A week had passed since the boy left me.
He was the first decent conversation partner I’d had since being born as an Alraune. Though he was a boy possessed by an insatiable Perorist spirit—never opening his mouth except to demand nectar—even someone like him was better than nothing.
Come to think of it, that Honey-loving Perverted Bear, the first monster I ever preyed upon, was also a magnificent Perorist. Perhaps every child in this region was a pervert.
No matter how perverted he was, the simple fact that he provided conversation was enough to offset his flaws. And now, I was all alone again.
Perhaps it was because his absence made me feel the weight of my loneliness, but lately, someone else had been on my mind. Or rather, something.
It was that tree over there.
At some point, a withered, skeletal tree had appeared about ten meters away from me. I assumed a once-lush tree had simply died, but I had absolutely no memory of it being there when it was alive.
This was because I had cleared every last weed and sapling within a ten-meter radius of myself.
The culprit was me. I ate them all, and I have no regrets.
Part of it was due to that drought, but that wasn't the only reason. It was for the sake of my abilities. Even after the drought ended, I continued to absorb the surrounding flora. I had discovered that I could absorb the characteristics of the plants I preyed upon and even manifest the plants themselves as weapons. I wanted to expand my arsenal while I had the downtime.
Besides, they were getting in the way of my sunbathing.
They were also a nuisance when it came to hydration. Other plants would steal the groundwater I was trying to procure. As a self-proclaimed "water-loving girl," that was an unforgivable offense. So, while I had always harbored a desire to eradicate the surrounding vegetation, I finally took decisive action the other day. I used my vines to rip the trees out by their roots.
I was surprisingly strong.
At that time, there definitely hadn't been a withered tree in that spot. I wondered what on earth was going on. It was truly one of the Seven Wonders of the Forest.
Just as I finished tailoring my environment to my liking, he appeared.
It happened one evening. I spotted a giant wolf. He had a looming presence, as if a transit bus were prowling through the woods. He bared fangs dripping with saliva, his eyes as cold and calculating as a professional assassin’s.
He was a wolf-type monster: a Hellwolf. Adventurers feared him as the Wolf of Hell.
The moment our eyes met, I knew. This creature was on a completely different level than the monsters I’d faced before. If we fought, I would lose in an instant. I wasn't even a worthy opponent; he’d crush me with a single snap of his jaws.
I was terrified. Truly terrified. Even though it wasn't night yet, I wanted to fold my petals shut and hide.
The only thing that stopped me was my pride as a wild creature. If I gave up on life every time I faced a crisis, I wouldn't survive long in the natural world. If I were that cowardly, I never would have survived my previous battles.
Closing my eyes would be the end of me. He would surely crush me.
Perhaps my sheer will reached him. The Hellwolf lost interest and wandered off into the depths of the forest.
...Thank goodness. I was saved. I felt like I’d shaved years off my life.
That wolf must be the Lord of the Forest. There was no doubt about it. Since I was just a lowly little flower with no interest in territorial disputes, I prayed he would never come back this way again.
Yes, that terrifying, colossal wolf—the Hellwolf—was the Lord of the Forest.
There was a time when I believed that. But I’m sorry. I was wrong.
You are the true Lord.
A few days later, I was staring at a sight that filled me with a terror several times greater than what I felt when I first saw the Hellwolf.
I encountered a bear in the woods. A bear whose head rose a full level above the trees, with eyes so cold they looked like they belonged to a serial killer.
That monster, so massive his head seemed to pierce the very sky, belonged to the same species as a creature I had met once before. It was a bear-type monster: a Laobubear.
The Honey-loving Perverted Bear I knew had been a cub. He was only about two meters tall. Yet the bear standing before me now was over ten meters tall. Do they really grow that much once they hit adulthood? I’m so glad I finished that cub off while he was still small.
Hello, Mr. Bear.
By any chance, are you the father of that Honey-loving Perverted Bear? Or should I say, Honorable Father?
What’s that? Your son has gone missing? Oh, I certainly wouldn't know anything about that. If I recall, I think I saw a cub running off in that direction over there.
Yes, yes, I quite understand. You must be so worried. It must be agonizing to be separated from your child for months. But really, it wasn't me.
Please believe me! I’m not the culprit! So please don't glare at me like I’m your sworn enemy! I didn't eat him! This is a false accusation! The real killer is someone else!
That's right! The bulb beneath me ate him! My bulb and my body are connected, sure, but I have nothing to do with what it does! I am innocent!!
Either my pleas weren't reaching him, or he didn't care, because Bear-papa began to devour the "snack" he was keeping on top of his head.
A single long horn grew from the Laobubear's forehead. Pierced upon that horn was a monster I recognized all too well.
The Wolf of Hell, the one I had mistaken for the Lord of the Forest. The Hellwolf was dead, impaled on Bear-papa’s horn like a piece of garnish.
It was a shocking, gruesome sight—enough to make me wonder if I’d stumbled upon a demon. I remembered reading in the Monster Encyclopedia that Laobubears had a habit of impaling their prey on their horns to carry back to their nests as preserved food.
Even so, I never expected to see that terrifying Hellwolf reduced to a miserable snack. Honestly, if I was going to witness a miracle, I’d prefer a God or Goddess to appear right now and save me. I wanted to pray for divine intervention.
Bear-papa finished devouring the Hellwolf. After stroking his horn with a satisfied air, his eyes locked onto mine.
It seemed he’d remembered his son’s killer after all.
Wait, how did he figure it out? Or was he just the type of delinquent who thought, "I don't know who this brat is, so I'll just beat her up anyway"? Either way, I was now Bear-papa's target.
He began to walk toward me. I watched in horror as the forest trees in his path were flattened one by one.
There was no way I could win against a monster like that. I was just a frail, delicate flower. I wasn't even a warm-up for a ten-meter-tall, wolf-devouring bear.
So, please. I beg of you. Please just go home for today. Let's talk again tomorrow. I'll even give you a proper apology regarding your son.
Well, the second he turned his back, I was going to make a run for it under the cover of night. Running away might be shameful, but it was great for staying alive.
Aaaaaggghhh!
That’s right! What was I thinking?! I was so busy escaping reality that I completely forgot!
I can’t walk! I’m a plant!
Noooooooo!
My body is a flower! I’m not even tasty!
So please, just let me goooooooooo!!
Thank you for reading. Updates will continue twice daily. Next time: "That Humiliation Smells a Lot Like a Bear's Tongue."