"Ah—"
Over the course of two or three days, the natives from Disboard gradually settled down in the capital.
They began observing this advanced civilization of another world from an entirely new perspective.
Shipgirls, Spirits, dragon girls, Heroic Spirits... the racial diversity within the Starsea Empire far surpassed that of Disboard, and each race originated from completely different worldviews.
Aside from all of them appearing to be beautiful young women on the surface, there was almost no common ground to be found.
"Master, Master, when can we go fight aliens again?"
"Master, how many alien monsters have you hunted? Honkai Beasts? Are they stronger than the Dragonia? ..."
Jibril clung to Setsuna's side, looking around as she toured the place.
She had developed immense interest in the Starsea Empire's history of conquest.
The Flügel were born for battle, and the scale and frequency of the Starsea Empire's wars across different universes far exceeded the intensity of the conflicts on Disboard.
Especially inside the exhibition hall, when she saw dangerous species and magical beasts preserved as specimens, Jibril's eyes practically shone.
"If you want to go out and fight, you'll have to wait until your strength improves a bit more."
Setsuna tapped Jibril lightly on the head.
"Wait until the Research Division finishes genetic modification and weapon upgrades for the Flügel. Right now, every time you use Heavenly Smite you turn into a little girl. What kind of combat effectiveness is that?"
"The enemies we'll face in the future will be stronger, and we'll be fighting in outer space and higher dimensions. You're still lacking."
"Ugh..."
Jibril held her head and muttered.
"The Research Division said it'll still take a long time..."
"Besides, Commander, don't you like cute girls? So even if I shrink a bit, it shouldn't matter, right...?"
"???"
Setsuna suspected she had been corrupted during her confinement aboard Eternal Snowfall—most likely by Grey.
"Oh..."
Beside the two of them, Schwi and Shiro were also holding his hands.
The two little girls curiously looked around the capital of the Starsea Empire.
Being abruptly thrown from a closed research institute into the capital of an interstellar empire left Shiro, who had severe social anxiety, extremely uncomfortable.
She clutched tightly at the corner of Setsuna's clothes, refusing to let go.
"Brother... is this... where Commander Big Brother lives? ..."
"Mm. It'll be where you live from now on too."
Setsuna rubbed Shiro's head.
From a roadside stall opened by Angeloids, he casually grabbed a few desserts and handed them to her.
"Brother... can you always play games with me?"
Shiro looked up and asked.
"When I have time, yes. But I can't do it every day. I still have matters from other worlds to handle."
Setsuna replied with a smile.
The clinginess of a withdrawn little girl was extremely strong. Even the shipgirls found it hard to truly connect with Shiro.
"Eh..."
Shiro looked slightly disappointed.
"If you want to play games... I do know a good place."
They passed through the capital streets.
Soon, they arrived at a certain residence within the city.
From within the villa complex, shrieks of various girls could often be heard.
"Parry! Parry!! Ahhhhh! You shrimp-brained longsword player!!"
"Nyarko, if you keep playing longsword I'm kicking you out!!!"
"Where's Kuuko? Kuuko, get over here—"
A group of Cthulhu girls were thoroughly enjoying the Starsea Empire's advanced entertainment industry here.
From Nyarlathotep and Shub-Niggurath among the Three Pillar Gods, down to various Old Ones and their dependents, they were all gathered together. If it weren't for the heavy workload within the Cosmic Union back in Nyarlathotep's universe, Azathoth would probably have come over to experience it as well.
"Commander? Come play with us?"
A green-haired little Cthulhu girl popped her head out.
"No, no, no. I brought you a new companion."
Setsuna patted Shiro.
"You can play together from now on."
"Oh, and be mindful—she's just an ordinary human who loves games."
"Ohhh?!—"
The Cthulhu girls examined Shiro several times over.
The best way to communicate with a game addict was, of course, through games. In the entire Starsea Empire, the most suitable place for Shiro was playing alongside the Cthulhu girls.
With the moral standards of these outer god girls practically model citizens, Setsuna had no worries about accidents. It would also help Shiro make a few friends along the way.
"Alright then, what do you like to play?"
Kuuko readily agreed.
"Board games, tactical war simulations, ARPGs... anything's fine. I'm not very good at RTS or fighting games."
At the mere mention of games, Shiro's previously unfocused eyes immediately lit up.
Taking the controller, she began battling the Cthulhu girls for three hundred rounds.
"Then let's start a game of Hearts of Iron. Don't worry, the internal version in the Starsea Empire is pure—no microtransactions. It's different from the export edition."
As the host, the outer god girl was extremely generous.
"Go ahead, pick any country you like. The Soviet Union, Germany, America—they're all fine. Good for beginners."
"No. Those countries are too strong. It wouldn't be interesting."
Shiro shook her head and, without hesitation, chose a small country.
"Czechia? Can that country even be played?... Hey, don't blame us later. Nyarko picked the Führer—you'll have a hard time."
Strategic games centered on data simulation and calculation were Shiro's strongest field.
From the very moment she entered the game, countless streams of code and numbers seemed to flash before her eyes, precisely calculating the value of every technology and every army group.
Soon, the room was filled with nothing but the shocked cries of the outer god girls.
"W-Wait, Czechoslovakia blitzed Germany!! The heavens are inverted!!"
"This is insane, Czech broke through the Maginot Line!! Aren't you supposed to be the Allies?!"
"Czech landed on the British Isles!! It's taken Moscow!! Aaaahhhh—"
Two hours later, a group of Cthulhu girls stared at a world map completely dyed in Shiro's color, contemplating life.
"Teach us, please! I'll trade you ancient god knowledge for it?! ..."
...
After taking the girls around the capital and roughly settling the remaining matters,
As a fixed tradition every time he returned from an expedition—
Whoosh—
Setsuna projected Eternal Snowfall into the starry sky.
To the natives of other worlds, this colossal warship was a nightmare that brought flames of war. But to the shipgirls and little ones in the capital, it looked incomparably familiar and dear.
"Ohohoho, are we holding a celebration banquet today? To celebrate the Commander's triumphant return?"
"Obtaining the Suniaster is truly a remarkable achievement. We must celebrate properly..."
In the port district, the shipgirls began washing up and dressing carefully, changing into outfits that best displayed their charm and temperament.
Various outfits that looked like formal gowns but were actually bizarre drink-ready garments amazed the newly arrived girls, leaving them unable to stop praising the shipgirls' creativity when it came to fashion.
Inside the Chaldea residence...
Jeanne Alter looked up.
"Oh, the Master's back, huh? Tch, could've come to see me sooner."
Despite what she said, she still obediently tidied her hair.
"If he ignores me again next time, I'm going to stomp on him hard with my foot..."
"...That sounds more like a reward."
Scáthach looked utterly helpless.
Most people shared an unspoken understanding that every victory banquet was the perfect opportunity to grow closer to the Commander.
But there was one exception.
"What? A celebration banquet? What did you say the Master used to do up there?"
After boarding Eternal Snowfall,
Tripitaka grabbed Jeanne Alter with a confused expression, trying to get a clear explanation.
She watched as shipgirls and Chaldea Heroic Spirits crowded aboard, thinking it might be good to see what was going on.
But from bits and pieces of scattered information, she learned that the Master seemed to have some... other hobbies.
"Ordinary people can do whatever they want up there. Eat, sleep, play games, anything. As for the Master and us..."
"Of course we throw parties... oh no, I mean, just go up to relax."
Jeanne Alter neither liked nor disliked Tripitaka. They were colleagues after all. Still, having a monk suddenly appear felt somewhat strange.
"Ah?! The Master's been doing that kind of thing up there all this time?!"
Tripitaka felt something was off.
No matter how open-minded she was, a super party ship built with spacetime distortion magic sounded far too outrageous.
"Master, y-you... your spaceship is actually used like this?!"
Tripitaka approached Setsuna with a face full of doubt.
"Oh, you came too?"
Setsuna immediately found it amusing. A highly accomplished monk appearing here looked strange no matter how he thought about it.
—Though the Tripitaka from that universe was a black-haired, long-haired, voluptuous demon monk.
"Do whatever you want. Eternal Snowfall has freedom of movement. Just have fun."
"N-No, no—"
Tripitaka's spirit suffered a heavy shock, leaving her momentarily incoherent.
"Master, y-you actually... ahhhh—"
"What's the problem?"
Setsuna laughed even more.
"Are you going to lecture me about the great path? Something like how the suffering of all beings comes from failing to observe discipline and indulging in desire?"
As he spoke, Gudako beside him began shaking her head dramatically:
"Hey, Tripitaka, the god you believe in sounds way too boring. Look at the Commander's Starsea Empire. Isn't it more impressive than Mount Ling?"
"If you do not kill, hatred never ends. If you reject lust, all sentient beings become sinful."
"If you do not indulge in joy, youth passes in an instant. If you suppress desire, life becomes utterly dull."
"Tripitaka, why not come join the party too?"
"???"
Tripitaka was horrified, completely unable to understand where such twisted doctrines had come from.
After a long while, she finally recovered.
"N-No, that's not right."
"Master, I don't understand. Since you are already the lord of the starsea, ruling countless imperial territories, why are you so attached to this kind of pleasure?"
In her mind, as the leader of an empire who had also become the "One True God" of Disboard through the Suniaster, he should have pursued something more refined.
"Hm?"
Setsuna raised an eyebrow.
"If I can't freely throw parties, how will the world know that I've severed worldly attachments and emptied my golden seas... I mean, how will the world know that I am the lord of the starsea, surrounded by countless girls?"
"Huh???"