オルバ公爵の住まう―――というより仕事場である所の、所謂都庁の様な大きな建物に忍び込むに当たって、僕達はまず二手に分かれることにした。
具体的な内訳は、僕とリーシェちゃんのペアと、レイラちゃんとニコちゃんのペア。
僕とリーシェちゃんがオルバ公爵の下へと向かうペア、その陽動役として、レイラちゃんとニコちゃんには見張りや兵士達の目を引いて貰うのが目的だ。ニコちゃんは向こうの目標でもあるけれど、レイラちゃんが付いていれば限りなく安全だと思う。僕達がオルバ公爵の下へ向かうのは、かなり容易になる筈だ。
そして、レイラちゃん達には陽動と同時に、ニコちゃんパパを連れ出して貰う。ニコちゃんパパの顔をはっきり分かってるのはニコちゃんだし、レイラちゃんも僕がニコちゃんを押し付けられた時、なんとなくニコちゃんパパを見かけた筈だ。それに、瘴気で建物の構造を把握出来る以上、彼女なら最短距離でニコちゃんパパの下まで辿り着ける。適任だろう。
更に言えば、そのレイラちゃん達の行動にオルバ公爵の目が行かない様囮になるのが、僕達だ。
言ってしまえば、兵士達程度ならレイラちゃんの足下にも及ばない。でもあのレイスとかいう殺人鬼がオルバ公爵と一緒に出張ってきたら、ニコちゃんを連れているレイラちゃんにとって多少梃子摺るかもしれない。
ステータス的にはレイラちゃんの方が圧倒的に格上ではあるけれど、レイスがニコちゃんを狙ってレイラちゃんの隙を作ろうとしたら、如何にレイラちゃんでも............あれ? なんだか全然心配にならないぞ? 普通に返り討ちに出来そうな気がする。
というか、レイラちゃんとレイスって名前似ててややこしいな。
まぁ、それはそうとして、現在僕達は仮称『都庁モドキ』へと侵入していた。
「おい、侵入者だ! なんでもブロンド髪の子供を連れた女らしい、行くぞ!」
「お、おう! ったく......ゴブリンキングといい、なんでこうも立て続けに......!」
大きな柱の後ろに隠れて、廊下を慌ただしく走っていく兵士達をやり過ごす。どうやらレイラちゃん達は上手くやっているらしい。
「......きつね、侵入したは良いが......オルバ公爵の場所は分かるのか?」
「さぁ......でも偉い人って大抵高い所に居るものだよ、上を目指そう」
「......きつねって結構考えているようで行き当たりばったりだよな」
何を今更。
リーシェちゃんの呆れた様な眼が痛いけれど、僕は兵士達の走り去って行った先とは逆方向へと進む。レイラちゃん達は地下を目指しているから、兵士達が走って行ったのも地下なんだろう。なら、逆へ進めば上に行ける階段があるかもしれないと考えた訳だ。
まぁ、地下へ降りる階段の所に上に上がる階段がある気もするけど。兵士の居る方向へ行く事もないだろう。
「行くよ」
「ああ」
僕とリーシェちゃんは頷きあってから廊下を走りだした。
一方、レイラはニコを肩車した状態で地下へと向かっていた。瘴気の空間把握と索敵能力を使って周囲に人間の気配がないことを確認し、余裕淡々と、なんの淀みもなく廊下を歩いている。
ニコはレイラのふわふわした白髪の上に小さな手を乗せて、見つかる事の不安と緊張からか、視線をキョロキョロと動かしていた。
対して、鼻歌交じりに悠々と歩くレイラの気分は何処か上機嫌だ。
それというのも、またも二手に分かれる提案をされて、その時は不機嫌になったのだが、桔音に頭を撫でられながらお願いされれば、レイラは素直にお願いを聞く気になるのである。
今流行りなのかは分からないが、チョロかった。チョロインだった。
また、レイラはニコのことが嫌いではなかった。というよりも、かなり気に入っていた。子供に対する母性が生まれたのか、それとも子供が好きなのかは分からないが、無条件で肩車をしたりする位には可愛がっているようだ。
「ねぇニコ、ニコはお父さん好き?」
「そっかぁ♪ お父さんってどんな感じなの? 私お父さんが居た時の記憶とかないから分かんないんだよねー」
レイラは先程から、頭上のニコに良く話し掛けていた。と言っても、周囲に兵士がいないことを確認している上に、近づいている兵士は瘴気を操作して殺しているのだから、この能天気さも分かる。
彼女が気になるのは、親という存在について。彼女は七歳の頃より『赤い夜』に感染し、人間だった頃の記憶を全て失っている。そしてその際『赤い夜』と化した彼女は、自分の両親や友達も全て欲望のままに殺し、喰らっているのだ。
両親の顔は勿論、七歳の頃までの人間の思い出すら、最早記憶の片隅にも残っていない。
故に、父親という存在がどういうモノなのか分からないのだ。気が付いたら血塗れで何処かも分からぬ土地に立っていて、自分の名前と、魔族であるということだけしか分からない状態だった。彼女の人生は、そこから始まっているのだ。記憶も、そこから始まっている。
「......パパは、優しい」
「優しい? ......ふーん、そうなんだ」
ニコの言葉に、レイラはやはり良く分からないという顔を浮かべた。何故かは分からないが、ニコはレイラに嘘を吐かない。否、言いたくないことは言わないのだろうが、通常の会話の中で要らぬ嘘を吐かないのだ。
彼女もまた、レイラのことを少しは好意的に思っているのかもしれない。
「......れーら」
「ん? うふふっ♪ レイラだよー♪」
「......れぃら?」
「うふふうふふふ♪ なぁに?」
初めて、ニコがレイラの名前を呼んだ。桔音の名前もリーシェの名前も呼ばなかったニコが、初めて誰かの名前を呼んだ。四歳故に、まだ言いにくいのか少し舌足らずだが。
レイラはそのことが少し嬉しかったのか、上機嫌でそう返す。
「パパ......会える?」
「うん♪ もうすぐ会えるよー♪」
レイラの即答気味の返答にニコは少し安心したのか、少し表情を柔らかくした。
「あたたた、痛いよニコ......髪掴まないで......」
「......ごめん」
父親に会うのが楽しみだったのか、それとも未だに緊張が解けないのか、レイラの白髪を握って頭皮を引っ張ってしまったニコ。レイラは少し苦い表情をしながらも、ニコが謝れば直ぐに苦笑して、また歩き始めた。
案外、この二人は良いコンビなのかもしれない。
その頃、オルバ公爵の方は慌ただしかった。
ゴブリンキングの襲撃もそうだが、魔獣が街に入って来た時、未だに捕らえられていないニコが、魔獣に殺されてしまった時のことを考えていた。彼も、領主である以上頭が悪い訳ではない。この街に現存する冒険者と騎士の戦力を鑑みても、約三百の魔獣の軍勢を撃退出来るかと言われれば否だ。
だからこそ、出撃している騎士達を除いた兵士達に、現在街中を捜索させている。桔音の泊まっている宿も特定済みであるし、直ぐに捕まえられると思っていた。
にも拘らず、今度は侵入者と来たものだ。
「なんだってんだクソッ! 此処に侵入するだと......何考えてんだ......!」
オルバ公爵は苛立っていた。これ以上なく苛立っていた。未だ侵入者の詳細は報告待ちだが、こうなれば侵入者の予想はなんとなく付いている。
どう考えても目標の
街中に兵士を出した瞬間にこれだ。今この都庁モドキの中には大した兵士も残っていない。完全に兵士を割いたことが裏目に出ている。故にオルバ公爵は焦っていた。レイスを退ける実力の持ち主が、すぐ近くまで来ている以上、焦らずにはいられなかった。
「クハッ......あいよ、こっちとしてもその命令は大歓迎だ」
残った一手は、侵入者を殺すこと。幸いなことに、こちらには凶悪殺人鬼であるレイスがいる。なんとか殺す事が出来れば、この状況は一気にひっくり返る。ニコを手に入れたあとは、ゴブリンキングもレイスが使えるようなら投入して撃破、そうすれば後はどうとでもなる。
「直ぐに私の前にガキを連れて来い」
「へいへい、全力を尽くしますよー」
そう言って、レイスは部屋を出て行く。残ったのは、オルバ公爵と、秘書の女性だけ。
苛立ちを隠せないオルバ公爵に、秘書の女性は何も言わない。ただ黙って、そこに立っていた。ピリピリとした緊張感が部屋を満たす。
だが、苛立ちを覚える人間は、すぐ傍のものに当たりたくなるもので、オルバ公爵は近くに立っていた秘書の女性を睨んだ。
「お前......本当に役に立たねぇクズだな......! つったってねぇでお前も侵入者の一人でも見つけて来い!!」
「......かしこまりました......」
テーブルの上の書類を叩いて撒き散らし、そう喚いたオルバ公爵に対して、秘書の女性は一つ頭を下げて部屋を出て行った。それを見送った彼は呼吸を荒げて、誰もいなくなった部屋の中で一人、肩を上下させる。
「クソが......後少しだったってのに......なんで此処に来てこんな面倒な奴が出てくんだよ......!」
オルバ公爵は、止まらない苛立ちに頭を掻いてそう漏らした。
レイラとニコは、順調に都庁モドキの中を進み、ニコの父親が幽閉されている部屋まで後少しという所まで来ていた。
未だに誰にも見つかっておらず、ニコにバレない様瘴気で密かに殺した兵士の数は五人。未だに肩車が解かれる様な事態にはなっていないのだった。
「れぃら」
「なぁに?」
「赤ちゃんはどうやって出来るの?」
「え? 赤ちゃん? んー......そういえばどうやって出来るんだろう......んと......」
未だに他愛のない会話をしている二人だが、ニコもレイラに話し掛けるようになっていた。
子供がどうやって出来るのか、それは幼い子供の定番の疑問だが、レイラはそれに対して答えることが出来なかった。答え辛いとか、教え辛いとか、そういうことではなく、本気で分からなかったからだ。
先程も言ったが、彼女は七歳で魔族と化して、それからたった一人欲望の赴くままにサバイバル生活で生きてきたのだ。まともな性教育など受けているわけでもなければ、そういう経験だってあるわけがない。
レイラは桔音に対してあれだけ発情しまくった上に、キスや身体を舐めるなどの行為に積極的だった割には、まだ未開通の処女であった。
子供の作り方も、性器の意味も分からない、というより人間の身体の構造や男女の身体の違いなども全く分からないのだ。
魔族となった七歳の少女の時まま成長した彼女からすれば、ニコの問いに、明確な答えを用意出来る筈もなかった。
「......分からないの?」
「うーん......私も知らない、後で一緒にきつね君に聞こ♪」
そして、そんな話をしていると、レイラはある扉の前に辿り着いた。瘴気での空間把握をした結果、この扉の先にニコの父親らしき人がいる。
鍵が掛かっているが、レイラにとってはそんなものあってない様なもの。ドアノブを掴み、力づくで抉じ開けた。金属が捻子切られる様な甲高い音が鳴り響き、扉が開く。
「―――ッ......!」
中には、鎖に繋がれた上半身裸の男がいた。身体には無数の鞭打ちの後や、打撲痕、拷問の痕が見られる。
だが、意識はあるようで、歯を食いしばって全身に力を込めているのが分かる。そして、ぐぐっと首を動かし、視線をレイラ達に向けてきた。瞬間、男の眼が見開かれる。唖然としているのか、口を大きく開けていた。
「......に、ニコ......!? なんで、此処に......!?」
「あはっ♪ ニコ、これがお父さん?」
「......うん、私のパパ」
「そっかぁ♪ じゃあ、感動の再会は後にして―――まずはそこに居る人間を殺してから外に出よっか♡」
ようやくニコの父親を見つけた、ところでレイラは扉に背を向ける。ニコを自分の後ろに下ろして、父親の傍へと行くよう後ろ手に背を押した。ニコは背中を押されたことで父親の傍へと駆けよる。
そして、扉の前に立っているレイラに不安げな視線を向けた。
「―――中々泣ける展開じゃねぇの、親子の対面☆ クハハハハハハッ!!」
レイラの前に現れたのは、桔音を殺し損ねたSランク犯罪者―――レイスだった。抜き身の剣を肩に担いで、凶悪な笑みを浮かべている。
「うふふうふふふ♪ 軽く殺そうとしたのに防がれちゃった♡ 少しは骨があるんだね♪ お肉が少なくて凄く不味そう☆」
対して、レイラは楽しそうに笑って、赤い瞳を輝かせる。使徒と戦った時以来の、骨のある敵が現れたことで、レイラもまた高揚していた。発情はしない。今のレイラにとって、桔音の味を知った以上他の肉では満足出来ないのだ。
だが、それでも多少は欲求不満を解消してくれるだろう。彼女は肉を噛み千切り、骨を噛み砕くその感触に、快感を感じる。味は人それぞれだが、それでも人間であり、実力の高い相手ならばそれなりに美味な筈だと思った。
「少し小腹が空いちゃった♪ 不味そうでもちょっとはお腹の足しになるよね? うふふうふふふ♡」
――――赤い夜が凄惨に嗤った。
When we infiltrate into Duke Orba's house, or rather his workplace, the governmental office-like huge building, we decide to split into two groups.
Specifically speaking, I go with Rishe-chan, while Leila-chan go with Nico-chan.
Dividing the duties, while I and Rishe-chan head to find Duke Orba, Leila-chan and Nico-chan act as diversion group. Nico-chan is their target, but since she's together, she should be without a doubt safe, I think. And it should also be fairly easy for us to find Duke Orba.
Also, aside from acting as diversion, Leila-chan's group is also in charge of rescuing Niko-chan's dad. Nico-chan should be perfectly familiar with her dad's face, and Leila-chan also ought to have more or less seen his face when he entrusted Nico-chan to me. Besides, since she can grasp the building structure using her miasma, she should be able to find him swiftly. Well, positively speaking.
Furthermore, we, who are heading to Duke Orba's location, also similarly act as their diversion.
Not to mention that merely soldier level people won't be able to keep up with Leila-chan's speed. However, if by chance they meet that murderer Reis-guy who's seemingly working for Duke Orba, that may pose slightly troublesome for Leila-chan who's taking along Nico-chan.
Status-wise, Leila-chan is overwhelmingly stronger, but should Reis aim at Nico-chan to create an opening, even Leila-chan would be.... huh? Somehow I can't find that to be worrying at all. I feel like she would still easily overpower him either way.
Or rather, Leila-chan and Reis, aren't their names kinda similar?
Well, anyway, currently we're infiltrating the building which I tentatively named "Pseudo governmental office".
"Hey, there are intruders! Moreover it seems to be a woman who's taking along a blonde-haired child, let's go!"
"Oh, got it! Geez.... First that goblin king, why does something like this also have to happen?!"
Hiding behind a huge pillar, I see some soldiers hurriedly running through the hallway. Seems like Leila-chan's side is doing well.
"...Kitsune, infiltrating in itself is fine and all... but do you know where Duke Orba is?"
"I wonder... but since big-wigs tend to like to be at high places, let's head for the top."
"... your train of thought is kinda haphazard, isn't it, Kitsune?"
What's she talking about at this late of the game?
Being stared at with astounded eyes by Rishe-chan is kinda painful, but I still head to the opposite direction from where the soldiers are running to. Since Leila-chan's goal is underground, those soldiers should be heading there too. If so, I should be able to find stairs heading upward if I head to the opposite direction, I think.
Well, there's also the chance that the stairs heading upward is located besides the one heading underground, though. But heading straight to where the soldiers are most likely gathered at is a no go, isn't it?
"Let's go."
"Yeah."
Nodding to each other, I and Rishe-chan start to run through the hallway.
On the other side, with Nico riding on her shoulder, Leila was heading toward underground. Using the miasma to detect the surroundings, after confirming that there was no presence of anyone around, she was easily walking through the hallway.
Putting her little hands on Leila's silky white-haired head, perhaps uneasy about someone finding them out, Nico couldn't stop looking around.
On the other hand, Leila who was easily walking while humming was seemingly in very good mood.
As for the reason, she was initially discontent about the diving group plan, but when Kitsune asked her again while caressing her head, she obediently decided to accept his request.
Perhaps that was a fad lately or something, but that was an easy (choro) one. She was a choroine.
Also, Leila didn't dislike Nico. Or rather, she liked her quite a lot. Perhaps having her motherhood to look after children awakened, or perhaps she herself liked children, she unconditionally gave her shoulder ride happily.
"Say Nico, do you like your father?"
"I see How does it feel to have a father? I don't remember the time when I still had a father so I don't really know~."
From a while ago, Leila had been chatting with Nico who was on her shoulder like that. Be that as it may, they could afford to do that only because there was no soldier around, and using miasma, Leila had killed every soldier that was coming after them.
The thing she was interested in was the existence called parent. She had been infected by the "Red Night" since she was seven years old and had lost all of her memories when she was still human. Moreover, once she turned into "Red Night", she killed and devoured her parents and friends alike in her craving.
Her parents' faces included, all of her memories until she was seven years old didn't even remain in the corner of memories any longer.
Therefore, she didn't know what kind of existence a father was. When she came to, she was standing in an unknown land with blood all over her body, and all she remembered was her name and the fact that she was a demon. Her life began from there. And her memory also started from there.
"... papa is, kind."
"Kind? ...Hmm, I see."
She didn't know why, but Nico didn't lie to Leila. No, she still didn't tell her what she didn't want to, but she didn't tell unnecessary lies during their casual conversation.
Similarly, she might also unexpectedly be quite fond of Leila.
"....Lila."
"Huh? Ufufufu It's Leila "
"...Leila?"
"Ufufufufufu What's up~?"
For the first time, Nico called Leila's name. Nico, who never called either Kitsune's or Trisha's name, called someone's name for the first time. Perhaps because she was still four years old, she was slightly lisping in doing so.
Perhaps slightly happy because of that, Leila replied as such in good mood.
"Can I... meet... papa?"
"Of course You're meeting meet him very soon~!"
Perhaps slightly relieved after hearing her immediate answer, Nico slightly softened her expression.
"Ouch ouch, that hurts, Nico... Don't pull my hair...."
"...I'm sorry."
Perhaps looking forward to meeting her father, or she was simply unable to hold her nervousness, Nico's hands that were holding onto Leila's head ended up pulling her white hair. Leila had a slightly bitter look, but once Nico apologized, she immediately smiled and began walking again.
These two might unexpectedly be a good pair.
At that time, Duke Orba was busy.
Other than about Goblin King's raid, he was also concerned about the possibility that Nico, whom he still couldn't capture, would be killed when those demonic beasts breached into the town. As a feudal lord himself, he was without a doubt not a stupid person. If he was asked whether the adventurers and knights of the town would be able to repel those hundreds of demonic beasts, his answer would be no.
That's why, unlike the the knights who were fighting the demonic beasts, the soldiers were dispatched to sweep the whole town. They'd found out the lodging where Kitsune and co. stayed at, so he thought that it was only a matter of time before they were captured.
However, there were unexpectedly intruders coming.
"What the hell, damn it! There are intruders, you say?... what the hell are they thinking...?!"
Duke Orba was very infuriated. He had never been this infuriated before. He was still waiting for the report about the intruders, but he could already more or less guess who they were.
It was without a doubt the boy who was together with his target.
Just when he dispatched his soldiers through the town, this happened. Currently there were only few soldiers left in the governmental office. Spreading his whole soldiers ended up backfiring him there. Therefore Duke Orba was flustered. Having someone whose prowess surpassed that of Reis intruding, he couldn't stay calm.
"Kuhaha ... 'kay, I've been waiting for that very order."
The only option left was to kill the intruders. Luckily, he had the wicked murderer Reis on his side. If he somehow managed to kill them, the situation would be overturned at once. Once he got his hand on Nico, he could similarly send Reis to deal with the goblin king, and after that everything would simply follow suit.
"Take that brat to me at once."
"Mkay 'kay, I'll do my best~"
Having said that, Reis left the room. The ones left were Duke Orba and the secretary woman.
Witnessing Duke Orba who didn't hide his rage, the secretary woman didn't utter a single word. She simply quietly stood there. Tingling tension filled the air.
However, people who was drowned in rage tended to vent it to anything around them, and so Duke Orba glared at the secretary woman who was standing nearby.
"You... what a useless bitch, you are! Be useful for once and go find the intruders even if just one!!"
"...understood...."
When Duke Orba shouted so while smashing the documents on the table and scattered them away, the secretary woman nodded her head once and left the room. Seeing her off, inside the room where there was none else around, his breath was rough and his shoulders were shaking.
"God fvcking damn it...it was just a little more, but... why the hell such a troublesome guy has to appear?!"
Unable to contain his rage, Duke Orba shouted so while scratching his head.
Leila and Nico were proceeding smoothly on their way through the governmental office, they were only a bit away from the room where Nico's father was imprisoned.
There had been no soldier that spotted them, the total of soldier secretly killed by Leila using her miasma unbeknownst to Nico was five. She didn't want Nico to dismount off her shoulder.
"Leila."
"What's up?"
"How is baby made?"
"Huh? Baby? Hmm... now that you mention it, how is it I wonder?... umm...."
After having trivial conversations for a while, Nico also began asking questions to Leila.
How baby was made, that was a classic question of young children, however Leila couldn't answer it. It was neither because she found it difficult to answer nor it was difficult to explain, she simply didn't know the answer herself.
As told earlier, she turned into a demon when she was seven years old, and after that she had been living succumbing to her craving. Not only she hadn't received proper sexual education, she also had no such experience.
Given how much she lusted after Kitsune, she was still an immature girl who knew nothing more that kissing and licking his body.
She knew neither how to make a child nor the purpose of genitals, or rather she didn't even understand human body structure and the difference between men's and women's bodies.
As someone who hadn't grown ever since she turned into demon when she was seven years old, there was no way she would be able to provide a proper answer to Nico's question.
"...you don't know?"
"Yes... I also don't know, let's ask Kitsune later together"
While having such a conversation, Leila arrived in front of a certain door. After scanning the surrounding using her miasma, there was someone who was seemingly to be Nico's father on the other side of the door.
It was locked, but for Leila such a thing was of no significant. Holding the doorknob, she wrenched it open with all of her might. Along with a shrill sound of metal being scrapped off, the door opened.
"--...!"
Inside, there was a shirtless man tied to a chain. There were countless beatings, lashings and torture marks on his whole body.
However, he seemed to be conscious, and it was easy to tell that he was exerting his all to endure the pain. And then, when he moved his neck, his gazes landed upon Leila and Nico. In that very moment, the man's eyes were opened wide. Perhaps dumbfounded, his mouth was similarly agape.
"... Ni, Nico ...!? Why, are you here...?!"
"Aha Nico, is that your father?"
"....Yes, he's my papa."
"I see but let's hold the emotional reunion for later-- How about we kill those people there and leave this place first?"
They had finally found Nico's father, and then Leila turned her back to the door. She dismounted Nico off and urged her to head to where her father was. Having her back pushed, Nico immediately rushed toward her father.
Witnessing that, Leila closed the door with face full of smile.
"--parent and child reunion, what a touching scene, kuhahaha!!"
The one appeared before Leila was the S rank criminal sent to kill Kitsune, Reis. Resting his naked sword on his shoulder, he floated an evil smile.
"Ufufufu, I intended to kill you quietly, but you survived it. You seem to have got some skill there. However, your meat seems to be very disgusting, though."
Facing that, Leila happily laughed, her red eyes glittered. Ever since the fight against the apostle, this was her first noteworthy opponent so she was very happy. She wasn't turned on. For the current her, after knowing Kitsune's taste, all other meat could satisfy her no more.
However, it could serve to more or less slightly lessen her craving. She loved the sensation of biting off flesh as well as crunching the bones. The flavor differed to each other, but as long as it was human, moreover a powerful one, it should also be equally quite the delicacy, or so she thought.
"I just happen to be slightly hungry, you see. Even though it seems disgusting, it can still be used to fill my stomach, isn't it? Ufufufufu"
--"Red Night" eerily laughed.
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