First encounter with beastmen.

The light swelled to engulf not only the surface but also the apple trees growing everywhere…
And then, it appeared.

…It was huge.

It is a structure larger than the burnt beastman king’s castle in the imperial kingdom.
Completely covered in a strange, unknown shining metal…
From a distance, the gigantic body, seeming like a giant bird or beast, gradually emerges from the light, suspended in mid-air.

“…A phoenix?”

Surrounded by attendants, Uruka gazes up at this and whispers the name of the legendary sacred bird.
Indeed, it had the dignity reminiscent of the bird said to appear before the first Beastman King during the founding of the country to guide him.

However, the legend made no mention of the spirit bird being made of metal…
Thus, Banho stares fixedly at its form, believing it to be an entirely different entity.
Although he gazed at it, there was nothing he could do…

Anyway, the gigantic metal monster bird ceased its ascent about ten meters above the ground and began to float gently in the air.
It was terrifying how it was achieved by what kind of principle… There seemed to be not a single breeze in the air.
Seeing the same light emitted from the bottom as that sphere, it was safe to assume that it was causing this massive body to rise.

Before they knew it, the enormous light spreading from the spring at the center had vanished…
The flowers and apple trees that were enveloped by it now reappeared as if nothing had happened.
Without exchanging words, Uruka and the others just gazed up at the sky, trying not to open their mouths stupidly.

“I don’t want to knock down the trees I’ve just planted…
Let’s move a little.”

From the metallic bird, the same voice echoes once again.
If that’s the case, the true identity of this being is not a bird but a vehicle…
Could it be a presence akin to a gigantic ship floating in the sky?
However, the idea of a ship floating in the sky is ridiculous, something never heard of…

The ‘ship’ started to slowly move, almost gliding through the air, gradually beginning to shift its position.
Moving at a speed comparable to a human walking pace, the ‘ship’ gradually, after reaching a point in the greenery centered around a spring… where a familiar wasteland expands, began a slow descent.

*Pshoo.*

…and a sound like air being released echoed.
With that, the ‘ship’ came to a halt in motion. Instead, a part of the port side unfolded, revealing stairs extending smoothly from there.

“Banho…”

“Uruka-sama, let’s go.”

With a resolute nod from a loyal subject, a group centered around Uruka moves towards the front of the staircase.
Indeed, at the top of the extended staircase stood the young man at the entrance of the ‘ship.’

“Thank you for the welcome!”

The voice that conveyed a familiarity in addressing a large group resonated from the spherical device and the ‘ship.’
How extravagant and peculiar his attire was…

His race is a simple human… the most abundant race on this continent.
However, the attire worn is probably something that cannot be found anywhere on the continent.
It differed from both leather and cloth made of plant materials.
The clothes with a strange gleam seemed to be sewn so beautifully that it was hard to believe they were made by human hands, clinging perfectly to the young man’s body.
The design was also unique and unfamiliar, yet it exuded a refined, gentlemanly dignity.

The appearance of the young man wrapped in this garment somehow exudes a sense of nobility.
However, the unkempt black hair and scruffy beard, as if neglected for years, created a discord with the odd but well-put-together outfit.

Overall, it was eccentric yet oddly captivating.

Even Banho, let alone Uruka, felt this young man was someone who didn’t fit into the category of people they had encountered before.

The young man takes a step on the staircase…
Then… Oh… What is this?
As if mimicking a magical creature like an Imitator, the stairs started moving on their own… carrying the young man toward the ground.

The stairs were carrying not only the young man…
Shortly after, they also carried a woman.
She, too, was a strange woman.

In terms of age, she might be slightly older than Uruka…
Her race seemed human, just like the young man’s. Still, her hair, reaching down to her waist, emitted various colors of light, constantly changing.
Her clothing seemed like a ladies’ version of the young man’s, and her flawless face, unblinking, was directed towards Uruka and the others below.
Alongside the oddities of her hair color and lack of blinking, what stood out was the nearly torso-sized box she carried on her back.
Made from a material similar to the fabric used in their clothing, the contents of that box… there was no way to guess what was inside.

Finally, the young man descended to the ground, followed by a woman taking her place beside him.
And as the young man speaks, he confidently introduces himself with these words.

“My name is Asuru! By the command of King Lombard XVIII, I am the ruler of this Land of Death!
Uninvited visitors, state your name and purpose!”

His eyes were fixed straight on Uruka.

It had been a while… I, with a royal-like self-introduction for the first time in five years, observed the girl who seemed to be the central figure among the group.
Actually, the one commanding is an elderly samurai standing nearby.
However, I had already discerned from his extraordinary aura that the girl being protected by him possessed the highest status among the beastmen, a fact owed to her noble lineage.

She was undoubtedly a noble from the beastmen nation that was destroyed by the Fain Kingdom… a girl born into high status.
Despite her youth, her noble demeanor and shining silver hair that glistens even after walking through the Land of Death would undoubtedly make her the center of attention if invited to the royal ball.
This was the first time I actually laid eyes on a beastman, but I found the fox-like ears on top of her head irresistibly charming.
Her attire was thin and simple… wrapped in the traditional sash of the beastman country. However, the noble soul she possessed from birth could not be concealed with that.

Indeed, they are undoubtedly born of noble birth, but what kind of status do they actually hold…?
I can’t help but wonder, could it possibly be the last surviving member hidden by the destroyed royal beastman family?
If that were the case, the situation would become endlessly complicated…

Anyway, while displaying a dignified posture, I waited for the response from the other party.
By the way, although I didn’t reveal the surname that was taken from me, all the names I use represent the current facts.
… Well, I am fully intending to rebel though.

Sure enough, the middle-aged samurai with wolf-like ears took a step forward and kneeled.
Simultaneously, every samurai besides the girl follows suit and kneels.
Even with just that movement, the overall discipline is evident…

And indeed, the middle-aged samurai lifted his head and introduced himself in this manner.

“Asuru-dono! I appreciate your polite introduction!
I am Banho, the Samurai General of the Beastman Country!
And, over here is…”

The samurai named Banho raises one hand towards the girl and reveals his name.

“…I am the princess of the beastland, Uruka-sama.”

Is this girl the princess of the beastmen nation, Uruka-sama?
…Indeed, it was the day I discovered the relic of the ancient civilization I had been seeking for years. The tide, so to speak, is coming.
It seems like I have stumbled upon the most troublesome and troublesome situation.