Nina, the Apprentice Saint, finally opened her eyes.
Her hazy gaze fixed on my face. "Iri—" she began, but I quickly snaked a vine out to cover her mouth.
With Lady Dryades and Fairy Kiri so close by, she couldn't say that name. I gave her a pointed wink, signaling that my identity as Iris remained a secret. Nina nodded fervently in understanding.
"I am so glad... you are safe... Nina," I murmured, stroking her head.
Still groggy, she silently accepted the touch of my vine. Then, the reason for her slumber seemed to rush back to her. Nina lunged toward me with sudden energy.
"Wait, that Four Heavenly Kings Dryades... she turned into a giant! What happened? Who won the battle!?"
"I defeated her," I answered. "It is... our victory."
Nina's voice rose in disbelief. "Is that true!?"
Nearby, Drink Bar-san and the other adventurers—who had regained consciousness without my noticing—began to stir. They started whispering among themselves. "She defeated a member of the Four Heavenly Kings?" "No way, I don't believe it."
"Did... the Crimson Flower Princess really defeat her?" Nina asked.
"Yes," I replied. "I did it."
Nina paused for a heartbeat, her face crumpling as she lunged forward to hug me. "As expected of you," she sobbed. Then, leaning in so the others wouldn't overhear, she whispered into my ear, "I am so happy you are alive, Lady Iris..."
Her words struck a chord deep within me. Memories of my time as a Saint—long suppressed—surged back. Scenes from my Saint Era flashed through my mind, followed by a montage of my new life as an Alraune.
This marked the third time Nina and I had spoken since my transformation. Our first encounter had been a lethal clash when she arrived with the Alraune Subjugation Squad. During our second meeting, amid the chaos of the battle against the Dragon Dryades and Big Sister Dryades, we had finally managed to reach each other's hearts.
And now, this third time. Finally, we could have a quiet, unhurried conversation.
"I am... also happy... to see you... like this," I said.
I reached out, gently cupping her face with my human hands. I couldn't provide the warmth of human skin anymore; I was no longer a human, nor was I a Saint. Even so, as her senior, I wanted to praise her.
"You... worked so hard," I told her, wanting to honor the heroism of the girl who had been so small during my Saint Era.
As we enjoyed our reunion, Fairy Kiri began circling us. "Lady Alraune, since when did you get so cozy with that human?"
There had never been a friendly interaction between me and humans before this, so her suspicion was natural.
Drink Bar-san and the others weighed in as well. "She's right, Nina-san. We didn't press the issue during the fight, but why is an Apprentice Saint like you siding with a monster?"
One of his companions added, "Even if the rumors of her being a 'Man-eater Alraune' turned out to be wrong."
While the "Man-eater" label was finally peeling off, I had no intention of revealing my past as a Saint. I wanted to keep the Hero and that Shitty Junior from discovering I was alive at all costs. Nina was an exception because I knew I could trust her, but for the others, I needed a cover story.
"Friendship... blossomed... in the heat of battle," I offered.
Nina quickly backed me up. "Fighting side-by-side convinced me she is someone we can trust."
"She’s still a monster, though," one adventurer muttered with an aggressive glare. "How can we trust her?"
"Adventurer-san... I have never... eaten a human. Not even once," I pleaded.
Nina provided immediate support. "Moreover, she defeated a member of the Four Heavenly Kings who attacked Tower City. She is not our enemy!"
Despite her words, the veteran adventurers weren't easily swayed. It was Drink Bar-san who finally broke the tension.
"Listen to me," he commanded. "This Alraune saved the townspeople who were turned into Trolls and brought them back to their senses. She protected us from the Four Heavenly Kings. It isn't just Nina-san—I, too, found myself feeling a sense of kinship with her during the fight."
Drink Bar-san...! You really are a good person. You’re more than just an adventurer named after a self-service beverage station.
"The leader is right." "If anything, she's our savior." "She’s a monster, but maybe she’s different from the rest." The look in the adventurers' eyes gradually softened.
As I was making peace with the adventurers, my subordinates—Hachi-san, Madam Butterfly, and the other Tefutefu—woke up. Ravenous after the battle, they immediately eyed Nina and the other humans.
"Everyone, no!" I yelled, smearing nectar on my vines to lure them away. "These people aren't food. They are my new friends. So, everyone in the Forest Circle, please be on your best behavior!"
Years of living together must have paid off; Hachi-san and the others understood me perfectly. Seeing the insect-type monsters settle down, Drink Bar-san muttered in awe, "She really isn't our enemy, even if she's a monster..."
Drink Bar-san watched me closely before addressing me with a formal bow. "Alraune, you are a rare creature indeed—a monster capable of friendship with mankind. I ask that you forgive my past rudeness."
Drink Bar-san and his companions apologized to me.
"No... as long as you... understand... it's fine," I replied. I had already given up on being viewed with anything but hostility by humans, but finally, we had reconciled. That alone was a massive leap forward.
"Drink Bar-san... I would be happy... if we could be friends."
"Of course," he replied, "though my name isn't actually Drink Bar, it's—"
"Me too!" Nina cut in, drowning him out. "I was so terribly disrespectful to you..."
"Nina... I don't mind," I whispered, leaning close to her ear. "Thank you... for calling me... Iris."
I had thought I would never hear that name again. While my stalker, the Golden Birdman, and Big Sister Dryades had realized who I was, they were enemies. To be called "Iris" by Nina—my former apprentice and a connection to my life as a human—made me incredibly happy.
Though I had been reborn as a plant monster, a single, slender thread of a bond still connected me to humanity. I had fought humans many times, but I had never killed or eaten them, always believing that one day I could interact with them as I once did.
Today, that belief bore fruit. My dream of a peaceful plant life might still be out of reach, but I was closer than I had ever been. Step by step, I was growing.
Nectar trickled down my cheeks. It had been a long, exhausting journey. I had almost given up hope, but at the very end, the Goddess of Fate finally smiled upon me.
After everything, I had finally made peace with humans. It really had been a long time coming.
Next time: The Corporal and the Lord of Tower City.