Dランク上位の魔獣であるところの、ゴブリンキングが何故今こうして現れたのか、それには桔音も無関係ではない理由がある。
元々、グランディール王国付近のこの場所で、ゴブリン達と獣系の魔獣達は縄張り争いをしていた。普通のゴブリン達と剛拳猿がちょくちょく衝突し、牽制し合う様なことは今までも多くあり、二つの勢力の動きは拮抗していた。
そして、その各陣営のトップに立っていたのが、ゴブリンキングと
互いにDランクの実力を持った者同士であり、お互いの勢力の歯止め役にもなっている存在だった。今まで大きな戦争にならなかったのは、この二体のリーダーが『自分が倒れたら縄張りを取られる』と理解していたからである。
難しいことを考えることは出来ないが、それでも二体共が多少人間と同じ知能を持っていた故に、この均衡は保たれていたのだ。
故に、ゴブリンキングはここぞとばかりに立ちあがった。強敵のいなくなった今こそ、ゴブリン側の勝機だとその腰を上げたのだ。
ゴブリンキングの咆哮と共に、ゴブリン達は動きだす。士気は最高潮、勝機は見えた、今こそ立ち上がるべき時、縄張りをここで取る、自分達こそが支配者なのだと。
進軍し、遭遇した獣の魔獣は全て蹂躙しろ。勝者の雄叫びを上げろ。
今、自分達の侵攻を止められる存在は――――いない!
そして、彼らが攻め込んできたその先に、人間の住まう街があった。無論、ゴブリンキングはそれも理解している。冒険者達が強い事も分かっている。
だがそれでも、士気も最高潮に上昇し、獣の魔獣達を追い詰めた今、人間達相手にも戦えると思った。故に、その足は止めない。
「イゲ......! 邪魔ズルヤヅハ......殺ゼ!!!」
剛拳猿亜種とは違って拙くも言語を話せるゴブリンキングの声は、多少離れていても冒険者達に聞こえた。大きく、汚い声、それでも大きな迫力の籠った圧倒的強者の威圧感が、ビリビリと肌を震わせる。
―――逃げたい、まだ間に合う。
そんな気持ちが、冒険者達や騎士達にはあった。でも、逃げられない。
騎士になる者は、護るべき民の為に剣を振るう誇り高き戦士を目指し、冒険者になる者は、己の可能性を探求する何者にも縛られない自由の英雄に焦がれる。己の中にある憧れと、プライドが、逃走を許さない。逃げたくとも、
「......ははっ......オイ、どうするよお前ら......おっそろしい数だぜありゃあ」
冒険者の一人が、そう漏らした。笑ってはいるものの、その言葉は震え、その冒険者の恐怖を感じさせる。
だが、それはその場に居る全員がそうだった。だから誰もそれを指摘しなかった。剣を抜いているが、それが木の棒に見えるほどに、頼りない。自分の研鑽してきた過去すらも、目の前の巨大な怪物の足下にも及ばないと思ってしまう。
自分が信じられない。それが、何より悔しい。
「......だな、でもまぁ......俺は戦う! 例え此処であのデカブツに踏み潰されて、死んじまうとしても!」
一人、赤い短髪の若い冒険者が前に出た。
彼は、最近Fランクになったばかりの新人冒険者だった。持っている武器は新しく、まだ魔獣の一匹だって斬ったことがない様なへっぴり腰。足が震え、魔獣達へと向かって進む足取りは不安定だ。明らかに、戦える様な状態ではなかった。
蛮勇、無茶無謀、無理、彼を見た全員がそう思った。
「待て! お前に何が出来る! 無茶だ!」
「そうだ! 逃げたって誰も責めないんだぞ! しかもお前新人だろ! 無理に戦うことはねぇ!」
彼を止める声はあれど、彼を追い駆ける者はいなかった。恐怖で、足が動かないのだ。
「―――新人? 無茶? だからどうした......!」
だが、彼は振り返り、剣を天高く掲げた。新品の剣は陽の光を反射して輝き、背後の魔獣達に集まっていた視線がその剣に集まる。
彼は叫んだ。心の底から叫んだ。
「俺は......小せぇ頃、一人の冒険者に命を救われた! その冒険者は、弱ぇし、Fランクの大して名前も知らない男だったけど、俺に背中を向けて、魔獣に立ち向かって行った!! 俺はその背中に憧れた!! 名前も知らねぇガキの為に、命を張ってくれたあの背中を! 俺は心底かっけぇって思った!! あの時から俺は、あの背中に追い付きたくて此処まで生きてきたんだ!!」
彼はけして、自棄になった訳ではない。目の前の魔獣達に絶望した訳でもない。ただ、昔から自分の前にあった大きな背中に追い付きたくて、それを信じる自分を裏切らない様に、心の中に決めた一本の芯を折らない様に、その剣を抜いたのだ。
「前には大量の魔獣、そんで......俺の背中には護らねぇと死んじまう命がある......なら戦うしかねぇだろ! 俺は! あの背中に恥じねぇ冒険者になりてぇ――――いや、今ここで......なるんだッッ!!」
そう大声で言うと、彼は肩で息をして、踵を返す。そしてまた魔獣達に向かって歩き出す。今度はその足取りにふらつきはなかった。大声で叫んで、恐怖もどこかへ消し飛んだらしい。
蛮勇と言われても、勝てなくても、此処で死ぬんだとしても、逃げたらあの時の背中を裏切ることになる。一人でも救う、一人でも護る、自分の命が尽きるその時まで、戦い抜くのだ。
「......待てよ、新人」
「......なんだよ」
そこに、その叫びを聞いていた冒険者の一人が追い付いてきた。スキンヘッドの、少し肌の焼けた男だった。
「さっきの啖呵......痺れたぜ。そうだよな......俺達は冒険者なんだよな......目が覚めたぜ」
「新人に此処まで言われて動かねぇなんて......先輩として顔が立たねぇだろ? 俺も戦うぜ!」
彼もまた、剣を抜いた。
「ハハハハッ! 威勢の良い若者は嫌いじゃない......私もどうかしていたようだ......私も覚悟を決めたぞ」
「ああ、思いだした思いだした......俺、実はゴブリンキングに両親を殺されたんだった! 仇討だぜ!」
「嘘付け、お前の両親昨日話したぞ! くだらねぇ嘘ぶっこきやがって......全く」
「アタシ、ゴブリンって生理的に受け付けないんだよね。顔不細工だし」
続々と冒険者と騎士達が前に出る。一人、また一人と、覚悟を決めて各々武器を構えて魔獣達へと向かって行く。
「私は......あの......その............はい、行きます」
「諦めんなよ嬢ちゃん!? 死ぬかもしれねーんだ、言いたいことは言っとけよ?」
「は、はい......じゃあ......あの豚みたいな汚物顔、風船みたいに破裂させちゃいます!」
「思ったより口悪い!?」
その顔付きに、迷いはない。新人冒険者の青年を筆頭に、恐怖を振り払い前に進む冒険者と騎士達。
もう衝突まで数分もない。だがそれでも、彼らは己の心の中に焦がれた最強の騎士と自由の英雄を目指して、剣を構えた。
「ほら新人、後ろの連中になんか一言言ってやれ」
「え!? あー......分かったよ......そんじゃ―――皆! あのデカブツに、目に物見せてやろうぜ!!」
冒険者達の咆哮が、魔獣達へと向かって放たれる。目の前にはおよそ三百の大群、迎え撃つはたった五十程の騎士と冒険者達。
戦力差は圧倒的。敵の強さも凄まじい。だが、一歩も引くことを考えていない彼らは、間違いなく強いと言って良いだろう。
かつて、伝説とまで言われた初代勇者がこう言った。
――――どれほど弱い人間だって、護るものがあるのなら――――最強だ。
人間と魔獣の闘争が、始まろうとしていた。
「何言ってるの? きつね君?」
「いや、なんでもない。さっさと行こうか」
宿の外へ出ると、街の皆は既に家の中に引き籠っていて、賑やかな街並みは既に閑散としていた。多分ゴブリンキングの襲撃の件で皆避難しているんだろうけど、この状態だと凄い寂しいんだけど。
現在、皆でオルバ公爵のいる大きな建物へ向かっている。誰もいないから瘴気ボールでお手玉している。三つは出来ないから、二つで。まぁ実際は投げてる様に見えるように動かしているだけなんだけどね。手で触れる分ドリブルよりやりやすい。
レイラちゃんには瘴気で周囲の気配索敵をやってもらってる。あのレイスとかいう殺人鬼に出くわしたくないし、なにより誰かに見つかるのも少し避けたいからね。
「だがきつね、オルバ公爵の建物に忍び込むわけだが、具体的な策はあるのか?」
「ないよ。でも、ニコちゃんパパを助け出した後のことを考えておかないと駄目だよね。オルバ公爵の弱みというか、そんな感じのものを掴んだりとかしないとなぁ......というか、オルバ公爵を暗殺しても良い気がする。瘴気を使えば簡単じゃない? ちょっと隙間があれば密室でも侵入可能だし、後はナイフにでも変えて喉元かっ切れば殺せるし」
「分かってたけどお前結構えげつないと思う」
「生で食べようとするレイラちゃんよりマシだと思う」
とはいえ、実際オルバ公爵を暗殺すれば指示を出す者はいなくなるわけだし、その後始末で僕らのことは有耶無耶になる気がする。
とはいえ、一番良いのはオルバ公爵の税率の高さとかそういう弱みを手に入れることだけど、その提出先ってどう考えてもグランディール王国の王家だよね。折角あのアホみたいな国から出たのに、一日も経たない内に戻るとか面倒臭い上に、王家に会うとかだるすぎる。
だから弱みを握るとかよりも暗殺してニコちゃんパパ連れたまま逃亡すれば良い気がする。
「やっぱりぶっ殺そうぜ、ほらオルバ公爵とか名前からして癇に障るじゃない?」
「お前の人殺しの動機って軽過ぎないか?」
「あのねリーシェちゃん、人を殺すのに理由なんていらないんだよ。だって、人を殺すのはいけないことなんだから」
「え?」
「人を殺すのはいけないこと、なら人殺しの理由なんてどんなに大層な理由でも結局否定されるんだよ? だったら大したことない理由でも結局否定されるんだからさ、人を殺すのに理由なんていらなくない?」
僕的にはレイスみたいな殺人鬼が何の理由もなく人を殺すなんて酷い、とか言われるのはおかしいと思うんだよね。だったら理由があれば人を殺しても良いってことになるよね。
でも、結局理由があってもそれを否定して責め立てるんだ。だったら理由なんてどっかから取り付けた様な適当な奴で良いんだよ、適当な奴で。
結局、人を殺すのに理由自体必要ないんだからさ。
「お、ここかな?」
「そうだね♪ 中に......十数人くらい人がいるみたいだよ!」
「そっか......ニコちゃんパパは何処かな?」
「んー............地下の方に地面に座ってる人がいるけど......この人かな?」
レイラちゃんの瘴気で空間把握する力って便利だよねぇ......建物の構造とか簡単に分かるじゃん。僕ももう少し瘴気の量が増えれば出来るだろうけど、つくづく便利だなぁこのスキルは。
「じゃ、行こうか......ニコちゃん、怖い?」
「.........怖くないかもしれなくもない」
僕の手を繋いで隣を歩くニコちゃんにそう問いかけると、意外にもニコちゃんは怖くないらしい。遠回しな嘘を吐いたね今回は。あっさり看破されたのが悔しかったのか、ニコちゃんは唇を尖らせて不満顔だ。まぁ、怖くないのならそれで良い。
僕は子供って無邪気で嫌いなんだけど、ニコちゃんみたいな子供は嫌いじゃない。
The sudden emergence of the top D rank demonic beast, Goblin king, actually there was a reason why Kitsune wasn't completely unrelated to it.
Originally, goblins and beasts-type demonic beast were constantly having turf wars over the area close Grandile Kingdom. There had been many cases where normal goblins clashed against crazy monkeys, as if keeping each other in check, as both power competed against each other.
And the ones stood at the pinnacle of the respective sides were the Goblin King and the Mutated Crazy Monkey.
Possessed similarly D-rank prowess, their existences influenced each other. The reason why there hadn't been any huge war up until now was because these two leaders understood that "Should they fall, their territory would be taken".
They couldn't think of difficult things, but as both possessed about the same level intelligent as human, the equilibrium was maintained.
Therefore, the goblin king decided to emerge then and there. With its strongest rival disappeared, the time for the goblin's group to prevail had finally come.
Along with the goblin king's roar, the goblins began to move. Their morale was at its peak, victory was within their reach, now was the time make a move, now was the time to take over the territory, they were the true ruler there.
They slaughtered all the beast-type demonic beasts they encountered in their march. And then they let out roars of victory.
Right now, those who could stop their advance-- there was none!
And then, at the end of where they were advancing to, there was a town where people were living at. Of course, Goblin King also understood that. It also understood that the adventurers were powerful.
However, now that their morale had rose to its peak after cornering the beast-type demonic beast group, they thought that they could win even against human now. Therefore, their legs were still marching forward.
"Gho...! Thoze who sdand aganinzt uz... gill 'em all!!!"
When the Goblin King uttered so, its voice could even be heard by the adventurers who were quite far away. A loud and messy voice, however with great vigor and powerful intimidating air of an overwhelmingly powerful existence contained within, it made their skins shivered.
--I want to run away, it's still possible now.
Such thoughts crossed each adventurer and knight's mind. However, they couldn't run away.
Those who were knights were aspiring to become proud warriors who wielded their swords for the people they ought to protect, and those who were adventurers were yearning for becoming heroes whose freedom couldn't be bound by anything by pursuing their respective potentials. The pride and yearning within didn't allow them to run away. Even when they wanted to run away, the didn't want to.
"... hahaha ... oy, what should we do, guys? We've got quite a frightening amount of demonic beast to handle here."
One of the adventurers said so. Although they were laughing, it was easy to tell the fear they were feeling from their shaking voice.
However, it was the same for everyone gathered there. That was why no one pointed it out. They were holding their sword, but it looked so unreliable as though it was a wooden stick instead. Even those who had trained for their whole life, they couldn't imagine that they'd stand a chance against the enormous monster before them.
They couldn't believe it. And more than anything, that was very mortifying.
"... yeah, but... I'll fight! Even if I'd be trampled and die here by that monster!"
A single young adventurer with red short hair took a step forward.
He was a newbie adventurer who just recently got to F rank. The weapon he possessed was new, it was still prim and shiny as though it hadn't been used to kill any demonic beast. His feet were shaking, and his footstep toward the monsters was unstable. Clearly, he wasn't in the suitable state to fight.
Foolhardy, reckless, impossible, everyone who saw him thought so.
"Wait! What can someone like you do?! You're just being reckless there!"
"He's right! No one will blame you for running away, you know?! Moreover, you are a newbie, aren't you?! There's no need for you to push yourself to participate in this fight!"
They were trying to stop him, but none was chasing after him. Because fear had already petrified their feet.
"--Newbie? Reckless? So what?!"
But, he turned around and raised his sword high. The brand new sword shone as it reflected the sunlight, and the gazes of the marching demonic beasts behind him gathered in that sword.
And shouted so. He shouted from the bottom of his heart.
"I... when I was still a kid, I'd my life saved by a single adventurer! That man was a weak F rank adventures whose name no one knew of, and yet he still turned his back to me and went against the demonic beast! I admired that back of his!! The back of a man who put his life on the line to save a brat he didn't even know! I thought it was very cool from the bottom of my heart! Since that day, I've been crawling forward to be the man I'm now by pursuing that back!"
He didn't give in to despair. He wasn't in despair facing the horde of demonic beasts in front of him. He simply wanted to chase after the huge back, as if not to betray his conviction in doing so, as if to make sure his spirit wouldn't collapse, he drew his sword.
"There's a large amount of demonic beasts in front of me, and then... on my back there are many lives that'd disappear if I don't do anything here.... Then the only choice is to fight, isn't it?! I! I don't want to be an adventurer who'll put shame on his ba--No, right here, right now... I'm gonna be like him!!"
Uttering so in loud voice, he took a deep breath and turned his back on them. And then he began heading toward the demonic beasts again. However there was no wavering in his steps this time. After shouting it out loud, the fear seemed to have disappeared somewhere.
Even if they called him reckless, even if he had no chance of winning, even if he'd die here, if he ran away here he'd betray that back at that time. Even if he was all alone, he'd save them, he'd protect them, until the end of his life, he'd fight to the bitter end.
"... Wait, newbie."
"...what is it now?"
There, one of the adventurers who listened to his shout chased after him. It was a slightly tanned man with skinhead.
"Those caustic words of yours... it gave me goosebumps, you see... you're right, we're adventurer, after all... you've opened up my eyes there."
"To have a newbie told me such a thing... I'd lose my face as a senior, you see? I will fight too!"
He also pulled his sword.
"Ha ha ha ha! I do not dislike high-spirited young men... I was also like that back then, after all...  I've steeled myself too."
"Ah, now I've remembered it... actually, my parents were killed by the Goblin King! It's time to avenge them!"
"You liar, didn't you meet with your parents just yesterday? Spouting such a ridiculous lie... geez."
"Actually I can't stand goblin physiologically, they're very ugly, after all."
Adventurers and knights come forward one after another. First one, and then another one, steeling themselves they drew their weapons and headed towards the demonic beasts.
"I am... that... umm... yes, I will go."
"Don't give up missy! You may die, you know? So just let out whatever in your mind."
"Y, yes... then ... that pig-like filthy face, it looks like a balloon and so disgusting!"
"Your words are unexpectedly nastier than I expected?!"
There was no hesitation in their face. With the newbie adventurer at the lead, after shaking of their fears, the knights and adventurers were also stepping forward.
There was only a few minutes before the clash. But still, with the yearning to become the strongest knights and free heroes burning in their heart, they held their weapon.
"Now newbie, how about giving one or two words to the bunch behind?"
"Eh!? Um, got it... then-everyone! Let's show that huge monster who the boss is!"
Their yells reverberated towards the demonic beasts. The enemy was a horde of about three hundreds, while they had only around fifty people combined of knights and adventurers.
The strength difference was overwhelming. The enemy's strength was also tremendous. However, they who hold no thought such as taking even a single step back, it wouldn't be wrong to call them strong.
Long ago, the legendary first generation hero once said:
------ No matter how weak someone is, when they have something to protect ------ they'll be the strongest.
The clash between humans and demonic beasts was about to begin.
"What are you talking about, Kitsune-kun?
"No, nothing. Let's get going then."
When we head out of the hotel, everyone in the town has unexpectedly shut themselves in their house, and the bustling townscape is unusually quiet. Maybe everyone has evacuated because of the Goblin King's raid, but somehow this situation feels awfully lonely, though.
Currently, with everyone, I'm heading toward a large building where Duke Orba is. There is no one around so I decide to do miasma ball juggling. I still can't do three, so only two this time. Well, I'm actually just moving them around to make look as if I'm throwing them, though. It's easier to do than the dribbling with hand training.
I've asked Leila-chan to scout the surrounding area using her miasma. I don't want to come across another murderer like that Reis guy, after all, and above all, I want to minimize the chance of us being found out by anyone.
"Say, Kitsune, we've decided to sneak into Duke Orba's house but, what's the specific plan?"
"There's none, but I do think we should prepare one for after rescuing Nico-chan's dad. I think it'd be great if we could find Duke Orba's weakness or something like that... or rather, assassinating Duke Orba doesn't sound bad either. Wouldn't it be easily done using the miasma? As long as there's a gap no matter how small it's, it's possible to infiltrate even into a secret room, after all. As for the rest, I could just turn it into a knife and cut his throat to finish him off, or something."
"I understand your reasoning, but I think you're unexpectedly quite nasty, huh."
"I think I'm still way better than Leila-chan who eats raw flesh, though."
Nevertheless, if we do assassinate Duke Orba, they'd lose their leader, and I also feel that the case cornering us will fade along with time.
Nonetheless, the best outcome would be to obtain Duke Orba's weakness such as the document of how high the tax rate he imposes, but the next step after that, all I can think of is submitting those documents to the royal family, right? Even though I just left that ridiculous country here, not just it'd be bothersome to return there just the day after, I also have no inclination to meet the royal families.
That's why I feel that rather looking for his weakness, it'd be way better to just assassinate Duke Orba and then escape along with Nico-chan's Dad.
"As expected, let's just kill him. You see, don't you think that his name, Duke Orba, is kinda irritating?"
"Isn't your motive for murder a bit too light?"
"You see, Rishe-chan, you don't exactly need a reason to kill someone, because killing in itself is a bad thing to do, after all."
"Huh?"
"You aren't allowed to kill people, that means no matter how fancy your reason is, it'd ultimately be denied, you know? And since even such a trivial reason in the end would also be denied either way, doesn't that just means that reason for killing is of no necessary?"
As far as I'm concerned, I do feel it strange whenever I hear people saying that that murderer Reis is cruel for killing people for no reason. If that's the case, doesn't that also mean that you can kill people as long as you have a reason?
However, even if there is a reason, in the end it'd be denied and you're still guilty. Then, won't it be fine just come up with whatever random reason you can? Just randomly.
After all, you don't need a reason to kill.
"Oh, is it the place?"
"That's right, inside... there seems to be more than a dozen of people, you see?!"
"I see... then where's Nico-chan's Dad?"
"Hm... There is someone in the basement sitting on the ground, but... Is that him?"
Leila-chan's scouting ability using her miasma sure is convenient, isn't it? Seems like she can even easily grasp the structure of the building and so on. I think I can do it as well if I increase the amount of my miasma a bit more, but what a useful skill to have it is, huh.
"Well then, let's go ... Nico-chan, are you scared?"
"....I don't think I'm not not that scared."
When I ask Nico-chan, who's walking next to me while holding my hand, she seems to be surprisingly not scared. The time she uses such an indirect lie, huh. Perhaps dissatisfied that I see through her lie right away, she makes a disgruntled face and pouts her mouth. Well, all in all, it's good that she's not scared.
I don't like simple-minded children, but I don't dislike children like Nico-chan.
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