The Poison Fairy sprayed a massive amount of Herbicide over me.
My body withered, and my limbs felt as heavy as lead, refusing to budge.
Ah, it was so painful.
My consciousness felt like it was flickering out. My vision was already fading to black. Had I already withered away? Was I dead? I never imagined my end would come from being dried up by Herbicide.
A plant sprayed with such poison has no choice but to wait for the end. To wither, to let its life scatter, and to return to the forest soil. It was a fittingly floral end, I suppose.
But how did it even come to this? I was supposed to be working so hard as a Saint...
A single tear trickled down.
However, it wasn't a transparent drop of water; instead, a thick, golden bead of Nectar fell to the earth. That’s right—I was no longer human. I had been reborn from a Saint into an Alraune. I would never shed human tears again.
Though I still shed Nectar...
Most of the things I could do as a Saint were impossible for me as an Alraune. I could no longer cry, or walk, or even smell the world around me. The only things that had carried over were the ability to move my arms, the use of my eyes, and the fact that my body grew whenever I used Light Recovery Magic.
Wait... Light Recovery Magic?
When I used Light Recovery Magic as an Alraune, I could force my plant body to grow at an accelerated rate. If I applied that same principle, what would happen if I forced the withered parts to grow? I might be able to stimulate the dying cells, regenerating them into fresh, young leaves.
I was a Former Saint. Back then, I could neutralize any poison-based attack with Light Magic. I had lived as an Alraune for so long that I had forgotten the common sense of my previous life.
But thanks to that realization, a single path of light opened up before me.
I snapped awake.
The Poison Fairy was hovering right in front of me. It seemed I wasn't dead just yet. I was still alive.
I inspected my body and saw that my leaves had turned a sickly brown while I was unconscious. My Corolla was shriveled and wilted, looking as if it might drop to the ground at any moment. My Bulb and Vines, once a vibrant green, had turned the muddy color of dead earth.
I tried to move my Vines.
However, they were no longer there. They had withered so completely from the Herbicide that they simply crumbled when I tried to flex them, sending dry fragments drifting into the air.
The effect of the Poison Fairy's Withering Medicine was absolute. It was like a version of the herbicides from my previous life, but powered up with terrifying, immediate results. Even though I was a monster and not a mere plant, I had been brought to the brink of death in a matter of minutes.
Just like in my dream, Nectar trailed down my cheek. I really had been crying.
A drop of Nectar splashed onto my Corolla.
Then, something miraculous happened. My petals, which had been shriveled and colorless, regained their vivid crimson hue exactly where the Nectar had landed. It was as if that single spot had been cured of its withered state.
Perhaps because I had been reminiscing about my days as a Saint in my sleep, Light Recovery Magic had been infused into the Nectar. This confirmed my hypothesis: if I used Light Recovery Magic, I could restore a body ravaged by Herbicide.
With my course of action decided, it was time for an experiment.
I concentrated all the energy I had stored through Photosynthesis during the day. Then, using Light Magic Recovery Magic, I triggered a Super Recovery throughout my entire system.
"What is with this flower?! It suddenly started glowing!"
The Poison Fairy backed away in a panic.
The Light Recovery Magic worked perfectly. The Chlorophyll in my body surged, restoring the deep green to my form. My crumbled Vines were reconstructed through rapid growth, and my leaves returned to a glossy, healthy sheen. My Corolla regained its moisture, blooming proudly in a brilliant red.
As long as I had the sunlight and the power of Light Recovery Magic stored within me, I wouldn't lose.
I was fully restored.
"How did it go from withered back to normal?! This Alraune... I don't understand this at all!" the Poison Fairy shrieked.
I puffed out my chest and responded.
"Regrettable, for you. Herbicide, does not, work, on me."
"Liar! You were just rotting away a second ago!"
"You, are, imagining, things."
"I know it worked! If you fixed yourself, I'll just make you wither again!"
The Poison Fairy used Spirit Magic to conjure more Herbicide, hurling a mass of the liquid at me. Even if I used my Vines to block, I would still end up soaked in the toxin. Since defense was impossible, I took the hit directly.
"See? No plant can survive this! Now, wither away and die—! Wait, what?"
My body began to turn brown under the spray. However, faster than the cells could die, I forced my plant body to grow with Super Recovery Magic. As long as I recovered faster than the Herbicide could kill me, it wasn't a problem. My body remained overflowing with the vitality of young leaves.
"Wh-Why won't you die?!"
The Poison Fairy fired shot after shot. But for me—someone who could grow cells so fast I was clad in a Band of Light—regenerating withered patches in an instant was child's play.
"Unbelievable... is this Alraune immortal?"
It really was quite simple. Herbicide is just another form of poison. As a former Saint who specialized in curing status ailments, poison had never been a weakness for me to begin with. With Light Recovery Magic, I had nothing to fear. By forcing my body to grow and regenerate, I could restore any withered part.
The fact that I could use my magic so effectively was likely thanks to the Photosynthesis I had performed during the day. Since I no longer had mana like I did as a Saint, I felt as though the energy from the sun was fueling my Light Recovery Magic.
Look, the sky was growing brighter. Dawn was almost here. As the sunlight intensified, I felt my strength surging.
"I've never heard of an out-of-spec Alraune like this!"
"Is, that so? It, is, a pleasure, to meet, you."
"A Plant Monster that's immune to Herbicide? That's impossible!"
"I, am a flower, whose only, merit, is energy."
"What is with this thing?! Fine, then try this!"
The Poison Fairy unleashed her Spirit Magic again. Suddenly, the surrounding trees began to shrivel and die. In their place, a massive sphere of Herbicide formed in the air. She was using the surrounding life as a medium to generate a concentrated mass of toxin.
"With this High-density Herbicide, even you'll rot away in an instant!"
"I, wonder."
"This is the end! Take this!"
She launched the giant sphere of poison. At that size, the spray would surely hit the Little Witch too. Herbicide would likely be harmful to a human, so I had to get her out of the way. I snatched up the Little Witch with a Vine and tucked her safely behind a large rock.
In that moment, I was showered by the High-density Herbicide.
"Now the Alraune will wither into dust—"
"Wither, you say? What, exactly?"
"Eh...?"
Considerable time had passed since the Poison Fairy first appeared. The night had finally ended, and the sun had fully crested the horizon.
Morning had arrived.
The dawn sunlight poured over me, and I could feel the Chlorophyll throughout my body practically cheering. Bathing in the sun accelerated my Photosynthesis, which in turn boosted my growth and regeneration. Light Recovery Magic overflowed from deep within me.
The result was total victory over the Poison Fairy's High-density Herbicide. I regenerated faster than the poison could take hold, returning to my original state instantly.
Photosynthesis tasted divine.
"Hii! Y-You monster!"
"Wait, right, there."
Good day to you, little Poison Fairy. Please, do refrain from backing away like that.
You certainly did a number on me earlier, making me wither quite thoroughly. I may look energetic now, but my heart is withered from the ordeal. Dying and regenerating over and over is quite physically taxing, you know.
Therefore, I shall not forgive you.
Now then, the roles have switched. It is my turn. I shall fulfill my duty to my heart's content.
Since you are a naughty fairy with no manners, I believe it is time I taught you the Etiquette for Young Ladies.
It is time for your lesson.