二十三話
「......隠れてて申し訳なかった。信じて貰えるかは分からないけど、俺に貴方を害する気はないよ」
木陰から姿をあらわしながら俺はそう口にする。だが、案の定と言うべきか。
青年は呆れたように口を尖らせるだけで俺の言い分なんてものを信じる様子はこれっぽっちも感じられない。
「なら、この場に居合わせた理由は? ......分かってるとは思うが、ここはあまりひと気の多い場所じゃねえ」
それもそのはず。
「〝ミナウラ〟に向かう途中だったんだ」
「......〝ミナウラ〟に?」
「村にお偉い王都の貴族様が来てね。税を上げられたくなかったら人手を出せと言うんだ。だから、その人手として俺が向かう事になった。だから、こうしてこの場所を通ってた」
「それが本当であると証明出来る証拠は」
そう言われて、俺は手にしていた地図を差し出すように彼へと突き付ける。
証拠と呼べるかは分からないけれど、それでもビエラ・アイルバークの供回りであった騎士から渡されたもの。少なからず〝ミナウラ〟に向かうという証明になるのではと思った。
「地図ならある。こんな上等な地図を理由もなく俺みたいな村人が持ってる筈ないでしょ?」
だから信じろと。
目で口程に物を言いながらも、興味尽きぬ目の前の青年に警戒心を向け続ける。信じて貰えないのならば、恐らく自ずと戦闘に発展する事は必至。
いつでも剣が抜けるようにと心掛ける俺であったが、その反面
「......確かに、それもそうだ」
口にした言葉に対し、思わず拍子抜けする程あっさりと、青年は納得の言葉をもらしていた。
「あんたが手にするその地図。そりゃ王国騎士の連中に支給されてるブツだ。確かに、本来あんたみたいな餓鬼が手にしていい代物じゃあねえ」
何より、奪うにせよ、とてもじゃないが奪えるだけの技量があんたにあるとは思えねえと、理由には少しケチつけたくもあったけど、青年は納得をしてくれる。
魔物の掃討か。此処で会ったのも何かの縁。折角だから有難い忠告をしてやる。〝ミナウラ〟に向かうのはやめておけ。あそこはあんたみたいな餓鬼が来ていい場所じゃねえよ。せめて後五年歳食ってから出直せ」
......あんたも。
という言い回しを選んだという事は目の前の青年も〝ミナウラ〟に向かうクチなのだろう。
確かに、彼の忠告は正論だ。
親父からも行くなと言われた。
ビエラ・アイルバークも向かうと口にする俺を見て、心なし何処か呆れていた。
けど————関係ない。
己の技量。分相応。経験。しかし、関係ない。
今の俺には足りない物だらけだろう。
あぁ、分かってる。
そんな事は誰かに言われずとも、俺が一番分かってる。自分の事は一番自分が分かってる。
それでも関係がない。
俺の願望であり、夢ですらある『星斬り』の熱の前では全てが塵芥。
だから全てが関係ないと収束出来てしまう。
無意識のうちに心情を発露させてしまっていたのだろう。漏れ出たそれを感じ取ってか、青年は毒気を抜かれたように呟いた。
「じゃあなんだ? あんたもオレのように名をあげに向かうクチか?」
ほんの少し顔を綻ばせ、彼は言う。
けれどその実、その会話が打ち解けたからによるものではなく、何処か確認の為のものであると感じた俺は恐らく間違ってはいない。
「......これは名をあげたい、になるのかな。ともあれ、俺は親父達に恩返しをしたいし、強くもなりたい。その上で、今回の〝ミナウラ〟の一件は何より都合が良かった。ただそれだけだよ」
「あんたみたいな餓鬼が今の〝ミナウラ〟に向かっても十中八九死ぬだけとしか思えねえがな」
それはちゃんと、分かってる。
「だろうね。でもだからこそ、意味があると思うんだ」
「......あん?」
言ってる意味が分からないと彼は眉を潜める。
死ぬと指摘されてるのに意味があると口にする俺の本心が全く以て理解の埒外なのだろう。
好きに宣え
。たとえ誰に何と言われても、俺の考えは変わらないだろうから。
「十中八九死ぬ機会のなかで、残された一、二の生を掴み取る。そうでもしなきゃ、俺はいつまで経っても届きやしない」
記憶に残る『星斬り』の男の言葉を。思考を。技術をいくら真似ようと、壁を超える努力を怠ればただの張りぼてに成り下がる。
「だから、人から死ぬぞと言われるくらいが俺にとっては丁度いいんだ」
「成る程。言葉を交わしてよく分かった。あんたは
ただのバカ。
そう言われる覚えはあるし、理想を掲げる俺ですら時折思ってるよ。俺はバカであると。
だからこれと言って反論もしない。
「結論は出た。なら、話は終わりだ。あんたが賊でないのならオレがあんた相手に剣を向ける理由はねえ。疑って悪かったな」
若干早口にそう言って会話が切り上げられる。
そういえば、賊に対して先を急いでいる、と言ってたっけかと思い出す。
満月までまだ時間があるとは思うが、俺の目には眼前の青年が村人であるとは思えなかった。
どちらかと言うと、ロウやリレアのような冒険者と呼ばれる者の身なりに限りなく近い。
加えて、先程の賊に対する対応。
ならば、俺とは違うのも道理か。
ひたすら地図を頼りに〝ミナウラ〟へ向かっていた俺とは全く異なる方向に「じゃあな」と言って進み始めた青年を見て、思わず言葉が口を衝いて出てしまう。
「......そっちは多分、〝ミナウラ〟に続く道じゃないけどいいの?」
片手をあげて立ち去ろうとする青年であったが、俺のその言葉を耳にしてピタリと足を止める。
「......まじで?」
ぎぎぎ、と壊れたブリキの人形のような動きをしながら彼は俺へと再度向き直った。
嘘だろオイッ、と刻々と変化してゆく表情が彼の悲痛の叫びを鮮明にあらわしている。
......この人、もしかして。
「悪い。その地図、一度見せて貰ってもいいか?」
そう言って足早に男は血走った目で俺が手にする地図を見詰めながら歩み寄ってくる。
「......〝ラスカ〟って街で〝ミナウラ〟までの道を聞いた筈なんだが、中々たどり着かなくてよ」
本来ならもうとっくの昔に着いててもおかしくねえのに。と言いながら男は俺の持つ地図に視線をやり————。
「————あ、っ、アイツら......!! オレが知らねえからって出鱈目教えやがって......!!!」
〝ラスカ〟は本来、俺達がいる現在地よりも〝ミナウラ〟に近い場所に位置する街の名前である。だというのに、青年は近づくどころか遠ざかり、尚且つ、賊にまで絡まれていた始末である。
目も当てられないとはこの事か。
「......くそ、道理で幾ら進んでも森しか見えねえワケだ」
......きっとこの人アレだ。方向音痴の人だ。
そう思ってしまった俺の感想は間違いなく正しい。
そして直感的にこの人は多分、悪い人ではない。と、思っていたからだろう。
「......あの」
「〝ミナウラ〟までで良ければ一緒に向かっても良いけど?」
Chapter 23
"...I'm sorry for hiding. I don't know if you'd believe me or not, but I have no intention of harming you."
I said so as I emerged from the shade of the tree where I'd been hiding, but as I expected...
The young man only twitched in dismay and showed no sign of believing my words.
"Why are you here, then? ...I'm certain that you already know, but this isn't the most public place."
As it should be.
"I was just on my way to Minaura."
"...Minaura, you say?"
"A noblewoman from the capital came to our village and demanded that if we didn't want our taxes to get raised, we'd have to send out manpower. And I was the one to get sent out-- that's the reason I was passing through this place."
"Do you have any proof to back you up?"
Hearing that, I held and presented the map I had in my hand.
I didn't know if I could call it proof, but this very thing was given to me by Viera Islebark's companion, her knight.
"I have a map to Minaura. Why would a mere villager like me have such a first-rate map for no good reason?"
Hence, he was supposed to believe me now.
While my eyes spoke louder than my mouth, I remained wary of the young man in front of me who had intrigued me relentlessly.
I was prepared to draw my sword, but on the bright side...
"...That's true, you do have a point."
The young man's reply was so simple and satisfying that it was almost unintentionally surprising to hear.
"That map that you hold in your hand is the one provided to the knights of the capital. Certainly, it's not something that a brat like you should possess."
More than anything, he wanted to nitpick my reason, but he ended up agreeing with what I said, thinking that I didn't even have the ability to steal it.
"...But since you're going to Minaura, you're going to clean up some monsters too, huh? What a coincidence. But since we're already here, I'll give you some good advice. Don't go to Minaura. It's not a place for a brat like you. At least wait until you're five years older before you come back."
...Too, he says.
The fact that he said so suggested that the young man before me was also on his way to Minaura.
And indeed, his advice was sound.
My father also told me not to go.
Viera Islebark was somewhat dismayed to hear me say that I was planning to head there as well.
But-- none of those matter.
The skill, the means, the experience, it doesn't matter.
I was probably missing a lot of things in me right now.
Yeah, I knew.
Without anyone telling me such a thing, I knew that better than anyone.
Still, it didn't matter.
None of such things mattered in front of the heat of Star Slaying, my desire, and my dream.
Therefore I could just agree that everything else was irrelevant.
Perhaps sensing it, the young man muttered to himself as if dumbfounded.
"What are you going for, then? Do you want to make a name for yourself like I am?"
His face broke into a little smile.
But in fact, perhaps I was not mistaken in feeling that the conversation was not due to a mutual openness, but rather a confirmation of some sort.
"...I guess I want to make a name for myself. Anyhow, I want to give back to my father and other people. I want to be strong too, and going to Minaura is the most convenient thing for me. That's all."
"I think a brat like you would die nine times out of ten if you went to Minaura right now, though."
I knew that.
"I guess so. But that's all the more reason why I think it makes sense."
"...Huh?"
He furrowed his brows as if he was completely dumbfounded by what I'm saying.
I guess he didn't understand what I really meant when I said that it made perfect sense, even though he pointed out that I was going to die, and I had an idea why he would think so.
I'd declare it as I liked.
No matter what anyone said, I didn't change my mind.
"Nine times out of ten, I will seize the remaining life that's left to me in the midst of the chances of me dying. If I don't, I'll never get there."
No matter how much I tried to imitate the swordsman in my dream, his words, his thoughts, and his techniques... if I failed to make the effort to overcome the wall, I'd be nothing more than a superficial failure.
"That's why people can just tell me that I'm going to die as much as they like."
"I see. I understand it well after exchanging words with you. You're not with those bandits, you're just an idiot who wants to be a martyr for your ideals."
I was just another idiot to him.
I'd heard that many times before, and even I, an idealist, sometimes thought that I was an idiot myself.
So I wasn't going to argue with that.
"It's concluded, then. Let's end this conversation. If you're not a bandit, then I have no reason to point my sword at you. Sorry for doubting you."
The conversation was cut short with a few quick words.
I recalled him saying that he was in a hurry when he was confronted by the bandits.
I knew there was still time before the full moon, but to my eyes, the young man in front of me didn't seem to be a villager.
If anything, he was about as close as one could get to the physical appearance of what one would call an adventurer like Lowe and Lilea.
In addition, the way he had just responded to the bandits would be quite unreasonable to call him a villager.
So it was only natural that he would be different from me.
I was heading to Minaura with the help of a map, but as soon as I saw the young man saying his farewell and walking off in a completely different direction, I couldn't help but let out a few unspoken words.
"...That way won't lead you to Minaura, are you sure you want to head there?"
The young man was about to walk away with one hand raised in the air, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he heard my words.
"...Really?"
He turned to me again, moving like a broken tin doll.
The ever-changing expression on his face clearly showed his cry of grief.
...Don't tell me that this person...
"Sorry, but can I have a look at your map?"
With that, the man walked up to me with bloodshot eyes, staring at the map in my hand.
"...I thought I had asked for directions to Minaura back when I was in the town of Raska, but I still can't get there for some reason."
And after taking his time looking at the map I was holding...
"--AH! Those bastards...!!! They told me false directions just because I know nothing...!!!"
"Raska" was the name of a town located closer to Minaura than our current location.
I couldn't believe my eyes.
"...Damn it. That's why I can see nothing but trees no matter how far I go."
...He must be one of those people. One that has no sense of direction.
My impression was definitely correct.
And intuitively, this person was probably not a bad person.
"...Um--"
"We can go to Minaura together... if you don't mind."
Star-Slaying Swordsman
星斬りの剣士
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/star-slaying-swordsman/
Action Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Shounen
Adapted to Manga Dark Fantasy World Male Protagonist Mature Protagonist Medieval Philosophical Romantic Subplot Sudden Strength Gain Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transplanted Memories
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7336gg/
アルト／遥月