戦闘準備完了
「新・装・備! 新・装・備ぃ! うおおおおおおおおおお!」
「ユーミル、うっさい! 周りの迷惑だから静かに!」
新しい鎧と剣を身に着けて、厩舎で忙しなくユーミルが動き回る。
動く度にカシャンカシャンと金属音が鳴って、騒々しいことこの上ない。
近くに居たラクダが迷惑そうな顔で口をモゴモゴと動かした。
騎士の素防御力故か、鎧を装備していてもユーミルの動きは軽快だ。
これなら以前と比べてそれほど機動力が落ちるということもなさそう。
一通りの装備を完成させた俺達は、リィズが調べた経験値が高いモンスターの生息地に向かってラクダで移動中を開始することにした。
もちろんパーティの方が効率が良いので、セレーネさんにもお願いして来てもらった。
イベントの残り時間を考え、今日の内に全員でレベル40を目指すことになっている。
王都の厩舎番に話し掛けて預けていたラクダを出してもらい、各々で乗り込む。
街を出ると、もはや見慣れた砂漠の景色が地平線までひたすらに続く。
新装備で上機嫌のユーミルの背を見ながら、俺はセレーネさんの方にラクダを寄せた。
「それにしても、どうしてゲームの女性用鎧はヘルメットが無い場合が多いんでしょう? ユーミルのもそうですよね?」
「私も最初はヘルメットを作ろうと思ったんだけどね。ユーミルさん折角のロングヘアなんだし、銀髪を靡かせながら戦った方が格好いいかなって」
確かに、プレートアーマーのヘルメットだと顔も見えなくなるし、髪も纏めてメットに収まるようにするのが普通だろうしなあ。
それを勿体ないというのも頷ける話だ。
「あー、そういう理由でしたか。だったら分かります。見た目は大事ですよね」
「分かるんですか......?」
リィズは懐疑的だが、現実での戦いではなくこれはゲームである。
実用性より見た目を大事にするのも、個人的には大いにありだと思うわけで。
現に俺だって、あんな魔導書を作ったばかりなわけだし。
メットを装備すると視界が悪くなるというデメリットも、一応は存在する訳だしな。
頭は急所なので、着けない場合に比べたら些細なデメリットでしかないが。
だったら頭部は気合で守れ! ということで、良いんじゃないかな?
俺が理解を示すと、セレーネさんは何かを思い返すようにしながら話を続ける。
「他のゲームでも元は同じ様な理由じゃないかな。ヒロインが終始全身鎧で、素顔が全く見えなかったら――」
「大多数の人はガッカリしますね。確かに可愛いキャラなら、顔が見えていた方が嬉しいです」
そういう昔からの流れで女性は兜を着けない場合が多い、と言われれば納得だ。
本当のところはどうなのか、俺にはちょっと分からないが。
「逆に中盤終盤まで一切素顔を見せずに、ミステリアスな雰囲気を演出する場合もあるよね」
「それは途中で仲間になったり、実は正体が主要メンバーの身内だったりのパターンですか? そういうのは女性に限りませんが」
「お二人とも、段々と元の話題からズレてきてはいませんか......?」
リィズが言う通り、これはストーリーがあるゲームなどでの話だ。
もはやオンラインゲームの女性用鎧がどうこうという話題からは脱線してしまっている。
起源を探るという意味ではそれほど離れていないんだけど。
と、そこで先頭を進んでいたユーミルがトコトコとラクダを戻してきて、俺に向かって一言。
「お前の父はわしだ」
「嘘だああああ!」
「ちょっと待って。その台詞を言う時って、別に素顔は
「もう何が何やら......はあ......」
その時点で完全にゲームと関係ない話へと移行。
しかもユーミルに乗せられてつい反射的に叫んじまった......恥ずかしい。
俺達は雑談を続けながら、そのままヤービルガ砂漠を目指して東へ。
途上にマイヤの街があるが、今回は経由せずに進んで行く。
暫く移動を続けてヤービルガ砂漠に入ると、ユーミルが落ち着かない様子で周囲を見回した。
「まだ着かないのか? 私は早く新しい装備を試したいぞー!」
そんなユーミルの防具は『極上のデザートアロイアーマー+7』で、完成時には+10では無かったことをセレーネさんが非常に悔しがっていた。
それでも、鍛冶の難易度を考えると物凄い性能をしている。
ユーミルはその出来栄えに非常に喜び、セレーネさんに何度も感謝していた。
数値的には以前の革鎧の倍以上の防御力となっている。
鎧は採取したレアメタル『コバルト』と『クロム』をふんだんに使った特別製で、合金にするためにかなり高温まで炉を熱していた。
それとセレーネさんは鉄以外にも何かを混ぜていたのだが、残念ながら秘密にされてしまった。
そんな訳で配合比率及びその他の材料は全て彼女にお任せしたので、俺にはその合金を何と呼んでいいのか分からない。
ちなみにリィズの物を除く三人分の「武器」も、鎧と同じ合金成分で既に作製済みである。
名前は全てシンプルに『デザートアロイ』シリーズとして統一することにした。
当然ながら、セレーネさんが合金を独自配合したので全てアレンジ装備である。
「我慢してください。場所はもっと北へ進んだ位置ですから」
「リィズ、随分と広範囲を探索したんだな。危なくなかったか?」
「大丈夫でしたよ。ちょうど見えてきたそこのピラミッドは、中の敵がレベル50だったので直ぐに引き返しましたけど」
リィズが示した先には三角錐の建物が鎮座している。
本当にあったんだ、ピラミッド......砂塵で見えなかった。
直前までその存在に気付かなかった俺とユーミルは、それを見上げて暫し呆然としてしまった。
唯一セレーネさんはリィズが示す前に気付いていたようで、いち早くこう切り返した。
「よく一人で中に入れたねえ......私だったら怖くて無理だよ」
「モンスターのレベルを確認しただけですから。倒せそうなら倒しましたが」
我が妹は非情に豪胆であらせられる。
しかしモンスターのレベルが50だと、次のレベルキャップ開放を待たないとピラミッドの探索は難しいな。
涼しい顔をしたリィズは「ピラミッドの傍を通ったらもう直ぐです」と更に北を指差して先頭を進んだ。
そこは不思議な場所だった。
サラサラと特に粒子の細かい砂の上を、呑気に野生のラクダが何頭も歩き回っている。
その光景に何か言い知れない違和感があったので、俺は目を凝らして良く見ようとした。
それをよそに、ユーミルが無警戒にそのラクダ達に近付こうとする。
「待って。止まりなさい」
「ふおっ!?」
見事な足払いを受けてユーミルが綺麗に転倒した。
今は全員がラクダを降りており、俺達が乗ってきたラクダはやや後方に固めて待機させてある。
抗議の声を上げるユーミルを無視して、リィズはインベントリから石を取り出すとラクダに向かって投擲した。
「な、何をしているの? リィズちゃん」
「そうだそうだ! ただの動物虐待ではないか!」
「黙って見ていて下さい。今に分かります」
そのままポイポイと二、三個の石が野生のラクダが居る付近に落下すると......突如、その真下の砂がザラザラと動いて――。
そいつはリィズが投げた石を砂ごと飲み込んで、再び砂の中に潜っていく。
野生のラクダだと思った物体はその魚に額辺りに繋がっていて、動きに合わせてプラプラと頼りなく揺れていた。
俺達三人はその光景に開いた口が塞がらない。
「ミミックリーアングラーという魔物だそうです。チョウチンアンコウに似ていて、提灯部分を他の生き物に擬態させて餌を誘き寄せるようですね」
言われてから見直すと、周辺を歩くラクダ達の動きはどこか不自然で......。
Chapter 69 - Combat Preparations Completed
[New gear! New gear! Uoooooooooooooooo!!]  (Yumir)
[Yumir, you are being noisy! You are bothering the other people so stay quiet!]  (Hind)
Having equipped her new sword and armor, Yumir was moving restlessly around the stable.
Each time she moved a metallic sound resounded, there was nothing noisier than this.
The camels that were close were moving their mouths while looking really annoyed.
It might be because of knight's base defense, Yumir's movements were light even while wearing the armor.
If it's like this, it doesn't seem like her agility will fall down much compared to how it was before.
Having completed our equipment more or less, we started moving to the habitat of the monsters Riizu found that gave a high amount of experience while riding on the camels.
Of course, doing it as a party is more efficient so we asked Selene-san to come.
Thinking about the remaining time left on the event, we are aiming to have everyone reach level 40 by the end of the day.
We asked the guard in the stable of the royal capital for the camels we left in their care and each one of us got on top of our camels.
Once we left town, we just headed towards the horizon from the scenery of the desert we had already grown accustomed to.
While looking at Yumir, who was in a good mood because of the new gear, I approached Selene-san's camel.
[Be that as it may, why are the cases where the female armor don't have a helmet so many? The one Yumir is using is the same right?]  (Hind)
[I also thought about making a helmet at the start. But since Yumir-san has long hair, I thought she would be cooler if she fought with her silver hair fluttering around.]  (Selene)
True enough, if it was a plate armor helmet you wouldn't be able to see her face, and usually you'd have to fit the hair into the helmet.
I agreed that it would be a waste.
[Ah, so it was because of that reason. In that case, I understand. Looks are important.]  (Hind)
[You understand...?]  (Riizu)
Riizu expressed her doubts, but this wasn't a real life battle but a game.
Looks are more important than practicality, personal tastes take a big part in it.
Even the me right now, had just made that kind of grimoire.
There is also the fact that if you equip a helmet your field of view will get worse.
Though since the head is a vital part of the body, it's a trivial demerit compared to when you are not wearing one.
In that case, protect your head with your fighting spirit!! I guess it'd be fine to leave it like that?
Once I showed that I understood what she meant, Selene-san continued talking as if she had remembered something.
[Aren't they using a similar reason for doing it in other games?
[Most people would be disappointed, right? Certainly, if it was a cute character, they'd be happier if they could see her face.]  (Hind)
With that kind of flow, the cases where the females didn't have a helmet on have been many since the old days, if you told me that I'd comprehend it.
Though I don't really know the truth behind it myself.
[On the other hand, there are also cases where they go for a mysterious atmosphere and they don't show their faces until the mid-game or endgame.]  (Selene)
[And they would do things like become a comrade in the middle, or a pattern where the truth is that they are actually a friend of the main party members? Though that doesn't apply only to female characters.]  (Hind)
[Aren't you both straying away from the original topic more and more...?]  (Riizu)
Just as Riizu had said, this only applies to games that have a story.
We have already derailed from the topic of female armour in online games.
Though if we said we were thinking about the origins of it, we weren't that far from the topic.
At that moment, Yumir, who had advanced as the vanguard, went back to us and said this to me.
[I am your father.]  (Yumir)
[That's not true!!]  (Hind)
[Wait a moment. When he said that line in the scene, his face wasn't exposed right? Right?]  (Selene)
[I don't get what's going on anymore...hah...]  (Riizu)
At that point, we completely shifted to a conversation that didn't have anything to do with games.
And I even went along with Yumir and shouted in reaction...so embarrassing.
While continuing with our idle chat, we headed like that towards the east with Yabilga Desert as our objective.
Maija was in the middle of the road, but we didn't go through it this time and kept going forward.
We kept proceeding for a while and entered Yabilga Desert, Yumir looked restless and looked around.
[Are we not there yet? I want to test out the new gear already!]  (Yumir)
Yumir's defensive gear was a {First rate Desert Alloy Armor +7} , when it was completed and it wasn't a +10, Selene-san was quite frustrated.
Even then, thinking about the degree of difficulty of blacksmithing, it had incredible performance.
Yumir was really happy with the result, and thanked Selene-san repeatedly.
In terms of numbers, compared to the previous leather armor, its defense values were more than double.
The armor was specially made by using plenty of the minor metals {Cobalt}  and {Chromium}  that we had gathered, in order to make the alloy we had to heat up the furnace to pretty high temperatures.
Other than that, Selene-san mixed in something else other than iron, but sadly she kept that a secret.
That being the case, I left the ratios and the rest of the materials up to her, so I didn't know what to call that alloy.
By the way, leaving Riizu aside, our [Weapons]  were already finished by using the same alloy.
In terms of name, they were all unified in a simple {Desert Alloy}  series.
Naturally, since they all used the unique alloy Selene-san made so they were all arranged gear.
[Please, have patience. The place is further to the north.]  (Riizu)
[Riizu, you sure searched through quite the extensive range. Was it dangerous?]  (Hind)
[It was fine. Though I turned back right after I saw the monsters inside the pyramid we can now see over there being level 50.]  (Riizu)
As Riizu pointed out, before us stood a pyramid.
So there really were pyramids...I couldn't see it because of the sandstorm.
Yumir and me, who haven't noticed its existence until a moment ago, looked up to it and stood there dumbfounded for a while.
Selene-san was the only one that noticed before Riizu pointed it out, so she replied like this instantly.
[You sure did well to go in alone...if it was me, I would have been impossible because I'd be scared.]  (Selene)
[I only checked the monsters' levels after all. Though I did defeat whatever I thought I could defeat.]  (Riizu)
My sister is quite cold-hearted and bold.
However, if the monsters are level 50, if we don't wait for the next level cap update, exploring the pyramid will be hard.
Nonchalantly, Riizu said [We'll nearly be there after passing by the pyramid]  and we kept proceeding once she pointed further north.
It was a strange place.
Above the particles of sand, there were many camels walking around carefreely in the wild.
The scenery felt out of place and I didn't know what to say, so I strained my eyes to take a better look.
Without minding that, Yumir carefreely got closer to those camels.
[Wait. Stop right there.]  (Riizu)
[Fuoh!?]  (Yumir)
After receiving a splendid foot sweep, Yumir beautifully fell down.
Right now, we had all got off our camels, our camels were standing by a bit behind us.
Ignoring Yumir who raised a protest, Riizu took out a stone from her inventory and threw it at the camels.
[W-What are you doing, Riizu-chan?]  (Selene)
[Yeah yeah! Isn't that just animal abuse!?]  (Yumir)
[Be quiet and look. You'll know soon enough.]  (Riizu)
Like that, once the second and third stone landed close to the camels...suddenly, the sand below them started rattling and moved-
It gulped down the stones Riizu threw along with sand, and it went under the sand again.
What we thought were camels were tied to the fish's forehead area, and along with its movements, they were shaking.
Our jaws dropped when we saw that happen.
[It's a monster called Mimicry Angler. It looks similar to a football fish, the lantern part mimics other living beings and it lures its food with it.]  (Riizu)
Now that she mentions it, the movements of the camels that were moving around were somehow odd...
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