300話 不気味な情報屋
「ここが『白猫のお昼寝城』......?」
パートナー猫に呑みこまれた俺達は、なんとも不思議な空間に移動していた。
「ファサファサ、おっきいです」
目の前に広がる光景を見上げ、そんな感想をもらすミナには同意しかない。
「巨大なねこじゃらし、ね」
推定5メートルから、大きい物では20メートルを超える高さのねこじゃらしが、ニョキニョキと生えている景色はなんとも神秘的だ。
しかもその全てが柔らかいクリーム色で、まるで白い海の中にいるような気分になる。
どんな原理なのかは不明だが、パートナー猫の中はこんなフィールドに繋がっているのか。
「あらん。たしかにここから見れば、お城ねぇん♪」
気付くとジョージは、10メートルはくだらないねこじゃらしのてっぺんまで昇っていた。
その圧倒的な行動力を見習い、俺もねこじゃらしに掴まってなんとかよじ登る。上部に辿りつけば、綿にしがみついているような感触だ。
うむ、この温かさと触り心地は癖になりそうだ。
陽だまりに包まれたような――そんな感覚に少しだけ眠くなってしまう。
「おおー、ねこじゃらしが城のシルエットになってるのかぁ」
様々な長さの巨大ねこじゃらし。それらが城の形になるように重なり合っており、遠くから見ればファサファサと揺れる城だ。
「ゴールディさん、おいでませ」
リリィさんが呼べば、何食わぬ顔でパートナー猫が現れる。
そんな様子を見ていた近衛くんも『トラ! おいで!』と自分のパートナー猫を召喚していた。
飲み込まれたばかりで何とも言えない気持ちだったけど、ひとまずは巨大ねこじゃらしから降りて『シロ』を呼んでおく。
それから俺達は、暖かな陽だまりが揺れては落ちる巨大ねこじゃらしの森を進んでいく。
するとモフモフの毛でできた、大きな猫タワーなる物が乱立する区域に到着した。
「巨大ねこじゃらしの中には猫タワーか」
ゴロゴロと寝転がる猫や、トテトテと階段を下りる猫、四角い部屋でまるまる猫。
ほとんどが白い猫で、みな一様に『毛糸玉』のような物を手で転がしては遊んでいる。
たちが散策している姿も見受けられた。
そうして近衛くんたちとしばらく練り歩き、いよいよ猫タワーの頂上まで辿り着く。するとやたら偉そうな白猫が、他の猫に囲まれてノンビリ過ごしていた。
その白猫は普通の猫より一回り大きく、頭には立派な王冠を載せていた。
『んにゃ。人間くんね、ようこそお昼寝城へ』
喋れる猫がいる!
というよりこれは頭に直接響くような、テレパシーに近いやつかも。
『吾輩は、この城を治める【白雷に鳴く
噂の猫の王様か。
『【魅惑のまたたび】を持ってきたら褒美をやるんにゃ。間違っても黒い方にはあげないように』
俺達は【白雷に鳴く
すると、やはり聞いていた通り白猫と黒猫の間では諍いが起きているようだった。なんでも【魅惑のまたたび】を巡り、その所有権を黒猫が強く主張しているそうだ。
白猫は魔法力の適性が強く、古くから猫特有の情報網『ネッ
白猫が統治機構で、黒猫は騎士機構の役割を果たす。
協力し合って猫の平和を保っていた二種族だが、ここ最近は【魅惑のまたたび】をいかに多く手に入れるかで揉めているのだとか。
要は【魅惑のまたたび】の取り合いだ。
『【千の顔】はいい奴んにゃ。人間たちも【千の顔】を見習うのんにゃ』
【魅惑のまたたび】を定期的に持ってくる者がいるらしく、【白雷に鳴く
聞いた事のない人物だな。
一定の条件をクリアした傭兵に与えられる称号なのか、それともNPCなのか?
「あの、【魅惑のまたたび】ってどうすれば手に入るのですか?」
「それにぃん、【千の顔】って人物はどこにいるのかしらぁん?」
試しに俺達が質問すると、【白雷に鳴く
『人間くん、よろしく頼んだんにゃ』
もしかして、こちらの言葉が通じてない?
「あの、【魅惑のまたたび】をあげたらどんな報酬がもらえますか?」
『がんばるんにゃ、人間くん』
再度、疑問をぶつけてみてもズレた返答しかしてくれない。
それから何度も質問してみるが、同じような内容の台詞ばかりだ。どうやら、【白雷に鳴く
一通りのやり取りを終え、俺達はいったん猫タワーの下部へと移動する。
「【魅惑のまたたび】ねぇん......天使ちゅわんは聞いたことあるかしらぁん?」
「いや、ないよ」
他のメンバーへ視線を向けるも、同様に首を横に振る。
ノーヒントとなると......いよいよ猫に変身し、猫と会話ができるあのアイテムの出番か?
そんな風に思考を巡らしていると、不意に声がかかる。
「へぇ。『白銀の天使』がこんな所にいるなんてなあ......それに『鉄血ジョージ』もいるのかあ」
身長は170センチ前後で、中肉中背。黒いフードを目深にかぶっており、服装はレンジャーみたいに軽装だ。武器を持ち歩いているようには見えず、唯一それらしき得物といえば腰のベルトに下がっている皮製の何かだ。
無害そうな印象を受ける彼だが、顔が――
まるで靄がかかってるみたいに見えない。
何らかの視界を阻害するアビリティを発動しているのかもしれない。
「これは驚いた。まるでチビどもの遠足じゃないかあ、ウケるわあ」
喋り方もそうだけど、感じの悪い
「へぇ、これまた驚いた。普段は下っ端しか遣わせてないのに、俺様が誰だかわかってるのか。さすがは鉄血だあ。いやあ、なに。ただ俺様は、お前らがこんな所に来てるのが興味深くてねえ」
黒フードがスッと右手を上げれば、彼の背後がバチバチと音を鳴らして空間が割れる。そして猫たちがゆっくりとくつろいでいるはずの背景がグニャリと歪み、5人の傭兵たちが姿を現した。
どうやら隠密スキルを使っていたようだ。
ジョージですら気付いてない様子だったので、彼らはスキル熟練度が相当高いのだろう。
「ここで会ったのもいい機会だあ。ちょっとお話でもしてこうや。色々と『白銀の天使』には聞きたいことが多くてねえ。例えば――人狼共をどうやって手懐けたあ、とかなあ?」
「............」
「まだまだあるぞぉー? そうだな、妖精はどうやって召喚する? ボスキャラである『
「......答える必要ありますか?」
「調子に乗るなガキがあ。立場ってもんがわかってねーなー」
黒フードはコキコキと首を鳴らし、刺のある口調で話す。
「俺様達はなー、報酬さえもらえるなら色んな情報を提供してんだよ。そう、クラン・クランじゃけっこうな規模の情報屋ってわけよ。そこの、鉄血ジョージの
話を振られたジョージだったがやけに大人しい。
だが拳は力強く握られ、プルプルと震えている。さらに腕には稲妻が走ったみたいに血管がビッシリと浮き出ているので、内心は荒れているのだろう。
「俺様たちがあー、情報操作したらお前はどんな目に合うんだろうなあ? 例えば、『白銀の天使』は多くの男性傭兵をたぶらかし、貢いでもらってる最悪の
クスクスと笑う黒フード。
「少なくともお前の敵は増えて、今よりもこのゲームがやり辛くなるだろうなあ」
「お前は『首狩る酔狂共』に保護され、運に恵まれただけのガキだろーが。その可愛らしい見た目を利用し、仲良しこよしで、隙あらば美味しい蜜を吸ってるだけの姫プヤローがよぉ」
「どのみち、あんたに教えてやる義理はありません」
「ハッ! せいぜい強がってろよボケがあ。後悔すんぜ」
一歩、二歩と近付く黒フードから俺は目を逸らさない。
「いいかあ? 俺様は、お前みたいに生意気なガキが一番嫌いなんだよ。まずはお前の立場ってやつを教えてやる。それから俺様に対する態度の取り方もなあ」
顔と顔が触れあうぐらいの距離まで詰められても、黒フードの顔は視認できなかった。
ただ、ぬらりと欲望に濡れた紫色の瞳だけは認識できた。
思わず濃厚な毒を連想してしまい、背筋にゾクリと悪寒が走る。
「じゃあな、世間知らずのお姫さまあ」
てっきりPvPは避けられない流れかと思えば、彼らはすんなりと引いて行ってしまった。そのまま広場へと移動する彼らを目で追っていると、風に揺れて霞む霧のように突如として姿を消してしまう。
その見事な透明化は驚異的だ。
どちらかと言えば、影に隠れ潜む暗殺者集団のように見えた。
ジョージにしては珍しく、辛辣な顔をしているのが気がかりだった。
そして他にも気になった点が一つ。
あの黒フードは終始、俺とジョージへ言葉を発していた。
けれど、たまに黒フードの頭が
303 300 Stories Creepy Informant
"This is the 'White Cat's Nap Castle'......?
Our partner cat swallowed us, what a strange space we were moving into.
"Fasa Fasa, I'm so tired."
I can only agree with Mina, who looks up at the sight that spreads in front of her and gets that feeling.
"A giant cat,"
From an estimated 5 meters to over 20 meters tall in large objects, what a mysterious view the gnocchi is growing.
Besides, all of that has a soft cream color, which makes me feel like I'm in a white sea.
It is unclear what the principle is, but are some partner cats connected to fields like this?
"Alas. From here on out, it's a castle."
George noticed that 10 meters was up to the top of the crappy cat potato.
Apprentice its overwhelming behavior, I also grab hold of the cat and manage to climb. Once you get to the top, it feels like you're clinging to the cotton.
Um, this warmth and touch is going to be a habit.
It's like being wrapped up in a sun - it just makes me a little sleepy with that feeling.
"Oh, the catfish is the silhouette of the castle."
It seems to be a giant cat of various lengths. They overlap in such a way that they form the form of a castle, a castle that, from a distance, rocks with fassafasa.
"Mr. Goldie, it's not"
If Mr. Lily calls, a partner cat shows up with a face that doesn't eat anything.
Kingsguard, who was watching you like that, also said, 'Torah! Come!' he was summoning his own partner cat.
I just got swallowed up and I felt indescribable, but for one thing, I'm going to come down from being a giant cat and call you 'Shiro'.
Then we move on to the woods of giant catfish that shake and fall in the warm sun.
Then he arrived in an area where a large cat tower was disturbed, made of Moffmoff's hair.
"Is there a cat tower in the giant cat trap?"
Gobbling and sleeping cats, cats down the stairs with totetotes, cats all over the square room.
Most of them are white cats, and they all play with the likes of 'yarn balls' rolled by hand.
You could also see the Mercenaries (players) strolling.
That's how I stroll with the Kingsguards for a while and finally get to the top of the cat tower. Then a great white cat, surrounded by other cats, was spending no time.
The white cat was one turn bigger than a regular cat and had a splendid crown on its head.
"Nha. Welcome to Nap Castle, human."
There's a cat you can talk to!
Rather than this, this could be the one that resonates directly with your head, close to telepathy.
"My lord, rule this castle. [Crown cat ringing in white thunder] Nha."
The king of rumored cats?
"I'll reward you if I bring [once again of enchantment]. Don't give it to the black one if you're wrong. '
We'll get to know more about [Crown Cat Ringing on White Thunder].
Then, as I had heard, there still seemed to be a stir between the white cat and the black cat. They tour everything [once again of enchantment] and the black cat insists strongly on its ownership.
White cats have a strong aptitude for magic and are said to be a clan that manages the cat-specific information network Necco (T) Work from time immemorial. And protecting the white cats seems to be the clan of black cats.
White cats are the governing mechanism, and black cats play the role of knighthood.
The two races that worked together to keep the cat at peace, but I don't know how we've been rubbing [once again fascinating] here lately.
The point is [once again of enchantment].
"[Thousand faces] are good guys. Humans also learn [a thousand faces]. '
Apparently, someone regularly brings [once again of charm], and [the crown cat (Kanmureko) ringing in white thunder] seems to call that person [a thousand faces].
You're someone I've never heard of.
Is it a title given to a mercenary who has fulfilled certain conditions, or is it NPC?
"Um, how do I get [once again of enchantment]?
"And no, I wonder where the [thousand faces] are?
When we ask questions, [the crown cat ringing in white thunder] tilts her neck cutely and pats her round eyes.
"Humans, I asked for you."
Maybe these words don't make sense?
"Um, what kind of reward would I get if I gave you [once again of enchantment]?
"Good luck, human."
Again, even if I try to bump my doubts, they only give me a sloppy response.
Then I'll ask you a bunch of questions, but it's just a dialogue with the same content. Apparently, [Crown Cat Ringing on White Thunder] could not do anything but unilaterally convey his will.
At the end of the whole exchange, we move to the bottom of the cat tower.
"[Once again of enchantment] hey... have you heard of angel cucumber?
"No, I don't."
I turn my gaze to the other members, but I shake my neck sideways as well.
No hint...... is it time for that item to finally turn into a cat and have a conversation with the cat?
When I tour my thoughts that way, I hear voices inadvertently.
"Heh. I can't believe 'Silver Angel' is in here... and 'Iron Blood George' too. Ah"
He is around 170 cm tall and has a medium meat mid back. He's wearing a black hood and his outfit is as light as a ranger. It doesn't look like he's carrying a weapon, and the only thing that looks like it is something made of skin that's falling back on his waist belt.
I get the impression that he's harmless, but his face...
It doesn't look like it's on me.
It may be activating some kind of vision-inhibiting ability.
"This surprised me. It's like a little hike. Oh, wow."
The same way he spoke, but he was a bad mercenary (player).
"Heh, this surprised me again. Do you know who I am, even though I usually only send you to the bottom? That's iron blood. Ah. Oh, what. It's just that I'm not interested in you guys being here."
If the black hood softly raises his right hand, the space cracks with the beeping behind him. And the background in which the cats were supposed to be relaxing slowly distorted gnarly, and the five mercenaries showed up.
Apparently, he was using covert skills.
I guess they are pretty skilled because even George didn't seem to notice.
"It's also a good opportunity to see you here. Ah. Can I talk to you for a second? I don't have a lot to ask The Silver Angel. For example, how did you get past the werewolves?
............
"There's more, huh? Right, how do fairies summon? It's a summons condition for the boss character Snow Princess Blue White.
"... do I need to answer?
"Don't get on with it, kid. Ah. I don't know where you stand."
The black hood snarls his neck and speaks in a prickly tone.
"We're, uh, we're giving you all kinds of information if you can even get paid. Yes, a clan clan is a big informant. There is also a connection to George Iron Blood's mercenary regiment (Clan). Well, the more first-rate you are, the more important the information is."
George was told the story, but he is very hard to talk to.
But his fist is gripped forcefully, and he is shuddering with a pull. Plus the blood vessels are buzzing out like lightning ran on my arm, so I guess the inside is rough.
"What kind of eyes would you be if we, uh, manipulated the information? For example," Silver Angel "is the worst mercenary (player) who has many male mercenaries and has received contributions. It's stupid to be human, so even if you're talking about it like an asshole, it spreads. Ah."
Couscous and laughing black hood.
"At least your enemies will grow and this game will be harder than it is now."
"You're protected by the 'Neck Hunting Madness', and you're just a lucky kid. The princess Puyallow is just smoking delicious honey if there's a gap, taking advantage of her cute looks and being friendly."
"I don't have the right to teach you."
"Ha! Stay strong, at best. Bogus. I'm sorry."
One step, two steps away from the black hood, I won't turn a blind eye.
"Ready? I hate busy kids like you the most. I'll tell you where you stand first. And the way you behaved towards me."
The face of the black hood could not be seen, even if it was packed to a distance where the face and face touched each other.
However, I could only recognize the purple eyes wet by the colors and desires.
I unintentionally associate a thick poison, with zombies and chills running on my spine.
"Bye, princess of the world."
I thought PvP was an inevitable flow after all, they pulled away so much. As I follow them with my eyes as they travel straight to the square, they suddenly disappear like a fog shaking and summing in the wind.
Its brilliant transparency is phenomenal.
Either that or it looked like a bunch of assassins hiding in the shadows.
It was uncommon for George, and it was a pleasure to have a spicy face.
And there's one other thing that bothered me.
That black hood was uttering words to me and George all the time.
Occasionally, however, the head of the black hood turned toward Kingdom-kun (...).
I Became a Beautiful Girl, but I’m still an MMO Junkie
美少女になったけど、ネトゲ廃人やってます。
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/i-became-a-beautiful-girl-but-im-still-an-mmo-junkie/
Adventure Comedy Fantasy Gender Bender Mystery Psychological Shoujo Ai
Accelerated Growth Adapted to Manga Age Regression Alchemy Appearance Changes Appearance Different from Actual Age Beautiful Female Lead Chuunibyou Curious Protagonist Cute Protagonist Demi-Humans Disabilities Doting Older Siblings Fairies Famous Protagonist Fast Learner Friendship Loli Male to Female Misunderstandings MMORPG Multiple POV Mysterious Illness Older Love Interests Overprotective Siblings Past Plays a Big Role Past Trauma Pill Concocting Popular Love Interests Race Change Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n0170db/
星屑ぽんぽん