The future of the Kingdom of Minowa.
I’ve made my decision to bring this country back from the brink of destruction, but before that, I have to do something about the monsters rampaging throughout it.
The army spider queen that caused an abnormal outbreak was one of them, but there are many in this country.
The army spider queen was a new one, but many more monsters need dealing with.
And I’m going around taking them down, leveling up in the process.
◆◆◆◆◆
Name: Noa
Species: Yinglong of the four sacred beasts
Level: 06 / 50
Rank: C
Title: Dragon Egg, Demon King Egg
Attack: 78
Defense: 59
Magic: 70
Agility: 70
Inherent skills: Appraisal
Extra Skills: Weather Control, Disease Breath, Dragon Breath
High skills: Guardian Barrier, Body Size Control, Poison Fang, Rapid Movement, Humanoid Form, Partial Dragonification
Skills: Magic Grounding, Healing Tongue, Swallow Whole, Wrap
Immunity skills: Poison Immunity
◆◆◆◆◆
Well, I’m still a long way from an evolution.
Actually, level fifty? I feel like the goalpost has suddenly gone far away.
B rank is pretty far… But my magic energy is growing.
I thought about this with the army spider queen too, but an intelligent monster like me must be pretty special and strong among monsters without a shred of intelligence or sense of reasoning.
If I keep polishing this weapon, I’ll reach the top ranks and beat them… Or I should.
But I need to work for that.
“Fui…”
With more monsters smashed today, I make my way back to the castle, and walk through it in my human form.
I figured no one knowing me in this castle would be an obvious issue but… It’s not. Kanna’s approval was enough to erase any doubt about me.
Kanna’s influence is great.
“Good job.”
I think as I walk through the castle, and Kanna talks to me.
“Ah, Kanna.”
“Did you take out more monsters today?”
“Yes, but it was easier than usual, because it was just a few dozens E ranks.”
“No no, that’s not something that’s normally easy to do. Sorry, I’m leaving it all up to you to take down monsters in this country. I should be fighting too, but I have my hands full with the defense of the country. I can’t just go out and fight.”
The Kingdom of Minowa never has enough food, and its people are in a perpetual state of malnutrition. Everyone is thin, so of course, everyone here is physically weak.
It goes without saying that the army of a country like this is also weak.
Kanna really is the only linchpin of this army, and that goes not only for national security, but also maintaining peace.
Having someone as overwhelmingly strong as her in this country does a lot to deter crime.
“This is my value, so I can’t complain.”
“Thanks.”
“By the way, why do you serve this country? You could do a lot in another.”
“…No, that’s not true.”
“…?”
“I’m a beast dog. There’s less racism towards demi-humans compared to its height, but someone like me who doesn’t look totally human still suffers a lot of discrimination.”
“…Ah, I get it.”
“Humans have discrimination issues. Unlike monsters.”
“I saw that in a book too.”
“Humans tend to receive preferential treatment compared to a demi-human like me. Their ability to reproduce and average values are way higher, so there’s no race better suited to govern a nation.
Demi-humans each form nations comprised of their races, and have their hands full running and hiding so they don’t attract the attention of humans.”
“I see.”
That’s terrible. This is also a problem in this world.
“As for me… My parents were expelled from the country as criminals, and I along with them. I was abandoned by society, suffered discrimination, and lost my parents… I had nowhere to go, but one singular country accepted me, this one. Princess Reve’s father, the king, was kind even to a demi-human like me.
“…I see.”
So that’s why Kanna favors this country.
“I have a debt I can never repay. To this country and its king.”
“…”
“And so… I have a duty to protect it. I have to but… I’m not enough. If you didn’t come here, I couldn’t have protected it. I’m very grateful.”
Kanna bows deeply.
“And who wanted to kill me…?”
I joke with a shrug.
She was saved just like me, and also has a debt to Reve she can never repay… I really was saved at that time.
“That was just a joke, of course. Killing you or me is the same in the eyes of the average person.”
“…Eh? It’s that bad? Well… Fine. Kanna, we’re both protecting this country. The rest doesn’t matter as long as we’re here. Let’s protect this country together.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
We continue walking through the castle as we talk.
