It all began on an early spring day.
“Hullo there, Dark Lord! Here’s the day’s mail for ya!”
That morning, the usual mail carrier had rung the doorbell at Allen’s mansion. She had fluffy, cobalt green hair, with a beast’s ears of the same color poking out through the tufts, and a long, kinked tail sprouting from the small of her back. Dressed in a postal worker’s uniform, she was a feline demi-human—a common species in this country.
“How many times do I have to tell you, Miach? Don’t call me by that name.”
She tilted her head to one side with a troubled meow. “But it’s not just me, ya know. Everybody I know calls ya Dark Lord ’cause you’re the Dark Lord.”
“Tch. Whatever, just give me the mail.”
“Yessiree.” She handed over two letters, one package, and a roll of newspaper. “So, anything for me to take today?” she asked.
“Just this one,” said Allen, passing her a large box. “The usual potions. Careful not to break the bottles.”
“Why, of course. ‘Fast, Safe, and Super Cute’ is the motto of the Satyrus Delivery Service, after all!” she replied, giving him a brisk salute.
Though she liked to joke around, her work was reliable. Allen had entrusted parcel deliveries to her many times in the past, and there hadn’t been a single issue.
After taking care of the package and the confirmation slip, Miach cocked her head again. “Why don’t cha just live in the city? With these powerful potions of yours, it’d be so much easier for ya to rack up money there.”
Allen fell silent.
There was a large town to the east of this forest. The delivery service Miach worked for was based there, and it was a densely populated, bustling city. Allen made a living by selling potions to the local magic shop, but—just as Miach said—it would have been much simpler if he lived there himself. The cost of delivery was an expense that couldn’t be overlooked, as it ate into his finances to a somewhat painful degree. There was, however, one big problem.
Allen looked down at his toes and mumbled, “There’s...too many people in the city.”
“Ever the misanthrope, aren’t cha?” Miach sighed with a shrug.
Allen’s mansion stood in the middle of the forest, some ways off the main road, so hardly anyone came wandering by. The only people who visited him were traders or workers like Miach. In other words, for an antisocial person like Allen, it was the ideal spot.
But Miach was dissatisfied. “Aren’t cha only twenty-one, Dark Lord?” she went on. “You’re still young, even for a human. You’ve gotta get out and live! Before ya know it, you’ll be all dry and wrinkled, a lonely grandpa.”
He snorted. “That’s none of your concern.”
“See? Look at ya, so quick to furrow your brow. No wonder the townsfolk call ya the Dark Lord.”
It was only natural that people would gossip about the malicious-looking wizard who lived on the edge of town. Allen let out a heavy sigh. “Why do I have to be called by such a dishonorable name just because I live by myself? As if that wasn’t enough, some kids have started sneaking around to test their courage these days.”
“Oh dear, that’s a handful.”
“Indeed,” Allen nodded, burying his face in his hands. “There’s lots of wild animals around, and it’s far too dangerous for children to be out here by themselves. I try to warn them every time, but they always run away screaming.”
“You’re a tricky guy, Dark Lord,” Miach said with a wry smile. “A misanthropic hermit who’s good-natured to boot.”
Allen did have a complicated personality. He didn’t want to interact with people, but he couldn’t turn his back on them either.
“Well, anyhow, you should find a hobby, or something worthwhile to do! I’ll be off then, see ya tomorrow!” With a wave of her hand, Miach started sprinting away.
“Like I said, it’s none of your business,” Allen muttered with a shrug, watching her go. She disappeared from sight in no time.
“Now then. About time for breakfast...” As he turned to go inside, the newspaper slipped from his hands and fluttered open on the ground. A provocative headline was splashed across the front page: The Wicked Woman Disappears from the Neighboring Country! Is She Fleeing Across the Border?
When he knelt to pick it up, he noticed someone lying right in front of the mansion, partially hidden by the overgrown grass.
“Hey,” he called to the figure. “Who’s there?”
But the stranger didn’t budge.
Puzzled, Allen slunk closer. “A woman?”
The figure lying face-down in the grass was a young girl. She was elegant and beautiful, wearing what must have been a magnificent dress. She looked like a classic princess who’d walked right out of a fairy tale. But her dress was tattered, and her face ashen. Though her eyes were closed, the shallow breaths that escaped through her pasty lips indicated that she was still alive, though only just.
“A runaway, maybe...or did she flee from an abductor?”
When he began to gently lift her, her long eyelashes quivered, and she let out a little moan.
Allen hesitated for a moment, then sighed in resignation. “I guess I have no choice. I’ll take care of her until she wakes.” He gathered her up in his arms and started toward the house.
He barely moved a step before a man’s vicious shriek pierced the silence of the woods. At the same time, the blade of a sword glinted behind Allen. The silver blade sliced through its target in a single stroke—but Allen vanished into thin air.
“What? He disappeared?!” the assailant sputtered.
“Well, isn’t that a grand greeting?” Allen nonchalantly called from behind his assailant. He’d performed an elementary piece of illusionary magic, also known as the Art of Replacement.
Allen didn’t recognize the flustered man who wheeled around to face him. However, the coat of arms engraved on his armor was familiar—in fact, he knew it all too well. Still holding the girl in his arms, he sneered at the man, raising an eyebrow. “Oh? I take it you’ve come across the border, and you belong to the Royal Guards directly under the Royal Family. Now, what does an impressive fellow like you want with me, all the way out here?”
The soldier said nothing. He glared at Allen and slowly raised his sword toward him. Three more soldiers emerged from the shadows of the trees, each heavily equipped for battle, and with piercing gazes fixed on Allen.
The air grew tense, but Allen only shrugged. “Traveling in packs, are you? Well, if you’re here to sell me something, I’m not interested.”
“Hand her over,” the soldier wielding the sword commanded in a low voice, ignoring Allen’s facetious remark. “That woman is a felon who brought shame to our country. If you try to protect her, you’ll face the consequences.”
“A felon?” Allen peered down at her sleeping face. Her fragile yet beautiful features were clearly a world apart from such a villainous label. But, at the same time, the soldiers seemed perfectly serious.
“We have orders to capture her, dead or alive. If you cooperate and surrender her to us now, we will leave you in peace. That’s a promise.”
“Hmm. Makes sense.” Everything about this smelled like trouble. “If that’s the way it is...I decline,” Allen sneered.
“What?!” the soldier shouted, taken aback.
On the one hand, Allen had these shady soldiers, and on the other, this poor, frail girl. Of course he would side with the latter without hesitation. It was simply human nature. And if she did turn out to be a criminal, all he’d have to do is apologize and hand her over later.
Of course, siding with the girl meant Allen’s only course of action just then was...to go into battle.
“You think you can take us on by yourself?!” one of the soldiers shouted as they circled Allen.
“That’s my line.” Allen’s lips twisted into a smirk as he looked at each of the soldiers.
Allen could tell at a glance that they had earned their right to wear their country’s coat of arms through intense military training. Weapons at the ready, the soldiers stood in perfect form, leaving no opening for an attack.
As for Allen, both of his hands were full, carrying the girl. Objectively speaking, he was absolutely doomed. With all this in mind...the disadvantage suited him just fine. “If you think a tiny band of elitists like you can take me down...think again!”
One of the soldiers rushed forward to attack, but let out a shriek as Allen knocked the man off his feet with a sweep of his leg. Allen rammed his elbow into the soldier’s back, slamming him into the ground. As if the yell was a starting bell, the rest of the soldiers advanced at once—but Allen was faster.
Ice Bind!
A flash of light shot over the ground, and two soldiers toppled forward, their feet now bound to the ground with ice crystals. Allen had cast a spell to manipulate ice. Though it didn’t have the power to kill or injure opponents, it was highly effective for capturing them.
Now, only the first soldier with the sword was left. “A nonverbal spell?!” His eyes widened in surprise, but he remained calm. He thrust his sword out, precisely aiming for the vital spot. In one swift motion, Allen stepped forward, dodged the blade by a hair’s breadth, and kicked up the soldier’s chin, knocking him back.
“To finish it off...Ice Bind!”
All the soldiers were under Allen’s control now. Pinned to the ground, one of them stared up at him, stuttering, “Th-That white and black hair! You can’t be—!”
“I’m not here to make idle talk. De Lusion.”
When Allen snapped his fingers, the soldiers’ eyes went blank. He questioned them in a quiet tone as they stared vacantly into empty space. “Now. What happened here? Tell me.”
The soldiers droned their reply, each picking up where the last left off.
“We...searched all over the forest for the woman...”
“But there were no more traces of her...”
“So we concluded she was eaten by a beast...”
“And decided to return to our country for the present.”
“Excellent!” Allen shouted with delight at his own workmanship. He knew that if he killed these men, the next batch of soldiers would be sure to follow sooner or later. It was simply more efficient to trick them like this.
When he melted away the magic ice, the soldiers staggered to their feet. They didn’t show a hint of animosity toward Allen and were completely oblivious to the young woman in his arms.
“Off you go, then, it’s that way. And don’t come back.”
Obediently, the soldiers tottered back the way they came. The fog in their head would clear up soon, and by that time, they would have forgotten all about their encounter with Allen. Then they would return to their country and report exactly what they had just recited. For the time being, the most immediate problem was out of the way.
“A felon, huh... Sounds like there might be a complicated story behind this.” Allen let out a small sigh as he looked at the face of the sleeping girl.