Once that bastard Amada’s wedding was finally over, a message arrived from the Ogre God Nation.
Apparently, after someone threw the mascot of the Round 1-2-3 entertainment center into a river, the local baseball team had fallen into a slump!
How should I know, you moron? I’ll kill you!
Still, the people of the Ogre God Nation were mostly good-natured folks. I decided I’d work them to the bone as voluntee—I mean, I’d perform a charity project.
A ditch cleaning project, to be precise.
I funded the operation entirely with my personal assets. Speaking of my personal wealth... I’d indirectly funneled a staggering amount into Amada’s wedding. Normally, one would expect my balance to decrease.
But it actually increased.
Royalties from the broadcast, event revenue, stocks, short-term bonds...
Money was flowing in from places I didn't even know existed.
I hadn't even realized I was a major shareholder in the entertainment agency representing the talents who performed!
Fine. I’d use that money for charity.
Su-san—Lou-chan’s mama—contacted me then.
"I’d like permission to cover the project for a program."
"Ah, sure. I’ll let the organizers know."
I sent word to the group hosting the ditch cleaning project.
Wait, they’re turning it into a full-blown TV show?
Whatever, that’s fine. This was my personal project, so I could grant permission however I liked.
"Sure, sure, do whatever you want."
I figured we might as well do the rivers in Chronos as a rehearsal. The river infrastructure was still in the middle of repairs after being completely wrecked during the war, so things had gotten pretty filthy.
"You want to cover this one first?"
"Roger that!"
In that case, I needed to notify the palace and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
On the day of the cleanup, I headed to a river near the palace, holding hands with Lou-chan. Kinako and Daifuku stayed behind to watch the house. I figured this was just a small-scale volunteer effort by the Kamishiro Clan, so we could just catch some critters while we picked up trash.
But when we reached the riverbank, there was a massive crowd.
Something was wrong.
I sent the Imperial Guard Knights serving as my escort to scout the situation. They returned with Su-san, who was dressed in her full professional gear.
"It seems there was a breakdown in communication... this has become an event co-hosted by the media."
"How did that happen?"
Apparently, it had evolved into a massive spectacle featuring idol groups, actors, and comedians.
"Well, fine. Let’s go."
As I approached the crowd with Lou-chan in tow, the masses parted like the Red Sea.
"The King is here!"
"Move it! Get out of the way!"
"Make a path!"
"Hello, hello~"
Nodding to everyone, I walked toward the river with Lou-chan and Su-san. A young comedian was busy greeting the other volunteers.
"It’s the King!"
"The King’s here!"
"Whoa! It’s the real deal!"
"It’s the actual Leo Kamishiro Chronos!"
I kept moving deeper into the site, waving to people alongside Lou-chan. Eventually, I spotted Wifey, Claire, and the others.
"How did it come to this...?"
Wifey and Claire were both cradling their heads in their hands. It turned out that, just like me, they had each reached out to different departments, and without any of us knowing, the scale of the project had snowballed into something gargantuan.
I felt that. I’d honestly thought this was going to be a small local volunteer thing.
"Ahahaha! You’re family, so your behavior patterns are starting to look identical!"
Melissa was laughing her head off. Ren silently poured tea. Tatiana, One-oh-one, and Shiyun were already giving interviews.
Shiyun, in particular, was making waves. "I wish to follow this example in my own Taikyoku Nation," she commented.
Basically, she was telling the Taikyoku Nation, "Do this right now, as an emergency!"... Well, whatever.
Tatiana, on the other hand, was cracking up as she told the reporters, "The colony I was born in had a terrible time with water pollution, too. I mean, I’m a clone, so it’s not technically my own memory, though!"
The reporters looked frozen, unable to find a response to that.
Tatiana... your jokes are a bit too dark sometimes...
One-oh-one was as energetic as ever, shouting, "I’ll do my best, sir!"
The actual cleaning proceeded at a brisk pace. After all, this was a river right next to the palace. It wasn't actually that dirty. This was an expensive area where the elite lived; nobody was throwing trash in the river here.
The only real damage was from the Locust Terrorist Attack—debris, fence fragments, and bits of destroyed buildings.
Still, it was fine. We had to start with the easy spots before rolling it out nationwide. And hey, we had a massive budget.
It seemed an event company had already taken the reins; things were moving forward with incredible momentum. The only ones out of the loop were us—the people who had actually ordered the work in the first place. Hahaha!
The "trash" we were pulling out was mostly things that had blown in or rubble from the attack. Occasionally, someone would find a fragment of a locust and scream. The soft parts had been eaten away by the river life, but the exoskeletons remained.
Then—and this was something we had all underestimated—we found skeletal remains.
And not just one or two. There were many. While some had been found during construction work elsewhere, we’d assumed most had been recovered by now. These were likely people who had jumped into the river to escape the locusts and succumbed there.
"Contact the police and the Chronos Religion immediately!"
Wifey, who excelled at managing irregular situations, immediately took charge. The police on security detail rushed over, and Chronos Religion Priests were on the scene in moments.
"What should we do first?"
From this point on, it was my job as the Grand Duke. I had to perform the proper rites.
"We will immediately perform the Ritual to Pray for the Peace of the Dead!"
First came the determination of death. Even if it was obvious, it was the police's duty to make it official. Kevin, our team of doctors, and volunteer Chronosian physicians set to work writing death certificates—the kind that simply confirmed the fact of death.
The detailed autopsies could wait; we had to perform the Ritual for the Requiem first.
The festive atmosphere vanished instantly, but seeing us work so earnestly, the volunteers joined us in prayer. More priests arrived from the headquarters, including high-ranking executives.
For some reason, they were deeply moved that I had notified them.
I immediately made a donation to the religion. After all, mobilizing this many people on such short notice was a massive undertaking. The event organizers—me—had to cover the costs.
The clergy were incredibly grateful.
"I apologize for the sudden request today," I said, bowing.
"No, no. We are profoundly grateful for the respect you show our culture and doctrine."
The high-ranking officials led the prayers. We kept it simple for now, with plans for a joint funeral once the investigation was complete. Any remains that could be identified would be returned to their families for private services.
Local politicians and ministers rushed to the scene. The Governor, who had been in work clothes to volunteer, hurried to the palace to change into formal mourning attire before returning.
The media coverage shifted into a solemn documentary style. It was the top news story everywhere.
Even the volunteers joined in the simple ritual.
I reflected on whether I had been too flippant about the project, but a priest thanked me with tears in his eyes. It seemed they had been afraid I might prioritize my own Shrines over their faith.
Not a chance. I always make sure to stay on good terms with local religious organizations. Cultural aggression only leads to conflict.
Because I followed the proper channels and showed respect, I didn't face any criticism. Honestly, they could have been a little angry with me; the fact was, I had lacked delicacy.
In the wake of this incident, volunteer groups began forming across the country—groups dedicated to searching for remains and clearing debris. They were taking over where the government couldn't reach.
Cleaning efforts continue at the river near the palace, led by volunteers.
And every time, we’re right there with them.