第１２５４堀：珍しい種族 (Part2)
There's no need to wait, really. The recording has already started, so it would be better for Grand Master if we get straight to the point. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Indeed. It seems it will be a long discussion, so I would appreciate it if we could begin promptly. Sitting for too long makes it rather tiresome to get up, you see."
"Is this acceptable to Queen Miyabi and the others as well?"
"Mmm. It's best to finish the stiff formalities quickly and go for a drink."
"That's right. We've met old acquaintances, after all."
"Indeed. I agree with that as well."
Everyone seemed to have no objections.
Just as I was about to begin, Orelia and the others brought out some tea.
So, I decided to take a sip to wet my throat before starting.
"I believe you've heard from Milly, but with Weed's upcoming acceptance of exchange students, we want to understand as many races as possible, especially rare ones, to avoid troubles that might arise from interspecies encounters. To that end, we've gathered here at the Adventurer's Guild to request your cooperation in providing information about various races."
"Mmm. I have heard the story. It is true that the Adventurer's Guild knows more about races than any kingdom."
"As Grand Master says, there were even requests in the past to find races that were thought to be mere fairy tales. So, the Adventurer's Guild would be the best place for information on such matters."
"Well, I doubt there are many races rarer than my high elves."
"Indeed, Queen Miyabi is likely the only high elf now. However, there's no point in discussing races we already know about."
"Yes. Let's quickly list the names of rare races. Is that alright, my lord?"
"That's right. Let's start by listing the races."
With that, Kina, who stood beside the whiteboard, began writing down the names of 'rare races' provided by Queen Miyabi and Grand Master.
- Gemstone Tribe
- Rock Tribe (different from Golems)
- Spirit Tribe
- Mermaid Tribe (human upper body)
- Fishman Tribe (human lower body)
- Winged Tribe (Harpy)
- Rare Beastmen (e.g., Ratz)
- Fairy Tribe (e.g., Narjia, Covil, Nana)
- Golden Tribe
- Treant Tribe (e.g., Treants)
"Hmm, are there surprisingly many? Or few?"
"Well, I knew of the existence of about half of them, and some even live in Weed."
Milly tilted her head in the same way, responding to my murmur.
It's true that the Fairy Tribe refers to Narjia and the others, and I wouldn't have met them if it weren't for that demon lord incident.
I've heard of mermaids and fishmen, but I've never actually met them.
"Speaking of which, I've heard of the Winged Tribe but never seen one. Do they actually exist?"
"Mmm. They do exist. They are classified under the Rare Beastmen category, but they have strong avian traits and their living areas are in treetops and cliffs. They don't interact much."
"Can you communicate with them?"
"Yes, communication is possible. Apparently, there are occasional exchanges through bartering with nearby villages. However, even if you try to capture them, they fly, and like the Fairy Tribe, they are adept at high-level wind magic, making it difficult to shoot them down. Furthermore, if you provoke them carelessly, you'll be attacked from the sky, so it's not worth the trouble, according to the slave traders."
I see, so they possess aerial combat capabilities from birth.
That's troublesome in its own way.
"But why didn't the kingdom try to secure them?"
"It's a matter of location. Deep in the mountains, and although it's somewhat opened up now, it's in the mountainous region of the Great Forest of the Last Kingdom, which was once considered a demon realm. Venturing there is..."
"Indeed, that would be tough."
The difficulty of their living environment is too high.
The negotiation team might be wiped out before any negotiations even begin.
"Also, there seem to be races related to minerals? I haven't seen those either."
"The Gemstone Tribe, Rock Tribe, and Golden Tribe were heavily hunted in the past. Most of them have fled to the mountainous regions of the Last Kingdom as well."
Queen Miyabi answered my question.
"I did manage to protect a few, though. But only a handful."
"I know of them too. That was deep in the mountains."
"That's right. I'm the same."
I see, both deep in the mountains.
Well, that probably means they are rare and valuable.
In this manner, I continued to hear more tales of various races.
However, honestly, so far, there don't seem to be any new races that would cause us particular concern.
Well, they are simply rare, and it's unlikely we'll encounter them anytime soon.