二十五話
人を襲う存在である————魔物。
彼らはこの世界において、ありふれた存在だ。
「————別名、〝呪われた街〟。他じゃ〝ミナウラ〟はそう呼ばれてる」
他と比べ、特別〝瘴気〟の多い街——〝ミナウラ〟はそれ故に魔物が多く、〝呪われた街〟と呼ばれているのだとシヴァは隣で歩く俺に向けてそう言った。
「〝瘴気〟が多いって事はつまり、魔物の質も通常とは異なって段違いに強え。〝ミナウラ〟に向かい、死んだ奴の大半はその差異のせいで死んだって話だ」
〝瘴気〟が多ければ多い程、生まれる魔物の質は上がる。
〝呪われた街〟とまで呼ばれる〝ミナウラ〟付近で生まれた魔物である。
「だからこそ、名をあげる場としてはこれ以上なく都合が良かった。あの〝ミナウラ〟で魔物の掃討に加わり、オレは名をあげる。そろそろ、色々と無名ってんのもしんどくなってきたんでな」
そう言ってシヴァは、ぽんぽんと軽く腰に下げる剣の柄に触れた。
「名剣————グラシア。こいつの名がオレの名より売れてるせいであーやって頻繁に賊に狙われる羽目になってたってわけだ。そろそろ、得物に負けねえくれえオレの名も轟かせておきてえと思ってよ」
俺が村から出て来たばかりの世間知らずと知ってか。シヴァはそうやって〝ミナウラ〟に向かう道中に頻繁に話を振ってくれていた。
これまでの話から判断するに、恐らく、村にやって来ていた冒険者であるリレアやロウが言っていた「変異種」。
「ところで、ユリウス」
「ずっと不思議に思ってたんだが、あんた一体、その剣は何処で、誰に習った?」
ウォルフの一件以降。
〝斬る〟という行為にのみ、心血を注いだ結果、生まれたような剣技。
身体の負担なぞ、〝斬る〟という行為の前では些細でしかないと究極的に割り切った剣だなと、褒めてるのか貶しているのか判断つかない言葉が俺の鼓膜を揺らす。
......本当に、シヴァの言葉の通り過ぎてすぐには返す言葉が思い浮かばなかった。
「良いでしょ?」
にぃ、と喜悦ここに極まれりと言わんばかりの笑顔を俺は浮かべる事にした。
『星斬り』のあの男の記憶は俺だけの唯一無二。たとえ誰であれ、あれだけは奪う事も、見る事も出来やしない。文字通り、本当に俺だけに許されたものである。
故に、良いだろ? と俺は宣うのだ。
「でも、いくら羨んでもこれだけは教えてあげられないよ。なにせ、俺の剣に関する全てを教えてくれた人は
そもそも彼はこの世界の住人ですらない。
俺が知る限り、この世界に『星斬り』という行為に人生を捧げた人間がいるなんて話は聞いた事がない。つまり、それが答えである。
「............」
悪い事を聞いてしまったと後悔をしているのだろう。シヴァはあからさまに表情を曇らせた。
ここで、死んでいないとちゃんと言ってあげるべきなんだろうが、夢で見た剣士が己の師であるからと言って誰が信じてくれるだろうか。
仮に、信じてくれる人がいるとすればそれは恐らく、ソフィアくらいのものだ。
だからシヴァには悪いけれど、このまま勘違いをして貰う事にした。
「それもあって、俺は『星斬り』を成したいんだ。あの剣士の技は真、星に届き得るものだったんだって、代わりに証明をしたいから」
俺の憧れは、星にすら届き得る
そしてならば、これ以上の確認は無粋かと力なく笑い、
「そんだけの理由があるってんなら、これ以上は何も言わねえ。あんたくれぇの餓鬼が死地に向かうってんなら先達として殴りつけてでも止めてやろうかと思ってたが、やめだやめだ。そんだけの覚悟があるやつを
乱暴に、言葉を叫び散らす。
そんな俺達の目の前にはどでかい傷だらけの古びた壁があった。
紡がれる魔法の————解号。
転瞬、地面から漆黒の剣が
直後、どさり、どさりと音を立てて落ちてくるナニカ。それは翅を持った虫型の魔物であった。
「魔法、使い......っ」
「何驚いてんだか。今時、魔法使いなんてさして珍しくもねえよ。あんたらのとこの〝戦姫〟やオレ。それに、ここにいるユリウスだって使える。珍獣扱いすんじゃねえ」
その付近に立ち尽くす数名の門番らしき男を呆れ混じりの視線で見据えながらシヴァは言葉を唾棄した。
一瞬、名簿? と頭上に疑問符が浮かぶがそれも刹那。
「......ユリウス。あんた、一応、招集されたから〝ミナウラ〟に来たって事にしてんだろ? だったら、まずはそれ終わらさねえといけねえだろうが」
〝ミナウラ〟にたどり着いたら、呼び掛けに応じた事にする。と言っていたビエラ・アイルバークの言葉が思い起こされる。確かに、何かに俺が来たという痕跡を残しておかなければ折角の行為が無に帰してしまう。
「国ってところは意地きたねえ事を平気な顔でするが、その反面、絶対に無理と断じてる事に関してはどこまでもきっちりしてやがるからな」
忌々しげに言葉を並べ立てるシヴァをよそに、事情を察した門番の男は苦笑いしながら「......村人がここに来るとは命知らずだな」と言って俺に名簿のようなものを差し出してくる。
渡された名簿に視線を落とす。
それは、ビエラから渡されていた地図が描かれた上質な紙であった。
「村の場所は分かるだろう? そこに魔力印を押してくれればいい」
魔力印。
リレアからいつか王都に来るなら必要になるからと言われ、村にいた頃に押し方は教えて貰っているので俺は言われるがまま、己の村の場所に親指を押し当てた。
「どうせ他の村の連中は来られねえ。どでかいの押してやれ」
そう言って楽しげに笑うシヴァを横目に見ながら、俺は魔法を扱う時に酷似した要領で紙へ印を押した。
「これで、村の税が上がる事は無くなったが、ユリウスも後に引けなくなった」
「俺は幼馴染みとの約束を破ってまでここに来てるんだ。今更引き返す気はこれっぽっちもないよ」
「......ったく、悪ぃやつだ」
Chapter 25
Creatures that attack human beings-- Monsters.
They were nothing out of the ordinary in this world, and there was a simple answer as to how they are born.
"--It's also known as the 'cursed town.' Or at least that's what other people call Minaura."
Siva explained that, compared to other towns, Minaura had a significantly higher level of miasma surrounding it, which is why there were many monsters residing in the city, thus getting its infamous name.
"And since there's a lot of miasma, the quality of the monsters is different and much stronger than usual. Most of the people on their way to Minaura died because of that very difference."
The more miasma there was, the higher the quality of the monsters were born.
And being called the "cursed town," the quality of the monsters born in Minaura's vicinity wasn't hard to guess.
"All the more reason for me to take part in cleaning out monsters in Minaura, which is the most suitable place for me to make a name for myself. I'm beginning to get tired of being a nobody in so many ways."
Saying so, Siva tapped the hilt of the sword at his waist.
"This is a renowned sword-- Gracia. The only reason that I'm frequently targeted by bandits is that my sword is more well known than I am. I don't want to lose to my sword, so I'm trying to get my name recognized too."
I guess he knew I was a stranger to this world, having just come out of the village, so Siva frequently talked to me on our way to Minaura.
And judging from what I'd heard so far, perhaps it was better to think that Minaura was filled with the "mutant species" that were mentioned by Lilea and Lowe, the adventurers who always came to our village.
"By the way, Julius."
"I've been wondering since earlier, where in the world did you learn to fight? Who taught you how to use a sword?"
Ever since the wolf incident, and after several encounters with monsters, he was probably curious about my swordsmanship, as such questions had been asked unexpectedly.
My swordsmanship was the result of devoting all my heart and soul into the effort of Slaying the Stars.
I wasn't sure if he was praising or criticizing it, but one thing that I knew was that his words shook my eardrums.
...Really, I couldn't think of any reply I could give Siva right away, but then, after a few seconds of silent contemplation:
"It's pretty great, isn't it?"
I let my face break out in a smile.
The memory of the Star-Slaying Swordsman was unique to me... and no one else, no matter who they are, could take them away from me.
Therefore, I proclaimed how great his swordsmanship was.
"But no matter how much I envy you, it's something I can't tell you. There's no one in this world who could've taught me everything I know about the way of the sword, after all."
Rather than being dead, he wasn't even from this world to begin with.
As far as I knew, I'd never heard of anyone in this world who had devoted his life hoping to Slay the Stars, and thus, I got my answer.
"......"
Siva's face was overtly clouded with regret, as if he had heard something terrible.
I thought of telling him that he was not dead, but no one would believe me if I said that my teacher was a swordsman that I saw in my dream.
If anyone were to believe me, it would probably be only Sofia.
So, although I felt sorry for Siva, I decided to let him be mistaken.
"That's one of the reasons why I want to be a Star Slayer. I want to prove that that swordsman's technique was truly capable of reaching the stars."
I wanted to make it known that my longing was the strongest of them all, and could even reach the stars.
Then, he laughed without effort, thinking it would be tactless to ask for further confirmation.
"If you have such a good reason, I won't say anything more. I'm thinking of beating you to death to make a brat like you understand, but I quit. I won't call someone who has that kind of determination a brat. Well, then... Let's go to Minaura, kill those monsters, and immediately make a name for ourselves!!!"
Wildly, he shouted the words all over the place.
And then a huge, worn-off, old wall stood before our eyes.
His magic unraveled.
A moment later, a jet-black sword sprouted from the ground-- and stretched high to the sky.
It was a winged insect-shaped monster.
"A... magic user...!"
"Why are you so surprised? It's not so unusual to find magicians nowadays. There's your 'Warrior Princess,' me-- hell, even Julius here can use magic. So don't treat me like a freakish creature."
Siva spat out his words as he stared in dismay at the several men who stood near it, who looked like gatekeepers, then walked up to them.
A question mark appeared above my head, but it lasted only for a moment.
"...Julius, you came here in Minaura because you're been drafted, right? If that's the case, we have to make sure we settle with that list first."
It reminded me of Viera Islebark's words, that if I arrive here, then I've complied with the draft.
"The country does some underhanded things with no hesitation, but on the other hand, they are also pretty adamant when it comes to the things they declare."
While Siva was rhetorically putting words in my mouth, the man at the gate, who had understood the situation, smiled and said that I, a villager, was a daredevil for coming here, and offered me a list of names.
I looked down at the list of names handed to me.
And it was a map drawn in a fine piece of paper that Viera had seemingly given to him.
"You know where your village is, right? Just put your magic seal there and the process is done."
A magic seal.
Lilea told me that I would need it if I came to the capital someday, and since I had learned how to make a stamp when I was in the village, I did as I was told and put my thumb on the spot where my village was located.
"The people from other villages won't come anyway, so make sure to stamp a big one."
With Siva smiling happily by my side, I stamped my mark on the paper in a manner very similar to the way I handled magic.
"Your village won't suffer from higher taxes anymore. But on the other hand, you won't be able to back out now too, Julius."
"I'm only able to stand here because I broke the promise I made to my childhood friend. I have no intention of turning back now."
"...Jeez, what a terrible friend you are."
Star-Slaying Swordsman
星斬りの剣士
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/star-slaying-swordsman/
Action Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Shounen
Adapted to Manga Dark Fantasy World Male Protagonist Mature Protagonist Medieval Philosophical Romantic Subplot Sudden Strength Gain Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transplanted Memories
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7336gg/
アルト／遥月