I was Alraune, a plant monster girl.
At that moment, I was on the verge of being surrounded by more than twenty humans brandishing weapons.
The group appeared to be composed primarily of knights and adventurers, but there was one non-combatant girl among them holding a staff. Her pure white Apprentice Saint outfit felt incredibly nostalgic.
Seeing her, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had met that girl somewhere before. She looked to be roughly the same age I had been when I was a Saint, or perhaps a little younger. Four years had passed since my death as a human. That meant if I imagined that girl four years younger, she would likely have a face I recognized—
“Are you the Alraune from the Wanted Poster?!”
A man’s booming voice cut through my thoughts about the Apprentice Saint. A large, armored knight stepped forward from the human ranks. Judging by the way the others addressed him as “Knight Commander,” he was likely the leader of the city’s Knight Order.
“We have come to subjugate the evil Forest Spirit. If you know where the Dryades is hiding, you had better tell us now!”
They were here to hunt Lady Dryades?
For a brief second, I felt a wave of relief. Their primary target wasn't me.
“If I... tell you... where she is... will you... leave me alone?”
“What human would ever leave a monster be? Of course, we shall slay you first before moving on to the Dryades!”
Ugh, I shouldn't have bothered feeling relieved. Still, if they intended to attack Lady Dryades, I had to fulfill my duty as the Forest Bodyguard.
“We know everything! We know the Dryades of the East Forest is allied with the Demon King's Army, and we know you devoured the missing adventurers! You monsters are the enemies of humanity!”
What was he talking about? This was the first I’d heard of any of it! The spirit allied with the Demon King's Army was the one in the West Forest, not the East. Furthermore, I had safely escorted every single adventurer back to the edge of the woods. I hadn't eaten anyone!
I knew my appearance could be frightening to humans, but I was innocent. This was a complete false charge!
“I have... not... eaten... any humans.”
“Save your lies, you insolent plant. This is exactly why I despise monsters.”
Knight Commander, please don't say that. Look, stop making that terrifying face and let’s just talk for a moment. If you did, we could clear up this misunderstanding in no time.
“Just as well. Any monster that harms a human is a target for extermination. Consider this a warm-up before the Spirit Hunt.”
The Knight Commander slammed the butt of his spear against the ground.
“Justice for the Man-eater Alraune!”
As if on cue, the knights behind him began rhythmically striking the ground with their spears, shouting in unison.
“““Justice for the Man-eater Alraune!”””
N-No, you have it all wrong! I wasn't a Man-eater Alraune! I only ate forest animals like birds and bears. Please, just put the spears away!
“Fire is the standard for plant monsters. Fire at will!”
At the Knight Commander's command, several knights and adventurers began chanting fire magic. In the front row, shield-bearing knights lined up to form a defensive wall. They were truly intent on killing me.
Several fireballs hurtled toward me. Reacting instantly, I summoned twenty Venus Flytraps that I had kept hidden beneath the soil. Using the Venus Flytraps as shields, I managed to block the incoming fire magic.
“Again!”
Another volley of fire magic was unleashed. At this rate, I would be stuck on the defensive forever, and the odds were heavily against me. Even though I had learned how to use the Lithops’ molting ability to escape fire, heat remained my greatest weakness. I was a plant, after all; there was no helping it.
Regardless, if I wanted them to believe I wasn't a malicious monster, I had to stop the fighting.
“Please... listen... to me!”
“Do not listen to the monster’s drivel! It will devour anyone who lets their guard down!”
The Knight Commander’s shout incited the others. “Justice for the monster that ate our kind!” “Avenge our comrades!” “Death to the magical beasts!”
Ugh, what was happening? What did I even do to deserve this? I only put those adventurers to sleep and sent them on their way with the utmost care. To be cursed as a man-eating monster after all that... it was too much. Was it just because I was a plant monster?
As those thoughts swirled in my head, a spear suddenly pierced my bulb. It had been thrown from the crowd. As I used a vine to yank the spear out, I realized that something had pierced my heart as well.
Perhaps monsters and humans were simply incompatible. The Little Witch was likely an exception only because she was a witch herself. I was no longer human. Maybe living in harmony with them was an impossible dream.
Nectar began to well up in my eyes. Come to think of it, the adventurers who had come here a few days ago were also trying to kill me. No matter how much mercy I showed them, they would never be kind to me as long as I remained a monster.
Before I knew it, my Venus Flytraps had been burned to ash. The next wave of fire magic was aimed directly at me.
I refused to be burned alive by humans. If they were going to try and incinerate me, I would fight back!
I hadn't spent my time idly since learning that humans were coming for me. I had prepared traps in this very spot in case powerful adventurers arrived.
Humans, do you see the vines at your feet? Those were all parts of my body. I was a plant monster, and the flora here served as my limbs.
I lashed out with the vines beneath the feet of the fire magic users. In an instant, I snared every one of them. I decided to give them a taste of my sleeping powder to keep them quiet.
“Are these vines part of it too?! Everyone, hack them off!”
Following the Knight Commander’s order, the remaining knights began frantically slicing through my vines.
No, please don't cut me!
...Is what I would normally say, but not this time. In fact, I was more worried about whether they should be cutting them so recklessly. You see, those weren't just ordinary vines. I had infused them with the properties of an onion.
“M-My eyes!! My eyes!!” “I can't stop crying!” “My eyes and nose are burning! I can't see anything!” “Help me!”
The knights who had cut the vines collapsed, writhing in agony. They clutched their faces as they were plunged into a tearful hellscape of screams.
“What’s wrong with you all?! What is happening?!”
Ahem.
Knight Commander, allow me to explain. Recently, I predated an onion that the Little Witch had brought as a new ingredient. As a result, I gained the ability to not only grow onions but to adopt their natural characteristics.
When you slice an onion, your eyes sting and tears well up, right? Anyone who has ever cooked has experienced it. When an onion's cells are damaged by cutting, they release a lachrymatory substance. This substance irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose, causing uncontrollable tearing.
By hacking away at my vines, the knights had essentially diced a massive quantity of giant onions. They had absorbed so much of the lachrymatory substance that they were completely incapacitated, rolling on the ground in pain.
One should never underestimate an onion just because it's a vegetable. This trait evolved to protect the plant; the lachrymatory effect ensures that any animal that tries to eat it will think twice before doing so again.
As a knight, surely it’s embarrassing to be reduced to tears by a delicate flower girl like me? I don't particularly enjoy making gentlemen cry, so if you've learned your lesson, please stop trying to chop me up.
The onion is a perennial plant classified in the Amaryllidaceae family. While it was previously categorized under the Liliaceae or Alliaceae families, it has recently been moved to Amaryllidaceae. Since the protagonist, Alraune, belongs to the Solanaceae family, they aren't actually related.
Next time: The Onion-loving Knight Commander and the Principles of Flower Arrangement.