Help! I Became A Guy In A BL Novel!-Chapter 255: Escalate

Riven sighed internally. This wasn’t going to be easy. Both men carried enough pride to fuel a war, and if he didn’t tread carefully, things could spiral fast.

"We came here to negotiate," Riven said, cutting through the silence. He offered Leon a small, diplomatic smile. Negotiate was a big word, Soren will kindly as them to fuck off. This was a neutral town, and it will stay that way. He needed to withdraw his troops.

Leon crossed his arms over his chest, his hair shining under the sun like there was a halo around him.

His expression was unreadable, but the sharpness in his tone gave him away.

"Leave the border town?" he echoed, scoffing as if the suggestion was beneath him. "I don’t think so. This land is just as much mine as it is anyone else’s. No one from the Wolf Clan bothered to secure it, so I took the liberty."

Soren raised a brow, that smug smile never quite leaving his face. "Oh? And you think squatting on neutral land gives you rights over it? Fascinating logic, Your Majesty."

Leon turned to him, jaw clenched. "It’s not squatting if you have the power to hold it. I don’t answer to you, Snow Leopard."

"And yet you’ll leave if I say so," Soren said, stepping forward. The playful tone in his voice had thorns now.

"Is that a threat?" Leon asked coolly.

"It’s a promise." Soren’s smile turned razor-sharp. "You’re overstepping. And I don’t like people touching what doesn’t belong to them."

"Funny," Leon snapped, eyes drifting to Riven for just a moment before flicking away, "I could say the same."

Riven stepped between them again, visibly exasperated. "Stop it. Both of you. This is supposed to be a neutral town... Your Highness." Riven used to call him that to tease him, but now it was nothing less than dripping with venom.

Neither of them backed down, but their attention briefly flickered to him.

"We are not here to start a war," Riven continued, trying hard to keep his voice from rising. "Leon, you know what this town means to the balance between the four clans. You know what you’re doing. And Soren, please do not escalate! We are trying to avoid war, not start it." Riven warned both of them.

Leon laughed under his breath, but there was no humour in it. "Oh, now you care what I think? Now you want to talk to me about balance and peace? That’s rich coming from you, the Alpha’s pet."

He turned around, "This land is strategic," Leon continued, voice smooth with arrogance. "The moment I step out, someone else will crawl in. So no—I’m staying." His gaze flickered toward Soren, then down to Riven. "You should’ve brought someone more convincing if you wanted me to change my mind."

Soren’s lips twitched, but he didn’t smile. "Funny," he said quietly, stepping forward so the two men stood nearly shoulder to shoulder. "I was just thinking how much fun I’d have dragging you out myself."

Leon turned to him, an amused sneer playing at his lips. "You can try."

Leon glanced past Riven, ignoring his words entirely. "If the Snow Leopard Clan wants to start a war over a pile of dirt, be my guest."

"And if the Lion Pride wants to turn this into a bloodbath," Soren snapped back, "then don’t act surprised when your golden mane ends up mounted on my wall."

"Enough!" Riven shouted, frustrated now. He took a shaky breath and glared at both of them.

What is up with everyone trying to start a war?!

"Would the Dowager Queen approve of your actions, you are starting a war, you occupied a town that is supposed to be a neutral territory, it’s on the land agreement shared by all the clans... Are you going to violate it?" Riven spoke with anger. And the only card he could use was his mother... He did not know what else could work!

"Hah... I am the king, I made the decisions, I do not care about the Dowager Queen. You should start retreating back to the wolf clan. Clearly, you don’t belong in a battlefield." Leon insulted Riven once more before turning to leave.

"So we’re at an impasse," Soren said finally, adjusting the gloves on his hands like he was preparing for a duel. "You won’t leave, and we won’t let you stay."

Leon’s smile was slow and infuriating. "Then I guess we’ll see who breaks first."

Riven clenched his fists, jaw tight. This was exactly what he didn’t want. Between Soren’s territorial instincts and Leon’s wounded pride, peace seemed impossible. Soren was... Not a good negotiator. He was a conqueror, he was not built for this.

Riven assumed that with Soren here, the prospect of a clash would cause Leon to back down. The Dowager Queen feared clashes between the clans, and she would do anything to prevent them. But seems like that was not working. He was... Leon was just insufferable.

After the disastrous negotiation attempt, the three had parted ways—barely holding back from drawing blood. Soren and Riven retreated to a sturdy, abandoned house now occupied by a few of Soren’s men. Across the square, Leon took a similar house for himself and his soldiers, posting guards as if he were already ruling the place.

Riven collapsed into the rickety chair by the table, shoulders slumped. "Well... That went well."

Soren closed the door behind him with a heavy click, then turned the lock. "I should’ve challenged him to a duel, the problem would easily be solved."

Riven did not answer, he simply sighed. See, the male leads are evenly matched in the story, even if Soren challenged Leon to a duel, it would have ended in a draw.

Soren paced once before throwing himself down on the nearby couch. "We should prepare for war."

Riven blinked. "What?"

"You heard me," Soren said, propping one arm behind his head like this wasn’t the most serious thing he’d just declared.

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