The day after my nectar was harvested, a demon I had never seen before appeared in the botanical garden.
He seemed to be there to inspect the grounds. He walked along the paths in an orderly fashion until he eventually arrived at my location. He was a red-haired demon who looked remarkably human, save for the two distinctive horns growing from his head.
The red-haired man looked at Barometz-san for a moment before shifting his gaze to me. He muttered under his breath while staring.
"I heard from the Spirit Princess. It seems it has only been about three months since you were born."
The Spirit Princess—he had to be talking about that Fallen Dryades. Could she really tell my exact age just by touching my body? If she possessed a skill like that, she truly was a spirit.
But I wondered how this man knew about it. It was strange for him to just walk up and announce it to me.
"Mm. As I thought, you have a fine scent..."
With that, the red-haired man continued down the path. He was a strange one.
Once he was out of earshot, Barometz-san turned to me in shock.
"My... Alraune-san, were you really only zero years old?!"
"That’s, right."
It had been over a year since I first became an Alraune, but I had only been in this specific body for about three months. Physically speaking, there was no doubt I was still an infant.
"To think you were so young... why, you’re practically a baby."
Barometz-san began to gently stroke my head with her soft cotton hand.
"I feel my maternal instincts awakening."
Not again. Between the Little Witch and now Barometz-san, I didn't know why everyone insisted on acting like my big sister. In my head, I certainly wasn't at an age anyone would call a baby.
"Regardless, Alraune-san, did you see that gentleman? He had such a handsome face."
He certainly did. He had a sharp, disciplined expression, but he was undoubtedly good-looking.
"If that gentleman were at the Imperial Palace, the young ladies would surely be making a terrible fuss over him."
It seemed Barometz-san had been influenced by the noblewomen back at the palace. She apparently had quite the weakness for a handsome face. I understood the sentiment, though. If I were still a Saint instead of an Alraune, my heart might have fluttered a little.
However, perhaps because I had become a plant, I had lost interest in those sorts of things. I wasn't even an animal anymore, let alone a human; I was just a mass of plant cells. While he was nice to look at, I had no desire to pursue him.
"I have been curious for a while now, but you really do have a lovely scent, Alraune-san. Even that gentleman couldn't help but look back."
"Is it, that, strong?"
"Yes. And it isn't just the men. Even I find myself drawn in by such a wonderful fragrance. It smells sweet... delicious, even..."
Ugh, Barometz-san’s gaze was starting to sting. I felt like she was silently begging for nectar. But I didn't want a precious friend like her to learn what my nectar tasted like. If she turned into a "nectar-maniac," it would be too pitiful to watch.
I was busy using my vines to make an 'X' to defend my nectar when Hydra-san, the manager, arrived. Uncle Teddy followed close behind him. I had managed to avoid being harvested by Barometz-san, but I feared Uncle Teddy might be there to finish the job.
Just as I braced myself, the manager said something that caught me completely off guard.
"Alraune, you’re being moved."
Wait, I was moving? Did I do something wrong?
"Where, to?"
"To our master’s side. I’ve left the rest to this butler, so obey him without a fuss."
The master of the manager and Uncle Teddy—that meant the owner of the botanical garden. I couldn't understand why I was the only one being transferred.
As I tried to protest, the one-horned Minotaur approached from the back of the path. He was carrying a massive flowerpot and a large shovel. It seemed this wasn't a joke; I really was being moved.
"Alraune-san..."
Barometz-san stared at me, looking like she was on the verge of tears.
"Don't, worry."
I extended a vine and squeezed her cotton hand. While the Minotaur dug up my roots, the two of us kept our eyes locked. She seemed to understand that as plants in a botanical garden, we had no choice but to submit to fate.
Once the Minotaur had finished replanting me into the pot, Barometz-san spoke through her tears.
"I never imagined we would have to say goodbye so soon."
Neither had I. I had been secretly looking for a way to escape this place, but I never thought I’d be moved because of the demons' whims.
"I... I wanted to spend so much more time with you, Alraune-san."
"Me, too."
"We’ll meet again, won't we?"
"It’s, okay. I’m, sure, we, will."
The Minotaur hoisted my pot into the air. My vine slipped away from Barometz-san's hand.
"I won't say goodbye, then."
"...Yeah. I, understand. See, you, soon."
"I shall stay right here and wait for your return!"
I kept my eyes on Barometz-san until we turned the corner. Once she was out of sight, we reached the exit of the botanical garden. It was lonely to part with the only other plant monster friend I’d ever had.
But I knew we’d meet again. Even if I never returned to this specific garden, I wouldn't forget her. I had promised to show her the forest, after all.
And so, for the first time in nearly two weeks, I left the garden. As the outside air hit me, I looked back at the entrance. My eyes widened when I saw the sign.
'Glühschwanz Botanical Garden'
That was the name of the place where I had spent the last several days. I knew that name well. As I had suspected, the owner was the Flame Dragon Lord.
The Minotaur and Uncle Teddy carried me toward the massive castle—the same one I had seen the Flame Dragon Lord enter. Overcome by curiosity, I decided to ask Uncle Teddy a question.
"Where, are we, going?"
"To the Demon King’s Castle. That shall be your new home."
No way. So that castle really was the Demon King’s Castle. At least I wasn't being disposed of; hearing it called a "home" gave me some small sense of relief.
I was carried straight into the heart of the fortress. I had finally reached the final destination of the Hero’s party I had once served in during my Saint era.
To my surprise, the interior was incredibly spacious and decadent. Since demons were generally larger than humans, the hallways and rooms were scaled to their size. As the seat of power for the Demon King who opposed all of humanity, it was nothing short of magnificent. I had to admit, it put the Kingdom of Gardenia’s castle to shame.
I was shocked they possessed such architectural skill. It suggested that demons were a far more intellectual race than I had been led to believe.
We passed various demons on the stairs and in the halls. Everyone seemed busy, moving with purpose as they performed their assigned tasks. Just like humans, they had a functioning civilization and organized systems. I had been taught they were savage monsters, but that was clearly a lie.
We climbed the unusually wide stairs for what felt like forever. We reached an upper floor so high that I lost count of the levels. Finally, Uncle Teddy and the Minotaur stopped before a pair of sturdy, massive doors. They were far more ornate than any other entrance I had seen in the castle.
Uncle Teddy announced our arrival, and a voice answered from within. I recognized it immediately; I had heard it very recently.
The doors swung open. As the room came into view, I realized exactly who the voice belonged to.
Sitting inside the room was the red-haired man who had appeared in the botanical garden earlier that day.
I have finally reached the Demon King’s Castle. And yet, it’s a bit strange that even though the protagonist is a former Saint, she still hasn't taken a single step on her own.
Next time: Her first time in the Demon King's Castle.