荒野の旅路と踏み出す一歩
「あの兵士の話によると、そこの谷に沿って北西に進むと町が一つあるらしい」
「......聞いた通りの大きな谷だね。確かに自力で渡るのは無理があるかも」
関門を出て少し進んだ先にある地面に、大きな亀裂が走っている。
かなりの幅があるだろうその谷は、荒野の地面に長く長く横たわっている。
兵士が言っていたその街の先まで行けば、この谷に大きな橋が架かっているとのことだ。
「おおー、深いな! トビ、落ちてみるか!?」
「嫌でござるよ! 急に何を言いだすのでござるか!?」
落ちたらまず助からないと思うけどな......落下ダメージで戦闘不能間違いなしだ。
ユーミルとトビは何が嬉しいのか、谷を覗き込んではしゃいでいる。
俺とリィズはこの状況に少し滅入っているんだが。
近くにこの谷以外、なーんにも見えないんだよな......まさに不毛の大地。
「西部劇とかが合いそうな雰囲気だね......」
「銃はありませんけどね。馬はいるみたいですけど」
「あ、私も見たよ。村の厩舎に何頭か繋がれていたよね? 実際に走っているところは、見てな――」
セレーネさんは急に会話をやめると、気まずそうにリィズの方を見た。
「あのっ、ご、ごめんねリィズちゃん? 二人だけで話しちゃって」
「? 別に怒っていませんけど? 直ると良いですね、人見知り。......直したいんですよね?」
「う、うん! 迷惑かけちゃうかもしれないけど......」
「お気になさらず。私はハインドさんほどマニアックな会話には付いて行けませんが、それ以外の話であれば大丈夫です。変に思ったりしないので、気軽に話しかけて下さい」
「――! あ、ありがとう!」
リィズの言葉を聞いたセレーネさんが俺の耳に顔を近付ける。
何です?
「ハインド君の言う通り、ベースは優しいんだね。リィズちゃん......」
「......そうなんですよ。誤解されやすいですけど」
自慢の妹なので、褒められると自分のことのように嬉しい。
基本の表情と言動が冷たい感じなので、勘違いされやすいだけだ。
ユーミルとトビにああなのは、付き合いの長さに加えて相手の度量の大きさを信頼しているから。
「......目の前で内緒話はやめて欲しいんですが?」
「ああっ、ごめんなさい!」
「......まぁ、別に怒ってはいませんけど。二回目ですよ? この言葉」
「あ......ふふっ、そうだね」
その後は三人で雑談しつつ、満腹度が減ってきたので調理に取り掛かる。
リィズもセレーネさんも手伝ってくれたので、かなり手早く済んだ。
といっても、ハムとレタスを簡単に挟んで切るだけのサンドイッチである。
具をなじませる時間は無いが......って、挟んだ瞬間に数分置いた状態と同じになったな。楽で結構。
これで軽食の完成だ。
「おらー、二人とも戻れ! サンドイッチを作ったから、食べてから進むぞ! ユーミル、トビを落とすのは後にしとけ、後に」
「分かった。後にする!」
「ちょっと! 今じゃなきゃいいみたいな言い方やめてよ!」
まずは満腹度の回復だ。
それが終わったら、日付が変わるまで進めるだけ進もう。
今日の内に最低でも一つ目の街までは行きたい。
と思っていたのだけど......。
「治安悪過ぎるだろぉ!」
「ひゃはははは! 水と食料を置いていけぇ!」
「金目の物を出せば見逃してやるよぉ! ヒャア!」
モンスターよりも盗賊の方が多いのはどういう訳だ!
引きも切らさず現れるヒャッハーの群れに、俺達は消耗戦を強いられていた。
「どうするんだハインド! 埒が明かないぞ!」
「どうもこうも耐えるしかない! 隠れる場所もないからな! 踏ん張れ!」
「こいつら、体臭がきついのでござるが! くさぁい!」
「は、ハインド君! リィズちゃんが淡々と敵の股間を蹴り上げてて怖いんだけど! モヒカンむしってるし! 盗賊よりもバイオレンスだよ!」
そう言われても、いかんせん敵の数が多い。
細かいフォローを入れるほどの余裕がない。
どれだけ規模の大きい盗賊団か知らないが、倒しても倒しても羽虫のように湧いてくる。
仕方なく、現在は移動しつつの応戦となっている。
減っていくアイテム、狂うペース管理。
俺のイライラは募り......いや、俺だけではないだろう。
盗賊達の一人一人は決して強くないのだ。
峰打ちや手加減に関しても、このゲームでは頭で念じるだけで簡単に実行可能だ。
この状態にするとどんな攻撃をしても相手を死に至らしめることはない。
だが、しつこい・うるさい・下品と三拍子揃った不快さが、俺達の精神を徐々に蝕んでいく。
そして、ついに――
「てめぇら、何をもたついていやがる! 五人程度、サッサと潰して金目の物を奪わねえか!」
「頭領! すいやせん!」
百人近い盗賊を倒した後に、そいつは現れた。
「お前かぁぁぁぁぁ!」
「どるぁぁぁぁぁぁ!」
「馬から落ちろぉぉぉぉぉ! で、ござる!」
「あ、えーと......えいっ!」
――俺達の怒りを受け止めるために。
愚かにも目立つ馬に乗って現れた盗賊団の頭領に、五人分の攻撃が一気に叩き込まれる。
部下達の腰は既に引けていて、頭領に対して簡単に接近することができた。
「も ゙っ!?」
「と、頭領ー!?」
そしてあっさりと捕縛。
それを見た盗賊達は、方々に逃げ散っていった。
盗賊の頭領は縄で縛り付けた後、馬に載せて俺が手綱を引いている。
気を失っているので静かなものだ。
「にしても、戦いながら随分と進んだ気がするけど。今、どの辺りだろうな?」
「国境の警備兵さんから聞いた、街までの距離が正しければもうすぐ街に着くと思いますよ」
「そっか......セレーネさん、大丈夫ですか?」
「あ、うん。ちょっと疲れてきたけど、まだ平気だよ」
セレーネさんは戦闘に慣れていない分、どうやら他のメンバーより疲れが溜まっているらしかった。
鍛冶場から急に環境も一変した上に、ゲームとはいえVRという特殊事情。
やはり、最低限リアルに疲れを残さないように遊ぶ必要がある。
今日は少しオーバーペースだったかな......。
次回はもっと、セレーネさんに合わせた進行速度を考えておこう。
「遅いですね、ユーミルさんとトビさん」
「そうだな。余り遠くまでは行かないようにお願いしたんだけどな」
俺達三人が頭領の捕縛をしている間、体力に余裕のありそうなユーミルとトビに偵察をお願いしておいた。
そろそろ戻ってくる頃だと思うんだけど......。
あっ、きたきた。
二つの人影が手を振りながら走ってくる。
「ハインド、あったぞ! 町だ!」
「本当か!」
「もう一息でござる! 早速行くでござるよ!」
良かった、街まで進めば安全にログアウト出来る。
TBはどこでもログアウトが可能なのだが、仲間とイン時間を完全に合わせるのは難しいし、インした直後にリポップしたモンスターに囲まれることもあると聞く。
それを考えると、緊急時以外は街でログアウトした方が安心かつ安全ということになる。
「セレーネさん、リィズ。行こう」
「はい」
「よかったー。正直、ほっとしたよ」
ユーミルとトビの先導に従い、砂塵の舞う荒野を進んで行く。
暫くすると、徐々に豆粒ほどの街が視界に入ってきた。
街は赤を基調にした箱形の建物が並んでおり、それなりの規模がありそうだった。
『荒野の町バスカ』というのが、この街の名だそうだ。
治安は余り良くなさそうだったが、衛兵は一応働いている様子。
街の入口で盗賊と戦った経緯を話した結果、俺達は衛兵の詰所へと案内された。
奴らはやはり国境を越える商人や旅人を狙う大規模な盗賊団だったらしく、頭領を引き渡したところ、それなりの額の懸賞金を得ることが出来た。
プレイヤーが殆ど来ないせいで盗賊団の人数が膨れ上がったのだろうか?
......ゲーム的に考えれば、そういう可能性も多少はありそうだ。
そういう場合のプレイヤーの影響力は、大きめに設定してあるだろうからな。
ともかく諸々の手続き済ませると、俺達は街の高級住宅街の一画でログアウトすることにした。
明日は午後十時頃に集まることを約束して、今夜は解散ということに――
「あ、ハインド君」
「あれ、セレーネさん。まだログアウトしなくて良いんですか?」
「うん、ハインド君に一言だけお礼を言いたくて」
「お礼?」
他の三人がログアウトした直後、セレーネさんが俺に声を掛けてくる。
こちらからお礼を言うようなことはあっても、される様なことをした記憶はないが。
「あの鍛冶場から、私を連れ出してくれてありがとう。君がああ言ってくれなかったら、きっと私は......」
ああ、これは恐らく真面目な話だ。
俺は表情を引き締めると、静かにセレーネさんの言葉に耳を傾けた。
「人見知りを直したくて始めたVRゲームだったけど、一歩を踏み出す勇気が足りなくて。他にも鍛冶の腕を見込んで声を掛けてくれた人は居たけど、私、怖くて......」
......まさかそこまで深い悩みだったとは。
軽い気持ちで誘った自分に、今になって腹が立ってきた。
それを思うと、ユーミル達との引き合わせ方はかなりマズかったのではないだろうか......?
......無神経な部分が多くはなかったか?
「すみません。そこまで考えが至らずに、俺......」
「ううん、最終的に一緒に行くって決めたのは私だもの。それに、私は臆病だから......ちょっと強引なくらい、グイグイ来てくれたハインド君の態度が......凄く嬉しかった」
「......そう言って頂けると、後悔の念が和らぎますね。本当に、嫌じゃありませんでした?」
「嫌じゃなかった。それどころか――」
セレーネさんが言葉を切る。
少し迷うようなそぶりを見せた後......何故か顔を赤くしてこう言った。
「そ、その、今からするのは、私がまた人との距離感を間違っているせいかもしれないし、もしかしたらハインド君は嫌がるかもしれない。でも、こうでもしないと私の気持ちが収まらなくて、その、あの、だから――」
どうしよう。
いつになくセレーネさんが何を言っているのか分からない。
らしくない言葉の羅列に俺が戸惑っていると......不意に、頬に温かな感触が触れた。
眼鏡を外したセレーネさんの顔が、目の前からゆっくりと遠ざかっていく。
......え?
「じゃ、じゃあ、また明日ね! おやすみ、ハインド君!」
「え? あ、はい、おやすみなさい......」
セレーネさんがログアウトしていき、後には俺だけが残される。
俺は数分間、頬を押さえた姿勢のまま呆然とその場で立ち竦んだ。
Chapter 45 - Journey Through The Wastelands And Taking A Step Forward
[From what that guard said, there seems to be a town northwest of that valley.]  (Hind)
[...Just as he said, it's quite the big valley. It might be impossible to cross on our own.]  (Selene)
A little bit ahead of the checkpoint, there was a big rift.
The valley was quite wide and the wasteland stretched out far and wide.
If we wanted to go to the town that the guard mentioned, we had to cross this big bridge on the valley.
[Ooh, it's so deep! Tobi, want to try jumping down!?]  (Yumir)
[No way! What are you even saying so suddenly!?]  (Tobi)
First off all, I don't think we'd be able to save him if he fell down there...there's no doubt that he would die from fall damage after all.
I wonder what Yumir and Tobi were happy about, they were happily looking at the valley.
Me and Riizu were getting a bit depressed because of this situation.
Other than this valley, we couldn't see anything else in the vicinity after all...the ground was just infertile.
[This atmosphere is straight out of a western film...]  (Selene)
[Though there are no guns here. There seems to be horses though.]  (Hind)
[Ah, I saw them too. There were quite a few tied at the stable right? Though I haven't seen them actually run-]  (Selene)
Selene-san suddenly stopped talking and awkwardly looked at Riizu.
[You see, I-I'm sorry Riizu-chan. For talking with just the two of us.]  (Selene)
[?? I'm not angry though? I hope that your fear of strangers is cured.
[Y-Yup! Though I may be causing you trouble...]  (Selene)
[Don't worry about it. I might not be able to follow enthusiast topics like Hind-san, but I'm fine with any other topics.
[-!! T-Thank you very much!]  (Selene)
After hearing Riizu's words, Selene-san brought her face closer to my ear.
What is it?
[Like you said, deep down she's really kind. Riizu-chan...]  (Selene)
[...That's right. Though she's misunderstood easily.]  (Hind)
She's a little sister I'm proud of, when they praise her I get happy as if I was the one being praised.
Her normal gestures and tone makes her look cold, so people just get the wrong idea about her.
The reason she's like that with Tobi and Yumir is because she has known them for a long time and there's a big amount of tolerance and trust built.
[...I wish you stopped talking secretly in front of me though?]  (Riizu)
[Ah, I'm sorry!]  (Selene)
[...Well, it's not like I'm angry. This is the second time I'm saying this you know? These words.]  (Riizu)
[Ah...fufu, you are right.]  (Selene)
After that, the three of us engaged in idle talk, since our hunger gauges had decreased I decided to start cooking.
Since Riizu and Selene-san helped me, we were done quite fast.
Even though I say that, they were just simple sandwiches with ham and lettuce.
I didn't have the time to spread the ingredients evenly though...wait, the moment I put them in, it changed into a sandwich that looked like it had been there for a while. Well, I'm fine with things being simplified.
With this, our light meal was done.
[Hey, come back both of you! We made some sandwiches, let's proceed once we have eaten them! Yumir, leave dropping Tobi for later.]  (Hind)
[Got it, I'll leave it for later!]  (Yumir)
[Wait a moment! Stop talking as if it's fine if you don't do it now!]  (Tobi)
First off we have to recover from our hunger.
Once that's done, we'll proceed until midnight.
Today I'd like to get at least to the first town.
That's what I was thinking but...
[Isn't the public safety too bad!?]  (Hind)
[Hyahahaha! Leave the food and water behind!] 
[If you take out your valuables we might let you get away! Hyaa!] 
Seems like there's more bandits than monsters!
An endless group of "hyahahs" forced us into a battle of attrition.
[What do we do Hind!? We are not making any progress!]  (Yumir)
[We have no other choice but to endure! There's no place to hide after all! We have to persevere!]  (Hind)
[These guys, their body odor is terrible! They stink!]  (Tobi)
[H-Hind-kun! Riizu-chan is kicking them in the crotch with an unconcerned look and looks scary! She's even plucking their mohawks! She's being more violent than the bandits!]  (Selene)
Even if you tell me that, unfortunately, the number of enemies is too much.
I don't have enough leeway to bother with small details.
I don't know how many of them there really are, but no matter how many we beat, there's no end to them.
Reluctantly, we can just retaliate for now.
Our diminishing items and this pace that was out of my control.
I was starting to get even more irritated...no, that probably wasn't only me.
The bandits weren't strong individually.
If it was something like striking with the back of the blade or going easy on someone, those were easy to do inside the game as long as you kept it in mind.
In this situation, no matter how we attack them, they won't die.
However, they are persistent, noisy and vulgar, which makes them three times as unpleasant and this made it so our minds were gradually worn out.
And then, finally...
[You guys, why are you taking so long!? There are just five of them, crush them already and take their valuables!] 
[Boss! We are sorry!] 
After beating close to 100 bandits, he finally appeared.
[It's youuuuu!!!]  (Hind)
[Doruaaaaaa!]  (Yumir)
[Fall down from your horse!! D-degozaru!]  (Tobi)
[Ah, Eh...there.]  (Selene)
...In order to come to grips with our anger.
The five of us struck the bandit group's boss that foolishly appeared riding a horse.
Since his subordinates had already lost their nerves, it was easy enough for us to get close to the boss.
[Moh!?] 
[B-Boss!?] 
And we easily captured him.
After seeing that, the subordinates started running away and scattered.
After tying the bandit's boss with a rope, we placed him on the horse and I pulled the reins.
He had lost consciousness so he was quiet.
[However, I get the feeling we have advanced quite a bit while fighting. Where are we currently at?]  (Hind)
[If the distance the guard at the border said was correct, I believe we'll reach the town soon.]  (Selene)
[I see...Selene-san, are you OK?]  (Hind)
[Ah, yup. I'm a bit tired, but I'm still fine.]  (Selene)
Since Selene-san is not used to fighting yet, she seems to have accumulated more fatigue than the other members.
On top of that, she had changed her environment suddenly from her usual blacksmith workshop.
As expected, there's a need to play the game so that fatigue doesn't remain once you return to the real world.
We might have paced ourselves wrong today...
For next time, let's think about going at a pace that suits Selene-san.
[They are late, Yumir-san and Tobi-san.]  (Selene)
[You are right. I did tell them that they shouldn't really go that far though.]  (Hind)
While we were taking care of the boss, we asked Yumir and Tobi, who seemed to have a surplus of energy, to scout the area.
I think it should be about time they got back though...
Ah, there they are.
I saw the figure of two people running towards us while waving their hands.
[Hind, there was one! A town!]  (Yumir)
[Really!?]  (Hind)
[It's just a bit further! Let's go fast!]  (Tobi)
I'm glad, if we can get to the town, we'll be able to safely log out.
You are able to log out whenever you want in TB, but it's hard to log in at the same time as your friends, I heard that there are times where you log in and are surrounded by monsters that had just respawned.
Taking that into consideration, unless it's an emergency, it's way safer to log out inside a town.
[Selene-san, Riizu, let's go.]  (Hind)
[Yes.]  (Riizu)
[I'm glad. To be honest, it's a relief.]  (Selene)
While being guided by Yumir and Tobi, we proceeded through the wastelands full of sandstorms.
After some minutes, we could see a speck in the horizon that looked like a town.
The town was formed with box shaped buildings red in color, they suited the place.
[Town in the wastelands, Baska] , seems like this town is called that.
It seemed like the public safety wasn't that good, but there seems to be some guards.
Because we explained our fight with the bandits at the entrance, we were taken to the guard station.
Seems like they were a big bandit group that attacked travellers and merchants that passed through the border, since we handed their boss over, we received quite the reward for it.
Maybe the number of bandits in the group rose up this much because players usually don't come here?
...If we thought of this as a game, there's the possibility of that happening.
It's probably set so that player's influence has a big impact on things like that.
Anyway, after going through various procedures, we decided to log out in a high-end residential area inside the town.
We decided to meet up the next day at 10pm, and break up for the night-
[Ah, Hind-kun]  (Selene)
[Hmm? Selene-san. Are you not going to log out now?]  (Hind)
[Yes, I wanted to thank you.]  (Selene)
[Thank me?]  (Hind)
Immediately after the other three logged out, Selene-san started talking to me.
I get the feeling I should be the one thanking her, but I don't remember doing anything to be thanked for.
[Thanks for taking me out of that blacksmith's workshop. If it wasn't for you saying those words, I'm sure I'd be...]  (Selene)
Ah, this is probably a serious talk.
I got serious and listened to what Selene-san had to say.
[I initially started playing VR games to heal my fear of strangers, but I never had the courage to take the first step.
...To think that she was thinking this deeply about her troubles.
I'm quite angry at myself for inviting her with such shallow feelings.
Taking that into consideration, wasn't the way I introduced her to Yumir and the rest bad...?
...Wasn't it too insensitive of me?
[I'm sorry. I didn't think that much about it, I...]  (Hind)
[No no, in the end, the one that decided to go with you was me. Besides, I'm very timid...the way that you were slightly forceful and came vigorously to me...I was very happy about that.]  (Selene)
[...If you say it like that, I'll feel less regretful.
[I wasn't. On the contrary-]  (Selene)
Selene-san cut her words there.
After hesitating for a bit...she was blushing for some reason and said this.
[Y-You see, what I'm about to do now might be because I still can't gauge the sense of distance between people and it also might be something that Hind-kun dislikes.
What should I do?
For some time now, I have been unable to understand what Selene-san is saying.
I was quite perplexed at the words that didn't sound like her...suddenly, I felt something warm on my cheek.
Selene-san's face without her glasses on, slowly became more distant.
...Eh?
[W-Well then, see you tomorrow! Good night, Hind-kun!]  (Selene)
[Eh? Ah, good night...]  (Hind)
Selene-san logged out and I was the only one left after that.
For a few minutes, I stood there dumbfounded and unable to move while pressing down on my cheek.
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都