Primordial Villain with a Slave Harem

Chapter 1255: Flower Queen Vs The Villain’s Heir

The ground above Quinlan’s gardens began to stir.

A cluster of massive petals shifted, scattering frost and soil as the roots below trembled.

The air grew thick with mana that was old, wild, and rich with life.

From the mansion’s courtyard, a towering bloom stood where once there had only been a seedling. Its stem was the width of a man’s torso, and its leaves shone vividly under the pale winter sun. The flower was a magnificent, vibrant pink.

Then, all at once, it began to die.

The petals shriveled, the stem cracked, and the color bled away. The once-lively bloom wilted at an impossible speed, collapsing in on itself as if every ounce of life it had gathered was being devoured from within.

The soil split.

Warm and floral light spilled from the crack.

A figure rose from the earth with her hands breaking through the dirt before the rest of her followed, akin to a zombie awakening from the grave.

She climbed out slowly, and her body was steaming with lingering mana as roots untangled themselves from her limbs.

Her pink hair was streaked with green light that slowly faded as her revival completed. Tattoos of blooming flowers covered her skin, glowing a gorgeous pink before settling back into stillness.

Orianna, the Flower Queen, exhaled.

Alive once more.

She straightened her back, brushing soil from her shoulders and thighs before looking around with the calm of someone who had done this before.

”Just where did they plant me...?” she muttered dryly. ”Oh, right... Our hideout was overcome.”

Then, a voice pierced the air. It was high-pitched, extremely girly, and far too proud for its size.

”You’ve entered the Primordial Villain’s domain, Flower Queen! Pay your respects to the sole heir of these lands or face her wrath!”

The tone was squeaky, but there was a mighty edge in it, a strange, natural weight that made the leaves tremble and the roots stir.

Orianna’s head snapped toward the sound.

On an unnaturally long branch sat a small, green-skinned girl. Her legs kicked playfully, and her chest puffed out with royal pride.

The Flower Queen stared with her breath hitching.

Her eyes widened.

Something inside her, something ancient and deeply tied to nature itself, broke loose at the otherworldly creature’s sight.

”What...” she whispered. ”Just what are you?”

Her composure suddenly worsened even further. Her breathing quickened. Then, in a blink, she moved.

The ground burst as she lunged forward with her arms spread, fully intent on scooping the little creature into a crushing hug.

”What?! So you chose death?! So be it, Rosie will be your executioner!”

At the dryad’s call, vines erupted from the soil around her, thick and fast. They snapped up like snakes, binding Orianna’s wrists, ankles, and waist midair.

Orianna struggled for a few seconds before she realized that, despite the girl’s small size and beyond adorable exterior, she was a worthy foe.

Just with pure strength alone, Orianna did not manage to break free of the hold.

But then she raised her hand, and her voice rang through the garden.

”[Verdant Sovereignty].”

The air pulsed.

Every blade of grass, every root beneath her feet, shuddered at her call. The vines restraining her hesitated, then withered, their vitality siphoned in an instant.

Petals from nearby blooms drifted toward her, swirling around her form like a living storm before bursting outward in a cascade of raw, floral mana.

The green magic ripped through the bindings, scattering them as dust and pollen on the wind.

The little dryad narrowed her eyes, sitting higher on her branch. ”You’re strong! A worthy foe! Let’s see if you have a response to this!”

*Clap!*

She clapped her hands together.

Roots exploded up from beneath Orianna’s feet, blooming into thick blossoms that exploded with poisonous pollen meant to weaken anyone who inhaled it.

The air filled with green light, and in seconds, the Flower Queen was caught again, but this time, the vines pulsed with mana, restraining her like living steel.

Orianna blinked through the petals that covered her face. Then, the overwhelming excitement faded from her expression.

The air around her shimmered faintly with the poisonous pollen. Her muscles tensed, her instincts forged over centuries of warfare screamed to retaliate. But instead of fighting, she lifted her hands just enough to weave a counterspell.

”[Bloom of Purity].”

A faint ring of pink light spread out from her mouth as she exhaled the magic of her spell.

The poison-laced pollen lost its harsh green hue, transforming midair into drifting petals of deep crimson and soft white. The suffocating scent of rot and venom was replaced by the heady fragrance of fresh roses in full bloom.

The effect was immediate. The garden’s oppressive air softened, the vines that bound her still thrummed with mana, but the poison no longer threatened her lungs.

However, Orianna didn’t resist further. Her fingers relaxed at her sides as she tilted her head. A small, sheepish smile formed on her lips.

”... I may have gotten a little carried away. My apologies. I only wanted to hug you.”

The dryad tilted her head, and suspicion shone in her wide, bright eyes.

”Hug? That’s your first instinct?”

Orianna nodded fervently. ”Of course! I have lived for four centuries, spirit of the forest. I have seen every flower, tree, and spirit that nature has ever given rise to... I once even laid my eyes on a Geim before its tragic death. But never something like you! You’re pure life! A walking miracle of nature’s will, and the cutest one at that! How can I possibly restrain myself?!”

The dryad’s stern look instantly faltered. A visible pink color spread across her green cheeks.

She crossed her legs, trying to keep up her royal posture.

”Rosie will allow it!” she finally declared with a voice that was a pitch higher than before.

Her branch bent down until she was level with the Flower Queen, her chin tilted up proudly as if she were granting divine permission. But the little glint of eagerness in her eyes betrayed her act.

”Then I shall,” Orianna jumped at the opportunity. Her voice was trembling with joy.

With Rosie’s magic receding, the pink-haired, tatted baddie stepped closer, wrapped her arms around the small green girl, and pulled her in tight.

”Kya!” Rosie squeaked cutely, then melted into giggles as the pink-haired woman began to very animatedly pat her head.

”Ehehe~!!” Rosie’s tail-like vine swayed behind her as she laughed.

Time passed quietly in Quinlan’s courtyard. The frost that had been disturbed by the earlier scuffle settled once more.

Rosie was now perched on Orianna’s lap with her legs kicking joyously while the Flower Queen hummed as she braided the dryad’s leafy hair with actual flower stems.

”Rosie,” Orianna finally said, glancing up at the white sky. ”That title you mentioned earlier. The Primordial Villain. I’ve heard it before... when the announcement rang across the world. But who exactly is he?”

Rosie’s chest puffed out instantly, her expression proud beyond reason. ”He’s Rosie’s Daddy!”

Orianna blinked, then smiled. ”I... know that, sweet one. But I don’t know who he is. Neither do I know who you are, for that matter.”

The dryad’s leafy hair rustled as she giggled. ”Rosie is the daughter of the criminal Devil! And Vex is his wife!”

At that, Orianna’s eyes gleamed with instant recognition. ”So he’s the Primordial Villain... I see.”

Her tone softened as she asked, ”Did both of my allies survive?”

Rosie nodded with a grin. ”Mhm! Raika was all bloody, but Black Fang carried you two here. They’re both fine now!”

”I see...” Orianna let out a slow breath. ”Can you tell me where she is?”

”She’s away, working together with Daddy to do something very nasty!” Rosie’s voice was filled with childlike pride while her tiny fists were pumped high into the sky in dramatic flair.

Orianna chuckled softly. ”Alright then... Rosie, may I call you that?”

”Yes!”

”Then, Rosie,” she said with a warm smile, ”can I be your friend?”

The question hit the dryad like an arrow. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she froze midair. ”A friend?”

”Yes,” Orianna said with a hopeful voice.

Rosie’s mouth opened, then closed again. ”Rosie has lots of mothers and aunties...” she mumbled, ”but... a friend? That’s new!”

Then, her entire face brightened like the morning sun. ”Okay! Rosie accepts!”

Orianna’s laugh came out shaky, soft. Her vision blurred for just a heartbeat, and she turned her face slightly so Rosie wouldn’t see. For a nature-loving freak like her, this was one of the greatest days of her life.

”Thank you...” she murmured.

Rosie, oblivious to just how much joy her simple acceptance created, snapped her fingers. A massive branch burst from the soil beside them and curved beneath Orianna.

”Hold on tight!” Rosie called.

The branch lurched forward. Orianna wrapped one arm securely around Rosie, the other bracing her side. The dryad laughed, delighted, as the enormous limb carried them across the stronghold like a moving platform. The world blurred around them, and Rosie giggled every time Orianna’s grip tightened during the sharper turns.

They reached the heart of the stronghold. There, standing tall above all else, was a colossal tree that seemed to breathe. Its trunk shimmered with veins of light, and every leaf glowed in the winter air. Despite the cold weather, it seemed to be undisturbed, thriving like never before.

Orianna’s breath caught. ”This... this is...”

”Rosie’s tree!” Rosie said proudly, placing her tiny hand on her chest. ”It helps Rosie grow strong and keeps everyone safe!”

Orianna slid off the branch carefully, her bare feet landing on the glowing roots. ”It’s beautiful...” she whispered. Her hand hovered an inch from the bark, but she dared not touch it.

”You can touch it!” Rosie said, grinning.

”I’m not sure I could handle hurting something so precious,” Orianna murmured, half to herself.

Rosie laughed and fluttered down to her shoulder again, tail vine swaying happily. ”It’s a part of Rosie’s body, and Rosie is a nature-born guardian! If her tree were so fragile, she would be a useless life form!”

Orianna smiled at that, still in awe.

After a good, delightful minute of patting the tree and playing with the dryad, her voice turned more thoughtful. ”Rosie, can you tell me what happened in the world while I was gone? Or should I ask someone else?”

Rosie straightened immediately, puffing up with confidence. ”Rosie is very well informed!”

Orianna chuckled and reached up to gently pat the dryad’s head. ”Let’s hear it then.”

Rosie hopped onto a nearby root, crossed her tiny legs, and began speaking with the dramatic energy of a storyteller. ”Okay, so! It went as such...”

Orianna listened quietly as the dryad’s voice filled the air like birdsong, bright and cheerful despite the grim details.

And while the Flower Queen sat beneath the glowing tree, hearing fragments of the world she had missed, far away, another scene unfolded.

...

Snow crunched under Quinlan’s boots as he walked through the streets of Aldoria, the capital city of Winterwood County, and the location where Quinlan first emerged upon his transmigration.

The city was dressed in its winter finery, sporting white rooftops, flickering lanterns, and thin mist that curled along the cobblestones. People instinctively stepped aside as he passed, with their chatter fading to silence.