250 遺跡のお嬢様達
ミハゾノ街遺跡にあるハンターオフィスの出張所には食堂が備わっている。一仕事終えたアキラ達はそこで食事を取っていた。頼んだ食事の料金ごとに簡単な間仕切りで3カ所に仕切られている食堂の、高額注文者用の席に座っている。食事代が10万オーラム程度になる者達用の席だがアキラ達には全く問題無い。
ミハゾノ街遺跡の水準では比較的高ランクのハンターが座る席だ。普段は
アキラはテーブルの端からその混雑の原因を見て、軽く驚きながら不思議そうな顔を浮かべていた。
「キャロル。あれ、なんだと思う?」
「どこかの金持ち、かしらね」
メイド服の女性達と執事服の男性達、合わせて15名ほどの者達がテーブルの逆側を占拠している。その中心には高そうな服を着たお嬢様風の少女が座っていた。その少女はメイド側の統率役と思われる女性と、執事側の統率役と思われる男性を左右に立たせており、集団の主であると周囲に知らしめていた。
「メイド服に執事服、いや、それっぽいデザインの戦闘服か。うーん。高そうだ」
「実際にかなり高いはずよ。機能よりデザインを優先した上で、性能自体も落とさない
少女の仕草には洗練された雰囲気が漂っており、上流階級の所作を感じさせた。この食堂で最も高価な料理を口にして、それでも味への不満を表情に出しているが、品性に欠けるような態度は出していない。
「それにしても、1人や2人ならともかくメイド服や執事服の人があれだけいると、ここは一体どこなんだって感じがするな。......メイドの怪談、ハンターがあいつらに声を掛けたら不審者と思われて消されたとかじゃないだろうな」
「どうかしらね。まあ、関わらなければ良いだけよ」
アキラ達はその集団への興味を無くして食事を続けた。
アキラが食後のコーヒーを飲んでいると、食事中に誰かと連絡を取っていたキャロルからこれからの予定を相談される。
「アキラ。今日はもう終わる予定だったけど、午後も仕事を入れても良い? アキラが嫌なら断っても構わないわ」
「その辺はキャロルに付き合うから好きにして良いぞ。地図作りの続きか?」
「いえ、地図を売る方の仕事よ。地図データと道案内をセットで頼んできた客がいるの。あと、データの受け渡しを遺跡内でやりたいってハンターもね」
「道案内の方はともかく、データならネットで受け取れば良いのに。
「その辺はヴィオラが仲介した客だから大丈夫よ」
その根拠を聞いて、アキラは逆に
をしたらヴィオラに責任を取ってもらう。それぐらいヴィオラも分かった上で仲介している。ヴィオラも私と殺し合う気は今のところは無いはず。アキラを護衛に付けてもいるしね。だから大丈夫。これで良い?」
「......あ、うん。分かった」
アキラは納得はしたが、いろいろと微妙な顔を浮かべていた。キャロルが苦笑気味に笑う。
「ヴィオラは質の悪い女ではあるけど、使い方を間違えなければその質の悪さを有効利用も出来るのよ。扱い方は分かってるから安心して」
レイナ達が遺跡の中で休憩している。都市の修復機能が再建築した無人のビルの一室で軽食を取っていた。
そこである通信を受けたシオリが、相手との情報端末越しの話を終えて苦虫を
「シオリ。えっと、何があったの?」
シオリが表情を取り繕ってから答える。
「......お嬢様。クロエ様がお嬢様とお会いしたく、こちらに向かうとのことです」
「クロエが? 私に? 何で?」
「近くに来たので顔を見たい。そう答えておりましたが、詳細は不明です」
シオリは嫌そうな顔を浮かべている。取り繕った上での表情だ。内心は表面の比ではない。その様子を見てレイナが苦笑する。
「......あと15分程で到着するとのことです」
予想外の時間にレイナが思わず顔を驚きで染めた。クガマヤマ都市までの移動に最短でも3日。準備を含めれば1週間は掛かる。その前提で考えていたからだ。
「15分って、え、クロエ、防壁の外に出てるの? っていうか、近くにいるの?」
「連絡を受けた時点で、既にこの遺跡のハンターオフィスの出張所にいたようです」
「来るの? ここに? ここ、遺跡の中よ?」
「そのようで」
「......何で?」
シオリには心当たりがあった。だがそれは今の仕事に関わる事項なのでレイナには話せない。
「向こうの意図など、お嬢様への嫌がらせでなければ知ったことではありません」
シオリの表情にレイナへのごまかしよりも内心の不満が強く出たことで、レイナには気付かれなかった。
15分後、レイナと同じ年頃の少女が多数のメイドと執事を引き連れてレイナ達の元へやって来た。食堂でアキラが見掛けた集団だ。
少女はクロエといい、レイナと同じ一族の者だ。
シオリはレイナに仕えているが、厳密にはレイナの実家でもある一族に仕えている。そしてクロエもその一族の者だ。表向きは丁寧に頭を下げる。
「クロエ様。お久しぶりで御座います。本日はどのような御用向きで?」
「ん? 言ってなかったっけ? レイナの顔を見に来たの」
クロエはシオリに上の立場の笑顔を返した。そしてレイナに向けて親しげに
「久しぶりね。その格好、良く似合ってるわ」
クロエの表情も口調も、とても愛想の良いものだ。だが口にした内容は明確な挑発だ。シオリが内心を表情に出さないように必死に
しかしクロエの予想に反してレイナの反応はあっさりとしたものだった。
「ありがと。そっちの格好も似合ってるわ、と、本当なら言いたいところだけど、そっちは似合ってないわね」
クロエが余裕を装いながら
を起こし、荒らげた声で罵倒してくると思っていた。だがレイナは全く動じていない。思い描いていた人物像とは掛け離れた態度に、クロエの表情から笑みが消えていた。
「どういう意味って、ここ、遺跡よ? ただの服だと危ないわ。観光も良いけれど、そんな服だと何かあったら大変よ?」
「ああ、そういうこと。大丈夫よ。私の部下達はとても優秀だから」
クロエは暗に、レイナとは違って、という意味を表情で示していた。クロエ達は一族での立ち位置に応じた付き人を付けられている。付き人の人数と能力は主の能力と地位に比例している。クロエが連れてきた者達は、レイナへの自慢と威圧を兼ねていた。
だがレイナの反応は淡泊だ。虚栄も無く、自然体で相手の挑発を軽く流す。
「そう。でも、その人達は荒野での活動に慣れてるって訳じゃないでしょう? 余計な迷惑を掛けないように気を付けた方が良いわ。まあ、私もシオリ達には迷惑を掛けてばっかりだし、人に言えたことじゃないけどね」
レイナはそう言って冗談めいた自嘲気味の苦笑を浮かべられるほどに余裕を保っていた。逆にクロエが相手の態度からいろいろ推察してしまい、表情を僅かに険しくさせていた。
「それで、クロエの用は本当に顔を見に来ただけなの? だったら悪いんだけど、もう切り上げてもらって良い? ハンター稼業の最中で、これでも忙しいのよ」
レイナとクロエが表向きは和やかに笑顔を向け合う。その裏で、たわいの無い話の中から相手の状況を探り合う。そして短い沈黙の後に、クロエが少し唐突に口を開く。
「白いカード」
その短い単語には、事情を知る者ならば分かる意味が多数込められていた。こちらはそちらの仕事の内容も、その手段も把握している。カードの色まで知っている。全て筒抜けだ。そういった忠告、警告、揺さぶりの類いが山ほど込められていた。
「白いカードって、何?」
クロエが
みながら相手の目をじっと見詰めて、相手の僅かな揺れを増幅させようとする。そして、知らないレイナは揺らがず、知っているクロエが僅かに揺らいだ。
先程からずっと、レイナだけではなくシオリからも
くはずっと忙しい予定だから、また来るなら次は事前に日時の調整をしておいて」
クロエは軽く笑ってその場を立ち去った。そしてレイナ達から十分に離れる。すると、取り繕う必要の無くなった表情が険しく
しかったのですか? 忙しいなどと言っていましたが、向こうの事情の考慮など不要かと。お嬢様にはそれだけの地位が御座います」
クロエはパメラの反応から自分と相手の両方の精神状態を把握すると、意図的に気を取り直して軽い様子で首を横に振る。
「良いのよ。こっちもあの場で話を続けるより一度仕切り直しておきたかった。丁度良い口実になったわ」
パメラと同じくクロエの側近で、執事達の統率役でもあるラティスが、どこか不服そうな様子のパメラを見て口を挟む。
「お嬢様。差し支えなければ、あの場を仕切り直す必要性について教えて頂いても
レイナ達の一族の頂点に君臨するローレンスという男は、元々はハンターだった。ハンター稼業の成果を基にして事業を興し、成功し、今では東部全域に支店を広げるほどの大企業の会長となっている。企業通貨を発行する五大企業ほどの経営規模は無いが、巨大な統治企業都市を幾つも経営しており、それらの都市を事実上支配していた。
その企業はある事情から一族経営であり、管理職は全員一族の者だ。ここまで大きな企業になると幹部の席もそれなりに多くなり、普通は血縁以外の者にも割り当てられることになる。だがローレンスが女性に無節操に手を出したことで子の数も非常に多く、孫の数は更に膨れ上がっていた。その結果、少なくない席が全て血縁で埋まり、座れなかった者達やより上位の席に付こうとする者達などの間で
レイナもローレンスの孫の一人だ。そして一族が管理する都市から出てハンターをやっているのは、落ちぶれた派閥に家族が属していたからだった。
社内での権力闘争に敗れた者達が逆転や成り上がりの手段を社外に求める場合、最も効果的な方法はハンターとして大成することだ。
ローレンスは社内に無数に存在する派閥に対して、ハンターを抱えている派閥を優遇する傾向があった。社内ではローレンスが元ハンターだからだと言われている。また、ハンター稼業で貴重な遺物を手に入れた時に
、外で成功する者ばかりでは無い。大抵は失敗し、荒野に飲み込まれて死んでいく。それでも成功した場合の利益に釣られて、社内闘争に敗れて冷遇され落ちぶれた派閥などが、逆転を狙って自分達の中からハンターを出していた。
当然ながらそこで選ばれるのは、派閥としては社内に残しても無駄だと判断された者だ。拒否して一族から完全に追い出されるか、ハンターとしてでも一応一族に残るか、その決断を迫られて嫌々ハンターを選ぶのが大半だ。レイナもその一人だった。ハンター稼業に少し興味があったことを知られて、丁度良いと派閥の駒にされたのだ。
クロエ達の基準ではレイナはその無能だった。だがクロエは先程レイナに
パメラが真面目な顔で提案する。
「あの者達であれば私達の戦力で十分に対処可能でしょう。成果の鍵となるその白いカードと言われているものをあの場で渡してもらう、という手段もあったのではないでしょうか? ここは荒野ですので、その類いの手段も十分許容範囲かと」
クロエが軽く笑って返す。
パメラが若干渋々とした様子を見せているのは、自分達の実力を示す機会を欲しているからだ。クロエもそれぐらいは分かっていた。自身がより上の立場を求めるように、部下達もより上の地位を求めている。クロエはそれを当然だと思っている。
理由は不明だが、一族の長は社内の権力争いを放置している。
シオリが険しくも申し訳なさそうな顔をレイナに向ける。
「ああ、大丈夫。無理に説明しようとしなくて良いわ」
少し驚いた様子を見せたシオリに、レイナが軽く笑って続ける。
「......。ありがとう御座います」
シオリは主からの信頼を
「いや、何でもないっす。お嬢も成長したっすねーっと、感心してるだけっすよ。あと、相変わらず仲が良いっすねーっとか、ちょっと思っただけっす」
「......ふん。当然よ」
レイナとシオリが僅かに照れたような様子を見せる。カナエはそれを見て楽しげに笑っていた。
Ch 250
The Hunter Office located near the Mihazono Residential Ruin was equipped with a cafeteria. After they finished their job for today, Akira and Carol were having their meal there. The cafeteria was divided into 3 sections and Akira and Carol were sitting in the expensive section. One meal in that section could cost up to 100,000 Aurum, but Carol and Akira had no problem paying that.
It was a section for relatively high-ranking Hunters in Mihazono ruin. So normally, that section was empty. But today, it was filled with Hunters. Although it was not filled to the point that there was no open room, if this continued, they might need to readjust the size of the section.
Akira was at his table when he spotted the reason why that section was filled today and was surprised. It was completely unexpected.
"Carol, what do you think that thing over there is?
"A rich someone from who-knows-where?"
There were about 15 people in maid uniform and butler uniform gathering on the other side of where Akira and Carol were taking their meal. In the middle of that, there was a girl wearing an expensive-looking dress. The maids and the butlers were standing lined up on her side. It was as if to announce to anyone that she was the master of that group.
"Maid uniform and butler uniform, wait, no, they're actually battle suits. They must be pretty expensive."
"Oh, they indeed are. After all, it requires special skills for such attire to retain its performance while keeping its design. I bet they're full of old-world technology, so I bet they really are expensive."
The girl gracefully move as if she was some high-class noble. She wore an expression devoid of joy even when tasting the most expensive food in the cafeteria. Nonetheless, her emotions did not get the better of her as she remained courteous.
"But still, although it is fine when it is only one or two, with that many people in the same place, they do look extremely out of place... This just reminds me of that maid story. Those Hunters vanished not because these maids treated them as suspicious people when they tried to talk to them, right?"
"I wonder about that. Well, either way, it's best to keep away from them."
Akira and Carol completely lost interest in them and continued their meal.
When Akira already moved to the after-meal coffee, Carol, who was in contact with someone else during their meal, discussed their plan after this.
"Akira, we are actually already done for today but is it okay if I take up another job for early tomorrow morning? I'll refuse it if you don't want to."
"I'm basically just following you around, so feel free to decide what to do. Is it about making maps again?"
"Nope, it's about selling the map this time. Someone asked me for the map's data as well as to guide them through the ruin, you see. And they want me to give the data inside the ruin that we will be exploring tomorrow."
"Leaving the guiding part aside, you can just send the map's data through the net, right? Isn't it too dangerous to go inside the ruin just to do that?"
"Viola is the one who told them about me, so it will be fine."
Hearing that reply, Akira could not help but frown. Seeing that, Carol smiled amusedly and explained to him.
"Basically, we can have Viola take responsibility if the customer tries to do anything funny. I'm sure she already knew about that too when she introduced me to them. Up until now, Viola never seriously wanted to kill me. Furthermore, I have you as a bodyguard this time. That's why it would be fine. Are okay with taking up that job?"
"...I see, okay, sure."
Akira was convinced by Carol's explanation, but he still had a conflicted look on his face. Carol smiled wryly and then explained to him.
"I know Viola is not exactly a good girl, but as long as we can handle her correctly, we can get profits from her cunningness. So, it'll be fine as long as we know how to treat her correctly."
Reina's team was taking a break inside the ruin. They were having a meal inside one of the abandoned buildings with its self-repairing function still active.
Shiori, who received a notification, picked up the call, and after she finished the call, she looked vexed. Reina who saw that was interested in what just happened.
"Shiori, uhh, what's wrong?"
Shiori regained her usual expression first before replying.
"...Milady. It seems that Chloe-sama is coming here. She wants to meet you."
"Chloe? She wants to meet me? Why?"
"It seems that she wants to meet you simply because she is close by. I don't know the details."
Shiori still seemed displeased even after she tried to hide it. Her outward expression did not match her real feeling, seeing that, Reina smiled bitterly.
"...In about 15 minutes."
Reina raised her eyebrows; she did not expect it to be that quick. Moving to Kugamayama alone would take 3 days, including the preparation. Reina had thought that it would be about in a week or so.
"15 minutes? Do you mean that Chloe is already outside the walls right now? Or more like, she's really already somewhere close by?"
"It seems that she was already in the nearby Hunter Office by the time I received the call."
"So, she'll be coming? Right here? In the middle of the ruin?"
"That is the case."
"...Why?"
Shiori already had a guess, but since it had something to do with their current mission, she could not tell Reina.
"As long as it's not a form of harassment toward Milady, I don't care about her intention at all."
Reina did not notice that at that time, Shiori's true emotions were leaking out.
After 15 minutes, a girl around the same age as Reina arrived there together with a dozen of maids and butlers. They were the group that Akira saw back in the cafeteria.
The girl was Chloe and just like Reina, she was also from a noble house.
Shiori was serving Reina, but to be more precise, she was serving the house where Reina came from. And since Chloe was also from the same house, Shiori gracefully bowed to her and greeted her.
"Chloe-sama, Long time no see. What brings you here today?"
"Hm? Didn't I tell you? I'm here just to see Reina."
Chloe smiled at Shiori with a smile from someone in a higher position. She then turned to Reina and smiled fondly at her.
"Long time no see. That dress does suit you very well."
Chloe's smile and words were very friendly, but the content was obviously poking fun at Reina. Shiori forced herself not to let her real feelings out. Chloe coldly smirked at Shiori's reaction as she had fully expected that. She then turned to Reina, looking forward to enjoying her reaction.
But in contrast to Chloe's hope, Reina's reaction was rather light.
"Thanks. You look good in that dress too. Or at least that is what I want to say, but unfortunately, it doesn't suit you at all."
Chloe faked calmness as she tilted her head.
Chloe thought that Reina would throw an amusing childish tantrum when she was treated like a servant. But Reina was too indifferent as if she was a completely different person from the one Chloe knew. Chloe's smile immediately vanished.
"What do you mean by that? This is in the middle of the ruin, you know? It's dangerous to be here in a casual dress. Though that dress is okay for sightseeing, it would be bad if you get attacked, you know?"
"Ah, if it's about that, don't worry. My servants can handle monsters just fine."
Chloe's smug face was indicating that she was not the same as Reina. Although both she and Reina were assigned servants since both of them were from the same noble house, the ability and the number of their servants were completely different. Chloe was basically boasting about the servants who accompanied her to Reina.
But Reina's reaction was as indifferent as usual. She just replied casually without a shed of irritation nor trying to counter Chloe's boast.
"I see. But those servants are not that familiar with being inside ruins, right? So, it's better for you to be extra careful so as not to cause them trouble. Although, it might be weird for me to say that since I'm always causing trouble for Shiori and Kanae."
Reina even had the leeway to make a small joke with a hint of self-mockery, tinged with a bitter smile. Due to that, Chloe caught a few things from Reina's attitude and made a stern expression.
"So then, are you really here just to see me? If that's the case, I'm sorry but it might be better for you to leave now? I'm in the middle of a Hunter job, so it's not like I'm free right now."
Reina and Chloe smiled peacefully at each other from the outside. But behind it, they were probing each other's real intentions. After a short silence, Chloe suddenly said.
"White card."
With that one sentence, those who knew what was going on would already understand. Chloe was basically telling them that she knew what they were doing, even the colour of the card too. It was just a statement that also doubled as a warning.
"White card?"
Chloe tilted her head.
Both Reina and Chloe were smiling at each other while locking gaze, watching for even the slightest change of expression. Reina, who really did not know anything, was firm, while Chloe who knew, could not help but waver for a bit.
Since Chloe understood that the one watching her was not only Reina but also Shiori. To avoid leaking anything from her expression, Chloe thought that it was better for her to withdraw.
"I'm sorry but I'm indeed busy at the moment. And I think I will be this busy for the time being, so do tell me beforehand before you want to visit me again."
Chloe threw a smile and left that place. After she opened up some distance from Reina's group and there was no need to keep her performance, her expression immediately turned stern.
"Milady. Was that really alright? Although they did say that they are busy, I believe there was no need to be concerned about their current task. Milady is in a position to afford such a thing."
Chloe understood what Pamela and the others were trying to say to her, so she pulled herself together, regained her calm, and shook her head.
"It's fine. I also wanted to stop instead of continuing the conversation. It was the perfect excuse to do that."
The butler by the name of Latis who was on the other side of Chloe was just like Pamela, he was the leader of the butlers. Since he saw that Pamela did not seem that happy with how things concluded, he interjected.
"Milady, if I may, would be alright if I ask the reason?"
Lorents, the head of the noble family where Reina and Chloe came from, was a former Hunter. He achieved success working as a Hunter and right now controlled a huge corporation that had its influence throughout the eastern district. Although it was still no match against the five biggest corporations, he controlled several corporations which controlled a number of cities, effectively making him the one controlling those cities.
All of those companies were owned by the family and all the leaders of those companies came from that family. But with such a big corporation, there were many officer seats to fulfil. Normally, they would have to outsource people that had no connection with their family to fill those seats. But Lorents was a womanizer, causing him to have many children. Those children also produced even more grandchildren. Because of that, all the officer seats were filled by the family's relatives, causing them to struggle for power, aiming for a higher position.
Reina was one of Lorents' grandchildren. But her family was banished from the city and Reina ended up being a Hunter. It was all because her family belonged to the losing faction inside the noble family.
The best way for those who lost their position in the struggle for power inside the corporation was to gather accomplishments outside the corporation, and the best way to do that was to become a successful Hunter.
In the midst of the in-fighting inside the corporation, Lorents had obvious favouritism toward the Hunter faction. It was no surprise considering Lorents himself was a former Hunter. Moreover, if they could secure a valuable relic and bring it back to the main corporation instead of selling it to another corporation, it would boost their standing within the corporation. Depending on the quality of the relic, they might even be given control of one of the corporation's branches.
Of course, not all of them did well. Many of them failed and did not return from the wasteland. But even so, baited by the reward for success, many factions, who lost their influence in the inner struggle for power, sent one of their family members out to the wasteland to be a Hunter, hoping that they would be able to overturn their situation.
Those sent to the wasteland were those who were too weak to fight the power struggle inside the corporation. Many of them were only given two choices: to refuse and get themselves kicked out from the family or go out as a Hunter and still be considered as a part of the family. As such, many of them only chose to become a Hunter because they were forced to. Reina was basically one of them, though slightly different. When her family discovered that she had an interest in the world of Hunters, they thought that she was the perfect person to be sent out to the wasteland.
From Chloe's point of view, Reina was useless in the power struggle, that was why she was sent out to the wasteland. But after their meeting just now, she no longer thought so.
Pamela then made a suggestion with a serious expression.
"I'm sure I'm more than capable to handle them. So, we have the choice to force to hand over the key for this matter, that white card, you know? Since we're in the middle of the wasteland, so such a thing is well under what is normal in this place."
Chloe lightly laughed and replied.
The reason why Pamela was a bit reluctant to back off there was simply because she wanted a chance to show their strength. Chloe at least understood that much. Chloe thought that it was normal, just like how she aimed for a higher position, the people under her were also aiming for the same thing.
Although no one knew the reason why the heads of their noble family ignored the ongoing power struggle. As a matter of fact, they seemed to be supporting it. Even when it escalated into a real fight, they only reprimanded the ones involved and did not take any concrete step to stop them. Chloe herself also knew that and admitted that she also agreed with their attitude.
Shiori apologized deeply to Reina.
"Ahh, don't worry about it, I won't force you to tell me."
Shiori was a bit surprised, but Reina just lightly smiled and continued.
"...Thank you very much."
Shiori was content that her master fully trusted her. She smiled happily and bowed.
"No, it's nothing. I just thought that Milady has really grown up and I'm happy. And also, both of you are as close as ever."
"...That's obvious."
Reina and Shiori blushed, Kanae who saw that smiled amusedly.
Rebuild World (WN)
リビルドワールド
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/rebuild-world/
Action Adventure Drama Harem Mecha Mystery Sci-fi Seinen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alternate World Anti-social Protagonist Apocalypse Artificial Intelligence Beautiful Female Lead Cautious Protagonist Child Protagonist Dense Protagonist Determined Protagonist Distrustful Protagonist Futuristic Setting Gangs Gunfighters Harsh Training Lack of Common Sense Male Protagonist Manipulative Characters Monsters Near-Death Experience Older Love Interests Poor Protagonist Poor to Rich Ruthless Protagonist Shota Sudden Strength Gain Survival Twisted Personality Unlucky Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n9736dt/
非公開