"If you were to gain trol of everything within this forest and its surroundiories, it's possible you could amass wealth and power surpassing even my own nation," Gazel stated. "That is why it is imperative for you to secure the support of another try."

  Kaede sighed, trag her finger along the rim of her gss. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no pns to expand beyond the Great River."

  The room fell silent as the panions of both rulers paused their versations, turning their attention to the discussion.

  Gazel raised an eyebrow. "May I ask why?"

  Kaede leaned back slightly. "It’s a personal decision. But my mind is made up. I may rule over Eastern Jura now -somehow- but I will not expand past the Great River." Her to no room fument.

  ‘Jura is already massive. My workload would triple if I tried to manage all of it. There are way too many monsters in the west, and I’d have to hem all. Just thinking about it gives me a headache. Not to mention, Shifu’s tribe is there, along with several other strong monsters, more names, more responsibility. Hard pass. Besides… there’s that powerful presehat appeared after Veldora vanished. Whatever it is, maybe I make it the ruler instead.’

  "I see." Gazel nodded. "That's uandable. However, my offer still stands. Would you be ied iering a treaty with me?"

  Kaede g her panions. The Goblin King, Gaius, nodded with a bright smile. Cam Haulia gave her a thumbs-up. Aurina and Hachi exged knowing looks before nodding, each wearing warm smiles.

  Crimara, however, was slumped over the table, pletely unscious from drinking too much.

  Meanwhile, Delta, the wolf-eared girl, wagged her tail enthusiastically, an unmistakable sign of approval.

  Kaede sighed, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "I don’t see why not. King Gazel Dwargo, I am ied iering a treaty with you."

  Gazel nodded in approval. "Thank you. Now, all that’s left is for you to decide on a name for your nation. Or do you still pn to go with Maple Tree?"

  Kaede stiffened. "Yeah, about that..." She let out a nervous ugh. 'I only picked that name because it was the first thing that came to mind. It’s the closest thing I’ve ever teically ruled, but for a try? It’s kind of ridiculous...'

  "That may ly be the best,"

  Before she could finish, Hachi csped her hands together with a bright smile. "That sounds like a wonderful name!"

  Crimara, who had been passed out just moments ago, suddenly shot up, raising her drink. "Yes! A truly fitting name for my dy’s nation! No other name is worthy!"

  Shifu nodded, admiration in his eyes. "An excellent choice. It perfectly represents our Lady."

  Kaede nearly choked on her drink. 'You don’t even know what it means!'

  Gazel stood up with a satisfied smile. "It sounds like it’s settled."

  Kaede let out a sigh nation, though there was warmth in her expression. "I guess so." She g her panions, who were still celebrating the decision. 'At least this way, if anyone from New World Online ever shows up, they’ll have to e here. Even if it’s just out of curiosity... and hopefully... Sally.'

  She noticed Gazel extending his hand for a handshake and, after a brief pause, took it firmly.

  As their hands csped, a mischievous grin spread across Kaede’s face. "Now, about those reparations..."

  A sudden chill ran down Gazel’s spine, a bead of sweat f on his forehead. 'Why do I have a bad feeling about this?'

  -----------

  Kaede wasn’t the only one engaged in diplomatic talks.

  Earlier that m, Ari had set out for the Kyusha Mountains to iate the city's expansion into the region. Her goal was to discuss terms with the mountains' long-standing inhabitants.

  The Tengu.

  A strong wind swept through Ari’s ptinum hair as she he mountain’s peak.

  She gradually came to a stop, her body tensing.

  A moment ter, her shoulder bulged, darkening as a new form emerged.

  A sleek, bck droached from her, h before her like the ones Kaede often used for reaissance. However, unlike Kaede’s meical creations, this drone pulsed with the unmistakable signature of a living being. Tiny red lights blinked beh its frame as it awaited her and.

  Ari smirked. 'Go. Find anything that seems out of pce. If they’re hiding, we'll flush them out. Be sure to focus on illusions as well.'

  The drone quivered in aowledgment before darting into the sky.

  Almost immediately, een more of its kind formed and followed suit, spreading out to sweep the mountains.

  ---

  The Tengu also known as the Long-ribe are a group of individuals residing in the Kyusha Mountains that border the Jura Forest, the Harpy Queendom of Fulbrosia and the Sorcerous Dynasty of Sarion.

  Although they pose a retively small popution residing in the mountain rahey are worshipped as gods of the mountains.

  Given that they inhabit the intricate mountain raside of the Forest of Jura not even the Sky Queen Frey or Emperor Elmesia would dare to disturb them.

  "Lady Momiji, we have found an intruder attempting to breach the barrier," a red-masked maed, his rge white wings ly folded against his back.

  Before him, a petite girl sat kneeling on a woven mat in a wooden chamber, meditating. -I don’t o do this, Mother. I am perfectly capable of being patient.-

  She had white hair with red-tipped strands, and atop her head, a pair of wolf-like ears twitched at the intrusion. Slowly, she opened her eyes, revealing slitted irises that gleamed like a predator’s.

  "Who dares to intrude upon our domain?" she asked, her voice calm yet anding. "Is this an invasion?"

  The guard shook his head. "ly, my dy. As soon as she was detected, she stopped and requested an audieh you. She cims to be an envoy from that city we observed a few months ago."

  "An envoy?" Momiji rose to her feet, gracefully stepping toward the room’s open baly. The m sun caught in her hair, atuating the crimso its tips. "How many are with her?"

  "he guard replied. "She came alone."

  Momiji’s brow furrowed in surprise. "Alone? Do they take us so lightly?" Then she paused, sidering the possibility. "Or perhaps she is someone of siderable power."

  The guard smirked with pride. "Either way, my dy, we will show her exactly who she’s dealing with."

  Momiji mirrored his expression, her golden eyes gleaming. "Exactly. Let her in."

  Momiji made her way to the tral building of the vilge, the designated site for the meeting. It was a sacred hall where important matters were discussed, and today was no exception.

  She did not have to wait long. The guards soon arrived, esc the envoy inside. Momiji stood at the head of the room, fnked oher side by two of the vilge’s stro warriors, their presence a silent warning.

  The moment her gaze fell upon the envoy, a sihought surged through Momiji’s mind.

  Strong!

  Her right eye twitched slightly as she appraised the woman before her.

  The envoy stood nearly seveall, t over most of the Tengu. Her ptinum-white hair shimmered uhe dim lighting, and two btennae protruded from her forehead, an unusual but distinct feature. She was all-bck clothing, typically worn by me did nothing to diminish her femininity. Instead, it only atuated the powerful yet graceful aura she exuded.

  Momiji’s frown deepened when her gaze nded on the envoy’s chest, noting the twin bulges beh her uniform.

  She clicked her tongue silently, then quickly posed herself as the envoy offered a polite nod before settling onto the woven mat opposite Momiji and her ente.

  The room grew teh silence.

  .

  .

  .

  More silence.

  .

  .

  Even more silence.

  .

  .

  Eve...

  "Will you say something already?!" Momiji blurted out, uo tain her frustration any longer.

  The envoy smirked, her crimson eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh? My apologies if I seemed rude. I was simply waiting for the head of the Tengu to arrive. Or… am I to speak with a child instead?"

  Momiji's ears twitched in irritation. "Wha...!" She shot to her feet, eyes bzing. "I am the head of the Tengu!!"

  The envoy’s eyes widened slightly in what seemed to be surprise, though Momiji was certain it was feigned.

  "My deepest apologies," the woman said smoothly, ining her head. "It appears I have slighted you. Please accept my si dolences."

  Momiji gritted her teeth. 'She's just trying to rile me up.' Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down, imagining her mother’s voice remindio be patient.

  She settled bato her mat, her anger fading. "State your business."

  The envoy nodded, a graceful smile pying on her lips. "My name is Ari, my dy. I e on behalf of the city a few clicks from these mountains. You see, my mother pns to expand our territory in this dire. We will be establishing a city within the mountain range."

  The air grew tense as Momiji snapped her fan shut with a sharp 'cck!' "Expin yourself. Are you g this nd as your own?"

  If Ari was intimidated, she didn’t show it. Her smile remained as she replied, "It’s not so much 'g' as it is 'already' ours. My mother rules the ey of eastern Jura, after all."

  "Insolence!" one of the Tengu beside Momiji roared, smming his fist onto the floor. "We Tengu have guarded these mountains for turies—even demon lords dare not disturb us! We don’t care about your mother or any other tyrants. She must be a fool if she thinks..."

  G!

  Sparks fshed as Momiji’s metal fan intercepted a pitch-bck katana inches from the warrior’s fabsp;

  Momiji’s eyes widened. 'Haze style? So heavy!'

  Ari leaped back to her mat, smoothly sheathing her bde before pig up a small red cup of tea. She took a delicate sip. "My apologies. I let my anger get the best of me."

  Momiji trembled with fury. "You! How dare you?!"

  Instantly, the room filled with Tengu warriors, their ons draoi Ari’s nebsp;

  Yet the ptinum-haired envoy remained unbothered, taking another sip from her cup as if nothing had happened.

  Momiji stepped forward, her voice ced with venom. "It seems your people desire war. Try that stunt again, and we will cut you down where you sit. You and your mother will regret making an enemy of us."

  Still calm, Ari spoke. "You don’t want to go to war with us. Trust me."

  Momiji narrowed her eyes. "Oh? You sound rather fident for someo the mery warriors. One wrong move, and you’ll die where you sit."

  The bdes pressed tighter against Ari’s throat. Yet she only smiled.

  "Using my hands against you might be overkill," she said, her voice smooth and chilling. "My voice is enough."

  A shiver ran down Momiji’s spihe air in the room grew eerily cold.

  "Quick, stop her before she...!"

  But it was too te.

  "ARISE."

  SaberGlory