Warm, pulsing light magic gathered at the tips of my vines.
I could feel the chlorophyll throughout my body singing in joy; I found myself so hungry for it that I could practically taste the energy.
Still, why would a mass of light magic be inside a Golem?
According to mythology, Golems were giants of clay created by the Goddess. Since they were divine constructs, it wasn't entirely surprising for one to be imbued with light magic, much like the Hero's Helmet.
I had no idea how the Demon King's Army had come to possess such a thing, but the mystery mattered far less than the power right in front of me.
The magic pulsed like a heartbeat, making it clear that this was the Golem’s core. An outer shell of ice had formed around it as a protective layer.
I used the heat from my vines to melt away the obstructing ice and reached out to touch the mass of light within.
──There was no mistaking it.
This was the exact same energy contained within the Hero’s Helmet.
As I drew in the Goddess’s light, my internal temperature surged even higher. The Golem’s interior, which had reached a slushy, sherbet-like consistency, liquefied instantly. Once it turned to water, it was mine for the taking.
Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
The water was incredible!
That pure, Goddess-branded water was unimaginably delicious. It felt like a parched plant finally receiving a long-awaited rainfall during a drought—no, it was even better than that!
Even without sunlight, I began to photosynthesize as I absorbed the moisture. Oxygen flooded my system. The sensation of photosynthesis was simply divine.
As I basked in the feeling, the Little Witch called out to me, her voice tinged with confusion.
"Alraune... there are ice flowers blooming all over you. Are you okay?"
"Wait, what? What is this!?"
Ice crystals had begun to form around the base of my bulb. They looked like frost columns... and then it clicked. It seemed I had inadvertently preyed upon a Shimobashira.
Normally, "frost columns" refer to the ice that pushes up from the soil on winter mornings, but there is also a plant by that name. In winter, the upper stems of the Shimobashira plant wither, but the roots remain active, drawing up moisture. That water then freezes on the surface of the dry stems, spreading out like delicate ribbons of ice.
Because they look like blossoms made of crystal, they are often called the Frost Flowers of Shimobashira.
By drawing that freezing water into my system, I had triggered the plant’s unique property. My body hadn't withered, of course, but thanks to my selective breeding, I had managed to bloom these ice flowers while remaining perfectly healthy.
It felt as though I were wearing a dress made of frozen blossoms. It was a completely different look for me, and I found it quite refreshing!
"Wh-what is this?! To think the Crimson Flower Princess would bloom such beautiful ice flowers... I want you! I want you right now!"
High above, Parca the Harpy stared down at me with an expression of pure ecstasy.
I wanted to tell her she should be more worried about her Golem. The massive, castle-sized entity had been melted down until it was barely a few meters tall.
"To me, the fate of my tribe and the orders of His Excellency the Prime Minister mean nothing! I want the Crimson Flower Princess for myself! I will freeze you solid no matter the cost!"
At Parca’s shout, the Frost Golem lunged at me.
But I wasn't about to let it touch me again. My roots had already permeated the Golem’s entire frame. At this point, it was less a creature of ice and more a mass of roots in the shape of a giant.
Then, something truly unexpected happened.
The Common Stork's-bill seeds that I had used to drill into the Golem’s interior reached the light core at its center. The seeds were drawn into the core as if being swallowed.
An instant later, roots began to crawl outward from the light magic core, weaving together until the core was encased in a wooden cocoon.
Then the Golem changed.
With a resounding crack, the ice shell shattered. A wooden giant stepped sluggishly out from the frozen shards. It stood about five meters tall—a Wood Golem.
I realized then what had happened. The light magic core had been encased in ice by the Prime Minister—the Ice Dragon—specifically to force the Golem into the ice attribute.
However, because my seeds had infiltrated the core, the Frost Golem had been forcibly converted into a wood-attribute Wood Golem.
And that wasn't all.
Since the Wood Golem was connected to me through my roots, it seemed to be under my direct command. To test this theory, I mentally ordered it to stop.
The Wood Golem froze mid-step, as still as a street performer doing pantomime. It appeared that by placing my seeds in its core, I had successfully hijacked the Golem’s ownership from the Demon King’s Army.
I wasn't the only one stunned by the sudden transformation. Parca, who had been the one controlling the Frost Golem, looked absolutely horrified.
"I-I can't believe it... The Golem was stolen? No one told me such a thing was possible!"
I didn't exactly mean to steal it, you know? My seeds just happened to get inside, and now it listens to me. I didn't really do anything special!
"I believed the Crimson Flower Princess possessed power on par with the Four Heavenly Kings, but even that was an underestimation," Parca muttered. "To think you could tame a monster of myth so easily..."
"Will you... surrender now?" I asked.
"I would like nothing more, but given the circumstances, I must report this to the Prime Minister. The Demon King’s Army has drastically misjudged your strength."
The blizzard that had ravaged the area vanished. With the Frost Golem gone, the sky cleared until not a single cloud remained.
"We must reconsider that plan as well," Parca said, her wings beating the air. "I must return to the Demon King’s Castle at once. Farewell, Crimson Flower Princess."
With a powerful gust, she took to the sky and flew away. Without the snow to hinder her, she was free to soar.
I watched her go, frustrated. My roots were anchored deep in the earth; there was no way for me to catch a Harpy in the open sky.
If she reported back to the Prime Minister—the Flame Dragon's sister—things would only get worse. The more they knew about me, the more dangerous it became. Unlike me, who was tied to the forest, they could attack from anywhere at any time.
As I stared regretfully at the horizon, I heard the sound of wings again. Parca was already gone, so who could it be?
"I'll catch that bird woman."
The Little Witch was hovering just above me. The sound of wings had come from her; I had forgotten that bird-like wings had sprouted from her body during her transformation.
"I won't let the Demon King’s Army ruin our life together. Leave this to me, Alraune."
With her Levitation Magic and those wings, she could fly just as well as any Harpy.
"I’ll handle it. You just stay here and wait for me."
"But... she’s a Harpy from the Demon King's Army. It’s dangerous."
"I’m not just a normal human anymore. I’m a Witch. I won't lose to a monster."
A breeze began to swirl around the Little Witch, growing into a localized gale.
"I’m not the person I used to be. I’ve been training in Black Magic this whole time just so I could protect you."
She raised her left arm, pointing toward the heavens. The wind responded, spiraling upward to create a powerful thermal. She then reached down toward me with her right hand.
I understood her silent request and extended a vine. She gripped it firmly, her expression softening into that of a protective older sister.
"Leave it to me. You believe me, right?"
The look in her eyes was entirely different from the girl who had once cowered before Beast King Marticoras. She had grown up when I wasn't looking.
"I understand," I replied. "But please... be careful."
The Little Witch gave me a bright smile. Then, with a powerful stroke of her white wings, she shot into the sky like a bullet, riding the updraft she had created.
At that speed, she would catch Parca in no time.
I felt a mix of pride and gnawing anxiety. I couldn't picture her in a real fight. Even with her magic, Parca was a seasoned member of the Demon King’s Army.
Wait—she had been manipulating the wind. Was that a form of Black Magic? Black Magic was a mystery known only to Witches, but I hoped whatever she had learned would keep her safe.
Parca might be obsessed with me, but she had no such feelings for a human girl. If the Little Witch caught her, it would mean a battle to the death.
The thought terrified me.
I hated that I couldn't walk or fly. If I were a human Saint, I would have been right behind her.
But I was a plant. No matter how many times I wished otherwise, I couldn't survive if I pulled my roots from the soil.
I could only wait and hope.
Little Witch... please come back safely.
Shimobashira: A perennial plant of the Lamiaceae family. During winter, ice crystals often form on its stems, creating delicate structures known as "frost flowers" or "ice flowers."
Next time: The Little Witch's first aerial battle.