Chapter 74: Negotiations

The means by which the Birdians obtained their daily sustenance were divided into hunting and cultivation (?). The former, needless to say, involved hunting down creatures in the vicinity of the huge tree they referred to as the “Mother Tree” and the rocky mountains. These creatures had descended from the area around the tree and the mountains, and the Birdians engaged in the activity of hunting these monsters.

While these creatures were predominantly bird-type creatures, they appeared to be the Birdians’ favorite delicacies as well. Upon closer consideration, even in real life, birds of prey often had other birds as their primary diet. It wasn’t as strange as it seemed.

Moreover, addressing them as “bird kin’” seemed to be considered an insult. Perhaps it invoked a similar sensation to humans being referred to as apes. It was as though the difference in culture had been openly displayed.

As for the other aspect, cultivation, the reason for the question mark is that the Birdians indeed practiced plant cultivation, but they did not use soil for it.

What they primarily cultivated were parasitic plants that took root in the Mother Tree, extending their vines to intertwine. These plants bore leaves and fruits that ended up on their dining tables. They managed these plants to a controlled extent, ensuring they didn’t overgrow, thus balancing the care of the Mother Tree and the sustenance of the residents.

In essence, this means they weren’t tilling the soil. Well, since they weren’t engaged in hydroponic farming either, can we even call it cultivation? I’m not entirely sure.

Now, concerning the typical residences of the Birdians, they were wooden houses constructed using branches from the Mother Tree. Although I say “branches”, they weren’t as large as the wood used in human homes. So, they didn’t resemble shabby bird nests; they had an appearance more akin to log cabins.

After inspecting the interior, it became evident to me that they led remarkably cultured lives. After observing several houses, it seemed like each household not only had the basics of clothing, food, and shelter but also seemed to have the luxury of engaging in board games or similar leisure activities. Their standard of living appeared to be quite high.

“Did you find anything interesting during your investigation, Isam?”

Iris asked me with a nervous expression. I could understand why she was worried.

This Birdian settlement had all the necessities for living within the town and its surroundings. Furthermore, there was enough leisure to indicate a fairly comfortable lifestyle. It was a far cry from the lives of uncivilized people.

In that case, it’s better to assume that the notion of “captivating the people with our own knowledge”, as often seen in stories, is unlikely. Rather, in the world of the game, where the concept of magic exists, it didn’t seem like our knowledge would be fully applicable. First of all, none of the five of us possessed such knowledge.

“Results… Well, of course, I got some.”

“What!?”

Iris might have been convinced that the way to resolve the issue lay in that direction. However, I thought differently. The first thing I needed to do was make a presentation—more specifically, an appeal about the value of establishing good relations with us. It felt a bit like a job interview, to be honest.

But let’s get back on track. The “captivating knowledge” Iris had in mind was undoubtedly a strong selling point. However, individuals possessing such knowledge were undoubtedly rare.

If that’s the case, then it would be wise to provide something more enticing on a more personal level—in other words, something that would bring about tangible benefits. The Birdians desired something, something that wasn’t readily available; that’s what I should offer them.

Exactly. That was the purpose of our observation—to discern what that something might be. The other three, excluding Iris and my adorable companion, seemed to genuinely enjoy the everyday scenes of the fantasy world…. Are you all just leaving the intellectual work entirely up to me?

“Hmm. So, what are you going to do?” Jigoro asked.

“Hahaha! Let’s just say it’s something to be seen and enjoyed. You should try to guess until the meeting is called… Come here.”

“Kyuu!”

Brushing off Jigoro’s question with ease, I called for Karl and held him in my arms. Well then, until the meeting starts, I suppose I’ll find comfort with him.

◆◇◆◇◆◇

“Oh, that’s spectacular.”

As the time arrived, we attended the meeting of the Birdians. Over a hundred Birdians were present. We must surely be the first among the players to see a gathering of Birdians with various bird features.

And these individuals here would be the primary force of the Birdy Perch. There seemed to be many who were at higher levels than Jigoro. I’ll need to be cautious.

They, in turn, were observing us with interest. It seemed there was no fool who would ignore the cause of today’s meeting—the outsiders who had arrived on their own and were attending as special guests.

“Everyone, thank you for gathering. Now, let’s begin this urgent assembly.”

“As you’re aware, the agenda revolves around the presence of Sir Izam and his companions here, who have come before us, and whether they should stay in the Birdy Perch.”

“We encourage everyone’s active participation in the discussion…”

“It’s obviously a no-go!”

Just as the council of elders was about to conclude their opening remarks, a male Birdian rose up, shouting as if to interrupt. Hey, hey, isn’t active discussion about more than just raising your voice and cutting off others?

“The Mother Tree is the sacred ground of us, the Birdians! Anyone who isn’t our kin should leave immediately!”

“That’s right!”

“Exactly!”

Several other Birdians followed suit. It seemed their dissatisfaction stemmed not so much from being an opposing faction against the council of elders but rather from the mere presence of non-Birdians within their midst.

Perhaps a hint of a selective mindset was at play. Although I wasn’t certain, judging from his tone and face, I assumed he was a young man. There are young and impulsive types everywhere, after all.

“Now, now, let’s not bring emotions into this discussion here.”

A Birdian who seemed older tried to admonish. However, the young man didn’t sit back silently. Instead, he became increasingly heated.

“No, I’m voicing what many Birdians are feeling!”

What he was expressing seemed purely emotional. Furthermore, he kept reiterating emotional arguments with different phrasing. If I were a council member, I’d probably want to leave by now.

“However, they are accompanied by a true dragon hatchling. Can we simply dismiss this?”

Oh, there we go: a favorable comment. Having Karl around was definitely influencing things. Given that this continent was the abode of dragon deities, it wasn’t surprising that there might be a positive sentiment toward those of us who shared a connection with dragons.

“Hmph, they’ve probably abducted it from a dragon’s nest!”

…Seriously? Jumping to calling us kidnappers without any evidence? This was getting ridiculous. It felt like one of those old dramas where a detective assumes and conducts an investigation from the very start.

“And then…”

“Silence.”

I listened with a detached air, wondering how long this would continue when a quiet yet resonant voice cut off the young man’s idle chatter. The young man fell silent in that commanding atmosphere.

“Going on and on… acting all high and mighty just because the adults stay quiet. If you spout any more nonsense from that mouth of yours, you won’t set foot across our threshold ever again. Understand?”

“…Yes!”

Well, well, the noisy young man was silenced! The sharp-tongued Birdian had a small stature and a slender build. He didn’t appear particularly strong.

However, this society valued the number of evolutions one had undergone. In that case, this Birdian might have evolved in ways unrelated to direct combat power. Maybe they were more of a rear-guard type, like me.

Now, with the meeting finally settling down, it’s about time I make my move.

“May I speak?”

“Wha…!”

I raised my hand to seek confirmation from the Council of Elders. The young Birdian reacted excessively, but the smaller Birdian from earlier had given him a stern look, leaving him unable to say anything. Unexpected support, I must say. Even though the smaller Birdian probably hadn’t intended it.

“Of course. Please proceed.”

“Thank you, esteemed elders. To all assembled, let me begin with introductions. I am Izam, a Chimera Abyss Dragonbone Lich.”

A murmur swept through the meeting, likely due to the unfamiliar race they just heard about.

“Now, as some of you may already know, let me reiterate our purpose. We are wanderers, and thus, in our endeavors, we require some form of a base.”

Here, I paused in my speech, deliberately sighing for effect.

“Truth be told, just before arriving here, we saved the life of a human girl. Yet, when we attempted to escort her to a village, the villagers recoiled in fear. Based on the information we gathered from the girl, we’ve journeyed here risking our lives.”

There were several Birdians nodding in agreement to my words. They were probably thinking, “Ahh, they’ll for sure be scared of you guys.”

“We’ve finally found a town of monsters. Could you please consider allowing us to stay?”

Many of those gathered in the meeting seemed uncertain. However, there were also those who let out sneers. They were likely wondering if all that effort I put into speaking resulted in nothing more than pitiful whining meant to elicit sympathy.

Naturally, I wasn’t that foolish. This is where things get critical!

“Of course, we are willing to offer compensation,” I added.

“Oh? Specifically, what are you willing to offer?”

The one who asked me that with an air of amusement was a Birdian, emitting a distinct aura. Despite having a relatively modest color scheme of white and black feathers and a slender build, there was an orange color around his eyes, and multiple decorative feathers protruded from his crown.

How should I put it… Yes! he had an intellectual yakuza vibe! I have to choose my words carefully before I speak.

“Specifically? Well…”

I pretended to contemplate for a moment and then answered slowly.

“Would physical quantities of metal be acceptable? You must be suffering from a chronic shortage of metal products, aren’t you?”

“”””Wha-?!””””

Most of the Birdian participants at the meeting were so astonished that they involuntarily raised their voices. For a moment, the very space of the meeting seemed to physically tremble.

“In fact, before coming here, I had the opportunity to see your Birdian homes. I learned that you have created a culture that is no less impressive than that of the ground world.”

This was indeed true. My knowledge was limited to what I could gather from bulletin boards and the like, but it’s safe to assume that Birdy Perch and its cultural level were at least on par, if not superior to Firth City.

“However, there was one thing that caught my attention.”

“….And that would be?”

“The almost complete absence of objects made from metal.”

That was the impression I formed after seeing the Birdian town. Certainly, I noticed the use of shears in the farmlands and what seemed like knives in ordinary households. So, it wasn’t that metal was completely absent.

However, every single item I saw was quite old. It felt less like careful use and more like meticulous preservation due to their scarcity. Some of the knives I saw had been sharpened to the point where only a few centimeters of the metal remained.

This was likely a consequence of building their city in the treetops. Forging work involves fire, which can lead to fires in turn. The aversion to fire likely hindered the development of metalworking technology. There’s also the possibility that there are no ore deposits nearby.

“Fortunately, we possess a reasonable amount of metal….especially iron, suitable for crafting tools. Additionally, Iris here is skilled in metalworking. Isn’t that right, Iris?”

“Huh? Oh, yes! I’m skilled in metalworking!”

Although Iris was suddenly brought into the conversation, it seemed she had been paying attention. This was something Sleepy Jigoro, who was half asleep with his head moving up and down, should learn from.

“We offer some metal and processing during our stay. You can consider that as our lodging fee. How does that sound?”

In the end, this was all business. In human society, you pay for services rendered. We were selling our services to secure a place to sleep. That’s how it worked.

“Fufufufufu, I like this. I really do!”

The voice of the intellectual, Yakuza Birdian, echoed through the hushed assembly hall. While moments ago he looked like he was having fun, now he bore a look akin to that of a fierce predator that had spotted his inescapable prey.

“Elders, I am in favor of them staying.”

Oh? The one who voiced support for us first was the intellectual yakuza Birdian. As expected, the shortage of metal seemed to be a significant concern for the Birdians.

“In that case, would you entrust me with the responsibility of arranging the lodging for their stay?”

… Wait a minute! It sounds like he’s already treating the decision for us to stay as a foregone conclusion!

“Hold on, Hayes! Don’t rush around! Elder! Leave that task to me, Saichou!”

The Birdian, who silenced the young man before began to engage in a heated exchange. Huh? What? The conversation is moving forward without us?

“Both of you, calm down. We’re in the presence of guests.”

“I apologize for my rudeness.”

“Sorry, things got a bit heated.”

Upon the owl elder’s reprimand, both of them obediently complied. Unlike Saichou, Hayes, the intellectual Yakuza, seemed to be doing so in order not to lower his image through excessive commotion.

“We appreciate your enthusiasm. After all, they might bring benefits to the entire town.”

“However, for a matter of such importance, shouldn’t we, the council of elders, make the arrangements?”

“Oh?”

“Wha-!?”

Ah, instead of reprimanding, the council of elders began to join the scramble. Furthermore, other Birdians also started participating in discussions about who would arrange our accommodations and where they would be.

“Hayes! You owe me a favor, don’t you?”

“Hmm? What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb, Hayes.”

“Oh? Elder, are you not taking my side after I helped with that thing the other day?”

“…Huh? Did you say something just now?”

“Hah! The one acting clueless is you! If your hearing’s gone bad, maybe it’s time for the elder to retire!”

“Hohoho! Can’t hear a thing!”

In the midst of the chaotic meeting, I found myself sidelined when it came to decisions about our treatment. All I could do was watch in silence.