Chapter 72: How to Win Influence by Not Banishing an Idiot
Kiri’s mouth dropped.
At first, she thought she had heard wrong, but with how everyone else looked shocked too, she had heard Tera’s words clearly.
Why would that shiftless thing defend Feron?!
Kiri’s claws dug into her palms.
She had just made a show of abandoning him. If he stayed, he would clearly no longer want to be on her side.
Even worse, if his memories returned, he could go and prattle to the leader about how she had convinced him to go to the shiftless one’s shelter.
It would be his word against hers. But even if she denied it, the suspicion would be there.
And she did not want that.
Feron needed to go.
"Leader," Kiri blurted out, pressing a hand to her chest. "I understand her kindness. It is truly admirable, but is it wise to keep him here? After what he wanted to do to her?"
She let her voice crack on the last word, her eyes glistening with practiced concern.
"If you will not banish him for her sake, then at least do it for the safety of the clan. I do not—"
"Kiri."
Xavi’s voice cut through her performance like a claw through leaves. He wasn’t even looking at her. His golden eyes were fixed on Tera with confusion and concern.
"Explain," Xavi said quietly. "Why would you defend him?"
Ermin stepped forward, his tail lashing. "You don’t have to do this. He doesn’t deserve your mercy."
Tera’s gaze softened when she looked at the two beast men, but there was steel behind it. "I am not defending him. I’m trying to be practical."
"Practical?" Ermin’s voice rose slightly. "He tried to—"
"I know what he tried to do." Tera’s voice was steady, but there was a cold edge to it that made several clan members go still. "Believe me, I know."
Feron whimpered from where he was still kneeling on the ground, his face streaked with tears and dirt.
[Host?]
[What is your plan here?]
Tera didn’t immediately answer, she just stared at Feron.
Looking at him already was disgusting, but Kiri had given her a lovely opportunity by wanting to throw him away so she wouldn’t get in trouble.
But there was a secondary reason why she was hesitating.
All the females were pregnant—with the exception of Kiri, of course. There were shelters that still needed building, and a farm that still required tending. And even with the additional month extension, her task still had a deadline.
Every pair of hands mattered. Even this one.
And she would not feel guilty working him to the bone as punishment.
If anything, he would be grateful to Tera for helping him not get banished.
Tera’s mind was already turning with all the ways she would make Kiri uncomfortable.
The silly beast female wasn’t the only one who knew how to scheme.
Xavi frowned. "Tera—"
Tera turned to face Xavi fully, touching his arm.
"Please, reconsider. I want to create necessary things for the clan, especially the shelters, and there are not many of us. I am not saying he gets off without punishment. He should face a severe one rather than be banished."
The frown remained on Xavi’s face, but he seemed to consider Tera’s words. "What do you have in mind?"
What followed had gone easier than Tera had expected.
She had laid out her terms and properly clarified things. Feron would not be banished. Instead, he would carry the heaviest labour in the clan from that moment forward, and handle the bulk of most of the work. He would also be watched at all times, with zero tolerance for a second offence.
As expected, Feron had looked at Tera like she was his saviour, accepting the punishment with the desperate enthusiasm of a male who had just been pulled back from the edge of exile. He had planted himself splat on the ground and dirtied himself by thanking Tera with such fervour that it had crossed the line from gratitude into grovelling.
What Tera didn’t expect was to gain that much favour from the clan members, earning over ten influence points from them due to what she had just done.
Their respect had grown for Tera’s decision to show mercy.
Xavi had Feron escorted away by two beast men, and as the clan members dispersed, Tera noticed Kiri’s discomfort and smiled.
Kiri had been unnerved by this and had quickly walked away, confused as to why the shiftless one had smiled at her.
She was going to lay low for a while and find some way to privately talk to Feron.
- ※ - ※ - ※ -
Later that night, Tera, Xavi, and Ermin had returned to Tera’s shelter, and Ermin told them everything.
What he had overheard beneath the tree. Kiri’s group gossiping about Tera, their whispered plans, and how Ermin hadn’t said anything till now.
Xavi was furious, and Ermin had accepted the brunt of it without defending himself.
But it was the look of hurt in Tera’s eyes that cut deeper than Xavi’s anger.
She wasn’t furious.
She understood, and that was what made it worse.
The old Tera had drugged this man, forced a bond on him, and destroyed his life. When he had first arrived at this clan, every terrible thing he had heard about her had been confirmed. Of course he wouldn’t have spoken up to defend her, or even come to her with that information.
It was only natural he would have dismissed their schemes since he had been drowning in his resentment.
Tera knew all of this.
But knowing didn’t stop the ache in her chest.
Even with the deep guilt all over his face.
Tera reached out and cupped his face with both hands, tilting it up so he had to look at her. He was shocked that Tera was holding him gently like this.
"I forgive you."
Ermin’s tail went completely still. He was stunned.
"I understand why you stayed silent back then, and why you didn’t care because of how I have treated you in the Jackdaw tribe." Tera’s chest tightened. "But I will be lying if I said I didn’t feel hurt. You could have still told me about this recently when you had trusted me enough."
The silence that followed pressed down on all three of them.
Ermin’s gaze had dropped to the floor again. His hands were clenched on his knees, and he looked like someone who had been holding something heavy for far too long and had only just realised how much damage it had caused.
A single tear slid down his cheek, shocking both Tera and Xavi.
[Ermin’s Favourability: 50% → 70%]
’Whoa!’
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Note:
Will be mass-releasing five Chapters tomorrow. Our next potential mate will be appearing very soon!