Chapter 11: The Mana of Fertility and the “Harvest Festival”

Since the day they repelled the orc army, the atmosphere around the golden log house had completely changed.

The place that used to be a haven for outcasts was turning into a Golden Throne, admired and respected by the monsters living on the frontier.

The shockwave from the chain around Allen’s neck had spread into the ground, and now the land was nothing like a normal ecosystem.

In the morning, Allen stepped onto the terrace on his short legs and saw a golden field stretching as far as he could see.

(…Amazing. To think the seeds we just planted yesterday are already bearing fruit.)

As Allen sent out his telepathic message, the ears of wheat swayed.

Rustle, rustle.

They seemed to glow even brighter, reacting to Allen’s mana.

These weren’t ordinary crops. They were filled with mana, like ‘spirit grass,’ and just one bite could heal wounds and restore mana.

“Allen-sama, good morning! Please look, this is today’s harvest!”

Kuu showed up, carrying a huge basket on her back, almost as big as she was. It was filled with apples full of juice and thick carrots as big as an adult’s arm.

“Because of this, kobold and goblin girls have been coming from deep in the forest. They’re all kneeling in the plaza—well, it’s really just an empty lot—saying they want to serve Allen-sama.”

(…Eh, that many…?)

When Allen headed to the plaza, there were over a dozen new monster girls gathered there.

There were kobold girls with shaking dog ears and small goblin girls with quick-looking fingers. As soon as they saw Allen, the golden mascot, they all bowed together.

“Spirit King-sama! Please, keep us by your side!!”

Allen felt confused. When he was a prince, people kneeling before him was normal, but now he was just a fluffy furball. Being treated like this in such a cute form felt really awkward.

(…Everyone, raise your heads. …I’m not a king, just a—)

“—Yes, exactly. Allen isn’t a king. …He’s my ‘research subject’ and precious childhood friend. Would you mind not swarming him without permission?”

Along with the icy voice, Luna emerged from the log house.

Her indigo robe fluttered as she stepped in front of Allen, giving the monster girls a cold look, as if she thought they were beneath her.

“Allen, you’re way too soft. If we let all these suspicious girls in, we’ll never keep this place clean. Especially with those ears and tails! What if they bring ticks or fleas to your golden fur?”

“W-What did you say!? How rude! We wash our bodies in the river every single day!”

The kobold girl protested, but Luna refused to listen.

“No way. I won’t allow it. No one is allowed within three meters of Allen. Got it? Only I, as the top mage, and… well, I guess I’ll let the original members like Misha help with his grooming.”

Luna talked about ‘public health,’ but really, she was just being openly possessive.

She scooped Allen up effortlessly and rubbed her cheek against his.

“…Hehe. You smell wonderful today, too, Allen. The scent of the special shampoo I concocted last night still lingers. …I wonder if the stench of that giant snake-woman Misha has finally faded.”

(L-Luna… Please don’t fluff me so much in front of everyone… It’s embarrassing.)

“It’s perfectly fine. We need to make the master-servant dynamic crystal clear. After all, you are my precious… ‘Prince who needs to be taken care of.'”

Luna’s eyes had lost all their usual calm. She was also getting swept up in the intense, loving mood of the frontier, starting to feel a strong devotion like Elizabeth and the others.

Ultimately, thanks to Allen’s mediation, the new girls were “hired on probation” to cultivate the territory.

Allen, now called the ‘Fluffy Lord,’ walked around to check on everyone’s work.

(Everyone, kobolds, please use your sharp noses to find water. Goblins, help Kuu make the kitchen bigger. Today is a celebration, so let’s all eat the vegetables grown with my mana!)

That night, a “Harvest Festival” was held in the hastily constructed plaza.

They gathered around a big bonfire and served the golden, mana-filled vegetables.

For the girls who had been hungry and struggling, the food tasted like true salvation.

“It’s so delicious… I’ve never eaten anything so gentle and tasty in my entire life…”

“Allen-sama… I will follow you for the rest of my life…”

As they ate, Allen’s mana spread deeply into their bodies.

Even though Allen didn’t mean to, the ‘love’—his mana—he gave them was turning their loyalty into blind devotion.

Before long, the new girls’ eyes started to show the same intense possessiveness as Misha and the others.

Allen watched the lively banquet from a slight distance.

The chain on his neck grew warmer, matching the excitement of the feast.

(…I’m glad everyone is happy. But this chain… I feel like it’s digging deeper into my soul.)

If he gave them his mana, his people would thrive. But as they did, their gratitude turned into obsession, and that feeling made Allen’s chain heavier, trapping him even more.

“…Allen. So this is where you were.”

From behind, Luna quietly approached him.

In her hands, she held a blanket made of the finest sheep’s wool, prepared specifically for Allen.

“The night breeze is getting chilly. …Come, let’s go back. I’ve already brought my grimoires into your room. Tonight, until morning, I’ll analyze the structure of your chain while… sleeping right beside you.”

(…Just stick to the analysis, Luna. …Sleeping together is, well… a bit cramped.)

“…Weren’t you the one who crawled right into my lap earlier, saying it was the most calming place to be? …It’s fine, just be honest with yourself.”

Luna wrapped Allen up in the blanket, hugging him tightly as she headed back to the log house.

Held in Luna’s arms, Allen felt a slow, cold fear as he realized he was starting to rely on her gentle hold.

Right at that moment, the chain around Allen’s neck gave a sharp, violent jerk for just a fraction of a second.

(…!?)

A vivid image flashed through his mind via the chain.

It was Sylphi, in a pitch-black basement, lovingly embracing a life-sized doll that looked exactly like Allen. She sliced her own finger with a knife, smearing her blood across the doll’s lips.

“…Nii-sama. …It won’t be long now. …I’ll be coming to pick you up very soon. …And every last one of those frontier women, I’ll tear them apart with my ‘Blood Threads.'”

A cold-blooded, childish thirst for murder.

Shiver, shiver.

Allen began to tremble uncontrollably.

“What’s wrong, Allen? Are you cold? …It’s alright, I’ll hold you tight forever.”

Luna pressed Allen even more firmly against the softness of her chest.

Stuck between Luna’s warmth and the cold threat coming from Sylphi through the chain, Allen could only curl up into a small ball.

The golden territory.

Behind the peaceful and fertile surface, a wild, possessive love was slowly closing in on him.