Chapter 460: Talking to the Head Priest

Baldur was in his office waiting for Ren's group to arrive. It has been a while now and the group still wasn't there.

'As expected of beasts and those that collude with them, they can't even arrive on time. Should I go fetch them myself?' As Baldur was thinking about what to do next, he heard someone knock on his door.

'They're finally here.' "Please come in," even though he was clearly annoyed Baldur showed the brightest smile he could muster. Yet when the first person he saw past through the door was a gigantic muscular beastkin he almost lost his cool. Yet he was able to calm down quite fast and remained smiling. After everyone from Ren's group entered the room, Baldur greeted them.

"Good day dear guests. It seems that you have caused quite the commotion, I wonder what is the purpose of your visit today?"

Kor step to the front, even though he was a little anxious he shook those fears away as he spoke to the head priest of the Temple of the Goddess of Light.

"We have come here to ask of you the head priest to hear our concerns."

"Oh, is that so, what are these concerns of yours?" Seeing the smile on Baldur's face and his willingness to listen to them, Kor felt like talking to the head priest might actually get them somewhere. On the other hand, Ren found something rather interesting in the room. It was hard to spot when he entered the room, but now that he got a good look at it he found something hidden. Ren didn't bother to warn the others since he didn't feel like it.

"Before I tell you our concerns can I just ask you one thing?"

"Sure."

"Why do you discriminate against us demi-humans?"

"Oh discriminate is such a strong word, is it not? Also, I don't think discrimination is the right word to use in this situation. Is it discrimination if we eat the meat of wild beasts?"

The moment Mir and Valdel heard those words killing intent started to ooze out of them. Even someone like Kor who was a pacifist found it extremely hard to keep his cool.

"Are you saying that demi-humans like me are wild beasts?"

"Are you not? You and the humans who join your cause do seem like wild beasts to me. See those two standing behind you, I'm just here talking, but they could not hold themselves back and are emitting killing intent which is directed at me. Isn't that the ways of a wild beast when threatened he does not use reason nor words, instead he uses violence?"

"I understand what you mean, but don't humans do the same thing when they are insulted? In fact, in some cases aren't humans much worse than wild beasts? At least wild beasts only kill others for food or out of self-defense, but humans kill for many other reasons. Some kill because they want something from someone else, they kill because they find it amusing, they even kill just because they can, and sometimes there isn't a reason at all."

When Baldur heard Kor's counter-argument the smile on his face disappeared and was replaced by a frowning face.

"What you said does make sense, if only humans do it. Yet don't you wild beasts do the same thing and don't you do even worse things? Don't you beasts follow the law of the jungle? What was it, oh right, the survival of the fittest. Unlike us humans who gained wisdom, don't you beasts act on strength? Even if something is considered evil you still do it for as long as you are strong you beast think you can do anything."

"Don't you humans do the same thing? You use this so called wisdom of yours to oppress us demi-humans, the same way that you claim that we demi-humans use our strength to oppress you. Which is why I wanted to talk to you. I know that neither side is perfect, and not a single side is wholly on the right, but I just wish for all the races to get along, to stand on equal footing."

"How intriguing a beast that has intellect." Even after hearing all that Baldur remained disrespectful, which made Mir want to attack him, but Kor signaled Mir to stop.

"You may call me whatever you like, but I hope that you would at least consider what I just said. Please allow the demi-humans to be treated with even just the bare minimum of decency." Kor knelt on the ground and bowed his head as he urged the head priest.

"Hmm..." Baldur stroked his chin seemingly deep in thought. After a few minutes, Baldur finally responded.

"Hmph, why should I even listen to the proposal of a beast? Just thinking about you wild beasts being treated the same way as us humans sicken me to no end." When the group heard Baldur's answer, Kir and Valdel were about to jump on him when Ren suddenly clapped. Ren's clap made everyone silent as they looked at him.

"Alright, we have done it your way, and it doesn't seem like this person is willing to listen to you. So this time will do it Valdel's way. Hey you piece of trash, right here, right now we declare war on your Temple."

"Hmph, as expected of an ally to the beast, even though you're human you're also just a wild beast." Ren shrugged his shoulders as he answered with a vicious smile on his face.

"Say what you want, you piece of trash. The barking of a weakling doesn't really bother me. You can yap all you want, it won't change the fate of this Temple."

Baldur gnashed his teeth as he saw the look Ren was giving him. Those eyes that don't seem to even acknowledge his existence made Baldur both angry and afraid.

"I see, you truly are an arrogant one. As expected of a person that could make weaker deities shiver in fear. How unfortunate for you that this time you have messed with the wrong Temple. Our Temple isn't something the likes of you can handle."

"Is that so? Then show me how you're going to deal with me... I wonder since you're trash is your Goddess trash as well?

"YOU BASTARD!" Baldur could handle it if he was the one who was insulted, but to insult his beloved Goddess, Baldur lost his reason and was about to attack, but he felt something was grabbing his heart.

"Don't push it, you weakling. The only reason you're not yet dead is that my friend over here needs you to command your army to become the whetstone of the demi-humans under his command."

After saying that Ren released Baldur who felt all the power drained from him as he sat on his chair breathing heavily.

"Come on let's leave." Ren lifted Kor up who was still on the ground bowing. As the group was about to leave, Baldur suddenly shouted at them.

"Who told you that you can leave?! You heretics should be honored, you will be struck down by our Beautiful Goddess herself." Baldur snapped his fingers and a magic circle appeared on the floor where Ren and his group stood. It was a forced teleportation spell, everyone except for Ren showed a shocked expression as they were forcefully teleported.