I was Alraune, a plant monster.
Priest Pandia had just picked a fight with the Flame Dragon Lord to protect me.
The party venue remained hushed, the guests still deep in their magical slumber. Other than the battle-ready Priest Pandia, the Flame Dragon Lord, and me, not a single soul was awake.
Pandia had branded him an enemy. But to me, he was anything but.
Granted, he was a member of the Demon King’s Army, which technically put us on opposite sides, but that army wasn’t a monolith. Plenty of good people existed among the Demon Race. Beyond the dragon lord himself, I had even made a friend in Yasmin, a demon.
I understood that being a demon didn’t automatically make someone a foe. But that was the logic of a former Saint who was currently a plant monster. To the Church’s Priest Pandia, tasked with protecting humanity, things weren’t so simple. From her perspective, "demon" and "enemy" were one and the same.
"Priest Pandia, please, listen to me. The Flame Dragon Lord has saved my life time and again. He even rescued me from the Witch Queen!"
The one who had saved Rufe after her kidnapping was the Flame Dragon Lord. If it hadn’t been for him, the Little Witch surely wouldn't have returned to the forest.
That wasn't all. He was also the one who had used his [Black Flame] to perfectly purge the salt damage brought upon us by the Witch Queen. We had even formed a cooperative relationship where he protected me in exchange for my nectar.
And furthermore—
"The Flame Dragon Lord is not the kind of person who would harm humans without reason!"
If he were truly bellicose, the Kingdom of Gardenia would have already been reduced to ash. That was how immense his power was. Not only that, but he had come to a human wedding celebration and prepared a mountain of gifts. Just a moment ago, he had been chatting sociably with Lord Manfred.
I didn't believe for a second that the Flame Dragon Lord intended to be hostile toward humans.
"No matter your words, Alraune-san, I simply cannot believe it," Pandia replied. "This evil dragon has a history of nearly annihilating the Holy Capital, after all."
W-was that true?!
I turned my gaze toward the Flame Dragon Lord. He let out a weary sigh before speaking.
"It is true that I invaded the Kingdom of Myrte Holy Light five hundred years ago. However, that conflict began because the humans took to hunting the Demon Race. That was why the war escalated."
Humans and demons had been at war for nearly a thousand years. Depending on the era, there were times when the fighting intensified and times when it settled into a cold war. Five hundred years ago was supposedly the era when humanity nearly went extinct—an age where the Demon King went on a massive rampage, and every nation except for a few like Myrte and Gardenia was wiped out.
As I recalled the history I had studied during my time as an Apprentice Saint, the Flame Dragon Lord addressed Priest Pandia.
"You there, woman. I thought you looked familiar. As I suspected, you were there back then... I thought you were dead, but you survived quite well."
"I was nearly killed by your hand, yes, but thanks to an Elixir, I narrowly escaped death. However, it took five hundred years before I was able to move like this again."
Wait, hold on a second. Did she just say five hundred years?
"Priest Pandia, you... just who are you?"
She spoke as if she had been alive five centuries ago. But that was impossible. Unless she was a member of the Demon Race like the dragon lord, no human could live for five hundred years, no matter how long-lived their lineage was.
"Alraune-san, I apologize for keeping this from you. In truth, I am much like you. I am not human."
Priest Pandia openly declared her non-human status. But unlike me, she looked entirely human. Moreover, I could see an Aura of Light Magic radiating from her. Light Magic was supposed to be a gift granted only to human women chosen by the Goddess Selene.
Despite that, she said she wasn't human. That meant she was a being who could wield Light Magic despite her race. Two possibilities entered my mind, one of which was utterly inconceivable. Which meant her true identity was... could it be?!
"I intended to reveal this to you eventually, so this timing is perfect. I shall show you my true self."
Pandia’s body began to glow. Then, white wings sprouted from her back. Those six wings were proof of her nature. She was so radiant, so divine, that I almost felt compelled to shield my eyes.
"In the parlance of the Church’s scriptures, my race is that of an 'Angel.' There was once a time when I was known as a Holy Angel."
"An Angel...!"
That word was incredibly familiar to the girl I had been—Iris, a Saint of the Church. Angels were celestial messengers who served Goddess Selene. The scriptures said they had descended to the surface from the Celestial Realm alongside the Goddess herself.
Images of angels with white wings were common in Church paintings, making them well-known to the public. That was why the townspeople had mistaken the Little Witch for one.
However, the reason for that misunderstanding was that no one had actually seen a real angel. While their existence was widely accepted as doctrine, no one knew if they truly existed, so they were generally regarded as mythological beings.
And yet, one stood right before me. For someone who had lived as a Saint, this was a shock on par with discovering that the "white bird" was actually a Little Witch. I felt like I had finally gotten to shake hands with an idol I’d supported for my entire life.
In a sense, I was deeply moved. After all, an angel was a being I had offered prayers to, second only to the Goddess. My shock at the party being interrupted was completely replaced by pure amazement.
"Priest Pandia... are you truly a real Angel?"
"Indeed. Normally, I would never reveal my identity, but this is a special occasion."
Angels were real. That meant that higher beings above humanity actually existed. And if angels existed, then the Goddess might too. No, she had to exist—after all, it was her power that granted humans Light Magic.
Even with the knowledge of my previous life as the Japanese Ayame Komurasaki, the existence of a real angel was staggering. And as Iris the Saint, I felt like I was about to burst into tears of joy.
"Since I am an angel, I can wield the Light Magic that is the power of the Goddess, and I can also visually identify those who house it."
The mystery from our first meeting was finally solved. Back then, Pandia had immediately seen through the fact that I could use Light Magic. It was because she was an angel that she could perceive my Aura of Light!
"As a guardian of humanity and an angel of the Church, I cannot overlook a wicked evil dragon, nor can I silently watch a friend be deceived."
"Angel, I have no intention of fighting," the Flame Dragon Lord said calmly. "Moreover, this is a place of celebration. Control yourself."
"The one who should be silent is you. Alraune-san, please watch; I shall expose this evil dragon's scheme!"
Pandia took a deep breath and began to sing in a beautiful soprano.
"No one who hears my [Holy Song] can maintain their own will. All fall under my absolute command."
"Come to think of it, you were a user of Divine Realm Magic as well," the dragon lord noted.
"It is useless to cover your ears! My Divine Realm Magic takes effect even through bone conduction!"
Divine Realm Magic. It was the Tenth Magic of this world, often referred to as a taboo. Pandia had told me once that it could only be used by those whose existence approached the domain of the gods. It was said to possess power capable of rewriting the laws of the world itself, which was why the Church kept its existence a secret.
I found myself captivated by the divine magic. It was beautiful—the true singing voice of an angel. If it was an attack based on sound, defense was impossible. And with its power to dominate the mind, it was a nearly invincible force. The fact that the guests were all asleep was surely the result of this magic. Ever since the harp’s tone changed, everyone had drifted off. She was imbuing the sound with her magic.
I had never heard of anything like it. As expected of a being from myth, an angel was a truly irregular existence. I couldn't imagine anyone being able to counter such an attack.
And yet, the Flame Dragon Lord remained completely unfazed.
"I had a suspicion... but it seems my [Holy Song] has no effect on you," Pandia said, her voice wavering.
"That is why you were defeated by me five centuries ago. It is not only angels who can wield Divine Realm Magic."
The dragon lord spoke as if he, too, possessed that power. Did that mean that despite not being an angel, he held divine power? But why?! I understood why an angel serving the Goddess could use it, but why would a member of the Demon Race have the same gift?
"In my estimation, it seems it has no effect on Alraune either," the dragon lord continued. "Still, just in case, I shall neutralize your power."
Black flames erupted from his right hand. Those were the same flames he had used to save the forest—the mysterious fire that had incinerated only the salt in the soil in the blink of an eye.
"My Divine Realm Magic, [Black Flame], allows me to burn away only what I choose. Thus, I have eradicated every trace of your singing within this venue."
Burning away a singing voice? What kind of ridiculous cheat was that?!
The moment the venue was enveloped in the black flames, Pandia’s song vanished. Even though the area looked like a wildfire, not a single piece of furniture—let alone a person—was scorched. He had truly burned only the sound. Just like when he’d fixed the salt damage, the flames weren't hot at all, even when I touched them with my vines.
"If you use your harp, you likely still have ways to attack, but doing so will dispel the illusion over this venue. Holy Angel, why don't you withdraw quietly for now?"
Looking closely, I saw a black, film-like substance covering the Flame Dragon Lord’s body. He had clad himself in [Black Flame] to nullify the [Holy Song]. In fact, those same black flames were clinging to me too! Was he protecting me...?
"I cannot believe an evil dragon would protect Alraune-san," Pandia murmured. "It is as if you are not an enemy at all."
"I merely came to participate in the party. I swear to God, I have no intention of starting a conflict."
Despite being overwhelmingly powerful, the Flame Dragon Lord remained a perfect gentleman. Even Priest Pandia seemed to realize something was off. She looked a bit dejected, like a scolded puppy. She must have realized she had jumped to conclusions. This was my chance to mediate!
"Priest Pandia, today's party was meant for everyone to enjoy themselves, regardless of race. Please, believe in me for now and sheathe your sword."
I extended my vines between them, acting as a living wall. I was the host of this party. If they wanted to fight, they would have to go through me first!
My life-risking action moved Pandia’s heart.
"It seems I have troubled you, Alraune-san... Out of respect for your wishes, I shall overlook this for today."
Pandia retracted her wings and returned to her human form. She raised both hands to show she no longer had any intent to attack.
"Alraune-san, and Evil Dragon Glühschwanz... it seems I have nearly ruined the celebration. For that, I offer my sincere apologies."
"Please, don't apologize," I said. "I know you did it for my sake. Besides, the party isn't ruined."
Everyone was just sleeping soundly. The only ones who knew what had happened were the three of us. Once they woke up, the party would resume as if nothing had happened.
"I never knew an evil dragon could be so reasonable. It is a revelation," Pandia admitted.
"And I did not think an angel would be so full of human emotion," the dragon lord replied. "Five hundred years ago, you had the cold, inorganic atmosphere of a doll. I could never tell what you were thinking."
It seemed Pandia had finally accepted my word. She had chosen her friendship with me over her hostility toward the dragon. I had been terrified for a moment, but I was so glad a battle hadn't broken out.
Pandia told me, "I still suspect the dragon, but I believe in my friend, Alraune-san."
I was touched that she placed such weight on our friendship. For now, that was more than enough. Being told she believed in me made me strangely happy.
Once things had settled, the Flame Dragon Lord stared intently at me.
"I was surprised to find an angel here, but I was even more surprised that her Divine Realm Magic had no effect on you, Alraune. It seems there was no need for me to protect you at all."
"Come to think of it... why didn't I fall asleep?"
I understood why the dragon lord, who could use Divine Realm Magic himself, was fine. But I couldn't use such grand magic. He had only protected me with his [Black Flame] after the three of us had already started talking. That meant I had heard the [Holy Song] just like everyone else. I should have been out like a light.
"That is likely because you are also awakening to Divine Realm Magic," he explained. "Even if you haven't yet, you have already reached the domain of the divine."
"Me? In the divine realm? No way..."
"I have thought this for a while, but you are quite abnormal for a mere Alraune. You are stronger than a dryad, and far stronger than even that Witch Queen. Your power is an anomaly."
Well, that was because my true identity was the reincarnation of a Saint. I couldn't exactly tell them that, though.
"Considering your power far exceeds that of a spirit, it wouldn't be strange if you had awakened to divine power," he continued. "If you keep growing, you might even be able to wield Divine Realm Magic yourself."
"Divine power... in me?"
Somehow, things had taken an incredible turn. I’d intended to be just a simple forest flower, but it seemed I’d grown into the divine realm without even realizing it. It was hard to believe. It was like being told I was as strong as an angel.
But looking at the serious faces of Priest Pandia and the Flame Dragon Lord, I couldn't deny it. I didn't really understand "divine power," but the fact remained: I had nullified an angel’s Divine Realm Magic without even trying.
My plant-like mind arrived at one conclusion.
Could it be that I was actually way more amazing than I thought...?!
Next time: Regarding the matter of my friend being an angel.