"We haven't even reached Plaque yet, and already my stomach..."
Inside a carriage surrounded by many guards, the Chancellor of the Heed Kingdom sat alone, muttering complaints. His hair was stark white, and he was old enough to have adult grandchildren. Ordinarily, he should have been retired, but he remained in his post out of loyalty to the crown. Today, however, he felt a desperate urge to run away.
After all, he was on his way to meet a "Special Strategic Asset"—the Ostriches.
(A Special Strategic Asset... an existence capable of destroying a nation single-handedly.)
The entity he was going to meet was not a single person, but a flock judged to be equivalent to a Strategic Asset.
While not all powerful beings shared the same temperament, most who attained that title were arrogant. Confident in their strength, they could seize a kingdom for themselves or level it to the ground if they so desired.
Thus, interacting with them required the utmost caution. If one were to offend them, it wouldn't end with just the negotiator being killed; at minimum, the city would be blown away, and the country might vanish. They wouldn't bring about the collapse of civilization—as higher-tier Assets or groups of Assets would intervene if they went too far—but that level of destruction was common. In human history, stories of nations disappearing overnight because they acted foolishly toward a Strategic Asset were as common as dirt.
Handled well, they were guardians of humanity and a nation's ultimate weapon. Handled poorly, they were the source of ruin—kings over a pile of rubble. That was a Special Strategic Asset.
"Therefore, Chancellor, I entrust the negotiations to you."
"...As you wish."
"Accept all their terms and offer more than they ask. Bring them into our service at any cost."
The Chancellor recalled his conversation at the Royal Capital.
Heed couldn't just send a common diplomat to face such a monster. Even if Heed had zero experience dealing with Strategic Assets, he knew that one wrong word could mean the end.
Furthermore, there was the Nagan Kingdom, which had recently become an ally. Between the "Strategist's" panicked expression during the alliance talks, the young Queen's deductions, and the report that the Nagan invasion force at Plaque had been literally annihilated... it was crystal clear that Nagan was intensely interested in this new Strategic Asset.
(Nagan, with that Strategist at the helm, has likely already moved ahead of us. ...According to Lady Matilde's report, they are 'freelancers.' We must act before they are recruited away.)
Thus, the Chancellor—the King's most trusted advisor with the power to make executive decisions—was dispatched. Originally, the Queen intended to go herself, but she was the last of the royal bloodline. If she were lost, Heed would fall. The vassals had fiercely opposed her departure, and so the lot fell to the Chancellor.
And for his own goals, it was better if he met them first.
"Your Majesty..."
Though she was a Queen consumed by the flames of revenge, she was still the monarch he served. And as long as Heed lacked a Strategic Asset of its own, its future as prey for other nations was certain. He had no complaints about his mission; he was filled with the desire to do something for his country.
He was filled with it, but...
"Will this truly be alright?"
The closer he got to Plaque, the more letters he received from Matilde. Though a commoner, she had been knighted by the late King for her excellence. She was likely sending every scrap of info she could find to help the kingdom. Utilizing his status, the Chancellor had read every single letter... and the more he read, the more anxious he became.
It said: A flock of 300 composed of a single race.
It said: They came from the South, thus they are from the Dark Zone.
It said: Our common sense does not apply to them.
It said: The leader of the flock is a woman possessing mana like a Demon King.
It said: Even a regular member of the flock is equal to or greater than 100 soldiers.
It said: They view humans as being on the same level as food.
It said: Someone was recently... nibbled on.
These letters were sealed by Matilde and carried by royal messengers. Only the Queen or the authorized Chancellor could open them. Therefore, every word was the truth witnessed by a top-tier knight—a warning to the crown. And at the end of every letter, it was emphasized: "Do not under any circumstances become their enemy," and "Do not harm them."
(Very... dangerous.)
The Chancellor's mind conjured an image of burly, muscular men prowling the streets of Plaque—monstrous giants snatching up innocent civilians and tossing them into their mouths. And a demonic woman who commanded them all. This was the scene he constructed based on Matilde's reports.
(I'm scared...)
In reality, they were mostly just cute ostriches with big round eyes running around yelling "Food! Food!" or sunbathing. ...Wait, do they eat people? A wild ostrich without a leader's control would likely eat one without hesitation. In fact, one did get a bit nibbled recently...
"No! I must not lose heart...! I must make this a success!"
Steeling himself once more, he thought of the Queen he served.
Though young, she was capable of ruling. However, while clever, she was not a "genius." She was a human who had discarded everything else to gain those skills. To kill the one who took her family, she had abandoned her humanity to master the arts of a monarch.
And the young Queen had only one goal: The completion of her revenge.
She lacked the will to "continue for the next generation," a trait essential for a ruler. She only maintained the status quo for the sake of her vengeance. She planned to use the Strategic Asset to kill her enemy. Once the Asset realized they were being used, they would fly into a rage and destroy her and the country.
She was fine with that. As long as her revenge was fulfilled, she didn't care what happened to the country or its people. To a child, family is the whole world. Since her world was already broken, death after revenge was almost a mercy.
(....)
The Chancellor understood this. He knew her goals, and he knew he couldn't stop her. He had been "Gramps" to her since her birth and had supported her as Chancellor. Her hatred was bottomless, and he hated himself for not being able to lighten her burden.
So, he would act.
His mission was to negotiate with the "Ostriches" and bring them to the capital. Then, the moment they arrived, he would declare war on the nation ruled by "Him"—the target of the Queen's revenge—dragging the Ostriches into the conflict.
In the Queen's plan, she would use the Ostriches and the Nagan Strategist to get her revenge, and then be killed by the Ostriches once they realized they were used.
(I will change that.)
He would redirect their anger away from the Queen and toward himself. Given the Queen's appearance, no one would doubt that he was the one pulling the strings from the shadows. If the Strategic Asset went on a rampage, the country would take heavy damage. But if the enemy Asset was defeated and the Queen survived, Heed could still endure in this warring world.
He didn't know what the Queen would feel after her revenge, but as long as she lived, there was hope for change. He wanted her to live rather than vanish into the void of death. That was his motivation for this negotiation.
As a final service to the lineage of the late King.
"I truly must keep my wits about me."
"Wait, the Chancellor is coming?!"
"Yes. He said he wants to personally thank you, Reis-dono."
"Huh~."
After a routine monster hunt, I was watching my kids play when Matilde approached me. She had run off to the town earlier after receiving a message. So, the Chancellor is coming... hey, just checking, but a Chancellor is like, a super high-ranking person, right?
"Indeed. He is the No. 2 of this country."
"Oh, right."
I did get a thank-you from Matilde for stopping the invasion, and I knew she'd reported it upward. I expected some reward from the government. But for someone that high up to fly over here personally... y'know? I've been a primitive for ten years, and I wasn't anyone special in my previous life. I've never talked to a VIP before. ...Should I "dress up" or something?
"Hmm, I wonder. He isn't the type to care about such things, so I think you're fine. I can help you if you want, though. Besides, Reis-dono, you are the one 'receiving' him. Even if he is the Chancellor, he is lower in status here. If you don't like him, you can just turn him away."
"Is that okay for a public servant to say?"
"Normally, no. Keep it a secret."
She said it with a laugh. Oh, you tease!
My standards are based on modern Japan. I'm weak against authority and generally want nothing to do with VIPs. Especially if it's bad for the flock. But he sounds like a decent person. Matilde has helped me a lot; if I refuse, it might make things hard for her. I'll just bear with it and meet him.
(Still, I'm the one with the higher status, huh?)
According to what Matilde and Amelia told me, "Power" is everything in this world. Not just brute force, but wealth and influence—all of it is "Power." Basically, whoever is left standing after a fight is the most important.
"In this case, if we compare Reis-dono to the Heed Kingdom... while our country has wealth and influence, we cannot match the overwhelming violence you possess. Therefore, we are the ones who must bow our heads."
"Is that okay? What about the country's dignity?"
"It's normal when dealing with a Special Strategic Asset. Though it's different in the neighboring Beast Kingdom, where the King himself is a Strategic Asset."
Special Strategic Assets—the insanely strong people of this world. Apparently, we ostriches are included in that. Since Heed has no Assets of its own, they are desperate to keep us in the country. I didn't quite get the power dynamic at first, but Amelia explained it: "It's like the 'Shivers' you guys talk about, but for humans. They're scared, so they protect you with luxury in exchange for your help if something happens." That made sense.
"Strategic Assets, huh? I think we're pretty cute compared to the 'Shivers.' ...Actually, we're very cute! ♡"
"The stories you tell of the 'Plateau'... they give me a headache. ...So, Reis-dono, what will you do?"
She asked if I planned to settle here by signing a contract with Heed, or move to another country. Apparently, every country wants our military strength. We can go anywhere. We could even sign a treaty as an equal power rather than as subordinates.
"Well..."
Honestly, as leader, all I want is for the kids to live freely and have enough food. I hate fighting because it puts them in danger, but compared to the Plateau where we could have been wiped out any day, this is way better. If accepting the risk of combat earns my kids safety and meals, it's worth it.
(Honestly, it's hard to live in human society without some sort of protection. My kids can't work or earn foreign currency. Monsters aren't as common here as they are on the Plateau; the ecosystem takes too long to recover.)
On the Plateau, monsters respawned at a terrifying rate. You could eat every monster in an area, and they'd be back in a week. Here, if we eat them all, they might never come back. Amelia said that's normal. That means our free food supply is limited, and once it's gone, the kids will attack... humans.
In other words, without a country's backing, we end up on the "Raider Route." Then every human becomes an enemy, and the flock takes losses.
(With that in mind, it's better to have a nation's support. ...So, the question is which one?)
Based on what Matilde and the adventurers told me, there are two good options nearby: Heed, and the Charda Beast Kingdom to the east. Heed is multi-ethnic, and Charda is, as the name says, a kingdom for beast-kin. Both should have low prejudice against us ostrich-kin.
(And between the two... it's Heed.)
I have my first friends in this cultural sphere here, and the kids are getting used to Plaque. Above all, Heed owes us a debt for stopping the Nagan invasion. Since I have friends here and they owe me, I can sell our services for a higher price.
"Well, for now, the plan is to let this country take care of us."
"Truly?!"
"Yeah, yeah. But... I won't decide for sure until I hear what the Chancellor has to say."
What I want is "Food Security," "A place to live," and "Safety for the flock." I just need to balance what they want with what I won't give up. ...Alright! As leader of the flock, I'll do my best!
〇 The Ostrich Raider Route
A route where the ostriches literally devour everything. If Reis were to die after leaving the Plateau, the flock would almost certainly enter this route. It is also likely if Reis ever grew to harbor a deep hatred for humanity.
Since the flock currently only numbers about 300, they could be wiped out if discovered by another Strategic Asset early on. However, if they managed to hide in human society for even one year and increase their numbers, they would evolve into unstoppable monsters. On the Plateau, they evolved to lay many eggs because of high predation; in a human society with no natural predators, the population explosion would be catastrophic.
Without Reis, they could only expand as far as the Southern Continent. But if Reis led the invasion, they would reach the Northern Continent where the Empire is. At first, it would be a stalemate, but eventually, the Empire would collapse under the sheer weight of the multiplying ostriches.
In short: Planet of the Ostriches. Let's pray for a future where that doesn't happen.