153.I Want To Party
フォカロル兵に先導されたオーソングランデの兵たちは、今度は城の壁をよじ登る羽目になり、再び落下地獄を味わっていた。ホーラント兵は一階に突入しているので、彼らは二階へ直接侵入するのだ。
突入訓練をアスレチック気分で繰り返していたフォカロル兵たちにとっては、二階までならよじ登るのは朝飯前だ。
戦闘を行く兵士が少ない突起を頼りにするすると登り、窓から顔を覗かせる。
「あっ」
「えっ」
窓の向こうは通路になっており、二階を巡回中のクゼム側ホーラント兵と目があった。
両手で体をささえいたフォカロル兵はすぐに対応できず、ホーラント兵は背中を向けて逃げていく。
「見つかった。逃げて行ったから今のうちに侵入する!」
言いながら、窓から室内へと飛び込む。
仲間のためのスペースをつくり、廊下の隅へと張り付くようにして立ったフォカロル兵は、素早く構造を確認する。
「廊下に各執務室が並び、中央に階段......教わった通りの構造だな」
広く長い廊下、中央の階段より手前に並ぶドアは城内に執務室を持つ高級文官が使う部屋となっている。階段の向こう側には、会議等のための大部屋が並ぶ。
「無人、か?」
仲間のフォカロル兵たちが次々に廊下へと飛び込んでくるのを待ちながら、注意深く警戒をしていたが、誰かが来る様子はない。
階段のあたり、おそらく下からだろうが、大勢の人間の叫び声が聞こえる。
「どうだ?」
「なんだか臭いな......一階は苦戦しているようだな。二階は......来た!」
階段の先にあるドアの一つから、ホーラントの兵たちがぞろぞろと出てくる。それぞれ手に桶のようなものを持ち、ゆっくりと出てくるのが不気味に感じられる。
「なんだ?」
フォカロル兵が困惑しつつ観察している前で、ホーラント兵たちは手に持った桶を振り回し、廊下に液体をぶちまける。
次々に流される大量の液体は、あっという間に波を作って廊下を流れ、フォカロル兵たちの足元まで流れてきた。
「おっと」
それぞれが窓枠や開けたドアの上に避難すると、液体がいきわたったとみたホーラント兵の一人が、紙片を見ながら大声で叫ぶ。
「あー。我々はこの城を守る警備兵だ。警備の立場としては、不法侵入者を排除せねばならん。といわけで、邪魔をさせてもらう」
メモを読み終え、丁寧に畳んだホーラント兵。ジャリ、と何かを巻きつけた足を液体の広がる床に躊躇なく踏み出し、満足そうに佇むが、それ以上は何もしない。
「......で?」
思わず声をかけたフォカロル兵に、ホーラントの兵士は仁王立ちのままうなずく。
「以上だ。そのまま小虫のようにしがみついていても良いが、貴様らも兵士としての矜持があるなら、かかって来るが良い」
「なんだと!」
フォカロル兵の一人が激昂するが、周りの仲間に止められた。液体の正体がわからないうちは、動かない方が良いと判断したのだ。
だが、答えはホーラントの方から教えてくれた。
大量の液体が階段の下へと流れていくと、慌てた声が聞こえる。
「ちょ、油がここまで!?」
「あ、俺滑り止め忘れて......あー!」
階段のあたりから、遠ざかる叫び声と共に誰かが転がり落ちていく音がする。
「油、か......」
フォカロルの兵士が先ほど宣言を読み上げたホーラント兵を見ると、相手はつつ、と視線を逸らした。
「......べ、別に油だと知れたところで対応の使用があるまい」
顔を赤らめて強がるホーラント兵を見て、フォカロル兵たちは顔を見合わせた。
「やるしかないな。火気厳禁ってことで、火花も怖い。刃物は禁止。ぶん殴ってやろう」
バシャ、と音を立てて床に降り、全員が転んだ。
大笑いするホーラント兵に向かって、怒り狂ったフォカロル兵たちがこけつまろびつホーラント兵に突撃し、凄絶な殴り合いが始まる。
棘のある草を干した、この国特有の滑り止めを巻いていたホーラント兵も、動き回って棘を踏み潰してしまうと、状況は同じになっていく。
中には、もみ合って腐臭ただよう一階へと転げ落ちていく者もいた。
「......三階へ続く階段にもたっぷり油を流した。お前らはここでストップだ」
もみ合いの最中、にやりと笑うホーラント兵に、フォカロル兵も嘲笑で返す。
「俺たちの目的は突破じゃねぇんだよ」
掌底を顎に叩き込みながら、フォカロル兵は油で転びながら笑う。
「このままやりあってれば、任務は成功かな? あとは頼みますぜ長官」
「......下が騒がしいですね」
三階にある高級官僚向け執務室の一室、クゼムの部屋で書類に目を通していたオリガが呟く。
同じ部屋で書類を漁っていたヴィーネが、片耳をぴくぴくと動かしてオリガに向き直った。
「一階と二階で騒動......一階は悲鳴が多いみたいですけど、たくさんの人がいるみたいです。外から侵入されたみたいですよ?」
逃げた方が良いのでは、と不安を吐露するヴィーネに、オリガは真顔のままで再び処理に目を落とした。
「気にする必要はありません。攻めてきているのはオーソングランデとホーラントの兵。トチ狂って私たちに攻撃してきたとしても、有象無象に過ぎません。それより、何か見つかりましたか?」
彼女たちがここにいるのは、クゼムの狙いを知るためだった。巨人兵や不死兵という、リスクの大きな兵を動かすには、それなりの理由があったはずだと一二三が考え、オリガが自ら調査役を引き受けたのだ。ヴィーネはそれに巻き込まれた。
「文字を読むのはまだ慣れてなくて......あっ」
ヴィーネが棚に入っていた一枚の書類をオリガの前に置いた。
「これ、誰かからの報告書ですよね。“不死兵のための魔道具をヴィシーから独立したピュルサンの使者へと手渡した”って書いてあります」
差し出された書類に視線を落とし、オリガは目を細めた。
「ピュルサン......一二三様にすり寄るつもりで独立したような都市国家でしたね。それがホーラントとつながりがある......と」
オリガの周囲の空気が冷たくなったような気がして、ヴィーネは後ずさる。
息が漏れたような笑い声。
「うふ、うふふふ......」
「お、奥様?」
「良く見つけてくれました。これで一二三様に新しい敵を提供できます。そして新しい戦場が生まれますね」
この書類は接収します、とオリガは三つ折りにした書類を懐に差し入れ、広げた書類もそのままに、ヴィーネを伴って廊下へと歩き出した。
「......何か
オリガにはわずかにしか感じられなかったが、ヴィーネは人間より鼻が利くのか、涙目で鼻を押さえていた。
「下から上がってきてるみたいです」
「ではさっさと上に行きましょう。一二三様にお伝えしなければ」
カツ、カツ、とブーツの靴底から音を響かせながら、背筋を伸ばして歩くオリガに、鼻をつまんだままのヴィーネが付き従う。
それはまるでキャリアウーマンの上司についていく、新入社員のOLのようだった。迷いなく歩くオリガを、ヴィーネがちらちらと気にしていた。
「ヴィーネさん」
「は、はい!」
「魔法も使えて、獣人族として身体能力もある......それなりに戦えるようですけれど、この先一二三様についていくにはまだ不安です。段取りはしておきますから、フォカロルへ戻ったら訓練すると良いでしょう。......貴女は」
言いかけて、少しためらった。
オリガは一呼吸おいて、後ろのヴィーネに振り向いた。
「戦う一二三様を見て、味方に試練を与えるあの方を見て、それでも一二三様を好きだと断言できますか?」
突然の質問に、ヴィーネは面食らって耳をピンと立てた。
オリガの意図はわからなかったが、答えは変わらない。
「もちろんです。わたしに生きる素晴らしさを与えてくださったときに知った愛情は、ご主人様の魅力はこの程度のことで......いえ、たとえご主人様がすべての獣人族を敵に回したとしても、消えるものではありません」
ヴィーネの答えを聞いて、オリガはくるりと元の方向を向いて歩き始めた。
「そういうことでしたら、厳しい訓練も耐えられるでしょう。私が一二三様から教わったこと、教えてさしあげます」
「あ、ありがとうございます!」
喜色満面でお礼を言うヴィーネに、「ただし」とオリガは歩みを止めることなく語る。
「一つ訂正すべきです。獣人族に限らず、人間や魔人、魔物を含めありとあらゆる生きとし生けるもの。その全てを敵に回しても尚、笑っておられるところこそ、一二三様の魅力なのです」
どう返答して良いのかわからず、ヴィーネが一言も発せずにいると、オリガは優しい声音で続けた。
「心配いりません。一二三様のお側でお仕えしていれば、すぐにわかりますよ」
階段を上がり、四階の特に重厚な扉を押し開く。
そこは王のための部屋。一階にある、一二三が王太子と戦った謁見の間とは違い、さほど広くは無い。だが、見事な調度品が並び、奥に設えられた玉座は、謁見の間にあるものとはまた違った意匠をこらした芸術品であった。
そして今、そこに一二三が座っていた。
「なんで王の椅子って背もたれが垂直なんだろうな。落ち着かない」
横で「いいのかな」と青い顔をしているガアプを無視して、楽な姿勢を探してもぞもぞとしている一二三に、オリガはまっすぐ近づき、跪く。
ヴィーネが慌てて真似しようとすると、一二三が手を振ってやめさせた。
「やめろ、やめろ。俺は王様ごっこなんぞやりたくない。用事があるなら、ちゃんとこっち見て話せ」
「失礼しました」
クスッと笑って、オリガはさらに一二三に近づくと、懐から先ほどの書類を取り出し、内容を説明した。
話を聞いた一二三は、傍らに置いた刀を掴み、ひょいと立ちあがる。
「次の戦場はあっちか。やれやれ、大変だな」
そう言いながらも、顔に浮かぶのは笑み。
刀を腰に差し、収納から取り出した筆記具でさらさらと二枚の羊皮紙に何かを書きつけた一二三は、オリガとヴィーネに問う。
「一度フォカロルに戻って、それからヴィシーに行く。お前らはどうする?」
散歩に誘うかのような気軽な言葉。
オリガはしっとりと微笑む。
「もちろんついていきます。食料は持ち出せるように準備しておりますから、すぐにでも出られます。お弁当も作っていますよ。ヴィーネと一緒にご用意いたしました」
「もうすぐ、出口、です!」
ネルガルが弾む息を織り交ぜながら声を張る。
階段を駆け上がるイメラリア一行。
秘匿されている脱出路は、城の敷地内に入ったところで階段へと変わり、城の背面を上がっていく。
「何階まであがるの?」
明かり採りのための小窓から高さを確認しながら、アリッサがネルガルに尋ねる。彼女だけが、ほとんど息が上がっていない。
ホーラントの兵士たちは信じられない物を見るような視線を向けていたが、アリッサと目が合いそうになって、慌てて逸らした。不死兵たちとの戦いも見ていた彼らにとって、アリッサはもはや少女ではなく畏怖の対象ですらある。
「四階、です。そこにある、玉座の、後ろまで、通路は、つながって、います」
「ふぅん。じゃあ、すぐだね」
対して、最も余裕がないのがイメラリアだ。
一応は騎士として訓練をしていたサブナクも、鎧の重さを呪いながら肩で息をしていたが、呼吸すら苦しげな女王陛下よりはマシだ。
現場仕事が多いヴァイヤーは、サブナクよりもまだ余裕がある。
目を見開いて、意地だけで足を動かすイメラリアに、誰も声をかけようとはしなかった。
彼らが目的地にたどりついたのは、一階に突入したホーラント兵が全員気絶して、二階で戦っていたフォカロル兵とホーラント兵が、互いに半数以上疲労で動けなくなった頃だった。
ちなみに、二階に侵入しようと頑張っていたオーソングランデ兵たちは、五人だけ壁登りに成功して殴りあいに参加し、残りは落下した際の怪我で呻いている。
「ぜはっ......ぜ、ぜぇ、ぜっ」
狭い通路から広い部屋に出たイメラリアは、バクバクとかつてない程飛び跳ねる心臓を押さえながら、懸命に酸素を取り込みつつネルガルに視線を向けた。
「はぁ、はぁ......ここが、目的地、です」
その言葉を聞いたイメラリアが床にへたり込んだ瞬間、アリッサが弾かれたように前にでる。
「ひっ!?」
「誰?」
アリッサに脇差をのど元に押し付けられ、悲鳴を上げたのはガアプだった。
一二三が出て行ったあと、やることも無く呆然と部屋にいたのだが、急に現れたネルガルに驚いていたところを、アリッサに捕まった。
「が、ガアプさんではありませんか」
「陛下......」
「話は後で聞きます。今は、先にやるべきことがありますから」
ネルガルは怯えるガアプをおいて、玉座の後ろ、避難路の横にある壁を押した。
ズル、と見た目よりも軽い音を立てて壁の一部がずれ、金属の小さな扉が露出する。
「イメラリア陛下。これより戴冠を行います。どうか、立会をお願いいたします」
「ありがとうございます」
ネルガルが金属扉にある小さなくぼみに指輪を押し当てると、小さな音がして少しだけ扉が開く。
ゆっくりと開かれたその中には、煌びやかな宝石がちりばめられ、中央には短剣を象った金細工があり、大きなダイヤがはめ込まれている。
「これが、この国の王冠です」
イメラリアの手に王冠が渡され、その前にネルガルが跪く。
「ホーラントを治める王として、お認めいただけるのであれば、その王冠を私に。もし、そうでなければ......」
「その先は必要ありません」
イメラリアが、ずっしりと重みを感じる王冠を、その細い腕でネルガルの頭上へと運ぶ。
「良き王とおなりなさい。民の信頼に拠って立つ、立派な王に」
「誓いましょう。全ては民を守り、その人生を支えるために」
玉座へと座り、その両脇には護衛としてついてきていたホーラント兵が控えた。
イメラリアやサブナク、ヴァイヤーはネルガルの正面を避けて立つ。
王となったネルガルの前には、アリッサに脇差を突き付けられ、跪くガアプ。
「では、話をききましょうか、ガアプ」
ガアプに託された二枚の紙は、それぞれイメラリアとネルガルに宛てたものだった。
「やれやれ......即位して最初の命令が掃除とは......」
罠の内容についての説明と、“掃除がんばれ”と書かれた紙を読み終え、ネルガルは苦笑いを浮かべた。ガアプからも、およそ戦闘というには穏やかで、あくまで訓練と実験を兼ねたものだったと聞いたネルガルは、脱力しかけた身体に鞭打って姿勢を維持した。
ガアプについては謹慎を言い渡し、城内の兵士たちには戦闘行為の停止を命じ、避難していた使用人たちも呼び戻す。そして、彼らの仕事は油と腐臭にまみれた城内の掃除から始まる。
「まあ、訓練もできて警備のレベルも上がったと思えば、まだマシでしょう。奸臣も成敗できたことですし。わたしよりも......」
部屋の横を見ると、気を失ってサブナクに抱えられているイメラリアの姿がある。
“がんばったで賞”と“ヴィシー行ってくる”とだけ書かれた紙を見たイメラリアは、魂が抜けたようにぱったりと倒れたのだ。
「えーと、ネルガル国王陛下。大変申し訳ないのですが、ご覧の状況ですので......」
ヴァイヤーが申し訳なさそうに声をかけると、ネルガルはひきつった笑顔で答えた。
「城内......いえ、近くの宿を用意いたしましょう。イメラリア陛下がお目覚めになられたら、一度お話をさせていただきたいとは思いますが、今はゆっくりとお休みください。貴国兵士のための宿泊場所も用意します」
「ありがたきお言葉。きっとイメラリア女王へお伝えいたします」
アリッサも含めて退室するサブナクたちを見送ったネルガルは、そろそろ限界だ、と息を吐いた。
「次はヴィシーですか。遠いですが、巻き込まれないとも限らないですね。準備をしなければ......それにしても、背もたれとしては垂直すぎますね、これ」
少し後ろに倒せれば、もっと楽なのに、と思考が現実逃避を始めているのに自覚が無いネルガルだった。
Chapter 153: I Want To Party
The soldiers of Orsongrande, who were guided by Fokalore's soldiers, ended up scaling the castle's walls and tasted now the hell of getting down. Since Horant's soldiers have rushed into the first floor, they are directly invading the second floor.
For the soldiers of Fokalore, who repeatedly practised storming in with a feeling of an athletic event, climbing up to the second floor is a peace of cake.
Climbing while relying on the few protuberances, the soldier, who is the vanguard, sneaks a view from a window.
"Ah."
"Eh?"
His eyes met with the ones of a patrolling soldier from Kuzemu's camp who is on the other side of the window in a corridor on the second floor.
The soldier from Fokalore, who propped up his body with both his hands, is unable to correspond right away and the soldier of Horant turns his back and runs away.
"We were discovered. Storm in immediately since he ran away."
While saying that, he leaps inside from the window.
Creating a space for his colleagues, the Fokalore soldier, who stood while making sure to cling to the corner of the corridor, swiftly checks the structure.
"Offices are lined up in the corridor, a stairway in the centre... the structure is as we were taught."
From the stairs in the middle there are doors of rooms, which are used by high-ranking civil officials who possess an own office in the castle, lining up side-by-side in the long, spacious corridor. On the other side of the stairway there are large room for the sake of meetings and such lined up.
"There's no one here, huh?"
While waiting for his fellow soldiers of Fokalore jumping into the corridor one after the other, he cautiously watched out, but it didn't seem like anyone would come.
From the vicinity of the stairway, likely from below, the screams of many humans can be heard.
"How does it look?"
"Somehow, going by the smell... it seems to be a tough battle on the first floor. The second floor is... they came!"
Groups of soldiers from Horant are appearing from one of the doors that's beyond the stairway. Each of them holds something like a bucket in their hands and the way of them coming out leisurely gives it all an eerie feeling.
"What are those?"
As the soldier of Fokalore observes the spectacle in front of him while being bewildered, the soldiers of Horant swing the buckets in their hands and plaster the corridor with a liquid.
The large quantity of liquid, which was distributed in succession, streamed down the corridor while creating a wave in the blink of an eye and flowed up to the feet of the soldiers from Fokalore.
"Uh-oh."
Once each of them took shelter on top of an opened door or a window frame, one of the soldiers of Horant, who watched as the fluid spread out, shouts loudly while looking at a scrap of paper,
"Ah. We are the guards who protect this castle. As our position as guards requires, we have to remove trespassers. For that reason, allow us to hinder you."
Finishing to read the memo, the soldier of Horant folded it carefully. Stepping without hesitation on the floor, where the liquid has spread out, with a crunching sound with his feet being wrapped in something, he stands still while looking satisfied, but doesn't do anything beyond that.
"... So?"
Due to the Fokalore soldier who calls out to him reflexively, the soldier of Horant nods while keeping his daunting pose.
"That's all. It's fine for you to keep clinging like small insects, but if you bastards have any pride as soldiers, you may come at us."
"What was that!?"
One of Fokalore's soldiers is enraged, but got stopped by his friends in the vicinity. Being surrounded by a liquid of unknown identity, they judged that it would be best to not move.
However, they were taught the answer by Horant's side.
Once a large amount of the fluid streams down to the first floor, panicked voices are audible.
"Wai-, the oil has spread until here!?"
"Ah, I have forgotten about the anti-skid measurements... aah!"
There are sounds of screams alongside someone tumbling down from the vicinity of the stairway.
"Oil, eh...?"
Once the soldier of Fokalore looked at the soldier of Horant who had read out the declaration previously, the other party turned away their look.
"... E-Even if you knew that it was oil, there's no way to deal with it."
Watching the soldier of Horant who pretends to be tough while blushing, the soldiers of Fokalore exchanged glances with each other.
"There's no other option but to do it. Any source of ignition is banned, even sparks will be dreadful. Blades are prohibited. Let's give them a beating."
Descending to the floor with a sound of *splash*, all of them fell over.
The soldier of Fokalore, who were in a fit of anger at the soldiers of Horant who burst into laughter, attack Horant's soldiers while falling and stumbling. An extremely gruesome fist fight begins.
Even the soldiers of Horant who covered their feet with a dried, thorny weed as unique anti-skid measure of this country, are thrown into the same conditions once the thorns end up crushed underfoot by them moving around.
Among them there were also some who tumbled down to the first floor with its rotten smell drifting about while struggling with one another.
"... There was plenty of oil spread on the stairway leading to the third floor as well. We will stop you lot here."
A soldier of Fokalore returns a sneer to the soldier of Horant who grins broadly in the middle of showing and pushing.
"Our objective ain't breaking through."
While driving a palm heel into his chin, the soldier of Fokalore laughs while falling over due to the oil.
"If we continue to compete like this, the mission is a success, I guess? We will leave the rest to the director."
"... It's noisy below, isn't it?" (Origa)
In one office intended for high-ranking civil officials on the third floor, Origa, who sieved through the documents in Kuzemu's room, mutters.
Rummaging through documents in the same room, Viine turned around to Origa while making her one ear move with a twitch.
"The uproar on the first and second floor... it looks like there are many screams on the first floor, however it seems there's plenty of people there. Doesn't it look like they have invaded from outside?" (Viine)
Origa lowered her sight on the documents with a serious look as Viine expresses her uneasiness with "Then it would be best if we escaped."
"It's unnecessary to worry. The ones who are attacking are the soldiers of Horant and Orsongrande. Even if they came attacking us as a joke, they won't pass through the mob. Rather than that, did you find anything?" (Origa)
The reason for them being here was to learn of Kuzemu's objective. Making the risky large soldiers move, namely the giant soldiers and the immortal soldiers, should have had an according reason, is what Hifumi thinks and had Origa take over as his own assistant. Viine was dragged into that.
"I still haven't got used to reading the characters... ah." (Viine)
Viine put one document, which was placed on a shelf, in front of Origa.
"This, it's a report from someone, isn't it? "The magic tool to create immortal soldiers was handed over to a messenger of Pearsan which went independent from Vichy" is written there." (Origa)
Dropping her line of sight on the document which was presented to her, Origa squinted.
"Pearsan... that's the city-state which went independent with the intention to get close to Hifumi-sama. Them having a connection with Horant... oh." (Viine)
Sensing that the air around Origa has become freezing, Viine steps back.
A laughter like a breath leaking out.
"Ufu, ufufufu...." (Origa)
"M-Madam?" (Viine)
"You did well to find this. With this I will be able to offer a new enemy to Hifumi-sama. And a new battlefield will be born." (Origa)
"I will confiscate this document", Origa put it into her pocket after folding it three times and then started to walk towards the hallway with Viine in tow while leaving the unfolded documents as is.
"... Something stinks." (Viine)
Origa couldn't sense any more than a faint whiff of it, but Viine's nose is better than the one of humans. She held down her nose with teary eyes.
"It looks like it has risen up from below." (Origa)
"Let's go to the top quickly then. We have to inform Hifumi-sama." (Viine)
Viine, who still pinches her nose, follows Origa who walks with her head held high while a sound of *clonk *clonk* resounds from the shoe soles of her boots.
She seemed to completely fit the image of a new OL hire accompanying her career woman superior. Viine paid fleeting attention at Origa who walks without any hesitation.
"Viine-san." (Origa)
"Y-Yes!" (Viine)
"You have your physical ability as beastman and can also use magic... it seems that you will be able able to fight accordingly, however I'm still uneasy about you following Hifumi-sama beyond this point. Since there has been a plan established, it might be best if you train once we return to Fokalore. ... You are." (Origa)
Starting to say it, she hesitated a bit.
Origa made a short pause and then turned around to Viine behind her.
"Watching Hifumi-sama fight, seeing him giving an ordeal to his allies, are you still able to declare that you like Hifumi-sama?" (Origa)
Due to the sudden question, Viine was confused and her ear stood up tensely.
She didn't comprehend Origa's intention, but it didn't change her answer.
"Of course. The affection, which I experienced at the time of being bestowed the beauty of survival, is the level of master's charm... no, even if master turns all beastmen into his enemy for example, I won't disappear from his side." (Viine)
Hearing Viine's reply, Origa turned around and started to walk while facing downwards.
"If that's how it is, you might be able to even endure relentless training. I will teach you the things I was taught by Hifumi-sama." (Origa)
"T-Thank you very much!" (Viine)
Due to Viine thanking her while being all smiles, Origa says [However]  without ceasing to walk.
"I should make one correction. Hifumi-sama's charm lies in the aspect of him laughing while making enemies out of not only the beastmen but also humans, demons and all living creatures including monsters." (Origa)
When Viine didn't mutter even a single word as she didn't know how it would be best to answer, Origa continued with a gentle tone.
"There's no need to worry. If you serve close to Hifumi-sama, you will understand it before long." (Origa)
Climbing a stairway, she pushes open the especially massive door of the fourth floor.
There's the room for the king. Different from the audience hall, where Hifumi fought with the crown prince, located on the first floor, it isn't that spacious. However, with magnificent furnishings lining up, the throne, which was installed inside, was a work of art that applied a yet different design from the one in the audience hall.
And, currently Hifumi was sitting on it.
"I wonder why the back of the king's chair is vertical. One won't calm down on it." (Hifumi)
Ignoring Gaap, who has a pale face while asking [I wonder if that's alright?]  from the side, Origa directly approaches Hifumi, who is trying to search for the most comfortable seating posture, and kneels.
Once Viine tried to imitate her in a hurry, Hifumi made her stop by waving his hand.
"Stop, stop. I don't want to play being a king or such. If you have some business, talk to me while properly looking at me." (Hifumi)
"Excuse me." (Origa)
Slipping out a chuckle, Origa got even closer to Hifumi, took out the previous document from her pocket and explained its contents.
Hearing her talk, Hifumi grabs the katana, which was placed next to him, and stands up all of a sudden.
"The next battlefield is over there, huh? Good grief, that's terrible." (Hifumi)
Even while saying so, only a smile is showing on his face.
Affixing the katana to his waist, Hifumi fluently wrote down something on two sheets of parchments which he took out from his storage and asks Origa as well as Viine,
"After returning to Fokalore once, I will go to Vichy from there. What will you two do?" (Hifumi)
Carefree words as if he is inviting them on a walk.
Origa smiles gently.
"Of course we will follow you. We will be able to leave immediately since the food has been prepared to be taken out. We will even make a bento. I will prepare it together with Viine." (Origa)
"Very soon, the exit." (Nelgal)
Nelgal fills his voice while it's intermingled with his rough breathing.
Imeraria runs up the stairs in a line.
The hidden escape path changed into stairs once they entered the castle's grounds and rose towards the castle's back.
"How many floors will we ascend?" (Alyssa)
While checking the height from a small window with the task of providing skylight, Alyssa asks Nelgal. Only her breathing rate hasn't increased much.
The soldiers of Horant turned their looks at her as if seeing something they can't believe, but once their eyes met with the ones of Alyssa, they hurriedly averted theirs. For them, who also saw the battle with the immortal soldiers, Alyssa isn't a little girl anymore but a target of fright.
"It's, the fourth floor. The pathway, is connected, to behind the, throne, there." (Nelgal)
"Hmm. Then it's close." (Alyssa)
In contrast, the one who has the least leeway is Imeraria.
Even Sabnak, who practised as knight more or less, breathed heavily while cursing the weight of his armour, but even though his breathing was painful, it was still better than the queen's.
Vaiya, who has a lot jobs on-site, has even more surplus than Sabnak.
No one tried to call out to Imeraria who made her feet move by sheer will power while having her eyes widely open.
When they arrived at their destination was the time when all soldiers of Horant, who stormed the first floor, had fainted and when more than half the number of the soldiers of Fokalore and Horant, who fought on the second floor, couldn't move anymore due to fatigue.
By the way, of the soldiers of Orsongrande, who did their best to invade the second floor, only five people joined the battle after climbing the wall. The rest is groaning due to injuries they suffered at the time of dropping down.
"Zeha... ze, zee, ze!" (Imeraia)
Imeraria, who entered the vast room from the narrow pathway, turned her sight towards Nelgal as she eagerly absorbed oxygen while holding her heart which is pounding to an extent she has never experienced.
"Haa, haa... this, place is, our destination." (Nelgal)
The instant Imeraria sank down to the floor after hearing those words, Alyssa goes in front as if repelling something.
"Hii!?"
"Who are you?" (Alyssa)
Having a wakizashi pressed at his throat, the one who screamed was Gaap.
After Hifumi left, he stayed dumbfoundedly in the room without doing anything, but due to being surprised by the suddenly appearance of Nelgal, he was caught by Alyssa.
"A-Aren't you Gaap-san?" (Nelgal)
"Your Majesty..." (Gaap)
"I will listen to your story later. Currently there's something I should do first." (Nelgal)
Without paying attention to the frightened Gaap, Nelgal pushed the wall next to the escape route behind the throne.
A part of the wall shifts with a lighter sound of sliding than assumable by its appearance and a small metal door gets exposed.
"Your Highness, Imeraria, we will perform the coronation from now on. Please act as witness." (Nelgal)
"Thank you very much." (Nelgal)
Once Nelgal pushes his ring against a small cavity which is located on the door, the door opens just a bit with a small sound.
Being opened slowly, there's a crown with gorgeous jewels embedded, a golden craftsmanship that represented a dagger in the centre and with a large diamond inserted.
"This is this country's crown." (Nelgal)
Having passed the crown into Imeraria's hands. Nelgal kneels in front of her.
"If you can approve of me as king who will govern Horant, bestow that crown upon me. If that's not the case..." (Nelgal)
"Anything further is not necessary." (Imeraria)
Imeraria moves the crown with its heavy sense of dignity above the head of Nelgal with her slender arms.
"Become a good king. A splendid king who rises according to the faith of his people." (Imeraria)
"I swear. It's all for the sake of supporting their lives by protecting my people." (Nelgal)
Sitting down on the throne, the soldiers of Horant, who followed him as guards, were at the ready on both his sides.
Imeraria, Sabnak and Vaiya stand while avoiding being in front of Nelgal.
Before Nelgal, who became king, Gaap kneels while having the wakizashi thrust at him by Alyssa.
"Well then, let's hear your story, Gaap?" (Nelgal)
The two sheets of paper, which were entrusted to Gaap, were respectively addressed to Imeraria and Nelgal.
"Good grief... for my first decree after the enthronement to be cleaning..." (Nelgal)
Finishing to read the paper which explained the details of the traps and told him "Do your best at cleaning up," Nelgal showed a bitter smile. Nelgal, who heard even from Gaap that it was something like an experiment and at the same time training with the battle in general being gentle, maintained his posture by spurring on his body which suffered from exhaustion.
Sentencing a penitence for Gaap and ordering a stop of all combat to the soldiers within the castle, he calls back the servants who were evacuated. And their work starts from cleaning the castle's interior of the oil and the rotten smell.
"Well, if I consider that we were able to raise the level of the guards due to being able to practise, it might also be less objectionable. We were also able to punish a treacherous subject. Rather than me..." (Nelgal)
Once he looks to the side of the room, there's the unconscious Imeraria who is carried by Sabnak.
Imeraria, who looked on the paper that had only written "A prize for doing your best" and "I'm off to Vichy," collapsed unexpectedly as if her soul had been sucked out.
"Umm, Your Majesty, King Nelgal, I'm terribly sorry, but since there are circumstances I have to attend to..." (Vaiya)
Once being called out by Vaiya apologetically, Nelgal answered with a stiff smile.magic
"I shall prepare a room inside the castle... no, in a close-by inn. Once Her Majesty Imeraria awakens, I'd like to have the privilege of having a talk with her once, but for now let her please rest comfortably. I will also arrange for a location for your nation's soldiers to lodge." (Nelgal)
"That's a very kind offer. I will definitely inform Queen Imeraria about it." (Vaiya)
Nelgal, who saw off Sabnak's group, including Alyssa, leaving the room, exhaled while saying "Soon I will hit my limit."
"The next is Vichy? That's far, but even if I won't get dragged into it, it's not limited to that. If I don't make arrangements... at any rate, it's too vertical as back of a chair, this." (Nelgal)
Nelgal had no self-awareness while starting to escape reality in his thoughts with
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