A/N: Don't forget to check out my original novel: Can I Magic Please. It's like really good. 😉
ANYWHOOO. ENJOY THE CHAPTER
---
Tempest had become significantly louder ever since Milim arrived.
Not that it had exactly been peaceful before.
But now?
Now there were explosions in the distance every few minutes.
Buildings shaking randomly.
Excited shouting.
And Rimuru developing stress wrinkles despite technically being a slime.
Currently, the source of all suffering sat in the middle of town laughing loudly.
Loki and Milim.
The two disasters occupied an entire open plaza together while goblins, hobgoblins, and monsters desperately tried to avoid becoming collateral damage.
Milim floated upside down in the air while eating honey by the jar.
Loki sat atop an overturned crate throwing pieces of food into his mouth lazily.
The two looked entirely too relaxed for beings capable of erasing nations.
"Again! Again!" Milim shouted excitedly.
Loki smirked.
"You just want to blow something up."
"Yes!"
"At least she's honest," Rimuru muttered tiredly nearby.
Benimaru stood beside him with folded arms.
"…We should evacuate the district."
"Already did," Rimuru answered instantly.
A massive crash echoed somewhere farther away.
Rimuru did not even react anymore.
He had emotionally ascended beyond panic.
Milim suddenly pointed dramatically at Loki.
"Loki!"
"What?"
"Fight me again!"
"No."
"Why not?!"
"Too troublesome."
Milim gasped in betrayal.
Before she could complain further—
A powerful aura descended over Tempest.
Rimuru froze immediately.
Benimaru stiffened.
Even Milim paused.
Then—
A familiar voice rang out sharply.
"Milim."
Milim's face instantly lost all color.
"…Ah."
She slowly turned.
Frey stood atop a nearby rooftop with crossed arms.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Terrifying.
Milim visibly began sweating.
"F-Frey…"
Frey's eye twitched.
"You ran away again."
Milim laughed nervously.
"Haha…"
"Hahahaha…"
"…I can explain?"
"No," Frey replied flatly.
Milim immediately hid behind Loki.
"Protect me!"
Loki looked at her lazily.
"You abandoned your responsibilities."
"Traitor!"
Loki pointed directly at her.
"She escaped studying."
"LOKI!"
Rimuru stared in disbelief.
He actually threw her under the bus immediately.
Frey sighed deeply while rubbing her forehead.
"Milim."
The pink-haired Demon Lord shrank further.
"…Yes?"
"You are returning with me."
Milim looked horrified.
"But studying is evil."
"No."
"It is."
"No."
"It hurts my brain."
"That is because you refuse to think."
Milim looked genuinely offended.
Before she could continue arguing—
Another presence arrived.
Elegant footsteps approached calmly.
Testarossa.
The Primordial White walked into the plaza with her usual flawless smile.
A smile that somehow looked more dangerous than anger.
Loki immediately noticed it.
"…Oh."
Testarossa stopped before him gracefully.
"Lord Loki."
"…Testarossa."
"You left the nation unattended."
Loki looked away.
"I delegated."
"To me."
"Well yes."
Testarossa smiled pleasantly.
"You are a ruler now."
Loki sighed internally.
Troublesome.
Very troublesome.
"Coleus currently faces political instability, economic pressure, diplomatic isolation, and public unrest."
Testarossa continued smiling.
"And while I handled all of that…"
"…you were playing."
Loki coughed lightly.
"In my defense—"
"You disappeared."
Milim looked between them nervously before slowly trying to float away.
Frey instantly grabbed her by the ear.
"Ow ow ow ow!"
"You are coming back."
Milim looked toward Loki desperately.
"Help me!"
Loki immediately pointed at Frey.
"She's right."
Milim stared at him in betrayal.
"You're the worst best friend ever!"
Loki laughed.
Unfortunately for him—
Testarossa stepped closer.
"And you, Lord Loki."
"…Yes?"
"You are also returning."
The laughter stopped.
Rimuru watched the entire scene in complete disbelief.
The mighty Demon Lord Loki.
The being who casually fought Milim Nava.
Currently getting scolded.
And losing.
Loki sighed.
"…Fine."
Testarossa smiled beautifully.
"Excellent."
Several minutes later—
Both Loki and Milim were being escorted away by terrifyingly competent women.
Milim cried dramatically the entire time.
Loki looked deeply inconvenienced.
Rimuru watched them disappear into the distance.
Then—
He released the deepest sigh of relief in his entire life.
"…They're gone."
Silence.
Peaceful silence.
Rimuru nearly cried.
Benimaru nodded solemnly.
"Tempest survived."
"Yes."
"Barely."
"YES."
Far away—
Another explosion sounded.
Rimuru's eye twitched.
"…Why is there another explosion?"
Meanwhile.
Back in Coleus.
Inside the royal meeting chamber—
A formal meeting had been called.
The atmosphere was far more serious than usual.
Loki sat at the center of the room in the main seat.
To his right sat Testarossa.
To his left sat Velzard calmly sipping tea.
Ultima leaned lazily against the wall nearby.
Carrera sat with visible boredom.
Shizue sat quietly beside the princes.
Prince Sauzer and Prince Aslan remained standing near the opposite side of the table.
The room itself was silent.
Then Testarossa finally began speaking.
"The Western Nations Council has officially severed ties with Coleus."
Loki rested his cheek against one hand.
"I heard."
"The situation is worsening," Testarossa continued calmly.
"Merchant licenses are beginning to be revoked."
"Trade routes are being restricted."
"Businesses connected to Western Nations are withdrawing."
She folded her hands neatly.
"The economic impact will worsen over time."
Loki listened quietly.
Testarossa then continued.
"The Sorcerous Dynasty has also suspended relations."
At that—
Velzard glanced toward her slightly.
Loki looked mildly surprised.
"Elmesia too?"
"Yes."
Testarossa sighed softly.
"Although unlike the Western Nations…"
"…they at least responded diplomatically."
Loki nodded once.
Then Testarossa's gaze shifted toward the princes.
"Prince Sauzer."
The older prince stepped forward calmly.
"As instructed," he said respectfully.
"It is our duty to represent the concerns of the people."
Loki looked at him.
Sauzer hesitated briefly before continuing honestly.
"The people are afraid."
"Not of war."
"Not of invasion."
"But of uncertainty."
Aslan folded his arms.
"Merchants fear bankruptcy."
"Workers fear shortages."
"Some nobles fear retaliation from neighboring nations."
Sauzer nodded.
"And many citizens are simply too frightened to voice concerns directly before a Demon Lord."
The room became quiet.
Loki leaned back slightly.
"…Makes sense."
Honestly—
He could not even blame them.
From their perspective, their kingdom had been conquered overnight by an absurdly powerful being surrounded by monsters capable of ending civilizations.
Not exactly comforting.
Testarossa continued calmly.
"The current stability exists primarily because the people trust the royal family."
"And because fear suppresses unrest."
She looked directly at Loki.
"But fear alone cannot sustain a nation forever."
Loki sighed quietly.
Troublesome indeed.
Then Testarossa folded her hands together elegantly.
"So."
Her eyes swept across the room.
"Does anyone have any solutions?"
Silence lingered inside the meeting chamber after Testarossa's question.
The atmosphere had shifted from reporting problems to actually solving them.
Loki rested his chin against one hand lazily while everyone began thinking.
Unexpectedly—
Shizue was the first to speak.
"What about increasing internal trade first?"
Several eyes shifted toward her.
Shizue looked slightly nervous under the attention but continued anyway.
"If outside nations are restricting trade, then maybe Coleus should focus on strengthening its domestic economy temporarily."
Testarossa nodded slowly.
"A reasonable suggestion."
Shizue gained a little confidence seeing she was not immediately dismissed.
"There are many adventurers here because of the nearby wastelands, right?"
Prince Sauzer nodded.
"Yes."
"Then maybe improving infrastructure around adventurer activity would help keep money circulating within the nation."
"Better inns."
"Supply stores."
"Repair shops."
"Medical facilities."
"The more adventurers spend here, the more stable local businesses become."
Ultima blinked.
"…That actually makes sense."
Shizue looked slightly embarrassed.
"I just thought…"
Testarossa gave a small smile.
"You are surprisingly competent."
Ultima immediately looked offended.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means," Testarossa replied smoothly, "that Shizue-san is currently proving more useful than you."
Carrera burst out laughing instantly.
Velzard calmly sipped her tea.
Ultima narrowed her eyes.
"I handle legal affairs."
"Yes," Testarossa answered mercilessly.
"And yet somehow I still suffer more headaches than necessary."
"Are you picking a fight?"
"Always."
The tension between the two Primordials immediately rose.
Loki looked exhausted already.
"Can you both not?"
They stopped instantly.
"Of course, Lord Loki."
"Understood, Lord Loki."
The synchronized response somehow made it even stranger.
Prince Aslan looked deeply disturbed watching powerful Primordial Demons bicker like coworkers.
Then—
Velzard spoke softly.
"There is another option."
Everyone looked toward the True Dragon.
Velzard set down her teacup elegantly.
"I can publicly remain within Coleus."
The room went quiet.
"No nation would be foolish enough to openly attack a country protected by a True Dragon."
Even the princes visibly stiffened hearing that stated so casually.
Because it was true.
Absolutely true.
A True Dragon was not simply a powerful being.
They were catastrophes given form.
Natural disasters with personalities.
If word spread that Velzard herself resided within Coleus—
No nation on earth would dare consider military aggression.
Testarossa nodded thoughtfully.
"That would indeed serve as a significant deterrent."
Velzard looked toward Loki calmly.
"And it may reassure the citizens somewhat."
Loki blinked once.
"…You're surprisingly responsible sometimes."
Velzard looked faintly offended.
"I am always responsible."
Testarossa coughed lightly into her hand.
Ultima looked away.
Even Carrera snorted.
Velzard narrowed her eyes slightly.
"…What?"
"No reason," Carrera answered immediately.
Then—
Loki suddenly straightened slightly.
"I have an idea too."
Everyone looked toward him.
Honestly—
Most of them expected something combat related.
Or reckless.
Or both.
Loki leaned back casually.
"If trade is being restricted externally, then short-term stabilization should focus on increasing circulation inside the country."
Testarossa blinked once.
Loki continued.
"Coleus already has one major advantage."
"The wastelands."
"The adventurer traffic."
"The monster materials."
His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.
"So instead of relying mainly on raw material exports…"
"…why not refine the products ourselves first?"
The room became attentive.
"Instead of selling raw monster hides, we process them into finished equipment."
"Instead of exporting ingredients, we preserve and package food locally."
"Set up guild-sponsored crafting districts."
"Lower taxes temporarily for blacksmiths and merchants willing to establish businesses inside Coleus."
"Offer adventurer reward incentives tied specifically to local spending."
Prince Sauzer's eyes widened slightly.
Testarossa leaned forward just a little.
Loki continued casually.
"If money stays moving internally, panic slows down."
"Then while the Western Nations are busy playing politics…"
"…Coleus develops independently."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Everyone stared at him.
Loki blinked.
"…What?"
Testarossa looked genuinely stunned.
"…Lord Loki."
Ultima stared openly.
"You actually thought all that through?"
Carrera looked horrified.
"Since when are you smart?"
Loki looked deeply offended.
"The hell is that supposed to mean?"
Velzard quietly hid a smile behind her teacup.
Prince Aslan spoke carefully.
"…Respectfully, Your Majesty…"
"…we did not expect economic strategy from you."
Loki stared at him flatly.
"I am literally from another world."
That only confused them more.
Testarossa recovered first.
"…The proposal has merit."
Her expression grew thoughtful.
"Especially the guild incentives."
"The adventurer economy here is already strong."
"If guided correctly…"
"…Coleus could become less dependent on Western approval entirely."
Loki nodded.
"Exactly."
Then he crossed his arms smugly.
Everyone continued staring.
Loki frowned.
"Stop looking at me like I just discovered fire."
"You punch problems," Ultima replied honestly.
"I solve problems too."
"Usually by punching them."
"…That is true," Carrera admitted.
Loki clicked his tongue.
Disrespectful.
Eventually Testarossa sighed softly and straightened the documents before her.
"Very well."
She turned toward the princes.
"Prince Sauzer. Prince Aslan."
Both immediately stood straighter.
"Inform the people that His Majesty will hold a national address tomorrow in the main square."
The two nodded immediately.
"As you command."
Testarossa then looked around the room once.
"For now, this meeting is adjourned."
Everyone slowly began standing.
Papers were gathered.
Chairs shifted.
The tension in the room eased slightly compared to earlier.
As Loki rose from his seat—
Velzard suddenly stepped beside him quietly.
Then she leaned slightly closer.
"You must be tired."
Loki blinked.
"…I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not."
Velzard looked at him calmly.
"You are."
"I literally do not get tired."
"You do now."
Loki stared at her.
Velzard stared back.
The others wisely pretended not to listen.
"…Velzard."
"Yes?"
"This feels less like concern and more like bullying."
"I am concerned."
"You sound very unconcerned."
Velzard ignored that completely.
"You should go rest."
Loki opened his mouth to argue again.
Velzard narrowed her eyes just slightly.
"…You should go rest."
A dangerous chill spread faintly through the hallway.
Loki immediately changed direction.
"…Alright."
Velzard nodded in satisfaction.
"Good."
Testarossa watched the entire interaction with narrowed eyes.
Meanwhile—
News of the coming national address spread rapidly throughout Coleus.
The capital buzzed with unease and curiosity.
Merchants whispered inside taverns.
Adventurers discussed it around guild halls.
Nobles exchanged worried rumors behind closed doors.
"The Demon Lord is speaking publicly?"
"What's he going to announce?"
"War?"
"Taxes?"
"Punishments?"
"I heard the Western Nations abandoned us."
"I heard a True Dragon lives in the castle now."
"That has to be a rumor."
"No, my cousin saw her."
"…We're doomed."
In another district—
Some citizens were more hopeful.
"The princes still support him."
"And Princess Zenobia trusts him too."
"They say he revived an entire army."
"They also say he killed two Archdemons with one swing."
"…That part definitely sounds true."
Fear.
Curiosity.
Anxiety.
Hope.
All of it spread through the kingdom together.
---
Find early chapters on my patreon
[Patreon.com/tenten100?]