189話 美しい双子と魔女
勉強会から帰宅し、姉に家庭用介護人形〈ケア・ドール〉に関する全てを報告した。姉は大きな溜息をつき、『それはあまり心配しなくていいわ』と俺の頭を軽く撫でた。しかしその後、鋭い目付きで『もっとまずい懸念事項があるの』と表情を曇らせた。
く、いよいよグラントール継承戦争が勃発しそうな気配になってきているとの事で、姫王家であるイグニトール家と、ハーディ伯爵とグランゼ公爵率いる反乱軍が衝突する日も近いそうだ。
というわけで、俺はすぐさまクラン・クランへログインして、イグニトール姫王家側で参戦すべく晃夜や夕輝、知り合いの面々を集めて件の王国へ向かう事となった。
「この戦争イベントは負けられないね」
「早い話、敗北は許容されない」
親友達の闘志は高い。
「タロちゃんとうちらの力が合わされば、絶対に勝てるよ!」
「魔法の練習いっぱいしたから、たくさん役に立つよー」
「おー!」
「おー」
『百騎夜行』に所属するゆらちーとシズクちゃんもやる気満々だ。
ちなみに姉とジョージは自分が所属する
「タロさんがどうしてもって仰るなら、私が味方するのもやぶさかではありませんことよ」
口では高飛車な言動を発していても、集まってくれた時点で味方宣言と同義な行動を取る弓使いのリリィさんは信頼できる。
「はらはら、みなさん頼もしい限りでありんすね」
妖艶な微笑みを絶やさない和装の麗人、アンノウンさんは
様はワタシが、守ル......」
しずしずと俺の後をついてくるブルーホワイトたんも、見た目こそ可憐な少女だけど、その正体はかなりの戦闘力をもった人形だ。
「天士さまっ! グラントール王国に向かう前に、ちょっとだけお人形を見ませんか!?」
そんな戦への士気が高揚している面々を前に、ミナが急にほんわかした提案を持ちだす。
俺は内心で『へ?』と呆けるけども、周りの反応は違った。主に女性陣の。
「ちょっとシズ! あの子の服見てよ!」
「わぁ、ゆらちゃん! あのヘッドドレスのデザインすごいね!」
「人形とな......タロ氏、そういえば『導き糸』なるものの参考になるかもしりんす」
「あら? 可愛らしいお人形さんが多いですわね」
呪いから解放された雪国ポーンセントを経由し、グラントール王国へとクエストを受けに行こうとした矢先、ミナの一言で少しの寄り道をしてゆく事が決まった。
ポーンセントの街にある人形屋の前を通りかかったミナの、目を輝かせてショーケースを覗く
人形屋には様々な人形が販売されているが、ブルーホワイトたんのように実寸大サイズの人形は陳列されていなかった。どの人形も腕で抱えられるぐらいの大きさで、一つぐらいならミナに買ってあげても良いかなと思える程の値段だ。
「どれもこれも綺麗ですね、天士さま」
「服装がどれも本格的なゴシック調だねぇ」
「それぞれの髪色に合った色彩が散りばめられてるのも素敵ー」
「頬がふくよか、瞳の造形が明瞭にぱっちり......肌も白い......フランス人形に近いようですけど、少々のアニメ調がアレンジで加えられているのかしら?」
ミナに続き、ロリィタ服好きなゆらちーとシズクちゃんも両目を輝かせている。意外な事にリリィさんも人形には詳しい様子だった。
「はらはら......この刺繍痕は、なかなかに興味深いでありんす」
「あはは......確かにどれも良くできてるね」
「あぁ......だが、タロが連れてるブルーホワイトには劣るがな」
男衆は何とも言えぬ空気で店内をぼーっと突っ立ているだけだ。
そんな俺達でも、一際目立つ二体の人形を前に感嘆の息を漏らしてしまう。
「この二体はすごいね」
「早い話、傑作だな」
「確かに......美しい」
片方は少年で片方は少女の人形だった。
少年の方は太陽の輝きをそのまま宿したかのような豪奢な
「双子かな?」
そう思ってしまうのは、二人ともが燃え立つ宝石のような紅玉色の瞳をしていたからだ。俺はほんの少しだけ、その血のような赤に警戒心を抱く。なぜならさっきからスキル『
「あぁ......その二体は少し特殊でのぉ......」
不意にそんな声がかかった。それは俺達の様子を見ていた店主のおじいさんNPCで、彼は双子人形にまつわる物語を喋り出した。
「双子である兄の方はヘンゼル、妹の名はグレーテルと言う。その人形の瞳は双子が生前、父親からもらった宝石での。双子が肌身離さず持っていたソレを加工して使ったのじゃ」
ヘンゼルとグレーテルは、とある貴族の子爵家に執事や使用人として代々仕えてきた家柄に生を受けたらしい。母を早くに亡くしてしまい、父親は違う女と再婚。幸せな家庭環境に包まれたのも束の間で、その継母は吸血鬼のような真っ赤な目を持つ双子を不気味に思い、前妻への嫉妬心に駆られて二人を森の奥へ捨ててしまったそうだ。父親が仕事から帰って来て事態を把握し、森へと捜索しにいったが、幼い二人の命は獣に蹂躙され潰えた後だったようだ。発見できたのは、人形の瞳に使われている形見の宝石のみ。
「その哀れな父親に『我が子を残してくれ』と依頼されてのぉ。人形を作ったのはいいんじゃが、その父親も急死してしまっての。買い取り手がおらんのじゃよ......」
さっきから双子の人形は『命、もらう』『命、欲しい?』と命を所望する問答を互いにしていたのでちょっと怖かったけど、生きてお父さんの元に帰りたいのかなと思う。
「ヘンゼルとグレーテル。初めまして」
スキルと共に二人へと話しかけると、ギギギッと僅かに首を動かして人形がこちらを見てきた。その変化に
『こんにちは』
『はじめまして?』
行儀よく挨拶を返してくれるあたり、危険な人形ではないように思える。
「わぁタロちゃん! その二人、すっごく可愛いね!」
「ほんとに綺麗な人形だねー。特に目がとっても綺麗」
ゆらちーやシズクちゃんが何事かと近づいてきて、双子人形を褒めまくる。
俺もそんな二人の空気に釣られて、ヘンゼルとグレーテルへ微笑みを向ける。
「ヘンゼルとグレーテルは何が欲しいの?」
『ぴかぴかに光る、元気な命』
『冷たく光る、静かな命?』
双子人形は口をそろえて、自分が欲する物を伝えてきた。
これはもしかして、等価交換を成立させる物のヒントだったりするのだろうか。さすれば、双子人形の心もブルーホワイトたんの時と同じように手に入ると?
双子人形の愛らしさを周囲が絶賛する騒がしいなか、俺は思考の海に沈んでいく。
ヘンゼルが元気な命を、グレーテルが静かな命を求めている。それが一体何なのか、実は俺には心あたりがあった。しかし、はいそうですかとすぐに手渡す事ができない。なぜなら、この双子人形が何を思い、何を目的として命を欲しているのか気になったからだ。
「その命を得て、二人は何をしたいの?」
『命くれた人、ボクらのご主人さまになる』
『おとうしゃんみたいに立派に仕える?』
継母によって貶められた命でありながら、敬愛する父親の姿は二人の記憶に真っすぐ根付いてたようだ。執事の家柄に生まれた誇りを未だに捨ててない二人に感銘を覚える。
この子たちはぜひ仲間にしておきたい。グラントール継承戦争では少しでもこちらの戦力を増強しておくに越した事はないのだ。
「......ヘンゼルとグレーテル」
しかし、二人の名前は有名なグリム童話を思い出させる。ヘンゼルとグレーテルという、森で迷った子供達を食べようとする魔女の末路は悲惨なものだったのだ。これから始まろうとする戦争に同行させようとしている俺は、童話の魔女よりも酷な人物なのではないだろうか。
そんな黒い感情を隠して、笑みを絶やさずに双子を見つめる。
「それなら、あげる。これでいいかな?」
そうして俺は二人が欲しがっていた、ぴかぴか光る元気な命と、冷たく光る静かな命を取り出した。
191 189 Stories Beautiful Twins And Witches
He returned home from the study group and reported everything to his sister about the home care doll Care Doll. My sister took a big sigh and gently stroked my head, 'You don't have to worry too much about that,' she said. But then he clouded his expression with a sharp glance: 'I have a worse concern'.
My sister said that, at last, there are signs that the war of Grantore inheritance is about to erupt, and that the day is approaching when rebels led by Count Hardy and the Duke of Granze clash with the Ignitor family, the Princess.
Therefore, I immediately logged into the Clan Clan and went to the kingdom to gather people I knew to join the battle at Princess Ignitol's side.
"You can't lose this war event."
"Quick story, defeat is unacceptable"
My best friends are highly combative.
"Taro and our powers combined, you'll definitely win!
"I've had a lot of magic practice, so it helps a lot."
"Ooh!
"Ooh."
Yuki-chan and Shizuku, who belong to the same mercenary regiment (clan), Hundred Rides Night Trip, are also motivated.
By the way, it seems that my sister and George will lead the mercenary regiment (clan) to which they belong and will join the war. Yuji, a rear friend, RF4you said, 'I understand your orders! I'd like to lead an elite unit to pick you up, Your Excellency!' and gave me a moody reply in vain, and I plan to rendezvous later.
"If Mr. Taro says so, it's not a shame I'm on his side."
Even with his mouth uttering high-flying words and deeds, Lily, the bowman who acts synonymously with the Allied Manifesto at the time he gathers, is trustworthy.
"Come on, guys, it's as reliable as you can get."
Announ, a Japanese charlatan with a glossy smile, entered the temple of a warring princess warrior.
"The Lord is a weasel..."
Blu-white, who often follows me, is also the poor girl who looks, but whose identity is a pretty combative doll.
"Heavenly Man! Would you like to just look at your doll before heading to the Kingdom of Grantore!?
Mina suddenly comes up with a suggestion before her morale for such a battle is raised.
I said inside, "To? 'But the reaction around him was different. Mostly of the women.
"Hey, Siz! Look at that kid's clothes!
"Wow, Yura! That headdress design is amazing!
"With a doll... Mr. Taro, speaking of which, would it be helpful to refer to what would be a 'guide thread'? If Rinsu"
"Oh? That's a lot of cute dolls."
It was decided to take a short stop with a word of Mina, the arrow tip that tried to take the quest to the Kingdom of Grantore, via Pawn St., a snowland liberated from the curse.
If you could show Mina's eyes shining in front of a puppet shop in the city of Pawn St. and peeking into the showcase, no one could turn down that suggestion.
There are a variety of dolls for sale at the doll store, but no actual sized dolls were displayed, like the Blue White Tongue. All dolls are big enough to be held with your arms, and it's so expensive that I think I could buy them for Mina for about one.
"All this is beautiful, Heavenly Master"
"All the outfits are authentic Gothic."
"It's nice to have colours scattered around that match each hair colour."
"My cheeks are plump, my eyes are clearly shaped... my skin is white... it seems close to a French doll, but maybe a little animated tone is added in the arrangement?
Following Mina, Lolita clothes-loving Yuruchi and Shizuku also shine their eyes. Unexpectedly, Lily was familiar with the doll.
"Harrah... these embroidery marks are quite interesting"
"haha...... you sure are all doing well"
"Oh... but no worse than the blue white that Taro is taking with him."
The men are just poking around the store in unspeakable air.
Even we breathe a breath of admiration in front of two prominent dolls.
"These two are amazing."
"Quick story, that's a masterpiece."
"Sure...... beautiful"
One was a boy and one was a girl's doll.
The boy had luxurious blonde hair (blonde) as if he had stayed in the sunshine and was dressed in butler's clothes.
"Are they twins?
That's what I think, because we both had red ball eyes like burning jewels. I'm just a little wary of that bloody red. Because earlier, with the benefit of the skill "Chanting the Air (Aire Poema)," the two noisy whispers (sayings) sound fragmented.
"Oh... those two are a little special..."
I accidentally heard that voice. It was NPC, the owner's grandfather, who was watching us, and he told a story about the twin dolls.
"My brother, who is a twin, says Hensel, and my sister's name is Gretel. The doll's eyes are in the jewels the twins received from their father during their lifetime. I processed and used the sole that the twins had."
It seems that Hensel and Gretel were raw by a family that has served a certain aristocratic Viscount family for generations as deacons and servants. I lost my mother early, and my father remarried a different woman. It was also in between bundles that she was wrapped up in a happy home environment, and her stepmother creeped out the twins with vampire-like bright red eyes and dumped them in the back of the woods, driven by jealousy for their ex-wife, she said. His father came home from work to keep track of the situation and to search the woods, but the lives of the two young men seemed to be after being ravaged and crushed by the beast. Only shaped gems used in the doll's eyes could be discovered.
"The poor father asked me to leave my son behind. I don't mind making a doll, but his father died suddenly. You don't have a buyer..."
Earlier, the twin dolls were "Life, get it" and "Life, you want it? 'and I was a little scared because we were asking each other questions about wanting life, but I wonder if we want to go back to your father alive.
"Hensel and Gretel. Nice to meet you."
Talking to both of them with their skills, the doll has looked at this one with a slight neck movement. Only a few steps away from the change were the night (Koya) and Yuki (Yuki).
"Hello."
"Nice to meet you?"
Around giving me a well-behaved greeting back, it doesn't seem like a dangerous doll.
"Wow Talo! Those two are so cute!
"You're such a beautiful doll. Especially with very beautiful eyes."
Yuruchi and Shizuku come close to something and praise the twin dolls.
I'm caught in the air by those two, too, smiling at Hensel and Gretel.
"What do Hensel and Gretel want?
"Shiny Glow, Vibrant Life"
"Cold glow, quiet life?
The twin dolls kept their mouths shut and told them what they wanted.
Could this possibly be a hint of something that would establish an equivalent exchange? And if you do, you think you'll get the mind of the twin dolls the same way you did when you were blue white?
I sink into the sea of thought as my surroundings glorify the adorability of twin dolls.
Hensel wants a healthy life, Gretel wants a quiet life. I actually had a heart for what the hell that was. But I can't hand it over right away. Because I wondered what this twin doll thought and what she wanted her life for.
"Get that life, what do you two want to do?
"He who gave me my life, will be my husband."
"Ouch, do you always serve splendidly?
While his life was discredited by his stepmother, the figure of his beloved father seemed to be rooted straight in the memory of both of them. I'm impressed with the two of you who haven't abandoned the pride you were born into the butler's household yet.
I'd love to keep these kids company. In the Grant Thor Inheritance War, we have never been able to increase our power at all.
"... Hensel and Gretel"
But the two names remind me of the famous Grimm fairy tale. Hensel and Gretel, the end of a witch trying to eat lost children in the woods, were tragic. I wonder if I'm a tougher figure than a fairy tale witch trying to accompany you to the war you're about to start.
Hide such black emotions and stare at the twins with a constant grin.
"Then I'll give it to you. Is this it?
That's how I took out the vibrant life they wanted, the shiny, and the quiet life that glowed cold.
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