It happened so suddenly.
Without warning, the accumulated snow began to melt. As the ice turned to water, the ground transformed into a muddy, slushy mess.
The Amazoness Treant and the sapling Dryades, Fair-chan—both of whom had been frozen solid by the Witch Queen—were finally able to move again. But that wasn't the only change. I felt the air growing warmer.
The temperature was rising rapidly, a phenomenon I recognized all too well. I had a very strong inkling about what was causing it.
Could it be...?
I stared intently at the sky, and sure enough, the figure I expected appeared. A mighty dragon emerged from beyond the clouds, looking as if he had been clipped right out of a book of legends. His entire body burned like magma, and he trailed a glowing tail enveloped in scorching heat.
It was the Flame Dragon Lord.
I was stunned. I couldn't imagine why the Flame Dragon Lord would come all the way to this forest. What’s more, Uncle Teddy was right beside him, riding a smaller transportation dragon.
Uncle Teddy touched down on the ground first, followed closely by the Flame Dragon Lord's descent.
──Wait, stop!
The Flame Dragon Lord was kaiju-sized and essentially a walking forest fire. If he actually landed in the woods, the whole place would burn to the ground!
"Flame Dragon Lord, the forest! It's going to catch fire!"
Whether he heard my frantic plea or not, the Flame Dragon Lord’s body was suddenly enveloped in a brilliant light. An instant later, a handsome man with crimson hair landed gracefully on the moss.
It seemed he had been considerate enough to take his human form. Relief washed over me; at least I didn't have to worry about the forest being reduced to ash anymore. Still, the question remained: why was he here?
"Why is the Flame Dragon Lord in a place like this?" I asked.
"I have pursued you," he replied.
"Me?"
"Because a certain maid fled my castle after playing dead."
I froze. He knew. He knew I hadn't actually burned to death in his room and had instead escaped the Demon King's Castle. My "Playing Dead Strategy" had been a complete failure.
Was he in a foul mood about it? Had he flown all this way just to punish me? Was he going to be angry...?
"There is no need to look so frightened," he said, his voice calm. "Not many can escape me; it was actually a rather amusing experience. I shall overlook your desertion."
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. It seemed I didn't have to worry about being incinerated. I felt a wave of gratitude toward the generous Flame Dragon Lord.
"However," he continued, his tone shifting, "I cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that you did away with one of the Four Heavenly Kings."
"I-I... The Four Heavenly Kings? I’m not sure what you’re talking about..."
My voice trembled. How could he possibly know?
"It is useless to feign ignorance. I have already heard the story from Polar."
Polar was the name of the Flame Dragon Lord’s butler, Uncle Teddy. I turned my eyes toward the teddy bear in gentlemanly clothes standing behind his master.
"By Glüh-sama's command, I followed after you, Alraune," the bear said politely. "I witnessed all of your exploits in my master's stead."
That meant Uncle Teddy had been lurking in the shadows this whole time, observing everything. He had seen me defeat Big Sister Dryades and reported it directly to the Flame Dragon Lord.
"Just how long... were you watching?"
"From the moment you returned to the forest with the witch girl."
That was basically from the very beginning! He knew everything!
As I clutched my head with my vines in despair, the Flame Dragon Lord spoke again, his face unreadable.
"You defeated a member of the Four Heavenly Kings. That signifies an intent to oppose the Demon King's Army." He fixed me with a sharp, piercing gaze. "I cannot allow someone who opposes the Demon King's Army to live."
I remembered all too well how much the Flame Dragon Lord cared for his subordinates. The memory of him nearly burning me to a crisp once before because I was his subordinate's enemy was still fresh in my mind.
This was bad. I was going to get charred again!
"Vergissmeinnicht was not the only one," he added. "The Golden Birdman, Garuda-Hraesvelgr, also went missing in this forest. Was it not you who defeated him as well, Alraune?"
"N-No way... I'm not that strong. You're overestimating me far too much..."
My mind raced. What should I do? The Golden Birdman who had been stalking me... I had eaten him. If he found out I had gobbled up two of the Four Heavenly Kings, a simple burning might be the least of my worries. I might be captured, tortured, and killed slowly.
I didn't want that! But there shouldn't have been any evidence left of the Golden Birdman. I had eaten him whole. I decided to keep playing innocent no matter what.
Just as I made that resolution, I heard Fairy Kiri’s voice. "Alraune-sama—!"
Kiri, who had been inside the Sanctuary, had finally come out. Thanks to her brave charge into the Sanctuary, I had been able to free Lady Dryades from her sister's brainwashing. She had worked so hard; I was planning on giving her some of my nectar as a reward later.
"Alraune-sama, look at this! Since those feathers from the Four Heavenly King were hidden in the Sanctuary too, I brought out the extras—!"
Kiri came flying over, clutching a small bag filled with shimmering golden feathers.
Yes, the very feathers I had plucked from the Golden Birdman.
The evidence had arrived. Kiri, your timing is the absolute worst!
"Those are Garuda-Hraesvelgr's feathers," Glüh noted. "Knowing you, Alraune, I assumed you had converted everything into nutrients, but it seems you kept some trophies. Just as you did with Dippkopf."
Flame Dragon Lord! No, wait! This is a misunderstanding! Please believe me...!
"As I thought," he said, staring at me as if nodding in understanding. "To think you would defeat two of the Four Heavenly Kings. It is truly surprising."
He was definitely thinking about how to kill me now. I didn't want to die yet.
"Flame Dragon Lord, please... at least spare my life..." I whimpered.
"What are you saying? I came here to praise you for a job well done."
"......Eh?"
I blinked. I had prepared to be hated as an enemy, but I couldn't remember doing anything that deserved praise from him.
"There were signs that Vergissmeinnicht was using Brainwashing Flowers to manipulate her comrades in the Demon King's Army," Glüh explained. "I have had the Intelligence Office conducting an investigation for some time, and after you defeated the Three Spirit Beasts at the castle, physical evidence finally came to light. It is clear that Vergissmeinnicht intended to betray the Demon King's Army."
Now that I thought about it, Big Sister Dryades had been manipulating the Demon Maid with a blue flower too. I had wondered why she was brainwashing her own allies, but it made sense now. Because of her plant-supremacist views, she had intended to eventually bring the entire Demon King's Army under her thumb.
"In my opinion," Glüh continued, "Vergissmeinnicht was also using those flowers to control her fellow Heavenly King, Garuda-Hraesvelgr. His behavior had been strange for quite some time."
"Just as you said... a blue Brainwashing Flower came out of the Golden Birdman," I admitted.
"So it was. It seems my theory was correct."
Wait a second. Does this mean I'm not in trouble?
Yes! I was actually safe! I wasn't going to be burned!
"Regarding the traitor Vergissmeinnicht, I intend to investigate the facts thoroughly," Glüh said. "To that end, I have many things to ask you, but before that, I have a proposal."
"...A proposal?"
"I am aware that you lived in this forest before you were my maid. Since I took you to the castle without your consent, I understand that you never truly intended to enter my service."
He was right. When I was at the castle, I had only considered myself a temporary maid. I had no intention of making it a career.
"Therefore, Alraune, I ask you again: won't you formally become my subordinate?" He looked at me with a smirk. "I want you. Why don't we live together?"
The Flame Dragon Lord wanted me as a subordinate? My mind went completely blank at the unexpected offer. And I had to admit, my heart fluttered just a little at those words. I had a fiancé back when I was a Hero, but he had never said anything like that to my face.
Still, the answer was already decided.
"I... refuse."
"......May I hear the reason?"
"Right now... there is something... I must do."
The Little Witch was still in the Witch Queen's clutches. Even if joining the Demon King's Army meant I wouldn't be attacked by them anymore, I couldn't just join the organization that had been my mortal enemy during my time as a Saint.
"Very well," Glüh said, surprisingly accepting my refusal. "I shall be busy enough with the traitor's affairs for now, so I will not force the issue this moment."
I had expected him to try and coerce me, but the Flame Dragon Lord really was a kind dragon.
"What you are concerned about is that witch child, isn't it?"
"...How do you know about her?"
"A moment ago, I saw the Witch Queen's subordinate flying away with a child in her arms. Polar told me you were living with her."
So he knew about the Little Witch, too. There was no point in hiding it now.
"Alraune, won't you make a deal with me?"
"A deal?"
"I shall retrieve the child from the Witch Queen for you. In exchange, you shall pay the price."
"Exactly... what price?" I asked tentatively.
Did he want me to offer myself to him? Was I to become his property?
The Flame Dragon Lord looked me full in the face and spoke in a calm, steady tone.
"I want Alraune's nectar."