かくして、遺恨を残さない為に二人は決闘を行う運びとなった。
ヘルシャは火と風系統の魔導士だそうで、前衛職との一対一は厳しいかと思われたが――
「何も問題ありませんわ!」
とのことで決闘を受諾。
決闘はPKとは違い、勝ち負けで受ける影響に関しては現在のところ何もなし。
負けてもデスペナルティは無く、体力全快で決闘開始前の状態に戻されるだけだ。
ただしステータスに勝敗の数が刻まれるので、負けず嫌いはその数字を見てずっと悔しがることになるそうな。
アップデート予告にて闘技場とPvPランクの実装が予定されており、今回は関係ないが、実装後は勝敗によってそのランクが変動するのだそうだ。
他のプレイヤーが干渉できなくなるフィールドが形成され、その中でトビとヘルシャが向かい合う。
「わたくしが勝ったら、今後はきちんとプレイヤーネームで呼んで頂きます!」
「拙者が勝ったら、もう少しワルター殿に優しく接するでござる! お主の態度、
二人とも要求がささやかだね......本当に戦う必要あんの?
ともあれ、戦いの火蓋が切られた訳で。
向き合って双方、武器を取り出す。
俺はワルターの横に並んで戦況を見つめた。
「ヘルシャの武器は
「お嬢様、乗馬鞭なら扱い慣れているからと仰いまして。それで装備可能な武器に鞭がある魔導士をお選びに......」
「ぼ、ボクに聞かれても困りますよぉ」
ボクっ娘というのも世の中には存在するらしいが、平坦な体に化粧っ気の無いこの顔......いや、まさかな。
こんなに可愛いのだし、俺の考え過ぎだろう。
「ほ、ほら見て下さいよ、ハインドさん。現に、ああやって使いこなしていらっしゃいますし......」
「本当だ、堂に入ってる。しかしトビのやつ、鞭の軌道が全っ然読めてないな......食らい過ぎだろう。
空蝉の術は本来なら衣服等を身代わりにする技だが、TBでは一撃だけどんなダメージの攻撃でも肩代わりさせることが出来るスキルだ。
これを使うことで軽戦士は紙防御に保険を掛けながら戦闘可能な訳だが......それが既に無いという事は、劣勢だという何よりの証拠な訳で。
トビの残りHPは半分、武器のリーチを活かして一方的に攻撃しているヘルシャは無傷だ。
「おっと、トビが懐に飛び込んだ。勝負に出たか」
敢えて二刀の内の片方を鞭に絡め取らせ、隙が出来た所に高速の一撃。
トビは勝利を確信したことだろう。
首筋を狙った一撃は、
しかし、一割ほどのHPを残してダメージによる減少が止まる。
トビの驚愕をよそに、ヘルシャは短刀が深々と刺さった片手をだらりと降ろして
「捕まえましたわ......!」
「!!」
無事な手に持っていた鞭を投げ捨て、無詠唱の魔法『ファイアーボール』をトビの腹に向けて接射、接射、接射。
トビの細い体が魔法に合わせて浮き上がる。
「ぬわーーっっ!!」
あえなくトビは跡形もなく焼き尽くされ――こそしなかったものの、煙を上げながら撃沈。
決闘はヘルシャの勝利で終了し、バトルフィールドが解除されるのだった。
「へ? お二人は現実でも主従関係......でござるか?」
トビとヘルシャの頭が冷えたところで、支障の無い範囲でヘルシャとワルターの関係について聞くことに。
それによると、ヘルシャは実際に良い所のお嬢様らしい。
その格好、ロールプレイじゃなかったのか......。
「何やら誤解を生んでしまったようですわね。別段、わたくしとしてはワルターに辛く当たっているつもりはありませんことよ?」
「そ、その、トビさん。お気持ちだけはありがたく......すみませんでした、説明不足で。これもある意味、仕事みたいなものですから......」
「拙者の早合点でござったか......申し訳ない!」
頭を下げるトビに、ヘルシャは良い笑顔になってこう言い放った。
「心から許しを乞うのであれば、地に頭を擦り付けなさい!」
「冗談です。わたくしは心が広いので、特別に許して差し上げます」
「心が広いとか自分で言っちゃうんだ......」
「お嬢様ですから......こういう方なんです。すみません......」
「改めて宜しくお頼み申す、ヘルシャフト殿」
「ええ、よろしくね。トビ」
和解が成立したので、ようやくパーティを組んでダラム山を登ることに。
ダラム山は
その山のクエスト地点を目指して四人で登っていく。
道は多少荒れているものの整備されており、それなりに歩き易くて助かる。
「しかしヘルシャ、気が利くじゃないか。俺のスキルポイント不足は深刻だからな。1でも2でも、増えるだけありがたいよ」
「あんな無茶なスキルを取るからですわ。例の動画、わたくしも見ましてよ?」
「動画とその後の掲示板を見たお嬢様、叫んでいましたからね。これですわ! という感じで。やっとハインドさんへの恩返しが出来ると、喜んで――」
「ワルター、今度余計な事を言うと口を縫い合わせますわよ?」
「も、申し訳ありません......黙ります......」
「と、ところで今回のクエストはどなたから? スキルポイントの書は、NPCが好感度に応じて出す特殊なクエストだけの報酬だと聞いているのでござるが」
それは俺も疑問だった。
各場所の村長や町長が誰でも受けられる汎用的なクエストを常に出しているそうだが、『スキルポイントの書』が絡むものは基本的にレアケースらしい。
俺達の場合は今の所、クラリスさんを護衛した際に受け取った物だけだ。
掲示板でも『スキルポイントの書』の存在自体の真偽が議論になるほどに希少価値が高い。
「今回のクエストは、ヒースローの町長であるコンラッドからのものですわ。密輸品を取引している町役人を突き出したら、冒険者として気に入られましたの」
「不正役人? TBのNPCってそういうあくどい挙動も取るのか。へぇ......」
俺達の行動半径では接触機会が皆無だろうタイプのNPCだ。
そもそも、役人どころかまだ村長にも町長にもまともに会ったことがない。
「それは偶然でござるか? それとも......」
「ヒースローの街には、NPCも住んでいない用途も不明な家屋が一件だけあったんです。それをお嬢様は不審にお思いになられて......」
「張ったのでござるか? まさか一日中?」
「そんな非効率な事はしませんわ。周辺住民であるNPCに聞き込みをして、ゲーム内時間で週に一度、夜の決まった時間に人の気配があることを特定しましたの。その時間に踏み込んでみたところ――」
「いかがわしい物品を取引していたと。俺達と同じゲームをプレイしているとは思えない話だな」
「現実でもゲームでも、ドブネズミの生態にそれほど違いはありませんもの。わたくしの目は誤魔化せませんわ!」
ヘルシャが片手を胸に当ててドヤ顔で静止する。
えなさい! という雰囲気をひしひしと感じたので、俺達三人は揃って乾いた拍手をヘルシャに送った。
すると、益々得意げな顔に。
頭は回るようだけど、この単純な感じ......毎日会っている誰かの姿と重なるような気がするんだが......気のせい?
「で、肝心のクエスト内容は何なんだ? まだ聞いてなかったよな?」
「今回のクエストは......山賊退治ですわ!」
Thus, in order to not leave any grudges behind, both of them decided to have a duel.
Herrschaft seems to be a fire and wind type mage, I thought it would be hard for her to duel a vanguard but...
[There are no problems!]  (Herrschaft)
With that being said, she accepted the duel.
Different from PK'ing, duels have no effect whenever you win or lose.
There's no death penalty even if you lose, you'll just recover your health to full like it was before the duel started.
However, the battle count is carved in your status, so for those that hate to lose, they'd look at that numerical value with bitter eyes.
It was announced that there would be an arena and PvP ranks, it's unrelated to what's going on right now, but it seems that the rank will change depending on your wins and loses once it's implemented.
A circle formed so other players wouldn't be able to get in their way, inside that circle, Tobi and Herrschaft were facing each other.
[If I win, you'll refer to me with my player name from now on!]  (Herrschaft)
[If I win, you'll treat Walter-dono more gently! Your attitude is quite intolerable!]  (Tobi)
Both of their demands are so modest...do they really have to fight?
In any case, there's no choice but for them to fight now.
Both of them took out their weapons.
I looked at the battle next to Walter.
[Herrschaft's weapon is a whip, huh? She's using something unusual]  (Hind)
[Ojou-sama looked it up because she had grown accustomed to the whips used in horse-riding. Thus, she chose mage because they can equip whips...]  (Walter)
[E-Even if you ask me that...]  (Walter)
It seems like there are girls that use boku in the world, but this smooth body and that face without any make up...no, no way, right?
She's this cute after all, I'm just thinking too deeply into it.
[L-Look, Hind-san. She's actually been able to use it like that...]  (Walter)
[You are right, she's going from the front. However, that Tobi, he can't read the trajectory of the whip at all...he's eating lots of hits. His Cicada technique has already vanished]  (Hind)
The Cicada technique would usually be a technique that leaves a substitute with clothes, but in TB it's a technique that lets a substitute take 1 hit for you no matter how high the damage is.
Using this, light warriors have some insurance in battle even with their low defense...losing that already means that...he's currently at a disadvantage.
Tobi's remaining HP is about half, Herrschaft is uninjured by using the reach of her weapon to her advantage.
[Oh, Tobi managed to get in. Guess it's turning into a proper fight now]  (Hind)
By purposefully twining the whip around one of his dual blades, he made a quick strike with that gap.
Tobi is probably confident that he won.
The strike that aimed at her neck made you think that...it would take away all of Herrschaft's HP.
However, the damage stopped at 10% of her HP.
Tobi showed surprise. Herrschaft's hand which was pierced deeply by the tanto languidly fell down and she smiled.
[Got you...!]  (Herrschaft)
[!!]  (Tobi)
She quietly threw away the whip in her other hand and shot the chantless magic [Fire ball]  into his stomach over and over.
Tobi's slender figure rose to the air when it came in contact with the magic.
[Nuwah..!!!]  (Tobi)
Sadly, Tobi was fried leaving no traces behind...well not really, but smoke was coming out of his body.
The duel ended with Herrschaft's victory and the battle field disappeared.
[Eh? Both of you are master and servant in...real life?]  (Tobi)
Once they both cooled their heads, we heard about the relationship between Herrschaft and Walter without any troubles.
Hearing that, it seems like Herrschaft is really a wealthy ojou-sama.
That appearance wasn't role-play, huh...?
[Seems like there's been a misunderstanding, huh? I don't particularly plan to treat Walter badly, you know?]  (Herrschaft)
[E-Eh, Tobi-san. I appreciate your feelings...I apologize, I didn't explain properly. This is in some way, a job for me...]  (Walter)
[So it was just me jumping into conclusions, huh?...I'm sorry!]  (Tobi)
Towards Tobi, who had his head lowered, Herrschaft showed a splendid smile and said this.
[If you beg for forgiveness from the bottom of your heart, you should lie down with your head touching the ground!]  (Herrschaft)
[I'm joking. I have a big heart, I'll forgive you as a special case]  (Herrschaft)
[She's saying that she has a big heart herself...]  (Hind)
[She's ojou-sama after all...she's that type of person. I'm sorry about that...]  (Walter)
[Let me say it again, I'm counting on you, Herrschaft-dono]  (Tobi)
[Yes, best regards, Tobi]  (Herrschaft)
Since they have reconciled, the party finally started climbing the Dram mountain.
Dram mountain is what's called a mine site, cabins are scattered throughout the place.
We climbed with the quest site as our goal.
The path was quite rough but well maintained, it's nice that it's easy to walk here.
[However, Herrschaft, you are quite considerate. I'm in dire need of skill points. I'm glad that I can increase them by even 1 or 2 points]  (Hind)
[It's because you took such an unreasonable skill. I saw that video too you know?]  (Herrschaft)
[After watching that video and the BBS, ojou-sama shouted this. This is it! like that. That she would finally be able to repay Hind-san and she happily...]  (Walter)
[Walter, if you say too much, I'll sew your mouth you know?]  (Herrschaft)
[I-I'm very sorry...I'll keep quiet...]  (Walter)
[B-By the way, who did you get this quest from? I heard a skill point book was a reward for a quest that NPC's you had high likability gave?]  (Tobi)
I was asking myself the same question.
The mayors in each place do give generic quests that anyone can take, but quest that give a [Skill point book]  are a rare case.
In our case, it was only that quest where we had to escort Claris-san.
Even in the BBS [Skill point books]  are so rare that people even doubt that they really exist.
[The quest this time is from Conrad, the mayor of Heathrow town. He took an interest in us as adventurers when we handed smuggling officials to them]  (Herrschaft)
[Corrupted officials? So the NPCs in TB even do that kind of actions. Eh...]  (Hind)
They the type of NPCs we wouldn't get to meet because of the way we play.
To begin with, let alone government officials, we haven't even met the mayors yet.
[Was that by chance? Or...]  (Tobi)
[There was a house in Heathrow town where no NPCs lived and its use was unclear. Ojou-sama found that strange and...]  (Walter)
[Kept watch on it? Don't tell me, throughout the whole day?]  (Tobi)
[I didn't do something that inefficient. I gathered information from the NPCs around that area, for about a week inside the game, and settled it at night when I felt the presence of people inside. When I went in at that time-]  (Herrschaft)
[They were dealing with suspicious goods. It's something that we wouldn't be able to imagine when we are playing the same game]  (Hind)
[Be it in real life or games, the evil-doers ecology doesn't change that much. They can't deceive these eyes of mine!]  (Herrschaft)
Herrschaft hit her chest with one hand and stood still with a triumphant look.
Praise me! I felt that kind of mood in the air, the three of us started to clap.
When we did so, she started to look more proud of herself.
This is going through my head though, this straightforward impression...doesn't it remind me of someone I meet every day...? Is it just me?
[So, what's the goal of this quest? We haven't heard yet right?]  (Hind)
[The quest this time is...bandit extermination!]  (Herrschaft)
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都