The next morning.

I woke up just moments before my alarm was set to go off.

I brushed my teeth and washed my face as usual. I gave my body a good stretch and did a few deep lunges. My physical condition felt great. I'd had plenty of sleep.

My mother had gone to her night shift and wasn't back yet. Once this Hitotsuzuki was over, things should settle down for a bit. I wanted to do something nice for her.

To do that, I had to survive and clear this Hitotsuzuki. Saying stuff like that made it sound like a total death flag, didn't it?

I left a note for my mother saying I'd be away for three days. It would be strange to bother coming back home just to sleep in the middle of a Hitotsuzuki, anyway. It was going to be a battlefield over there.

Apparently, the types of monsters that appeared changed during a Hitotsuzuki. Usually, only skeletons showed up here, but flesh-and-blood types like goblins and orcs would appear too.

I heard there were flying types, magical beasts, and even golem-like creatures. Since there would be many monsters I'd never fought before, I'd just have to deal with them as they came.

I did have the Priestess-chan look up records of the previous "Globe-Trotter," but it seemed every location was such a chaotic melee that there wasn't much reliable data.

One thing we knew:

On the third day, the small fries barely showed up at all, replaced by a relentless succession of powerful boss-class monsters.

I wouldn't know exactly how strong they were until we fought, but if things like the Cyclops from Lucraella showed up, it was going to be a very grueling battle.

Furthermore, it seemed the boss-class enemies didn't spawn based on a timer; rather, once you defeated one, the next one appeared. That was fine by itself. In fact, I welcomed it. If they kept spawning while we were still struggling with the first one, we'd be overwhelmed in no time.

However, the trade-off was that the Hitotsuzuki didn't end until the "Last Monster" at one of the monster spots had been subjugated... Since she scoured records dating back a thousand years, this specification was almost certainly correct, despite the data being incomplete.

And apparently, the one who defeated the last one during the previous event was—unsurprisingly—Mugen-san.

What this meant was that if powerful warriors elsewhere took down the Last Monster, that was fine, but if everyone drew and struggled, every location would find itself in a worsening predicament as time passed. On the flip side, it also meant only one Last Monster existed.

I guess it was a game-like mechanic to make people compete over who spawned and killed the final boss first.

The Last Monster didn't matter to me as much as the fact that I didn't know the strength of the forces in other areas. I had Priestess-chan send out a message saying "The next Hitotsuzuki is likely a 'Globe-Trotter,' prepare yourselves," but I had no idea how that actually turned out. Well, all we could do was focus on what we could do here!

* * *

I passed through the mirror into the mansion.

"Good morning, Aurica."

"Good morning, Danna-sama! Everyone has already headed out!"

"Just you here, Aurica? It's rare for Diana not to be around."

"Yes. Apparently, they asked her to give them a pep talk, so Marina-san dragged her away."

"Well, she is a princess, after all."

Aurica was busy in the kitchen preparing meals for today's lunch and dinner.

Ingredients were piled high across the tables. Preparing food for sixty people alone must have been exhausting, but since she was the only one who couldn't fight, she insisted on doing it herself.

The new knights were helping transport the food and ingredients to the site. The main tasks here were prep work and making rice balls; the actual soup-making and meat-grilling would happen in giant pots at the camp.

"I'm counting on you, Aurica. I know it's hard. If you need more hands, just say so. The rookies aren't very useful in combat yet, so they can be assigned to assist you with no problem."

With that, I left the mansion.

I was fully equipped: the magic sword and a simple set of scale mail made by Oyakata. My weapon wasn't great against undead, but it was incredibly effective against enemies from which I could drain energy.

Goblins and orcs? Leave 'em to me.

It was only 7:00 AM. The Hitotsuzuki would begin at 9:00 AM. It was an act of God; the timing would be precise.

"Ah, Priestess-sama. Good morning."

I spotted Priestess-chan inspecting the structures we'd built in such a rush, so I called out to her.

Today, she wore a sort of overcoat over her priestess robes and a small hat perched on her head. I supposed that was her battle attire. Regardless, she was cute.

"Jirou-san! Good morning. I'd heard about it, but this is truly impressive!"

"Yeah. I'm just glad we got the preparations done in time."

She was referring to the weapons, the earthen walls, and the holes scattered across the ground. Though "holes" was an understatement; they were more like small craters.

We'd built quite a lot during this past week of frantic construction.

We built 2-meter-high walls to form paths so that any monsters spawning from the spot would be funneled into a three-way junction. The layout looked like the Greek letter Psi (Ψ).

Sandbags were the MVP here. It was hard to build a wall just by piling dirt, but with sandbags, it was a breeze. The shovels I bought at the home center did a great job too. Even a simple shovel had a different cost-performance ratio compared to the ones here.

At the junction, we could block off each path with giant wooden boards. Let's call the right path A, the left B, and the middle C.

Since C was the center path, monsters would naturally head there first, but we usually kept it closed. It was a dedicated path for when a strong monster appeared; we would open it, let the enemy stroll in, and then obliterate them with the wrecking ball.

We kept either A or B closed at all times, and once monsters swarmed into the open path, we let them have it with the ballistas. The exit side was tapered to be narrower, so they were bound to get bottle-necked at the end.

It should work perfectly. Any stragglers would be taken out by the warriors. For enemies resistant to ballistas, we would open both A and B to split the horde and defeat them as they emerged.

That was the basic gist of the strategy.

Some would climb the walls, and some would fly. There would be those who didn't move as we expected, but as long as we stationed warriors for those irregularities, we should have been fine.

The key was taking proper breaks and maintaining a safety margin. The task of opening and closing the high-risk walls was assigned to Shamash-san's summoned beasts. Since she could command them from a distance, it was very convenient.

The "tug-of-war" role for the wrecking ball was also handled by golems—two of them. However, since she'd summoned five golems, she couldn't summon any more, which was a bit of a downside as we wouldn't be able to rely on Ai-chan if a really strong monster showed up.

"Jirou-san, I've been allocated five Spirit Stones as well, so leave the injuries and buffing magic to me!" Priestess-chan said.

Five Spirit Stones was a huge help. I didn't know if that was a massive amount for this country or city's budget, but I appreciated it.

"Thanks. You might have heard from Diana, but we've prepared a good amount ourselves, so let me know if you run low."

"For normal injuries, my standard magic can heal them. With this many Spirit Stones, we should be fine even for a 'Globe-Trotter.'"

"And we have you here too, Priestess-sama."

In reality, unlike the "useless elf" Diana, Priestess-chan was a proper spirit magic user.

Barrier magic, healing, buffs, enchantments... she could handle a wide variety of mystical spells. Healing magic was especially precious. Since Diana had to use Spirit Stones, it was inefficient—like using an Elixir on a minor scratch. In that regard, Priestess-chan should be able to heal cuts in an instant.

"Oh, and we've prepared plenty of food, drinks, and snacks, so please make sure to eat, too."

"I will! I've actually had a few already."

She pulled a bag of Country Ma'am cookies from her pocket and gave a bashful smile. I'd heard they were high in energy efficiency for portable rations, so I'd bought them in bulk. Plus, they just tasted good.

* * *

I parted ways with the Priestess-chan and headed to the base camp.

There, the knights were in the middle of frantic last-minute preparations.

We'd issued crossbows to the recruits. They were easy for anyone to handle and packed a decent punch.

Additionally, we provided tabi boots (Japanese split-toe boots) to everyone who wanted them, so now everyone's footwear was tabi. Honestly, it looked very out of place, but even the former mercenaries loved them. About 80% of the members were wearing them now. I could practically open a tabi shop.

Still, there wasn't much left to prepare. It was mostly just personal equipment checks, mental prep, eating, reviewing the flow of combat, and small talk. Everyone was doing their own thing.

Some looked anxious, some restless; some were chatting, and some were praying to God. But there were many anxious faces.

Understandable... They were about to fight a "Hitotsuzuki", a calamity for humanity. While the former mercenaries were used to it, the recruits had lived lives far removed from combat. Not everything would go according to plan, but when it came to the Hitotsuzuki, there were a thousand years of accumulated know-how.

I provided the material support, but on the field, I was leaving the core command to Rebecca-san and the others. I helped with the strategy, but I was leaving the execution to them.

"Too many cooks spoil the broth," as they say. I intended to fight as just another combatant.

Heheh. My magic sword was thirsty for blood this morning. Leave the "live ones" to me.

After that, I walked around, saying a few words to everyone, until I finally reached Diana and Marina.

* * *

"Sup."

"...Goshujin-sama, you certainly took a long way around to get to me."

Diana pouted as she spoke.

It was true; I had greeted everyone else first before coming to her last.

"It is because I was busy helping the Princess into her armor until just now, de-arimasu!"

Marina laughed. Just as I'd arrived at the square, Marina was indeed in the middle of fastening Diana's plate. But, of course, that wasn't the real reason for my detour.

"I didn't really have a specific reason. You two are family, so I just saved you for last. Well, everyone here is family now, I guess."

As the owner, I couldn't look like I was playing favorites with only my inner circle. This was going to be a long three-day haul. Whether or not my words actually served as encouragement, it was a necessary part of the job.

Diana was wearing the hybrid dress-armor prepared for the parade. Since she would be in the rearmost guard, the chance of her being in danger was low, but this was a Hitotsuzuki. It was better to have some protection.

Marina was in her usual gear. She had passed her halberd down to a recruit (she was quite reluctant since it was a gift from me), so lately, she'd been sticking with the Mjolnir Hammer.

Marina's hammer—worthy of its status as a boss drop—had enough power to shatter one of Shamash-san's summoned golems in a single blow. I expected she would be doing a lot of the heavy lifting today.

"Listen, there’s something I need to tell both of you. I haven’t told the other core members about this yet, but since you two are the most likely to overdo it—"

I hesitated about whether to bring this up, but some information is better shared.

"Actually... it seems I'll come back to life even if I die in this world."

"Eh?"

"Huh?"

The two of them stared at me blankly.

Yeah, I got it. Sounded like I was talking crazy.

"According to the Archmage of Phantasms, my status in this world is that of a 'Player,' and 'Players' don't stay dead. So, what I'm saying is: even if I get fatally wounded or actually die during this Hitotsuzuki, don't lose your heads. Don't go on a suicide mission trying to save me."

I couldn't help but feel that these two, especially Marina, would throw themselves into fire for me, so I had to set the record straight.

Marina and Diana were clan members, so they might revive too, but that was beside the point. If the combatants lost their cool and got picked off, the front line would collapse. If we couldn't hold this spot, the neighboring villages and Erishe would suffer, and the people there didn't get second chances.

If the Knight Order members all ended up alive and well, staring blankly at a temple while the world burned, it'd be a scandal for the ages.

"Marina cannot obey that order, de-arimasu."

Marina said it firmly.

She was no longer my slave. We had dissolved the contract before the parade and never renewed it. She had no obligation to follow my orders. And yet—

"No, you will obey. Marina, you're a veteran in the Order now; you have to think about your juniors. Don't worry about me."

"Aruji-dono is more important, de-arimasu."

Marina was unwavering. She was so straightforward it made me blush.

"Dying hurts, de-arimasu. Whether one revives or not is irrelevant. Marina is the knight who protects Aruji-dono and the Princess de-arimasu. Therefore, Marina could never, ever abandon Master, de-arimasu."

She looked me straight in the eye as she said it. Once she was like this, she wouldn't budge. She was stubborn.

"I see... I'm happy to hear that. Really. But..."

I was happy, but it was a bit problematic.

If she was like this, I couldn't fight without holding back. Not that I planned to die—but in battle, you naturally get fired up. And when that happened, I wanted to fight without hesitation.

The Hitotsuzuki would throw monsters at us nonstop. And honestly, fighting them was fun. Maybe because this world had once been a game.

...Alright. It felt bad, but I'd assign Marina to the opposite front.

"I can't fight anyway, so I have no choice but to leave it to Marina, nodesu."

Diana muttered, sounding sulky.

"Diana, you have your own fight. I've prepared plenty of Spirit Stones for you."

"I can only use simple spells anyway. It would be more meaningful if Priestess used them."

"Why are you sulking...?"

In truth, the Priestess-chan was a far better proxy for miracles. She was a professional among professionals, a veteran with over fifty years in the field.

"Diana, you're not just about spirit magic; you're the emotional pillar as the Princess. Just you cheering everyone on raises morale. That's a job no one else can do."

"...I'm sure Ion would be better at that, too."

"Seriously, why are you sulking...?"

We'd told the core members and the mercenaries about Ion's true identity.

Lately, Ion had regained her cheerfulness and got along with everyone, but she was still undeniably royalty.

Someone like Hetty-san probably felt a higher sense of loyalty toward Ion than Diana, given she was once a Holy Knight protecting the imperial family. Even the former mercenaries might find Ion more "familiar" as a royal figure. As the "Princess" of this Knight Club, Diana might have been facing a total defeat...

Hmm...

I was thinking of waiting until after things settled down because saying this now felt like a massive flag, but—

"Then, once the Hitotsuzuki is over—"

I tried to say it casually, but I tripped over my words. It was hard to get these things out. For any man.

"Once it's over, what?"

"Aruji-dono, your face is bright red, de-arimasu!"

I was blushing in spite of myself. I really couldn't do the "cool" thing when I was out of my element.

"Once the Hitotsuzuki is over... l-l-let's get married!"

"Eh?"

"Huh?"

It was a bombshell, even by my standards.

After letting out those dumbfounded noises, the two of them froze for a second before lunging at me.

"A-A-Are you serious, nodesu!?"

"With which one of us, de-arimasu!?"

"Why so suddenly!? Why say it in a place like this!? It's too late to say you're joking, I won't hear it, nodesu!!"

"Bigamy is permitted by law, de-arimasu!"

They shook me back and forth. I didn't expect this kind of reaction.

"Wait, Marina! Why are you trying to get married too, ignoring my seniority?"

"It is only natural. Aruji-dono loves Marina very much as well, de-arimasu."

"You're always going 'Princess, Princess,' but you're being quite assertive this time, aren't you?"

"I believe I have always said I would not let you monopolize Aruji-dono, de-arimasu!"

The two of them glared at each other, noses almost touching.

They're best friends... that's for sure, but Marina had a stubborn streak.

"I've loved you both since the day we met. If you told me to choose, I'd be in trouble. Besides, there's no law in this country saying I have to pick just one. If I'm getting married, it's to both of you."

I said it firmly.

It sounded incredibly scummy, but there was zero reason to apply Japanese law—the law of a single nation on Earth—to a different world on a distant star in the future.

I'd been way too cautious and held back for too long. I wanted our relationship to take the next step. Choosing marriage was my way of showing my resolve. If I just wanted a physical relationship, I could have made that happen without changing our current status.

"You are truly, truly serious, de-arimasu? Marina can believe you? You will really marry Marina as well, de-arimasu?"

Unlike Diana, who was halfway to a daze, Marina was pushing for confirmation much harder than I expected.

Marina had changed.

She was incomparable to the exhausted, zero-confidence girl she was a while back. It was hard to put into words exactly what was different. To put it simply, she had become strong.

...Well, the fact that she was peppering me with questions suggested she wasn't perfectly confident just yet, though.

"I'm dead serious. I've been thinking about it for a while. I didn't mean to say it at this exact moment, though. What about you, Diana?"

"A-Aruji-dono. I... I... I'm so happy... I'm truly happy, but... it's so sudden I can't quite process it in my head."

Diana was in a state of semi-panic. Well, it's not like I dropped many hints. Still, I'd heard that in the old world, the concept of "dating" didn't really exist, so it shouldn't have been that outrageous.

"...What about the Captain, de-arimasu?"

Marina asked in a hushed voice.

I'd known Rebecca-san just as long.

"Yeah. If Rebecca-san is okay with it, that's what I'd like."

Shello-san did ask me to look after her, after all.

Back then, I didn't have a shred of resolve, but now it's different. A big part of it is that, thanks to Mugen-san, my life back in Japan has become quite stable. The Knight Order's strength is ready. The shop is doing well.

"If that's the case—!"

Just as Diana looked up to say something, a stir broke out among the knights who were staring at the moon in the sky.

We cut our conversation short and looked up.

I checked my watch; it was exactly 9:00 AM.

—The moons, which had been drawing closer, were now perfectly joined.

Two moons of different sizes—one red, one white—were merged in the sky, looking like a celestial doughnut.

The moons flickered. They overlapped completely, becoming one.

Rings of light, ten or twenty deep, rippled out from the moon, and the stars surrounding them began to move at an impossible speed, twinkling in circular patterns. The brilliance was visible even in the clear daylight. And with every pulsation of the unified moon and the rings of light—

"Ah... ahh...!"

Diana groaned, wrapping her arms around her body.

Her legs shook violently, and she looked like she might collapse at any moment.

"P-Princess! Are you alright, de-arimasu?"

Marina moved to her side, rubbing her back.

Diana was trembling, sweat pouring down her forehead in abnormal amounts.

"The... The Principles are inverting...! That stellar alignment is a 'Globe-Trotter'...! It's even bigger than the one at the mountain... a power great enough to darken the stars...!"

Diana squeezed the words out.

So it really was a "Globe-Trotter"... There had been a chance it wasn't, but unfortunately, luck wasn't on our side. Now that it's come to this, we just have to do it.

At Rebecca-san's command, the knights moved into position. Shamash-san's summoned beasts took their posts.

The moon merged completely, its form shifting into a sinister crimson, and the sky turned into a monochrome, dull grey. It was a grand spectacle, as if the stars themselves had transformed into something unknown.

"The Principles have inverted... It is beginning."

As if Diana's murmur was the trigger, monsters began to swarm out from the forest, crashing through the underbrush.

The world's calamity, the "Hitotsuzuki."

It had finally begun.