Kaito Yuuma was dreaming of nothing in particular. Not a dragon. Not a girl. Not even food. Just a big, comfy void of soft darkness, like sinking into a couch made of sleep. He was halfway through a nap on the school rooftop—his favorite place since dropping out and "re-enrolling" in what he called The Philosophy of Doing Absolutely Nothing.
So when a flash of light ripped the clouds apart and a divine circle opened beneath him like a trapdoor made of glitter and lightning, Kaito had just enough time to mutter—
"Ugh. Five more minutes…"
—before he was violently yanked out of his dimension like a sock caught in a washing machine.
⸻
He crash-landed in a marble temple surrounded by a glowing hexagram carved into the floor. Candles lined the outer rim, flickering blue, and robed figures stood in a circle, mouths agape. At the center, a woman in golden armor stared down at him, eyes hard enough to dent steel.
"I-Is that him?" one priest asked.
"He's… napping," said another.
Kaito slowly opened one eye. His cheek was stuck to the marble. "Is this a dream? If it's not, I'd like a refund."
The armored woman stepped forward. Her long silver hair shimmered like moonlight. She looked strong, proud, and thoroughly disappointed in everything he was.
"You are the one the Rite summoned?" she asked, voice sharp as a drawn blade.
Kaito sat up and stretched. "I guess? Depends. Am I getting paid?"
"I am Princess Liora of House Valtheria, First of the Sacred Line. And you…" She narrowed her eyes. "…are supposed to be our Sacred Prince."
Kaito yawned.
"Cool. So… does this job come with a mattress?"
⸻
Two hours later, Kaito sat on a throne. It wasn't comfy.
The royal throne room was enormous—white pillars, gold trim, chandeliers dangling like upside-down castles. Before him stood seven girls, each impossibly beautiful in very different, very alarming ways.
Liora stood first, silver armor gleaming. "You've already met me," she said, expression like chiseled stone. "I'm the eldest."
Next to her was a petite girl with long emerald hair hiding half her face. She peeked at him from behind a spellbook, blushing so hard it looked painful. "I-I'm Sylfie," she stammered. "P-please don't talk to me unless it's about magic…"
To her right, a tall girl with red twin-tails crossed her arms, armor clanking. Her glare could've started a forest fire. "Reina. Royal knight commander. If you touch me, I will kill you."
"Hot," Kaito muttered under his breath.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
Next was a woman with wine-colored eyes and lips curved in a permanent smirk. She wore a gown that hugged her like a secret. "Velveth," she purred. "Royal tactician. And possibly your favorite, darling."
Kaito blinked. "Are you flirting with me or threatening me?"
"Yes."
The fifth girl looked like a librarian who had wandered into a battlefield. Round glasses. Ink-stained gloves. A metal backpack with gizmos and wires that beeped every few seconds. "Mariabelle," she said, typing on something. "Analyzing your threat level. Conclusion: Useless. Cute, though."
"Not mutually exclusive," Kaito replied.
Next, a tan-skinned girl with feline ears practically leapt forward and grabbed his arm. "Nyra!" she chirped. "I like hugs! You smell weird. I like that too!"
Kaito blinked. "I think I just got married?"
Finally, in the back corner stood the youngest girl, maybe thirteen or fourteen, pale as frost. Her white hair fell in strands over blank eyes, and a metal collar glowed faintly at her throat.
"She is Seraphine," Liora said softly. "She cannot speak. She cannot feel. She is… cursed."
Kaito frowned.
"Why are you showing me your entire royal cast like I'm picking a starter Pokémon?"
Liora inhaled slowly, as if counting to ten.
"You are our Sacred Prince," she said. "Summoned through an ancient rite passed down for centuries. Only you can awaken the sealed powers within each of us."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Okay… and how exactly do I awaken these powers?"
The room fell silent.
Velveth cleared her throat delicately. "Emotional intimacy."
"…Meaning?"
"Physical touch. Honest feelings. Close… bonding."
He stared.
"You mean… I gotta date all of you?"
"No!" Liora snapped.
"Actually, yes," Velveth purred.
"It's more complicated than that," Mariabelle muttered.
"Yay, group hugs!" Nyra squealed.
"I… I'll explode if you touch me!" Sylfie blushed.
"I'll explode you if you touch me!" Reina growled.
Seraphine just blinked.
Kaito stood up and turned toward the nearest wall.
"Hello? Cosmic Admin? I think you sent the Sacred Prince to the wrong dimension. I'm about 80% sure I ordered the 'sleepy hermit' route, not 'reverse harem dating sim with emotional trauma.'"
A priest stepped forward nervously. "Ahem. Sacred Prince… if you fail to bond with the princesses and awaken their powers, the barrier protecting our kingdom will fall. Monsters, raiders, and worse will invade."
"And?"
"You'll die horribly. And so will we."
Kaito scratched his head.
"Well, crap."
⸻
Later that night, he was escorted to his royal chambers.
By "chambers," they meant a bed large enough to park a dragon, silk sheets, golden furniture… and seven dresses hanging on the wall, one for each princess.
"They're expecting you to share a connection with all of them," said the maid nervously. "Emotionally, I mean."
Kaito flopped face-first onto the bed.
"I came here by accident. I didn't ask for this."
"No one ever does," the maid replied. "But maybe you were summoned here for a reason."
He looked up at the ceiling.
"A Sacred Prince, huh?"
He thought about the girls. Liora's eyes. Sylfie's stammer. Reina's fire. Velveth's smile. Mariabelle's messy hands. Nyra's tail. Seraphine's silence.
And for the first time… he felt awake.
"Guess I'll try not to screw this up."
Then he promptly fell asleep face-down and snored into the royal pillow.