Plugged In: I got Isekai'd into a Sexbot (Now I Must Save The World)
Chapter 45: Of Forest Tongues and Furious Queens

Chapter 45: Of Forest Tongues and Furious Queens

The cheer of the villagers echoes behind them as Vuvi, Pip, Penelo, and Veena trudges down the dirt road and out into the sun-drenched fields of the western countryside.

"Bless you, golden one!" an elderly woman cries, waving a carrot like a flag.

"May your pleasure cure the curse!" another yells.

"Save our daughters!" shouts a hoarse old man before adding under his breath, "and if you have some time, lad. Please save our loins, too..."

Pip offers a sheepish beep and waves. Vuvi groans.

"I got into alchemy," she mutters, "to avoid fights. And forests. And missing daughters."

Veena strides behind her, unbothered, her cloak fluttering in the morning breeze. "You also got into it to prove to the Mystberns that you’re the best."

"That’s different. That was personal."

Penelo skips ahead, bouncing like a bunny in spring. Birds flutter overhead, chirping, and little forest animals begin to appear from behind bushes to follow her. A pair of butterflies dance through her hair.

"I love it here!" she chirps. "The forest feels... happy!"

Pip walks at her side, intrigued. His optical sensors whirr softly as he watches a small bluebird flutter down and perch delicately on his shoulder. It chirps a high, musical trill, almost as if singing directly to him, then flutters off again.

Penelo claps her paws. "Pip, you’re amazing! Even animals are drawn to you!"

Pip gives a bashful whistle-chirp-beep, his chestplate pulsing with golden light.

Veena scoffs behind them, smacking a small fungiroon that tries to sniff her cloak. "This is ridiculous. You’d think we were in a fairytale."

She leans over to wipe bird droppings off Pip’s shoulder with a grimace. "Ugh. He’s like a walking lighthouse for fluff and feathers."

Penelo giggles. "Oh, come on. You’re just mad they don’t land on you."

"I’m glad they don’t."

They walk for hours. The path winds through flower-filled meadows and deeper into a wide forest shaded by ancient trees, their leaves glinting with amber and gold.

Vuvi grumbles the whole way.

"I have leaves in my boots. Bugs in my bag. I smell like pine and regrets." She scowls as she kicks a rock. "When did my life become this?"

"You invented a golden pleasure machine that turned a dragon baroness into sexy soup," Veena deadpans. "This was inevitable."

"Ugh."

Then Veena raises an eyebrow. "Hey, Penelo. Why don’t you show her your other skill?"

Penelo perks up like an excited puppy. "Oh! Okay!"

She steps onto a tree stump, clears her throat, and suddenly her entire posture shifts.

Her ears twitch. Her lips part.

And then she begins to speak in a rich, flowing tongue, melodic and green as spring itself. The trees rustle. The leaves bend toward her. A nearby squirrel stands upright in awe.

Vuvi gasps. "Is that... is that the Green Tongue?!"

Penelo grins with pride. "Uh-huh! Learned it from the talking vines behind an old bakery I used to sleep under."

Vuvi stares at her in dumbfounded silence... then turns and slaps both Penelo and Veena lightly upside the head.

"OW!" Penelo squeaks.

"Ow... okay, I probably deserved that," Veena admits.

"You mean to tell me we’ve been trudging blindly through goblin-infested forest for hours when we could’ve just asked the trees for help?!"

Penelo blinks. "I didn’t think it’d be useful until now!"

Veena sighs. "Yeah, alright. That one’s on me. I forgot she even knew it."

Pip whistles a sarcastic tune.

Penelo giggles and pats his head. "Even Pip knows we’re dumb."

------------------

Meanwhile... in the Demon Lands.

The air around The Black Citadel is dark and thick with ambient magic, the kind that hummed like static in the bones.

Inside the throne room, carved from polished stone veined with crimson light, the Demon Queen lounges on her throne, shaped like a blooming flower, spined and cruel, yet delicate. Her long white hair spills down the sides, her chin resting on a bored fist.

Eris, her ever-faithful general, stands nearby, reading from a scroll.

"There’s been unrest in the Burning Spires again. The lava cult has started sacrificing goats instead of prisoners. A protest has begun."

Vexena yawns. "They always were soft."

"Also, someone reported a winged mole near the Cursed Orchards."

"Fascinating," the queen mumbles, eyes half-lidded.

"Your sarcasm wounds me."

Then...

"Moooom!" came a small voice from beyond the doors.

Virelle bursts into the throne room, holding a limp doll in both hands.

Vexena sits up slightly. "What is it now, my starseed?"

"She’s broken again!"

Vexena blinks. "She...?"

"My dolly!" Virelle holds up the ragged Maribelle doll. "She moved before. She tried to open the door. Now she won’t even blink!"

The queen tilts her head. "She... blinked?"

"Yup!"

Eris raises an eyebrow. "It’s probably one of your enchantments reacting with the moon cycles—"

"No no no!" Virelle insists. "She’s alive! You sealed her in there, remember?! Maybe she’s faking!"

Vexena sighs. "Darling. I used some of my strongest soul-binding magic. The only way she’s moving is if she somehow retained more willpower than I thought... which is impossible."

Virelle pouts. "Please check! Just once!"

The queen sighs dramatically, then takes the doll. "Fine."

With an elegant toss, she flips the doll into the air and snaps her fingers.

In a burst of crimson light, Maribelle reappears in her human form, naked and gasping for breath, before collapsing on the cold stone floor.

Virelle squeals with joy.

"See! She was faking! I knew it!"

Maribelle blinks hard, trying to gather her strength. But before she could do anything, Virelle drops to her knees and clutches her face in both hands. "Tell her! Tell her you moved!"

Vexena leans forward on her throne, expression unreadable.

Maribelle grits her teeth. "I have nothing to say to you."

The queen scoffs. "So dramatic. A shame. I like you better as a doll."

Suddenly, Maribelle vanishes.

She reappears just before the queen with one hand crackling with lightning, aimed at her throat.

But...

Eris moves faster than thought.

Her scythe materializes between them, the blade kissing Maribelle’s neck with a whisper.

Maribelle freezes.

Then her arms fall to her sides, her whole body sagging.

"Do it," she hisses. "Turn me back. Kill me. I don’t care."

Vexena rises from her throne, her crimson magic swirling in one hand. "Gladly."

"But!" Maribelle shouts.

The queen paused.

"I’m a mother, too," Maribelle says quietly. "You think I can just... lie down and wait? My daughter’s out there, probably grieving, thinking I’m dead or worse. If you have any heart left in your ancient, broken soul... you’ll let me see her again."

Vexena’s magic flickers.

Eris raises a brow. "You’re going soft, my Queen."

"Shut up."

Maribelle takes a trembling breath. "I’ve met Veena. She’s strong. Proud. She’s... a good woman. You should be proud."

Vexena’s crimson eyes widens.

Then fills with tears.

The spell in her palm slowly evaporates.

In a puff of crimson mist, she appears beside Maribelle, kneeling, tears streaking her cheeks.

"Tell me about her," she whispers. "Please."