Phantom Menace

Hello! Hello! My fellow phantoms!

Waaaah! Shaydi! You're so cool!

That's right, my cute little ones, hehe.

Is everyone ready to see the show I prepared today?

So, what kind of brilliant prank did you cook up this time? I can't wait to see it!

The target of this prank is... drumroll please!

The newest rookie of the Yggdrasil Order, our very own Master!

The, the Master...? Is it really okay to mess with the Master?

You sure about this? Picking a fight with the Master might just make us look bad, you know.

Don't worry! I think it'll be fine!

It's all Shaydi's doing anyway, so we're off the hook! No reason for us to take the blame!

Oh? R-really?

Hey! What did you all just talk about? Huh?!

Ahhhhh!

Why are you only hitting me? Hit Espi too, Shaydi!

Don't know. Don't care. I do as I please!

Ugh... Classic Shaydi. Petty, yet somehow still cool about it...!

Um, Shaydi?

What kind of amazing prank are you planning for the Master?

I've been thinking about this for a while now...

For the Master, I've prepared something special, different from my usual pranks.

What is it? Something more fun than being stuffed in subspace and having to find out the way all alone?

Opening... random dimensional portals!

Wh-what did you say?!

If I open random dimensional portals and turn Elias into complete chaos...

Neither the Master nor I will know what's going to pop out, so it'll be hard for anyone to step in and stop it, right?

Uhm, Shaydi, is that really okay?

What if you open a dimensional portal and only trash like tin cans come out?

Yeah, exactly! It'd be way more fun if black holes or supernovas came out!

What's with you, Alice? Why are you talking so... cosmically?

A foundation in cosmic knowledge is necessary for fortune tellers, Espi.

Don't you know astrology? When you're telling one's future, you're supposed to know how to read the stars.

Really? Ugh... I don't know. I can't understand all that fake-sounding stuff you always say.

Everyone, don't worry too much...

I can just keep opening them randomly until something fun pops out, right?

Alright, then... Drumroll please!

What will come out of our very first dimensional portal??

What's this?

What... is this a book? It looks weird.

Ugh.. What's with this book suddenly popping out?!

Take that away and burn it!

Hehehe! It's firewood! My house will be warm today!

Now... what's next?!

Wow! The deed to a house! I've always wanted one!

Ah! Why do only weird things like this keep popping out?!

Now... what will come out next? Ah, I hope it'll be something good.

Hmm...

What? Espi? What's with the serious face?

Uh, um... I was just... thinking about something.

Watching Shaydi's pranks is always fun, but...

What if the Master gets caught up in those dimensional shenanigans and ends up in another world...

Or gets upset and throws a tantrum...

Wouldn't that mean we'd lose our chance to see new dreams forever...?

Ever since the Master showed us that weird thing last time, I get a little scared sometimes... but I've gotta admit, dreams that fresh are pretty rare...

So... I came to you.

I didn't want to go to the Sprite Kingdom and run into that foul-mouthed Head Priestess.

Shaydi is planning something like that?

Shaydi is trying to show off by opening dimensional portals, so it'd be great if you could stop her.

That way, when the Master is sleeping peacefully, I can sneak a peek at those enlightened dreams.

Ugh... You phantoms really talk weird.

Shaydi is opening dimensional portals...? Hmm.. Dimensional portals...

Hm...? Dimensional portal?!

What, what?! That old phantom biddy can do something like that?!

Mayor...! Could this finally be the clue we've been looking for to return to our original dimension?

Were tantrums and pleading with the Trolling Queen of Phantom Marsh to send us packing the answer the whole time?!

This is too anticlimactic! This can't be right!

It only has meaning if we return to our home dimension using the Mayor's inventions!

We need to catch that phantom right now and blast her into space along with the drama broadcast satellite!

Wh-what are you talking about, Amelia!

We finally have a chance to go back, so stop it with the nonsense!

Ahem, ah, I understand... Sorry, Mayor.

Hey, Rohne!

Yes, yes!

You heard everything this phantom just said, right?

We need to find out if this intel is reliable.

Go scout the Phantom Marsh. And... put a tracking device on that old biddy phantom Shaydi too...

We need to capture that hag and analyze her... then use her for the device to return home.

Yes, yes... I understand....

Ugh... phantoms? They're scary....

But if I can just pull this job off properly... I can go back to our home dimension and eat cutlets, right?

If, if that's the case...

So... that's why I came to find you all!

......

Rohne, why are you telling us this right now?

Phantoms are scary, but... I can't help but fantasize about eating cutlet again.

So I came to find the Order's top handlers to do the job instead of me.

I thought you could just handle all the work for me without me having to lift a finger.

How about it, Master? Yes? Yes? Hehe...

A slave caught by the Order and forced to work non-stop... no, th-the Master! Ehehehe...

Rohne! Do not say things like that!

Our Master is voluntarily exerting a great deal of effort to assist us.

Hmm, yes... I suppose you could put it that way.

Well, the intentions are quite impure, but...

Honestly, the information itself is pretty decent, right?

I heard Shaydi was up to something weird, targeting the Master again.

Thankfully, Rohne's talent for passing the buck kicked in, so we were able to find out early.

No! I just passed this along on my own, so the Mayor doesn't know about it!

Don't blame all elves for this!

......

Should we rat her out to Mayor Elena?

Eek? N-no! You can't do that!

That would set my pay cut in stone! Master! Please! *sob*

My cutlet! For the sake of my cutlet...!!

Wh-what?! How did you even know to come here?!

If you rain on my parade like that, it really hurts, you know!

No! Keep it open for now! We need to analyze it!

We need to close it, Mayor Elena!

But the Mayor said we need to analyze it!

Ah... What's this? Nothing's coming out of this dimensional portal?

Th-this is...

G-Gold?

Huh? Mocharon?

Those shimmering leaf-shaped gems... Crystal Leaves?

Waaah! Everyone get back! All the Mocharons are mine!

G-Get the Gold first, Your Majesty!

You fools! Forget about that stuff and grab the Crystal Leaves first!

Hey! That's so low! And you call yourself the Master?!

Amelia! Get over here right now and start picking them up too!

Yes, yes! Mayor!

Hey! Whatever I do is my business, okay? How many times do I have to tell you I'm the queen!

Master! You have big hands, you are tall, and your pockets are big, so hurry and pick them up!!

We are being blessed with resources from the heavens, so why are you just standing there watching!!!

What's with you guys?! Didn't you come here to stop me?

Shaydi, open it more! Quickly! It's urgent! Open it right now!

Aaahhh! That's scary!! Hey! Why are you guys acting like this?!

Get a grip! This isn't the reaction I was hoping for!

What on earth did I sacrifice myself for?

This greed... this ugliness...! It's truly revolting!

I'll take this lesson from reality to heart!

Rohne! You're being loud, so shut up and get grabbing! Do you want me to dock your pay?!

Spymaster Rohne... I'll pick it up right away!

Ugh... I'm sick of it, sick of it! What kind of behavior is this?

This isn't even fun...

No, earlier it kept giving me nothing but weird trash...!

Why is this dimensional portal suddenly spewing out currency like that?

Woof...

Huh?

Woof... Woooof...Wooooof... Wooooooof...

M-Mayor? There's something beyond the dimensional portal...!

What's that? A star...? Is that a star?

Woof woof!!!! *Growl*l!

Aaaahhhhh!!! What the heck is that monster?!

What's with this fantasy world, seriously! Look how utterly rootless it all is!

Waaaaahhh! It has three puppy heads!!!!

Master, stop worrying about nonsense and run away quickly!!!!

Oh? And who might you be? Is there anyone else this cute and this confusing...?

Ahaha! This is so grea-

Ugh, aaaahhh!!!

Let go! Hey! Can't you let go?!

Everyone... look over there!

Since she couldn't trick the others... it feels like Shaydi chose to sacrifice herself...!

Shaydi... you're so cool!

Hey! Don't just stand there watching, help me out! Do I look like I'm about to make some heroic sacrifice or something?!

Master!!! Do something quick!!! Ugh, this feels awful!

What, what? Why are you telling us to stop? If we don't run, we'll end up as dog chow like that Shaydi biddy!

Look at that thing's feet!

Gold and Crystal Leaves keep pouring in...?

That puppy is so big, it's blocking the dimensional portal!

If we defeat it, we can collect tons more stuff again!!

Shut it! Everyone charge! We're taking down that monster!

The Mocharon looks so deliciousss!!!!

Waaaahhhhh!!!!!!!

Master, everything's already gone to hell anyway, so maybe if we just beat the crap out of it, things will work out?

When you're taking down a monster, the intention behind it doesn't matter that much, does it?