155.Soldier
ヴィシーからピュルサンが独立して以降、商業的にも政治的にも人の出入りは多少はあったものの、同じ国家であった頃に比べれば激減していた。
一部海産加工物や塩などの商品を輸出してはいたが、ヴィシー以外の国とは距離もあったため、それほどの規模ではなかった。
もともと観光者というものが一部の貴族を除いてほとんどいないため、商人が来ないということは即ち人が来ないということになる。
そのため、ピュルサン国内での異変は、国外に影響が出るまで、知られることがなかった。
自国の工作員だと名乗る人物から魔法具を受け取った伝令は、帰りの道中で使用方法が書かれた書類に目を通していた。
本来であればそのまま担当者なり国主であるミノソンに渡すのが筋であるのだが、自分がなぜオーソングランデ王都まで行ったのかを説明することができそうにないと判断し、これら魔法具は“交渉の末、フォカロルから寄贈されたもの”とするつもりで、その説明をするためにどのような物かを知っておくべき、と考えたのだ。
誤魔化しのために嘘を重ねていることに焦燥感を感じつつも、そうする以外にやりようがなかった。
「これは......こんなものがあるとは......」
そこに書かれている魔法具の効果は、彼を戦慄させるに充分だった。そして、身に余る野望を持たせる魅力に溢れていた。さらには、環境が整っていた。
「珍しいことをするんだな」
「そうでもないさ。遠くまで付き合ってもらったんだ。これくらいやるよ」
道中。町と町の間が遠く、どうしても野宿になってしまう場所がいくつかある。そこで伝令は食事の一つであるスープの作成を引き受けた。普段は兵士たちがやっていることだったが、その時は「労いと礼も兼ねて」と言い訳をした。
そうして、睡眠薬入りのスープを飲んだ兵士たちが眠りこけている間に、魔法具の準備をする。睡眠薬も、“眠っている間に施術するため”にと同封されていたものだ。
まず一人の上着を剥がし、痩せこけた自分とはまるで違う、鍛えられた胸元に嫉妬を覚えながら、自分の血を塗り付けた、小さな魔法具を胸に当てる。
ずぶずぶと心臓に向かって埋まっていく間、兵士は身じろぎ一つしなかった。完全に魔法具が埋没してから、数秒。
「うわっ!」
突然身体を起こした兵士に、伝令は悲鳴を上げて尻餅をついた。
全身を痙攣させながら、激しく息をする兵士は、次第に身体中の筋肉を膨張させ、倍ほどの堆積に文字通り膨らんだあと、元の体型に近いサイズまで縮む。
そこには、岩のようにガチガチに作られた筋肉を纏った、屈強な強化兵の姿があった。
「す、すごい......」
うつろな瞳でぼんやりと座る兵士に、伝令が「立て」と命じると、素早く立ち上がり、両手を伸ばして背筋を伸ばす。
興奮した伝令は、眠っている兵士たちに次々と魔法具を取り付けていく。
「これさえあれば、俺は......」
傀儡となった兵士たちを連れ帰った伝令は、報告と称して国主ミノソンに近づき、教科兵を使って魔法具を無理やり取り付けた。
伝令の言いなりとなったミノソンに指示を出し、自分を後継とする内容の退位宣言を書かせて訝しむ側近へ渡させ、国民へ発表させた。
王となった伝令の男は、兵士たちを次々と強化兵へと改造し、さらには巨人兵も十体ほど作成することに成功した。
非難したり抵抗する者がいれば躊躇うことなく処刑し、疲れを知らない強化兵に常に警備をさせることで、身の安全を確保した。
軍も再編し、自分を唯一の指揮官とし、他の全ての指揮官を解任し、平の強化兵へと改造する。気に入らなかった者は適当な理由をつけて殺した。
「すごいな。力というものは持つ者をこれほどまでに気持ちよくしてくれるのか」
慣れてきた玉座の上で、酒に酔った元伝令の口は緩みきっていた。
「かのフォカロル領を滑るトオノ伯爵も、このような気分なのだろうか。いやいや、あれも結局は一地方の領主に甘んじている。......所詮は、一個人の力に過ぎないということか」
自分は、いったいトオノ伯爵の何を恐れていたのだろうか、と腹の底から湧き出てくる笑いを止めようともせず、ピュルサンの王は声を上げた。
「そうだ。俺の兵士たちは最早単なる人間の軍ではないのだ。ヴィシーの中央委員会どもは、過剰にトオノ伯爵を恐れているようだが、所詮は個人の力。兵士がいようと単なる人間ではないか!」
玉座から立ち上がった王は、酔いが回って足元が奇妙なステップを踏んでいる。
「このような小国の王で終わる必要はないのだ! オーソングランデはトオノ伯爵頼み。ホーラントはオーソングランデとの戦いで疲弊している......」
吐き気を覚えて声を抑えたが、何を恥ずかしがるものでもない、と思い直し、侍女を呼びつけて持たせていたタライに思いきり吐いた。
粘つく口内を酒ですすぎ、また吐き出す。
「手始めにヴィシーをいただこう。そしてオーソングランデのフォカロルを潰し、時期を見てあの女王を俺のものにするのもいいな......」
部屋の隅に並ぶ強化兵たちを指さし、唾の混じった叫び声をあげた。
「強化兵! お前らを使って世界を握るぞ! まずはヴィシーを攻める! 近くにある町や村を襲い、お前たちの力を見せつけるのだ!」
返事をすることもなく、王の命令によって兵士たちはぞろぞろと部屋を後にする。その背中に、王は言葉を続けた。
「他の強化兵や巨人兵どもにも伝えろ! 補給はその場その場で奪ってしまえばいい! なりふり構わず殺せ! 抵抗する者もそうでない者もすべて殺せ!」
その言葉を聞いて、強化兵たちはぴたりと動きを止めた。
「どうした? さっさとしろ!」
強化兵たちは命令に忠実であった。
剣を抜き、なりふり構わず近くの侍女を斬り殺したのを手始めに、室内にいたものを片っ端から殺害していく。
当然、王の前にも兵士は迫る。
「な、なんだ? どうしたのだ?」
もし泥酔していなければ、「止まれ」の一言を発することができたかもしれない。
だが、突然目の前で殺されていく侍女たちを前にして、酔った愚かな王は、狼狽以外のことができなかった。
「あっ」
短い悲鳴。それが王の最期の言葉だった。
倒れ伏した王の死体に見向きもせず、強化兵たちは部屋を出ていく。
「......強化兵全員。巨人兵も」
「全員殺す。食料は奪う」
口々に、王からの指令を呟く。彼らの思考は指示を果たすことに集中してはいるが、その動きは決して鈍重ではない。
不用意な言葉によって放たれた殺人鬼たち。
彼らはあっという間に建物内の人間を皆殺しにし、待機していた仲間にも指令を伝え、折の中の巨人兵も警備を殺害して解放した。
巨人兵を制御する鎖を引いて、強化兵たちは町へと散らばっていく。
二百人の強化兵によって、町はほぼ一日で壊滅し、逃げ出した者を追って、さらに国外へも蜘蛛の子を散らすように広がっていった。
こうして、ピュルサンという小国は自らの滅亡とともに、災厄をヴィシーへとまき散らした。
原因となった元伝令については、誰も記録を残す者はおらず、幻の王となったのだが、およそこの世界では最も多くの命を道連れにした愚王だったことは間違いない。
強化兵の攻撃を逃れ、何とか逃げ延びた者が伝えたことでヴィシーにもその情報が入ったが、中央委員会が重い腰をあげるための信憑性ある報告が上がるまでには、相当な被害が広がっていた。
オーソングランデやホーラントへ状況が伝わったのも、ようやくここからである。
フォカロルの軍から台車と操縦のための兵士を数名引っ張ってきた一二三は、揺れる荷台の上で、オリガとヴィーネを前に座っていた。
「それにしても、素晴らしい太刀筋でございました。さすがは一二三様です」
オリガが一二三へとほめ言葉を次々に紡いでいる横で、ヴィーネは玩具のように首を上下させて同意していた。頭上の一本だけある兎耳が、首とワンテンポ遅れて揺れる。
だが、一二三は「そんなのはどうでもいい」とばっさり切り捨てた。
「注目するべき部分は、そこじゃない」
まず、最初にレヴィが襲ってきたときのことを思い出すように言うと、一二三はそこでレヴィがやった問題点を考えろ、と言った。
「えっと......武器を持っているのがわかりやすかったこと、でしょうか?」
「攻撃の時に不用意に掛け声をかけるのも問題でしょうね」
それぞれの答えに、一二三はそれもある、と頷いた。
「俺とレヴィのリーチの差も考えるべきだったな。俺の腕を斬りつけて武器を使えないようにするか、短剣に有利な距離まで詰めてくるかすれば、もう少しまともに戦える」
それでも、基本的な技術や筋力の差はあるので、絶望的ではあるのだが。
そんなことができるのはあんただけだよ、と随伴のフォカロル兵たちは同じことを同時に考えたが、もちろん口には出さない。
完全に自分を棚に上げたような発言に、ヴィーネは唖然としていたが、オリガは素直に頷いていた。
「人を殺すのに、そんなに真剣に考え込む必要はない。もちろん、殺せるように技術を磨いたり準備をするのは必要だが、そんなに構える必要もない」
水筒を取り出し、中の水を一口呷る。
「喉が渇いて水を飲むとき、腹が減って飯を食うとき。眠くなって眠る。必要な書類にサインする......それと同じで良い。殺したいから殺す。殺さないといけないから殺す」
必要なのは気合とか覚悟とかじゃない、と一二三は話す。
「その......ご主人様は、殺したらどうなるか、とかも考えないんですか?」
ヴィーネの質問に、一二三は笑って返した。
「俺は別に殺人狂じゃないぞ? 殺すのに後先考えないのは単なる馬鹿だ。殺す必要があって、その結果を受け止めるのは当然だろう」
「じゃ、じゃあ。その結果を受け止める覚悟は......」
ヴィーネの方に、一二三が軽く手を置く。
「何をそんなに緊張して生きてるんだ」
おかしな奴だ、と一二三が笑い、兵士たちの顔に緊張が走る。
「飯を食うのとかわらんだろ。次の給料まで残り三日。銅貨三十枚しか使えないときに、銅貨五枚の屋台の飯を食うか、食堂の銅貨二十枚の飯を食うか迷うのと同じだ。食堂で食うことを選んだなら、残り二日は食事の回数を減らさないといけない。そのために何時間も悩むか?」
オリガは微笑みながら「一二三様のおっしゃる通りです」と答え、ヴィーネは混乱しながらも納得しました、と答えた。
兵士たちはヴィーネに同情の視線を送る。
「殺すべきと思ったら殺せ。その結果は考える必要があるが、殺すことそのものについて足踏みする必要はない。それは手段に過ぎない。......そういう意味では、イメラリアももうすぐかもな」
手入れのために刀を抜き、道具を並べながら一二三は嬉しそうに呟いた。
「女王陛下が、どうかされましたか?」
顔は笑っていても、オリガの目は笑っていない。
「あれもそろそろ、俺を殺す目的だけしかない状態から、“殺してどうするのか”を考えて準備できる段階にくるだろう。戦いの空気を感じて、しかも自分で人を殺す指示を現場で出すことすら経験した。殺すことに対する精神的な忌避感が薄れて、殺人を方法の一つだと考えられるようになる」
ヴィーネは刀の複雑な造りに目を奪われているが、オリガは真剣に一二三を見ていた。
「俺を殺したい、排除したいという気持ちは変わらんだろうが。もっと冷静に俺を排除すること。その結果について、考えることができる。そうすれば、翻って俺を殺す方法についても、もっと冷えた頭で考えが回るだろうということさ」
なかごの状態を確認し、丁寧に拭う。
オリガは何かを言いかけて、やめた。
一二三も、オリガに問うことはしない。
「この部品、きれいですね。ご主人様」
「ああ、これは鍔と言って本来は手を守るためのものだ。これについては俺のこだわりがあってな、デザインは強度のためにシンプルにして、穴も極力小さくすることで、切っ先が間違っても入ってこないようにしている」
ヴィーネの前にかざすように差し出された鍔は、鈍い光を放ちながら、刀身を通す穴の周りに小さな穴が六つ開いていた。空いたスペースには“一”の一文字が刻まれているのだが、ヴィーネにはただ横線が引いてあるようにしか見えない。
「価値とかはわかりませんが......丁寧に作られたのはわかります」
「それでいいんじゃないか? お前にわかる範囲で良いと思ったなら、それがお前にとって価値があるわけだ。そういう意味で褒めてもらったと思えば、俺も嬉しい」
ふふ、と笑いをこぼしながら、拭った刀身に油を塗る。
「フォカロルに戻ったら、戦いの情報を聞きながら新しい武器でも作るか。ヴィシーはどうなってるかな。まさかあっという間に潰れたりはしないだろうが、楽しみ......いやいや、あのホーラントがちょっかいかけたんだから、あまり期待するのは早計か」
手入れの終わった刀を収納へ放り込み、一二三はごろりと横になった。
「少しだけ楽しみにしておこう。オリガ、苦労を掛けるがフォカロルに戻ったら手伝いを頼む。どうせカイムが仕事を押し付けてくるのは目に見えているからな」
「苦労だなんて思いません」
仰向けの一二三にそっと近づき、オリガは口づけを落とした。
「私は一二三様の妻なのです。共に滅びるその日まで......いえ、滅びた後も、魂は貴方と共にあります」
短く答えた一二三のために、オリガはそっと移動して膝枕をする。
赤面してチラチラとやりとりを見つめていたヴィーネが「羨ましい」と小さく呟く。
それが聞こえたオリガが余裕の笑みを浮かべ、恥ずかしさと嫉妬が入り混じる表情で、ヴィーネは唇をもにゅもにゅと動かしながらも、最後まで「自分も」とは言えなかった。
Chapter 155: Soldier
Although there were some people coming and going for business and politics after Pyursang became independent from Vichy, it dropped sharply in comparison to the time when they were the same nation.
There was export of goods such as salt and a part of the processed marine products, but the scale wasn't that large because of the distance to other countries besides Vichy.
Because there's almost no people coming for sightseeing to begin with except for a part of the nobility, merchants not coming means basically people not coming.
Hence the unusual phenomenon inside Pyursang wasn't noticed until its influence spread to outside the country.
The messenger, who received a magic tool from the person who called himself a spy of the messenger's country, looked through the documents which had the way how to use it written in it along the way back home.
Originally it's logical to hand it to Minoson who's the country's leader and the one in charge, but judging it as extremely unlikely for himself being able to explain why he went to the capital of Orsongrande, the messenger intends to sell this magic tool as "item gifted by Fokalore at the end of the negotiations" and thus thought that he should know about what kind of item it is in order to explain it.
Even while feeling uneasy due to piling up lies for the sake of deception, there was apparently no other way but to do it like this.
"This is... there is such a thing..."
The effect of the magic tool explained in the documents was enough to make him tremble in fear. And, it was overflowing with a charm making him hold onto ambitions that are beyond his abilities. Moreover the circumstances were in order.
"You are doing something unusual."
"That's not how it is. I had you come along with me this far. I will do at least this much."
Along the way, with the distance between cities being far, there are several places where they have to sleep outdoors no matter what. Accordingly the messenger took over the preparation of the soup which is one of the dishes. Usually it was something the soldiers would do, but at that time he explained it with [It's my way of thanking and rewarding you] .
And then, while the soldiers are sleeping like logs after they drank the soup with sleeping medication in it, he prepares the magic tool. Even the sleeping pills were explained in the documents as "for the sake of medical treatment during sleep."
Stripping off the tunic of one man first, he smeared his own blood on the soldier's chest while feeling jealous about its trained condition which is different from his own skinny self, and then put the small magic tool against the soldier's chest.
While the magic tool buried itself towards the heart with a *zubo zubo*, the soldier didn't stir even once. A few seconds after the magic tool embedded itself completely,
"Uwah!"
Due to the soldier suddenly rising his body, the messenger fell on his backside while screaming.
The soldier, who breathes roughly while his body is convulsing all over, has his muscles swell gradually from head to foot, and, after he literally grew to twice his size, he shrinks back to the size close to his original figure.
What remained was the figure of a robust reinforced soldiers who was clad in muscles which were stiff like a rock.
"A-Amazing..."
Once the messenger orders the soldier, who is sitting absent-mindedly with blank eyes, [Stand up] , the soldier gets up swiftly, and straightens up his back while extending both hands.
The excited messenger embeds magic tools into the sleeping soldiers one after the other.
"If I have this, I'm..."
The messenger, who brought back home the soldiers who turned into puppets, approached the sovereign Minoson pretending to make his report, and forcibly embedded the magic tool by using his reinforced soldiers.magic
Ordering Minoson, who became the yes-man of the messenger, he made him write his own abdication declaration after setting himself as the heir, had him hand it over to a doubtful close aide, and had him make an official announcement to the people.
The male messenger, who became the king, remodelled the soldiers into reinforced soldiers successively, and moreover succeeded in creating 10 giant soldiers as well.
If there was someone who criticized or opposed him, he executed them without hesitation. As the reinforced soldiers, who don't know fatigue, were able to serve as constant guards, they guaranteed the safety of his body.
Reorganizing the army, he remodels the low-ranking soldiers into reinforced soldiers, sets himself as sole commander and dismisses all the other commanders. Those, who were unhappy with it, were killed after finding a suitable reason for doing it.
"Isn't this amazing? People, who possess power, can feel this good?"
The mouth of the former messenger, who was drunk on sake as he sat on top of the throne he got used to, got slack.
"I wonder whether Earl Tohno, who walks merrily in Fokalore's territory or such, feels like this as well? No, no, that person is satisfied being the feudal lord of a single area in the end. ...After all that means that he has no more than the strength of an individual?"
Pyursang's king raised his voice unable to stop the laughter welling up from the bottom of his abdomen as he wondered why the hell he was so afraid of Earl Tohno.
"That's right. My soldiers aren't an army of mere humans anymore. Vichy's central committee members seem to be excessively scared of Earl Tohno, but in the end he has the strength of one individual. Isn't he a mere human that tries to be a soldier!?"
Standing up from the throne, the king does a strange dance with his drunken feet.
"There's no need to finish with being the king of such small country! Orsongrande depends on Earl Tohno. Horant has been ruined due to the fight with Orsongrande..."
He held down his voice as he felt nausea, but he changed his mind with "there's nothing I have to be shy of." Summoning a maid, he vomited into the washbasin, he had her hold, with all his might.
Rinsing his sticky mouth with sake, he vomits once again.
"Let's take Vichy for starters. And, crushing Orsongrande's Fokalore, it will be great to make that queen, whom I will see soon, into my possession..."
Pointing at the reinforced soldiers lining up in the corner of the room, he raised a yell mixed with saliva.
"Reinforced soldiers! Using you guys, I will seize the world! First we will attack Vichy! Assault the villages and cities nearby, and show them your strength!"
Without replying, the soldiers leave the room in groups according to the king's decree. The king's words continued in their back.
"Convey it to the other reinforced soldiers and giant soldiers as well! It's fine for you to steal supplies locally on site! Kill them without minding their appearance! Kill all of them, those who resist and those who don't!"
Hearing those words, the reinforced soldiers suddenly stopped moving.
"What's wrong? Do it quickly!"
The reinforced soldiers were faithful to orders.
Drawing their swords, they started by slaying a nearby maid without minding her appearance and then killed every single person who was inside the room.
Of course the soldiers also get close to the king.
"W-What is it? What's wrong?"
If he wasn't dead drunk, he might have been able to utter the single word [Stop] .
However, with the maids who have been suddenly killed in front of his eyes, the drunken, foolish king was unable to do anything but being panicked.
"Ah."
A short scream. Those were the last words of the king.
Without looking at the fallen corpse of the king, the reinforced soldiers leave the room.
"... All of the reinforced soldiers. The giant soldiers as well."
"Kill everyone. Steal food."
They mutter the orders of the king severally. Their thinking is concentrating on accomplishing their instructions, but their movements aren't dull at all.
Devilish cut-throats who were released by careless words.
They massacred the people inside the building within the blink of an eye, conveyed the orders to their colleagues who were on standby, and released the giant soldiers within their cages by killing their guards.
Pulling the chains which are controlling the giant soldiers, the reinforced soldiers scatter into the city.
The city gets almost completely destroyed by 200 reinforced soldiers. Chasing those who ran away, they further spread out in order to scatter in all directions outside the country.
Like this, a calamity spread into Vichy alongside the downfall of the small country called Pyursang.
There's no one left who remembers that a former messenger was the cause for all this. Although he became a phantom king, there's generally no doubt that he was a foolish king, who took along extremely many lives with him, in this world.
Escaping the attacks of the reinforced soldiers, the people, who somehow got away, informed Vichy about those news as well, but extreme damage spread until a report, which has authenticity causing the central committee to get its heavy body moving, came in.
And finally from there on the information was circulated to Orsongrande and Horant as well.
Hifumi, who took several soldiers for the sake of steering a platform wagon from Fokalore's army, sat in front of Origa and Viine on top of the shaking load-carrying platform.
"Nevertheless, it was wonderful swordsmanship. As expected of Hifumi-sama." (Origa)
Next to Origa who is piling up one word of praise after the other towards Hifumi, Viine agreed while making her head go up and down like a toy. Her sole rabbit hear above her head is swaying while being one beat late in comparison to her head.
However, Hifumi discarded it completely with [Such stuff doesn't matter at all] .
"The part you should pay attention to isn't that." (Hifumi)
First he tells them to remember the time when they were attacked by Levi. And then Hifumi says that they have to think about the problematic issue Levi did there.
"Umm... her holding a weapon was easy to understand, is it about that?" (Viine)
"Greeting and then being unprepared at the time of the attack is the problem, isn't it?" (Origa)
Hifumi nodded and said "there's that as well" towards their answers.
"You should consider the difference in reach between me and Levi, too, you know? If she reduced the distance to a range more favourable for a dagger or if she made sure that I can't use a weapon by slashing my arm, she could have fought me directly for a bit longer." (Hifumi)
Even so, since there existed a fundamental difference in technique and physical strength, it was hopeless either way.
, the attending soldiers of Fokalore thought simultaneously the same thing, but of course they didn't voice it out.
Due to his statement which seems to be completely blind to his own shortcomings, Viine was dumbfounded, but Origa nodded obediently.
"There's no need to ponder about things that seriously while killing people. Of course it's indispensable to prepare and refine your techniques in order to be capable of killing, but it's unnecessary to mind it too much." (Hifumi)
Taking out a flask, he gulps down a mouthful of the water inside.
"Drink water if you are thirsty and have a meal if you become hungry. Sleep when you become sleepy. Sign documents when necessary... it's the same as that. Kill since you want to kill. Kill since it's no good if you don't kill." (Hifumi)
"What's necessary isn't fighting spirit or resolution", Hifumi says.
"Umm... master, what will happen if I kill? Don't you think about such things as well?" (Viine)
Hifumi returned a smile due to Viine's question.
"I'm not really a homicidal maniac? Not considering the consequences while killing is the deed of a mere fool. Having the necessity to kill, it's only natural to accept the outcome from that, I think." (Hifumi)
"T-Then, the readiness to accept that outcome is..." (Viine)
Hifumi lightly puts his hand in Viine's direction.
"Why are you living while being so nervous?" (Hifumi)
"What an odd fellow", Hifumi smiles and the soldiers' faces are filled with tension.
"You don't know when you will have a meal, right? There are still three days remaining until the next salary. It's the same with the hesitation whether to eat a meal at a cart for 5 copper coins or at the dining hall for 20 copper coins at the time when you can't use more than 30 copper coins. if you choose to eat in the dining hall, it will be wrong if you don't decrease the number of meals for the remaining two days. How many hours will you be troubled because of that?" (Hifumi)
Origa answers [It's just as you say, Hifumi-sama]  while smiling. Viine answered that she agreed even while being confused.
The soldiers send pitying looks towards Viine.
"If you think that you should kill, then kill. It's necessary to think about the result of that, but there's no need to hold back regarding the matter of killing itself. It's no more than a means. ... In that sense, Imeraria might be ((ready)) soon as well." (Hifumi)
Drawing the katana in order to maintain it, Hifumi muttered delightfully while lining up the tools.
"What about Her Majesty the Queen?" (Origa)
Even while her face is smiling, Origa's eyes aren't.
"That person will probably soon reach the stage where she can prepare by pondering "how to kill him?" since she has no other goal but killing me. She has felt the atmosphere of battle, and furthermore she even experienced herself giving the order to kill others on-site. Her emotional, evasive sense against killing has faded, and she has reached the point where she can consider murder as one of the possible means." (Hifumi)
Viine is captivated by the complex structure of the katana, but Origa looked seriously at Hifumi.
"Her feeling of wanting to remove me, to kill me, probably isn't weird. But it's about removing me more calmly. She is able to think about the consequences of that. In that case, her thinking will likely revolve about a method to kill me with a further cooled down brain in reverse." (Hifumi)
Confirming the condition of the tang, he carefully wipes it.
Origa started to say something but stopped.
Hifumi doesn't ask Origa either.
"This part is beautiful, master." (Viine)
"Ah, it's called guard and is originally for the sake of protecting the hand. I have an obsession regarding this. The design is simple for the sake of strength. With the holes being as small as possible as well, it's to make sure that the point of of a sword never enters." (Hifumi)
The guard, which was presented by holding it aloft in front of Viine, had six tiny, open holes in the vicinity of the hole for the sword blade to go through. The character of "Yi " has been carved into the open space, but Viine can't see it as anything but a simple horizontal line having been drawn.
"I don't know its value, but... I see that it was created thoroughly." (Viine)
"Isn't that fine then? If you think that it's nice by the scope of what you know, that means it has value for you. If I consider that it received praise with such meaning, I'm happy as well." (Hifumi)
"Fufu", while spilling a laughter, he spreads oil on the wiped blade.
"Shall we create a new weapon while listening to the news about the battle after we return to Fokalore? I wonder what happened to Vichy. There's probably no way that they were crushed in the blink of an eye, but I'm looking forward... no, no, after I meddled with that Horant, having too much expectations is rash, isn't it?" (Hifumi)
After he finished maintenance, Hifumi tossed the katana into his storage and lied down.
"Let's look forward to it just a bit. Origa, I leave the assistance to you once we return to Fokalore, though it will increase your troubles. Since it's obvious that Caim will push the work on us anyway." (Hifumi)
"I don't consider it to be trouble." (Origa)
Quietly approaching Hifumi who is facing upwards, Origa gave him a kiss.
"I'm your wife, Hifumi-sama. Until the day we perish together... no, even after we perished, my soul will be together with you, dear." (Origa)
Origa moves quietly and places the head of Hifumi, who replied her briefly, on her lap.
Viine, who intently glanced at their exchange while blushing, gently mutters [I'm jealous] .
Origa, who heard that, revealed a composed smile and wasn't able to say [Me too]  until the end while Viine moves her lips with a *monyu monyu* having an expression mixed with jealousy and embarrassment.
Summoned Slaughterer
呼び出された殺戮者
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/summoned-slaughterer/
Action Adventure Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Romance Shounen
Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Arrogant Characters Average-looking Protagonist Beastkin Beautiful Female Lead Betrayal Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Cunning Protagonist Dark Demi-Humans Demons Determined Protagonist Different Social Status Dwarfs Elemental Magic Elves Enemies Become Allies Enemies Become Lovers Evil Protagonist Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fearless Protagonist God-human Relationship Gods Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Love Interest Falls in Love First Magic Beasts Magical Space Male Protagonist Marriage Monsters Nobles Obsessive Love Overpowered Protagonist Politics Power Struggle Protagonist Strong from the Start R-15 Royalty Ruthless Protagonist Samurai Schemes And Conspiracies S*aves Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Summoning Magic Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transported to Another World Underestimated Protagonist Unique Weapon User Unique Weapons Wars Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4399ci/
井戸正善／ido