Imperial X-1

The day of the World Conference.

We traveled from the mansion using a magic-powered four-wheeled carriage.

"Rina, are you ready?"

"Just finished, my apologies for the wait."

I marveled at the beauty of the silver-white world, blanketed in snow.

Rina wore a dress centered on silver, perfectly matching her hair color.

In recent years, the image of the girl had matured into that of a refined woman—undeniably so.

"Please say something already..."

"Yeah, you're beautiful. I've fallen for you all over again."

"...You say things like that so casually. You really are surprising."

"Shut up. It's fine."

A loud cough from behind.

The attendant silently signaled with her eyes—time to leave, hurry up.

"When getting off the magical four-wheeler, I'll get down first. You'll come last. And when you do, release a high concentration of magical essence as you descend."

"Why?"

"We're the center of attention. Of course, we might get looked down upon at times. It's old-fashioned, but showing off our power is a powerful tactic."

"I see. William and the others would be in trouble if they were looked down on... Got it."

We arrive at the front of the imperial castle shortly after.

Many people are already there.

Some are entering the castle, others are waiting for someone, and still others are chatting casually.

Their purposes are as varied as they come.

When William stepped down from the magical four-wheeled carriage, the surrounding crowd stirred with whispers.

He listened intently to the rumors floating through the air.

That's the demon lord's messenger.

Everyone here can use magic.

The demon lord is cruel, merciless, and lustful... Wait a minute! What kind of rumors are these?!

It's infuriating how freely they're spreading lies about me.

All his servants are present, and the area buzzes with noise and chatter beyond comprehension.

No wonder, really.

The attendants I brought from my country are indeed as full of magicians as rumored. The more accurate their knowledge, the more carefully they'll scrutinize us.

There's enough spectacle already. Let's get inside the castle before the commotion grows.

Yet, the clamor instantly falls silent.

As my attendant opens the door of my magic four-wheeled carriage, Lina steps down.

Everyone is utterly entranced by her beauty.

Her silver radiance resembles the silent beauty of winter, one that steals words away.

Yet her expression is a gentle smile overflowing with maternal warmth.

Slowly, as if ice is melting, voices begin to rise.

Every voice praises Lina’s beauty.

It feels natural to feel joy.

Yet not only praise is heard.

The word "witch" drifts through the air. Though she lives in the land of the Demon King, the fear surrounding her remains unshaken...

I couldn't come up with anything particularly profound, but I heard a voice that couldn't be ignored.

Should I go ahead and attack? Foolish—someone like you wouldn't even be noticed.

Just childish nonsense from a bunch of brats.

Even so, I couldn't shake it off. I was so deeply in love with Lina.

The intensity of my feelings seeped into my magical energy.

Though I'd been told to release just a little magic, I'd forgotten all that and stopped controlling my magical energy altogether.

The magic stones across the entire area were affected.

Streetlights flickered on and off, and the magic-powered four-wheeled vehicles repeatedly started and stopped.

Tools containing magic stones suddenly halted or began overworking.

Those attuned to magic stones or magic felt as though they were drowning in dense magical particles.

The unskilled found it truly hard to breathe.

The entire surroundings were thrown into chaos.

Yet, amidst all this, one person remained completely indifferent.

Lina.

Only Lina and Noel were unaffected by my magical aura. She simply said, "Well then, let's go."

With just those words, the magical energy that had filled the area dispersed and vanished.

The people around them looked around, wondering what had just happened.

There was no noticeable change—only the image of the Demon Lord walking with Lina's arm linked through his, as if nothing had occurred.

His servants followed behind, as if they were nonexistent.

Just for an instant.

Yet, in that single instant, William fully grasped the true strength of the Demon King and his nation. Linna’s efforts had, in the end, been a tremendous success.

Entering the room that had been shown to him, William relaxed his shoulders.

"Seriously, Taro-nii! If you're going to do something, at least say so beforehand! You startled me half to death!"

"Apologies. I couldn't help but tense up."

William's complaints were utterly justified—numerous attendants who had followed behind him sank to their knees or wiped sweat from their brows.

Only Linna remained smiling, fully understanding the situation and managing to keep up somehow.

Remarkable adaptability.

Thanks to their experience, they quickly regained their composure and began their scheduled activities.

Rina and I were busy with pre-meeting rounds of greetings.

Still, the imperial officials who had arrived earlier complained about the commotion in front of the castle.

Apparently, we had gone a bit too far.

First, the celebration party before the opening day's meeting.

It was an attempt to foster camaraderie before the meeting turned tense.

As usual, Lina was the center of everyone's attention.

"Long time no see, Taro. Well, now you're the Demon King."

"Rol. It's been a while. You can still call me by my old name if you like."

"That won't do. You're now the ruler of a nation. In public, you must address me by my proper title."

"Then, Lord Rol, what kind of deal do you have in mind for this world conference?"

"Magic stone transportation. There's an uneven distribution of magic stones within my territory. To maintain balance in the flow of magic stones throughout the nation, stable transportation is essential. And you? What about you?"

"Food supplies. The population is growing rapidly, and food supply rates are unreliable."

Of course, this conversation is being discussed in much greater detail at the official level.

This is essentially a final confirmation.

It also serves as a deterrent to other countries. By making public what each nation is trading, it demonstrates transparency and strength.