I’m an Alraune, a plant monster child.
And that over there is the withered Treant who abandoned me in the middle of a fire and ran off on his own.


Out of nowhere, I had an unexpected reunion with someone I knew.

The Treant burst out of the bushes and charged straight at me, sprinting with a sharp, refined form.


I was so startled that I instinctively guarded my body with my vines.
It’s way too intense—I’m kind of scared!

But instead of ramming into me or attacking, the Treant stopped dead in his tracks right in front of me.
He planted himself firmly on the ground with a wide, imposing stance, and before I knew it, we were facing each other as if it was a standoff.


Grrr!

You little Treant.
You really had the nerve to leave me behind back then!


During the fire, I begged you to help me, yet you just ran off without looking back. It was really heartbreaking.

Even now, I can still remember how close I was to crying as I watched your back disappear into the distance.


Do you have any idea how it feels to be abandoned by a fellow plant monster?
Of course you don’t. You’re a Treant who can walk freely.


In that case, maybe I should just eat the Treant.

If I do, maybe I’ll gain his ability to walk and finally be able to move on my own. How awesome would that be!


Decision made. It’s mealtime.

Treant-san.
We’ve got a lot to catch up on after all this time, but we can do that inside my stomach, right?


I stretched my vines toward the Treant.

Then, from behind him, a small glowing orb shot into view.


“Hey you two, I’m back!”

The one who suddenly appeared was Fairy-san.


Why is Fairy-san here with the Treant?!
Startled, I stopped my vine attack.

The fairy, Kiri, floated down slowly and landed on top of my head.
It seems she likes this spot.


“I got back quicker than I thought. How’ve you been?”

She greeted us cheerfully.

It’s surprising enough that she’s back so soon, but I never imagined she’d return together with that Treant guy.

Fairy-san shifted her gaze to the little witch lying collapsed on the ground and muttered, “She doesn’t look very well.”


That’s right! I need her to help me save the little witch!

But why did she come together with the Treant?
Surely they weren’t acquaintances already… right?


“Oh yeah, Alraune. You know that Treant, don’t you?”

“How… do you… know that?”

“Well, I can talk to plants, you see. I ran into him on the way here, and he seemed to be looking for you, so I brought him along.”


He was looking for me?
Why would a Treant who once abandoned me be searching for me?


“This Treant told me he left you behind during the fire. Ever since then, he’s been regretting it. He figured that if he ever met another Alraune, he’d try to make up for it.”


What…?!

You’re telling me that Treant was actually worried about me? That’s surprising.

From the way he ran off so briskly back then, I never would have guessed he felt any remorse at all.


“I’d just heard from you two about Alraune being driven out of the forest by the fire, so it clicked. I thought, hey, maybe you all know each other.”


Yes. Bullseye.
Things are a little different now, though. I’ve turned into a little girl since then.


“The Treant figured it out right away. Even though you’ve gotten smaller, he still knows you’re the same Alraune.”

As she said that, Fairy-san leaned in and whispered softly near my ear.


“He’s really taken with you. Like, seriously. He’s all fired up, saying he’d do anything for Alraune, even put his life on the line.”


I could tell the Treant liked me.
It feels like he’s been watching over me this whole time. Though, you could also say he was stalking me.


“What does… the Treant want… to do?”

When I asked, the Treant stayed silent.
Instead, Fairy-san answered for him.


“That’s pointless. He doesn’t understand human language. Matter of fact, he can’t talk either.”

Oh, I see!
It would actually be stranger if a Treant born in the forest did understand human speech.

Which means back then, when I begged for help, he probably didn’t understand me at all.


Fairy-san flew off from my head and moved closer to the Treant.

“I’ll translate for you, so don’t worry.”

A fairy who can talk to plants.
That really does feel like a proper forest fairy ability. Super handy.

“Hmm hmm. Looks like this Treant wants to become your underling, Alraune.”

──An underling?!


What does that even mean?
Like a henchman or something??

So that makes me the boss?!


“He says he’s not asking to act together. He just wants to stay nearby and help out however he can. Being your neighbor and lending you his strength is his way of atoning for leaving you behind in the flames.”


When Fairy-san finished explaining, the Treant walked up to me and bowed deeply.

He looked just like a loyal servant pledging himself to me.


To be honest, I was planning to eat this Treant at first.
I had no intention of showing mercy to someone who abandoned me and ran away.

But it turns out he couldn’t understand my cries for help back then.
And on top of that, he’s been regretting what happened and now wants to become my underling to make up for it.

After being shown that much sincerity and humility, there’s no way I can just chomp him down anymore.

Even I’m not that heartless.


So I’ve decided.
I’ll take the Treant as my underling.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been alone for so long, but being wanted like this makes me kind of happy.
Plus, with the little witch collapsed right now, this is an emergency. I’m so desperate I’d borrow even a cat’s paw*, so I might as well make use of the Treant’s strength too.

(TL’s Note: Meaning any help at all, even useless ones)


──Ahem.

I’ve never been a boss before, but for the sake of this lost little lamb, I’ll do my very best.
Since this is my first-ever underling, I think I’ll make a small ceremony out of it.


Like a knight’s investiture, I extended my vine and lightly tapped one of the branches near the Treant’s shoulder.


We hereby permit you to become our underling.

You’re not trustworthy enough to be appointed as one of my knights like the female bee knights, after all. Work hard and move up the ranks from being an underling, okay?

I asked Fairy-san to translate my decision to the Treant.


“He’s thrilled. But man, first a stray little witch, and now a Treant. You really do attract some unusual types. I mean, this Treant’s i—”

Just as Fairy-san was about to say something, the Treant frantically rustled his branches.

“Got it, got it. I’ll keep it a secret, so relax.”


What was she about to say?

Something about the Treant’s eyes?
What about them?

This Treant’s eyes look like carved pumpkins from Halloween back in my past life in Japan, so yeah, they’re kind of scary.


After finishing her whispered exchange with the Treant, Fairy-san turned back to me.

“He says he wants you to give him an order. So, what’ll it be?”


Even if you tell me to give an order, what am I supposed to do?

The Treant can walk on his own.

In that case, why not have him look for food for me and the little witch.
And while he’s at it, he can search for rare plants to help improve my abilities, too.


When Fairy-san relayed those instructions, the freshly appointed underling immediately tried to dash off at full speed.

“Ah… wait a second.”


I snagged the Treant with my vines and stopped him.

I’ve got a good idea.
Before sending him out to gather supplies, let’s have him do some delivery work first!


Still holding the little witch, I struck a pose that clearly said I wanted to be carried.
Somehow the meaning got through, and with branches stretching out like arms, the Treant managed to lift me up bucket and all.

Now, if I just point the direction with my vines, he should be able to carry me wherever I want to go.


“Where are you planning to go?”

Fairy-san fluttered right up to me.


“To the city. There… we can get… medicine and food… for this child.”

“If you and the Treant stroll into a human city, you’ll just get burned and exterminated on the spot.”


I know that.
But if there’s no other option, what else am I supposed to do?


“If you’re thinking of going to a human city, I can take you somewhere much better. If we go there, this little witch will recover right away.”

“Really?”


“Of course,” Fairy-san said, hopping onto my head.


“Treant, run in the direction I tell you.”

Hearing her command, the Treant took off deeper into the forest.
Seriously, for a tree, he’s ridiculously fast.


“Where… are we… going?”

“To this forest’s sanctuary.”


The forest’s sanctuary?
I didn’t know this forest had a place like that.


“If we ask the Forest Master for help there, this witch will be saved in no time.”


When you say Forest Master, are we talking about that bear-type monster, Raub Bear?
All I can picture is Bear Papa’s face.


“You know, I was planning to introduce you someday anyway, so this works out perfectly. I’m sure they’ll take a liking to you.”

“The Forest Master… isn’t a bear… right?”


If I end up being favored by someone like Bear Papa, I’ll relive that face-licking nightmare all over again.
Even if it’s for the little witch’s sake, I really want to avoid that.


“She’s far scarier than a bear, and incredibly beautiful, too. After all, she’s a forest spirit.”


Thank goodness. No Bear Papa this time.

Wait. Hold on.
A forest spirit?

Could it be… that this is someone really important…?


“The one we’re about to meet is the forest spirit who has ruled over this ancient forest ever since it was born. Lady Dryad.”


Dryads, spirits of the forest.

I know that name.
A legendary existence I’d only ever seen in myths and books.

I swallowed the fresh nectar that had pooled in my mouth.


It’s been a full year since I became an Alraune, a plant-type monster.

And now, it seems I’m finally going to meet a true heavyweight of the plant world.

***

Author’s Note:
Thank you very much for reading.
If you thought this story was interesting or felt that I’m doing my best, I would be really happy if you could support it with a bookmark or a ★★★★★ rating. That encouragement is what keeps me writing.

Next Time: The Forest Spirit Dryad