314話 王道と覇道の錬金姫
「なあ、動物霊って知ってるか?」
「ど、動物霊が何だ? いきなりオカルト話か?」
俺の問いに一瞬だけ言葉に詰まるが、それでも虚勢を張るかのように声を荒らげる男爵
「ね、猫殺しがお気に召したようだなあ? そんな脅し文句で俺様がすこしでもビビると思ったのかあ? 所詮はオカルト好きのガキかよ、ちょっと召喚術ができるからって調子に乗るな!」
巨大かつ禍々しい【
】へと直撃する前に魔法みたいに具現化し、凍てつく刃が連なる鎖となった。
地面や空中より、突如として現れた鎖の数々に【
『チキキッ』
総勢3匹の小悪魔は立て続けに『小悪魔のいたずら』を発動し、男爵
しかしなかなか本体に当てられず、無駄撃ちも多い。その錯乱っぷりはまさに某アニメの悪役だ。
「クソが! 大人しく俺様の思い通りになれ!」
自分が危機的状況にあるなかで、あくまでも他者を踏みつぶし、己の糧にしようとする貪欲さを見て俺は決める。
簡単に勝負をつけてしまうのはやめよう。
こういう輩はじっくりと、なるべく錬金術の糧になるように料理するのが鉄則だ。
ボクは夢......いや、悪夢でも見てるのかな......?
トラを失ったのがショックすぎて、頭が真っ白になったと思ったら――次は白銀の美姫が導く闇の蹂躙劇が始まるだなんて。
白亜の領域で決闘を演じるタロさんはまさに恐怖の象徴かもしれない。そのどこにいても輝く銀色、幼く、可憐な容姿とはギャップのありすぎる漆黒はびこる光景に、ただただ圧倒されてしまう。
だけど、どこか怖さとは別次元の、尊い美しさを放つ彼女から目が離せないのも事実で――
って、ボクは何を思ってる!?
どうかしてる!
殿下の婚約者相手にッ、ボクの競うべきライバルにこんな感情を抱くのはおかしい。
冷静になるんだ、ボク。
「すまない、コノエ......来るのが少し遅かったようだ」
すぐ隣にいた『一匹狼』の団長、ヴォルフさんがしかめっ面で呟く。
何かあればすぐに連絡しろと、常日頃からボクらにきつく言っていた団長はボクの救援に駆けつけてくれた。だけどタロさんに先を超されて、面目ないと思ってるのが表情にすごく出ていた。
「ヴォルフさん、助けに来てくれてありがとう」
「フンッ。大人には恨みがあるからな、俺の勝手でやってるだけだ」
団長の一見して冷たい返答に、ボクは笑みで返す。
すると団長についてきた他の団員たちも口々にボクに話しかけてきてくれる。
「コノエ~だから言ったろ~! 俺達と遊んでた方が安全だって」
「てかコノエって『白銀の天使』さまと友達なのか!?」
「なな、紹介してくれよ」
「強いし、可愛いよなあ~」
『白銀の天使』......タロさんはやっぱりそう呼ばれてるのか。
今は天使なんて、到底そんな雰囲気ではない彼女だけど......妙にしっくりくる称号に内心で納得してしまう。そして急に話しかけてきた団員たちへどう反応するべきなのか迷ってしまう。
「よし。腕は切断完了、うわあ......『
なにあれ......。
あんな事がこのゲームはできるの?
「き、きさまあああああ!?」
絶叫と怒号が混じった叫び声を上げ、顔の見えない
そして多くの屈強な悪魔たちを呼び出し、徐々に追い詰めてゆく様子はまさに地獄そのものだ。
まるで敵の攻撃を歯牙にもかけない絶対君主のような佇まいで、敵
「クソッ、クソがクソがッ!」
敵の銃弾も尽きた頃、タロさんは臣下を裁く王のような口調で敵へと疑問を投げかけた。
「なあ、一つ。純粋な疑問なんだけど、どうしてお前らはこんな酷い事ができたんだ?」
「ひどいだと? 何が?」
「情報収集のために他人を脅し、他人の大切にしていた猫をキルし、あまつさえ不必要に心を傷つけようとする愚行だよ」
「愚行......だと? 正義の味方気どりのバカが。お前がガキでまだ現実をわかってないから、そんな
「そうだ。結局人間ってのは他者よりも優れた存在でありたいんだよ。そのためには人から奪う方が効率いいし、何より楽しめるだろう?」
「みんなやってんだよ。政治家だって、金持ちだって、結局のところシステム的には他者が汗水垂らし、時間を費やして手に入れた物を少しずつ吸い取ってるじゃねえか?」
「いや......でもそれは何かをするにあたって必要な対価であったり......」
「はん! 純粋にそれだけなら良かったんだがなあ、現実は違うぞ~! 欲が絡めば無駄に搾取する。んで、搾取ってのは強者であるためには最も効率のいい方法だからな。別によぉそのスタイルをゲームに持ってきても問題ないだろ? たかがゲーム内の出来事だからなあ」
「たかがゲームね......」
「どうせ真面目や愚直にやったって、上手くいかねえ事の方が遥かに多いんだよ! なら効率よく裏技ってわけだ。他人を傷つけようが関係ないね! 俺様たちが優位に立ち、勝てばそれでいい! 結局はお前も同じだろう?」
「そうか......お前はそうやって......いくつもの大切な物を見落として、壊し......その両手からこぼしていったんだな......」
タロさんが何か呟いているけど、敵はそれに構わず大音声で喋り続ける。
きっと劣勢に立たされた現状を突破する唯一の道を模索し、交渉しようとしているのかも。
「他がための善行なんて綺麗事は、世間じゃ通用しないケースばっかだぜえええ! この辺が理解できたなら、一つ提案がある。俺様とお前が組めば、けっこういい線いくと思うんだよなあ。大人の俺様がお前を上手く指導してやるから、どうだ? それに特別報酬として100万エソ相当の情報とかもやるぞ?」
ボクの予想通りの展開だけど、続きもまた予想通りだった。
「ん。情報屋ってわりに肝心の部分が抜けてたりするから却下で。お前の情報にそれほどの価値はないし、仲良くしたくはない」
「それと、俺はお前の考えに賛同できない。確かに俺はまだ子供で、世間の荒波? とか知らないことばっかりだよ」
そして彼女はゆっくりと語る。
なぜかタロさんはおどろおどろしい
った闇が深まる。
「自分の望みを掴むために努力し、誰かに喜んでもらえる幸せだってある。
まるで何かの予兆をするように、何かを待つように――
そしてタロさんはボクたちの方へと振り返り、とびきりの笑みを咲かせた。
「だってみんなが大好きだから」
彼女の発言に胸が飛び跳ねる。そして二重の意味でボクはびっくりする事になった。
なぜなら、夜の闇すら容易く塗り潰す漆黒が降臨していたから......。
彼女がそう呟けば――
さっきまで
贅を尽くし、丹念に編み込まれた黒いマントが闇に揺れる。
皮も肉もない骨だけの左手に握られた荘厳な爵杖を、カツンと白亜の大理石に響かせ、『カカカカッ』と笑い声を残す。その数瞬後にいくつもの黒い柱が地面よりほとばしり、まるで天へ反逆するみたいに千の黒雷をとどろかせたソレは、まさに死者の王だった。
『我が闇に踊れ、我が威光に目覚めよ――――』
そしてタロさんが呼び覚ました何かがゆらりと呟けば、その場すらも揺るがすに至る。
何か、何かが起こっている。
ただそれだけしか察知できないけれど、それでもゾクゾクと背筋が震えるのを止められない。
傍観者となってしまったボクですら、何かを期待してしまう。
「な、何をした......!? なんだ!? どうして俺様の衛兵たちが、立ち上がる!?」
敵の傭兵が狼狽するのも無理はないと思う。
たちが屠ったNPCたちがムクリと起きあがり、ゾンビみたいな形相で彼に迫っているのだから。呻き声を上げながら、素早い動きで敵へとなだれ込むゾンビ衛兵たちは炎にたかる虫のようだ。
命の灯を放つ彼に向かって『自分たちも生が欲しい』と嘆きのゾンビたちによる怒涛の波。その中に、かすかにゆれる霧みたいな存在を見逃さなかった。
見逃せるはずがなかった。
だって、その子は、その子たちは――
『これだけはツツツツツィートしておこう。動物霊たツィよッ。存分に楽しむがよい』
トラと、ゴールディさん、ももちゃんの三匹が幽体となって、宙空を疾駆していたんだ!
ボクはトラの姿を見て、幽霊だったとしても嬉しさが無限に込みあげてくる。
そしてなにより......多くの存在を自在に従えるタロさんに、畏怖の念を抱く。
「タロさんは一体......?」
「なんだ、コノエ。知らずに白銀の天使と遊んでいたのか?」
ボクの呟きにヴォルフ団長が呆れたように息を吐いた。
周囲にいた団員たちも同じような反応で、ボクに説明してくれる。
「『白銀の天使』さまは絶対に敵に回してはいけないんだぜ」
「時に雪姫と氷結の舞踏会を開き、月光と共に風の妖精女王と舞う......」
「巨人の王を従え、吸血鬼と人狼を束ねし、
「フンッ、到底信じられない噂ばかりだけどな......」
ヴォルフ団長はタロさんを見つめ、珍しく微笑んでいた。
「こんなのを見せられたら、やっぱり
団長の顔に浮かぶのがたとえ苦笑いだったとしても、タロさんに友好的な感情を抱いているのがわかる。
「夜の闇をも従えるなんて......実際は、噂を遥か彼方に置き去りにしてるじゃないか」
仲良くしておけよ、とヴォルフ団長は呟くのだった。
318 314 Stories Princess Alchemy Of Kings Road And Hegemony
"Hey, you know what an animal spirit is?
"Duh, what's an animal spirit? All of a sudden it's occult talk?
Baron mercenary (player) who only gets stuck in words for a moment in my questioning, but still barks his voice as if he were going to put up a vanity.
"Hey, I think you liked cat killing, huh? Did you think I'd freak out even with that threatening complaint? You're an occult kid, don't get on with it because you can summon a little!
I don't break my guard when I see a huge and disastrous [Guardian Devil of Naruto (Gate Devils)] and wonder if I can still throw up such a dialogue.
The bullet magically embodied itself before striking directly at the [Guardian Devil of Naruto Gate (Gate Devils)], forming a chain of frozen blades.
From the ground and the air, in many of the chains that suddenly appeared, [the guardian demon of Naruto Gate Devils] is instantly sealed in motion.
"Chicken Kick"
A total of three Little Devils seem to have continued to activate The Little Devil Prank and debuffed Baron Mercenaries (players).
But it's hard to hit the main body, and there's a lot of futile shooting. That confusion is exactly the villain of an anime.
"Shit! Do exactly what I want!
I decide when I see myself in a critical situation, only the greed to crush others and feed myself.
Let's not make it easy for you to put on a battle.
It is the iron rule for these people to cook carefully and as closely as possible to feed on alchemy.
I'm dreaming... no, are you even having nightmares...?
If you're too shocked to have lost your tiger and think your head has turned white - I can't believe the Dark Ravages play led by the Silver Beauty Princess starts next.
Mr. Taro, who plays a duel in the realm of White Ya, may be just a symbol of fear. I'm just overwhelmed by the pitiful silver, young, and pitiful look of being too gaping pitch-black.
But it's also true that I can't take my eyes off her, who unleashes a distinguished beauty, which is somewhere else than fear.
What do you think I am!?
This is insane!
It's strange to have such feelings for your fiancee and my competing rivals.
Calm down, me.
"Sorry, Conoe... it seemed a little late to come"
Mr. Wolfe, the leader of the 'lone wolf' who was right next door, whines only rarely.
He told me to contact him immediately if anything happened, and the captain, who had been telling us to be tough from day to day, rushed to my rescue. But Mr. Taro got ahead of me, and it was in his expression that he thought it was ugly.
"Thank you for coming to help, Mr. Wolfe"
"Humph. Adults have grudges, I'm just doing it on my own."
To the seemingly cold reply of the captain, I return with a grin.
Then the other members who followed the captain spoken to me.
"Connoe, that's why I told you it's safer to play with us."
"Are Connoe friends with" Silver Angel "?
"Well, let me introduce you."
"He's strong and he's cute."
"Silver Angel"... Is that what Mr. Taro is called after all?
I don't know what an angel she is right now, she doesn't have that kind of vibe in the end... but I'm heartily convinced of the strangely tight title. And suddenly I wonder how I should react to the members I've spoken to.
"Okay, the arm is amputated, wow... 'Assassin's Arm'..."
What is that......
Can you play this game like that?
"Ki, kisa sooooooooooo!?
Screaming and yelling mixed with anger, faceless mercenaries (players) ramble up their guns.
And the way you summon and gradually hunt down so many formidable demons is just hell itself.
He stood as if he were an absolute monarch with no teeth to attack his enemies, smashing all of his enemy mercenaries (players).
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!
When the enemy's bullets were also exhausted, Mr. Taro cast doubt on the enemy in a tone like that of a king who would judge his subordinates.
"Hey, one. I have a pure question, how could you guys have done such a terrible thing?
"You think it's terrible? What?"
"It's a foolishness that threatens others to gather information, kills other people's precious cats, and even unnecessarily breaks their hearts."
"Stupid...... you say? Righteous allied casual idiot. I can throw up such beauty (...) because you're a kid and you haven't figured out the reality yet"
"That's right. In the end, human beings are better than others. It's more efficient to take it away from people for that, and most importantly, you'd enjoy it, wouldn't you?
"Everybody's doing it. Politicians, rich people, after all, systematically other people sweat and spend their time sucking away what they get, don't they?
"No... but it can be a necessary consideration in doing something..."
"Ha! I wish that was all I had purely, but the reality is different ~! Exploit for nothing if greed is involved. Exploitation is the most efficient way to be a strong man. Nothing. Wouldn't be a problem to bring that style to the game, would you? It's just an in-game thing."
"It's just a game..."
"There are far more things that don't work out that I've done seriously or foolishly anyway! Then it's efficient backgammon. It doesn't matter if you hurt someone else! If we take advantage and win, that's fine! You'd end up the same way, wouldn't you?
"Well... that's how you... overlooked and broke so many precious things... you spilled them out of your hands..."
Mr. Taro is whining about something, but the enemy keeps talking loud, regardless.
I'm sure we're searching for and trying to negotiate the only way to break through the status quo that has put us at a disadvantage.
"Beautiful things about good deeds for others are just cases where the world doesn't work. Yeah! If you understand this area, I have one suggestion. I think it would be a good line if you and I put together. I'll coach you well as an adult, okay? Plus, we're gonna do a million eso worth of information for a special reward, right?
It unfolded as I expected, but it went on as expected again.
"Mm-hmm. The informer can be missing a very key part, so I rejected it. Your information isn't worth that much, and I don't want to get along."
"And I don't agree with you. Sure, I'm just a kid, a rough wave in the world? It's just something I don't know."
And she speaks slowly.
For some reason, Mr. Taro took out a horrible jar and stared at it.
Her haunted darkness deepens.
"I work hard to get what I want, and I have the happiness that someone will be happy to get. Even beautiful (...), I think it would be cooler to be an adult who can make it happen with this hand"
It's like waiting for something, as if it were a sign of something.
Mr. Taro then turned back to us and gave us an extraordinary grin.
"'Cause I love everybody"
My chest jumps at what she says. And in a double sense, I was surprised.
Because even the darkness of the night had descended a pitch-black that would easily anoint......
If she whines like that...
Until now, the object that was a miracle is transformed into someone with Silver Li's crown on it.
A black cloak that is luxurious and carefully braided shakes into darkness.
A majestic jazz wand gripped in the left hand of only bones without skin or meat, echoed by the marble of cutlets and whites, leaving 'kakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakaka' laughing. A few moments later, several black columns ran more than the ground, and Thore, who kept a thousand black thunder in place as if rebellion to heaven, was just the king of the dead.
"Dance in my darkness, get up -"
And then Mr. Taro woke up. If something squeaks slowly, even the spot shakes.
Something, something's going on.
That's all I can detect, but still I can't stop my zombies and spine from trembling.
Even I, who have become a giver, expect something.
"Hey, what did you...!? What!? Why are my guards getting up?
I don't think it's necessary for an enemy mercenary to wolf.
Because the NPCs that Mr. Taro's werewolves (Lycans) slaughtered just now are waking up mucky and approaching him in a zombie-like shape. The zombie guards, groaning and slipping into the enemy with a quick move, are like worms in flames.
'We want raw ourselves,' a wave of fury by the mourning zombies towards him releasing the lamp of life. In it, I didn't miss the faint misty presence.
I couldn't have missed it.
Because the children, the children...
'Let's just tweet this. Animal Spirited Tsi. Enjoy it.'
The tiger, Mr. Goldie, and the three thighs became ghosts, and they were driving through the universe!
I look at the tiger and the joy comes in infinitely, even if it was a ghost.
And more importantly... fear Mr. Taro, who can freely follow many beings.
"What the hell is Mr. Taro...?
"What is it, Connoe? Were you playing with a silver angel without knowing?
Captain Wolfe exhaled as if he was stunned by my whining.
The members around me react in the same way and explain it to me.
"The Silver Angel must never be turned against the enemy."
"Sometimes we throw a ball of ice with Snow Princess and dance with the Fairy Queen of the Wind with the moonlight..."
"Obey the king of giants, bind vampires and werewolves, and Princess Alchemis"
"Humph, it's just an incredible rumor..."
Captain Wolfe stared at Mr. Tallo, smiling uncommonly.
"If they showed me this, I knew rumors were (...) irreplaceable (...)"
Even if it was a bitter laugh on the head of the regiment's face, I can see you have friendly feelings for Mr. Taro.
"I can't believe you can follow the darkness of the night... in fact, you're leaving the rumors far behind"
Keep up the good work, Captain Wolfe whined.
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