This Chat Group's Vibe is a Bit Off

Ursus, Saint-Junburg Imperial Palace.

Confiscating estates was satisfying for a moment; confiscating estates forever was satisfying forever.

It had to be said, Ursus's nobles truly were a pack of vermin. Qianyi had originally worried that he might purge some kind and decent nobles, so he had specifically asked Koschei to compile intelligence on every noble, along with some of their private secrets, to avoid harming the innocent. But after reading through it all, he discovered that killing all ten might wrong an innocent or two, but killing only nine would definitely let one slip through.

How could Ursus ever be run properly with vermin like these around?

So Qianyi hastily formed a tribunal and had every last one of them hanged from the streetlights according to their crimes. Why did he have to form a tribunal on such short notice?

Naturally, because the original courts had also been full of vermin, so they were tried alongside them.

After that whole ordeal, the Ursus Empire's governing bodies had effectively been wiped clean. They could only cobble together a new team of misfits on the spot. Yet what Qianyi found hard to process was that their work efficiency had actually improved quite a bit.

Qianyi nodded as he looked over the reports. "A single county's worth of talent is enough to govern the world. The ancients truly did not deceive me."

"You think way too highly of us! Our efficiency didn't improve because we're talented—it improved because Ursus's nobles were just that terrible!" Toyokawa Shoko, dark circles under her eyes, hurled a thick stack of documents at Qianyi. "Why do we have to work here this time? Can't we just confiscate their estates and leave, like Heavenly Mandate did?!"

"Not this time. Heavenly Mandate has enough capable people that even if we don't stay to help, they can patch up the holes themselves. But Ursus? If we don't keep it under control, it'll explode tomorrow, blasting all the filth in Terra's cesspit everywhere. Ata cares about the people here, so we can't just blow the place up and run." Qianyi precisely caught every document scattering through the air.

"That... does make sense."

Toyokawa Shoko nodded. Compared to the talent-rich Heavenly Mandate, Ursus really did give off the distinct impression that it was doomed. But that was beside the point. "That still isn't a reason for you to keep working me to the bone!!!"

"You're one of the only three high school students in our group. Kiana technically has a high school education from St. Freya Academy, but she threw away her brain. Wutina's education is only around the second year of middle school level. You know how it is—if something isn't related to Magical Girls, she can't summon up even the slightest interest. And lately, she's been so obsessed with Magical Girls that she's neglected her studies. Her education might drop to elementary school level soon."

"What about Talulah?" Toyokawa Shoko asked.

"Her credentials are padded. They wouldn't survive scrutiny." Qianyi sighed. "The education standards in most parts of Terra are truly worrying. My verdict is that even elementary school students from Jiangsu and Zhejiang could wipe them all out."

"What about the other members of Reunion?"

"Talulah's qualifications are all inflated, and you expect a bunch of Infected who, before we came along, couldn't even eat properly, didn't own a decent set of clothes, and had to hide every day to suddenly produce a living Zhuge Liang? Shoko, believe in yourself. You're an all-purpose person."

"Seriously? You want a high school student like me to manage Russia? Even Japanese light novels wouldn't dare write something like that." Toyokawa Shoko forced a smile.

"Please take over, Zhuge Shoko. I'm at my limit." Smiling, Qianyi dragged Shoko over to the emperor's desk, then got up to go sleep.

"Hey! You're supposed to become the ruler of the multiverse, so hold on a little longer! How can you be done already?!!"

"I'm going to become the ruler of the multiverse, not the ruler who manages the multiverse." Qianyi waved a hand. "Ciao~. Wake me up in two hours."

"How could this be..."

Toyokawa Shoko looked at the documents piled across the desk. She wanted to turn into Soft Shoko and immediately desert, but when she thought of how, in all of enormous Ursus, no one besides her could step forward, her gaze gradually hardened.

The Thirteen Territories of Ursus are all resting on my shoulders! I can't fall!

The weak me is already dead. The current me is—Strong Shoko!

After leaving the work to Shoko, Qianyi yawned and prepared to head straight back to his room to sleep. By chance, he ran into Talulah along the way.

"Qianyi, are you done with work?" Talulah asked casually.

"Shoko took over. I'm going to sleep for a while first." Qianyi yawned.

"It's not very good to sleep right after working. Why not take a bath first and relax? You'll sleep more comfortably that way." Talulah smiled with narrowed eyes.

"A bath would definitely be nice, but isn't it a bit much to wake the attendants up this late to boil water and all that?" Qianyi said lazily.

"Did you forget what a Drac's Origin Stone Arts can do? Boiling a little water is nothing. Just wait—I'll have someone take care of it right away." Talulah volunteered for the task, then dashed off in a flash.

Qianyi had originally intended to just collapse into bed, but Talulah was being so enthusiastic that he decided to accept.

Ata really is a great bro. She's still helping heat my bathwater this late at night. All those late nights I spent helping her work weren't for nothing.

It had to be said, Talulah was remarkably fast. She solved the problem in just five minutes.

Qianyi soaked in the bath, while the soft lights around him spilled across the water's surface and reflected a baby blue hue. Thin wisps of steam rose from the water, leaving the stone tiles around the pool covered in droplets. The bathwater came from Lake Baikal, known as the "Blue Eye of Siberia." It was clean and crystal-clear, and effectively relieved fatigue.

"Hot springs really are a fine civilization." Qianyi placed a white towel soaked in hot water over his face and leaned back to gaze at the sky.

His thoughts gradually drifted away, and all his troubles were slowly left behind. At some point, a pair of delicate hands rested above his forehead. Warm, soft fingertips gently but firmly kneaded his scalp. The warmth gradually spread backward as those slender fingers carefully traced circles at the crown of his head, then slowly moved toward the back of his neck to massage it...

The pleasant sensation made Qianyi narrow his eyes.

But suddenly, he realized something was wrong!

Who would be giving him a massage in the middle of the night? Was the place haunted?!

He shot upright and wiped the towel off his face. Two blonde Dragon Girls came into view.

Aibrana wore a bathrobe, its semi-transparent fabric slightly lifted to reveal a slender, fair waist. A small indentation adorned her snowy-white, smooth flat stomach, trailing downward. Her two long, slim legs, wrapped in black stockings, were pressed tightly together and moved up and down, the faint friction leaving slight wrinkles in the stockings.

Beside her, Lavhini wore a quiet, expressionless look. Her figure was somewhat less mature than her sister's, carrying an innocent air untouched by worldly affairs. A pair of dragon horns grew amid the brilliant golden hair on her forehead. Yet what drew the eye most was the thigh strap on her plump thigh, subtly outlining her pale skin.

You scared the hell out of me. I unleash Tens of Thousands of Proverbs.

"So it's you two. You gave me a scare." Seeing that it was the Wildfire sisters, Qianyi relaxed and lay back down.

"Forgive our intrusion, Your Majesty." Aibrana continued massaging Qianyi. Seeing that he showed no resistance, she took the initiative to ask, "Your Majesty, you intend to seize Victoria's government, correct?"

"Mm. Because I made an agreement with Morgan. I'll take Victoria for her and help her establish New Great Britain," Qianyi said lazily.

Aibrana was stunned.

Huh? Seizing Victoria was an agreement with someone else? She had never heard about something like that! Why hadn't Talulah mentioned such an important matter?!

She had already looked into it. Talulah and Qianyi were neither pieces and player nor lovers. They were sworn bros, the kind of bros where even if Talulah lost the Third Army Group, Qianyi could simply say, "We're bros. I forgive you."

If they absolutely had to describe the relationship between the two, then—brothers were brothers! Brothers could never become wives. Once she became your wife, you could no longer look her straight in the eyes.

Talulah could not become Qianyi's wife, but—she could!

She could bear Qianyi the Red Dragon's descendants and help him take control of Victoria. As his queen, she would assist the new king. Then, when her children inherited the throne and took control of Victoria, wouldn't that, more or less, amount to the revival of the Tara Dynasty?

So who the hell was Morgan?!

Banana Sister felt that things had gone somewhat beyond her expectations, but with her earth-shattering wisdom and earth-shattering plans, she was unwilling to give up just like that. "Your Majesty, if you wish to rule Victoria for the long term, legitimate bloodlines are indispensable. You do not possess the bloodline of the Drac or Aslan, but if your descendants possess Drac blood, many problems will be resolved with ease. Aibrana wishes to ease Your Majesty's burdens. I will bear you many children."

"I don't need the Red Dragon's descendants. A barely adequate claim is enough." Qianyi spoke casually.

Aibrana's smile grew increasingly stiff. "But if you wish to rule Victoria for the long term, it will be difficult to win people over without descendants..."

"Once Morgan ascends the throne, she'll handle those matters very well."

"..."

Aibrana fell silent, unable to say a single word.

She was wondering who this Morgan was.

Don't tell me that your marriage alliance with Talulah was just some left-hand-to-right-hand maneuver, transferring your claim to the throne to that Morgan so she could comfortably take Victoria's throne?!

What kind of lunatic was this?

Even the maddest tyrant in the world would not dare casually do something so outrageously taboo!

Just as her mind descended into complete chaos, Qianyi added, "Besides, fairies live a very long time. If Morgan takes Victoria's throne, a few thousand years will be more than enough to completely solve the problems you mentioned."

Th... how many years? Several thousand years?!

What year on the Terra Calendar would that rule even end? The 20K Era? The 30K Era? Or 40K? Or some even more distant age?

That timespan had already surpassed her comprehension. Even with Drac blood, she would live only a few centuries at most. In a few thousand years, she would have long since turned to dust, while Qianyi and that Morgan would likely still be sitting upon the throne.

Aibrana felt her dream of Tara's revival shatter completely.

"Are you... a god?" the light-golden-haired Dragon Girl asked respectfully, her worldview falling apart.

"I'm not a god. I'm merely human," Qianyi said. His body was still human.

"May this body, this soul, and this will follow your will for eternity." Aibrana bent one knee, no longer daring to overstep herself.

"Who sent you?" Qianyi suddenly asked.

"Your Majesty Talulah," Aibrana answered truthfully.

Qianyi nodded. Taking the bath towel from Lavhini's hand beside him, he dived headfirst into the bath. The splash obscured Aibrana and Lavhini's vision. By the time he broke the surface, he had already wrapped himself in the towel. His soaked white hair was like a battle flag flying against the wind—messy, yet still heroic.

Talulah actually dared use the Slaanesh Trend to frame the grown-up version of me!

Talulah, you disloyal, unfilial, heartless, immoral bastard—I'm going to strangle you to death.

A great battle was about to erupt.

Elsewhere, Toyokawa Shoko sat in the office and saw that it was already time for the shift change. Wondering why Qianyi had not come to relieve her yet, she found her consciousness beginning to blur.

Should I go to sleep first?

No! I can still hold on!

Should I close my eyes?

No! The burden of Ursus rests upon my shoulders, Toyokawa Shoko's shoulders. How could I so easily close my eyes?!

I am the all-capable one! My talents, come forth in full!!!

As long as I hold on until Qianyi arrives, everything will be all right!

???

The next day, when everyone arrived at the office, all they saw was Toyokawa Shoko slumped in her chair, turned gray-white, with all the documents around her having been cleared away.

She had worked herself to death.

"No! Saki!!!" Kiana cried out the name of her dead friend in despair.

"Why... Shoko..." Seele followed, tears streaming down her face.

"Shoko..." Artoria and Hiiragi Tina also began to weep.

"How could this happen..." Talulah continuously shook her head and sighed, blaming herself for not noticing in time.

"She pushed herself too hard." Qianyi fell silent. This was all his responsibility. He blamed himself for being so absorbed in beating up Talulah that he had inadvertently killed Toyokawa Shoko.

Haki Shoko, you... actually fought on alone until now...

Everyone was grieving. When Koschei rushed over and heard what had happened, she immediately summoned someone to prepare gold. She would build Toyokawa Shoko a coffin of pure gold and bury her with an Ursus state funeral.

This was a loyal servant of Ursus. She had given her life for Ursus, and Ursus had to give her a powerful response!!

Just as she was about to order someone to carry away Toyokawa Shoko's body, the schoolgirl-dressed girl abruptly sat up.

Twelve Trials activated!

12→11.

Toyokawa? Shoko-sama had magnificently revived!

Toyokawa Shoko, revived at full health, burst into maniacal laughter. One hand covered her face while the other pointed at Qianyi, a painfully chuunibyou grin on her face. "Hahahahaha! What inspires fear is my talent as an all-powerful person!!!"

Koschei: "???"

Are you Kal'tsit or something?!

"Saki, you revived? With your own power?" Kiana asked in delight.

"You actually won the revival match with your own strength, Haki Shoko... you... you..." Qianyi teared up.

"No. Toyokawa Shoko is already dead. Now I am a brand-new me, a complete me. My name is—Oblivionis!" The blue-haired young lady somehow produced a mask resembling a pair of black lace panties and put it over her face, making the whole thing especially unbearable to watch.

"Obli-what?" Seele scratched her head, looking thoroughly perplexed.

"Oblivionis!" Toyokawa Shoko emphasized. Then she swept out a hand. "As for the current shortage of Ursus officials, I have already devised a solution."

"What solution?" Talulah asked curiously.

"Void Archive contains nearly all the knowledge of the Previous Civilization, right? It must include knowledge on how to manage an organization. And if I remember correctly, Void Archive is made of nanomachines, Soul Steel, and a Herrscher Core. That means it will never grow tired and can manage the nation twenty-four hours a day." Toyokawa Shoko turned to Qianyi and smiled gently.

"But for some reason, Void Archive's consciousness has never appeared even once since I obtained it," Qianyi explained.

"Qianyi, you're too kind. If it won't eat the Loyal Orange, then it gets the Purple Egg!" Kiana placed a hand on Qianyi's shoulder.

Any Divine Key unwilling to pledge loyalty to them ought to be dismantled and reforged!

"True. It has already become our weapon, yet it still refuses to give its all. Who knows whether it might stab us in the back someday? Loyalty that isn't absolute is absolute disloyalty." Qianyi felt Void Archive hanging at his waist tremble.

Ignoring Void Archive's protest, he removed the Divine Key in the shape of a golden cube from his waist and set it on the table, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

"Void Archive, we're giving you one last chance. Come out and see us right now, this instant! Show yourself!" Talulah drew her sword and brought it down on Void Archive, producing a piercing metallic clang.

"Does Hydra's Poison work on Divine Keys?" Seele asked curiously, already gesturing with her scythe as though deciding where to start cutting.

"No idea. Let's chop it first and find out." Kiana summoned Void Spear into her hand, looking fully prepared to test whether her Void Spear was sharper or Void Archive was tougher.

You bunch of barbarians!