A monster's body grows into the form it desires. Upon realizing this, I began to have hope.
If there are humans or similar intelligent beings in this world, couldn't I live peacefully by blending into their community? If I can grow into the form I wish for, I should eventually be able to transform into that appearance.
'Alright, my goal is to become human! ...But come to think of it, I've only seen this green giant as something humanoid... Surely this can't be what humans look like in this world?'
The green-skinned giant lying by the water's edge has died with the whites of its eyes showing and foam at its mouth. It was because of this giant pulling me out that I experienced such fear.
Observing the giant properly for the first time, I noticed its skin was green with a pitch-black chest area, small horns growing from its forehead, and it wore nothing but a shabby piece of cloth wrapped around its waist. It didn't appear very intelligent.
'It looks more like an oni than a human. A green oni, so... a goblin? But aren't goblins supposed to be small...?'
I thought perhaps goblins were large in this world, but then again, I'm not a human but a mandrake. It wouldn't be strange if goblins were larger than me.
If that's the case, humans might be even bigger. ...I need to properly confirm my human target before I can transform. There's also the question of whether humans even exist here.
"...? ...!"
Hearing what sounded like voices from somewhere, I ran into the bushes to hide. Whether it was the green giant or some other creature, I peered cautiously from within the bushes.
"Really, the magician is too harsh on people...! Sending us out to this monster-infested demon realm...!"
A pair of people approached, using language I could understand. I was relieved that there didn't seem to be a language barrier. Moreover, they looked no different from the humans I knew well, and I was so overjoyed that I almost shouted "YAAAAY!" but hurriedly covered my mouth with my webbed hand. ...Fortunately, I managed to hold back before any sound escaped. I was truly grateful for having webbed hands.
"No one but us could come this far. But the magician's research is for the country, for the people. It's only natural for holy knights to lend a hand, isn't it?"
"You again... You really are the ideal knight through and through."
The two adult men appeared even taller than the green giant. Even if the green giant stood up, it wouldn't reach their waist level. I estimated their approximate size by comparing them to the height of the surrounding trees.
I became somewhat happy as my target form became more concrete. Having a clear goal suddenly boosted my motivation.
'Since I'm female, I should be shorter than those people... Wait, I am a girl, right?'
I don't know a mandrake's gender. Whether they're dioecious with separate male and female plants, or monoecious with both stamens and pistils. Well, either way, as someone with the consciousness of Misaki Hanazono from my previous life, I identify as female. Creating a female body should be fine.
'Since I'm creating a body anyway... I definitely want to have an amazing figure...'
In my previous life I had a tubular body shape, and currently I have a round body that could roll endlessly, but since I seem to be a life form that can transform into any desired shape, if I'm going to aim for something, it might as well be a beautiful woman with a perfect figure. Large breasts, a narrow waist, and prominent hips. That's the body type I want.
'Luckily I've confirmed what humans look like, so let's leave before I'm discovered. I might kill them if I scream.'
I ran away from there at full speed. My plan is to defeat monsters and level up repeatedly, eventually take on a human form, and then live in a human country. Since they called this place a monster-infested demon realm, the human country must surely be a safe place.
I thought I heard a surprising voice from behind me shortly after I started running, but I continued running, thinking it must have been my imagination. I had to get away from them to avoid involving the two men if I were to defeat monsters.
'Alright, let's do this!'
***
"H-hey...! Just now, an incredibly... incredibly nice-bodied mandrake ran by...!"
Leonhart, who had come to the demon realm to collect experimental specimens at the request of court magician Nikolaus, became concerned about his colleague's health when he started saying strange things while pointing at nothing.
"...Ritter, are you alright? I heard the miasma had thinned, but to think it could still cause hallucinations..."
Until just a few years ago, this place was so filled with miasma—harmfully concentrated magical energy—that most living beings couldn't approach it. Due to the miasma released from the corpse of a dragon that died five hundred years ago, humans, animals, and even monsters couldn't inhabit the area, and only recently had it begun to thin out.
As a result, it has now become fertile land abundant with magical power. New plants sprouted, and instead of animals, monsters began appearing one after another. Numerous weak monsters are born, devour each other to grow, and eventually powerful species emerge. Currently, this demon realm is in the midst of establishing a new ecosystem.
"No, I definitely saw it!"
"No matter how you look at it, mandrakes don't run."
"B-but... didn't the magician say that intelligent monsters can choose their evolutionary direction... so it wouldn't be strange if there were running mandrakes...!"
"You're probably seeing hallucinations because you heard such talk. Let's complete the request and return as quickly as possible."
Even if there was a possibility for running mandrakes to be born, this demon realm is too new for such an unusual monster to emerge. Mutant individuals are born over decades or centuries.
However, on their way to the designated location, the two witnessed a strange sight.
"That's odd. ...There are lots of dead goblins."
"Indeed. And this is... a curse, right? Although goblins have low resistance to curses, this number is... abnormal."
Looking at the black stains spreading on the goblins' chests, they could determine that these were deaths by curse. Such goblin corpses were scattered all around. Having already found more than thirty similar corpses, Leonhart frowned at the unusualness of it.
For every goblin you see, assume there are fifty. That's how prolifically goblins reproduce. If they were seeing this many corpses just by walking straight toward their destination without making any detours, there could possibly be hundreds dead.
"I have a constitution that's immune to curses, but... Ritter, you should be careful. This could be life-threatening if you're not careful. We should prepare holy water and make sure that undead monsters can't approach."
"...Hey, what if there really is a running mandrake? Look, if it ran around screaming, goblins with no curse resistance would end up like this..."
"That's unrealistic. It's more reasonable to think that an undead monster specializing in curses has been born."
Maintaining their vigilance, they finally reached the location specified by Nikolaus. The place where the dragon's corpse was supposed to be. After five hundred years, naturally the body was no longer there, but what appeared to be bones could be seen peeking through the wind-swayed grass.
Collecting the mandrake raised on the nutrients from the dragon's corpse—that was Nikolaus's request.
"If he planted it here himself, you'd think he could come collect it himself."
"The magician must be busy. Perhaps he couldn't get away."
"You really should doubt people a bit more, seriously..."
The two split up to search for the mandrake that Nikolaus had planted. However, they couldn't find it. All they found was the corpse of a goblin that had died from a curse and a gaping hole next to it.
"...Hey, Leonhart. This is..."
"Ritter, I understand what you want to say. ...For now, we should report to the magician."
Had someone taken the mandrake away, or had the mandrake itself moved? Common sense would suggest the former, but due to Ritter's insistent claim about seeing a running mandrake, Leonhart was beginning to think the latter might also be possible.
'Even if there is a mandrake that can move around, it wouldn't be a problem as long as it stays in the demon realm. ...But if it appears in places where people live, it could become a disaster.'
If they spotted it, they should eliminate it—before it brings harm to people.