Inside one particularly opulent room within the Royal Castle of the Kingdom of Sinfonia, the leaders of the three nations of the Human Realm had gathered.
This was the site of the Three Nations Joint Conference, an event held once a year over the course of ten days. It was a summit where the Three Kings of the Human Realm assembled to exchange national intelligence and discuss the state of the world at large.
The host nation rotated annually, and this year, it was the Kingdom of Sinfonia's turn.
Only a select few were permitted inside the chamber. From the Kingdom of Sinfonia, there was King Ryze and his officially designated successor, Crown Prince Amalie. From the Arclesia Empire, there was Empress Chris and two of her closest confidants acting as aides. From the Hydra Kingdom, there was King Laguna and her personal supervisor—a total of only six people in the room.
Furthermore, only the three monarchs sat at the table for direct discussion; the companions, Amalie included, waited a short distance away.
"Sigh... Even so, Lady Amalie has truly begun to show the dignity of a future monarch. Well, considering young Ryze's age, the actual succession is likely a long way off, but one certainly feels the march of time... So, why am I still the one wearing the crown?! I've finally hit the big four-digit mark! How long do you people intend to keep slaving an old woman away...?"
"Hahaha, it simply means your people love you too much to let go. Besides, Your Majesty, it’s hard to call yourself a frail elder when you’re still engaging in monthly duels with the Duke, the strongest knight in my kingdom. You lack persuasion."
Ryze replied with a wry smile to Laguna’s grumbling. Indeed, even though it was a summit between world powers, there was only so much to debate over the course of ten days. Much of their time was spent in exactly this kind of idle chatter.
"Speaking of which, I heard the Hydra Kingdom recently held something called a King Election?"
"...As usual, Lady Chris is quick to hear the news. Indeed, I proposed it on the logic that if the assemblymen are chosen by vote, then the King should also be chosen by the will of the people. But... what on earth is this 'ninety-nine percent' vote rate?! For that matter, why did the other candidates vote for me too?! Didn't they run for office because they actually wanted to be King?!"
"If I were to guess, Your Majesty Laguna likely forced the election because you were desperate to resign, and the other candidates were only there by the recommendation of others. And that remaining one percent? It probably wasn't votes for your opponents, but rather invalid ballots."
"Truly... when... when can I finally stop being King...?"
Indeed, even among the three nations, Laguna’s approval rating as the ruler of the Hydra Kingdom was staggering. She herself was dying to quit, but her administrative abilities were peerless. Though she might slack off and sneak out of the castle, she had never missed a single assembly meeting in her life.
She was a world-class hero, progressive regarding citizen-centered reforms, and possessed a personality that made her beloved by all. Having served as King for a millennium, she was the very symbol of her nation. For the citizens of the Hydra Kingdom, a world without Laguna on the throne was simply inconceivable.
Empress Chris gave a wry smile, thinking that the day Laguna would finally be allowed to retire would likely never come.
Suddenly, the door to the conference room was thrown open with great force.
"Forgive the interruption! I have an urgent matter!"
"...Orchid?"
The one who rushed in looking utterly frantic was the First Prince of Sinfonia, Orchid. However, this was a highly irregular occurrence. This room was restricted to the three monarchs and their hand-picked companions; even a member of the royal family like Orchid was forbidden from entering during a session unless it was a dire emergency.
Naturally, Orchid was well aware of this, and the atmosphere in the room immediately grew tense.
"There is something I must bring to the attention of His Majesty and the Crown Prince immediately!"
"...Is it a matter of such gravity that it warrants interrupting a summit of the three nations?"
"Yes!"
"Very well, speak."
At Ryze’s inquiry, Orchid nodded without hesitation. Imagining some grand catastrophe or the appearance of a catastrophic monster, Ryze waited—only for Orchid to speak with a voice brimming with excitement and joy.
"A letter just arrived from Kaito! He has officially decided to establish his permanent residence here in the Sinfonia Royal Capital!"
Orchid's announcement brought a sudden, heavy silence to the room.
A moment later, Ryze and Amalie both pumped their fists in an enthusiastic victory pose.
"...Yes! Perfect!! I see! As expected of Miyama-kun!"
"Ugh... I—I knew it would happen..."
"I knew the probability was high... but this is far sooner than I anticipated..."
While Ryze shouted in pure triumph, Laguna and Chris wore expressions of deep regret and envy.
Kaito choosing to live in the Kingdom of Sinfonia—specifically the Royal Capital—was a monumental event. They couldn't use Kaito for political leverage, of course; any attempt to do so would literally result in the nation's destruction.
However... simply having Kaito there was enough. His mere presence brought benefits that were almost too vast to calculate. Kaito was, quite literally, the Singularity of this world.
Kaito having a home in the capital meant that the Six Kings, the Supreme Gods, and even the Creator God would frequent the city just to visit him. There was even a non-zero chance they might stop by the Royal Castle on their way.
Everyone in the room understood the implications. Because of this, Crown Prince Amalie moved with lightning speed.
"Your Majesty! I will personally take command of the logistical arrangements!"
"Ah, yes, quite right. We’ll need to draft special legal exemptions for the property. I'm sure you understand, but..."
"Of course. Every single one of Miyama-sama's requests will be granted without exception."
"Excellent! In that case... No... wait!"
"...Father?"
Just as Ryze was about to enthusiastically approve Amalie's initiative, he suddenly seemed to realize something. The color drained from his face.
"...Amalie, Orchid... do you remember that about a year ago, the Phantasm King-sama left a large, sealed envelope with us? She said, 'Open this only when the time is right.'"
"Yes, we have it under strict guard in the—Wait, you don't mean!?"
"...Yes. I believe that right now is exactly the 'right time' she meant."
"I—I’ll fetch it immediately!"
Hearing Ryze’s words, both Amalie and Orchid turned pale. Orchid sprinted toward the treasury. Chris and Laguna also looked grim, sensing a bad omen at the mention of the Phantasm King.
Before long, Orchid returned clutching a thick envelope.
"I have it!"
"...Open it."
Ryze gave the order with a tense expression. When Orchid broke the seal, several documents and a letter emerged. Orchid’s face went from pale to ghostly white, and his voice trembled as he spoke.
"...There are several files and... a personal letter."
"...Read it aloud."
"Understood. Here goes... 'If you're reading this letter, it probably means Kaito-san has finally said he wants to build a house, right?'"
"..."
At that moment, the realization hit Chris and Laguna as well. Ryze had said the Phantasm King left this a year ago. That meant the Phantasm King—Alice—had foreseen this entire sequence of events with terrifying precision.
"...'By the way, are you currently in the middle of the Three Nations Joint Conference? If so, it saves me some trouble, so please share the contents with Chris-san and Laguna-san as well, okay?'"
The entire room fell into a stunned silence. It wasn't just the Kings; every person present was speechless.
"...'Predicting from Kaito-san's personality, the local situation, and the necessary administrative steps, I expect Kaito-san will return to this world in roughly two years. To be precise, about one year and eight months. I assume he'll bring it up within a few days of his return... so that should put it right around the time of the joint conference, I think?'"
It was a level of foresight that bordered on the divine. The only thing those listening could feel was a cold, creeping dread.
"...'Well, since this all depends on Kaito-san, things might shift a little, so if I got the timing right, consider it a little treat from me. Please deliver the attached documents to Chris-san and Laguna-san. Now then, let's get down to business. I have a small favor to ask of the Three Kings, so listen closely.'"
And so, across a gap of one year, the demands of the Phantasm King—the woman with the greatest intellect in the world—were thrust upon the monarchs.
Serious-senpai: "...I was just thinking."
???: "About what?"
Serious-senpai: "...You, or rather, Alice... you act all casual and call yourself his partner and best friend, but in reality, you're one of the most madly-in-love-with-Kaito characters in the entire story, aren't you?"
???: "...Hah? N-No way, what are you talking about? Look, I'll admit Alice-chan loves Kaito-san. They're lovers, so that’s a given. But to say I'm the top one or two in the story is just..."
Serious-senpai: "You claim Kaito has no privacy from you, yet 'whenever Kaito and another lover are alone together, you move a distance away so you can't hear their conversation while you guard them.'"
???: "...Urgh. Right, I suppose there was a setting like that."
Serious-senpai: "Whenever Kaito wants something, even though you put up a front of demanding payment, you’re 'the very first to have it ready for him.'"
???: "...N-No, that's just a business opportunity..."
Serious-senpai: "And whenever Kaito is in a bind, you 'work tirelessly in the shadows and the light' to ensure the outcome is a happy one for him..."
???: "...Can we stop this? It's starting to hurt."
Serious-senpai: "In the first place, you've made yourself the head of Kaito's security, appearing the second he calls for you... and no matter how much you play the fool, you can't hide your 'Love Aura' at all, can you?"
???: "...S-Shall we close our mouths now?"
Serious-senpai: "...Not to mention, the moment he came back, you were practically begging to be held..."
???: "Listen here, Pseudo-Serious. If you don't want to be ground into coarsely ground Hamburg steak, I suggest you shut that mouth of yours right this instant."
Serious-senpai: "...! Y-Yes, sir!"