125.Lying From You
ホーラント国境が俄かに騒がしくなっていたのに対し、ソードランテの騒動は早々に鎮められていた。
王を失い、舵取りをする者がいなくなった城内では、相変わらず権力闘争が続き、朝令暮改そのものの、無茶苦茶な法令が乱発されていた。
唯一、共通していた部分は、獣人がほとんど出て行ってしまった後、一般市民を労働力及び搾取の対象としているという事だけで、権力を持った貴族たちが、名目を変えてひたすら勢力争いのための原資を吸い上げているという状態でしかない。
当然ながら、そんな状況で一般の市民たちが大人しく従うだけでいるわけはない。
不満は急速に広がり、兵士の中にすら職場を放棄するものすら出てくる。兵士にとって、一般市民とは自分たちのことでもあるのだから、懸命に働いた結果の給料を、訳のわからない理屈で棒引きされるのは我慢ならない。
市民と兵士、兵士どうし、兵士と騎士、市民と騎士など、小さないざこざや衝突はあちらこちらで頻発するようになった。
「それで、結局どうなったの?」
留守番役を命じられたヘレンは、へとへとになって机に突っ伏しているレニに訪ねた。
「ん~......」
レニは顔をころりと横に向け、眠そうな目を少しだけ開けた。
「こっちに来たい人たちは来てもらって、攻撃してきた兵士さんたちは、エルフの人たちの魔法で逃げちゃった。終わり」
「終わりって、あんたね......」
「だって、それしか言えないもん。ゲングさんたち獣人は活躍の場が無かったって嘆いてるし、ウチたちは新しい人たちの受け入れでさっきまで大忙しだったし」
レニを始め、誰もが気づいていなかったが、この時点で一部の獣人たちがこっそりと元スラムの区画を拡張し、居住場所を確保し始めていた。
しかも、本来の居住地であるソードランテ市街と、元スラムである他種族居住エリアで、人口の逆転が発生している。人間も獣人側もそれぞれの人口統計など取っていなかったので、誰も気づいていなかったが。
「なに? ヘレン」
「出た。風魔法」
何気なく、杖をいじりまわしていたヘレンが、机の上に毛玉よろしく乗っかっていたレニの頭に向かってそよ風を送りたいと思ったら、出た。
「な、なんで......?」
「わかんないよ、そんなの」
でもなんか出た、とヘレンがレニの顔に風を当てると、小さな悲鳴をあげたレニの髪がゆらゆらと揺れた。
「ずるいずるい! ウチも魔法使いたい!」
「うわっ! ちょっと、やめてってば」
レニに飛びつかれ、ヘレンが床で転がっているところで、ザンガーが入って来た。
「おやおや、元気だねぇ」
「あ、ザンガーさん!」
ヘレンの髪をクシャクシャにかき回して、少しだけすっきりしたレニは、ザンガーに笑顔を向けた。自分の頭も酷い有様になっている。
「どうしました?」
「いやね。ちょっと相談があるんだよ。あたしじゃないけどね」
ザンガーが入っておいで、と促すと、エルフのプーセと片耳の兎獣人の女性、そして、虎獣人の少年マルファスが入って来た。
なんともまとまりのない組み合わせに、レニとヘレンが髪を整えていると、兎獣人の女性が、なんとも言いづらそうに話し始めた。
「あの......街を出る許可が欲しくて......」
「へ? 別に許可とかはいらないけれど、どうして? 荒野に出たら危ないよ?」
首をかしげるレニに、片耳兎の女性は顔を赤くして視線を落とした。
ひゃっひゃっとザンガーが笑う。
「一二三さんに、会いたいんだそうだよ。いやいや、良い男だとは思ったけど、やっぱり隅に置けないねぇ」
若いねぇ、とザンガーが笑うと、兎獣人の女性はますます縮こまってしまった。
レニとヘレンは、お互いに顔を見合わせて呆然としている。
「私も、付き添います。一二三さんに会って、聞きたいこともありますし、彼も......」
プーセに促され、マルファスが頷いた。
「俺も行きます。その人間に会って見たい。兎のお姉ちゃんから、獣人に対して偏見が無くて強いって聞いたから、鍛えてもらいたいんだ。結局、魔法は使えそうにないし......」
マルファスの口から、兎獣人が語ったと思しき一二三像が透けて見えて、ヘレンは小さく「美化しすぎじゃない?」とつぶやいた。
「そうなんだぁ。なんかいいなぁ。一二三さんのどういうところが好きなの?」
ザンガーが囃したて、レニが質問攻めにして、兎獣人がポツポツと答える。
女性陣が盛り上がっている脇で、マルファスは一人、妹を置いて旅に出るために自分を励ましていた。
「人間は嫌いだけど、このままじゃあいつに勝てないんだ......」
復讐心は、燃えはすれど消える事は無い。
「敵が来ます! 予定通り、ミュンスターで補給のみを行い、こちらへ向かっています。総勢五百名超!」
一度ビロン伯爵の元へマ・カルメの提案を持ち帰っていた伝令が、陣を敷いたホーラント国境へと馬を駆って戻って来た。
「ご苦労、お前さんは早くミュンスターに戻るんだ。連中とかち合わないように、大回りしてな」
「いえ、私はここに残り、戦況を見極める任務があります!」
マ・カルメは部下たちに戦闘準備をするように伝えると、伝令に向き直った。
「ここから先は馬を降りて後方に歩いて行きな」
「歩いて、ですか?」
「ちょっとした、仕掛けがあるんだよ」
自慢じゃないが、うちの領主様の教えの通りさ、とマ・カルメはケラケラ笑って部下たちと共に投槍器の設置を手伝い始めた。
「それは、ヴィシーとの戦争でも活躍した投槍器ですね。初めて見ました」
「活躍ねぇ。実際は、あれは領主様が暴れただけなんだがね」
「しかし、たった五台で大丈夫なのですか?」
不安を隠せない伝令に、マ・カルメは軽く答えた。
「大丈夫じゃないさ。五百人に五台じゃ、無理だ」
「え、それじゃ......」
「これは釣り餌。何発か撃ったら捨てていく」
準備ができたところで、マ・カルメの号令で各々休憩に入る。
「さて、俺は昼飯にしようかね」
その場にどかっと座り込み、ホーラントの街で買っておいたパンを一口齧り、水筒の水を飲んだ。
伝令が周りを見回すと、同じように食事を採っている者もいれば、豪胆にも昼寝をしている者までいる。
とても、今から命懸けの戦いをしようという緊張感が見当たらない。
「皆さん、とても落ち着いておられますね」
伝令も座り込み、手綱を適当な石にくくり付けると、腰に提げていた水筒に口をつけた。
「領主様の教えさ。良くわからんが、戦いは日常の延長にあるものなんだとさ。普通に食って寝て、その中で殺し合うのが当然なんだと」
頭おかしいよな、とマ・カルメは笑うと、バターが塗りこまれたパンをバクバクと食べ終わり、ごろりと横になった。
「でも、それで実際に生き延びてんだから、従うしかないやな。有名な細剣の騎士様の教えだしな」
「なるほど......。そうやって、トオノ伯やフォカロルの兵たちは国のために戦っていたのですね」
「あ、それは間違いだな」
腹を掻き、ヘラヘラと笑うマ・カルメは座っている伝令に目を向けた。
「領主様は“誰かのために戦う”なんて大嫌いだからな。えっと、なんつってたか」
マ・カルメは空を見上げた。
少しだけ雲が出ているが、暑いくらいの日差しはしっかりと地上に届いている。
「そうそう。人のために命をかけて、死んだとして、そいつは嬉しいかって話だ」
「わかりにくいか。こういう説明は苦手だな。つまり、お前が命懸けで誰かのために戦って、死んだとして、お前が守った奴は嬉しいかどうかって話だ」
マ・カルメの話に、伝令は腕を組んで考え込んだ。
「でも、私たちは誰かを守る為に戦うのが仕事で。しかし、確かに私のために誰かが死ぬかもしれないと思うと......」
「さぁてね、俺にも本当の答えなんかわからん」
顔を横に向けたマ・カルメは
「俺はなるほど、と思った。どうせ戦うなら、自分の目的の為に戦った方が、ずっと健全だってな」
「じゃあ、何のために戦うんですか?」
「決まってる。アリッサ長官に褒めてもらうためさ」
マ・カルメは地面に耳を当てて、目を閉じた。
「来たぜ」
立ち上がったマ・カルメが一声かけると、のんびりとしていた空気が一気に張り詰めた。
「蹄の音が近づいてくる。沢山、な」
伝令は、今までで一番硬い唾を飲んだ。
「もうちょっと待ってもいいんじゃないかな?」
「いや、別にいいだろ」
アリッサが控えめに引き止めるも、一二三は特に気にしたふうも無く、着替えや予備の武器などを闇魔法収納に放り込み、旅に出る準備を進めている。
「でも、オリガさんは一二三さんに会いたがってると思うよ?」
「ここで待っているように伝えてくれ。すぐそこに出かけるだけだ」
「......わかった。僕もここで待ってる」
アリッサと共に自分の部屋で朝食を採っていた一二三は、食事が終わると「人型の魔物を見に行く」と突然言い出し、オリガが悲しむというより壊れるんじゃないかと思ったアリッサが止めようとしたが、無駄だった。
獲物がいるのが明確なのに、ジッとしているわけにはいかない、と一二三が言い出すのは予想通りだったからだ。
「一晩考えたけど、やっぱりあれはお城にいた騎士だよ。なんであんなになっちゃったのかはわからないけど」
アリッサは、まだ身体が本調子ではなかった。
誰にも言わなかったが、戦いが少し怖くなっていた。
訓練に参加する時間を減らし、気づけば一二三と過ごす時間を増やしている。一緒にいると、少し安心するのだ。
「でも、僕のこともわからなかったみたいだったよ。憶えてないだけかもしれないけど、言葉も通じてなかったっぽい」
一二三は一通りの準備を終え、魔人族の街からこっそり持ち帰ったコーヒーもどきを淹れて飲んでいる。
「なるほどな。アリッサが翻弄されるくらいの奴だからな。正気でやってくれたら、もっと楽しめるが......馬鹿と戦争するよりマシか」
もきゅもきゅとサラダを口に詰め込みながら、アリッサは疑問に思った。
「あれ? 一二三さんなら、沢山がいる戦争を選ぶかと思った」
「大量に人が殺せるのはいいんだがな。いかんせん、相手が普通の兵士連中じゃな。獣人やら魔人族あたりがまとめて攻めて来てくれたら、まだ楽しめるんだが」
コーヒーもどきの香りを愉しみながら、一二三は残念そうに首を振った。
「何その飲み物」
「コーヒーみたいなもんだ」
「ちょっと頂戴......うぇ」
一二三のカップに口をつけた途端、苦味に顔をしかめたアリッサに、一二三は何かを思い出したように闇魔法収納から何か取り出した。
「これを忘れていた」
するりと取り出した脇差を、アリッサに放り投げた。
「あ、僕の脇差」
薄いパジャマ一枚の胸にぽんと当たった脇差は、綺麗に
一二三の細かい要求に苛々しながら耐え抜いたプルフラスの力作である。
「武器が駄目だと、人を殺すのに苦労するからな。今度からは自分で手入れしろよ」
「あ......うん!」
両手でしっかりと脇差を抱きしめたアリッサは、一二三が留守の間、しっかり鍛えなおそうと決めた。
十五分程後になってから、アリッサはオリガを出迎える役を体よく押し付けられたことに気がつき、しばらく行方を
Chapter 125: Lying From You
In contrast to Horant's national border which suddenly turned lively, the turmoil in Swordland was suppressed quickly.
In the castle, that lacked a person to take the leadership with the king gone, the power struggle continued as ever and unreasonable laws were excessively issued just to be revised without any guiding principle behind it all.
After almost all beastmen had left to the city's part where they lived as community, it has simply turned into a situation of nobles, who held the authority by simply making the common citizens into targets of exploitation and labour force, siphoning off the capital in order to contest over their influence determined on revising their titles.
Understandably it's not like the common citizens are meekly obeying in such circumstances either.
As for the soldiers; they cannot tolerate to have their salary, resulting from them working earnestly, being cancelled for incomprehensible reason because they are common citizens themselves as well.
Small troubles and conflicts frequently occurred all over the place between soldiers and citizens, among fellow soldiers, soldiers and knights as well as between citizens and knights.
"So, what happened in the end then?" (Helen)magic
Helen, who was ordered to stay back at home, visited Reni who is prostrating on top of the desk while being completely exhausted.
"Mm~..." (Reni)
Reni suddenly turned her face sideways and slightly opened her sleepy eyes.
"Reaching the people who wanted to come to us, the soldiers, who came attacking, were made to flee with the elves' magic. The end." (Reni)
"The end you say, you know..." (Helen)
"I mean, I can't tell you anything besides that. Gengu-san's followers are grieving that the beastmen lost out to play an active role at this occasion. We were very busy until just a while ago with receiving the new people." (Reni)
Including Reni no one noticed it, but a part of the beastmen started to secure their places of residence by secretly expanding the area of the former slums at this occasion.
Moreover, with the area of residence for the other races being the former slums and the urban areas of Swordland being their original address, a reversal of the population is developing.
"What's up, Helen?" (Reni)
"It appeared. Wind magic." (Helen)
Helen, who casually fumbled around with her wand, faced Reni's head, which was lying on top of the desk just like a furball, and once she imagined that she wants to cause a gentle breeze, it appeared.
"W-Why...?" (Reni)
"I don't know about that." (Helen)
"However it appeared somehow", when Helen targeted the wind towards Reni's face, the hair of Reni, who grumbled a bit, slowly swayed.
"Unfair, unfair! I want to be a magician as well!" (Reni)
"Uwah! Wai-, stop." (Helen)
Being assaulted by Reni with a jump and Helen tumbling to the floor was at the time when Zanga entered.
"Oh my! You are lively, aren't you?" (Zanga)
"Ah, Zanga-san!" (Reni)
Reni, who felt a bit relieved by dishevelling Helen's hair, faced Zanga with a smile.
"What happened?"
"Well, you know. There's something to discuss for a bit. It's not me though." (Zanga)
When Zanga ushered them in with "Come in", the elf, Puuse, the one-eared rabbitwoman and the tigerboy, Malfas, entered.
Due to to the combination that has no coherence at all, the rabbit woman began to speak while looking as if it's something very difficult to speak about once Reni and Helen had arranged their hair.
"Umm... I'd like to have permission to leave the city..."
"Eh? You don't particularly need our permission or such, but what for? Won't it be dangerous if you go out to the wastelands?" (Reni)
Due to Reni tilting her head, the one-eared rabbitwoman lowered her sight while having a red face.
Zanga laughs with a "hya hya."
"It looks like she wants to meet with Hifumi-san. Well, well, I thought that he was a handsome man, but he is a smooth operator after all." (Zanga)
With Zanga laughing while saying "how youthful", the rabbitwoman ended up curling herself up more and more.
Reni and Helen are dumbfounded as they look at each other faces.
"I will accompany her as well. There's something I want to ask him once I meet Hifumi-san. He also..." (Puuse)
Urged on by Puuse, Malfas nodded.
"I will go, too. I want to try meeting with that human. Since I heard that he is strong without being prejudiced towards beastmen from the rabbit-oneechan, I'd like him to train me. After all it's extremely unlikely for me to be able to use magic." (Malfas)
Seeing Hifumi's image as spoken of by the rabbitwoman apparently leaking through the words of Malfas, Helen quietly muttered [Aren't you glorifying him too much?] .
"I see. That's somehow nice. What part of Hifumi-san do you like?" (Reni)
Thanks to the barrage of questions from Reni and Zanga cheering her on, the rabbitwoman answers bit-by-bit.
As the side of the female group is getting excited, Malfas encourages himself to go on a trip and leave his younger sister behind.
"Although I hate humans, I won't be able to win ever if things stay as they are..." (Malfas)
The flame of his desire for revenge has never vanished.
"The enemy has arrived! As planned, we will head this way and only carry out replenishment in Munster. The whole army numbers more than 500!"
The messenger, who brought back Ma Carme's suggestion to Count Biron, returned to the national border of Horant, where they were encamped, while spurring on his horse.
"Thanks for your hard work of returning to Munster quickly. You will need to take a detour to not clash with the enemy." (Ma)
"No, I have the duty to make sure of the war progress by staying behind here!"
Ma Carme told his subordinates to get ready for battle and turned around to the messenger.
"Dismount from the horse from here on out and walk to the rear." (Ma)
"Walk, you say?"
"There are some petty tricks set up." (Ma)
"I don't want to boast, but it's according to the teachings from our Lord-sama", Ma Carme cackled and began to help with the installation of the spear throwers together with his men.
"Those are the spear throwers which played a big part in the war with Vichy, aren't they? I see those for the first time."
"A big part, eh? In reality that was just Lord-sama rampaging around though." (Ma)
"However, will it be alright with just 5 of those?"
Ma Carme simply answered to the messenger who can't hide his anxiety,
"It won't be alright. 500 people with 5 spear throwers is impossible." (Ma)
"Eh, then..."
"These are bait. They will be abandoned once they fired some shots." (Ma)
Once they were able to finish the preparations, each of them takes a break upon Ma Carme's order.
"Well then, I wonder what I shall do for lunch?" (Ma)
Plumping down at that place, he munched the bread they bought in a city of Horant and drank water from a flask.
Once the messenger surveys the surroundings, there are only those who take their meals in the same manner and those who are boldly having a nap.
The tension of having a life-waging battle from now on can't be found at all.
"Everyone is very calm."
The messenger tied the reins to a suitable rock, sat down as well and took a sip from the flask he carried at his waist.
"It's Lord-sama' teachings. I don't understand it properly, but a battle is something like an extension everyday's life. He says that he eats and sleeps normally and that it's natural to kill each other in between those." (Ma)
"His brain is weird", Ma Carme laughed, finished eating the bread with butter smeared onto it and lied down.
"However, since he is actually surviving by doing that, we have no other choice but to abide to that. It's the doctrine of the famous Knight of the Slender Sword-sama after all." (Ma)
"I see... Count Tohno and Fokalore's soldiers fought for the sake of the country like that."
"Ah, that's wrong." (Ma)
Scratching his belly, Ma Carme shifted his attention to the sitting messenger while laughing frivolously.
"Lord-sama hates "to fight for someone." Let me see, what did he say?" (Ma)
Ma Carme looked up to the sky.
A few clouds have appeared, but sunlight to the degree of it being hot properly reaches the surface.
"Ah that's it. It's a story about whether a fellow, who dies after risking his life for the sake of people, is happy." (Ma)
"Is it hard to understand? I'm bad at such explanations. In other words, it's a story about whether the fellow, whom you protected, will be happy with you dying after you having fought for the sake of someone with your life on the line." (Ma)
The messenger folded his arms and pondered about Ma Carme words.
"But it's our job to fight to protect someone. However, certainly, if I consider the possibility of someone dying for my sake..."
"Well, I don't know the true answer either." (Ma)
Ma Carme, who turned his face sideways, concluded with self-effacement.
"I thought "Indeed." If I have to fight anyway, it's always more sound to fight for my own goals." (Ma)
"Well then, for what reason are you fighting?"
"I have decided. It's in order to receive praise from Director Alyssa." (Ma)
Ma Carme pressed his ear against the ground and closed his eyes.
"They are here." (Ma)
When Ma Carme shouted so after standing up, the carefree mood became immediately strained.
"The sounds of hooves are approaching. A lot of them." (Ma)
The messenger gulped down the biggest spit up to date.
"Isn't it also fine to wait a bit longer?" (Alyssa)
"Well, it doesn't really matter, right?" (Hifumi)
In a manner of not particularly caring about it while also restraining Alyssa to stay low-key, Hifumi tosses his change of clothes and spare weapon in the darkness storage and goes ahead with his preparations to leave on a journey.
"But don't you think that Origa-san wants to see you, Hifumi-san?" (Alyssa)
"Please tell her to wait here. I will just head to a short distance away." (Hifumi)
"... Got it. I will wait here as well." (Alyssa)
Hifumi, who took his breakfast together with Alyssa in his room, suddenly stated [I will go visit the human-shaped monster]  once he finished eating and Alyssa, who though
"It's impossible for me to stay still even though it's clear that there's prey", was just as expected of Hifumi.
"I thought about it all night, but that's the knight, who was at the castle, after all. Though I don't understand how he ended up becoming like that." (Alyssa)
Alyssa's body was still not at normal condition.
She didn't tell anyone, but she became a bit scared of fighting.
Once she noticed, the time for training has decreased and the time spent together with Hifumi has increased.
"However, it looked like he didn't know about me. He might just not remember me, but it was like words weren't getting through to him." (Alyssa)
Finishing his usual preparations, Hifumi brews the fake-coffee, he secretly brought back from the city of demons and drinks it.
"I see. It's a fellow at the level of toying around with you, Alyssa. If he were to be sane, it would be a lot more fun, but... it's better than a stupid war, isn't it?" (Hifumi)
While cutely cramming salad in her mouth, Alyssa thought about his question.
"Huh? If it's you, I wondered whether you would choose war, where there are many to kill, Hifumi-san." (Alyssa)
"Killing a large amount of people is nice, too. But, to my regret, the opponents would be regular soldiers. If beastmen or demons come attacking all at once, I will still be able to enjoy it though." (Hifumi)
While enjoying the aroma of the fake-coffee, Hifumi shook his head while looking disappointed.
"What's that drink?" (Alyssa)
"It's something like coffee." (Hifumi)
"Please let me take sip.... ueeh." (Alyssa)
Due to Alyssa grimacing due to the bitter taste just as she tasted it from Hifumi's cup, Hifumi took out something from his darkness storage as he had apparently recalled something.
"You forgot this." (Hifumi)
Hifumi tossed the wakizashi, he took out with a smooth motion, to Alyssa.
"Ah, my wakizashi." (Alyssa)
The wakizashi, which hit the chest area of her thin pajama with a *pon*, was repaired with beautiful workmanship.
It's the painstaking piece of work of Pruflas who stuck with it until the end while getting irritated by the minute demands of Hifumi.
"If the weapon becomes useless, it will be difficult to kill people. Maintain it by yourself from now on." (Hifumi)
"Ah... yea!" (Alyssa)
Alyssa, who tightly hugged the wakizashi with both hands, decided to do her training over properly during Hifumi's absence.
Realizing that the role of greeting Origa was discreetly forced upon her 15 minutes later, Alyssa became truly troubled whether she should disappear for a while.
Summoned Slaughterer
呼び出された殺戮者
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/summoned-slaughterer/
Action Adventure Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Romance Shounen
Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Arrogant Characters Average-looking Protagonist Beastkin Beautiful Female Lead Betrayal Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Cunning Protagonist Dark Demi-Humans Demons Determined Protagonist Different Social Status Dwarfs Elemental Magic Elves Enemies Become Allies Enemies Become Lovers Evil Protagonist Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fearless Protagonist God-human Relationship Gods Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Love Interest Falls in Love First Magic Beasts Magical Space Male Protagonist Marriage Monsters Nobles Obsessive Love Overpowered Protagonist Politics Power Struggle Protagonist Strong from the Start R-15 Royalty Ruthless Protagonist Samurai Schemes And Conspiracies S*aves Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Summoning Magic Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transported to Another World Underestimated Protagonist Unique Weapon User Unique Weapons Wars Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4399ci/
井戸正善／ido