182話 雪姫の物語り
「あっ! 天士さま! お人形屋さんがありますよ!」
ミナに呼ばれ、道沿いにあったショーウィンドウへと目を向ける。
「ほう、どれどれ。なかなか精巧な造りだな」
「あのゴシック調のドレスを着せてもらってる、
れて』と看板が立てかけられた店は、この町にしては珍しいレンガ造りだ。ガラスの奥で着飾った人形達が、ちりばめられた宝石類と共に静かに鎮座している。
ミナが気に入ったという人形に目を向け、その細部まで
「ひぃっ」
「天士さま? どうかされました?」
「いや、今さっき......」
人形の目がこっちを向いた、とミナに伝えようと、再び
「天士さま? ステキなお人形さんじゃありませんでしたか?」
「あぁ、うん。とても良くできてると思う。今にも動き出しそうな不気味......リアルさがあるな」
「はい!」
俺達は『呪いの雪国ポーンセント』にて、ジョージが『熟成』のために置いてきた『
輝剣
「そもそも、この町が『冬の落とし子』の『熟成』に適した場所なのか?」
スキル『冬の落とし子』
「雪に覆われた大地っていうのは当てはまりそうだけど......」
「あちきも色んな場所を試したんだけどねぇん......雪原の休憩地、『旅人眠る
の雪姫ブルーホワイト』ってボスキャラがいるって言ったわよねぇん」
「その人が『黒い雪』を降らせてる人物なんだよな」
「その子、実は可哀そうな子なのよ」
オカマは切なげに、灰色の空を見上げる。はらはらと振り落ちる雪をしばらく眺めた後、『この町は昔、若くて美しい女性を生贄にしてたのぉん』と語り始めた。
雪国ポーンセントは昔、人形作りが盛んな町だったらしい。そんな国柄に目を付けたのか、人間を意思なき
『なぜ人形を作り、この町の住人を襲わせているか』
『人間を殺すのが目的ではない。人間が生み出す、負の感情......近しい者が死んだ時の絶望、無力を嘆く悔恨の涙、そういった美味なるエネルギーを食すため』。
『もちろん人間の臓物も美味だから、人形にする前に内臓を余すことなく取り除き食していた』
『私が作る人形は美しくあらねばならない』
『だというのに近頃の人間は美しい娘を寄せ付けぬ。ならばと妥協し、人相に劣る少女たちを人形にしてきたが、それも飽きた』
『だから私から条件を出そう』
『5年に1度、この町で最も美しい女性を
『そうすれば、他の人間を襲う事も殺しもない』
これはポーンセントの人々に取って、かなりの好条件だった。町の娘たちを守るために戦い、死にゆく住人は少なくない。人形となってしまった女性の犠牲も含め、年間で50人以上にも及ぶ。それが5年に1度、1人きりに減る。
なのだよ。貴様らは我が身かわいさゆえに、若くて美しい娘を、自ら貴様らが忌み嫌う悪魔と呼ぶ存在に捧げる。その無力と罪悪に塗れた感情が、永遠にこの町に巣食う。そして私の手元には最も美しい人形が残る』
お互いの利益は合致していた。
それから、悪魔とポーンセントの密約は何十年と続き、何度目かの生贄の少女が選ばれる。選ばれた当時、その少女は14歳という若さでありながら、町一番の美貌を誇っていた。
その少女は生贄のその日を迎えるまでより美しく成長し、そして内に爆大な魔力を持った人物であったため、町の人々から一目おかれる存在となっていた。
彼女には一つの夢があった。
それを傍らにいた恋人の少年にいつも語っていたそうだ。
少年もやがて彼女と同じく成長し、彼女の夢に寄り添うと誓ってくれた。16歳となった二人が抱く夢の内容は、彼女が先頭に立ち、町の住民達と協力して悪魔を討伐すること。そして、町の責務から解放された後には、二人で曇天と雪に閉ざされたこの町から出て、世界のあらゆる場所を見て回りたいと。
だが、その夢は叶わなかった。
悪魔を討伐できる確証もなく、失敗すれば悪魔の逆鱗に触れ大惨事になりかねない。町の人々は娘の戯言に耳を傾けるより、悪魔の囁きに耳を傾けたのだ。14歳から死を定められた不憫な少女は、自分の抱く希望を信じ、町民を信じ、恋人を信じ、睡眠薬を盛られ、意識不明のまま悪魔の生贄に捧げられてしまった。
しかし、人形となってしまっても少女の意思は潰えなかった。生きたまま内臓を抜かれ、
そうして人形になっても、愛する恋人の元へ駆け寄った彼女を待っていたのは。
彼女は悪魔に手を加えられた物体、その容姿は永久に衰えない美そのもの。しかし生身の頃とは変わり果ててしまった。町民は彼女にしでかしてしまった罪に怯え、復讐されるのではと恐慌し、あろうことか彼女を破壊すべく襲いかかる始末。
身も心も救われない彼女がとった行動は自衛という名の抵抗、虐殺だ。
そう、彼女こそが『
自らに犠牲を強い、自らを陥れ、自らを化け物扱いし、自らの死を願う町民に対し、彼女が憎しみの感情を抱くにはそう時間はかからなかった。
『それなら、あなたたちも化け物になる気持ちを味わえばいイ』
彼女はそう嘲笑ったそうだ。
こうして雪国ポーンセントには『黒い雪』が降り始めるようになったのだ。
ちなみに、彼女はけっこうな頻度でこの町に出没するらしく、
特に『黒い雪』が降り始めたタイミングでのポップが多いらしい。
「悲しいお話よねぇん。生涯を誓い合った男にすら、化け物扱いされるなんてぇン......そんな男、許せないわァン......」
オカマはこの町の物語に対し、ひどく憤慨しているようだった。ジョージの瞳は森の奥にひっそりと佇む湖のような静けさをたたえ、揺れていた。
の伴侶となる男に警告しておきたい。間違っても、飛び抜けたセンスをお持ちのジョージに対して化け物扱いしてはいけないと。
そんな感じでオカマの話を聞きながら歩いていたら、目的地についたようだ。
「ここに、あちき達の子供を置いてきたわぁん」
そこは教会だった。
扉の両脇を固めるはお約束で、
「うわー、ミケランジェロの教会と全然ちがうね」
「......ちょっと怖いね、ここは......」
トワさんとジュンヤ君が驚くのも無理はない。
普通は教会内部といえど、色ガラスや天窓などのおかげで室内でも明るいのが基本だ。しかしここは薄暗かった。まるで死者をそっとしまっておく、
それに祈りを捧げるための、信徒が座る長椅子が一切置かれていないのだ。
代わりとでもいうかのように、左右にはいくつもの人形が置かれていた。人形が配置されている場所は、段々になった構造で、壁際に近付くにつれその高さを増していっている。そのため、無数の人形に見降ろされているような気分になる。
「天士さま......可愛いお人形さんがいっぱいです!」
いやぁ、ミナさん。
かなり不気味じゃない?
本来、祭壇となる場所にはろうそくが何十本も灯されており、その頼りない炎が揺らめく度に、人形たちの顔にかかる影が動く。
「ここはねぇん。かつて悪魔の生贄として捧げられた少女達のために作った、慰霊人形の安置所なのよぉん。人形ちゃんたちは、なるべく犠牲になった少女に似せて作られてるらしいのぉん」
ここなら確かに『冬の落とし子』に最適な『熟成』場所かもしれない。
一時の寄る辺......消えぬ罪の意識を緩和させるための、心の拠り所。だが根本的に少女たちを犠牲にしてきたという事実は消えないからこそ、一時の寄る辺か。贖罪という行為を繰り返せば、いつかは許されるかもという希望の光。ろうそくに灯る火はその象徴、か。
ジョージは人形たちが見下ろしてくる不気味な間をどんどん進み、ろうそくが大量にある祭壇の手前で止まる。たしかに、結晶に突き刺さる短剣のオブジェクトがあった。
』が黒い雪に有効だった場合、すこし罪悪感を抱いてしまいそうだ。
犠牲になった少女たちは、こんな場を作られて気は晴れるのだろうか。そもそも彼女達のためではなく、町人達の罪悪感を払拭するための場所なのかもしれない。だとしたら、それは報われない話だ。
の雪姫ブルーホワイト』が降らせる『黒い雪』にしたって、彼女達が被った痛みを、緩やかに、永遠に与えるためだろう。
それは彼女たちの黒い涙なのかもしれない。
「男でもない、女でもない、人形になってしまったン......そんな苦悩を分かち合い、受け止められなかった男の事なんてぇん、忘れちゃいなさいな......」
「あれ? 黒い雪?」
建物内なのに、雪?
そう疑問に思った瞬間、漆黒のカーテンが視野を塞ぐように広がった。
「素敵な
突如として吹き荒れる黒き風に混じり、少女の声がこだまする。
キシキシと、どこか歯車がかけたような声音にゾッとくるものがあった。
そんな声の発生源たる黒は奔流となって集束し、その中心から
の雪姫ブルーホワイト』ちゃんねぇん......」
ジョージの指摘通り、つぶさに彼女を観察すれば確かに関節の節々は人形のような造りになっていて、およそ生者の装丁を持ってはいなかった。
病的なまでに磨き抜かれた白亜の肌は物体そのもの。精巧にして、美麗な顔は生物の温かみを感じられない。
まさか、この町に呪いの雪をもたらすボスモンスターが、黒い雪を排除できる可能性を持つ『
「ここノ。ありとあらゆる雪はネ、ネ。私の耳、目、そして絶望を喰らう口なノ」
この地域周辺に降る雪全てが彼女の一部?
だとしたら、雪も耳であるのなら、俺達が雪を操れる
ジョージの疑問は確信へと変わっていく。
「今までは自然の摂理に従う雪にしカ、呪いを込めれなかったけド、想像通りネ、ネ?」
彼女は右手から雪を発生させたかと思えば、激しく吹き流した。それは雪を自ら生み、自らの意思で動かせる事を証明している。
「これで、雪を好き勝手にできル。例えば、私の雪が降ったララ、屋内に逃げ込むこの町の卑怯な住人が隠れる場所にネ、ネ? 送れル、ル」
甲高い声で嗤う彼女に、俺達は唖然と見上げる事しかできなかった。
「アァ、私の雪は人々の絶望を喰らう口なノ。とっても美味しいのヨ」
背筋が凍りつく程の美しい笑みを咲かせる少女は、歓喜に打ち震えているようだった。
少女自身も、悪感情を喰らう悪魔の一部を受け継いでしまったのだろうか。
「黒く染まったこのココロ、ロ。同じ絶望の色をこの町に落としてあげル......」
黒というには、この場の全員が疑問に思っただろう。
』を胸に突き立てた瞬間から色彩の変化は起こり、まっさらな空の青と、何よりも純粋な白のドレスとなっていたのだ。
そして、それは流れるログからも判断できた。
の雪姫ブルーホワイト』が出現しました:
俺達はうっかりしていた。
町の人を救うつもりが、呪いの元凶であるボスモンスターを強化してしまったようだ。
ジョージの横顔はちょっと晴れやかで、本来ならオカマに事後報告されても気が滅入るだけなのだが。
何故だろう、俺も悪い気分ではなかった。
184 182 Stories The Story Of Snow Princess
"Ah! Heavenly Lord! There's a doll shop!
Mina calls me and I turn to the show window that was along the road.
"Well, which one. Pretty exquisite."
"Don't you think she's cute with purple ball-colored (amethyst) eyes, having that gothic dress on?
"Drowning on the Moon" is a rare brick building for this town. The dolls dressed in the back of the glass sit quietly with the pieces of jewellery.
When I looked at the doll that Mina liked, and remembered a little touching on the appearance of being bound (attentive) to the details, the doll's eyes moved as if they looked at me.
"Hih."
"Heavenly Master? What's wrong with you?
"No, just now..."
In an attempt to tell Mina that the doll's eyes turned this way, she returned her gaze to the doll with the purple ball-colored (amethyst) eyes... her gaze was straight as usual.
"Heavenly Master? Wasn't that a beautiful doll?
"Oh, yeah. I think you're doing very well. Still creeps that seem to move... it's realistic."
"Yes!"
We are in the middle of a tourist stroll through the town in Pawn St., the Cursed Snow Country, to collect the Bright Sword (Arts) George left for "Aging".
In other words, decorators are most likely to be targeted by other mercenaries (players) when collecting Shining Sword (Arts) from Mature. Although "Hui Sword (Arts)" during "Aging" becomes a complete object, it changes to "Hui Sword (Arts)", an item for mastering skills when collected. At that time, mercenaries (players) trying to plug the PvP and take away the "Shining Sword (Arts)" are rarely there.
"In the first place, is this town the right place for the 'maturation' of 'Winter Droppers'?
Here's a tip description on where to 'mature' the skill 'Winter Dropper' Hui Sword (Arts).
"The snow-covered earth seems to apply..."
"I've tried all sorts of places everywhere... snowfield rests," Traveler Sleeping Fire "or something? But it's different... when I think of temporary stops and lights, which means emotional, I thought it might be this town."
"Wow... I told you there was a boss character called" Snow Princess Blue White "that was stripped."
"He's the one who's sending down the 'black snow'."
"He's actually a pathetic kid."
Okama looks up at the gray sky, sliced up. "This town used to sacrifice young and beautiful women," he began to say after watching the snow fall for a while.
It seems Snow Country Pawn St used to be a thriving town for dollmaking. He said he had an eye for such a national pattern, and a powerful demon emerged that would turn humans into unwilling puppet (kutsu) dolls. The demon transformed a living human into a puppet named Murder Machine and took many human lives at a rate of one or two times a month. The devil had a certain taste and often chose a daughter with a beautiful appearance for the plain body to be made into a doll. If the people of the town also knew who they were after, they would escort the young women so that they would not be taken away, and they would continue to fight the devil. Once, the town mayor in earnest organized a crusade and challenged the demons, but ended up wiping them out. The demon's power was mighty in this case, and the residents of the town were frightened when they found it easy to do mass slaughter or something if they were serious. That's how the battle between the devil and the people of Pawn St. went on for five years. One day, that devil has brought up some suggestions.
"Why you're making dolls and letting the inhabitants of this town attack you"
'Killing humans is not the purpose. Human-produced, negative emotions... to devour the despair of those close at death, the tears of remorse mourning helplessness, such delicious energy'.
"Of course the human organs are delicious, so they were removed and eaten without any extra guts before they were turned into dolls"
"The doll I make must be beautiful."
"But these days humans don't give away beautiful daughters. I've compromised with you, and I've dolled girls inferior to you, but I'm tired of that, too '
"So let's get the terms out of me"
Sacrifice the most beautiful woman in this town every five years.
"That way, no one else will be attacked or killed."
This was pretty good for the people of Pawn St. Few dwellers fight to protect their town daughters and die. More than 50 people a year, including the sacrifices of women who have become dolls. That reduces to one person every five years.
'That's right. What I'm looking for is a sole (...). Because of your cuteness, you dedicate your young and beautiful daughter to what you call the devil you abhor. Its powerlessness and sinful emotions nest in this town forever. And I'll have the most beautiful doll left on my hands'
Each other's interests were in agreement.
Then, the covenant between the devil and Pawn St. lasts for decades, and the girl of several sacrifices is chosen. At the time of her election, the girl was young enough to be 14, yet boasted of the best beauty in town.
The girl grew more beautiful until the day of the sacrifice, and was a man of great magic within, making her a sight to behold from the people of the city.
She had one dream.
She always told that to her lover boy who was beside her.
The boy eventually grew up just like her and vowed to lean on her dreams. The content of the dreams the two of them had when they turned 16 was that she would take the lead and work with the residents of the town to crusade the devil. And after being freed from the responsibilities of the town, the two of us want to get out of this town, closed by cloudy weather and snow, and look around every part of the world.
But the dream didn't come true.
There is no certainty that you can crusade the devil, and if you fail, you can touch the devil's scales and become catastrophic. The people of the town listened more to the whispers of the devil than to the bullshit of their daughter: the pitiful girl, who had been ordained dead since the age of 14, believed in the hope she held, believed in the townspeople, believed in her lover, was served with sleeping pills, and was dedicated to the sacrifice of the devil while unconscious.
But being a doll didn't crush the girl's will. Even though he was torn out alive, turned into a peel, and became a puppet doll of the devil, his memories did not disappear thanks to his powerful magic. Improved physical ability as a doll purely means increased combat power, and he succeeds in using his previous magic to poke the devil's gap and discuss Pawn St. 's rivals alone.
Even when I became a doll that way, I waited for her to rush over to my beloved lover.
She is an object with her hands on the devil, whose appearance is the very beauty that will not fade forever. But it changed from when I was born. The townspeople were frightened by the sins that had befallen her, and panicked that they would be avenged, and the beginning and end of the attack to destroy her.
No body or mind can be saved. The action she took is resistance, genocide, in the name of self-defence.
Yes, she is the "Snow Princess Blue White".
It didn't take that long for her to have feelings of hatred towards the townspeople who were forced to sacrifice themselves, fall into themselves, treat themselves like monsters, and wish for their own death.
"Then taste what it feels like to be monsters too,"
She said that's how she laughed.
This is how 'black snow' began to fall on Pawn St., the snowland.
Incidentally, she appears to appear in this town so often that she is perceived as a sudden strong boss battle among the mercenaries (players).
Especially when 'black snow' starts to fall. They have a lot of pop.
"It's a sad story, huh? Even a man who vowed his whole life to be treated like a monster... I can't forgive such a man..."
Okama seemed badly outraged by the story of this town. George's eyes were shaking, as quiet as a lake nestled in the back of the forest.
I want to warn the man who's going to be Okama's partner. Even if I'm wrong, I must not treat you like a monster against George with a sense of jumping through.
I was walking around listening to Okama like that, and I think I got to my destination.
"Here, I left my kids everywhere. Wow."
That was the church.
It is a promise to consolidate both sides of the door, and there are two Divine Soldiers (Deus) who arbitrate and control disputes between mercenaries (players). It's a common view with every town there is. However, the interior beyond the door was wide open, what a different sight.
"Wow, not like the church in Michelangelo."
"... you're a little scared, this is..."
I can't help but be surprised by Mr. Twa and you, Junya.
Normally, although inside the church, it is fundamental that it is also bright indoors thanks to coloured glass, skylights, etc. But it was dim here. It is cold and quiet as if it were a coffin that softens the dead.
There is no bench for the faithful to pray on.
As if instead, a number of dolls were placed on the left and right. The place where the doll is positioned is a staged structure that increases its height as it approaches the wall. As a result, I feel like I'm being dropped off by countless dolls.
"Heavenly Master...... Lots of cute dolls!
Hey, Mr. Mina.
Isn't that pretty creepy?
Originally, dozens of candles were lit at the altar, and whenever its unreliable flames swayed, the shadows on the faces of the dolls moved.
"It's not here. It's a comfort doll's lair, built for the girls once sacrificed as the devil's sacrifice. The dolls are made to look like sacrificed girls as much as possible."
This could certainly be the ideal 'ripening' place for 'winter droppers'.
A temporary stopover...... a base of mind, to relieve the indelible consciousness of sin. But the fact that we've fundamentally sacrificed the girls doesn't go away, so it's a temporary stopover? A light of hope that if we repeat the act of redemption, one day we may be forgiven. Is the fire that lights the candle a symbol of it?
George goes on and on between the creeps the dolls look down on, stopping in front of an altar with tons of candles. Indeed, there was an object of a dagger piercing the crystal.
If that "Shining Sword (Arts)" was effective against black snow, I'm going to feel incredibly guilty.
Do the girls who have been sacrificed feel clear about being created a place like this? Maybe it's not for them in the first place, it's a place to dispel the guilt of the townspeople. If so, that's a non-remunerated story.
"Skinny Snow Princess Blue White" made it "Black Snow" to give them the pain they suffered, slowly and forever.
Maybe that's their black tears.
"It's not a man, it's not a woman, it's a doll... don't forget about a man who shared such misery and couldn't take it..."
"Is that it? Black snow?
Even though it's in the building, snow?
The moment I wondered so, the pitch-black curtains widened to block my horizons.
"Thanks for the wonderful gift (...) W, W, T"
Mixed suddenly by a blackening breeze, the girl's voice clings.
There was a xyxy and something frightening about the sound of a gear somewhere.
The blackness from which such a voice originated became a running stream and concentrated, and a grey-haired girl appeared from its center clustered in night darkness (dress).
"Alas." Peeled Snow Princess Blue White "Hey..."
As George pointed out, if you observe her crumbly, the joint savings were indeed doll-like built, with roughly no raw man's fitting.
By the time it's pathological, the polished white skin is the object itself. Exquisitely, the beautiful face doesn't feel the warmth of the organism.
I had no idea that a boss monster who brings cursed snow to this town would emerge at this perfect time to acquire a 'Shining Sword (Arts)' with the potential to eliminate black snow.
"Here no. All snow is sir, sir. My ears, my eyes, and my mouth eating despair no"
All the snow falling around this area is part of her?
If snow is an ear, then it's easy to know that we're here to pick up the Snowy Sword (Arts)... have we come in the way?
George's doubts turn to certainty.
"Until now, I've made it snow to follow nature's management, I couldn't curse you, sir, as you can imagine?
She blew it off violently, wondering if she had generated snow from her right hand. It proves that you can produce snow yourself and move it of your own free will.
"Now you can do whatever you want with the snow. For example, my snowy Lara, escaping indoors to a place where the cowardly inhabitants of this town hide, sir? Send Le, Le"
We could only look up at her with a high voice.
"Ah, my snow is mouthless no eating people's despair. It's delicious, yo."
The girl with such a beautiful grin that her spine froze seemed to tremble with joy.
Has the girl herself inherited some of the demons who devour evil emotions?
"This black stained coconut, lo. Drop the same color of despair on this town Le......"
When it comes to black, everyone on this scene would have wondered.
The change of colour occurred from the moment the "Shining Sword (Arts)" was protruded into his chest, making him a pure white dress, not to mention the blue of the sky.
And that could also be judged from the flowing logs.
: "Snow Princess Blue White in White Blue (Hakusei)" has emerged:
We were accidental.
Looks like the intention to save the people in town has reinforced the boss monster who is the culprit of the curse.
George's side is a little sunny, and I would just be disgusted if he were to report it to Okama after all.
I don't know why, I didn't feel bad either.
I Became a Beautiful Girl, but I’m still an MMO Junkie
美少女になったけど、ネトゲ廃人やってます。
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/i-became-a-beautiful-girl-but-im-still-an-mmo-junkie/
Adventure Comedy Fantasy Gender Bender Mystery Psychological Shoujo Ai
Accelerated Growth Adapted to Manga Age Regression Alchemy Appearance Changes Appearance Different from Actual Age Beautiful Female Lead Chuunibyou Curious Protagonist Cute Protagonist Demi-Humans Disabilities Doting Older Siblings Fairies Famous Protagonist Fast Learner Friendship Loli Male to Female Misunderstandings MMORPG Multiple POV Mysterious Illness Older Love Interests Overprotective Siblings Past Plays a Big Role Past Trauma Pill Concocting Popular Love Interests Race Change Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n0170db/
星屑ぽんぽん