The Central Tower soared above the heart of the city. The plaza surrounding it was so massive that a whole village could have fit inside.
Even though the festival didn't officially start until tomorrow, the crowds were already immense—a testament to the event's scale. Since the Demon Realm's population was largely ageless, the numbers were staggering. Even with an invitation-only system, a sea of people had gathered.
Guided by Kuro, I stepped into the colossally oversized tower.
"By the way, does this tower serve any purpose other than the party on the final day?"
"Oh, this place? My family and everyone’s subordinates are staying here. But the thirty floors below the top floor are reserved just for you, Kaito-kun."
"...The scale is just ridiculous."
That basically meant an entire skyscraper was my personal lodging. Just what kind of place was I being taken to?
With a mix of anticipation and anxiety, I entered the building. The first floor was a cavernous lobby, dotted with massive magic circles.
"...What are those magic circles for?"
"They’re for teleporting to the various floors. The Central Tower has so many levels that taking the stairs would be a nightmare."
"I see... So, do we use one of those?"
"Nope. You get to use the central magic circle, Kaito-kun. It’s for your exclusive use!"
Wait, another public display of VIP treatment? Teleporting from a dedicated circle right in the middle of a crowded lobby... This level of special treatment was so extreme it was actually making me restless.
Feeling a barrage of stares, I followed Kuro to the center of the magic circle and finally arrived at the accommodation prepared for us.
"...What is this? What’s going on here?"
"Ehehe, how do you like it? Pretty amazing, right?"
"No, 'amazing' doesn't even begin to describe it... Why is there a blue sky indoors?! And is that a giant lake with boats over there?!"
"You can go fishing too!"
I was greeted by a vast meadow and a lake. No, none of this made any sense. Then, my eyes drifted further.
"Why is there a castle?!"
"It's styled after your world, Kaito-kun!"
No, no, nobody in my world lives in a castle anymore! Well, maybe someone somewhere does, but still!
And the castle wasn't the only thing. Surrounding it were numerous magic circles like the one downstairs; I could only imagine where they all led.
"...Out of curiosity, what do those magic circles do?"
"Let's see. They connect to the pool, the arena, the shopping district... and all sorts of other places! The circles behind the building can take you to different areas of the festival venue, and there’s even one inside for the hot spring!"
"...This is too much. You even have a hot spring?"
"Yep. It's the free-flowing kind, straight from the source!"
"Where on earth is the 'source' in an indoor facility?!"
Everything was beyond the realm of common sense. My head began to throb as we walked along the lakeshore toward the castle. When we reached the front, the massive gates swung open as if sensing my arrival, and Ein-san emerged from within.
"Welcome, Kaito-sama. As you may have heard, I will be attending to your personal needs from today until the conclusion of the Six Kings Festival."
"Ah, right. I... I look forward to your help."
"Then, please, follow me..."
Ein-san gave a graceful bow and led us inside. The interior featured hallways that looked like they belonged in a royal palace.
"The inside is Western-style?!"
"Oh, don't worry. We have proper tatami rooms as well."
"...Right. I’ve lost track of what I should even be worrying about anymore."
Still, the place was breathtaking. Every decoration in the hallway looked absurdly expensive. Being treated like a state guest was making me incredibly nervous.
Guided by Ein-san, the first room we were shown, for some reason, was the bedroom. It was a tatami room, but it had a bed. A bed sitting right on top of the tatami. I decided not to comment.
The bed itself was colossal. It was so huge that even Megiddo-san could have stretched out comfortably; it was at a level where I didn't even know how one person was supposed to use that much space.
And then, I noticed four pillows lined up side-by-side.
"...Hey, Kuro."
"Yeah?"
"Why are there four pillows?"
"Eh? They're for you, me, Isis, and Shaltier!"
"..."
Wait, why was she acting like that was a given? She was casually suggesting that the four of us would sleep together. Was she serious? Is that really what was happening?
"...I hate to even ask, but... are you and the others actually staying in this suite too, Kuro?"
"That’s right! We’re all staying together, so let’s make sure to take baths together again, okay?"
"..."
She was trying to kill me. This girl was clearly intent on obliterating my sanity.
If this was going to be my life for the next seven days, what was going to happen to me? I wasn't joking; I was genuinely concerned.
As I stood there, speechless, Ein-san glided over and whispered softly in my ear.
"...If it is what Kaito-sama desires, I am also prepared to provide nightly care. Please do not hesitate to ask at any time."
Why are you joining in too?! Stop, don't whisper in my ear with such a sultry voice! That's super effective on a virgin!
What was this overwhelming sense of dread regarding the week ahead? Would I truly be able to make it through the Six Kings Festival in one piece?
Dear Mother, Father—The accommodation I was shown was beyond common sense in every way. But even more shocking than that was the news that I’ll be living with Kuro and the others for the duration of the festival. This might just be the start of an unprecedentedly difficult battle.