A demon emerged from Crown Princess Malai’s right eye.
It was a deep reddish-purple, the exact same shade as her iris—
The Crown Princess hadn't been heterochromatic when we first met. The fact that only one eye had changed color suggested she had been sheltering a demon within that socket.
She was the Empire’s Crown Princess, but she was also a Witch. What did it mean for a Witch of the Empire to house a demon inside her own body? It meant the Witches were likely in league with the Demon Race.
Come to think of it, the Witch Queen had been on friendly terms with the Demon King’s Army as well. She was close with the Flame Dragon Lord, and even the Prime Minister. It was only a hypothesis, but I suspected a Triple Alliance had been formed between the Glanz Empire, the Demon King’s Army, and the Witch’s Village...
Wait, what? I hadn't heard a single word about any of this! When the Flame Dragon Lord came over to play this summer, he didn't mention a thing. Did the Flame Dragon Lord actually betray me? Even though we were supposed to be collaborators!
No, let me think about this calmly for a second. Would the Flame Dragon Lord really cast me aside, claiming he was bored of my nectar? He loved my nectar far too much to discard me that easily. Besides, the Flame Dragon Lord was a stickler for rules and promises. I couldn't imagine him unilaterally breaking his word to become my enemy. That was why I had a feeling he hadn't actually betrayed me.
If so, who was pulling the strings for the Witches and the Empire? It had to be the Prime Minister’s Sister Dragon. The Empire and the Witches were undoubtedly working with the Sister Dragon of the Demon King’s Army to achieve some goal. And that goal, in all likelihood, was the destruction of my homeland—the Kingdom of Gardenia. After all, they were already infiltrating the country in secret. The Kingdom of Gardenia was their target.
"I was being careless, but I shall leave the rest to you. Please, help me," Crown Princess Malai said, her voice calling out to the demon while she remained bound by my Dodder. Just as I thought, they were allies. The demon gave a sinister smirk. "Such is our contract; it cannot be helped. I shall take it from here, O frail human woman."
This demon was no mere foot soldier. He stood over three meters tall with bulging, powerful muscles. Goat-like horns sprouted from his head, and bat-like wings grew from his back. Above all, he overflowed with a malevolent magical power that was obvious at a single glance.
"I have yet to introduce myself. I am a demon, and I hold the rank of General within the Demon King’s Army. My name is Nebiros. I trust we shall become well-acquainted." The demon was strangely polite, but his face was terrifying. He had the face of a quintessential villain—the kind that would make me burst into tears if I ever saw him in a nightmare.
On top of that, he was a General of the Demon King’s Army. This was no common monster. I had defeated demons during my Saint Era, but the pressure radiating from him was far greater than anything I had felt back then. I wondered how a General ranked compared to the Four Heavenly Kings. Maybe I’d ask Yasmin later.
"Still, to think you would summon me to such a wasteland... wasn't the plan for me to be summoned at the Royal Capital?" "Unfortunately, I was forced to eliminate these witnesses before we could begin our rampage there. I was careless. Now, get to work." "Very well. We contracted to lend you our aid, so I suppose I shall treat this as a warm-up before we slaughter every human in the Royal Capital."
—Wait a minute. Did this demon just say he was going to slaughter everyone in the capital? I saw it clearly now. The Glanz Empire, the Demon King’s Army, and the Witches were definitely conspiring to crush the Kingdom of Gardenia. They were going to destroy my home...!
Since even the Crown Princess was a Witch, the Empire was already neck-deep in this. Whether it was a Crown Princess or a demon, I wasn't going to show any more mercy. As a former Saint, I was going to stop them right here!
—GRRRUUUAAAAHHHHH!!
However, I wasn't the only one who was furious. The Younger Brother Bear, whom I thought the Little Witch and Armin had finished off, lurched back to his feet! He wasn't dead yet. As expected of the Lord of the Forest. Consumed by rage, the Younger Brother Bear swung his massive arm down at Nebiros.
"For a mere bear to have the nerve to interfere with a demon... you have spirit. Now, die." Purple magical power gathered in Nebiros's right arm. He was preparing to use Dark Magic, a power exclusive to the Demon Race. "Allow me to crush your heart. Gloria Hunt."
I saw a second hand, faintly transparent, slowly extend from Nebiros’s palm. It moved as leisurely as a crawling turtle, taking its time as it reached into the Younger Brother Bear’s chest. And then—
—Grrrruaaaaah... ah... a...
With a heavy thud, the Younger Brother Bear collapsed to the earth. To a casual observer, it didn't even look like Nebiros had attacked. I didn't know exactly what that transparent hand was, but I knew something terrible had just happened to the bear.
"How was that? My magic is quite efficient. Tell me, were you even able to see it?" Merk the elf shook her head; she clearly hadn't seen a thing. But I had. I saw the transparent hand extending from Nebiros.
"Are you... by any chance... talking about that hand... the one that reached into... the Younger Brother Bear?" "Wh—? Don't tell me you can actually see my Gloria Hunt?" The demon faltered. Apparently, that hand was something ordinary people couldn't perceive. "N-No, that's impossible. Gloria Hunt exists as a spiritual body; it cannot be seen by mere humans or monsters. The only ones capable of witnessing it would be a Saint with the power to see through Dark Magic..."
Well, I actually am that Saint! Though I suppose I don't look the part, being a pretty flower and all.
"Could it be this Alraune possesses the power of a Saint? N-No... that's absurd." I really don't like demons with good intuition. But since my identity is a secret, please stop saying such weird things.
"W-Well, it matters not. Even if you can see it, you cannot stop it. I control a spiritual hand. Just as I crushed that bear’s heart, I shall give your Alraune heart a simple twist." So that was it. It was a magical hand that could phase through bodies like a ghost. Then, once inside, it would crush the target's heart. That’s terrifying... A demon who can just reach in and squeeze your heart is way too scary. The hand moved so slowly that it should have been easy to dodge, meaning its accuracy was probably low. In exchange, it was invisible to normal people and offered an instant kill upon contact. It was exactly like the instant-death magic from the games in my previous life.
"Against humans, this hand is impossible to defend against by any means other than a Saint’s Light Magic. Now, Alraune, please die. Gloria Hunt."
The transparent demonic hand began its turtle-like crawl toward me once again. It moved so slowly that any human would have dodged it with ease. However, I was a plant. I couldn't walk, so I couldn't run away!
But if I couldn't run, I just had to block it. I tried to defend myself with my vines, but... I couldn't?! The hand passed right through them like a ghost! Slowly, the magical hand reached into my chest. Oh, this is bad. —I might actually die here.
"Kuhuhu. Now, it is over. No living creature survives once its heart is crushed." "M-My heart...?" Uh oh. What should I do? It was a bit awkward to bring up, but I felt it was better to be honest. "I’m sorry, but... since I’m a plant... I don't actually have a heart." "Wait... what...?"
An awkward silence fell between me and the demon. Plants didn't have the same anatomical weaknesses as animals. Perhaps this demon had never fought a plant in his entire life. I almost felt sorry for him.
"My Gloria Hunt is a spell that trades physical substance for a spiritual form that can only grasp a heart. If there is no heart, then what am I supposed to—" Actually, since it was a ghost hand, he wasn't technically touching me, but visually, it looked like he was just grabbing my chest. I really wanted him to stop. This is harassment, Mr. Demon! Sexual harassment!
With the same sensation as casting Light Recovery Magic, I formed a vine hand and grabbed the magical hand. Get your hand off me already!
"A plant vine... grabbed my Gloria Hunt?! That’s impossible!" For some reason, I was able to seize the spiritual hand. It seemed that by saturating my vines with the Light Magic I had stored through photosynthesis, I could physically interact with a spiritual body made of Dark Magic. Come to think of it, I had been able to see through the invisibility magic used by Teddy, the Flame Dragon Lord’s butler. That was why this didn't work on me either. Basically, this Dark Magic hand was weak against a Saint’s Light Magic.
In that case, the solution was simple. Even if he hadn't physically touched me, I wanted to vent my frustration over the perceived harassment. I flooded my entire body with Light Recovery Magic. In the past, I couldn't force my body to grow, but now that I could wield Spirit Power, things were different. I performed photosynthesis internally, circulating the nutrients to trigger a burst of rapid growth. My bulb, previously the size of a watermelon, swelled to a massive size as lush green leaves sprouted. My chest area filled out, my hair grew long and elegant, and my human half matured. Finally, my prized crimson Corolla bloomed in full glory.
I had transformed from a child into a proper lady! I had returned to my Adult Alraune form. Well? What do you think of my "older sister" look?
Nebiros shielded his eyes, crying out, "S-So bright!" He seemed completely dazzled by my divinity. I was a former Saint, after all. A halo was the least I could manage.
However, there was someone even more shocked than the demon. Crown Princess Malai pointed a trembling finger at my face. "That face... it can't be...!"
Wait, was she surprised because I looked like Saint Iris? I had met her once before while I was alive, so it made sense she'd be shocked. More importantly, if she had heard about me from the Witch Queen, she should realize what an Alraune who looks like Saint Iris represents. I’m the one who defeated your boss, Witch Queen Kirke. You're being way too arrogant!
"That face! You’re the Alraune from the Saint Hair Tonic everyone in the Empire uses!"
It was that?! I was stunned that she recognized me from the Saint Hair Tonic. I suppose my illustration was on the shampoo label. To think even the Crown Princess of the Empire knew about it... just how much of that shampoo had they sold? It was enough to give me a headache.
"That hair tonic is exquisite. You simply must teach me the secret of its creation!" As the Crown Princess, she was the future Mother of the Empire. Apparently, she was a beauty obsessive. I mean, I get it. But lady, you are currently being impaled and restrained by my Dodder. Her sheer audacity to ask for a shampoo recipe in this situation was almost impressive. I was willing to give her that much credit.
Regardless, Crown Princess Malai and Nebiros were going to be my prisoners. Since they were planning to attack the capital, I needed them to tell me everything.
"Mr. Nebiros... would you mind... coming over here... for a moment?" I yanked the demon’s Dark Magic hand with my vines. Since I was clad in an aura of Light Magic, he couldn't escape. He was dragged toward me, stammering, "This is impossible!"
"The vines that seal my Gloria Hunt... the power of a Saint... just what is this Alraune?!"
As for who I am, why don't you find out for yourself, Mr. Demon. Right inside my body!
Using Plant Generation, I produced the fruit of a Martyniaceae. The Martyniaceae produces long, slender fruits equipped with sharp hooks. The fruit looks exactly like a set of black talons. These hard, thorny pods allow the plant to latch onto any creature that brushes past. Because of this distinct look, they are also known as the "Devil’s Claw."
Since you attacked me with a demon’s hand, I’ll pay you back with a Devil’s Claw.
I swung the Martyniaceae pod in a wide arc, sweeping Nebiros off his feet. The demon screamed as he was sent flying by the claw-shaped fruit. I immediately used more Devil’s Claws to bind his limbs. Now he couldn't go anywhere.
"To think that I, a demon, would be bested by a mere plant..." "This plant... is called the 'Devil’s Claw.' It’s a perfect fit... for a demon like you."
I then proceeded to grow Martyniaceae leaves all over Nebiros. The sticky mucus secreted by the leaves rendered his body immobile. Martyniaceae is actually classified as an insectivorous plant; it uses that viscous mucus to trap insects. I had infused that mucus with a paralytic poison. Now, the demon couldn't move so much as a finger. It was over.
Leaving the foaming, twitching demon aside, I turned my gaze toward the restrained Crown Princess Malai.
"Now... shall you tell me... everything?"
I wanted to know exactly what they were plotting.
Martyniaceae (Tsunogoma): Part of the Martyniaceae family. Named "Tsunogoma" (Homed Sesame) because of its horned fruit. Basically, it’s a super-powered hitchhiker plant! Aside from "Devil's Claw," it's also commonly known as "Traveler's Woe."
Next time: Crown Princess Malai Glanzweisheit’s Golden Armor.