Chapter 148: The Beastkin(3)
Chapter 148: The Beastkin(3)
Now that I knew how to train... no, coax Leona, all that remained was to extract information about the Beastkin from her.
I spent my time cross-referencing the fragmentary information I’d gathered from the books Siris gave me with the answers Leona provided to my questions.
Thanks to this, I was able to gather information quickly, but one thing concerned me: unlike other races, the Beastkin were composed of an incredibly diverse array of ethnic groups.
Since Leona had identified herself as a member of the Lion Clan, she told me a great deal about their strengths and weaknesses in exchange for steak. However, I had no way of verifying information about the other tribes.
I could learn the details of the "Big Three" of the Beastkin world—the Tiger Clan, the Lion Clan, and the Bear Clan—but as for the other animals? I couldn't help but wonder.
"Crunch! Munch! You don't have to worry about that. There's hardly anyone who knows more about our kind than I do."
"Where does that confidence come from?"
"Isn't the fact that I got into Halo Academy enough?"
Crack! Snap!
Leona answered proudly while happily crunching on a bone. I nodded, finding her logic sound.
It had been about three days since I started training Leona with delicious food. I was now used to the sight of her chewing through bones.
My dates with Marie weren't an issue either; after a brief interview with Leona, I was done by 8:00 PM at the latest. Since the final destination of our dates was always the inn anyway, it didn't matter if we stayed out a bit late.
Though, it was a bit embarrassing when the innkeeper started looking at us with an expression that clearly said, 'You two again?' Regardless, Marie looked blissful just to be with me until the next morning.
I, too, felt energized for the day ahead, waking up to see my beloved's face first thing in the morning.
‘Still, I should probably cut back for a while before I arouse suspicion.’
A woman's intuition is a terrifying thing. Since I’d been eating with Leona so often, Marie had given me a suspicious look more than once.
Fortunately, Marie trusted me deeply. Still, I couldn't exactly reveal that Leona was a Beastkin, so I needed to be careful before I ended up in a truly awkward situation.
Besides, today was Friday, the end of the week. I planned to make today my last consultation with Leona for a while, as I had plans with Nicole tomorrow.
Marie was also busy today with her brother and family matters, so we had agreed to meet at night. I’d likely be waking up in the inn again the morning after.
‘I should ask Nicole to join us for a meal while I’m at it.’
Since we were going to be family soon anyway, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have Marie join us. We’d eaten together before, so Nicole would likely accept readily.
As for Adelia... I wasn't so sure. Even after my private talk with Nicole, her behavior hadn't changed, though the atmosphere around her had become... subtle.
Her characteristic skinship remained, but the frequency had increased without me noticing. She’d do things like sneak up and give me a back hug—actions I could confidently say were not typical for a friend’s older sister.
‘Since my sister hasn't said anything, it’s probably fine, but...’
Adelia felt the same as usual yet different, making it hard to be certain. After all, she acted the same way toward Nicole.
I simply assumed they had grown closer since the exhibition. With a personality that was the complete opposite of the strict but secretly soft Nicole, it felt like I had gained a new older sister.
If Adelia really did have romantic feelings for me... and if she felt that way even knowing I was engaged to Marie...
‘...I’ll think about that tomorrow.’
Right now, getting more information from Leona was the priority. Volume 13 was due for publication soon, so I needed to prepare in advance to make things easier later.
I shook off my stray thoughts and looked at Leona.
"Lick. Slurp."
"..."
"The sauce is delicious, too."
Seriously, give it a rest.
The words reached the back of my throat, but I barely managed to suppress them. Leona’s antics didn't stop at her bone-munching mukbang.
As if to fully express her desire for just one more bite, she was licking the sauce right off the plate. I was so flabbergasted I couldn't find my voice.
When she finally set the plate down, the surface was so clean it looked like it had been washed. I stared at the plate with a speechless expression before shifting my gaze to Leona.
Oblivious to my mood, she looked perfectly content. Her ears were perked up so high they looked ready to fly into the sky.
"Mmm~ That was good. I could eat this every day and never get tired of it."
"..."
"Hm? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Leona blinked her glowing amber eyes at me. She looked completely unaware of what she had just done.
Seeing that, I thought it was a stroke of luck that she didn't have any friends. If she did, they would have realized she was a Beastkin long ago.
Then again, maybe she only acted this way because she was with me. I knew she was a Beastkin, and she knew I knew, so there was no need for her to act.
"...You don't do that when you're eating at the cafeteria, do you?"
"Hey, I'm not that bad. Besides, I can eat as much as I want at the cafeteria."
"Just how many servings do you eat in one sitting?"
"I don't know. I just eat until I'm full."
Hearing that, I checked the space beside Leona. She had already polished off three plates, which were now stacked up.
For the record, the steaks weren't small; they were actually quite large. According to the description, they were cuts from cattle the size of elephants.
Even for me, someone who had been eating a lot lately due to a growth spurt, it was a struggle to finish. And I had much more muscle mass than the average person thanks to my past knight training.
"Between yesterday and the day before... are all Beastkin big eaters like you?"
"We have to be. Beastkin have more muscle mass than other races. You could say our innate physical abilities are the best among all races."
Leona paused for a moment before asking me a question.
"Hey. How many kilos do you think I weigh?"
"What?"
"I'm asking how much you think I weigh."
"Hmm..."
At the question, I scanned Leona from head to toe. She looked tall, around 170cm, with a generally lean build.
Since it was hidden by her school uniform, I couldn't tell if she had any body fat, but the only prominent feature was her chest. A moderate amount of tissue—neither too small nor too large.
Considering that and her bone weight, I guessed she was around 55kg. That seemed about right.
"Maybe around 55kg?"
"Wrong. It's 85kg."
"What?"
That was impossible. Even I, who was over 180cm tall with increased muscle mass, didn't weigh 80kg, yet she was 85kg? Was this that "hidden muscle" I’d heard about?
Seeing my reaction, Leona gave her signature cynical smile and explained.
"It's more than you thought, right? It's only because I'm a woman; if I were a man, I might have topped 90kg. We Beastkin are specialized in the 'physical body' itself. Elves and Demons are just close to mana; their actual bodies aren't that different from humans."
"Ah. I've heard of that."
Everyone knew that Elves and Demons were born with strong physical abilities. The same went for Beastkin.
However, Elves and Demons weren't physically stronger than humans in terms of muscle and frame; they simply had much higher mana affinity. I’d read in a paper that their weight and overall frame were similar to humans. But apparently, that wasn't the case for Beastkin.
In short, Elves and Demons had highly developed software, while Beastkin had powerful hardware.
Meanwhile, humans... we just cry. Feeling a bit bitter, I spoke up.
"There's a saying that Beastkin are simple-minded. Is that why? Because your bodies are so good, you rarely had to use your heads."
"Exactly. But as the world changed, too many things cropped up that couldn't be solved with just brawn. Now, you have to use your brain. Your brain."
Leona spoke proudly, tapping her temple with her finger. It seemed she was quite proud of herself for getting into Halo Academy despite being a Beastkin.
"Since you have more muscle mass than other races, your food intake naturally increases... So how many servings does one person eat? Are there no food shortages?"
"Before Lord Hik founded Animus, food shortages were severe for every tribe. That's why the custom of raiding started, and why humans call us barbarians. Honestly, it's a shame to say this, but... humans were the easiest targets for us, and they were the ones with the fertile land. Elves and Demons are too strong, so raiding them would cost too much, and Dwarves built their cities in mines, so we couldn't raid them."
"And now?"
"Now we farm and set up ranches, so it's not a huge problem. But as the number of Beastkin grows, our territory naturally has to expand, so..."
Leona trailed off, glancing at me. She didn't finish the sentence, but I could guess what she was going to say.
Food is a critical hurdle for all of humanity, not just the Beastkin. In my previous life, people suffered from famine until the invention of nitrogen fertilizer in the early 20th century. There was a reason Fritz Haber was honored as the "scientist who made bread from air."
Even in this world where magic existed, they couldn't quite solve the food problem. Use magic to make the land fertile?
Then insects, birds, and even various monsters that damage crops would appear, creating all sorts of problems. Magic wasn't a cure-all.
Unless nitrogen fertilizer, which solved humanity's food shortage, appeared, famines were bound to occur anytime, anywhere. Was it thanks to magic and the gods that the total population was nearly 2.5 billion despite the lack of nitrogen fertilizer? Because when a bad harvest hit, they could solve it through prayer.
But if things continued like this, a famine might occur that even those couldn't solve. Then, a great catastrophe would strike.
‘I should consider this.’
I wrote the keyword "Great Famine" in my notebook and even put a star next to it. I wouldn't put it in the Xenon Biography immediately, but rather in a sequel. There is no disaster that fuels conflict and collapses civilization faster than a great famine.
Furthermore, now that I knew the Beastkin were a warrior society that valued honor, conflict with humans was an inevitable destiny. I could include an explanation about a clash between humans and Beastkin near the end of the Xenon Biography to set the stage for the sequel.
Of course, I’d write that after finishing the World War II arc.
"Does your country not have any granaries?"
"We have many. But the number of Beastkin is growing rapidly every day. They say the Beastkin population is 500 million while humans are 1.6 billion, but since even a Beastkin child boasts an enormous appetite, it's practically the same. Whenever a problem arises, we pray to Lord Hirt to solve it... but that won't be enough forever."
"So you're saying you'll have to go to war with humans someday. Since humans currently hold the largest amount of land."
Leona nodded silently. She was looking at me tentatively, a departure from her usual confident self.
Was she reluctant to go to war with humans, or was it because I was human? Whichever it was, a clash between humans and Beastkin would be unavoidable.
‘The Second Race War... might break out centered around humans and Beastkin.’
Three hundred years had passed since the last Race War, and the world had undergone great changes. Humans, who had once been united under the name of an alliance to pressure the Elves, were now politically divided, while the Beastkin had been steadily building their strength.
I couldn't predict whose side the Elves, Demons, and Dwarves would take, but the layout would likely be similar to the first war.
"...Hey."
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something?"
Just as an awkward silence was about to settle, Leona called out to me cautiously. I nodded, waiting for her question.
She hesitated, her lips quivering, before looking me straight in the eye. Her golden pupils were clouded with worry and concern.
"Um... you humans are strong. Right?"
"Objectively speaking, yes."
"Then do you think we Beastkin can beat you humans?"
So that was it. I stared at Leona's face after hearing her question. Her expression was fraught with anxiety, but there was also a faint glimmer of hope.
An ordinary person wouldn't ask such a question. Although the relationship between humans and Beastkin was as bad as cats and dogs, as seen in the last exhibition, there were Beastkin integrated into human society.
Furthermore, until the release of the Xenon Biography, there had been a common enemy in the "Demons," so everyone had kept quiet. But now that the perception of Demons had skyrocketed, it was hard to keep them as enemies.
Therefore, the friction between humans and Beastkin, who had always been thorns in each other's sides, would only intensify by the day. With the food issue on top of that, conflict and friction between the two races were inevitable.
‘She isn't the daughter of some chieftain, is she?’
Between her deep knowledge of Animus politics and her insistence on being a Lion Beastkin, she clearly had an extraordinary status. I couldn't help but think that, especially with Adelia as an example.
I had to answer. I pushed those thoughts aside and gave my response.
"I think it's entirely possible."
"Why? For the record, I hate sugar-coated words."
"It's not sugar-coated; I'm being objective. As you know, there was one thing that stood out when humans went to war. Unity. It was through that unity that they were able to claim victory over the Elves and, furthermore, ruthlessly massacre your kind."
"..."
Leona's mouth clamped shut at the mention of the worst period in Beastkin history. I explained in a gentle voice so she could understand.
"But three hundred years have passed since then, and the human population has exploded, and their factions have diversified. Do you know what that means? It means they are structurally bound to be politically divided. It's hard to expect the kind of unity the Human Alliance had three hundred years ago. On the other hand, the Beastkin? I'm sure you have your internal problems, but you're much better off than the humans. The situation could be reversed."
"...You think we Beastkin can unite as one?"
"If there's a single common goal, it's not entirely impossible."
"Is war absolutely necessary?"
"Huh?"
That was an unexpected question. I had assumed she would naturally choose war, but it seemed Leona's thoughts were different.
While I was taken aback, Leona spoke with a slightly sad expression.
"I just wonder... if war is absolutely necessary. Humans love politics, don't they? Can't we Beastkin do the same?"
"Well, there's no guarantee it's impossible, but history proves otherwise. Since ancient times, there have been many cases where one power attacks another to keep them from growing too strong. And as you said earlier, you need to expand your territory to support a growing population. Can conflict really be avoided there?"
"..."
Perhaps I had hit her with too many facts, but Leona's perked-up ears drooped low. Her expression also turned abruptly gloomy, making me feel a bit guilty for saying it.
But at the same time, I was curious. Leona was a Beastkin, and as a self-proclaimed Lion Beastkin, she had a bellicose nature.
I had expected her to choose war, but surprisingly, she seemed to be leaning toward peace.
"Leona."
"..."
"It might be cruel to say this to you, but one must distinguish between ideals and reality. If someone had the ability to turn ideals into reality, they would be recorded in history like Hik, the Father of the Nation and a hero of Animus. He gathered the scattered Beastkin and founded a nation, further protecting them from threats. A wise leader must compromise with reality rather than ideals when making a choice. I don't know why you hid your identity to enter the academy, but I'm giving you this advice because I think it might be related to that."
Those who achieve their ideals are bound to be recorded in history, for better or worse. That's how difficult it is.
I didn't know what path Leona wanted to take, but I felt I should at least give her some advice. Otherwise, I feared she might stubbornly lead herself to ruin.
Leona pondered my words for a while before giving a somewhat bitter smile. Then she looked at me and said quietly.
"You sound just like my mom. She also said that ideals and reality must be clearly distinguished."
"Your mother is a wise woman. So, have you changed your mind?"
"I'll think about it after I graduate. By the way, you're really well-spoken, aren't you? You're seventeen, right? Are you sure you're not actually older?"
"..."
She was joking, but I felt a pang of guilt. Leona chuckled when I gave a wry smile.
Now that the atmosphere had lightened, I voiced a question I’d been curious about.
"...Leona."
"Yeah."
"Why did you enter the academy?"
At that, Leona answered as if it were no big deal.
"To make my mom happy."
"..."
She was a devoted daughter.
"Can I order one more plate?"
"You little—!"