The reason the mercenaries had invaded my forest was that they were following someone’s instructions.
It seemed they had been threatened by a third party to come and deliver their "regards" to me. Watching the leader tremble and shake, it was clear that these men were utterly terrified of something.
But of what, exactly?
I wondered if this "White Woman" who had ordered them here was truly that frightening. Since I was curious, I decided to ask the mercenary leader for more details.
"Just who, exactly... is that woman...?"
"I-I don't know... She was so white, and so terrifying... and then..."
"Are there any other features, besides her being white, that you noticed? Like, how old she seemed...?"
"Appearance... features... I-I can't remember... I can't remember anything! I just know that she was horrifying... That's all I know... Who the hell gave us those orders!?"
The leader grimaced, clutching his head with both hands. It seemed impossible to remember absolutely nothing, yet he didn't look like he was lying.
"That's right... I never wanted to attack the Alraune's Forest... Everyone knows you aren't a normal Alraune... But for some reason, I couldn't resist that woman’s command..."
The mercenary was clearly acting strange. He had the air of someone who didn't quite understand the words coming out of his own mouth.
"I remember now... When I tried to run away from her, she caught me, and then something black entered my head..."
At that moment, I noticed a shadow stretching across the ground. Simultaneously, the mercenary leader pointed toward the sky, his jaw dropping.
"I-Is that her!?"
The shadow on the ground spread steadily. Even though the sun should have still been high in the sky, the Night's Curtain was falling. A chilling, inexplicable sensation raced through my body. It felt like my skin was crawling—an odd feeling for a plant monster who didn't actually have skin like that.
"Aaaaah, it's that woman! She's the one who caught us and gave us the orders!"
By the time I realized what was happening, the forest had been swallowed by darkness. It was as if noon had been forcibly converted into midnight.
──I had a very bad feeling about this.
Staying on guard, I slowly looked up at the sky behind me.
And then, our eyes met.
To my surprise, a person was floating in the night sky. Unbelievably, the night itself was bleeding out across the heavens with that woman as its epicenter. It looked like ink blooming across parchment, a dark stain that bled outward and swallowed the light. Against that pitch-black backdrop, a lone white silhouette stood out with startling clarity.
Not just her hair, but her entire body was pure white. She looked down at me in silence. I found myself unable to move under that gaze; it felt as though I was being sucked into her eyes.
In contrast, the mercenary beside me let out a pathetic "Hieee!" and collapsed into a heap on the ground.
This mysterious White Woman scattering shards of absolute darkness was certainly eerie and frightening. However, despite the terror, I also felt a strange sense of nostalgia. It was like returning to my childhood home after years away and seeing my parents' faces again.
──And she feels familiar.
Something about her atmosphere reminded me of the Witch Queen, and of Little Witch as well...
The difference was that this woman was truly, entirely white. Not just her clothes, but her hair, her skin, and even her eyes—everything was colorless. Despite exuding a sacred aura like that of an Angel, she was emitting a murky, pitch-black aura into the air around her. I was strangely captivated by the sheer imbalance of her existence.
──Who are you?
The moment I tried to ask, the White Woman placed both hands against her chest and spoke.
"Oh, this Alraune is quite cute... She might be just my type!"
Her eyes sparkling, she descended toward me. I was completely thrown off by her unexpected behavior; she didn't seem to have a shred of hostility. Besides, she was floating without the use of wings. Levitation Magic—if she used the same magic as Little Witch, was she a Witch too?
"There is no need to be so guarded. I am not your enemy."
As she touched down, the area around me was enveloped in a black mist. The darkness was so thick that the trees of the forest vanished from sight. Up close, it was even more apparent: she was clad in an aura of pure, concentrated darkness. I had never seen anything like it.
"I have never seen an Alraune so beautiful and so powerful. You have done well to grow so magnificently."
The White Woman reached out and touched my face. I didn't have the chance to dodge. No, it wasn't just that—for some reason, being touched by her actually made me feel... happy.
"Who, exactly... are you?"
"What? Has Glüh not told you of me?"
Glüh? Did she mean the Flame Dragon Lord, Glühschwanz...?
"I mentioned to him before he left that I was interested in the Alraune who reportedly defeated Kirke. I thought for sure the message would have been passed along... It seems I was mistaken."
Now that I thought about it, the Flame Dragon Lord had mentioned at the party that a certain person had started moving to search for the Witch Queen, Kirke. He had also said that this person was interested in me.
Was this her!?
Eeeeeeek!? I never imagined she would show up so soon. I knew she had to be someone important in the Demon King's Army, but still...
"I intended this as a mere detour on my way to find Kirke, but I was right to come. I have been able to meet such a lovely Alraune, after all."
Her hand gently stroked my chin. Again, I felt a surge of joy. Why was I reacting like this?
"Did you receive my greeting?"
"A greeting...?"
"I am referring to the feed cowering over there. Consider it a gift from me."
She looked toward the mercenary leader. Which meant...
"Go on, do not be modest. You should make him your nourishment at once."
I knew it! She was talking about the mercenary! Wait, did she send him here just so I could eat him? Did she assume that because I'm a monster, I must eat humans like all the others? To think that was what she meant by "regards"...
A woman who refers to humans as "feed." She definitely wasn't human herself. If anything, I doubted she was even a Witch.
"There is no need to be nervous in my presence. Here, let me help you."
The White Woman flicked her index finger. Like a puppet on strings, the mercenary began walking toward me.
"My body is moving on its own... N-No! Stop it!"
"I do not care for noisy feed. Be silent."
At her command, the man’s mouth snapped shut. He knelt like an offering before my lower mouth. It seemed he had fainted from the sheer terror.
"A gift to serve as my introduction. I would be pleased if you accepted it."
"Uh, well, you see..."
I'm not a Man-eater Alraune! People might have mistaken me for one because of my appearance, but I'm actually a kind, plant-based monster!
"I'm sorry, but... I don't really... eat humans..."
"I see. He was not to your taste, then? Well, not all monsters feast upon humans, so I suppose it cannot be helped."
The woman didn't seem bothered at all. She muttered, "You may leave now," and as if in response, a black shadow slithered out from the mercenary's head.
──A Shadow Demon!
They were monsters often seen on battlefields. Usually, they possessed corpses to move them, but she had been using them to possess and control living humans. She was using monsters as parasites to turn people into "feed." No matter how I looked at it, her nature was far from human. She was likely a high-ranking member of the Demon Race... perhaps even the final member of the Four Heavenly Kings.
"If you have no need for feed, then tell me what you desire. I shall present it to you."
"......Why are you... doing so much... for a stranger like me?"
"I am fond of the strong. I have never laid eyes on a monster as powerful as you. Besides, I am grateful that you spared Kirke’s life."
"Are you... an ally of the Witch Queen? Are you... a Witch as well?"
"I am no Witch. However, both Kirke and you Alraunes are dear to me."
The woman drew me close and embraced me. She gently stroked my head, treating me with the tenderness one might show their own child.
"Being hunted by humans, being led astray by spirits and fairies... you must have suffered much hardship. But you may rest easy now. I shall protect you from this day forward."
Darkness enveloped my body. The desire to accept her and the urge to reject her fought a desperate battle inside me. The part of me that was a monster yearned for her presence. However, the part of me that was a Saint called for caution.
"...Please, tell me. Who... are you?"
"I am Hecate. I am the ally of all monsters—and that includes you."
Next time: The Woman Who Gives Birth to Monsters.