I was an Alraune, a plant monster girl.
And now, believe it or not, my disciple was finally getting married!
"Frie, congrat-ulations!"
"Thank you, Master. Though, it still doesn't quite feel real to me."
My disciple from my days as Saint Iris was none other than Her Imperial Highness Princess Freundliche of the Glanz Empire.
Back then, we had only met a handful of times, but she had looked up to me so much that she begged to be my student. And yet, I had ended up dying. I hadn't been able to watch over her growth at all; as a master, I felt like a total failure.
That cute girl, who was supposed to be my junior, had somehow become older than I had been as Iris. Was it because my life as a human had been cut short? The fact that my younger disciple was getting married before me didn't hurt as much as I expected it to.
After all, I would likely never marry. I was a plant, after all. I couldn't imagine finding anyone eccentric enough to want to marry a vegetable.
"I never imagined I would wed before you, Master. On that note... there is something I have been curious about for a long time. May I ask you something?"
"Of course. What is it?"
"I apologize if this offends you, but... Master, do you still harbor feelings for that person?"
Frie glanced around. Kiri was fluttering nearby, keeping a watchful eye to ensure my secrets didn't leak. Because of that caution, I knew immediately who she meant by "that person."
She was talking about the Hero—the second prince of this kingdom and my former fiancé.
"You cared for him since you were small, didn't you? If you still feel the same way, I intend to do everything in my power to ensure the two of you are united."
Come to think of it, I had never told Frie that I died because the Hero betrayed me. She had seen through my identity as Iris, but she remained blissfully unaware of the grim details.
"That story is... in the past now..."
Frie was about to find her own happiness; I couldn't drag her into my mess. That was why I couldn't tell her the truth about my death yet.
"I see... In that case, is there no one else who has caught your interest? I have never heard of a marriage between a monster and a human, but with your charm, Master, surely nothing is impossible!"
Frie, why did you look so delighted? I understood that as an imperial princess, she hadn't had many chances for "girl talk," but of all the topics to pick, my love life was a bit much.
"If humans aren't to your taste, perhaps you could look elsewhere? If your preferences have shifted from people to plants, there is always the option of another plant monster!"
If I set emotions aside, I supposed a match between fellow plant monsters would be biologically balanced. But more importantly, the concept of marriage didn't even exist for plants. We could make children through self-pollination. For plants that needed cross-pollination, Hachi-san and the others acted as matchmakers, carrying pollen from strangers. That was how we ensured our descendants survived.
Besides, fundamentally speaking, I wanted nothing to do with marriage for the foreseeable future. I had been betrayed and murdered by my fiancé, for goodness' sake. The trauma was still very real; I was perfectly content listening to other people’s romantic stories and leaving it at that. Even if I found a handsome flower, I had no intention of letting it pollinate me.
So, I decided I would celebrate Frie’s marriage with enough enthusiasm for the both of us! I had to do something worthy of a master to make up for all the years I couldn't be there for her.
"My business can wait. More importantly, tell me about you, Frie. When is the wedding?"
"The ceremony will be held in the Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Gardenia before the start of summer."
Wasn't that awfully soon? The engagement had only just been finalized. For a royal wedding, it felt incredibly rushed. As I listened, it turned out the arrangements had been quietly settled during the winter. Significant negotiations had already taken place between the Kingdom and the Empire, and the date was already set in stone.
"It seems my home country is in quite a hurry to see me wed. I felt the same, so I agreed to the timeline."
The Glanz Empire faction was rushing the marriage. I wondered why. By marrying into the Kingdom's nobility, Frie would be removed from the imperial succession struggle, effectively ending the threat of assassination. Since her father, the Emperor, seemed concerned for her safety, perhaps he had pulled every string possible to secure her freedom quickly.
"According to my sources back home, it wasn't just His Majesty. The Third Consort’s faction also gave instructions to expedite the wedding."
The Third Consort... that was Lady Hakanaki, the Witch Queen in disguise. That sounded like she had a hidden agenda. The Witch Queen lived for secret maneuvering, after all.
Actually, I wondered what had happened to the Witch Queen by now. I suspected she had been intercepted by Church assassins after leaving the Kingdom of Holy Light, but I hadn't heard a word since.
"Do you know anything... about the Third Consort?"
"It seems she has yet to return from her convalescence in the Kingdom of Myrte Holy Light."
That was strange. According to Nina’s letter, the Witch Queen had departed Myrte months ago. Even if she had taken a leisurely pace or made detours, she should have arrived in the Empire by now. I wondered if the assassins had already struck her down, but since I could still feel a faint reaction from the Mistletoe I’d planted in her, I knew she was alive. Her life force seemed severely depleted, though.
Even so—
"So the wedding will be in the Royal Capital."
I had fully expected it to be held in Tower City, but I was wrong. Then again, they were welcoming a princess of the Empire; a grand ceremony in the capital made sense.
"The King of Gardenia made it a condition of the marriage."
If it was a command from His Majesty, there was no arguing with it. But I wondered why he had insisted on it.
"Manfred mentioned it as well. Apparently, holding our wedding in the Royal Capital was a suggestion from Saint Zelma."
Zelma. That shitty junior who had killed me. She was clearly up to something behind the scenes. It wouldn't be surprising if there was a trap waiting. Frie had already been nearly killed by a witch on her way to the capital once before. There was definitely a scheme afoot.
I realized I needed to make the roots I was extending toward the Royal Capital grow even faster. I could feel something brewing there. With the "Goddess’s Feather Robe" involved, I had to investigate for Frie’s safety.
"And so, Master, I have a request. We plan to hold a pre-celebration here in Tower City as well as the capital. I was hoping you might attend?"
It seemed they were hosting a party in Tower City first. For Frie, who would eventually become the Lord’s Wife of this region, it was the perfect chance to introduce herself to the locals.
Honestly, I was happy she invited me. Unlike in the past, the people of the city accepted me now. No one showed disgust just because I was a plant monster. Even so, if a giant Alraune suddenly bloomed in the middle of a ballroom, everyone would be too nervous to eat.
I could shrink down and go as a Potted Alraune, but I didn't have the courage to show up at a formal human event in monster form yet. Besides, the party was for Frie to make a good impression on the city's elite. If I was there, she’d spend the whole time worrying about me. As her master, the last thing I wanted was to be a burden on her big day.
"I want to go, but... in this body, it’s a bit difficult..."
"Master, you won't be able to come to the Royal Capital, will you? That is why I wanted you to celebrate with us here, at least."
When she put it like that, it was hard to say no. I genuinely wanted to celebrate her happiness. I just didn't know how to make it work. Before I could give her a flat refusal, Frie left, telling me to "please think about it."
There weren't many people in this kingdom Frie could trust with all her heart. Since I’d known her since childhood, I knew she was leaning on me. Nevertheless, I wasn't human anymore. Our worlds were different now, and human functions felt foreign to me.
But I still wanted to give them my blessing.
As I fretted, Kiri, who had been watching from a distance, came fluttering over. The tiny fairy landed right on my Corolla and pointed a finger at me.
"You should just ignore the humans and grow your body right into the middle of the Lord’s manor!"
I imagined myself blooming magnificently in the center of the ballroom. I’d basically be the floral arrangement! Standing in a corner with a "Congratulations" sign while smiling—no thanks. I wasn't quite that self-absorbed of a flower.
"Standing out that much is embarrassing, so I’d rather not."
"Honestly, Lady Alraune, you act so human sometimes!"
Well, I was one, once. I lived in constant fear that Kiri would figure out my secret someday.
"You don't want to go to the city party, but you do want to celebrate. In that case, why don't you just throw your own?" Kiri said, clasping her hands behind her head. "Our policy as fairies is to do whatever we want without worrying about what humans think. You’re basically a forest spirit now, so why not act like it?"
"It’s okay to... celebrate however I want?"
"Well, we aren't human! There’s no reason to be bound by their rules."
She was right! That was exactly it. I wasn't a human anymore! Even though I’d realized that countless times before, I had still been missing the point. Since I was a plant monster, I didn't need to follow a human's pace. I didn't need to mimic their parties or squeeze into their manors to show Frie I cared.
So, what should I do? I’d just throw my own party right here in the forest!
"Kiri, occasionally, you say some very good things!"
"I always say good things. I’m actually a big deal among fairies, you know!"
I didn't need to be restricted by a formal event for humans. I would host something much more free—a party where non-humans were welcome too! Lord Manfred had been kind to me, and Frie was my precious disciple. I was going to give them a celebration they’d never forget!
"Now that it’s settled, I’m going to need your help."
I snatched Kiri up with a vine while she was mid-yawn on my Corolla, giving her a beaming smile. She grumbled about it being a pain, but she agreed immediately. Despite her attitude, Kiri was a reliable friend.
Next, I’d recruit my "younger sister," Amazoness Treant, and the Little Witch. There were plenty of other non-humans in this forest with time on their hands. The Flashy Demon Race Man, the elf Mercurée, my Wood Golem, Lady Dryades, and little Fair-chan. I could even call on the old Forest Circle gang.
Plus, I had candidates in the city too. Yasmin’s family—the former Demon Maid and her kin—had moved there. Even if they were pretending to be human, they were still demons; they likely wouldn't be attending a stuffy lord's party. I should definitely invite them to ours.
Unlike the old days, I wasn't alone anymore. I could fill this forest with guests. Celebrating Frie right here was actually possible!
For now, I just needed to secure Frie’s schedule and keep the rest under wraps. This was going to be a surprise plan. I was going to celebrate her grandly, in true plant monster fashion!
I have a sudden announcement! Thanks to all of your support, the 5th volume of the Plant Monster Girl Diary manga will be released next month on Saturday, March 23rd! (ノ*>∀<)ノ Thank you all for your constant encouragement! I would be incredibly grateful if you could pre-order your copies. I’ll post more updates here as soon as I have them. Thank you so much!
Next time: I didn't expect to find this many people willing to help with the party.