38.Sunday Morning 【スラム清掃活動(本番)】
爽やかな朝の日差しに包まれて、薄汚れた一団が手持ち無沙汰に屯していた。ビフロンの呼びかけに応じてスラムから出てきた者たちだ。
スラムの中では実力が認められていたビフロンの呼びかけと、証拠として晒されたトルケマダの死体の効果は上々で、150人弱がゴミ通りを通ってスラムから街へ出てきている。男も多いが、女子供はほぼ全員が出てきていた。領主に逆らえる力も意思も持っていないのだ。
徹夜でスラムを駆け回ったビフロンと仲間たちは疲労困憊だったが、これから先どうなるのかを考えると、緊張で眠気を感じることもできない。
「おはようございまーす!」
ざわざわと不安げに話し合っているところへ、快活な挨拶が飛んできた。
ビフロンが見ると、少女が手を振りながらにこにこと歩いてくる。その後ろには如何にも役人という格好の男女や、数名の兵士がついてきている。
「おじさんたちが、スラムから出る人たちだね?」
「あ、ああ」
「僕はこの街の軍務長官のアリッサだよ。一二三さんから言われて、おじさんたちの受け入れをするから、男の人はこっち、女の人はこっち、子供がいるお母さんは子供と一緒にこっちね」
担当であるカイムやオリガを指差してさっさと話を進めようとすると、ビフロンの後ろから男が進み出てきた。
「お前みたいなちびガキに指図されるなんざ冗談にしても笑えねぇよ! 俺らがスラムの人間だからって、ナメんじゃねーぞ!」
一二三がトルケマダを殺したときにも、最初に声を上げて激高した男だ。
「えっ、でも......」
「ビフロンさんの顔に免じて、大人しく出てきてやったけどな。ガキの遊びに付き合わされるいわれはねぇぞ!」
詰め寄られ、アリッサがおどおどと後ろを見ると、腕を組み仁王立ちのオリガが頷いているのが目に入った。
「うぅ......えい!」
オリガの視線の圧力に、意を決したアリッサが振り抜いたのは、飛び口というピッケルのような形の道具だ。
目を瞑って振り抜いた割には、飛び口の尖った先端は的確に脳天の中央に突き刺さった。
「このように」
オリガがアリッサに並び立ち、怯える住民たちにゆっくり語る。
「私たちの主である一二三様の意向に逆らう者は処分します。余計なお荷物を抱えるつもりはありませんから、そのつもりで。わかったらさっさと言われた通りに動きなさい」
有無を言わなさぬ雰囲気で、ビフロンすらも黙って男性が集められた場所へと向かった。
「アリッサ、良くやりました。ああいう輩の話など聞いてあげる必要はありません」
「本当に良かったのかな......」
未だに自信が持てない様子のアリッサに、オリガは優しく微笑みかける。
「自信を持つのです。一二三様の敵を一人、始末できたのですから」
「そ、そうだよね!」
和気あいあいとした空気を醸し出しているが、集まる視線は畏怖を含んでいる。
そこに、今更一二三がのんきに歩いてきた。
「お、もう話が進んでるな」
「遅いですわよ、領主様」
アリッサについて来ていたミュカレが言うと、一二三は大きなあくびをする。
「昨夜プルフラスと話してたら盛り上がって遅くなってな。寝坊くらいでそんなに睨むなよ」
「一二三様、こちらは私どもにお任せ下さい」
「ああ、任せた。それじゃ、俺は残りを片付けるから、アリッサ、後始末の人手を夕方くらいに寄越してくれ」
「わかった!」
あれが領主様かと、口々に話し合うスラム住民たちだが、アリッサが手を叩いて注目を集めて改めて指示すると、そそくさと残った全員が移動した。
「オリガ、予定通り男連中はプルフラスの手伝い。女連中は職員の手伝い。子供たちはお前が教育な」
「かしこまりました。一二三様もお気を付けて」
上品にお辞儀をするオリガに軽く手を振って、一二三はスラムへの道を進んで行った。
「一二三さん、プルフラスさんと何を話してたんだろうね?」
「新しい武器と戦争の道具のお話よ」
アリッサがポツリと呟いた質問にオリガは即答した。
朝一から一緒に行動しているのに、なぜ知っているのか疑問に思ったアリッサだったが、嫌な予感がしてそれ以上は突っ込んで聞くのはやめた。
オリガが何故か知っていた通り、一二三の闇魔法収納には、新調したいくつかの武器が放り込まれていた。
ゴミの道を抜けながら取り出したのもその一つだった。
三尺程度ある鉄製の棒を三本、鎖で繋いだいわゆる『三節棍』だ。一本の棒になるギミックを付ける案も検討したが、同様に仕掛けがある契り木があっさり壊れたのが悲しかったので、今回はシンプルに作ってもらった。殺傷力を上げるために金属製にして両端を尖らせている。
鼻息混じりにスラムに入り、燦々と輝く朝日に目を細めながら、気配を探りつつウロウロとスラムの汚れた道を歩く。
ふと、一件の古い家屋の前で立ちどまり、前蹴り一発でドアを打ち抜いた。
踏み込むと、暗がりに髭面の親爺が寝転がっており、酒の臭いが充満している。
「あ、なんだ?」
酔っているのか寝ぼけているのか、目を瞬かせている親爺の喉に、一二三は三節棍の先端を押し込んだ。
「ぎゅぇっ」
音とも声ともつかないモノが聞こえて、親爺は死んだ。
首の骨に当たったが、棍の先端は潰れていない事を確認した一二三は、満足げに次の家へと向かう。
同じ様に三節棍の使い心地を確認しながら何人かを処分したところで、道に屯する男たちの姿が見えてきた。一二三の姿に気づいた彼らは、徐ろに武器を持って叫び声を上げた。
「お前が俺たちを始末するとか抜かしてるガキかぁ!」
「変な棒切れ振り回して、何様のつもりなんだよ!」
まんま田舎の不良みたいだと思うと、ぷふっと、口から笑いが漏れる。
「領主様だ。憶えなくていいけどな」
人数は8人。
真ん中で最初に声を出した奴に駆け寄った一二三は、ゴルフスイングのように振り回した三節棍を股間に叩き込んだ。
グチャリと何かが潰れて、男はショック死する。
「ひっ......」
隣で目撃した男が悲鳴をあげた。腰が引けて顔が前に出ていたので、手元側の先端を眼球に突き立てた。
そのまま三節棍を手放し、十手を懐から取り出す。十字になったタイプではなく、江戸期の同心が持っていたような、一尺ほどの長さの鉄棒に鈎が付いた形状をしている。丁度いい材料がなかったので、房はついていないのが一二三には残念だった。
右手で順手に持った十手を突きつけて、一番近くにいた奴を威嚇する。
「そ、そんな短い棒で何を......」
言っている間に膝の皿を十手で突き割られ、悲鳴も出せずに倒れこんだところで首を踏み折られた。
横から剣が迫るが、十手で引っ掛けて逸らし、左の拳でハンマーのように胸を打ち据える。
鈍い振動が響き、剣を落とした男は力無く沈んだ。
恐怖で後ずさった奴にはひと飛びで迫って左目に十手を突き刺し、左手で柄を殴りつけて後頭部から飛び出す程に押し込んだ。
「あと3人か」
「ま、待ってくれ! 俺はこんな事には反た......ひぃ!」
怯える男に素手のまま近づいた一二三は、相手の腕を取ってうつ伏せに引き倒し、後頭部を強烈に踏み潰した。
硬い地面で顔面を潰されて動かなくなった男の手を離し、次に取り出したのは愛用の鎖鎌だ。
「ち、畜生!」
「誰が畜生だ」
やぶれかぶれに斬りかかってきた男は、立ち位置をずらしながら足をかけて転ばせ、倒れた男は無視。剣を構えて躊躇しているもう一人にしがみつくように押し倒す。
倒れた瞬間、一二三の体重で鎌が心臓にめり込み、絶命する。
返り血で顔を赤く染めてゆっくり立ち上がる一二三を見て、転ばされた男はもう立ち上がることもできない。
「う、うぁ......」
ゆっくりと近づいた一二三に、血濡れの鎌を喉にあてられても、恐怖ですくむ身体は動かない。
ザッと草を刈るように振り抜くと、最後の一人も死んだ。
「ふむ......」
離した武器を拾いながら、順番に確かめていく。
「あ~、ひん曲がってら」
眼窩を貫いて頭蓋骨を突き抜けた十手は、こびりついた脳漿を懐紙で拭ってよく見てみると、殴った時の衝撃のせいか、ほんの少し“くの字”に曲がってしまっていた。
「やっちまったなぁ......テストのつもりだったし、こういう事もあるか」
使った武器をさっさと拭きあげて収納に放り込んだ一二三は、腹が減ってきたので一度街へ戻って適当な屋台で買い食いをしてからスラムへ戻り、夕方までウロウロと歩きながらさらに30人程を始末した。
ほとんどが跳ねっ返りの若い男たちで、自分の腕に自信があったようだが、誰も彼もが一二三に傷一つ付けることもできなかった。
血を浴びながら殺人散歩を続ける間、壊れてしまった十手以外に、三節棍も何度か試し、基本の刀も八相、突きの基本から、脛斬りや剃り上げなど、まるで普段の稽古メニューのように淡々とこなしていく。
そろそろスラム全域を周り終わるかというところで、強い殺気を感じた一二三は軽やかに一歩だけ横にずれた。
風切り音が通り過ぎて行き、奥のあばら家に矢が刺さった。
振り向くと、こちらに向かって次の矢を構えている男がいる。身長は2mはあろうという巨漢で、大きな弓をギリギリと引き絞っている。
不意打ちが嬉しかった一二三は、笑みをこぼして刀を抜いた。
「お前が最後のようだな。でかい図体をしているが、弓だけが能じゃないだろう?」
男が腰に提げた棍棒を見ての挑発には乗ってこず、二射目が一二三を狙う。
一二三は刀を逆手に持ち、身体を半身に構えて刀の後ろに身体が重なるように構えた。随分前に師匠から教わった、古流剣術の矢に対する構えだ。実戦で使うのは初めてだが。
(当たる範囲を制限して、刀で払って落とすらしいが......)
実際にやってみると中々緊張感があるな、と一二三は意識的に腕の力を緩めた。
ヒュッと音がして、直感で刀を振ると、折れた矢が足元に落ちた。
まさか矢を叩き落とされるとは思わなかったのか、次の矢も取らずに目を見開いている。
その間に距離を詰めた一二三は、逆手に持ったままの刀を股下から刷り上げるように斬りつけたが、男は弓を投げつけながら転がって回避した。
その間に、腰に提げていた1メートル程の木製の棍棒を掴んで油断なく構えるあたり、一二三にとって嬉しい相手だった。
「いいね、いいね。他のボンクラとは違うなぁ」
「......化け物が」
刀をくるりと順手に持ち替え、カラカラと笑う一二三に対し、男は苦い顔をしている。
「俺はとっても努力して鍛えた普通の人だっての」
一二三を知る10人に聞いたら15人が否定しそうな事を
男は無言で棍棒を振り下ろしてくるが、一二三は気負い無くどんどん下がって避けていく。
男が大上段に振りかぶったところで、相手の腹の下に潜り込んだ一二三は、そのまま腰の上に担いで頭から落とした。
鈍い音がしたが、男はそれでもフラフラと起き上がる。
「頑丈な奴だな」
「妙な動きしやがって......」
紅潮した顔で首をゴキゴキと鳴らしながら、男は再び棍棒を構えた。
「弓はまあまあだったけど、棍棒の振り方は単調でつまらないな。それ以外に何かないか?」
肯定するのも嫌だと猛烈な勢いで迫って来るの男に、一二三は飽き始めていた。
そこで、他にもプルフラスに用意させた物があったことを思い出し、収納から取り出したそれを足元に撒く。
「いっ!? ぐぁあ!」
「これは流石に我慢できないか」
「初めて使ったけど、たまにはいいかもな。緊張感は削がれるけど」
撒き散らした鉄菱を拾い集める。
「......回収が面倒くさいなぁ」
拾い集めた鉄菱を闇魔法の収納に放り込んだ時に、ローヌでやったように地面に直接穴を開けて回収すれば良かった事に気づいた一二三は、悲しみを抱いて領主館へと戻った。
こうして、有史以来延々と掃き溜めとなっていたフォカロルの街のスラムは、たった一日で無人となった。
スラムから回収できた労働力を最大限に利用したオリガと5人の奴隷文官によって、フォカロルの街は急速に変化していった。
トロッコのレールはスラムからの労働力によってすでにアロセールまでの往復路線を延伸済みで、人や物を乗せた試験的な運用も始まっている。
街の外壁も増強され、王都側もアロセール側も門を改修し、スカスカの格子だったものから鉄板の門扉に変更された。
スラム出の女たちも、最初は街の住民に冷たい扱いを受けていたが、街の清掃や家庭ごみの収集などに従事させるうちに、概ね受け入れられつつあった。
こういった事業の適当な草案だけ作って文官たちに丸投げしただけの領主一二三は、たまに進捗を確認する程度だったし、アリッサも「よく判らない」の一言で極力政治関係には近寄らず、領軍から手伝いに人数を出すことも減り、ミュカレと共に一二三の指示による戦闘の訓練に忙殺されていた。
自然と、オリガが一二三からの指示を受けて仕事を割り振る形が定着し、住民の中にはオリガを領主の妻と勘違いしたり、領主が女だと思っている者もいる。
一二三自身は、最低限の決済書類にサインをするだけで、基本的には朝の稽古を終わらせて、湯を浴びているかと思うといつの間にか居なくなるというのが日常になっていた。
今日も今日とて、アロセールへ到達したトロッコの試運転という名目で遊びに行き、ついでに街道沿いの魔物退治をしてくると言って、一二三は執務室から姿を消していた。
「今日もご不在ですか」
職員たちの間で“鉄面皮”の悪名高い文官奴隷のカイムは、留守番として一二三の執務室に居たカーシャを見て、無表情のまま呟いた。
「カイムさんか。アタシがこの部屋に来た時に、丁度ご出陣の時間だったよ」
「少し、引き止めてくだされば助かるのですか」
「無茶言わないでよ」
笑ったり泣いたりした事がないんじゃないかという顔で、しばらくカーシャを見ていたカイムは、無言のまま執務室を去った。
入れ替わりに入ってきたのは、オリガだ。
室内がカーシャのみだと気づいたオリガは、そのまま部屋を出ていこうとするが、カーシャが声をかけて引き止めた。
「オリガ、一二三さんに何か用なら、アタシが聞いておくよ」
足を止めたオリガはカーシャを見つめる。その顔はカイムとは違って言いたいことを押さえているように見えた。
「......いいえ。一二三様がお帰りになられてから、直接お伝えするわ」
では、と退室しようとしたオリガは、再び立ち止まった。
「カーシャ、貴女名目だけとはいえ護衛なのだから、少しは訓練をしたらどう? 斥候からの情報から、もうすぐヴィシーとの大規模な戦闘が予想されるのだから、領軍がどう動くのか、アリッサと打ち合わせをして、訓練に参加してきなさい」
言いたいことを一気に吐き出してから、オリガはさっさと出て行く。
「戦闘か......」
カーシャが腰に下げたポーチに、小さな魔法具が入っている。
叩き割ると対になっているもう一つも割れるというシンプルな物だが、かなり高価な緊急用の連絡道具だ。
パジョーからの依頼は、一二三が大怪我なり危機的状況になった時に割って、パジョーに知らせる事になっている。一応、追求された時用に表向きの理由は一二三の危機に駆けつけるためだとしているが、実際は、戦闘時のゴタゴタの中で一二三を暗殺したいという王女とパジョーの意向によるものは明らかだった。
これを使う状況になった時、死ぬのは一二三だけだろうか?
長い時間、カーシャはオリガが出ていったドアを見つめていた。
Chapter 38: Sunday Morning
Wrapped in the refreshing morning sunlight, a huge group of slightly dirty people were restlessly gathered. They were those who listened to Bifron's call and exited the slums.
Listening to Bifron, whose strength was recognized within the slums, and seeing his proof in the form of Torkemada's corpse, a little less than 150 people had gathered and followed the trash-filled street, and exited the slums. Although there were a lot of men as well, almost all the women and kids had come out. They didn't have either the power or the intention to go against the lord.
Bifron and his comrades who had been running around the slums for the whole night, were completely exhausted. But once they thought about what would happen from now on, their tension and sleepiness was blown away.
"Good morning!" (Alyssa)
Amidst the noisy conversations expressing their uneasiness, a loud cheerful greeting was heard.
As he looked over, Bifron could see a young lady walking over, waving her hands. Behind her were many men and women looking like government officials, as well as several soldiers.
"Old man, you and the rest of the people are those who exited the slums, right?" (Alyssa)
"Ah, yes." (Bifron)
"I'm the military director in this city, Alyssa. Hifumi told me that I'll be here to receive you. I want the men over there, the women over there, and the kids, along with their mothers, over there." (Alyssa)
As she was giving instructions to Caim, Origa, and the other responsible people in order to quickly move along, a man stepped out from behind Bifron.
"If this is a joke, listening to a small kid like you, I'm not laughing! Don't make fun of us just because we're from the slums!"
It was the same man who first raised his voice in rage when Hifumi killed Torkemada.
"Eh... But..." (Alyssa)
"Considering Bifron's face, just obediently get out of here. We don't have any reason to get along with some kid's play."
Drawing closer, Alyssa hesitantly looked behind her, and saw Origa give her a nod, as she stood with her arms crossed, with a daunting pose.
"Uhh... There!" (Alyssa)
Under the pressure of Origa's gaze, Alyssa resolved herself and swung the tobiguchi she held in her hand.
Swinging down, with her eyes relatively closed, the pointy end of the tobiguchi accurately pierced the middle of the head.
"Like that." (Alyssa)
Standing aside Alyssa, Origa slowly talked to the frightened citizens.
"The people going against our lord Hifumi's intentions will be dealt with. As we aren't planning on keeping unnecessary baggage, we need to deal with it. If you understand, then quickly move as we told you to." (Origa)
Within the ambiance not expressing either consent or refusal, even Bifron remained silent, while the men went towards their gathering place.
"Alyssa, you did that well. There's no need to listen to what guys like him are saying." (Origa)
"I wonder if that really was a good thing ..." (Alyssa)
Origa gave a kind smile to Alyssa, who still didn't have any self-confidence.
"Have some self-confidence. You just dealt with one of Hifumi's enemies, after all." (Origa)
"T-that's right!" (Alyssa)
They brought about a peaceful atmosphere, but the people around them looked at them with fear in their gazes.
At this point, Hifumi came walking completely relaxed.
"Oh, you've already started talking?" (Hifumi)
"You're slow, Lord." (Myukare)
As Myukare, who came with Alyssa, said that, Hifumi let out a big yawn.
"I was talking with Pruflas last night and we got a bit excited, so it ended up being quite late. Don't glare at me just because I overslept a bit." (Hifumi)
"Hifumi, leave this to us." (Origa)
"Yeah, I'll leave it to you. Well then, I'll be tidying up the rest. Alyssa, send some people to clean up around dusk." (Hifumi)
"Understood!" (Alyssa)
So that's the Lord? The residents from the slum were talking to each other. After Alyssa clapped her hands to get their attention and once again gave them directions, the remaining people quickly began to move.
"Origa, as planned, the men will help Pruflas. The women will help the staff members, and you'll be educating the kids." (Hifumi)
"Understood. You take care as well." (Origa)
Lightly waving his hand towards towards Origa who was doing an elegant bow, Hifumi went towards the road to the slums.
"Hifumi, what exactly did you talk to Pruflas about?" (Alyssa)
"About new weapons and war devices." (Hifumi)
Origa promptly replied to the question Alyssa muttered.
We left together the first thing this morning, so why do you know this? Alyssa thought to herself. But except having a bad feeling about it, she didn't ask anything more.
Just like what Origa for some reason knew, Hifumi had thrown a few new weapons into his dark magic storage.
While walking down the trashy street, he withdrew one of them.
It was three, 90 centimeter long iron rods, connected with chains. A so called three-section staff. Just like the chigiriki, it could be connected to become one long staff. But sadly, the mechanism in the chigiriki had quickly broken, so it was made simpler in this weapon. In order to raise the deadliness of the staff, the metal ends were sharpened.
Breathing through his nose, and squinting his eyes because of the bright sun, Hifumi entered the slums, aimlessly wandering around its dirty streets, searching for any anyone's presence.
Suddenly, he stopped in front of an old house and kicked down the front door.
Stepping inside, he found a bearded old man lying down in the dark. The smell of alcohol filled the air.
"Ah, what's this?"
Whether he was drunk or just half-asleep, the old man's eyes were flickering around before Hifumi thrust the pointy end of his staff into the old man's throat.
"Ghue."
The old man died without making any sound.
Confirming that the staff's pointy end didn't break after hitting the neck bone, Hifumi was satisfied, as he went towards the next house.
As he disposed of a few more people in a similar way, making sure that the staff was easy to use, he saw a group of men gathered on the road. Upon sighting Hifumi, the men raised their weapons and started shouting.
"Did you say you were going to deal with us, brat!?"
"Swinging around that weird stick, who do you think you are!?"
They look just like some countryside delinquents, Hifumi thought, as he let out a chuckle.
"I'm the Lord. It's fine if you don't remember that, though." (Hifumi)
There were 8 of them.
Hifumi rushed over to the guy who spoke first, in the middle. With a swing like he was playing golf, he drove the staff into the other guy's crotch.
With a sound like something was crushed, the guy died in shock.
"Hii...."
The man next to him let out a scream as he witnessed the scene.
Letting his hands go of the staff, Hifumi withdrew a jitte from his within his breast pocket. It wasn't the cross kind, but rather the kind the policemen during the Edo period used. It was an about 30 centimeters long rod of iron, with a pointy end. As they didn't have the right materials, there was no tassel, to Hifumi's disappointment.
Thrusting the jitte in his right hand with an overhand grip, he intimidated the nearest guy.
"W-what will you do with such a short..."
While he was saying that, Hifumi stabbed the jitte into his kneecap, not given a chance to scream before his neck was snapped with a foot.
Hifumi deflected a sword incoming from the side with his right hand, before hitting the attacker's chest like a hammer.
A dull vibrating sound was heard as the man dropped the sword, and feebly fell down on the ground.
Jumping towards one of the men who stepped back in fear, Hifumi thrust the jitte into his left eye, then using the handle in the left hand to send him flying with a hit to the back of the head.
"3 guys left, huh?" (Hifumi)
"W-wait a second! I was opposed to this kind of... Hiii!"
Closing in on the frightened man barehanded, Hifumi snatched his arm and pulled him down on the ground with his face down, before before strongly trampling down on the back of his head, crushing it.
As the man stopped moving after having his head crushed on the hard ground, Hifumi let go of his hand and pulled out his favourite kusarigama.
"Y-you beast!"
"Who's a beast?" (Hifumi)
Shifting his position, Hifumi knocked down the desperately attacking man with his leg, ignoring him as he fell. Another person hesitatingly poising with a sword attacked, clinging to Hifumi, pushing him down.
The moment he was pushed down, Hifumi used his body weight to drive the sickle into the man's heart, ending his life.
Looking at Hifumi slowly standing up having his face dyed red with blood stains, the fallen man wasn't able to get up any more.
"W-waah..."
Being affected by the blood-soaked sickle held by Hifumi as he slowly approached, the man was frozen in fear.
Like he was cutting grass, Hifumi slashed with the sickle, and the last person died.
"Hmm...." (Hifumi)
Picking up the dropped weapons, Hifumi checked them all.
"Aah, it's bent." (Hifumi)
The jitte he had thrust through into an eye socket, piercing the cranium has some brain matter stuck to it, which he wiped off with some paper. Looking at it closely, it was slightly bent due to the impact when he struck with it.
"It really bent ... It was meant as a test, but I guess stuff like this happens." (Hifumi)
Cleaning the weapons he used, and putting them away into the storage, Hifumi was hungry, so he left the slums to find a food stall to get some food. After eating, he returned to the slums, he aimlessly walked around until dusk, disposing of another 30 or so people.
They were mostly rash young men who had confidence in their skills, but none of them managed to even wound Hifumi.
In the time he continued the stroll of slaughtering while being bathed in blood, with the exception of the already broken jitte, he also tested out the three-section staff several times. Since the basics of thrusting and also the basics of the katana's hassou, for such things as cutting at the lower leg and shaving off, were entirely on his regular practice menu, it flowed gently and was easy to use. (T/N: hassou is a kendo stance, as far as I understand it)
Having almost finished moving through the whole area of the slum, Hifumi felt a strong thirst for blood, as he took a step to the side.
With a sound of cutting through the air, an arrow lodged into the inside of a run-down house.
Turning around, a man was preparing to shoot another arrow. He was two meters tall, holding a huge bow that he was drawing to the very limit.
Feeling happy about being ambushed, Hifumi displayed a smile as he drew his katana.
"So you're the last one. With your huge frame, archery isn't the only thing you're good at, right?" (Hifumi)
The man looked at the club hanging on his waist, but without responding to the provocation, he aimed a second arrow at Hifumi.
With the katana in an underhand grip, Hifumi put the katana in front of him as he lowered his body. It was an old stance he was taught a long time ago by his master, which was used against arrows. It was the first time he used it in actual combat, however.
(It's a stance limiting the area he can hit, then defending with the katana) (Hifumi)
Trying it out in reality, Hifumi was quite tense, so he deliberately relaxed his arm a bit.
Moving the katana on reflex, a broken arrow fell down by his feet with a dull sound.
As the man didn't think Hifumi would be able to knock down the arrow, he opened his eyes wide, not drawing another arrow.
Hifumi used that moment to shorten the distance, and just as if making a paint stroke, he slashed at the man with the katana. The man threw down his bow and made an evasive roll.
Doing that, the man grasped the one meter long wooden club at his waist and alertly put himself into position. As far as Hifumi was concerned, this was a satisfying opponent.
"Nice, nice. You're different from those other idiots." (Hifumi)
"... You're a monster."
Facing the loudly laughing Hifumi as he quickly changed the underhand grip on the katana to an overhand one, the man made a bitter face.
"I'm just a normal person who put forth a great amount of effort." (Hifumi)
If you asked 10 people who knew Hifumi, 15 would tell you otherwise.
The man was silent as he swung down the club, but Hifumi steadily retreated, avoiding the blow.magic
While the man was brandishing the club above his head, Hifumi slipped in below his stomach, and tackled the man with the shoulder, making him fall.
It made a dull sound, but the man still unsteadily stood up.
"You're quite sturdy, aren't you?" (Hifumi)
"You and your strange movements......"
Cracking his neck with a flushed face, the man once again readied his club.
"You were alright with the bow, but the way you're swinging the club is dull and boring. Don't you have anything else?" (Hifumi)
As the man approached with vehement vigor without affirming nor disagreeing, Hifumi started to get tired of him.
Hifumi then remembered something else Pruflas had prepared, and withdrew it from his storage, sprinkling it on the ground.
"Huh!? Aaaah!"
"As expected, you couldn't bear this." (Hifumi)
"It was the first time I've used it, but it could be nice to use once in a while. It reduces the tension, though." (Hifumi)
He gathered the scattered caltrops.
"... Gathering them is a pain ..." (Hifumi)
After collecting all of the caltrops and returning them to his dark magic storage, he realized he could've just opened a hole on the ground and directly collected them into his storage, and felt a bit sad about it, as he returned to the Lord's mansion.
Thus, the slums that had been a garbage heap in Fokalore since forever, had been emptied of inhabitants in just one day.
Because Origa and the five slave civil officials put the gathered manpower from the slum to their best use, Fokalore quickly underwent a change.
Thanks to the manpower from the slums, the rails reaching Arosel had been finished, so they started testing it by sending goods and people.
The city's outer wall was also reinforced, and the entrances facing both royal capital, and the one facing Arosel were improved.
The women from the slums initially received a cold shoulder from the city's residents, but as they worked hard with cleaning up the city and collecting household garbage, the inhabitants generally came to accept them.
Just being the feudal lord, Hifumi left all the decision making to the civil officials only making a rough draft for this project and occasionally confirming the progress. Alyssa also didn't approach the governmental operations excusing herself with the words [I don't quite understand.]  The number provided to help out from the territorial army decreased as well as they were worked to death at combat training according to Hifumi's and Miyukare's instructions.
Naturally, as the style of receiving the instructions from Hifumi and assigning the work following those became established for Origa, some amongst the residents misunderstood Origa to be Hifumi's wife. But there were also some thinking the feudal lord is a woman.
With Hifumi himself doing only the minimum of necessary document signing, his daily life basically started with finishing the morning practise and no sooner than after taking a hot bath he went missing without anyone noticing.
Today being the same, Hifumi vanished from his office going on a trip under the pretext of test running the arrival of the rail car at Arosel and eliminating the monsters along the highway on the occasion.
"Today he is absent as well?" (Caim)
The civil official slave Caim, known for his notorious "impudence" amongst the staff members, muttered without a change in his expression seeing Kasha house-sitting in Hifumi's office.
"Caim-san, huh? I came to this room right at the moment when he departed." (Kasha)
"Can you do me favor of detaining him a bit? It would be a great help." (Caim)
"Don't ask the impossible." (Kasha)
With a face where you didn't know whether he was laughing or crying, Caim left the office silently after looking at Kasha for a short while.
As if replacing him, Origa entered.
Origa noticing there was no one but Kasha inside the room, she tried to leave the room right away, but Kasha stopped her by calling out to her.
"Origa, if it's Hifumi-san you want to speak with, I can hear you out." (Kasha)
In difference to Caim, her face showed that she suppressed something she wanted to say.
"... No. After Hifumi-sama has returned, I will tell him directly." (Origa)
Then, Origa, who was about exit the room, once again stopped.
"Kasha, since you are a guard, even if only in name, how about doing a little bit of training? Because we can expect a large-scale battle with Vichy very soon going by the reports from the scouts, come and participate in the training to see how Alyssa has arranged the territorial army to move." (Origa)
After spitting out in one go what she wanted to say, Origa left without delay.
"Battle, huh?" (Kasha)
There was a small magic tool within the pouch hanging on Kasha's waist.
Although it was something simple, broken into two pieces and being separated from the other half, it was a quite expensive tool used for the purpose of communication in emergency.
For the time being it was something with the purpose of come running in case Hifumi was in danger with the ostensible reason of being able to search for him, but in reality it was obvious that the princess and Pajou intended to assassinate Hifumi in the confusion of the battle.
But, will it be only Hifumi that will die in the situation after using this?
Kasha stared at the door through which Origa left for a long time.
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