Sorry for the delay in updating! m( )m
Within the Edelweiss Knight Order—the pride of the Ducal House—there were two knights I had been particularly close with.
Throughout my years as an Apprentice Saint, from the age of five to eleven, they had always stayed by my side as my personal guards.
One of them was the lady knight, Katarina. She was currently serving as the guard for my sister, Tulpe.
And this man, Alex, whose name I had accidentally blurted out, was Katarina’s twin brother.
In a sense, these two knew more about me than my own parents did. Seeing my former guard right in front of me, I had inadvertently let his name slip.
Wh-What should I do?
"I never gave you my name, and my men haven't spoken it either. So how does a monster like you know who I am!?" Alex shouted, leveling the tip of his sword at me.
I felt a surge of spirit from him, an aura so intimidating it felt like I might be overwhelmed just by standing before him. Unlike the old days when he was a green rookie, Alex had to be over thirty by now. He had become a truly imposing knight, almost unrecognizable from the boy I remembered.
"Hey! Are you listening to me, you monster!?"
"Ah, yes, yes. Of course, I am... listening."
"Guh! That airy attitude of yours gets on my nerves! Just who are you?"
It seemed Alex had stopped his unilateral assault. He had likely recognized that I wasn't just a mindless beast, but an opponent capable of communication. Besides, he must have seen me treating the wounded. If I could talk things through properly here, I might be able to settle this peacefully.
To do that, I had to find a way to smooth things over!
"As you can see, I am... an Alraune."
"Why does an Alraune know my name?"
"About you... that’s right! I heard it... from Katarina!"
"...You know my sister!?"
Of course I did. Your name was Alex Kahn. You were the twin brother of that lady knight, Katarina Kahn, who had come to collect the Little Witch. You were my former guard. I knew you had a reckless side and were, above all else, a passionate man.
Because of that, I didn't mind his hostile stance at all. His loyalty to the House of Duke Edelweiss was absolute, so he was naturally wary of me in his effort to protect the city. That was exactly why I didn't want to fight him. I had to find a way to get through this.
"I heard about you from Katarina at the Duke’s Mansion. Although I have... this body, I am not your enemy."
"...I’ll accept that explanation for now. I also thank you for treating the injured."
"No, no. One doesn't need... a reason to... help people."
"I’ve also received reports that a woman has been traveling the city, protecting residents and healing their wounds. Reports that this woman is a non-human with her upper body growing out of a tree."
He was definitely talking about me. I had been teleporting across the city, and it seemed rumors had spread before I even realized it. Well, I was confident that I’d worked hard. I had saved everyone I encountered, after all!
"But! I won't believe it! I will never believe that this woman's face resembles Lady Iris!!" Alex shouted while staring directly at me.
However, his expression soon began to shift into one of utter confusion.
"No... they look incredibly alike! The more I look, the more she resembles Lady Iris...!"
"A-Alex?"
"To counterfeit the face of the Lady Iris I so revere is outrageous! But... to behold that face again is... Guh, what is wrong with that face! You... how dare you! How dare you bewilder me like this!"
Alex had always been a bit biased toward me. To put it simply, he was a kindred spirit to Tulpe—another one of my extremist fans. He used to go around spouting nonsense like, "I’m the first and original Lady Iris fan!" To me, he was just like Tulpe: a well-meaning but troublesome fanatic.
"Dammit! I can't see properly because of my injury. That has to be it. I'm misidentifying you because of my eyes. It has to be!"
"Come to think of it, Alex, you are... injured. I must treat you... right away."
"D-Don't come any closer! No matter how much your face looks like Lady Iris, I won't be fooled. I was her guard knight; I know the difference between the real thing and a fake!"
Too bad. Even though I had become a plant monster... I was the real thing.
"Lady Iris’s hair was blonde, not white! and she certainly didn't have flowers growing out of her head like you do!"
True enough. My hair had turned pure white because I had absorbed the Goddess of Darkness Hecate’s magic power while it was eroding Kusukusu’s body.
"Furthermore, Lady Iris would never dress in such a shameful manner!"
Hm? A-Alex...?
"Lady Iris was delicate and slim! Her chest wasn't... massive like yours, and she would never dream of appearing in public clad in nothing but vines!"
"Ugh..."
"The legends say Alraunes use their womanly bodies to tempt and lead astray men who wander into the forest. You are exactly like the Alraune of those stories!"
I cast my gaze downward. There I was: skin exposed to the world, with only vines wrapped around to hide my breasts. Come to think of it, from the perspective of common sense in this world, this was a rather scandalous outfit. It was normal in the forest and no one had mentioned it, so I had stopped caring.
"Moreover, Lady Iris was a Saint and a Duke’s Daughter! That pure maiden would never dress like an exhibitionist!"
Ugh, Alex...
After hearing that, I absolutely couldn't let my true identity be found out. Or rather, I didn't want it to be. Meeting someone I knew—especially someone who worshipped the Saint I used to be—really tugged at my heart.
And Alex... I’m going to remember those comments. I’ll never forgive you!
"Even if you have been healing the people... and even if that face is a perfect copy of Lady Iris, that's no excuse for turning the city into this state!"
"...Into this state?"
"Don't play dumb! Look at this scenery!"
"Umm... there's lots of greenery now. It's... easier on the eyes, isn't it?"
"That's the problem! The city was swallowed by a forest in an instant! What do you intend to do about this!?"
I suppose that was a valid concern. I had a feeling it might be. But it was an emergency! If I hadn't spread the trees throughout the city, I wouldn't have been able to teleport around, and I wouldn't have been able to protect everyone from the Urn Golems.
Still, I might have overdone it a little. I’d put it back the way it was later, so I hoped he’d overlook it for now.
"I accidentally... overdid it. It wasn't... on purpose, so please... forgive me."
"Guh... Even if you sound just like her, I won't be swayed! To mimic her face and even her personality... what a terrifying monster!"
Alex clutched his head, staggering. Even though I hadn't done anything, he let out a groan of agony every time we spoke. His head injury had to be severe. If we kept talking like this, we’d just keep going in circles. It was better to just force the healing on him.
"...Alex, I'm sorry!"
"Wh-What are you doing! L-Let go!"
I used my vines to restrain him, binding his entire body and stripping him of his freedom. Now it was safe, even if he struggled.
"Now, please open... your mouth. Just... stay still, please."
"Uwah... It's sticky! What are you making me drink... St-Stop it!!"
I shoved a vine dripping with nectar into Alex's mouth. The moment he swallowed, his wounds healed instantly. I watched him to make sure the treatment took hold. As the swelling in his face went down and his vision returned to normal, our eyes met.
"This forceful healing... this airy atmosphere... and this clumsy personality. Even the taste of this nectar is as warm as light recovery magic... Why? Why is it that when I look at you, I can't help but remember That Person... Why does it feel so nostalgic...?"
Oh no. Alex was crying. Why was he crying?
"I don't want to admit it, but I have no choice... I see Lady Iris... in you! I am loyal to the House of Duke Edelweiss, but I cannot point my sword at someone who resembles her so closely!"
"A-Alex? C-Calm down..."
"Guh, I surrender. Go ahead and tear me apart or do as you wish! If I am to be killed by a monster that looks like Lady Iris, I have no regrets!"
"............In that case, Alex, I have a request."
I loosened the vines and released him. Then, looking into his eyes, I gave a small smile.
"Please help me... save the people of the city."
"............What?"
"Let's protect... this city together."
I held out my hand to him, rather than a vine. With a bewildered expression, Alex looked back and forth between my hand and my face.
"Tell me one thing. Why do you, a monster, go so far to protect this city?"
"That's easy. Because I... love this city."
Even if I was no longer a Saint, even if I had become a plant monster, that would never change. Even if my appearance changed, I was still me. Even if no one recognized me as Iris, the fact that this city was my home remained. By going around and helping everyone today, I had reaffirmed that.
That was why I wouldn't stop. For the sake of my beloved home and the people who lived there, I would protect them all—even if I had to turn the entire city into a forest to do it.
"So, please cooperate. Let's protect... this city together!"
Next time: Saint of Edelweiss - Part 5.