Chapter 316: Agricultural Boost!
The disappointment on Seraphina’s face lingered for several long seconds after they returned.
"...Aw."
The sudden shift from glowing forests and floating flowers to the structured grandeur of the Demon Capital had clearly hit her harder than expected.
Not that she disliked the Demon Capital, as it was a unique place, but the Witch Dimension genuinely felt like stepping into a dream for the young Mermaid.
Whereas the Demon Capital felt much more dull.
Towering black obsidian architecture stretched endlessly around them while mana lanterns pulsed softly along palace walls.
Servants moved efficiently through corridors, messengers carried enchanted documents, and distant military formations could occasionally be seen training through massive windows overlooking the city below.
The kingdom was alive and busy, but very boring.
Jax glanced sideways at Seraphina, "Don’t worry, I’ll make this place look better eventually,"
She puffed her cheeks slightly, "I’ll hold you to that,"
Jax smiled at that and then turned to Serika, "Can you take her to the medical district?"
Seraphina blinked, a confused expression on her face, "...Medical?"
"Just temporarily." Jax rested a hand lightly on her head as he continued, "The other Merfolk are still recovering."
Her expression changed immediately, "Oh." The excitement faded slightly, replaced by concern, "...Right."
Jax noticed immediately, "They’re okay. I just want you to go check up on them. Can you do that for me?"
Seraphina’s shoulders relaxed, "Of course,"
Serika nodded, "I’ll take her."
Her expression softened toward the young princess, "You should probably see your people anyway."
Seraphina hesitated briefly and then looked up at Jax, "...What about you?"
"I’ve got work," Jax said, his answer coming easily. There was always work for a King, as Kingdom management didn’t pause.
Especially not now when the Church was escalating things, rescued populations needing support and strange divine interference beginning to appear across the world.
Seraphina seemed to understand, even if she looked mildly disappointed, "...Will you come later?"
Jax nodded once, "Yeah."
"...Okay." Seraphina said with a nod.
Serika stepped forward afterward, "Come on, Little Princess."
Her voice carried that calm warmth she naturally had, "Let’s go check on everyone."
Seraphina nodded, pausing for a second before hugging Jax closely again, "Don’t disappear on me,"
Jax blinked once. Then sighed softly through his nose, "...I’ll be around."
That seemed satisfactory and Eventually, Serika guided her away through the palace halls.
The fox-woman glanced back once, a knowing smile and a wink towards Jax before they disappeared around the corner.
Jax stood there quietly for several seconds afterward and then, "Right."
Work was calling for him, so he walked to the Administrative Wing to get that work underway.
The atmosphere shifted immediately once Jax entered the lower palace sectors. The administrative district was already in full operation.
Mana screens floated through the air. Magical projections updated trade routes in real time. Military logistics shifted across enormous tactical maps.
Couriers moved rapidly between divisions while enchanted communication circles pulsed softly with incoming reports.
Compared to the serenity of the Witch Dimension, this place felt like controlled chaos, and naturally at the center of it all was Sabrina.
The Succubus Saintess stood near the center platform surrounded by floating documents and glowing interfaces. She was multitasking so aggressively it almost looked absurd.
"Eastern grain shipments confirmed."
"Medical resources rerouted."
"Approve southern reconstruction."
"No, deny that trade proposal."
"Tell treasury they’re overthinking it. It really shouldn’t be that complicated,"
Her golden eyes flicked between reports with terrifying efficiency. Only after finishing several commands did she finally glance upward, and immediately stop as she saw Jax.
"...You’re back."
Jax walked forward casually, looking up and down at himself, "Looks that way, unless I’m a fake or something,"
Sabrina’s gaze narrowed slightly, "You fixed the Witch Dimension?"
"Yeah," Jax responded with a shrug.
"That quickly?"
He shrugged again, "Wasn’t that hard, don’t trust your King?"
Several nearby administrators visibly paused at hearing that and Sabrina just sighed, "Sometimes I forget your standards are broken. Why wasn’t I blessed with your power,"
"Probably because the Goddess love me," Jax teased and Sabrina’s expression softened as she heard that, "...Still, I’m glad it all worked out,"
As she finished speaking, she flicked her fingers and several reports reorganized instantly, "Alright."
"Updates."
Jax crossed his arms lightly.
"How bad?"
Sabrina raised an eyebrow.
"You assume bad immediately."
"You only say ’updates’ like that when something happened."
"...Fair."
Several new projections appeared.
"First."
Military reports.
"The Church camps."
Jax’s expression sharpened immediately.
"Orianna moved fast."
Of course she had.
Sabrina almost looked amused.
"She was frighteningly enthusiastic."
A map expanded.
Multiple red markers across Church territory had already disappeared.
"Several camps were dismantled and survivors recovered."
Jax nodded once, "Casualties?"
"Minimal on our side." Her voice flattened slightly, "The Church side was less fortunate."
Translation - Orianna killed them all!
Jax almost smirked as he heard that, "...Sounds about right."
"She may have enjoyed herself too much." Sabrina said.
"Definitely sounds right." Jax responded.
Sabrina exhaled quietly, "But that’s not the major update."
That got his attention, "Oh?"
Her fingers moved again.
The military projections vanished, replaced by agricultural reports.
Jax blinked once, "...Agriculture?"
Sabrina nodded.
"Yes."
Then, a small smile formed on her lips, "The Fae Queen kept her promise."
That immediately caught his attention, "...Elyndra?"
Sabrina nodded once, "This morning, some representatives she sent arrived,"
Several magical screens shifted again. Images appeared showing beautiful Fae moving throughout fertile territories.
Magic spreading through soil. Mana-enhanced growth patterns.
Jax’s eyebrows lifted slightly, "That fast?"
"Apparently."
Sabrina crossed her arms, "Queen Elyndra sent specialists. High-ranking agricultural Fae. Environmental restoration experts and mana cultivation specialists. She wanted to show her absolute sincerity,"
Jax watched the projections carefully, "...Impressive."
And honestly, exactly what the kingdom needed. The rescued lands were growing rapidly. Population increases meant supply pressure.
Agriculture becoming stronger mattered. More clean land also meant more areas to build more cities and expand the Kingdom.
Sabrina expanded another report, "They’ve already begun improving crop cycles. Mana soil enhancement, water purification and plant growth acceleration,"
Her tone shifted slightly, "And according to reports, despite the short time frame, they’re already showing results,"
That earned a faint smirk from Jax, "Yeah, they’re the Kings and Queens of nature, it’s natural they’re amazing at this sort of stuff,"
One image shifted as Jax finished speaking, showing entire farmland sections blooming, and previously struggling regions experiencing massive improvement in their soil quality.
Fruit yields increasing and mana crops flourishing.
Jax leaned slightly closer, "...That’s useful. Now we don’t have to rely on killing Mana Beasts for meat. With our own crops we can really focus on expansion,"
"Exactly," Sabrina looked relieved for once as she said, wiping an invisible bead of sweat off of her forehead, "Food security concerns dropped dramatically overnight. That alone removes major logistical problems."
Jax nodded slowly, "Good, how’s Elyndra?"
"She said she’ll slightly delay her visit as she heard about what happened with Seraphina and wants to give you time to solve all of that," Sabrina said and Jax nodded.
"Seems like I need to meet her family soon. I guess I’ll seek them out myself,"