39. 夜風にあたって
その日の夜、寮の前でばったりとカイザフに会った。
カイザフは白いシャツに短パンと、ラフな格好をしていた。
ここで、カイザフに会うのは偶然でもなんでもない。
サンザール学園から来た生徒は、同性なら同じ階に振り分けられている。
「オーウェン。こんな夜にどこか行くのか?」
「ちょっと、夜風にあたりたくて......」
「俺も行くよ。ここだとやることがないからね」
俺たちは寮を出て、しばらく外を歩く。
そして、芝生のところにつくと、
「ここら辺で座ろうか」
カイザフが腰を下ろした。
俺もカイザフの隣に座る。
この世界は日本と同じように春夏秋冬がある。
今は夏の終わりだ。
昼はまだまだ暑いが、夜になると涼しくなる。
「夜風が気持ちいいね」
「は、はい」
カイザフは芝生にゴロンと寝転がった。
数分間、お互い無言のままでいると、
「それで、何かあったのか?」
カイザフが突然聞いてきた。
「......何かあるってほどでもないですけど。ちょっと、自分が情けないなって思いまして」
「情けない? それはどうして?」
「今日、手合わせした相手に負けてしまいました」
「俺を倒したオーウェンが、負けるとは。相手は相当手練なのかな?」
「いえ......。ただ、魔法を使うなっていう制限のもとでの試合だったので。でも、もし魔法を使えていたら......」
そもそも、魔法使いの俺が、ゴリゴリ身体強化を使う相手と近接戦闘しても、敵うわけないよな。
そう考えると、俺、別に負けてなくね?
そうだ。
魔法を使って戦えるなら、俺だってもっと戦える。
もともと、不利な勝負だったんだ。
仕方ない。
「君は負けたことが悔しいのかい? それとも、負けたのは状況が悪かったと言いたいのかい?」
「え......?」
「俺はね。一度君に負けた。あのあと皆に、不意を突かれたから負けただけで、実力ならカイザフの方が上だ、と言われたよ。でも、俺は君に負けた。―――それが事実だ」
カイザフは続ける。
「君に負けたときは、俺も言い訳をしていた。それこそ、皆が言うように、オーウェンが空を飛ぶってわかっていれば、撃ち落とすこともできたってね。風魔法なら、空にいようがいくらでも攻撃できる。むしろ、格好の標的だ。実際、次戦えば負けない自信はある」
「カイザフ......さん?」
「魔法が使えないってのは君に不利な条件だったと思う。俺も魔法が使えなかったら戦えないからね。気持ちはわかるよ。それで、君はどうしたいんだい? 魔法が使えれば勝てたって言いたいだけ?」
そうじゃない。
負けた言い訳をしたいんじゃない。
「そんなの、カッコ悪いじゃないですか」
立派な魔法使いになるという目標がある。
負けたのは魔法が使えなかったから?
状況が悪かったから?
相手に騙されたから?
それらが全て事実であろうと、俺は負けを認めなくちゃいけない。
ここで、言い訳しているようじゃ、一流の魔法使いにはなれない。
「僕は、強くなりたいです」
弱い自分が嫌だ。
でも、弱さを認めないで強くはなれない。
「うん。君らしくて良い答えだ。俺を倒しただけはあるね」
カイザフは「よっ」といって、体を起こす。
そして、立ち上がり、パンパンと服についていた芝生を払う。
「じゃあ、行こうか」
カイザフは俺に手を差し伸べながら言った。
「え? どこにですか?」
「女子寮に潜入するんだよ」
――――は?
この人、真顔で何いってんの?
Ch 39
That night, I bumped into Kaisaf in front of the dormitory.
He was dressed roughly in a white shirt and shorts.
It was no coincidence that I met Kaisaf here.
Students from Sanzar Academy were assigned to the same floor if they were of the same gender.
"Owen. Where are you going on a night like this?"
"I just wanted to enjoy the night air. ......"
"I'm coming with you. There's nothing to do here."
We left the dormitory and walked outside for a while.
And then we come to a patch of grass.
"Should we sit around here?"
Kaisaf sat down.
I sat down next to him.
This world, like Japan, had spring, summer, autumn and winter.
It was now the end of summer.
The days were still hot, but the nights were cooler.
"The night breeze feels good."
"Yes.
Kaizaf laid down on the grass.
We remained silent for a few minutes.
"So, what's going on?"
Kayzaf suddenly asked.
"...... Not much of anything, I guess. It's just that I feel a little ashamed of myself."
"Shameful? Why is that?"
"I lost to a guy I fought today."
"Owen, the man who defeated you, is he really that good?"
"No, ....... It's just that the match was under the restriction of not using magic. But if I had used magic, I would have ......."
In the first place, even if I was a wizard, I couldn't compete with someone who uses a lot of physical strength.
When I thought about it, I was not losing, was I?
That was right.
If I could use magic to fight, I could fight even better.
It was a lopsided match to begin with.
It couldn't be helped.
"Are you disappointed that you lost? Or are you saying that you lost because of bad circumstances?"
"What, ......?"
"You beat me once. Afterwards, everyone told me that I only lost because I was taken by surprise and that I was the better fighter. But I lost to you. --That's the truth."
Kaisaf continued.
"When I lost to you, I made excuses too. That's why, as everyone says, if I had known that Owen would fly, I could have shot him down. With wind magic, you can attack your opponents as much as you want, even if they are in the air. In fact, it's an easy target. In fact, I'm confident that next time we fight, I won't lose."
"Kaisaf......?"
"I think the fact that you can't use magic was a disadvantage for you. I can't fight if I can't use magic either. I know how you feel. So, what do you want to do? Do you just want to say that you could have won if you could have used magic?"
'No, I don't.'
I'm not trying to make excuses for losing.'
"That's not cool."
I had a goal to become a great wizard.
Did I lose because I couldn't use my magic?
Was it because the situation was bad?
Or was it because you were deceived by your opponent?
If all of those things were true, I had to admit defeat.
I couldn't become a top-notch wizard if I kept making excuses here.
"I want to be strong."
I hated myself for being weak.
But I couldn't be strong without admitting my weakness.
"Yes. That's a good answer, just like you."
Kaisaf said, "Yosh" and sat up.
He stood up and brushed the grass from his clothes.
"Let's go."
He held out his hand to me and said.
"What? Where?"
"We're going to sneak into the girls' dormitory."
What about ---?
What was this guy saying with a straight face?
Reincarnated as the Son of a Vicious Lord! ~When I Was Having Fun Learning Magic, I Had to Get Rid of My Stigma~!
悪徳領主の息子に転生！？～楽しく魔法を学んでいたら、汚名を返上してました～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/reincarnated-as-the-son-of-a-vicious-lord-when-i-was-having-fun-learning-magic-i-had-to-get-rid-of-my-stigma/
Adventure Fantasy Romance School Life Shounen
Academy Adapted to Manga Age Progression Battle Competition Character Growth Cheats Child Protagonist Dense Protagonist Depictions of Cruelty Elemental Magic Fat to Fit Female Master Friendship Harem-seeking Protagonist Harsh Training Hated Protagonist Late Romance Loyal Subordinates Male Protagonist Modern Knowledge Naive Protagonist Nobles Reincarnated in Another World Saints Strength-based Social Hierarchy Sword And Magic Underestimated Protagonist
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n6812gh/
米津