四十四話
「————堅実だから、です」
ソフィアが目を輝かせて足を踏み入れた人気のスイーツ店————名を〝プロッソル〟。
アムセスが店のオーナーらしき人物と話をするや否や、案内をされた奥のテーブルにて美味しそうにデザートを頬張るソフィアを蚊帳の外に、俺は彼へそう告げていた。
だから、貴方の誘いには乗れない、と。
「堅実に、それこそ一つ一つ経験を積み重ねて行き、実力を付ける。その一連の行為が間違っているとは言いません。寧ろ、それはこれ以上なく正しい。考えが歪んでいるのは俺の方でしょうね。ですが、堅実に強くなったところで、得られるものは————常識の範疇の〝強さ〟でしかない」
それは記憶の中の『星斬り』が親友に向けて口にしていた一言。つまり、受け売りである。
「俺が目指す〝最強〟ってやつは、人がいう普通や当たり前の埒外に位置しているから〝最強〟なんです。安易に届かぬ頂であるから、〝最強〟なんです」
そこに、言わずもがな堅実さなんてものは不要でしかない。
「......君の言い分は分かった。だけど、そういう事情なら、尚更理解に苦しむね」
己が納得するだけ理由があっての発言なのだとアムセスは一応の理解を示してくれる。
しかし、向けられる渋面に変わりはない。
「強くなりたいなら、もっと貪欲になるべきだ。得られるものは全て得る。経験は全て己の物とする。リスクを好むのは君の自由だけれど、得られたであろうものすら捨て置いて無謀に前に進もうとするのはあまり賢い選択肢とは思えないね」
正しかった。
強くなるという目標を掲げたならば、アムセスの言い分の通りに行動する事こそが正解であった。
「でしょうね」
だから、肯定する。
己が持つ考えを貶める結果になろうとも、事実、アムセスの言い分の方が正しいと他でもない俺が理解しているから。
』が証明してくれている事実であるが、正しい事を正しいようにやった人間が到れるほど、〝最強〟は易くないのだ。
故に————。
「それを分かっているのに、どうして、」
「それであれば、自信がつく余地はありませんし、次戦えば今度は己が殺されるだろうっていう〝怯え〟の感情も齎してくれる。俺が求めてるのは、ただ、それの繰り返しですから」
アムセスは、心底理解出来ないと言わんばかりの表情を見せる。
ただ、ソフィアと同様、スイーツを頬張るリレアは相変わらずねと、呆れ混じりに笑っていた。
「......無茶の先に待っているのは、死のみだよ」
「ですが、無茶を貫いた先にしか待ってない頂ってやつがある事を俺は知ってしまっている」
故に、いくら阿呆としか形容しようがない思考であると己自身ですらも分かっていようとも、変える事ができない。
に酔い痴れてしまったが最後、抜け出す事は叶わないのだから。
「俺から言わせれば、下手に自信を付けてしまった方が、余程死にやすくなる」
だから緊張感もくそもない大勢の魔法使いに囲まれる中で、魔物を討伐して中身の伴わない結果と報酬を得る事に興味はないのだと俺は吐き捨てる。
、貴方の誘いに応じる事は出来ません」
そう、締めくくる。
「————は、は、は」「ははははは!!」「ハハッ」「あはははは!!!」「ハハハハハ!!!!」
弾けたように響く断続的な笑い声。
至極真面目に答えてあげたというのに、どうしてか、俺は腹を抱えて盛大にアムセスに笑われる羽目になっていた。
「......いや、ごめんよ。君を馬鹿にしたいわけじゃないんだ。ただ、その考えが面白くて。やっぱり、君とこうして話をしてみたいと思った僕の直感は正しかったというわけだ」
「............?」
周りの客からの視線すらも集まる中、俺は疑問符を浮かべて小首を傾げる。
理解されない思考であるとわかってはいるけれど、そこまでオーバーにリアクションする程のものだろうか、と。
「僕の魔法使いとしての勘、っていうのかな。魔法使いを見ると、この子は特に面白そうだなぁとか、そういった事が何となく分かっちゃうんだよね」
僕自身が予知系統の魔法使いだからって事も関係してるのかもね、と何気なく付け加えられたその一言。
————予知系統。そんなものもあるのかと、関心を抱いたのが顔に出てしまったのか。
「おっ、と。もしかして僕の魔法に興味出た? ま、予知系統の魔法は特に珍しいからね。今からでもどう? もしかすると、これから一緒に行動すれば僕の魔法の正体が分かるかもしれないよ?」
揺らがない俺を前に、アムセスは軽薄な笑みを浮かべていた。
「じゃあ、となると、これから君達はどうするの?」
〝魔法使い狩り〟と呼ばれるナニカが横行する世情。いくら一人ではないとはいえ、動き辛いのではないか。
そう思ってなのか、アムセスは俺に留まらず、リレアやソフィアにも向けて問い掛けていた。
「————その、〝魔法使い狩り〟とやらに興味がありまして」
俺とソフィアとリレアの三人の中で一番年長であるリレアに決定権があると思っていたのか。
悩む素振りもなく、即座に返答する俺を意外そうな目で彼は見詰めてくる。
「折角ですし、一度戦ってみたいなと。何より、そんな物騒な輩を放っておくわけにはいかないじゃないですか」
申し訳程度に俺らしくない正義感に満ちた言葉を言ってやると、ぷくく、と嘘くさいと言わんばかりに何処からか笑い声が聞こえてきた。
笑ったのはソフィアだったのか、リレアだったのか、はたまたアムセスだったのか。
......事実は不明だけれど、笑ってくれやがった人間が一人でない事は確かであった。
「まぁ確かに、それもそうだ。そもそも、僕達が魔法使いを集めてる理由はその〝魔法使い狩り〟とやらから己の身を守る為でもあるからね」
一点に集結しておけば、いくら〝魔法使い狩り〟とはいえ、安易に行動を起こす事は出来ないだろう、と。
成る程確かに、その通りである。
と戦うならひとつだけ忠告しておくよ。最初から最後まで、目は使えないと思っておいた方がいい」
「......正体を知ってるんですか?」
「あくまで噂話程度なんだけどね。どうにも、相手は己の姿を消せる魔法を使うらしい」
まさに暗殺者らしい魔法だねと彼が言う。
「いくら歴戦の戦士とはいえ、相手の姿が見えないんじゃどうしようもない。しかも、不意を打たれたとあっては最早、ただの案山子だよ。殺されるのも無理はない」
それも、頑丈な鎧の上から一撃で対象の命を刈り取る技量の持ち主でもあると付け加える。
「............」
それを耳にした俺は思わず口を閉ざしてしまう。
「もしかして、怖気付いちゃったかな?」
すっかり沈黙してしまった俺をみて、至極当たり前とも思える感想を述べたアムセスに対し、俺は獰猛に笑んでみせる。
口を閉ざしていた理由は我慢していたからだ。決してそれは怯えていたからではない。
姿を隠す魔法。そして、そんな魔法を所持していながら歴戦の戦士に勝るとも劣らない技量。
「......分かってないわねえ。その子にそういう情報は、逆効果にしか働かないわよ」
本当に、会話に交ざってきたリレアの言う通りで、俺にとってそれは逆効果でしかない。
〝強さ〟を追い求める者達にとって、強者との戦い。そして得難い糧は求めて止まないものである。故に、強ければ強いほど、俺のような人間からすれば都合がいいと帰結してしまう。
「どうしてそこまでしてユリウス君に拘るのか。それは知らないけれど、この子を勧誘したいと思うのなら、その情報は悪手でしかなかったわね」
戦う理由は満足にある。
だからこそ、憚る必要はどこにも無い。
「————そういう事です。何より、強い相手だからって背を向けるようじゃ、〝最強〟は夢のまた夢。貴方もそうは思いませんか、アムセスさん」
Chapter 44
"--It's because this is something I already decided on a long time ago."
Sofia's eyes lit up as she stepped into the premises of the popular sweets store named 'Prossol.'
As soon as Amseth spoke with the owner of the place, we left Sofia enjoying her dessert at a table in the back of the restaurant.
And I told him properly that I couldn't accept his offer.
"I'm not saying that steadily trying to accumulate experience and building up one's resume is wrong. Because in fact, it couldn't be more correct, and I'm the one here with a distorted way of thinking. However, I think that becoming strong in a reasonable manner will only get you 'strength' within the realm of normality."
What I just said was a reference to one of the words that the '' in my memory used to utter to his best friend.
"The title 'strongest' that I'm looking for is the 'strongest' because it's outside the standards of what people call natural or normal. The 'strongest' because it's a peak that can't be reached very easily."
There was no room for any unspoken firmness, so I decided to say it all.
"...I see your point. But if that's indeed the case, then it makes it even more difficult to comprehend."
Amseth was understanding enough to accept that I had my own reasons for saying what I was saying.
However, the reluctance he showed was the same.
"If you want to be strong, you have to become more greedy.  Take everything you can get and own the experience. You are free to take risks, but I don't think it's a wise choice to recklessly move forward without knowing what you could gain."
He was right.
If someone's goal was to be strong, the right thing to follow was to do what Amseth just said.
"I suppose so."
So, I confirmed.
Even if it resulted in undermining my own ideas, the fact was that I, of all people, understood that Amseth's point of view was more correct.
However, as the 'Star-Slayer' had already proven, being the 'strongest' isn't so easy to be reached, even by those who do the right thing in the right way.
Hence, I--
"You're well aware of that fact, so why--"
"By doing so, I'd have less and less room for self-confidence. It also gives me the feeling of real and genuine "fear" of actually dying the next time that I fight. What I'm looking for is a mere cycle of that."
Amseth had an expression that said he did not understand what I said at all.
It was unlike Sofia and Lilea laughing in dismay as they ate their own sweets, saying how persistent I was when it came to the things that I wanted.
"...Only death awaits the reckless."
"But I've learned firsthand that there's a summit that only awaits the reckless."
Therefore, no matter how much I knew that my thoughts were nothing but stupidity, I couldn't change them.
Once you have become addicted to the poison of longing, you will never be able to get out of it.
"In my opinion, it's much easier to die if you're not very confident about your own capabilities."
Thus, I spit out that I wasn't interested in defeating monsters and getting results and rewards without substance in the midst of a bunch of magicians who had no sense of urgency in what they did.
"I still don't intend on changing my ways... so I humbly reject your invitation."
I concluded.
"--Heh-- Haha... HAHAHAHAHAHA!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!"
A burst of intermittent laughter sounded through the air.
I gave my answer in the most serious manner I could, but somehow, all I got was a big laugh from Amseth himself.
"...Oh, sorry about that. I wasn't trying to make fun of you or anything, I just found that idea so incredibly intriguing. I knew my instinct to talk to you like this was right all along."
"...?"
Amidst all the stares from the customers around me, I tilted my head with a question mark on my face.
I knew it was a thought that was hard to understand, but I wondered if it was something worth overreacting to.
"I guess you could call it my magician's intuition. When I look at a magician, I can always tell if they look particularly intriguing, or something like that."
I think it may have something to do with the fact that I myself am a magician of the prophetic lineage, he added casually.
I wondered if there was such a thing, and I guess my interest showed on my face.
"Hmm...? Are you perhaps... interested in my magic? Well, prophetic magic is particularly rare. So how about now? Do you feel like working together with us now and trying to find out what my magic is in the process?"
Amseth then flashed a light-hearted smile at me, unwavering.
"What do the three of you plan to do from now on, then?"
Regardless of how much you're surrounded by other people, it must've been hard for magicians to operate.
Perhaps with this in mind, Amseth was asking questions not only to me, but also to Lilea and Sofia.
"--Well, I'm interested in the 'Magician Hunter' and all that..."
I wondered if he thought that since he was the eldest among the four of us, he had the right to decide for us.
Without a hint of concern, I immediately responded, to which he stared at me with surprised eyes.
"I always thought that I'd like to fight whoever's responsible for the death of the magicians at least once, so I thought that it's a good opportunity. Besides, we can't just leave such a dangerous person alone, can we?"
When I apologetically said these words filled with a sense of justice that was unlike me, I heard a laugh from somewhere, as if to say that I was lying.
That laugh could've come from Lilea, Amseth, hell, even Sofia.
...The fact was left unknown, but what I was certain about was that the laughter didn't come from one, sole person.
"Well, that's true too. We're gathering magicians together to help each other out against the 'Magician Hunter' in the first place."
If the magicians were concentrated in one place, the 'Magician Hunter' couldn't do his deed very easily.
It was just as he said.
"But, yes. If you're set on fighting with that certain hunter, I'll give you one piece of advice. From start to finish, expect that your eyes will be useless."
"...Do you know who that is?"
"I've only heard about rumors, though. Apparently, the enemy we're talking about uses magic to make himself invisible."
A very assassin-like magic, he says.
"No matter how experienced warriors they have been, they can't do anything if they can't see their opponent.  And given that they were caught off guard, they were nothing more than mere scarecrows. No wonder they got killed."
He added that it was also a man of skill who could reap the life of his target with a single blow, on top of his formidable armor.
"..."
The gap in my open mouth closed upon hearing this.
"Did I frighten you?"
I smiled ferociously at Amseth, who looked at me in complete silence and voiced what seemed to be a perfectly natural comment.
The reason I kept my mouth shut was because I was holding back.
And on top of such magic, he's also no less skilled than a great fighter of the past.
"...You just don't understand, don't you? That kind of information can only work against you."
Truly, it was just as Lilea had said, who had barged in the conversation, but to me, it was no less than the opposite.
For those who pursued strength, the battle against the strong and the hard-earned sustenance was something they never ceased to seek.
"Why are you so set on Julius-kun joining your group anyway? If you really wanted him to do so, you shouldn't have given away that information."
There were satisfactory reasons for me to fight.
That was why there was no need to be afraid.
"--That's what I've been meaning to say. Above all, if I turn my back on such a strong opponent, being the 'strongest' would just be nothing but a pipe dream. Don't you agree with me, Amseth-san?"
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