Otome Game Mob Villain

Chapter 623

"Haah, why did it come to this..."

After the tribal chief meeting, I returned to the guest room with everyone and sat down on the provided sofa, letting out a deep sigh as I slumped over.

Once our agenda was over, the tribal chief meeting shifted to reports on the current state of each territory and discussions in preparation for the Beast King Tournament.

Then, after setting the dates for individual meetings with each tribal chief, the meeting was adjourned.

Looking back at the tribal chief meeting, it started smoothly with the announcement of the engagement between Sekhmetos' This and Amon, and up to the point where we made various proposals to the tribal chiefs.

But I never dreamed that, with a single word from Sekhmetos, the Beast King, I would end up participating in the preliminary battles of the Beast King Tournament, with an eye toward future cooperation.

Moreover, my opponent in that preliminary battle is Johan Bestia, known as the strongest physical attack character in "Toki Lera."

Although, unlike in the game, he's in the same child state as me, recalling the time he suddenly attacked in the Foxman territory and the royal capital, I can already see glimpses of his potential.

Even though it was a surprise attack, Johan, despite his youth, managed to break through Capella and Tink with just his movements. From that perspective, his physical abilities and talent are undoubtedly top-notch.

Just like in the game, he will likely become a warrior whose name will resound across the continent in the future.

On top of that, if I lose to him in the preliminary battle, Baldia is likely to be subjected to unfavorable conditions in future trade negotiations.

To make matters worse, due to a proposal Johan made, there's even a possibility that my future child might have to marry into Zubera.

If Father, Mother, and even Fara find out about this, they'll surely be angry.

Just imagining everyone's expressions is giving me a headache.

"Lord Rid, thank you for your hard work."

"Thank you, Tink."

As I hung my head, she placed a warm cup of tea on the table in front of me.

To calm my nerves, I took a sip of the tea, and a sigh naturally escaped me.

"...There were many unexpected things, but I guess we should be glad that we managed to accomplish our initial plans."

"Ah, I think that's the right way to look at it."

Amon chimed in with my words.

"The announcement of the engagements between me and Tis, and Citri and Lord Johan, as well as the announcement of our collaboration with each tribal territory, were generally well-received. It was surprising that Lid ended up participating in the Beast King Tournament, but there could have been even more unreasonable demands."

"That may be true, but..."

I understand what he's trying to say.

Sekhmetos, the Beast King of Zubera.

If she harbored negative feelings toward the Empire or Baldia, it's highly likely that she would have made even more unreasonable demands.

The 'future marriage proposal' that Johan suggested and Sekhmetos decided on isn't without its advantages for the Empire and the Baldia family.

For the Empire, which wants to strengthen its relationships with various countries, having the opportunity to form a marriage alliance with a future Beast King's relative and an Imperial noble is a significant advantage.

For Baldia, which shares borders with Barst, Renarute, and Zubera, having marriage alliances with two countries would mean only needing to keep an eye on Barst.

Of course, even with a marriage alliance, we can't let our guard down, but it would undoubtedly reduce the burden significantly.

"Well, isn't it fine?"

A carefree and optimistic voice echoed in the room.

Looking over, I saw Rafa pouring herself a drink.

"There's nothing more frustrating than having your fate decided by someone else's results. In this case, all Lid has to do is work hard. Thinking about it that way, I think it's a good condition for us too."

Rafa said this and came over to sit next to me, sipping her drink.

"Sekhmetos wouldn't accept anyone's proposal unless she had a plan to win or some advantage."

"So, you're saying Sekhmetos thinks I'll lose to Johan?"

When I asked this, she immediately nodded and said, "Yes, exactly."

"Even if she wants to build a cooperative relationship with Baldia, it would be difficult to get all the tribal chiefs to agree on various demands. But if we produce results in the Beast King Tournament, it will be easier to reach an agreement. Even if Johan loses, if the negotiator is Rid, she probably won't make unreasonable demands... That's likely her thinking."

After saying this, she smirked and took a big gulp of her drink.

Watching her out of the corner of my eye, Dynas cleared his throat.

"Sekhmetos is not only an excellent warrior but also seems to be quite sharp-minded. Whenever we presented a condition, she immediately countered with an equal or better condition. That's not something just anyone can do."

"Indeed. If we hadn't backed down in that situation, it could have turned into an endless exchange of conditions. If that had happened, the tribal chiefs' impressions of Lord Rd and Lord Amon might have worsened."

Capella chimed in, agreeing with his words.

In preparation for this tribal chief meeting, we had prepared various documents in advance, but their contents were strictly confidential and not leaked to the outside.

There's no doubt that Sekhmetos and the other tribal chiefs only learned of our proposals for the first time in the meeting room.

However, she immediately responded to our proposals and gave necessary instructions to Gyobu and Luva.

Her sharpness reminded me of Empress Matilda in the Empire.

If she were an enemy, she would undoubtedly be a troublesome person.

Even as an ally, we can't let our guard down.

I let out a sigh and said, "Anyway..."

"While their demands are certainly unreasonable, they're within the range that the Baldia family can handle. We'll just have to move forward positively."

After saying this, I looked around the room, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Then, Rafa, who had been sipping her drink, changed the subject. "By the way..."

"If Johan wins, your future child and the future Beast King's child will be engaged, right?"

"That's not something I can decide on my own, so I can't say for sure."

Even though it's a condition set by Sekhmetos, the Baldia family, being mere Imperial nobles, can't unilaterally decide on a marriage alliance with another country.

However, if it's a proposal from the Beast King of Zubera, even the Emperor can't easily dismiss it.

Shrugging and shaking my head, Rafa peered at me with a mischievous smile.

"If Rid loses to Johan, maybe I should aim to become the future Beast King."

"...Why does it have to come to that?"

I asked in exasperation, but she continued with a smile.