I am Alraune, a plant monster in the form of a young girl.
From my time as a Saint to my current life as an Alraune, I was about to attempt something for the very first time: cooking.
Since I was born as a Duke’s Daughter, I had never once touched a kitchen during my years as a Saint. I had a bit of experience from my days as a high school girl, but those memories were hazy at best. Still, thanks to the knowledge from my previous lives, I was certain I could handle a simple meal!
The vegetables the Little Witch had bought in the city were broad beans and turnips. Both were quintessential spring vegetables.
First, I preyed upon a broad bean with my lower mouth. With that, I gained the ability to produce them myself. I immediately generated broad beans at the tips of my vines, imbuing them with Light Recovery Magic as they grew.
True to their name in Japanese—"sky beans"—a cluster of green legumes sprouted, reaching toward the heavens. By producing these, I could ensure the Little Witch had a steady source of protein. Even if the dried meat we received from Lady Dryades ran out, we would be just fine.
Next, I took a bite of a turnip. I decided to bury my vines in the dirt to generate more. Since turnips are root vegetables, it felt only right to grow them in the soil. I formed them underground and then yanked my vines back with a flourish.
And just like that, the turnips were ready!
By consuming just one original vegetable, I could replicate as many broad beans and turnips as I wanted. With me around, there was no need for a farm.
"Thank you, Alraune," the Little Witch said. "I’ll take it from here."
"No. I... will... cook."
"Eh...?"
"Leave... it... to... me."
This was the perfect opportunity. I had to show the Little Witch that I was the dependable older sister!
Once the ingredients were ready, it was time for the main event. I started by using eucalyptus to build a fire. Between the skunk cabbage’s natural heat generation and a bit of friction, I successfully produced a flame. I got a little too enthusiastic, and my vines actually caught fire, but I managed to douse the localized blaze with the bucket of water I’d asked the Little Witch to prepare.
It was my first time cooking, after all; a small fire was par for the course.
With the disaster averted, I returned to the task at hand. That said, I had no knives, no pans, and no pots. All I had was a bonfire and my own body. Under these circumstances, there was only one dish that made sense.
Whole-roasted vegetables!
Wait, you don't think that counts as cooking? Well, as a former Duke’s Daughter, I wasn't exactly well-versed in the culinary arts. More importantly, the mere fact that a plant monster was starting a fire to roast vegetables was an extraordinary feat in itself, so please, cut me some slack.
For now, my vines would serve as my cooking chopsticks. I gripped the broad beans and turnips and held them over the bonfire. Broad beans can be eaten raw, but they’re much softer when roasted. Turnips are quite hard in their natural state, so they would definitely taste better after some time over the flames.
"Alraune, your vines...!"
The Little Witch cried out in a panic, grabbing the bucket and flying toward the river.
Apparently, my "chopsticks" had caught fire again. The flames had jumped from the vegetables to my vines. This was my second fire of the day.
I debated whether I should undergo molting to escape the heat—which would drop the vegetables into the embers—or if I should push my body to the limit to finish the meal. At this rate, I was going to serve up a platter of whole-roasted broad beans, turnips, and Alraune.
However, the reason I could remain so calm while literally being on fire was likely due to my wealth of experience. I had been set ablaze about five times in the last week alone. I hadn't become accustomed to being burned for nothing.
Before I could become the Little Witch’s dinner, she returned using levitation magic and doused the fire. I moved the roasted vegetables to a different set of vines and let her extinguish the area.
Phew. That was a close one.
Cooking really was a dangerous endeavor. I never imagined I would cause two fires in such a short span of time. For the first time, I truly understood why I never had the chance to cook as a Duke’s Daughter or a Saint. In this world, cooking was a hazardous occupation best left to professionals. It was honestly much safer and easier to just fight monsters.
Perhaps because of the risks I took, the beans and turnips were roasted to perfection. They were a bit charred from the accidents, but since it was my first time, I hoped she would overlook that. Despite the two fires, I had seen it through to the end. I had successfully completed my first meal!
"Here. Please... eat."
"Thank you..."
The Little Witch took a broad bean and peeled back the skin. She popped the bean into her mouth.
"It’s delicious!"
She began eating the beans one after another. It had been a long time since she’d had fresh vegetables, and even longer since she’d had a warm meal. Next, she bit into a whole-roasted turnip.
"Hot...!"
It was clearly well-cooked; steam billowed out from where she bit it. Thanks to the heat, the inside looked wonderfully soft.
"It’s a little... well, it's a bit bitter, but it’s been so long since I’ve had hot food..."
Watching her happily stuff her cheeks made me feel incredibly satisfied as "Chef Alraune." For the sake of her smile, I decided I would keep working hard at my cooking.
"I will... cook... tomorrow... too."
"No, it's okay! I'll do the cooking next time."
She was so eager to help; what a good girl. Perhaps she was inspired by my heroic display as her older sister. A younger sister wanting to emulate her sibling—how heartwarming.
Now that the Little Witch was eating, I needed my own dinner. I dragged the pile of Mejiro birds over to my lower mouth.
Yes, raw bird meat was quite tasty. I couldn't exactly "taste" it while digesting, but it was all about the atmosphere. Anything eaten alongside the Little Witch was delicious.
Ah, I felt so happy. I couldn't remember the last time I’d enjoyed such a peaceful, luxurious meal. I wished this slow, quiet time could last forever—the two of us living together in harmony. I would photosynthesize, she would water me, and we would live a quiet life as plants.
Shortly after finishing her meal, the Little Witch collapsed into a deep sleep. She must have been exhausted from the tension of visiting the human city. It was only natural.
As was our routine, I wrapped a vine cocoon around us and prepared for bed. "Good night," I thought as I closed my bud.
The night grew deeper. Because my sleep was light, I noticed a ball of light floating outside. Even through the walls of my bud, the faint glow was unmistakable. It was the same light I had seen the night before I almost drowned in the pond.
I peeked through a small gap in my petals to observe. It seemed the light was actually a fairy. However, it was too dark to tell if it was Kiri. The mysterious fairy seemed to be scouting the area, looking for something. After circling me once, it hovered directly in front of my vine cocoon.
What was it doing?
After a moment, I felt a liquid being poured over my roots. I remembered this mysterious light "watering" me before. This must be the same fairy from that night.
The water was delic... wait, no it wasn't.
What was this?
I suddenly felt incredibly ill. My head began to spin, and I felt a sensation as if my roots were rotting. I realized I had absorbed something I shouldn't have. Usually, being watered made me feel energized, but now I was rapidly weakening. I felt like a withering flower.
Wait... this wasn't water at all. It was something toxic to a plant monster.
I finally realized the truth. I was being attacked by a fairy in the middle of the night.