I’m Alraune, a plant monster young girl.
I’ve recently undergone a career change, transitioning from a humble houseplant to a professional maid.
I had to wonder if the Flame Dragon Lord was in his right mind, trying to turn me into a maid. I’m just a flower! Besides, I can’t even move. I’m a plant, after all.
Perhaps noticing my bewildered expression, the Flame Dragon Lord offered an explanation.
"It is merely a title. In practice, you need only remain as quiet as a houseplant."
"What... do you... mean?"
"The truth is, I can no longer bear to have your nectar only at breakfast. I wish to enjoy it at lunch and dinner as well, but it would look strange for me to move through the castle while carrying a flowerpot. Therefore, I decided to make you my exclusive maid in name only."
I see. It would be embarrassing for someone of the Flame Dragon Lord's status to be seen lugging a potted plant around the Demon King's Castle. So, he planned to bring me along under the guise of being his maid.
Sitting in a room doing nothing was boring, so this seemed like a perfect way to escape the monotony of my days. Plus, being a maid meant I’d be allowed out of the bedroom, which was a great chance to learn more about the layout of the castle!
"I... will be... a maid!"
"Your only role is to provide nectar whenever I desire it."
If all I had to do was produce nectar, it was an easy enough job. I was already used to providing it to others, so I didn't see any problem.
My direct supervisor was Uncle Teddy, the butler. He held the position of the Flame Dragon Lord’s primary attendant. And so, my life as a maid in the Demon King's Castle began.
I donned the maid’s white brim I received from Uncle Teddy. Putting on that headdress with its white frills really made me feel the part!
I had become a maid for the first time in my life. During my Saint era, I had been born as a duke's daughter, so my home had been full of maids. I never thought the day would come when I’d be one of them. Even more so, I never imagined I’d be working as a maid after becoming an Alraune.
And you won't believe it! For the first time since becoming an Alraune, I actually wore clothes. It was a one-piece style maid uniform, so I managed to wiggle into it even as a plant.
In a weird way, being dressed felt more embarrassing than being naked. The fabric felt like it was in the way, and I almost felt like I didn't need it at all. It seemed I had become a little too accustomed to life as a plant.
My daily routine as a Maid Alraune went something like this:
In the morning, I woke up in the Flame Dragon Lord's bedroom. I waited there until breakfast, serving as his dessert when he took his meal in his room. It was a perfect start to the day as long as I had my morning-squeezed nectar ready on a plate.
After that, Uncle Teddy would carry me as we moved through the castle. My daytime station was an antechamber located right next to the Flame Dragon Lord's office. My job there was simply to be a room decoration, much like an objet d'art. I didn't have much to do, and it was a bit disappointing that I couldn't watch the Flame Dragon Lord while he worked.
Before noon, other maids would carry me down to the kitchen. There, I provided nectar to the head cook. It seemed he mixed my dessert into the Flame Dragon Lord’s specialized meals. Once my kitchen duty was over, I was returned to my spot as a houseplant in the antechamber.
Since I couldn't move, I spent my time napping in the sunlight streaming through the window. Photosynthesis is simply divine.
Oh, and Uncle Teddy started watering me quite frequently. It seemed that after I defeated him with my chili pepper bubble, he finally acknowledged my worth. At first, he had dismissed me as "just an Alraune whose nectar was halfway decent," but now he even praised me.
"Since you possess a fair amount of ability, I expect you will be quite useful as a guard. I have high expectations for you," he told me. Honestly, I’m actually quite strong when I want to be.
Occasionally, the Flame Dragon Lord would have Uncle Teddy bring me into his office. Once I was inside, he would command me to "do something." It was as if he wanted some entertainment to kill the time. Since I wasn't doing much actual work as his maid, I decided to show off a little.
"Master... how... about... this?"
I sprouted an apple from the end of one of my vines.
"You can even produce fruit? You truly are an extraordinary Alraune."
With those words, the Flame Dragon Lord took the apple and bit into it.
"The fruit carries the sweet scent of nectar. A nectar-filled apple... not bad at all. It's delicious."
The Flame Dragon Lord seemed to take a real liking to my nectar-filled apples. For a maid in charge of his desserts, there was no higher praise. From then on, I was allowed to stay in his office more often. Whenever he said "Apple," my new job was to immediately create and offer one to him.
The Flame Dragon Lord had mountains of paperwork to deal with, so I even helped him out with that. Having vines meant I could carry several things at once, making me quite a useful assistant.
In the evening, I was taken to the kitchen once more to provide nectar for his dinner. Because I visited twice a day, I started to become a familiar face to the kitchen staff. It was nice to have more people to talk to.
At night, I returned to the bedroom with the Flame Dragon Lord to sleep. Surprisingly, we were the only two who spent the night in that room. Not even Uncle Teddy stayed there. I wondered if it was really okay for me to be in such a private space. I felt like if I really tried, I could probably assassinate him in his sleep.
Well, if I did away with him, I’d be the obvious culprit and would be killed immediately, so that wasn't an option. Since I can't run away, we’d both just end up dead. I suspect the Flame Dragon Lord kept me in his room with that very thought in mind. Or perhaps he was just that confident he would notice the moment I tried anything.
At any rate, sleeping alone in a room with a gentleman made me incredibly nervous! Even though he slept in the bed at the back of the room and I was just sitting on a desk, for a former Saint, this was a historical first. My heart wouldn't stop pounding.
But in the end, I was so tired that I fell asleep right away.
This lifestyle continued for several days. I drew many curious stares within the castle, but once the other demons realized I was the property of the Flame Dragon Lord, no one dared to touch me. The title of the Flame Dragon Lord’s maid was incredibly powerful.
However, while they didn't use their hands, some demons certainly used their mouths. These incidents always happened when the Flame Dragon Lord was away. Other maids working in the castle would gather near the antechamber and gossip loudly enough for me to hear.
"That Alraune... she’s a maid, but she’s completely useless. What’s the point of her?"
"If she can't even walk, she’s dead weight. I wish she’d think about us—we’re the ones who have to carry her everywhere."
"I don't get why something like that became a direct attendant to Lord Glühschwanz."
"She’s probably just a decoration because she’s small and cute. No different from that vase over there."
"I heard a rumor, though. Apparently, she 'offers her nectar' to him in private."
"What? What does that mean?"
"You mean she’s been... favored?"
"No way, she’s a plant. That’s impossible."
"It’s pathetic, a mere plant dreaming like that. Once she withers, she’ll be tossed out like trash."
—Grrr.
Being compared to a vase was a first for me. It was humiliating in so many ways!
Those maids and their wagging tongues needed a lesson. I stealthily extended my vines and cracked the door open. Then, I sprouted a Man-eater at the tip of my vine and scattered sleeping powder all over the hallway.
I soon heard the satisfying thuds of people collapsing outside.
Oh dear, whatever could be the matter? Falling asleep in the middle of a shift... how unprofessional for a maid. Lying on the floor like that, they looked just like ornaments themselves. If they wanted to be vases that badly, I was more than happy to help.
The "sleeping maids" in the hallway were eventually discovered by Uncle Teddy upon his return, and they received a thorough scolding. If a maid tries to mimic a vase, she’s going to get in trouble. It served them right.
Despite all that, even though I wasn't doing much "maid work," life here was full of excitement compared to the forest or the botanical garden. It was fun.
I still didn't know the Flame Dragon Lord's true identity, and I was curious about the fact that I still hadn't seen the Demon King. Whenever I asked Uncle Teddy, he always dodged the question. I suppose it was only natural, since I was a newcomer and a houseplant.
However, by staying in the Flame Dragon Lord's room, I was privy to information I never would have learned otherwise. And one of the most significant things was finally about to happen. I had overheard an important conversation regarding someone very precious to me.
That person appeared before the Flame Dragon Lord quite suddenly one day. When I first saw her, I was immediately reminded of the Little Witch. Clad in a black robe and a pointed hat, the young woman introduced herself as a witch.
But that wasn't the only reason she reminded me of my friend.
It was because the woman’s hair was stark, pure white.
A White-haired Witch, just like the Little Witch, had appeared.
She seems to be establishing her place as the maid in charge of the Flame Dragon Lord’s desserts. While she can't help with regular chores, producing nectar and apples is a specialized skill only an Alraune can provide.
Next time: Another White-haired Witch.