I decided to start a fire so that the Little Witch could finally have something warm to eat.
Thanks to the supplies we received from Lady Dryades, our diet had improved significantly, but it was still comprised entirely of preserved foods. I wanted to help the Little Witch—who was all alone after losing her parents—regain even a small taste of a warm, home-cooked meal.
Living deep in the forest meant the nights were so cold they could freeze your very bones. It felt far too cruel that she only had cold food to sustain her.
However, I couldn't rely on my human knowledge to start a fire. As a Duke’s Daughter, I had never once engaged in fire-making. Even as a High School Girl in my Previous Life, the most I had ever done was flick a lighter.
But then it hit me: if my human experiences were useless, I should just find a way to start a fire as a plant! With that thought in mind, I took immediate action.
Perhaps my determination paid off, as the Fairy Kiri soon returned from her exploration of the forest.
"I found it! If you're looking for oily wood, this guy is the best you'll find in these parts," Kiri chirped, holding a small tree sapling.
Indeed, I had asked the Fairy to search for a specific kind of plant. The payment, naturally, was my Nectar. Having flown off happily, she seemed to have found exactly what I desired.
My life in a bucket had allowed me to take strolls through this forest, and I had noticed something then: this place was home to a massive variety of flora growing in dense clusters. This was a deep, ancient forest where Lady Dryades, the Forest Spirit, resided. Because of her presence, it seemed like an incredible gathering of plants with diverse ecologies. Plants that normally wouldn't exist in such a climate were thriving here, likely due to the protection and grace of the Forest Spirit.
Kiri placed the sapling in front of me. "I looked for it just like you asked, Alraune. Is this the right one?"
"Perfect. Than... k you."
I gave Kiri—who had essentially become my personal flower Fairy—some Nectar as a reward. Thinking about how convenient it was to have a Fairy to handle my chores, I turned my attention to the plant she had brought.
It was a Eucalyptus sapling. To be precise, it was a Demon Tree of this world that bore a striking resemblance to the Eucalyptus from my High School Girl days.
Using the leaves of this tree, I could start a fire. I ensnared the Demonic Eucalyptus Tree with a Vine and predated it using my Lower Mouth. With that, the abilities of the Eucalyptus became mine.
While Eucalyptus is famous as the food of koalas, it has another well-known reputation: the Gasoline Tree.
Eucalyptus leaves are known for their ability to spontaneously combust. They contain a highly volatile and flammable substance called Terpene. When extreme dryness or high temperatures are combined with something like a lightning strike, they can ignite naturally. It’s the reason Australia always seems to have so many wildfires.
Now that I thought about it, I had recently acquired the ability of the Banksia, which scatters its seeds during fires. Banksia is also native to Australia, and it likely evolved to adapt to fire specifically because of the Eucalyptus. Since this region wasn't as arid as Australia, the forest here hadn't been plagued by fires, but the potential was there.
Even if it was called a Gasoline Tree, it rarely ignited on its own without a catalyst. It wasn't that dangerous. But if it wouldn't burn under normal conditions, I simply had to use Selective Breeding to make it more flammable.
I generated Eucalyptus leaves at the tip of my Vine. As I did, I absorbed as much moisture as possible to ensure they were bone-dry. All I needed now was to create a high-temperature state, and they would surely ignite.
For that, I could use the power of the Skunk Cabbage. Back during the Great Cold Wave, I had used its self-Heat Generation to melt snow. By applying that same power, I could make my entire body radiate heat.
Dry Eucalyptus is said to spontaneously combust at around forty degrees Celsius. A normal Skunk Cabbage can only generate about twenty degrees of heat, but in my Previous Life, there were varieties that could reach forty.
I was a plant, but I was also a monster. Surely, I could push my temperature that high.
I focused my consciousness with all my might. When I was human, a body temperature of thirty-six degrees was normal, but as a plant, I couldn't even reach that level without actively using a Heat Generation ability. It was a stark reminder that I was no longer human.
Ngh...
The temperature felt like it had reached forty degrees, but the leaves weren't catching. I suppose simply being dry and hot wasn't enough to trigger spontaneous combustion after all. A lightning strike would have done the trick, but I didn't exactly have the power to summon a storm. Was there no other way?
I glanced over at the Little Witch. She was rubbing her arms, looking a bit chilly.
—Wait, friction!
If I created frictional heat, I might be able to get them to ignite. I recalled reading somewhere that Eucalyptus trees could catch fire from the friction caused when they fell.
I used my Vines to rub the Eucalyptus leaves together vigorously. A normal Eucalyptus might have been difficult to ignite this way, but these leaves—from a Demon Tree that merely resembled the Eucalyptus of my old world—responded to my efforts.
Finally, the leaves began to smolder...!
After all that struggle, I had finally succeeded in creating a spark. It was the result of a perfect storm: eating a Demonic Eucalyptus Tree, using Selective Breeding to make it flammable, drying it out, and then adding frictional heat.
Honestly, there were other plants that ignited more easily, but they were far more difficult to control. I was glad we had found the Eucalyptus instead. Thanks to this, I had evolved into a plant capable of Fire-making. It was an achievement grand enough to brag about to every plant in the neighborhood.
But then, I paused.
It was wonderful that the Eucalyptus leaves were burning, but... weren't my Vines starting to catch fire as well?
Gyaaaaah!! I’m on fire! I’m actually burning!!
It was an obvious consequence, yet the tip of my Vine was now ablaze along with the leaves. I had been so obsessed with the Fire-making process that I had completely forgotten what came next. Being a Bucket Alraune, I had figured that in the worst-case scenario, I could just have someone carry me to the river. I hadn't taken the danger seriously enough.
However, the accidents didn't stop there.
It was already evening, and the forest had grown dim. The light of my fire began to attract insects. It was a literal case of moths to a flame.
Unfortunately, the "guest" that arrived was far too large to be called a mere insect. A massive moth monster, drawn by the light, came fluttering toward us.
It was a Nachtfalter, a Moth-type Monster. Its wingspan had to be at least three meters. That was way too big for a moth.
In my old world, insects that gathered around lights on summer nights were called "Hitori-mushi," or fire-gathering bugs. While they were mostly moths, the term included beetles and others as well. In this world, they were also known as Fire Moths.
The Nachtfalter was a monster that truly lived up to that name. It was famous for being lured by campfires in the night forest, often attacking travelers. I had heard stories of victims who never noticed the silent approach of the giant moth before being snatched away into the dark.
The Nachtfalter drew closer, its eyes fixed on the fire at the end of my Vine. It was clearly in a combat-ready stance. I knew that some moths ate plants—perhaps it thought my New Sprouts looked soft and delicious.
But that wasn't the only concern. Since there were also carnivorous moths, the Little Witch was in grave danger. The moth was large enough to easily carry off a child. To this giant monster, both the Little Witch and I were nothing but prey.
Just as the thought crossed my mind, the Nachtfalter let out an ear-piercing shriek. At the same time, it began to scatter Scale Powder from its wings.
There was no doubt about it. This giant Fire Moth intended to eat us!
But honestly, I really needed it to come back later. I was currently in the middle of burning alive! I was far too busy to deal with a moth right now.
As I panicked, the fire on my Vine grew even more intense.
S-Stop it! Please!
Between being burned to a crisp and being eaten by a moth, I really wished the world would just pick one!
Ignoring the screams of my heart, the fire on my Vine and the giant moth monster closed in on me at the exact same time.
Thank you for reading. Next time: Which will happen first—will I burn up, or will I be eaten by the moth?