"Prince Muria is preparing for his wedding. What gift are you planning to give him?" A large raven landed beside a frost wolf. The raven was so massive that when it spread its wings, it could block the sky from the wolf's view.
"I haven't decided yet. What about you?" The God of Frost Wolves coiled atop a giant stone pillar, looking down upon his divine kingdom. Beneath his paw was an extravagant crystal invitation, recently delivered by a Storm Giant through one of his followers.
"I'm going to weave a feather robe from my own fallen feathers," said the God of Ravens casually. He had already decided on his gift long ago.
"Is that all?"
"What else were you expecting? We are beast gods, not those wealthy human deities. Our followers were once only beasts and uncivilized frost giants. It's only recently that we've gained some human worshipers. We don't have intricate weapons or refined tools to offer, only raw materials."
"Doesn't that seem a bit... cheap? Like we're not putting enough thought into it?"
"We're gods! Isn't a robe woven from divine feathers sincere enough? Besides, we're allies with him, not his subordinates. We don't need to go overboard. And do you even know how large the robe I'm making is? It'll be big enough for Muria's Titan form to wear."
"Do you even know how large Prince Muria's true form is now? Will your fallen feathers be enough?"
"Of course not, which is why I used some of my divine power to make myself molt entirely. With this many feathers, I can weave a full robe."
"...Then should I offer a wolf pelt cloak and some of my fallen wolf teeth?" The God of Frost Wolves asked tentatively. Truthfully, he was a bit taken aback by his friend's resolve. The raven was truly going all out.
In the end, persuaded by the God of Ravens, the God of Frost Wolves also shed his fur, weaving it into a wolf pelt cloak as a gift for Muria.
"Are we sending an envoy, or going in person?" asked the God of Frost Wolves once the gifts were prepared.
"Are you stupid? An envoy? Look at the state of the Pantheon right now; they're scrambling! Some of them can't even send their avatars to attend!" The God of Ravens cawed loudly. "There will be epic-level figures attending Muria's wedding. What sense does it make for us minor gods to send an envoy? The stronger gods who aren't close to him are sending emissaries to gather intel, but for us? Do you really think it's appropriate to put on airs in front of him?"
"No, you're right. We'll go ourselves," the God of Frost Wolves scratched his neck.
"Oh, and we should bring Snow Leopard along. It's important to stick together at times like these."
In the Deprelos Continent, three beams of divine light descended from the heavens, landing in the main temples of three gods. Moments later, three powerful avatars emerged, gathering together to tear open space and head toward the Stralinger Continent...
"Frost Wolf, Raven, Snow Leopard!" Muria was pleasantly surprised when he saw the three gods' avatars. Then, a smile spread across his face. These were the first gods to descend personally to congratulate him on his wedding.
"Congratulations on your wedding, Your Highness." Seeing Muria come out to greet them, the three beast gods didn't dare to act haughty. Sensing the aura of the Dragon King nearby, they all respectfully returned the gesture and presented their carefully prepared gifts.
"These... there's no need to be so generous," Muria couldn't help but twitch his lips as he looked at the fur garments they handed over. The sheer quantity made his heart race.
The divine energy flowing from the feathered robes and wolf pelts made it clear that these were meticulously prepared gifts, crafted from the very bodies of the gods themselves.
"You should go inside and take a seat," Muria called over a giant wolf-like beast to act as their guide and servant.
"And this is?" The God of Frost Wolves stopped, eyeing the creature Muria had summoned. It seemed somewhat familiar.
"Oh, this is a Thunder Wolf Dragon, a creature my grandfather tamed in another world," Muria explained upon seeing the white wolf's curiosity.
The Thunder Wolf Dragon had undergone a significant mutation. The lightning crackling around it had changed from the blue-white hue Muria had originally seen to a golden color, boosting its power to nearly legendary levels.
"I see, a creature that fought alongside Lord Archimonde in divine wars." Upon hearing this, the three beast gods regarded the Thunder Wolf Dragon with new respect. Its own strength wasn't impressive, but its master's power commanded their reverence. Archimonde was a figure that even they, as minor gods, could only look up to.
"Take them inside," Muria instructed the Thunder Wolf Dragon, which nodded and led the three gods away, unfazed by their overwhelming divine presence.
The Thunder Wolf Dragon was one of many loyal beasts Archimonde had recently sent to Muria. These majestic creatures, elegant in appearance, served as perfect escorts for the wedding, guiding guests to their accommodations. They weren't the strongest, but their dignified looks made them ideal for the occasion. It was no wonder Archimonde kept so many of them.
...
After sending off the three beast gods, a fleet of floating ships approached. This royal convoy, sent by a kingdom, would normally have been welcomed by the giants under Muria's command. However, Muria stopped them and went to greet the guests personally.
"Remilia!" Muria's face lit up as a small girl with blue hair and red eyes ran toward him with excitement.
"Big brother!" Remilia leaped into his arms, hugging his neck tightly.
"Look, this is the gift I prepared for you and sister," she said, pulling out a giant glass jar filled with origami cranes of various colors.
"You taught me this, brother. You said that folding a thousand cranes could grant a wish. I folded ten thousand cranes, so I get ten wishes. And my wish is for you and your bride to be together forever, never apart."
Muria was momentarily stunned before taking the jar from her and examining it carefully.
"What's wrong? You don't like it?"
"No, I love it," Muria smiled, his grin growing wider by the second. He held the jar high and then burst into laughter. This gift brought him genuine joy.
Although Remilia's gift was the simplest he had received so far—a jar filled with folded paper cranes—it was also the most heartfelt.
This gift wasn't about material value; it was the thought behind it that Muria cherished. For example, one of the first gifts he received was from a Dragon King who had sent seven weapons. Even Muria felt irritated by it, as the Dragon King clearly hadn't put any real effort into the gift, treating it like an afterthought.
"And here's my gift!" Another small girl suddenly rushed into Muria's arms, pushing Remilia aside. The impact was so strong it made Muria stumble back, feeling his chest throb from the force.
"Hey, take it easy, Indira," Muria said, patting her head as he accepted her glass jar, also filled with origami cranes.
As for the quality of her cranes... they were barely recognizable as such, and the quantity couldn't compare to Remilia's.
"Muria, whose cranes are better? Mine or Remilia's?" Indira asked eagerly, batting her eyes at him, clearly hoping he'd lie to spare her feelings. She must have known her cranes were a disaster.
Muria chuckled at the poorly folded paper cranes. "What do you think?"
"Sigh, I tried really hard, but they just turned out awful. I spent just as much time as her, but this is all I managed to make, and they're so ugly."
"They're fine," Muria reassured her, patting her head. "I'll keep them safe."
"Muria," called out the White Tiger, Troy, who had come with them. He placed a crystal statue before Muria. "This is my gift to you."
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