これからのこと
あの後、僕の言葉に項垂れた冒険者の青年を連れて、宿に戻った。一応色々と事の顛末を聞いて置こうと思ったからだ。なにはともあれ、ゴブリンキングは死んだようだし、街は無事に平穏を取り戻したわけだから、これ以上僕達が何かする必要はない。
あとやるべきことといえば、ニコちゃんとそのお父さんのことだ。
オルバ公爵が死んだとしても、没落させられたアークス家が元の貴族に戻るのは難しい。その辺はクレアちゃんも分かっている筈......となると、ここからニコちゃん達に何か被害が及ばない様にするには、ニコちゃんを捜索している兵士の撤退、それとこの街でニコちゃんとその父親が死んだことにするくらいか。
アークス家は魔法使いの家系らしいし、オルバ公爵が死んだとしても、王家から眼を付けられる可能性が無くなった訳じゃない。死んだことにしておく方が、何かとやりやすい。
そうなれば、現時点でニコちゃん達がこの街に居座るのはあまり得策じゃない。ここは僕達が別の場所へと連れ出せってことなんだろう。多少の相違はあれど、クレアちゃんもそう思っている筈だ。
「とりあえず、ニコちゃんとニコちゃんのお父さんは次の街に連れて行く。家名はある程度偽名にしないといけないけど、次の街はグランディール王国の庇護下ではないから、ニコちゃん達が居ても大丈夫だと思う」
「はーい♪ しばらく一緒だよー、ニコ?」
「......うん」
僕のステータスもこの街に来て大きく上昇したし、ある意味損得勘定で言えば、まぁプラスだと考えておこう。僕としても、ここにはちょっと居辛いし、グランディール王国に関係するところから直ぐにでも離れたい。このままここに居れば、勇者気取りの残した問題に何時巻き込まれるか分からないからね。
まぁそれはさておき、次の問題へ行こう。
さっきからずっと項垂れたままの新人冒険者の彼だ。ランクはFランクだということで、僕よりも上なんだけどさ......ちょっとアレだよね、新人なのに僕よりランク上なんだぜ。
「さて......まずは名前を教えて貰って良いかな?」
「............ジャック・イトナ」
「想像するに、ゴブリンキングに対して数十人で戦って、君しか生き残らなかった。そしてゴブリンキングを含めて、魔獣達も全部死んでいた......ってことだけど、合ってる?」
「......ああ、皆......俺を護って死んでいった。俺も死ぬはずだった......でも、なんでか俺は生き残っちまった......! 俺みたいな奴、死んだって良かったのに......!」
後悔と無念を表情に浮かべて、彼は拳を握りしめ、歯痒そうにそう言った。
なんか挫折を味わった主人公みたいな雰囲気を滲み出してるんだけど、何この空気。え? これ僕が慰めないといけない展開? 勘弁してほしい、僕そういうの苦手なんだよ......だって僕慰められる様な相手いなかったし、ていうかしおりちゃん以外友達いなかったんだからさ。
リーシェちゃんとレイラちゃんに視線を向けると、見事に裏切られた。リーシェちゃんはそういうの苦手そうだし、レイラちゃんは面倒臭がってるだけだろうな。
面倒臭いよもう......なんで僕がこんな主人公臭い男を慰めないといけないんだ。正直こんな辛気臭い部屋に居たくないんだけど、ていうか帰ってくれないかなぁ。
僕はリーシェちゃん達にだけ聞こえるようにそう言って、項垂れる青年に視線を向けた。肩を震わせて、涙を流している様だった。握り締めた拳は白くなって、食いしばった歯からは血が滲んでいる。どんだけだよ。
「......あー......ジャック君、死んでもいいとか言うなよ」
「君の為に死んでいった人達が、なんで君の為に命を張ったと思ってるんだい? 君にそれだけの価値があると思ったからだよ。それなのに、君が死んだらそれこそ犬死にじゃないか」
「っ......!」
反応あり、これはいけるか? 全部漫画の受け売りだけど、案外漫画も馬鹿に出来ないね! えーと、この後は確か......。
「君はこれから死んでいった冒険者達が託してくれた想いを、繋いでいかなくちゃいけない。それに、君はまだまだ冒険者として若い......可能性は星の数ほど広がっている。もっともっと強くなって、君を護って死んでいった冒険者達に......命を賭けた価値があったんだと思わせてあげなよ! それが、君が彼らに出来ることだと思うよ?」
うん、こんな感じだった筈だ。結構綺麗事言ったけど、結局は犬死になんだけどね。どうやらゴブリンキングは運良く死んだらしいし、そんなもんだろう。
とりあえず、彼が此処から去ってくれればそれで良い。いい加減面倒臭くなってきた。
「......そう、だな......ありがとう......俺間違ってたよ......俺はもっと、もっと......強くなって......あいつら全員、あっと驚かせてやる......!!」
「うんうん、その意気だよ」
「だから......今は、ちょっと泣かせてくれ......!!」
僕が引き攣った笑顔でそう言うと、決壊したダムの様にわんわん泣き始めた。
僕はリーシェちゃん達を連れて、部屋を出る。ニコちゃんパパは気を失ったままだからベッドに寝かせたままだけど、まぁしばらくは起きないでしょ。起きたとしても、空気を読んでくれる筈だ。父親だし、同じ男だし、慰めるにしろ寝たふりをするにしろ、その辺は大丈夫だと思う。
いや別に空気を読まなくてもいいんだけどね。
僕も、リーシェちゃんも、レイラちゃんも、ニコちゃんも、何も言わない。扉の前で立ち止まり、その奥から小さな泣き声が聞こえてくる。多分、僕達は別々の理由で黙っているのだと思う。
僕は、何だこの状況っていう考えから言葉が出ない。リーシェちゃんはなんだか青春だなぁ的な感じで感慨に浸ってる。レイラちゃんは多分状況が分かってない。ニコちゃんは皆が黙ってるから黙ってるんだと思う。
改めて思う。なんだこの状況は。
「......面倒臭いな、冒険者って」
「え!? いや、今の、良い感じの話だったじゃないか......?」
「いや......凄い面倒臭かったよアレ......まずね? 此処僕達の部屋じゃん! なんで僕達が空気呼んで外出てるの? 意味が分からないんだけど」
僕が文句を言ったら、リーシェちゃんがなんか引いた。僕がさっきまで慰めで吐いていた言葉が障子紙よりも薄っぺらかったことに今更気付いた様だ。うん、正直なのは君の良い所だけど、こういう時は悪い所でもあるよね。
まぁレイラちゃんとニコちゃんは干渉せずに流れを見守ってたけど、この場合はそれが正解だね。
「......これからどうしようか?」
「......そうだな......まぁ今日は時間も遅い......一晩休んでから明日この街を発ったらどうだ?」
「そうだねぇ、暗くなってきたし、それが妥当かな?」
ちなみに、もう日は沈んでいたりする。夕飯の時間だ。
今から次の街に出るのはかなり時間も遅い、リーシェちゃんの案で行こうかな。レイラちゃんは基本流れに任せるスタンスだし、基本僕とリーシェちゃんが方針を決めれば付いてくるからね。
「......でもまだ泣いてるよ?」
「......とりあえずもうしばらく待ってようか」
方針は決めたのだけど、彼が泣きやむまで部屋に入れない。
故にもうしばらく、廊下で待つ事になった。
◇ ◇ ◇
結局、泣き声が止んだ後に部屋に入ったら、彼は泣き疲れて寝ていた。シーツを涙で濡らして、ベッドに寝転んで寝息を立てていた。ちょっとイラッと来たけれど、僕としてもちょっと疲れていたから素直に休むことにした。
ベッドを使いたかったけど、彼をどかしてもシーツが濡れていたから使えなかったので、二人部屋のこの部屋は彼とニコちゃんのお父さんに使って貰うことにした。ちなみに、ニコちゃんはお父さんと一緒に寝て貰った。
で、結局僕用の一人部屋のベッドに、レイラちゃんとリーシェちゃんに寝て貰うことにした。詰めれば二人で寝る事も出来たからね。
え? 僕? 僕は瘴気で布団を作って寝たよ。ふかふかの感触を再現するのはかなり時間が掛かったけど、明け方辺りにようやく寝ることが出来た。そのせいで僕の睡眠時間はかなり削られたけどね。
で、現在は朝だ。
僕は寝た気がしないけど身体を起こし、軽く柔軟をする。パキパキと音が鳴った。
「寝てても瘴気を維持出来るんだなぁ......まぁ多少不安定になるみたいだけど」
僕は瘴気の布団を消して、一つ欠伸をする。さて、リーシェちゃんとレイラちゃんを起こそう。
「二人とも、起きて」
「んん......ああ、おはよう......悪いがあまり寝起きの顔を見ないでくれるか?」
「うふふっ♪ きつね君おはよっ!」
「うんおはよう。取り敢えず僕はニコちゃん達の様子を見てくるから、準備が出来たら荷物を持って来て」
二人とも朝は強い様で、軽く声を掛けたら起きてくれた。リーシェちゃんは女の子らしく、寝起きの顔を隠すが、レイラちゃんは隠さず笑顔だ。というか、髪長い癖に寝癖もないし、肌にへんな跡も付いていない。なんというか、素で美少女だと得だねぇ。
そう思いながら、僕はニコちゃん達の所へ向かうべく、部屋を出た。
ニコちゃん達の部屋に入ると、既にニコちゃんのお父さんと青年が眼を覚ましていた。というか、ニコちゃんのお父さんが青年に頭を下げている光景がそこにあった。ニコちゃんはまだベッドの上でおねむの様だけど、この状況はなんだろうか?
「......なにこれ?」
「あ、き、きつねさん! 助けて下さい!」
「え、君そんな口調で僕と話してたっけ? もっとタメ口だった気がするんだけど」
「それは後で説明しますから! 取り敢えずこの人どうにかしてください!」
なんだか知らないけど、ジャック君が僕に対して敬語を使っている。なんでだろう? 僕が慰めたからかな? あんな気持ちの籠っていない言葉で立ち直れたなら、まぁ結構なことだけど。
それはさておき、これはどういう状況だろうか? ニコちゃんのお父さんはなんでジャック君に頭を下げているんだ?
「状況説明してくれる?」
「いや......俺は知らないんですけど、娘を助けてくれてありがとうとか言ってて......」
つまり、起きた時に隣で寝ていたジャック君を、自分達を助けてくれた人だと勘違いした訳だ。まぁ僕が助けたんだとか、わざわざ訂正しようとは思わないけどさ。寧ろジャック君が助けたことにしてもいいんじゃない?
でもまぁ、ニコちゃんがいずれ言っちゃうだろうし、今の内に誤解を解いておけば後々面倒じゃなくなるかな?
「えーと、ニコちゃんのお父さん?」
「む......君は......っ! 娘を預けた時の!」
「そうそう、で、彼はニコちゃんには何の関係もない人だよ」
「あ......そ、そうだったか......すまない、早とちりだった......とすると、君が?」
「そうそう、僕が華麗にスマートに超格好良くニコちゃんと貴方を助けたんだよ! オルバ公爵も黙らせたから、この街には住めないけど、もう追手や命を狙う者はいない。安心していいよ」
そう言うと、ニコちゃんのお父さんは心底安心した様で、力なくベッドに腰を落とした。まさかオルバ公爵まで黙らせたとは思わなかったんだろう。まぁ実際にはぶっ殺したんだけどね、黙るも何も、喋る口が無くなった訳だ。
まぁなんにせよ、これからの話をしないとね。ニコちゃん親子は中々面倒な立ち位置に収まっちゃったからさ。
「とりあえず、今後の話をしよう。ジャック君は帰って良いよ」
「俺の扱い、なんか酷くないすか......?」
そんなこと、僕の知ったことじゃない。
From now on
After that, we returned to the inn along with the young adventurer who was in a daze at my words. It's because I thought I'd like to ask him about the details of what happened there.
The only thing left to do is to take care of Nico-chan and her father.
Even if Duke Orba is now dead, it will be difficult for the fallen Arcs house to return to its former noble status. I'm sure Claire-chan is aware of that as well.... in other word, the only way to avoid any harm to befall Nico-chan and her father from now on is first to withdraw the soldiers who are searching for her, and then make it as though she and her father have died in this town.
Arcs house seems to be a magician family lineage, so even with Duke Orba death, that doesn't mean the possibility of them being targeted by the Royal Family is completely gone. So pretending to be dead is the most optimal solution for them.
Now that it comes to that, staying in this town is no longer a good option for them. I guess that means we have to take them out of here to another place. That's more or less the gist of the idea, and I'm sure Claire-chan also thinks along those lines.
"For the time being, I'm intending to take Nico-chan and her father to the next town. Just in case, they'll have to use a fake family name, but the next town isn't under the protection of the Grandile Kingdom, so I think it's safe for them to stay there."
"Okay, looks like we'll be together for a while longer, right, Nico?"
"...yes."
After coming to this town, my stats have grown greatly, so speaking of gain or loss, so I think coming to this town is still a plus. As far as I'm concerned, staying here is suffering in itself, and I want to get away from anything related to Grandile Kingdom as soon as possible. Otherwise, I don't know when I'll get dragged into the troubles caused by that fake hero, after all.
Well, leaving that aside, let's move on to the next problem.
It's about the newbie adventurer who's been hanging his head up until now. He seems to be an F-ranked adventurer, which means his rank is higher than me, but... how should I put it, he's supposed to be a newbie, but his is already higher than mine.
"Well then... first thing first, care to introduce yourself?"
"... Jack Itona."
"If I don't get it wrong, dozens adventurers fought against the Goblin King, but you're the sole survivor. And then, all of the demonic beasts were found dead, including the Goblin King... something like that, am I right?"
"... yes, everyone, they all died protecting me. I should've died back then, too... but somehow I survived...! Someone like me, it would've been better if I just died there...!"
With face filled of grief and regret, he clenches his fists and vexedly says so.
He's exuding this air as though a protagonist who's suffering from a setback, but what's with this situation? Eh, is this where I'm supposed to console him? Give me a break, I'm not good at that kind of thing... I mean, I've never had anyone to console, after all. Or rather, I didn't have any friends except Shiori-chan.
When I glance at Rishe-chan and Leila-chan, I'm wonderfully betrayed. Rishe-chan seems to be not very good at this kind of thing, as for Leila-chan, I'm sure she just finds it bothersome.
How bothersome, geez... why do I have to console such a protagonist-like person? Honestly speaking, I don't want to be in such a depressing room, or rather, I wonder if I can just have him return to his place now.
Saying so in the voice that only Rishe-chan and the others can hear, I turn my gaze to the gloomy young man. His shoulders are shaking, he seems to be crying. His tightly clenched fists are pale white, and blood can be seen flowing from his gritted teeth. Just how far down is he?
".... umm... Jack-kun, it's not good saying something like you'd rather die or the like, you know?"
"Why do you think the people who died back there sacrificed their lives for you? It was because they thought you were worth it. So, if you choose to die, wouldn't you just make them all died in vain, don't you think so too?"
"....!"
There is a response, does that mean it's working? Those are words I read from manga, but it seems that you can't really look down on them, huh! Umm, I believe the next sentence is....
"From now on, you have to live and shoulder all of the wish those died adventurers entrusted to you. Moreover, you're still very young as an adventurer... your potentials are as numerous as the stars in the sky. You have to keep on getting stronger and make those adventurers who died protecting you think... it was totally worth sacrificing their lives for you! I think that's the best you can do for them, right?"
Yup, it should be something along those lines. I somewhat sugarcoat it, but in the end they still died a dog death, though. Apparently, the Goblin King died due to a stroke of luck, so that's about it.
For now, my top priority is to have him leave. It's getting very bothersome, after all.
".... you're, right... thank you... I was wrong... I'll become more... more and more stronger... and surprise all of them...!"
"Yeah, yeah, that's the spirit."
"So.... for now, let me cry for a bit!!"
When I say so with cramped smile, he starts bawling like a broken dam.
I leave the room with Rishe-chan and the others. Nico-chan's father is still unconscious, so I let him sleep in the bed, but he shouldn't be waking up for a while. Even if he does wake up, he should be able to read the mood. He's a father, he's also similarly a man, and whether he decides to console him or pretends to be asleep, I think either way is fine.
Well, not that not reading the mood is wrong or anything, though.
Neither I, Rishe-chan, Leila-chan, nor Nico-chan say anything. We're only standing in front of the door, while listening to the the faint cry from inside the room. Probably, though I think we're silent for different reasons.
I'm speechless from the thought of what the hell is going on here. Rishe-chan is probably thinking 'what a youth life'. Leila-chan probably doesn't understand of the situation. And I think Nico-chan is silent because everyone else is silent.
That makes me think again. What's with this situation?
"... How bothersome, adventurers are."
"What?! That, just now, didn't you manage to say those splendid words...?"
"Nah... it's a total pain in the ass... first, this is our room! Why do we have to read the mood and leave? I just don't get it."
When I complain so, Rishe-chan is somewhat taken aback. I'm sure by now she's noticed that the words I used to console him previously were actually shallower than a dry river. Well, frankness is indeed her good point, but it becomes her bad point at times like this.
Well, Leila-chan and Nico-chan aren't interfering and are only watching the situations unfold, but in this case, that's the right thing to do.
"... What do we do now?"
"... Let's see... well, it's late today... so why don't we take some rest tonight and then leave the town tomorrow?"
"You're right, it's already getting dark outside, so I suppose let's just do that."
By the way, the sun is already setting. It's time for dinner.
It's already quite late to leave for the next town, so let's go with Rishe-chan's plan. Leila-chan has a basic stance of following the others' decision, so it's normally Rishe-chan and I who decide on our plan.
"... but he's still crying, you know?"
"... For now, let's wait a while longer for."
We've decided on our plan, but we can't enter the room until he stops crying.
Hence, we have to wait in the hallway for a while longer.
* * *
In the end, when we entered the room after the crying stopped, we found him asleep, exhausted from crying. The sheets were soaked with tears, and he's lying on the bed quietly sleeping. I was a little irritated by it, but I' was also feeling a little tired, so I decided to just take some rest.
I wanted to use the bed, but even if I moved him away, I still wouldn't be able to use it since the sheets were wet, so I decided to let him and Nico-chan's father used this double room. By the way, I let Nico-chan sleep with her father.
So, in the end, I decided to have Leila-chan and Rishe-chan sleep on the bed in my own room. If they stick close to each other, they'd still fit on it, after all.
Huh? Me? I made a futon from miasma and slept in it. It took me a long time to recreate the fluffy feeling, but I was finally able to sleep at dawn. Because of that I barely had any sleeping time at all, though.
And now it's morning.
I barely slept at all, but I still wake up and do some light stretching. I can hear a cracking sound.
"So we can maintain the miasma even while sleeping, huh... Well, it seems to become a little unstable, though."
I make the miasma futon disappears, and have a yawn. Now then, let's wake up Rishe-chan and Leila-chan.
"Both of you, wake up."
"Hmm... Oh, good morning... I'm sorry, but can you not look at my sleeping face too much?"
"Ufufu, Kitsune-kun good morning!"
"Good morning. For now, I'm going to check on Nico-chan and the others, so please bring the luggage once everything's ready."
They both seem to be the types who are strong in the morning, the wake up when I lightly call out to them. Rishe-chan, like a girl, prefer to hide her sleeping face, but Leila-chan on the other hand doesn't hide hers and gives me smile. Or rather, she has such long hair, yet she doesn't have bed hair at all, and there's also no strange mark on her skin. How should I put it, I guess that's the advantage of being prime beautiful girl, huh.
With such thoughts in mind, I leave the room and head to where Nico-chan and the others are.
When I enter Nico-chan's room, I see that her father and the young man are already awake. Or rather, I see Nico-chan's father bowing to the young man. Nico-chan seems to be still asleep in the bed, but what's with this situation?
"... What the heck?"
"Oh, ki, Kitsune-san! Please help me!"
"Huh, do you always talk to me like that? I feel like it was more casual, though."
"I'll explain about it later! For now please do something about this person!"
I don't know what's going on, but Jack is somehow using honorific when he's talking to me. I wonder why? Is it because I consoled him? If he could recover thanks to those empty words, then that's good and all, though.
But leaving that aside, I wonder what's going on here? Why is Nico-chan's father bowing to Jack?
"Can you explain what's going on?"
"Well... I don't really understand myself, he said something about thanking me for saving her daughter...."
In other words, he thinks Jack-kun, who was sleeping next to them when he woke up, was the one who saved them. I'm not going to correct him by telling him that I was the one who saved them, though. Or rather, won't it be better if I just leave him think that that's the case?
But, well, Nico-chan will definitely tell him eventually, and if I clear up the misunderstanding now, it should be less troublesome later on, right?
"Well, Nico-chan's father?"
"Mu... you are..! The one I left my daughter to!"
"Yeah, yeah, and he's actually got nothing to do with Nico-chan whatsoever."
"Oh.... is, is that so? I'm sorry, I jumped to a wrong conclusion... that means, did you?"
"That's right, I brilliantly, skillfully and coolly saved Nico-chan and you! I've also silenced Duke Orba, you can no longer live in this town, but there are no more pursuers or people who are after your life. So you can rest assured."
When I say so, Nico-chan's father seems to feel relieved from the bottom of his heart and feebly sits down on the bed. I'm sure he'd never expect that I'd actually silence Duke Orba. Well, strictly speaking, I killed him, so let alone silencing him, he already has no mouth to say even a word, after all.
Well, at any rate, we need to talk about the future. Nico-chan and her father now end up in a very awkward position, after all.
"Anyway, let's talk about what to do from now on. Jack-kun, you can leave."
"Aren't you treating me so horribly here....?"
That's none of my business.
I Kinda Came to Another World, but Where’s the Way Home?
【書籍化】異世界来ちゃったけど帰り道何処？
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/i-kinda-came-to-another-world-but-wheres-the-way-home/
Action Adventure Comedy Drama Fantasy Harem Shounen Slice of Life
Apathetic Protagonist Bullying Calm Protagonist Demi-Humans Demon Lord Demons Dense Protagonist Fairies Game Elements Ghosts Heterochromia Knights Level System Male Protagonist Murders Naive Protagonist R-15 Royalty R*pe S*aves Sword And Magic Transported to Another World Weak Protagonist Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2650bx/
こいし