I was the Alraune, a plant monster girl.
During this secret midnight meeting, the Flame Dragon Lord had presented me with an incredibly difficult choice. I had to decide whether to join the Demon King’s Army or refuse and become his enemy.
Should I join, my personal safety would apparently be guaranteed. Beyond that, it seemed I might even be appointed as one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
I had crossed blades with the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King's Army once during my time as a Saint and thrice since becoming an Alraune. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that a day would come when they would try to scout me for that very position.
I didn't know exactly what would be expected of me as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, but as long as I could continue my life with the Little Witch and everyone else, nothing would be better.
What worried me, however, was that my interactions with Nina and other humans would be severed. Even though I had become a monster, I still hadn't completely cast aside my lingering attachment to humanity. Furthermore, as a former Saint, it would be a lie to say I felt no resistance at all to the idea of joining the Demon King’s Army.
That said, I now had experience living in the Demon King's Castle, and compared to the past, my prejudices had vanished. The Demon King's Army was not the group of pure evil I had imagined when I was a human. There were many kind demons, and the castle had been a comfortable place to live.
Even so, my honest feeling was that I did not want to be an enemy of the humans. Therefore, if possible, I wanted to avoid joining the army.
On the other hand, if I chose the alternative, it was obvious that a path of carnage awaited me. Should I choose to be an enemy of the Demon King's Army, days of rest might never come again. I couldn't match them in terms of sheer numbers, and it would be dire if they launched a long-term campaign against me. I particularly doubted the Little Witch and the others would be able to endure it.
And above all else, the most troublesome part was that the Flame Dragon Lord standing before me would become my foe. I still hadn't forgotten the terror I felt when he attacked me in the former forest. I felt the odds were stacked against me if I had to fight a monster like him, even as a Half-Spirit.
Our compatibility was terrible, too. While I possessed a plant-like regeneration that even Beast King Marticoras found baffling, it likely wouldn't work against the Flame Dragon Lord. With his god-like firepower, he could burn the entire forest—along with my underground roots—to ash with a scorching hellfire. If all my roots were incinerated, I would die without ever regenerating.
He was a gentlemanly, kind dragon, so I truly didn't want to be his enemy. I didn't know if I could win, and more than anything, I lacked the confidence to protect the Little Witch and the others.
Though it was a life that had already ended once as a Saint, it was a life that had managed to survive as an Alraune. If possible, I didn't want to die a second time. If the alternative was being killed by the Flame Dragon Lord, perhaps it would be wiser to join the Demon King’s Army alongside the Little Witch and the others to ensure our safety.
But if I did that, my wish to live quietly in the forest might never come true.
Just what should I do...
As I stood there in silence with my head bowed, the Flame Dragon Lord exhaled a puff of white breath. Winter was fast approaching, and the midnight air was colder than I had expected.
"Is coming to my side something that causes you such distress?"
I thought I saw a flicker of loneliness cross the Flame Dragon Lord’s face.
Oh, please don't look at me like that! It wasn't that I disliked him; I was just concerned about joining the Demon King's Army. I didn't want to fight humans, and I had grown fond of this free life. Therefore—
"It's... not like that," I managed to say.
"I see..."
Silence fell between us. If the Flame Dragon Lord were to give up on me here and target my life, what would happen? The bond I had built with him—a good relationship until now—would be severed. Not only that, but my daily life, which had already been full of turmoil, might descend into a nightmarish hell.
If it only cost my own life, it would be one thing, but I couldn't let the Little Witch, Kiri, or my younger sisters, the Amazoness Treants, be put in danger. I might even bring harm to Hachi-san, Madam Butterfly, and the others from the Forest Circle who had moved to my woods. I might even involve Lady Dryades and Fair-chan from the Dryades' Forest.
In truth, I didn't want to choose, but perhaps I never had the freedom to choose from the beginning. If I thought of everyone else, I should join the Demon King's Army...
"Does that mean I am not a being you wish to be with?"
"N-No, that's not it! I think highly of you, Flame Dragon Lord, but I have... some reservations regarding the Demon King's Army..."
"Hmm. Indeed, much has happened between you and the army. It is only natural for you to feel that way."
The real reason I hesitated was that I was a former human and a Saint, but the Flame Dragon Lord seemed to have misunderstood.
"If that is the case, you need not decide right this moment. Since I wish to avoid forcibly making you a subordinate, it would be fine to wait until your impression of the Demon King's Army has changed. Besides, I must depart for the north soon."
"To the north?"
"Marticoras was an old acquaintance. I have decided to temporarily take charge of the Demon King's Army in the northern lands of the continent that he was conquering. I intend to return soon, but until a successor is decided, I will be commanding the northern legions."
"Why must you go in his place?"
"The Demon King's Army has lost three of the Four Heavenly Kings in a short period of time, after all. Thanks to a certain maid, we are facing a serious shortage of personnel."
The Flame Dragon Lord still referred to me as a maid. That actually made me happy. To him, I wasn't an enemy, but an Alraune under his protection. I might have been more trusted than I realized.
Perhaps I could find a third path—one where I maintained a cooperative relationship with him without officially joining the army.
"Since I have known Marticoras for a long time, I understand him and his subordinates better than anyone else remaining at the castle. Furthermore, as a supporter of yours, I must personally fill the hole left by his absence."
The Flame Dragon Lord looked at me and continued with a weary sigh.
"Marticoras led a beastman legion. However, since all of his close aides were also defeated by you, we must now select a successor for the legion. I will not be able to return for quite some time."
Ugh, I felt terrible. Because of me, the Flame Dragon Lord was being forced to go to such trouble.
"Therefore, your answer can wait until I return. Besides, for the time being, no one should appear to harm you."
"What do you mean by that?"
"A large-scale war is planned for the Demon King's Army from this winter through spring. While they must prepare and fill the vacancies left by the Four Heavenly Kings, my elder sister and the other demons likely won't have the leisure to attack you."
A large-scale war...
"Even if the soldiers of the army banded together, they could not match you, as you possess the strength of a Heavenly King. Those capable of fighting you are few, so you can buy time until around summer, when the war ends. Until then, you should take your time thinking about the future."
"Will the Demon King's Army... attack the Kingdom of Gardenia?"
"I cannot say more."
What should I do if the Demon King's Army was seriously planning to topple the Kingdom of Gardenia? Even though I had stopped being human, it was painful to think of my birthplace being engulfed in the flames of war.
"While I am away, there is a possibility that my elder sister may try to make a move. If you decide to become a subordinate before I return, tell Parca. If you do, I shall spread my wings to this forest to protect you, just as I promised."
Even though he was in the minority within the Demon King's Army, the Flame Dragon Lord was trying to protect me. He was going to such lengths to save me. He had even come to meet me in secret just to tell me this... I couldn't be grateful enough.
As I was now, I couldn't resolve to join the army as his subordinate. However, I also wasn't prepared to refuse the invitation and fight him. Therefore, I decided to accept his kindness and delay my answer until next time.
I didn't know if my feelings would change by then, but...
"I am deeply grateful," I told him.
Originally, as the Saint of the Kingdom and an executive of the Demon King's Army, we should have been enemies. But because the gears of fate had twisted, we had reached a point where we met in secret like this.
It was just a "what if," but what would have happened if I had met the Flame Dragon Lord as Saint Iris? Since my human self couldn't produce nectar, he might not have taken a liking to me. On the contrary, there was a high probability we would have fought because of my status as a Saint.
Even so, though it might be a dream-like thought, I couldn't help but wonder if we could have conversed like this back then. If things had gone well, there might have been a future where we held hands, just as we did now.
However, I was betrayed and killed by the Hero and that Shitty Junior Apprentice Saint, the people who were supposed to be my comrades. And so, I was reborn as a monster, an enemy of humanity.
If the current me and the Flame Dragon Lord joined forces, what on earth would happen? I felt that if the two of us collaborated, we could win against any opponent.
Even against the Demon King...
If that future ever arrived, perhaps there would no longer be anyone left to threaten my existence.
Thank you for reading. I'm terribly sorry, but things are a bit hectic at the end of the year, so the next update will be on the 26th. I appreciate your understanding. m( )m
Next time: The Vision of the Forest to Strive For.