"...Your Majesty."
"What is it, Prime Minister? No, Grandfather."
On the way back to the Royal Palace, we were the only two inside the carriage. Despite the discrepancy in our statuses as monarch and minister, he was also the man who had continuously remained by my side as my caretaker. Our bond was not one to be bothered by protocol at this late stage. Granted, ever since my coronation, perhaps because he sought to view me as a sovereign rather than one of his granddaughters, he had persistently treated me as "Your Majesty," which occasionally made me feel a tinge of loneliness... but I no longer care about such things.
"Was that truly for the best?"
"Let me turn the question on you, Grandfather. Do you believe there was any other method available to us?"
"...No, there was not."
The "that" in question referred to the Special Tactical Force that had newly been born—no, had arrived—in our country.
When the report arrived stating that we had come under invasion from the Beast Kingdom, I had desperately suppressed the urge to let my expression crumble, and I had asked her: "Will you accept our nation's request?" The outcome is blindingly obvious if one simply looks at the Prime Minister's expression—a face unable to conceal its profound anxiety regarding what is about to transpire. She had been reluctant, but she ultimately nodded.
To take an action that effectively revokes a contract immediately after forging it is nothing less than a declaration of intent to ignore agreements altogether. Compared to other Special Tactical Forces—those who express their intentions to foreign nations through absolute, unbridled military violence—she did not strike me as the type to immediately turn to aggression. To be precise, that assumption comes with the prerequisite: "as long as we do not display hostile behavior ourselves."
If we moved to honor the contract, she would nod as long as there wasn't a massive, undeniable reason to refuse. Yes, I had felt that as long as we presented it with pleasant-sounding phrases like "No Special Tactical Force was detected among the enemy host," she would undeniably accept.
(I have been saved by her personality. ...Ah, truly.)
To me, a person possessing such a benevolent—no, "ordinary"—personality was exceptionally convenient. She will not attack unless provoked; in other words, that means "if I trap her in a corner, she will undeniably strike back." How incredibly reassuring. If she performs adequately, I can exact my revenge, and simultaneously depart for the world where my beloved Father and Mother await me.
Even if she fails, this invasion by the Beast Kingdom must have reached Nagan's "Strategist." Given that we have forged a military alliance, and considering that that man has not departed from the border line with our nation, he will surely fly over immediately. No matter what becomes of that collective calling themselves ostriches, I have a backup plan. Pitting two Special Tactical Forces against a single Special Tactical Force—it is an infallible strategy.
(Well, if it fails, so be it. Regardless of whether we win or lose, this country will fall by the hand of a "Special Tactical Force." It is profoundly infuriating that I might not get to see my enemy's pathetic dying moments... but when that time comes, I can simply drain a poisoned chalice and die. It is far better to die by my own hand than to be murdered by him.)
"Ah, that is right, Grandfather. How is that matter progressing?"
"...The incident from yesterday, Your Majesty?"
"...That borders on irreverence. Do you wish to die ahead of schedule?"
I immediately shoot down his question, and looking at Grandfather's face as he hurriedly begins to make excuses, I understand that he wasn't teasing me. However, for that to be the very first thing that comes out of his mouth... I may be a child who has yet to reach ten years of age, but I do care about various things, you know?
The incident from yesterday that Grandfather mentioned referred to the event that had transpired near the inspection checkpoint. Because it would cause numerous issues, a strict gag order has been issued... yet for some reason, rumors regarding my pathetic plight are circulating within the Royal Palace. It must be one of the maids gossiping. The moment I find out who it is, I will throw them directly into the dungeon, so you had best be prepared.
(...)
At that moment, I had indubitably perceived the terror of death. The literal concept of death manifesting right before my eyes. Even though it hadn't been directed at me, the useless survival instinct built into my flesh had gone wild, and simultaneously, I felt the sensation of my brain shutting down the main system to protect my psyche. It was the first time I had ever experienced such a thing. As the sole remaining bloodline of the Royal Family, and being so young, I had never stood upon a battlefield, nor had I ever truly comprehended death until now. Therefore, one could say it was inevitable that I fell into such a state.
However, upon gathering information afterward, it became clear that my opponent was simply an existence where such a reaction could not be helped.
In terms of casualties, the fifty Royal Guards I had brought along as an escort at the time were completely wiped out. The city guards who were nearby have yet to wake up, and half of the soldiers stationed on the defensive wall have lost consciousness. Furthermore, the citizens who were waiting for the inspection all fainted and soiled themselves, and like the city guards, there are some who have still not opened their eyes. They are not dead; the shock was simply too immense.
(And the elite mages who were inside the Capital have fainted across the board, and even after regaining consciousness, they have fallen into a state of sheer panic.)
Even when labeled as "elite," they are existences inferior to a Special Tactical Force or even a semi-Special Tactical Force beneath that. They are talents capable of handling a hundred soldiers at best. While they are indeed elite, they do not stand out drastically. Yet, in a Heed Kingdom starved for talent, they were personnel who had been treasured until now, existences to be relied upon. Every single one of them was knocked unconscious. That is how segregated her pool of mana was.
(I asked the mage I brought along as a guard today, and they told me that the elf accompanying the "Ostrich" group is a semi-Special Tactical Force equivalent to roughly 7,000 to 5,000. And that Chief calling herself Lais...)
Impossible to estimate. The volume of mana contained within her flesh is so immense that the bottom cannot be seen. Even when attempting to view her by channeling mana into one's eyes, because her body is packed with mana to the point of bursting, she appears as nothing more than pure black—a black so deep it feels as though one will be sucked into it. Merely continuing to look at her would erode one's psyche, making it impossible to return. That I am still able to speak like this is due to nothing less than pure, unadulterated luck. The mage who delivered the report to me relayed exactly that.
Upon hearing that, what do you think I felt? Despair? Terror?
No. It was joy.
I perceived that emotion twice.
The first time was yesterday, after I recovered from my unconsciousness. It had dissipated slightly due to the fact that I had soiled myself, but I felt pure joy. It was confirmation that the concept of a "Special Tactical Force" was real, that a means to counter him had been born in this country, and that when that power is directed at me, it will undeniably kill me. The more I ruminated upon it, the more that emotion surged within me.
And the second time was after hearing the report from the mage. If she possesses that much mana, she is undeniably stronger than my mortal enemy, the Beast King, no matter how one looks at it. That mage was a survivor of that battlefield, one of the individuals who had watched my Father be left to die. The more I internalize that fact, the more I wish to sever his head, but he is also one of the few who witnessed the Beast King—who became a Special Tactical Force through mana—with his own eyes. When I asked him, "Between the Beast King and her, who is stronger?" the words that returned indicated the latter.
In short, it means nothing less than the fact that I am about to welcome the absolute finest scenario imaginable.
My country's Special Tactical Force will slaughter that despised Beast King, and while laughing at his wretched corpse, I shall depart from this empty world through death. I hold no interest whatsoever in a world devoid of my Father and Mother. The last face I see in this world will surely be her enraged countenance.
(When I think about it like that... ah, the corners of my mouth are starting to twitch.)
"...And, and so, Your Majesty! Regarding that matter, I shall enforce a strict gag order immediately, and I shall uncover the source of the rumor and its transmission route to present to you shortly. Fortunately, it seems it has not spread outside the Royal Palace yet, ah, and we shall also swiftly dispose of those garments..."
"Silence, Prime Minister. Return to the subject."
"Y-Yes! My deepest apologies!"
"If I recall correctly, what kind of magic item was it again? You received a magic item capable of long-distance communication with Nagan's Strategist, did you not? Use that to establish contact with them, and request reinforcements immediately. I doubt it will be necessary... but just in case."
"Understood! Immediately!"
Ah, I am truly looking forward to it. Father, Mother, it will be very soon.
◇◆◇◆◇
Yes, it's Lais-chan.
To be honest, my mood isn't exactly great, you see? I'm feeling a bit "unya-unya."
"Unya-unya?"
"Unya?"
"Uuu—?"
"Nyaaa—!"
"Hey, you lot over there, you don't need to repeat it."
My physical condition is flawless; I managed to rest properly at the Capital, and I secured plenty of sleep during the gaps in our travels. Perhaps because scolding my kids at the Capital worked like a charm, their rampages have settled down into relatively adorable levels. Well, they did flip a few carriages...
In short, there are absolutely no issues with my commanding ability. If I issue directives and ram new information into their brains, I can manipulate the trending topics instantly. It's a breeze to erase information from their brains before a weird onomatopoeia I accidentally let slip becomes the new craze among my kids. Normally, if my health were this good, my mood would rise accordingly, but you see...
(As expected, am I just exhibiting that classic 'Japanese person who can't say NO' trait?)
A few days ago, I nodded in response to the King of Heed's personal request for us to participate in the war at the Capital.
If I look for reasons, they pop up one after another. "If we break the contract from our end, they won't provide food," or "I said refusing was our right, but saying NO from the very first request feels a bit iffy," or "They said there isn't any terrifying Special Tactical Force present, so isn't it relatively safe?" or "The Beast Kingdom's soldiers are apparently strong compared to humans, but they're ten times the strength of a regular soldier at best, so against an ostrich who is a hundred times stronger, it's an absolute breeze," and various other things, right?
But fundamentally, I do not favor unnecessary conflict. Or rather, if there is even a slight danger to my kids' lives, I don't want them going anywhere near it, and simultaneously, I absolutely want to avoid them experiencing the sensation of killing people, and definitely avoid them eating humans.
(Thanks to the fact that they forget things instantly, it seems they no longer have any memory of defeating the opponent who attacked Plaque... what was it, Nagan?)
I, who essentially exist to protect the safety of the flock, am practically delivering the flock to a deadly battlefield. Thanks to the advance intelligence that a monster classified as a Special Tactical Force is absent, it seems safety is secured to a certain extent, but even so, anxiety is anxiety. I think it was a good strategy to stably secure food in this civilized zone, which isn't naturally abundant like the highlands...
(But was it truly a choice that matches the returns?)
The highlands were a demonic territory, and I've experienced corresponding farewells there. But analyzing and regretting choices after making them is a bad habit of mine. If I were a grander, more perfect leader, these kids could live even more carefree lives... No, wait, if they get any more carefree, it'll be a problem. Everyone, let's follow the example of Dere-chan, who has been looking a bit smarter lately, and become intelligent, okay~?
"Lord Lais."
"Hmm? Ah, Matilde."
Perhaps unable to bear watching me agonize over various things, Matilde speaks to me. She was the one who escorted us to the Capital, but it seems she will be accompanying us into this battle as well. Well, she and the soldiers she leads are the ones who know the ostrich-chans best, and my kids seem to vaguely understand them through the connection of food. Even if that understanding is merely "The person who gives us food!" it is still a massive step forward for an ostrich.
"You seemed to be agonizing over various things, but are you alright?"
"Ah— well, you know. Leading my kids, I'm just wondering if this was truly for the best. I'm essentially the sole commander, after all. It weighs on me extra, you see?"
"Ah, I see. Indeed, I often find myself contemplating similar matters. It is a tribulation unique to those who lead people."
Right~? Matilde is a knight who protects a town, and she is also a commander who leads soldiers into battle. This time, her role is to assist and handle logistics for us ostriches, so it seems she won't really be standing on the front lines, though. Well, leave the battlefield to us! What was it, the Beast King? As long as that terrifying thing called a Special Tactical Force isn't around, it's a piece of cake!
"Yes, I leave it in your hands! Well, to begin with, ever since the incident at Plaque, I have absolutely no worries regarding your capabilities!"
"Fufufu, well, that's true!"
"Furthermore, the information stating that the Beast King is absent appears to be highly reliable. I questioned the messengers at the Capital, and I heard the same at the supply bases we stopped at along the way; it seems the enemy is marching without their King."
Their numbers are supposedly a massive thirty thousand, but the one commanding them is a general who is by no means a Special Tactical Force. Apparently, that Beast King is currently dealing with a border conflict with a nation located to the southeast of the Charda Beast Kingdom, meaning he's completely tied down by the Special Tactical Force over there. At first, I wondered if that was really the case... but I didn't smell a lie from Matilde, and I had gone with her to question the messenger directly, and the content was identical back then too.
In short, the credibility of this information is quite high~.
"Well, it won't do any good to be overly tense, so let's give it our best shot."
"Yes. Furthermore, while the troops shall be relegated to the rear, I intend to accompany you, Lord Lais. Naturally, you are free to expend my life on the absolute front lines if necessary."
"...Eh, I didn't hear anything about this."
"Mu? Was that so? But do not be so concerned. Even so, if I am mounted, I can manage roughly two hundred opponents! Granted, my kill count will likely dwindle against beastmen... but I should not be so inferior compared to those under your command. This mount of mine is quite a swift steed as well."
Eh~, is that how it is? Seriously? No, it's not like I dislike the idea; rather, having her close by—someone who understands the tactics of this world—is genuinely a massive help, but... is it really okay? Are you sure?
"Of course! An enemy force of thirty thousand—this is truly a battle where the very survival of the nation hangs in the balance! For me, a knight, to refrain from fighting at such a juncture is unacceptable, is it not?"
"I-I suppose so, but..."
Sigh, well, whatever. Thanks to our sparring match, I understand that this person is strong. She's obviously inferior to an ostrich, but as long as she's within the flock, it's not like she'll become a strange liability... probably. Worst-case scenario, I can just carry her and have her become an Ostrich Rider. In fact, that sounds way stronger. She's armed in armor, so she must be quite heavy, but to me, she's light as a feather.
"My, is the Lord going to be given a ride as well?"
"Noo—?"
Hmm? Ah, Amelia-san and Dere. Were you listening? Or rather, Dere, did you just mimic her just now? Oh my~! How adorable! And Amelia-san, you're letting her ride on your back? That is sooo good of you! Shall Mama give you some pats? Hmm~?
"Do it! Do it!"
"There, there, good girl, good girl~!"
"Fufufu, perhaps because she has been allowed to ride on my back ever since the highlands, Dere seems to have grown accustomed to it. Rather, she seems more restless when we are apart."
"Eh!? Really! Mama might get a little jealous!"
Man, you really are growing at the fastest speed within the flock, jeez! Are you the greatest genius in the ostrich world? The next Nobel Prize is already decided! The field? Obviously the Nobel Peace Prize, on account of these round, adorable eyes leading to world peace! Or we can just establish a brand new category: the Ostrich Prize! Let's start practicing your acceptance speech now, shall we~?
"Ah, and also. I'll be taggng along too, okay? Even so, as a mage, I can fight respectably well. Your flock lacks a mage, does it not? I will likely be overtaken eventually, but make good use of me this time."
Wow! Amelia-san too~! Oh my~! This has suddenly made the upcoming battle feel drastically safer~!
Matilde who knows tactics, Amelia-san with her magic, the ostriches as the ultimate instruments of violence, and me handling the brains! This is the ultimate lineup! We've basically won, I'm going to go check on the bath and buy some land!!!
...Seriously, though, if I allow casualties to emerge with this setup, it won't be a laughing matter. Even if I'm smiling outwardly, I need to keep myself tightened up.
〇 Summary of Statuses!
The Young Queen
Matilde? No, I haven't told her a single thing. She holds the exact same information as the ostrich-chans ♡
Once she slaughters the Beast King, I'll have no lingering regrets. I want to go to where Papa and Mama are, so please murder me in a fit of rage after flying into a frenzy ♡ (Note: Inevitable doom awaits)
The Strategist
If the ostriches and the Beast King clash...! If the Beast King wins, casualties will emerge, but I can destroy him with my own hands.
Even if the ostriches win, we will secure data on them, and their numbers will undoubtedly dwindle, making them far easier to handle! (Note: Inevitable doom awaits)
The Beast King
Without my noticing, the neighboring buffer zone joined hands with the country beyond them and powered up?!
On top of that, there's a Special Tactical Force with an insanely terrifying presence of mana?! I must suppress my mana and advance so I don't get found out.
I-I need to go defeat them quickly...! (Note: Inevitable doom awaits)
The Victims Association
Currently remodeling the room because a new member seems to be arriving soon. Also, where should we put these pumpkin pants?
The Ostriches
They said there's tons of food! Can't wait!!!
Turning the gears toward the battlefield. What choices will Lais make when confronted with the reality of the Beast King's presence? Let's move forward!