Just as I was about to be hauled away on suspicion of smuggling nectar, help arrived from an unexpected source.
To my surprise, the demon maid had come to my rescue.
Or rather, what was she even doing in the city? I had assumed she’d long since returned to the Demon King’s Castle.
The demon maid puffed out her chest with an air of grand authority and spoke up.
"This girl has… well, complicated circumstances. For my sake, could you please just let this slide?"
The three men glanced at her, let out heavy sighs, and spoke one after another.
"If I recall, you’re the newbie receptionist at the Adventurer Guild, aren't you?" "Even if she’s your friend, the law is the law." "Selling goods without a permit is a serious matter."
"Wait! Just hold on a second!"
Brushing aside the demon maid’s protests, the trio reached out and grabbed hold of my shack.
Sadly, it seemed she lacked the clout to stop them. If they got any closer, they’d realize I was a plant monster. I had to buy time, no matter what!
"I did not, know, that a permit, was required, for nectar. Why, is one, necessary?"
"The resale of Saint Nectar caused prices to skyrocket and threw the market into total chaos. Now, only authorized dealers are allowed to sell it."
It seemed the value of my nectar had soared to heights unthinkable back when the Little Witch was quietly selling it in the plaza. In the time I’d been away, the rules had changed completely without my knowledge.
"And that’s exactly why smuggling is strictly forbidden. Where on earth did you source this Saint Nectar from?"
Where did I source it? I’d literally just produced it from my own body a few minutes ago…
"Never mind. We’ll just break this shack down and drag you out… Wait, what is this wood? It’s so hard it won't even budge."
I wasn't about to let them destroy it that easily. If the walls were peeled away, the bulbous form of my lower body would be exposed, and everyone would know I was Alraune in a single glance!
As the men grew increasingly frantic in their attempts to demolish my shack, the demon maid started to panic, looking as though she were searching for a way out. Then, a smile crossed her face as if she’d been struck by a brilliant idea. She leaned in and whispered into one official's ear.
"Think about it. Green hair that shines like fresh leaves, a single crimson flower as a hair ornament… and she’s such a beauty you couldn't forget her if you tried. When such a lovely girl is having trouble moving—almost like a plant—why can't you just look the other way?"
She was laying it on thick, speaking in such suggestive riddles. It felt almost like she was trying to reveal my true identity.
The official she’d whispered to turned his gaze toward the flower blooming on my head. "Hey," he muttered. "Doesn't that flower look… real?"
Even the most arrogant of the trio now wore a stunned expression, as if a realization had struck him. "Could she be the one from the legend…?"
Looking thoroughly apologetic, he turned to me and bowed.
"M-My apologies, young lady… I must have been mistaken about the permit requirements for Saint Nectar. In fact, there’s no problem with you being here at all. The festival hasn't officially begun, but please, feel free to enjoy the sights."
With that, the three men hurried away from my shack.
I didn't quite understand what had happened, but it seemed I was safe. Phew. What a relief. I didn't want to get caught on some nonsensical charge and have my monster identity exposed to the whole city.
Regardless, while they had clearly sensed I was there incognito, the fact that it hadn't turned into a disaster was entirely thanks to the demon maid.
"I am, grateful, for your, help."
"Don't mention it. I'm just glad you weren't arrested," she said, walking over to stand directly in front of me. She let out a soft giggle as she observed my disguise. "An Alraune secretly watching the festival… it’s exactly like the legend says."
"Legend? What, are you, talking about…?"
"What? You mean you don't know?"
Prefacing her story by mentioning she’d heard it from the Adventurer Guild Master, the demon maid shared the local lore with me.
Tower City had bordered the Dryades' Forest since ancient times. Because the city lived in the shadow of the woods where the spirit sisters dwelt, many stories about the Dryades had been passed down.
One such legend claimed that the Forest Dryades—who were normally quite distant from humans—would emerge to bless the people only when spring arrived. It was even said that, on rare occasions, a Dryades would disguise herself and join the crowds to enjoy the festival.
These sightings only happened once every few decades, but the stories remained deeply rooted in the city’s culture. The last time a Dryades had been spotted was fifty years ago. Since then, Lady Dryades had not been seen at a single festival.
Fifty years ago coincided with the period when the Demon King's Army had become active in the region, leading many to believe the Dryades had begun avoiding humans entirely. Even so, many people secretly hoped she would return to the festival one day.
To encourage this, some of the townspeople had established an unspoken rule: if a Dryades ever appeared during the festivities, everyone was to pretend they hadn't noticed anything unusual.
That explained why those three men had fled the moment they saw the flower on my head. They thought I was a Dryades. The Master Carpenter had been going around telling everyone that the "Rose Princess" was actually a Dryades, so they must have jumped to that conclusion!
Having finished the story, the demon maid stared intently at my face. "But seriously," she whispered, "what is an Alraune doing here? You nearly gave me a heart attack."
I wanted to tell her that was my line! Her working as a receptionist in an Adventurer Guild was far more bizarre!
"Why, are you, in the city?"
"W-Well… I have… work to do here!"
She seemed strangely flustered. Perhaps she was on a secret mission from the Demon King. If so, it would be rude of me to pry into her duties.
"By any chance, Alraune… do you know which way the Demon King's Castle is?"
"I do, not. Why?"
"I see… If you don't know, then never mind."
Wait. Could it be that she’d actually lost her way and didn't know how to get back to the castle?
No, that couldn't be right. If she were just lost and unable to go home, she wouldn't choose to work as a receptionist in a guild—the natural enemy of all demons. If she were discovered, she’d be hunted down instantly. It would be a suicidal move unless she had a truly vital mission.
She must be carrying out her duties at the risk of her life. We’d had our share of trouble in the past, but we were friendly enough to chat like this now. I truly hoped she wouldn't fall prey to some adventurer; I wanted her to stay safe.
"Hey, Alraune? I have one favor to ask…"
"I, owe you, for saving, me. What, is it?"
"Well… would it be okay if I came to visit the forest sometime?"
"That, is fine."
"Yes! I'll bring a souvenir, so you’d better look forward to it!"
The idea of her coming to visit made a warmth spread through my chest. Come to think of it, I’d never really had anyone come to see me in the forest just for the sake of visiting.
The humans and Harpy Parca came for work. Others, like Beast King Marticoras and his group, only came to kill me. The only ones who had ever come just to see me were Nina and the Flame Dragon Lord.
I wondered how Nina was doing. She was likely in the Royal Capital by now; I hoped she was managing all right. I was curious about the Flame Dragon Lord, too.
However, the next time I saw him, the deadline for the answer I owed him would have arrived. I would have to choose: go to his side, or refuse him and become his enemy. One day soon, I would be forced to make that choice.
As I was lost in my thoughts, a roar of "YASMINNNNN!" suddenly thundered across the plaza.
From the area where the construction work was underway, a large, bearded man came stomping toward us. I tensed up as this mysterious figure approached, while the demon maid let out a terrified shriek. "The Guild Master?!"
"Yasmin! Why are you slacking off? I told you every single staff member was expected to help with the festival prep today!"
"Eeeek! Guild Master, I can explain! There’s a very deep, complicated reason—"
"You can explain while you work. Move it!"
The man, who was indeed the Adventurer Guild Master, grabbed her by the cheek and began dragging her toward the center of the plaza. However, he paused and looked back at me.
"You…" he began, his eyes narrowing as he studied me.
Yeah, that was definitely the look of someone who knew exactly who I was. Without breaking eye contact, he spoke in a low voice.
"I’m just talking to myself here, but… Holger should be arriving in the plaza any minute now. If he were to spot a monster here, he’d report it to the Lord immediately. That might throw a real wrench in the plans for the festival, wouldn't it?"
Who was Holger? Wait, that wasn't the point. If Lord Manfred found out I was in the city incognito, it would be a disaster! I’d been told to stay quietly in the forest, and if I were caught breaking that promise, my invitation to the festival might be revoked. I didn't think I could handle that; I was looking forward to the festival so much.
Yes. It was time to end my secret tour. I wanted to see more of the preparations, but I couldn't risk it. I had to get back to the forest before I caught any more unwanted attention.
The Guild Master continued dragging the demon maid away. Now that I was alone again, I prepared to leave. I began the teleportation process, turning my avatar back into seeds through self-pollination. Just before I vanished, the demon maid came running back one last time.
"I don't know what mission you’re on, but do your best! The maids at the castle are all rooting for you!"
With that, she dashed back to the Guild Master. I wasn't entirely sure what she meant, but it was kind of her to come back just to say goodbye. She really was a good person. I hoped we could become true friends one day.
I teleported back to the forest.
Returning to my main body, I warily scanned my surroundings. It seemed the area was clear. The Amazoness Treant was still out on her patrol.
With a sigh of relief, I retrieved the seeds I’d left in the city. Now, no evidence remained that I’d ever been there. Still, I never imagined I’d run into the demon maid like that. The story she told me—about Lady Dryades secretly attending the festival—was a shock, too. Perhaps I was only allowed to participate because of those ancient legends.
"But that Dryades from fifty years ago… could it be…?"
The Dryades who vanished fifty years ago had to be my big sister. My younger sister, Lady Dryades, was such a shut-in that she never would have gone to a human festival. That meant my elder sister used to visit the city in secret long ago.
To me, Big Sister Dryades had always been a "Fallen Spirit"—someone who plotted to wipe out humanity and create a world of plants. But the stories in the city painted a completely different picture. If she loved the festival enough to visit in secret, she must have liked humans back then.
If she hadn't joined the Demon King's Army, if she had kept loving humans, maybe there was a future where we could have gone to the festival together.
I knew what had caused her to change. And I knew I could never forgive the one responsible.
The image of the White Witch with a Cat-ear Hat flashed through my mind.
Speaking of witches… the Little Witch still hadn't come home.
The sun was starting to set. She’d said she would be back by evening, so it was almost time. I decided to start on dinner so it would be ready the moment she walked through the trees.
Tonight’s menu was her favorite: vegetable stir-fry! I had broad beans, turnips, and onions ready to go. I prepared some coconut juice for the drink, and for dessert, I’d offer her my nectar. She always loved that.
I hoped she would be happy.
However, I never got to see her smile that night.
The Little Witch did not return.
I told myself she was just a bit late. She would surely be back by morning. But that faint hope was crushed when the sun rose and she was still nowhere to be found.
Even the next day, there was no sign of her. There was only one conclusion to be drawn.
Something had happened to the Little Witch in the neighboring city.
(The one who actually saw the Dryades in the city fifty years ago was the Master Carpenter’s grandmother. Next time, the Lone Wolf Magic Swordsman attempts to conquer the forest dungeon.)