That's about it.

　I put the last mask I made in the modeling process on top of it.
　There are many kinds of masks, but the one I made is a so-called "domino mask" that covers the upper half of the face. It's the kind of mask that retro thieves and SM queens wear.
　By the way, the famous dominoes came from this "domino mask". Well, it doesn't matter.
　I searched for various masks on my phone and made a number of similar ones. There were a variety of masks, some of them imitating animals such as cats and birds, some with feathered ornaments, some of them were gold-colored and others were simple and monochromatic.
　Of course, they are not just masks. There is a slight hindrance to recognition, making it difficult to recognize the facial features of the person you are looking at. Even if you are an acquaintance, if you are wearing this mask, you will hardly notice it. It also has an altered voice function. It's one of the things that can give away your voice.
　In addition, there are special ears and tails made by the doctor for those who wish to wear them, making it difficult to distinguish between beastmen and sub-humans. It's more like a masquerade ball than a masquerade ball. Well, it's fine because it's interesting.
　I put away the masks I've made in 【Storage】 and head to everyone who is preparing for tomorrow's ball.
　When I entered one of the castle's costume rooms, several clerks from 'Fashion King Zanuck' were making final adjustments to the tuxedo that Brunhild (our) attendees would not normally wear.

''Ah, your majesty. In the meantime, the men's adjustments are done. I've beaten them to the punch, so they should be able to keep their manners to a minimum.

　The person who spoke to me was Nicola-san, the vice-captain of the Knights of the House. Nicola-san's family is one of the largest merchant families in Mismid, so she seems to be used to this kind of party. It's not as if they're going to have a masked ball, but as expected, it's the first time they've had a masked ball.
　The black tuxedo she wore was also a perfect fit. The fox ears and tail are also shiny and shiny.
　The attendees from Brunhild (our house), especially on the men's side, had a hard time because there were so many applicants. In the name of leading them, we asked Nicola-san to join us as well. It's not like I'm going to participate like I did during the knight's exam.
　You will be able to find a lot of people who are willing to pay for your services. It's like going into battle. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what to expect.

''Nicolas-san, I hope you find a good partner too.
''Huh........ I don't think about those things too much at the moment........ Well, I'll try my best not to be an embarrassment to Brunhild.

　Nicola-san is very popular in the castle. He's always been a manly man, and he has the title of Deputy Commander. The drawback is that he's a bit too serious and doesn't smile much, but that seems to be taken favorably as cool as well.

Is the women's side finished?
'Probably. The one in Norwe sent me this earlier.

　Nicola pulled out her phone and showed me the photos attached to the email. 'Rain, the cuteness is off the charts! There was a picture of Knight Commander Rain in a white party dress with the sentence. It's a white rabbit.

I don't know what he's doing.... I'm worried that he'll do something at the party.
Well, you'll just have to follow up on that. We'll watch out for that.

　The effect of the mask is an inhibition of recognition to the face, so as long as you remember the clothes, you'll know who it is. The attendees of this camp should be able to figure out who's who.
　Incidentally, the participants in the women's camp are Rain-san, the leader of the group, Norue-san, the deputy leader, Rebecca-san, the captain of the security force, Flame, Shizuku, and the three Kunoichi of Nagi, the three members of the Kunoichi of Nagi, and Rakshe of the demon race, Alraune.
　I hope you'll enjoy it, aside from the fact that they're getting married.
　It's just that..... I'm not sure if he's going to leave for another country when he gets married. I'm sure the second and third sons of a noble family could bring him or her over here, though.
　I'll miss them, but if it makes them happy, I guess I should send them off with a smile, right?
　Well, we're ready to go. Now we just have to hope that things work out.


　　　　　　　　　　◇ ◇ ◇


Wow, that's a big hall...

　Linse murmurs with a sigh as she looks down at the large dance hall from upstairs. There are glittering decorations scattered here and there, and there is a large chandelier on the ceiling that shines brightly. Is that the dwarves' custom-made chandelier with 【Light】 granted? Are they going to use it........
　The second floor corridor of the ballroom we're in, beyond that is a large balcony where we can enjoy our meals, from which we can enjoy a panoramic view of the beautiful sea of Leafs. Blue sea and blue sky, white clouds and white streets. I couldn't help but take a picture of the view.

'It's like the Mediterranean Sea we went on our honeymoon,'
That's what I thought when I first came to Leafy's.

　I respond to Leanne's words with a wry smile. I'm happy to share these things with you. It was all the usual landmarks, but I'm glad we went all over the planet.

'There's a garden down there, that I'm sure.

　Yae was peering down from the balcony's railing, and I leaned forward to do the same.
　Underneath the balcony, that is, right next to the ballroom, there was a flower bed full of beautiful flowers. A brick path stretched through it, and I could see a large fountain, benches and tables. There was also a lush grassy plaza, and it would be fun to have a picnic there.
　Hilda next to me seemed to agree, smiling at the gardens below.

''We'll find our partners at the ball, and then we'll have a chat here...''
Well, that would be ideal, wouldn't it? You know, if you can find one.

　I don't think they're going to flock to one person because they're wearing a mask, so they're not going to flock to one person because they're beautiful or a princess, but I wasn't really limited to the costumes. I think the fancy people would be more popular. You know you're rich if you're wearing a gorgeous dress.
　Well, it's better to leave those who would flock to it alone. That's also a good judge of character.
　As I was thinking about this, Suu came scurrying up to me.

"Winter's night, where did Lou go?
Hmm?　Yeah, if you're Lou, you're in the kitchen. I'm prepping the food with the head court chef at Leafy's.
Are you going to make it at someone else's place?　You are already Brunhild's queen. I don't know what to do...

　Sue shakes her head with a sigh, as if to say, Oh dear. No, there's a reason for this.
　Lou publishes weekly recipes for various dishes in a blog format on an app called [Cooking Recipes] that is distributed on her smartphone.
　The app also contains photos of delicious dishes and sweet treats, which won the hearts of the queen princesses who handed over their phones.
　Naturally, they gave that information to the castle cooks and asked them to cook for them. So many of the court cooks know Lou as a chef.
　The head court chef here at Leafy's is one of them, and a fan of Lou's blog?　I hear it's something. And Empress Lefries knew about it and asked me to do it for her directly.

"Lou's food is so good, the ladies will go crazy for it.
That's the problem with that...

　Cherry Blossom is right, there's no point in having a blind date party if the ladies are so engrossed in the food that they don't even look at the men. It would be nice if they could get to know each other by sharing their thoughts on the food.
　And then, unexpectedly, Yumina pans!　I clapped my hands.

'Come on, we'd better get ready too!　For us, too, today is Fuyao-san's wife it's our first official duty as Queen Brunhild.
'Um, well, umina?　Do we have to get out of here too?

　It was Else who opened her mouth with a coy smile in response to Yumina's words. Likewise, Linse, Yae and Sakura also have a difficult look on their faces.
　Apart from the matchmaking party, there's a party on the other floor with the kings and queens of the various countries, the little prince princesses and the chief ministers to attend the matchmaking. Naturally, I'll be there, and so will their queens.
　The Prime Minister Takasaka-san and Naito's old man, who is the construction manager, will also attend from our house. Also, although reluctantly, Hanakoi's sister and Morohana's sister will also be there. They're also royalty, in case you were wondering. Grandma Tokie is indeed a stay-at-home mom, but....
　This is actually more important than the blind date party. The royalty of the east and west continents are going to be gathered here, you know. Naturally, security is tight. I was also invited by Leafy's a few days ago to help reinforce some of the security.
　Since this is a formal party, of course there is a dress code. You can't just wear the usual adventurer look.
　My daughters-in-law were divided into two groups: those who were enthusiastic and those who were shy about attending such a party.
　Well, this can't be helped. Yumina, Lou, Hilda, Leanne, and Sue are used to behaving in these official settings, but everyone else is different. I guess I'm a little bit timid.
　There's nothing difficult about it. All you have to do is to greet the participants for a moment, withdraw, and then chat with the queens and wives of other countries and their chief ministers to deepen their friendship.
　I'm sure you have met queens from other countries several times, but this was not a formal occasion, and it was not in the position of 'as a queen'.

Well, we are not the organizers, so take it easy. We're not the organizers, so take it easy.
'Don't make it sound so easy.... Ah, I would have preferred security at the venue.

　Else says something like that with a sigh, but you're already officially a queen, so please don't do that.
　Yae, who was smiling bitterly next to Else, twitches her head as if she found something over my shoulder. Eh, what?

Sakura-dono, isn't that His Majesty the Demon King?
Ugh.

　Sakura let out a disgusted voice. ''Ugh.''
　I turned around and saw His Majesty the Demon King of the Demon Kingdom Xenoas, who is walking towards me from the second floor of the vaulted ballroom, the cloistered gallery. Behind him are several demon knights on guard.
　I found a familiar dark elf man among them.
　He's as young as ever. It's only natural since he's a dark elf. His Majesty the Demon King looks like he's only in his 20s. I'm sure he's over 100 years old.
　Hmmm?　Apart from the guardian knights, there are two well-dressed young men. Hey, are these guys.....

Oh, King Brunhild. So you've already arrived at the venue?

　His Majesty the Demon King raised one hand and called out to me. But his gaze is not on me, but on his daughter Sakura. Turn to me.
　I headed to each country yesterday with the [Gate] and set up the transition camp here. When the time comes, only those who are authorized to pass through there should come. The first to arrive is the Demon Kingdom Xenoas, right?
　His Majesty the Demon King calls out to Sakura with a smile.

''Well, Huh, how is Farnese too?''
I'm fine.
'How's honeymoon life?　Do they take good care of you?
Everything's fine. I'll be fine.
Yeah, well...

　It's so cold. I can't believe it's a father-daughter conversation. I'm sure it's better than that, but.......
　It's not as if he couldn't stand it anymore, but Sirius-san approached His Majesty the Demon King and whispered something to him in a whisper.

''Your Majesty. I'd like to introduce you to........
Oh, yeah!　I had someone to introduce you to. Hey!

　When His Majesty the Demon King called out, two young men stepped forward. One was a dark-skinned, sallow-skinned young man who was more than a hundred and eighty in height, and his well-developed muscles could be seen and hidden from his neck and arms. He had long, fiery red hair and blazing eyes, a grin and a fearless smile on his mouth.
　The other was a young man about the same height as me, with round glasses and thin lines. In contrast to the young man next to me, he was looking at me with sleepy eyes. He has the same red hair as the next young man, but his hair is slightly paler. He had a vaguely scholarly air about him.
　However, what I was most curious about was the silver horns that sprouted from the two men's hair on either side.......the royal horns.
　A king's horn is the proof of the Demon Royal Race. In other words.........

"These are my sons, Fallon and Phares. Farnese, we have different mothers, but we will be your brothers.

　I knew it. The First and Second Princes of Xenoas. They're Sakura's brothers. In other words, they're my brother-in-law as well.
　I have a lot of brothers-in-law, me........ You mean Yae's brother-in-law, Shigetaro? Brother-in-law Reinhardt at Hilda's place, and brother-in-law Luxe at Lou's place...(not very impressive). And this Fallon and brother-in-law Fares? Well, it's only natural since there are so many wives...
　Prince Faron walks up in front of Sakura and meets her gaze. Because of the height difference, though, the prince looks down at him. For some reason, he has his hands on his hips and is in a pompous pose.

'This is the first time we've met in person like this. I'm your brother, Fallon!
You look stupid.
She said it.

　I've been thinking about that too, and then the cherry blossoms go boom! I said. 'No restraint, brother? Or maybe he doesn't recognize him as a brother.

I think so. It's just a stupid way of saying that your brother's...
Your brother Fares?

　Fallon is shocked when his brother next to him doesn't like it either. Oh, it's a father and son. It's just like His Majesty the Demon King when Sakura gave him the silent treatment.
　With his brother frozen in place, the bespectacled Prince Fares steps in front of Sakura.

"I'm Fares. I'm the second prince of Xenoas. However, the right to succeed to the throne has been revoked, though. It's not something I can apologize for, but please forgive me.

　With that, Fares bowed deeply to Sakura. Sakura's eyes fluttered at the sudden apology, but eventually, ah, she fell alone. I forgot.....
　Once, Sakura had an attempt on her life. The person with the highest magical power with the king's horn would be the next Demon King in Xenoas.
　Because she didn't have the horn, Sakura was raised as the bastard child of the Demon King, but after she grew up, the horn suddenly appeared. Moreover, it had a large amount of magical power.
　If this was the case, Sakura would be the next Demon King. With this in mind, the Second Prince's deceased mother's family, a man who was the younger brother of the Second Prince, used a merchant's hand to hire an assassin of Euron and sent him to Sakura.
　As a result, Sakura was mortally wounded and lost her memory. Now, though, her memories have returned like this, the truth of the incident has been uncovered, and the culprit has disappeared with the dew on the decapitation table.
　Fares, the second prince, is not directly guilty of the crime. However, the fact is that Sakura was nearly killed by his late mother's family. This must be one of his kedos.

'I don't care about it. Because of what happened, I met the king, and I met everyone else. Fares doesn't mind either.
Well.... You're strong, aren't you?
"Hm.

　Sakura nodded coyly at Fares who smiled. I casually called out my brother, but I wonder if it's okay........

''Hey......... Why are you talking so friendly with Farnese? You're so cheap!　Watch out for a little extra!
'Father.... I think you need to calm down a little more, don't you?
Hmm. Demon Lord annoys me.
Are you in perfect breath?

　His Majesty the Demon King is shocked by the disgusted opinions from his son and daughter. It's something........

''Uh, His Majesty the Demon King?　Both of you princes will be at the party, won't you?
'Oh?　Uh ... yeah. Neither of us has a wife yet, you know.
That's unusual. You don't have a fiancée?
'These guys are too selective. It's shameful that they haven't had a single woman at their age. You should learn more about the Duke. Right?

　Right?　No, they're not. One of them is your daughter.

Huh. Well, I'm a man of high ideals. If I wanted to, I could have a wife or two.
'Typical slacker. Not a chance.
Ggh...!

　The younger sister, Sakura, thrusts her unreserved words at her eldest brother 《Fallon》. The same gaze is directed at His Majesty the Demon King.......
　Since he is a prince, I thought he wouldn't have a match or two, but since the demon royal family has a long life span, they are not in a hurry to find a partner to marry, and they have a tradition of finding one themselves.

''What about Fares?''
'I'm not really interested in marriage, but.... My brother forced me to go with him this time. Well, I wanted to go to Leafy's and if I could find someone, that would be fine too.
Hm. Well, don't get overwhelmed. You'll find a good match.
Hey, don't you think I had a different reaction to that than I did to mine...?

　Unlike her eldest brother 《Fallon》, Sakura sends words of encouragement to her second brother 《Falles》. Hmm, in terms of personality, Fallon is more like His Majesty the Demon King....... It's not as annoying as His Majesty the Demon King, but Sakura seems to think it's annoying or something.
　While I was thinking about this, Prince Fares called out to me.

By the way, His Majesty the King. Your father told me that Brunhild has a wonderful library...''
'What?　Uh.........yes, I have it. I can use transference magic, so I keep books I've collected from various countries.

　For a moment, I thought he was referring to Babylon's 'library', but I was wrong. He was referring to the storeroom in Brunhild's castle.
　I once showed that storeroom to the kings at the end of a World Alliance meeting. I'm sure His Majesty was referring to that one.
　Some of the books in Babylon are in ancient script, and there are some things that would be inappropriate to reveal to the public. However, there are many things that are useful, so we've revised them and put them in the castle's storeroom. I've also collected rare books from all over the world at the behest of Femme, the manager of the library.

─ May I visit Brunhild next time to see the stacks? I have been curious about it ever since your father told me about it...
Do you like books?
'Yes. Forgetting to eat, too. I find nothing like the pleasure of gaining new knowledge.

　Huh. So unlike my brother, he's an intellectual. Since you like books, you must have something to say to Princess Liliel. .........well, that's a special book, so I guess it's difficult.
　Well, there's no problem with visiting the stacks, so I said OK.
　After that, the xenoas team left to prepare for a change of clothes and other things. Only His Majesty the Demon King tried to stay behind, but I've got some preparations to make as well.
　Now, I have to change too. It's the first time I've worn a tuxedo since our wedding. It's a good idea to have a good time with your friends.