The night faded quietly, and the day of the Council Conference finally arrived.
I left Eterna early, walking toward the venue with Benimaru, Souei, and Shuna by my side. All of them wore formal outfits tailored for diplomacy—elegant, dignified, and unmistakably belonging to my nation. As for weapons, I stored everything within my personal subspace. To the outside world, we appeared unarmed.
Of course, I wasn't the least bit uneasy.
Solarys, Sovereign of Wisdom, had already analyzed every scenario.
Hinata had warned me thoroughly.
And I… do not fear people who think they can use me.
If the nations wished to acknowledge Eterna as part of the human world, then it would bring me closer to the society I envisioned—a world where humans and monsters grow together, a world not written by fear, but by cooperation.
We already had majins, dwarves, elves, and countless races thriving together in Eterna. The foundation was solid. But I had been human once. I wanted to build a bridge between both sides.
But humans… humans were complicated. Greedy. Xenophobic. Driven by self-interest yet capable of incredible creation. Their ambition elevated civilizations. Their curiosity brought innovation.
They were contradictions wearing skin.
So I expected resistance—not from all, but from enough to be troublesome.
When we arrived, the first group of councilors greeted us warmly. These men and women came from nations near Eterna, or those who had attended the founding festival. Their respect was genuine.
"Oh! So this is His Majesty Atem—Eterna's King! I've heard tales, but you carry yourself far more regally than I imagined!"
"His Majesty's presence is extraordinary. Let us maintain good relations, Your Majesty."
I nodded politely, allowing a small smile.
"I will gladly welcome a future built on cooperation. Eterna intends to host more events and exchanges in the coming months—those interested are always welcome."
They relaxed, smiling openly.
Their praise for Eterna's people pleased me.
Rigurd and Myourmiles had done well. Their hard work echoed even here.
Hinata's warnings felt almost unnecessary—until the next group arrived.
Their voices cut across the hall like dull blades.
"Hmph! Enough crowding around Atem-dono. You small-nation officials lack shame."
"That's right! Atem-dono might misunderstand the council because of your rambling. Know your place."
Their arrogance hit the room like a stench.
Benimaru straightened, Souei's aura sharpened slightly, and Shuna frowned—but I raised a hand.
I wanted to see just how foolish this group could be.
Souei whispered through the Telepathy Net:
"Atem-sama, these ones are backed by a powerful inland empire."
Ah. So that explained the entitlement.
The council claimed equality… but reality never matched ideals.
One of them stepped forward with a smug bow.
"Good day, Atem-dono. Surely, speaking to those people wouldn't lead to anything productive."
I tilted my head, voice calm but carrying weight.
"Oh? And what would you consider productive?"
He froze for a moment—my tone had weight, command, and something sharper beneath it. But he swallowed and continued, pretending not to flinch.
"My, my, trying to sound clever, are we? Atem-dono lacks noble etiquette, but fear not—we can guide you."
A lesser man might have let the insult slide.
I was not that man.
I met his eyes, unblinking.
"Be careful," I said quietly, "not to confuse my patience with permission."
He stiffened.
The other nobles shifted uneasily.
But they tried to recover.
"A-Ahem… W-Well then, Atem-dono, we heard rumors you're building some interesting things."
"Something called a magitrain, yes? We insist you export it to our country."
"Indeed! And we are prepared to 'assist' you—though we wouldn't want to be improper."
Their smiles were rotten. Their greed unmistakable.
Benimaru whispered, "Atem-sama, shall I remove them?"
"No," I replied calmly, "not yet."
I folded my arms.
"The magitrain requires infrastructure. Tracks. Logistics. Planning. It is not an item you simply toss across a border."
"Oh, ignore such trivial matters. I already told my nation to prepare for importation. All you must do is agree."
They didn't even know what a magitrain was.
Their demands were based on rumor and arrogance.
I let out a slow breath.
Solarys murmured within me:
"Atem-sama, their ignorance exceeds predicted parameters."
(You don't say.)
"I already told you," I said, voice colder, "there are procedures—"
But they cut me off.
"Fine, then we'll switch to something else. We want weapons and armor. Large quantities. And of course," the bearded duke added with a greasy grin, "a show of appreciation when the deal is done."
Bribes.
They were asking a Demon Lord for bribes.
I stepped closer.
The air shifted.
The atmosphere thickened.
Authority rolled off me like a rising tide.
"Tell me," I said softly, "have you forgotten who I am? Or do you simply lack the instinct of self-preservation?"
The duke paled.
Even his friends stepped back.
But stubborn arrogance pushed one of them to speak again.
"A-Atem-dono, our nation contacted a man named Myourmiles. He has not responded to my envoy. Perhaps he is unfit? Replace him."
I stared.
So Myourmiles had dealt with these creatures politely all this time?
He deserved a medal.
I finally gave them a thin, cold smile.
"I will handle it properly."
The phrase was simple. Elegant.
And in no way a promise.
They seemed relieved, bowing deeply.
"Ah! Wonderful!"
"Looking forward to it!"
"We shall take our leave!"
"Remember—we can support you with merchandise anytime!"
I watched them leave with satisfied smirks, utterly unaware of how thoroughly they had misread the situation.
Benimaru exhaled. "Atem-sama… your restraint is astonishing."
Souei nodded. "Indeed. Many would have turned them to ash."
I shrugged.
"If they desire weapons, they may buy them openly through the Freedom Association. Eterna does not bend to pressure. And we do not bribe anyone."
Shuna giggled softly. "They truly thought you were being polite."
I smirked.
"So long as they stay out of my way."
Other councilors approached, but I only exchanged a few greetings before withdrawing. I refused to let my morning be ruined any further.
Hinata would scold me relentlessly if any trouble broke out before the meeting even started.
Best to enter the venue quietly and avoid unnecessary conflict.
And so, we stepped inside.
Where the true stage awaited us.
"Atem-sama… are you truly fine with letting them walk away like that? Those arrogant bastards…"
Benimaru asked once we were finally seated where the council staff directed us. He had held himself back only because I had remained composed. Had I so much as frowned, Benimaru would've burned the entire hall down.
I opened my mouth to answer him—but Souei and Shuna cut in first.
"Don't ever place those fools on Atem-sama's level," Souei said coldly. "They are insignificant insects barking to mask their fear. Their taunts hold no value."
"That's right, Onii-sama," Shuna added with a gentle smile that did not reach her eyes. "Atem-sama's heart is vast and unshakeable. It would be foolish to think he would concern himself with such small, miserable people."
…Well.
Now that they said it like that, I couldn't exactly admit I was furious enough to blast half the chamber into dust.
I let out a slow breath, keeping my face as calm and unreadable as I always did.
"Benimaru," I said, my voice steady but carrying weight, "your emotions still sway too easily. Do not waste your anger on ants."
He bowed his head. "As you command."
Truthfully, I was angry. Very angry.
But since Souei and Shuna had handed me a dignified explanation, I had no choice but to ride it.
I straightened in my chair and lectured them with the air of someone who had never once been bothered by petty insults.
Time passed as preparations finished.
The seating was arranged in a semi-circle, shaped like a folding fan. We sat at its base—at the most visible point, the very center of the room. The council wanted everyone to see us. To watch us. To judge us.
It was uncomfortable, but I endured it.
Another table and chair had been placed for my use, though Benimaru and the others remained standing behind me. Ready. Silent. Deadly.
The council's speaker had been moved to the second floor for "safety."
A laughable precaution.
Clearly meant to protect them from me, as though a little distance would matter if I wished to reach him.
The eyes of every councilor drilled into us.
Suspicion. Fear. Curiosity.
So the conference began—and with it, the true torture.
Since I had decided to remain calm earlier, I couldn't afford to display irritation now. Even as rage simmered inside, I had to listen to every long-winded, pompous speech these politicians felt entitled to deliver.
I already knew the meeting's purpose.
I'd asked Hinata beforehand.
Eterna wished to join the Western Council.
Naturally, they had conditions—three, to be exact:
First: Abide by international law.
Second: Create an economic zone.
Third: Provide military support.
The first condition was reasonable. Any country accepted into the council had to follow international law, though the council could not interfere with internal decisions. That part was convenient.
Merchants, regardless of origin, had to obey local laws when trading. If problems arose, they would be judged by the laws of the country where the incident took place.
If the merchants disagreed with the verdict, they could appeal to their own nation's embassy—where it would be decided whether the matter should escalate into a national dispute or be handled quietly.
It seemed we had handled the incident during Eterna's founding festival well.
Had it become a national conflict, it would have been tried according to international law, with a third-party nation observing the trial.
However—the councilors from the nation involved would be excluded from voting.
It wasn't a complicated system, but it did require one thing from us:
We needed to publish a formal set of national laws.
That was the real challenge.
Fortunately, I had Solarys, Sovereign of Wisdom.
With Solarys' guidance, we gathered information on legal systems from multiple nations and crafted a perfect, easy-to-understand outline for Eterna's laws.
We presented the draft.
There should be no issues.