The Silent Deity: Saiki Kusuo in Tensura

The soothing warmth of the baths had finally begun to wear off, not because they weren't still perfect, but because time eventually catches up to even the most relaxing experiences. The stars were twinkling softly above the Storm Kingdom, casting a gentle silver glow across the pristine rooftops, and that's when the maids entered the bath halls.

Dressed in elegant kimonos, moving with the grace of wind through cherry blossoms, they bowed and handed each guest a set of freshly ironed traditional Japanese yukata.

"For your comfort, my lords and ladies," one said softly, handing Elmesia a deep violet robe embroidered with silver vines.

"Please enjoy this milk. It is our Storm Kingdom tradition after a soothing bath," another added, handing out chilled glass bottles.

The milk, cool and sweet, carried a rich, velvety taste. But none of the guests knew that Saiki had used just a touch of his psychic power to enhance it—just enough to stimulate the perfect balance of dopamine and serotonin in the brain.

Milim, after one sip, kicked her feet up.

"WHOA! This milk is AMAZING! Is this how happiness tastes?!"

Leon looked at his glass suspiciously, then took another slow sip.

"...It's dangerously good."

Rudra, holding his own bottle, narrowed his eyes.

"...This milk… this is not normal."

"Yare yare daze..." Saiki sighed from his invisible perch up above. "You overthink everything, Rudra. Just drink the milk."

After finishing their drinks, the guests were escorted to their private quarters.

Each leader was led to an elegant, beautifully constructed building that was customized to their taste. Saiki had scanned each guest's subconscious desires and had the maids, architects, and illusionists prepare accordingly.

Gazel's room had a strong dwarven feel—thick stone walls, enchanted forge tools on the side, and a deep, earthy scent that reminded him of home. The bed, though, was so soft he sank into it and nearly vanished.

"By the hammer of my ancestors… this bed is made of clouds."

Elmesia's lodging was like stepping into a dream of the elven forest—crystal windows, soft green hues glowing gently, music of flutes and wind chimes playing subtly from hidden runes.

"If Sarion weren't my homeland… I'd move here tonight," she whispered to herself, stretching on the satin sheets.

Clayman's room had a mirror wall—he admired his own reflection while secretly scheming. He thought he was alone.

"If Falmuth can be nudged the right way… heh, maybe this kingdom isn't so untouchable."

Saiki, invisible, floating upside down in Clayman's ceiling corner, spooning another bite of coffee jelly, rolled his eyes.

"Scheming? Again? Try harder, Clayman…"

The next morning, golden sunlight kissed the polished roofs of the Storm Kingdom. The air smelled like cherry blossoms and fresh bread.

In the grand courtyard, Veldora, still clad in his regal black and crimson robe lined with gold, stood like a true emperor. His aura was calm, composed… divine.

The leaders gathered, many still looking around, admiring the kingdom's beauty, the order, the aura. Some rubbed their necks, trying to shake off the relaxing effect of the bath.

Gazel stepped forward.

"King Veldora, yesterday I arrived with curiosity. Today I leave with certainty. Dwargon wishes to formally pursue an alliance. I will send my emissaries shortly."

Veldora, calm and collected, gave a slow, deep nod.

"Your words honor the Storm Kingdom, King Gazel. Let our alliance be forged through trust and strength."

Elmesia followed suit with a gentle smile.

"You have many elves living here already… I see great potential between our nations. I, too, will send an envoy."

Fuze, stepping beside King Edmaris, added,

"Blumund wants peace and prosperity. What better way than to walk with the dragon himself?"

Edmaris smiled… but his eyes darted. He looked too calm.

Clayman, standing not too far behind, watched him carefully.

"He's thinking something... Perfect."

Neither of them realized that Saiki, lounging invisibly next to a potted plant, had already seen into both of their minds.

"Typical. Clayman wants a puppet. Edmaris wants leverage. I give them a week before they both humiliate themselves."

As more polite goodbyes were exchanged, Guy Crimson finally approached Veldora.

The courtyard grew quiet.

"You defeated me once, Veldora," he said calmly, eyes sharp. "I thought that was your peak."

Veldora's eyes didn't flinch.

"That was merely the first chapter. The story is far from over."

Guy chuckled.

"This kingdom, though… you've outdone yourself. It's not brute power. It's vision. Strategy. Refinement."

Even Velzard crossed her arms and nodded slightly.

"He's not the idiot we remember."

Velgrynd, hands on hips, added,

"He's still an idiot… but now he's a kingly idiot."

They all laughed.

Milim, bouncing beside them, waved with both arms.

"VELDORAAA! Invite me again! I want another bath!"

"Anytime, Milim," Veldora said with a charming smirk.

Rudra, though, remained still.

He walked slowly up to Veldora, eyes narrowed.

"Your kingdom is impressive. I admit… even I wouldn't have thought this possible. But tell me this, Veldora… what's your endgame?"

Veldora gave him a slow, calculating glance.

"Peace, Emperor Rudra. But not the fragile kind born from silence. True peace. One that comes from power, unity… and wisdom."

Rudra's breath caught in his throat.

He had come ready to dominate… but he found himself respecting his rival.

All throughout the event, Testarossa, Souei, and several other high-ranking generals remained hidden, cloaked in stealth magicules enhanced by Saiki's psychic suppression.

They watched from rooftops, behind columns, and even disguised as servants. Every whisper, every plan, every spark of envy or admiration was catalogued.

Testarossa leaned toward Souei during the final speeches.

"I must admit… lord Veldora has impressed me again."

Souei nodded.

"There is a reason why he is the king"

Floating unseen above the courtyard, Saiki crossed one leg over the other, taking another perfect spoonful of coffee jelly.

"Yare yare… Kingdom secured. Leaders impressed. Plots exposed. I deserve another nap."

He vanished.

Later on, when all the guests returned to their domains.....

In Ruberios....

The sacred halls of Ruberios Cathedral stood tall under the dim crimson twilight. The stained-glass windows shimmered with divine light, casting soft glows along the polished marble floors.

Inside the main corridor, two figures stood stiffly at attention: Hinata Sakaguchi, the cold, steel-eyed Commander of the Holy Knights, and Ghunter, a high-ranking archbishop and one of Luminous' most loyal followers.

They bowed the moment the heavy double doors opened and Lady Luminous Valentine, the hidden ruler of Ruberios, gracefully stepped through.

"Welcome back, Lady Luminous," Ghunter greeted with a deep bow. "We pray your journey to the Jura Forest bore fruit."

"How was the Storm Kingdom?" Hinata asked, arms crossed but eyes sharp with curiosity.

They were prepared for complaints. They expected Luminous to grumble about unrefined monsters, rowdy goblins, and Veldora being an uncultured disaster.

Instead, her response made both of them blink.

"It was… beautiful," Luminous said softly, her ruby eyes slightly widened as if recalling a dream. "Elegant. Refined. And powerful beyond what I imagined."

Hinata's posture broke slightly.

"Wait… what?"

"The food," Luminous began, stepping forward with slow, deliberate grace, "was unlike anything we have in Ruberios. The bathhouses were like stepping into heaven. The streets were clean, the buildings advanced—more advanced than anything in the Western Nations. And the citizens… the monsters… they were orderly, polite, proud."

Ghunter's mouth fell open.

"My lady… surely you jest. Veldora the Storm Dragon is a being of chaos. That is what the scriptures—"

"The scriptures," Luminous interrupted, "may need revision."

Hinata frowned, her mind racing.

"You're saying… we shouldn't consider the Storm Kingdom a threat?"

Luminous turned toward them, her expression serious now.

"It is not that they are not a threat. It's that they must not be treated like monsters. That kingdom is more advanced than even Ruberios. Their culture is flourishing, their people are happy, and Veldora…"

She hesitated.

"Veldora is no longer the wild dragon of legend. He is wiser, calmer… charismatic. Stronger, even. This is not the same Veldora who once attacked us."

Hinata exchanged a surprised look with Ghunter. For the ruler of Ruberios to speak of a monster that way… that meant something major had changed.

"We should not antagonize them," Luminous finished. "At least not without reason. The world is watching."

In the marble throne room of Falmuth, King Edmaris returned, his royal cloak draped over his shoulder. His entourage—generals, nobles, merchants—were waiting like vultures.

"Your Majesty!" one noble stepped forward. "We've been waiting. What did you see? Did Veldora behave like a beast, as expected?"

The room leaned in, waiting for laughter.

Instead, Edmaris looked tired. Stunned, even.

"No…" he said slowly. "He was… regal."

"Regal?" a general blinked. "You mean… like a king?"

Edmaris sat on his throne and nodded.

"The kingdom is massive, advanced, and full of monsters more civilized than our own people. Their architecture is refined. Their military is vast. And their presence…"

He looked at his nobles, eyes narrowed.

"No one dared speak against them. Even Guy Crimson was impressed."

Gasps echoed through the room.

"So…" one general asked hesitantly, "are we still going to conquer that forest, my king?"

Edmaris shook his head slowly.

"We… need to reconsider our approach. That forest houses a storm not easily weathered."

Hidden in the shadows, Clayman, who had returned alongside Edmaris, furrowed his brow. He tapped his chin.

"Interesting... very interesting... Perhaps Edmaris and his greed can still serve my plans. Yes, I can use this hesitation…"

He grinned to himself.

Too bad Saiki had already read his entire plan before he even finished the thought.

"This guy really thinks he's subtle," Saiki muttered invisibly from the rafters. "Yare yare…"

Back in Blumund, Fuze sat in a private chamber with the king and his family.

"It was unlike anything I've seen before," Fuze explained, swirling the wine in his glass. "Veldora the Storm Dragon has established a kingdom more advanced than even the Western Capitals. Their people—monsters, yes—but disciplined. Wise. Strong."

The king's jaw tightened.

"We've always underestimated Jura… Perhaps that was a mistake."

Fuze nodded.

"I believe it is in our best interest to form relations. Before someone else gets there first."

At the Council of the West, Granbell Rosso stared down at the invitation he still held.

"So… the wild dragon has become a king, has he?"

He leaned back in his velvet chair.

"Tell me," he asked a shadowed adviser, "can it be conquered?"

"Impossible… for now," the adviser replied.

Granbell frowned, rubbing his beard.

"Then we wait… and we watch. Power attracts power—and greed."

At the Eastern Empire's Grand Throne, Rudra sat with one leg crossed, Velgrynd beside him, arms crossed.

His generals stood at attention, waiting for their emperor's word.

"So, Your Majesty," one general asked carefully, "how was the Storm Kingdom?"

Rudra was silent.

"He surprised me," he finally muttered.

The room blinked.

"Veldora," Rudra continued, his fingers tapping the throne arm, "has become something more. Stronger than I expected. Charismatic. Civilized."

Velgrynd smirked.

"Still want to conquer the forest?"

Rudra looked at her, then back at his generals.

"I won't conquer it… not yet. The world saw what it is now. If I make a move, I need a damn good reason. Or else the world may turn against the Empire."

He stood.

"For now… we prepare. The dragon roars not in rage, but in wisdom. That's more dangerous than any fire."

King Gazel, back in Dwargon, was already seated in a strategy meeting.

"We're sending a diplomatic envoy to the Storm Kingdom immediately. No delays," he ordered.

"What will the alliance include, Your Majesty?" a minister asked.

"Trade, military cooperation… and cultural exchange. If we don't move now, we'll be left behind."

Meanwhile, in Sarion, Queen Elmesia sipped her tea while looking out her balcony.

"Elves already live in that kingdom…" she whispered to herself. "I suppose it's time we call them friends, not neighbors."

All across the Cardinal World, alliances were being re-evaluated, maps redrawn in minds, and political ambitions adjusted. But no one knew the truth:

Saiki had seen it all.

Invisible, watching from his coffee-jelly lounge chair inside Veldora's study, he whispered:

"They think this is politics. Nah. This is the tutorial stage."

He took another bite.

"Let's see who makes the first stupid move…"