"Amelia-san... are you sure about this?"
I stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror, feeling incredibly conflicted. I wasn't in my usual state of total nakedness; instead, I was draped in the mountain of accessories Alan had brought as "gifts for the kids."
To be clear, I was only wearing accessories. I don't really want to put this into words, but isn't wearing jewelry over nothing but skin... like, completely NSFW? Isn't this going to hit an age rating? I'm seriously starting to regret asking for this.
Wait, what? You're saying my hair looks extra "cuticle-shiny" because you groomed it? And my body and wing feathers are gorgeous because you used a specialized beast-kin brush? Okay, that part is fine. I can live with that.
But look at this! I've got a tiara-like thing made of string and gems on my head. I'm wearing multiple necklaces that clearly cost a fortune. I've even got gold rings around my ankles... This looks like some kind of specific "play" I saw in dancer outfits in my previous life!
I mean, I look beautiful enough to make me think, 'Wait, is that really me?' but... is this truly okay?!
"I don't see the problem," Amelia mused. "For beast-kin covered in fur or feathers, this is perfectly normal attire. I mean, you aren't wearing clothes, but..."
"I've heard that before, sure! But there's a vibe here! It's nakedness plus accessories!"
"You're meeting the Chancellor, right? Weren't you the one who said you wanted to look the part of a Chief?"
Well... yes, I did.
The person I'm meeting is the No. 2 of this country, a massively important individual. Based on what Matilde told me, this isn't just a "thank you" for wiping out the Nagan army. He's definitely going to bring up how the kingdom should handle us "Ostriches" going forward. That means I have to respond as the leader of this flock. I needed to look the part, so I asked Amelia—who has lived a long Elf life and traveled the world—to help, but...
"If an Elf or a Human did this, the guards would arrest them for public indecency, but for a beast-kin, it's standard. Dere, don't you agree?"
"???"
"...Doesn't your leader look beautiful?"
"? Don't know!"
Dere chirped back energetically. She's taken a liking to Amelia's scent and has been sticking to her like glue. I knew she was a clingy one, but she's really bonded with Amelia. Even if the others can't remember a single face, seeing my kids interact with humans and make friends makes me happy.
Also, Dere? That was a moment where you're supposed to say, 'You're pretty!' even if you don't get it. Though I guess flattery is a concept far beyond your bird brain.
"You actually look lovely, so relax," Amelia said. "Can't you trust your Master's opinion? ...Even if I'm a Master who hasn't managed to teach you mana manipulation yet."
"Urgh! M-my deepest apologies for my lack of talent..."
"It's fine. If a student can't do it, it's usually the teacher's fault. Anyway, don't worry about it. Just enjoy your chat with the Chancellor."
Enjoy? The man is the No. 2 of the nation. He's the Chancellor. In modern terms, he's a Prime Minister or a Cabinet Member. There is no "enjoying" this... But fine, I'm the leader, so I'll give it my all. Amelia, you're staying with me, right?
"Of course. I'm basically retired from adventuring anyway, and Dere wants to stay here. ...Oh, and during the talk, treat me like a lowly servant, okay? And keep your tone haughty. The strong must act like the strong. Just use that 'Dread' aura you showed me back on the Plateau. If the country thinks they can look down on you, it'll be a pain later. You have to strike hard with your first impression. It's vital."
"...Are you really sure about this?"
"Yes. With you all dressed up like this, it's guaranteed to go well."
I wasn't asking about the clothes, but... I guess acting the part is important. Let's try "Chief Mode." I don't like doing it because it makes the kids agitated and aggressive, but I have no choice. I'll just have to make sure they don't actually attack anyone.
Outside the Town
"It has been a long time, Chancellor."
"My, my, thank you for coming to meet me personally. Are you well, Lady Matilde?"
Matilde, the guardian of the town, welcomed the Chancellor upon his arrival in Plaque. While her direct superior was the Queen herself, a man of the Chancellor's rank required high-level hospitality from a mere "Knight" like Matilde. Yet, Matilde was the only one there to greet him. The fact that no one complained showed how sensitive this mission was.
"...Is the town faring well?" the Chancellor asked, choosing his words carefully.
In his head, he still saw images of muscular, half-naked freaks prowling the streets. Given Matilde's letters, it was a logical conclusion. Since they supposedly "eat people" in the literal sense, the citizens must be living in terror.
He spoke with genuine concern. Because Matilde was common-born, she didn't view citizens as mere "numbers" like other nobles did. He knew that while she could be cold as a ruler, her heart likely bled for her people.
"Yes. Well, our food and funds are hitting rock bottom... but the people's lives are continuing as usual."
"As usual...?"
"Oh, actually, lately you can often see the town's children playing with them."
"PLAYING?!?!"
An image formed in the Chancellor's mind: hulking, monstrous men playing in a sandbox with toddlers. It was surreal. ...No, that's not the point! They eat people, right?! Children are the last people who should be near them! Adults are supposed to stop that!
The Chancellor shouted in disbelief, his voice tinged with self-reproach. Finally, Matilde realized the Chancellor's imagination had gone off the rails. To be fair, her letters did make it sound like dangerous monsters were roaming the streets. And they were dangerous, but...
"Ah... well, please rest easy. I think it's better if you just see for yourself. They live mostly outside of town, on the far side. Let us go. ...Oh, and tell your guards to disarm and wait here. At worst, they will be annihilated."
She casually told the Chancellor's guards to throw away their weapons. Humans reflexively reach for their blades when they feel threatened, especially trained soldiers. But to the "Ostriches," that was an act of war. Currently, "She" was keeping them under control, but if a spear or sword accidentally nicked one of them... the Chancellor would never see the capital again.
"...Understood. Everyone, put your weapons in the wagon. It is best if I go alone so as not to provoke them. ...Also, I have left a set of instructions in my carriage should I fail to return. Act upon them. ...Now, shall we?"
The Chancellor gave his orders, straightened his clothes, and steeled his resolve. Once he was ready, he signaled Matilde. They began their walk.
"Lady Matilde, I read your reports... but I wish to hear from your own lips about the Ostrich Leader, 'Reis.' No detail is too small."
They walked slowly along the outer wall of the town. The Chancellor was thinking not just of the country's future, but the Queen's. He was, in essence, coming here to lay a trap. He needed to know exactly what might make the leader snap.
"Well... compared to the other 'Ostriches,' she is highly intelligent. You can reason with her. Her personality is relatively mild, and she seeks coexistence. However, I feel there is a very sharp line between her 'flock' and 'others.' As an individual, she is a wonderful friend... but as a Chief, you must be extremely careful how you speak of her kin."
"...I see."
"Also, while she enjoys a good joke, I would advise against flattery. I myself am still learning where the boundaries are. When we drink together as friends, she laughs off slips of the tongue... but as Chancellor, your words will be taken as the words of the State."
The Chancellor processed this. He had served as a diplomat under the late King and had met many foreign monarchs. Based on her words, his original plan—to shower her with praise and make her feel important—was the first thing he scrapped. It was better to be sincere than to step on a landmine with fake compliments. His experience told him she was the type to prefer honest talk.
He was about to ask his next question when—
"""WAAAAAAH!!!"""
The sound of what seemed like dozens of children's voices broke his concentration. He looked toward the sound and saw bird-like beast-kin. A group of what looked like children were running in circles.
"Wait-wait!"
"Wait!"
"Waaaah!"
"Tired!"
"...Heh, how heartwarming," the Chancellor noted.
"Ah... yes."
"They don't look like any race I've seen in Heed. Did they arrive in Plaque recently?"
He watched the beast-kin children running outside the walls, napping in large groups in the sun, or digging holes so deep they disappeared into them. He assumed this was what Matilde meant by "playing with the children."
As the man responsible for national policy, he felt he had to ask about this new race. Heed was a multi-ethnic state; they couldn't afford to show favoritism or neglect any one group. Balance was the key to their peace. If there was a new race without protection, he needed to provide it before other groups grew suspicious.
"Chancellor, please don't be shocked. ...Those are the 'Ostriches'."
"...Those are?"
"Yes. Ostriches."
"Waaaah!"
"Resting!"
"Warm."
"Where is this?!"
"Help!"
They ran around, then suddenly sat down to rest. They napped in the sun. One suddenly forgot where he was. A kid digging a hole realized he was buried and called for help, only for the kid who came to help to fall into the hole as well, panic, then suddenly fall asleep...
The image of muscular freaks in the Chancellor's head was instantly vaporized and replaced by this. For a moment, his face softened at the innocent, toddler-like scene... but then, he realized something. Innocence can be terrifying. Innocence can be cruel.
"...What is their sense of camaraderie like?"
"Only for their own kind."
Think back to when you were a child. From an adult's perspective, children often do incredibly cruel things simply because they find it "interesting." They can do anything because they know nothing. And these creatures only cared for their own kind. That meant they lacked the "brakes" of pity or mercy for humans.
"And their Chief? Does she share this mindset toward us?"
"She does, which is why she seeks coexistence. She is open to negotiating with our kingdom."
"...Thank you."
If they were all purely "innocent," they might not have stopped until this country and every neighbor was destroyed. Other nations' Strategic Assets would eventually stop them, but this country had none. The Queen's wish might be granted in that chaos, but the Chancellor's wish—for the country to survive—would not. ...But their leader was different.
Everything rested on this negotiation. If he could bring the leader to their side, the plan would work, and the country would have a future. If he failed, it was the end.
"...Come, let us go."
The Tent
"Reis-dono! I have brought the Chancellor!"
Matilde's voice echoed into the tent. Amelia, her elven ears and face hidden deep within a hood, glanced at me. With her long life of meeting VIPs, she had coached me on how to handle this.
I gave her a small nod and focused.
My "Chief Mode" was essentially the unconscious release of mana. Usually, I keep it bottled up, but when I get serious, I blow the lid off and let it hit the surroundings as pure pressure. Now that I can perceive mana, I finally understand how it works.
(I still can't move it or use it for spells... but just letting it leak is easy.)
I let go of the restraints. I felt Dere, who was inside the tent, instantly sharpen her focus. Outside, I sensed the entire flock slowly turning toward the tent. I signaled Dere with my head to stay seated and straightened my posture. In this world where power moves everything, I had to act the part.
I didn't want my kids or my kind to be looked down upon because of me. As the representative of the Ostrich race, I would face him.
"Reis-sama."
Amelia brought the visitor in. Using the fact that he couldn't see her face, she was making a ridiculous face at me. Why are you calling me "-sama" and using that mysterious tone, Master...? Fine, I'll play along.
I gave a slight nod and watched her sit down near Dere.
(Now then, the Chancellor...)
I looked at the man who entered. He was an old man, looking quite pale—likely suppressed by my aura. I don't enjoy bullying the elderly, but this is the quickest way to establish the hierarchy. I'll dial it back once we're done, so forgive me! ♡
The tent was mostly empty. Since a VIP was coming, we had shoved everything into other tents to create a makeshift "Audience Chamber." There was a rug on the ground, and the spot where I sat was slightly elevated. With me sitting cross-legged, leaning on my hand, and staring down the Chancellor with Dere and Amelia by my side, the scene was complete.
...So, what was I supposed to say again? Anyway, Chancellor, got anything for me? Or am I supposed to start? Man, I don't have the vocabulary for this...! Come on, brain! Work! Move!
"Should I say 'Welcome'? Well, have a seat."
I gestured for him to sit since standing is awkward. Okay, what now? First, he should thank me for the invasion... I accept that... then he asks, "Do you love Heed? Will you stay?" and I ask, "How much can you pay?!" ...Okay, Reis-chan, you got this!
I'll show you the power of the smartest ostrich in history!
"So, what business brings you here?"
〇 Ostrich Playtime
Back on the Plateau, it was too dangerous to play, but in civilization, they play freely. Their main games are "Running," "Napping," and "Digging." None of them understand what they are doing or why. They just do it because they feel like they were doing it a second ago.
Running: They just run. They don't know why. They like chasing things, so they chase each other. They instinctively hold back to avoid injury, and because the one being chased often tries to follow the one chasing them, they end up running in circles indefinitely. More ostriches tend to join in over time.
"Wait!" "Wait-wait!" "Butt!"
Napping: Sleeping in the warm sun. Those who were awake at night or are just tired flop down. It's fun to sleep together. Since nothing attacks them here, they sleep deeply. Sometimes they move their legs while dreaming of running.
"Sleepy." "Zzz." "Food..."
Digging: Digging holes for no reason. They can create a trench in seconds. They could easily climb out, but they often forget how they got there, assume they fell in, and call for help. A friend usually comes to help, then falls in too. Reis and Matilde think this might be useful for farming and are trying to teach them to "fill the holes back in." They never remember.
"Dig-dig!" "Where am I?" "Help!"