172 【コミックス三巻発売記念!】聖女エリス(前)
エリスが生まれたジュドール王国の神殿は、王都から見て東の山の頂にあった。
しかし、「聖女」となった今、彼女の根城はジュドール王国の西の大海に浮かぶ、治外法権の島にそびえる大神殿だ。
大神殿は世界中に散らばる神殿の総本山。島ごと、どこの国の干渉も受けない独立機関。
エリスは神兵の見習いとして大神殿で修行中に「聖女」に覚醒した。
その事件は、大神官を筆頭に多くの神に仕えるものが目撃し、教典から子ども用の絵本にまで描かれている天罰......光の槍が罪人に降り注ぐ様は大勢の人間に衝撃をもたらした。
世界で最も信心深い人間の集まりである神の島であっても、神の存在は御伽噺になる寸前だったのだ。
聖女は、当初、自分の立場を否定していたが、やがて諦めたように、潔く、聖女であることを全世界に宣言した。
そして、聖女として人々の前に立ち神の教えを説きつつ、彼女の組織を大神殿から末端の地方組織まで不正や収賄が行われていないか厳しくチェックする日々だ。
その一環で、表向き世界中の小さな神殿や祠を少ない供を引き連れて抜き打ちで訪れて、民の声を吸い上げ......裏で厳しく不正のあった神官たちを糾弾していた。
白いシルクのロングドレス......彼女にとって戦闘服......を着て、真っ黒な髪は恩人からの贈り物である髪飾りでハーフアップに結ったエリスは、執務室で各所から上がってきた報告書を眺める。
「この地域、単純に人口を考えたら信徒の寄付金、こんなに少ないとは思えないんだけど?」
ペンの羽部部分で机をペシペシと叩きながら、セレフィオーネ曰くのカクさん......聖女側近ザーフに声がける。
「ああ......その地域は神官が代々その地方貴族出身でして、問題があるとわかりつつもことを荒立てると統治的に厄介ということで、目をつむってきたようです」
エリスが聖女として立つまでの、神殿の最高責任者であった大神官は祭事特化型。年中行事を型通り寸分違わず行うことこそ至高!という考えで、加えて言えば、その姿に賛辞を受けることに喜びを見出している男だ......現在進行形で。
まあ、祭事には意味があり、それを真剣に行うことに文句はない。
ゆえに、この大きな組織を運営していたのは、その下の者たちで、上司がそれに興味を示さないものだから、すっかり緩み切っている......というのが現状だ。
「ふーん。私は目を瞑らないけれど? 明日は......ああ予定入れちゃってる。明後日行きましょう」
「明後日は、秋の豊穣の聖女舞の奉納......」
「代役を大神官にお願いしてちょうだい。思い立ったが吉日。なんでもサクサク済ませないと」
「かしこまりました。では早速巡回の準備をいたします」
おそらく常日頃より信徒の寄付金を着服し、身内で私服を肥やすしているのだろう。多少であれば、その土地のやり方だと片付けることもできるが......この金額は、大きすぎる。
信徒の寄付金は、神殿の運営費や、非常時の蓄え以外は、形を変えて信徒に還元すべきもの。
聖女にとって、血縁や土着などなんの脅威でもない。エリスは一応自衛のために、伝達魔法......青い龍を飛ばした。神殿から離れたところで、自分の後ろ盾となってくださる敬愛する戦姫へ。
「ああ......なんと清々しい......まさか自分の生あるうちに、このように神殿が尊敬すべき組織に戻れるとは!」
ザーフが何やら涙ぐんでいるけれど、面倒くさいので無視する。
各所の神官が豊穣祭の典礼のために大神殿に出向いている隙を狙って、聖女は狙った土地に突撃し、留守番たちに「神はお怒りである」と脅して裏帳簿を出させる。
証拠を見つけると、神兵を配置し、神殿は新しい神官を入れるまで一時封鎖。
ガミガミ騒ぐ関係者たちは、体にバチバチと静電気を纏わせて威圧。
訳わからず見守る民衆には、落ち着かせるために一時間ほど和やかに礼拝をし、そのあと各世代の困りごとを直に聞き取って、終了だ。
今日は信徒から心づくしの夕食をご馳走になり、神殿ではなく宿に入った。庶民の生活を知り、お金を落としたいから......という理由もあるが、学生時代や軍役時代、市井で生活していたエリスは、たまには堅苦しくないところで寝泊まりしてのんびりしたい、というのもある。
「聖女様の巡行もこれで30件目......順調ではありますが、罵声を浴びせられることもあり......ご心労がたたっておられるのでは?」
ザーフが両手を胸の前で握りしめ、気遣わしげにエリスを見つめる。エリスはそれを意外に思いつつ、微笑んだ。
「大丈夫よ。あなたもいつも付き合わせて悪いわね。もう今日は休んでいいわ」
「かしこまりました。聖女様、おやすみなさいませ」
「おやすみなさい」
一日の記録をつけたあと、エリスは闇に紛れる黒い特製稽古着......セレフィオーネにもらった......を着込み、一人誰にも気付かれず外に出る。
その街の夜の顔を観察して、最後に人気のない森に分け入り、騎士学校に入学以来欠かすことのない稽古を一人、黙々と行う。
ひとしきりレイピアを型通りに振るうと、息があがり、そばの丸太に腰掛け空を見上げる。今日も満天の星が煌めいている。
(みんな......元気かな......)
エリスの胸に大好きな仲間たちが浮かび上がる。
騎士学校に入学以来辛苦を共にしてきたササラは、今頃、ジュドールとトランドルの復興に大忙しのことだろう。
アルマはもうすぐ始まる軍の冬季演習の準備、きちんと済ませているだろうか?まだまだ女性の少ない軍......しかも新兵は苦労が絶えないはずだ。
セレフィーの傷は癒えて、少しは体調は戻っただろうか?
そこまで思ったところで、ふふっと笑いが込み上げた。
(心配すること、ないわね。みんなそばに頼れる人がついているもの)
ササラにはエルザ様や......コダック先生。
アルマには、宰相であるお父上やセシル。そして大きなワンコみたいな彼氏のニック。
セレフィーには......西の御神、ルー様。
ふと吹き過ぎる、冷たい風に、ブルっと震える。寒い......少し、寂しい。
「......自分で選んだことだもの」
聖女の選択を悩んでいるとき、エルザ様に「人生を賭けて神に仕えられるか?」と尋ねられた。
聖女と名乗って良いものかと、ルー様にお伺いしたときに「その名を背負うことは茨の道になるかもしれないぞ?」と心配された。
その都度エリスは答えた。「覚悟の上だ」と。
「頑張らなきゃ......」
エリスは自分に言い聞かせるように、ポツリと呟いた。吐いた息は白く、やがて闇に消えた。
「それ以上、頑張る必要はないと思うよ?」
突如聞こえた落ち着きはらった低い声に、エリスはギョッとした。その声は決して小さなものではなく、すぐそばに相手がいることを意味していた。
エリスは現役の騎士や神兵に、まだ劣っているつもりはなかった。そのために毎夜、どんなに忙しくとも疲れていても、こうして鍛錬の時間を取ってきたのだ。
なのに、こうも簡単に背中を取られている......。
「エリス、久しぶりだね。こんな国から遠く離れた地で会えるなんて、ビックリだ」
エリスを、聖女でもなく呼び捨てにする人間など限られていて......即座に相手を脳が弾き出す。
エリスは納得し、静かに振り向いた。
「ラルーザ様、お久しぶりです」
漆黒のマント姿の大好きな後輩にそっくりな面立ちの美丈夫が、北風に黒髪を靡かせてエリスを見下ろし微笑んでいた。
172 172 [Commemoration Of The Release Of The Third Volume Of The Comics! [St. Ellis] (Previous)
The temple of the kingdom of Judor, where Ellis was born, was on the top of the mountain to the east from the king's city.
However, now that she is a "saintly lady", her castle is a large shrine on an island of extraterritorial jurisdiction, floating in the western sea of the Kingdom of Judor.
The Daigami Shrine is the main shrine of the temple, scattered around the world. An independent body that does not receive interference from any country, island by island.
As an apprentice to the Divine Weapon, Ellis was awakened by the "Saintess" while training at the Daijin Hall.
The incident was witnessed by many gods at the head of the high priest, and from the scriptures to the children's picture books... The spear of light rained down on the sinners and shocked many humans.
Even on the island of God, which is the world's most faithful gathering of humans, God's presence was on the verge of becoming a gigantic sacrifice.
And the humble (...) void (...) Saintess initially denied her position, but she declared to the whole world that she was clean and holy as she had given up.
And as a saintess, I stand in front of people and preach the teachings of God, and check her organization carefully to see if there is any injustice or bribery from the Great Temple to the end regional organization.
In the meantime, she took a few small temples and temples from all over the world and visited them in a roundabout fashion, sucking up the voices of the people... and bombarding the shrine officials who were harsh and unjust behind the scenes.
A long dress in white silk... For her, it was a battle suit... and Ellis, whose black hair was halved with a haircut, a gift from her benefactor, looked at reports coming up from all over the office.
"I don't think this area has this small donation of followers, considering the population."
While tapping the desk with the wings of the pen, Kaku-san, who is called Cerefione...... calls out to the Sacred Maiden Sepulchre.
"Ahh... it seems that the area has been troubled by the fact that the priests have been from the nobility of the area for generations, and when they know that there is a problem, they become rulingly troublesome."
The high priestess, who was the chief officer of the temple until Ellis stood as a saint, was a special type of festival. Conducting events all year round is supreme! With that in mind, in addition, a man who finds pleasure in receiving compliments for his appearance... in a form that is currently in progress.
Well, the festival makes sense, and there's nothing to complain about doing it seriously.
Therefore, it is the current situation that this large organization was run by the people under it, and the boss is not interested in it, so it is completely loose...
"Hmm. I won't wake you up, though? Tomorrow... oh, I'm on schedule. Let's go the day after tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, the saintly dance of autumn......"
"Please ask the High Priest to take the place of me." I thought it was a good day. I have to do everything crispy. "
"Very well, then we will be ready to patrol soon."
Probably more than usual, he clothes his devotees with donations and fatten their personal clothes. If it's a little bit, we can clean up the land the way it's done... but this amount is too much.
Contributions from believers should be given back to the believer in a different form, except for the temple's operating expenses and emergency savings.
It is not a threat to the saintly lady, such as blood and indigenous people. For the time being, Ellis was defending herself by transferring magic...... and flying the blue dragon. Away from the temple, to the venerable war princess who will be your shield behind you.
"Ahh... how pure... I can't believe that the temple can return to a respectable organization while I'm still alive!"
Ignore Zarf's tears because they are troublesome.
Aiming at the place where the gods were going to the Daijin shrine for the ceremony of the Toyotomi Festival, the saintly lady charged into the land she was aiming at, threatening the answering machines with "God is angry" and sending out the back account.
Once we find the evidence, we deploy the Divine Weapon and the temple is temporarily blocked until a new priesthood is added.
The bees and static are used to intimidate the people who make noise.
To the people who watched without knowing the reason, they prayed gently for an hour to calm down, and then heard the troubles of each generation straightaway, and ended.
Today I had a hearty dinner from my followers and entered the inn, not the temple. Because I want to know the life of the common people and drop the money...... there is a reason, but sometimes Ellis who lived in Ichii during her student years, military service, sometimes wants to sleep and relax in a place that is not hard.
"This is the 30th patrol of the Holy Maiden...... It's going well, but sometimes I get screams... aren't you worried?"
Zarf grabbed his hands in front of his chest and stared at Ellis carelessly. Ellis smiled, surprised at it.
"It's okay. I'm sorry you always keep me company." You can take a rest today. "
Good night, Saintess. Good night.
"Good night."
After making a record of the day, Ellis enters a black special training suit in the dark...... received by Celefione...... and leaves without anyone noticing.
Observe the night face of the city, and finally enter a forest that is not popular, and quietly perform the training indispensable since entering the Knight School.
When I waved the rapier as usual, my breath rose and I looked up at the sky hanging from the logs beside me. The stars are still shining in the sky today.
(Everyone... how are you...?)
Ellis's beloved companions rose to her chest.
Sasala, who has struggled together since joining the Knight School, will be busy reconstructing Judor and Trundle by now.
Is Alma preparing for the upcoming military winter exercise? There are still so few women in the army... and the recruits will have a hard time.
Has Celebrity's wound healed and healed slightly?
When I thought about it, my laugh burst out.
(There's nothing to worry about. Everyone has someone to rely on.)
Elsa-sama... Kodak-sensei.
Alma has a prime minister, your father, Cecil. And Nick, who's like a big dick.
For the Celebrity... the god of the west, Lou.
Bull trembles at the cold wind that blows too suddenly. It's cold... I'm a little lonely.
"... something I chose for myself"
When I was worried about the choice of the saintly lady, I asked Elsa, "Can I risk my life to serve God?" they asked.
When I asked Master Lou if he could call himself the Saintess, he said, "Bearing that name might be the way to go." I was worried.
Ellis answered each time. "Be prepared."
"I have to do my best..."
Ellis muttered to herself. The exhaled breath turned white and eventually disappeared into darkness.
I don't think you need to work harder than that, do you?
Ellis grunted at the calm, low voice she suddenly heard. The voice was by no means small, but meant that there was an opponent nearby.
Ellis had no intention of being inferior to active knights or divine soldiers. That's why every night, no matter how busy or tired I was, I took the time to train.
"And yet, it's so easy to take my back..."
"Ellis, it's been a long time." I'm surprised to see you so far away from this country. "
There are a limited number of humans who call Ellis away without being a saintly lady... and her brain immediately ejects the other person.
Ellis turned quietly, convinced.
Lady Laruza, it's been a long time.
A beautiful husband who looked just like his beloved junior in a pitch-black cloak was smiling down on Ellis as the north wind hit him with his black hair.
The Reincarnated Young Lady Aims to Be an Adventurer
転生令嬢は冒険者を志す
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-reincarnated-young-lady-aim-to-be-an-adventurer/
Action Adventure Fantasy Romance School Life Shoujo
Adapted to Manga Beast Companions Beautiful Female Lead Child Protagonist Cute Story Doting Older Siblings Doting Parents Female Protagonist Guilds Magic Magic Beasts Monster Tamer Multiple POV Multiple Reincarnated Individuals Ninjas Nobles Older Love Interests Reincarnated in Another World Reincarnation Royalty Sister Complex Strong to Stronger Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transmigration Villainess Noble Girls
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2024er/
小田 ヒロ