Hey there, it's Lais-chan.
The Royal Palace? Well, I don't really know the details, but I received a message from Matilde-chan's higher-up through her saying, "Ah, it's a bit difficult to hold the signing ceremony today... The reason? Please don't ask." So, we abruptly changed our plans. I took the entire day off and focused entirely on recovering my physical and mental strength.
It's not exactly a good thing, but perhaps because I had thoroughly scolded my kids yesterday out of stress and overwork, the atmosphere in the flock was at rock bottom. No one was in the mood to play; they were all completely disheartened, which allowed me to dedicate 100% of my time to resting. Thanks to that, I got plenty of sleep and managed to bring myself back to a reasonably sane mental state.
(We're about to have a face-to-face meeting with their King, after all. There was no way I could have faced that in yesterday's mental state, so I'm incredibly glad I got to rest.)
Eh, my kids? Oh, they're perfectly fine, you know? By the time they devoured their dinner last night, they had recovered quite a bit, and after a solid night's sleep and a hearty breakfast, they were bursting with energy. Since this morning, they've been running around outside the Capital, digging holes, and taking second naps—just your usual ostrich-chans. Though, maybe yesterday's scolding is still lingering in their heads, because none of them are going anywhere near the inspection line visible from here, you see?
(Normally, there would definitely be a kid who forgot all about it and charged right back over... As expected of my flock. They really are getting smarter.)
Mm-hmm, Mama is incredibly proud. As long as we are depending on human society, the only two choices we have are to adapt smoothly to the current society, or completely smash it to pieces and build a world that's easier for us to live in. If this society were evil to us and would only bring negative influences on the ostriches if left alone, I might have chosen the latter. But so far, it doesn't seem all that bad.
What was it called, Nagan? That "human-supremacist" ideology of theirs is actually kind of cute to look at from afar, in a "Wow, that is so uniquely human" sort of way, and the Heed Kingdom's multi-ethnic society is incredibly convenient for us. If our contract with the old Prime Minister functions properly, I'll have absolutely no complaints.
People often say that "food, clothing, and shelter" are vital for a rich life, right? Well, they've offered to provide the "food" and "shelter." We inherently have feathers, so we don't really need "clothing," meaning this is already more than enough for us.
(I don't know how much they'll demand from us in terms of military strength... but worst-case scenario, we always have the option to just run away. We can think about those details down the line.)
At any rate, if they are going to accept us, we have to adapt properly on our end. To do that, I needed to raise my kids' intelligence even just a little bit... and we are moving forward, step by step. Eventually, they'll evolve to the point where they can blend nicely into society. I don't know how many years it will take, or if it will even happen while I'm still alive. But hey, I'm the Chief, so I'm going to take care of them until the day I die.
"Right then, I suppose I should start getting ready too. Amelia-saaan? Could you help me out for a second?"
"Hmm? Ah, dressing up. Hold on, right now I'm... Dere, do you want to help change Lais too?"
"? ...Uh-huh!"
Oh, Dere is going to help too? Then, do you see that box over there? The square one. ...Yes, yes, that one. Can you bring it to me? Mm-hmm, good job! Mama has to put on accessories now, but even if they're shiny, you absolutely cannot eat them, okay? You mustn't swallow them like that kid over there who dug a hole, shoved only their head inside, and is currently shouting "Help me!" Understood?
"Understood!"
Yes, yes, what a good response. Now then, Amelia-san, I'm sorry to trouble you every time, but I'll leave it in your hands.
Passing the accessory case Dere had fetched over to Amelia-san, I asked her to put them on me. Because a lot of the decorations are string-like ornaments or long necklaces, doing anything about it with these wings of mine is practically impossible. I tried to use my toe claws skillfully once, but that failed miserably too. My kids mistook it for a game, and the accessory met a tragic end. You know, that moment where the string snaps with a pop and all the beads go scattering everywhere.
So, unless I have someone with proper hands helping me out, I can't do a single thing.
According to Amelia-san, a spell called "Magic that solidifies mana into the shape of human hands to act as a third arm" apparently exists, but for someone like me who still can't even manipulate mana properly, it's completely out of the question for now. If I'm told that failing a spell and causing a misfire could accidentally vaporize this entire area, I won't even think about attempting it. I'll save that as a fun treat for after I get good at various things.
"...Alright, looks good. All done, Lais."
"Thanks as always! As expected of Master, you're super reliable. ...Well now, it's about time, so let's brace ourselves and face this thing they call a signing ceremony!"
◇◆◇◆◇
A short distance away from the defensive wall protecting the Capital, several tents had been pitched. My eyes turned toward one of them—the grandest and most luxurious of the bunch. Apparently, that pavilion was to serve as the venue for the signing ceremony and the imperial audience. I had been watching all sorts of people running out from the Capital since morning to make preparations. Setting up the tent was one thing, but they were continuously hauling in incredibly luxurious carpets, chairs, and various other items, so it was actually quite entertaining to watch.
Seeing that, a few individuals had gone "Shiny!" and tried to wander over, but today, I was fully recovered. Immediately entering "Chief Mode," I projected my pressure directly at them to herd them back over here. Well, I ended up accidentally putting a weird amount of pressure on the people setting things up because of that, but hey, it's still better than my kids charging in and reducing everything to a complete mess.
(Now then, I've been called, so here I am...)
Ah, there we go. Is that it?
My eyes locked with one of the soldiers guarding the exceptionally luxurious pavilion. He seemed to be the soldier entrusted with the entranceway, and his equipment looked far more lavish than the others. Walking casually toward him, I took another look around the surroundings.
I didn't get to go inside the city, but being able to touch the cultural aspects of a country like this... it feels pretty great! From my perspective, this society—or rather, this world itself—is a complete unknown. As long as this mysterious power called mana exists, this world has definitely walked a completely different path of history compared to Earth, and the cultures born within it are entirely unique too.
Even if it's only partial, being able to experience it—like the decorations woven into this pavilion, you know? Or what is presumably the national crest of the Heed Kingdom? Just looking at the soldiers' gear gets me a little excited. Plaque was great in its own way, but when it comes to the Royal Capital, it's the cultural heart of the country. You get to taste something much richer. It really gets my mood up...!
"Hello-hello, Mr. Soldier. Word got to you, right? I'm Lais. Is it okay if I head in through here? Is it about time to enter?"
"Wh-Ah, yes! P-Please wait just a moment!"
Huh? Was I being a bit too cheerful? What a shockingly startled voice. ...Ah, could it be that you witnessed that incident yesterday? Ahaha! How embarrassing! That, you see, was just me snapping out of anger. The usual me is right here—the ostrich Lais-chan who loves fun things and acts as everyone's Mama, you know~? You're a human, so your memory is supposed to be way better than ours, right? At least match my face to my name~!
"Lord Lais! Please, enter!"
Oh, the confirmation's already done? Glad to hear it. Well then... time to switch over.
"っ!!!"
From my usual relaxed self, to the one who protects and leads those children. From what I heard, it was supposed to be a signing ceremony and a brief conference... but there are far too many presences inside the pavilion for just that. And looking back, there were quite a lot of carriages parked on the way here too. I took a quick glance earlier, and the crests painted on those carriages were incredibly diverse. In other words, in addition to their King and Prime Minister, all sorts of nobles have likely come along. And a matching number of bodyguards to go with them.
Well, apparently we're a newly emerged "Special Tactical Force" or whatever you want to call it. I'm sure they have their own various circumstances over there. I have no intention of nitpicking that. However, I'm carrying the weight of my flock on my back too, so I'll be facing them with a matching attitude.
"Nn!"
"Ah, Dere. Did the rest of you come along too?"
"Uh-huh!"
"I see... Well, fine. You can wait here, or you can tag along, it doesn't matter. Just behave yourselves. You can do that, right?"
Injecting a tiny bit more pressure than usual into my voice, I made sure they understood.
"Well then... let's intrude, shall we?"
Snapping the tent flap open, I walked inside.
...Heh, it's sturdier and more grand inside than I thought.
Directly in front of me, at the very back, stood a throne. Flanking it was a long line of aristocratic-looking people, and standing right beside the throne was that Prime Minister, hovering close to the ruler. Behind them, knights in heavily imposing armor were lined up as if to show off the country's might... but both the knights and the ministers are shaking like leaves, which is kind of hilarious. Oh dear, it looks like I've terrified them.
But sorry, okay? I refuse to be looked down upon.
"Well now... thank you for the welcome, I suppose? No introductions are necessary, right?"
Walking a fair distance inside, I stopped at a position where I could clearly see the King's face. I lightly crossed my arms as I spoke—well, they're wings, not arms, though. At any rate, just as I had heard, the King really is a little girl. And quite a young one at that; she literally feels like a Young Queen Regnant.
"っ!!! H-How dare you before the King..."
"Hah?"
One of the nobles tried to speak up. He was positioned quite close to the young Queen, so his rank must be high. Before he could even finish weaving his words, I glared right at him. Ah, look at him shiver. I get it, you know? You want to tell me to kneel and behave appropriately because I'm in front of the King, right? Yeah, yeah, that's the normal protocol. I totally get it, and that is the standard way of doing things, but...
"Tell me, Lord Prime Minister. I believe you and I concluded an agreement as equals? And yet, is your court implying that I ought to kneel?"
I questioned him, allowing my voice to sound just a tiny bit displeased. Sorry, sorry, this is purely for political posturing. It's a demonstration to show them that there's no way in hell we're submitting as vassals. Forgive me, okay? I really, truly hate the idea of swearing fealty to someone. It creates unnecessary responsibilities and whatnot, and I already have my hands completely full taking care of my kids, so please spare me from that.
"I believed the terms had already been reasonably settled on your end... Shall we reschedule for another day? I will, of course, expect proper compensation for the delay. Or perhaps we can simply pretend this contract never existed in the first place. You are entirely free to choose whichever you prefer."
"T-That is..."
"Enough, Prime Minister. I shall speak."
The young Queen raised her voice, raising a hand to cut off the Prime Minister as he tried to respond to my words. ...Hmm? Hearing that voice just now reminded me... Ah, yep, I knew it. This is the kid who got so terrified by my rampage at the inspection line yesterday that she soiled herself...! Ah, wait, oh, what should I do. Uh, did I seriously make the King wet her pants? Whoa! Oh, man...
Leaving me internally sweating bullets while maintaining a perfectly blank expression outwardly, she squared her shoulders and faced me. She possessed a sharp, dignified expression that made it impossible to tell she had suffered a public accident just yesterday. I had heard from Matilde during our journey that although she has the Prime Minister by her side, she is involved in almost all of the state affairs. At first, I took it with a grain of salt, assuming it was just political propaganda, but... I can feel a corresponding strength in her eyes. It must have been the truth.
"Lord Lais, the words spoken just now were out of concern for my person. I ask that you find it in your heart to forgive him. Furthermore, we have absolutely no intention of revoking our contract."
"...I see. Well, being dragged around by your subordinates' whims is practically the destiny of those at the top, isn't it? I don't mind. I shall also apologize for unnecessarily raising my voice."
"You have my gratitude."
...Whew, both sides apologized, scratching out the previous tension. I'd say that was a pretty good opening exchange. Perhaps that noble spoke up intentionally just to set up this interaction? Well, it doesn't really matter either way.
"Then, allow me to introduce myself properly... My name is Luciya Vedicta Endubis Heedra, the sixth monarch of this Heed Kingdom. Please, address me as 'Luciya.' That you have traveled to this country and chosen to forge a contract with our nation... you have my deepest gratitude."
"Likewise, King Luciya. We are the 'Ostriches,' and I'm 'Lais,' the one serving as their Chief. Well, I hope we remain excellent trading partners for a long time to come. ...So? Are the terms settled with your Prime Minister acceptable to you?"
"Yes, I have no objections."
After she spoke, she lightly moved her fingers to issue a command. A moment later, rustling sounds echoed from the back of the pavilion, and knights carrying various items came jogging forward. Ah, I see, the tools for the signing ceremony. A desk and podium that were perfectly sized for the young Queen, and as for me... Ah, so you went out of your way to prepare that for me, huh? There was a perfectly sized inkpad for a foot (filled with black ink) waiting for me. They basically wanted me to leave a footprint as a thumbprint, or scratch my name using my toe claws.
...What should I do, I can't write my name with my claws?
Watching King Luciya slowly descend from her throne and head toward the signing podium, I agonized over what to do. Let me turn the question on you: if someone told you to write your name using your toes, could you do it? You couldn't, right?! Ah, whatever, what should I do. Can I just leave a nice, clear footprint stamp? It feels like the proper etiquette is to sign simultaneously, and the other party is waiting for me, so this should be fine, right? This is way cleaner and more decisive than some weird, squiggly text anyway!
Oh, whatever! Fortune favors the bold! Here goes!
The exact instant the young Queen picked up her quill and began to write, I slammed my foot down onto the inkpad with all my might. I felt multiple gazes piercing into me as if going "Eh!?" but I don't care! I shot my leg forward, stamping it directly onto the paper! Lais-chan knows that as long as you act completely dignified, humans will just write it off as some unique barbarian value or custom!
A massive, bold footprint was left on the prepared parchment. Perfect!
"...Eh, does this actually work... Ah, it does. Ahem! Well then, Lord Lais."
Picking up the parchment lightly with my clean foot, I brought it into the air, caught it with my wing, and exchanged it with the one the young Queen had signed.
(...Hm? Mana?)
The moment we exchanged them, a tiny bit of mana was drawn from the parchment. The same seemed to happen on her end, and both signed papers suddenly began to glow. Dyed pure white by the light, they floated up into the air and began to shift their shapes. With a sharp pop, the transformation stopped, and what fell down toward me was a small ring meant for a human.
I can only tell by intuition, but it doesn't look like this ring has any strange restrictions or curses attached to it. However, it feels strongly connected to the identical ring that appeared before King Luciya.
"What is this?"
"It is a 'Ring of Contract.' It holds no binding power over your actions, but if one ring is destroyed, the other will spontaneously shatter as well. It is an item where the moment the ring breaks, the bond is severed. I would be pleased if you treat it with care."
"Heh..."
Saying that, she pulled out a necklace she had been wearing around her neck to show me. As expected of a King, she seems to have forged quite a lot of contracts; the rings were bundled together like old copper coins with holes in the center strung on a cord. I see, I see. Things have suddenly gotten very fantasy-like, and I am deeply satisfied. Sorry for doubting you for a second and thinking "Did I get tricked?" ♡
"Then, I look forward to your continued support of our Kingdom for ages to come."
With those words, she extended her hand toward me. I suppose all that's left is to shake hands and wrap this up.
Roger that, understood. Well, once the handshake is over, I don't need to stay in "Chief Mode" anymore, so I can go back to my usual—
"R-Report! A message from the Eastern Border Troops! The Charda Beast Kingdom has commenced an invasion!!!"
...Oh-ho?
Comment from the young Queen Regnant, who was transported to the Royal Palace at maximum speed by Matilde because she had soiled herself in various ways:
"...I hate this."
...I-It's okay! There are famous military commanders in history who retreated while leaving behind a "heavy load" in their pants too...!