The preparations for the festival were progressing steadily.
　Initially the plan was to hold the festival for two days, but this was extended to four days. The reason for this is that people wanted to see not only one tournament, but also other tournaments.
　It is true that it is a waste of time to have the final match of the shogi tournament and the final match of the martial arts tournament on the same day.
　So the schedule is as follows.

Day 1
opening ceremony
Baseball Tournament (first game)

Day 2
Baseball Tournament (to the finals)
Shogi tournament (preliminary round)

Day 3
Shogi tournament (final)
Martial arts competition (until the preliminary round)

Day 4
Martial arts competition (until the final)
closing ceremony

　That's about it.
　Of course, participants in each tournament would have a hard time seeing the others if they won.
　Also, there were requests for participants from other countries.
　Basically, we were going to invite only the countries of the East-West Alliance, but the Paloof Kingdom was not yet an ally. In that case, it was not a good idea to go through the other countries, so we decided to send out invitations to the kings of the countries that we had met with for now.
　That is, Hannock, Felsen, Lyle, Xenoas, and Elfrau.
　As for Yishen, I have never met the king (that is, the emperor), so I sent an invitation to Ieyasu-san of Tokugawa, in case he hadn't met the king. It was as if Ieyasu-san was practically ruling the country.
　And to tell you the truth, I felt that if I didn't invite him, it would be troublesome later. I only sent it with the idea that he wouldn't be coming anyway, but now it's become an unbelievable situation where all the countries accept the invitation.

"They must have thought that if they didn't respond to the invitation, they would upset His Majesty and be attacked with their frame gear.

　said Nicola, our deputy commander, "I'm not going to do that! I wouldn't do that!
　In addition, knights and martial artists from each of these countries also participate in the martial arts tournament. Of course, each of them are nominated by the king, but Felsen seems to be planning to participate in the king's tournament himself.
　Well, he's a collector of weapons.... It's a good idea. I can't believe it. I don't know if that's a good idea.
　I'm going to have to do something about it. I can't believe that all the VIPs from all over the world are here.
　I'm not too worried about security and such, but there's nothing we can do about the private quarrels between individuals.
　For example, if King Mismid and King Felsen clash in a martial arts tournament. It's not impossible for the loser to hold a grudge against the winner. Whether it's the person himself or his subjects.
　Well, I don't think that's likely to happen with those two.
　It's not like their honor will be tarnished if they lose, though, since they're hiding their identities to participate. On the other hand, there's no honor in winning, but that's been folded in.
　It would be interesting to have the winner fight against Morohana sister. No, don't hold back on the joy.
　I hope we'll have as little trouble as possible.





Is the Demon Lord coming...?
No, don't be such a prick.

　The cherry blossoms make a rare astringent mask. If the demon king finds out about this, he'll cry.....
　It seems that his relationship with his father is still a one-way street.

''I'll have to tell my mom to take refuge........''
No, no, no, no, no, that's just too bad for him. Let him see her.
Mmm....

　Sakura sips her tea while sulking. Well, it's true that His Majesty the Demon King is a pain in the ass. I have to make sure I don't get involved too. It's because of the incident you're talking about, he's become a parental idiot (daughter only).

''My brother is fine, but the trouble is that even his grandfather is coming...''

　It is Hilda who is sighing. I see, that old man is coming too. A former adventurer of the same gold rank as me.
　Well, wouldn't that erotic general be quiet if he showed me a gravure photo album? In a way, he's easier to handle than his father's fool.

I'm going to follow Ieyasu-sama, that I am. It's been a long time since I've seen him, that I am looking forward to it.

　In contrast, Yae is the one who is smiling. Yae's brother, Shigetaro, isn't Ieyasu's bodyguard, but he's coming to compete in the martial arts tournament. There are a few other participants from Yisheng, though.

'It's turned into an unexpectedly big festival.
It's good to have fun. Oh, my Aunt Lana and my sisters Emma will be there.
Where's the uncle?

　Else's statement reminded me of my uncle, who was scared of that overly aristocrat or something.

''My uncle won't come. If you invite him to the castle, he might lose his soul and not come back.

　I can't help but agree with Linse's words. Certainly. If I'm not careful, I might end up bumping into my country's king, King Leafs.
　Or rather, I'll have a hard time picking him up on the day. Especially me. I don't know how many times I have to open the gate.
　Well, as long as I have a meeting in advance, it'll take less than a minute for each country.

　The member countries of the East-West Alliance

The Kingdom of Belfast
Regulus Empire
Leafreth Kingdom
Kingdom of Misguided
Ramish nation
Rhodomere Federation
The Kingdom of the Knights of Lestia
The Kingdom of Linier

　This, plus our Duchy of Brunhild, makes nine.
　Although they are non-subscribing countries, the only ones that I know of who are associated with them or who are acquainted with their national representatives are

Yisheng, the Godland
Demon Kingdom Xenoas
Paloof Kingdom
Felsen Magic Kingdom
The Kingdom of Elfrau
Lyle Kingdom
Kingdom of Hannock

　I have seven. And the one that doesn't associate with us at all is

The Kingdom of Egret
Kingdom of the Horns
Nokia Kingdom

　The three are.
　At the moment, the world is made up of these 19 countries.



　There's the recently discovered island of Parellius, and some tribes of the Great Tree Sea, but those are like countries, not countries. There are people living in the collapsed Euron and Sandra, but they're not functioning as countries anymore.
　Anyway, most of the countries in the world are represented in this country. ........Now that I think about it again, it's quite important. It's too late now.
　Anyway, as long as you enjoy it, there's nothing I can say.
　Well then, let's get into the spirit.





　And then the day of the festival.

　Since this morning, we've been traveling from various countries to invite guests.
　For the royal and noble people, we released each of the private rooms and the great hall in the castle, and some of them were already there chatting with each other, and others were turning around to greet each other to get acquainted.
　They had already finished changing their disguises, and by all appearances they looked like ordinary citizens. However, even though they are wearing simple clothes, they look different in some way, perhaps because they were born and raised in the country. The way he acts and behaves is every bit as good as the rest of us.

''Your Majesty, is this activated just by having it?''

　The boy king of Paloof asks me a question while fastening the star-shaped badge I gave him earlier to his chest. You look like you're no different from those kids because you're wearing normal clothes instead of the clothes of a well-dressed king and nobleman.

''Pour a little of your own magic power into that star. By doing so, the jewel in the center of the star will change from 'red' to 'yellow', right? In that state, King Paloof will look like a different person.
But, Your Majesty, it doesn't seem to me that Ernesto has changed in any way, but...

　Her sister, Princess Lucienne, standing beside her, twisted her head as she looked at her brother, who had made the star "yellow". The same star-shaped badge shone on her chest as well. The color remains 'red'.

''Regardless of the activation, it doesn't work on anyone who has the same star. Otherwise, you won't know who's who. Try it out, take that star off and look at King Paloof and you'll see.

　As he was told, the princess, who had put her badge on the table, was surprised to see her brother. I guess she saw a boy she had never seen before at all.
　By the way, I also wear a badge, so everyone looks the same as usual.

''This planet also has the power of protection, and when you add more magic, the gemstone turns 'blue'. When it is in this state, whether it's magic or a sword, if the person equipped is about to be harmed, it is automatically transferred to this room. Please keep it 'blue' during the festival and never take it off.

　Of course, the same stars are given to the guards that each country brought with them. If the guards are also turned 'blue', if there are any attackers, they will be transferred when they are attacked, though, in a 'yellow' state.
　Even those who participate in martial arts tournaments like Miss Mid Beast King have them turned 'blue' except for matches. Well, there's no martial arts tournament today, so it doesn't matter. It's not necessary for people like Leon and Shigetaro-san who are not so high in status and have nothing to hide, but it's inconvenient if you can't identify other people, so I gave it to them.

''Also, please take this guy with you.

　I summoned one white puppy from the summoning team. I didn't hand over my phone, that is, I've attached one summoned beast as a follower to the people who represent nations other than the countries participating in the East-West Alliance.

''If you have any problems, you can contact me by touching and talking to this guy. He's strong in his own right, so he'll be my escort as well.
'Thank you! Wow, that's cute.

　King Paloof crouched down and stroked the pup's head, and the guy too was squinting and buzzing his tail with happiness. I said a dog, but a wolf, to be exact. It was a snollauf cub that lived in the snowfield.
　Looking at that wolf pup, the one who has been glancing at me at the edge of the room since a while ago is Rachel, the Duchess of Rembrandt. She seems to want to bother the pup just like King Paloof, but she seems to have difficulty coming because I'm here. Oh dear, I guess I've completely made him feel bad about it.
　As soon as I bowed and left Paloof's camp, he immediately went to the boy king and started petting the pup in the same way. I knew it.
　Well, now the king and his men have finished explaining everything. Some of them are back in their private rooms, but they all seem to be talking in their own way. There's also a counterpart from a country you rarely meet.
　Leaving Yumina, Roux and the others to deal with the situation, I transition to the inn under the castle, the Silver Moon, where the other guests are gathered.
　When I go to the inn's large dining room, I see several people who are already eating breakfast, and I see Else and Linse among them.
　Around them are their two aunts, Lana and her children. There were seven of them, including Emma, the oldest daughter, who was older than us. All of them were having breakfast except for the eldest son, who said he was already on his own.

Oh, Winter's Night. Did you finish up at the castle?
At least that's what I thought. What about this one?
Well, not really. I'm not a snitch like they are.

　He exchanged a few words with Else lightly, and also greeted Aunt Lana and Emma.
　There were other people in the dining room, including Baral-san, the arms shop owner, and Simon-san, the toolmaker, who was invited by Riflet to join us. They raised their hands lightly to greet us as well.
　Including them, the cost of lodging and meals for the people we invited is paid for here. Even at the Silvermoon, we have a particularly nice room allotted to us.

''Come to think of it, I don't see Dolan-san, is there something wrong?
'Dolan-san would have helped Micah in the kitchen. The place was packed for the festival and they were short on people.

　Linse tells me that. Oops, I've been causing trouble here too. That means the second branch is busy, too.
　In case you're wondering, this is supposed to be the Brunhild branch of 'Silver Moon', and Dolan-san is the owner of its 'main branch', so there's nothing wrong with helping out.

''What time does the festival start?''
8 o'clock. About an hour to go. We'll broadcast a light greeting and then we'll have a few mock battles at the big training ground in the north. I thought we could start with a bang at least.
The big training grounds, you mean in flame-gear?

　Unlike the training ground for knights in the castle, the great training ground in the north is a vast training ground for frame gear, a bit far from the castle town. Although it is forbidden to enter except for those who are involved in the matter, it is not because there is some secret, but simply because it is dangerous.
　It's not a secret, it's simply dangerous. At any rate, it includes experiments with magic and bullets flying around, so you have to go that far to keep yourself safe.
　In general, the frame gear itself is so large that the training is visible from the outside and there is no way to keep it a secret.
　During training sessions, crowds of people gather outside the training area to watch the battle scenes, which is a favorite pastime for the townspeople. This time, though, we're trying to make it a proper event.

Then it's on to the first game of the first baseball tournament. There will be two games in the first and second stadiums, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. That's four games today alone. This will determine the four teams that will advance to tomorrow's game.
Do you already have an opponent in mind?
Not yet. I'll draw the lottery fairly later.

　There are only eight teams in all, so it won't take much time, and that's just one of the events.
　Our team Brunhild is led by a team captained by Logan-san of the Knights, but to be honest, it's a delicate strength. They aren't extremely strong, nor are they weak. Depending on the opponent, they're a good enough team to win the championship. Well, I hope they do well there and enjoy the game.
　Then I give Aunt Lana and the kids a few discounted coupons that are half-price for Brunhild's stalls only, and then we transition to the school in the castle town.

'Whoa! What the hell is this?

　I flinched a little at the many cats lined up in the school yard. Three-headed, beech, black, white, tiger-striped, and many other types of cats of all shapes and sizes, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nantaro riding on a mandarin box and holding his sword up to the sky.

'Gentlemen! This is our big night, folks. It's no exaggeration to say that right now, the peace of this town depends on us! Each of you, get your spirits up and patrol the streets, meow!
"Meow!
"We're going to be watching for anyone who looks suspicious. If anything happens, I'll immediately run to the Knight's Palace and lead the way, Nya!
"Meow!
'Cats are for people! People are for cats! My elite, the glory of the end of your mission is waiting for you. Specifically, a bonito flake. There you go, meow!
"Meow!

　The cats all run towards the town at once. You still have great leadership skills........ It's almost too good to leave them as cats. There seems to be a little bit of katsuobushi's power added to it, though.

"Oh, isn't this Your Majesty? Are you here on a visit?
That's all right. You don't have to worry about it, though, do you?
'How! During the festival, the peace of the town and the safety of the princess's mother, here in Nyantaro ... or else! D'Artagnan will protect you!

　You just misspelled your own name. Well, I don't really care which one, but I'll have to warn you about one thing.

I think the Demon King of Xenoas is coming to visit Fianna...
"The Princess has informed me that you can kill me if I'm insulting your mother. If you're insulting your mother, I'll cut you in half.
That's a lot of noise!

　It's an international incident for sure! The cherry blossoms are relentless with their father! Even if he's not the Demon King, his own daughter could do a lot of damage if she's treated like this. Poor thing.
　For the time being, I'll ask them to stop slashing her and keep her on guard duty.
　And since I received a text message from Dr. Babylon on my pocket phone, I decide to head back to the castle. It looks like I'm ready to go.
　When I returned to the castle, the summoning beast team of Amber, Red Jade, Coral, Kuroshio, and Ruri were all present.

''Lord. From now on, our household members will also be on guard and surveillance in the city.''
Yeah. Let me know if you need anything else.

　Amber guards the town through the eyes of dogs, rats, and other animals, Benidama guards the birds, and Coral and Kuroyuki guard the town through the eyes of small snakes. As expected, Ruri can't call in her subordinate dragons, so she'll have them watch over the town. If there's any commotion, we'll know right away.
　When we came to the front of the castle gate, His Eminence Ramish Pope's group was just about to descend into the town. I heard that some other country groups had already gone into town.
　His Holiness noticed me and came toward me with a priest. Huh? Look who it is, it's Mr. Phyllis.
　She's become a cardinal since then, I think. She's the first person besides me to meet God. But then there's only His Holiness the Pope, though.
　Both of them are wearing that star-shaped badge of honor. Yes, it's a blue badge.

Your Highness. When is He coming?

　The "that person" that His Holiness the Pope says is God.......the World God. When I told His Holiness that he was coming down to earth, he was quite panicked, but he seems to have calmed down somewhat. Still unsettled, though. Oh well, it can't be helped.

''I don't think he's coming today, at least. He said he would send you a message the day before, so it will be after tomorrow. I'll contact you properly, so don't worry.
Wow, do you remember me?

　Phyllis opens her mouth this time, looking worried.

'It's okay. The World God isn't a blur yet, you know?
Wow, you scared me! I told you not to show up out of nowhere!

　Phyllis-san's question is answered by sister Hanakoi, who suddenly appears behind me. Literally, you really are a godsend, totally!

'I'm holding a relationship counseling session at church today, too. I'm going to solve it one way or another. My arms are going to be ringing!

　Mmm, ugh. It's supposed to be a good thing, but I'm not sure why I'm so worried about that. I don't want you to make a scene.

'Come on, you're both going into battle! There's a lost lamb waiting for you!
Oh, wait, wait, Hanakoi-sama!
'I'm sorry, Your Majesty! Then that's it!

　Taking the two of them by the hand, sister Hanakoi walked towards the town. With that, the Holy Knights of the guards hurriedly followed the three of them. It was somewhat apologetic, but as long as Hanakoi sister was following them, that group wouldn't have to worry.
　Then several groups headed down to the castle and it was time to hold the event.
　The clock tower in the center of the town marked eight o'clock, and a number of fireworks from Babylon, which had been decided upon, popped in the sky.
　With that, the violin music played by Brother Kanasuke came loudly from the clock tower.
　It was the march "Dignity" by Edward Elgar.
　The melody, which is called "majestic" in Japan, is called "the land of hope and glory" in England. It's strange to hear this song, so beloved as to be called the "second British national anthem," being played in another world.
　I went to the microphone directly connected to the speakers in the clock tower and announced the festival, hoping that Brunhild would also be a "land of hope and glory".