"Alright, so to recap. The party leader and front-line swordsman, the human, Claudius-san."
"Yes, that's correct."
I see, I see. He's from the Empire—a massive country across the sea—and as expected, he's an adventurer by trade. Experts in monster combat who hunt beasts, maintain public order, and get paid for it. ...Hmm, sounds like something we could do. Apparently, the monsters near civilization are way weaker than the ones here. If we migrated that way, earning money would be a breeze.
"You took a request to survey the plateau, but your intellectual curiosity got the better of you, so you pushed further into the interior. Then, the monster levels spiked, and you ended up living life on the run. You were wandering around looking for a way home when the Earth Dragon jumped you. Talk about a rough day."
"Haha, exactly. ...I am never doing anything outside the request parameters ever again."
Claudius-san stared off into the distance with hollow eyes. I don't blame him. I don't understand mysterious "magic powers," but I can sense physical strength and specs instinctively. My gut tells me these three are "Super Weak! Except maybe the swordsman...?" Honestly, I'm impressed they survived this long on the plateau.
They'd been lost for a while, it seems. I'm just glad I could protect them while they were still breathing.
"Next, the scout and general skirmisher. The Half-Dwarf, Zad-san."
"That's me! Well, technically a quarter-dwarf, to be precise."
Oho, so there are Dwarves too. According to him, they're a bit shorter than humans and generally stocky. He's only slightly shorter than Claudius, but apparently full Dwarves are even smaller. Very "fantasy-esque."
Since he's nimble with his fingers, he can do all sorts of things. A polar opposite to an ostrich with no hands. He's a native of this continent. It sounds like there's a sea to the north, and he met Claudius at a port town there. Gotcha.
"And finally, the long-range specialist, Amelia-san. An unmistakable Elf Mage."
"Well, yes... but how do I get this girl to let go of me?"
Hm? My ostrich girl? Impossible. That one's a "Yandere" type—her obsessions are stronger than the others. She'll stay like that until something else catches her interest. Even if I call her away and she loses sight of you for a second, the moment she sees you again, she'll be right back to square one.
"Even if you get away, after five kilo—ah, do you understand distance units?"
"Yes, of course. Meters, right?"
"Right, right. If you stay out of sight long enough, she'll probably forget, but it seems she's really taken a liking to your scent, Amelia-san... As long as you're with the flock, I'd suggest giving up."
Seriously, sorry about my kid.
That female is a rare type in the flock; once she gets into something, she dives deep. I first noticed her a long time ago when I saw an individual just sitting and staring at an egg forever. Apparently, that white, round object was incredibly fascinating to her, and she watched it 24/7. During the breeding season, ostriches don't wander between hunting grounds; we build a nest in one spot and protect the eggs.
Usually, the females imitate the others and try to incubate the eggs, but this one just stared. I remember it well. Though, when the shell finally cracked and a chick came out, she thought her "favorite toy" had broken and started bawling her eyes out.
"...She's actually kind of cute."
"Right? HEY! YOU! Amelia-san is troubled, so go take a bath in the river!"
"Water? Water..."
She reacted to my voice and glanced toward the river for a split second. ...Ugh, names are a hassle, let's just give her one. I'll call her "Dere-chan" (from Yandere). Dere-chan looked at the water, then immediately looked back at Amelia, then back at the water. She wanted to go to the water because I told her to, but she liked Amelia's scent and wanted to stay. But she also had to drink.
While lost in this dilemma, she forgot what she was thinking about, and just continued the action of looking back and forth between the two without knowing why. Man, what an idiot. At least keep the memory long enough to make a decision.
"...Fine, let's go together? I'll wipe your beak for you."
"Beak?"
"Water, dear."
"WATER!!!"
Whether she found the back-and-forth movement funny or it just pulled at her heartstrings, Amelia-san gave a faint smile. She glanced at me for permission, then led the girl toward the river. Well, thank you. Please take care of our kid. Oh, she likes it if you scratch her under the chin.
"Now then! Where were we?"
"...Ah, um. So... what should we call you?"
"Hm? Oh, a name. Call me whatever you like. Leader, Chieftain, Queen... actually, is Queen a bit much? Would a name be easier?"
The party leader started to say something but stopped. It's a bit awkward calling me by a title, isn't it? I mean, from an outside perspective, I'm a "Super-Cute Ostrich Girl." If we're talking about "dignity," we have some hulking males in the flock for that. Oh, but our race stays cute even when we get old, so don't go looking for any "Cool Old Men" types. Sorry.
Right, a name. Let's see... Let's go with "Reis." It sounds cute, right? Perfect for an Ostrich Queen!
"Then, Lady Reis. Allow me to thank you once again for saving us."
"Geez, I told you it was fine! ...Okay, okay, Mr. Serious."
I let out a soft breath and flipped a switch in my mind. I suppressed my personal whims with logic, bringing out my face as the Leader of the Flock. No matter how idiotic the others are, or how carefree their personalities, I have to fulfill the responsibilities I've taken upon myself. If I'm going to play at being a King, I have to act the part.
"As the Leader of this flock, I accept your thanks. Now, Lord Claudius? You've told me about yourselves, but there is something I must ask next. By your standards, what are we?"
In reality, this was the most important question.
Beastmen? Or perhaps "indigenous people" of the wild? I couldn't make a move without knowing our standing in their cultural sphere. If they looked down on us—if they treated us like slaves—I would have to erase these three right here. I'd gathered from our talk that they came as adventurers to survey this area. And that they'd gone off-script.
In other words, if their civilization was a threat to us, I should avoid letting them go home and revealing our existence. The environment here is harsh, but they did make it here, meaning others can too. A larger group would be even safer. And us... or rather, everyone besides me... are bottomless morons. They'd be tricked and hauled off as circus attractions in a heartbeat.
Even if they aren't my direct family, I have no intention of letting my kin suffer that fate.
"If we were to visit your world, what would happen? Would we be considered 'Humanity' in the same framework as yourselves? Or would we be treated as 'Monsters,' like that Earth Dragon over there? I'm very curious."
If it were just me, I could manage. Thanks to my previous life, I understand human malice, and I've learned from history how humanity treats those it deems "lesser." With my current physical specs, I could survive somehow.
But I am not alone. My lovable idiots would follow me wherever I go. And given their lack of brains, they'd be eaten alive by society if left alone. My personal desire is to live in civilization, but if that comes at the cost of my kin, I will kill my "ego" and choose the path of their Leader.
"Well? Which is it?"
The pressure in the air spiked instantly. The atmosphere around the girl, who had been smiling and laughing just a moment ago, shifted completely.
Claudius had intended to show proper etiquette to the Chieftain of the race that saved them, but a thought flashed through his mind: This was a mistake. He couldn't have avoided this conversation, but was his regret born from his own weakness?
Yes, they were weak. Hopelessly so.
Back home, they were a relatively famous party. Their rank in the Guild was high, and they had the track record and strength to be directly commissioned for surveys of unexplored areas.
But that was all just window dressing. The moment they stepped into the interior, the environment changed. Creatures that would be "Lords of the Region" near their home were treated as mere fodder on this plateau. Monsters that shouldn't swarm were forced into groups just to survive.
And then, there was the Earth Dragon—a being no human could hope to match.
These "Ostriches" had defeated it with ease, acting as if it were a mundane, daily chore.
The gap in power was absolute. If they offended her, death was the only thing waiting for them. Amelia, the Elf who lived far longer than humans and was a skilled caster, might survive, but even if she escaped the ostriches, she would only find death on the plateau. There was no way out.
That was why he had tried to be polite.
But she hit back with a presence far beyond that—the sheer aura of a King of a species. Her gaze said she could do whatever she wanted with their lives. She didn't say it out loud, but she had a majesty that made him hallucinate the threat. It was stronger than the aura of the nobles he'd seen in the Imperial Capital; it was the aura of a "higher rank of life."
(Choose your words! Be honest! Or we all die!)
"A-As humans... I believe you would be treated as such. However..."
"However?"
"Th-There would be... discrimination between races."
Most nations on this continent were multi-ethnic, but the Empire—which held territory both here and across the sea—was a nation primarily centered on "Humans" like himself. While the Empire's policy was to prohibit racial discrimination, that didn't mean it was perfectly followed.
The Empire was the dominant power among neighboring countries, so its culture naturally spread. Therefore, one couldn't say such prejudice didn't exist. So long as they were "beings created by the Gods," they shared a form similar to the Gods. In that sense, he could guarantee they wouldn't be classified as "Monsters," but they would certainly be caught in the friction between races.
"I see... Knowing we'd at least be recognized as people is valuable information."
The air loosened, if only a fraction. But it wasn't a situation where they could relax. Perhaps reacting to the pressure from Reis, the Beastmen who had been preoccupied with eating—the "Ostriches"—all turned their eyes toward the party. The innocent creatures who had been stuffing their faces with meat were gone. Pure, terrifyingly innocent eyes stared at them, waiting for a command from the top.
"...Hm. Hearing that raised more questions. Can I have more of your time?"
"Y-Yes, of course."
From there, a long period followed where he answered her questions with the utmost care. The structure of nations, the current rulers, social classes, daily life. Other races, religions. He answered her questions, and she would digest the info and throw back new ones. The knowledge of an adventurer born as a commoner in the Empire was limited, but to her, it seemed to be the "clue" she needed to grasp something.
They couldn't survive this environment on their own anyway. Fortunately, their society wasn't as exclusionary toward other races as she feared. Individual discrimination existed, but for a nation to systematicallly oppress a race would only incite fear that "my race might be next." Therefore, it was a logical conclusion that it wouldn't happen on a grand scale.
In fact, beings with this much power should be welcomed. The region around the Empire was one thing, but the countries they were in currently were in a state where war could break out at any moment.
(Still, I can't let my guard down. I have to handle every single answer with care.)
I see, I see.
"Yeah, thanks. Sorry for taking up your time~."
I let the tension bleed out of me, relaxing my body and speaking in a lazy drawl again. Man, "Leader Mode" is exhausting if you keep it up too long. Even if it was for our own good, I scared them a bit. Maybe some Earth Dragon meat as an apology...? Ah, they don't want it.
Well, I heard about adventurers, countries, other races, religion, and all that, but...
I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT'S GOING ON!!!
I mean, it's not like I don't understand, but... the info is a bit too sparse to make a final judgment.
Still, the harvest was good: it seems safe to let these guys go home, and it doesn't look like we ostriches would be immediate outcasts if we visited.
Based on Claudius's story, it seems religion in this area is pretty unified. They receive the same teachings, and there's a premise that even a total stranger believes in the same God, which allows for a baseline of conversation. Sure, some people hate other races, but with the "Equal under God" mindset, it doesn't sound like we'll be thrown straight into a "persecution route."
(From the way Claudius talked, it felt like he literally didn't know other religions existed. He seemed to assume 'Of course you ostriches worship the same God.')
Whether that's good or bad is one thing, but at least it means we won't be treated as "Not human! Not a person! Low-fat meat! Livestock!" That's a relief.
Oh, by the way, we ostriches can't comprehend something as difficult as "faith." Here, try asking this male ostrich next to me: "Do you believe in God?" He'll probably say, "What? Food? I'll eat it!" They would naturally try to eat God, so let's skip those questions, okay?
"Hmm, well then. Claudius-san?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"From what I've heard, it sounds like we'll be okay visiting, so I'll see you guys home. Back to your 'base'."
"R-Really?!"
"Yeah, of course. I want to see the civilized world, and these guys will get bored of the same plateau eventually. It'll be a good experience. Our flock will take you. You guys provide the directions, and we'll provide the escort. Sound good?"
"Yes! Of course! Thank you so much!"
Don't mention it~. From what I heard, the region they live in is a mess of small, disorganized nations, except for the Imperial enclave (since the Empire's main base is across the sea). While the Empire is busy with its own problems, a "Warring States" period has started on this continent, where everyone is trying to grab land and power to kick the Empire out. In other words, border conflicts are everywhere, and it smells like smoke. It's an era that needs muscle.
(If their level is considered 'high-tier,' then our specs—minus the brains—are significantly higher than other races. Even without a food-rich zone like this plateau... we could move in as mercenaries to earn our keep.)
Of course, I have no intention of losing a single member of my flock. I'll have to think that part through very carefully.
We're basically a standard-issue cavalry charge. When it comes to combat or hunting, some of my kin turn into total berserkers. They probably won't be able to tell friend from foe, so I'll have to manage them well, but if we're just thinking about earning money, we can make it work. Though, the "stupid" part will make things tricky.
But I guess we'll start as adventurers? We get money for bringing in monster parts, right? Keeping my kids in check will be a pain, but hunting good monsters, getting cash, and eating civilized meals... Just thinking about it makes my dreams grow.
(Ah, I wonder what it's like. The towns of another world, the food...)
Yep. I'm looking forward to this.
[The Empire and Neighboring Nations]
A Roman-esque Empire and the neighboring nations that will eventually be swallowed by either the Empire or the Ostriches.
During the previous Emperor's reign, the Empire launched consecutive wars against foreign nations. Despite having so many enemies that the citizens couldn't even keep track of the battlefronts, the Empire won. Now, the Emperor has changed, and they are moving toward a path of reconciliation with other nations. In Earth terms, think of an Empire with territories across Europe centered on Rome, plus parts of North Africa.
The neighboring nations are essentially regional lords competing to conquer the continent. As Reis described it, it's like Japan's Warring States period (Sengoku)—the era just before/after Nobunaga became head of his clan. The town where the adventurers live is a territory within one of those nations, a bustling city where multiple races mingle. Since the Ostrich Party is coming to visit, they better prepare themselves.
Oh, by the way: the ostriches don't understand city rules at all. It's impossible to teach them. C'est la vie!