Chapter Ten First Glimpse

  If the daytime celebrations are just an unbridled revelry, then the night is the climax of the festival, because on the night of the festival, an important divination ceremony will be held.

  This is a ritual in which the shamanic priests, by beheading prisoners or captives, offer fresh blood and life to Freyr. The beastmen believe that through this sacred ritual, they can communicate with the god of war and gain his protection.

  Therefore, around this bloody sacrifice, the festival that night has a very important position in the hearts of the beastmen.

  After a whole day of wanton revelry, even the energetic beastmen would feel tired. The boiling Hot Tooth City also gradually quieted down.

  However, around the gigantic temple under the statue of Phrygian gods, a sacred and solemn atmosphere was prevailing at this time. The square in front of the temple was surrounded by bright lights, with countless torches illuminating half of the mountain, making it seem as if the giant war god statue was standing in a sea of fire from afar.

  In the center of the square, a huge stone pedestal stands upright. The pedestal is swept clean, but it is stained with a deep brown substance that deeply conceals the original color of the stone.

  Around the stone pedestal, countless beastmen sat or lay gathered around the square, a sea of black that even extended to the mountains behind the temple. To watch the sacred divination ceremony, nearly half of the city's residents had gathered here, and the city below, Cangyan City, was also almost pitch-black, with few lights.

  Inside the square, a simple seating area was built with wooden boards, and a large group of strong Minotaur soldiers separated them from the surrounding Beastmen spectators. That was where the noble Beastmen aristocrats would watch the ceremony.

  At this time, Ramon walked towards his mother under the escort of several soldiers, through the thick crowd. Because the ceremony was very sacred, even if Barshte was his close attendant, he could not approach the inner layer.

  Right in front of the temple entrance, Queen Amada was sitting on the throne. A beastman stood beside her, reporting something in a low and urgent tone.

  After hearing his report, Amada gave an order and the beastman nodded and left in a hurry. At this time, Amada saw Raymond and beckoned him to come over.

  "Mom, what just happened?" Raymond plopped down beside Amada.

  "There's nothing, the bandits who have been harassing the border before suddenly appeared in the tribe near Wolong City." Amada said casually: "Probably want to take advantage of the festival to rob travelers."

  "Then send the Wolf Riders. With their mobility, they should be able to clear out those bandits." Raymond suggested.

  Amada shook her head: "No, I've already sent a team of Minotaurs."

  Raymond was taken aback: "Minotaur? Why?"

  Minotaurs possess extremely strong melee and siege capabilities, known as the kings of close combat, but mobility is not their forte. It's really strange that Amada gave up using wolf cavalry and instead sent them to sweep away bandits.

  "At this time, I will never let any wolf rider leave my sight." Amada said slowly.

  The old lady indeed always kept a guard against the werewolves, and Raymond couldn't help but feel at ease. After some thought, he added: "But what if we divide the Minotaur's forces now? If... I mean, if the werewolf tribe were to cause trouble, would we have enough manpower to suppress them?"

  "Oh, did you think werewolves would betray?" Amada looked at him in surprise.

  Raymond hastily laughed it off: "I was just casually saying that."

  "Think what you think, are you afraid of that old wolf?" Amada patted Raymond on the back: "If you can't even see this, then you're not my son. But if the werewolves want to make trouble, they'll have to get past these two first."

  She pointed to the dark mass of beastmen citizens around her: "20 years ago, Verona's rebellion left us severely injured and lost the opportunity to occupy the Dinar Empire, I don't know how many people's resentment was incurred. Now he wants to use the same trick again, unless he can get their support, otherwise even if Hakken that fool is pulled up, it will be impossible to succeed."

  At this time, Raymond finally understood why Amada was so indifferent to Verona's attempt to win over Haken, because if they didn't get the support of the beastmen, the werewolf tribe would never dare to make trouble in Langya City, otherwise it would be a dead end.

  It can be said that the residents of Kiba Castle are Amada's best talisman.

  I was so worried for nothing, it turns out... Ginger is still spicy after all. Raymond sighed, it seems that the previous arrangements were indeed in vain.

  Just as Raymond was admiring his mother's wrist, Amada suddenly said in a careless tone: "By the way, I heard that you applied to Robard and took the West City Gate to practice, is that true?"

  "Uh..." What was supposed to be a secret was suddenly exposed, and even Raymond's quick wit couldn't help him from being taken aback for a moment.

  How did the old lady know? Raymond's mind was racing, and he suddenly looked to his left. Sure enough, not far away, the traitorous Old Cow Head's face turned red as he pretended not to see anything and started counting stars instead.

  "Don't glare at Robard, how could he possibly deceive me." Amada said with a smile, seeing Raymond glaring at the old cow-headed man with a deadly gaze.

  "Ah, actually I was just..." The truth had been exposed, and Raymond could only confess honestly. Anyway, he hadn't done anything too excessive, so at most he would be scolded a bit.

  But Amada smiled softly and said, "Silly child, what do you need to prove? As long as I'm around, who dares to disrespect you? Alright, after the festival, take me to see what kind of tricks you've been up to."

  Upon hearing this, Raymond's hanging heart immediately fell, it seems that Amada is the same as Robard, thinking that doing so is just to gain recognition.

  Alas, Mars preserve us, how important a well-rounded lie can be at times.

  He couldn't help but laugh and say, "Ahahaha, of course, you're welcome to visit anytime." Meanwhile, he had already started thinking about how to inform Rutz and turn those arrangements into a welcoming party.

  At this time, people with identities from various tribes came one after another. They paid their respects to Amada from both near and far.

  Due to his noble status, Verona's seat was just near Amada. Before he sat down, the werewolf unexpectedly walked over this way.

  Due to his notorious relationship with Amada, countless eyes from far and near turned towards him at once, making several people the focus of attention.

  "Your Majesty, may you be favored by the God of War tonight." Ignoring the suspicious glances around him, the old wolfman came to Amada's side and bowed his head respectfully, which immediately sparked another buzz of discussion.

  Verona bowed her head, and Amada couldn't help but let out a giggle: "Hehehe, Verona, you're too polite. I thought you wouldn't come tonight since you've been hiding at the Haken's house all this time."

  Facing Amada's sarcasm, Verona remained unperturbed and smiled: "Tonight will be of great significance to the beastman tribe, how could I possibly miss it?"

  Perceiving the insinuation in Verona's words, Amada raised an eyebrow, about to speak, but was suddenly interrupted by a humble voice from the side: "Ah, Your Highness Amada, you...you are as beautiful tonight as ever."

  Everyone turned their heads to look, but it was a dog-headed man wearing an exaggeratedly gorgeous outfit, with a ridiculous circle of colorful feathers stuck behind his head. He had somehow appeared nearby without anyone noticing. He nervously rubbed his hands together while carefully observing Amada's expression, with a fawning yet fearful look on his face.

  This dog-headed man suddenly ran out to interrupt, immediately dispelling the tense atmosphere, and the beastmen around him burst into loud laughter. This guy is the patriarch of the dog-headed tribe, but despite this, in the eyes of other beastmen, he is just a laughable existence like other dog-headed men.

  To say nothing of the rest, just that one outfit, worn to conceal his own inferiority complex, looking like a peacock in its multicolored finery, is enough to make people laugh out loud. Not to mention he's trying to act refined but speaking incorrect phrases.

  "Hmph, such trash dares to come here?" Verona snorted in disgust.

  Actually, as the head of a tribe, there is indeed a seat for this dog-headed person in the square, but everyone automatically ignored this point. He not only didn't obediently hide in his own corner, but also dared to approach Amada's side, and everyone was laughing at the dog-headed person's self-inflicted humiliation.

  As expected, upon hearing Verona's ridicule, the dog-headed man smiled extremely awkwardly and hastily retreated his body that had already leaned in close.

  Amada glanced at Verona, her eyes flickered slightly, and she suddenly smiled and beckoned to the dog-headed man: "Dave, come here."

  It never occurred to him that Her Majesty the Queen would personally greet him, and Dave's dog-headed man revealed an incredulous expression. After making sure he hadn't misheard, he proudly looked around and then wagged his tail and trotted up.

  With Verona's pride, he might stand with the Doge. He snorted in anger and turned to walk back to his seat.

  And Amada Cheng heart gas him, and did not even look at Verona a glance, with a hint of meaning to the dog-headed man said: "Dave, although also canine tribe, but you than some guys good many times."

  Although I knew Amada was intentional, I was actually mentioned together with the dog-headed man, and even Verona's mind was not angry with a pale face.

  Gathering his courage to meet Her Majesty the Queen, he didn't expect to receive such an honor. Dairen was overwhelmed with emotion and almost cried out: "Your Majesty, I...I swear to be forever loyal to you."

  "Alright, alright." Amada habitually wanted to pat him in comfort, but upon seeing the dog-headed person's body, she withdrew her hand in disgust: "Hurry back, the ceremony is about to begin."

  On this side, Amada patiently drove away the dog-headed man. Raymond looked around boredly. Suddenly, he noticed that Verona, who had returned to her seat, exchanged a glance with Haken from afar, and the latter looked over here, his eyes full of sarcasm and disdain.

  "Something's off, something must be off." Having seen the small movements of both people, Raymond's uneasy premonition appeared once again.

  Is it going to be a disaster tonight?

  Just then, a loud and clear bugle call suddenly interrupted Raymond's thoughts.