Chapter 26

This merchant visits the village from time to time. For the remote Bit Village, he’s an important supplier of goods. I’d only ever seen him from a distance, but he always wore a pleasant smile and seemed like a good person. Even so, the unfamiliar seedlings must’ve shocked him—his reaction was pure panic.

「Ilai-san, hello! Aren’t these Mandragoras cute?」

「Ma… Mandragoras…!? You have to kill them before they scream!」

「Ah—no! Don’t! Witch-sama worked so hard to make sure they’re not dangerous!」

Ilai dismounted his horse and reached for a weapon, but Ellie stepped in front of him with her arms spread wide. Behind her, the seedlings trembled as they clung to the child’s thin legs. They were probably screaming their lungs out internally, but since they were forbidden to vocalize, all they could do was hide behind her.

…Yeah, they were definitely using a child as a shield. I could tell. I had told them not to hurt anyone, but I hadn’t said anything about not using someone as a shield, so I suppose this was their method of self-defense.

「See? These kids can’t do anything! It’d be mean to attack them!」

「B-But…」

「These Mandragoras don’t scream and can’t hurt anyone. …Witch-sama has taken away their ability to attack using her magic. They’re just mobile Mandragoras.」

Still suspicious, Ilai kept his guard up until Leonhart stepped in front of him. As a Holy Knight—a profession that earns people’s trust—his assurance seemed to give Ilai pause.

「Even if they’re harmless… they’re still monsters…」

Ilai looked down at the seedlings, still hiding behind Ellie. I mentally commanded them to return to me. They obeyed immediately, huffing and puffing as they scurried back and circled around me.

(Come on—time for another harmlessness appeal. Hold hands, spin in a circle, like you’re dancing…)

The Mandragoras joined hands and started spinning around me at my feet. The round ones were fine, but one had such a different body shape that it threw off the balance.

(…Maybe I should make that one the center and have the others dance around it instead. I’ll get them to practice later.)

A dancing Mandragora definitely leaves an impression. There are even sound-producing plants in the world, so I could possibly create a plant-based music troupe. Making them seem like cheerful, harmless plants might be the best way forward.

Ilai stood watching the Mandragora dance for a while. Though he still seemed suspicious, he fixed his eyes on me.

「…Are you really a witch?」

「You’re still doubting Witch-sama, even after seeing all this? Mandragoras are monsters. Only someone from the demon race could tame them like this!」

Noel bristled, his irritation toward Ilai plain to see. Apparently, for humans, this kind of feat is only possible for demons. …Well, I am a Mandragora, not a human, so it checks out.

「…Well, I suppose you’re right. If she isn’t a demon, then only some top-tier monster from the depths of the demon forest could pull something like this off.」

As a level 99 monster from the deepest parts of the demon forest, I screamed internally. The seedlings must’ve sensed it—they stopped dancing and collapsed onto the ground. Outwardly, though, I kept smiling, and to others it probably looked like the Mandragoras just got tired and flopped over after dancing.

「Even the Holy Knights seem pretty relaxed… So it’s really not dangerous, huh?」

(Uh-huh. I’m a totally harmless monster. I’d never hurt a human…!)

To calm my swirling anxiety, I picked up one of the Mandragoras at my feet. This one had a green outfit, so it was Seedling No. 1. Watching me, Ilai put a hand to his chin, deep in thought.

「…Witch-sama. Would you be interested in doing business with me?」

(…Business…?)

「Truth is, I was the one who spread rumors about you and the village. The sudden change in the area scared me—you were this strange, unknowable being… But now that even the Holy Knights acknowledge you as a witch, you could become incredibly profitable.」

Ilai’s proposal went like this: if I were publicly recognized as a witch, any product I created could be sold under the 「Made by the Witch「 label and fetch high prices. I specialize in plant magic, so I can produce potions and rare herbs—always in demand.

「Hey, that’s pretty convenient of you. …What if Witch-sama had been taken away because of your false rumors?」

But it was Noel who pushed back, obviously displeased. He too picked up a Mandragora at his side—this one wore a pink outfit. He hugged it tightly. Perhaps it was a substitute for hugging me? …Well, it is a Mandragora, so it’s practically the same as hugging me.

「Noel, don’t be mad. Ilai-san didn’t know about Witch-sama because he’s from outside the village. …These little guys are super cute now, but I was shocked the first time I saw them too. But see? Aren’t they adorable?」

「…Adorable…? Well, I guess they’re amusing, at least…」

Ellie picked up the yellow Mandragora and held it up toward Ilai. The seedling, still trying to act harmless, slightly bent its torso and tilted its head as if to say 「Huh? What’s going on?」

Ilai leaned in and stared at the Mandragora up close. Feeling the intensity of his gaze, the seedling covered its eyes like it was embarrassed—but its hand placement just happened to block the visible part of its eye to prevent any mana drain.

「Witch-sama, I’m truly sorry for spreading those rumors. But that’s why… to replace them with stories of the real witch, I’d like to carry something that proves your authenticity. Even just one Mandragora. But I understand if you’d rather not send one of your controlled monsters too far away.」

With that, he reached down and picked up the light blue Mandragora. It seemed his fear and caution had subsided enough to touch them.

That left only the purple Mandragora on the ground. It struck a bold, sexy pose, as if waiting to be picked up next. …Which likely ensured that no one would touch it. I decided to leave it be.

「So please, Witch-sama—I’d really like to work with you. I don’t want to miss this opportunity, and I do want to make amends. If people know you as a proper witch, they won’t suspect you anymore. This is a win-win situation, don’t you think?」

Ilai had a point. If I were known as a 「witch」 fewer people might believe I was a 「monster.」

A surviving member of the demon race—the flower witch. If that’s what people thought I was, I might actually be safer. So I nodded. Ilai clapped his hands with joy and said, 「That’s what I was hoping for!」

「Witch-sama, you’re just too nice. You could’ve been mad about all this.」

(It’s not really something to get mad about… Honestly, I am a Mandragora. And if suspicion led people to believe I’m a witch instead, then that’s actually a good thing. I mean, I’m not a witch, but…)

With that in mind, I patted Noel’s head. My life among humans was going surprisingly well. It’s been full of nerve-wracking moments, but somehow everyone keeps misunderstanding things in the best possible way. I really hope it keeps going like this.

(From now on, I’ll need to be seen not just as the village witch, but as a 「good witch」 to those outside the village too…!)

――Meanwhile, the purple Mandragora is still holding that sexy pose. …Why is this one like that?