I watched Nina walk away, tracking her progress out of the forest through the vast network of roots spread beneath the soil.
Then, as if to take Nina’s place, I sensed something land on a branch nearby. I had felt this presence before. When I looked up, the person I expected was already peering down at me.
It was Harpy Parca, the younger sister of one of the Stalker Four Heavenly Kings.
A half-human, half-bird creature, she served as the nectar delivery girl traveling between the Flame Dragon Lord and myself. Since several days had passed since our last exchange, she had likely come to the forest to collect a fresh supply.
The Harpy landed on the ground with a polite "Hello." I found myself momentarily captivated by the sight of her long, flowing yellow hair fluttering through the air. She really was a beautiful girl; it was such a shame she was a stalker.
"Alraune-dono is as radiant as ever today."
…I knew she was a stalker, but I didn't think she was a bad person at heart. Besides, people didn't exactly line up to give me compliments. Since I spent all my time living in the forest, I didn't have many acquaintances. Even if she was a bit eccentric, I didn't mind.
"As I thought, since Alraune-dono bears such a striking resemblance to Saint Iris, we should ask an ice-attribute demon to freeze her. If we keep her in frozen storage, her beauty can be admired for all eternity."
I took it back. This girl was actually quite dangerous.
I definitely didn't want to be turned into a popsicle! And wait, when did she start calling me "Alraune-dono"? Perhaps she had taken a liking to me once she realized I looked like Saint Iris. She wouldn't actually go through with the frozen storage plan, would she?
Still, she was an emissary of the Flame Dragon Lord, so I had to maintain a friendly demeanor. I gathered myself and greeted my guest.
"Good day, Parca-san. Have you… come… to receive… the nectar?"
"Indeed. However, more importantly…"
Parca turned her gaze toward the direction Nina had gone.
"I thought I sensed that human carrying my brother’s feathers…"
Oh, she was sharp. Those feathers undoubtedly belonged to her older brother, the late Golden Birdman of the Stalker Four Heavenly Kings. Was she planning to take them back? It would be awkward to ask Nina for a gift back now, so I hesitated.
"Those… are mine."
"If they belong to Alraune-dono, then I have no issue with it. I am certain my brother is absolutely thrilled in the heavens right now, knowing he can be with an Alraune who looks so much like Saint Iris."
That was a bit much. Perhaps it really was for the best that I gave the feathers to Nina. Nina, I'm so sorry…
Now then, it was time to get to work. I began filling the empty containers Parca had brought with nectar. Since the process looked like nothing more than me drooling excessively, I still felt a bit embarrassed doing it in front of her. The Little Witches were used to it, at least.
"I see. Observing it again, does Saint Iris look this beautiful even when she salivates? I am moved. I truly wish I could have shown this to my brother…"
Hold on, Parca-san. Please don't find joy in something so weird.
Seriously, were there no normal harpies left in the Demon King's Castle? Surely there were plenty of ordinary ones. Why did I have to be stuck with my own stalker? It couldn't be that every harpy in the Demon King's Army was a fan of Saint Iris, right?
Flame Dragon Lord, if possible, I would really appreciate a change in delivery personnel.
"By the way, I found a small Alraune in the forest. Is that little one a companion of yours, Alraune-dono?"
"She is… my family."
"As I thought… She had a precious appearance that reminded me of Saint Iris in her childhood. I would very much like to take her home with me, if that would be alright?"
"It is… not… alright!"
Parca-san, what was she thinking? If Hatake-raune were taken away by her, I wouldn't be able to sleep a wink out of fear. She’d probably end up frozen and displayed in Parca’s living room. It was an absolute no!
"No? Then I shall simply take her without permission."
"…If you… lay a hand… on my Alraune… I will… forcibly… send you… to join… your brother."
"If I can reunite with my brother, I would love nothing more than to stay up all night talking about Alraune-dono! Also, if you’re going to swallow me whole, I’d prefer if you’d let me out immediately afterward. Truthfully, I’ve always wanted to try entering the body of an Alraune who looks like Saint Iris at least once."
I had intended it as a threat, but she was delighted! I didn't know what to do with her anymore. The mental fortitude of a stalker was truly terrifying.
"Of course, the bit about taking her without permission was a joke," Parca said as she gripped the nectar-filled containers with her talons. That implied everything else she said was completely serious.
Just as she spread her wings to take flight, she spoke as if remembering something.
"That’s right. My mood soared the moment I saw Alraune-dono, so I completely forgot my most important task."
She skillfully used her talons to retrieve an envelope from her luggage.
"I have been entrusted with a letter for Alraune-dono from Glühschwanz-sama."
"From the Flame Dragon Lord? To me?!"
"I was ordered to deliver this to Alraune-dono within the day, without fail."
A letter from the Flame Dragon Lord, of all people. He had known I could read since my time as a maid in the Demon King's Castle, so it wasn't a strange medium for him to use. Was he giving me another tip? The last bit of info he gave me was a precursor to the arrival of Beast King Marticoras. Was it about the fourth member of the Four Heavenly Kings?
"I am forbidden from looking inside, so rest assured I don't know what it says," Parca whispered teasingly, hiding her face behind a wing. "If you’re going to write a reply, please be quick. Since I’m delivering the nectar anyway, I’ll act as the messenger harpy for your little correspondence."
A reply? And wait, correspondence with the Flame Dragon Lord? Since when were we on letter-writing terms?
Originally, I was the enemy who had killed his subordinates. He had been actively hunting me. After my Playing Dead Strategy succeeded in making him think I was just a harmless plant, he finally stopped targeting my life. From there, I had undergone a "job change" from his houseplant to his maid, and now we were business partners where he protected the Little Witches from the Witch Queen in exchange for my nectar.
Furthermore, I was originally a Saint of the Kingdom. He was a member of the Demon King's Army. While his exact rank remained a mystery, the fact that even Big Sister Dryades treated him with respect meant he was undoubtedly a top-tier executive.
I had no idea what it meant for someone like him to send me a personal letter.
"I’d heard rumors that Glühschwanz-sama was showing favoritism toward Alraune-dono, and now I’ve finally learned the reason why. Don't worry, I won't go around spreading rumors about your relationship."
The "reason" was simply that the Flame Dragon Lord was incredibly fond of my nectar. To me, it was a simple transaction, but to Parca, it seemed like a shocking revelation. It probably was hard to imagine the terrifyingly powerful Flame Dragon Lord enjoying my sweet nectar as a dessert after every meal. Even I hadn't expected things to turn out this way when we first met.
Regardless, if I was going to write a reply, I had to hurry. I reached out with a vine to touch the envelope, which was firmly sealed with wax.
The moment I touched it, the wax shattered with a flash of light. It was a magical seal. It was a magic tool that registered the recipient's mana in the wax beforehand, ensuring no one else could open it. The Flame Dragon Lord had likely used my nectar to register my signature.
Magical sealing wax was incredibly expensive and rare. In the Kingdom, only royalty, high-ranking nobles, and Bishops of the Church possessed it. I couldn't imagine what he was thinking, using such a thing for a letter to me. Then again, the fact that he owned it as a matter of course was just like him.
I used my vine to slowly unfold the letter.
'When night has fallen, have your bud open and wait.'
"Parca-san, there's no need to deliver a reply to Glühschwanz-sama."
It seemed an answer wasn't required. After all, this letter was an invitation to a secret meeting.
Harpy Parca was deeply grateful to the Flame Dragon Lord for the opportunity to see the Alraune who looked like Saint Iris. To ensure no other harpy stole this job from her, she had been working tirelessly behind the scenes in ways no one would ever know.
Next time: A midnight tryst with the Flame Dragon Lord.