My name is Iris.
I’m a human saint, born the daughter of a duke.



While I want to say that, I can no longer call myself that anymore.

I’m an Alraune, a plant-type monster girl.

I’ve stopped being human and have become nothing more than a monster now.



The saint apprentice standing before me asked what I did to Iris.


I know this this girl


Her name is Nina.


Though she came from a commoner background, she possessed special eyes imbued with light magic.
And she was a saint apprentice who had grown very attached to me.
I still remember the way she always looked at me with eyes of admiration.


This brings to mind a scene from a few years ago.


I believe this was during a time when I was overwhelmed by my duties. Exhausted, I slipped behind the Grand Cathedral to hide from everyone.
That’s where I found her. A small girl, barely ten, who had just become a saint apprentice.

She seemed to be struggling with the hardships of the life and training of a saint, crying there all alone.
But when I saw her tear-filled eyes, I realized the power of light magic that dwelled within them.


How nostalgic.
It’s surprising to see how much Nina has grown. Four years ago, she was only about the same size as the little witch is now.



Nina asked me what I had done to Iris.

That Iris… is me.
Well, what should I do?



If possible, I don’t want anyone to find out that the saint, who was once the symbol of the kingdom, has turned into a monster.
And it’ll be far too embarrassing for someone I know to find out.


And suppose, by some chance, Nina finds out that I’m Iris.

There’s no way Nina, a saint apprentice, wouldn’t report that back to the capital.
If that happens, the Hero and that trashy junior might come to kill me for real this time.


I could see it as a chance for revenge. After all, it’s convenient when a sworn enemy comes to you on their own. But more than that, I really don’t want the Hero and that trashy junior to see me in my monster form.


What would they even think, seeing the saint who’s no longer human, turned into a plant monster?

Would they mock me, calling me pitiful and pathetic?
Would they look down on me with scorn?
Would they point at me and call me a monster?

No matter who else might do it, the one thing I can’t stand is for my former fiancé, the Hero, to think that of me.
At the same time, I absolutely refuse to let that hateful junior find out what I look like and make fun of me.


Besides, I might already be labeled a traitor who sided with the Demon King’s army, thanks to the Hero and that trashy junior.
If Nina knows about that, she’ll probably misunderstand and think, “Just as I thought, the saint fell into becoming a monster and betrayed humanity!”


That would make my current situation even worse.


Considering all that, it might not be the wisest move to let Nina realize that I’m Iris.


Alright, I’ve decided.
I’ll keep it hidden, no matter what.


“L-Lady Iris……”


All of a sudden, Nina started crying.

Huh? What happened?
It’s not like the lachrymal agents got into her eyes, right?


Wiping her tears with her sleeve, Nina stared at me, her gaze turning resolute.
As my eyes met hers, she slowly opened her mouth.


“…What am I even saying? I don’t need to ask an Alraune. It’s obvious what happened to Lady Iris.”


Trembling slightly, Nina pointed the staff in her hand towards me.


“There’s only one explanation for why a monster like an Alraune would have Lady Iris’s face and aura of light.”


Taking a small, deep breath, Nina glared at me.


“You must have eaten Lady Iris!”


Tears streamed down Nina’s cheeks.
With each drop, more and more small spots stained the ground beneath her.


She stared at me as if I were her sworn enemy.
It made me both happy and sad at the same time.


If I recall correctly, Nina was a girl who had been quite attached to me.
Since she possessed talents that others lacked, I tried to support her and took care of her in various ways.


Among the saint apprentices, she could be said to be the one I was closest to.

And now, that same girl was angry over my death.
She was grieving for me.

There’s no way that wouldn’t make me happy.


“Answer me! You… ate… Lady Iris… ngh!”


With large tears spilling from her eyes, Nina condemned me.

But, Nina.
I am Iris, so it’s impossible for me to have eaten Iris………… huh?

Wait a second.


──I might’ve eaten Iris!


This body was born from the fusion of the flower monster that swallowed me, Saint Iris, and Iris herself.

In other words, that flower monster is also me, in a sense.
Which means this Alraune body of mine really has eaten the saint.


I am Iris, but Iris was also eaten by me.


“I… really might have… eaten her…”

“You… ate Lady Iris…… so it really is true…”


────Ah.


Realizing that what Nina said was correct in a way, I had let the words slip without thinking.


Perhaps because of that, an aura of light magic began overflowing from Nina’s entire body.
At the same time, an intense killing intent crashed down on me.


Ahhh, what do I do!?
Telling the truth just made her even angrier!

But listen, while it is true, that’s not the whole story.
The truth is much simpler!
I am Iris!


“You’re saying you didn’t just eat Lady Iris and steal her face, but even took her power of light magic!?”


Power of light magic?

──Right. Nina can perceive the aura of light magic with her eyes.

That’s why she noticed that I, even as an Alraune, possess the same aura of light as Saint Iris.


“N-No… it’s not that I took… the face or powers of… a human.”

“A monster’s lies really are easy to see through. Did you think I’d believe such nonsense from a man-eating Alraune?”


Eeeek!

She’s completely mistaken me as some kind of evil monster!!


“You devoured the saint, the treasure of our kingdom, my respected senior, Lady Iris! As a saint apprentice, I will strike you down, Alraune monster of the Demon King’s army!”

“When you praise me that much… it’s a little embarrassing…”

“To be so proud of devouring a saint… monsters really are beyond reason. I’ve never met such a detestable plant in my life.”


Eeeehhh!?

T-That’s not it!

That’s not what I meant!!


It’s just that Nina suddenly started praising me, calling me the kingdom’s treasure and her respected senior, so I got a little flustered.

It’s not like I’m blushing over the achievement of devouring a saint!!


“Lady Iris… to be eaten by such an evil plant, you must have suffered greatly. I swear I’ll slay this man-eating plant and properly lay you to rest.”


No, no, no!! If you do that, you’ll literally be laying me to rest!
I’ll die all over again!!


Nina raised her staff.
And then, she began channeling light magic into it.


“I will avenge Lady Iris!”


Nina’s eyes shone brilliantly, radiating an intense flash of light.
I had never seen a saint apprentice capable of concentrating so much light magic into their eyes.

Even I, back when I was still a saint, might not have been able to do this.


Practically shaking with fury, Nina began casting light magic with enough killing intent, determined to end my life.


I never expected her to get this angry.
It’s a pleasant surprise.

But because of that, Nina now completely sees me as an enemy.


It seems, I’m about to be avenged by Nina…

…who’s trying to avenge me.

***

Author’s Note:

Next Time: The Vengeful Saint Apprentice and the Saint’s Forgotten Possession