My Swan Prince was actually a girl.
I hadn't known the White Bird's gender, so I had considered that she might be a Swan Princess, but still.
I never imagined she would transform from a white-haired girl into the White Bird.
I gazed gently at the small, white avian form.
"So... you were the White Bird... all along."
She could transform into a person? What an incredible bird.
"I’m glad you understand," she chirped quietly.
I suppose she doesn't usually chirp because she can speak human words.
Even so, why did I find myself so captivated every time I looked at her?
Maybe it was just because she was such a small, adorable bird.
But she wasn't just cute; she could become a human too. She really was amazing.
"Can birds... transform... into humans?"
"No. I'm not a bird. I use magic to transform from a human into a bird."
Her body began to warp again.
A moment later, she had returned to being the white-haired girl.
"This is my original form."
"You weren't... a bird... but a human?"
"I didn't mean to deceive you. I’m sorry."
I see... The White Bird hadn't been a bird to begin with.
Now that I thought about it, her behavior had been far too strange for a mere bird.
But I never would have guessed that her true identity was a human girl.
Normally, there was no way anyone could have known.
Wait.
Hold on a second.
Did this girl just say she could transform into a bird using magic?
No, no, no.
I had never heard of magic like that.
The fact that she could levitate was strange enough, but who exactly was this white-haired girl?
She was such an unknown entity that everything about her was a mystery.
Well, since we could finally talk, I might as well ask.
"How can you... transform... into a bird?"
"Because... I’m a witch..."
—A witch!?
"Ah, sorry. I suppose telling an Alraune born in the forest that I'm a witch doesn't mean much to you."
A witch.
No, of course I knew what that meant.
I might be a forest-born plant now, but I was once a human Saint.
Witches were, so to speak, the natural enemies of Saints.
Perhaps that was why my entire body stiffened with tension the moment I realized she was a witch.
Even if a witch looked exactly like a human, they were not.
That was what the Church taught.
Every human nation on this continent had a specific Church as its state religion.
That Church taught that witches, much like the monsters of the Demon King's Army, were enemies of humanity.
In reality, damage caused by witches was a frequent occurrence.
A Witch Hunt Squad would be dispatched every time. To mobilize the military for such a thing was no small feat.
And for the Church that worshiped the Goddess of Light, one of its greatest symbols was the Saint.
Saints were beloved by the Goddess of Light, could wield Light Magic, and held the deep trust of the people.
In contrast, witches used suspicious sorcery and were loathed by both the Church and humanity.
Saints and witches were polar opposites.
Because of that, witches often targeted Saints.
One of the Saints who was my senior had never returned because of a witch.
That was why a sense of hostility sprouted within me the moment I heard the word.
"Well, I'm only a witch in name, really..."
"What... do you... mean?"
"I was originally human. I was turned into a witch when I was six, so I'm not a normal human anymore."
Turned into a witch?
"Since I was born human, my parents are normal people too. I've never lived in a Witch's Village, and I don't know the first thing about their customs. I'm just a Stray Witch."
—A former human.
At those words, I felt a wave of sympathy.
I felt a sense of kinship, projecting my own circumstances onto hers.
I had never heard of a human becoming a witch.
But I didn't think this white-haired girl was lying.
After all, even if her exterior was that of a witch, her heart was that of the White Bird.
I was an Alraune—a plant monster—on the outside, but I was a former Saint on the inside.
I didn't want to judge someone as an enemy based solely on their outward appearance.
Because the person on the receiving end of that judgment is the one who gets hurt the most...
The hostility I felt toward the white-haired witch melted away like ice.
"I'm not a pure witch, but I am still a witch. Therefore, I am not the enemy of a monster like you."
The white-haired girl gave a small smile, trying to reassure me.
Do witches not feel hostile toward monsters?
Perhaps since they are both enemies of humanity, witches and monsters get along.
Is that why this witch went so far as to transform into a bird to visit me in this forest?
"Because you're a witch... did you transform... into a white bird... to come see me?"
"I went to see the talking flower because I wanted to. Being able to transform into a bird is simply because I can use Black Magic."
Black Magic.
That made a bit of sense.
I had been a Duke's Daughter close to the royal family and the greatest Saint of the era.
Because of that, I was relatively well-informed about the world's secrets.
The magic that only witches could use was called Black Magic.
It was said to manifest unique powers.
However, its specific effects were mostly unknown.
The only thing people really knew was that witches could fly through the sky if they used a Broomstick.
So, transforming into an animal must have been a hidden power of Black Magic that the world didn't know about yet.
That meant there were likely other secrets witches were keeping.
The fact that she was floating in mid-air without anything might be one of them.
"Can you fly... even without... a Broomstick?"
"That's just a fake to trick humans into thinking we can't fly without one."
So that was it!
I had been completely fooled.
Every word was a surprise, but there was still something that bothered me.
Namely, the objective of this little witch.
She didn't seem like an evil witch, but she was still a witch.
Despite her youthful appearance, she might have a rather extreme personality.
For instance, rumors said that witches brewed suspicious medicines.
I had this mental image of them tossing rare animals, monsters, and precious medicinal herbs into a giant cauldron to boil.
So, maybe I was going to be turned into an ingredient for a witch's brew.
Perhaps she took the form of the White Bird and helped me just so I wouldn't wither before she could use me.
I was a very rare plant and a monster, after all.
Thinking about it that way was sad, but the logic held up.
The little witch cleared her throat with a small "Ahem."
"Now then, this is the main point."
The little witch spoke to me quietly.
"Hey, Talking Flower. Won't you... become mine?"
There it was!
She was going to take me and use me as an ingredient!
Yes, I knew it.
I thought it was strange that the White Bird would go to such lengths to save me over and over.
It was all to pluck the Talking Alraune, a precious material.
She only saw me as experimental fodder...
But that was fine.
If it was what the White Bird wanted, I was willing to become an ingredient.
I had finally managed to survive, and I did cherish this life.
However, if it hadn't been for her, I would have died many times by now.
So...
If the White Bird desired it, I would offer her my everything.
That was the only way I could repay my Swan Prince.
I was about to answer "Yes, I understand," but the little witch spoke first.
Her next words completely floored me.
"I want to keep the Talking Flower as a pet. So, please become my flower."
—A pet!?
What did that mean?
I'm not an ingredient??
"I've taken a liking to you. So, I'll be the one to raise the Talking Flower. Is that... okay?"
No, Miss Little Witch.
Please don't look so embarrassed.
I'm the one who's embarrassed here!
This was completely unexpected.
I mean, what do you mean by "raise" me!?
This is the first time in my life anyone has ever said they wanted to keep me as a pet!!