255 レイナの決断
シロウを発端としたミハゾノ街遺跡の騒ぎの翌日、アキラはキャロルと一緒に再び遺跡の市街区画に来ていた。遺跡側の多脚戦車とクガマヤマ都市防衛隊の人型兵器、そしてオリビアとハーマーズの交戦により数多くのビルが
アキラが周囲の光景を軽い驚きの目で見ている。
「随分派手に壊したもんだな。これ、下手をすると前の騒ぎの時より
「それってさ、やっぱり昨日のあいつらの絡みだと思うか?」
「そうかもしれない、としか言えないわね」
アキラもキャロルも昨日の騒ぎとシロウ達の関連を疑っていた。昨日の騒ぎはあの場からオリビアとシロウがいなくなった直後に発生しており、ある意味当事者でもあるアキラ達が関連性を疑うのは当然だった。だがその上でキャロルが言い放つ。
「まあ、私達には関係ないわ。そうでしょ?」
アキラも肯定した。そしてどちらの言葉にも、そうであってほしいという願望が込められていた。アキラもキャロルも厄介事は御免だからだ。自分達もあの場にいた以上、誰かが騒ぎの元を突き止めようとした場合、何らかの疑いを掛けられる恐れは十分にあった。それをごまかすように話を変える。
「それにしても、これだけ派手に戦ったんだからまた前みたいに遺跡中が厳戒態勢になってると思ってたんだけど、何で今回はそうならなかったんだろうな」
アキラの素朴な、しかし理由など全く心当たりの無い問いに、キャロルがあっさりと答える。
「その辺は多分セランタルビルの絡みなんでしょうね。昨日の人型兵器はあのビルの周辺に配備されていた機体らしいから」
何ででしょうね、程度の返事を想像していたところに比較的具体的な内容が返ってきたことに、アキラは少し意外そうな顔を浮かべた。そして今度は返答内容の意味が分からずに不思議そうな顔に変える。
「何でそこでセランタルビルが関係するんだ?」
「セランタルビルはここの遺跡でも結構重要な施設で、そこから出撃した機体だからよ」
加えてヤナギサワという都市の幹部がビルの管理人格と交渉して、ビルの1階付近やビル周辺などを借り受ける程の協力体制を敷いている。その辺りからクガマヤマ都市が昨日の騒ぎが遺跡全域に広がらないように手を回したと考えられる。
それらのことを聞いたアキラは話に納得しながら結構感嘆していた。
「そんな話をよく知ってるな。昨日の今日でそんなに分かるもんなのか?」
「私としてはその辺のことをアキラが全く知らない方が驚きなんだけど。そういう情報、入ってこないの?」
「いや、特には」
普通にそう答えたアキラに向けて、キャロルが不思議そうに聞き返す。
「そうなの? アキラぐらいのハンターランクなら、その辺の情報バックアップ体制とかを売り込みに来る業者が山ほどあっても良いと思うんだけど。各種オペレーター支援体制の契約の誘いぐらい来てるでしょう? その各契約コースの説明とかで、ちょっとした情報の開示とかされたりとかしないの? こういった普通なら秘匿されている情報を提供できますとか言われたりしない?」
アキラがどことなくごまかすように答える。
「あー、俺はそういうの断ってるからな」
「あ、分かった。話も聞かずにメッセージに定型文返しで断ってるんでしょう。聞くだけ聞いてから断るだけでもそれなりの知識は手に入るものだけどね。でも何となく分かるわ。アキラはその辺を面倒臭いと思う方よね」
「まあ、うん」
実際に、個人や少数のチームで活動する高ランクのハンターに各種支援体制の営業が掛かるのは珍しくない。ハンター稼業でも情報は重要だが、それをハンター自身が一々調べると手間も掛かり切りも無い。
高ランクのハンターでもドランカムのような徒党に所属していれば組織から支援を受けられる。駆け出しハンターであれば低難度の遺跡やありふれた依頼などで稼ぐしかなく、ネットで軽く調べれば幾らでも出回っている情報でも事足りる。
しかし個人で活動する高ランクハンターがそのランクに見合った成果を効率的に稼ぐ
業者の方も非常に稼ぐ高ランクハンターを顧客に出来れば継続的な高い売上を見込めるので、見込みのありそうなハンターにはかなり早い段階で営業を掛ける。アキラもハンターランクだけで判断すればその対象になっていた。
だがアキラの場合は少々事情が異なっていた。事業者も営業を掛けるハンターの事前調査ぐらいはする。するとスラム街出身という経歴に加えて、それに
それらの利害を織り込んだ上でアキラに営業を掛けようと試みる者もいる。だがハンターオフィスの汎用仲介経由での接触は高ランクハンター用の勧誘拒否設定で塞がれている。その制限を超える事業者からの誘いはアルファがアキラに一々伝えもせずに定型文で断っていた。
イナベやシェリルを通して営業を掛けようとする者もいた。だがイナベはその手の仲介依頼をいろいろ言い訳して全てシェリルに投げていた。
そしてシェリルはその手の依頼を全て保留にしていた。一度アキラに声を掛けたのだが、一々断るのも面倒だからそっちで適当に対処してくれと頼まれたのだ。そこで条件が合わないとして交渉中の状態を続けながら、いろいろと臭わせて自身の徒党の糧としていた。一応、
だからといろいろ聞いてみた。キャロルは笑ってそれに答えていた。
午前中の仕事を終えたアキラ達がキャンピングカーで食事を取っている。料理はハンターオフィスの出張所にある食堂から運ばれてきた一食10万オーラムの豪勢なもので量も多い。基本的に定期収入など無いハンター稼業だが、今のアキラはキャロルの護衛として毎日収入がある立場だ。その恩恵を存分に
軽くそう答えたアキラの体付きを、キャロルが改めてじっくりと見る。
「確かに、アキラと初めて会った時と比べれば背も結構伸びたし体付きも随分良くなってるわね。全く、体以外の方も体に合わせて成長してくれれば私も楽になるのに」
キャロルはそう言って
それ自体にはキャロルもアキラに感謝している。だがこの格好でいつでも手を出して良いと言っているのに全く反応を示さないアキラを見ると、異性を誘う手腕に自信を持っている者としては複雑な感情を覚えざるを得なかった。
アキラはそんなキャロルの胸の内など知らずに食事を続けている。自覚の無いまま少しずつ超人に近付きつつあるアキラの肉体は更なる栄養を求めていた。超人は常人より非常に効率的な代謝を可能としているが、それでもエネルギーゼロで動ける訳では無く、永久機関もどきにはなれない。食事の量や質を以前と同じに落としても死にはしないが身体能力は著しく低下する。より良い身体の構築と維持の
めっ面に近い難しい顔を浮かべながら時折シオリに視線を移していた。その度にシオリが僅かに反応して表情を崩していた。
そしてレイナが一度息を吐く。
「シオリ。いろいろ悩んだんだけど、こうという結論は出そうにないから決まったことから先に少しずつ答えていくわ。まず、第一に、次はちゃんと相談して」
シオリが意外そうな反応を見せる。
「お嬢様。それは違います。全て私が独断で行ったことです。お嬢様に非は......」
自らを責めるようにそう答えたシオリに向けて、レイナが強く言い切る。
「あるの。私がそう決めたの。だからあるの」
親が仕出かしたことに子に責はない。だが部下が仕出かしたことは上司にも責がある。シオリにいつまでも自分の子守りをさせない
「まだまだ当分はお飾りだろうけど、それでも一緒に責任を負うぐらいのことからやっていくから、一緒に頑張っていきましょう。シオリ。これからもお願いね」
「......! はい!」
カナエはそのレイナ達をニヤニヤしながら見ていた。レイナがそれに気付いて微妙な気恥ずかしさを覚えると、場の空気を変えるように少し
レイナが再び難しい顔を浮かべる。その視線の先には中指と人差し指で摘まんだ白いカードがある。元々はオリビアがアキラに残したものだ。そしてオリビアから、シオリがアキラから
し取ったと扱われたものでもある。シオリから事情を全て聞いたレイナも公平な取引だったとは
(......その価値を知らない者から無知に付け込んでカードを奪った。それが問題なんでしょうけど、そもそもアキラがカードの価値を本当に知らなかったのか、今となってはちょっと怪しいのよね)
カードを使用してオリビアを呼び出すには旧領域との接続手段が必要だ。オリビアは本人には使えもしないカードを
きは自分に助けを求めている訳では無いと理解しているからであり、自身も的確な対処案など思い付かないからだ。ただレイナがどのような指針を決めたとしても、従者としてそれに従おうと決めていた。
「よし。決めた。ここで考え続けても決まらないし、アキラと直接会って交渉しよう」
レイナが推察できた程度のことはシオリも気付いている。だからこそ、その上でアキラに会いに行くと決めたレイナの言葉は予想外だった。
「あー、お嬢。一応言っておくっす。アキラ少年はかなり強くなってるっすから、私と
「そうなの? じゃあ、その万一の場合になったら頑張って逃げましょう。頼んだわ」
あっさりとそう答えたレイナの様子に、カナエが珍しく軽い戸惑いを見せる。
「ま、まあ、私も仕事っすから、頼まれれば頼まれた分の仕事はするっす。でもお嬢、良いんすか?」
カナエがそう言って軽く否定すると、レイナが苦笑いを浮かべた。
カナエが口を滑らせたという反応を見せた後で、逆に開き直って笑う。
「そんな感じだったっす! 良いじゃないっすか! 前の話っすよ! 今はちゃんとやってるっす。だからその辺は安心してもらっていいっすよ。だからお嬢も、しくじったりしないでくださいっすよ?」
「努力はするわ。でも
その場所としてシュテリアーナを提案されたのだが、アキラはキャロルの護衛を理由に一度断った。だがその話を横で聞いていたキャロルから、それぐらいならアキラの用事を優先して良いと言われたので会うことになった。但し
に護衛中にシュテリアーナにまで行くのはどうかと思い、レイナ達がここまで来るのならと条件を付けた。
レイナが笑って答える。
「そうよ。ああ、シオリ達の様子なら気にしないで。昨日の今日だから気が立ってるっていうか、ほら、見えない誰かが私達の近くにいて、アキラに教えてもらって
「ああ、成る程。分かった」
アキラはそれで納得した。だがそこにアルファが口を挟む。
『アキラ。一応伝えておくわね。レイナはいろいろとごまかそうとしているわ』
『そうなのか? まあ警戒が別の理由だとしてもレイナ達にも事情はあるんだろうけど......』
アキラに軽い疑念が浮かぶ。レイナはアキラの表情の微妙な変化から察すると、笑いながら補足する。
レイナが笑って話を進めていく。まずはどこで話すかということになり、流れでこのままここで話すことになった。キャロルはレイナ達をキャンピングカーに入れるのをどことなく嫌がっており、それにアキラが気付いたことが大きかった。
アキラとレイナに長時間立ち話をさせないように、シオリ達が手際良くテーブルと椅子を用意する。折り畳まれたテーブルと2脚の椅子が組み立てられて配置され、テーブルクロスの上に飲み物が置かれるまで30秒掛からなかった。
舞台が整ったことで、レイナが少し真面目な顔で本題に入ろうとする。白いカードを取り出してアキラに提示した。
「話ってのは、このカードのことなの」
Ch 255
On the next day, after that huge battle to capture Shirou in Mihazono ruin, Akira and Carol once again came to the residential district of the ruin together. Due to the battle between the multi-legged tank monsters guarding the ruin and the powered suits from the Kugamayama city defence squad, plus the fight between Hammerz and Olivia, the ruin was left filled with rubble and wreckage, the city district was in a very bad state.
Akira looked around the surroundings with a rather surprised look on his face.
"It seems that they were going at it pretty hard, huh? This might even be worse than the last one, right?"
"Do you think it has something to do with that guy from yesterday?"
"That might be the case, that's all I can say."
Both Carol and Akira were suspecting that yesterday's incident had something to do with Shirou. That incident happened right after Shirou and Olivia left. So, it was only natural for Carol and Akira, who were also there when that happened, to suspect they had something to do with this incident. Carol then continued.
"Well, it has nothing to do with us anyway, right?"
Akira reaffirmed her. Both of them were saying that in hopes that it would really be the case. After all, both Akira and Carol did not want to get involved in any more trouble. Since they were there in the very location of the incident right now, it was enough of a reason for them to worry that others might think they had something to do with that incident. Especially when they were trying to investigate the source of that incident. So, in order to get their minds off the matter, they changed the subject of their conversation.
"But still, I thought that the ruin would be on high alert after a battle that serious, I wonder why that is not the case this time?"
Akira's question was completely understandable, but the answer to that question was a complete mystery for Carol as well, so she just gave an educated guess.
"I bet it has something to do with Seranthal. It seems that those powered suits were originally from the area around the Seranthal building, you know?"
Akira only threw a question without expecting a serious answer. However, Carol's reply was quite a detailed answer, which caused him to be surprised. Akira's expression indicated that he did not understand the meaning of what exactly she was saying so he threw another question.
"Why does it have something to do with the Seranthal building?"
"Seranthal building is an important building in this ruin after all, and those powered suits came from that place."
Moreover, after a city officer by the name of Yanagisawa made a deal with the caretaker AI of that building, they were allowed to borrow the first floor as well as the area around the Seranthal building. Judging from that fact, there was a good chance that Kugamayama city made some moves to make sure that yesterday's incident would not spread too far.
After listening to her explain, Akira nodded in admiration.
"It's pretty amazing that you even know about all that as well. Is it normal to know that much even though the incident just happened yesterday?"
"To be honest, it's much more surprising for me that you don't know anything about it though. Don't you have information sources mentioning something like that?"
"Not really."
Toward Akira, who responded so casually, Carol found that weird.
"Is that so? Considering your Hunter Rank, to be honest, it would be completely understandable for information brokers to approach you... But you at least receive contract offers from all kinds of operator support, right? Don't you get bits and pieces of information from their contract offers? Don't they send some information in their offers, trying to show that they can give you information which are normally not out in the public?"
Akira replied apathetically as if he was trying to hide something.
"Oh, if it's about that, I've basically refused all their offers."
"Ah, I get it. I bet you have refused their offer without even opening their messages, right? It's better if you make a habit of at least reading their offers first before refusing them, you know? But I somehow can understand. You just don't want to bother yourself in doing something like that, right?"
"Well, yeah."
In reality, it was not rare for both individual Hunters and a team of Hunters with a high enough rank to sign contracts with independent support organizations. Although information was very important to them, Hunters did not have the time to check and hunt for information all the time.
For high-ranking Hunters from Hunter gangs such as Drankam, they could receive information via those gangs. As for the new Hunters, they had no other choice but to collect money from low-difficulty level ruins and common requests. They had to be satisfied with the common information that anyone could get for free on the network.
But for high ranking Hunters who did not work in teams, sometimes needed information. Information that was not easy to get, information that would effectively increase their earnings to match their high ranks. That was why many of them formed contracts with support organizations and formed connections with information brokers in order to create their own information network.
Meanwhile, those companies were contracted to those high-ranking Hunters could expect extra revenues. That was why those successful high-ranking Hunters were often approached by various companies early on. Judging from his ranking alone, Akira was one of those successful Hunters.
But Akira's case was special. As expected, companies would at least do some investigations first before sending their offers. In the case of Akira, the investigation would not only uncover his slum origin, but it would also uncover all the incidents that Akira was involved in.
Of course, there were some companies who still tried to make a contract with Akira even after all that he did. But they were blocked by the Hunter Office's general communication line since he had an invitation setting meant for high-ranking Hunters. As for the offers that passed through that filter setting, Alpha basically was refusing them without even showing them to Akira.
Because of that, some tried to go through Inabe or Sheryl to contact Akira. But Inabe always came up with some excuses and left everything to Sheryl.
And thus, Sheryl was basically the one receiving those offers. She did convey them to Akira. However, Akira would simply tell her to deal with them herself and there was no need to tell him about every incoming offer. Thus, Sheryl kept those offers on hold, saying that they did not satisfy all the requirements. She would leave them dangling while sapping profits for her own gang. Of course, she planned to inform Akira if she bumped into offers that would cause Akira trouble if she refused them.
Akira thought that it would be a waste to let that chance slide and asked various questions, Carol answered all of his questions with her usual smile.
After they finished their job in the morning, Akira and Carol returned back to the camping car to have a meal. As for the meal, they bought the 100 thousand Aurum per portion luxurious filling meal from the Hunter Office's cafeteria. Hunters usually did not have a regular income, but Akira who was working as Carol's escort currently had a fixed regular income. Thus, he was enjoying that chance to his heart's content.
As Akira casually replied and Carol once again checked his body.
"Hmm, compared to the first time I met you, you've really grown taller, and your body complexion is also better. But still, it would've been easier for me if your body isn't the only thing that has grown up."
Carol smiled when she said so. But Akira then smiled rather smugly and commented.
Although Carol was grateful to him, as someone whose work involved seducing the opposite gender, seeing Akira not showing any interest in her even after she had dolled up and had given him the green light, she could not help but feel conflicted.
Akira, who was oblivious to Carol's feelings, innocently continued enjoying his meal. With his body that was gradually turning super-human without him knowing, it was demanding more food and nutrition. Although the energy use of a super-human body was extremely effective compared to a normal human, it was not like it could run on zero energy. If he returned to his usual diet with worse quantity and quality, although it would not kill him, it would affect the health of his body. So, to further improve his physique, Akira was replenishing himself through food and drinks.
Reina had her hand on her face as she was wearing a conflicted expression. She was throwing glances at Shiori from time to time. Every time she glanced at Shiori, Shiori would react by looking even more and more worried.
Reina then sighed.
"Shiori. After a lot of thinking, I don't feel like I'll find my decision anytime soon, so I'll try to find my answer slowly. First of all, discuss such matters with me first next time."
Shiori raised her eyebrows.
"Milady. That is not correct. It's all my own decision, so there's no need for Milady-"
As Shiori was trying to tell Reina to just blame her. However, Reina suddenly cut her off mid-sentence.
"The blame is mine, I decide that it is mine to take, that's why the blame lies on me."
Parents could not blame the children for their mistakes. But superiors were meant to take the blame if their subordinates made mistakes. No longer allowing Shiori to continue acting as her parent, protecting her daughter, Reina was trying her best, albeit imperfect, to act as Shiori's master. As such, Reina was trying to take the blame in this situation.
"Although I might be as useless as a mere decoration right now, even so, I will at least try my best. It will start with taking over responsibility. So, let's give our best from here and on. Shiori, I'll be in your care."
"...! Of course, Milady!"
Kanae watched that scene unfold with a foxy smile. Reina noticed that and awkwardly blushed. She inadvertently raised her voice to hide her embarrassment as she said.
Reina once again made a difficult expression. She was looking at the white card squeezed between her middle and index fingers. It was originally left by Olivia for Akira, and Olivia was assuming that Shiori got it by tricking Akira. After listening to Shiori's explanation, even Reina also thought that it was not a fair deal.
There was also the option to go to Akira and make another deal but fairly this time, where both sides understood the worth of the card. However, after Reina understood the situation they were facing. That option had too many worrying factors.
[...If he knew that we basically tricked him into giving us this card, that would definitely cause trouble. But in the first place, now that it has come to this, it's rather suspicious whether Akira had initially already known the worth of this card when he first received it.]
To use the card to contact Olivia, they would need a method to connect to the old-world domain. So, the question would then shift to if Olivia had really given that card to someone that could not use it, or she did that exactly because she knew Akira could use the card. If it was the latter, it would open up two possibilities. Either Akira, as a high-ranking Hunter, had a device to help him connect to the old-world domain, or he was someone that did not need such a device right from the start. Either way, it meant there was a chance that Akira was an old-world connector.
Shiori simply stood next to Reina without saying anything. She understood that Reina's mumbling was not meant as a plea for help. More than that, Shiori herself did not have a good solution. But whatever Reina decided on, as her servant, Shiori, was planning to obey her decision.
"Alright then. Since we can't decide ourselves, let's go meet Akira and discuss it with him."
Of course, Shiori understood what Reina was thinking, that was exactly why she did not expect Reina would decide to meet Akira.
"Ahh, Milady, let me at least tell you this. Akira-boy is way stronger than before, even if both Ane-san and I were to take him on at the same time, we can't say for sure that we would win. So, if it breaks into a fight, it would be very dangerous."
"Is that so? Well, in that case, let's do our best to run away. I'm counting on the both of you."
Seeing Reina reply so casually like that, Kanae was dumbfounded, which was a rare thing for her.
"W-well, it's my job after all. So, I will do my job to the best of my ability, but, Milady, are you really sure?"
Seeing Kanae lightly denying it, Reina smiled wryly and said.
Kanae twitched back as if she just realized that she had slipped up, but she then laughed and admitted it.
"Yep, it was really the case before! It's fine, isn't it?! And it was in the past too! But now, I'm being serious here, so Milady does not need to be concerned about that. So, now that you know, please don't fail your negotiation, okay?"
"I'll do my best, but it's just to be safe, okay?"
During that call, Reina offered to meet up at Steriana, but since Akria's current job was to escort Carol, he refused. Carol, who was next to Akira at that time, heard that and said that it was okay to prioritize his business, so Akira agreed to meet up with Reina. But as expected, it was not like he could go to Steriana while he was in the middle of protecting Carol. Thus, he added the condition that Reina would come to meet him instead.
Akira was the one who asked to change the meeting place from Steriana to the wasteland, and even emphasized that part. With that in mind, Reina's group accepted his suggestion and went to meet him.
Reina smiled and replied.
"Yes. Ahh, if it's about Shiori and Kanae, don't worry about them. They're rather high-strung because of what happened yesterday. Like, you know, yesterday we didn't even notice someone was stalking us before you told us, right? Shiori and Kanae are my bodyguards, so it's like their pride was hurt because of that. Well, if you say that they're a bit overprotective, yeah, I can't really deny that, but that is what it is."
"Ohh, I see. Got it."
Akira said so and nodded, but Alpha quickly interjected.
"Akira, just to let you know, she's hiding a lot of things."
"Is that so? Well, even if they're like that because of something else, I'm sure they have their own reasons to be that tense..."
Akira lightly frowned. Reina noticed that slight change in Akira's expression. It made her guess why his expression had changed so, she continued to smile and elaborated.
Reina smiled and continued. Initially, they were at a loss about where to settle down and begin their discussion, but they ended up deciding to continue the discussion from where they currently were. It was mainly because Akira noticed that for some reason, Carol did not want to let Reina's group into the camping car.
So as not to let them continue the long discussion while standing, Shiori and Kanae quickly prepared a table with some chairs. It did not even take 30 seconds for them to set it up. They even placed a tablecloth on top of the portable table with some drinks.
With the place ready, Reina pulled himself together and started to talk with a solemn expression. She took out the white card and slid it to Akira.
"It's basically about this card."
Rebuild World (WN)
リビルドワールド
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/rebuild-world/
Action Adventure Drama Harem Mecha Mystery Sci-fi Seinen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alternate World Anti-social Protagonist Apocalypse Artificial Intelligence Beautiful Female Lead Cautious Protagonist Child Protagonist Dense Protagonist Determined Protagonist Distrustful Protagonist Futuristic Setting Gangs Gunfighters Harsh Training Lack of Common Sense Male Protagonist Manipulative Characters Monsters Near-Death Experience Older Love Interests Poor Protagonist Poor to Rich Ruthless Protagonist Shota Sudden Strength Gain Survival Twisted Personality Unlucky Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n9736dt/
非公開