Frostia

For a while, the humans I had grown somewhat fond of scurried down the mountain like startled rabbits.

“Humans, don’t cross paths with Frostia and live long, healthy lives~~”

Seeing the humans flee in such a hurry, I unconsciously slipped into a broadcasting tone from my past life.

Hmm, why do humans look so insignificant?

Is it because I’ve become a monster, specifically a plant-type monster?

“Well, shall we spend some time alone?”

“Huek!”

Before I knew it, pollen of all colors burst out of me.

Frostia must have missed me too.

I’m so happy!

A pink-haired Isis Fly, its cheeks flushed, quickly flew away with Belez.

Hey! That guy who peeked into my daydream earlier!

The pink butterfly kept looking back as it flew away.

It seemed to be saying, “Have a good time!”

I felt a bit embarrassed, but such trivial feelings were irrelevant now.

“Hehe, time for just the two of us…”

Finally, only Frostia and I were left.

“Finally… finally, I can talk to Frostia!”

My stem-like heart felt like it might burst.

After all this time, I hadn’t been able to have a proper conversation.

Now, I could finally have a real dialogue.

《Frostia! So much has happened in the past month!》

“Really…” Frostia smiled warmly.

“Tell me.”

《First! I cleaned the front yard!》

“The front yard?”

Frostia’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

I grew more excited and carved the words eagerly.

《Yes! The Great Labyrinth is Frostia’s home! So, the mountain range is the front yard!》

After a moment of thought, I added,

《I took care of it! With Belez!》

“Belez…?”

《Ah! They’re my subordinates! Insects!》

One of my roots pointed toward the back.

The butterfly was gone, and even Belez was barely visible in the distance.

They’d left, but how far would they go…?

“Ah… so you call those insects Belez?”

《Yes! Because they eat nectar! They swore loyalty to me!》

《Ah! Now, my will is contained in the nectar!》

“Hm? Will?”

Swoosh

As soon as Frostia saw my writing, slender fingers reached in.

《Halt! Just a moment…!》

Rub, rub

《Hua… Hic…!》

A strange feeling I hadn’t experienced in ages…

Though I hated to admit it, it felt incredibly good.

Gulp

Frostia drank my nectar.

《But… won’t this interfere with the transfer of my will…?》

“Hm… Did my touch please you that much, Rico?”

《Eh.》

《Jajang!》

Before I could write, Frostia’s hand darted toward me again.

No!

Rub, rub, rub, rub

《Ewah!》

…

《Huek… Hic…》

“Hehehe… Rico, do you like it that much?”

《Th-that’s not it…》

“I’ll pet you often~”

《Yes!》

It turns out the life of a pampered pet, whether dog or cat, is quite wonderful.

Now, I look forward to the future as a happy plant companion.

《Hehe. I’m happy.》

Hmm, just a moment…

I think I forgot something important.

Ah! Right!

《Frostia!》

“Yes?”

《I also! Human form! I want to transform!》

“Polymorph? Can you even do that?”

《No! What if I can’t!》

《How… how do you do it…?》

“Do you really want to become human?”

《Yes! Just like you!》

“Hehe… cute one. Dragons can do it from birth, naturally.”

“For other monsters who can polymorph, I think they start around a thousand years old…”

《What the…? A thousand years!?》

“Rico will probably be able to do it in about a thousand years.”

《That’s way too long!》

“Hm? A thousand years is nothing. Just sleep a few times, and it’ll pass.”

《Huh?》

I wonder how old Frostia really is…

Could the great transformation I’ve longed for really require waiting a thousand years?

“Ah, right. I brought you something. I caught a Blaze Gargan for you.”

《Blaze Gargan?》

It was a name I’d never heard before.

Ah, Frostia mentioned it when leaving last time.

Went to get my food, only for me to be cuckolded…

《Hying, sorry…》

Crash!!!

A massive chunk of ice fell from the sky.

Inside it was-

『 ☆☆☆☆☆☆ 【Solteo】 Blaze Gargan LV481 』

《Hyeok! Six stars!? Level 481!?》

A gigantic lion-like beast with fiery red fur was trapped in the ice.

Even frozen, its body radiated intense heat.

《My…》

《Frostia… how could you… alone…?》

I glanced at Frostia sideways.

『 ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ 【Frostia】 Ice Dragon LV□□□ 』

Her level still wasn’t visible.

When even a nearly 500-level monster was visible…

Just how high was hers?

“Hehe… for you, Rico.”

Frostia’s silver dress fluttered in the wind.

Her radiant smile carried the joy of victory.

《Indeed… Frostia is the strongest…》

Being chosen by Frostia was undoubtedly a greater fortune than being born as an emperor’s child in this world.

“Well, go ahead and eat. It’ll taste good.”

Frostia broke the ice and placed the beast’s corpse beside me.

The blood flowing from it slowly dyed the ground red.

Premium blood of the finest quality!

Combined with Blood Delicacy, this would surely taste amazing!

《Thank you…!》

With a joyful heart, I dipped my black root into the blood-

《Kiyayayaayaaaah!!!》

『 「Pain Resistance LV5」 skill level increased.』

『 「Pain Resistance LV6」 skill level increased.』

『 「Pain Resistance LV7」 skill level increased.』

Flames began to engulf my roots, spreading upward like a lit fuse.

《Ahhhh! Ahhhh! Ahhhh! Ahhhh!》

『 「Pain Resistance LV8」 skill level increased.』

『 「Pain Resistance LV9」 skill level increased.』

“Rico!?”

『 「Pain Resistance LV10」 skill level increased.』

『 「Pain Resistance LV10」 

   「Pain Immunity LV1」 skill has evolved. 』

『 「Pain Immunity LV2」 skill level increased. 』

Frostia’s worried voice reached me, but the unbearable agony made it impossible to write.

All I could do was watch as my black root burned like charcoal, slowly being consumed by the flames.

『 「Pain Immunity LV3」 skill level increased. 』

『 「Pain Immunity LV4」 skill level increased. 』

“How…”

A flash of blue light.

Frostia’s ice magic instantly extinguished the flames.

《Hue… Haa…》

『 HP : 1,564/1,564 + (627,913) 』

My auxiliary battery, once over 700,000, dropped to 600,000.

Without it, the damage would have been fatal over 50 times.

Kevin’s flames hadn’t hurt much, but…

Perhaps this beast’s flames were especially potent.

But no fire resistance skill appeared…

Only Pain Resistance rose wildly and evolved…

Is the Inferno Stigma something I can never overcome…?

“Rico… are you okay…?”

《I… I need to explain to Frostia…》

Summoning what little strength I had, I carved the words with trembling roots.

《It’s because of the Inferno Stigma…》

“Inferno… Stigma…?”

《Yes… it’s my trait. I’m weak to fire…》

“A trait?”

Frostia’s gaze was filled with puzzlement.

《So… you don’t know about status windows or levels…?》

“What are you talking about?”

《Huh?》

I was stunned.

Status windows, levels, traits…

The very foundation of this world, and Frostia, who must have lived for thousands of years, didn’t know…?

《Really… only I…》

Lost in this strange reality, I noticed something.

The egg on the flower petal began to tremble.

《Hm?》

It seemed to plead, “Give me that blood.”

《Frostia… that child…》

It was hard to speak.

Frostia had gone to great lengths to bring me the blood of Blaze Gargan, but…

The egg’s blue shell seemed to convey the desperate cry of the small life within.

《Sorry, Frostia…》

“Hoo…”

Frostia gazed at the egg with interest.

Then, with an elegant gesture, lifted it.

《Ah, that egg…》

My heart skipped a beat.

It was the precious egg left by Frost Lunaris.

What if this child burns to death…?

But the egg trembled even more urgently, as if waiting.

《May I give the blood I couldn’t drink… to this child…?》

Frostia’s white fingertips slowly lowered the egg into the pool of Blaze Gargan’s blood.

The sapphire-like blue that shone so clearly began to change in an instant.

Like the dawn sky, it turned red, gradually taking on the color of fiery flames.

Tick-

With a small sound, the egg hatched.

《Wow.》

『 ☆☆ Blaze Lava LV1 』

On the white ground lay a life resembling a living flame.

A tiny, crimson larva, no bigger than a fingernail, glowed like condensed flames.

As its small body squirmed, faint flames flickered within.

《Cute… but why is it only 2 stars…?》

Its mother was a 5-star!

Even after being born from the blood of a high-ranked, 6-star monster!

…Perhaps the father was a 1-star…?

It was adorable, but my expectations had been too high.

I couldn’t hide my disappointment.

“This is…” 

Frostia’s lips curved into a warm smile.

“You’re going to be a mother, and you didn’t know.”

《No, why would I be the mother!?》

The mother is perfectly fine!

And how can a flower and an insect be parent and child?

And I’m only three years old!

“Hm? Won’t you raise it?”

《But… how does that work?》

For a moment,

《So… are you also… my mother…?》

“Hehe… no. That wouldn’t bring us closer.”

《Huek!》

I couldn’t help but scatter iridescent pollen and faint away.