妖精との邂逅
森の中は空気も澄んでおり、気温も温暖で、探索するのに特筆して障害になるものは無かった。そんな環境下で、
まず桔音が最初に取った行動は、人間の最低限度の生活に必要な衣食住を確保すること。中でも、最優先で必要なのは食料の確保。
ここで幸いだったのは、桔音が図書館にて小学校の間の6年間読み漁った本の中に、食べられる植物などについて記載されたものがあったことだ。桔音はその知識をフル稼働させ、自身の足下に数多く群生している植物達を見ながら食べられる植物を探した。
「......? おかしいなぁ、普通こんなに自然に囲まれてれば食べられる植物の一つや二つ、あってもおかしくない筈なんだけど......」
呟く桔音。
不可解だったのは、彼が見渡した限り自身の知り得る植物が一つも無かったことだ。それこそ、何処にでもある様な雑草の一つですら見当たらない。寧ろ、見た事のない植物『しか』なかったのだ。
妙な違和感を感じて少しだけ思考を働かせてみるが、それで何かが分かる訳でもない。桔音は不明な事柄は置いておくことにした。
「んー......」
こうなっては衣食住の内、食料に関しては多少のリスクを背負って安全そうな物から自分の身体で試してみるしかないだろう。だがそんなリスクを早々に試す程の勇気も無いので、桔音は夜になる前に寝床に出来る場所を探すことにした。
「洞窟......は物語で言えば定番だけど、熊的な獣が既に寝床にしている可能性もあり得るから......不用意に近づくのは非常識だね」
過去に読んだ本の知識を思い出すように、言葉に出して再確認する。最も良い場所の条件としては、水辺で、身を隠す事が出来、尚且つ雨風を防げるといったところだろう。食料が無くとも、幾多の生物は生存の為に水を必要としている。この場所が桔音の知らぬ土地、国、或いは世界だったとしても、それは変わらない筈だ。
故に、湖にしろ、池にしろ、川にしろ、なにかしらの水辺はある筈なのだ。桔音はまず、その水辺を探して回ることにした。
◇
大分歩いた。方角は太陽の位置と、自分の身体から出る影の方向を利用して把握した。とりあえず僕が最初に向かったのは、南。理由は特にない、なんとなく南って文字と水って文字のイメージカラーが似てたからだね。うん、『なんとなく』......僕の虐められていた理由とおんなじ、僕みたいな思春期の青少年としてはこれ以上なく相応しい理由だよ。
水源を見つける為の知識としては、まず木と土を見ること。
木は地面から水を吸い上げて生きている、
次に土、これも木と似た理由だ。水は水源から地上へ流れ出る以前に地中を流れるもの。水源に近ければ近いほど、その周辺の地面の持つ水分量は多くなり、触れれば分かるほど水の含有量の多い地質へと変化する、と。
うん、まぁ当然の知識だよね。本で読んだだけとはいえ、少し考えれば本を読んで無くとも思い当たることか。
「でも、流石の僕でもおかしいと思うなぁ......食用植物も見当たらなければ雑草すら見た事のない物ばかりだし、しかも日本にこんな森林がある筈が無い。なにより僕は死んだ筈なんだ」
死んだ僕がこうして生きている事も不可解だし、負った筈の怪我も綺麗さっぱり無くなってる。ありえないことが、ありえない形で起こっている。まさか、まさかの可能性だけど、出来れば考えたくも無い可能性だけど、
ここは、元居た世界ではない―――?
「......異世界転生、あはは、どんな展開だよばっかじゃねーの?」
あはは、ないない。ありえないありえない、そんな展開が許されるのはフィクションの世界だけだ、もしくは中二病の妄想か。とりあえずは別の国に何らかの形で放り出されたってことで、納得しておこう。
「.........ってマジかよ」
ついさっき納得したのに、一瞬でぶっ壊されたぜこの可能性。振り向いたらそこには獣がいた。いや獣っつーか、化け物だけどねこれは。
見た目は黒い毛並みの狼っぽいけれど、そのサイズは白熊レベル。血走った真っ赤な瞳に、唸り声を上げている口から見える鋭く大きな牙、そして何より普通の生物ではありえないことに―――口から炎を溢れだしていた。
「あはは、異世界決定だね」
だけど、驚くほどじゃあない。こんなの普段やってた妄想の中でいつも普通に活躍してたじゃないか。まぁ、本当に目の前に登場するとは思わなかったけどさ。
だとしても、異世界かぁ......認めざるを得ないよね。こんな状況、ここまで揃った異世界の要素、否定出来ない。
『グルルルル.........!』
とはいえ、当面の目標としてはまずこの状況を打破しなければならないよね。取り敢えず武器としてナイフがあるのは多少心の支えになるけど、でもこんな玩具みたいなものであの怪物を倒せる気がしない。というか詰んでるでしょこれ、四足歩行の時点で機動力は高そうだし、あの巨体だ......パワーも相当だろう。一撃貰っただけで死ねる気がするよ。
「よし、逃げよう。死にたくはないからね」
踵を返し、早々に走りだす。
『ガァア!!』
いやぁ、背後から地面を蹴る音が聞こえたよ。こりゃ完全に追って来てるぜこん畜生め。しかも、確実に距離を詰められてる。元々運動は得意じゃない、現役で人間以上のスペックを持った獣にかけっこで勝てる筈も無い。
「っ!」
真横を黒い影が物凄い速度で通り抜け、目の前にあの獣が回り込んでいた。これはいよいよ不味い。こんな時物語であれば―――勇者とか、ライバルとか、伝説の冒険者とかが助けに来たり、主人公の潜在能力が覚醒したりとかするんだろうけれど、無理だな。
これ現実、ノンフィクション。ご都合主義なんてそうそう都合良く起こらないよ。
「しおりちゃん......」
でも、約束した......帰ったら、遊園地デートに行くって。だから死ねないね、少なくとも死ぬなんて一度で十分だ。
ナイフ一本、戦闘経験無し、心許無いけど、
―――抗ってみようか、僕は1%でも可能性がある限り諦めない!
みたいなこと言ってみたりして。
「掛かって来いよ、獣野郎」
頑張ってみよう......約束一つ守れない男には、なりたくはないからね。
◇ ◇ ◇
桔音と獣、動き出しが早かったのはやはり獣の方だった。その四本の脚は軽快に地面を蹴り、桔音の目の前に迫った。爪を振りかざし、桔音の首目掛けて横薙ぎに振り抜く。
だが、桔音は何とかその攻撃に付いて行き、爪をナイフで受け止めた。
「うっ......ぐぅ......っ!?」
しかし、その振り抜かれた腕は受け止めきれない威力だった。ナイフを持った桔音ごと吹き飛ばす。桔音の足は地面を離れ、身体は横へと吹き飛ぶ。そして、近くにあった木に叩きつけられる。
「ぅぐっ......痛ぅ~......なんて力だよこの獣は」
見れば、ナイフは根元から真っ二つに折れていた。唯一の武器が早々に破壊されてしまった。最早、抵抗の術は一切無くなった。
桔音はそう言いながら、叩きつけられた木に寄り掛かりながらずりずりとしゃがみ込む。ナイフで防御したが、こうされれば防御にもなっていない。木に叩きつけられ、背中からミシミシと嫌な音が聞こえていた。運動もしていない一介の男子高校生が、何度もこんな攻撃を喰らって無事でいられる筈が無い。
漫画やアニメの主人公達はどんな身体してんの? 桔音はそんな感想を抱きながら、獣を見る。
「全く......僕は痛みには強いけど、かといってダメージには許容量ってものがね......」
『ガアアアアアアアアアアアア!!!!』
「っ......!」
桔音は軽口を叩くが、獣の咆哮の衝撃によって言葉を呑んだ。ほんの僅かな可能性に賭けて抵抗してみたは良いものの、やはり勝てないものは勝てなかった。一撃ですら防ぐこともままならない。脆弱な人間がこんな化け物に勝てる筈も無かったのだ。
「でも......っ......! まだ、諦めるわけにはいかないね......!」
桔音は、ふらふらの足に力を込めて立ち上がる。ナイフの柄を放して、手ぶらになる。こうなればヤケだった、最後の最後まで奇跡が起こるのを期待して、諦めないで最期を迎えよう。それが一番、賢明だ。
「殺せるもんなら、殺してみろよ」
最後まで、威勢だけはいい桔音。獣はそんな桔音にゆっくりと歩み寄り、桔音の目の前に来ると、その大きな爪を振り上げる。桔音は眼を閉じない、眼を逸らさずに、最後まで生きることを諦めなかった。
『ガアアアアアアアアア!!!』
と、その時だった。
桔音と獣の間で、何が光った。両者の視界を真っ白な光で埋め尽くし、そこへ振り下ろされた獣の腕が弾き飛ばされる。
『ギャアア!!?』
桔音は獣の姿が見えなくなると、大きく息を吐きながら再度地面に尻もちをつく。最早立ち上がる力は残されていなかった。
「......で、この光は何かな......敵だったら不味いけど......」
桔音は頭上で光り輝く何かを見つめながら呆然とそう呟く。そして、その光は桔音の目の前まで下りてくると、
「やっほー!」
ぽんっ! と弾けて、中から幼い声と共に人形サイズの人間が現れた。
長い黒髪に、亜麻色の瞳、薄水色の布を巻いた様な服装、そしてなによりその小さな背中には半透明の羽が生えていた。
妖精、というしか表現しようのない存在。見た目は小さい篠崎しおりそのひとだった。
唖然とする桔音に対して、その妖精は何の警戒も無く近づいてくる。そして、くるりと空中で回ると、にぱっと純粋な笑顔を浮かべた。
「初めまして、こんにちわ! 貴方の名前は?」
桔音の満身創痍な状態を見てそんな挨拶を言う妖精は、間違いなく場違いで、空気が読めていない。桔音はそんな妖精を見て、正確には篠崎しおりの容姿をした妖精を見て、眼を見開いていた。
「んー? あれー? どうしたの? 私何かヘンなことしたかなぁ?」
「あ.........いや、そういう訳じゃないんだけど」
「そうなの? ならいいや!」
いいんだ、と桔音は思った。どうやらこの妖精は興味の矛先がころころ変わるようだ。とりあえず、名前を聞かれているので桔音は自分の名前を答えることにした。妖精が出てくるなんて、異世界感満載だなぁと思いつつ口を開く。
「僕の名前は
「面白い名前だね! きつねさん、だね! よろしく!」
妖精はそう言って、またにぱっと純粋な笑みを浮かべた。
Chapter 3: An Encounter with a Fairy
Inside of the forest, the air was clear nicely warm. When Kitsune tried scouting the area, there wasn't anything that could really be considered an obstacle. In an environment like that, Kitsune held the knife in one hand as he started the first day of his survival life.
The first action he took was to take care of the necessities to sustain a human lifestyle. The highest priority was placed on securing food.
To his luck, in one of the books he had read in his 6th year of elementary school, was a list of various edible plant life. Kitsune began using that info to its fullest, and he carefully perused the various plants growing at his feet as he proceeded forward.
"...? This is strange. After going this far in a place surrounded by nature, it's strange to have not found one or two edible plants by now..."
He whispered to himself.
Even more baffling, was that from what he could see, there wasn't a single plant he was familiar with. There weren't even any of those weeds that could be found any and everywhere. It's more like there was only vegetation he had never seen before.
With an unpleasant premonition, he tried working his brain out a bit, but still he didn't figure anything out. Thus, he decided to put those unproductive thoughts aside.
"Hmm..."
Of the necessities of life, it seems that food would have to be gained through trial and error of whatever looked safe. But, he didn't have the courage to test them, so until night fell, Kitsune continued to search for a place he could find shelter.
"A cave... is standard in the realm of stories, but there's the possibility a bear or lion has already made a home there, so... approaching them carelessly would be foolish."
To remember the information from some old book, he repeated the contents to himself and reaffirmed it. The places that would make for the best shelter would be by the waterside, with elements to let him hide himself, and furnishings to protect from the wind and rain. Even if there was no food, various lifeforms depend on water to live. Even if this was a place, land, country, or world unknown to Kitsune, that shouldn't change.
Therefore, there should be some source of water nearby, some lake, pond, or river, and Kitsune made searching for it his first course of action.
*
I walked a considerable distance. I kept my direction with the light of the sun and the shadow below my feet. Anyways, the first direction I headed was south. There wasn't really any reason, I just kinda thought the word south carried a bit of a watery impression. Yep, kinda... The same reason I was bullied, a reason appropriate for a pubescent young man like me.
When finding water, I think the first thing you have to do is look at the trees and soil.
The trees live by taking water from the earth. The closer they are to water, the amount of water they take in changes in regards to their proximity to a water source.
Next, the earth is observed for similar reasons. Before overflowing, water travels through the ground. The closer one is to a water source, the higher the moisture level of the dirt in the area, and you should be able to tell, to some extent, by touch, or by observing growths related to moisture levels. Apparently.
Yeah, that sounds a tad bit obvious. Even if I read it in a book, it's something I would have probably thought up even without the book.
"But even I'm finding this strange... I don't see any plants I recall as edible, and even the weeds are ones I've never seen before. What's more, Japan shouldn't have an expanse of forest like this. Most importantly, I should be dead."
The fact that I'm alive is baffling in itself, and the wounds I have received have vanished with not a trace left behind. Something impossible is happening to me in an impossible fashion. Could it be, that there's a slight possibility that a possibility that I don't want to think about is...
This isn't the world I lived in...?
"... Otherworldly reincarnation? Ahaha, what sort of story development is that? How idiotic."
Ahaha, nope, not happening. Impossible, no chance. That stuff's only permissible in cheap fiction. Or in Chuuni fantasies. Let's just say that I was transported to some other country in some shape or form.
"... For reals?"
I had just reached satisfaction with an answer, but that possibility was destroyed in an instant. When I turned around, there was a single beast. No, more than a beast, that's a monster, isn't it?
Its appearance was that of a black haired, wolf-like creature, but its size was polar bear level. It had blood-shot red eyes, and I saw sleek fangs in its growling mouth, and most importantly, something impossible for a normal lifeform... there's fire overflowing from its throat.
"Ahaha, yep. It's another world."
But this isn't something to be startled about. It's nothing different from the normal imaginative delusions I occasionally daydream, and I do fine in those. Well, never thought it'd actually happen though.
Even so, another world... I guess I'll have to accept it. This situation, and all the other otherworldly-ish factors. I can't deny them.
{Grrrrrrr......!} 
Even if I say that, the first thing I'll have to do is get out of this situation, right? As a weapon, I have the knife which is more or less just mental support. I don't get the feeling this toy would be able to take down that monster. This is too short, isn't it? The moment I get within four paces of it, it'll have moved, and that large frame... I'll bet it has quite a bit of power. I get the feeling that one hit from it will kill me.
"Okay, let's run. I don't really want to die."
I turn and immediately start running.
{GYAU!!} 
Wow, I heard the sound of it kicking off the ground behind me. God dammit, he's totally following me, isn't he. What's more, he's definitely closing the distance. I'm not that athletic to begin with, and there's no way I can beat a high spec beast meant to have abilities exceeding humanity.
"!"
A black shadow passes by me at a frightening pace, as that beast circles in front of me. This is quite bad. At this time, in a story... a Hero, or a Rival, or some legendary adventurer would come help, or the protagonist would awaken some latent ability, but that's impossible.
Reality is non-fiction. Such optimistic situations don't come about that easily.
"Shiori-chan..."
But I promised... when I return, we're going on an amusement park date. So I won't die, or at the very least, one death is more than enough.
One knife. No fighting experience. No will to fight. But...
... I guess I'll give it a shot. As long as there's the slightest chance of victory, I won't give up!
I could say something cool like that.
"Come at me, damn beast."
I'll give it a go... I don't want to become a man who can't fulfill a single promise.
* * *
Kitsune and the monster. Of the two, the monster definitely had the faster movements. Its four legs nimbly kicked the ground, as it drew near the boy. It brandished its claws and swiped at Kitsune's neck.
But Kitsune was somehow able to keep up with that move, and block the claws with his knife.
"Uu... gu...!?"
However, his arm didn't have the strength to contain the impact. Kitsune was sent flying, knife and all. His legs left the ground as he flew sideways. He collided with a nearby tree.
"Gu... Owow... just how much power does that thing have?"
The knife had cleanly snapped in two from the hilt. His only weapon was immediately destroyed. He no longer had any means of opposition.
Kitsune talked to himself as he leaned against the tree he had forcefully become acquainted with, and squatted. He had used the knife to defend, but it didn't really do anything. His back had made some ominous sounds upon colliding, and a single high-school student who didn't even lift wouldn't be able to stand any more attacks like that.
Just what sort of bodies do those manga and anime protagonists have? Kitsune pondered this as he looked at the beast.
"Good grief... I may be strong against pain, but there should be a limit to the amount of damage he deals out..."
{GRAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!} 
"..."
Kitsune tried to crack jokes to put himself at ease, but the monster's roar make him swallow his words. He thought he would rely on the slight chance of victory, but impossible things remain impossible. He couldn't even ward off the first attack. There was no way a frail human would be able to beat a monster like this.
"But still......! I can't really... give up yet...!"
He stood up on his unstable legs. He dropped the knife's hilt and raised his hands. This was merely desperation. He expected a miracle to come in the very end and tried to go on without giving up. But that was the best decision he could make.
"If you think you can kill me, just try it."
To the end, only his aura of authority was top notch. The beast leisurely walked up to him and lifted its large claws. Kitsune didn't close his eyes and didn't look away. He didn't give up on life.
{GRAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!} 
It was at that moment.
In front of Kitsune and the monster, something flashed. Both of their visions were clouded by pure white light, and the beast's lowering arm was shot down.
{GYAAH!!?} 
As the beast disappeared from view, Kitsune let out a sigh of relief, as his behind dropped to the ground. He no longer had the power to stand.
"... And what was that light? ... I would be screwed if it were an enemy..."
Kitsune stared at a glimmering object in the sky overhead, as he muttered it in a daze. The glowing object lowered itself all the way to his eye level.
"Yo!"
It burst, and from within, the doll-sized form of a human accompanied by a child's voice emerged.
Long black hair and flaxen eyes. Sea-blue garments, and on its small back were a pair of half-transparent wings.
Fairy, was the only word that could be used to describe it. Its appearance was like that of a small Shinozaki Shiori.
Kitsune was dumb-founded, but the fairy continued to approach without a hint of wariness. And after circling in the air a few times, she let out a pure smile.
"Hello, how do you do!? What's your name?"
The fairy continued on despite his injuries. It was definitely out of place, and the fairy continued to fail to read the mood. Kitsune stared at the fairy, or more specifically, at its nostalgic form. He opened his eyes wide.
"Hmm? Huh? What's wrong? Did I say something strange?"
"Ah... no, that's not it, but..."
"Really? Good!"
It doesn't really matter, I guess, thought Kitsune. It seems that the fairy had a short attention span. For now, since his name was asked, he decided to answer. A fairy appeared. Could this get any more otherworldly? He thought as he opened his mouth.
"My name is Naginata Kitsune... it would be nice if you called me Kitsune-san."
"Interesting name! Kitsune-san, right! Nice ta meetcha!"
The fairy spoke before letting off a pure smile once more.
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