"...Hey, Lord Lais."
"Yeah."
"It's gone, isn't it?"
"It really is gone, huh~?"
...Yeah, it truly isn't there.
For the sake of retrieving Beast King-chan's body and burying the beastmen my kids killed, we returned to the battlefield where we fought just a moment ago, but... the crucial body of Beast King-chan is nowhere to be found. Even if I am an ostrich, I at least remember the location where I seriously traded death blows with that guy. Or rather, if one looks at the destruction left on the ground, anyone should be able to figure it out, but...
I mean, telling them, 'Your country's King's corpse? Ah, sorry! We lost it!' would definitively spark an international incident, wouldn't it?! This is bad... we have absolutely no intention of fighting anymore, yet this is the exact setup where the enraged, fiery masses will come as a collective to deliver physical retribution. I don't want that; I'd be breaking my promise to the Beast King.
"How strange~... I should have placed it right here, or rather, I'm certain I left it abandoned... Hey, Matilde, did the Beast King possess an ability to revive even if his body became half like me?"
"I feel like I've said this many times, but I do not believe that is human anymore... The possibility that the Beast King was concealing his capabilities cannot be entirely denied, but I have never heard of such a tale. Consequently, that possibility is likely low. You returned to the town precisely because you killed him definitively, did you not, Lord Lais?"
"Well, that's true, though~..."
The Beast King—I can say with absolute certitude that I killed him with these hands. No matter how wired I was, I haven't become blunt enough to lose track of whether my "prey" is alive or dead. Rather, that very instant was when I was at my sharpest. His face as he slowly greeted death while thinking of his country and the citizens left behind remains etched in my mind. I cannot believe that was acting; it was the face of one who accepts death.
Furthermore, while we were fighting, his body starting to regenerate never once occurred. Therefore, the option that he revived when no one was looking and fled is something I want to dismiss first thing, but... given that I myself fit into that exact description, you see. It's difficult to deny that someone else can't do it just because I can, is how the story goes. Granted, I still retain my past life's sensibilities, so I can comprehend that being able to revive even if one's lower half is blasted away is what's truly bizarre.
Eh, me? Well, I think I could manage it if given time. Even if I'm cleaved right through the upper and lower half, I can totally sprout legs, totally! ...Saying it myself, that is pretty insane, huh.
"If that's the case, does it feel like someone carried him away?"
"Presumably. That said..."
"Yeah, nothing was reflected within our line of sight. Or rather, when I was returning, no existence that looked alive could be found."
The most likely scenario is the possibility that personnel under the Beast King's banner carried him back to the Beast Kingdom. Or rather, that would be the most preferable outcome.
Because their King was killed, they brought him back to hold a funeral on a national scale at the very least. No doubt arises regarding that, or rather, from our perspective, it means it won't turn into a case of 'We lost the Beast King's body!', so it's deeply reassuring. Well, from the perspective of the people at the top, they're probably thinking, 'We might have been able to use the Beast King's body as a negotiation card,' so it'd be a negative on that front, though.
"Well, from your perspective, Lord Lais, politics is an irrelevant topic anyway."
"Yep. As long as we have food, a place to live, and a space where we can exercise moderately, we're satisfied."
Now that I've become capable of handling mana to a certain extent, my capability has risen exponentially. Because of that, unless the opponent is a Special Tactical Force stronger than me, I've become capable of doing stuff like, 'I won't stop punching until you listen to what I say!' Well, I dislike that sort of thing, and since I don't know what will happen in the future, I won't do it unless it's necessary, though.
"But still, I don't think this is a completely implausible story."
"The tale of the Beast Kingdom's people taking him back, you mean?"
"Yes, yes. I'm certain there are individuals among the beastmen over there who can fly in the sky, right? Those guys happening to find him by luck and transporting him back—doesn't it seem plausible?"
"To be sure," Matilde says. Even searching with our ostrich eyes yields no discovery, and surveying the surroundings reveals no creatures that would desecrate a corpse. The time we spent away from here wasn't all that long, so escaping by flying through the sky feels like the most probable answer.
"Hmm."
"...Are you still hung up on something, as expected?"
"Yes. While I believe that is also possible, I feel the number of corpses remaining on the battlefield is far too scarce. A slight doubt remains."
While saying so, she gazes toward the location where the cremation is currently being carried out.
The enemy soldiers I blasted into nothingness numbered 12,000—forty percent of the total. In short, it means sixty percent of the corpses that remained pristine—well, relatively pristine—should be left here. That's an amount for 18,000 people, right? However, as a result of counting while cremating them, it seems only an amount for roughly 2,000 people remained. No wonder I felt a sense of incongruity when I came back... In short, it means a massive quantity of people have vanished on their own accord.
"During the combat between me and the Beast King, both of us were unleashing 'Mana Cannons' in rapid succession, so a vast portion must have been blasted into nothingness by getting caught in the stray fire... But to be sure, even taking that into account, it's scarce, isn't it."
"Even if one considers them having turned into undead, the time elapsed is far too swift. Then again, it is also difficult to imagine someone carrying them away. Disappearing from your line of sight in this open terrain would be an arduous task, Lord Lais."
True, isn't it. Or rather, it brings up the question of what on earth anyone would use that many corpses for, anyway.
...Well, let's leave thinking about those difficult matters for later. At any rate, as long as no clues are found, there is nothing we can do, so shouldn't we just focus mainly on cremating them, burying them, and offering a prayer?
"...You are right. For now, I shall also borrow soldiers from the Lord of the nearby town and request patrols of this area. It is certain that intelligence is lacking, and it will also serve as a precaution against reinforcement enemy forces."
"Yeah, I think that'll be perfectly fine."
"Mamaaa~!"
While we were having that conversation, Dere's voice echoed from afar. ...My, that's a voice that sounds slightly like something happened. Yes, yes, Mama is coming right away.
Offering a light nod to Matilde, I begin running toward the direction of the voice. I had requested Dere to lead my kids and dig the holes. Initially, I was intending to do it while directing everything myself, but Dere, you see? Because she came up to me saying, 'Can do! Mama, can do! Let me do it!', I inadvertently ended up leaving it to her. She ran off to the targeted location while leading the other kids and saying, 'This way~!'
...Mmm? The other kids? The kids who were near Dere followed her just like that, but the vast majority were alternating their gaze between Dere's group and my face while making a 'Huh~?' expression. Because they looked puzzled, I told them, 'Please listen to what Dere says, okay?' Then, because everyone started running while saying 'Okaaay!'... honestly. I almost died once more. I'm going to writhe and die from the preciousness!
"What's the matter? Did something happen?"
"Mamaaa!"
"Mama?"
"Mama!"
"It's Mama!"
"Save me!"
Ah, yes, yes, everyone is energetic... wait, didn't someone just call for help? I told everyone to dig a massive hole around here while letting it double as a game, but did someone fall into the hole and become unable to get out again? For that, the voice calling 'save me' was rather small... could it be that it feels like they dug down to an insanely deep level?
"Mama, look, okay~?"
"Yeah, what's wrong, Dere."
"They got buried."
"Save me!"
"It's daaark!"
"It's scaaary!"
"Food!"
"...…Wait, hold up!!!"
Finally grasping the situation, I dive into the hole. Ah~, seriously, what are you doing! Or rather, what do you mean they got buried! What were you doing?!
Shouting, 'You mustn't engage in dangerous games!', I dig through the direction of the voices, and what emerges are mud-covered ostriches. Ah, thank goodness, they weren't in a place that deep... Uh, there are no other buried kids, right? This is everyone, right? Yes, you kids who were buried, hurry up and get out of the hole, and that goes for you kids who tried to help but ended up unable to get out conversely, too!
Alright, line up! Please show your faces to mother one by one! You're here, you're here... thank goodness, everyone is present.
"Delicious."
"What is that~!"
"A worm~?"
"It's wriggling!"
"Hey, cut that out, don't eat the earthworms. Spit it out, do a 'pweh,' spit it out."
◇◆◇◆◇
With the temporary cremation concluded, we returned to the nearby town. Because we repelled the Beast Kingdom's invasion, we are currently right in the thick of receiving a warm hospitality. The dining scenery I frequently witnessed in Plaque is expanding right before my eyes. ...Well, perhaps because today's ostriches exercised a massive amount for the first time in a while, everyone—including myself—is completely famished. Already, several chefs have been knocked out from exhaustion.
Before I knew it, the soldiers under Matilde's banner—who were supposed to be receiving the hospitality along with us—have joined in as cooks too... Is this going to be alright?
"Haaah..."
As per usual, while filling my stomach with a barrel of wine, I let out a sigh. For the most part, all the planned matters are concluded, but I've become exhausted far beyond my imagination... We were able to dig the holes for the burial properly, but perhaps because their intelligence has risen, the children started engaging in mud play rather than just digging holes. Running around while becoming covered in mud, rolling around, taking naps... Huh, it doesn't alter all that much from before.
Well, the cremation itself proceeded successfully with that kind of feeling, but after that, the necessity to wash these kids' bodies arose, you see.
"Because I can't just take it easy in a strange way, after all."
Since they were preparing food for us once we returned to the town, I brought everyone to the nearby river. Because I performed a full-body wash multiplied by three hundred there, I'm already bone-weary. Considering our immune system, it seems we would be perfectly fine no matter how filthy our bodies were before eating, but if we start eating food while covered in mud, we're practically savages. For the sake of ensuring a strange image doesn't attach to my kids, I allowed myself to wash them with all my might.
(Well, compared to before, given that they didn't run amok as much, it was a breeze, though.)
Beginning with Dere, I feel that overall, my kids have become exceptionally obedient. The cause is... well, it's likely the battle between me and the Beast King. My being cornered to that extent didn't happen all that often even back in the highlands; in the first place, because that location was far too dangerous, I had to remain alert every single day without fail, and I never drew close to hazardous things. There must have been an element of being lucky, but having half my brain blasted into nothingness was a first, wasn't it.
(Well, I have been completely roasted whole by the Trembling Dragon out of sheer terror, though.)
Because they witnessed a near-death me like that, a powerful stimulus must have entered their hearts—their brains. Just as I recalled my past life's memories and my brain evolved to be capable of adapting to it, these kids became clever for the sake of controlling powerful emotions. ...Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, I don't quite comprehend very well, though? If they simply became clever, I could rejoice, but if they can only become so by someone getting hurt... it's a bit unpleasant, isn't it?
"Mama? Does it hurt~?"
"Mmh, ah, Dere, huh. It's fine, look, I'm energetic."
Whether I was making a terribly awful face, Dere and the others draw near to me. Sorry, Mama was just deep in thought. It doesn't hurt in the slightest, okay?
Or rather, is everyone eating their food properly? Everyone worked exceptionally hard today, so you can eat until you're completely full, okay? Mama will apologize properly to the collapsed chefs tomorrow, and it seems the country is going to cover the food expenses anyway.
"Eating!"
"Delicious!"
"Food!"
"Is that so? Then that's fine, but is Dere eating properly too?"
"Nod! But Mama is eating more!!!"
...Ah~, yeah. That's true. If I look behind me slightly, a mountain of stacked wine barrels. And the towers of plates that likely contained the dishes piled up right before my eyes. Ahahaha... embarrassingly enough, I am eating the absolute most... yes...
"W-We are terribly sorry, Lord Lais! Th-That turns out to be the final wine barrel!!!"
"Ah, you're the Lord of this place, right? Don't worry about it. The empty barrels—I'm sorry for the trouble, but could you clear them away?"
"Yes-iiieee!!!"
Perhaps because of recovering the half of my body that was blasted away and rebooting my brain, on top of forcing my body to continue recovering with mana, I am likely at the most ravenous level since the day I was born into this world. Actually, my stomach has been growling non-stop since the end of the combat with the Beast King, but I was forcing strength into my abdomen to hold it back, you see. It turns out I've completely drained all the alcohol that was stored in this town ♡
I'm also eating roughly ten times the amount of a normal ostrich child, I think... could it be that the chefs collapsed because of me?
(I have to apologize to them repeatedly later on...)
"Mama?"
"Mmm~? Is there still something, Dere?"
"Mama, Mama, right? ...What is 'Dere'?"
My, could it be that it has been weighing on your mind this entire time? Tilting your face vertically, it seems so, indeed... 'Dere' is your name, Dere. To begin with... do you understand what a 'name' is?
"...Don't know."
Yes, yes, it's perfectly fine if you don't understand, you know. I'm not angry, and rather, there is an element of envy as well. Not knowing means from here on out, you can learn as much as you want, after all~. A name is something that represents that person. For example, this—this wooden plate. This has the name 'plate' attached to it. For the most part, a 'name' is attached to every single thing existing in this world, you see.
Mama also has the name 'Lais,' and Dere also has the name 'Dere.'
Actually, the other kids besides Dere have names too, you know? It was quite a long time ago, but there was a time when Mama thought up everyone's names. Everyone forgot them at that time, though... how about now, I wonder? Can you remember them?
"Mmuu~?"
"Fufu, well, let's take it slowly, shall we. Because I shall remember them for you forever, you see. You comprehend that 'Dere' is a word that vaguely represents yourself, right?"
"Nod!"
"Then all is well!"
Excluding me, even for Dere—who became the cleverest in the flock—the poor memory capacity of an ostrich remains exactly as it was. Compared to before, her memory capacity appears to have risen exponentially, but it seems there are also times when she suddenly forgets what it was she was trying to do out of nowhere. Watching this child's actions, I can vaguely comprehend that aspect.
Well, if you become unable to understand, come to ask me anytime, okay? Because Mama will teach you anything. Even if there are things Mama doesn't understand, we have our good friend Amelia-san, right? That person is terribly knowledgeable, after all. Go have her teach you various things.
"Where is the reply?"
"Okaaay!"
"Reply?"
"Understand?"
"Don't know?"
"Okaaay?"
"Okaaay!"
"""Okaaay!!!"""
"Ahahaha, that side is a good reply too, isn't it."
〇 Regarding Special Tactical Forces
A Special Tactical Force is a title for an overwhelmingly powerful individual. Generally, $1 = 10,000$ is the entry point, but because there are instances where an individual's personal combat capability is around the level of an ordinary person—such as the Strategist—yet they are recognized as a Special Tactical Force, it cannot be stated unconditionally. Depending on the discrepancy in capability, ranking classifications of "Lower-tier," "Mid-tier," and "Upper-tier" are sort of~ carried out. That ranking classification fluctuates up and down depending on compatibility, the opinions of the surroundings, and so forth.
Capability Tiering
「Lower-tier」
As a benchmark, the possessor of a power capable of annihilating roughly ten thousand to one hundred thousand ordinary soldiers. Though recognized as a Special Tactical Force, they are the weak among Special Tactical Forces, and frequently end up dead before anyone realizes it. If they prepare thoroughly or hold a compatibility advantage, they are at a level where they can bring down a mid-tier capable individual, but it rarely occurs. Furthermore, if a group of quasi-Special Tactical Forces (5,000 to 10,000 class) band together and challenge them to a match, there are instances where they will normally die.
Survival in the highlands is absolutely impossible. The closest in capability is the upper half of the "Earth Mole."
Examples: The ostrich children (Lower-of-the-mid; Lower-of-the-upper when including the commanding individual), the Strategist (Assessment difficult).
「Mid-tier」
As a benchmark, a capable individual capable of annihilating one hundred thousand plus ordinary soldiers. Those who possess a firmly established capability as a Special Tactical Force. Just having a lower-tier Special Tactical Force present allows one to sleep with a high pillow, but if a mid-tier is present, it is at a level where one can rest assured even if they indulge in idle slumber until past noon. Exceptionally strong; no matter how many quasi-Special Tactical Forces gather, they stand no chance, and unless an irreversible compatibility discrepancy exists, they will pretty much never lose.
Survival in the highlands is possible if one works hard. The closest in capability is the Thunder Dragon, aka "Bikubiku." While the Thunder Dragon possesses absolute capability, its strength is dependent upon thunder-system abilities; consequently, if that is nullified, even those of the "Lower-tier" can hunt it easily, which is why it receives this assessment. (Well, nullification is considerably difficult, though.)
Examples: The Beast King (Mid-of-the-mid), the current Lais who has awakened to mana (Mid-of-the-mid), Bikubiku (Mid-of-the-upper).
「Upper-tier」
Monsters. Unwinnable. Impossible. Give up. Death is salvation.
To be sure, if it is around the lower bracket of the upper-tier, a possibility remains for even a mid-tier existence to snatch a victory, but once it reaches the upper bracket of the upper-tier, nothing can be done anymore. Once it reaches the very peak, there are humans? of a level who can submerge the continent into the ocean if they work hard, so honestly, as humanity, we would prefer it if they spent the remainder of their lives basking warmly at home. We'll do anything, so please don't come out.
Can live in the highlands without any difficulty. If one fancies combat, it can truly be called a paradise. Also, existences of the upper bracket of the upper-tier are normally abundant in the highlands, so it is best to give up on various matters.
Examples: The ostrich children once they have fully multiplied (Upper-of-the-upper).
Furthermore, because Lais has merely become capable of utilizing mana just now, her assessment is not all that elevated. It is considered that she was able to claim victory precisely because she was able to set up a hard counter against the Beast King. How on earth does she die...? is what Lais is, but as expected, if she is minced into tiny pieces, she will die, so...