Golden Dance Festival of the Fallen

Fallen Golden Ball Festival (至高のハロウィン) is a game event in Mass for the Dead that was released on March 1, 2023 to March 15, 2023.

Background
Renner fulfills her long-cherished desire to join Nazarick. The reward for her resourcefulness, which she showed, was her rare seed of transformation, and a feast of hospitality. Together with the festival of revival in E-Rantel, which is held at the same time, two banquets that do not overlap celebrate each departures.

Incident
At a certain place under the control of the Sorcerer Kingdom, Princess Renner looks calmly at the sleeping figure of her resurrected loyal retainer in bed. The princess contemplates to herself aloud of what kind of dream her bodyguard is having, whether it is a good dream or a nightmare? Regardless she is really looking forward to when he wakes up, and the surprise in his face of his new surroundings and her position.

Renner remarks there was no distinction between the strong and the weak, when the "Calamity of Cracks" occurred, that everyone was cut down one after another by invisible attackers. To her it was frightening and was glad Climb wasn’t involved in that.

To her unconscious Warrior she tells him some good news, that the protagonist miraculously survived to her surprise and relief. It was quite amusing to her, as initially the hero was reported missing and assisted Nazarick in proposing some of the measures for the restoration of E-Rantel on behalf of the protagonist. Her benefactors apparently were in need of someone with good ideas like their beloved protagonist, which Renner was able to temporarily substitute for awhile.

Although it was short-lived, she was glad that she was able to fulfill that role safely and help. Just as she is telling Climb she eagerly waits for him to wake soon, Pestonya enters the room with a meal. The princess thanks the Head Maid for services, especially for so far from Nazarick. Pestonya states that it is part of her duties to check on the hostages regularly. For Climb she inquires his condition, who Renner assures is already sound and healthy, owing it to Pestonya for reviving her young man, which the maid acknowledges her gratitude.

The Head Maid still has concern for the human boy as he is an outsider. Following Renner’s suggestion the maid put Climb to sleep, considering the possibility of harming or escaping the general maids in charge of taking care of him. To avoid such events, Pestonya asks that the princess train him well. Renner promises to make her servant into a loyal retainer of the Sorcerer Kingdom.

Pestonya politely suggests Renner eat her eat before it gets cold and informs her that Albedo will show up later. After Renner thanks the Head Maid and the general maids for their generosity. Pestonya, before leaving, comments that she hopes the princess will "change" soon.

Once the Head Maid leaves, Renner affirms that she will change, adding that her love for Climb is the only thing that will never change forever, and asks that he continues to dream and be nice for her.

In the Great Forest of Tob, Hamsuke, Kyuko and the Death Knight assemble before Aura to give her their report on the status of the forest. Kyuko provides that the forests hasn't changed in any particular way, with Hamsuke and the Death Knighg adding that any new Chaos Beast that come out of the Cracks are immediately exterminated.

Aura is glad to hear that, as after the "disaster" that happened in E-Rantel, she wanted to do some research on the Tob Forest to see if it had any effect. So far the good news is that no new Cracks have formed. Hamsuke having heard for the trouble in E-Rantel because of the cracks is also glad to hear that the protagonist has returned safely.

Kyuko feels rather felt proud when she heard that the homunculus had taken advantage of that adversity to show the majesty of the Sorcerer Kingdom. The fox girl is of course talking about his idea of using undead to guard the Cracks in the fortress city. However Kyuko wonders if this is safe. Aura states that it is fine as the undead are tireless and and be efficiently used for cheap labor. And while the fear and ill feelings toward the undead will still remain, but the people in the city will get used to the convenience.

Kyuko is amazed by this, though one thing puzzles her, in that the undead corps was instituted before the protagonist returned. Aura confesses that the plan was not totally the protagonists, hence right now they are making preparations to reward the one responsible.

The dark elf announces that they are going to Carne Village. This brings a question from Hamsuke as to purpose would the village hold for their next task. Aura answers that for the time being, they will be "cleaning" it in accordance to a celebration in the past. The group then accompanied her to the frontier village, that had long since been abandoned by the villagers due to the Chaos Beasts.

To Kyuko the place is nostalgic. In the past, everyone in Nazarick held festivals and such at the spot. The Death Knight soon alerts the group of Contaminated Beasts lurking in the shadows of the ruined buildings, along with some Chaos Beasts.

Kyuko finds it incomprehensible that there are Chaos Beasts mixed in with polluted beasts, and a bit disappointed in herself as she was sure she slaughtered all the those who went escaped out of the Great Forest of Tob. Her superior Aura though thinks the monsters are from out of the area, probably having sprung up from the Cracks in E-Rantel and escape to the village. And adds that it also made a certain woman’s alibi credible.

Kyuko seeing the monsters requests permission to finish them. The dark elf states that she may, as it is precisely why she brought them to the village to quickly remove any monster hiding in the ruins.

The trio happily comply eager to please their superior, who adds that they will be helped by summons.

In the fortress city of E-Rantel. Upon receiving an urgent report, Marquis Raeven rushed to Prince Zanac’s office, having heard that Princess Renner had contacted her older brother.

To be more precise, a soldier who testified that he was accompanying Renner at one point had a letter that seems to have been written by Renner. The prince shows the marquis the letter, who upon reading accounts that the princess, along with a small number of soldiers, was hiding in the Great Tob Forest claiming. The letter claims that after Renner realized she lost Climb, she got desperate and ran out of E-Rantel.

The few soldiers who followed her were apparently some of those who disappeared in the chaos of ‘that disaster’.

Zanac questions if all of those soldiers who accompanied the heartbroken princess did so out of sheer loyalty. But thinks it's just a coincidence that they've been able to live in such a forest for the past few months and have been safe in so many ways. Raeven speculates that they probably were protected by the Wise King of the Forest from the marauding Chaos Beasts, though the noble heard rumors that the Wise King was currently under the control of the Sorcerer Kingdom. In the letter it explains that why the letter was delay as the magical creature is claimed to have protected Renner's group, but also seems to have refrained from reporting the entourage's presence to its masters, out of respect for Renner. Hence why the Sorcerer Kingdom did not inform the crown prince as Renner's location is unknown even to them.

Marquis Raeven is perplexed as to why the Wise King neglected its duties to its nation, and even though the prince can't speak for the creature's position in the Sorcerer Kingdom. But from what the letter says, Renner did not initiate contact with her brother sooner to tell her that she was safe so as to avoid the Wise King from being punished. But given that they received a message now months later, Raeven deduces that the situation has changed. On the last page of t he missive, the princess noticed that some people who fled E-Rantel after it was attacked have settled down in Carne Village, adjacent to the Great Forest of Tob. There are Contaminated Beasts infesting the area, so Renner would like to protect them. However since the village lies outside the territory of the Wise King of the Forest, there is a shortage of people that it can send to assist as the Wise King is busy containing a Crack and its spawn in the forest and thus cannot leave its post.

Since Renner came to Zanac, as an older brother he decides to fulfill her request for future cooperation in the government. Although the marquis raises the authenticity of the letter. The prince does not have a confirmation yet, but the soldier who delivered it, testified that it was from Renner and the handwriting it of his younger sister, minus the sealing wax which is expected since she probably did not bring any due to being in hiding. Still the noble wishes to ask more details from the person. That is impossible as the man died from his wounds from a Contaminated Beast shortly after leaving Carne Village.

At the very least the man must have accompanied his sister out of sincerity to the extent that he was willing to be seriously injured to fulfill his role as a messenger. Thus Zanac believed that they should at least reward the man for his efforts by answering the call for aid. Marquis Raeven agrees that they will send a team of rescuers from their kingdom. Due to the small pool that they have, the noble advised the prince to speak to the Warrior Captain Gazef Stronoff to assist by allocating some of his warriors to the mission.

The prince will make it so, and admires that his sister after losing Climb still has energy to act with conscience to protect the people. To himself he deduces that her distorted affection for Climb may have been redirected to the people, and while the though scares him its still beneficial for the kingdom in the future. The marquis hopes to have Renner back as she can help relieve them of some of their burdens in running the kingdom. Zanac is in concurrence, as they are under more serious threat now. Even though his father, King Ramposa III and Gazef Stronoff are back in the fold, the nation's influence within the Tripartite Alliance is relatively weak and sincerely hopes that Renner may have the answers to their plight. In response to the prince's request, a group of elite soldiers from the Re-Estize Kingdom hastened to Carne Village, all having high morale and seeking the honor of rescuing the princess.

Meanwhile in Renner's chambers, the princess is holding a talk with Overseer Guardian Albedo, who is following the human's suggestion is setting Carne Village as the setting for their plot. By now Albedo believes that the mind-controlled soldier they sent out to deliver the message to Prince Zanac has reached him. For the roles of the survivors in the village, Albedo chose people with no relatives from humans she secured during Jaldabaoth's invasion. Thus there will be no danger of being exposed from their kin.

The princess apologizes to Albedo for the trouble she went into making preparations for this plan. Albedo says it is okay exemplifying the girl's usefulness during the protagonist's absence hence why the other Floor Guardians do not take Renner's words lightly. Nonetheless, in welcoming new vassals into Nazarick, there will be buds of conflict that should be crushed. For this as Overseer Guardian, Albedo has arranged everything so that everyone can understand it properly. Albedo though expects Renner to help her in return to which the human is eager to be given the opportunity to demonstrate her loyalty to the people or Nazarick.

Albedo then states to Renner that they will be able to cover enough for the soldiers and refugees in Carne Village. She then hands Renner a small bottle, to which Renner promises to use it carefully. This pleases Albedo who reminds the girl that not only she is watching Renner but Momonga as well. Since Albedo has put tremendous effort in being Renner's patron, any error on the princess's end will ruin her image. The veiled threat hangs as Albedo then smiles, leaving Renner to take care of the rest for the plan.

At the Round Table Room, whilst Renner and Albedo end their meeting, Momonga and his Floor Guardians watch from afar using the Mirror of Remote Viewing. Momonga observes that Albedo and the others are now heading to Carne Village and that Shadow Demons will monitor the situation with Renner progresses. The Floor Guardians Shalltear Bloodfallen and Cocytus are the ones who insisted on being kept in the loop on Renner's actions since she was welcomed into Nazarick.

Momonga then turns to Demiurge to inquire about Renner's proposal to capture the inhabitants of E-Rantel to use in the current plan, which was done some time after Demiurge attacked the fortress city as Jaldanaoth. The people were secured in the midst of the chaos when [Flames of Gehenna] was activated. During which the princess gave Nazarick permission to preemptively kill Climb lest an unseen attacker wipe Climb out. The forces of Nazarick then acquired his corpse and brought it back for revival. And while the decision was rash, Demiurge finds it admirable that Renner was willing to go this far to protect her beloved. Cocytus still questions the human's resolve to serve Momonga. Demiurge believes she is committed as she promised to try to reduce the remaining military strength of the Re-Estize Kingdom and that Cocytus should stop worrying his successor.

Additionally another item for the meeting is brought up, he received a request yesterday from the protagonist to hold a feast in E-Rantel. It seems that E-Rantel's physical recovery is going well, but the mental care for the remaining humans is difficult, so the homunculus believes that hosting a feast might do some good which Momonga agrees and gave his blessing. In truth Momonga believes that the protagonist could really use the feast given past developments and also suspects his servant's current efforts are to atone himself. Momonga hopes the protagonist will not blame himself too much, but knows it's going to be difficult.

In E-Rantel, the city is alive with an ensemble of bustle and work with people preparing for the upcoming feast. In the center, Jugem is seen directing several skeletons to load material to another location. The protagonist stands with Surako, Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix and Saint Clementine as they view the progress. Clementine reports that the street repairs and land readjustments are progressing faster than expected, allowing vendors to be open their wares more easily. The emperor praises this to be all thanks to the protagonist who provided the undead labor for the heavy lifting and offers to contribute imperial soldiers to the venue for the event's security.

The protagonist accepts, though states that the purpose of the feast is to demonstrate the safety of using undead by the Sorcerer Kingdom. While the fear of the undead cannot go overnight, the protagonist believes that the soldiers at the event will wipe away all unnecessary fear. The emperor is more than willing to help, even ordering his knights to hug the undead to make it the point that the undead are harmless, if it means to please the protagonist. Surako is worried that might be taking things a bit too far as is the protagonist who prefers not to shock the residents of the city.

Acceding that he is correct, the emperor apologizes as he only wanted to show proper respect, He goes on to say what a person the protagonist is putting the concern for the people first, extrapolating that this very feast not only aims to raise the spirit of the city's reconstruction but repair the hearts of the people. This is indeed correct by the protagonist, commenting that the reconstruction went faster due to commendable actions of the residents who took the initiative in saving supplies, following their experiences in past emergencies. Clementine adds that the situation though was causing a decline in health and labor. She wanted to address it when the protagonist suggested the idea of the feast.

The protagonist who has been silent on these praises to him, is broken out of his remunerations by Clementine. He then stated that when residents are frightened with uncertainty of the future, and hoarding supplies, rather than force them to hand it over it would be best to give them something to strive together and celebrate. The event which will lead to everyone purging out their anxiety.

TBA

Aftermath
TBA