Mommy Wolf: Raise A Cub, Claimed By His Beast Daddy-Chapter 256: A Tiger Who Instigate (I)

"Father, they are a bunch of savages that killed our envoy and attacked us while we were trying to find justice for our man! I really tried my best to protect our people!" Crown Prince Ludwig’s voice thundered inside the palace.

He had returned in such a sorry state after going on a small campaign to investigate the Beast Kingdom inside Roc Forest.

He brought five hundred soldiers with him, alongside one of their best generals. But when he returned, the general was nowhere to be seen, and three hundred soldiers were killed without anyone able to take their corpses, because... according to the Crown Prince himself, the beastmen had eaten their flesh and suckled on their bones like true mindless savages.

At first, King Ald, the king of Barion Kingdom, didn’t want to believe his son.

After all, they had visited Roc Forest many times in the past, and though those beastmen were indeed savages, eating human bones was unheard of.

They didn’t even want to eat their own beastmen kin despite their tribal differences, let alone humans.

Besides, inside a kingdom full of beastmen, there were bound to be herbivores. Did they also eat human flesh?

King Ald was wise enough not to get triggered by his son’s words, especially seeing him in such a tattered state as he ran towards him while crying. It was very unsightly behavior for a Crown Prince, but King Ald couldn’t help but feel a little sympathetic seeing the son he was proud of become traumatized like this.

"Go and rest first, Ludwig. I know that you mean well, and surely you didn’t try to attack them first, right?" King Ald asked, making sure that his son didn’t do anything reckless.

After all, attacking first with mere three hundred soldiers would be a completely foolish move, because beastmen were naturally stronger than humans.

The only reason why humans could suppress them all this time was because of their tribalism.

So, if his son was the one who attacked them first, King Ald feared that he would have to punish his son for making an unnecessary enemy, especially when they could become an ally for their trade route.

If they could befriend the Beast Kingdom, those beastmen could provide security and also become a trade partner for Jing Empire and Barion Kingdom.

Crown Prince Ludwig suddenly paused after hearing that question. He seemed scared and... guilty, and King Ald’s eyes sharpened instantly. "Ludwig, you did not attack them first, right?"

"... "

"Ludwig!"

Crown Prince Ludwig was about to cave in and tell the truth, but a man suddenly interrupted.

"Your Majesty, I bear witness to what happened between Barion Kingdom and that wretched beastman kingdom, and the Crown Prince was just trying to find an explanation for the envoy’s death!"

King Ald and Crown Prince Ludwig turned their heads at the same time towards Marik, who was kneeling in front of the throne.

"And who is this, son?" King Ald asked.

Seeing a lifesaver in front of his eyes, the Crown Prince quickly acted. "Ah, t-this is Marik, a merchant from Jing Empire. He was attacked by those wretched beastmen on his way through Roc Forest and got his entire caravan killed except for him and his wife. He was the first one to notify us about those looting beastmen."

Marik had been staying in the camp when the war broke out, so he didn’t know that it was Ludwig who started the skirmish with a gunshot and also ran away with his tail tucked between his legs.

So, Marik would definitely say that Ludwig had done everything he could to make peaceful contact—or so he claimed.

Of course, Marik knew the truth about the Crown Prince’s pathetic behavior, since he watched the skirmish from afar.

But he wouldn’t tell the truth, because his mission was to make sure Barion Kingdom went to war against Kael.

"I’ve seen how devastated our Crown Prince was when those beastmen refused to have a proper conversation and demanded Barion Kingdom bow down instead!"

"You’re just a merchant. What do you know about the skirmish?" King Ald asked, suspicious of this strange merchant with the body of a soldier.

This man was obviously very strong based on his build, and King Ald refused to believe that a regular merchant could escape those beastmen attacks.

"Indeed, I am just a merchant, Your Majesty. But my family has been killed by those beastmen, so I naturally seek revenge!" Marik claimed. "I went to the skirmish with His Highness the Crown Prince and witnessed those beastmen’s brutality and arrogance twice!"

Of course, he was lying through his teeth. But Ludwig didn’t want to tell the truth now. He had to maintain his dignity as a man and as a Crown Prince.

So he played along.

"Yes, father. We are the only two survivors of that skirmish! He helped me escape while General Dunn tried to fight against so many cheetah beastmen!"

Marik had always been eloquent with his speech, and King Ald was convinced by his statement.

Now, he truly believed that those beastmen were just a bunch of unreasonable savages who would stop at nothing just to kill, loot, rape, and cannibalize.

"But we can’t just attack them without preparation. Since they can decimate three hundred soldiers at ease without having any casualties on their side, we have to get help," King Ald said.

"Father, do you plan to involve Jing Empire for this?"

"But of course! The trade route is for the benefit of two countries, and we have invested a lot of state funds in this. We have to go to war no matter what," King Ald replied. "Ludwig, your father is getting old and tired. Since you are the Crown Prince and have witnessed their viciousness, I will send you to lead this war, of course with our best generals just to give you proper advice."

"T-thank you, father! I will not disappoint you this time!" Crown Prince Ludwig bowed in front of his father.

"Hmm... you can leave now. I’ll talk with the advisor about the preparation."