What should I do?

The Fire Dragon’s blazing breath had come straight for me.
In response, I blocked it with my great axes and armor, letting my vines catch fire so he would think I had burned up. And it worked.


——Just when I thought it was over, reality reminded me things were never that simple.


The Fire Dragon, who should have left the area, secretly came back.

I don’t know how, but I didn’t hear the Fire Dragon’s footsteps when he came back. Maybe he had a special skill for sneaking or descended from the sky and landed without a sound. Either way, I couldn’t figure it out.

I don’t know how he did it, but there’s one thing I do know.


The Fire Dragon still had me on his mind, for better or worse,
That must be why he returned to check whether I had really burned up.

And because of that, our eyes met again…


The Fire Dragon let out a startled noise and continued to look down at me.


“I came back, wondering about something… only to find a plant that wouldn’t burn even in my flames.”

Goodness, how could I possibly be the cause of your concerns.
I am nothing but a lowly wildflower.

I would never dare trouble a noble being such as yourself, Fire Dragon-sama.

Therefore, please consider me as just a mere weed and return home as you were.


“This is the first amusing thing I have experienced in a long time. I shall grant you a reward for surviving my flames.”


Huh? A reward?

Does that mean Fire Dragon-sama is letting me live?


What a merciful dragon you are.
Ah, I knew it all along.

Fire Dragon-sama wasn’t the kind of cruel creature who would burn a flower he had taken a liking to.
Surely he was a gentle and dignified dragon who cherishes nature and loves nectar.
The forest may be burning down, but let’s ignore that part.


“I have decided to not reduce you to ash in one go. Instead, I will take my time and burn you thoroughly.”

Huh?


Wait, what does that even mean!?

That wasn’t a reward at all!
I’m going to be burned to a crisp all the same!

“Do not misunderstand. The reward I grant you is time. You may savor the final, fleeting moments you have left before you burn away.”

A flicker of blue fire flew from the glowing tip of the Fire Dragon’s tail.

The small blue fire attached itself to my bulb. I could tell immediately—this was a magical flame.


“You will not be able to extinguish that blue flame. Not even water can put it out. It is a specially crafted fire.”

Indeed, the blue flame did not show signs of spreading fast, but instead spread slowly and steadily. It was a strange and unsettling flame.


“I have lowered the strength of the fire, so it will not engulf your entire body right away. You’ll burn slowly, bit by bit, with plenty of time to savor the final moments of your life before you turn to ash. Think of the time I have given you as my thanks for the nectar.”


Honestly, I wish the thanks had ended with the earlier flame breath.

Also, Fire Dragon-sama, you left once already, didn’t you.
And yet you snuck back. Just how much were you thinking about me?

If you’re thinking about me that much, then just take me home already. I don’t mind being your breakfast dessert and ornamental houseplant.

Please keep me at your side.
Anything is better than being burned.

“It will take time, but you will certainly burn and perish. Now then, I am busy. My work is not yet done. Although, from the looks of things, I may have already killed her……”

The Fire Dragon swept his gaze over the forest, shifting his huge body as he muttered about where to search next.


“Well then, this really is farewell, Alraune. Your nectar was delicious.”


Swaying his massive form, Fire Dragon-sama disappeared into the depths of the forest.
This time, I truly was alone.



Well then, what should I do now?

Thanks to him liking my nectar, at least I avoided being burned on the spot.

Considering how hopeless things were, that could count as a victory, in a way.

But it was also a defeat.
After all, I had been given a magical flame with a timer attached.

He said water could not extinguish it.
And now the blue flames were silently spreading over me, slowly consuming my body.

At this rate, by the time the wildfire spreads to this area, my entire body would be engulfed in blue flames.

Which means I have very little time left.
Judging by the sense of time I had back when I was a high school girl, I probably have less than an hour.


So much for my plan to dig a hole to escape the fire.

Even if I burrowed into the ground, this blue flame wouldn’t disappear.
I tried burying part of the fire in dirt, but it didn’t go out. There is nothing I can do.


What kind of reward is this supposed to be?

Savor my final moments?
How am I meant to enjoy anything when I already know I’m about to burn up and turn into ash?

It’s just like one of those stories about a person’s life being tied to a candle’s flame.
When the candle burns out, so does their life.
Except now I’m the candle itself.

There’s nothing I can do now.
Besides, the only thing I can really think about is whether everyone in the Forest Club is safe


Maybe my thoughts reached them, because from the right side of the forest, which has not yet burned, I heard a heavy buzzing sound like a helicopter.

My female knights, the bee brigade, had arrived.

Behind them, a large butterfly drifted gracefully. It was Lady Butterfly and her entourage of fluttering butterflies.

Everyone’s safe… That’s really a relief.

The Forest Club members had come to see me.

Ugh, I’m so happy.

Even with the forest on fire, I still have friends who worry for me.


Good day.
Ms. Bee, is my older sister safe?
I see, so the flamethrower missed your hive.

But then the wildfire forced you out of your home.

My gaze drifted towards the sky. A swarm of bee-type monsters, the Zornbienes, flew in a tight cluster.

The bees were swarming.

When a new queen is born in a hive, the old queen leaves the hive with about half the worker bees. That is called swarming.

The queen bee can release pheromones to command the swarm. Which is why they can all move together harmoniously.

That means the large bee at the front is the Queen Bee, my elder sister.

It’s a pleasure to meet you.
Good day to you, dear sister.

I’m delighted to meet you.

The fire must’ve made the entire colony flee, leaving them no choice but to swarm.

Yes. That’s for the best.
Staying in the forest would only endanger them.


So I suppose that means the butterflies are moving too.
Seeing them follow after the bees, they must all be getting along well as members of the Forest Club. As the founder, it makes me happy.


Even though they needed to escape before the fire closed in, they came all the way here just to see me.


Honestly, Ms. Bee, Lady Butterfly, all of you are such fools.

It’s obvious that a plant like me can’t escape.

With the fire spreading, I’m bound to be left behind and burned.
And yet, they still took the trouble to come to see me, wasting their precious time like this.


——Ah, what am I going to do?

I could feel the nectar dripping from my eyes

Honestly… it cannot be helped.
When the Forest Club first began, it was just a give-and-take arrangement—trading nectar for food.

It was supposed to be a purely professional, symbiotic relationship. And yet, before I knew it, they had become friends willing to risk their lives to fight alongside me against the Demon King’s minotaurs.

Truly, it cannot be helped.


So, this last nectar is for you, Ms. Bee and Lady Butterfly.

Go on, take it from my vines.
Savor it properly.

It is my final gift to you.

Ah, please don’t look so sad.

Even if all of you leave this forest, I will remain.

I had been given something like a timed explosive by the Fire Dragon.
Even if I could escape from here, I’m still destined to burn.
So as the lord of this forest, as a plant, I will meet my end here.

But you don’t need to share this fate with me.

So stop dawdling in a place this dangerous and get out of here quickly.


This is where we say our final goodbyes in this life.

As of today, the Forest Club is disbanded.


Ms. Bee, thank you for fighting as my knight for so long. We’ve been through so much, but I’m truly glad to have become friends with you.

Lady Butterfly, thank you for helping during that ball with the minotaurs and other demons. Let us all dance again someday. And of course, we’ll have a tea party too.

Now go.
The fire is almost upon us.

Don’t worry about me.

So everyone, farewell—really, this time.


With a hint of reluctance, Ms. Bee’s and Lady Butterfly’s group flew deep into the forest.


Goodbye, my friends.
You were the first friends I made after becoming an Alraune.

Even if you escape to another forest, I hope you’ll still remember me now and then.


If, even in just your memories, you could remember that there once was an Alraune in a certain forest… I’d be happy.

***

Author’s Note:

Next Time: Burning with the Forest