160 Chapter 157 The Council (1/2)

Joseph turned to Stella and she raised an eyebrow.

”Is it everything you ever dreamed of?” she asked.

Glancing back at the council, who were very confused, and with some starting to get annoyed, he sighed.

”Honestly? Sylva was way better. Even Joe agrees that the reality is nothing like the fantasy. You're way more beautiful,” he looked her in the eye to make sure she understood he was telling the truth, and she blushed. She could tell from their link he was telling the truth.

She looked away annoyed that he was doing this in front of a crowd.

”Um, excuse me?” said the demon king. ”Did I miss something?”

Just then, a wolf-kin sauntered into the room and took a seat. Everyone ignored him, as if they were used to him being late.

”Why is a human in our council room?” asked the wolf-kin with a grimace, not liking that he was ignored in front of obvious guests.

”I have invited these two to this council meeting to discuss a proposal they have for our people,” said the king, appearing very docile as he took a seat in the back corner.

”Why should we listen to a human?” asked the wolf-kin.

”He was summoned by the humans, but instead of attacking us, wishes to take us back to his realm when he returns himself. We would never have to worry about the humans attacking us ever again,” explained the king.

”He was summoned by the humans, and you brought him here?!” cried an eagle-kin, her feather's rustling in agitation as she rose from her chair in horror.

Several others also rose from their seats and the room was suddenly very loud as the dominant animal-kin started yelling. Joseph gritted his teeth against just mind controlling them, as he had already done with the humans. He knew that if he was going to be king, he needed to learn how to deal with situations like this. But, shavist, it was hard!

The noise died down very quickly when someone pointed out that if he had wanted to hurt them, he would have done it already.

They all settled back into their chairs and several were staring at him, expectantly.

”Why should we listen to a human?” asked the wolf-kin again, sneering at them.

”I'm not a human,” said Joseph, casually, as if everyone hadn't just been yelling about him.

”You look human,” growled the wolf-kin.

”Would you feel better if I looked like something else? I have to look like something.”

None of them had an answer for that, and it seemed to confuse many of them.

”I take it, you are a mage?” asked the eagle-kin, looking at him carefully.

”Yes,” answered Joseph, hiding his smile. That was the funniest question he had been asked in a while, especially considering he had two glowing eyes.

”Why would you be interested in taking our people, besides as slaves or worse?” asked the bunny girl very softly. The rest of the room seemed to ignore her, but it was obvious they were all wanting to know the same thing.

”I have no people such as yourselves, in my kingdom. It would be good for your people to join my kingdom because of the benefits they would gain there. I would gain citizens who understand what it is to live in horrible conditions, and thus they would be much more loyal when I take those horrible conditions away.”

”What kind of people do you have in your kingdom?” asked the eagle-kin, before the rabbit girl could say anything.

”That is a complicated question. Currently most of my citizens are human, but that may be changing soon. I am creating my own race that will be called Wizardians, or Wizards for short.”

”Isss that what you are, a Wizzzard?” asked the snake-kin.

”Yes,” he answered with a nod.

”Isss your companion also a Wizzzard?” asked the snake-kin.

”I am an ancient fey,” she said, and for a moment, the killing intent of her annoyance filled the room, and everyone sitting at the council table immediately bowed their heads in fear. Everyone except the king, who immediately bowed his head when he realized.

The killing aura disappeared as fast as it appeared, and the council members looked at her with fear in their eyes. Joseph sighed.

”Stella, it is hard to convince these people if you scare them like that.”

”I'm sorry,” she said, looking away, and they both knew she wasn't really. It was only a show for the council.

He turned back to them and said, ”You will have to forgive her, she is easily angered by that question as many do not know what she is. Most believe she is an elf, and the elves in my realm are not very strong or impressive.”

”So,” said a fox-kin, licking his lips, ”You want us to join your kingdom because we would be loyal for you removing our horrible conditions, but how exactly?”

Joseph thought about what he wanted to repeat. He knew by this point that the king was actually quite powerful, but it didn't look like any on the council realized it. Perhaps the king was allowing the council to handle things as they saw fit, so that he didn't have to rule?

”My kingdom is in the process of establis.h.i.+ng itself. My lands have been reduced to a wasteland by real demons from another realm. I should be able to finish ridding my realm of these demons in the next year, and restore my lands back to lush fields ready for my people.

”My lands are greater than this entire continent. Your people would be able to spread out and form towns of their own kinds, free of fear of persecution from anyone. I understand the feelings your people have, from the enslavement and terrible treatment the humans have done to you, because all of my own people have been freed from slavery themselves.”

”What do you mean by demons from another realm?” asked a turtle-kin.