Every demon I had ever met regarded humans as enemies. Likewise, humans considered the Demon Race their foes. It was common knowledge that demons were nothing more than savages. However, the demons I witnessed at the Demon King’s Castle were anything but.
There were pacifists like the Demon Maid Yasmin, and others like Hydra in the Botanical Garden who preferred watering plants to attacking people. There were gentlemen like Uncle Teddy, and those like the Flame Dragon Lord who carried himself with the poise and intellect of a high-ranking nobleman.
Witnessing those sights made me feel as if the common sense the Church had instilled in me was being turned on its head. It sparked questions I had never thought to ask before. What exactly were demons? What were the creatures known as monsters? And just who was the Demon King who ruled over them all?
"Are you curious about my identity?" the Flame Dragon Lord asked.
"Yes, it’s been on my mind."
"I would prefer our relationship to remain simply that of a dragon and an Alraune."
He might have called himself a "mere" dragon, but the Flame Dragon Lord was far too powerful for such a modest title. His sister, the Ice Dragon and Prime Minister of the Demon King’s Army, was likely only slightly stronger than a Frost Golem, yet the Flame Dragon Lord’s power seemed to be in an entirely different league.
I actually had two theories regarding his true nature. The first came from the ancient history books of the Kingdom of Gardenia. There was a specific volume that only a Saint was permitted to read, which contained a description of a Black Dragon that had driven humanity to the brink of extinction several centuries ago. While the Flame Dragon Lord wasn't black, he controlled fire just like the dragon in those records. I suspected they might be one and the same. Even if they weren't, they were both dragons, so there had to be some connection.
As for the second theory... I didn't yet have the courage to ask him about that one directly.
"I am nothing more than a retired dragon," he said.
"Are you... actually retired?"
"You saw me at the castle, did you not? I have no intention of performing any real work."
For a retired dragon, he was certainly beloved by his fellow demons. He had numerous subordinates, and even Vergissmeinnicht of the Four Heavenly Kings and the Witch Queen's Assistant treated him with the utmost respect.
"Since I am retired, I have taken up tinkering with the soil, much like I did at the Botanical Garden. Therefore, allow me to lend you a hand."
The Flame Dragon Lord stood up from his chair and manifested a Flame Hoe.
"You are growing vegetables, are you not, Alraune? I shall assist you."
I couldn't believe it. The Flame Dragon Lord was actually going to do farm work. It was so far removed from his image that I felt a strange sense of guilt. He was better suited to sitting elegantly in a chair with a glass of wine. While he undoubtedly looked cool working the earth, the thought of him troubling himself for my sake made me so restless I didn't know what to do with myself.
"Hm? This soil is strange..." he muttered as he touched the ground.
It was impressive that he could tell just by touch.
"Salt damage has occurred," I explained. "The entire area has been affected."
"We are far from the sea. Why is there such severe salt damage so far inland?"
"It’s because of the Witch Queen. She caused a Salt Storm here."
Because of her, the Little Witch, Kiri, and the others had been busy every day trying to manage the aftermath. I really should have asked her to send some workers over instead of just providing lime.
"Kirke caused this?"
"Yes. It rained salt."
"How foolish... That will only make the forest wither."
Having his own Botanical Garden, it was clear that the Flame Dragon Lord genuinely cared for plants and nature. I decided to overlook the fact that he was burning down the forest when we first met.
"Rest easy, Alraune. I shall return the land to its original state."
"We’ve been working on desalination, so it will return to normal eventually..."
"No, that would take too much time. Besides, it would not be a perfect restoration. I shall return the forest to its former glory in that fool's stead."
Whoosh.
A black flame ignited in his right hand. It was a different kind of fire than the blue flames he had used to burn me before. This one was eerie—as dark as if it might swallow the shadows themselves.
"Consider this a reward for the Nectar you always provide, and an apology to you, Alraune."
The Flame Dragon Lord pressed his right hand against the ground.
Thump!!
The earth let out a heavy thud. Had the ground just groaned? I felt something surge past my roots and spread out with incredible speed—something unidentifiable and mysterious.
"I have incinerated every trace of excess salt in the soil throughout this region. The damage should be gone now."
"You did that... just now?"
"Such a thing is simple for me. However, I must ask you not to speak of these flames to anyone else."
He had used those black flames to burn away the salt. As soon as he pulled his hand away, the very atmosphere within the earth shifted. I could feel my roots absorbing water much more easily than before. The salt damage had truly vanished.
I was stunned. I had never heard of magic that could target and eliminate only the salt within the ground. Even Kiri, with her high-level Spirit Magic, had struggled with it. To achieve such a feat over an area as vast as this forest in a single instant was unthinkable. I couldn't even guess at the true nature of those black flames.
"You have spread your roots quite far, Alraune. An unbelievable range of territory seems to have assimilated with your body."
"You can tell that too?"
"Even now, your roots are stretching out toward the Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Gardenia."
"...Flame Dragon Lord, just what exactly did you do just now?"
"Do you still not understand? There cannot be many beings of your caliber in this world."
"You’re overestimating me..."
"There are only a handful of individuals stronger than you. You should be proud."
"...And you are one of them, I take it?"
"Shall we put that to the test?"
"I think I’ll pass."
I hadn't lost to the Four Heavenly Kings or the Witch Queen. In fact, I had won those battles with power to spare. Yet, I still couldn't see the limits of the Flame Dragon Lord's strength. My suspicions turned into certainty: he had no intention of destroying humanity. If he used those black flames, he could likely wipe out a human nation in a single night.
"You’re very kind, Flame Dragon Lord."
"Kind? You are the first person to ever say that to me."
He laughed joyfully, and even Uncle Teddy wore a pleasant smile. I wondered what would have happened if I had met him while I was still human. I wasn't sure if even my Light Magic could have stood against those black flames. They were like the polar opposite of light—darkness itself.
"Please tell me one last thing. Why is the Demon Race at war with humans?"
"If you were to become my subordinate, Alraune, I might be inclined to tell you."
"So you do know the reason."
"...I wonder."
Humans versus demons. Something must have happened when that conflict first began. I wondered if that reason was also why the Flame Dragon Lord stayed with the Demon King’s Army despite having no desire to fight.
"I wish to confirm one thing as well. You are not related to the Spirit Queen, are you?"
The Spirit Queen was the ruler of the spirits said to reside in the Goddess's Forest. It seemed that both the Flame Dragon Lord and Witch Queen Kirke knew of that place.
"I have no connection to her."
"I am relieved to hear it. I shall continue to look forward to your Nectar."
The Flame Dragon Lord chanted a spell, and a winged fire dragon appeared.
"Summer is drawing to a close. It is time I returned to the castle."
The sun was already dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows. His vacation had come to an end.
"Ah, wait. If you're leaving, please take this."
"What is this? Alraune Brand Saint Hair Tonic?"
"It’s a shampoo I made. It’s supposed to rejuvenate hair, make it shine, or help it grow fluffy."
"I shall accept it with gratitude."
The Flame Dragon Lord and Uncle Teddy mounted the fire dragon, and the beast soared into the sky.
"I will return. Stay well until then."
With those parting words, he flew back toward the Demon King’s Castle. Perhaps he would come to visit again next summer.
I looked down and noticed he had left behind the bottle of wine he brought. I suppose it was a gift. Since he had gone to the trouble of leaving it, I wanted someone to enjoy it. I decided that when the Little Witch reached the age where she could drink, I would give it to her. Until then, I would keep it chilled underground.
I used my Shimobashira magic to create ice flowers, then grew a box-shaped tree to hold the wine, packing it with the frozen blossoms. Once it was ready, I sank it deep into the earth. I hoped it would rest quietly in the soil until the day she grew up. I had something new to look forward to—I couldn't wait for the day we finally opened that bottle.
Summer passed and autumn arrived. Thanks to the Flame Dragon Lord, the forest had fully recovered. Freed from the burden of desalination work, everyone spent their autumn days in peace. Life had been quiet and tranquil since the end of spring. However, I was soon reminded that peace can end quite abruptly.
"Is the ground... shaking?"
I felt the vibrations through the earth. I only noticed it because my roots reached so far. The source was a great distance away, but I could hear the rhythmic thud of a massive number of humans marching.
What could be happening? I decided to go and see for myself. I teleported to the south side of the forest. I hadn't extended many roots in that direction since the Royal Capital was the opposite way, but I managed to get close to the source of the vibrations.
"What in the world...?"
I peered out at the plains from the forest's edge and saw a sea of people.
"That flag... it belongs to the Glanz Empire."
A massive, armed host of humans was marching in formation. Their numbers were staggering—there had to be several thousand of them.
"Wait, isn't this the territory of the Kingdom of Gardenia?"
This was near the edge of the forest that the Flame Dragon Lord had burned. It was a short distance north of the village where the Little Witch used to live. This wasn't the Empire; it was within the borders of Gardenia. An Imperial army marching freely through the Kingdom could only mean one thing.
A territorial infringement.
"And they're heading toward..."
I looked at the direction of their march. They were advancing straight toward Tower City. The Empire had been mentioned since the beginning of this journey, but it seemed they were finally stepping onto the main stage.