GVRS 9

Chapter : 09

“Was that the pet plant Professor Bijul said he was raising so carefully…?”

Flamel muttered quietly. So that’s why there was a sign saying “No entry except authorized personnel” posted out front.

But still—was putting up a sign really enough? What were they thinking bringing such a dangerous monster into a place where students live?

“Tom and his gang are all knocked out… Haa. Why did those idiots have to choose a place like this?!”

“Fortunately, it doesn’t seem hungry right now. If we hide well, we should be fine.”

“But it’s only a matter of time before it gets hungry. Giant Nepenthes normally reproduce around this time of year. To grow its seeds, it can eat as much as 100 kilograms of pork a day!”

Does this girl carry the entire textbook inside her head? How does she even know things like that?

“But there’s no other option, is there? Are you going to fight it and win?”

“B-But even if we hide, it’s not like someone will come rescue us, right? No one knows Liz and I came here. What about Russell and Flamel? Did you tell anyone before coming?”

Eris murmured in a voice trembling with tears.

“My friends are all passed out outside…”

“I don’t have friends.”

At the simultaneous replies from me and Flamel, Eris’s face darkened even more. Being a loner really hurts at times like this.

“Haa… fine. First, that Nepenthes…”

CRACK!

Before Liz could finish speaking, a terrifying crash erupted.

— Shaaa!

One of the creature’s vines had lashed past above Liz’s head. The upper trunk of the tree shattered completely, revealing Liz’s position.

“Liz!”

“D-Don’t come!”

Liz stopped Eris, who was about to rush out.

Then she clenched her trembling hands into fists and faced the Giant Nepenthes.

“I-I’m the only one here with a contract spirit!”

She clasped both hands together and looked up at the sky. Something sparkled among the starlight that seemed ready to pour down.

“Spica!”

RUMBLE!

As she shouted the name, a wall of earth rose up between the Nepenthes and us.

“Spica! Spica!”

As she called the name repeatedly, three layers of earth walls rose.

Just as I thought we could finally relax—

Crack.

Fine cracks spread across the earth wall, and vines crawled through the gaps.

“Liz!”

“Ugh!”

In the blink of an eye, a vine wrapped around Liz’s neck.

The vine split into dozens of branches, quickly coiling around her entire body and lifting her into the air.

— Saaaah!

Then the Nepenthes stuffed Liz straight into its long, gourd-shaped mouth.

Gulp, gulp.

The creature’s body shook unpleasantly.

“No!”

Eris tried to run out immediately, but Flamel grabbed her.

“Let go! Liz—Liz is…!”

“And what exactly could you do if you went?”

At that cold remark, Eris collapsed weakly.

“But…”

“Think calmly. Professor Bijul is famous for personally tending this garden. If we wait until tomorrow morning, he’ll definitely come to rescue her.”

“What if something happens to Liz before then?”

“Nepenthes are demonic beasts that slowly dissolve their prey. She won’t be in danger right away. If she stays trapped all night, one hand might melt though.”

He said such cruel things so casually.

Flamel’s point was that, since Professor Bijul would visit the garden by tomorrow morning at the latest, Liz would at least survive.

“One hand, huh… Compared to a life, that’s cheap, but…”

After taking the classes, I knew alchemists required delicate handwork. Even if it wasn’t the dominant hand, losing one could seriously damage someone’s potential as an alchemist.

Eris must have realized that too—her face turned pale.

“That can’t…”

“Is there another way?”

“……”

A cold silence fell.

“If not, then we should quietly wait for rescue.”

Flamel declared coldly.

After swallowing Liz, the Nepenthes became fairly calm. It swept the surroundings with its vines, but only as if checking whether anyone would try to steal its prey.

If we stayed hidden and quiet like this, we could survive.

“You agree too, right?”

Flamel looked at me.

“I…”

— Hmm? Ah, right. Liz is my favorite character. Why? Well… doesn’t she resemble me a bit? Not in looks! In personality or something like that.

Damn it.

In the original story, Liz had all five fingers intact.

“…I can’t just sit still after all.”

“What?”

“You stay here. Eris, you see that sprinkler up there?”

“Huh? Ah—yes!”

Along the transparent ceiling ran a rail-like line of sprinklers.

“I’ve got a plan.”

As I continued explaining, Eris’s face slowly filled with shock. By the time she heard the whole plan, she was just blinking with her mouth hanging open.

“So? Can you do it?”

“…Yes.”

At my urging, Eris finally nodded.

“I’ll try.”

Her eyes were filled with determination.

* * *

It’s dark.

Liz slowly regained consciousness. Only then did she realize she was trapped in a very narrow, dark, and damp place.

Why am I here…? Ah, right. Someone said they’d duel and stake their withdrawal… and I ended up getting involved… Then the Giant Nepenthes appeared…

When she thought about the creature’s habits, everything made sense.

It dissolves prey slowly over three days to feed its seeds.

She had only read that in textbooks, but now she was experiencing it firsthand.

Aside from the sticky mucus clinging to her, there was no major discomfort.

Something hard touched her arm—probably one of the plant’s seeds.

Should I just wait until the professor comes?

Thinking that made things feel even more hopeless. She would have to endure here alone for hours.

If I call Spica… No. I still can’t summon her without a medium like soil.

She gave up quickly. In fact, she even felt relieved it was her and not Eris who got caught.

Eris is afraid of being alone in the dark. I’m used to it.

Flamel and Russell’s faces crossed her mind too.

Those two really had terrible luck. It hadn’t even been two weeks since they encountered a werewolf, and now this.

But this time… I protected them.

Ever since losing her older sister to a werewolf in childhood, Liz had imagined situations like this countless times.

In her nightmares, she always ran away, leaving her sister behind.

But this time was different.

I… I’ll take her place…

Rumble.

Perhaps the Nepenthes’ mucus was seeping into her skin, because she was growing sleepy.

I shouldn’t lose consciousness…

But the thought felt meaningless.

When I wake up… things will be decided one way or another.

That thought strangely calmed her.

Just as she was about to close her eyes—

Gulp. Gulp.

“Huh?”

Liz felt the body of the Nepenthes around her moving violently.

At first she thought it was aiding digestion, but the shaking was too intense—like the creature was struggling.

Struggling?

Then she noticed something else.

It smelled like something was burning.

Thick smoke began rising from below.

Nepenthes digestion doesn’t smell like this!

While she was still confused—

RIIIP!

“Huh?”

Suddenly light poured in.

A bright glow appeared through a tear in the Nepenthes’ outer skin.

Then a hand suddenly reached through the opening, searching around.

“What is this…?”

As Liz reached toward it in confusion, the hand firmly grabbed her wrist and pulled her up.

“Mmff!”

She squeezed through the narrow gap, and immediately felt intense heat she hadn’t noticed before.

Thick smoke stung her nose, and tears welled in her eyes.

“Ha—finally found you. I almost burned to death.”

“You… Russell? Why are you—”

Before she could even finish asking, she saw the chaos around them.

Professor Bijul’s precious glass garden was engulfed in flames!

— KIEEEEE!

The Giant Nepenthes was burning as well, flames spreading below where Liz and Russell stood.

At this rate the fire would climb up the plant and engulf them.

Seeing Liz staring down in fear, Russell whispered:

“Hold tight.”

“What?”

“Hurry!”

At his urging, Liz grabbed his arm tightly.

Russell practically pulled her into an embrace, then grabbed a vine connected to the ceiling with his other arm and shook it.

Clank!

As the sprinkler attached along the vine rattled—

“Russeeeell!”

Eris shouted from afar, waving her arms overhead.

She held a long branch with fire at the end and held it up under the sprinkler.

Beep!

SHHHHH!

Water suddenly poured down from the sprinkler.

The raging fire weakened slightly.

“Here we go!”

“W-Wait!”

Ignoring Liz’s protest, Russell wrapped the vine around his arm and jumped!

“AAAAH!”

Liz squeezed her eyes shut.

Heat and cold water alternately swept across her back.

It felt like an eternity.

She didn’t even want to imagine what would happen if they fell.

Thud.

“Wow… I seriously thought we were going to die.”

At Russell’s voice, Liz slowly opened her eyes.

Immediately—

“Liz!”

Eris rushed over and hugged her tightly.

“E-Eris…”

“I’m so glad you’re safe…!”

Liz awkwardly patted Eris’s back.

Meanwhile she stared blankly at Russell beside her.

He was soaked from pouring water over himself before jumping into the flames. His wet hair was roughly brushed back.

Russell wiped the water running down his forehead with the back of his hand.

When their eyes met, he grinned.

His green eyes sparkled, reflecting the flames.

“…Weird guy.”

Liz murmured in a suppressed voice.

He really was strange.

Meanwhile, Flamel stood quietly a short distance away, still being drenched by the sprinklers.

Liz had closed her eyes, and Eris was too shocked to notice.

But Flamel had seen it clearly.

The flames fading before they could touch Russell Blair.

The first time could be dismissed as a lucky trick when his life was in danger.

But the second time was different.

What exactly are you, Russell Blair?

Why was someone with such overwhelming power pretending to know nothing?

Flamel’s sharp gaze locked onto Russell.