"—So that's roughly what happened." Merry listened to Naoki's account of the week in Mifune City, and in the dream world, she comforted him with words while secretly laughing her head off.
"But speaking of, I didn't expect Atalanta to fall for you too. If you count the time, you've known each other for six years, right? It's a miracle you two held back for so long."
"Do I look like some automatic human-shaped gun that pounces on every beautiful woman I see?" Naoki rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I admit I'm a bit of a womanizer, but not to the extent you're making it out to be."
"A bit? You can replace 'a bit' with 'very,' you know—Your Majesty has long surpassed the level of a mere womanizer. With the current trend, it doesn't seem impossible to fully replicate the Knights of the Round Table (Harem), maybe even on a larger scale."
"Are you kidding?"
"Not kidding." Merry laughed. "By the way, about Miss Ryougi… That important person said all that, so has there been any progress in your relationship? Like, say, negative-distance physical contact?"
"If it got to that point, Shiki would probably activate her Mystic Eyes and cut me down, wouldn't she? Let's just say it's the same as before—taking it slow."
"Don't forget there's still Miss Root waiting for you. But with two Miss Roots already at home, as a specialist in outsmarting the Root, you're probably fine, right?"
"Stop giving me weird nicknames. Instead of talking about my business, why don't you tell me about you? How's things at home?"
Without answering immediately, Merry snapped her fingers, and a screen appeared in front of Naoki, showing various daily routines at Camelot Apartments.
"No changes. If anything, it's been a bit quiet since you've been gone. Even teasing Manaka-chan isn't as fun. But that new Miss Tsuru is quite interesting. She says I have great potential to be an idol~ What do you think, should I try becoming an idol too?"
An idol? Merry?
"I think you should discuss this with Merlin in this world. You two would get along perfectly, really."
"Really? Then I'll talk to him later. Sounds like it could be a very interesting project."
Hearing Merry say that, Naoki decided that when he woke up, he'd better warn Roman to watch out for internet scams.
It was now the eighth day since Naoki left the Clock Tower. After spending a week with Atalanta and Shiki in Mifune City, he and Gray flew to their third destination—Antarctica.
Or more precisely, Chaldea.
In fact, his body was currently on a plane heading to Antarctica.
"Big Brother… Big Brother…"
At that moment, Gray's voice echoed in the dream world.
"We're about to land, Big Brother. Wake up."
"Oh, looks like it's time. It's still pretty cold in Antarctica, Your Majesty. Be careful not to get kicked into the sea by a penguin and freeze into a popsicle."
"If you want, I can toss you into the Arctic Ocean when I get back."
"How scary~ I'll head out first, then."
Waving her hand, Merry's figure vanished before Naoki. As she disappeared, Naoki felt his consciousness rising, and the scenery around him seemed to swirl.
When the scenery stabilized, Naoki saw Gray's face very close to his.
Seeing Naoki wake up, Gray smiled immediately. "Good morning, Big Brother. Sleep well?"
"I got a bit bothered by Merry in the dream, so I wouldn't call it a good sleep."
"Sister Merry… Hmph, when we get back, I'll give her a piece of my mind."
(Gray, are you sure you won't end up being teased instead? By the way, kid, it's not morning. It's already evening local time. You slept a long time—did you stay up all night before boarding?)
Staying up all night…
Naoki gave a wry smile. "If it was just staying up, that'd be fine. I underestimated Miss Kitty's stamina… No wonder she could last three days and three nights in mythology. It's the first time I felt I might actually be completely drained."
Compared to Atalanta, Aoko and Riddell were downright weak. Even combined, they couldn't match Atalanta alone.
Hearing what her brother said, Gray's face instantly flushed.
She had arrived in Mifune City on the second night after Naoki. Since he and Atalanta didn't bother hiding their activities, she knew everything—in fact, you could say she overheard it all through the walls every day.
(Another rival…)
[It's your own fault, silly Gray. Why didn't you act sooner? You got overtaken again, didn't you?]
Add, with a soft voice, nudged Gray's body and teased her. Speaking as if she genuinely wanted Gray to do better, it made Gray want to bury her head in her clothes.
At the same time—
"Attention all passengers, this plane will be landing shortly."
A voice came over the plane's intercom. But in truth, the only passengers were Naoki and Gray. The plane itself belonged to the Animusphere family, typically used for transporting goods. Chaldea, located in Antarctica, hadn't officially started operations yet, so supplies were delivered by plane or ship.
This time, at Marisbury's request, the plane was specifically used for something other than cargo.
Opening the curtain beside him, Naoki looked down at the vast expanse of white snow. After passing through a roaring blizzard, a U-shaped white building quickly came into view.
That was his destination. A facility recently completed, located on the Antarctic continent. An observatory watching over the entire Earth from the void, ensuring the continuation of humanity.
The Organization for the Preservation of Human Order, Finis Chaldea.
"I'm finally here?"
Gazing at the familiar place, a hint of nostalgia flickered in Naoki's eyes. It had been twelve years since he arrived in this world. After countless events and meeting many people, he was finally returning to this place.
"I'm back, Chaldea."