Chapter 8
Chapter 8
(Why!? It was a dog, right!?)
The ball of fluff I picked up yesterday was definitely a dog. But now, curled up and sleeping against me, is unmistakably a naked child.
Startled, I let out a scream, but the lid I crafted absorbs the vibration and muffles the sound. I can feel the tissue around my face pulling tight into a fixed smile.
「…Ah…」
The child opened his eyes with a blink. Our eyes met squarely, so I couldn’t just run away now. Under his messy brown hair, bright sky-blue eyes stare steadily up at me. On his head are the same animal ears I saw yesterday, and a tail sprouts from above his butt. …Probably. Surely. This boy must be the dog I picked up yesterday. I have no idea how a dog turned into a human, though.
「Um… th-thank you… very much…」
I can’t speak without risking his life, so I simply stare back, unsure of what to do. The dog-boy gives me a confused look at my lack of response.
(I’m not ignoring you… If I talk, I might kill you… What now…)
As I silently gaze down at him, the boy shyly curls into a ball, hugging his knees. …Oh right. Humans get embarrassed when they’re naked. And he must be cold too.
In that case, I should make him some clothes. Time to show I’m a kind person. I wove a simple outfit from vines grown at my fingertips and tore it off to hand it to him. Since his sense of pain is blocked, it doesn’t hurt. The boy looked up at me, wide-eyed in surprise.
(Oh no! Humans don’t make clothes like this…!)
Living as a human is a distant memory now, so I instinctively did something way too easy. Can I bluff my way out? If not, well, I’d rather not go down that mental path.
「That was… plant manipulation magic, wasn’t it…? Are you… witch-sama…?」
Witch-sama. That word told me there were humans who could do what I just did. If that’s the case, I should roll with it.
(…Ah, yes. That’s right. I’m a Witch-sama. Totally a Witch-sama!)
I nod solemnly. The kid seems to have accepted this explanation. Phew, safe.
But even though he looks delighted with the clothes I gave him, he doesn’t try to put them on. Is he hesitant because they were made with strange magic?
「…If I wear them, I’ll get them dirty… Even though you made them for me, Witch-sama…」
His ears and tail droop, giving off the air of a forlorn puppy. I could almost hear a pitiful whine: 「Whiiimper…」
He is indeed filthy. For hygiene reasons alone, I should wash him.
(Cleaning up is always a good idea. It’s not that cold right now, so a quick bath should be doable.)
I beckoned the boy to follow and led him to the riverbank. Growing a loofah-like plant from my fingers, I tore it off and handed it to him. Seems he understood I meant for him to wash with it. He took it and stepped into the river.
To help warm him up, I began preparing a fire nearby. Since I’m 「a Witch-sama」, it’s apparently not strange for me to conjure plants at will, so I used fire-starting herbs and grew resin-rich wood to light up.
(This Witch-sama cover story is super convenient! Even if I act a little non-human, it’s fine as long as I’m a Witch-sama. I might’ve really lucked out, picking up this dog-like kid before heading into a human village.)
Thanks to this child, I learned how I come across to humans. Turns out I don’t have to force myself to act human; I can use some of my abilities openly. I’m grateful for that.
While the child bathed, I wove fabric and then, once he emerged shivering, sat him by the fire and dried him with the cloth. He stayed very still the entire time.
Once dry and clean, he finally slipped into the clothes. His fluffy tail wagged, looking quite pleased.
「Witch-sama… My name is Noel. What’s… your name?」
He’s asking for my name. That’s when I realized—I don’t have one. My status just says 【Mandragora (Unique)】. …It used to say 【Mutant】 but now that I’m level 99, it’s 【Unique】 I’m not entirely sure what the difference is.
Besides, hearing Noel’s name, I get the feeling something Japanese-sounding would stand out here. My real name, Misaki Hanazono, probably wouldn’t go over well.
(Not that I can talk anyway… I wonder if they can read Japanese, though.)
As I ponder with a finger on my chin, Noel hurriedly waves his hands in apology.
「Oh, sorry! I forgot—Witches only share their names with those they truly trust! I won’t ask again!」
(Oh, is that how it works?)
「Thank you for saving me. And, um… I… don’t have a home anymore… or family…」
Clutching the hem of his clothes, Noel begins to cry. I still don’t know if he’s a dog or a human, but he’s definitely a child.
Seeing a child cry hurts. …When I was a kid, I’d get scolded and told to stop crying if I ever did.
(I don’t know what happened, but it seems like he really has nowhere to go… Once he calms down, I should take him to that village. Having a human kid with me will make me seem more human too, and maybe Noel can explain things nicely… Hopefully I won’t get accused of kidnapping…)
That thought scares me a bit, so to make absolutely sure he doesn’t say 「She kidnapped me!」, I decide to be even gentler. I quietly embrace him.
I made sure not to let Noel’s ears or anything else touch my face. I held his head under my chest, just to be safe.
(I need to check later what happens if a living creature touches my face…)
I held Noel in my arms until he stopped crying. The tears soaking into my clothes tasted oddly good, reminding me I was a bit hungry. I also remembered that I’d once considered absorbing this kid, thinking he was a dog, and internally let out a short, horrified scream. …That was close. I nearly became a murderous mandragora.
RELEASE RATE
Reincarnated as a Mandragora, Worshipped as the Flower Witch. …If They Find Out I’m a Monster, Will They Hunt Me Down?
Speed up schedule by 10 hours
Current schedule: Every 80 hours
Thanks for the chapter!