Axel and his team of girls returned to their usual duties right after.

Like Arianne training her troops, Maria and Cherry moving around the castle maintaining it, Beatrix handling paperwork with Fenrir, and finally Eve, Ria, and Nina handling diplomacy with the Empire.

Axel himself had a lot of things to do, so he didn’t even have time to flirt.

His first immediate task was to start crafting defensive implements. And for that, he had already started automatically manufacturing parts for the rest of the "max-level items" he had.

The Trismus 0.01% Solar Mass Singularity Warhead, the Trismus Ver. 5.5 Warhead Launcher, and the Krypton Energy Solutions Void Core Energy Generator Mark 3.

Of course, same as with the Kalbi Model 88 Interdimensional Teleporter, all three could only be queued one at a time. Their manufacturing wasn’t parallel either, but mostly linear. Thus, the estimated time for everything to finish was...

"At least 10 days, huh... Quite long..."

Not only that, but the material cost alone actually reached 10 quadrillion each, at minimum. The single biggest expense he had ever made, without question.

"But as soon as I have the Energy Generator crafted, the overall lifestyle of our kingdom should see a real upgrade."

The Energy Generator not only produces mana energy, but electrical energy too, after all.

Right now they were making do with an old-style gasoline generator, but sooner or later its output would no longer keep up with demand. Upgrading to the Void Core Energy Generator would improve not just efficiency and cost, but capacity and output alike.

He was genuinely looking forward to that—it would spark the dawn of modern civilization, quite literally.

The next item on his task list was the AZF dimension.

Although they’d cleared out the cockroach-like demons there, it wasn’t like every last one of them had been exterminated. On top of that, the portals—the cracks in space they were using to push through—were still open, and the demon numbers were trending upward again.

With no real choice, Axel brought Fafnir and Bellachrona over as cleaners.

With two dragons on the job, sweeping an entire world’s worth of demons was a cinch. It wasn’t that Axel couldn’t handle it himself—he simply preferred not to get involved with those things if he could avoid it.

Thankfully, with both dragons’ Dragon Hearts under his control, neither of them could disobey. Flames of destruction literally swept across the entire world for hours on end, reducing every insect-like enemy to ash before it was over.

Axel’s frontline base remained untouched throughout, naturally.

The barrier they had installed there barely even registered the flames. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Good job, you two."

Axel was satisfied.

"As your prize, I’ll allow you both to spend the next two days on vacation. Enjoy it however you want together, just don’t break any of the laws binding you."

[R-Really...?]

"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Axel..."

Ever since their capture, the two dragons had been stationed as guard dogs for Axevaria Kingdom without pause. As such, this was the first time either of them had ever had time to themselves.

It had been a passing idea more than anything deliberate, but Axel didn’t take his words back.

After all, mental and emotional health among his people mattered too—dragons included.

"Yes. Just remember—exactly 48 hours from now, you’re both back in Axevaria guarding the teleportation array." He added, making sure it was clear.

[...Thank you, Lord Axel.]

"We shall take note, Lord Axel."

With those brief words of thanks, the two dragons took to the sky and flew off somewhere—somewhere more private.

Even after all that, Axel’s to-do list had barely made a dent.

Construction and repair requests across Axevaria still needed addressing. Lands beyond what they’d already scouted were waiting. New recipes and items needed adding to the shop for faster income generation, and the defenses around Axevaria itself still needed upgrading.

What he focused on in particular was erecting a barrier matching the one at AZF’s defensive fortress.

Though it wasn’t quite the "same" at all.

The one in AZF used a Mana Crystal as its core. The one in Axevaria, however, was built with the World Tree itself acting as the power source and core.

In short—as long as the sacred tree stood, the protective barrier would hold strong.

Theoretically, at least.

Peace was enjoyed while it lasted.

With everyone moving busily through their respective duties, the days passed by.

One day became two, then three, then a full week. Finally, apart from the crafting still far from complete, everything else on their agenda had been handled cleanly.

Axevaria Kingdom had expanded its territory, now covering roughly 500,000 square kilometers—a scale finally fitting of their "kingdom" title.

Total population had grown considerably too, swelled by the absorption of several struggling kingdoms along the way. The headcount had crossed into six digits already.

A proper census was underway, though it would take weeks before the results were in.

A kingdom where all races lived side by side in harmony. Dwarves, elves, vampires, and various other minor races gathered together into one broad, unlikely community.

"We’ve really come far..."

Axel whispered it to the wind, standing at the balcony with his upper body barely covered by a loose white tunic, the night breeze moving gently against him as he gazed at the starry sky beyond the golden dome the World Tree had erected.

"What’s this, husband? Trying to be poetic or something~? You didn’t come far, you came inside~!"

As if to call him out on it, a small witch waddled in from behind, barely covering herself with a single blanket.

"..."

Axel turned, watching the little witch snuggle into the crook of his arm.

Then his gaze drifted past her—to the six figures still in bed, covered in sweat, sleeping peacefully.

"Not really." Axel smiled, patting Ria’s head gently. "I’m just..."

"Having post-nut clarity?"

"Huh? Y-Yeah, no—where did you even hear that word?"

"Fenrir."

"Ugh..."

Axel shook his head, scattering the idle thoughts. Arguing felt stupid all of a sudden.

Right.

They had come far.

But in a few days more, it might all come to an end.

He clenched his fists, gaze lifting toward the cold starry heavens, and made a quiet promise deep in his chest.

That to protect this life he had built—he was willing to do anything.