I was already wary of what would happen to me if Milim and I ever tried to train or play in secret while she was supposed to be away.
Not because I feared the training itself—but because I knew exactly what would expose us.
Once the automatic mode of our avatars deactivated, their growth rate would immediately betray us to Milim. And even if the growth was minuscule, Milim's instincts were far sharper than most believed. Nothing escaped the Dragon Princess when it concerned challenges or fun.
A dangerous game like that was better avoided… even for me.
So—allow me to return to the serious work before me.
Since Eterna had begun formal dealings with the Western Nations, establishing a functioning legal structure was no longer optional. It was a necessity.
As the ruling Demon Lord of the Jura-Eterna Federation, the final decision on every matter ultimately rested with me. Many administrative tasks could be delegated to my ministers, particularly Rigurd—but the verdicts, the core decisions, the formation of laws…
Those required the judgment of the King of Games himself.
I carried immense authority.
To put it simply, I controlled the judicial, legislative, and executive power with a single decree. My position granted absolute influence over all three pillars—and therefore absolute power over the nation.
Even the command of Eterna's military rested in my hands. A single order from me would mobilize the entire army. Every officer's appointment relied on my approval.
The term "Federation" was merely symbolic. In truth, Eterna was a sovereign realm under my dominion.
Yet—ironically—I delegated most of the mundane work away.
Rigurd commanded the administrative affairs.
Benimaru oversaw the military on my behalf, holding full operational authority.
Currently, we were recruiting new talents to serve as their aides.
Rigurd had begun learning the concept of separation of powers, while the former goblin
chiefs—Rugurd, Regurd, and Rogurd—served respectively as the heads of the Judicial, Legislative, and Executive branches. However… a new problem had begun to surface.
A separation of powers cannot function properly without oversight.
Like Japan's parliamentary cabinet system, it was difficult to draw clear boundaries between the legislative and the executive—creating a confluence that could easily blur responsibility.
It was not obvious what the correct measures were to refine this structure.
We nevertheless began establishing the Legislative branch.
Our nation had settled on founding a Senate and a House of Representatives. Senators would be appointed by me, while representatives would be elected by the public.
Senators would serve indefinitely unless they committed grave misconduct.
Representatives, however, would be chosen through public elections—a complicated process requiring extensive trial and error.
The Legislative branch would draft the laws.
Then the Executive branch would enforce them, directing the nation according to these rules. For this branch, I wanted individuals with tenacity and resolve—those who would not falter under pressure.
However, even with long-term initiatives, resources could be misused and corruption could arise. To avoid this, I intended to personally monitor the entire system.
As for officers in the first wave of the Executive branch, I intended to select them from among the goblin tribe chiefs in Eterna. Elders, by contrast, would be chosen by proxy.
I believed this would eventually become a meritocracy. We were still reconciling tribal rivalry and division, but I wanted Eterna to evolve into a unified state through peaceful reconciliation—though it would take time.
That said, another issue had emerged.
Those capable of administrative work tended to be from weaker races, while the militant races—though powerful—were lacking in bureaucratic skill.
Troublesome indeed.
Should we prioritize strength as valued in the monster world, or knowledge, cooperation, and diplomacy for human coexistence?
A complicated dilemma.
Regardless of strength, crime would never be tolerated. Eterna's laws were absolute.
And though the military boasted tremendous power, it could not influence the nation's policy. Depending on future decisions, discontent was likely.
Legislation meant gathering the people's voices, drafting laws, then receiving the Executive's approval.
However, in the Executive, even the weak could wield authority with their intellect—and the strong could lose their influence entirely.
That would inevitably provoke resistance.
The Executive branch also managed the national budget—and the enormous wealth of Eterna would pass through their hands. Myourmiles was our top financial official, but even he could not uncover every case of fraud.
Territorial division also fell under Executive control. Appointment of governors and regional developers could easily stir conflict. To avoid that, all decrees were issued in my name.
Finally—the Judicial Branch.
It held the vital duty of putting suspects on trial.
The Executive had police authority, but the power of arrest was shared among all three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—to balance oversight.
The judiciary sanctioned all arrests.
It required utmost impartiality, enforcing the law without bending to public sentiment.
And enforcing the law without hesitation… was far harder than one might expect.
Ensuring fair trials was also a concern.
To solidify this new system, Rigurd and I continued studying governance together. The people's voices must be heard. Legislation must be debated openly.
A transparent political system was essential.
Administratively, Rigurd and other capable individuals were being trained as bureaucrats. To strengthen central authority, establishing a law enforcement agency was a priority.
The military, under Benimaru, and the intelligence corps "Dark Shadow," led by Souei, would answer only to me. To prevent conflicts in the chain of command, they would not obey orders from the Executive branch.
Thus, I intended to appoint someone powerful as the head of the Public Prosecutor's Office.
But even the judiciary faced challenges.
Trials could easily incite resentment and violence. Judges needed not only knowledge, but the strength to protect themselves.
Of course, judges required security—but even that was unsettling.
Attacking a judge for revenge was unforgivable—a crime punishable by immediate execution. Yet I could not ignore the possibility that someone might still attempt it.
Monsters were resilient. No matter how discreet the security… ambushes were still possible.
Thus, our judges needed personal strength.
"Hmm… In that case, relying on Rugurd alone is somewhat concerning," I admitted.
Rigurd nodded.
"Indeed. Though a loyal lieutenant, he lacks the strength of our centurions. Rogurd, however, would never lose to any average youngster…"
Rugurd possessed a stern and honest nature—ideal for a judge—but lacked the power to defend himself.
Rigurd, on the other hand, was immensely strong—capable of defeating a thousand captains alone. But he was already leading all ministries within the Executive branch. We could not reassign him.
I thought for a moment.
"I intend to establish a prosecutor's office under the Executive Branch. For domestic crimes, Gobta and the security force can keep peace—but when it comes to cracking down on officials and lawmakers, that burden is too heavy for them."
"True," Rigurd agreed. "Majins and foreign elites gather in Eterna due to the opening ceremony. Many possess frightening levels of strength. Some are drawn by honest curiosity—but others… simply want trouble."
The Founding Festival's influence had been largely positive, but certain incidents had drawn much unwanted attention. Some reckless fools even bypassed the labyrinth and caused havoc in town.
Gobta's return had strengthened security—but Rigurd still felt it insufficient.
"There are still A-ranked majins among us, correct?" I asked.
"Yes. Not many, but enough. They have shown no signs of causing chaos—but we should remain vigilant."
Preparedness was essential.
The difference in strength among monsters varied greatly. In some cases, anticipating trouble was wiser than reacting to it.
"Hmm. The Public Prosecutor's Office… the Judicial Branch… the diplomatic envoy for the Western Council. At the moment, each of us is already occupied. I'm reluctant to move personnel around unnecessarily."
"It would invite confusion."
Indeed.
The system was formed. Laws were being drafted.
But the people required to execute it?
Still too few.
Such was the price of rapid expansion—an unavoidable one.
I could only exhale quietly at our shortage of manpower…