獣人による獣人の殺人事件の発生は、スラムの住人に動揺を与えた。
スラムとは言え、よほどの無法者でなければ互いに不干渉であり、最近は街が良くなっているのを皆が実感し始めた時期でもあったので、目撃した人々を中心に、犯人探しは熱を帯びた。
「それで、スラムでも見回りが必要なんじゃないか、という話が出ておりやしてね」
ゲングは同じ獣人族が殺されたという事もあり、率先して犯人と言われている熊獣人を探し回っていた。
「俺も頑張って探しているんですが、これがなかなか難しくて」
「それはわかるんだけど、どうしてウチに言うんですか......」
へへっと舌を出したゲングに、レニは困り顔で答えた。
「ウチなんかよりも、犬獣人のゲングさんの方がそういうの得意なんじゃないですか?」
「ですが、一二三さんの奴隷獣人の筆頭はレニさんとヘレンさんですから。まずお伺いを立てておかないといけないと思いやしてね」
「いつわたしたちが筆頭になったのよ......。まさか、一二三が怖いから直接相談するのに腰が引けてるとかじゃないでしょうね」
ヘレンの冗談交じりの言葉に、ゲングは思わず視線を泳がせる。
「図星なの?! 虎程じゃなくても犬獣人なら充分強いでしょ?」
「あの人は別格! 虎とか狼でも無理無理。人間とかそういうのは無関係に強いんですよ、あの方は。んで、あの方のお気に入りのお二人にちょっと口添えをお願いできればと思いやしてね」
「ちょっと、誰が一二三のお気に入りなのよ」
ヘレンの反論に、ゲングはアレ、と首をかしげた。
「最初にこの国に入った時から一緒だったと聞きやしたけど。一二三さんとは良い仲なんでしょ?」
「良い仲ってなに?」
ヘレンは顔を赤くして絶句しているが、レニはゲングの言葉の意味がわからなかったらしく、キョトンとしている。
ゲングはそこまで子供だったか、と逆に驚いていた。
「これは、俺としたことが、とんだ勘違いを......」
「まったくよ! 変な勘違いしないでよね!」
ヘレンがプリプリと怒って、耳をピンと尖らせて何処かへ行ってしまった。
「あちゃ~......」
「大丈夫だよ、ゲングさん。ヘレンには後でウチから言っておくから。それよりも人が殺されたり何か盗まれたりしたときは、人間の街だと兵士さんが調べたり悪い奴を捕まえたりするらしいよ」
「兵士ですか。こればっかりは、人間の兵士に頼むわけには......」
「じゃあ、人間じゃなかったらいいんじゃないかな」
「は?」
「ウチたち獣人で人間みたいにお店や畑ができるなら、兵士さんと同じ仕事もできるんじゃないかな」
肩を落としていたゲングは、飛び跳ねるように頭を跳ね上げると、仲間を集めてくると言って走り去って行く。
「行っちゃった......」
あっという間に姿が見えなくなったゲングを見送り、レニは勉強の続きに取りかかった。今、彼女が読んでいるのはフォカロルの文官になるための試験に使われる教材だ。カイムはともかく、デュエルガルやパリュは相当苦労して覚えた内容だが、先入観も何も無い素直なレニはスイスイ覚えていく。
「ふぅ......人間の勉強って、大変だなぁ」
レニの一言で結成された獣人の団体は、腕自慢が集まった厳つく、むさい男たちの集団ではあったが、自警団としては非常に優秀だった。
彼らは自らの仕事の合間にスラムを巡回し、犯罪やそれ未満の問題を片付けて行く。迷子になった子供を保護したり、酔っ払いや新たに人間から逃れてきた獣人などの保護などにも積極的に活動し、人間の兵士よりも多くの分野での信頼を集める組織となっていく。
うまく適性のある職を見つける事ができなかった獣人の受け皿としても機能し、ゲングを中心として加速度的に人数が増えていく。
度々人間の兵士の死体がスラムの入口で見つかるなど、血生臭い事件もあるので、自然とスラムに出入りする人間も自警団を頼るようになっていた。
そして、そこに目をつけたのが一二三だった。
「ほうほう、なかなか面白い事を考えるな」
「ひ、一二三さん!?」
自警団の本部として使用している古い家屋に突然顔を出した一二三に、ゲングは慌てて立ち上がると、一番綺麗な状態の椅子を運んできた。
「ああ、気を遣わなくていい。それより、自警団を始めるなんて、なかなか気がまわるじゃないか」
「いやいや、レニさんからヒントをもらったおかげでやす。元々不器用で戦うしか能の無い奴も多いんで、人集めは楽なもんでしたよ」
聞けば、専従で20名程が在籍し、他の仕事をしながら巡回を手伝う予備隊扱いの獣人は50人程いるという。
基本的に獣人の店からの寄付で活動しているが、一部は人間からの寄付もあるという。
「今のところは何とかやっています。......ですが、例の獣人殺しの奴は未だに見つけられやせん......」
声を落として、悔しそうに牙を剥いて見せたゲングに、一二三は優しく声をかけた。
「まあ、気を落とすな。それより、この狭いスラムでそれだけの人数を使っても見つけられないなら、もうスラムにはいないんじゃないか?」
「つまり、荒野に出ちまってるって事ですかい?」
「違うな」
一二三は首を横に振る。
「他の奴にも聞いたが、その犯人は前にもスラムで人間に対する敵愾心を口にしていたんだろう? そして、数人がそいつに人間から救い出された。そんな奴が、コソコソ荒野に戻ると思うか?」
「じゃあ、人間の住む方へ行った、と?」
「その可能性も考えるべきだろうな」
「そんな......それじゃ、もう俺たちじゃ追いかけられねぇ......」
落胆するゲングを、一二三は拳で軽く小突いた。
「簡単に諦めすぎだ、馬鹿野郎」
「え、何か方法があるんで......いてぇ!?」
拳骨をゲングの頭に落とした一二三は、馬鹿たれ、と息を吐いた。
「少しは自分たちで考えろ。それより、もっと真剣に準備すべき事があるみたいだから、俺はそれを伝えに来たんだよ」
「何かありやしたか?」
頭をさすりながら聞いてくるゲングに、一二三は腕組をして説明を続ける。
「ああ。ここ数日、夜中にちょいちょい兵士がスラムに入ろうとしていてな、“偶然”俺が通りかかって、俺は何もしていないのに、向こうが剣を抜いて攻撃してきたから、毎回ぶち殺して路上に転がしていたんだが......」
「あの兵士たちの死体は一二三さんが原因でしたか......」
すわ、あの熊獣人の仕業か、と気を張り詰めていたゲングは自分が悲しくなってくる。偶然とか絶対嘘だと思うが、命が惜しいので口には出さない。
「どうやら、兵士が帰って来ないせいか、騎士連中で徒党を組んでスラムに来るみたいだぞ」
「そんな! でも、どうしてそれが分かるんですかい?」
「街中を見て回って、食料をまとめて城が買い入れたり、貴族が使う武器屋に手入れや新規の発注が増えているのを掴んだ。馬具の調整なんかも注文が増えているという話だからな。ここの兵士は馬を使わないから、動くのは騎士だろう。騎士の訓練が増えたという噂もある。今の時期に騎士がわざわざ動く理由なぞ、他に考えられんから、おそらく狙いはここだろうな」
さあさあ、どうする? と一二三が問うが、ゲングは唖然として答えられる状態になかった。
「た、大変だ......!」
「落ち着け」
ゲングは濡れた鼻先に一二三のデコピンを受けて、床を転げまわって悶絶する。
「騎士の対処なんて簡単だ。第一、人間は弱いぞ。馬を使ってようやくお前ら獣人の足に追いつき、剣を使ってなんとかお前らに傷をつけられるんだ」
「えっ? じゃあ一二三さんはやっぱり人間じゃないんじゃ......」
再び拳骨を落とされたゲング。
「話をそらすな。つまり、同じように道具や頭を使えって戦えば、騎士なんぞ怖くもなんとも無いって事だ」
立ち上がった一二三は、腰の刀の位置を直しながら、床に転がって腹を見せているゲングを見下ろした。
「暇な奴を集めろ。俺が戦い方を教えてやろう」
サルグは既に正気とは言えない状況にあり、自分でもそれを自覚してはいた。
獣人が人間に使役されているのを見ると、後をつけて家を特定し、寝静まるのを待ってその家の人間を殺す。
そして、奴隷となっている獣人を救うのだが......。
「ここで助けられて、おれにどうしろってんだよ」
両手の爪を全て失った狼の獣人は、厩舎の隅で立ち上がろうとすらしない。
「おれだって、最初のうちは人間が憎かったさ。でもな、荒野で暮らすより人間の奴隷の方が、よっぽど安全で楽に飯が食えるって知ったら、危険以外には何も無い荒野には戻れねぇよ」
「......そう、なのか......」
「おれが使えなくなったとしても、殺される事は無いんだとさ。スラムに放り込まれるらしいが、そこはそこで人間のおこぼれが結構もらえるから、ちまちま食いつなぐ分には生きていけるそうだ」
主人が死んじまった以上は、おれもそこに行くしかないんだろう、とこぼした狼獣人は、薄く笑っていた。
それを見下ろすサルグの表情は、暗闇に紛れて狼獣人からは見えない。
「荒野に帰りたいとは、思わないのか?」
「あん? 荒野な。懐かしくはあるが......」
ヘラヘラと笑って、狼獣人は首を振る。その仕草は何か嫌な記憶を振り切っているかのようだ。
「あそこは地獄だ。羊や兎のように逃げ回るか、殺すか殺されるかの日常をゆっくり寝る間も無く繰り返すしかない。ここのように安心して眠る環境も無い。苦労して食物を探すうちに募る空腹感は、もう味わいたくないぜ」
「そうか。わかった」
サルグが打ち下ろした拳は、彼を見上げていた狼獣人の顔面に叩き込まれ、水っぽい音を立てて血肉にめり込んだ。
ヌチャリと音を立てて顔面から引き抜いた拳を見つめ、サルグは考えた。
頭の中が雑音のような思考で掻き回されて酷く痛むが、それでも考えた。
「この街そのものに、獣人は毒されている......」
人間が与えた食べ物が、建物が、生活が、全て獣人の本来あるべき魂を失わせた、とサルグは結論づけた。
酷く痛む頭で、くり返し対策をひねる。
血の匂い立ち込める厩舎の中で、倒れている狼獣人の死体の横に座る。
「落ち着け。人間を叩き潰せば、全て終わるはずだ」
サルグの視線は、死んだ狼獣人の顔を見ている。まるで話しかけるように。
「そうだ。頭を潰せば人間も、人間の街も終わる」
立ち上がったサルグの頭は非常にクリアに物事が考えられるようになっていた。
クリアに、シンプルに、決めた事を達成する為に歩きだす。
「人間のボスは、どこだ......」
夜の街を、狂った熊獣人が歩いていく。
The murder of a beastman by another beastman caused a disturbance among the beastmen of the slums.
Although it was the slums, they didn't interfere with each other unless one was a great outlaw. Since it was right now also a phase, where everyone was actually experiencing the city improving, the search for the culprit, mainly by the people who witnessed it, was tinged with a mania.
"So now it has come to the talk whether it's not necessary to patrol the slums as well ~ssu." (Gengu)
For Gengu there's also the situation of one of his own tribe getting killed. Taking the initiative, he was looking everywhere for the bearman, who has been named as culprit.
"I'm doing my best at searching too, but it is quite difficult." (Reni)
"I do know that, but why are you telling this to me...?" (Gengu)
Reni answered with a troubled expression to Gengu, who stuck out his tongue with a laugh.
"Rather than someone like me, isn't such a thing a speciality for a dogman like Gengu-san?" (Reni)
"However, Hifumi-san's leading slaves are Reni-san and Helen-san. I believe it to be wrong, if I don't ask about your opinion first ~ssu." (Gengu)
"Since when did we become leaders...? Surely it's not because you have cold feet to directly consult with Hifumi-san due to being scared or such, is it?" (Helen)
Gengu unintentionally lets his look swim due to the partially teasing words of Helen.
"Bull's-eye!? Even if it isn't at the level of a tiger, a dogman should be plenty powerful, no?"
"That man is special! Impossible, it's impossible even for tigers or wolves. That man's strength is unrelated to being a human or such. Therefore, I thought it would be possible to request the favourite people of that man to put in a bit of a good word ~ssu." (Gengu)
"Just a second, who is Hifumi-san's favourite?" (Helen)
Due to Helen's objection, Gengu tilted his head with a "Huh?"
"I hear that you were together with him from the beginning, when you entered this country, though ~ssu. You have a good relationship with Hifumi-san, right?" (Gengu)
"What good relationship?" (Helen)
Helen has become speechless with a red face, however Reni didn't understand the meaning of Gengu's words and is staring at him in puzzlement.
In reverse Gengu was surprised that they were still children to such an extent.
"This is, I of all people, have made a terrible misunderstanding..." (Gengu)
"Really! Don't get such weird ideas, okay!?" (Helen)
Being angry with a huff, Helen's ears stood on end and she ended up going somewhere.
"Oops~" (Gengu)
"It's alright, Gengu-san. I will talk with Helen later. Leaving that aside, at the time something is stolen or people get killed, it seems that soldiers will investigate and arrest the bad person in the human's city." (Reni)
"Soldiers, it is? About this, to leave it to human soldiers is..." (Gengu)
"Well, then isn't it fine if it's not humans?" (Reni)
"Ha?" (Gengu)
"If we beastmen are able to cultivate land and run stores like humans, won't we be able to do the same job like the soldier-san's as well?" (Reni)
Gengu, who had dropped his shoulders, raises his head as if jumping up and runs away to gather his friends.
"Off he went..." (Reni)
Seeing off Gengu, whose figure vanished from sight within the blink of an eye, Reni began the continuation of her studies. What she is currently reading are the teaching materials used as examination to become a civil official of Fokalore. It's content, which, putting Caim aside, took Doelgar and Paryu quite the troubles to remember, but Reni smoothly and obediently learns them as she has absolutely no prejudices either.
"Phew... the human's studying, it's quite hard." (Reni)
The beastmen association, which was formed with a few words of Reni, was a filthy, grim group of men proud of their strength, but they were extremely superior as vigilante corps.
Patrolling the slums during the breaks of their own work, they solve crimes and lesser problems. They also actively move for things like sheltering new beastmen, who escaped from the humans, take care of drunkards and protect lost children. They have become an organisation, that gathers trust, with many more tasks than human soldiers.
Facilitating even the acceptance of beastmen, who weren't able to find good work for the aptitude they possess, the increase of their numbers accelerated with Gengu playing a leading role.
Discovering the corpses of human soldiers at the entrance of the slums again and again, it naturally even reached the point of the vigilante corps relying on the humans, entering and leaving, since those were bloody incidents, too.
And, the one, they had their eyes on, was Hifumi.
"Ho ho, aren't you planning something quite interesting." (Hifumi)
"H-Hifumi-san!?" (Gengu)
Due to Hifumi suddenly making an appearance at the old building, which is serving as headquarters of the vigilante corps, Gengu stood up in a hurry and brought the chair with the cleanest state.
"Ah, don't mind me. Rather than that, something like establishing a vigilante corps, aren't you passing your time in a wonderful way?" (Hifumi)
"No, not at all! It's thanks to having received a hint from Reni-san ~ssu. As they are originally clumsy guys, who have no brains and are only good at fighting, this is a comfortable gathering of people." (Gengu)
Once asked, there are around 20 guys working full-time and around 50 beastmen, who are treated as reserve corps helping on the patrols while doing other jobs.
Basically they are operating with the donations of beastmen stores, but there is also a part of donations coming from humans.
"At present we are somehow able to handle it. ... But, we haven't been able to find that beast murderer yet..." (Gengu)
Hifumi gently called out to Gengu, who lowered his voice and showed is fangs looking frustrated.
"Well, don't give up. However, if you can't even find him in these confined slums while using such a number of people, isn't it likely that he's not in the slums anymore?" (Hifumi)
"In other words, he left towards the wastelands, is what you are saying?" (Gengu)
"No, it's something else." (Hifumi)
Hifumi shakes his head.
"I heard it from other guys too, but that criminal spoke with hostility towards the slums' people before, right? And, that guy freed several beastmen from the humans. Do you believe such fellow will sneakily return to the wastelands?" (Hifumi)
"Then, did he go to where the humans live?" (Gengu)
"You should consider that possibility too, right?" (Hifumi)
"Such a... Well, then we won't be able to pursue him anymore, eh..." (Gengu)
Hifumi lightly hit the discouraged Gengu with his fist.
"You give up far too easily, idiot." (Hifumi)
"Eh? Is there some... way?" (Gengu)
Hifumi, who dropped his fist on Gengu's head, breathed out a "You moron."
"Ponder about it with your group a bit. Putting that aside, it seems like you should prepare more seriously, I came to tell you that." (Hifumi)
"Is there something going on ~ssu?" (Gengu)
Due to Gengu asking while rubbing his head, Hifumi folds his arms and continues to explain.
"Yea, for the last few days soldiers have frequently tried to enter the slums here during the night. "By accident" I happened to pass by and since the other side attacked me by drawing their swords, although I haven't done anything, they rolled around on the road being beaten and killed every time, but..." (Hifumi)
"So Hifumi-san was the cause of those soldier's corpses, huh...?" (Gengu)
Gengu, who tensed his mind with "Good gracious, it's the bearman's doing, eh?", becomes bitter at himself. He believes that "by accident" or such to be a lie, however since he values his life, he doesn't voice that out.
"It seems, as result of the soldiers not coming back, they will team up with a knight group and come to the slums." (Hifumi)
"Such a thing! But, why do you know about that?" (Gengu)
"Touring down-town, I grasped the castle buying food up, the nobles employing weapon shops for maintenance and increasingly ordering new weapons. There are talks about the increase of requests regarding something like harness adjustment. Since the soldiers here don't use horses, the ones moving are likely the knights. There are also rumours that the knight's training increased. Because I'm unable to think of any other reason for the knights to expressly move at this point in time, I dare say that their aim is likely this place here." (Hifumi)
"So, what will you do?" Hifumi asked, but Gengu wasn't in a state of being able to answer due to the shock.
"I-It's a disaster..." (Gengu)
"Calm down." (Hifumi)
Receiving Hifumi's poke in the forehead due to his nose running, Gengu drops to the floor, rolls over a few times and faints in agony.
"The way to deal with the knights is simple. First, humans are weak. Using horses, they barely manage to catch up with your beastmen feet. Using swords, they are somehow able to cause injuries to you guys." (Hifumi)
"Eh? Then you are no human after all, are you, Hifumi-san...?" (Gengu)
Gengu had a fist lowered at him once again.
"Don't change the subject. In other words, if you fight using your head and the same weapons, it will be a situation where you don't have to be afraid of knight and their likes at all." (Hifumi)
While Hifumi, who stood up, corrected the position of the katana at his waist, he looked down on Gengu, who has been showing his belly having fallen to the ground.
"Gather the guys, who have spare time. I will teach them the way of fighting." (Hifumi)
Salgu himself was aware of being in a state you couldn't call sane anymore.
He looks at the beastmen, who are enslaved by humans, specifies the house, they are attached to, for later and waits for them to fall asleep to kill the family during that time.
And he saves the beastmen, who have become slaves, but...
"What do you want me to do by saving me here?"
The wolf beastman, who lost all its claws on both paws, doesn't even get up from the corner of the stable.
"Even I hated the humans at the beginning. But you know, if you get to know that, rather than living in the wastelands, the way of being the human's slave is quite safe, comfortable and that you are able to eat food, there's nothing to return to in the wastelands except danger."
"...Is, that so...?" (Salgu)
"Even if I lost my usefulness, I won't be killed, you know. It seems I will be thrown into the slums, but since I will receive sufficient of the human's leftovers there, it appears I will be able to survive with small* rationed portions."
"Seeing that my masters died, I guess there's nothing left for me but to go there too", the grumbling wolf beastman laughed weakly.
The expression of Salgu, who looks down on him, can't be seen by the wolf beastman under the cover of the dark night.
"Don't you feel the wish to return to the wastelands?" (Salgu)magic
"Eh? The wastelands, I miss them, but..."
Laughing foolishly, the wolf beastman shakes its head. It seems that he is shaking off some unpleasant memory with that gesture.
"That place is a hell. You run from place to place like the rabbits and sheep or you have no choice but to continuously repeat a daily life of killing or being killed without even the time to sleep restfully. It's not a place where you can sleep with a peace of mind like this place either. I don't want to experience the sensation of hunger, which grows violent due to the hardships to look for food, anymore."
"Is that so? Got it." (Salgu)
Salgu brought down his fist, drove it into the face of the wolf beastman, who looked up at him, and sunk it it into flesh and blood with a soggy sound.
Staring at the fist, he extracted from the face with a wet sound, Salgu pondered.
There's intense pain within his head, which has stirred up his thoughts like noise, but even so, he pondered.
"This city in itself has been a bad influence on the beastmen..." (Salgu)
The food, given by humans, the buildings, the livelihood, all of that caused the beastmen to lose the spirit, they should originally have
He repeatedly puzzles over countermeasure with his head hurting strongly.
He sits down besides the fallen corpse of the wolf beastman in the stable, which is filled with the smell of blood.
"Calm down. If I smash up the humans, everything should come to an end." (Salgu)
Salgu's eyes are looking at the face of the dead wolf beastman. It's completely as if he's talking to him.
"That's right. If I'm able to crush the boss of the humans too, the human city will be finished as well." (Salgu)
Standing up, Salgu reached the point of being able to believe that things have become extremely clear in his head.
He walks forth in order to accomplish the clear, simple, decided matter.
"The human's boss, where is he...?" (Salgu)
An insane bearman walks through the city's night.
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