Chapter 18: The Frontier Trade Route and the Dark Clouds of the Royal Capital

The Royal Capital of Luminous, in the Elysion Kingdom.

Contrary to its glamorous exterior, the deepest depths of the Royal Castle were currently dominated by the freezing cold of an obsession.

The private chambers of the First Queen, Elizabeth.

She did not look out the window — instead, her fingers traced over a massive crystal ball placed on the table. Reflected within it was the figure of a small, golden-radiant mascot — Allen.

“…Oh my. That child picked up another new female. A silver wolf… Hehe, a lack of moderation is quite troublesome. I wonder if the teachings I gave him as his tutor were lacking just a little bit?”

A viscous purple mana swirled behind Elizabeth.

Resting nearby was an old royal prince uniform that Allen had discarded. She stroked its sleeve affectionately, pressing her nose to it, desperately seeking out Allen’s scent — a scent that should no longer even remain.

Sniff, sniff.

“…It’s perfectly fine, little Allen. No matter how far you run with those tiny legs of yours, I am the one holding your neck. …Now then, shall we prepare your next ‘gift’? …This time, a wonderful curse — one that will make you never want to let anyone other than me touch that golden fur of yours.”

The moment Elizabeth smiled, every flower in the room instantly blackened and withered away.

Meanwhile, in another wing of the Royal Castle.

Sylphi, the princess of a neighboring country, was fiercely scribbling life-sized drawings of Allen all across the floor of her room.

The “Silver Collar” she had gifted him. Every time it transmitted Allen’s heartbeat and the “heat” of the women surrounding him, her childish face twisted with rage and delight.

“Nii-sama, Nii-sama, Nii-sama…! Why are you clinging to such filthy women? Right next to Nii-sama is Sylphi’s place alone. …It’s fine, though. That collar will drag Nii-sama back here to me very soon. …Maybe I should take one of Nii-sama’s legs before Onee-sama steals him away?”

The massive scythe in Sylphi’s hand gleamed red, reflecting the moonlight.

The two most terrifying heroines were finally making their move to “pick him up personally.”

— At that time, in the golden log house.

Allen was clutching his head over a highly reckless plan proposed by Luna, dubbed “Trade Route Development.”

With the territory’s population growing and a surplus of magic vegetables beginning to pile up, trade with the outside world was essential. However, if the ruler turned out to be a “golden furball,” he wouldn’t merely be taken advantage of — he could very well just be captured on the spot.

“That is exactly why I told you, Allen. With my magic, we will create an ‘Illusion of your Human Form.’ …You on the inside, and a beautiful prince on the outside. …Negotiations will go smoothly with this.”

“…But Luna, even if it’s an illusion, it just moves exactly how I move, right? If I mess up, they’ll see right through it.”

“Do you really think I would make such an amateur mistake? I will link your mana with my formula. …Now, sit still.”

As Luna swung her staff, golden light overflowed from Allen’s tiny body, condensing like fog into the figure of a young man.

What appeared there was an “ideal prince” — clad in the majesty of a king, several steps more dignified than Allen had ever been.

His golden hair shone as if bathed in sunlight, and his azure eyes were deeply clear.

“…Ah, ahh…”

Watching from behind, Misha, Pee, Kuu, Aria, Sui, and the newcomer Ferris let out collective sighs of admiration.

“…Allen-sama. …That figure. …Ahh, I can’t take it, I don’t care if it’s an illusion. …Embrace me with those arms right this instant…”

Misha reached out to the illusion in a state of ecstasy, but her fingertips passed through empty air.

“Master! You look incredibly cool! When you make a face like that, I feel like wagging my tail until it tears right off!”

Ferris excitedly ran laps around the illusion.

“…Stop it! Don’t touch him! This is strictly for ‘business meetings’!”

Luna shouted, her face bright red — though she too was enchanted by the illusion of Allen, the hand holding her staff trembling.

“Listen, Allen. …I adjusted it so your voice will come from this illusion. …The merchants from the neutral city ‘Arcana’ have arrived. …Show them the dignity of a prince.”

The three invited merchants entered the log house’s reception room.

They were highly skeptical of this “mysterious lord who had appeared in the frontier,” but the moment they laid eyes on the “Illusion of Allen” sitting at the head of the table, they were so overwhelmed by his beauty and the pressure he exuded that they nearly fell out of their chairs.

“P-Please forgive our rudeness… We never imagined such a noble personage was ruling over the frontier…”

“…I appreciate you coming from so far away. …I wish to discuss trading our territory’s specialty product, the magic vegetables.”

The words Allen spoke in his mascot form resonated from the illusionary prince’s lips as a deep, commanding voice.

The merchants were like frogs stared down by a snake. Unable to raise a single objection against Allen’s logical and sincere negotiations, they swore to sign a contract under the absolute best conditions.

The negotiations were a massive success.

However, the problem occurred after the merchants left.

“…Hey, Allen. …The meeting is over, but. …Could you stay in that form for just a little longer?”

Luna gazed up at the illusionary prince with upturned eyes.

“That’s right! Allen-sama, please carry Pee while you look like that! Even if it’s an illusion, our hearts are connected!”

“…Master. …Looking at you like that… it makes me want to swear my knight’s oath all over again…”

Ignoring Allen — the real body — the six monster girls surrounded the intangible “Illusion of Allen,” knelt down, and began to offer their prayers.

Their “love” resonated with the mana imbued in the illusion, triggering a bizarre phenomenon.

Clank.

The chain around Allen’s neck reacted to their far too intense obsession.

“—! The chains are… flowing backwards!?”

The mana imbued in the illusion was forcibly dragged back into Allen’s physical body through the chains.

At the same time, Elizabeth and Sylphi’s “surveillance mana” used the illusion as a medium to directly interfere with Allen’s territory.

Bzzzaaaappp!!

Purple lightning tore through the living room of the log house.

“…Found you. …Allen. …You’re wearing that appearance again, bewitching other women.”

Behind the illusion of Allen, Elizabeth’s “massive shadow” materialized.

“Nii-sama, I fooound yooou!! I told you I wouldn’t let you go anywhere, didn’t I!?”

Sylphi’s red threads pierced straight through the illusion, coiling around the real body — mascot Allen.

“Kyaaaah!? W-What is this! My formula was hijacked!?”

Luna screamed.

The illusionary prince was embraced by Elizabeth’s shadow, entangled in Sylphi’s threads, and collapsed in a cruel fashion.

All that remained was the golden furball — Allen — unconscious from the overload, his cursed chains and silver collar glowing fiercely.

“Allen-sama!!”

“Master!!”

Misha and Ferris hurriedly scooped Allen up.

The two in the Royal Capital were not physically here yet.

However, this phenomenon proved that they were now capable of “reaching out” to this location at any time.

“…This is no time for trade. …Hurry, get Allen to the underground anti-magic room! …Those two are almost here!”

Amidst Luna’s echoing warning, the peace of Allen’s territory was coming to an end.

In the Royal Capital, Elizabeth quietly stood up, completely prepared for a journey.

“…Now then, shall we go, Sylphi? …We have to thoroughly clean the house of those thieving cats.”

“Yeah, Onee-sama! …I already have Nii-sama’s new room all built, after all!”

Heading toward the golden territory, the two “most terrifying loves” finally departed from the Royal Capital.