216話 天使階級
不思議だ。壇上に立つ前はこれだけ多くの人前で朗読するのを緊張していたのに、今はそこまでのプレッシャーを感じていない。
というのも、これから自分が行うデモンストレーションが果たして成功するのかどうか、ある種の実験に対する思考を巡らしているようなもので、実験結果はどうなるのか、その考察と予測をたてる事で気分は向上していた。
つまりは、わくわくだ。
ちなみに俺が朗読に選んだのは『灰王と舞踏会』だ。かなり宗教色の薄い内容だったので、これにしたけど......やっぱり内容はクラン・クランでのイベント、『妖精の舞踏会』で対峙した灰塵王カグヤ・モーフィアスの演出に酷似している箇所はある。
「王の前では全てが灰塵と化したのです。灰王が一度、剛剣を振るえば挑戦者たちはことごとく一刀両断され、塵となって消え失せる運命を辿ったのです」
朗々と物語を口から吐き出しつつ、俺は周囲を確認する。
ステンドグラスは太陽の光を教会内に降り注がせ、すぐ横には清められた水の入った給水瓶。そして講堂の壁は石作りではないけれど、教壇の一部は間違いなく石で作られているのを確認。
「灰王は民の弱さを嘆き、他に強い者はおらぬかと叫ぶ。すると今度は年端もいかない子供が手を上げました。これまた無謀だなと王は笑うと、子供も一緒に笑いました」
を作ると危ないな。となると......俺の目はブルーホワイトたんが入っているケースにかけられていた真っ黒な布を捉えた。今は床に放られただけの代物だが、あの黒布があれば大丈夫か?
「子供は突如、きれいな声で歌を歌うと、王は戦うのを忘れてそれに聞き惚れてしまいました。もう少し近くで聴いてみたくなった王は子供に近付きましたが――子供の服の袖からネズミが飛びだし、王の鼻頭をかじってしまったのです。こうして不意打ちをくらった王はそのまま退散しましたとさ」
灰王の弱点は歌でしたとさ、ってお話だ。
あれ? もしこの教典がクラン・クランの攻略本じみた内容を示唆していると仮定するなら......未だに先駆都市ミケランジェロの支配権を巡って、灰王に挑み続けている傭兵や、上位組の誰か、そう例えば姉とかにこの情報を渡してみたら上手く活用できるかもしれない?
「歌は心の色を
この教典の内容を姉に伝えておこうと思いながら、今回の教えで締めくくる。
さてさて、教典をパタンと閉じてこれで朗読は終わりって空気を出すと......案の定、視聴者からは特に感動したような反応は見られない。
だけど、これからが本番だ。
俺は気合いを入れて、視聴者へと語りかける。
「女神さまの教えはどれも崇高で慈しみ深く、私達を豊かな道へと導いてくれます」
粛々と語る姿は修道女として及第点だろう。だが、ここからは違う。ここからは俺自身の言葉で語らなければならない。なぜなら俺は女神さまなる人物をこれっぽちも信じていないから。
「ですが、本当に女神さまの教えを盲目的に信じるのが良い行いですか?」
その無神論者にも近い言葉に反応して、一気に疑問や不穏な空気が広がる場を無視し、俺はニタリと笑みを張り付けながら視聴者に背を向ける。そしてすぐに『永劫にひしめく
「例えば、この金杯は果たして......本当に宝石を安置するためだけに使うのが正しいと?」
俺の不遜な物言いに沈黙を守っていた視聴者たちの間で、ひそひそと非難の声が上がってくる。
『無断で
『背信者の行いに等しいのでは?』
視聴者からふつふつとわき上がる敵愾心をやりすごし、俺は金杯を教壇へ乱暴に叩きつけた。すると教壇の一部が崩れ、石の欠片が俺の足元に散らばる。金杯は予想よりも頑丈だったのか、小さな傷と歪みができただけだ。
「貴重な
さすがにこの行いに紀伊子ちゃんも我慢ができなかったようで、咎めるようにして叫んだ。もちろん講堂内にはどよめきがどんどん広がってゆく。だが、俺はそれらを制するように声を張り上げる。
「先の朗読者たちは素晴らしい教えを私達に示してくれました!」
『聖童女の系譜』では、自己犠牲による博愛と平和の維持。
『白銀の天使と野獣たち』では、悪しき心を良き色に染める行い。
『銀氷姫に送る救済』では、報復と正義。
「全て善なる者のお言葉でありましたが......」
そうして俺は金杯を教壇へと置き、『
』と『硬石』だ。錬金術を現実で習得した時期から、物を視ると本能的に合成できうる素材かどうか判断できるようになってしまったが、それを今は活用させてもらう。
それが貴方たちが言うところの奇跡なのだろう?
講堂内へと溢れ落ちる光が、散らばる石粒が、自然に俺の掲げた右手へと集束していく。
「全て善なる者のお言葉でありましたが......私には、こう聞こえました」
煌びやかに輝く粒子たちが強い輝きを放ちながら一つの物体へと変貌してゆく。それはいくつもの光柱が俺の手に集い、力を手にするかのような演出になってしまう。
正直、ここまで派手な事態になるとは思っていなかったけれど、キューブの色を即座に揃えるために必死で頭を回転させてる身としてはそこまで気を配る事はできない。
「人間には光の部分があり――」
『彼女も奇跡を起こせるのか......』とか『金杯への蛮行は、祝福を生むための聖業だったとは......』など、『女神さまより賜りし色を......混ぜ合せた......?』や『まるで
そしてすぐさま、ブルーホワイトたんを隠すために放られた漆黒の布を拾い持ち、閃光石と同様にバサリと上へ持ちあげる。
「闇もあると」
光と闇......対象的な色合いを持つ物を掲げ、何が言いたいのか、何がしたいのか? 聴衆は奇跡を起こした俺の動きを凝視しつつ、そんな無言の問いを視線に込めて来た。なので、俺はこれからしようとする事を
「さて、さっき作った『閃光石』を――――今、この場で使いましょうか」
予想通り、俺の右手にある『閃光石』が如何なる物かを知ってる人間達は声を荒げて主張し出す。
「何を考えているのか!」
「あの子は狂人か!?」
「やめさせろ! あの少女の朗読会を即刻やめさせろ!」
「どれだけの信徒が犠牲になると思ってるんだ!?」
そう、現実での『閃光石』は使用すれば人間の目に後遺症を残す程に有害な強い光を放つ、失明を招くもの。それを俺に教えてくれ、過去に護身用として与えてくれたレアン
ここまでして動揺しないとは、彼女の思考はやはり読み切れない。
さて、聴衆達が俺の手に持つ物が危険なのだと理解したのを感じ取ったタイミングで言い放つ。
「その通り。光であれ、強過ぎれば人々の毒になる! しかし、こうやって闇を用いれば奇跡となりましょう!」
すぐに『閃光石』を闇色の布で何度も何度もグルグル巻きにし、教壇に力強くぶつける。
教会の神父様みたいに講堂で『光りあれー!』 なんてオーソドックスな台詞を叫ぶ経験が自分にやってくるなんて滑稽だなぁ、なんて思いながらもやる事はきちんと演じきる。
こうして闇の衣をまとった強い光量を放つ石は、やんわりと漆黒の中で灯る光となった。これなら目に強い刺激をもたらさない、安全な光だ。その様相は、宇宙に星雲がほどばしるような美しい光で、まるで一つの宝玉のようにも思えた。
「光あれば闇もまたあり。ふたつが合わされば、前の見えない暗い夜道も、閉ざされた洞窟でも、弱き私達を照らしだす
ここまでくると視聴者たちは黙って、固唾を飲んで俺の話に耳を傾けてくれている。
「光か闇などは関係ありません。誰がどのように扱うか、何を以って行動するか。それが大事なのです。ただ盲目的に神を信じ、誰かの言いなりになってしまえばそれは責任転嫁という罪に値します」
どうにか峠は乗り越えられたか。そう感じると、やっぱり安心して親友達の方へと目を向けてしまう。
晃夜と夕輝を見て笑顔を送る。
あとはフィナーレだ。
ガラス越しで見るブルーホワイトたんも可愛かったけど、やっぱり直接目にする彼女はこの世の物とは思えない程に美しかった。
こんな数の聴衆の前で彼女の胸元を開けるのは気が進まないけれど、ここでもたついているわけにもいかず、俺は罪悪感にまみれながらも彼女の上着を広げる。案の定、ブルーホワイトたんの胸の上部には『
それから数秒、講堂内はやけに静かに感じられた。
時間が止まってしまったかのように、周囲は唖然としつつも俺とブルーホワイトたんに注目している。
俺も固唾を飲んで、瞳を閉じたままの彼女を見つめ続ける。
ぎこちなく、雪よりも透明で純白な声音を吐きだす彼女に、俺は首を横に振る。主とかってよりも、彼女とのゲーム内での関係性は頼りになる相棒だ。
「違うよブルーホワイトたん。俺は友達だ」
信徒の手がブルーホワイトたんから俺を離そうと伸ばされる。それに抵抗するために、俺は彼女へと抱きついた。するとブルーホワイトたんは『やっぱり、主サマでス......』と小声で呟き、抱きついたはずの俺が抱きかかえられてしまった。更に彼女は自分の周囲に氷の渦をバキバキと生成してゆき、それはまるで外敵からの攻撃を阻む壁となった。それだけに終わらず、足場にも氷をメキメキと生やし、数瞬のうちにして講堂内全ての人間を見下ろすだけの高度へと、俺とブルーホワイトたんは立っていた。
勢い余ったのか周囲には氷の結晶が飛び散り、突然の事でありながらその煌びやかさに息を呑んでしまう。
氷の塔、美しき彫刻が講堂の壇上に出現してしまったのだ。
過剰な防衛行動に、俺の脳内は完全にショート気味だ。
驚きどよめく信徒たちを見て、この事態にどう収拾つければ良いのやら。その鍵ともなる存在に目を向ければ、毅然と眼下を睨むブルーホワイトたんはやっぱり感嘆の息を吐くほどの美しさを誇っていた。
「えーっと、ブルーホワイトたん。もう大丈夫だからさ? 下におろしてもらえるかな」
表情は全く変わらないけれど、俺にはわかった。やや不満そうな顔をしながらも、彼女が右手を軽く下へとかざせば、一段、また一段と青く煌めく階段を創り出してゆく。そして俺をまるでお姫様のように扱う丁寧な仕草で抱っこし、壇上へと降りていく。
「まさしく彼女は『女王の卵』だ」
「『白銀の天使』様か......今季の我が教会は、非常に神力の高い信徒が粒ぞろいですな」
「色持ちでない『水聖にじむ天使』様や『古森の守護天使』様よりも、さらに女神さまに近い存在を......今日、この日にお目にかかれるとは......女神様に感謝を」
「日本は素晴らしい国ですね。これで二人も色持ちの天使様を輩出した事になります」
「もう一人は『誓眼の蒼天使』様か。かの天使様も素晴らしかったなぁ」
「最上位である原初の色、黒と白。......そのうちの一色を担い、しかも銀に変容してるとは、相当な神力の高さですね......」
「『黒約を結ぶ天使』様の奇跡も凄まじいものではありましたが......『白銀の天使』さまの御業は......別格かと......」
218 216 Words Angel Class
Strange. I was nervous to recite it in so many public before I stood on the stage, and now I don't feel that much pressure.
Because it's like thinking about whether or not the demonstration I'm going to perform will succeed, and about some kind of experiment, and my mood was improved by my reflection and prediction of what will happen to the experiment results.
I mean, it's exciting.
By the way, I chose "The Ashes King and the Ball" for the recitation. It was fairly faintly religious in colour, so I made it this... but after all, the content is very similar to the event at Clan Clan, and to the performance of Dust King Kaguya Morpheus, who confronted him at The Fairy Ball.
"In front of the king everything turned to dust. Once the Ash King waved his sword, all the challengers were cut off, and they followed their destiny to become dust and disappear."
While I spit the story out of my mouth, I check my surroundings.
The stained glass lets the sunlight fall into the church, and a water supply bottle with clean water immediately next to it. And while the walls of the auditorium are not made of stone, make sure that some of the lectures are made of the wrong stone.
"The Ash King mourns the weakness of the people, and cries out that there is no other strong one. Then a kid who wasn't even old this time raised his hand. And when the king laughed, the child laughed with him."
Oh, well... it's dangerous to make arr (...). Then... my eyes caught the black cloth that was hanging on the case containing the blue white tongue. Now it's just a substitute for being unleashed on the floor, but with that black cloth, would you be okay?
"The child suddenly, when he sang the song in a beautiful voice, the king forgot to fight and fell in love with it. The king, who wanted to listen a little closer, approached the child - but a rat jumped off the sleeve of the child's clothes and grabbed the king's nose head. And the king, who had struck him by surprise, was dispersed."
The weakness of Ash King was the song.
Is that it? If we assume that this teaching suggests the defiled content of Clan Clan's offensive book... maybe we can make good use of this information if we give it to mercenaries who are still challenging the Ashes King, or someone in the upper group, yes, for example, my sister, over the dominion of the pioneer city of Michelangelo?
"Songs are important for coloring the mind."
I close with this teaching as I try to convey the contents of this teaching to my sister.
Now, close the classics with a patan. Now when the readings are over and the air is out...... the advice, the audience doesn't see a reaction that particularly touched me.
But now it's the real deal.
I get in the mood and talk to the audience.
"All the teachings of the Goddess are sublime, merciful, and lead us to a rich path."
Solemnly speaking would be the point as a nun. But not from here. I have to speak in my own language from here on out. Because I don't even believe in this goddess.
"But is it really a good thing to blindly believe in the Goddess's teachings?
Reacting to words close to that atheist as well, ignoring a place where questions and disturbing air spread all at once, I turn my back on my audience with a nitwit and a grin. And soon he holds a golden cup containing the frost stone cord (Froslalda), which hits the perpetual robbery, and shows it to them.
"For example, this golden cup is fulfilled... you really think it's right to use it just to rest the gem?
A whisper of condemnation rises among the viewers who were silent on my disgusting remarks.
"You have the Holy Relic without permission."
'Isn't it equal to the deeds of the treacherous?
I slammed the golden cup rampantly onto the bench, wreaking havoc and enmity from the viewers. Then part of the lecture will collapse and the stone shards will be scattered at my feet. Was the golden cup sturdier than expected or just had small scratches and distortions.
"Precious relics (durelics) like that! I'm not allowed to treat you like an asshole!
Exactly, Kiiko couldn't seem to put up with this act either, so I tried to blame her and shouted. Of course, there are more and more twists in the auditorium. But I raise my voice to control them.
"The previous readers showed us a great teaching!
In The Genealogy of the Holy Girl, fraternity and the maintenance of peace through self-sacrifice.
In The Silver Angels and the Beasts, the act of dyeing the evil heart into a good color.
In "Salvation to Send to Silver Ice Princess," Retaliation and Justice.
"It was all the words of the good..."
That's how I put the golden cup on the bench and activated Alchemy as a 'Talent Holder'. Of course, they use Demon Alchemy and Rubik Architect type squares (cubes).
It's called "Yellow (Sun Yellow)" and "Hard Stone" in the game. From the time I mastered alchemy in real life, I was able to determine if materials that I could instinctively synthesize when I saw things, but now I let them take advantage of it.
Is that what you call a miracle?
The light that overflows into the auditorium, scattered stone grains naturally converge on my raised right hand.
"It was all the words of the good...... to me, it sounded like this"
Brilliantly shining particles transform into one object with a strong glow. That makes it look like a bunch of light columns are gathering in my hand and using force.
Honestly, I didn't think this was going to be a fancy thing, but I can't be that careful as I'm desperate to rotate my head to get the cube colors right away.
"Man has a part of light..."
"Can she do miracles too..." or "I didn't know barbarism to the Golden Cup was a sacrament to give birth to blessings..." etc. "The colors given by the Goddess... mixed together...? 'or' It's Like the Art of Light (Shine Art) 'or whatever. Not to mention the stunning-eyed believers, but put the' Flash Stone 'you could do high above your head.
And immediately, he picks up the pitch-black cloth released to hide the blue-white tongue, and lifts it up with a bassari, just like a flashing stone.
"There's darkness, too."
Light and darkness...... put up objects with targeted shades, what do you want to say or do? The audience had a miracle. I came to gaze at my movements, but with such silent inquiries. Therefore, I will do what I intend to do.
"Well, let's use the 'Flash Stone' I just made - now on this occasion"
As expected, the humans who know what 'Flash Stone' in my right hand is like claim their voices absurdly.
"What are you thinking!
"Is that kid a lunatic!?
"Make him stop! Make that girl stop reciting right now!
"How many believers do you think will be sacrificed!?
Yes, "flash stones" in reality, if used, emit strong light that is harmful enough to leave a sequelae in the human eye, causing blindness. Tell me that, and tell me what look Bishop Lean (Bishop) has given me in the past as a protection... he was watching me with a constant grin.
I still can't read through her thoughts until I get this far and not get upset.
Now, I say it at a time when the audience understood that what was in my hand was dangerous.
"Exactly. If it's light, if it's too strong, it'll be people's poison! But be a miracle if you use darkness this way!
Immediately glue the 'Flash Stone' with a dark cloth over and over again, hitting the stage powerfully.
Like a church priest, in the auditorium, he said, "Hikari, oh! 'What an orthodox dialogue. It's funny how the experience comes to me, but I can play what I want to do properly.
Thus the stone, which emitted a strong amount of light that put together the coat of darkness, became a light that lighted gently in the pitch black. This will not cause strong eye irritation, it is a safe light. The appearance was as beautiful as a nebula in the universe, as if it were a single jewel.
"If there is light, there is darkness. Together, the two will be the lights that will illuminate us weakly, both in the invisible dark night lanes and in the closed caves!
When we get here, the viewers are silent, sipping and listening to me.
"Light or darkness doesn't matter. Who treats them and what they do with them. That's what matters. If you just blindly believe in God and become someone else's, it deserves the sin of transferring responsibility."
Have you managed to get over it? When I feel that way, I still feel safe and turn my attention to my best friends.
Send a smile when you see the shaking night and the evening glow.
And then the finale.
The blue-white tan I see over the glass was cute, too, but I knew she was so beautiful that I didn't think she was anything from the world.
I don't feel comfortable opening her chest in front of such a number of audiences, but I can't even bring it here, and I spread her jacket despite all the guilt. On the upper part of the blue white tongue chest, there was a crease for wearing the "Magic Stone (Doll Core)".
Then for a few seconds, it felt slightly quieter in the auditorium.
As if time had stopped, my surroundings are flashing and I'm paying attention to me and Blue White Tan.
I drink my spit, too, and keep staring at her with my eyes closed.
I shake my neck sideways at her whispering a more transparent and pure white voice than snow. More than ever with the Lord, her in-game relationship with her is a dependable partner.
"No, Blue White. Tan. I'm a friend."
The hands of the faithful are stretched out to let me go from the blue-white. To resist that, I hugged her. Then Blue White Tan whispered, 'After all, su in the Lord Sama...' and I was hugged by the one who was supposed to hold me. Furthermore, she created a whirlpool of ice around herself, which became a barrier to attacks from outside enemies. Not only that, but me and the Blue White Tan stood at an altitude that just grew ice on the scaffold and in a few moments looked down on all the humans in the auditorium.
The ice crystals splash all around if the momentum is excessive, and suddenly its brilliant and breathtaking.
The ice tower, the beautiful sculpture, appeared on the altar of the auditorium.
My brain is completely short on excessive defensive behavior.
I'm surprised to see the faithful and see how we can keep up with this. If we looked at the existence that was also the key to it, the Blue White Tan, who stared beneath his eyes with perseverance, was, after all, so beautiful as to exhale an admirable breath.
"Erm, Blue White Tan. Because you're okay now, right? I was wondering if you could grate it down there."
The expression didn't change at all, but I figured it out. With a slightly dissatisfied face, if she gently lowers her right hand, she creates a step, another blue and brilliant staircase. And he hugs me with a polite trick that treats me like a princess, and he goes down to the stage.
"Exactly. She's the Queen's Egg."
"Dear" Angel of Silver "... My church this season is full of very high divine believers."
"Even closer to the goddess than the colorless" Angel of the Water Holy Mist "or" Guardian Angel of the Ancient Forest "... I didn't expect to see you today... thank the goddess"
"Japan is a wonderful country. Now you've both produced colored angels."
"Is the other one like" The Ethereal Angel of the Oath Eye "? The angel was wonderful."
"The first color, black and white, which is the top. ... it's a considerable amount of divine power to be responsible for one of those colors, and to be transformed into silver..."
"The miracle of" The Angel Who Makes the Black Testament "was also amazing..." The Angel of Silver "Your business... I thought it was something else..."
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