My (Monster?) Hero Life

"Lord Elderbeard, I'm afraid my disciple will be joining me this evening. Perhaps we can arrange something for another time." Sonja's tone was ice-cold as she smiled towards the Treant.

"What disciple?" Elderbeard scoffed at her comment. "He cast aside your pathetic class some time ago!"

The atmosphere immediately became incredibly tense the moment those words left Elderbeard's mouth. Kace felt an aura focus on him, and his spine trembled as a chill ran down it. Sonja had twisted her neck in a creepy way to glare at him.

"Is that true?" Sonja's fake smile was nowhere to be seen as she asked that question.

Kace did not even know how to reply under the pressure that she was exerting. However, his hesitation was enough for Sonja to understand that Elderbeard had spoken the truth. A long sigh escaped from her at that point as she glared at the council with an expression full of spite.

"It seems that you are correct, Lord Elderbeard. What time should we arrive?" Sonja stressed the word 'we' to make it clear she had no intention of leaving Kacealone with the council.

'What the hell actually happened between them?' Kace was feeling royally confused by this point. However, he was confident that somebody would fill him in at some point soon. 

Elderbeard seemed to hesitate at Sonja's words. It was clear that he would rather separate them, but Sonja clearly stated she would not let them have him to themselves either. 

"I'll send someone to fetch you soon," Elderbeard grumbled as he pressed a gnarly hand on Lilly's back and guided her towards the grove. 

Only when the group from the council had dispersed did Sonja breathe a sigh of relief. "Kace, you're an idiot!"

Kace flinched at her words. They held no anger in them but still managed to make him feel like a child being scolded. However, he would not apologise! Especially when he had no idea what he had actually done wrong!

"Come, we have much to discuss." Sonja let go of his arm at that point and led the group through the streets with dignity that a queen should have. 

Even Sophia seemed surprised by her mother's sudden change in attitude as it became evident that she had put on an act from the start. When Kace reviewed that scene in his mind, he realised that Sonja seemed to want to make it evident that she and the vampires were extremely close to him. 

'Seems like there's been a few political problems recently.' Kace sighed when he realised his stay in Stonefall was practically guaranteed to be uncomfortable. 

Kace experienced another surprise when he saw that Sonja's personal mansion was next door to his own. When he thought about it, he was sure that one of the goblin leaders had lived inside of it previously. 'Seems like Shagrat has made some compromises with her.'

"I shall. Go to. Er-Gol." Grugda suddenly said without following them inside the mansion's grounds. 

Kace nodded to the Eljein to show that he would be fine. After all, grudge had the most challenging task just now amongst them. It would all depend on him whether or not they could successfully bring Gyn back!

In the end, Sonja, Sophia, Raven, Dao and Kace were the only ones to enter into a private room within the elegant building. Sonja took the seat at the head of the table within the room and gestured for everyone to sit wherever they wanted.

"Things are quite complicated." Sonja began while staring at Kace. "The other council members are not exactly ecstatic to see me join them."

Sonja's expression became bitter as she looked at Kace and her daughter.

"It seems like they hoped I had perished and that Sophia and Dao alone would not be able to seize many gains from this war. However, my presence and that of the surviving members of our race has shattered that delusion." Sonja's tone was solemn and heavy as she continued her explanation.

"Surely things aren't that bad!" Kace exclaimed in disbelief as he stared into the queen's eyes. "Even if that is what they wanted, they can't go back on the agreement that's already been made!"

"They won't, but that's not the problem." Sonja waved a hand helplessly in the air. "Do you even know what resource all the leaders are the most eager to obtain is?"

Kace's expression sinks she asked him that question. As far as he knew, it was mostly a contest of how the lands would be divided. However, that was still a long way off, and many things could change before then! Why would they be in fighting over something like that now?

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I can't think of an appropriate answer." Kace decided to be honest. There was no point in throwing out half baked guesses.

Both Sonja and Sophia sighed when he responded with that. Sonja raised an eyebrow at the fact that her daughter had reacted the same way as herself. "It seems like you understand."

Sophia wore a sad smile as she nodded in response. "There's only one thing that it could be."

Kace felt confused as his eyes darted from the mother to the daughter. "Can someone fill me in here? I'm feeling quite lost over here."

Kace's awkwardness made everyone smile at him sympathetically. It was evident that he did not understand anything about the political scene in Stonefall. Although he should be one of the leaders around here, it was pretty pathetic that he was so clueless about this point.

"Kace. Everyone is fighting over you!" Sonja replied while giving him an encouraging smile.

However, Kace found it hard to accept this sentence. Why would they even fight over him? He was not a possession that someone could claim. He intended to make his own home once the war was over!

"Well, to be more exact. It's not specifically you. It's more about what faction your heir will belong to in the future…"