Chapter 37 Dragon Priestess, Hair Tonic, and Political Maneuvers
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Summary:
Forced into an epic journey to the Dragon Country to reverse his child-like curse, Shin must first navigate a high-stakes political negotiation within the Mirror World. He uses a dangerous bribe and a bit of blackmail to ensure the safety of the fragile Dragon Priestess, Yulize, inadvertently kicking off a massive fantasy political maneuver. Meanwhile, his greatest fear—being a cross-dressing boy—seems closer than ever as the consequences of his power grow. An isekai tale of strategic genius and profound personal panic.
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(The Mirror World)
”Hmph. To the Dragon Country, then. To break the Night Alice curse on [Red]… The Dragon Country, you say?” Carrol droned, his formal tone reflecting the gravity of the decision.
”Yes, sir. We absolutely have to go to break Red-kun’s strange illness and my shota-fication curse,” I insisted, my politeness hiding my inner turmoil.
No way! Shota-fication! Yes! I need that handsome-old-man growth spurt!
See, I want to grow up to be a handsome Ikemen-Ossan (hottie-old man) like my dad, and I want to date the beautiful and lovely girls I haven’t even met yet. After that, I’m planning my ‘remote, frontier slow life,’ where I can watch over the bright future of Alexia and the heroines from a distance.
That’s why I’ve gotta grow up! If I stay like this, the girls—Alexia included—who are growing more ladylike every day, will start treating me like a boy-crossdresser! Think about this kind of nightmare scenario:
Moooowwaaah!
“Shin-kun, I’m going to dress you up in a cute little dress today, you know!”
“Shin-sama, I shall make you wear a cute miniskirt maid outfit!”
“My Shin-sama, a super-perverted nun’s habit~desuwa! A mini-skirt one~desuwa!”
“Shin, put on the revealing clothes passed down by the Elven tribe. That’s an order!”
“Stupid Shin, take off your clothes. I’m going to—no, I’m giving you a physical examination right now! Haah, haah!”
”…That is one future I will absolutely refuse!” I exclaimed, a genuine shudder racing down my spine.
If that happens, I’ll turn into a dressing-up doll, like Rika-chan from some country or another.
But right now, the heroines, led by the main character, Alexia, are steadily growing up and gathering strength. At this rate, they might actually surpass my real strength someday soon.
”Aye, I understand. We shall offer protection to the Dragon Witch until the issues in the Dragon Country are settled… However, Yulize-dono is out of the question.” Carrol conceded, but then quickly objected to the other point.
”Huh? I… I can’t stay here?” Yulize-chan protested, her face on the verge of tears. Poor girl.
Out of the question? Why? The safest place in the world for her right now should be this small alternate world, the Mirror World. Was Carrol-san just being mean?
”Why is that, sir? Do you hate little girls? Is it just because you only like busty girls, Carrol-san?” I challenged, making a wild, exasperated guess.
”…Is that true, Father?” Alice interjected, her voice as cool as ice.
”No, st—stop it, Alice! That is the last shred of scalp (my only hope) left to me!” Carrol wailed, clutching at his head.
”Then why would you say such a mean thing? You can’t even shelter one adorable girl like this?” Alice murmured, and with a snip, she held up a pair of scissors, aiming at the few remaining strands on Carrol-san’s scalp. Nice assist! With his own hair as collateral, Carrol-san absolutely has to listen to what I say now.
”It’s because of the Ryūseisai (Dragon Star Festival)¹! Since the Alysphere Calendar began, it has been decreed that the Dragon Priestess must be present somewhere in the Albion Empire during the Ryūseisai!” Carrol bellowed desperately.
”Yulize-san… is the Dragon Priestess? One of the seven who holds a role similar to mine?” Alice breathed, momentarily stunned.
B-CHING!
POWAH-HARA-HARA-HARA!
”Gyaaahh!! My few remaining advantages! My hair has been cut!” Carrol screamed in despair.
”Oh! I am so sorry, Father! I was just startled, and accidentally cut the last of your scalp with the scissors. It’s quite alright, Father. It will grow back anew, eventually. The scalp, that is.” Alice consoled him, her tone unnervingly calm.
Carrol-san, held hostage by his own hair, frantically explained everything to us. His last hope (scalp) drifted through the air before quietly crashing onto the ground. Sad, ain’t it?
”So, because Yulize-san is the Dragon Priestess, she has to be somewhere in the Albion Empire, or there’ll be trouble? Carrol-san, as payment for sheltering that little girl for us this time, I’ll give you the mysterious Hair Growth Tonic I developed myself.” I bargained.
[[[OOOH!]]]
”Wha—What?! A mysterious Hair Growth Tonic? Are you sure, Shin?” Carrol rasped, his voice suddenly full of pathetic hope.
”Yeah. It’s the mysterious tonic—I have no idea what’ll happen if you put it on your head, but I was having trouble disposing of it, so I’ll give you the whole lot for free.” I cajoled him.
”What in the world is that? There’s some kind of indescribable thing squirming around in the little bottle, Yulize.”
”Don’t, Grandma. We’re negotiating for our sake right now, so don’t butt in.”
”…Such an adorable little mystery lump, Shin-san.”
The girls were holding a tea party nearby, watching my exchange with Carrol-san with bated breath. Nice! I want to have a tea party with the girls quickly, too, instead of looking at this shiny, bald head! Sad stuff, huh?
”M-My last remaining hair is gone… But this tonic—if I put it on my scalp, will it grow back again? For sure?” Carrol pleaded, his head reflecting the light.
”Don’t be so depressed, Carrol-san… Probably. It’ll probably grow back… maybe.” I offered, giving him the most non-committal answer possible.
I tried this Tonic (Failed Project) on my old buddy Uru-kun once, and all his hair fell out instantly, leaving him with smooth skin in a dramatic ‘Before & After’ transformation. I mixed a bunch of rare chemicals to make it, and I was in deep, deep trouble because I couldn’t just dump it in the natural environment.
It’s a good thing you found a good owner to take you in, my little mystery tonics! Keep multiplying in your new home!
[[[GAAAAOOOOH!!!]]]
Even the little mystery things are performing a sad farewell chorus for me. But ah, that’s a load off my mind! Now I’ve successfully foisted the difficult-to-manage mystery creatures onto Carrol-san.
”…I shall save this for when my heart is calm, then. Now, to return to the matter at hand. We cannot shelter the Dragon Priestess, Yulize-dono, here in the Mirror World. If Yulize-dono is harbored here and is absent during the Ryūseisai, a great Calamity will be unleashed upon Alysphere.” Carrol stated gravely.
”A Calamity? What kind of disaster is that?” I inquired.
”A Calamity of the same nature as Night Alice. If that happens, the Albion Empire will be transformed into a wretched country, much like the Mirror World once was.” Carrol explained.
A Calamity… something like Night Alice, huh? I was only able to defeat Night Alice easily because it had greatly weakened itself by escaping the Mirror World beforehand. In the original game, Night Alice was a troublesome foe that cunningly attacked by moving back and forth between the Mirror World and the real world (Real).
Well, I simply crushed everything with my overwhelming power, so I made sure it couldn’t fight cunningly like that at all.
”Then why not simply have Yulize remain near Shin as his Dragon’s pet, Carrol? That one—Merlin’s grandson—must be quite capable, eh?” The Dragon Witch crowed.
”Hmm? Ah, yes. Shin is the one who saved the Mirror World, after all. That might indeed be the safest option.” Carrol admitted.
”…W-Will I really get to stay with such a cute boy? Grandma! Haah, haah!” Yulize gasped breathlessly.
Things are progressing without my input, but whatever. I feel great now that I’ve gotten rid of the Mystery Tonic (the hazard).
…But still, why is Yulize-san breathing so heavily whenever she looks at my face? Is she feeling unwell?
”A Dragon’s pet, you say? If so, Yulize-dono could transform into a Shadow Dragon and Shin could command her. No one would suspect a thing. The issue is Red. It’s decreed that movement from the Mirror World to the outside world (Alysphere) is only possible within the Regain Kingdom’s territory. Even though he’s still a child, moving the enormous Red all the way to the Albion Empire is a feat of strength.” Carrol summarized the issue.
”But, if we take Red-kun out of the Mirror World at the border between the Regain Kingdom and the Albion Empire, and then travel to the Imperial Capital by carriage, it will still take several days just for the journey!” I stressed.
”Well then, that is why we must first chip away at the Albion Empire’s territory to expand the Regain Kingdom’s lands!” The little old lady declared forcefully.
Expand the Regain Kingdom’s territory? What the heck is this loli-hag even talking about?
”Um? What are you saying, Loli-hag… L-Little old lady? If we do that, we’ll start a war! A huge, all-out war over land between the Regain Kingdom and the Albion Empire will break out!” I protested, bewildered.
”Through a cease-fire agreement between the two countries, the Albion Empire’s Lintheville Territory will be temporarily (・・・) annexed by the Regain Kingdom’s Seyfried Territory, ain’t that right?” She croaked, looking quite pleased with herself.
”Annexation? …Oh. Is that what they were discussing at the guesthouse a few hours ago—the talks between the Academies? A maneuver by both countries to undermine the power of the Seyfried Duke’s family?” I asked, suddenly putting the pieces together.
”How do you know that, when you weren’t even there?” Carrol demanded, astonished.
”…If you’ve been keeping a close eye on the current economic trends of the Seyfried Territory, you can make that kind of prediction.” I retorted, feigning confidence.
”Hoh… You are quite a foresighted little brat, aren’t you?” Carrol mused.
It’s a lie, though. I was actually watching everything through Yorn’s eye. Including Lilith-senpai’s panties. They were green today, too.
”I’m glad you’re convinced, ahaha…” I chuckled, forcing a light tone.
”…Well, no matter. The Lord of the Albion Empire’s Lintheville Territory has always been me, after all. So, I will temporarily submit to the Seyfried Duke’s military command and surrender the land. Alysphere will then mistake the Lintheville Territory for a part of the Regain Kingdom.” The Dragon Witch elaborated.
”G-Grandma! You can’t!” Yulize cried.
”Hoh. So you plan to use that to rapidly expand the Mirror World’s travel range and minimize Red’s travel distance. You thought that through well, Dragon Witch-dono.” Carrol praised.
”Ain’t that right? Bad ideas always make the brain turn faster, hee-hee-hee…” She cackled in response.
”Wait! Grandma! You can’t! Turning over the Lintheville Territory to the Seyfried Duke’s family, even temporarily, without the Senate’s permission… Are you betraying the Albion Empire?” Yulize protested, completely aghast.
”Huh? …It’s a small price to pay to save my adorable granddaughter. Besides, the Albion Empire is a nation where the strong are absolute. And Lin Linthwurm is a Dragonkin who lives as she pleases. If the Albion Empire wants to control me, they need only subdue me by force. That’s how the Dragon Country has maintained itself for so long, ain’t it?” She declared, utterly resolute.
Wow. This loli-hag is incredible. She’s willing to betray her own country just for the sake of her granddaughter. Her resolve is seriously over-the-top!
”The execution will be tomorrow or the day after. The swifter we move, the better, see? Yulize, transform into a dragon and stick close to the brat all the time. I need to check on the condition of Red’s hatchling body. Brat, can you use teleportation magic?” She ordered.
”Hmm? Yeah, I can use it. You want to know if I can fly to the border between the Seyfried Territory and the Lintheville Territory, right?” I guessed.
”Mm… can you do it?” Carrol asked.
”Easily. Well, I’ve never been to the Lintheville Territory before, since the security and mountains are too strict, but yeah. But what are we going to do once we’re suddenly in the Lintheville Territory? You can’t move between the Mirror World and the real world unless you have a special pair of matching mirrors, like at the Alys Magic Academy.” I cautioned.
”That can be managed if I use the Divine Artifact (Shinki) Shield of the Old Knight that I once possessed. That Divine Artifact (Shinki) has the ability to expand the Mirror World’s movement range. Using that, we should be able to safely move the Dragon Witch-dono all the way to the Lintheville Territory.” Carrol explained.
Carrol-san then lectured me on how to use the Divine Artifact (Shinki) Shield of the Old Knight. I’m not sure why he’s not mad about me stealing the Shield of the Old Knight three years ago.
* * *
(Alys Magic Academy Grand Cafeteria)
Splish!
“Thank you for everything today, Shin-san. And I’ll be in your care for a long time—not just for today… Whoosh! Gasp!”
”Yeah, I’ll be counting on you, Yulize-chan.” I replied.
Yulize-chan, who is supposed to grow into a stunningly busty beauty in the future, has transformed into a beautiful, super-tiny blue dragon. She’s now mimicking a strange birthmark and is scurrying all over my body. It’s kinda ticklish.
Wait, is she actually integrated with my body? The Dragon people sure can use strange powers. And why has she been breathing so heavily ever since? She’s so small, like a tiny lizard, that it’s hard to find her. I might not even notice if she does anything weird while I’m sleeping…
”You cold-blooded Elf! Idiot Elf! Today, my (Uchi no) upper class gets priority! ‘Flame Slash Sword!’”
”You hot-blooded Red Dress! Battle Freak! That’s not right! Today, you lower-class lot go last! ‘Light Slash (Right Sword)!’”
CRACK!
”Whoa! Yeah! Give ’em hell!”
”C’mon, c’mon, place your bets! The usual lovey-dovey duel between Hollow and Karentisia-chan is starting! Who’s gonna win today? Anyone wanna bet?”
Oh? I snuck back from the Mirror World to the real world, only to find Hollow and Karentisia-chan having a serious battle right in front of me. What the heck happened while I was gone?
—
Notes:
¹ [Ryūseisai] This term means Dragon Star Festival. It’s an important religious/political ceremony in the Albion Empire, tied to the Dragon Priestesses, so its timing is crucial to the plot. You should know it, it’s pretty central. ↩
Notes:
• Night Alice – Hidden Gimmick Monster/Boss of the Maidens x Cross-dressing RPG, one of the founders of Alys Magic Academy. Hijacked the Mirror World (Wonderland) and ruled as the Student Council President. Her initial forms included Slaughter Doll and Alice Slaughter (centipede/alien).
• Albion Empire – A nation to the east of Regain where dragonkind is revered as divine. It is currently locked in “bloody, territorial chaos” with the new Demon King’s forces in Schwert.
• Uru – The wolf.
• Lin – Alt’s mentor, described as the ‘Great Hero who sealed the ancient dragon, Albion, who resides in the Dragon Country.’ He is suggested as someone who might possess knowledge of a cure for the dragon race’s strange disease.
• Lilith – The Student Council Secretary who works alongside Yorn and Mars, pushing documents for Alexia to stamp while sighing at the president’s distracted behavior. She references a past promise involving underwear.
• Yorn – A maid who is easily delighted by Genkaku mushrooms (implied hallucinogenic). She informed Shin of the banquet.
• Shield of the Old Knight – One of the five quest artifacts. It is the treasure of the White Castle. Shin snatched it during the chaos caused by Carrol’s awakening.
• Right – An upperclassman frustrated with ten-year-old Alexia’s presidency who initially supported Lilith (‘Lili-tan’) for the role. He represents the ‘cute girl fetish’ faction, rips up the magic paper in anger, and engages in heated debates with Left about the academy’s bizarre political landscape and student obsessions.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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