Drog says "If he just wanted thrills he wouldn't get so mad when I suggest he spy on you girls."

"Drog, shut up!"

Drog says "Yes, master."

Myria says "Filthy pervert!"

Vacker says "What are you going to do with that thing?"

"I don't suppose you brought the backpack, Myria?"

Myria says "No, I left it with Isabella for safekeeping."

"So much for the easy way. How much can this teleportation device move?"

Myria says "He said us and Lizzy plus about a dozen people."

Mericel says "We were expecting you to have collected more than just one person."

Vacker says "Collected? Does he often collect people?"

Myria says "Oh, he constantly picks up strays. Like me!"

"I wouldn't exactly call you a stray Myria. Besides, I don't recall you giving me a choice!"

Mericel says "Anyway, what is the plan, Ash?"

"I was actually thinking of having you all teleport back and me and Lizzy will take the long way."

Myria says "What? Why?! We came all this way to rescue you!"

"As you can see I don't need rescuing. Besides, fighting my way back will let me grow even stronger."

Drog says "I get to go back to Isabella right?"

"No, Drog, you would stay with me since I have Blitz."

Drog says "Then I agree with Myria, this is a stupid plan!"

Myria and I say "Shut up, Drog!"

Vacker laughs and says "Well, this won't be boring that's for sure!"

Mericel says "Don't you need to return to Illium to set plans in motion and put people at ease?"

"Ugh, yes, I guess so."

Myria says "Are you just trying to avoid dealing with all the people who want to talk to you?"

"Maybe."

Mericel says "Isn't part of your duty to the goddesses to organize and lead the humans against the demons?"

"I planned to wait to do that until I am the beast king. With all the tribes united behind me the humans would have to listen to me."

Vacker says "Using military force to coerce these human kingdoms is not a good way to build an alliance."

Mericel says "Yes, we need the kingdoms firmly united so the demons can't bribe someone into betraying us."

"Alright, alright! I get it, stop browbeating me!"

Myria says "Well, when you act like a child."

Mericel and Vacker break out laughing, Myria after seeing the look on my face hides behind Lizzy. With a sigh I turn to contemplate the beast, I don't want to leave it behind, it should be good materials. Especially the fur, I'm sure Walter could make something out of it, so I start carefully skinning the beast.

Lizzy is right by my side as I work happily eating anything that I consider waste. She even eats the scraps of fur and hide that I am cutting away, she also happily eats the guts when I remove them. Once I am done skinning it I scrape the hide as clean as I can before cutting it into sections.

Then I take all the gold out of my pouch and divide it between the sections before tying them up as improvised bags. This allows me to put the meat into my pouch where it will stay fresh, what Lizzy doesn't eat on the spot anyway. She ends up eating so much that she curls up around her bulging belly and takes a nap.

The gold fits into three bags and the fourth bag contains the horns, claws, and the best of the bones from the beast. I would like to take it all but I am out of ways to carry it and I am worried the teleport item may have a weight limit. Out of everything I am actually worried about the gold the least, gold is fairly easy to come by after all.

High quality beasts on the other hand, especially ones I can kill easily, are much rarer. I guess that is a benefit to not fighting my way across the land bridge, all the beasts will surely cause the demons losses. It may only be losses to their human troops but I will take any advantage I can get.

Vacker says "Are we ready to go?"

"Basically, we just have to wait for Lizzy to finish her nap."

Vacker says "Why wait? Can't you just wake her up?"

Myria says "Trust me, you do not want a grumpy Lizzy on your hands!"

"Yeah, it is better to let her sleep off her full belly. Besides, since the teleport will be instant we are not in any rush."

Mericel says "Lizzy will be grumpy enough at having to teleport, no need to make it worse."

Myria says "Is teleporting as bad as going through a gate?"

Mericel says "It is about the same, but it is all at once instead of spread out over ten seconds."

Myria says "Ugh, is it too late to vote for taking the long way?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid so. The decision has been made."

Vacker says "Well, while we wait, why don't you fill me in on the politics you are going to be dealing with? I might have some useful suggestions."

With nothing better to do I agree and tell Vacker what I know, then Mericel takes over since she knows more than I do. I end up learning a bit more about the Free Union and the Empire of Gundar. The empire has always been somewhat friendly with Mericel's home because they share common ancestry, but the empire has little liking for the Free Union.

Vacker says "This Princess Mercy sounds like she will be a good ruler and will back you. So now you need to convince Illium and then you will have two of the four, right?"

"Yes, but Mercy still has to retake her throne before her voice will carry any real weight. Illium is a center for trade and diplomacy but is still only a city state, they don't carry much weight."

Vacker says "Since Mercy will be new to the throne even with both you are saying it won't be enough?"

Mericel says "Honestly, even if the other three united against them the empire would likely still win a war. The only reason they haven't conquered everything is due to internal issues."

"Right, you mentioned noble factions or something?"

Mericel says "Yes, the empire is divided into three duchies, each duke is almost as powerful as the emperor."

Vacker says "And each duke has his own faction of nobles behind him."

Mericel says "Correct. The only thing keeping one of the dukes from seizing power is the other two. So the imperial court is constantly embroiled in their plots and schemes."

"So in order to get the empire's support I will have to convince the emperor and the three dukes?"

Mericel says "Exactly! And I don't need to tell you how hard it will be to get all four to agree on anything."

"My plan to turn the beastmen into a nation that can defeat the demons alone is sounding better and better to me."