困ったなぁ。
僕の膝の上ですやすやと眠るレイラちゃんを見て、僕は一人そう呟いた。
昼間から、変だ変だとは思っていたけれど、彼女に起こった変化は今思えば随分と人間らしい変化だった。
確信したのは今さっきのことだけど、どうやら僕はSランクの魔族である、
ドキドキして、もやもやして、僕に触れようとすると頭が真っ白になるなんて、彼女らしからぬ純粋な乙女心。正直驚きだった。
多分、彼女は今まで欲望のままに好き勝手な行動を取っていたから、こういった事態に免疫がない。
人を食べるのに許可なんて取らなかったし、好きなことを好きにやって来たからこそ、やりたかったことが出来ないという今の自分に困惑しているんだと思う。好きという感情を持て余しているんだと思う。
今までただ食べる対象でしかなかった人間の筈だった僕だけど、彼女にとっては大きな存在だったのかもしれない。そう思わせるだけのことを、僕は彼女にしてきたと思っている。
Aランクの欲望の塊でしかなかった時、僕は彼女を無自覚に魅了した。最高の
使徒に怯えた彼女を、僕は命を賭けて護ろうとした。
多分、それだけで彼女は僕が好きになった。
最初はただのお気に入りの食材で、段々とその好きから別の好きに変わって行って、使徒ちゃんとの一戦でその好きが全部―――恋愛感情に変わった。
―――僕が、欲望の塊だった彼女の
「嬉しい、のかな? うん、多分嬉しいんだと思う。人に好かれるなんて、僕には程遠いことだったから」
だからだろうか、純粋に僕を慕ってくれるレイラちゃんの言葉は、素直に嬉しかった。
だって、それは僕が生まれてから決して手に入らなかったものだ。
元々僕は自分のことをお世辞にも良い人間だと思ってない。人に好かれる人間だとも思っていない。捻くれてるし、人の事を傷付けるし、気味が悪いし、人に優しくしようだなんて欠片程にも思えないのだから。寧ろ嫌われて然るべき人間だと思ってる。
なのに、しおりちゃんも、レイラちゃんも、フィニアちゃんも、皆そんな僕のことを好きだと言ってくれる。親にも捨てられて、友人はいない、味方も一人だっていなかった気味の悪い僕に、歩み寄ってくれた数少ない存在。
こんなに嬉しいことはないじゃないか。
「君も、いつの間にか仲間になってたんだね」
ストーカーだったけれど、嫌悪していたけれど、レイラちゃんがレイラちゃんであるなら、僕は彼女のことを少しは好きになれるかもしれない。勿論仲間や友人的な意味だけど。
今の所僕には彼女に対して恋愛感情はない。まぁ今までずっと食べられるかもしれないと思って嫌悪していた相手だから仕方ないと言えば仕方ないんだけどさ。
だから、この件は保留だ。
最低と言われても良い、先延ばしにするのが許せない人もいるだろう。それでも、僕は彼女の恋心を保留する。彼女自身、自分の気持ちが恋だと自覚していないみたいだしね。
でも、とりあえずこれから彼女との付き合い方には、考え直す必要があるだろう。きっと僕と彼女はより仲良くなれる、そう思った。
―――前言撤回。
あの後、僕もレイラちゃんを膝に乗せたままベッドに上体を倒して眠ったのだけど、翌朝目覚めた時、レイラちゃんが眠っていた僕に抱き付いて頭をぐりぐりと擦りつけてきていた。にへら、とだらしない笑顔を浮かべながら、顔を真っ赤にして溜まった欲求不満を解消しようと、全力で発情していた。
朝から夜の発情タイムに突入とか止めて欲しい。折角昨日レイラちゃんへの評価が上がったのに、一気に暴落したんだけど。
「............はぁ、離れろ発情魔」
「ぁあんっ♪ きつね君のイジワルぅ......大好きぃ♡」
なんか前よりも積極的な気がするのは気のせいだろうか。いや、多分欲求が溜まってたから爆発しただけだろう。
心なしか抱き締める腕に力が籠っている気がするし、レイラちゃんの表情や言葉からも発情している以上の何かを感じるけれど、気のせいだ。
「はいはい、分かった分かった......ほら、レイラちゃんどいて」
「何?」
ベッドから立ちあがって、ぐいっと身体を伸ばすと、彼女はベッドの上に女の子座りをしながら呼び掛けてくる。
それに対して顔だけ振り返ると、彼女はだらしない笑顔はどこへやら―――とても可愛い笑顔を浮かべながら、顔を真っ赤にして言った。
「―――ありがとっ♪ 大好き♡」
そんな笑顔を向けられると、何も言えなくなるじゃないか。この天然乙女魔族め。発情した笑顔だったら一蹴してやったのに。仕方ないなぁ。
「はぁ......どう致しまして、レイラちゃん」
だから僕は、文句や不満よりも、そんな普通の言葉で返事を返した。
◇ ◇ ◇
それから、壁に掛けておいた学ランを身に纏い、未だに引っ付いたままのレイラちゃんを連れてリーシェちゃん達の部屋へと向かう。あの子供、出会った頃のルルちゃんとは違って、ステータスに《衰弱》が付いてなかったし、怪我も無かったから、目を覚ましていると良いんだけど。
「ねぇきつね君きつね君、今日は何をするの? あの子、捨てちゃうの?」
「ううん、グランディール王国には良い思い出がないから、ちょっとくらい仕返ししてやろうと思って」
「うふふ♪ 面白い、面白いよきつね君♪ ぞくぞくするぅ♡」
見事に少し前のレイラちゃんに戻ったなぁ。積極的というかなんというか、この子も大概良い性格してるよ。
「あーあ、昨日の大人しいレイラちゃんに戻らないかなぁ......というかなんでこんなにべたべた引っ付いてくるんだ」
大人しいレイラちゃんは、今思い返してみれば気持ち悪かったけど良い子だったし。今のレイラちゃんよりは取っ付きやすい気がする。
「こうしてると胸のもやもやがなくなるのっ♪ いいでしょ? いいよね? だって私はきつね君が大好きだもん!」
あ、そうですか。久々に聞いたなそのフレーズ、レイラちゃんの決め台詞になりそうな勢いだ。笑い方も特徴的だしね。
そんなやりとりをしながら、僕達はリーシェちゃんの部屋に辿り着いた。ノックして、リーシェちゃんの返事が聞こえたから中に入る。
「おはよう、きつね、レイラ」
「おはようリーシェちゃん」
「おはよー......名前なんだっけ?」
「......トリシェだ、きつねも呼んでるし、リーシェで良いぞ。寧ろ最近私の名前はリーシェなんじゃないかと思い始めた所だし」
「じゃあおはよ、リーシェ」
レイラちゃん、フィニアちゃんと僕以外名前覚えてなかったもんね。僕何度もリーシェちゃんって呼んでたし、なんなら今も言ったし、なのに名前を覚えてないって相当興味なかったんだね。
「子供は?」
「ああ、まだ寝てる」
「まだ寝てんの? 昨日の夕方当たりに押しつけられてからずっと寝てるから......半日以上寝てんじゃないの? 実は起きてんじゃないの?」
「む......まぁ寝返りや寝言は良くあったが......」
そう言いながら、子供に近づいてみる。凄く安らかに眠っている様だ。
でも、僕は嘘が嫌いだからね! 分かるよ、この子寝たふりしてるな? 狙ってるな? 襲うぞ? 僕結構守備範囲広いぞ?
「起きた起きた」
「あはっ......ははっ......はぁ......」
子供、ステータスを見る限り名前はニコちゃん。くすぐってやったら起きたので、観念したのか上体を起こした。じとっとした目で僕を見てくる。警戒心が高いなぁこの子。というか幾つなんだろうか。見た目は4歳位なんだけど、4歳ってそこそこ喋れるよね。成長すると忘れる時期だけど、それでも一丁前に警戒している所を見ると、なんだか微笑ましい気もする。
「おはようお嬢ちゃん、名前を言って貰って良いかな?」
「......ドグリゲスミンミン」
「嘘吐くなニコちゃん」
「なんで名前知ってるの......」
この子可愛い顔してとんだ嘘吐きだ。警戒心も高いし、嘘吐きだし、この子絶対将来苦労すると思う。狼少年的な意味で。容姿に恵まれたことが唯一の幸せだったね。
ジト眼で見てくるかと思いきや、驚いた声音ではあるがジト眼のままである所を見ると、これがデフォルトらしい。
「唐突だけど、君に聞きたい事がある。答えてね」
「......いいよ」
「嘘吐くな」
「なんで分かるの......」
この子も表情一つ変えずに嘘吐くな。まぁ僕は嘘を吐くのも吐かれるのも嫌いだし、心理学関連の本も読んで色々特訓したから普通に見破れるんだけどね。『メンタリズムのkitune』と名乗ろうかな。
「僕は生まれてこの方嘘なんて吐いたことがないからね」
「きつね君それは私でも嘘だって分かるよ?」
「ああ、私も嘘だと思う」
「なんて奴らだ、仲間を嘘吐き呼ばわりなんて酷いと思う」
どうやら僕がこの子の嘘を見破れるように、この子も僕の嘘を見破れるらしい。
「まぁソレは置いておいて......君の名前は僕のスキルで知った、嘘は通用しないから正直に答えてね」
「よろしい......まず一つ、君を背負っていた髭のおじさんは君のお父さんかな?」
「......うん、私のパパ」
「それじゃあなんで君のお父さんが君を僕に預けたのか分かるかな?」
「......お金がないから?」
それはどういう意味だろうか。あんなに必死の表情で僕にニコちゃんを預けた所を見ると、養育費がないってわけではないだろうし、お金がないっていうのはまた別の意味なんだろうけど。
例えば、借金とか、家賃未払いとか、税金未納とか、まぁ色々ある。一番妥当なのは借金と税金未納とかかな、家賃未払いっていうなら子供を手放す意味は無いからね。
「......どう思う? リーシェちゃん」
「情報が少なすぎるから何とも言えないが......金絡みならば税金の未納が一番可能性が高いだろうな」
「その理由は?」
「税金未納はそこに住まう者の義務を果たせていないということで、国によって厳しい処罰が加えられるんだ。最初は厳重注意がされるが、長い間払えていない場合や、支払いのアテがない場合は処罰の対象になるんだ。厳しい所だと死刑もあり得るし、奴隷落ちすることも珍しくない」
となると、ニコちゃんのお父さんは未だ逃亡中か、捕まってグランディール王国の規則に則ってこの街でも処罰が加えられるんだろう。まぁまだ税金未納で確定した訳ではないけれど。
「この街ではどれくらいの税率なんだろう?」
「グランディールは軍事国家だから、徴税によって持っていかれる金額は他国よりも幾分高いと聞いている」
「ふーん......面倒臭いんだねぇ」
さて、どうしたものかな。ニコちゃんのお父さんが今もまだ生きているのか少し疑問だけど、生きているようならこの嘘吐き娘を押し付け返したいし、なにより親がいなくなるというのは中々経験させたくない。
というかニコちゃん随分落ち着いてるな。お父さんいないのに肝が座っているというか、淡泊というか。
「ニコちゃん、お父さんに会いたい?」
「会いたくない」
会いたいらしい。嘘吐きは分かりやすくて良い。
それじゃあまぁ、まずはこの子のお父さんの安否を確認する所から始めようかな。
It's kinda troubling.
Looking at Leila-chan who's soundly sleeping on my lap, I mumble so.
Since this noon, I've been thinking that she's acting strangely, but now that I think about it, this change actually had turned her into more human-like.
The most definitive proof is what happened just now, seems like I've infected "Love" to her, the S rank demon, the virus demon "Red Night".
Heart skipping a beat, hazy feeling, falling into panic when in touch with me, such maiden's feelings that are very unlike her. Honestly speaking, it kinda surprised me.
Perhaps, since she'd been acting as she pleased simply following her own craving thus far, she isn't accustomed with such feelings.
She never asked for permission to eat people after all, and exactly because she'd always been doing anything as she pleased, I think she ought to be bewildered by her current state where she couldn't do things she wants to. I think she doesn't know the emotion named love.
I who once was supposed to be merely her prey for her, perhaps I've turned into a great existence to her. That's all I can think about from the time I spent with her.
When she was just an A rank of lump of desire, I unconsciously fascinated her, us the greatest meal (prey).
When she was frightened by the apostle, I put my life on the line to protect her.
I think, that's when she fell in love with me.
At first I was just a prey she's interested at, but gradually that interest turned into something else, and in the battle with apostle-chan, all of those interest... turned into love.
...I changed her whole (heart).
"Am I happy, I wonder? Yeah, I think I am. To be loved by someone, that was something far off for me, after all."
Perhaps that's why, her word about how she genuinely yearned for me, it made me happy.
After all, that's something that has never happened ever since I was born.
I'm fully aware that I'm not a good person from every perspective. And I've never thought the possibility of being liked by someone. That's because I'm crooked, I tend to hurt other, I'm creepy, and I have no a shred of thought about to be kind to other. Or rather, I think I'm wholefully a hateful person.
And yet, be it Shiori-chan, Leila-chan, and Finia-chan, they said they like such me. I was abandoned by my own parent, I had no friend, I even also had no ally whatsoever, for such hateful me, they were the only few people who would accept me.
That's why I can't help myself but to feel happy about it.
"You, before I noticed it you've already become one of us, huh."
She's a stalker and also hateful, but if she keeps being the way who she is, I think I might come to also like her a bit.
As far as I'm concerned, currently I don't see her in such light. Well, perhaps that's only because I've been on guard on her for the possibility that she might eat me anytime, though.
That's why, I should put this case on hold for now.
Call me sucker or whatever, I'm sure there are people who hate delaying such a thing, after all. Nevertheless, I'm going to hold her love for the time being. Even she herself, seems like she doesn't aware that that feeling is love, after all.
However, I think I need to reconsider my way of dealing with her from now on. I'm sure we could get along better that way, or so I thought.
--I take it all back.
However, when I wake up the next morning, I notice Leila-chan is hugging my body and rubbing her head against it. With drool and loose smile all over her bright red face, it seems like the accumulated desire she has finally explodes at once, Leila-chan is in full-blown lustful mode.
I hope she won't be in this state all the way to the night's lustful period. Just when her impression had slightly increased yesterday, now it all falls rock bottom once again.
"...*sigh*, go away, you damn lustful demon."
"Ahn~, Kitsune-kun you meanie~... I love you~"
Somehow, it feels as if she becomes more assertive but, is it just my imagination? Nah, perhaps that's only because the accumulated desire she has from these past few days.
I can feel her arms, which are around me, are slightly tighter that usual after all. I can distinctly feel something aside from lust from her expression and words but, perhaps that's just my imagination.
"Yeah yeah, I got it, I got it... come on, Leila-chan, move aside."
"What is it?"
When I get off the bed and stretch my body, she calls out to me while sitting in girlish sit way atop the bed.
When I turn only my face toward her, I'm greeted not by her usual loose smile, but a very cute smile on her bright red face.
"--thank you, I love you."
Facing such smile, I'm rendered speechless. You damn airheaded demon girl. If you were showing your usual loose smile there, I would've definitely shot you down then and there already but... can't be helped then. She sure is childish, selfish, and also wilful, but as far as I'm concerned, limited only to her smile, I don't hate it.
"Haa... you're welcome, Leila-chan."
That's why, rather than complain or dissatisfaction, I answer her with such normal words.
* * *
After that, after putting my gakuran; that I hung on the wall; on, I leave the room and go to Rishe-chan's room, while still having Leila-chan clinging to me.
"Say, Kitsune-kun, Kitsune-kun, what are we going to do? That child, are we going to leave her?"
"Hmm, I have no good memory at all at Grandile Kingdom, so I'm just thinking about giving something back at them."
"Ufufu, interesting, very interesting, Kitsune-kun, it's so thrilling."
She's completely returned to the usual her, huh. With such assertive personality, in general she's a good girl for her own good.
"Ah, will you return to the you of yesterday I wonder... or rather, why are you so clingy like this?"
Now that I think about it, the meek Leila-chan sure was creepy but she was a good girl. I think she was more approachable that this kind of Leila-chan.
"If I do this the haziness will disappear. It's fine, right? You don't mind, do you? Because I love you so much, after all."
Oh, I see. It's been quite a while since the last time a heard this phrase, it feels as if it's become her catch phrase. Even the smile is so like her.
When I knock the door, I hear Rishe-chan's answer from inside so we enter the room.
"Morning, Kitsune, Leila."
"Morning, Rishe-chan."
"Morning... what's your name again?"
"...it's Trisha, but like Kitsune, you can just call me Rishe. Or rather, recently I started to ponder that perhaps my real name was actually Rishe."
"Then, good morning, Rishe."
Leila-chan never remembers other's name aside from mine and Leila-chan's, after all. I've called Rishe-chan's name quite a time, or rather I even just called her name just now, and yet, to think that she still didn't remember her name, just how insignificant she was to her, I wonder.
"How's the child?"
"Ah, she's still asleep."
"She's still asleep? Since she was asleep ever since she was pushed on us yesterday evening, so... it should've been half a day, right? Could it be she's actually awake?"
"Hmm... well, there were times when she turned over and sleep-talking, but...."
While chatting like that, I approach the child. She looks like sleeping very peacefully.
However, I very hate liar! I can see it, this child is pretending to be asleep. Where should I aim at? What kind of attack should I use? I have quite an amount of repertoire on me, you know?
"Oh, wake up, wake up."
"Aha... haha... haa...."
This child, when I peeked at her status, her name was Niko-chan. She's awake because of tickle, so perhaps to observe the surroundings, she straightens up. She fixatedly stares at me. Her guard sure is high. Or rather, how old is she? Appearance-wise, she looks like around four-year-old, but she is quite a chatter for a four-year-old girl. That's a period that's soon forgotten when one grow, but looking at her cautiousness despite being still such a child, somehow she's quite admirable.
"Little miss, can you tell me what your name is?"
"...dogriguez minmin."
"Don't lie, Niko-chan."
"How do you know my name?"
She has cute face but she's a liar. Her wariness is high, and also a liar, I think she'll surely be in trouble in the future. For the guys who are led by nose by her, I mean. Born with such good appearance is her sole redeeming feature.
Contrary to my expectation, looking at her gaze that isn't fazed despite being shocked herself, I think she isn't especially staring me but that's just her usual gaze.
"It may be sudden, but there's something I want to ask you about. So please answer it."
"...okay."
"Don't ever try to lie."
"How do you notice it?"
This child could spout lies without even flinching, huh. Well, I hate to lie or being lied to after all, so once upon a time I did a special training by reading several psychology related books, and thanks to that I can pretty much tell between lie and truth with a glance. Should I call it "Kitsune the mentalism" I wonder?
"That's because ever since I was born I've never told lie even once, after all."
"Kitsune-kun, even I can tell that that's a lie, you know?"
"Yeah, I also think that's a lie."
"What a rude bunch, to call your own comrade a liar, don't you think that's cruel?"
Similarly like how I can see through her lies, seems like she can see through mine as well. Howerver, be that as it may, for Rishe-chan and Leila-chan to call me liar, I think that's cruel. For better or worse, we're comrade after all, so I think they can put their trust on me a bit more.
"Well, leaving that aside... I knew your name with my skill, also, lying is futile so please answer my question honestly."
"Very well... first question, is that beardie uncle; who carried you back then; your father?"
"...yes, he's my papa."
"Then, do you know why did he leave you to me?"
"...because, we didn't have money?"
What does that mean? Looking at his desperate face when he left Niko-chan to me, he didn't look like someone would abandon his child simply because he had no money, could it be there's another meaning behind her words?
Like, debt, rent overdue, tax overdue, well something like that. The most likely case is either debt or tax, I think, because there's no meaning in letting go his own child because of rent overdue, after all.
"...what do you think?"
"The information is so scarce so I'm not too sure myself, but... if it's money-related reason then, I think most likely it's either debt or tax."
"The reason?"
"Tax is imposed to everyone, so the more people who couldn't pay the tax, the harsher the punishment will be. At first perhaps it'll only be some warning, but if you couldn't pay the tax for a long period of time, if you don't have anything to pay the tax then you will receive punishment from the state. At worst case scenario, it's death penalty, or turning into slave also isn't that rare."
That means Niko-chan's father is still a fugitive, huh. If he were caught then most like he'll be punished according to Grandile Kingdom's law. Well, it's still not settled yet that it really is tax overdue, though.
"How much is the tax at this town?"
"Grandile is military country, so I heard the tax here is considerably higher than at other countries."
"Hmm... how troublesome."
Well then, what should I do, I wonder? It's still uncertain whether her father is still alive or not, but if he's still alive then I want to return this liar girl; who he pushed onto me; to him, and more importantly, I don't want her to experience losing her parent.
Or rather, Niko-chan sure is quite calm. Even though her father is missing, does she not feel anything at all? Or is she just indifferent?
"Niko-chan, do you want to meet your father?"
"I don't."
Looks like she wants to meet him, huh. Liar sure is easy to understand.
Well then, seems like we should start with ascertaining her father's safety first, huh.
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