Evolution begins with an ant colony

The two wolf guards gracefully descended from the walls, landing on the ground with a soft thud. Despite the considerable height of their fall, the ground beneath them remained unscathed, a proof of its remarkable sturdiness.

"My name is Thalagar," one of them introduced himself, while the other added, "Mine is Thalagor."

Thalagar stepped forward, his posture confident as he spoke. "Our liege instructed us to expect your arrival. He had the beast folk prepare a proper resting place for the King of the Leonheart nation before his arrival at the capital."

Oliver nodded, taking in the information. "Is that so?" he remarked.

Thalagor confirmed with a nod. "Yes, indeed. You both can go ahead and report to him. We'll take care of guiding the king to where he will spend the night."

Oliver narrowed his gaze, a sense of caution prickling at the back of his mind. Despite the warm welcome from the beast folk guards, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to their behavior than met the eye. However, he decided to keep his suspicions to himself, opting instead to offer a faint smile.

Turning to Leona, he suggested, "Since things seem to be in order here, let's head over to the ant city."

Leona nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a plan," she replied.

As Oliver uttered those words, Thelagor and Thalager exchanged a knowing glance, their fangs glinting slightly as they both smiled.
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Oliver and Leona slowly turned around, their footsteps crunching softly on the cobblestone path as they made their way toward the ant city.

Meanwhile, Thalager and Thalagor redirected their attention to the coachman, who appeared confused by Oliver and Leona's sudden departure. Since Leona and Oliver had conversed with the guards in the monster tongue, Thalager and Thalagor cleared their throats and switched to the human tongue.

"Right this way, sir," Thalager spoke, gesturing toward the direction of the sleeping arrangements for the king. "We'll lead you there."

The coachman, feeling a bit flustered and apprehensive, stuttered, "R-right." He then urged the horses forward, cracking the whip as the carriage resumed its journey toward the designated sleeping area.

Hestria, understood every word of the conversation between Oliver, Leona, and the guards due to her enslavement under Akun. A sense of unease crept over her as she thought about the hidden motives behind the guards' hospitality. "Something's off," she muttered to herself, her thoughts swirling with suspicion.

Turning to King Leonheart, Hestria's voice was filled with urgency as she warned him to stay vigilant. "Be prepared, Your Majesty," she advised, her eyes reflecting her concern. "There's a possibility we may be attacked by the monsters."

King Leonheart met her gaze, recognizing the gravity of her words. He sighed heavily, the weight of the impending danger settling upon him. "I was hoping such an event wouldn't occur anytime soon," he muttered, his tone tinged with resignation.

King Leonheart's voice carried a serious tone as he said, "If I must fight, I will fight. I didn't ascend to the throne by being a pushover."

Hestria nodded solemnly, her seriousness could clearly be seen. "I'll do my best to support you," she said, her loyalty could clearly be seen.

However, King Leonheart's next words struck like a blow. "I don't need the help of a traitor," he stated coldly, his accusation piercing through the air.

Hestria recoiled, her expression a mix of hurt and disbelief. His rejection left her speechless, the weight of his words heavy upon her.

Undeterred, King Leonheart continued, his voice filled with uncertainty. "I'm not sure how you understood what the monsters said," he admitted, his gaze searching hers. "But it seems what that man said back in the castle was true." The mention of Oliver's revelation about Akun's claim on Hestria hung heavily in the air.

Hestria's voice trembled with emotion as she replied in a hushed tone, her words laden with sincerity. "I swore my loyalty to you," she murmured, her eyes pleading for understanding.

King Leonheart's expression remained hardened, his resolve not yielding. "Your oath must have meant nothing," he replied bitterly. "After all, in the end, it was you who led the intruders to our doorstep, leading to the loss of countless lives."

At his accusation, Hestria fell silent, her shoulders slumping under the weight of his words.

Summoning her courage, she managed to speak, her voice barely above a whisper. "I had no choice," she protested, her gaze pleading for compassion. "The ruler of this nation is a god."

King Leonheart's response was laced with sarcasm as he scoffed, "And my grandfather had a bunch of god friends when he was alive, and my grandmother once ate dragons for breakfast." The he clearly didn't believe her.

King Leonheart's words cut through the air like a sharp blade, each syllable carrying the weight of his disappointment and anger. "The only reason you're still breathing," he continued, his voice cold and unforgiving, "is because that man requested your return to this nation. If you were still within the borders of the Leonheart Empire, you would have faced the executioner's blade by now."

Hestria's heart sank at his words, her breath catching in her throat as she processed the harsh reality of her situation. The gravity of his threat hung heavy in the air, suffocating her with its sheer finality.

As the carriage rolled to a stop in front of what appeared to be an inn, Thalagor gestured towards the entrance, indicating that King Leonheart could disembark. With a heavy sigh, the king pushed open the carriage doors and stepped out onto the snow-covered ground, his breath misting in the chilly night air.

Thalager then turned to the coachman, his voice firm but not unkind. "Follow me," he instructed, leading the way towards a nearby stable where the coachman could safely leave the horses and carriage.

The coachman nodded nervously, his hands gripping the reins tightly as he guided the horses after Thalager. The flickering light of lanterns cast long shadows across the snow-covered ground as they made their way towards the stable, the soft crunch of snow beneath their feet echoing in the night.