Chapter 4

What does it mean to be plant-like?

I couldn't help but ask myself this question as I paralyzed a deer-type monster with toxic pollen.

Quietly?

Gently?

Elegantly?

What's that, is it delicious?

Let the potted flowers that humans keep do that. The wild plant world is a place of survival of the fittest. It's a different story from a botanical garden. A sheltered plant like a lady would wither and decay in no time.

Anyway, I'm hungry.

Nutrient deficient.

I desire a meal!

Chomp.

Oh, this deer meat isn't bad at all as prey. I didn't like game in my previous life, but as an Alraune, any meat is fine. I just dissolve it, so I can't even taste it!

Anyway, what does it mean to be plant-like?

Spending the whole day basking in the sun and performing photosynthesis.

Struggling to extend my roots to get water.

Enjoying the delicious sunlight and taking a nap.

When hungry, luring a monster with nectar, paralyzing it with poison, and then capturing it with vines.

Yeah, I'm a plant.

A carnivorous plant, but a normal plant!

A few days have passed, but I've managed to survive both as a plant and a monster.

My human pride disappeared quickly.

There's no one in the forest, and the only things that appear are animals or monsters whose language I can't understand. There's no need to worry about others' eyes. In a sense, I am free.

They say when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

I've heard that the body and environment can influence the mind, and it seems to be true.

Since I am a monster and a plant, I have to live like one.

In investigating my body, I found out a few things.

First, I am a monster but not an animal.

I am fundamentally a plant.

There's nothing special to do during the day.

After all, I can't move. There's nothing I can do about it.

During the day, I bask in the sun, and at night, I close my buds and go to sleep.

In the morning, I bloom and wake up.

This is my current life cycle.

As a former human, I have many desires, but as a plant, I don't have many.

Basically, my three main desires are these:

Water, sunlight, and animals for nutrients.

First is water.

I'm thirsty. I'm not actually thirsty, but it's easier to express it that way. I desire water for my life activities. If I just had water, I wouldn't need anything else. I want water so much. I don't need juice. I want water.

To get it, I try to extend my roots as much as possible. That's all I can do.

Next is sunlight.

Bathing in the sun and performing photosynthesis feels good.

It's joyful. I can feel all the chlorophyll in my body rejoicing.

Photosynthesis makes me happy.

Plants use light energy to break down water and release oxygen, synthesizing carbon dioxide from the air into organic matter like starch.

In other words, just by performing photosynthesis, nutrients are created, and my stomach gets full.

Carbon dioxide decreases, and oxygen is produced, moving the Earth away from global warming.

I feel good and am happy.

It's a win-win situation.

However, every time I perform photosynthesis, I get thirsty. I need more water.

I really want water.

If I just had water, I wouldn't need much else besides moderate sunlight and a little carbon dioxide.

I wish someone would water me.

The last is food.

Photosynthesis alone isn't enough for energy.

After all, such a large flower doesn't exist on Earth, and I can move like a human and with vines.

To do that, I need to take in nutrients, but this is the biggest challenge.

Since I can't move, I can only wait for prey to come to me.

Even though I produce sweet nectar strong enough to transform a gentlemanly bear into a pervert, prey doesn't come every day.

Moreover, the battle is a matter of life and death. If I lose, I'll be eaten or killed. Nature is terrifying.

After capturing prey, I become weak, like after intense exercise.

Since I'm a plant, moving my body isn't something I'm good at, and it seems to consume a lot of energy. Naturally, I get thirsty.

I want water.

Water, sunlight, and dissolving living things for nutrients.

With these three meals, I am satisfied.

Being satisfied is good, but being bored is my biggest recent problem.

After all, there's no entertainment.

No one to talk to.

Hey, what should I do?

Well, I just take a nap while performing photosynthesis.

So, I decided to spend my free time studying the ecology of Alraune.

I miss reading plant encyclopedias in my previous life.

From the results of the past few days, it seems that Alraune lures animals with sweet nectar and captures them. I've experienced this, so it's okay.

From what I remember from my time as a saint, Alraune is a monster that lures people with a female appearance and pheromones.

So, this appearance is probably for hunting.

A womanly waist, a slim but curvy figure. My chest is also quite large.

When I was a saint, I was rather small, so seeing Alraune's full and charming chest makes me feel like I've grown up a bit.

It's good. Even though I became a flower, my growth period wasn't over.

Now I won't be inferior to that hateful junior saint, who had bigger breasts than me despite being younger. She was so arrogant, stealing the hero from me. She must have used her breasts to seduce him. A true heretic. She framed me as a traitor.

Still, what if a human wanders into this forest?

Would they scream at the sight of me, or attack me as a monster?

This body is probably meant to prevent that.

It's strange to have a human woman's body on a plant.

By the way, I've heard that Alraune feeds on the essence of human males.

Luring wandering humans and drawing them into the flower.

Using a beautiful appearance to captivate them.

What should I do?

I don't have the confidence to do it.

I can't seduce men; it's too embarrassing.

I didn't have that experience in my previous life either.

Even though I had a fiancé as a saint, that hero was just a companion.

We were childhood friends, but it was an arranged engagement by our parents. We weren't particularly close.

If we were, he probably wouldn't have betrayed and tried to kill me.

Wait, thinking about this reality makes me sad.

Instead of tears, nectar comes out.

What does it mean to take a man's essence?

Do I have to... do something... with this body?

How do I do it??

--No, I won't think about this.

It's not something I need to do urgently.

In fact, I'd rather never have to do it in my life.

Even if I were a monster with a human form, I might understand, but as a plant monster, I can't do anything with a man's essence.

It would probably just become nutrients and energy.

There's nothing more to it, right?

I'm not sure, though, since this is a fantasy world, not Japan.

Speaking of which, am I beautiful?

Do I have a seductive appearance that can lure men?

I can't see my face without a mirror.

Is it the same as when I was a saint? It feels similar, so I think it's the same. I hope I'm beautiful.

The flower crown is also beautifully red and impressive.

Personally, I think it's a beautiful type of flower.

It's similar to a rose but feels a bit different.

I have no idea what kind of flower it is.

But it's definitely not a creature-like flower like a Rafflesia. I don't want to be one...

Oh!

A customer has arrived.

A rabbit-type monster has come, lured by the nectar.

Yes, yes. It's cute.

It looks white and fluffy, with a good texture.

It's small and hard to catch, but don't worry.

I release toxic pollen from the flower crown to stop the rabbit's movements.

Then I capture it with vines and break its neck.

It must hurt, but I have to be ruthless.

I don't want it to be dissolved alive, so this is my kind consideration.

I won't tell you that once, a captured monster thrashed around inside me, almost tearing me from the inside.

Then I drag the rabbit with my vines.

I open my lower mouth wide and chomp.

Yes, I'm sorry.

Objectively, I look like a monster right now.

But believe me.

I'm not a monster; I'm aiming to be a beautiful flower.

I want to grow into a beautiful flower that not only produces sweet nectar but also pleases the eye.

Oh, it's another rabbit.

It's not alone; it has a friend.

Then, I'll take it to its friend. I'm kind, after all. I was once called a saint.

I open my lower mouth wide.

The rabbit starts to tremble like a frog facing a snake.

Don't be afraid.

I'm just a beautiful flower.

Come, hold my hand, and shake hands with me.

Let's make up for scaring you.

As proof, I'll make you my nutrients.

Chomp.

Munch.

Thank you for the meal!

There will be another update today.

Next time, I'm a female of the nightshade family.