生き延びた日
「とりあえず逃げるよフィニアちゃん!」
「え、逃げるの!?」
二体の怪物に挟まれた状況で、戦えるのはフィニアのみ。そんな状態で勝算を見出せるほど
「と、言い訳してみたりして......!」
「きつねさん足遅いね!」
「それ飛んでる君が言うの?」
桔音とフィニアは逃げる。無論、森の中で見つけた獲物を取り逃がす程弱肉強食の世界は甘くない。二体の怪物達は、我先にと桔音達を追い掛けて来る。背後から迫るプレッシャーは凄まじく、普段から足が遅いと自覚はしていたが、更に遅くなっている様な感覚に陥った。
故に、走りながら考える。あの二体の怪物を倒す......もしくは退ける方法を。
「はぁっ......はぁっ......! こんな時、物語なら凄く強い冒険者とか勇者とか来てくれるもんじゃないかな......!」
「絶望的な可能性に縋ってるね! まるで捨てられる前の女々しい男みたいだよ!」
「それ何処のゴールデ○ボン○ー?」
こんな会話をしてはいるが、状況は切迫している。桔音にとってはフィニアのこんな陽気さがありがたかった。
背後を一瞥して、二体の怪物の様子を窺う。見た所あの二体は人間である自分を狙っている所から肉食、なおかつ虫と狼ならば種族も大きく異なる筈だ。
「―――なら......イケる、かな?」
桔音は思考する。怪物とその周囲の状況、そして自分達の手札、諸々全ての情報を考慮して出来ることを考える。
「......フィニアちゃん」
「何かな、きつねさん!」
「―――少し、聞きたい事がある」
桔音は薄ら笑いを浮かべながら、そう言った。
◇ ◇ ◇
―――二体の怪物は、追っていた獲物を見失っていた。
この怪物たちは二体とも、桔音の予想した通り肉食の獣であり、この世界においてはそのどちらもが『魔獣』と呼ばれる生物だ。並の人間であれば遭遇した瞬間に死を覚悟しなければならない存在であり、魔獣は弱い部類でも一体いれば数十人の人間を食い殺す。そんな魔獣の中でも、この狼と蜘蛛は中堅クラスの存在だ。
』と呼ばれ、発見されているモノの中でも最大全長5mになる超巨大な魔獣だ。蜘蛛というだけあって、体内で生成した粘着性の糸で獲物を捉えることもあれば、自分自身で獲物を追走する場合もある。また咬まれた場合麻痺性の毒も持っているので、一度捕まったら逃げることは難しい。
勿論、この二体は仲間では無い。寧ろ同じ獲物を奪い合う敵同士だ。では何故この二体はお互いが近くにいるのに戦わないのか、それはお互いまずは獲物を確保しておくことを第一にしているからだ。
桔音という獲物を逃げられないよう確実に殺して、それから獲物を奪い合い、殺し合うのだ。
だが、今はその獲物を見失っている。その苛立ちは、目の前にいる敵に向かうのは仕方のないことだった。
「グルルルルル......!!」
「カロロロロロ......!!」
お互い、2mを超える巨体の持ち主同士が睨み合う。そして、地を蹴って衝突する――――瞬間だった。
「隙あり」
そんな声が聞こえた。魔獣達がその声の聞こえた方向へと振りむく前に、二体の魔獣は真横へとぶっとばされた。二体の魔獣が吹っ飛ばされながら自分達のいた場所を見る。そこには、切られた木の丸太が振り子のように揺れていた。あれが自分達の身体を真横から打ったのかと理解した。
二体とも空中で体勢を立て直し、着地する。
「隙だらけだよ!」
その方向には小さな声が待ち構えていた。思想種の妖精、フィニアである。彼女はその小さな両手を突き出し、この場所で溜めていた魔法を発動させた。今度は衝撃波の魔法といった下級魔法ではなく、高火力の高位魔法。無詠唱だが若干の溜めが必要な程の魔法だ。その魔法の名前は―――
に向かって放った。この魔獣は、炎に対して随一の耐性を持っているというのに。
「ガアアアアアア!!」
だからこそ、溶焔狼はその炎を避けなかった。この魔法の怖い所は、凄まじい力を持っているのにもかかわらず、その脅威を悟らせない儚さにある。
「掛かったな頭の悪い犬め!!」
フィニアのそんな言葉と同時、体内から白い光と共に爆散した。白く燃えながら飛び散る血液と肉片が、べちゃべちゃと地面を赤く染め上げた。
「なんだ......この世界の生物も、血は赤いんだね」
そして、飛び散った血液を身体に浴びながら、桔音はそう呟いた。頭に掛けた狐のお面から赤い血液を滴らせ、薄ら笑いを浮かべる。その瞳は蜘蛛を見ていた。
「カ......ロロォ......!?」
その時初めて、蜘蛛は桔音に対して危険を感じた。プレッシャーは感じない、強者の匂いも感じない、桔音は弱者のままで危険の匂いだけを感じさせていた。無論、桔音に何か手がある訳ではない。桔音が何かをしている訳ではない。桔音はそこに立っていて、ただ返り血を浴びているだけだ。
だが、桔音には異世界に来る以前から一つの性質があった。
それは、『気味悪がられる性質』
同じ人間なのに、何故か排他された。だがそれは、理由があった訳じゃない。なんとなく、理由も無く、何故かそうなっていただけ。この世界ではそれが、魔獣にも適用されたのだ。
は、目の前の桔音を気味悪く思った。奇怪で正体の分からない気配。
「さて、次は君の番だ」
桔音がゆぅらり、と指を蜘蛛に向けた。蜘蛛はその行動だけで、一歩後ずさった。蜘蛛は思う、近づいて咬み付けば勝てる、確信があると。なのに近づけない、いや、近づきたくないとも思っていた。
先程までは違った、弱いだけの存在だと思っていた。だが、自分でも苦戦しそうな狼をこうも易々と殺してみせたではないか。それだけで十分脅威、下手すればここで死ぬ可能性も否定出来なかった。
故に蜘蛛は本能で判断する。蜘蛛は本来慎重な生き物だ、確実に勝てる状況でない限りは身を潜め、己が身を護る。桔音の正体が理解出来ない以上、蜘蛛は容易に接触しないことを選んだ。
「カロロロロロ......!」
撤退。蜘蛛はお尻から粘着性の糸を吐き出し、木々を渡って去って行った。桔音はそれを追わない。何故か分からないが、去ってくれたのなら深追いは不要だ。
「.........ふぅ、ありがとフィニアちゃん」
「いいよ! それにしても、あんな穴だらけの作戦で良く生き延びたね! 奇跡だよ!」
真っ赤に染まった桔音は寄ってきたフィニアの言葉に苦笑する。
桔音の作戦はこうだ。フィニアの魔法で切り倒した丸太をそこかしこにぶら下がっている蔓に括りつけ、追ってきた怪物達にぶつける。そして後はフィニア任せ。正直な所、桔音はフィニアがどういう魔法を使うのかも知らなかった。
とりあえず結果オーライに収まったから良いものの、丸太が当たらなかったら、フィニアが仕留められなかったら、蜘蛛が退かなかったら、ちょっとしたことで桔音達はこうしていられなかったかもしれない。
「だって僕孔明じゃないんだし、そんな聡明な頭を持ってる訳でもないし、その場凌ぎの作戦なんだから穴だらけに決まってるじゃないか」
「うわー、きつねさん何処までも駄目人間だね!」
「君の笑顔で毒を吐く性格は誰譲りなのか気になって来たよ」
「私は私だよっ! これが私オリジナリティーなんだよ!」
桔音は笑う。なんとなくこの妖精の性格が分かってきたようだ。
そして、自分の姿を見て溜め息を吐いた。血塗れだ、このままじゃ自慢の学ランも血でカッサカサになってしまいそうだ。
「とりあえず、さっき言ってた川を目指そうか」
「うん! えーと......あっちだね!」
フィニアがまた上空へと飛んで方角を示す。桔音がその方向へ進むだすと、フィニアもゆっくり降下して桔音の隣を浮遊して進む。にぱっと笑うフィニアはそこはかとなく雰囲気を明るくしてくれた。
「うーん......なんか生臭いなぁ......」
しばらく歩いて、川に辿り着いた桔音達は一休みしていた。案外、街は遠くとも川は近くにあったようで、直ぐに辿り着く事が出来た。今は学ランとズボンを川で洗って、干しているところだ。現在の桔音は中に来ていたTシャツとトランクスのみの状態で胡坐を掻いている。フィニアは疲れたのか桔音のお面の中に入って出てこない。
「......というか、お面の中入れるんだ......人間で言えば母親のおなかの中に入る様なもんだよね......そう考えるとやっぱファンタジー?」
誕生日で貰ったお面が、今自分の持っている最大のファンタジーだということを感慨深く思いながら、桔音は段々日が落ちていくのを感じる。それにつれて暗くなり始めた空を見上げた。
そして、今日一日で起こったことを振りかえる。
元の世界で死に、親友を泣かせた。
死んだと思ったら、異世界に来ていた。
大きな狼に襲われ、フィニアに出会った。
川まで辿り着き、こうしてなんとか生きている。
今日は何度も死に掛けた。死んだあとなのに、何度も死に掛けた。今日を生き延びたけれど、明日を生きられるかは分からない。それを考えればまだまだ気は抜けられなかった。
「......これは元の世界に帰る云々言ってる場合じゃないかもしれないなぁ」
桔音はそう呟いて、まだ若干湿っているが学ランとズボンを着た。そしてお面を付け直し、隠れられる場所を探す。水辺は生き物の休憩所、此処にずっといれば先程の蜘蛛やその他の魔獣に襲われて死ぬ可能性もある。身を隠せる場所でないと寝ている間にいつの間にか死んでしまうだろう。
「はぁ......暗くなってきた......僕は夜型だから良いけど、森の中なんて初めてだぜ」
ため息交じりに、桔音はそう呟いた。
Chapter 5: The Day They Survived
"For now, let's run Finia-chan!"
"Eh? We're running?"
Sandwiched between two monsters, with Finia being the only one able to fight, Kitsune wasn't foolish enough to fail to see their chances of victory, and it's not like he was a natural born fighter or anything. The conclusion he came to was that the most favorable measure to take in the situation was 'Flight.' Both 'Fight' and 'Flight' differ by but a letter, and both are strategies to take pride in.
"So, if you equate the positives of...!"
"Kitsune-san, your legs are slow!"
"Is that something you should say while flying?"
Kitsune and Finia fled. Of course, the laws of the jungle weren't so kind as to let the prey the predators found in the barren forest escape. Both monsters scrambled to rush after the two. The pressure coming from behind was fearsome, and while Kitsune always had the awareness that his legs were on the slower side, he felt slower than ever before.
As such, he was forced to ponder as he ran. How to defeat those two monsters... or to get them out of the way.
"Hah... hah...! At a time like this, in stories, would this be the moment when a really strong adventurer or hero shows up...!?"
"The probability of that is abysmal! You're acting like an effeminate man whose about to be dumped!"
"What sort of 'Gold*n Bomb*r' do you think I am?"
Despite their conversation, the situation was urgent. To Kitsune, Finia's cheerfulness was actually quite appreciated.
He glanced behind him and snuck a peek at the two beasts. Based on what he had seen, since the two were aiming for a human like him, they were carnivorous. And as a bug and a wolf, their races should be quite different.
"... Then... perhaps I can?"
Kitsune thought about the monsters, their surroundings, what his team had on hand, and what he could do with all the information.
"... Finia-chan."
"What is it, Kitsune-san!?"
"... There's something I'd like to ask."
Kitsune said that as a faint smile arose on his face.
* * *
... The two monsters lost sight of the prey they were chasing.
Just as Kitsune anticipated, they were both carnivorous beasts, and in this world, they were both lifeforms classified as {Magic Beasts} . If a normal human were to run into them, then that person would be forced to resign himself to death, and even the weakest of Magic Beasts were able to devour dozens of humans individually. Among such monsters, the Wolf and Spider were around mid-tier.
The spider was an {Arachne} , and based on the specimens that had been discovered thus far, it's max body-span was 5 meters. As a spider, it could use the adhesive threads produced within its body to capture targets or could personally run after them itself. Its bite held a paralyzing poison, so after being caught once, it would be difficult to escape.
This goes without saying, but the two were not allies. They were mutual enemies gunning for the same food. Why is it that when in such close proximity the two have yet to start fighting, you ask? That is because both of them had securing food on their minds as their first priority.
After killing the prey that was Kitsune to prevent him from running away, they would fight and kill one another over him.
But now they had lost said food stock. It was inevitable that they would take out the irritation from that on the enemy before their eyes.
"Grrrrrrr...!!"
"Krrrrr...!!"
The two monsters, each with frames surpassing two meters, glared at one another. They kicked the ground and collided... and it was at that moment.
"An opening."
They heard a voice. Before they could turn to the direction of its source, the Magic Beasts were sent flying horizontally. They looked at the location where they once were, and saw a cut tree swinging like a pendulum. They understood that was what had impacted them from the side.
Body bodies corrected their postures in midair and landed.
"You're full of openings!"
A small fairy was waiting for them: The Ideological Fairy, Finia. She held up her small hands and activated the magic she had been saving up. This time, it wasn't a low grade shockwave magic, but a high class fire one. It didn't need a chant, but it needed a bit of charging to use. That magic's name was...
And of all things, Finia sent the flame towards the Vargr Wolf. Even though this monster boasted the greatest of flame resistances.
"GAAAAAAAAAH!!"
And that's exactly why the Vargr chose not to dodge. This magic's scary aspect wasn't its output, but its fleeting appearance that contradicted that power.
"You fell for it, stupid dog!!"
As Finia voiced her opinion, the Vargr burst from the inside, along with a white light. It continued to burn white, as blood and cuts of flesh splattered around and stained the ground.
"Well, then... so organisms from this world bleed red as well."
While his body was bathed in the scattering blood, Kitsune muttered to himself. Red blood drips down the Kitsune Mask on his head, and a faint smile emerges on his face. His eyes were directed at the Spider.
"Ka...rrrroo.....!?"
That was the first moment the Spider sensed any danger from the boy. It didn't feel pressure, and it didn't smell that it was standing before someone stronger than itself. With Kitsune remaining the weak presence he always was, the spider continued to feel nothing but fear. Of course, it's not like Kitsune had any trump card. It's not like he was doing anything menacing. He was merely standing there, getting his body bathed in the blood spurted.
But since before coming to this world, Kitsune had always possessed a certain nature.
That was his {Repulsing Nature} .
Even by humans of the same race, he was always excluded for some reason. But it's not like there was any particular reason. Without any reason, it just kinda turned out like that. In this world, that apparently applied to Magic Beasts as well.
The Arachne was creeped out by the boy standing before its eyes. It felt a strange from this unfamiliar presence.
"Now then, looks like it's your turn next."
Kitsune's body swayed as he pointed his finger at the spider. And with just that action, the spider retreated a step. It thought, if it only got closer and bit him, it would win. It was confident in that. Even so, it couldn't approach. No, it didn't want to approach him.
It hadn't been like this until now. Up until now, Kitsune was registered as nothing but weak prey. But the Wolf that could put up a close fight with the spider had been killed all to easily, had he not? That made him more than enough of a threat. It couldn't deny the possibility that it would die if it handled the situation poorly.
As such, the spider made a decision by instinct. It was, by nature, a cautious animal that would hide itself as long as it wasn't certain it would win. It valued itself. As long as it couldn't understand Kitsune's existence, it chose not to approach him so easily.
"Krrrrrrrrrr...!"
Retreat. The spider expelled adhesive strings out of its rear as it crossed trees to retreat. Kitsune didn't give chase. He didn't really understand why, but if the spider was going to retreat, he had no need to chase it.
"... Whew, thanks, Finia-chan."
"It's fine! Even so, I'm surprised you were able to survive with that hole-ridden mess of a plan! It's a miracle!"
The red-dyed Kitsune raised a bitter smile at the fairy's words.
Kitsune's plan was as follows. Attach a log cut down with Finia's magic to one of the vines hanging over the place to send at the following monsters and halt their advance. Then leave the rest to Finia. Honestly, he didn't even know what magic she would use.
For now, all's well that ends well, but if the log didn't hit, if Finia's magic failed to kill, if the Spider didn't step back, the slightest of mistakes would have made the situation take a turn for the worse.
"Hey, I'm no Zhuge Liang. I don't have that sort of wisdom in my head, and it's something I came up with on the spot to overcome the situation, so of course it would be full of holes."
"Uwah, just how useless of a human are you, Kitsune-san!"
"I'm starting to wonder just where you picked up that personality to spew venom with a smile."
"I'm me! This is my originality!"
Kitsune smiled. It seems he'd begun to understand this fairy's personality.
And looking at himself, he let out a sigh. He was covered in blood. At this rate, his prided uniform would be unusable.
"For now, let's aim for that river you were talking about earlier."
"Yeah! Umm... that way!"
Finia floated high into the air again and pointed. Kitsune began walking in that direction, and Finia descended to his level to float by his side. Her bright smile sorta brightened up the atmosphere.
"Yeah... This bloody smell is..."
After walking a while and arriving at the river, they took a small break. Unexpectedly, while the city was still far, the river wasn't, so it didn't take long to reach. Kitsune had washed his blazer and pants in the river and was in the middle of drying them. He sat cross-legged in the trunks and T-shirt he wore under them. Perhaps she was tired, but Finia went back inside of Kitsune's mask and wouldn't come out.
"... And wait, so she can go back into that... in human terms, it's like reentering a mother's stomach... if you think along those lines... I guess it's a Fantasy?"
The fact that the Mask he received for his birthday had turned into the greatest of fantasy goods left him with some deep thoughts as he felt the day slowly coming to an end. He gazed up at the sky that had begun to turn dark.
The events that had transpired played back to him.
He died in his previous world and made his best friend cry.
When he thought he was dead, he ended up in another world.
He was attacked by a large wolf and met Finia.
Having reached the river, he was still alive, one way or another.
Today, he seemed to have been treading close to death the whole way. Even though he had already died, he was still so close to it. Even if he survived today, he had no idea what would become of the next day. And the more he thought about it, the more his motivation left him.
"... This may not be the best time to be thinking about how to get back to my previous world."
Kistune murmured as such.  He slipped on his slightly damp uniform. After hanging the mask on his head again, he began looking for a place to hide. The waterside is the rest stop of life, and if he stayed there, there was a higher possibility of him being killed off by that spider, or some other Demon Beast. If he didn't find somewhere to conceal his body, then he'd likely die in his sleep.
"Hah... It's getting dark... I'm more of a night person, so it's fine, but this is the first time I'm spending it in the middle of a forest."
He let out one sigh after another.
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