This story continues from the perspective of the former Corporal, the Migrant Adventurer.
My name was Franz.
I worked as a migrant adventurer in Tower City.
As I scanned the Wanted Posters at the Adventurer Guild, I froze. There, staring back at me, was a monster that shared every characteristic of the extraordinary Alraune I had encountered back in the Witch Hunt Forest.
As I stood there in a daze, two other adventurers strolled up to the board and began chatting idly.
"Hey, look at this Alraune. Doesn't she look a lot like that Saint?"
"You mean the one who married the Hero?"
"No, no, not her."
"Well, who else is there?"
"You know, the Saint who passed away four years ago."
"Oh, Lady Iris? Yeah, now that you mention it, the resemblance is uncanny."
"I heard a rumor that the guild's Exclusive Artist was a massive fan of Lady Iris."
"Well, that explains it. No wonder the Alraune ended up looking like her."
The two adventurers walked away, laughing.
Something about their conversation gnawed at me. A drawing of an Alraune that looked like Saint Iris... but I had actually seen an Alraune that looked exactly like that drawing. If the monster had the same face as the sketch, then that meant the Alraune possessed the face of Saint Iris herself.
Regret still simmered deep within me—the feeling that I might have been able to interact with that creature peacefully if I had just tried. They probably weren't the same individual, but was this the same type of Alraune? Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to go and investigate for myself.
"So, what do you think of the title? I came up with it myself."
A hand slapped my shoulder. I turned to find the usual Dwarf Old Man standing behind me. Apparently, the name "Crimson Flower Princess" written on the Wanted Poster was a title the Dwarf Old Man had coined, and the Adventurer Guild had simply adopted it.
"A Named Monster needs a proper name, after all. I took the 'Princess' part from the 'Fallen Spirit Princess' displayed over there."
He gestured toward the framed poster for the West Forest Dryades. Since they were both female plant monsters from the Dryades' Forest, I suppose I could understand why he’d want to give her a matching title.
"How about it, lad? Care for a drink?"
"I'll take you up on that."
We sat at a table in the guild and ordered some ale. Though it wasn't a proper tavern, the guild did provide food and drink for its members.
"The Alraune of the Dryades' Forest is the talk of the town right now, but there've been plenty of other rumors about plants lately," the old man said.
"Rumors about plants...?"
"Aye. There’s been a string of rare flower thefts across the land. Just between us, word is that even the Lord's mansion here in Tower City was hit. A Magic Flower, an heirloom of the family, was snatched."
I wondered what a thief would even do with a stolen Magic Flower. I suppose it might fetch a high price on the black market.
"That's not even the half of it. My sources tell me the Golden Fleece Barometz in the Empire vanished overnight."
"...A Barometz?"
"A legendary tree said to produce Golden Fluff. It’s a one-of-a-kind treasure, the only one on the continent, and someone made off with it."
The Golden Fleece was a major source of revenue for the Empire. If it was truly gone, the Imperial Palace must have been in a total uproar. I was consistently impressed by how well-informed this Dwarf Old Man was; he knew the goings-on of neighboring countries in incredible detail.
"And here’s the kicker. You're a capable adventurer, so you'll likely hear about this officially soon, but I don't mind giving you a head start..."
"Don't keep me in suspense, old man. Out with it."
I placed some small change on the table as a quiet thank-you for his consistent help. Satisfied with the information fee, he leaned in.
"The subjugation of the Forest Spirit has been officially greenlit."
"The Forest Spirit? You mean the West Dryades on that poster?"
"No. It seems the target this time is the East Dryades. Direct orders from the Lord himself."
The Lord had authorized the mission. By his decree, the city’s Knight Order would be leading the charge. Even the Church's priests and the Guild Master had given their blessings. A Joint Subjugation Squad was being formed, comprised of elites from the knights, the Church, and the guild.
"But why the East Dryades and not the West?"
"I don't know the specifics. All I know is that the humans have decided it’s time for the Lord of the Forest to make his exit."
The Dwarf Old Man glanced around the room. Following his gaze, I realized the guild was already filling up with seasoned veterans. I even spotted the "Crystal of Dragon Water," the team said to be the strongest in the city.
The old man wasn't exaggerating. It felt almost irreverent to hunt such a being, but there was no stopping it now. The Spirit Hunt had begun.
A few days later, the day of the subjugation arrived.
More than twenty people had gathered outside the city gates. Among them was the Apprentice Saint I’d seen buying nectar from the fairy. When I greeted her, the Knight Commander—the leader of the unit—noticed us.
"Oh, you two know each other? In that case, I'm assigning you to guard the Apprentice Saint."
"Listen up!" the Knight Commander shouted, addressing the group. "Forest spirits and monsters are the enemies of humanity! The Lord has ordered us to exterminate every one we find on sight. Do not falter!"
With the Commander's encouragement ringing in our ears, the Spirit Subjugation Squad marched into the forest. As we pushed through the dense undergrowth, I introduced myself to the Apprentice Saint, Lady Nina. After a while, she leaned toward me, her voice hushed and hesitant.
"Franz-sama, that man in the silk hat at the back... doesn't he seem a little strange to you?"
I looked back. The Man in a Silk Hat was the same adventurer I’d seen studying the Alraune's poster. If he’d been chosen for this elite squad, his skills were undoubtedly top-tier.
"Judging by his gait, he seems quite formidable," I replied.
"No, I mean... his appearance. Isn't it a bit odd?"
"Well, he is wearing a monocle and a silk hat in the middle of a forest. He certainly stands out."
"That’s not quite it... No, never mind. It must be my imagination," Nina-sama muttered, looking weary.
I wondered what she had sensed. Perhaps she was just anxious about her first monster subjugation and was becoming overly sensitive to her surroundings. That was only natural.
"Nina-sama, please take this."
"What is it?"
"A Fire Bottle I made with my fire magic. It should be effective against forest monsters."
"Thank you, Franz-sama."
She tucked the bottle into her robes. Just then, a shout echoed from the front of the line.
"Monster spotted!"
The squad reached a strange clearing where not a single tree grew, as if a hole had been punched into the forest. It looked like a green meadow at first glance, but the ground was actually a dense carpet of writhing green vines. In the center of the clearing, a monster lay in wait.
It was a massive bulb with a vicious, gaping maw, and emerging from a deep crimson flower was a beautiful girl with green hair. Her refined, noble features and the way she used vines to cover her chest were identical to the Alraune I had seen before. She didn't just look like the same species—I was certain she was the exact same individual.
"They really are identical," I whispered.
"Yes... too similar," Nina-sama agreed.
The artist for the Wanted Poster had certainly done his job well. The Alraune, a seductive blend of beauty and malice, turned her gaze toward the squad. She was more than twice the height of a grown man, and she looked down at us with a terrifying presence. While the girl-like portion was human-sized, the sheer mass of the bulb was overwhelming.
The monster's eyes locked onto the person standing right next to me. With a pained, lonely expression, the Alraune stared intently at Nina-sama.
"Why...?"
Nina-sama’s knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground. She covered her mouth with both hands, her entire body trembling.
"Why does a monster have that face... and that Aura of Light...?"
I didn't understand what had come over the Saint. Before I could ask, the Knight Commander’s voice boomed across the clearing.
"We know everything! We know the East Dryades is in league with the Demon King’s Army, and we know you’ve been devouring the adventurers who went missing! You monsters are the enemies of mankind!"
"A monster of the Demon King’s Army...? No, wait!"
Nina-sama looked up at the Alraune as if she’d suddenly realized something. "That Alraune... could it be...?"
Her voice triggered a memory of my time in the Witch Hunt Forest. I had wondered then if she was actually a friendly creature who only attacked when provoked. I moved to suggest to the Knight Commander that we hold our fire, but the surrounding knights blocked my path.
I realized then that this was a subjugation squad. Every person here was single-mindedly focused on extermination; no one had any intention of negotiating with a monster.
And so, in a twist of fate I never desired, I found myself facing that Alraune once again.
This chapter was told from the adventurer's perspective. It seems the group of humans our protagonist encountered was indeed this squad.
Next time: The Alraune and the Spirit Subjugation Squad.