幕間 桔音に出会うまでと出会った後
時はしばらく前に巻き戻る。まだ、桔音達がグランディール王国へと辿り着いていなかった頃の話だ。
今までの話で分かったように、オルバ公爵という男は、自身の地位と名誉を取り戻し、グランディール王国へと返り咲く為に、アークス家に目を付けた。
アークス家は、けして裕福な貴族ではなかったが、貴族として最低限度の暮らしと地位を持っていた家だ。過去、魔法使いとして大成した者を輩出したこともあって、魔法使いの血筋としては中々に優秀。元々はその血筋の者がほとんど魔法を使える様な、大きな家だった。
だが、今のアークス家は魔法を使える者が減り、その地位も名誉も貴族としては下級。上級貴族のオルバ公爵が目を付ける意味は、全くなかった筈だった。
しかし、不幸なことにアークス家は魔法使いの血筋というだけで、オルバ公爵から利用するための駒として目を付けられてしまった。
そして、それをアークス家―――つまりは、ヒグルド元伯爵とその娘ニコが知るのは、公爵が行動を起こした、後のことだったのだ。
始まりは、唐突な出来事だった。
貴族としては裕福でなくとも、父と母、そして一人の娘の囲む食事の場で、幸せな一時を過ごしていた時のこと。突然、その団欒が壊されたのだ。
訪れたソレに、ヒグルド元伯爵とニコは、反応出来なかった。いきなり、唐突に、突然に、彼の妻―――名前はエリー・アークスが、首から大量の血を噴き出して倒れたのだ。まるで、首をすっぱり切られたかのような傷と、溢れ出る血液に、その場に居た誰もが動けなかった。
無論、ヒグルド元伯爵もだ。
そして、その硬直の一瞬の中で、使用人が次々と死んでいった。訳も分からない何者かが、高速で人を殺していた。伯爵は、無意識の内に娘を抱き抱えて逃げた。妻の死を理解出来ぬままに、使用人の死を理解出来ぬままに、視界一面を真っ赤に染め上げた血の色を刻み込まれた彼は、逃げたのだ。
ただ一心に、娘を護ろうという父親としての本能がそうさせた。その手の中の娘が目を見開いて震えているのにも気付かずに、ただひたすらに逃げた。逃げ続けた。
「―――チッ、逃げられちまったかぁ......キヒッ......キヒヒヒャヒャヒャッ! まぁ良いか、ガキは殺すなって言われてるし......追い詰めて追い詰めて......追い詰められた時の表情を拝むってのも、中々面白そうじゃねぇの......キヒャハハハハハ!!」
背後に姿を現した殺人鬼の、そんな笑い声は、伯爵の耳には届いていない。ただ、彼に抱きあげられていたニコだけが、その姿をはっきり見ていた。ニコに意識があったのは、此処までである。
◇
そして、伯爵が気が付いた時、彼は汚い路地裏で意識のないニコを抱きしめながら倒れていた。意識を失う前の事を思い出し、初めて妻と共に過ごした使用人たちの死を理解する。涙が溢れそうになる。
だが、その腕の中に、確かに娘の命があった。温もりがあった。希望が、あった。
故に、彼は涙をぐっと堪えた。今、自分が悲しんでいる暇は無い。なによりも、今ここで娘を護れなければ、父親である自分を許せなくなると、そう思ったからだ。
それから彼は、血の付いた衣服を脱ぎ去り、近くの衣服屋で安い服を買った。貴族である事がバレないように、そして自分達の姿を隠す為に、出来るだけ目立たない質素な服だ。
元より、貴族としての自尊心など持ち合わせていない。質素な服を着た自分と、娘のニコ、それだけあれば何よりの宝だ。
そして、そこからの行動は、早かった。まず、自分達が置かれている状況を把握するために、情報収集を行った。野蛮な者の集まる居酒屋や、冒険者ギルド、街の住民への調査、ニコを連れていけない場合は、何処かへ隠して情報収集を行った。
元々は笑顔の多い子供だったニコは、目を覚ましてからずっと黙っていた。言葉を忘れてしまったかのように、何も言わなかった。それほどまでに、人が死ぬ光景が衝撃的だったのだろう。
「お前は......父さんが護ってやる......! 絶対にだ......!」
「............」
それでも、ヒグルド元伯爵に抱き締められている時は、抱きしめ返すといった反応を見せるので、完全に塞ぎこんでしまったという訳ではないのだろう。
そして、情報収集を行って二日。
遂に、オルバ公爵に辿り着いた。目的は見えて来なかったが、襲撃者のバックに居たのがオルバ公爵だということは分かった。
そして同時に、情報を集めていたことがオルバ公爵にバレた。街を警邏していた騎士達が自分達を捕らえようとしてきたからだ。変装をして、顔が見えないようにもしているというのに、それでも正確に自分達を追ってきた。完全に、自分達の特徴がバレている。
そこから一晩明けて、一日の殆どを逃亡に使っていた。ニコを抱き抱え、必死に逃げた。捕まれば、死ぬと思っていた。何故なら、妻達は話し合いの余地無く殺されたのだから。
だが、逃亡が出来たのはたった一日だけ。翌日からは、一時間だって逃げるのは困難だった。走った先には騎士がいる状況が何度もあった。おそらく、逃げ延びた一日で自分の行動範囲が絞られたからだろう。他に回っていた騎士達が集まっていた。
だが、彼は逃げた。逃げ続けた。娘だけは、娘だけはという一心で、逃げ続けた。
心臓が破裂しそうなほど鼓動し、足だって膝が外れそうな程に痛かった。それでも、走った。走り続けた。
しかし、それでも追手の数は多かった。追い付かれ、もう逃げ場がなかった。
そこで出会ったのが――――桔音だったのだ。
◇ ◇ ◇
時は戻って、現在。桔音達が街から出て行った後の話だ。
幸いにも、桔音達の借りた馬車は無事だった。どうやらゴブリンキングの襲来の時、街の住人達は皆家に籠り、冒険者達と騎士達を信じて逃げなかったらしい。というよりも、グランディール王国とその庇護下の住人は全員そうらしい。
―――弱肉強食の国。
そう呼ばれるこの国では、強い者は信頼と名誉を与えられ、弱者を護る。弱い者は強者の庇護を得て、強者を信じ脅威から逃げない。強者と弱者は、信頼と絆で繋がっている。
桔音としては、弱者の方がなんだか得して無い? という感想しか抱かなかったものの、そういう訳で馬車は無事だった。
故に、そのまま馬車を馬屋から引き取り、街を出発したのだ。搭乗者は、桔音、リーシェ、レイラ、そしてニコ親子である。
桔音達は、馬車の扱いが出来ないことを思い出した。桔音も、リーシェも、レイラも、馬車を扱う技術を持っていなかったのだ。無論、子供であるニコも無理だ。
だが、どうやらヒグルド元伯爵は馬車を扱えるようで、ソレが分かった時は心底良かったと思ったという。
「良かった良かった、危うく馬車を引いて歩くところだったよ」
「馬車なのにな」
「あはは、今のちょっと面白かった」
桔音はステータスを見た所、ヒグルド元伯爵に『騎乗』や『御車』のスキルが無いことを確認した故に、スキルとその人の技術は別物なのかもしれないと考えた。もしくは、スキルを習得する条件というのが特別にあるのかもしれない。
だが、それはまぁ関係のないことだ。今は、生きれるだけの力があればそれで良い。
「それにしても......まさかニコちゃんのお母さんが殺されてるとはねぇ......十中八九レイスの仕業だろうけど」
「あぁ......あの妙に甲高い笑い声をあげる人? 私『会った』よ♪」
「うわー、レイラちゃんに『遭った』んだ......御愁傷さまだねぇ......」
「生きてるか死んでるかは分からないけど、あのままなら多分死んだんじゃないかな♪ 不味かったから食べなかったけど♡」
いやどっちにしたって食べられたくは無いだろう、桔音はそう思いながらレイラから若干距離を取った。直ぐに詰められた。
桔音達は荷馬車の部分に乗っている故に、御者台に乗っているヒグルド元伯爵以外は荷物を積んでいる部分に乗っている。にも拘らず、レイラはわざわざ広い荷馬車の中で、桔音の隣にぴったりと引っ付いていた。そしてそのレイラの隣に、ニコがぴったり引っ付いていた。妙な光景である。
リーシェは仲間外れという訳ではないが、少し距離の離れた所で自身の剣の手入れをしている。我関せず状態だ。
ちなみに、桔音はヒグルド元伯爵から事の顛末を聞いている。妻が殺されたことや、家が差し押さえられたこと、ニコを押し付けた事の謝罪も受けた。その際、桔音が笑って許すと、全ての問題が解決したからか、それとも安心したからか、その場でぽろぽろと泣き始めた。どうやら妻が死んだことの悲しみが後からやってきたらしく、涙が止まらなくなったらしい。
その際、桔音が思わず漏らした言葉は、『またかよ、泣く奴多すぎだろ』である。
「......でもまぁ、クレアちゃんのことだから、ニコちゃんのお母さん達の遺体は密かに回収してそう......予想でしかないけど」
「きつね君、クレアって誰? 女?」
「女だよ。青髪で美人だったなぁ」
桔音がクレアの話を出すと、反応したレイラの表情から感情が希薄になった。赤い瞳が細くなる。いつもニコニコと笑っている癖に、どうやら不機嫌になったらしく、眉を潜めて頬を膨らませている。
嫉妬だな、と桔音は察した。レイラが自分に恋愛的な好意を持っていることは知っている故に、直ぐに察する事が出来た。だが、嫉妬は嫉妬でもレイラの嫉妬は少し冗談にならない。桔音は薄ら笑いを浮かべてはいるが、その実冷や汗を掻いていた。
「うん、レイラちゃんの方が可愛かったかもしれなくもない気がしなくもない」
「うふふっ♪ そう? 私の方が好き? 好きだよね♪ だって私は貴方が大好きだもん♡」
「............うん、そうだね」
だから桔音は誤魔化した。直訳すると、レイラよりクレアの方が可愛かったということになるのだが、レイラは『レイラちゃんの方が可愛かった』の部分しか聞こえていない故に、ころっと機嫌が良くなった。
桔音はレイラの言葉に、無表情で頷くしかなかった。
「あーあ、しばらくは馬車生活だから窮屈だなぁ......まぁ瘴気でベッド作るから良いけど」
「おい待てきつね、そんなこと出来るのか? 私もベッドが良い」
「君も結構言う時は言ってくるよね」
そんな感じで、桔音達は新たな街へと、進んでいく。
Intermission - Before and after the encounter with Kitsune
Time rewinded a bit. It was around the time when Kitsune and co. had yet arrived at Grandile Kingdom.
As told in the story so far, the man called Duke Orba targeted the Arcs house to regain his status and honor, and return to Grandile Kingdom.
The Arcs house was not a wealthy noble house, it was a house that had the minimum standard of living and status among nobles. In the past, they had produced brilliant magicians one after another, and as a lineage of magicians, they were considerably excellent. It was originally a great house, where most of the family members were capable of using magic.
However, the current Arcs house had only a few people who could use magic, and their status and prestige as noble were low. Normally, a high class noble such as Duke Orba wouldn't even notice a house such as them.
But, unfortunately, the Arcs family was targeted by Duke Orba to be used as a pawn exactly because of its magician bloodline.
And it was only after the Duke took action that the Arcs house, in this case, former Count Higurd and his daughter Nico, were aware of it.
Everything began so suddenly.
Even though they weren't particularly affluent as a noble, father, mother and a daughter who sat between them, they were having a happy family dinner time in their dining room. It happened during such a happy moment. Suddenly, that happy moment was shattered.
It was so fast that the former Count Higurd and Nico were unable to react to it. Suddenly, abruptly, unexpectedly, and out of the blue, his wife - whose name was Ellie Arcs - collapsed, spurting out a lot of blood from her neck. While a large amount of blood was gushing out her neck which seemed to have been slit open, no one in the room was capable of moving.
Of course, the former Count Higurd could not move either.
And in the short of moment while they were stunned, the servants died one after another. Something incomprehensible was swiftly killing them. The Count unconsciously fled, holding his daughter in his arms. Without understanding the death of his wife, without understanding the death of his servants, he ran away, with the color of blood carved into his vision, which was dyed bright red.
The fatherly instinct to protect his daughter was the only thing that made him do so. He didn't even notice that the daughter in his hands was trembling with eyes wide open, he simply ran away. He kept on running.
"... Tch, they got away, huh... kihi... kihihihiyahiyahiya! Well, whatever, I was told not to kill the kid, anyway... hunt I hunt... enjoying their expression as I hunt them down, that doesn't sound half bad... Khihiyahahahahaha!"
Such a laugh of the murderer, who appeared behind him, did not reach the ears of the Count. He was solely focused on Nico who was in his arms. His consciousness lasted only until that moment.
*
And when the Count came to his senses, he found himself lying in a dirty alleyway, holding the unconscious Nico in his arms. He recalled what happened before he lost consciousness and understood for the first time of the deaths of his wife and his servants. Tears welled up in his eyes.
However, in his arms, his daughter was definitely still alive. There was still warmth. There was still hope.
Therefore, he tightly held his tears back. Currently, there was no time for him to grieve. If he couldn't even protect his daughter, he would never be able to forgive himself as her father, or so he thought.
Then he took off his bloody clothes and bought some cheap clothes at a nearby clothing store. They were simple clothes that were as inconspicuous as they got so as not to be exposed that they were noble and to conceal themselves.
He didn't have the pride of a noble to begin with. Simple clothes for him and for Nico to wear, as long as they got those, it was more than enough.
And from there, his action was swift. First, he gathered information to get an understanding of the situation they were in. He headed to the taverns where the thugs gathered, to the adventurer's guild, asking the residents of the town, and if he were going to a place where he couldn't take Nico with him, he'd hide her somewhere.
Nico was originally a child who smiled a lot, but she'd been quiet ever since she woke up. She said nothing, as though she had forgotten how to speak. That was just how devastated she was seeing the sight of people dying.
"Dad will definitely... protect you...! Absolutely...!"
"....."
Still, when she was hugged by former Count Higurd, she still reacted by hugging back, so most likely she hadn't completely lost herself.
And then, after two days of information gathering.
Finally, he arrived at Duke Orba. He had no idea what his intention was, but he knew that it was the Duke of Orba who was behind that attack.
At the same time, the fact that he was gathering information was also known by Duke Orba. The reason was that the knights who were patrolling the city were trying to capture them. Even though they had disguised themselves and also hid their faces, they were still precisely tracked by them. Their features were completely exposed.
From then on, they spent most of the night on the run. He held Nico in his arms and desperately ran away. He knew if they were caught, they were going to die. It was because his wives and his servants were killed without discussion whatsoever.
However, they were able to escape for only one day. The next day, it was difficult to escape, even for an hour. There were many situations where they met the knights whenever and wherever they ran. Most likely it was because they were able to limit his range of action after a day of running away. Not to mention the patrolling knights had increased in number.
However, he ran. He kept running. He kept on running with a single-minded determination to save his daughter.
His heart was beating so hard as though it was about to explode, and his feet hurt so much as though his knees were about to come off. However, he ran. He kept on running.
However, the number of pursuers were too numerous. They were catching up to them, and there was nowhere to run anymore.
At such a moment, the one they met was--- Kitsune.
* * *
The time had returned back to the present. It was after Kitsune and the other had left the town.
Fortunately, the carriage Kitsune and other rented was safe. It seemed that when the Goblin King attacked, all the townsfolk holed up in their homes, trusting the adventurers and the knights and not running away. More accurately, everyone in Grandile Kingdom and any region under them was all like that.
--Kingdom of survival of fitness.
As a country with such a nickname, the strong obtained trust and prestige, as the protected the weak. The weak received protection from the strong, they trusted the strong and didn't run away under any threats. The strong and the weak were connected to each other by trust and bonds.
As far as Kitsune was concerned, he thought that this system benefited the weak more. With such a thought in his mind, he got that the carriage was safe.
Right after, they fetched the carriage out of the barn, and set out of town. The passengers were Kitsune, Rishe, Leila Nico and Higurd.
Kitsune and co. recalled that they didn't know the way to handle a carriage. Kitsune, Rishe, and Leila didn't have the skills to handle the carriage. Of course, being a child, Nico couldn't either.
However, it seemed that former Count Higurd knew how to handle a carriage, and when they found out about it, they were heartily relieved.
"Thank goodness, thank goodness, I thought I was about to walk and pull the carriage there."
"Even though it's a carriage, right?"
"Ha-ha, now that was kinda funny."
When Kitsune appraised him, he'd confirmed that former Count Higurd's possessed neither 'Horse ride' nor 'Ride' skill, so he thought that perhaps skills didn't necessarily reflect all of one's ability. Or maybe there was some sort of special condition to acquire the skill.
However, right now he couldn't care less about such a thing. Currently, as long as he had the strength to live, that's all that matters.
"But still.... I didn't expect that Nico-chan's mother was killed. It's most likely the work of Reis."
"Oh.... that guy with the strange high-pitched laugh? I 'met' him, you know."
"Wow, so he 'met' you, Leila... I'm kinda sorry to hear that."
"I don't know if he's alive or dead, but if he stayed as he was, he's probably died... I didn't eat him because he tasted so disgusting, though."
Most likely not a single person wanted to be eaten, Kitsune thought as he took some distance from Leila. He swiftly shut his mouth.
Kitsune and the others rode on the carriage, so the luggage was loaded at every space other than the coachman seat where former Count Higurd was seated at. Nevertheless, inside the spacious carriage, Leila deliberately seated herself tightly next to Kitsune. And then, next to Leila, Niko was seated there close to her. It was quite a strange sight.
It wasn't as though Rishe was left alone or anything, she was just taking a bit distant away from them to maintain her sword. Without minding about the others.
Incidentally, Kitsune had asked the details about the accident to former Count Higurd. He told Kitsune about the fact that his wife was killed, how his house that had fallen, and also his apology for forcing Nico at him. When Kitsune laughed and forgave him next after, he began to weep on the spot, perhaps because all the problems had been resolved, or perhaps because he was relieved. Apparently, the sadness of his wife's death had finally caught up to him, and he couldn't stop crying.
When that happened, Kitsune involuntarily murmured "Again? There are too many crying people lately."
"...But well, since it's Claire-chan we're talking about, so most likely she'd secretly retrieved Nico-chan's mothers' remains.... just a guess, though."
"Kitsune-kun, who is Claire? A woman?"
"Yes, she is. A blue haired beauty."
When Kitsune brought up the matter about Claire, it was hard to detect any emotion from Leila's expression as she responded. Her red eyes narrowed slightly. Even though she was someone who always carefreely smiled and laughed, she seemed to be in a bad mood, as she creased her eyebrows and puffed out her cheeks.
It's jealousy, or so Kitsune guessed. He was well aware about Leila's feeling for him, so he could immediately guess it. However, it might be just a jealousy, but Leila's jealousy was nothing to take lightly. Kitsune showed a faint smile, but inside he was drenched in cold sweats.
"Umm, indeed I can't help but doubt that you are cuter, Leila-chan."
"Ufufu  is that so? You like me better? Of course you do , I mean I love you, after all."
".... Yeah, that's right."
Thus, Kitsune deceived her. To put it simply, he implied that Claire was prettier than Leila, however, as Leila only recorded the "you are cuter, Leila-chan" part, her mood swiftly improved.
Kitsune simply expressionlessly nodded at Leila's further question.
"Ah, we may be on the road for a while, so perhaps the carriage is too narrow for all of us... Well, I can create a bed from miasma, so I'm fine either way, though."
"Hey, wait a minute, Kitsune, you can do something like that? I'd like to request a bed too, then."
"You are also one to say what you want to say, huh."
Just like that, Kitsune and the others were heading to a new town.
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