I’m an Alraune, a plant monster child.
From my days as a saint to my life now as an Alraune, I’m about to attempt cooking for the very first time.


I was born a duke’s daughter, so during my saint days I never cooked even once.

I did have a little experience back when I was a high school girl, but hardly any of it stuck in my memory.
Still, thanks to the knowledge from my previous life, I should be able to manage somehow. Even if it’s my first time cooking in this life, I’m sure I’ll be fine!


The first vegetables the little witch purchased in town were broad beans and turnips.
Both are spring vegetables.


First, I devoured the broad beans with my lower mouth.
Now I can produce broad beans myself.

Immediately, I generated them at the tips of my vines.
Infusing the beans with light recovery magic, I let them grow. And sure enough, they turned out perfectly.
The green pods sprouted upward, stretching toward the sky.

By being able to produce broad beans, the little witch can now get protein.
Even if the dried meat we received from Lady Dryad runs out, we might still be able to manage somehow.


Next, I chomped down on the turnip with my lower mouth as well.
This time, I decided to insert my vines into the ground and generate them there.

Turnips are root vegetables, after all, so it feels more appropriate to grow them in the soil.
I formed the turnips beneath the soil, then jerked the vines upward with a sharp pull.
There we go. Freshly harvested turnips!


Just by eating a single original vegetable, I can duplicate as many broad beans and turnips as I want.
With me around, we don’t even need a field.


“Thank you, Alraune. I’ll take care of the rest now.”

“No. I will… cook.”

“Eh…?”

“Leave it… to me.”


This is my chance.
I have to show the little witch that I’m the older sister here!


Now then, with the ingredients gathered, it was time to start cooking.


First, I started a fire using eucalyptus leaves.
Combining the natural heat generation of the skunk cabbage with friction, I successfully ignited the flames.


I may have gotten a bit too enthusiastic and accidentally set one of my vines on fire. But thanks to the bucket of water the little witch prepared in advance, we managed to extinguish the burning parts.
It’s my first time cooking, so a small fire is only to be expected, right?


With the flames extinguished, it was finally time to cook properly.
That said, we don’t have a knife. Or a frying pan. Or even a pot.

All we have is a campfire to serve as a stove and my own body.

Given these circumstances, there was only one possible dish that came to mind.
Yes. Fire-roasted vegetables!


What, you say that’s not real cooking?
Well, I was a duke’s daughter, so I’m not very knowledgeable on such things.

Besides, the fact that an Alraune, a plant monster, is lighting a fire and roasting vegetables at all is already strange enough, so please let it slide.


Anyway, my vines should work fine as cooking chopsticks for now.
I grabbed the broad beans and turnips with my vines and began roasting them over the campfire.

Broad beans can be eaten raw, but roasting makes them softer.
Turnips are hard when raw too, so they’d definitely taste better cooked.


“Alraune, your vines……”


The little witch panicked, flying off toward the river with the bucket.


Apparently, my cooking chopsticks had caught fire.
Ahh… The fire had spread to my vines, vegetables and all.
That’s the second fire today…


In order to escape the flames, should I shed my burning skin and let it fall into the flames along with the vegetables, or should I endure it and continue cooking as long as possible, even while burning?


At worst, we’d end up with roasted broad beans, roasted turnips… and roasted Alraune.
Still, the fact that I can remain so calm while on fire probably means I’ve grown used to it.
In just over a week, I’ve burned about five times already.
It’s not like I’ve gotten used to being set on fire for nothing.


Before I could become the little witch’s dinner as a roasted Alraune, she returned using levitation magic, carrying a bucket of water.

I quickly transferred the roasted vegetables to my other vines and had her extinguish the burning area.
Phew. That was close.


So cooking really is dangerous, huh?
I never imagined I’d cause two fires in such a short time.

Now I finally understand why, even after being born a duke’s daughter and later becoming a saint, I was never once given the chance to cook.
Cooking in this world is dangerous work. No wonder everyone leaves it to their own cooks.
I’m pretty sure fighting monsters would be easier and safer.


Still, perhaps thanks to me risking my life to prepare it, the broad beans and turnips turned out nicely roasted.
They’re a little charred thanks to the fires, but it was my first time cooking, so please be generous.
Two fires may have broken out, but I saw it through.
And just like that, I have—magnificently and smoothly—completed my very first dish!


“Here you go… please… enjoy.”

“Thank you…”


The little witch picked up a broad bean and started peeling it.
Then she popped one of the beans into her mouth.


“Delicious…!”


She kept tossing broad beans into her mouth one after another.
It’s been a while since she’s had fresh vegetables.
And even more so because it was warm.

Next, the little witch bit into the roasted turnip.


“Hot…!”

Apparently, it had cooked thoroughly.
Steam rose from the spot where she’d bitten into it.
Thanks to the heat, it looked soft all the way to the center.


“It’s pretty… no, a little bitter, but… it’s been so long since I had something warm…”


Watching the little witch happily stuff her cheeks with roasted vegetables, I felt immensely satisfied as Chef Alraune.
For the sake of the little witch’s smile, I’ll keep cooking with all I’ve got.


“I’ll… make it for you… again tomorrow.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll cook next time.”


Wanting to cook herself… my little witch is growing up.
Maybe she was inspired by her older sister’s heroic display.
A little sister wanting to imitate her elder? How endearing.


Since the little witch has started eating, I should have dinner too.
I carried the pile of white-eyes I stacked nearby to my lower mouth.

Mmm. Raw bird meat is delicious.
I can’t actually taste it since I just digest it, but… it feels that way at least.
Any meal shared with the little witch tastes wonderful.


Ahh… I feel so happy.
When was the last time I could calmly enjoy such a luxurious meal like this?


If only peaceful moments like this could last forever.
Just the two of us living together happily.
Me quietly living as a plant, photosynthesizing while she waters me.



Not long after, the little witch collapsed into sleep.
Having to go into a city full of humans, she must have been tense the entire time.
It’s no wonder she’s exhausted.


As usual, I wrapped the two of us in a cocoon of vines before settling in for the night.
“Good night,” I whispered, closing my bud.


Night had settled in.

Perhaps because my sleep was shallow, I noticed a small orb of light floating outside.
The small light, faintly visible through my closed petals, was the same one I had seen on the night before I nearly drowned in the pond.


Quietly, I opened my bud just a little and peeked outside.

It seems the small light was some kind of fairy.
Though in the darkness, I couldn’t tell whether the fairy was Kiri or not.


The mysterious fairy appears to be examining the surroundings.
Is it searching for something?

After circling around me once, it came to a hover in front of the vine cocoon.
What is it doing?


A moment later, I felt some kind of liquid being poured at my roots.

Come to think of it, I had a memory of being watered by this same strange light before.
If so, then this fairy must be the same one from that night.

The water tastes delici—
…No, it doesn’t.


What is this?

I’m starting to feel sick…
My head is spinning, and it feels like my roots are rotting.
It’s like I’ve absorbed something I never should have.


Usually, being watered would make me feel better. But right now, I’m steadily weakening.
Like a flower slowly withering away.

Could it be… that wasn’t water?
If anything, it felt like something poisonous to a plant like me was being sprinkled over my roots…

And then it hit me.


The fairy was attacking me in my sleep.

***

Author’s Note:

Thank you for reading.

Next time: The Fairy in the Shadows