An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride

An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride (魔王の俺が奴隷エルフを嫁にしたんだが、どう愛でればいい?), also known as Madome (まどめ) for short, is a Japanese light novel series written by Fuminori Teshima and illustrated by COMTA. The first volume of the light novel was published in February 2017 by Hobby Japan under their HJ Bunko imprint. 18 volumes have been released as of April 2024. A manga adaptation with art by Hako Itagaki has been serialized via Hobby Japan's Comic Fire website since February 2018. Both the light novel and manga have been licensed in North America by J-Novel Club. An anime television series adaptation produced by Brain's Base aired from April to June 2024.

Plot
During an underground auction, the sorcerer Zagan meets the gorgeous elf slave Nephelia (often shortened to Nephy) and immediately falls in love with her at first sight, spending all his fortune to purchase her. Initially, the young elf girl shows no romantic interest for Zagan at all, but as the pair starts cohabitating in Zagan's castle, their relationship improves and develops, meeting new friends and facing powerful enemies in their pursuit of a peaceful and happy life together.

Characters

 * Zagan (ザガン)
 * Zagan is the newest and youngest of the 13 archdemons, a title bestowed to the strongest magicians alive, Zagan lives alone in his castle until he falls in love at first sight with Nephy and spends all his fortune to purchase her in an auction. Despite his lack of communication skills, and Nephy's initial lack of interest in him, Zagan gets close to her and the two end up becoming a couple. As an archdemon, Zagan has powerful enemies, such as other magicians who want to claim his title by defeating him, the church who views him as a threat to the world and several other archdemons who intend to make use of him and Nephy for their own purposes.
 * Zagan is the newest and youngest of the 13 archdemons, a title bestowed to the strongest magicians alive, Zagan lives alone in his castle until he falls in love at first sight with Nephy and spends all his fortune to purchase her in an auction. Despite his lack of communication skills, and Nephy's initial lack of interest in him, Zagan gets close to her and the two end up becoming a couple. As an archdemon, Zagan has powerful enemies, such as other magicians who want to claim his title by defeating him, the church who views him as a threat to the world and several other archdemons who intend to make use of him and Nephy for their own purposes.


 * Nephy (ネフィ)
 * A beautiful young elf slave bought by Zagan, whose full name is Nephelia (or Nephy as she is usually called). She initially had no romantic feelings for him whatsoever, only seeing him as another scary and abusive owner and secretly wanting to flee from him, but as they spend time together, she begins to warm up to him and eventually reciprocates his feelings, becoming his bride. Despite Zagan's desire to destroy the slave collar that binds her to him, she does not care because to her it is a proof of their unbreakable bond. Nephy is actually a high-elf of a distinctive lineage, capable of casting a rare and powerful type of holy magic that she eventually develops in order to assist Zagan in battle, but because of this, she ends up becoming targeted by other archdemons who want to take hold of her power.
 * A beautiful young elf slave bought by Zagan, whose full name is Nephelia (or Nephy as she is usually called). She initially had no romantic feelings for him whatsoever, only seeing him as another scary and abusive owner and secretly wanting to flee from him, but as they spend time together, she begins to warm up to him and eventually reciprocates his feelings, becoming his bride. Despite Zagan's desire to destroy the slave collar that binds her to him, she does not care because to her it is a proof of their unbreakable bond. Nephy is actually a high-elf of a distinctive lineage, capable of casting a rare and powerful type of holy magic that she eventually develops in order to assist Zagan in battle, but because of this, she ends up becoming targeted by other archdemons who want to take hold of her power.


 * Chastille Lillqvist (シャスティル・リルクヴィスト)
 * A young Holy Knight who welds one of the 12 Holy Swords, but is otherwise clumsy and emotional. She becomes close friends with Zagan and Nephy as they live together.
 * A young Holy Knight who welds one of the 12 Holy Swords, but is otherwise clumsy and emotional. She becomes close friends with Zagan and Nephy as they live together.


 * Barbatos (バルバロス)
 * Zagan's rival who is initially jealous of the latter's power and Archdemon title, though he reluctantly becomes an ally after helping Zagan and Nephy using his teleportation magic. He develops feelings for Chastille as he takes care of her.
 * Zagan's rival who is initially jealous of the latter's power and Archdemon title, though he reluctantly becomes an ally after helping Zagan and Nephy using his teleportation magic. He develops feelings for Chastille as he takes care of her.


 * Valefor/For (フォル)
 * A young dragon girl who was taken in and adopted by Zagan and Nephy after the murder of her father.
 * A young dragon girl who was taken in and adopted by Zagan and Nephy after the murder of her father.


 * Raphael Hyurandell (ラーファエル・ヒュランデル)
 * A powerful Holy Knight who has a secret.
 * A powerful Holy Knight who has a secret.


 * Manuela (マニュエラ)
 * A young demi-human girl with wings who runs a clothing store near Zagan's castle. She's friendly, kind and bubbly, and along with Chastille, forms a close friendship with Nephy.
 * A young demi-human girl with wings who runs a clothing store near Zagan's castle. She's friendly, kind and bubbly, and along with Chastille, forms a close friendship with Nephy.

Light novels
Hobby Japan published the first light novel volume in print with illustrations by COMTA on February 1, 2017. As of April 1, 2024, eighteen volumes have been published. The light novel is licensed in North America by J-Novel Club.

Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Hako Itagaki began serialization in Hobby Japan's Comic Fire website in February 2018. The series has been collected in 11 volumes as of December 1, 2023. The manga is also licensed by J-Novel Club.

A spin-off manga by Momo Futaba titled An Archdemon's (Friend's) Dilemma: How to Love a Crybaby Knight (悪友の俺がポンコツ騎士を見てられないんだが、どう世話を焼きゃいい? ～まどめ外伝～) began serialization in the same website in December 2021. The series has been collected in two volumes as of September 1, 2023. During their Anime Expo 2023 panel, J-Novel Club announced that they licensed the spin-off manga.

Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on October 27, 2022. Produced and planned by TMS Entertainment, and animated by Brain's Base, it is directed by Hiroshi Ishiodori, with Aya Yoshinaga overseeing series scripts, Mina Ōsawa designing the characters, Keiji Gotoh supervising the animation, Yuma Yamaguchi composing the music, and narrated by Toshiyuki Morikawa. The series aired from April 5 to June 21, 2024, on Tokyo MX and other networks. The opening theme is "Wakaranai Ai" (ワカラナイアイ), performed by The Brow Beat, while the ending theme is "Tweedia" (ブルースター), performed by Sayaka Yamamoto. Crunchyroll licensed the series. Plus Media Networks Asia licensed the series in Southeast Asia.

Reception
In 2020, the manga adaptation was nominated for the Next Manga Award in the web category.