Advisor Seraphel allowed the silence around the table to settle for a moment before speaking again.

"As you have already chosen developmental priorities for your territories," he explained calmly, "you are expected to consider those priorities throughout the entire scenario.

Every action you take from this point onward will carry long-term consequences."

While he spoke, something strange suddenly began happening across the massive map spread over the table.

The metallic ink shimmered.

Then moved.

Mirabelle visibly startled as rivers slowly shifted across the parchment like flowing liquid. Borders redrew themselves. Forests spread and shrank while tiny new symbols and markings appeared across the territory.

Entire regions came to life directly before her eyes.

For a moment, she completely forgot she was supposed to behave like a composed noble female.

"...That is so cool."

Lucien’s lips twitched beside her.

"My uncle has a weak metal affinity," he explained quietly while watching her fascinated expression instead of the map. "It isn’t strong enough for combat or forging, but it allows him to manipulate metal-based inks and pigments."

Mirabelle stared harder at the moving map as though afraid of missing even the smallest detail.

That was absurdly useful.

Her modern brain immediately recognized the economic value.

’I need someone like that.’

The thought appeared in her head with terrifying clarity.

Mirabelle mentally added it to the growing list titled: ’Things I Need For My Future Duchy.’

Suddenly several small red dots appeared deep inside one of the forest regions near the southern border.

Advisor Seraphel folded his hands behind his back.

"Hunters from a neighboring territory have been discovered hunting inside your forest."

That was all.

No additional information.

"You must now decide how your territory responds."

Immediately everyone around the table began writing notes onto their parchment.

Nessa spoke first.

Obviously.

"I would immediately send my males to kill every intruder daring to hunt inside my territory."

’Absolutely psychotic...’

Mirabelle kept that thought to herself.

That was it.

The skunk female offered no further explanation or actions.

Beside her, Garruk merely nodded approvingly.

Freya spoke next.

"I would send warriors to drive the hunters from my forest." The falcon female paused briefly before adding, "Additionally, I would convert more grassland into farmland to increase food production."

Advisor Seraphel nodded calmly.

Then his gaze shifted toward Mirabelle.

"And your response?"

Mirabelle rested the feather pen lightly against her lips before answering calmly:

"I would personally go into the forest together with several of my males to first determine why the hunters are there."

Nessa immediately snorted.

"Oh please." The skunk female leaned lazily back in her chair. "Do you genuinely believe territorial conflicts are solved by politely talking?"

Her tail flicked dismissively behind her.

"Conversations have never saved anyone."

Mirabelle simply ignored her.

Advisor Seraphel quietly evaluated the written decisions before speaking again.

"Interesting."

Then surprisingly, he turned toward Mirabelle.

"Due to your chosen approach, you have gained additional information."

Suddenly new metallic letters slowly appeared directly across Mirabelle’s parchment.

Lucien immediately leaned closer.

"What does it say?"

Before he could read it, Mirabelle casually placed her hand over the writing.

The fox Beastman looked genuinely offended.

"I’m supposed to advise you."

Mirabelle smiled sweetly.

"Then evaluate later whether my decisions were intelligent."

Lucien narrowed his eyes slightly.

She was absolutely teasing him on purpose.

Advisor Seraphel continued smoothly:

"Because Lady Mirabelle gained additional information, she may now take further actions before the next phase begins."

Mirabelle immediately spoke again.

"I invite the foreign hunters to negotiations."

Nessa looked visibly confused.

Mirabelle continued calmly:

"I would offer them work opportunities as merchants and transport workers for my territory."

Now even Freya looked irritated.

"In return, citizens of their homeland would be allowed to purchase food and basic supplies within my Duchy at fixed prices." Mirabelle’s gaze briefly lowered toward the map. "Additionally, they would receive unrestricted access to water sources within my territory."

Nessa stared at her.

"...What exactly are you doing?"

Mirabelle had no intention of satisfying her curiosity.

The skunk female laughed openly now.

"You’re negotiating with poachers?"

Advisor Seraphel interrupted calmly before Mirabelle could answer.

"Lady Nessa, please allow her to fully explain her strategy without interruption."

Nessa immediately looked annoyed.

Mirabelle: "I would also begin constructing a small dam near the southern farmland to create water reserves."

Lucien blinked.

"And third," Mirabelle added while writing quickly onto the parchment, "I would send workers into the forest to relocate young tree saplings onto open grassland areas."

Now even Lucien looked confused.

The fox Beastman slowly leaned closer toward her.

"...Are you absolutely certain these decisions make sense?"

Mirabelle merely smiled mysteriously.

Across the table, Nessa frowned deeply.

"Wait. Is she even allowed to make this many decisions?"

Advisor Seraphel nodded once.

"Participants may take as many actions as they desire." His sharp fox eyes gleamed faintly. "Whether there is sufficient time and manpower to successfully implement them will become clear during the next round."

That...

actually made the game significantly more challenging.

Excitement slowly rose inside Mirabelle’s chest.

The advisor turned back toward her.

"Do you wish to add any additional measures?"

Mirabelle thought briefly.

Then nodded.

"All civilians not currently occupied — including women and children — should gather preserved food sources, herbs, and storable plants from the forest under armed protection."

Silence.

Then both Nessa and Freya reacted immediately.

"You’re sending women and children to work?" Freya asked in visible disbelief.

"That’s horribly irresponsible," Nessa added instantly.

"And dangerous."

Mirabelle remained completely calm.

She didn’t bother explaining her actual reasoning.

Advisor Seraphel finally raised one hand.

"The first round is now complete."

The metallic ink across the map began shifting once more.

"It is time to observe the consequences of your decisions."

The metallic ink suddenly began glowing green.

Freya straightened immediately.

Across the map, the landscape slowly changed.

The river narrowed.

Large sections of farmland darkened into dry brown patches while cracks spread through the illustrated earth.

Even the forests appeared thinner.

"A severe drought has begun affecting the region," Advisor Seraphel explained calmly.

At those words, Mirabelle smiled faintly.

Knowingly.

As though she had expected this from the very beginning.

Beside her, Lucien immediately noticed.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

’...She knew.’

Or at the very least, she had suspected something like this would happen.

Suddenly, her previous decisions no longer seemed random.

The fox Beastman slowly leaned back in his chair while pieces began rearranging themselves inside his head.

The trees.

The dam.

The negotiations.

The food gathering.

"...Clever," he murmured quietly to himself.

Meanwhile, Advisor Seraphel continued:

"The additional farmland Lady Freya established has unfortunately dried out due to insufficient water supply."

The green ink spread further across the territory.

"Existing agricultural areas are also beginning to struggle. The river now carries significantly less water than before. Wildlife populations are decreasing rapidly."

Several forest markers faded.

Freya’s expression darkened.

"And due to the worsening conditions in neighboring territories," the advisor added, "hunters from the southern territory continue venturing deeper into your forests to compete for the remaining game."

More red dots appeared along the southern border.

Freya immediately began writing down notes with growing tension.

Then the map shifted again.

This time the metallic ink glowed purple.

Nessa leaned forward confidently.

At first, the changes appeared less dramatic.

Then more and more warning signs appeared across the territory.

The grasslands dried into pale yellow wastelands.

Large clusters of red dots suddenly spread throughout the southern forest.

Advisor Seraphel folded his hands behind his back.

"The drought affects your territory equally severely."

Nessa’s confident expression slowly faded.

"Your livestock population is beginning to struggle due to lack of water and grazing land. Food shortages among your population have also intensified."

The advisor’s fox eyes remained unmoved.

"Unlike Lady Freya, however, your territory established no additional agricultural infrastructure before the drought began."

Nessa’s jaw tightened.

"Your food production therefore remains critically low."

Then the red markers began spreading aggressively across the southern border.

"And finally...

The southern territory has formally declared conflict over resources.

The worsening famine within their own lands has forced them into increasingly desperate measures."

Nessa stared at the map in growing disbelief.

Her territory now looked like it was actively collapsing.

Then—

orange light spread across the map.

Mirabelle’s territory appeared.

And immediately the differences became obvious.

The large grasslands from earlier were gone.

In their place stood a growing young forest.

The larger eastern woodland remained noticeably healthier than the others.

Advisor Seraphel’s brows lifted slightly with anticipation.

"By relocating young trees onto open plains, Lady Mirabelle successfully reduced soil erosion caused by dry winds."

The illustrated landscape visibly reflected the difference.

"Moisture retention within the ground improved. Local temperatures lowered slightly, and humidity levels remained more stable."

Lucien stared at the map.

Then slowly turned toward Mirabelle.

She casually avoided eye contact while pretending to examine her notes.

"...You’re terrifying," he whispered quietly.

Mirabelle smiled innocently.

"As a result," the advisor continued, "the drought has not yet impacted this territory as severely."

The forests still contained wildlife markers.

Several animal symbols had even remained entirely within her borders instead of migrating elsewhere.

"There is still sufficient game within the forests."

Then a structure appeared beside the farmland.

The dam.

"Additionally, the overflow reservoir successfully preserved stable water supplies for agriculture, livestock, and civilian consumption."

Ink spread outward from the structure.

"The river continues flowing downstream, though at reduced volume.

The food gathering operations also succeeded."

Large storage markers appeared near the settlement.

"Preserved meat, medicinal herbs, roots, fruits, and storable plants have been successfully stockpiled."

More symbols appeared.

Coin markers.

Trade routes.

Lucien’s eyes widened slightly.

"Because the territory possesses surplus food and water supplies," Advisor Seraphel explained, "trade opportunities with neighboring territories have become highly profitable."

Mirabelle’s orange territory slowly gained additional economic markers.

"Travelers and merchants from the southern territory now regularly enter your lands to purchase supplies and access water."

Even more coin symbols appeared.

"Revenue has increased significantly."

Now even Nessa looked unsettled.

"And finally..."

A second trade route appeared toward the north. Several cargo markers appeared moving back toward her territory.

"The merchants Lady Mirabelle previously dispatched have successfully established external trade relations with northern territories."

Advisor Seraphel finally looked across the table.

"This is now your current situation."

The map settled once more.

"You may proceed with the next round of decisions."

A/N: Shout-out to Alexis_Martines_7762

The Beast Goddess keeps accepting your golden-ticket offerings with alarming enthusiasm. ✧(ꈍ-ꈍ)ノ♡

So thank you for feeding both her power... and my motivation.