"Wake up—!"
"...Mmm-gh?"
"Wake up—! Enemies~?"
At those words, my brain snapped awake instantly, and I bolted upright. One of my kids had woken me; it seemed the entire flock had sensed something abnormal and was already on high alert. With their experience on the Plateau etched into their bodies, they had already confirmed everyone was present. After I reassured myself that no one was missing, I finally looked where they were pointing.
"...What is that?"
It was early morning. The sun had only recently crested the horizon. But a group was spreading out before me, polluting the fresh morning air. A mass of humans filled my vision—all clad in matching equipment, standing in neat rows. It was a disciplined, human army. And looking at them, there were probably about 5,000 of them… Wow. That's trouble.
"Ah, yeah. Okay. First, we'd better wake up everyone else sprawled out around here."
"Hit them? Wake them? Got it!"
"Wait a second! Gently. Wake them gently."
"""Okay!"""
If they "hit" them with ostrich strength, people might actually die. They might start soft, but the moment they forget why they're doing it, they might start kicking with everything they've got. I showed them a physical example—stroking gently with a wing—and then let them get to work.
Now, while my kids took care of the others… I had to wake Matilde. That army clearly wasn't ready to fight just yet. With our eyes, we could see the people in the front row looking rather tired. Whether they were friends or foes, there was still time before "it" happened. They were moving forward slowly, but it was just a march.
If they were allies to Matilde, I shouldn't attack. Even if they were enemies, it's best to avoid an immediate strike.
(Even war has manners, right? Like, you shouldn't attack while the first person is announcing their name. There are rules to these things.)
"I hope this doesn't turn into a pain," I thought, as I shook Matilde's shoulder with a wing.
"Hey, Matilde? Something's definitely wrong."
"...A-Abnormal… situat—BLERGH!!!"
"Oops."
As expected of a knight, she woke up instantly despite how much she'd drunk yesterday. However, jumping up so suddenly was a mistake. Her face turned green in a second, and her cheeks bulged. Ah, yeah. Here, I have the empty wine barrel I polished off yesterday; use this. Slow and steady now, don't choke.
I rubbed her back while she vomited rainbows, scanning the area.
Yesterday's party had been so wild that things were scattered everywhere. Chefs were collapsed from exhaustion, and there were piles of ingredients that probably hadn't been cooked. Despite eating so much yesterday, some of the ostriches were already starting breakfast on that raw pile. My kids were shaking the humans awake—the ones I'd out-drunk last night.
I really did drink a lot… Eh, me? I slept like a log. Thanks to the alcohol, all the stress and fatigue had vanished. On the Plateau, I rarely had a night of good sleep. Now, I felt like I could fly. Still, I can't believe I drank that much. In my past life, I would've died of acute alcohol poisoning. Ostriches are amazing!
"S-Sorry, Lady Reis. You had to see something unsightly…"
"It's fine, it's fine. Water… well, I can't ask my kids for that. Ask another soldier later."
"Ugh, yes, I understand."
"So… about that. Is that an enemy?"
I supported her shoulder and pointed toward the army. Matilde's face grew even paler. Ah, yeah. That told me everything. They were far off, but even human eyes could just barely see the yellow flags they were flying. The soldiers on the walls must have spotted them too; the town was getting noisy.
"N-Nagan…! Why are they here!"
"Enemy?"
"...Yes. We haven't received a declaration of war, but their presence here means exactly that."
According to her, Nagan was a neighbor, but it didn't border Plaque directly. There was a monster habitat in between, so "normally," an army shouldn't be here. Given the direction they came from, they must have hacked their way through a monster-infested region just to get here.
And the numbers were clearly more than this town's soldiers and defenses could handle. They were definitely here to take Plaque. 500 guards against over 5,000. Plus, the walls weren't that thick or high. They were designed for monsters, making them poorly suited against a human army relying on numbers. Worst of all, the local leader was dying of a hangover, and half the soldiers were out of commission from the party.
"Ghh! My head…! If my cause of death is a 'hangover,' I'll never hear the end of it! Why did I drink so much…!"
"Ah, ahaha…"
"L-Lady Reis. What will you do? We have no way to stop Nagan. They are a nation of human supremacists. Their treatment of your kind would be horrific… There should be enough time for me to write a letter! If you reach the interior of Heed…!"
Oh? Matilde, are you trying to help us escape? Aw! That's sweet. I'm a sucker for soldiers who try to save civilians. …And besides, we finally made some friends, didn't we? It'd be wrong to just watch them die.
Honestly, even with that many people out there, I didn't feel a shred of fear. My kids were the same; to them, it was just "Wow, there's a lot of them!" That meant no matter what they did, the danger to us was basically zero. These animal instincts are actually quite reliable; they're the reason we survived the Plateau.
I'd finally found people I could get along with, people who didn't discriminate. Someone even laughed off us eating their entire stock. If there's a beatable enemy in front of me and I don't help, it goes against my morals.
"Matilde. I want to ask something…"
"W-What is it?"
"It's okay if I just go ahead and beat them up, right?"
"Hmph. Did you never learn that sudden formation changes are a burden on the troops?"
"Hey now, my bad. We only got the orders from the top recently ourselves."
Surrounded by soldiers, two men exchanged words while riding.
"...Fine. I've been curious about the strength of the 'Secret' Magic Corps. Make sure you pull your weight."
The man speaking with annoyance was a large man with a thick black beard, wearing the armor permitted only to Generals in Nagan. This was General Delotado, the man entrusted with the Plaque invasion.
Because he was steeped in human supremacist ideology, his evaluation by the high command—specifically the "Strategist"—was low, but he wasn't incompetent. He had the necessary abilities of a General, and though his words were rough, he was mindful of his troops' fatigue. In this army of like-minded men, he was a trusted leader.
"Yes, yes. Leave it to us."
The thin man responding, clad in the iconic yellow robes of Nagan, didn't look like a soldier. He looked like an unhealthy researcher. This was Bobre, the commander of the Magic Corps.
The Strategist had called him in to handle "irregularities" because he was capable and hadn't been entirely consumed by the extreme ideology the Strategist preferred. He had the knowledge to lead, the brains to understand their role in this 5,000-man army, and the raw power to use lightning magic far stronger than the rest of his corps. He was Nagan's true secret weapon.
"...Well. Thanks to your magic, we navigated the 'Corridor' safely. Attacking at dawn after a night march is a huge advantage, and giving the troops rest made a difference. I'll thank you for that."
"Oh? The General knows how to say thanks?"
"Are you mocking me?"
General Delotado brushed off Bobre's quip with a sigh and signaled a messenger. Though they had only met for this mission, they had maintained a professional working relationship.
"Messenger! Clear a space in the center for the Magic Corps. They are our main force. Place shield-bearers in the vanguard to solidify our defense. Order them to let no one through."
"And on my end, we'll eliminate the enemy before they even reach us. Also, watch the mana consumption; we need some left for the siege."
The two of them cooperated because they were rational enough to prioritize the "Goal." They both knew their ideologies differed, but they had the discipline to suppress their egos for the "Plan" and the glory of Nagan. It was a required skill for leadership, yet few could actually execute it.
These were Nagan's elite. It wasn't the "best" possible army, but it was one they were certain would succeed. The soldiers were confident in an absolute victory, and the two commanders were only concerned with how to win with minimal casualties. Meanwhile, the "Strategist" who issued the orders was enjoying tea, waiting for a victory report from the spy, Alan.
As you probably know… I should state it clearly now.
Unfortunately, these are the victims of this story.
"Okay, line up—! Form ranks!"
"Okay!"
"Lining up!"
"I'm in line!"
"I'm good!"
"Yes, yes. Good kids."
I issued orders to my kids, trying to get them into formation. Even if they got into line, their memories would wipe it out in a second. This was mostly a head-count to make sure everyone was here. You know, when it comes to big battles, you want to do it cool, right? Use a strategy, crush the enemy. But for these kids, that's impossible. I'm the only one who can lead, so the plan is just "The Commander leads, everyone else plays around."
"Lady Reis, truly…"
"I said it's fine! More importantly, you're paying for the food bill after this as a thank you, right? Get ready for that!"
"...Haha. That's scary. ...Wait, that's actually terrifying."
"Now, Mr. Hangover, you stay somewhere safe and watch. I don't actually know what will happen to these kids."
I trust the ostriches. But at the same time, I don't trust their brains at all. I haven't told Matilde or the adventurers, but sometimes my kids… look at humans with the eyes of a predator. Because they have favorites or because I tell them "No!" there haven't been any victims, but it's a concern.
In that regard, yesterday was a huge success. The trip into town and the banquet afterward. Humans shouldn't be eaten or attacked. And if you don't do anything, there's a high chance they'll give you delicious food. That info might not be solid in their heads, but fragments should remain.
(To be honest, I don't know if letting them "hunt humans" here is the right choice.)
I want them to get along with other races. And those who are friends with my friends are my friends—I have no problem eliminating their enemies. Normally, one would hesitate to kill, but I instinctively understand that I am not the same species as the enemy before me. I'll probably just do it as I always do.
And if I do it, these kids behind me will follow suit. That's how ostriches are; we move as a flock. They mimic what I do. …But I haven't decided if that's right for them. Since they're mentally young, my choices as their surrogate parent will decide their future.
(Ah, it's hard. I miss the Plateau where I didn't have to worry about anything.)
"Well, this is still way better than that place."
"Better?"
"Better!"
"Food?"
"Enemy—!"
"Not yet?"
"...Sorry. Can you wait just a little longer?"
"""Okay!"""
Oh, and one more thing! Those aren't food! They're enemies! Even if you beat them, don't eat them! I don't want you getting a taste for human flesh! It would look horrific! I don't want to eat them, and I don't want to see you eating them! Promise me that! I'll give you better food later! Got it? If you got it, answer me!
"""Got it!"""
Good. Seriously, don't forget…
Sigh. Heh, I feel oddly relaxed. Well, I'd regret it more if I didn't fight, and "doing nothing" was never an option. If I don't fight, I lose my new friends, and the next people to come along will be those creeps who don't think we're people. I don't mean to insult their philosophy, but if it causes actual harm, I can't stay quiet. If staying quiet means being persecuted, it's best to crush them before they can do anything.
"Alright. Gears switched."
"Switched?"
"Switch-switch!"
"Done!"
"Me too!"
Is it really? Or did you just forget what you were thinking? And Dere, I saw you waving to Amelia on the walls; I know you weren't looking at me! Follow me properly, okay? Nothing should happen, but if you're late, you might get hurt. Got it? Good.
Now, where to charge…
(Shields in the center, spears on the sides. I can't see deep in, but based on the flags and the messengers… the commander is in the back-center. I don't want to kill everyone, so a breakthrough for the General's head is best.)
I don't know anything about human military doctrine, but usually, if you take the top, the army crumbles. If it's a well-trained army, the second-in-command takes over, but I'll just "hunt" them too. If I beat all the important people, it's a total victory. I'll adjust the details once we dive in. For now, we just charge.
"Everyone, it's time! Ready?"
"""Ready—!"""
Honestly, you guys… Nagan Kingdom, was it? I don't have a grudge against you, but…
"Consider it bad luck. ...CHARGE!"
"""WAAAAAAAH!!!!!!"""
[Ostriches and Strategy]
As their leader, Reis, has said in the past: the only strategies they can understand are "Charge" and "Retreat." While there is an order for "Free Combat," they literally start doing whatever they want, so it ceases to be a strategic action. Thus, all they can do is go forward or pull back.
However, for creatures faster than a cavalry charge and capable of attacks many times more terrifying than a lance charge, one has to ask: is any other strategy even necessary? They possess resistance to most elements and feather-armor that blades can't bite into. They have incredible speed and eyesight that allows them to "counter" before an enemy attack even lands. Aside from being dim-witted, they have no weaknesses.
Even if you manage to wound one, their abnormal recovery speed allows them to return to the front many times faster than a human. …Though whether a front line even exists after an ostrich gets mad because its friend was hurt is unknown. Incidentally, having fought monsters on the Plateau that use elemental attacks (like "Biku-Biku"), they have been instructed to eliminate any target using such attacks first. Scary.