaled and looked straight at me again. "You’re quite an interesting one. Now I can see why this old fool trusts you as much as he does."

The tension in the air softened after that, just a little.

Our steps echoed through the stony path as we finally reached the castle. It stood tall and proud, a magnificent structure made of smooth wood and sturdy stone. I couldn’t help but admire it—it was both rugged and refined, a perfect balance of nature and craftsmanship. The sunlight hit its surface, giving it a faint golden hue. For something built without human engineering, it was damn impressive.

"Keh, I can’t believe you people actually built something like this," Lionel said, scanning the architecture with reluctant admiration.

Reilhahand smirked. "Well, we’re not as uncivilized as you people think."

The two of them kept exchanging words like blades—sharp and waiting to clash any second.

After a bit more walking, we arrived at a large hall where a raised podium stood at the far end. I’d been wondering earlier how centaurs managed their thrones since they couldn’t exactly sit like humans—but now it made sense. Instead of thrones, they had podiums to stand beside when addressing their people. It gave off a commanding, regal presence that suited them perfectly.

"Well then," Reilhahand began, his tone turning serious as his gaze swept across the room. "Let’s get to the real reason you all came here—the discussion about this unification matter."

I blinked, a bit surprised he was the one to bring it up first.

"You really don’t waste time beating around the bush," Lionel said with a small grin.

Reilhahand returned it with a faint smirk. "No point in delaying, right? Now then," his attention turned toward me, his voice steady and firm, "I want him to speak. Tell me—why do you want all the kingdoms here to come together? Why do you want them all to be unified?"