It’s a huge crisis.
A Fire Dragon, a superior species of dragons, was closing in on me.





It’s so far above me that I couldn’t possibly entertain it with a little tea party.
Just like Bird-san advised, hiding really was the best option here.


This wasn’t the kind of opponent I could deal with by throwing it with poison pollen.
I’d just get trampled like a bit of roadside weed.


So I’ll hide by becoming a flower.

I wrapped my whole body in vines, thickening the vine cocoon around me even more.
For good measure, I’ll close my bud too.

I’m scared.


The Fire Dragon was getting closer.

Inside the cramped bud, I hugged myself tightly.
I could feel my whole body shaking. Was it from the vibration of its footsteps?

No, it’s not the vibration.
It’s me. I’m the one trembling.

A Fire Dragon, something terrifying beyond reason, was walking straight toward me.
It might suddenly burn me or crush me under its talon.
It might even eat me.

I was so scared, so terrified, I felt like I might burst into tears.
At the bottom of my unopened bud, nectar slowly began to gather.


——Huh? What if it stepped on me?

Wait, hold on a second.
Think about it.
If it accidentally stepped on me while I’m pretending to be a flower, that would still be the end of me.
And if it suddenly breathed fire, I’d just burn up anyway.

But at this point, I’m powerless.
All I can do is pray that Fire Dragon-sama won’t trample me and just leave this place.


I prayed to the gods from inside the bud.

But I already knew the truth.
There were no gods.

If they existed, they would have saved me long ago.
I prayed again and again, and no help ever came. My life-or-death struggle in this forest just kept going.
And so, this time too, that little prayer of mine was crushed by fate.

Because the Fire Dragon suddenly spoke to me.


“You there, Alraune.”



——————Huh?


The Fire Dragon spoke.

But that didn’t surprise me. Dragons are a type of demon.
It’s only natural that they can understand human speech.


What surprised me was that it—no, he knew I was an Alraune.
But how?

Mr. Fire Dragon, from your perspective, I must look like nothing more than a mass of vines, right?
Even if parts of my body stuck out from the vines, as long as my bud is closed, I’d only appear as a red flower.


“Hiding is pointless. Reveal yourself.”

What should I do? He’s telling me to come out.

I never expected this.
Who could have predicted a Fire Dragon would suddenly start talking to me? No. It was impossible.

Could I just pretend I wasn’t home?

“What’s this? I heard you were a beautiful flower, but if you won’t show yourself, I’ll just burn this place to the ground.”

Ah yes, what do you need, Fire Dragon-san? No, Fire Dragon-sama.

I immediately untangled my vine cocoon and opened my bud.


Good day to you, Dragon-san.

You really are huge. And your whole body is burning like crazy.
Even your tail, blazing with that scorching heat, is so dazzling it’s almost blinding.

You’re quite imposing.
Your size, your flames, and the sheer force of your presence… it’s all a bit overwhelming.


The Fire Dragon studied me closely.
The vines stretching along the ground, the round bulb, the red and beautiful flower crown, and me, the human-shaped pistil.

“Indeed. You really are a beautiful Alraune.”


What should I do?
The Fire Dragon just complimented me.
Maybe he’s not such a bad guy after all. It makes me kind of happy.

“Goo…d day.”

I should greet him properly.
I need to at least get on his good side so he doesn’t burn me.

The Fire Dragon nods slightly and opens his huge jaw.

“No, truly. I have never seen such a beautiful and delicate plant monster. I would love to take you home and keep you as one of my ornamental plants.”

What. A dragon’s ornamental plant?

Come to think of it, I feel like that minotaur said something similar to me too.
Am I… actually kind of popular?


“I was told your nectar seemed delicious, and indeed… it has a very pleasant fragrance.”


W-wait.
Am I seriously about to become some kind of dessert-pet-ornamental plant?

With the minotaurs I still had some fighting spirit left in me.
There was no way I’d let myself be enslaved and have my nectar licked away for the rest of my life.

But against a Fire Dragon, that rebellious spirit had already burned away.
Even if I fought seriously, I wouldn’t win. There was no way.

At this size, even if I made him inhale poisonous pollen, the effect would probably be weak.
That leaves the option of using poisonous nectar, but…

Even with poisonous nectar, I’m not exactly confident it could kill a dragon this huge in a single lick.
I’d have to dose him little by little.
But that means I would have to let him lick me over and over again.

If I could endure being licked and captured, maybe someday I could defeat him.
Maybe, just maybe, there’s still a path left for me to survive.


The Fire Dragon leaned closer and breathed in deeply.
The crimson flower crown around my waist fluttered in the gust.

“I see… the nectar is spilling from your eyes. Your appearance is to my preference, but the scent of your nectar is even more pleasing.”

A huge glob of drool fell from the Fire Dragon’s mouth.
The moment it touched the ground, the drool burst into flames.

What terrifying saliva.


Wait.
It’s drool, but it’s burning?

So If this Fire Dragon licked me with that, won’t I burn too?
To think such a terrifying lick could exist in this world…

But that also means I would only have one lick before I’m gone.
If I can’t bring the Fire Dragon down with poisonous nectar, then I can’t survive either.

I definitely didn’t want to become his dessert-pet-ornamental-plant.


“But it’s strange. I find it hard to believe that you defeated Dickkopf.”


I’m sorry, what did you just say?

Dickkopf?

What is that even supposed to mean?.
I had never heard it in my life.

But given the way he said it, it must be a name.

I’m not acquainted with anyone by that name. Couldn’t this be some kind of misunderstanding, Fire Dragon-sama?

“Wrong… person.”
Well, I’m technically a flower.

“There is no mistake. My subordinate, a minotaur, came to report it, so it cannot be wrong.”

Your subordinate!? A Minotaur!?

Did you mean that eyepatch minotaur, the leader of that squad!?
So the eyepatch minotaur had a name like that. I mean, it had a name at all? Who knew. 


I didn’t know it had a name. The dance started before anyone could introduce themselves, so of course I wouldn’t know.

Besides, demon names are always so odd and confusing.


If he knew those minotaurs, then this Fire Dragon must be part of the Demon King’s army.
He’s so huge and powerful that I’m shocked there was someone like this in their ranks.

Which means the person the eyepatch minotaur called “Lord Grüschwanz” must be this Fire Dragon.

I figured from the name alone that he was a powerful figure, but I never imagined he would be this strong.

I mean… isn’t it a bit of a jump for the minotaur’s boss to be a Fire Dragon?

Shouldn’t there be a middle management demon somewhere in between them at least?
Why did the company president show up out of nowhere?

He looks way stronger than any of the Demon King’s generals we defeated in the Hero’s party.
Seriously, who is he?
At the very least, he’s definitely high ranking.


I’m flustered that someone as esteemed as you has come all this way.

So thank you for taking the trouble to visit me.

Dickkopf-san, was it?
They’re not here.

I think they went that way.
They left with their minotaur subordinates.
So they’re not… um here… right?
I mean, I didn’t eat the minotaurs or anything like that.
I actually prefer bear meat over beef, you see.


“Since I’ve come all the way to this forest, it’d be a shame to leave without doing something. But it can’t be helped. I might as well get a little work done while I’m here.”

Work, huh?
I appreciate your hard work.

I’m curious… but this has nothing to do with me, right……?


“I heard everything from the minotaur who fled back. You are the one who killed my subordinate, Dickkopf.”


————Uh… what?


“Therefore, you shall die here.”


The Fire Dragon began gathering fire in his mouth.

Wait. Am I… about to be avenged on?

And he knew everything.
Looks like there’s no way to talk my way out of this.

So information leaked from that last minotaur. I couldn’t believe letting one Minotaur escape led to all this……


“P‑please… have mercy…?”
“I lost a valuable subordinate. So you will repay that loss with your life, and in doing so, you will ease his regret.”

Why does this dragon actually care about his comrades!?

If you’re part of the Demon King’s army. You should act a little more villainous.
Don’t come all the way out here for your comrades. Go cause trouble somewhere else!

“Farewell, beautiful flower monster.”

Fire Dragon-sama…

I–I don’t want to die yet.
I don’t want to be burned to ash.

If you want, I’d happily become an ornamental plant, a dessert, or even a pet.
I’ll seal away my poisonous nectar too.

So please… please————


Please forgive meeeeeeeee!!

***

Author’s Note:

Thank you for reading.

Next Time: Please Lick Me with That Big Tongue

TL’s Note:

No chapter tomorrow, sorry!