Guests from across every realm gathered at the ancestral home of the Death King, Isis Remnant, to celebrate Christmas. Each enjoyed the festivities in their own way.
It had only been a short time since Isis had gained full control over her magic power of death, so the attendance wasn't massive. Still, far more people filled the castle halls than she could have ever imagined in the past.
Lilliwood, who was both family and a best friend to Isis, approached her as she watched the lively scene with a tender, nostalgic gaze.
"Isis, thank you for inviting me to such a wonderful party today."
"...Mhm. But... this plan... was all thanks to the Six Stars. I didn't do a thing."
After exchanging brief greetings, Lilliwood sat down in the seat next to Isis and looked out over the venue.
Kuromueina was engrossed in conversation; Megiddo was locked in a drinking contest with the Calamity God; Magnawell hovered outside the castle, leisurely chatting with guests who had come to offer their respects; and Alice was currently receiving a lecture from Iris for piling her plate with an amount of food that bordered on the obscene. These were all familiar faces to Isis and Lilliwood.
However, today there were others in attendance as well. The Three Kings of the Human Realm, Lilia Albert and her household, the otherworlders who were Kaito’s juniors, the Supreme Gods and the Creator God, and even the God of an Otherworld were all present. People who previously had no connection to Isis had accepted her invitation.
Of course, the presence of the world’s singularity—Kaito Miyama—who was currently speaking with the members of the Six Stars, played a massive role in this. But his presence alone would not have been enough to create this scene.
It was because Isis was slowly but surely being accepted by the people of this world that this sight existed today.
"This is the scene from the dream you once had... isn't it?"
"...No. It’s different."
"Oh?"
"...I won't say my dream has come true yet. Because what I see before me isn't some fantasy that will eventually vanish. It is the 'precious now' that I must protect. I’m still in the process of turning my dream into reality."
Seeing Isis smile so gently, Lilliwood found a natural smile crossing her own face.
"You’ve grown strong. Whether it's your inner composure or your newfound aura, you truly seem quite queenly now."
"...Do you think so? If that's true, then I think I was 'made into a queen.' Because my beloved Kaito is here... because my precious everyone is here... and because I want to protect those smiles. I want to be strong for them."
"In the past, you couldn't think that way. But seeing you now, I feel the day your dream becomes a reality isn't very far off."
"...Thank you."
Unlike the years she spent merely chasing after what she lacked, Isis had grown immensely because she had finally found something she wanted to protect. She had grown so much, in fact, that she had achieved complete control over her magic power of death—a feat Kuromueina estimated would take thousands of years—in less than a single century.
"...A dream?"
"My?"
"Ah, please excuse me for interrupting. I happened to hear you mention 'Isis-sama's dream' and couldn't help myself..."
"No, I don't mind at all."
Polaris, who had been standing relatively close to them, had reacted to Lilliwood's words. Drawn by her interest, the other members of the Six Stars turned their gazes toward Isis. Offering a light smile, Isis slowly shared her thoughts.
"...A long time ago, when I first built this castle, I hoped it would one day become somewhere warm and lively. A place filled with many smiles."
Hearing those words, the eyes of the Six Stars welled with tears. Though they had only been her subordinates for a few years, they knew that Isis had spent an eternity in profound solitude.
"...It was a dream I once almost gave up on. But thanks to everyone, it's coming true little by little. That makes me so happy. Everyone... thank you for becoming my subordinates... no, for becoming my family."
"?! Then let's make it happen!"
"...Eh?"
"That dream is going to come true! No, we’re going to make it happen!"
Her eyes brimming with tears at the emotion of being called family, Vulpecula declared her intent forcefully. She would make Isis’s wish come true. And she was not the only one who felt that way.
"Yes, please leave it to us. We shall certainly bring Isis-sama's dream to fruition! Rest easy, as if you were aboard a great ship of rock."
"That sounds like a ship more likely to sink than a boat made of mud. Setting aside that muscle-brained woman's idiotic remark, it's helpful to have a clear future goal. Research is one thing, but efficiency always rises when the objective is well-defined."
Following Vulpecula, Sirius and Rasal spoke with smiles meant to reassure their master.
"That's right. Smiles make everything better. It's a truly wonderful dream, and I want to see it realized as well."
"It isn't as if it's such a difficult goal. Isis-sama is kind, and the world's opinion of her is mostly based on prejudice anyway. Once they know what Isis-sama is truly like, those foolish misunderstandings will naturally dissolve. Don't you agree, Head-dono?"
"Indeed. our future course is set. We shall make this castle a warm place overflowing with smiles. Heh, it's a fine dream."
Spica, Polaris, and Iris all spoke with expressions full of motivation. Just like that, the members of the Six Stars began consulting one another regarding their new mission.
"If it's just a matter of making things lively, shall I release my legions of the dead into the castle?"
"Who told you to make things 'lively' with the groans of zombies, you idiot Rasal? More importantly, the problem is that there are too few people visiting the Land of Death. That's why so many fools don't understand Isis-sama's kindness."
"I see. Even without suddenly increasing the number of subordinates, increasing the number of visitors to the Land of Death is a sound strategy."
Iris took on a pensive expression as she considered Vulpecula’s point.
"Then how about creating a tourist destination? There are many who hold prejudices not just toward Isis-sama, but toward the Land of Death itself. I think that would be a good move to improve our image."
"In that case, how about the flower gardens I'm making? They're beautiful with all the Blue Crystal Flowers. If that makes more people like them, I'd be happy too."
"But the terrain in that area is a bit rough. Shall I tear down the craggy mountains and glaciers to level the ground?"
Polaris, Spica, and Sirius joined the conversation, and the discussion shifted toward creating a full-scale tourist attraction in the Land of Death.
"Then let's just build a city! The Land of Death is quite vast, and since there are several mines where excavation has already finished, we could use those locations..."
"If that's the case, we'll need to pay attention to cold protection. Not everyone who visits will be powerful. The cold here will be harsh for commoners. Polaris, can you block the cold with Permanent-type Barrier Magic?"
"If I'm to make it self-sustaining, I won't say it's impossible, but it would require a massive amount of Magic Crystals. However, merely mitigating the temperature would be easy."
From the castle interior to the exterior, from a tourist spot to a full-fledged city... the conversation and the dream grew larger and more brilliant by the second.
"If it's to be a city, we'll need to maintain the roads. Well, I suppose we can leave that to Sirius, since she has strength to spare."
"I have no confidence in paving them into pretty shapes, you know? Lend me that pointlessly cunning head of yours to help, Rasal."
"Hmm, it would be great if we had a Gate too, but that's a bit too difficult for just us. I'd love to have someone like Gluttony of the Ten Demons or another person who specializes in Space-Time Magic help us out."
Isis watched the Six Stars speak so earnestly with a surprised expression, which eventually gave way to a soft smile. Kaito sat down beside her, wearing a similar expression.
"It looks like 'Isis-san's dream' became 'everyone's dream' in the blink of an eye. They’re a wonderful family, aren't they?"
"...Mhm. Kind and warm. And as if it were the most natural thing in the world, they chase that dream together with me. My precious, pride-worthy family."
Not a single member of the Six Stars had heard Isis's dream and responded with detached well-wishes. "Let's make it happen," they had said. They saw the same dream as Isis and immediately began moving to make it a reality. For them, Isis's wish was their own. This loyalty and the depth of their bonds made Isis feel overwhelmingly happy.
Kaito gently took Isis's hand and smiled at her.
"Of course, I'll help too."
"...Mhm! I'm so happy."
With eyes glistening, Isis showed a smile that came from the very bottom of her heart. She cherished the happiness of having met Kaito—the person who was the beginning of everything and the man she loved more than any other.
At the same time, she held a firm resolve to make the future she would spend with Kaito and her family in the Six Stars a truly happy one.
The great moon visible from the castle window and the stars shimmering beside it cast a warm light over them, as if blessing their path forward.
This was the moment that marked the birth of Crystal City.
Bonus
Mysterious Swordsman (Ideal)
A master swordsman who exists only within Sirius's mind. An Insectoid-type demon who uses a versatile, ever-changing swordsmanship called the "Transcendent Soaring Snake Style," which presumably mimics a dragon.
The swordsman once accepted Sirius's challenge, brushed her aside with overwhelming power, and left coolly after saying, "Get stronger..."
As a beetle-type Insectoid demon, the gender is unknown, but the brave horn piercing the heavens and the jet-black, diamond-like shell left a strong impression. The two swords used were masterpieces unlike anything Sirius had ever seen to this day.
To Sirius, this figure is a goal she wishes to surpass, as well as an idol. She has sworn that she will not call herself the strongest swordsman in the Demon Realm until she overcomes this mysterious warrior. For some reason, no information about them exists at all, and there are no records of anyone other than Sirius ever meeting them.
Mysterious Swordsman (Reality)
Alice, who suffered a temporary relapse of "Chuunibyou" after successfully forging two swords that were unprecedented masterpieces.
She was playing around in a beetle kigurumi and calling her style the "Transcendent Beautiful Girl Style" when she happened to be spotted by Sirius, who challenged her to a duel. She defeated Sirius quickly and left the scene with a dramatic finishing line.
She was aware that Sirius was training desperately with the "Mysterious Swordsman" as her goal, but because the image in Sirius's mind had become so transcendently beautified, Alice couldn't bring herself to say anything and ultimately gave up on telling her the truth.
The two masterpiece swords she used back then were given to Kaito as commemorative gifts for the Six Kings Festival, effectively dumping the problem on him.
"If it's Kaito-san... he'll surely turn them into some kind of nice flag..."
Because Kaito has forgotten about the existence of those swords while they are tucked away in his Magic Box, the truth hasn't come out. However, it seems he would be in for a lot of scolding if it ever did.