A Fugitive Saint and a Slave Prince: Alice Nekokura’s New Manga Begins Serialization
Alice Nekokura, one of the beloved names in the manga world, has returned with her new series "Rinkoku no Outaishi ga Dorei to shite Urareteita node Katte Mimashita" (I Bought the Neighboring Country's Crown Prince Because He Was Sold as a Slave), inviting readers on a fantastic romantic adventure. The work, which began serialization on April 3rd under Leed Publishing’s Isekai no SHURO label, was first released as a preview on the popular digital platform Mecha Comic. The series aims to bring a fresh breath of air to genre enthusiasts by blending classic fantasy elements with romantic tension.
At the center of the story is Natalie, who, while a candidate for the great saint, is framed by her rival and forced to flee the church. Seeking a protector to escape the deadly curse upon her and flee the country, Natalie encounters an unexpected name at the slave market: Vincent, the proud and powerful crown prince of a neighboring country. Natalie purchases the prince with the goal of saving him and gaining asylum in return. However, this transaction leads to the beginning of a much more complex and passionate bond between the two, not just a protector-protected relationship, due to the mysterious "slave seal" on Vincent.
Author Alice Nekokura is known for her romantic fantasy stories where power dynamics between characters shift and emotional depth is at the forefront. This new series successfully continues the themes of "twists of fate" and "unexpected alliances" that the author has frequently explored in her previous works. The Isekai no SHURO label has established a solid place in the industry in recent years with its high-quality productions in the isekai (transfer to another world) and high fantasy genres, particularly appealing to female readers.
With the rapid growth of digital manga publishing in Japan, such series now reach large audiences on platforms like Mecha Comic before physical print. This extraordinary story of Natalie and Vincent has already become one of the most talked-about new productions on the platform. How the curse on Natalie will be resolved and whether Vincent will be able to reclaim his throne are matters of curiosity in the upcoming chapters of the series. For fans of the genre, this manga promises both political intrigue and a heartwarming love story.
