「あー面倒臭い人だったなぁ」
僕はそう言って、視界に見えてきた宿へと足を進めていた。勿論、瘴気ボールをバウンドさせつつだ。
まぁ説明すると、あの殺人鬼のレイスに対して僕がやったことは案外簡単だ。瘴気を僕とレイスを包み込むように、ドーム状に展開して視界を奪った。光が入らないから眼が慣れるまでは向こうも僕の姿は見えなくなる。僕は瘴気で空間把握が出来るから、眼は見えなくても行動可能ということで、立っているレイスの隣を歩いて通り過ぎただけ。
ついでと言ってはなんだけど、追いかけて来ない様にスキルの効果範囲内を出るまで、彼の全方位全方向に瘴気のナイフを設置しておいた。まぁあの猿のおかげで瘴気の量も増えてたから出来たことだけどさ。
「さて、着いた―――ん? はぁ......」
宿に着いて、瘴気ボールを消し、それと同時にレイスの周囲に設置したナイフも霧散して消えるのを感覚として理解する。その際、レイスの気配がまだそこにあるのを霧散した瘴気が教えてくれた。
これで宿まで来られたらどうしよう。レイラちゃんにぶっ殺して貰おうかなぁ。
あ、でもそうしたらレイラちゃんのレベルが上がるんじゃないかな......面倒だなぁ。
「あ♪ きつね君、おかえりなさい♡」
「あれ? 部屋に居たんじゃないの?」
「うふふうふふふ、そろそろ帰って来る頃だと思ったから一緒に待ってたの♪」
宿に入ったら、入って最初に広がっているフロント的な空間に、なんとなく予想通りレイラちゃんとニコちゃんがいた。複数設置されたテーブルの一つに向かい合って座っていた。僕の姿が見えたからか、二人ともこっちに歩み寄って来る。
レイラちゃんは僕が帰って来る頃だと思ったって言ってるけど、どうせ瘴気を入り口に設置していたんだろう。瘴気ボールを消した時に少し瘴気の気配があったし、きっとそうだ。
「そう......ニコちゃん良い子にしてた?」
「してた」
「あはは何をしたんだい?」
ニコちゃんがまた嘘を吐く。一体何をしたんだこの子は......レイラちゃんも一緒に居た訳だし、なんか怖いよ。
「きつね君達が外に出てってから、お昼寝してたんだけどね?」
「うん」
俯いてもじもじしているニコちゃんに代わって、レイラちゃんが面白そうな表情で説明してくる。ニコちゃんの、レイラちゃんの黒いワンピースを掴む手に、力が籠ったのが分かった。恥ずかしいことなのか、それとも怒られるようなことなのか、それは分からない。
でも、お昼寝の時点でなんとなく察した。
「おねしょしちゃったみたい♪」
「ふーん......そっか......ニコちゃん」
「っ......ごめんなさい」
レイラちゃんが予想していた通りの説明をしてくれたので、僕は片膝を立ててニコちゃんの視線の高さに合わせる。ニコちゃんは怒られると思ったのか、俯いたまま小さく謝ってきた。
まぁ確かにおねしょは恥ずかしいし、怒られるかもしれない。でも、おねしょは子供の生理現象だし、ましてニコちゃんは僕の子供じゃないし、怒ることなんて何もない。
ニコちゃんのブロンドのサラサラ髪に手を乗せて撫でる。叩かれたと思ったのか、びくっと肩を震わせたけれど、撫でられているのが分かると、少し困惑した表情で顔を上げた。
「大丈夫だよ、怒ったりしないから。素直に謝ったのは偉いよ」
「............うん」
「レイラちゃん、そのベッドはどうしたの?」
「え? そのままだよ!」
「うん笑顔で言うことじゃないよね」
おねしょは許すけど、後始末しないのかよレイラちゃん。これこそ叱るべきことだと思うな僕。
「じゃあ放置したまま? 後始末しろよそこは」
「えーやだよ、私やり方分かんないし」
「本当少し前に逆戻りだな......」
自分勝手で我儘、その上やりたい事以外はとことんやらない。僕の居た世界じゃこういうのを社会のゴミとかクズとか呼んでたな。僕も変態とかカスとか言われてたけど、きっと勘違いだよ。僕は真面目で健全でとても優しい心を持った青少年だから。紳士だから。
でもまぁそれはさておき、ニコちゃんのおねしょの後始末をしないと。ベッドもシーツも宿の物だからね。駄目にしたらその分お金取られそうだ。あれ? でもレイラちゃんのお金なら別にいいんじゃないのかな?
「はぁ......仕方ないなぁ......」
それじゃ、猿相手に少し疲れてるけど、子供のお世話も仕事の内だよ。冒険者としてじゃなく、保護者としてのね。
◇
その頃、桔音によって微動だに出来ない状態にされた凶悪殺人鬼レイスはというと、瘴気のナイフが霧散して消えたことで十数分程の硬直から解放されていた。
抜き身の剣を肩に担いで、緊張状態から解放されたことの安堵で溜め息を吐く。十数分程の間、いつ襲い掛かってくるかも分からない黒いナイフが、永遠自分に向かって切っ先を向けていたのだ。短い時間だったかもしれないが、レイスからすれば何十時間にも感じられる時間だった。
人を殺してきた凶悪殺人鬼が、初めて自分自身が殺されるかもしれない状況に陥ったのだ。その状況で実感したのは、『死』という存在が首に刃を添えている感覚。生殺与奪の権限を握られた感覚だった。
「これは......随分とヤバい
恐怖はない。元々、命の削り合いの中に身を置いて戦ってきたのだ。生殺与奪の権限を握られたことは生まれて初めてではあるが、それで何かを殺すことを止める筈がない。
寧ろ、ヤバい奴だからこそ殺したくなった。Hランク冒険者にして、Sランク犯罪者を追い詰めた人間。そして、人間とは違った死の気配を持った
「追い掛けても良いが......こりゃ一回ご主人サマに報告しとくべきかねぇ......あの化けモンのパーティメンバーが同じく化けモンである可能性もねぇわけじゃねぇだろうし......下手に命令違反すっと首輪締まっからなぁ......面倒くせぇ」
レイスはあまり考え事が得意ではない。戦いの中で馬鹿みたいに剣を振るうしか脳のない男だ。策を考えるのも苦手であるし、罠が張り巡らせられれば力で強硬突破するタイプの人間なのだ。
馬鹿正直、猪突猛進と言えば言い方は悪いだろうが、それでも剣一つだけで十余年の人生を戦いの中で生き抜いてきたのだから、凄いことには変わりない。
「じゃ、まずは一旦帰りますか――――次は殺してやろうじゃねぇの」
だが、今回は一旦退くことにしたレイス。雇用主のオルバ公爵の指示を仰ぐ必要があると判断したのだ。嘆息して、踵を返す。
「いやぁ、殺し甲斐がねぇとか言ってたけど......そんなことねぇじゃねぇの......極上の御馳走だぜありゃあ......クハハッ! クハハハハッ!」
不敵に笑いながら、狂気を秘めた瞳で歩き去っていく。
そして、彼の姿が消えたと同時、人払いが解除され、普段の人通りが少しづつ戻って行った。
◇ ◇ ◇
一方その頃、桔音とレイスが対峙していた時、リーシェもまた戦っていた。
街に設置された簡易ギルドにて依頼を受け、街の外へ出て魔獣を相手に剣を振るっていたのだ。
受けた依頼は、Eランク魔獣の討伐。未だ冒険者になってまもない彼女のランクは、Fランク。ギリギリ魔獣討伐依頼が受けられるランクだ。ちなみに、ランク以上になってさえいれば、魔獣討伐依頼であるFからDランクまでの依頼はどれでも受けることが出来る。Cランク以上は魔族が討伐対象に含まれる故に無理だが。
リーシェが受けたのは自分のランクの一つ上、Eランク依頼だ。
討伐対象は――――Eランク魔獣、
桔音が相手をしていたDランク相当の亜種とは違って、彼女が相手をしているのは通常種、Eランク相当の魔獣であり、その体躯も亜種より二回り程小さい。
代わりに三体で行動している様だが、亜種を相手にするよりも格段に楽な筈だ。
「はぁ......はぁ......はぁ......疲れるなぁ......」
故に、彼女も既に二体の猿を討伐し、残るは手負いの猿一体だけとなっている。両者とも疲弊してはいるものの、リーシェは疲労しているだけで大して負傷しておらず、猿の方は腕を一本切り落とされた上に、身体中にも数多く刀傷がある。どちらが優勢なのかは明白だった。
「グルルルルル......!!」
「でもまぁ......少し前の私なら戦うこと自体出来なかったんだし......これも成長の疲労とすれば心地良い」
剣を水平に構えて、猿に対して半身になるリーシェ。
彼女は特筆して特別なスキルや技を持っている訳ではない―――いや、持てなかった者だ。そして、それをただただ無我夢中に己の身を研鑽した結果、新たな可能性を見出した者。騎士になれなかった冒険者、その剣は彼女が無意識に偶然生み出した剣術であり、カウンターに特化した剣術。
「グルァ!!」
「来い......私はお前を斬って、もっと強くなる......!!」
地面を蹴り、飛び掛かって来る猿に対して、リーシェはその水平に構えた剣を動かさない。『先見の魔眼』がなくても、彼女はそれを補って余りある程自分よりも格上の動きを見てきた。経験を積んできた。己を研鑽してきた。
幾百、幾千と敗北し、辛酸を舐めさせられ、崖っぷちにまで追い詰められた彼女だからこそ、ここからたった一回の勝利を、何度も何度も詰んでいく。
「グルァァァアアア――――グハァッッ......!!」
「まずは――――......一勝!」
飛び掛かってきた猿の拳を紙一重で躱し、そして懐に潜り込む様に入り、水平に構えた刃を猿の首へと添える。猿の勢いと剣を振り抜く勢い、二つのぶつかり合う勢いが生み出す力によって、リーシェは猿の首を―――刎ねた。
「はぁ......はぁ......はぁ......」
潰れる様な音と共に、首の無くなった猿の身体が地面に落ちる。そして、リーシェは血の付いた刃を振るって血を落とし、鞘へと収める。乱れた呼吸を整えながら、自分一人で格上に初勝利した事実に大きくガッツポーズを入れた。
「大丈夫......まだ、もっともっと強くなれる......!」
一歩ずつだが、確実に強くなっている。リーシェは初めて感じた自身の可能性が開いて行く感覚に、歓喜する。
あのまま騎士見習いとして過ごしていれば見れなかった世界に、近づいて行く様にも思えた。そして、もっとと渇望する。強さを得て、更なる強さを求める。
目指すは父の背中を越えること。
更なる可能性を求めて、彼女はもっと強くなるだろう。
"Geez, what a troublesome person"
I murmur so while walking toward the inn which I can already see. Of course, while still bouncing the ball.
Well, if I have to explain what I did to that murderer, Reis, it's actually quite a simple trick. I only deployed the miasma to surround myself and Reis in dome-shape, thus blocked his view. Since light couldn't enter, until his eyes got used to it, he wouldn't be able to see my presence. Since I could sense the surrounding with ease using the miasma, I could still move properly even when I couldn't see, thus I simply passed by the standing still Reis.
After that, to make sure that he wouldn't come after me, until they were out of my range of control, I left several dark knives in his surroundings. Well, thanks to that monkey the amount of my miasma had increased so I somehow managed to do that, though.
"Well then, I'm-- hmm? ... huh?"
Upon arriving at the inn, I disperse the ball, and at the same time I can feel that the knives I left around Reis have also dispersed and are returning to me. Simultaneously, the returning miasma are also telling me that Reis' presence is still in that place.
What should I do if he decides to come to the inn later, I wonder? Should I ask Leila-chan to kill him?
Ah, but that way LeiLa-chan's level will increase instead... that'd also be troublesome in its own way.
"Ah  Kitsune-kun, welcome back."
"Huh? You aren't in the room?"
"Uhhufufufufu, I thought it's about time you come back so we decided to wait here together."
When I enter the inn, the first ones I see are unexpectedly Leila-chan and Niko-chan who are waiting at the entrance area. They're seated facing each other on one of the several installed tables. When they see my figure, they both came to me.
Leila-chan said that she thought it's about time I come back, but most likely she sensed my presence through her miasma around the entrance. When I dispersed my miasma ball, I somehow sensed another miasma around after all, so most likely that's the case.
"I see ... Niko-chan, did you become a good girl?"
"I did."
"Ahaha, what did you do?"
Nico's telling yet another lie. Just what on earth did this girl do?... Leila-chan was also with her so it's kinda scary.
"While you were away, we were only taking a nap, right?"
"Yes."
Instead of the fidgety and facing down Niko-chan, Leila-chan gives me an explanation while making a very amused expression. I can tell from how tight Niko-chan grabbing Leila-chan's black dress. It'll be either something embarrassing, or something that'll make her scolded, but I do not know which.
But, I can tell that they really did have a nap.
"It seems like she wet the bed"
"Hmmm.... I see ... Niko-chan."
"... I'm sorry."
Since Leila-chan explains the situation just as I expected, I stand up on one knee to match the height of Niko-chan's sight. Perhaps thinking that she'll get scolded, Niko-chan keeps hanging her head downward while quietly apologizing.
Well bed wetting is indeed embarrassing, and it may also get her scolded. However bed wetting is like a physiological phenomenon for children, and since Niko-chan isn't even my child, there's no reason to get angry at her.
Putting my hand on Nicko-chan's silky blonde hair, I lightly stroke it. Perhaps thinking that I'll hit her, in surprise her shoulders shiver for a moment, but noticing that I'm just stroking her, she slightly raises her face with a slightly confused expression.
"It's all right, because I'm not angry, okay? Or rather, it's great that you properly apologize."
"...yes."
"Leila, what happened to the bed?"
"Huh? I left it as it was!"
"Yeah, that's not something to say with a smile, alright?"
I can forgive the bed-wetting case, but you didn't even clean it huh, Leila-chan? I think she's the one I should scold here.
"Then it's still as it was? You should've at least cleaned it."
"Eh, but I don't even know how to do it."
"Really, please return back to the you a while ago..."
Self-centered, egoist, moreover she won't do anything she doesn't want to. In my former world, such people were called something like social trash or scum. I was also called as a pervert or scum, but I am sure that was only a misunderstanding. Because I've been a diligent and proper young man with a very gentle heart, after all. Because I am a gentleman.
But well, leaving that aside, I have to clean up Niko-chan's bed-wetting. Both the bed and the sheet are the inn's properties, after all. If they're already beyond help then I guess I have no choice but to reimburse them with money. Huh? But if it's Leila-chan's money then it should be fine, right?
"Haa... It can't be helped..."
Well then, I'm a bit tired after fighting the monkey, but taking care of the children is also part of my job. Not as an adventurer, but as a guardian.
*
At the same time, the heinous murderer who was left in a state where it was impossible to move with numerous black knives surrounding him, after about ten minutes passed the miasma knives finally dispersed.
Resting his sword on his shoulder, he heaved out a sigh of relief for being released from that strenuous situation. For a dozen or so minutes, the black knives, which he didn't knows when they might rush toward him, were always turning their edges toward him. It might have been a short time, but for Reis it felt like tens of hours.
The heinous murderer who had killed numerous people, for the first time fell into a situation where he might get himself killed. During those moments, he felt that "death" itself was putting a blade on his neck. It felt as though his life and death was based on its whim.
"This is ... ... looks like we've laid our hands on quite a dangerous fellow, huh."
There was no fear. It was because he was prepared to fight while putting his life on the line anytime. It was indeed the first time that his life was within other's grasp, but it still wouldn't stop his urge to kill.
Rather, because the opponent was such a dangerous person, he wanted to kill him more. H rank adventurer who cornered S rank criminal. And a monster (weakling) who unlike humans possessed the presence of death.
"I can chase after him, but... perhaps it'd be better to report it to master first... It's not impossible that that monster's party members are similarly monsters, after all ... if I by any chance violate the order then this choker will strangle me to death, after all ... what a hassle."
Reis wasn't very good at guess-working. He was a man whose brain filled with nothing but how to swing his sword in battle like an idiot. He also wasn't good at planning, even if he knew that traps were awaiting him, he was the type of person who'd break through them with force.
Calling him idiot or foolhardy might be a bit too much, but since he still had undoubtedly survived after fighting with his life on the line for more than ten years with only a single sword, it didn't change the fact that he was amazing.
"Well, I guess I'll return first... let's just kill him next time."
However, this time Reis decided to retreat. He judged that it was necessary to ask for Duke Orba's order as he was his master. Sighing, he turned around.
"Well, I called it death battle, but... that's not it ... It'll be a superb feast... Kuhaha! Kuhahahaha!"
Laughing fearlessly, he walked away with his eyes filled with madness.
And then, at the same time he disappeared, the area clearance was released, and the usual lively street was returning little by little.
* * *
Meanwhile, when Kitsune and Reis were confronting each other, Trisha was also undergoing a fight.
Receiving a request at a quasi-guild established in the city, she headed outside the town and was swinging her sword against demonic beasts.
The requests she received was a subjugation of E rank monsters. She only became an adventurer recently so she was still of F rank. It was rank which was barely able to receive demonic beast subjugation requests. By the way, as far as rank went, magical beast subjugation request of F to D rank could be accepted just by anyone. However it was different for C rank request or above since among them there were also demon subjugation requests.
What Trisha accepted was a request one rank higher than hers, an E rank request.
The subjugation targets were-- three crazy monkeys which were E rank demonic beasts.
Unlike the variant that equivalent to rank D, which Kitsune faced, the ones she was facing were the common types, demons equivalent to the rank E, their bodies were also smaller than the variant by two times .
Instead, they were moving in a group of three, it should be much easier than facing the variant.
"Haa... Haah... Haah ... I am tired...."
Moreover, she had already killed two monkeys, and the remaining one was also already wounded. Although both were exhausted, Trisha was only exhausted and had not been injured so much, as for the monkey, not just one of its arms was cut off, numerous injuries were all over its body. It was obvious which one was superior.
"Gurururururu ... ...!"
"But well ... if it was the me from a while ago, I might be unable to even simply fight them ... if this is the fatigue of growth then it's actually pretty comfortable."
Holding the sword horizontally, Trisha leaned her body toward the monkey.
She possessed neither special skill nor technique-- No, it was more like she couldn't use it. But then, after solely and diligently training her sword path, she eventually discovered a new possibility. An adventurer who could not become a knight, that sword was a swords art which she created unintentionally by chance, a sword art specialized at counters.
"Gurua!!"
"Come... I will kill you and become stronger ... ...!"
Looking at the monkey that kicked the ground and charger her way, Trisha didn't move her horizontally positioned sword at all. Even without 'Demon eye of Foresight', she had other things to compensate that so that even she could see those who were faster than her. Experiences she had accumulated. Her continuous diligent training.
It was exactly because she had lost hundreds or even thousands times, danced with hardship, and was cornered to the edge, for the sake for a single victory, she'd keep on moving forward
"Guruaaa --- Guughha ...!!"
"First off --- ... one win!"
Dodging the monkey's fist by paper-thin gap, she entered into its chest area, and finally thrust her horizontally positioned sword to its neck. With the monkey's momentum and the thrust sword's momentum, with the force that was created by the two colliding momentum, Trisha successfully had the monkey's neck -- severed.
"Haa... Haa... Haa...."
Along with a collapsing sound, the monkey's body that had lost its head fell to the ground. Then, Trisha swung her bloody sword to clear the blood, and then put it back in its sheath. While calming her chaotic breathing, she made a big gut pose on the fact that she had won her first victory on her own.
"It's okay... I can still become even stronger...!"
Although it was only one step at a time, without a doubt she was becoming stronger. Sensing for the first time the opening of a new possibility for herself, Trisha was very happy.
The world which was impossible for her to see had she stayed as a knight apprentice, she felt that she was one step closer to it. And then she craved for more. By gaining a new power, she sought for another ones.
Her aim was to surpass her father's back.
Pursuing another possibilities, she'd surely become stronger.
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