After I gave the fairy some nectar, she agreed to guide us to a safe zone within the forest.
Until then, my nectar had done little more than mass-produce nectar-crazed perorists, so I was glad it finally proved useful for something like this. The fairy clearly had a weakness for sweets, too. Her reaction while staring at the nectar felt a bit strange, but I told myself it was probably just my imagination.
The three of us began our migration from the West Forest to the East Forest. Since flying was the quickest way to travel, I had the Little Witch transform into a bird. Seeing the transformation, the fairy spoke to me with genuine curiosity.
"This girl really is a witch, isn't she?"
"...You... figured it out... well."
"I've seen a witch or two in my time. Even so, a Stray Witch is a rare find."
It seemed this fairy was quite knowledgeable. Perhaps she was unexpectedly long-lived.
Carried by the White Bird, we glided over the canopy. Whether she found flying on her own to be a hassle or she simply liked the view, the fairy had been perched on top of my head for a while now. She was small and light, so she wasn't a burden, but having her chatter so close to my ear was a bit noisy.
Still, the little fairy was undeniably cute. Ever since I had become a Young Girl Alraune, I hadn’t encountered many creatures smaller than myself. Maybe that was why she looked so charming—it almost made me want to display her like a doll.
Curious about the weight on my head, I looked up and saw something falling from high above. No, it wasn't falling—it was a massive bird in a steep dive. It was the Begia-Ad Adler, the giant eagle-type monster I’d spotted when I first arrived in this forest. The monstrous raptor was charging straight for us.
"Run!" I screamed.
The Little Witch and the fairy both noticed the giant eagle at the same moment.
"Crap, that guy found us!" the fairy shrieked in my ear.
The White Bird tried desperately to bank away, but we were outmatched. After all, the giant eagle was the size of a passenger plane from my previous life in Japan. I had seen a Begia-Ad Adler during my days as a Saint, but this one was considerably larger than any I remembered.
Its Great Axe-like talons drew closer. At this rate, we would be snatched up or shredded by those wicked claws. Deciding we couldn't outrun it, I lashed out with several vines toward the predator. I forced Man-eater Flowers to bloom at the tips and sprayed a cloud of poison pollen at the Begia-Ad Adler.
Take this!
However, the giant eagle flapped its massive wings, creating a powerful gale that dispersed the poison pollen in an instant.
No way! Against wings that huge, my pollen couldn't even reach him!
Yet, that same blast of wind turned out to be our salvation. Buffeted by the gale, we were blown out of the sky and straight into the forest below.
The White Bird's party went into a tailspin. I tangled my vines around nearby branches, desperately trying to cushion our emergency landing. Somehow, we managed to avoid being slammed into the forest floor.
From high above the canopy, the giant eagle's "Gwah-gwah" cries echoed. It was likely still searching for us. As we retreated into the thickets to hide, something flashed in the distance—a bright strobe like a lightning strike. Even though the sky was perfectly clear, the flash was unmistakable.
Whether it reacted to that light or simply lost our trail, the giant eagle eventually flew away. It seemed it had given up on us for now.
"Looks like we managed to get away," the fairy said, letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
Come to think of it, she had said "that guy found us" earlier, and her tone suggested she was well-acquainted with the Begia-Ad Adler.
"I... saw that... giant eagle... before, too."
"That guy is always watching this forest. You'd better be careful."
"Was it... targeting... us, I wonder?"
"…………Who knows. Maybe it was just hungry like always."
Something about her tone felt suspicious. I got the distinct feeling she was hiding something. After all, this fairy had been eaten by a frog monster before this, and now she was being hunted by a giant eagle. Was she being targeted?
Wait, are fairies actually delicious?
No, I wasn't going to eat her. No matter how hungry I got, I wouldn't turn a fairy into nourishment. I did briefly think that if I caught her with briars coated in paralysis potion and swallowed her whole with my lower mouth, she’d be digested in an instant, but I wasn't actually going to do it.
I preferred bear meat over fairies anyway. Bears were bigger and far more satisfying.
As I suppressed my surging appetite while gazing at the fairy, she looked up and spoke quietly.
"There's only one piece of advice I can give you. If you want to live a long life in this forest, watch out for that bird."
There was no arguing with that. From then on, I knew I’d have to keep a constant eye on the sky.
Despite the accident, we continued our journey toward the East Forest. To avoid being spotted again, we stayed low, weaving through the trees at a lower altitude. After a while, the woods began to brighten. The difference between the east and west sides of the forest was striking.
The east side felt lively and open, whereas the west side where we’d started was dangerous and eerie at every turn. It was mysterious how the atmosphere could change so drastically.
Once we reached the East Forest, we headed to a river to bathe. All three of us were still coated in sticky frog mucus. To make matters worse, the Little Witch was doubly messy because my sundew mucus was also smeared on her.
Since it was the first time in my life I had ever covered a girl in slime, I felt incredibly guilty. As a Former Saint, it was depressing to think about what my life had become. I was likely the first Saint in the kingdom’s history to cover a child in mucus. I was truly sorry.
Regardless, no one likes being sticky. That held true for witches, plants, and fairies alike. The fairy stripped off her clothes and plunged into the river with a splash. Still being held by the Little Witch, I entered the water with her. We bathed together, and I took the opportunity to hydrate. The water was delicious.
After leaving the river, we traveled further east. We finally touched down when Tower City began to loom large on the horizon.
"If you're looking for a place to settle, I recommend this spot," the fairy said, guiding us to an area dominated by a large rock formation.
With the rock at our backs, we only had to worry about enemies coming from the front. A small stream flowed nearby for hydration, and in an emergency, the Little Witch could fly us right over the rock to escape.
The sun was beginning to set. Since searching for a better spot would be a hassle, we decided to make this our home for the time being. When we told her our decision, the fairy took off from the top of my head.
"I've taken a liking to you guys," she said, her body glowing as she looped around us. "Helping each other like this must be fate. If you're ever in trouble, let me know. I'll help you out!"
"Thank... you."
"I'd love to stay and keep an eye on you, but I've got some errands to run. I'll come check on you once I'm done. Bye-bye!"
Waving her hand, Fairy Kiri disappeared into the depths of the woods. She was a bright creature, in both personality and light.
As I waved my vines to see her off, I noticed the Little Witch wore a dubious expression.
"What's... wrong?"
"I don't trust that fairy."
It seemed the Little Witch remained suspicious. She was right, of course—no matter how kind someone seemed, the forest wasn't safe enough to trust a stranger completely. In a world of survival of the fittest, you had to wonder about ulterior motives. It was easier to understand relationships built on mutual interest, like the one I had with Hachi-san.
Still, I felt the Little Witch had another reason for her coldness.
"Why... can't you... trust her?"
"Fairies are between humans and monsters, but they're closer to humans. That makes them dangerous. They might betray us."
"Then... what about me?"
"An Alraune is a complete monster. And you're a plant. I can feel safe with you."
The Little Witch really did hate humans. To think she was even wary of fairies... I worried for her future if she could only open her heart to plant monsters.
"A traveler who came to my village once said that fairies exist to bewitch people. Maybe she only left so she could come back and capture us later."
I didn't think she needed to be that cynical, but I couldn't rule it out. Since the Little Witch was so adamant, I decided it was too early to give Kiri my full trust. Our policy would be one of give-and-take.
Grumble~
As things settled down, the Little Witch's stomach gave a loud growl. It was dinner time.
"Alraune, give me nectar."
She reached for me, trying to stick her finger into my mouth, but I managed to block her. It made me feel strange, so I really wanted her to stop doing that.
That night, we prepared to sleep together again. We weren't entwined in vines like the previous night, though, as she was still wearing her clothes. Instead, I wove a Vine Cocoon to encase us both. With my Bud closed, I was cradled by the Little Witch, bucket and all. Being held like that was oddly comforting.
I realized then that as a Young Girl Alraune in a flowerpot, I could go anywhere as long as the Little Witch carried me. If I truly wanted to, I could even return to the Royal Capital to find the Hero who was my fiancé and that Shitty Junior of an Apprentice Saint.
But I wasn't alone anymore. I couldn't drag the Little Witch into my personal quest for vengeance. Besides, I couldn't just leave her to fend for herself. I had to repay the kindness she had shown me first. My revenge could wait until after that.
For now, my goal was to build a life for us. Sleeping outdoors was too hard on a child. We needed a house where we could sleep in peace, and I needed to improve our diet. I would create an environment where we could live a normal life.
I would build a paradise for the two of us!
Thank you for reading.
Next time: The Little Witch collapses from hunger.