凍てつく音が鳴る。
ぱきり、ぱきりと音を響かせ、零下に凍えた空気がその範囲を刻々と拡大させて行く。
そしてそれは一人の女性の仕業であった。
抜き身の刃のような印象を抱かせる銀髪の女性。まるで能面を思わせる無表情を貫く彼女の名は————ビエラ・アイルバーク。
そんな彼女の側には一人の男の姿があった。
侵食し、広がり、拡がり、覆い尽くされて氷に染まるは〝ミナウラの街〟。
廃墟の街から一変。
氷原世界に瞬く間に早変わりしてしまっていたこの惨状。
そして彼方此方で何処かに潜んでいた魔物が姿を見せるや否や、生まれる氷像。
————これ、は、完全にキレてますね......。
隣を歩くビエラが如何に人格者であると知っていようとも、これだけの馬鹿げた力を側で見せられていてはまともに生きた心地がしないと。
背中を濡らすじっとりとした気持ちの悪い汗を直に感じながら、男————アバルドは口を真一文字に引き結び、どうにかしてこの場を乗り切ろうと彼は必死に思案する最中であった。
そして、漸く音が止んだ。
同時、足音も止む。
「......ビエラ様が予定より早く〝ミナウラ〟へ到着なさった事は本当に僥倖でした」
「嫌な予感がしたんですよ。こういうのを虫の知らせって言うんですかね。気は進みませんでしたが、役目は私の供回りの二人に任せて来ました」
相変わらず貴女のその厄介ごとに対する嗅覚だけは、人並外れ過ぎている。アバルドは人知れずその言葉を密かにのみ込んだ。
「それで、亜麻色の髪の少年と赤髪の男でしたか」
それが、フィオレ・アイルバークが向かった先にいるとされる人物二人の特徴。
で寝そべっている者達で相違ありませんか?」
鼻が曲がるような死臭。
あたりに蔓延する鉄錆と肉塊の匂いにぴくりとも表情筋を動かす事なく、ビエラは起伏ない声音で眼前に映る事実をありのまま言葉に変えた。
大の字で仰向けになっている赤髪の青年と、フィオレ・アイルバークに介抱されながら、痛い痛いと喚く少年が一人いた。
赤髪の青年の顔色は蒼白。
それは魔力を使い過ぎた際に陥る欠乏症の人間に現れる症状に似ており、亜麻色髪の少年の腕は力なく垂れ下がっている。
一目で状況整理をしながらビエラはため息を一度。
「うん? っ、て、あ! あ! あ! ビエラちゃんだ! それにアバルドも!」
ぱぁあ、と真新しい物を見つけた童女のように、花咲いた笑みを浮かべながらフィオレが立ち上がる。
その際、介抱していた筈の少年をぽいっ、と手を離した事で痛苦に塗れた「い ゙でっ」なんて声が上がるも、然程気にした様子もなくフィオレはビエラの下へと駆け寄った。
「......見た感じ、怪我人みたいですけど......あの、大丈夫なんですか?」
腕を押えようにも押さえられないのか。
ただ、左右にゴロゴロと身体を動かし、悶えるしか出来ない少年の姿を前に、ビエラがそう言って気を使うが、その状況を作り出したフィオレといえば、問題ない、問題ないと面白おかしそうに笑うだけ。
「あの子、頑丈の二文字が服着て歩いてるような子だから全然!」
「......そうは見えませんけど」
「自分で腕を折りに向かうような子だし、大丈夫だと思ったんだけどなあ。......ま、そういう事ならアバルド。治してあげて」
数時間前に折れた腕を治した張本人であったからか、顔に刻んだ呆れは人一倍。
どういう戦い方をすればそう、毎度毎度腕を折る羽目になるんだと少年の常識を疑いながらも彼の下へと歩み寄っていた。
「それで、アレはどなたが?」
————〝ジャバウォック〟の残骸である。
「それは、あの二人が倒したよ。ビエラちゃんを大人しく待ってたら良いのに、倒すって言って聞かなくて。片や〝魔法〟の使い過ぎでぶっ倒れ、片や両腕をばっきばきに骨折。ほんっと馬鹿だよねえ」
しかし、フィオレのその発言に然程関心を見せず、ビエラは無言で〝ジャバウォック〟の亡骸へと一歩、二歩と歩み寄り————血に塗れたひしゃげた外殻を手に取った。
程なく、
「そうだけど、それがどうかしたの? ビエラちゃん」
繰り返される問い掛け。
その様子に疑問を覚えたフィオレは若干、眉根を寄せながら聞き直す。
引き結ばれる唇。
数秒ほど間を挟み、やがて彼女は口を開いて続きの言葉を語り始める。
「......いつ何が起ころうと対処出来るように、私、辺りを凍らせながらやって来たんです」
ビエラの言葉通り、あたりは冷気に覆われ、まごう事なき氷原世界が周囲一帯に広がっていた。
「で、この魔物の亡骸ももしもの事がないように凍らせようとしたんですけど、」
そこで言葉が止まる。
外殻にビエラが手を伸ばし、手が触れると同時、彼女はやはりと言わんばかりにため息をついた。
「......凍らないの?」
「......この外殻が邪魔をして凍らないんです。恐らく、この魔物に〝魔法〟は軒並み通じなかった事でしょう。膨大な〝魔力〟を込めれば何とか少しは凍りますが、現実的ではないですね」
「ま、まって。待って待って。それって事は、じゃあ、」
「案外、私達はそこの二人に助けられていたのかもしれません」
それは、眼前の〝ジャバウォック〟に斬り掛かった戦闘馬鹿二人だけが知る事実。
この〝ジャバウォック〟は普通ではなく、〝魔法〟を操る変異種でもあったのだ。
〝魔法〟を拒む強固な外殻。
そして圧倒的体躯から繰り出される一撃。
本当に〝ジャバウォック〟は、まごう事なき強敵であったのだ。
もし仮に二つ名を付けるとすれば————魔法使い殺し。そんな名が妥当だろう。
「————にしても、『星斬り』、ですか」
「あれ? ビエラちゃんもユリウス君の事を知ってるんだ?」
「......唯一、私が回った村の中で〝ミナウラ〟に向かいたいと志願した人です。流石に忘れられません」
「だろうねえ。そもそもあんなに頭おかしい考え方をしてる人が何人もいるわけが......って、村人!?」
「あの方は間違いなく村人ですよ姉さん」
なにせ、村長や彼の父親から、彼をどうか関わらせないでくれと懇願されましたから。
だから、紛れもなくユリウスという少年は冒険者でもなく村人であるとビエラは繰り返す。
「とはいえ、『星斬り』とはまた、骨董品のような呼び名をよくもまあ持ち出してきたものです」
それも、歴史を知ってるかどうかすら定かでないただの村人が口にする機会があるとは。
「......あれ? ビエラちゃんってば、もしかしなくても何か知ってる?」
「あの時は唐突過ぎて思い出せませんでしたが、今なら少しだけは。......ただ、『星斬り』は三百年ほど前に
消された
はたまた、興味を失ったのか。
フィオレはビエラから視線を外し、再び少年の下へと歩み寄る。
「......流石に、真に受ける人間はいないでしょうが、それでも————」
言葉を、止める。
「......いえ、やはり考え過ぎですね。私らしくもない」
ここまでの芸当が出来るのであれば。
と、考えるビエラであったが、〝魔法〟が通じない外殻を砕き割るほどの攻撃を放った剣士という事実は、まだ己とフィオレしか知らない事実である。
そして、痛みにのたうち回るあの様子から察するに、本人はこれがどれだけの行為であったのか気づいていない可能性が極めて高い。
だから、その事実はビエラとフィオレが口を噤んでしまえば闇の中。仮に吹聴したところで信じる人間は一人とていまい。
まさか、〝魔法〟を全く通さない堅牢な外殻をただの斬撃で砕き割るような規格外の存在がいるとは————誰も思うまい。
ビエラはふと思う。
〝戦姫〟と呼ばれ、王国有数の実力者に数えられる彼女だからこそ—————。
「————『星斬りの剣士』。その名は、貴方が考えているよりずっと重いものかもしれませんね」
そう、述べる事にしていた。
名を消される人間というものは、得てして当時の上層部の人間から疎まれ、怯え、恐れられていた者達が大半だ。
なにせ、彼らは王国こそが何より尊く、何より優れているものであると領民に言い聞かせる必要があるから。そうでなければ、彼らの望む王国にとって一番都合の良い治世は叶わないから。
故に、たった一人で全てを覆すような規格外の連中共は、彼らにとって何よりも不都合な存在であったという事は最早言わずもがな。
......実に下らない話ではあるが、もしかすると、『星斬りの剣士』に限らず、名を消された者達の偉業はそのまま、過去の王——つまりは輝かしい国の歴史に書き換えられている可能性すらある。
そんな中で、一つ確実に言える事は『星斬りの剣士』と認識されていた人間が、名を消されるだけの何かを成してしまった人間であるという事。
間違いなく、生易しい人間でない事は確か。
そして人はそんな人間を——————化け物と呼んだ。
Frosted sounds reverberated in the vicinity.
The sounds echoed, crackling, as the freezing air steadily spread its range with each passing moment.
All of this... was the work of a certain woman.
A woman whose silver hair gave the impression of the blade of a sword, a woman wearing an expressionless face-- Viera Islebark.
By her side stood a man.
Encroached, spread, and covered with ice laid the town of Minaura.
A complete change had occurred from a town of ruins.
Such devastation had quickly transformed into a world of ice fields in the blink of an eye.
And as soon as the monsters lurking around the town revealed themselves, they immediately became ice sculptures.
--This really... pissed you off after all, the man said.
Regardless of how much of a character he knew Viera to be, he could hardly bear the overwhelmingly ridiculous power she exhibited as they walked.
Directly feeling the moisture that made his back sweat uncomfortably, the man, Abald, remained tight-lipped as he desperately contemplated how to somehow overcome this situation.
Finally, the sound stopped.
And at the same time, their footsteps followed suit.
"...It was truly fortunate that you arrived in Minaura ahead of your schedule, Viera-sama."
"I had a premonition that something terrible would happen. Although I was reluctant to do so, I left the task to my two companions."
Your sense for danger is exceptional as ever, Abald thought, as he swallowed his words in secrecy.
"So, was it the flaxen-haired boy and the red-haired man?"
Those were the descriptions of the two people Fiole Islebark was said to be headed out with.
"Could they be... the ones lying over there?"
A stench of death, one that makes one's nose curl, permeated through the air.
Without even a twitch in her face in response to the utter smell of rust and lumps of meat that pervaded the area, Viera addressed the facts that are presented before her very eyes in an unwavering tone of voice.
There lay a mangled, mutilated lump of flesh, a red-haired young man lying on his back, and a boy screaming in pain while being tended by Fiole Islebark.
The red-haired young man's face is dead pale.
The flaxen-haired boy's arms helplessly hung down without strength, not a second glance was needed to ascertain that it was indeed broken.
Viera then let out a sigh as she sorted out the situation with a glance.
"Hm? A-Ah-- AH! It's Viera!!! And Abald, too!!!"
Just like a little girl who had found something new, Fiole stood up with a bright, blooming smile plastered on her face.
Not minding the boy that she was supposed to be tending, she let go of his hand with a snap and immediately rushed over to Viera.
"...I'm aware that he's injured, but... is that boy okay?"
He couldn't even hold his own arms up.
The only thing that he could do was to wriggle from side to side and writhe in agony, Viera remarked in a very concerned manner.
"That boy is the living definition of sturdiness, so he's totally fine!"
"It doesn't seem that way."
"He's the kind of person who would gladly destroy his own arm on purpose, so I really thought he'd be fine... Well, either way... You can heal him now, Abald."
Perhaps it was because he was the one who had healed his very broken arm a few hours earlier, but the dismay on his face was likely greater than the other two.
He walked up to the boy, wondering just what kind of fighting style would cause him to destroy his arm every single time.
"Now, who did that?"
--It was none other than the remains of the 'Jabberwock.'
"Well, those two are the ones responsible for that. I told them that we must wait for you to arrive so we could defeat the Jabberwock together as planned, but they didn't listen to me one bit. One of them fell down because of overconsumption of magic, and the other one broke both of his arms to pieces. They're such idiots, aren't they?"
However, not showing much interest in Fiole's remark, Viera silently took a few steps toward the Jabberwock's corpse-- and picked up bits of its crushed, bloodstained outer shell.
And not long after--
"Yes, but what about it, Viera-chan?"
She repeated the question.
Fiore, wondering about the situation, asked again with a slightly furrowed brow.
Viera's lips were drawn together.
After a few seconds of pause, she opened her mouth and began to tell the rest of the story.
"...I planned on fully freezing this place as I was arriving, so that I'd be prepared to deal with anything that might happen at any time."
Just as Viera said, the area was covered in cold air, and absolutely engulfed by ice fields all around.
"And so I made it that this monster would also freeze alongside everything, making it immobile, but..."
Her words stopped right there.
Viera then reached for the shell, and as soon as her hands touched it, she sighed, as if fueling fire to her concern .
"...Did it freeze the monster?"
"...Its outer shell prevented it from freezing. I'm guessing that magic in general is useless against this monster, given that magic won't be able to penetrate its shell. If you put an unbelievable amount of magic power into it, I could've somehow frozen it even a little, but in practice, it's not really realistic."
"What? N-No. Wait a second... Then that means..."
"We just might have been saved by those two."
It was a dream made into reality by two fight maniacs who had slain the Jabberwock before them.
It was no ordinary monster, but a mutant that could manipulate magic.
It had a strong outer shell that was resistant to magic, and when approached, one would lose their sense of balance from the Jabberwock's own unidentifiable magic.
And finally, its blows were delivered from its overwhelming physique.
The Jabberwock was truly a formidable opponent.
If it were to be given a second name, such a name as the Magician Killer would be appropriate.
"--With all that being said, a 'Star Slayer,' huh?"
"Huh? Viera-chan, you know about Julius-kun too?"
"...He was the only one who volunteered to be drafted to Minaura among all the villages I went to. There's no way I could forget him."
"I guess so. How could someone have such a crazy way of thinking in the first pla-- HUH?! A VILLAGER?!"
"That boy is definitely a villager, Fiole."
After all, the village chief and his father begged her not to involve Julius.
Therefore, Viera reiterated that he is undeniably a mere villager, not an adventurer.
"Nevertheless, it is bold of him to bring up the name 'Star Slayer' again."
How could a mere villager, who wasn't even sure if he knew the history behind it, have the slightest privilege of uttering it?
"...Hm? Do you know something about it, Viera-chan?"
"It was too abrupt for me to remember at the time, but now I have a little recollection about it... It's just that... the name 'Star Slayer' is a name that was erased about 300 years ago. But I think that those who know are people in power, like me."
"Erased?"
Without asking her if she really didn't know or just lost interest about it, Fiole took her eyes off Viera.
And with a smile on her face, she walked up to the boy once again.
"...Surely, no one will believe what happened, but even so I--"
The words stopped.
"...No, I was overthinking it. It's not like me."
If he really managed to do such a feat, it's fine, is what she thought to herself.
However, the fact that he was a swordsman who had unleashed an attack that shattered an outer shell that magic could not penetrate was still a fact that only Viera and Fiole knew.
And judging from the way he was sprawling out in pain, it was extremely likely that he was still unaware of how much of an achievement this was.
So if Viera and Fiole kept their mouths shut, the fact would remain in the dark.
No one would think that there was an out of the ordinary being who could shatter the Jabberwock's impenetrable outer shell that was completely resistant to magic with a mere swing of a sword.
Viera suddenly thought.
She is called the 'Warrior Princess' because she is one of the most powerful people in the kingdom.
"--The name 'Star-Slaying Swordsman' might be much heavier than you think."
She declared just so.
The people whose names are erased are usually those who were shunned, threatened, and feared by the higher-ups of the time.
And that is because they needed to convince their people that the kingdom was the noblest and most superior of all.
Therefore, it is needless to say that these extraordinary people, who could overturn everything with just one person, were more inconvenient than anything else for them.
...It was a trivial story, but it was possible that the achievements of those whose names had been erased-- not only the 'Star-Slaying Swordsman,' --had been rewritten in the history of the past kings, or even the so-called glorious history of the country.
The person who was identified as the 'Star-Slaying Swordsman' was a person who had accomplished something that warranted his name to be erased.
Without a doubt, they weren't simple, everyday people.
--Not when they were called monsters.
Star-Slaying Swordsman
星斬りの剣士
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/star-slaying-swordsman/
Action Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Shounen
Adapted to Manga Dark Fantasy World Male Protagonist Mature Protagonist Medieval Philosophical Romantic Subplot Sudden Strength Gain Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transplanted Memories
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7336gg/
アルト／遥月