ソードランテの兵士たちも、武器は両手剣を使っている。
真っ直ぐに伸びた剣の刃は1m程の長さがあり、厚みも相まって武骨な印象を与える。
一二三と対峙した兵士たちはその剣を握りしめ、たった一人が相手だ、と気合を入れて駆け出した。
「獣どもに味方する狂人め! 死ね!」
一人が横なぎに振るった剣は、風を切って一二三に迫る。
だが、一歩前に出た一二三が刀を縦に構えて敵の肘に当てると、剣の勢いと重さも手伝い、乾いた音を立てて肘が折れた。
「ぎゃあっ......」
短い悲鳴をあげたところで、一二三の刀が兵士の首を滑る。
敢えて返り血を浴び、笑みを浮かべる男に兵士たちはたじろいだ。
「なかなか振りが速いじゃないか。だが、単に振り回すだけではな」
刃物はこう使うんだ、と一二三は踏み込みざまに連続で突きを放ち、一番前に出ていた兵士の両目を脳まで突き刺した。
声も出せずに倒れる兵士を蹴り飛ばし、ぶつけられた兵士はひるんだ所で腹を横一文字に切り裂かれた。
残りは二人。
もはや戦闘の意志は失いつつある兵士たちに、一二三は血の滴る刀を提げたまま、ゆっくりと近づく。
「な、なぜ獣人の味方をする?」
「別に、味方はしていない」
実際、荒野では100人以上の獣人を斬り殺しており、集落のいくつかは潰してきた。
「俺の敵になるなら、人間も獣人も同じだ。斬れば肉が見えて血が吹き出す。ほら」
鋭い突きに、質問をした兵士の頚動脈がパックリと割れ、赤い噴水が広がる。
「この世界の生きとし生ける者全てが、同じ血肉を持っている。俺は平等主義だから、差別はしないんだ」
血を失って倒れた兵士は、一二三の言葉が終わる前に事切れていた。
残った兵士は既に剣を落としており、ジリジリと後ずさっている。
「逃げるなよ。最期まで楽しもうぜ」
「う、うわあっ......」
たまらず、兵士が背を向けた瞬間、首の後ろから突き刺さった刀の切っ先が、彼の視界に映った。
混乱し、息苦しさに喘いでいるうちに、激しく血を吐いた。
暗転する兵士の視界、見下ろすようにたった一二三の姿はどのように映ったのか。恐怖に目を見開いたまま、最後の一人も息絶えた。
「死んだか。下っ端程度じゃこんなもんか。騎士連中なら、もう少し歯ごたえがあるかな? なあ、お前は知っているか?」
一二三は近くにある建物の影に向かって、質問を投げた。
大きな人影が驚いた様子を見せ、何も言わずに逃げていく。
「うん? ......それなりに強そうな手合いかと思ったが......まあ、いいか」
今日の所は次の獲物は来ないだろう、と一二三は懐紙で刀を拭うと、宿として使っている建物へと帰って行った。
惨劇の舞台で一二三の誰何から逃げ出したのは、誰でもないサルグだった。
しばらく人間のエリアを観察してスラムへと戻ってきた彼は、短期間で変わり果てたスラムの様子に驚いていた。
「これは一体......に、人間がいるのか!?」
スラムの街には当たり前のように人間が獣人と並んで歩いており、その様子は奴隷と主人ではなく、仲の良い友人のようにしか見えない。
思わずコソコソと隠れるようにスラムの奥へ進むと、そこはまだ解体されて居ない古い家があり、以前のスラムの様子が残っていた。
「おっ。お前は正義に味方さんじゃあないか」
困惑しきりでいるサルグに声をかけてきたのは、片腕の犬獣人だった。スラムへ入ったサルグが、最初に出会った男だ。
「獣人の救助とやらは進んでいるのか?」
カラカラと笑っている犬獣人は、以前出会った時とはまたく違う、きちんと仕立てられた服を着ていた。
「スラムは一体どうなったんだ? 人間が入ってきているようだが」
「どうなった、と言われてもな。俺にもわからねぇよ。わかるのは、俺にも出来る仕事があって、まともに食い物が手に入るようになったってだけだな」
「仕事だと?」
荒野ではまず耳にしない言葉に、サルグは首をかしげた。
「まぁな。片手でも、荷運びと釘打ちくらいはできるぜ。この家も、俺が手伝って建たんだぜ。まあ、ほとんど人間に習ってやったんだけどな」
はにかむ犬獣人に、サルグは牙を向いた。
「人間に使われているのがそんなに楽しいのか! 結局奴隷になってるなら......」
「お前さんは本当に視野が狭いな」
犬獣人は首を振り、やれやれと肩をすくめた。
「奴隷とは違う。働いてその分の金を貰って、それで食い物を買う。服も買ったんだ。命の危険も無く、色んな味の食い物を味わえるなんて、荒野じゃ考えられないだろう?」
「だが、人間ごときの言うことに従うなど!」
「その人間“ごとき”に、俺たち獣人はいいようにやられてきた。それがまだ理解できないのか。人を一人や二人殺したところで、俺たちが変わらないなら俺たちの立場も変わらないのは当たり前だ」
羊の嬢ちゃんの受け売りだけどな、と犬獣人は恥ずかしそうに笑う。
サルグはそれが全く理解できない。
獣人は自由に荒野をかけまわり、誰にも縛られずに自然の中で過ごすのが一番のはずだ。だが、目の前の男は人間と交わって人間に使われて喜んでいる。
「お前は......なんなんだ?」
サルグの口をついて出た言葉に、犬獣人は苦笑いしかできない。
「おいおい、大丈夫か?」
心配して近づいた犬獣人が、自分より大分背の高いサルグの肩に手をかけようとしたが、サルグは鋭く腕を振るい、その腕を叩き折った。
「ぐあっ!? てめぇ!」
痛みと怒りで声をあげた犬獣人に、罵りの声をあげたサルグの爪が襲いかかる。
開かれた口に突っ込まれた腕は、そのまま後頭部まで貫通した。
ほとんどもがれたようになった首をくたりと落とし、犬獣人の身体が膝をついて、倒れる。
スラムとは言え日中の街中だ。目撃した通行人も一人や二人ではない。
右手にべっとりと付いた血を見て、我に返ったサルグの耳に悲鳴が聞こえ、周囲を見回した。
周りに居た獣人や人間が、怯えの色を見せて後ずさるのを見て、サルグは悲鳴の原因が自分であることを認識した。
「ち、違う! これは......」
「誰か! 助けてくれ!」
サルグの弁解は誰にも届かない。
血まみれの手を振り回す3mの熊獣人の言葉に耳を傾けるには、先ほどの行動があまりにも身勝手で言い訳の効かない状況だった。
「ぐ......クソッ!」
騒ぐ人々をかき分け、サルグはその場から逃げ出した。
悲鳴を上げて道を開ける人間や獣人に目もくれず、サルグはスラムの奥へと逃げた。
朽ちかけた家屋の中に飛び込み、追っ手に怯えて言い訳を考えているうちに日が暮れた。
そして夜の帳が降りた頃、コソコソと隠れて戻ってきたところで、人間である一二三が人間を殺すのを見たのだ。
もはや、サルグの頭の中は信義と心情でかき乱されて、叫びたい衝動を必死に押さえるのに精一杯だった。
あの恐ろしい人間がどこかへ行ったのを確認したサルグは、スラムにいる事が怖くなり、逆に人間たちの住むエリアに隠れる場所を求めてフラフラと歩いて行った。
ソードランテの王、ブエルの機嫌は非常に悪かった。
そしてまた、彼を不機嫌にさせるに充分な報告が届く。
「......スラムへ派遣した兵からの報告はありません。帰還もしておらず、何者が原因かも不明です」
王が玉座の肘掛を掴む指に力が入り、ミシリ、と静かな謁見の間に音が響く。
だが、報告に来た騎士は言葉を止めるわけにはいかない。
「日中に大工に紛れて潜入した者の報告によれば、獣人どもはスラムの建物を再建し、技術を取り入れ、商店の真似事を始めたようです。一部では、農地が作られているという噂も聞いたようですが、こちらは未確認です」
一息置いた騎士は、チラリと王を盗み見た。
紅潮した顔は今にも弾けそうなほどに力が入っているのが解る。もし騎士が玉座の前、かなり離れて平伏しながらの報告で無ければ、苛立ちで斬り捨てられていたかもしれない。
「......兵士が殺されて居たという話はありますが、獣人たちの間でも誰がやったかは不明だと話されているようです。獣人同士の殺害事件も......」
「もういい!」
話を遮った王は立ち上がり、怒りに任せて声を張り上げた。
「いつからこの国の兵士は獣人の街に入ることすら出来ない貧弱者の集まりになったのだ! 兵士とはいえ、誇り高き騎士の国の誇りも無いのか!」
「王よ。兵などは所詮食い詰めた平民どもの集まりに過ぎません。ここは騎士を派遣し、人間の真似事をしている巫山戯た獣人どもに身の程を教えてやるべきではないでしょうか」
謁見の間にずらりと並んだ騎士のうち、一人の若い男が進み出た。ゆるいウェーブのかかった金髪と整った顔立ちは、血統の良いソードランテの高位貴族に多い顔立ちだ。
「......では、貴様ならできると言うのだな? ゼブル」
「我が剣にかけて」
芝居がかった仕草で、ゼブルと呼ばれた男はニヤリと笑った。
「では、貴様に命じる。兵を連れてスラムの掃除をせよ」
「お待ちください! 今のスラムで騎士が動くとなれば、民間人にも影響がでかねません。ここは調査を進めてからでも遅くはありますまい!」
老境にさしかかった年齢の文官が、慌てて王の命令に異論を唱えたが、それは王にとって耳障りの良い忠告ではなかった。
「調査だと? では調査をしてどうしろというのだ。獣人と仲良くやっているから放っておけとでも言うのか!」
「それは......」
「騎士が正義を成すため、この国の秩序を守るために動くのだ。平民に多少の犠牲が出たところで、気にするものでもない」
「王の仰せの通りです。我がソードランテは騎士が獣人を成敗して成り立った国。獣人を始末し、身の程を教えてやる事こそ、我ら武人の拠って立つところ。今更動物愛護や勘違いした平民の事を慮る必要などありません」
腕を広げ、周囲に言い聞かせるように語るゼブルの言葉に対し、王は頷き、他の騎士たちも賛同の声をあげた。
対して文官たちは苦い顔をしているが、この国で文官の立ち位置は非常に低い。どんなに家柄が良くても、武力を持たなければ軽んじられるのだ。
「王よ。折角の機会ですから、多少派手にやりたいと思うのですが、いかがでしょう。平民どもや獣どもは、我々騎士の存在を軽んじているように感じます。ここはひとつ、当事者以外の見ている者にも強者であり支配者が誰かという事を教えてやるべきでしょう」
「なるほど......よかろう、貴様の良いようにやってみろ。だが、失敗したなら騎士の誇りを汚した罪は命で償ってもらうぞ」
睨みつける王に対し、ゼブルは涼しい顔で片膝を付いた。
「御意のままに」
どうしてこうなった、と何度も頭の中だけでなく、口に出して言うほどヘレンは状況についていけなくなってきた。
数日たって宿を引き払ったかと思うと、獣人がたくさんいる街に連れて行かれ、レニと二人で暮らすための家を与えられ、二人で勉強の続きをしながら、たくさんの人間たちと相談をして、他の獣人たちのための住居や店についてアドバイスをしていく。
「鳥の獣人さんは、高い場所に出入り口があった方がいいんですかね?」
「鳥獣人だってずっと飛んでるわけじゃないんだから、出入りは上にも下にもあった方がいいんじゃない?」
「虎獣人の家はこの位の大きさでいいのかね?」
「あいつらでかいのも多いから、このくらいの幅とこれくらいの高さが無いと出入りしづらいと思うけど」
次から次に人間の大工たちがやって来て、ヘレンに質問を投げてくる。
あちこちにある建設現場をぐるぐる周りながら、大工たちの質問に答えて行く。
「あーもう! もうちょっとゆっくりさせてよ!」
思わず声をあげるヘレンだが、大工たちも次の建物が待っているので、早く仕上げてしまわないと、と焦っている。
それが獣人たちのための建物であることはヘレンも承知しているので、断るわけにもいかず、疲れた顔で次の建物へと向かった。
同じ頃、レニの方は獣人たちと新たに建設された店舗で打ち合わせ中だった。
「人間が使っている“お金”は、この三色があって、これが100枚でこれと同じ、これが100枚でこれと同じです」
並べられた貨幣を順番に指差しながら、レニは貨幣の価値についてゆっくり説明していく。
ふわふわとした白い毛の羊獣人が、おっとりした声でのんびり計算の話をしているせいか、睡魔に襲われる者もいるが、そこは獣人の荒っぽさで、叩かれたり足を踏まれたりして無理やり覚醒させられていた。
並んで勉強しているのは、男女合わせて10名程、半分は一二三が買った奴隷で、半分は元からスラムにいた獣人たちだ。
「でもよ、そんなたくさんの数をいちいち数えてたら大変だぜ」
「大丈夫ですよ。この金貨は普通の人は滅多に使わないそうですし、商品は数えやすい金額にすればいいんです......と、一二三さんが言ってました」
受け売りなんで、と恥ずかしげに答えるレニに、文句を言う者はいない。今のスラムで彼女以上に人間の生活や商売について詳しいものはいないのだ。自然と年長の獣人たちからも質問や相談を受けるようになっていた。
ヘレンは、そのとばっちりを受けたと言ってもいい。
「一二三さんか......最近あまり見ないが、どうしているんだろうね? 人間というより、あれは凶暴な獣人に近い匂いがするお人だけどね」
レニと同じ羊獣人の老婆が、欠けた歯を見せて笑った。
「さあ......昨日少しだけ会ったときは、なんだか楽しそうにしてたけど......」
老婆が言う、凶暴な獣人というのは違う、とレニははっきり言った。
「一二三さんは、凶暴な人には凶暴で、普通の人には普通の人だと思うよ? ウチは良くしてもらったし......」
「ああ、ごめんよレニちゃん。そういうつもりは無いんだよ。それに、獣人なら強い人に惹かれて当然だろうからね。頑張るんだよ」
「うん。頑張る!」
老婆が何を応援してくれたのかはわからなかったが、多分、一二三から与えられた勉強のことだろうとレニは思って、元気に返事をした。
The soldiers of Swordland are holding their swords with both hands as well.
Having a length of around 1 m with their blades extending straight-lined, they give a boorish impression coupled with thickness.
The soldiers, who are facing Hifumi, grasped those swords tightly. They broke into a run while motivating themselves with "There's just one enemy."
"You mad friend of the animals! Die!"
A single sword, swept sideways, approaches Hifumi rapidly.
But, taking one step forward, Hifumi prepared the katana vertically and hit his enemy's elbow with it. Assisted by the weight and force of the soldier's sword, the elbow broke with a dry sound.
"Gyaaa..."
At the point the soldier gave a short scream, Hifumi's katana slips into the soldier's neck.
The soldiers faltered from the smiling man, who deliberately bathed in the spurt of blood.
"Aren't your swings fairly fast? However, it's not merely about swinging it." (Hifumi)
"You use the hamon like this", Hifumi stepped into and hit the group, which was is in a sorry state, with thrusts. He stabbed both eyes of the soldier, standing at the forefront, up to the brain.
Sending the soldier, who collapses without even a single sound, flying with a kick, he cut up the bellies of the soldiers, flinching from the thrown body, horizontally in a straight line.
There are two left.
Hifumi slowly approaches the soldiers, who have already lost the will to fight, holding the katana, which is dripping with blood.
"W-Why are you acting as ally of the beastmen?"
"I'm not particularly their ally." (Hifumi)
In reality he had crushed several villages killing more than 100 beastmen in the wastelands.
"If you become my enemy, it will be the same treatment for beastmen as for humans. If you cut them, meat can be seen and blood gushes out. Look." (Hifumi)
With a sharp thrust he sliced the carotid artery of the asking soldier with a snapping sound* and a red fountain gushed forth.
"All living beings trying to survive in this world have the same flesh and blood. I'm supporting the principle of equality, thus I won't discriminate." (Hifumi)
The soldier, who collapsed losing blood, died before Hifumi finishes his speech.
The remaining soldier has already let go of his sword and is retreating slowly.
"Don't run away. Let's enjoy it until the end." (Hifumi)
"U-Uwaah..."
The second the soldier turned his back unable to endure it, the katana's point pierced through the back of the neck and was reflected in the soldier's view.
While struggling due to choking and confusion, he vomited blood violently.
How was the appearance of Hifumi, who looked down on him, reflected in the soldier's field of vision, which was blacking out? In a state of having his eyes widely opened in terror, the last one passed away.
"He died, huh? The level of the underlings is around this much, eh? I wonder, will I be able to enjoy the feast a bit longer, if it's a group of knights? Say, do you know?" (Hifumi)
Hifumi threw a question facing the shadow of a building close to him.
A large shadow of a person shows a sign of surprise and escapes without saying anything.
"Yes? ... I wondered whether it will be a match with someone quite powerful, but... well, who cares." (Hifumi)
"The next prey probably won't come to today's spot", Hifumi wiped the katana with a folded paper and returned to the building, which he is using for lodging.
The one who escaped from being asked about his identity by Hifumi at the stage of the tragedy was no one else but Salgu.
He, who returned to the slums after observing the human area for a while, was surprised of the slum's appearance, which completely changed in a short time.
"What the hell, this is... a human?" (Salgu)
In the slum city humans are walking alongside beastmen as if it was a common occurrence. Their state can't be seen as anything else but them being close friends, with no distinction of slave and master.
Once he proceeded into the slum's interior, reflexively hiding himself and moving stealthily, he discovered the remains of the previous slums' appearance with old houses, which haven't been demolished yet.
"Oh, Aren't you Mr. Ally-of-Justice?"
The one who called out to Salgu, who is at a loss, was the one-armed dogman. It was the man, he met first, when he entered the slums.
"Is the rescue of beastmen or such making progress?"
The dogman, who is laughing loudly*, is completely different from the time when he met him the last time. He wore neatly tailored clothes.
"What the heck happened to the slums? It looks like humans have entered, too." (Salgu)
"Even if you ask what happened, I dun' know either. What I know is that there's work I can do as well. Even if it's only for the obtaining of decent food."
"Work, you say?" (Salgu)
Salgu tilted his head to the side due to the words he hasn't heard about in the wastelands.
"Well, yea. Even one-armed I'm able to at least carry goods and hammer nails. Even this house, I was contracted to help with it. Well, I was mostly trained by humans though."
Salgu faced his fangs at the bashful dogman.
"Is it that much fun to have been used by humans? In the end, if you have become a slave..." (Salgu)
"Your outlook is really narrow."
The dogman shook his head and shrugged his shoulders with a "Good grief."
"It's different from being a slave. Working and receiving money for that work, you can buy food with it. I bought clothes, too. There's no danger to my life either. You won't be able to anticipate something like being able to relish variously tasting food in the wastelands, right?"
"But you don't have to do something like following what the likes of humans tell you!" (Salgu)
"We lived by "us beastmen are fine" due to the "likes of humans." Are you still unable to comprehend that? Even if you killed one or two humans, it will only be natural for our standing to not change, if we don't change."
"Though that's second-hand telling of what the sheep jou-chan said", the dogman laughs looking embarrassed.magic
Salgu isn't able to understand that at all.
Running about freely in the wastelands and spending time in nature without being tied by anyone should be the best for beastmen. But, the man in front of him is glad being used by humans and to associate with them.
"You are... what is it with you?" (Salgu)
The dogman can't help but smile bitterly due to the words, which rushed out of Salgu's mouth.
"Oi, oi, are you alright?"
The dogman, who drew near in worry, tried to place his hand on the shoulder of Salgu, who is much larger than him, but Salgu, displaying his nimble ability, knocked that arm away.
"Guaa! Bastard!"
Due to the dogman raising a voice of anger and pain, the claws of Salgu, who countered with swearing, attack the dogman.
The paw, thrust at the dogman's opened mouth, stabbed all the way through to the back of the head.
The head, which was almost plucked off, drops limply and the dogman's body falls to its knees and collapses.
Although it's the slums, is in the dead centre of the city during day. It's not only one or two passers-by, who witnessed that.
Looking at the sticky blood attached to his right hand, the ears of Salgu, who came to his senses, heard a scream and he surveyed his surroundings.
There were humans and beastmen in the vicinity, but watching them retreat showing looks of fright, Salgu realized that he was the cause of the scream.
"I-It's different! This is..." (Salgu)
"Someone! Please help!"
Salgu's explanation doesn't reach anyone.
It was a situation, where it was impossible to lend an ear to the overly selfish explanation of a 3 m big bearman, who is swinging around his bloodstained hands in a circle, trying to rectify his previous action.
"Guu... damn!" (Saulgu)
Pushing his way through the clamouring people, Salgu ran away from the area.
Salgu escaped deeper into the slums without even turning his eyes at the beastmen and humans opening the way while screaming.
Plunging into a decayed, broken building, the day came to an end while he is pondering about an excuse scared of the pursuers.
And, at the time when the veil of darkness descended, he saw Hifumi, who killed humans as human, at the place, he came back to, moving stealthily.
The best he could do now was to frantically hold down the urge of wanting to scream having his emotions and faith stirred up within his mind.
Salgu, who confirmed that dreadful human having gone somewhere, walked unsteadily wishing for a hiding place in the area, where the humans live, as the situation of him being in the slums has become scary.
The mood of Swordland's king, Buell, was extremely bad.
And, once again, plenty of reports have come in to cause his ill humour.
"... There are no reports from the soldiers dispatched to the slums. Without them even returning, it's unknown what the cause might be."
The king grabs the armrest of the throne with strained fingers. *Creak* is the sound reverberating during the quiet audience.
However, the knight, who came to report, cannot afford to stop his words.
"According to the information of people, who infiltrated by blending in with the carpenters during daytime, the beastmen apparently were reconstructing the slums' buildings, incorporating engineering and starting sham shops. It seems they even heard the rumour of them creating agricultural land in one part, but that couldn't be confirmed."
The knight, who took a breath, stole a fleeting glance at the king.
He knows that the king's flushing face is under a level of pressure looking to snap any time soon. If the knight wasn't giving his report while being quite away from in front of the throne, he might have been slain in irritation.
"... There are talks that the soldiers were killed, but it appears that even among the beastmen it's unknown who might have done it. Even the murder case of a fellow beastman..."
"Enough!" (Buell)
The king, who interrupted the knight, stood up and entrusted his voice to rage.
"Since when have the soldiers of this country become a gathering of weaklings, who are even unable to enter a city of beastmen! Although they are soldiers, don't they even have the elation to be the pride of the knight country!?" (Buell)
"My king. Something like soldier won't even exceed a gathering of plebeians, who went broke, after all. Shouldn't you teach the foolish beastmen, who are imitating humans, their standing by deploying the knights here?"
A single, young man stepped forward among the knights lining up in a row in the audience hall. He has well-featured looks and blonde hair, which had a lax, wavy hairstyle. He has many aspects found in high-ranking nobles of Swordland with a good pedigree.
"... Then, if it's you, you will be able to handle it, is what you say, Zebul
"I swear by my sword." (Zebul)
With a pompous bearing, the man called Zebul laughed broadly.
"Well then, I order you, take some soldiers and sweep the slums." (Buell)
"Please wait! If a knight moves to the current slums, the civilians won't be unaffected either. It won't be too late even after going ahead with an investigation here!"
A civil official, who had advanced to old age, advocated his opinion to the king's order in a hurry, but for the king it was jarring and not a good advice.
"Investigation, you say? What will you do after the investigation then? Are you even telling me to leave it alone after getting all friendly with the beastmen!?" (Buell)
"That is..."
"I operate in order to protect the order of this country, for the sake of upholding that knights are justice. Even if a number of victims appeared among the commoners, I won't mind it either." (Buell)
"It's as the the king states. Our Swordland is a nation composed of knights judging the beastmen. It stands depending on us military men dealing with the beastmen and teaching them their own place. There's no necessity or such to deliberate thoroughly animal rights and the situation of commoners, who misunderstood it, this late in the game." (Zebul)
The king nodded and the other knights also raised voices of approval towards the words of Zebul, who is spreading his arms and talking as if persuading his surroundings.
In contrast the civil officials are making bitter faces, but the position of a civil official in this country is extremely low. No matter how good their pedigree might be, they will be looked down upon, if they don't possess military power.
"My king. It's a precious opportunity, thus I think that I want to do it somewhat flashily, but what is your opinion on that? I feel as if the commoners and beastmen are making light of us knights. I should teach them about who's a leader, being a strong person even among those visible here, with the exception of a single person." (Zebul)
"I see... very well, try and show me your greatness. However, If you fail, you will pay with your life for the crime of disgracing the pride of the knights." (Buell)
Zebul went down on one knee towards the glaring king with a nonchalant air.
"At your will." (Zebul)
Helen couldn't follow the situation to a degree that not only did she ask that herself many times within her head, but she also put it into words.
As soon as she moved out from the inn, where she spent several days, she is taken along to a city, where there are many beastmen. While she is given a house for the sake of living there together with Reni and is continuing to study, she consults with many humans and gives advice regarding houses and shops of other beastmen.
"Wouldn't it be better for the entrance and exit of a bird beastman's house to be at a high place, I wonder?"
"Since it's not like they are always flying, even if they are birds, wouldn't it be even better to have them come and go below and on top?"
"Is this kind of size fine for the house of a tiger beastmen?"
"Since there are also many large fellows among them, I believe it will be difficult for them to enter and leave, if the height and width isn't about this much."
One after the other human carpenters turn up and throw questions at Helen.
While going around the neighbourhood's construction sites, being all over, she answers the questions of the carpenters.
"Ah, geez! Take it a bit slower!" (Helen)
Helen rises her voice unintentionally, however since there are also the carpenters waiting at the next building, she is going to lose her presence of mind, if she doesn't finish up quickly.
Given that Helen has also been aware that those are buildings for the sake of beastmen, she headed to the next building with a worn-out expression having no reason to refuse them either.
At the same time Reni was in the middle of a briefing session with beastmen in a newly built shop.
"The "money", used by humans, has these three colours. This is the same as 100 coins of this and this is the same as 100 coins of that." (Reni)
While pointing at the lined-up currency in turns, Reni slowly explains the value of the coins.
As result of the sheepgirl with the fluffy, white hair care-freely talking about calculation with a gentle voice, there are also some getting attacked by drowsiness, but they were forcibly woken up by the rough beastmen there stepping on their feet or hitting them.
Of those lining up to study, half are beastmen, originally from the slums, and half are beastmen, bought as slaves by Hifumi, with around 10 each of both sexes.
"But, you know, it's difficult, if you want to have to count each and every single one of such large number."
"It's alright. Ordinary people apparently won't use this gold coin often. It will be fine, if you just make the price of the goods something easy to count... is what Hifumi-san said." (Reni)
There are no people raising any complaints due to Reni embarrassedly answering "It's second-hand knowledge." Currently there's no one as knowledgeable about businesses and the life of humans as her. Therefore it naturally turned into her accepting consultations and questions from senior beastmen.
You could also say that Helen suffered getting mixed up in that.
"Hifumi-san, huh...? As we haven't seen him much recently, I wonder, what is he doing? Rather than a human, that person has an aura close to that of a ferocious beastman."
The old sheepwoman of the same tribe as Reni laughed displaying her chipped teeth.
"Who knows... at the time I met him yesterday for a bit, he looked somehow happy, but..." (Reni)
"He is different from the ferocious beastmen, the old woman talks about", Reni said bluntly.
"Hifumi-san is brutal for a ferocious person. But, do you believe that normal people are normal people? He treated me properly..." (Reni)
"Ah, sorry, Reni-chan. That wasn't my intention. Besides, it's probably only natural for beastmen to be attracted to strong people. Do your best."
"Yea. I will do my best!" (Reni)
She didn't understand what the old woman was cheering her on for, but Reni thought
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