「早くソイツを始末せんか!! 」
焦りを滲ませて、私は必死に声を張り上げ情けない部下を罵倒する。
「無茶言いなさんな、領主様」
「そうだ、相手はあのロノウェだ。街中で全力を出せないコイツを俺とヤンの二人がかりで攻め、周りを衛兵で囲んでなんとか持っている状態、むしろ善戦しているくらいだ」
「そんなことはわかっておる! それをなんとかするのが貴様らじゃろう?! 」
くそっ! 反乱した奴隷を見せしめにするからと、もうしばらくはないだろうと高を括っていたか!
油断していたところを街の至る所で一斉反乱、ワシに至っては隠し通路も逃げ道もないところに追い詰められてしまった。
「くそっ! どこにこんな数の武装した奴隷共が潜んでいた?! 」
ありえんじゃろう?! それこそ地下に潜っていたとしても信じるしかあるまい! しかも襲撃があってすぐにどこからか街中に響いたあの演説!! 女の声だったが、それにより街のほぼ全ての奴隷共が奮い立たせられ蜂起しよった、忌々しい!!
「......ふん、随分と余裕がないな? 」
「ぬかせ! そちらも攻めきれてないではないか! 今に残りの二人も駆け付けてくる、その時が貴様の最期じゃ! 」
あの二人も遅いではないか?! 広場で見せしめをしていただけだろう? 何を遊んでおるのか、また彼奴の悪い癖が出たのか? こんな時に......。
「......さて、来るかどうか」
「......何が言いたいのかねぇ? 」
「ふん、裏切り者に語ることなどもはや何もない」
「そうかい」
「あぁ、妹をそこのブ男に売り渡した罪......清算してもらう」
まだあのことを恨んでおるのか?! 器の小さい男め!! ちゃんと骨は返したではないか?! 少し遊び過ぎただけだ!!
「お前こそ僕の愛しの――――」
「ヤン、お前もお喋りをやめろ、そろそろコイツを殺す。そしてアイツはお前じゃなくてロノウェを選んだのは事実だ」
「ウェナン......チッ、わかったよ! 」
「そうだ! 早くケリをつけろ! 」
ちんたらしてたらいつここに穢らわしい奴隷共がなだれ込んでくるか......想像しただけで怖気が走るッ!!
「悪く思うなよロノウェ、今こそここでお前を――――」
「――――まだ終わってなかったのですか? 」
――――ゴロンッ
..............................は? 今何が起きた? なぜヤンの首がない? この私の足元に転がってきたものはなんだ?
「随分早かったな......」
「ノロマとお喋りしか居ませんでしたので」
なんだこの女は? この女がヤンを? それよりいつから入り込んでいた?
「っ! え、衛兵! その女を捕らえろ! 捕まえた者は好きにしていい! 」
「別に問題ありませんので、あなたは最後の一人をどうぞ」
「......これはまずいな」
最後の? ノロマとお喋りとはまさか......?!
「はい、いーち、にぃーい、さーん、」
ゴトン、ゴトンッ!、ゴロンッ!
..................なんだあの女は、なぜ仕留めきれない? 美しい顔をしてなぜあのように顔色を変えずに淡々と首を落とせる?
「......ロノウェ、あの化け物はなんだ? 」
「こっちが聞きたいくらいだ、それよりも覚悟はいいな? 」
「......俺も終わりか、サシでお前に勝てるわけがない」
「そうだな、だから......死んどけ」
そうしてウェナンまでロノウェの拳によって頭を爆砕され死んでしまった............終わりなのか? 私の栄華は......いや、命すら危ういぞ!!
「こっちも終わった――――何をしている? 」
「............暇だったので新薬の実験ですが? 」
............おぞましい物を見た、女が手足を切り落とした衛兵に白色透明の液体をかけると煙を上げ、そ奴の顔がなくなっていた............あまつさえそれが実験? 顔色も変えずに? 今も答えながら別の液体を別の衛兵にかけ、その者の口がくっ付いたところだった。
「うーん、こっちは効力が弱そうですね? せいぜいが表面を溶かす程度です」
「......やめろ、もういいはずだ」
「? あぁ、そうですね、そっちももう終わりましたもんね、あとは領主だけですか」
「そういう............いや、いい。そうだ、今は領主だ」
っ?! こ、こちらに来る! あの悪魔が!!
「ま、待ってくれ! 助けてくれ! 金でも地位でもなんでもやる! だからどうか!! 」
私は恥も外聞も投げ捨てて命乞いをする。誰だって躊躇なく数を数えながら首を落とし、生き残りを達磨にして薬品の実験にする様を目の前で見せられたらそうするだろう、私だけではないはずだ............!!
「この期に及んで......」
ワシはまだ死にたくないし、死ぬとしても人として原型を留めて死にたいのだ!!
「......貴方の大切な物をくれたら、いいですよ? 」
「おい、何を勝手なことを......! 」
「どうせ領主は直ぐには殺せないんでしょう? だったらいいではないですか」
「それはそうだが............」
奇跡が起きた! あの悪魔が命乞いを聞いてくれるという、この際金などいくらでもくれてやる、命あっての物種だ。
「金か? 地位か? なんでもやろう、その前に保証が欲しい! 」
人が要求する物などたかが知れておる、此奴の気分が変わる前に私は《契約》のスクロールを取り出す。
「これは? 」
「これに契約内容を書き、サインすればその者は中立神、《無色透明の空神》の御力によって違反することはできなくなる」
「へぇ〜、便利な物があるんですね? 」
そう言って女は内容を確認した後に躊躇なくサインする。やった! やってやった! 馬鹿め!! 命さえあればどうとでもなる! それこそ復讐の機会を窺う事もできよう!
「それで? そなたの欲しい物はなんだ? 」
「そうですね、まず広場にてこの印が左頬にある人たちに――――」
なんだ? 金でもバラ撒けと? 今まで虐げてきたことに対する謝罪と賠償を求めるのか?
そんなことは負けた時点ですることは決まっているようなもの、道具共に頭を下げるなど......屈辱の極みだがこの際この程度で命が救われるのなら安いというもの――――
「――――全裸で土下座して謝罪してください。あなたの人間としての尊厳が欲しいです」
――――は? この女は今なんと言ったのだ?
「あぁ、もちろん人間としての尊厳を差し出すのだから、謝罪は人語なんていう高尚な物は使わないでくださいね? 」
もちろんとはなんだ? お前は何を言っている? 私は思考することを拒否する頭を必死に働かせこの悪魔から逃れる方法を探すが――――
「おや? 効果を発揮する時は結構派手ですね? 」
――――視界の隅で《契約》のスクロールが発動した光を確認し、絶望で目の前が真っ暗になったのだった..................。
"Hurry up and kill him!!"
With panic in my voice, I desperately railed against my pathetic subordinates.
"You are being ridiculous, my lord."
"Yes, this is Ronove. It's only because he is unable to go all out in the town that Yan and I can manage to attack him while surrounded by guards. If anything, we're lucky to be able to keep him in check right now."
"I know that! But isn't it your job to do something about it!?"
Damn! I underestimated them, thinking that making an example of the slaves would mean we would have no trouble for some time!
And it was as we let our guard down, that they suddenly appeared all over the town. And now I was pushed into a corner where there were no secret passages or escape routes.
"Damn! Where were all these armed slaves hiding!?"
How was this possible?! Well, I had no choice but to believe that they had been hiding underground! And that speech that suddenly echoed around the town after the attack!! It was a girl's voice, and it roused nearly all of the slaves in the town! How loathsome!!
"... Hmph. You seem very nervous?"
"Nonsense! And you haven't been attacking enough! The remaining two will be here any minute now. And that will be the end of you!"
But weren't they quite late!? I thought they were just showing the slaves off in the town square? Were they playing? Were their bad habits getting the best of them? At a time like this...
"... Now, what will happen...?"
"... What are you trying to say?"
"Hmph. I have nothing to say to a traitor."
"I see."
"Ah, your crime of selling my younger sister to that hideous man... you'll pay for it."
He's still angry about that!? Way to hold a grudge!! Didn't I give him back her bones!? I just played a little too hard!!
"In fact, you yourself..."
"Yan. You're talking too much. Just kill him already. And it's true that he chose Ronove, not you."
"Wenen... tsk. Fine!"
"Yes! Hurry up and finish this!"
If we take too long here, the annoying slaves might start flowing in... Just the thought of it makes my skin crawl!!
"Don't think badly of me, Ronove. Here, you will now be..."
"... You haven't finished things yet?"
--Roll.
... Huh? What just happened? Where was Yan's head? What is this thing that rolled towards my feet?
"That was quick..."
"Well, only slowpoke and blabbermouth were there."
Who the hell was this woman? Did she kill Yan? But more importantly, when did she get in here?
"! Gu-guards! Seize her! You can do as you want as long as you capture her!"
"You can have the last person, I don't mind."
"... This is bad."
Last person? Were slowpoke and blabbermouth...!?
"Alright, one... two... three..."
Thud, thud! Roll!
... Who is she? Why can't she be stopped? How can someone so pretty just cut people's heads off without a change in expression?
"... Ronove. What is that monster?"
"That's what I want to know. More importantly, are you ready?"
"... I guess this is the end of me. There is no way that I can defeat you one on one."
"That's true. And so... just die."
And like that, Wenen's head was also destroyed by Ronove's fist... Was this the end? To my glory... no, even my life was in danger!!
"I finished over here as well--what are you doing?"
"... I was bored, so I was experimenting with some new medicine. Is that a problem?"
... What a terrible thing I have just witnessed. The girl had poured a milky liquid onto the decapitated soldier. Smoke rose and his face disappeared... She called that an experiment? And without a change of expression? Even now, she was pouring liquid onto a different soldier, which melted his lips together.
"Hmmm. This one isn't as effective? It barely melts the surface."
"... Stop that. You've done enough."
"Huh? Ah, yes. After all, you're already finished. Now it's just the landlord."
"That's not what I... no, nevermind. Yes, the landlord."
Huh!? Do-don't come any closer! You devil!!
"Wa-wait a minute! Spare me! I'll give you anything! Money and titles! Please!!"
I abandoned my pride and reputation and begged for my life. Anyone would do the same if they saw someone cut off people's head without hesitation as they counted, and then used the survivors for experiments. It wasn't just me...!!
"It's a bit late..."
I didn't want to die yet, and if I had to die, I wanted to do it while retaining my human form!!
"... I don't mind, as long as you give me the thing that is important to you."
"Hey, you can't just do that...!"
"But you can't kill the landlord immediately, can you? So I don't see what the problem is."
"That's true, but..."
It was a miracle! The devil was going to have mercy on me. I would give her as much money as she wanted. It was all useless if I was dead, anyway.
"Gold? Titles? I'll give you anything you want, but I want a guarantee!"
I knew what kind of things people asked for. And so I took out a contract scroll before she could change her mind.
"What's that?"
"Once a contract is written and signed, the neutral god, the 'colorless, transparent sky god' will ensure that you cannot go against it."
"Huh... Well, that's quite useful, isn't it?"
She said, and then signed it without hesitation. Yes! I did it! Fool!! I can do anything as long as I have my life! That means I just need to bide my time until I can get my revenge!
"So? What is it that you want?"
"Let me see. First, the people in the town square that have this mark on their left cheek..."
What? Scatter my gold? Did she want me to apologize and make up for all the torment I had inflicted on them?
That had already been in my future the moment that I lost. Bowing my head to mere tools... it's the height of humiliation, but it's nothing in exchange for my life...
"...You will bow with your head on the ground, naked. I want your dignity as a human being."
... What? What did she just say?
"Yes. And since you are offering your dignity as a human being, you cannot apologize with something as lofty as the languages of humans, understand?"
Understand? What the hell is she talking about? I was unable to process it. And so I racked my brain in order to think of a way to escape...
"Oh? It's pretty flashy when it takes effect, isn't it?"
... In the corner of my vision, the contract scroll began to shine. And in despair, everything became dark...
Genocide Online ~Playtime Diary of an Evil Young Girl~
ジェノサイド・オンライン 〜極悪令嬢のプレイ日記〜
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/genocide-online-playtime-diary-of-an-evil-young-girl/
Action Adventure Fantasy Psychological
Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Assassins Beautiful Female Lead Cold Protagonist Cruel Characters Dark Depictions of Cruelty Evil Organizations Evil Protagonist Famous Protagonist Fearless Protagonist Female Protagonist Gamers Gods Gore Lack of Common Sense Level System MMORPG Modern Day Murders Overpowered Protagonist Psychopaths R-15 Royalty Ruthless Protagonist Sadistic Characters Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Wars
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7796fc/
たけのこ