9話:剣と宝石*4
『とりあえず殺しておくか』と言われて、一瞬、何のことか分からなかった。
けれど、店の人がカウンターの下からナイフを出してきたら......流石に、これはまずいって分かる。
店の人が出したナイフは、僕に向かって投げられた。
慌てて避けたら、今度は急に、視界の右端から鋭く光るものが突き出てくる。僕はこれもほとんど反射みたいに避けた。
避けて、体勢を崩して、でもなんとか振り返って見たら......もう一度、僕に向かって鋭く光るものが繰り出されるところだった。
鋭く光るそれは、多分、ナイフだ。2本目が来てしまった。
そして、2本目のナイフを持って僕を狙うのは......店の中に居た、他のお客さん。いや、客じゃなくて、関係者、だったのかな。元々、店の人と知り合いのようだったし。
「運が悪かったな、坊主!」
僕は僕に向かってきたナイフを、何とか床を転がって避ける。僕、運がいいね。僕を狙ったナイフは、床に突き刺さった。
「仕留め損なってんじゃねえよ」
「何、どうせもう逃げられねえ。じっくりやろうぜ」
「けっ。次は外すなよ」
次も外してね、と心の中でお願いしつつ、どうせお願いしても当てに来るんだろうな、と思いつつ......僕は、なんとか立ち上がって身構える。
状況はまるで分からない。質屋っぽい店に入ったら、途端に殺されることになってしまった。
そして......。
「それにしても......俺達の宿敵かそのお仲間が、大金持って殺されに来てくれたとは、驚きだな」
店の人達は、そう言って笑う。
......これは一体、どういうことだろう。
まず、今、僕を狙っている理由の1つは、お金、だろう。
うん、確かに僕、お金の袋を持ったままだった。迂闊だっただろうか。
でもお金以上に......僕があの剣を買いに来たからこそ、僕は今、殺されかけているように思える。
店の人の反応も、僕が剣を買いに来たと分かった時からおかしくなった。だから多分、そういうことなんだろう。
......この人達は、僕のことを『俺達の宿敵かそのお仲間』と言っていた。ということは......『剣を買い求めに来る人』が、『宿敵』ということだろうか。なら、あの剣を見つめていたラオクレスは......。
それ以上考えている余裕はなかった。すぐに次のナイフが来る。僕は姿勢を低くして一気に走って、店の人が投げたナイフを避けながら店のドアに向かう。けれど、ドアに辿り着く前にもう1人、客だった人が立ち塞がる。僕はその人が振り回した斧みたいなものを避けることになって、中々ドアへ近づけない。
そうこうしている間に、もう1人の客がドアの鍵を内側から閉めて、そのままナイフをもって近づいてくる。更にどこからかナイフが飛んできて、そこら辺にあった壺を割った。焼き物が割れるけたたましい音が響く。
そこに斧が振り下ろされて、慌てて避ける。すると、店の棚が1つ壊れて、またすごい音がする。
......そうして逃げ回っている内に、すっかり追い込まれてしまった。
元々そんなに広くない店内だ。逃げ場はない。
......これは、まずいかもしれない。
「......あなた達は、単にお金が欲しいから僕を殺す、ってわけじゃ、ないみたいに見える」
僕がそう言ってみると、店の人も客も笑った。
「金?金は欲しいぜ。いくらでもな。坊主が持ってる分、いくらだ?それだけたんまり持ってるんなら、中々の額になるよな?」
そう言ってから......店の人は、続けた。
「だがそうだな。金だけなら、命まではとらないでやっただろうな」
「じゃあ、あの剣が単に綺麗だったから欲しかった、って言ったら?」
「今更だな。それを言ってる時点で心当たりはあるって言ってるようなもんだぜ」
そう言われても困る。心当たりはあるけれど、その詳細は何も知らない。
ラオクレスが見ていたから、というのも、もしかしたら、単に彼が奴隷になる前は剣を使っていて、それで懐かしくなった、とかかもしれないし。
......けれど。けれど、何か、引っかかるのは確かだ。
もし。あの剣が、ラオクレスと関係があったなら?そこには一体、何があったと予想できる?この人達が『あの剣に興味を示した者は全員殺す』というとんでもない発想に至る理由は?
......そもそもどうして、ラオクレスは奴隷になった?
「もしかしてあの剣、人を殺したの?」
だから僕は、そう聞いた。
......すると、店の人は、にやりと笑って答えた。
「ああ、そうだ。お前が欲しがった剣は、俺達の大事な大事なご主人様を殺した奴らの剣だからな!」
そして、僕に向けて、ナイフや斧が迫ってきて......。
......その時だった。
店のドアが、ガチャガチャ、と鳴る。
その音に、店の人達が一瞬、怯んだ。......その直後。
バン、とすごい音がして、ドアが......蹴破られた。
吹き飛ぶドア。そしてドアの破片。ついでに壁の一部。
......そういったものを撒き散らして、そして、入ってきたのは......ラオクレスだった。
ラオクレスと一瞬、目が合った。そしてその直後、もう、ラオクレスは動き出していた。
最初に彼は、荷物を投げた。大きなチーズの塊とパンの塊。袋ごと。
......チーズの塊は客の1人の胴体に勢いよくぶつかって、彼をその場に倒れさせる。
「てめっ、まさか......!」
更に、ラオクレスはその手に握った買い物袋を振り回して、何か驚いていた店の人の側頭部を殴り飛ばした。そのまま買い物袋は投げ捨てて、彼は片手を自由にする。
そしてラオクレスは......斧を持った客の1人と、生ハムを持って対峙する。
......すごい。生ハムが、こん棒に見えてきた。ヘラクレス像の中に確か、あったよね。こういう、こん棒持ったヘラクレスも......。
生ハムこん棒のラオクレスは、すごかった。斧を生ハムで受け止めて、左手で客の胸倉を掴んで、頭突き。
起き上がってきた店の人を見て、今度はそっちを生ハムで殴り飛ばす。
......すごい。本当にすごい。ラオクレスはすごく強い。
強くて、そして......すごく、綺麗だ。
動く筋肉ってこんなに綺麗なのか。腕を振りかぶる時の、腕の筋肉の盛り上がり。飛んでくるナイフを避ける時に逸らされる体の動き。緊張する筋肉の、ただの彫刻では絶対にありえない、躍動感。
......いや、見とれている場合じゃないのは分かってるよ。でも、ラオクレスの戦いぶりは、あまりにも一方的なくらいで......ただ見ているだけで、戦いは終わってしまったのだ。
床の上に倒れた3人を見下ろして、ラオクレスは小さくため息を吐いた。
それから僕の方を見て......ちらり、と気まずげな顔をして、そっぽを向いて......そっぽを向きながら、僕へ、手を伸ばした。
思わず身を竦めたけれど、体が予感したような衝撃は無くて、ただ、ぽん、と、僕の頭の上にラオクレスの手が乗せられただけだった。
それから、ぎこちなく、不器用に彼の手が動く。わし、わし、と。
「......迷惑をかけた」
「え?」
ラオクレスはよく分からないことを言って、それから、放り投げていた買い物袋やチーズやパンを拾い集めて、店を出ていこうとする。
迷惑って......店に?まあ、確かにドアは壊れたし、棚は壊れたし、商品も割と壊れた。けれど、多分ラオクレスが言ったのは、そういうことじゃなくて......。
「......僕に、迷惑かけた、って、思って、るの?」
躊躇いながら聞いてみたら、ラオクレスは立ち止まって、それから小さく、そうだ、とだけ言った。
「あの、迷惑かけたのは僕の方だ。勝手に出歩いて、変なことになった。ごめんなさい」
僕はすぐにラオクレスを追いかけて、そこでちゃんと謝った。
彼に迷惑をかけた。勝手に彼の思いの切れ端を見つけてしまって、それを捕まえにいってしまった。彼が望んでいるかも確認しないまま。......反省してる。
僕が謝ると、ラオクレスはまた、気まずげな顔をする。何を言ったらいいのか分からない、というような、或いは、どう言っていいのか分からない、というような。
「俺が......あの剣を見ていたのを、お前は見ていたんだな」
「うん」
「だからお前は動いた。それは、分かっている。なら俺が巻き込んだようなものだ」
「ううん。......あの剣を買いに行っていいか、ちゃんとあなたに聞くべきだった。聞くことを怖がっちゃいけなかったんだ」
なんとなく、聞いちゃいけないような気がした。ラオクレスが何か言いたそうで、それでいて、きっとそれを僕には言ってくれないだろうという気がしたから。それでも、言われなくても、彼が思っていることを叶えたいと思ってしまった。
多分、烏滸がましかった。それだけのことだ。
「......とりあえず、戻るぞ。あの貴族が道に迷っているだろうから」
ああ、そういえばフェイにも迷惑かけたな。そっか、彼、道に......。
そうしてラオクレスが店を出ていこうとするのを追いかけようとして......僕は思い出した。
そもそもの、この店に来た理由を。
「あの、ラオクレス」
今度こそ、ちゃんと聞くんだ。彼の意思を。僕が勝手に量るんじゃなくて。僕が勝手に怖がることのないように。
......けれど、僕がその先を言うことはできなかった。
しゅうしゅう、と、奇妙な音がしたと思ったら......荒れた店の一角、倒れた店の人の手の中で、何か、黒いものが蠢く。
あれ、と思った途端。
凄まじい音がした。地面が揺れる。何かが壊れる重い音がいくつもいくつも、響く。
......そして。
「これは......大変だ」
黒い黒い、夜の闇を集めて作ったような不定形のお化けが......天井を突き破って、その大きな体で、のっそりと僕らを見下ろしていた。
Volume 2 - Ch 9
"...Then for the time being should I kill you?" he said, and for a moment I didn't know what he was talking about.
But when the shopkeeper pulled out a knife from under the counter... I knew it was a bad idea.
The knife the shopkeeper took was thrown at me.
I hurriedly dodged it, and this time, suddenly, something sharp and shiny came out of the right edge of my field of vision. I dodged it almost as if it were a reflex.
I dodged it, and got out of the trajectory, but when I managed to turn around and look back... I saw that a sharp shiny object was about to be launched at me once again.
That thing that shines sharply is probably a knife. The second knife came.
And the one aiming at me with the second knife was another customer, who was in the store. No, it wasn't a customer, it was someone related to the customer. He seemed to know the guy in the store originally.
"You're out of luck, boy!" (Man)
I managed to roll on the floor to avoid the knife that was coming at me. I was lucky. The knife aimed at me went to the floor.
"You failed to finish him." (Shopkeeper)
"What? He's not going to get away with it anyway. Let's take our time." (Man)
"Tsk. Come on. Next time, don't miss." (Shopkeeper)
I was praying in my heart they miss the next time, but I was thinking that even if I prayed, they would probably hit me sooner or later. ...I managed to stand up and brace myself.
I don't know what's going on. I walked into a pawnshop-like store and was instantly going to be killed.
And then...
"Even so... it's surprising that our nemesis or his companion came to be killed has a lot of money." (Man)
The people in the store laugh as they say that.
...I wonder what this all means.
First of all, one of the reasons they are after me right now is money.
Yes, I was definitely holding a bag of money. Was I being careless?
But more than the money, I think I'm being almost killed now because I came to buy that sword.
The reaction of the people at the shop also became strange when they found out that I had come to buy the sword. So maybe that's what it is.
...These people said, "our nemesis or his friend". Does that mean that the "people who come to buy this sword" are their nemesis? Then Laocles, who was staring at that sword...
I didn't have time to think about it. Another knife coming soon. I lower my posture and run immediately, dodging the knife thrown by the shopkeeper and heading for the store door. However, before I reached the door, another person, who was a customer, stands in my way. I had to avoid the ax-like thing that person was wielding, so I couldn't get close to the door.
In the meantime, the other customer locks the door from the inside and approaches with a knife. The knife came from somewhere and broke a pot that was lying around. The sound of pottery breaking echoes through the room.
Then an axe swung down, and I hurriedly avoided it. Then one of the shelves in the store breaks and there is another terrible noise.
...While I was running around like that, I was completely cornered.
The store wasn't that big, to begin with. There is no escape.
...This looks bad.
"...It looks like you people aren't just killing me because you want money." (Tougo)
When I said this, both the shopkeeper and the customers laughed.
"Money? I want money. Any amount. How much is it boy? (Shopkeeper)
After saying that... the shopkeeper continued.
"But yes. If it was only money, I wouldn't have taken your life." (Shopkeeper)
"What if I told you that I just wanted that sword because it was beautiful?" (Tougo)
"It's too late now. It's like saying that you have an idea when you say that." (Shopkeeper)
Even if you say that I'm in trouble. I have an idea, but I don't know the details.
Because Laocles was watching, maybe it's just that he used a sword before he became a slave, and it made him nostalgic.
...But. However, something about it is definitely bugging me
If that sword is Laocles'. What if that sword had something to do with Laocles? What do you expect to find there? What would lead these people to the crazy idea of "killing anyone who shows interest in the sword"?
Why did Laocles become a slave in the first place?
"Could it be that sword killed someone?" (Tougo)
So, I asked.
...the shopkeeper replied with a sly grin,
"Ah, that's right. The sword you wanted is the sword of those who killed our very, very precious master!" (Shopkeeper)
And then the knives and axes came at me and...
...That's when it happened.
The store door rattles.
At that sound, the people in the store flinched for a moment. ...right after that.
There was a loud bang... and the door was kicked down.
The door was blown open. And pieces of the door. And then a piece of the wall.
Scattering wood everywhere, and then... Laocles came in.
Laocles and I locked eyes for a moment. And right after that, Laocles was already moving.
First, he threw his luggage. A big hunk of cheese and a hunk of bread. The whole bag.
The hunk of cheese hit the torso of one of the guests with such force that he fell to the ground.
"Damn, no way...!" (Shopkeeper)
Furthermore, Laocles swung the shopping bag in his hand and punched the shopkeeper in the side of the head, who was somewhat startled. As it was, he tossed the shopping bag away, freeing one of his hands.
Laocles then confronts one of the customers with an axe... with the ham.
...amazing. The ham is beginning to look like a club. I think it was in the statue of Hercules, wasn't it? There is also this kind where Hercules has a club...
Laocles with a club of cured ham looked amazing. He caught an axe with the ham club, grabbed a customer by the chest with his left hand, and head-butted him.
When he saw the shopkeeper getting up, he hit him with the ham this time.
...Very. Very awesome. Laocles is very strong.
He's strong, and... really, really beautiful.
I never thought moving muscles could be so beautiful. The way his arm muscles rise and fall when he swings his arms. The way his body moves to avoid a flying knife. The tension in the muscles, the sense of dynamism that is absolutely impossible in a mere sculpture.
...No, I know it's not the time to gawk. But the way Laocles fought was so one-sided that I just had to watch, and suddenly the fight was over.
Looking down at the three on the floor, Laocles let out a small sigh.
Then he looked at me... glanced awkwardly at me, turned away... and reached out his hand to me.
I cowered, but there was no shock that my body had expected, just a plop and Laocles' hand on top of my head.
Then, awkwardly and clumsily, his hand moved.
"......I troubled you." (Laocles)
"Huh?" (Tougo)
Laocles said something I didn't understand, then picked up the shopping bags, cheese, and bread he had been tossing around and tried to leave the store.
Trouble... The store? Well, sure, the door was broken, the shelves were broken, and the merchandise was rather broken. But maybe that's not what Laocles meant...
"...do you think you caused trouble for me?" (Tougo)
When I hesitantly asked, Laocles stopped and then said only a small, "Yes."
"Um, I was the one who caused trouble. I went out on my own and things got weird. I'm sorry." (Tougo)
I immediately went after Laocles and apologized to him.
I had caused him trouble. I had taken the liberty of finding a focus of his thoughts, and I had gone to get it. I didn't even check if he wanted me to... I'm sorry about that.
When I apologize, Laocles makes an awkward face again. Like, he doesn't know what to say, or he doesn't know how to say it.
"You... You saw me looking at that sword, didn't you?" (Laocles)
"Yes." (Tougo)
"That's why you moved. I know that. Then it's like I'm the one who dragged you into this." (Laocles)
"Uh-no... I should have asked you if I could go buy that sword. I shouldn't have been afraid to ask." (Tougo)
Somehow, I felt like I shouldn't have asked. I had a feeling that Laocles was going to say something, and yet I was sure he would not say it to me. Still, I wanted to fulfill what he had in mind, even if he didn't say it.
Perhaps I was impertinent. That's all.
"...For now, let's go back. That noble is probably lost." (Laocles)
Ah, come to think of it, I gave Fay some trouble, too. I see, he's on his way...
Then I was about to follow Laocles out of the store when ...... I remembered.
Why did I come to this store in the first place?
"Um, Laocles." (Tougo)
I'll listen properly this time, to his intentions. I'm not going to measure it on my own. So that I don't get scared on my own.
...But I couldn't say anything beyond that.
I thought I heard a strange sound... and in the corner of a deserted store, in the hands of a fallen shopkeeper, something black was wriggling.
As soon as I thought that was it.
There was a terrible sound. The ground shook. Heavy sounds of something breaking, many, many, many sounds echoed.
...and then.
"That looks bad." (Tougo)
A very, very black, irregularly shaped ghost-like thing that looked like it was made from the darkness of the night broke through the ceiling and looked down on us quietly with its large body.
The Picture Perfect Mochi I Drew Tastes Good
今日も絵に描いた餅が美味い
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-picture-perfect-mochi-i-drew-tastes-good/
Adventure Fantasy Shounen Slice of Life Supernatural
Adapted to Manga Artists Caring Protagonist Fantasy World Friendship Loner Protagonist Male Protagonist Mythical Beasts Naive Protagonist R-15 Selfless Protagonist Spirits Stubborn Protagonist Transmigration Transported to Another World Weak Protagonist
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7921gj/
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