を傷つけてはならないよ」
皇太子殿下よ。威厳たっぷりに白制服たちを諌めてくれるのはいいけれど、一つ肝心な勘違いをしているんじゃないだろうか。
スパッとサクッとそこだけは否定しておく。
すると、どうだろうか。皇太子殿下が訪れてから圧巻されていた場の空気が、急に緩くなったように感じた。殿下もちょっと口をぽーんと開けているし、白制服に至っては『こいつ何を言ってるんだ?』と首を傾げている。
「......い、いずれにせよ......一連の騒動はこの通り、誠に申し訳なく思っています」
殿下が俺の傍まで来て頭を下げる。
それに対してまたもや周りがザワリと囁き合う。白制服たちはそれだけに
「殿下! おやめください!」
「こんな
これに対し、殿下はキッと白制服たちを睨みつける。
「口を慎め! 今、下賤と言ったか? 炎皇家の
さんに関しては、事が複雑なだけに一切の関与は許さない、と」
雲行きが怪しい。殿下の指示で、この白制服たちは動いてなかった?
「ですが......このような事態を招いたのは、ボクの友に対する監督不行きが成すところであり......そもそもの発端がボクにあるのも自覚しています」
だから誠心誠意、俺に謝ると。
だが、殿下よ。謝る対象が違うのでは......。
そう口に出すよりも早く、殿下はサッと動き晃夜と夕輝にも頭を深々と下げた。
「この度は、貴殿らにも多大な迷惑をかけました......そこの子女にも......」
紀伊子ちゃんにも忘れずに声をかけて、その赤髪を低くする。
「あ......いや、直接的には殿下のせいではないので......」
晃夜と夕輝はしどろもどろに答えつつ、白制服たちの方をチラリと見る。
どうやら親友たちの矛先は完全に白制服の奴らに定まっているようだ。
「虹色の女神さまのご慈悲により、殿下の罪は許されるでしょう」
この紀伊子ちゃんの言に対し、殿下は柔らかな笑みを浮かべて頷く。
「あぁ、ボクは君が仕える神の許しなど不要だ。そのような言葉を口に出す事を二度は許さぬ」
表情と台詞が一致しない物言いに、紀伊子ちゃんはビクリと一歩後ずさった。そんな彼女には意も介さず、殿下は白制服へと向き直る。
「この一連の首謀者は前に出よ」
すると白制服の中でも一際、育ちの良さそうな細身の少年が一歩前に出た。彼は先程の諍いで動きがずば抜けていい奴で、ブルーホワイトたんの攻撃をほとんどいなしていた。
年頃は殿下と同じく中学生あたりなのに、あそこまでの動きを実現できるのは尋常じゃない。
思案顔になる殿下に、三条という少年は立て続けに喋る。
「天皇陛下もこれには賛同の意を示しておりましたので、イグナル殿下におかれましては、どうかご寛大な処置を......愚劣の身ではありますが請い願います」
晃夜たちをボコボコにした首謀者は、他の背後にいる白制服達へと視線を送る。
「この者たちには非がない事は聡明であらせられる殿下であれば......非があるのは、この
「............」
しばらくの沈黙、殿下が口を開く以外に声を発してはならない空気が場を席巻する。俺や親友たち、その周囲の人々も決してこの沈黙を破るのは許されない、そんな重苦しさを肌で感じる。
そうしてやけに長く感じる数秒間が過ぎた後、皇太子殿下は苦虫を潰したような苦しい表情で口を開いた。
「陛下のご意思の下、動いていた事は理解した。しかし、その
「お待ちください! 殿下!」
「三条家の直系男児ですよ!?」
「三条家の直系血筋を一人失うと、日本の戦力低下に繋がる恐れがごさいます」
「殿下、どうか御考えなおしを!」
「どうか極刑だけはお許しください!」
慌ただしく嘆願する白制服たちに、俺は――
俺達はこれが本当に日本で起こっている現実なのかと疑ってしまう。
皇族の意に反すると、いとも容易く人命を処刑できる......そんなのが現実であるはずがない。そう信じたかったけれど、周囲の必死さはそれが事実であると突き付けている。
粛々と自分の沙汰を言い渡された三条の少年は、片膝を突いている。その所作の一つ一つから、彼が殿下に対し深い忠節を誓っているのが窺えた。
「今までボクの傍にいてくれて、感謝している」
短い挨拶の中で、双方には確かに揺らがぬ信頼があるように見えた。
殿下が静かにそう言い放てば、暗い炎が魔法陣のような円形を以って三条少年へゆらりと近付いてゆく。そして彼に触れた瞬間、蒼い炎へと色を変え三条少年を包む。黒に近い蒼の炎は、彼の身体に文様を描くかのようにゆっくりとその肉を焼き刻んでいく。
三条少年は、自身の顔が苦痛に歪まないよう必死に堪えているようだった。
「くっ、はぁッ......ッ偉大なる火の丸を背負う皇家のッ、ご意思に沿うのであれば、本望......我が罪を殿下に清めてもらえるとは、罪人にこれ以上の誉があろう、か......」
周囲はそれをただただ、見守るばかり。
確かに晃夜や夕輝を追い詰め、暴力行為に及んだ事は許せない。けれど命を奪いたい程、憎いはずなんてない。
あまりにも呆気に取られる光景の連続で、しばらく茫然自失になっていたけれど、遅れながらこの事態をどうにかしないといけない事に気付く。
俺はブルーホワイトたんに目配せをし、今からでも三条少年の傷が癒されるかわからないけれど、ポーション作りを試みようと動き出す。
「――全員、動くのは許さん」
しかし、俺の動きは良く響くテノール調の声がしっとりと流れた事で、制止させられる。走りだした俺は何者かによって掴まれ、阻害されてしまったのだ。
完全なる意識外から突如として現れ、羽交い絞めにして身体の自由を奪ったのは......黄と黒を基調とした軍服に身を包む青年だった。
状況を確認しようと周囲を見渡せば、いつの間にか彼と同じような軍服を着込んだ人が十数人、この場を囲むように立っていた。
しかも驚くべき事にブルーホワイトたんも地に膝を突いていた。というのも彼女の傍には二人の軍服がいて、眩い光を放つ檻のようなものを生成し彼女を抑えつけるようにして自由を奪っていたのだ。
殿下の呟きで俺を取り押さえたのが誰なのかは把握できたけれど、炎皇家を守護する立場にありそうな警察? は、どうやら殿下の意志で動いたのではないのが、殿下の表情を見ればすぐにわかった。
「まったく、皇家の力を感じて馳せ参じてみれば......護国の士を罰するために
皇宮警察、その中でも美麗な装飾のついたマントをなびかせた壮年の美丈夫が一人、ツカツカと殿下に歩み寄っていく。
その目には嘲りと不遜が宿っており、対する殿下は敵を睨み据えるかのように美丈夫を見上げている。
「相変わらず、幼く早計だな。我が
殿下の叔父、という事は現天皇陛下の弟君って事か?
「貴様如き凡庸なる皇族に、護国の士を罰する権限などない。解け――破り散らせ『万錠を溶かす雷鍵の束』」
殿下の叔父さんが、未だ蒼い炎でゆっくり焼かれる三条少年へと右手を向ければ、幾つもの黄色く光るトンボ? が飛翔する。それらは無軌道にカクカクと飛び回りながら、三条少年の身体へと突き刺さってゆく。
すると蒼い炎は次第におさまってゆき、どうやら三条少年は一命を取り留めたようだ。
「皇族のみが解ける力を、こんな些末な事に使うとはな......愚かな
そして殿下の叔父さんは俺に一瞥を向け、一度は逸らそうとした視線をまたも俺へと戻した。それから『ほう』と小さな吐息をもらし、厳かな足取りで接近してくる。
俺はそのまま皇宮警察の一人に取り押さえられたままなので抵抗もできず、叔父さんが超至近距離で俺を眺め回すのを耐える他なかった。
「ほう、確かに美しいな。惜しい......甥が先に目をつけていなければ、私が手籠めにし壊しておくものを......」
そんな台詞を吐く叔父さんに俺はゾッとする。なぜならこちらを見る彼の両目には、俺という人間が映ってないような、そんな冷たさを持っていたからだ。
瞳の奥にあるその仄暗い光は、まるで深淵からこちらをじっと品定めをしているかのようで、彼が人間とは別の生き物、異質とも無機質とも感じ取れる程だ。
表情一つ動かさず、淡々と言い放つ様はまるで機械人形のようだ。
人を人とも思わぬ表情が垣間見え、それは絶対的な力を保持しているという自負の表れから来るものなのか、それともこの人本来が持つ性質なのかは定かではない。
「我らは強大な力の下、民を導く存在。なれば民草一人を自由にできんでどうする。そこの子女の意志など、我ら炎皇家の前では無意味と悟せ」
はっきりとわかる事と言えば、彼はこの場を掌握するだけの力を持った人物なのだと理解させられた。
"You must not hurt my fiancee."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. It would be nice to glorify the white uniforms with majesty, but I wonder if you're making one pivotal mistake.
Spa and crisp. Just deny it there.
Then, what do you think? The air in the place, which had been rolling since His Royal Highness visited, suddenly felt loose. His Royal Highness is also opening his mouth a little pompous, and leading up to the white uniform, he says, 'What is this guy talking about?' and leaning his neck.
"... yes, in any case... this is the case with the series of disturbances and I am truly sorry"
Your Highness comes to my side and bows his head.
Against that, once again, the surroundings whisper to each other with zawali. The white uniforms do not stop, but a few raise their voices of dissatisfaction.
"Your Highness! Please don't!
"You don't have to bow your head to such a lowlife!
In contrast, His Highness stares at the white uniforms.
"Watch your mouth! Did I just say lower bitch? Fiance of the Flaming Royal Family (...) is the Lower Bitch (...)? Plus who thinks this kind of disaster happened because of!
"I told you. With regard to Buddha Shintaro, he said he would not allow any involvement because things were complicated."
The clouds are suspicious. At His Highness's behest, were these white uniforms not moving?
"But... this is what led to my lack of supervision over my friends... and I am aware that the beginning is mine in the first place"
So sincerely, apologize to me.
But, Your Highness. Apologizing is not the same subject......
Faster than putting it to his mouth, His Highness lowered his head deeply to the sassy motion swinging night and evening glow as well.
"I've caused you a lot of trouble this time... and my children there..."
Don't forget to speak to Kiiko and lower that redhead.
"Ah... no, not directly because of His Highness..."
Shaking Night and Evening Fai answer a lot, while looking at the white uniforms as chilling.
Apparently, the spearheads of the best friends are set entirely on the white uniform guys.
"With the mercy of the Rainbow Goddess, Your Highness's sins will be forgiven"
In response to what Kiiko said, His Highness nods with a soft grin.
"Oh, I don't need God's forgiveness that you serve. I will not allow such words to be spoken twice."
Kiiko-chan stepped back with Vikri to a story that did not match her expression and dialogue. Without wishing her that, Her Highness turns to the white uniform.
"This series of masterminds, step forward."
Then a skinny boy, who seemed to grow up well, stepped forward, even in a white uniform. He was a good guy with a long way to go, barely making a blue-white attack.
It's not normal to be able to achieve that much movement, even though I'm around middle school as well as His Highness around the age.
The boy named Sanjo continues to stand up to His Highness, who becomes the face of the idea.
"His Majesty the Emperor has also expressed his approval for this, so please treat His Highness Ignal generously... but please be foolish"
The mastermind who bogged down the shaky nights sends his gaze to the other white uniforms behind him.
"If these people are wise to reveal what they have to do... there is only one person in charge of this Sanjo Shrine."
............
A moment of silence, the air sweeping through the field that His Highness should not speak other than to open his mouth. Me, my best friends, and the people around me will never be allowed to break this silence, I feel such heavy bitterness on my skin.
After a few seconds of feeling so slightly longer, His Royal Highness opened his mouth with a painful expression that crushed the bitter worm.
"I understand that you are moving at His Majesty's will. But because the method (...) was against my will, the royal family - by royal authority, I sentence you to extreme punishment (...)"
"Please wait! Your Highness!"
"He's a direct boy of the Sanjo family!?
"If you lose one of the Sanjo family's direct blood muscles, it could lead to a loss of Japanese power."
"Your Highness, please reconsider!
"Please, just forgive me for my extreme sentence!
To the rushing white uniforms, I...
We wonder if this is really a reality that is happening in Japan.
Against the will of the royal family, it is easy to execute human life... that can't be the reality. I wanted to believe that, but the desperation around me sticks out that it's true.
The Sanjo boy, who was solemnly told his shabbat, is poking one knee. From every one of his works, I could see him swearing his deep allegiance to His Highness.
"You've been by my side so far, and I appreciate it"
In a short greeting, both sides certainly seemed to have unshakeable trust.
If His Highness quietly says so, the dark flames loosely approach Sanjo Boy in a magical circle. And the moment I touch him, I change color to a pale flame and wrap the Sanjo boy. The flame of the pale, close to black, slowly burns and chops its flesh as if to paint a literature on his body.
Sanjo Boy seemed desperate to keep his face from distorting into pain.
"Ku, ha... of the royal family carrying the great circle of fire, if it is in accordance with your will, the main expectation... would there be any more honor for the sinner to purify my sins to His Highness..."
The perimeter just keeps an eye on it.
It is certainly unforgivable that we have hunted down shaking nights and evening glows and have extended them to acts of violence. But you can't hate me as much as you want to take my life.
In a series of sights that are too disturbing, I realize that I have been suddenly losing myself for a while, but I have to do something about this situation while I'm late.
I look at the Blue White Tan, and even now I don't know if Sanjo boy's wounds will heal, but I move to try to make potions.
- Everybody, we can't move.
However, my movement was stopped by the moist flow of tenor tones, which sounded good. Running away, I was grabbed and inhibited by someone.
Appearing suddenly from complete unconsciousness, it was the young man dressed in military uniforms based on yellow and black who strangled him with wings and deprived him of his physical freedom...
If you looked around to check the situation, at some point a dozen people dressed in military uniforms similar to his stood to surround this place.
Plus, surprisingly, the Blue White Tongue was also kneeling on the ground. Because there were two military uniforms beside her, trying to produce something like a dazzling cage and suppress her, depriving her of her liberty.
I could figure out who held me back with His Highness's whining, but the police who seem to be in a position to protect the Flaming Royal Family? apparently did not move at His Highness's will, as soon as I saw His Highness's expression.
"At all, if you feel the power of the royal family, you will exercise your honor to punish the Patron..."
The Imperial Palace Police, one of whose magnificent sturdy, beautifully decorated cloak soars, walks over to Tsukatsuka and His Royal Highness.
His eyes are filled with mockery and indignation, and His Royal Highness, who opposes him, looks up as sturdy as if he could stare at his enemies.
"As always, you're young and early. My nephew."
Your Highness's uncle, is that your brother, the current Emperor?
"You have no authority to punish the Patron to the common royal family. Unwrap - Break and Scatter" A Bunch of Thunder Keys to Melt 10,000 Tablets ""
If His Highness's uncle turns his right hand to the Sanjo boy who is still slowly burned with pale flames, then several yellow glowing dragonflies? fly. They burst into Sanjo boy's body as he flew around orbitlessly and cuckooed.
Then the pale flame gradually subsided, and apparently Sanjo boy took his life.
"I didn't expect the royal family to use the power to solve these things... stupid nephew (dude)"
And his uncle glanced at me and once he turned his gaze back on me, trying to deflect him. Then he brings a 'ho' and a small exhale, approaching him with a harsh foothold.
I remained held up by one of the Imperial Palace Police as I was, so I couldn't resist, and I had nothing else to bear for my uncle to look around at me super close.
"Well, that's beautiful indeed. It's a shame... if my nephew hadn't laid eyes on me first, what I'd keep in my hand cage and wreck..."
I'm frightened of my uncle throwing up such a dialogue. Because in both his eyes, looking at this one, he had such a chill, like he didn't see a person named me.
That dark light behind his eyes is as if he were still stipulating this one from the abyss, so much so that he could feel a different creature from man, heterogeneous and inorganic.
It's like a machine doll not to move a single expression and say it out pale.
I get a glimpse of an unexpected look at a person as a person, and I'm not sure if that comes from an indication of pride that it retains absolute power, or the nature this person is inherently of.
"We are beings who lead the people under mighty power. If you are, you can free one of the folk grasses. So what? Be senseless before our flaming royal family, such as the will of their children there."
To be clear, he was made to understand that he was someone with just the power to grasp the place.
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