I was the plant monster girl, Alraune.
With the Frost Golem defeated, the heavy snow had finally come to an end, and spring had arrived. The previous cold felt like a lie. The sunlight grew stronger by the day, making every day perfect for photosynthesis. I could feel the chlorophyll throughout my body singing with joy.
Ah, spring. Why must you be so fleeting? I wondered why the seasons even had to change. It would have been wonderful if it were spring all year round. Though, honestly, I wouldn't have minded summer either.
While the season had become comfortable for me, it seemed the humans felt the same way. Now that the snow in the forest had melted, I received my first visitors from Tower City in a long time. Lord Manfred, the Lord of Tower City, came to see me accompanied by his attendant knights.
“As always, Crimson Flower Princess Alraune, you are the spitting image of Lady Iris! Truly beautiful!”
“Good... day. You... seem well, Lord... which is... better... than anything.”
I said it politely, but Manfred... have you put on weight? His already round face seemed to have expanded even further. Well, they say animals store fat for the winter; I decided to just call it the course of nature.
“I came today to offer my thanks to the Crimson Flower Princess,” Manfred began. “Thanks to the vegetables and nectar you provided, we survived the winter safely. Not only that, but sales of the Golden Cotton are booming. At this rate, we’ll soon have the funds to rebuild the parts of the city destroyed by the Demon King’s Army.”
The noble Lord Manfred bowed his head deeply. “The city survived because of you. You have my heartfelt gratitude.” His knights muttered things like, “My Lord, please do not bow to a monster,” but none of them actually tried to stop him. In fact, most of the knights followed his lead and bowed to me as well.
“I... have done... nothing... to deserve... such thanks,” I stammered, looking away.
Inside, however, I was screaming with joy. Not just Manfred, but the knights were acknowledging me. Me—a monster. It was impossible not to be happy! I felt like they were telling me I belonged here.
“Also, seven days ago, the snow stopped abruptly. It is so warm now that the Great Cold Wave feels like a bad dream. It made me wonder... perhaps you were the one who quelled the blizzard, Crimson Flower Princess?”
“You... overestimate... me.”
It wasn't my achievement alone. I had the Fairy Kiri to guide me and lead my roots, and my little sister, the Amazoness Treant, to watch over the forest. And most of all, there was the effort of the Little Witch, who had single-handedly defeated the Harpy, Parca! I was still amazed she had won. As her “big sister,” I was incredibly proud.
“I may be overestimating you, but if so, what is that giant standing over there?” Manfred asked. “It looks just like the golems from the myths.”
“……That... is a... Wood Golem.”
“There were no golems in this forest before. Did something happen recently?”
He wasn't going to let it slide. I decided to be honest and told him how I had defeated the Frost Golem at the Demon King’s Army Ice Castle in the Fortress City. I left out the parts about the Harpy Parca and the Demon Maid. Parca had promised to be an ally, but since she wasn't moving into the forest, Manfred would likely never meet her. She planned to stay in the Demon King's Army and secretly funnel info to me—at least whatever didn't trigger her Silence Magic.
Come to think of it, I wondered what happened to the Demon Maid. Had she gone back to the Demon King’s Castle with Parca? Thinking about that grand castle made me realize something. Maybe that castle had been built by this golem. In the myths, golems built the real Goddess’s Tower in the Holy Capital. If the Demon King’s Army had them, they probably used them for construction.
Golems were skilled builders. Why not use those skills here? A Wood Golem was too big for fine work in the forest, but then I remembered Manfred’s words. Right! Rebuilding the city!
“Lord Manfred... I have... a favor... to ask.”
“I owe you a debt I can never repay. Ask anything.”
“In that case... please... let me... rebuild... the city’s... tower.”
I had a golem capable of building the Goddess’s Tower. I wanted to restore the one in the city. It was the city's symbol, after all—and besides, I was the one who had accidentally broken it. As a former Saint, I felt extremely apologetic. I had to take responsibility properly.
“Our Goddess’s Tower was a replica of the one in the Holy Capital. It’s said it took years to build even with ancient technology...”
“It will be... fine. I will... manage... somehow!”
A Wood Golem could do it. The only issue was that the original was stone—stone that I had crushed with my vines. Getting new stone would take forever. The solution was simple: make it out of wood.
“I would... like to... make it... wooden... is that... okay?”
“The Church might kick up a fuss if it isn’t identical, but I can’t even fathom the cost of a stone replacement,” Manfred mused. “Even with our profits, we couldn’t afford a new tower for years while we’re still struggling for food.” He nodded to himself. “The city was ravaged by the Four Heavenly Kings, people were turned into Trolls, and our symbol was toppled. The people are miserable. Rebuilding it might bring some light back to their lives.”
“Actually... I was the one... who broke...”
“Say no more,” Manfred interrupted. “If not for you, Spirit Princess Vergissmeinnicht would have turned the entire city to rubble, not just the tower. You have no reason to feel responsible.”
No, I was the actual perpetrator who snapped it in half...
“Restoring the tower will show the people the city has recovered. It will bring back their smiles.” I had thought Manfred was just a noble who liked painting and being a fanatic for me, but he actually cared for his people. I re-evaluated him a little.
“And a wooden tower will be a symbol of our friendship! Besides, the thought of an Alraune who looks like Saint Iris building a Goddess’s Tower... just thinking about it gets my blood pumping!”
Wait, Manfred, calm down. His sudden shouting was scaring the Little Witch. Or rather, she looked completely repulsed. I cleared my throat and asked the most important question.
“To... rebuild it... I would... like... permission... for me... and the... Wood Golem... to enter... the city.”
Manfred’s face went grave. “A golem is one thing, but as much as I respect you, I cannot allow a monster into the city...”
“I... see...”
My petals wilted. No matter how much they appreciated me, I was still a monster. I was allowed to live in the forest, but the human world was off-limits. I wasn’t human anymore. I could never go back.
“Hey, human! You’ve received so much from Lady Alraune, and that’s your answer?!” Kiri yelled.
Kiri... It’s okay. Just having her get angry for me made me feel like my heart was saved.
“...You’re right. I was wrong,” Manfred said. “Some might object, but that doesn't matter. This is a chance to welcome our great benefactor!” He strode over and grabbed my vine firmly. “Please, come to our city. We will welcome you as the hero who saved us from the Demon King’s Army!”
And so, I prepared to extend my roots toward Tower City. I wondered if the people would really accept me. Looking down at my lower body, I let out a sigh. Adventurers and the Knight Commander had tried to kill me countless times because I was a monster. Back then, I was alone.
But it was different now. Manfred, the Corporal, Drink Bar-san, and the Master Carpenter all trusted me. It would be okay. As long as I was friendly, they would understand. I would gather my courage and do my best. I was going to make friends with everyone in the city!
Everyone still thought the Spirit Princess Vergissmeinnicht broke the tower. Next time: my first time in a human city.