The Kingdom of the Knights of Restia joined the Western Alliance and changed its name from "Western Alliance" to "East-West Alliance". And today, we welcome Hilda's older brother and the new King of Lestia, King Reinhardt the Holy Knight, to sit in on the meeting.

''As a young man, I may have some inadequacies, but I look forward to working with you.
'Well, let's have no formal greetings. We're all here to discuss and help each other out on an equal footing.

　The Pope's eminence smiles kindly at the knight-king who bowed politely. Before I knew it, though, it's become a place like a circle of kings' activities. Well, it's fine that we're discussing things properly.

'I'm the new U.S. King too. It's a pleasure to meet you, King Restia.
"Thank you, King Linier.

　The young new kings of Linier and Restia shake each other's hands firmly. As the same new king, I'm sure they can learn a lot from each other. I'm a new king too, but in my case, I don't think I can be helpful in many ways.

The same is true of Restia, but I heard that, Fuyu-dono. I heard that you've got the tribes of the Great Sea of Trees on your side.

　His Majesty, the Beast King of Mismid, said such a thing as he was watching them. You're a quick learner. Well, there are many beastmen in Mismid, and it is said that they have a relationship with the tribes of the Great Sea of Trees, so they must have gotten the message from there.

It's not that I was on their side, it's just that they were grateful when I helped them out. I don't have any particular desire to do anything about it.

　Just so you know, I'll tell you what happened in the Great Sea of Trees. It's nothing to hide, you know.
　Then, after we had finished talking about the situation of the refugees from Euron and the lending of frame gear for disposing of the road blocked by the landslide, everyone immediately dragged King Reinhardt to the stadium. There was a baseball game between the Leafs and the Regulus as a welcome game.
　As the soldiers from each country's bodyguard lined up to head to the stadium, I had an idea and called out to His Holiness Pope Ramish. I approached him and whispered to him.

Do you want to meet them?
What?

　He took His Holiness the Pope, who nodded his head in surprise, and took him to the seat where Sister Hanakoi and Sister Morohana were having tea. He introduced His Holiness the Pope to both of them, and this time he introduced them to her, who was prone and nervous.


It's kind of weird being modeled after you, Fuyao-kun...
Yeah. I don't feel comfortable. Yeah, you don't have to be so awful, either. Easy, easy.

　His Eminence was about to prostrate himself on the floor, but his sisters made him stand up and put him on the table. Then His Eminence asked many questions about God and the world of God, hesitantly, and the sisters answered them casually with cookies in one hand and seemed to be having a good time talking to each other somehow. It looks like they are having a good time talking with each other.
　I wondered if this was also an interference in the human world, but I didn't use the so-called 'God's power', so I guess it's okay. It's a strange form, but it could be said that he is receiving an oracle or divine instruction. The content is getting more and more like a whine about "commercial gods are secular" or "the spirit of alcohol is entangled alcohol".
　I'll leave the two of them to His Holiness the Pope to deal with, and I'll transition to the ballpark.
　The stadium was boiling over for the official once-a-month game. I could see not only my people, but also the Leafs, Regulus, and a few people who seemed to have come from both countries. Popcorn vendors and beer sellers were busy running around the bleachers, and the crowd was happy and sad as the game went on. But I didn't expect it to be so well received.
　In the VIP section, the Knight King Restia, who had already become captivated by baseball, was watching the game with a bite. Ah, it was like this with King Linier........ From time to time, he would nod back and forth to that King Regnier sitting next to him, asking him questions.
　Maybe it's because we're both new kings, but it looks like we're already getting along well. If possible, though, I'd like them to be best friends like King Belfast and King Leafyreth.
　If the First Princess of Leafyreth sees them, she'll bleed her nose and write a weird book or something. They're both duplicitous and very much white horse princes (though they're kings).......tch. I don't care if they have a lot of fiancées, I'm still jealous of their manliness. Yeah.
　As I was pouting, the stadium was suddenly filled with loud noise and cheers. It was a home run by a Regulus player. After all, players who hit at the critical moment are very popular.
　Restia Knight King also stood up excitedly. On the other hand, King Belfast, a close friend of King Lefries, who was hit by the bat, had a disappointed look on his face.
　At any rate, it's good to see that everyone seems to have gotten along with each other. I think I'll give the Knight King a set of baseball equipment on the way home.




　The next day, I woke up in the cold and looked out the window to see a silver world.
　It's snowing. It must have fallen a lot. It didn't look like a heavy snowfall, but there was more than 10cm of snow on the ground.
　It's not even good for training in this state, so everyone in the Knights was shoveling snow from the barracks and training grounds. I thought it would be good to melt it with fire magic, but I was told that the whole area would be flooded. That's true.
　When I went to inspect the city, the adults were shoveling the snow in front of the house like all of the Knights, but the kids were playing in something like a snowball fight.
　They invited me to play, so I made a simple sled out of an empty box and board and made a slope with the shoveled snow, and they excitedly got on the sled and slid out.
　I got on the sledge with a lot of excitement. I wondered if any peddlers would come for a while. Well, it will be melted in a few days.
　I went to the stadium and flattened the mound and melted the snow on it. Then I froze it again to make a simple rink.

'Yeah, it froze pretty smooth, nah!

　As soon as I stepped out onto the rink, I slipped and fell spectacularly. d*mn, is it the curse of the people who have been making me slip up in the past? Ouch.

What are you doing?

　I was seen perfectly by a couple of knightly Logans with shovels, who must have come to shovel the ballpark. If you're there, talk to me....

'No, we're going to build a skating rink.
What about Sukekeeper?
'Huh? You don't have it over here? It's more like running with a blade on the bottom of your foot and sliding.
'Oh, the art of sliding. Well, I've heard that in the northern kingdom of Elfrau, in the winter they slide on frozen canals to get around.

　So it's a means of transportation, not play. It certainly seems to be faster that way in the winter. I wonder if there is no way to enjoy skiing.
　I made a blade and attached it to the bottom of my shoe. I stepped into the rink and let it glide down.
　I could hear people saying, "Wow! I skied a few laps and even did a little spin. Don't underestimate a northern-bred girl, huh? I'm on the Pacific side, so I'm not afraid of the cold.
　I'm going to make some blades for Mr. Logan and the others. Not the kind that's integrated with your shoes, but the kind that attaches to your shoes. I was afraid to get on the rink, and I was falling down in a funny way. That's no way to laugh at me.
　But after a while, everyone started to slide normally. You get used to it, don't you? People over here are basically very athletic....
　Eventually, the townspeople come along and start watching us skiing. We made them some blades and let them run around freely. It's a hassle to give them each one, so we made a few extra blades for them to use as they please.

Hmmm..... How did it come to this...?

　I groaned as I sat on a bench in the ballpark. After a while since then, several couples and couples skiing on the rink have become noticeable. It is the completion of the love-making space.
　The single person leaves the rink and the couple goes up to the rink to receive the blade. What a sad cycle.
　In the midst of it all, some brave men plan to hone their skills without breaking down, learn to skate, and try to ask a woman out.
　I guess I've created a weird date spot. The kids are skiing for the pure fun of it, though.
　A woman who couldn't ski waited by the wall, where a man who could ski called out to her, and eventually the two of them held hands and slid out. Oh, come on, you're picking up.
　I mean, yeah. You can hold hands unapologetically in the great cause of teaching skating? There's certainly no reason not to take advantage of this, right?
　I'm not sure if the ladies understand, but I saw some of them pretending to be unable to skate on purpose. Well, what is said is true.

"When I thought it was noisy, it was Fuyao-san after all.
'I knew it' is a bit tricky, but, well, it's true.

　I'll let Yumina's words, which had been coming for some time, flow lightly. I don't think it's always the source of the commotion.
　Oh well. I hand Yumina the blade as well. Now that I have someone to deal with, I can go out to the rink without hesitation.

"Would you like to slide, princess?
...Will you be okay?

　I walk up to the rink with Yumina, who is a little scared from the anxiety of skiing for the first time. I held her hand as I led her down the rink, trying to keep her from falling. I'm sure she's getting used to it, even if she's wobbling, and soon she's sliding smoothly. Aren't people here really too athletic? No, maybe our world is too convenient and we're regressing in many ways.
　Little did I know at the time that winter dates would become a staple in the Duchy of Brunhild.