Chapter 12: The Spider Girl’s Trap and the Silk Dress

The border of “Allen’s Territory” centered around the golden log house. It was a place known as the “Forest of Silence,” where a dense mana fog swirled.

Allen managed to sneak away from Luna’s strict watch, which was really more like possessiveness, and was now out checking the territory while Misha’s tail gently swayed him. With him were Misha the Lamia, Pee the Harpy, and Kuu the Orc, his loyal family from the start.

(…Phew. Luna’s ‘hygiene management’ gets a bit suffocating sometimes. Sorry, everyone. Having you sneak me out like this.)

As Allen sent out his telepathic message, Misha rapturously pulled him close, rubbing her scales against his cheek.

“It is perfectly fine, Allen-sama. …That human woman is all knowledge — she forgets your ‘wild’ nature. …You are the king of this vast forest. …We must support you so that you may live more freely.”

“That’s right! Riding on Pee’s back and viewing the territory from the sky is the ultimate luxury, after all!”

Pee spread her golden wings, fluttering around Allen as if dancing. Kuu also hoisted her giant axe onto her shoulder, nodding reliably.

“Allen-sama, today we are investigating the ‘Magic Cotton’ that newly sprouted near the border, correct? With that, we can make even softer bedding befitting you, Allen-sama.”

In the midst of this harmonious atmosphere, the forest trees suddenly writhed like living creatures, and white threads completely covered the surrounding area.

(—!? Everyone, stop!)

Before Allen could finish his warning, a huge shadow dropped from above. The upper half was a striking human woman, and the lower half was a giant, venomous spider. This was Aria, the Arachne girl known as the weaver of the frontier.

“…Oh my. …A rare, golden prey. …I thought you might be a spirit, but you give off a rather ‘delicious’ scent.”

Sticky threads shot from Aria’s fingertips, instantly tangling around Allen’s body. His tiny mascot body was enveloped in white threads like a cocoon and hoisted into the air.

“Allen-sama—!!”

Misha’s eyes instantly shifted into the slit pupils of a predator.

“…You lowly insect. …Just who do you think you’re touching with those filthy threads?”

Misha kicked off the ground, closing in on Aria with astonishing speed. Her tail, enhanced by golden mana, snapped large trees with ease, tearing straight through the restraining threads Aria fired.

“Oh my… You’re not just any Lamia, are you? …But my threads are harder than steel.”

Aria used her eight legs to deploy a complex web in midair.

“Give Allen-sama back!!”

The vacuum blades unleashed by Pee shredded the spiderweb to ribbons. Furthermore, from the ground, Kuu leaped with a roar.

“Out of the way!! I won’t let you lay a single finger on Allen-sama!!”

Kuu’s axe smashed the ground, stealing Aria’s foothold with the resulting shockwave.

A flawless, coordinated attack by the original members. Even without a powerful mage like Luna present, they had completely mastered the mana bestowed by Allen and established their own unique fighting styles.

(Everyone, thank you! But it’s dangerous, fall back!)

Suspended in midair, Allen focused his thoughts intently on the chain around his neck.

(–Curse Chain Release — Unchain!! Burn through!!)

From within the golden cocoon, Sylphi’s bright red chains erupted. The chains, clad in crimson flames, instantly carbonized the “steel threads” Aria prided herself on, setting Allen free. Behind Allen as he landed, the three girls stood side-by-side, making no effort to hide their fury.

“…Wait. …Don’t kill me.”

Having lost her threads, Aria muttered while groveling on the ground. Her eyes were not dyed with terror, but with the color of “fascination.” The overwhelming destructive power of the Curse Chains Allen had unleashed, and the sheer divinity of the golden beast at the center of it all.

“…I… I have never seen such beautiful power. …To force my threads into submission in a single instant. …You are truly the master worthy of the ‘ultimate fabric’ I will spend my life weaving.”

Aria kneeled at Allen’s feet, folding her spider legs to show her submission.

“…Allen-sama. …Please, keep me by your side. …I will pour my soul into weaving clothes that will adorn you more beautifully than anything else in the world. …So, please, bind me with those chains…”

At that moment, another monster girl fell for Allen’s charm and his curse.

Naturally, what awaited the group upon their return to the base was Luna’s “scolding.”

“—An inspection? Don’t lie to me! You just went out to play on Misha and the others’ tails behind my back, didn’t you!”

In the living room of the log house, Luna slammed her staff against the desk.

Shiver, shiver.

In his mascot form, Allen trembled as he tried to hide behind Misha.

“And what is the deal with this new girl! An Arachne!? How unsanitary, she has entirely too many legs! Don’t you realize how hard it’ll be to clean if she spins webs in the corners of the room!?”

“…How rude. …I came to weave the smoothest ‘Golden Silk Garment’ in this world for Allen-sama. …It’s a crystallization of love that a thieving human could never make.”

Aria immediately presented the “golden silk vest” she had just woven for Allen. It fit perfectly onto Allen’s mascot form and incorporated special magical fibers designed to stabilize the mana of the Curse Chains.

“W-What is that… It’s so much better made than the magic scarf I stayed up all night knitting…!”

Luna’s pride was fiercely wounded, tears welling up in her eyes.

“…Fine. Arachne, I will acknowledge your skill. …But when you dress Allen, it must pass my inspection first! I’m going to thoroughly check to make sure you haven’t woven any weird curses… or ‘love potions’ into the threads!”

Luna had one more reason to be jealous, and the log house grew even livelier, though it was still a bit of a mess.

That night, Misha and the others, surrounding Allen, who was clad in the new vest Aria had made, smiled with satisfaction.

“Hehe, Allen-sama. …It suits you perfectly. …It makes me even less willing to hand you over to anyone else.”

Misha traced the “serpent crest” on the nape of Allen’s neck, baring her possessiveness.

While comforted by the feel of his new clothes, Allen felt both coziness and a creeping terror at the way the gazes around him were growing progressively sweeter and heavier.

(…Everyone’s love is turning me into a king. …But the more of a king I become, the more I feel like I’m drifting further away from the single human known as ‘Allen’…)

Beneath the beautiful silk garments Aria had woven, the cursed chains were quietly, yet undeniably, biting into Allen’s flesh again tonight.

Around that time. Deep in the underground of the royal castle.

Sylphi had just completed a single, thick red thread.

“…It’s finished, Elizabeth-onee-sama. …With this, we can drag Nii-sama back, along with the entire frontier.”

“Yes… I’m looking forward to it, Sylphi. …The moment we crush the ‘pests’ swarming around him, one by one…”

The two most terrifying heroines were finally preparing to make their move.