“And what are you two getting buddy-buddy there about?” Mrs. Atrina asked, sending a withering glare at Aric and Mr. Volkov. “Do you two feel like you aren’t in danger because you sided with Lukroix? It must be nice knowing you’ve attached yourself to the thighs of a great person, huh?”

“Are you jealous?” Mr. Volkov asked, a smirk on his face. “The expression you had on your face when Lukroix burned down Raustalia’s guild in front of us, it was quite satisfying.”

“[Resolution] is the least of our worries,” Mrs. Atrina said with a frown. She tucked a lock of golden hair behind her ear before crossing her arms over her chest. “You two do realize the world is in dire straits, correct? Program Theda is still running rampant, summoning crazy calamity-level beasts. The tip of South Amireca is no longer inhabitable thanks to the incurable plague.”

“As expected of someone living in the Southern Hemisphere, closest to Tanarctica,” Mr. Volkov said, folding his hands over his desk. “You seem quite informed. But, as you know, Mr. Stone and I are quite free from troubles in our cozy positions in the north.”

“If the south falls, the north falls next,” Mrs. Atrina said, her expression darkening.

“Then I pray you do your best in stopping Program Theda,” Mr. Volkov said, a beaming smile on his face. “Do well to protect my interests, will you? I appreciate it.”

“Mr. Volkov,” Mrs. Atrina said, her eyes practically on fire. She glared at the Sursian leader with clenched fists. “The world must stand united in times of calamity.”

Mr. Volkov’s eyes glinted as he raised his hands, resting his chin atop his entwined fingers. “That’s not the tune you were singing when three calamity-level threats appeared in Sursia seven years ago. If I recall correctly, your words were, ah, what were they again? ‘El-oh-el, get wrecked, baldy?’ I think those were it, right, Mrs. Atrina?”

The elf stiffened and cleared her throat. “At that time, we had our differences,” she said. “Are you going to hold my actions from seven years ago against me? I didn’t think you’d be that petty as a president, Mr. Volkov.”

“Petty? Me?” Mr. Volkov asked, his eyes widening in feigned surprise. He smiled and nodded. “That’s right. I am. Grudges are meant to be repaid a thousandfold. So now that Program Theda has unleashed a three-headed cat demon on Raustalia, I only have two words to say: Get. Wrecked.”

Mr. Stone had a wry smile on his face. Clearly, no feet were going to be eaten. There was the sound of an explosion, and the room returned to how it had been when everyone first entered. The blood had been removed, and everyone was back in their seats.

“Alright. Seriously,” a man with a thick beard said as he rubbed his temples. “If we’re not going to be productive, then I’m going to leave. There’s a program that’s just as powerful as Theda within the borders of Aimbuloc, and I have to get rid of it somehow. Wasting time here won’t help me.”

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“There’s a second program like Theda?” the lion-like beastkin asked, lowering the sword he was about to thrust into his neighbor. “Why haven’t I heard anything about that?”

“I just received the news from my aide,” the man with the beard said. “A player ordered a shell which was taken over by Naoce, the god of the ocean in [Resolution]. Because we couldn’t come to an agreement with Lukroix last time, another calamity-level threat has appeared in reality. Can we stop bickering and think about the future of the world instead?”

“He’s right,” another man, Sir Bozco, said. “Lukroix wanted a landmass the size of Raustalia and sovereignty for his country. Why don’t we give him Tanarctica?”

“Impossible,” a dwarf with an eyepatch said, slamming his fist on the table. “Do you know ‘ow many years I’ve invested in creating technology to mine metornice? Giving away Tanarctica goes directly against the best interests of my country!”

“Think of the bigger picture,” Mr. Donovan said. “Once [Resolution] is shut down, we won’t have to worry about more calamity-level threats appearing in the world. Then we can negotiate with Lukroix and pressure him into yielding the metornice mines to you.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” the dwarf said, spitting on the ground. “While I was researching metornice extraction, you were researching ways to make bigger guns. ‘Ow about this? Give me the fruits of your research and I’ll be willing to give Lukroix Tanarctica.”

“My guns are strictly confidential,” Mr. Donovan said, his expression darkening.

“What happened to the bigger picture?” the leader of Nipon asked. “When it comes to you, is the picture no longer small? Hypocrite!”

“Then why don’t you share your advancements in magical arrays and formations with Mr. Stoobly instead?” Mr. Donovan asked.

“I know how all of you are,” the leader of Nipon said, sweeping his finger over everyone in the room. “Once I fall behind by a little bit, you’ll devour me like wolves!”

“That’s why I won’t give up Tanarctica unless I receive remuneration for my research into metornice mines,” the dwarf said with a snort.

“Is there no way for everyone to cooperate?” Mrs. Atrina asked with a sigh.

“It’s good enough we haven’t blown each other up already,” Aric said with a shrug. A faint smile appeared on his lips. “Here’s an idea. Why don’t we make another game called [Second Resolution] and solve our problem that way? The loser will have to yield their interests to Mr. Stoobly while Lukroix receives Tanarctica.”

“That’s the most retarded thing I’ve heard since the day I was born,” Sir Bozco said.

“Said the man who proposed [Resolution],” the dwarf with the eyepatch said. “Where’s my rope? I want to hang ‘im.”

“That’s that,” the leader of Aimbuloc said. “Lukroix is going to win [Resolution] within a few months and someone somewhere is going to lose their land. It’s a shame we couldn’t mitigate the effects by agreeing to give him Tanarctica, but whatever. I have a country to save. Good day and farewell.” With a zipping sound, his figure disappeared from the room.

***

Anaheim wiped her hands on her apron before placing them on her hips. “Alright,” she said towards the couch that Khrx was sitting on. “Are there always going to be more people every time you leave the game?”

Khrx shrugged. “I’m a dragon, not a prophet. How would I know?”

Lorin and Monika were glaring at each other while Duchess Rose was admiring the living room. A bundle of blankets covered the radiator, twitching occasionally. Khrx yawned as he scratched his neck. It was a good thing there was a ten-minute shipping option for the two shells; otherwise, Monika and Lorin would’ve been left behind again.