Now then, I had a bit of a problem on my hands.
What was I supposed to do with this child?
From the look of him, he was probably a boy of about ten.
He seemed to be paralyzed, his body stiff from the Zornbiene’s venom.
I never expected them to bring me a shota.
Question: What will you do with this child?
The options:
① Eat the boy. No, cannibalism is a bit...
② Give the boy back to the bees. He would just become bee food, which is even more gruesome.
③ Leave him as is. The bee venom would eventually circulate through his system and kill him.
④ Help him. Well, there really isn't any other choice, is there?
I wrapped my vines around the boy to begin nursing him.
Aside from the poisoning, he didn't have many external injuries. He had just been pricked by a small venomous stinger.
If I could neutralize the poison in his system, he might just pull through.
Alright, time for some Recovery Magic.
Ah, no, that didn't work.
I forgot—I couldn't use Recovery Magic anymore. Whenever I tried, the only thing that happened was that my own plant body would grow. What a dilemma.
I had a feeling that if he and I became one, he would be healed.
But I couldn't exactly eat him with my lower mouth, and I certainly couldn't do it with my upper body. That would be... well, you know.
Wait, that’s it! There was no need for the boy and me to become one.
Couldn't I just give him a piece of my body?
With that, the experiment began.
I filled my mouth with nectar and tried casting Recovery Magic on the liquid itself.
Then, I let it drip into my hand and poured it into the boy’s mouth.
Oh, his body started to glow.
Drinking the nectar imbued with Recovery Magic did the trick; the wound from the sting began to close up.
The poison seemed to be purified as well, and the boy’s ragged breathing smoothed out into a stable rhythm.
Being a former Saint wasn't just for show, after all. I couldn't help but praise myself. Status ailments were a joke in the face of my magic.
Still, I was genuinely surprised.
If I focused my power, my nectar could actually serve as a restorative medicine.
This was a major discovery. With this, I could treat any injured bees with my own nectar.
Maybe I should stop calling myself a "former" Saint and start going by Saint Alraune?
"……Where am I?"
Oh. It looked like the boy had woken up.
I peered down into his face as if to say "Good morning."
"Big sister... who are you?"
The boy was wary at first, but once he saw my face, he seemed to relax, as if he felt safe.
I patted his head to convey that I wasn't scary. There, there.
"Where on earth... is this?"
The boy looked around.
Unfortunately, that was when he noticed. He saw that my lower half was a flower—that I was a plant monster.
"Waaaaah!?"
The boy started thrashing about, trying to flee.
Naturally, I stopped him. I wasn't about to let a rare conversation partner escape that easily.
I restrained the child with my vines.
"……Are you going to eat me, you monster?"
Ouch.
Calling me a monster... that was a real shock.
Listen here, I’m aiming to be a beautiful flower.
So don't go calling me a monster. It’s not like I’m related to a Rafflesia or anything.
Sure, the mouth on my bulb down there is a bit ominous, and I do have a track record of preying on various monsters, but I have no plans to turn you into fertilizer for the time being.
So just relax.
"I…… won't…… eat…… you……"
Perhaps because I was so desperate to get my feelings across, a voice had escaped my lips before I even realized it.
The boy stared at me with an expression that said, No way, this monster can understand human speech?
But I was even more shocked than he was.
Wait. Hold on. I could talk?!
I haven't been able to make a sound this whole time, so why now??
Only one possibility came to mind. It had to be because of that thing.
That plant monster that was basically a cousin to a Rafflesia.
Yes, my junior, the Man-eater I had consumed.
Now that I thought about it, that thing was making a racket, shouting "Gya gya!" Even though it was a flower, it had a voice.
I must have absorbed that trait, which was why I could finally speak.
Success! Now I didn't have to rely solely on internal monologues to kill time; I could actually talk to myself!
"…………I, will not, eat, you."
Wheeze.
No good, speaking was exhausting.
Probably because I was fundamentally a plant. My vocal functions were clearly far inferior to a human's.
"Not, monster, either…… That’s, important…………"
I moved my tongue with everything I had. I think I managed to get the point across.
I’ve spoken enough for now, so it’s okay to rest, right? Ah, my throat is dry. I want some water.
"I've never seen a monster that understands human language before..."
"Not a monster. Big Sister."
"Eh?"
"Call me... Big Sister."
"Y-Yes."
The boy stared at me in amazement. When his gaze drifted toward my chest, he suddenly jerked his head away. His face was beet red.
I wondered if he was being overwhelmed by his big sister's alluring body.
Feeling a bit like a little devil, I tried hugging him.
His body was so warm.
This was my first contact with human skin since becoming an Alraune. It reminded me that I used to be a person just like this child. How nostalgic.
"You smell really sweet and nice, Big Sister."
Being told I smelled nice didn't feel bad at all.
Alright, Big Sister’s going to give you a little nectar service as a treat!
I cupped my hands to form a small bowl and let the nectar trickle from my lips.
"Here. Drink up."
The boy’s face twitched as he stared at the nectar.
Yes, yes, I know. It came out of my mouth, but don't sweat the details.
The boy hesitated at first, but he couldn't resist the temptation of the sweet scent. He scooped up a bit with his finger for a taste.
"…………It’s delicious!"
The boy's shocked expression melted away, and with sparkling eyes, he gulped down the rest of the nectar as if he were starving.
"Big Sister, um... could I have seconds?"
The way he asked so apologetically was just adorable. I was so happy to finally talk to someone that I was ready to grant any request he had!
But first.
"Where... is this?"
I tossed a question back at him.
I'd been living in this forest for so long that I had no idea what was happening in the outside world.
The boy tilted his head. It seemed I hadn't been clear enough, so I tried again.
"This place. What country?"
"Oh, I see. This is the border between the Kingdom of Gardenia and the Glanz Empire."
Exactly the answer I expected.
As I thought, this was the forest on the border of the two nations. It was the same place I had traveled through with my companions back when I was a Saint.
I’d been worried that I might have been transported somewhere else when I reincarnated, so it was good to know.
I gave the boy more nectar as a reward. He licked it all up with a look of pure bliss. Yeah, this kid definitely had the talent to become a Perorist. He reminded me of that perverted bear from a while back.
Using the next serving of nectar as bait, I asked another question.
"What... year?"
"It’s the year 1020 of the Tenchi Calendar."
Now that was a shock.
Apparently, it had already been three years since the Hero and my junior had betrayed me.
I was born in the year 1000 and was supposed to have died at age 17, which meant I was eaten by the flower monster in 1017. And now it was 1020.
Since it only felt like six months had passed since I woke up as an Alraune, I must have spent over two years merging with my new body.
After that, I bombarded the boy with questions.
Did anyone die in this forest three years ago?
Was the Demon King defeated?
What happened to the Hero of the Kingdom of Gardenia?
What happened to his fiancée, the Saint?
The boy answered everything politely, likely because he wanted that nectar so badly.
Unfortunately, since he was just a traveler training with his grandfather, he wasn't a local and didn't know what had happened here three years ago.
The Demon King had still not been defeated.
He said he didn't even know the previous Saint existed. I suppose that was fair, considering he would have only been seven at the time.
However, the Hero of the Kingdom of Gardenia was apparently a household name, and he had married the newly appointed Saint.
That absolute piece of trash junior of mine.
Without even defeating the Demon King, she’d gone and seduced my fiancé—the Prince and Hero—and secured a life of luxury.
I will never forgive her.
The moment I grow legs, I’m storming the royal botanical garden, camouflaging myself as a flower, and taking her life. God, I envy animals and their ability to move freely.
I kept hammering the boy with questions.
I managed to drag every bit of information I wanted out of him.
The boy seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking he was finally free to go.
But life isn't that simple.
You see, I was starving for entertainment.
Even if it didn't feel like it to me, I had actually spent three years all alone.
Because I was a plant, I couldn't move, and I had no one to talk to.
Wake up, sunbathe while photosynthesizing, occasionally catch some prey, and go to sleep at night. Over and over again. There was no variety whatsoever.
Every day was identical. And I was always, always alone.
Through sunny days, rainy days, and storms. All year round, I was by myself.
So, you see, just talking to a person like this was incredibly fun.
It was so fun I wanted to scream, like I was experiencing every pleasure the world had to offer all at once.
So, my dear boy...
I’m not letting you go.
I think I’ll have you stay here as my little talking doll.
"Boy. Not... letting go."
My words seemed to remind him.
Even if I had the body of a human, at my core, I was a monster.
Love thy neighbor.
With the gentle grace of a merciful Holy Mother, I shall make this boy mine.
After all, I’m a former Saint. I have total confidence in my own kindness.
So, boy, lick this nectar.
Yes, yes, that’s a good boy.
Oh? You want more?
Well, I suppose it can't be helped. I'll let you eat until you're satisfied.
What’s that? You want to eat it for the rest of your life?
Well, I suppose it can't be helped. Since I'm so kind, I'll allow you to be a little selfish.
And so, I decided to keep the terrified boy as my pet, slowly turning him into a nectar addict.