I was the plant monster, Alraune.
I was currently traveling through the forest, riding in a carriage. To the east of Tower City lay the Alraune's Forest, a place of my own creation. However, it wasn't entirely a dense, trackless woodland like the Dryades' Forest ruled by Lady Dryades. I had made sure the highway was properly maintained for the sake of the people traveling to and from the city!
The carriage rattled and swayed as it made its way down the forest road. Since I couldn't ride inside in my usual size, I was currently in my Young Girl Alraune form, perched inside a bucket. Perhaps because of that, the vibrations jolting up from the floor incessantly assailed me. As a plant usually accustomed to keeping my roots firmly in the dirt, it had been a long time since I'd felt such tremors. I’d grown familiar with the swaying of carriages during my Saint Era, but after being an Alraune for so long, the sensation felt entirely new. My perspective on many things had changed after living as a plant for so long.
This was a covered wagon, so having a roof was nice, but the lack of sunlight was a struggle. Even though it was broad daylight, I felt restless whenever I wasn't able to photosynthesize.
Looking for a change of pace, I glanced around the interior. The carriage had essentially become a storage area. Barrels filled with Saint Nectar stood alongside a row of potted Mandrakes. The Mandrakes were still babies, and they were sleeping soundly today. If they woke up and started screaming, the Little Witches would likely faint, which would be a real disaster.
The Little Witch sat beside me, focused on a book. It seemed she was studying hard using the volume she’d received from Priest Pandia. Just as I was about to reach out a vine to pat her on the head and encourage her studies, Fairy Kiri called out.
"Alraune-sama! Your friends are here!"
"Friends...?"
I extended a vine and had my younger sister figure, Amazoness Treant, pull me up to the coachman's seat where she was driving. Looking out at the forest to the right of the carriage, familiar wings caught my eye.
"It’s Hachi-san and Lady Butterfly! You came!"
There were the honeybee monsters—Hachi-san and her group—along with the blue butterfly monster and her white butterfly companions. It was the members of the Forest Circle! They must have known I was setting out on a journey and come to see me off.
I had been with the Forest Circle for a very long time. They’d started out trying to pollinate me, but over time, we’d settled into a comfortable symbiotic relationship. I was so happy to see everyone’s faces before we left!
I waved my vines to greet them as the shadows of the trees began to thin. After we continued for a while longer, a break appeared in the canopy. The vast Alraune's Forest was finally coming to an end.
"It's Alraune-sama's first time seeing this, right? This is the famous Freiheit Great Plains!"
We cleared the forest highway and passed the final trees, revealing a vast prairie that stretched out before us. Waves of green rippled across the endless grassland as the wind swept over it. The earth continued to the far distance until it melted into the clear blue sky, making it impossible to tell where the ground ended and the heavens began.
This was the Freiheit Great Plains. Located between Tower City and the Royal Capital, it was one of the most prominent plains in the Kingdom of Gardenia.
Up until the Alraune's Forest, we had been in what was effectively my territory. There were no enemies in the forest, and everything was under my control. But from here on, things were different. Even though I was secretly extending my roots underground, the path ahead was not my forest. In a sense, the true journey began here.
Monsters and bandits weren't the only dangers, either. To us monsters, ordinary humans were just as much a concern. Unlike Tower City, which sat on the border, the Freiheit Great Plains faced fewer threats from the Demon King's Army or neighboring countries. Consequently, the region was dotted with many towns and villages. That meant our chances of encountering humans would increase. For a group consisting entirely of non-humans, it was the place where our danger was highest.
"We have to stay sharp from here on out," I murmured.
White clouds drifted quietly across the sky, their shadows gliding slowly over the grass. For someone who had spent so much time in the forest, such an open view was rare. At the same time, it felt nostalgic. I found myself remembering how I had walked across this very prairie with my companions in the Hero’s party during my Saint Iris Era.
—I left as a human, but I'm returning as a plant.
When I had originally departed from the Royal Capital, I had traveled to various lands as a Saint. I was supposed to repel the Demon King's Army invading the Kingdom of Gardenia and then return to the capital for a triumphal entry. That was the plan, but my life as a Saint had ended, turning that journey into a one-way ticket.
This journey was both an outward departure for me as an Alraune and a return trip for the me that was once Saint Iris.
—I’ll make sure this isn't another one-way trip.
On my previous journey, I was betrayed by those I trusted. But now, I was far more blessed with the companions I had. As the leader of this journey, I had to be the one to guide everyone!
Just as I was renewing my resolve, Kiri spoke up again.
"Alraune-sama, lend me the map!"
"The map? This is a single road, so we should be fine as long as we go straight, right?"
"For some reason, there’s a fork in the road up ahead!"
"A fork...? Ah, you're right."
The highway ahead split into two paths. When I had passed through here during my Saint Iris Era, the road definitely hadn't branched like that. Wondering what was going on, I turned to ask the Little Witch, "Rufe, what should we do?"
The only response I got was the soft, rhythmic breathing of the Little Witch. It seemed the unfamiliar journey had tired her out. It would have been a shame to wake her, so I decided to let her rest. I extended a vine and gently pulled the map out of her bag.
"Hmm... according to the map, there shouldn't be a fork here."
"Ehh! Is that map a dud or something!?"
"Rufe said she got it from the Flashy Man, but..."
Even compared to my memories of the Saint Iris Era, the map seemed fairly accurate. That made the fact that the road branched here even stranger. Then, I noticed something.
The road to the right was well-trodden, but the path to the left was narrow and overgrown with grass. Standing right at the fork were several figures.
"Are those... people?"
"Maybe they're just like us, stuck because they don't know which way to go?"
There were seven figures ahead. They were the first fellow travelers we had encountered since we started. However, the situation looked strange. Five large men were closing in on a pair of smaller figures.
"Hey, Alraune-sama. Don't those guys have weapons?"
"They do. And they have a dangerous feel to them."
The group of five men carried swords and bows. Judging by their ruffian-like appearance, they were ill-mannered adventurers at best—and bandits at worst.
"I haven't heard of bandits appearing around here, so maybe they’re adventurers? No, more importantly..."
My gaze was fixed on the smaller duo. At a glance, they looked no different from humans, but there was something unfamiliar on their heads.
Right there on their heads—they had beast-ears!
Next time: The Beast-ear Race duo.