115.Demon Days
過日の戦闘から、ソードランテの獣人側である元スラムは大分落ち着きを取り戻していた。
相当数が流入した人間たちも、特に問題を起こすことなく、ゆっくりではあるが獣人たちとのやりとりを増やしていった。人が食べなければ生きていけない以上、そこに交換や商取引は否応にも発生する。
元々交流があった大工などはもちろん、最初のうちは獣人たちに対して警戒していた人間も、獣人に慣れてきていた。
「レニ!」
そんなある日のこと。昼食後にウトウトしていたレニの所に、ヘレンが息巻いて飛び込んできた。
「うひゃあ!」
大声で飛び起きたレニは、勢い余って椅子ごと後ろに転がる。
一回転して床に座り込み、頭の柔らかい毛についた埃をぽんぽんと払った。
「いたた......そんなに慌ててどうしたの?」
「え、エルフが来たのよ!」
「えるふ?」
まだ半分寝ぼけているレニの頭に、ヘレンのげんこつが落ちる。
「目が覚めた? エルフの集団が、町の入口に来ているのよ」
「それなら、この前完成した建物にとりあえず泊まってもらったら?」
頭と目をこすりながらレニが答えると、ヘレンは首を横に振った。
「スラムの入口じゃなくて、町の入口! 人間たちと町の入口で対立してるみたいなのよ! ゲングさんがみんなを集めて戦う準備はしてるけど、どうするかレニに決めて欲しいって」
「どうするって......」
肩を掴んで揺さぶるヘレンに、レニは目を回すが、ガクガクと揺らすヘレンにも余裕がない。
「人間を追い払ってエルフを受け入れるのか、安全のために無視するのか、それとも、人間と一緒になってエルフを追い払うのか、よ」
「うぅ~ん......。それもあるけど、人間とエルフさんたちが仲良くなって、ウチたちの敵になるのも困るよね」
「あ......」
何故かエルフと人間は敵対するのが当然と思っていたヘレンは、レニの指摘に顔を真っ赤に上気させる。兎耳もへたりと倒れた。
「とりあえず、見に行こうよ。一二三さんも、どんなものでも見て聞いてからって言ってたし」
「そんな簡単に顔を出したら、両方から攻撃されたりしない?」
「そっか......あ!」
何かを思いついて、ニコニコと笑っているレニを見て、ヘレンは不安を隠せない。
「何するつもり?」
「一二三さんがやったことを真似してみよう」
(ぜったいロクなことじゃないよね)
止めるべきだろうか、とヘレンが迷っている間に、レニは家を飛び出していた。
「こんにちは~」
荒野側に固まっているエルフたちとマルファスたち三人の獣人。そして町の出入り口に剣を構えて並び立つ人間の兵士たち。
決して戦争をするわけでもないので、陣を敷くことなどもせず、お互いに使者を出すことも無く、ただただにらみ合いが続く半端に緊迫した空気の中で、突然あらわれたレニの声が響いた。
結局塞がれることの無かったスラムと外をつなぐ穴から出てきたレニは、ヘレンやゲングなど数名を引き連れて、両手に大きな籠を抱えてトテトテと暢気に歩いてきた。
人間の兵士たちは獣人の姿に緊張を見せて身構えたが、レニはそれを無視してエルフの一団へ無防備に近づいていく。
「おやおや、可愛らしい羊の獣人さんじゃあないか」
エルフたちの先頭にいたザンガーも、その姿が近づくにつれて緊張の色を見せ始めたエルフたちをなだめ、ニコニコと笑顔を見せて迎えた。
「こんにちは。羊の獣人さん。おや、なにやらいい匂いがするねぇ」
「差し入れです。お一つどうですか?」
レニが差し出した籠には、マフィンの大きさの焼き菓子がゴロゴロと無造作に入っていた。ほんのりと甘い香りが漂い、エルフの特に子供たちはそわそわとしている。
籠を持っているレニも、口の端から少しだけよだれが出ていた。
「じゃあ、遠慮なくいただこうかね」
ザンガーは一番上にのっていた焼き菓子を一つ摘むと、ためらいなく一口齧った。ホロリと口の中で崩れ、爽やかな甘みが広がる。
「ああ、美味しいねぇ。こんな甘くて美味しいお菓子を食べたのは、何十年ぶりかねぇ。ほら、せっかく持ってきてくれたのに、そんな顔をしていちゃいけないよ、羊さん。あんたも一緒に食べようじゃないか」
「うん。ありがとう」
「あ、わたしももらう!」
我慢できずに手を伸ばしたヘレンが、一番大きな物を掴むと、レニも籠を置いて食べ始めた。
「私も、いい?」
「うん。たくさんあるから、みんなで食べてください!」
警戒しながら様子を窺っていたエルフたちも、ザンガーの様子に安心して、次々に籠の中に手を伸ばしていく。
砂糖が希少で手に入らないソードランテだが、獣人たちの中でも元気な者は荒野の果実を集めてくる事ができた。一二三に簡単なお菓子の作り方を聞いた獣人の女性陣は、砂糖を使わないでジャムのようなペーストを作り、木の実を粉にした生地に練りこむ事で砂糖の代わりにする事を覚えた。
エルフの森でも果物は食べられていたが、こういった手の込んだ焼き菓子などは中々お目にかかれない。
焼き菓子を口にしたエルフたちに、笑顔が広がる。
「美味しいね」
「うん。甘い」
マルファスとリーデル、オルラといった獣人たちも焼き菓子を頬張って、笑っている。
他の獣人たちが持ってきていたお茶も振舞われ、あっという間に荒野のお茶会が始まった。
「ね、やっぱり甘いお菓子はみんなを笑顔にして仲良くなれるんだよ。一二三さんがやった通り」
「まあ、それはそうなんだろうけれど」
「おや、羊さんも一二三さんを知っているのかい?」
「エルフのおばあちゃんも知り合いなんですか? ウチたちは一二三さんに色々教えてもらって、人間と獣人の町を作ったんです」
「レニさんは、あっしらのような人間に虐げられた獣人をまとめあげ、今や町の代表をなさっておられます。こちらのヘレンさんも、副代表としてあっしら獣人や、人間との橋渡しに尽力なさっておいででして」
「門の前に集まっている人間さんたちは、残念だけれど獣人が嫌いみたいで......でも、ウチたちの町には獣人と仲良くしてる人間さんも沢山いますよ」
「そうかい、そうかい」
若いのに大変だ、と何度も頷いたザンガーは、焼き菓子を食べ終えると、マルファスたちを呼び寄せた。
「あんたたちが探していた街は、ここにあったよ。良かったねぇ、羊さんの町なら、きっと安心して暮らせるよ。ひょっとしたら、そこに親父さんもいるかもねぇ」
マルファスの頭を、ザンガーが節くれだった指でわしわしと乱暴に掻いた。
「あれ、エルフさんたちは来ないんですか?」
「おや、羊さんの町は、エルフも受け入れてくれるのかい?」
レニが胸をどん、と叩いた。
「ウチはね、どんな人でも楽しく暮らせる町が作りたいんです。荒野は同じ獣人同士でずっと敵対しているけれど、ウチたちの町は大変な事ほどみんなで協力してやってます。最初は、色々一二三さんに手伝ってもらったけど......それでも、これからは自分たちの力でやっていきたいんです」
「そうかい。あたしたちでも、それを手伝えたら楽しいかもしれないねぇ」
「プーセお姉ちゃんも一緒に行こうよ! プーセお姉ちゃんの魔法はすごいんだよ! 怪我があっという間に治せるんだよ!」
二つ目の焼き菓子を完食して、口の周りをお菓子のクズまみれにしたリーデルが、プーセの手を引いて、興奮気味にプーセの治癒魔法について話す。
「傷があっという間に!? そいつぁすげぇや!」
見たこともない魔法という言葉に興奮したゲングが顔を突き出すと、思わずプーセが小さな悲鳴をあげた。
「ご、ごめんなさい」
「あなたは顔が怖いのよ」
「ひでぇ! この顔は生まれつきですぜ」
ヘレンにぴしゃりと言われ、がっくりと肩を落としたゲングを、プーセは苦笑しながら励ましていた。
「みんなが仲良く、ね。しかも一二三さんが手伝った町かい。ちょっと興味があるねぇ」
ザンガーの決定で、エルフたちは全員でスラムに身を寄せる事になった。
突然お茶会を始めたと思ったら、スラムに向かったエルフたちを、町の入口で警戒していた人間たちは、何が起きたか理解できずに見送るしか無かった。
「派手にやってくれたわね」
ようやく城内を落ち着かせることができたウェパルは、自分の部下たちに城門周辺の片付けを命じ、ホールへとやってきた。
瓦礫の山と転がる死体。震える二人の部下を見て、ため息混じりに一言を投げた。
「天井を落としたのは俺じゃないぞ。失礼な」
「それ以上の事は貴方でしょう? ホールの天井が落ちたくらいの事、王が殺された事に比べたら些事の範囲だわ」
「良かったな。これでお前が王になれるぞ。魔人族の王だ」
一二三は、ニャールに向けていた刀を引いた。
緊張の糸が切れたニャールはヘナヘナと倒れこみ、フェレスが駆け寄る。
「そう......かもしれない。でも、他に強くて出世欲がある人は沢山いるし、私はそこに届かないかもしれないわよ?」
冗談めかして苦笑混じりに言うウェパルに、一二三は納刀しながら唇をペロリと舐めた。
「それは吉報。つまり、もっと殺せばお前が王になれるという事だな」
「......はあ。どうしてそこまでして私を王位に就かせようとするのよ」
「お前は、俺が気に入った奴に似ている」
一二三の言葉に、ウェパルは眉を顰めた。
「妬けるわね。私に似ているなんて、いい女じゃない」
「そうだな。そいつは人間の国の王女......今は女王か。そいつもお前と同じように、周りの誰かを守るために必死で頑張っている。俺にはできないことだな」
だから、と一二三は刀の柄頭を指先で叩いた。
「戦え。下手くそなりに工夫して、互いに懸命に戦って互いの大切なものを壊して、そこからさらに立ち上がって見せろ。それでお前たちの世界はとても良いものになるぞ」
「結果が出るまで理解なぞされてたまるものか。誰も彼もが俺と同じ考えなら、きっと世の中はとてもつまらないものになる」
さて、と一二三はウェパルに近づき、その目の前に立った。
「さて、覚悟はできたか?」
「......わかった。そうするまで貴方は魔人族領から出て行かないでしょうし、いつかは誰かがやらないといけない事だしね。どうせなら、事情を知っている私がやった方が、犠牲は減らせるわ」
「そうだな。そうだといいな。というわけで、俺を追い出すためにもうひと働きしてもらおうか」
王が人間に殺されたという知らせは、意図的に有力な魔人族にだけ即座に伝えられた。
城内にいた者も自宅へ戻っていた者も、慌てて近しい部下をつれて町の出入り口へと走った。
「王を弑した不届き者が街中を逃げ回っているが、いずれ町の外へと逃げ出すだろう」
という内容の情報が入っているのだ。
王には子が居ない。大罪人を始末したという実績があれば、血統を重要視しない魔人族の中であれば、王になる可能性がゼロではない。
特に、今の時点である程度の派閥を形成している者たちにしてみれば、王の死は悲しむよりも最大の機会としか写っていなかった。
だが、彼らは冷静なつもりでそうではなかった。何故なら、王を倒せる程の人間がいるのか、いたとしてその人間に勝てるのか、という事に思考が向かなかったからだ。
そして、彼らが疑問に思うべきだった点がある。
「なぜ、このような重要な情報が、こんな明け方に届いたのでしょうか」
王の死。しかも殺されたとなれば、公表どころか如何にして隠蔽するか、別の死因をどのように取り繕うかに終始するのが当然のはずだ、とある魔人族が主人である貴族に進言した。
だが、その意見はいとも容易く握りつぶされる。
「今回の連絡はウェパルからの物だった。署名もあったから間違いは無いだろう。あれも所詮は女だからな。突然の事態で混乱しておるのだろう」
「ですが、混乱しているならわざわざ署名した書面を届けさせるなどするでしょうか......」
「いい加減にしろ。うじうじと悩むことに時間を使って、王の座を逃すつもりか。とにかく今は下手人を我々で捕縛なり殺害するなりする事に集中するのだ」
同じような目的の者たちが、開け放たれた門から次々に出て行く。
「下手人を探さねばならぬな。まだそう遠くへは行っていないはずだが......」
それぞれの集団が行き先を決めるのに顔を付き合わせている間に、開いていた大門が突然、大きな音を立てて閉ざされた。
ガゴン、とかんぬきがかけられた音も聞こえる。
「待て! 何故門を閉めるのか!」
「敵は外に出たのだ! 今更閉めるとは何を考えている!」
文字通り締め出された者たちが、次々と門に向かって吠えている。
「敵なら、ここにいるぞ」
門の上、いつもなら見張りが立つ場所に、一人の人間が立っている。
「早朝出勤ご苦労。俺がお探しの人間様だ」
ひらりと飛び降りた一二三は、刀の鯉口を切った。
「そしてさようなら、だ」
スラリと抜いた刀に、顔を見せ始めた太陽の光が反射する。
「さあ、旅の仕上げだ。腹いっぱいやり合おうぜ」
Chapter 115: Demon Days
After the battle the other day the slums, which is the beastmen part of Swordland, mostly regained their stability.
Without any particular problems occurring even when a considerable number of humans influxed, it increased the exchange between the races, albeit slowly. Since people can't survive if they don't eat, bartering and business transactions develop into agreements.
Those like the carpenters, who interacted with the beastmen from the start, and also the humans, who were vigilant towards the beastmen in the beginning, got naturally used to them.
"Reni!" (Helen)
One day Helen rushed like a storm towards the location of Reni who was dozing off after lunch.
"Uhyaa!" (Reni)
Jumping up to her feet due to the loud voice, Reni falls over backwards, alongside the chair, having been overenthusiastic.
Sitting down on the floor after making one revolution, she wiped off the dust on her loose hair with a *pon pon*.
"Oouuch... What's wrong that you are in such a hurry?" (Reni)
"T-The elves came!" (Helen)
"Elves?" (Reni)
Helen drops her fist on the head of Reni who's still half-asleep.
"Did you snap out of it? A group of elves has arrived at the entrance to the city." (Helen)
"If that's the case, how about we have them stay at the recently completed building for the time being?" (Reni)
Once Reni replied while rubbing her head and eyes, Helen shook her head.
"It's not the slums' entrance but the city's! It looks like they have been confronted by the humans at the city's entrance! Gengu-san is gathering everyone to prepare for battle, but he wants us to decide what we will do, Reni." (Helen)
"What we will do, you say..." (Reni)
Reni is astonished because Helen grasps her shoulders and shakes them, but Helen, whose body is trembling, doesn't have any composure.
"Shall we drive away the humans and receive the elves, do we ignore them for the sake of safety or shall we join up with the humans and drive away the elves?" (Helen)
"Yee~a... There's that as well, but it will become problematic if the humans and elf-san's get along well and become our enemies, right?" (Reni)
"Ah..." (Helen)
Helen, who for some reason considered it to be natural for humans and elves to be antagonistic towards each other, dropped her rabbit ears and had her face flush bright red due to Reni pointing it out.
"For the time being, let's have a look. Hifumi-san also said to judge after hearing and seeing what kind of person the other party is." (Reni)
"Won't we get attacked by both sides if we turn up there just like that?" (Helen)
"I see... ah!" (Reni)
Helen hides her anxiety after seeing Reni smiling broadly who has been struck with some kind of idea.
"What are you planning?" (Helen)
"Let's try imitating what Hifumi-san did." (Reni)
(That definitely won't be anything decent, will it?) (Helen)
While Helen is hesitating whether she should stop her, Reni rushed out of the house.
"Hello~" (Reni)
The elves and the group of the 3 beastmen around Malfas have assembled on the wastelands' side. And the human soldiers have lined up at the city's entrance with their swords prepared.magic
Since it's not like they want to wage a war at all, they simply continue the stand-off without setting up an encampment and without either side sending a messenger in a partially strained atmosphere. Suddenly the voice of Reni, who appeared, resounded.
Reni, who came out of the hole that connects the slums with the outside and which hadn't been blocked in the end, took along several beastmen like Helen and Gengu and casually walked over in a trot while carrying a large basket in both hands.
The human soldiers put themselves on guard and show nervousness due to the appearance of the beastmen, but ignoring that, Reni approaches the elven group defencelessly.
"Oh my! Isn't that a lovely sheepgirl-san?" (Zanga)
Zanga, who was at the head of the elves, calmed down the elves who were showing signs of tension when she saw that figure coming closer and welcomed her with a friendly smile.
"Hello, sheepgirl-san. Oh, something smells nice." (Zanga)
"It's refreshments. How about tasting it?" (Reni)
Muffin-sized baked sweets were carelessly put all over into the basket held by Reni. Especially the children of the elves are getting fidgety with the faintly appetising aroma drifting around.
Even Reni, who is holding the basket, has a bit drool leaking from her mouth.
"Well, then let's enjoy it without holding back." (Zanga)
Once Zanga picked up the backed sweets which was placed topmost, she bit a mouthful off it without hesitation. Chewing it in her mouth while being moved to tears, a refreshing sweetness spreads out.
"That's indeed delicious. It's been several decades since I last ate such delicious and tasty sweets, I think. Hey! Although you brought it to us at great pains, it's no good if you make such a face, sheep-san. Do you want to eat together with us?" (Zanga)
"Yes. Thank you." (Reni)
"Ah, I will take some as well!" (Helen)
Once Helen, who stretched out her hand unable to control herself, grasped the biggest sweets, Reni put down the basket and started to eat as well.
"Is it alright for me to join as well?" (Zanga)
"Yea. Everyone, please eat as there are plenty!" (Reni)
Even the elves, who observed the situation while being cautious, stretch out their hands into the basket one after the other after being relieved seeing Zanga's state.
Though sugar was rare and couldn't be obtained in Swordland, the healthy ones among the beastmen were able to gather fruits in the wastelands. The female beastmen group, which heard about a simple sweets recipe from Hifumi, created a paste similar to jam, which doesn't use sugar, and learned to use fruits instead of sugar by mixing the paste into batter made out of flour.
The elves were able to eat fruits in the elven forest as well, but they haven't been able to often encounter such elaborately baked sweets.
Smiles spread among the elves who ate the baked sweets.
"It's delicious." (Malfas)
"Yea. It's tasty." (Riedel)
Malfas, Riedel and also the beastgirl called Olra are stuffing their cheeks with baked sweets and are smiling.
Being treated with tea the other beastmen brought as well, a tea party began in the wastelands in the blink of an eye.
"Hey, delicious sweets will make everyone smile and it becomes possible to get along with each other. Just like Hifumi-san did." (Reni)
"Well, that's true I guess." (Helen)
"Oh, sheep-san knows Hifumi-san as well?" (Zanga)
"Is he an acquaintance of you, too, elf-obaachan? We were taught various things by Hifumi-san and created a city for beastmen and humans." (Reni)
"Reni-san brings together the beastmen, who were oppressed like me, and is presently acting as representative of the city. Helen-san over there also assists in mediating between humans and us beastmen as assistant representative." (Gengu)
"The humans, who are gathered in front of the gate, look like they hate beastmen although it's regretful... But, there are plenty of human-san's in our city who are good friends with beastmen." (Reni)
"I see, I see." (Zanga)
"Although you are young, you have it difficult", Zanga nodded several times over, but once she finished to eat baked sweets, she called over Malfas' group.
"The city you were looking for was the one here. How nice, eh? If it's sheep-san's city, you will definitely be able to live there safely. By chance your father might be there as well." (Zanga)
Zanga roughly stroke Malfas' head with her bony fingers.
"Huh? The elves won't come in?" (Reni)
"Oh, does the city of sheep-san accept elves as well?" (Zanga)
Reni hit her chest with a thump.
"We want to create a city where any kind of person can live happily. Although our fellow beastmen in the wastelands are still continuing to be hostile towards us, our city is something great where everyone's cooperating. In the beginning we received various help from Hifumi-san, but... even so, we want to live by relying on our own strength from now on." (Reni)
"I see. It might be fun to help with that too." (Zanga)
"Puuse-onee-chan, let's go together! Puuse-onee-chan's magic is amazing. She heals wounds in the blink of an eye!" (Riedel)
Riedel has remains of the sweets smeared around her mouth as she is eating one baked sweets after the other, but pulling Puuse's hand, she talks about Puuse's magic in excitement.
"Wounds are gone in the blink of an eye!? That's amazing!" (Gengu)
Once Gengu pushed forth his face in agitation due to the remark about magic he had never seen before, Puuse unintentionally leaked a small scream.
"I-I'm sorry." (Gengu)
"You have a scary face." (Helen)
"How cruel! I was born with this face." (Gengu)
Puuse encouraged Gengu, who dropped his shoulder being heartbroken after having been told that flatly by Helen, while smiling wryly.
"Everyone, let's get along, okay? Moreover, the city Hifumi-san helped out with. I'm slightly curious." (Zanga)
Upon Zanga's decision, all of the elves decided to live in the slums.
Just when they suddenly started a tea party, the elves headed to the slums. The humans, who were watching them from the city's entrance, couldn't do anything but see them off without understanding what had happened.
"You did it quite flashily." (Vepar)
Vepar, who was finally able to calm down the castle, ordered her own subordinates to clean up the area around the castle gate and turned up at the hall.
A mountain of debris and corpses being scattered around. Seeing her two subordinates trembling, she made a brief comment with a sigh mixed in.
"It wasn't me who made the ceiling fall. How rude." (Hifumi)
"Everything else was you though, right? If you compare the matter of having killed the king with the issues of the ceiling having collapsed, the latter is in the range of being trifle." (Vepar)
"It's great. With this you can become the ruler. The ruler of the demon race." (Hifumi)
Hifumi drew back the katana which was aimed at Njal.
Pheres rushes over as Njal, whose thread of tension was cut, collapses weakly.
"Might be... so. However, there are plenty others who strongly desire to climb in rank. I might not reach it, you know?" (Vepar)
Due to Vepar saying it jokingly with a bitter smile mixed in, Hifumi licked his lips while sheathing his katana into its scabbard.
"That's good news. In other words, that means you will become king if I kill even more." (Hifumi)
"... Haa. Why do you want me to ascend the throne to such an extent?" (Vepar)
"You are similar to a fellow I like." (Hifumi)
Vepar raised her eyebrows due to Hifumi's words.
"I'm jealous. Someone resembling me won't be a good woman." (Vepar)
"That's true. That person is the princes of a human country... now she is the queen, huh? Just like you, that person has frantically done her very best to protect the people in her surroundings. That's something I'm unable to do." (Hifumi)
"Therefore", Hifumi hit the pommel of the katana with his finger.
"Fight. Show me how you can rise even further from here on by destroying each other's important things, by risking your lives to fight with each other and by scheming in a clumsy way. By doing that you guys' world will become something very nice." (Hifumi)
"Can you endure waiting to understand why until results appear? If everyone thinks like me, this world will definitely become something absolutely boring." (Hifumi)
"Well then", Hifumi closed in on Vepar and stood in front of her.
"Were you able to resolve yourself?" (Hifumi)
"... Got it. I will do so until you leave the territory of the demons. It's something someone has to do sooner or later anyway. Might as well be me who knows the the circumstances. That will decrease the sacrifices." (Vepar)
"That's right. It's good like this. Having said that, let's have the people work a bit more for the sake of chasing me out." (Hifumi)
The notification that the king had been killed by a human was intentionally conveyed only to the influential demons right away.
The people, who were in the castle, and those, who had returned home, hurried in panic to the entrance of the city leading their close subordinates.
"The scoundrel, who killed the king, is running around all over the city, but he will likely escape outside the city sooner or later."
That's the contents of the information.
The king has no children. If they get the achievement of having gotten rid of the sinner, the possibility of them becoming king isn't zero even if their pedigree isn't regarded highly amongst the demons.
Especially considering the people who are forming factions in the current occasion, rather than mourning over the king's death, they saw it as nothing but their biggest chance.
However, although they intended to be calm, they weren't. That's because there's a human at the level of being able to defeat the king or are they able to win against that human as they are? They didn't turn their thinking in that direction.
And there is a point they should consider in doubt.
"Why was such important information delivered at dawn like this?"
A king's death. Moreover if he was killed. Far from announcing it officially, it should be obvious to gloss it over with a different cause of death or to conceal it in any way from the beginning to the end. A certain demon proposed to a noble who is his lord.
However, that opinion has been easily shelved.
"This time's message was from Vepar. There's probably no mistake as it has her signature, too. That person is after all just a woman. She is likely confused by the sudden turn of events."
"But, will she do something like expressly sending a signed letter if she's confused...?"
"Cut it out! Using the time for something like worrying in hesitation, do you intend to let the king's seat get away? Anyway, for now we will concentrate on arresting the criminal or killing them."
The people with the same objective leave through the open gate one after the other.
"Search for the criminal. He shouldn't have been able to escape very far yet..."
During the time each group meets up and decides their destination, the opened, large front gate suddenly closed with a loud sound.
Even the sound of *don* signalling the affixing of the bolt can be heard.
"Wait! Why have you closed the gate!?"
"The enemy went outside! What are you thinking to close it this late in the game!?"
The people, who were literally shut out, roar towards the gate one after the other.
"If it's the enemy, he's here." (Hifumi)
On top of the gate, where the guards are usually patrolling, a single human is standing.
"Thanks for going to work early in the morning. I seem to be the human you are looking for." (Hifumi)
Jumping down nimbly, Hifumi opened the mouth of the katana's sheath.
"And, goodbye." (Hifumi)
The sunlight, which started to make its appearance, is reflected by the smoothly drawn katana.
"Now then, it's the end of your journey. Let's compete with each other to our hearts' content." (Hifumi)
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