Zarok Falls, the Capital Beckons
At first, Zarok seemed completely unperturbed. But no matter how much he thrashed, he couldn't break free from me, and his face grew pale.
"Th-this thing won't let go…!"
He scraped at my roots with his nails. Purple sword energy exploded, shredding the surface of my roots. But it was no use. Dozens of fine roots immediately sprouted from the wounds, wrapping even tighter around his legs. The more damage he inflicted, the more fiercely they entwined.
"I told you it feels gross."
I reached out my hand. This time, an exceedingly thin thorny vine sprouted from my fingertips. The vine pierced straight through Zarok's shoulder.
"Aaack!"
His scream echoed through the ruins. The vine lodged in his body began directly siphoning the source of his mana. At the same time, the stagnant air started to clear bit by bit. Zarok's black horns lost their shine and crumbled to dust.
"You there! Now?!"
Delik Arthur's shout rang out. The mages raised their staffs in unison. Before I could even respond, a massive mana vortex formed above Zarok's head.
"Lord Bellishian… won't… let you get away…."
"He's probably already fled by now."
I replied indifferently and drove the vine even deeper. Near his heart, a black gem. It let out a shriek as my energy touched it, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.
Ah, so this is it.
The essence of his power. But to me, it was nothing more than rotten fertilizer.
Crack-!
The gem shattered. The light faded from Zarok's eyes. He dissolved into black ash and scattered on the wind.
All that remained in that spot was a single tiny seed.
I nudged the small seed mixed in with the ashes using the tip of a root and slipped it into my pouch. Looked perfect for fertilizer.
"Hey, Delik."
Pushing through the flowers that had sprouted up to chest height thanks to me, I approached him. He was still staring at me with a dazed expression.
"Y-yes? Ah, go ahead."
"Why was this place so rotten, anyway?"
At my question, Delik swallowed dryly and gripped his staff tighter. His gaze shifted to the charred remnants of the cathedral.
"…It was because of the Demon King's army experiments. They were researching ways to forcibly convert life force into mana. Bellishian Drakar was the one spearheading it."
Delik let out a sigh.
"We came here to study their research. The Demon King may be gone now, but who knows when a new one might appear."
"I see. Buncha bad guys."
I gave a simple reply. After a moment of silence, Delik suddenly stepped forward. His eyes were sparkling.
"Um, if it's not too rude… would you consider coming to the Mage Tower with us?"
I blinked. "Mage Tower?"
"That's right! It's our branch headquarters. It's packed with rare mana crystals and ancient tomes you've never even dreamed of. For a being with such a unique ecology as yourself… it would surely be fascinating."
Delik's voice grew more excited.
"You could learn new theories of magic, and we'd even research ways to use your powers more efficiently. What do you say?"
A chill ran down my spine.
Research?
Grotesque images flooded my mind. Mages in white robes peering at my roots one by one through giant magnifying glasses.
"How far can this root stretch?"
Snip—chilling visions of scissors cutting them away. And beyond that, experiments that might threaten my very life.
What if they catch me and dissect me?
Me floating in a specimen jar in the lab, just my lilac hair bobbing on the surface.
"…No thanks."
My firm refusal left Delik's mouth hanging open.
"Wh-why? The Mage Tower is the holy land every mage dreams of…!"
"I'm a free flower."
I pumped my roots vigorously. Before the mages could grab me, I hopped right over the ruin wall.
"Bye now. Do your own dissecting later."
"Dissecting?! Such terrifying words…! Wait! You—!"
I ignored Delik's panicked shout from behind. The ground beneath me softened, aiding my escape as if it understood.
The sunlight was still warm, the breeze sweet. Open fields were definitely better than cramped spaces.
I turned and headed back the way I'd come. As the ruins' musty stench faded into memory, I finally felt like I could breathe easy.
How long had I traveled? The first thing I encountered was a massive lake. Endless blue waves stretching to the horizon like the sea. I dipped the tips of my roots into the edge, and cool moisture surged thrillingly through every vein in my body.
"Ah, nice…."
The aquatic plants at the lake bottom sensed my energy and swayed in a gentle dance. A few fish darted between my roots, tickling as they passed.
A peaceful sensation of water and earth merging as one—something I'd never felt as a human.
Beyond the lake lay a strange valley shrouded in thick fog, its depths impossible to see. Every time I stepped on the damp soil, faint sounds reached me—not through my ears, but vibrating through the earth. They were the plants of the valley, hiding in the mist: moss clinging to the walls, nameless mushrooms.
Leaving the valley, I came to a colossal mountain. So tall that clouds snagged at its waist. The path was treacherous and steep, but it posed no problem for me. If there was no path, I'd make one.
I wedged roots into rock crevices, extended my stems, and pulled myself up. Greeting the birds and beasts I passed, I climbed steadily toward the peak.
By the time I reached the summit, the world had fallen into darkness. A cold night wind tousled my hair. The sky was studded with stars ready to pour down, and the forest below lay still as a black sea.
I perched on the edge of a boulder and gazed downward.
"…Whoa."
My mouth fell open slightly. Far in the distance, at the edge of the horizon, an immense cluster of lights reflected in my eyes. Denser than starlight, more brilliant than torch flames—a glow asserting its presence amid the darkness. Anyone could tell it was a great city.
The capital of this world, or something on that scale.
A simple curiosity stirred. Would there be friends like Elesia? Or lines of mages like Delik? Maybe even a reunion with the Hero Party.
I stood up. It was deep night, but sleep wouldn't come. Those lights felt like they were calling to me.
"Let's go."
I began descending the mountain toward the city of lights. Going down was far easier than climbing. My roots gripped rocks and soil, sliding smoothly like skiing.
As darkness deepened, the distant city lights grew ever sharper. Before long, the mountain's boundary ended, giving way to flat plains. And at their edge stood the city's entrance.
The night air was chilly, the surroundings silent. The gates were firmly shut, with only the occasional flicker of soldiers' lights patrolling the walls cutting through the gloom.
I crept toward the wall, holding my breath. But the closer I got, the stranger the sensation. The air was trembling faintly. An enormous 'barrier' enveloping the entire city, invisible to the eye.
A ward…?
I could instinctively sense the flows of mana that weren't visible. Far larger, more intricate, and powerful than the defensive barrier the mages with Delik had set up.
I hesitated for a moment. I didn't want to cause a commotion. But the deliberation didn't last long. Whether through the gates or past the barrier, it'd be the same amount of fuss.
My roots touched the boundary. But nothing happened. No alarms blared; the barrier simply accepted my roots as if they were natural.
I eased my upper body through. The barrier—and the city—didn't reject me.
Because I'm not human…?
Maybe the life force of a living plant slipped right past the detection net. Whatever the reason, no problem meant good news.
I slipped past the barrier as casually as a stroll, unnoticed by anyone.
Inside the walls, it was a different world from outside. Even in the dead of night, the streets blazed with light. My mouth fell open again. A vibrancy incomparable to ruined cities or small villages. It felt almost like a modern metropolis. The air was thick with delicious food aromas mingled with the lively mana of people.
But my admiration didn't last. My lower half… these dozens of roots clutching the soil… they were the problem. I recalled the village lady who'd fainted at the sight of me. If that happened in this massive city, mages even more annoying than Delik might come swarming.
Need to hide them.
To enjoy this city quietly without a fuss, I needed a perfect disguise to conceal my true nature. Especially something long to cover these roots.
Hiding in the shadows, I began searching for clothes. The first thing that caught my eye was a laundry line in someone's yard, with a long white priestess robe hanging there. But it was too conspicuous. And above all, with my entire lower half being roots, pants weren't an option. I needed a full-length skirt or robe.
I delved deeper into the alleys. In one yard, neat laundry hung under the moonlight. My gaze locked on a deep navy long skirt. Plenty wide and long enough to hide my roots. And the color even seemed to match my hair nicely.
I cautiously extended my hand. A vine grew from it, gently nudging the clothespin aside and snatching the skirt.
Now the skirt was in my hands. I adjusted the waist to fit my body and let it drape long below. My dozens of roots vanished into its folds.
No mirror, but my shadow on the ground showed a perfectly ordinary girl in a dress from the waist up.
But now that I had it on, a slight pang tugged at my heart.
Just stealing it feels kinda off.
I looked around. In the corner of the yard, a discarded dry fruit seed lay rolling on the dirt.
So I awakened it. A sprout emerged, stem growing, leaves unfurling. Too big would be its own nuisance, so I halted the growth at a modest shrub size. I gave the little tree a pat and turned away.
With my new skirt fluttering, I headed back toward the lit streets.
Now it was time to explore the great city with confidence.