第385話~王城散策~
ゲストルームを出た俺とアイラはドラゴニス山岳王国の王都ドラッド、そこに聳え立つ王城を散策していた。
「ふむ、質実剛健と言ったほうが良いか?」
「外から見ると尖塔が多くて立派に見えたけど、中身は実用重視。特に空から来る魔物に対する防御を考えて作られている」
巨人が踏んだら痛そう、と思ってしまうくらいに尖塔が多いように見えた王城だが、どうやらその尖塔の殆どは対空防御施設であるようだ。その他にも城の窓の殆どには金属製の鎧戸のようなものが付属しており、いざという時は全ての窓が防御施設になるようだ。
「この城そのものも魔力で強化された石材を使っている箇所が多い。新しい補修の跡も見える」
「結構日常的に魔物の襲撃があるのかね? まぁそうだとしてもおかしくはないか」
王都ドラッドや王都を取り巻く集落は人の住む領域と考えて間違いないが、その周囲は基本的に魔物の領域である。流石に完全なる魔物の領域であるソレル山地ほどの密度は無いだろうが、魔物の生息数が多いであろうことは想像に難くない。
「しかし魔力で強化された石材って相当頑丈だろう? それを破壊する空から襲ってくる魔物ってなんだ?」
「ワイバーンか、キマイラか、グリフォンかヒッポグリフか......もしかしたらデーモンの類かもしれない」
「でーもん? つまり悪魔ってことか?」
「そう呼ばれることもある。デーモンはどこからともなく現れる凶暴な魔物。その姿は一定ではないけど、ツルッとした分厚い皮膚で全身が覆われていて、角や翼が生えている。言葉のようなもので互いにコミュニケーションを取っている様子が見られるけど、人族とデーモンとの間でコミュニケーションが成立したことはない。基本的に残忍で、人族を殺して弄ぶ。別に食べるわけでもないのにただ殺す」
「なにそれ怖い」
「そう、危険。空を飛んだりするのもいるし、大抵の人族よりも力も強い上に破壊魔法も使う」
なんだろう、その絶対人族殺すマン達は。何の目的で誰がどのように作ったものなんだ?
前に俺にコンタクトを取ってきた奴といい、アドル教の主神といい、どうにもこの世界は作り物感がある。正確に言えば、俺の想像もつかないような超技術で作られたような印象がある。そんな世界――というか惑星で、ただただ人族を殺すためだけの存在なんてものが......いや、魔物という存在そのものがそうなのか。だとすると、デーモンとやらはその最先鋭に位置する存在? そもそも魔物の存在意義とはなんだ? 凶悪な敵性生物の配置にどんな意味が......やはり人口調整か? それとも人族の勢力バランスを調整するためか? うーむ?
「コースケ?」
「すまん、ちょっと考え事をしていた。まぁ答えのないことを考えても仕方がないな」
「そう? でも後で聞かせて。デーモンについてコースケがどんな感想を持ったのか聞いてみたい」
「オーケー。お、どうやら広い場所に出るようだぞ」
人の気配もするし、どうやら陽が差し込んでいるようで廊下よりも明るい。風も感じられるから、どうやら中庭か何からしい。
「訓練場か?」
「そうみたい」
俺達が辿り着いたのは城に勤める兵士達の訓練場であったようだ。兵士の多くはリザードマンや大柄な獣人で、その中に竜っぽい角や翼、尻尾などを持つ者達が混ざっている。ドラゴニス山岳王国は亜人主体の国であるようだ。
「槍がメインウェポンなんだな」
「そうみたい。竜騎兵の主武装も槍だからかもしれない」
しかしこんな時でも訓練を欠かさないんだな。ああいや、俺達みたいなのが城に来たところで兵士のやることは大きく変わりはしないか。いきなり五十人以上の人員を城に入れたせいで多少の影響は出てるかもしれないけど。
アイラと二人で兵の訓練の様子を眺めていると、俺達の後ろから大柄な獣人達が現れた。全員武器を携えており、城の兵とはデザインの違う鎧を身に着けている。
全員が獅子――つまりライオンっぽいパーツが身体のどこかにあるし、先頭を歩いている男――鬣があるからたぶん男――は顔はそのまんまライオンだ。レオナール卿を彷彿とさせるが、こっちの獅子男はだいぶ目つきというか顔つきが悪いな。
「生白いもやし野郎が。目障りだ。去ね」
「......えぇ?」
俺の横を通り過ぎる――かと思ったらわざわざ俺の目の前に立ち止まっていきなりこれだ。流石の俺もこれには困惑である。
「Oh......ステイステイ、アイラステイ」
いつの間にか懐からミスリルをふんだんにあしらった短杖を取り出していたアイラの肩を掴んで止めておく。こんなところで魔法なんてぶっ放すのは色々とまずかろう。
「一応聞くが、正気か? 俺が何者か知った上での発言か? あんたの上は見知らぬ人にいきなり侮辱的な発言を行うのを許しているのか? というか今の発言を取り消すなら今のうちだぞ。まだ聞かなかったことにできる」
視界の隅で諍いの気配を感じ取ったのか、竜のような角を生やした位の高そうな兵士――いや、多分騎士がこちらへと向かってくるのを捉える。俺の推測が正しければ、ドラゴニス山岳王国において竜のようなパーツを身体に持つ人は王家の血筋か、あるいは王家に親しい貴族の家系に連なる者だ。この悪人面の獅子男がどこの何者かは知らないが、目の前の男が俺を侮辱したことをドラゴニス山岳王国が知ると多分面倒なことになる。
「生白いもやし野郎を生白いもやし野郎と言って何が悪い? その貧弱な身体では剣も槍も扱えないんだろうが?」
人相の悪い獅子男が小馬鹿にするような口調でそう言い、鼻で笑う。それに合わせて他の獅子っぽい獣人達も笑う。おお......もう......どうしてそこで察してくれないんだ。それとも竜っぽい騎士......もう竜騎士でいいや。竜騎士がこっちに向かってきてることを承知の上での発言なのか?
呟きながらこめかみを手で解す。これから起こることを想像したら頭が痛くなってきた。
「何事だ。場内で無用の諍いは控えてもらいたい」
「この男が私の夫を侮辱した」
取り繕おうとしたら、それ以上に早くアイラがそう言って人相の悪い獅子男にビシリと指先を突きつけた。アイラさん?
「戦う力のない生白いもやし呼ばわりした。発言を撤回して謝罪しないなら、決闘でその発言を撤回させて名誉を回復せざるを得ない」
「発言を撤回する気は無い。決闘? 受けて立とう」
そう言って獅子男がニヤニヤとした笑みを浮かべる。背丈の小さいアイラの頭の位置は巨躯の獅子男の腰にも届いていない。圧倒的な体格差だ。傍から見たら勝負にもならないと普通は思うだろう。
でも、アイラは天才的な魔法の才能を持つ宮廷魔道士だ。至近距離から放たれたクロスボウの矢すら瞬時に展開した物理障壁で受け止め、即座に雷の魔法を放って暗殺者を返り討ちにするほどの手練である。獅子男は確かに強そうだが、物理障壁を操るアイラに単純なフィジカルだけで対抗するのはほぼ不可能だろう。
「わかった・名誉をかけた双方同意の上での決闘ということなら我々にそれを止める権利はない。立会人は私が務めるとしよう」
え? 止めないの!? というのが俺の正直な感想だが、その後の事態の進行はそれ以上に俺を仰天させるものであった。
「さぁ、戦ろうか!」
「どうして......? どうして......?」
何故俺は衆人環視の中でクッソマッスルなライオンマンと決闘することになってるんですかねぇ!?
386 Episode 385 - Strolling Through The Imperial Castle
After leaving the guest room, Isla and I were strolling through Dragonis, the king's capital of the mountain kingdom, and the royal castle that stood there.
Hmmm, should I say it's really rigid?
"From the outside, there were many spires and they looked splendid, but the contents were pragmatic. It's made especially to defend against monsters coming from the sky."
The royal castle seemed to have so many spires that the giants thought it would hurt if they stepped on it, but it seemed that most of the spires were anti-air defense facilities. Most of the windows in the castle were also fitted with metal armor doors, and all the windows seemed to be defensive.
"This castle itself has many places that use stone enhanced by magic." I can see the new repair marks. "
Is there a monster attacking you quite routinely? Well, it's just a matter of time.
Dorado, the capital of the kingdom, and the villages surrounding it are definitely inhabited by people, but their surroundings are basically monstrous. There was not as much density as the Sorel Mountains, which was the realm of monsters that became complete stones, but it was hard to imagine that there would be many monsters.
"However, the stone reinforced by magic is quite sturdy, right?" What kind of monster is coming from the sky to destroy it? "
"Wyvern, Kimaila, Griffon, Hippogriff... maybe a demon."
What, you mean the devil?
"That's what they call it. Demons are fierce monsters that emerge from nowhere. Although its appearance is not constant, it is covered with thick, thick skin and has horns and wings. You can see them communicating with each other in terms of words, but no communication has ever been established between humans and daemons. It's basically brutal, and it kills and tricks people. It's not like I'm going to eat anything, but I'm going to kill it."
"What's so scary about that?"
Yes, it's dangerous. Some people fly and use destruction magic more powerful than most other people.
I don't know, those Absolute Man-killers. What was it for, and who made it, and how?
The one who contacted me before, the main god of Adolpheism, this world feels like a creation. To be precise, I have the impression that it was made with supertechnology that I could not imagine. Such a world---a planet that exists only to kill humans--no, the very existence of monsters. So the demons are at the forefront of this? What is the significance of monsters in the first place? What does the placement of vicious hostile creatures mean... demographic adjustments, after all? Or to adjust the balance of power among the Jewish tribes? Hmm?
Korske?
"I'm sorry, I was just thinking. Well, I can't help but think about what I don't have an answer for."
"Yeah? But let me ask you later." I want to know what Koosuke thinks about the daemon. "
Okay. Looks like we're going somewhere big.
There are also signs of people, and it seems that the sun is shining and it is brighter than the hallway. I can feel the wind, so it looks like it's in the courtyard or something.
Training ground?
I think so.
It seems that we arrived at the training ground of the soldiers working in the castle. Most of the soldiers were lizard men and large beasts, and among them were people with dragon-like horns, wings, and tails. The Dragonis Mountain Kingdom seemed to be a subordinate country.
The spear is the main weapon, isn't it?
I guess so. Maybe the Dragon Cavalry's main weapon is a spear.
But you don't need to train at a time like this. Oh, no. Soldiers like us who come to the castle have changed a lot. The sudden addition of more than 50 people to the castle may have had some impact.
As Ira and I watched the training of the soldiers, we saw a giant beast appear behind us. Everyone is armed and wears armor of a different design than the castle's soldiers.
Everyone had lions-that is, there were lion-like parts somewhere in their bodies, and there was a man walking in the lead-perhaps a man with a lion's face. It was reminiscent of Sir Leonard, but this lion man looked a lot worse in his eyes.
"There's a white raw sprout. It's a blind spot. Let's go."
"... eh?"
If you think you're going to walk past me, you stop right in front of me, and suddenly this is it. I was also puzzled by this.
"Oh... Stay, Eilastay"
At some point, I grabbed Aira's shoulder and stopped her while she took out a short wand with plenty of Mithril on it. It's hard to let go of magic in a place like this.
"I asked you, are you insane? Did you say that because you knew who I was? Do you allow strangers to make abusive comments all of a sudden? If you want to cancel your statement, it's now. I can do what I haven't heard yet."
Perhaps you could sense a sinister sign in the corner of your sight, or perhaps you could catch a knight coming toward you, a tall soldier with a dragon-like horn. If my guess is correct, the dragon-like parts of the Dragonine Mountain Kingdom belong to the royal lineage, or the family of nobles close to the royal family. I don't know who this villainous lion man is, but if the Dragonis Mountain Kingdom finds out that the man in front of me insulted me, it'll probably be a hassle.
"What's wrong with calling a white boyfriend a white boyfriend?" You can't handle a sword or a spear with that weak body, can you? "
The disgusting lion man said so in a foolish tone and laughed with his nose. Along with that, the other lionish beasts also laughed. Oh... no more... how come you can't figure it out there? Or a dragon-like knight... I don't want to be a dragon knight anymore. Is this a statement from the Dragon Knight coming this way?
While muttering, the temple is removed by hand. I began to get a headache when I imagined what was going to happen.
"Oh my God, I need you to refrain from unnecessary cooking in the room."
"This man insulted my husband."
I tried to get rid of it, but Aira said it sooner and threw her fingers at the lionish man. Is that Aira?
"I called it a white raw sprout without the power to fight. If you don't withdraw your apology, you'll have to recover your honor by withdrawing it in a duel."
"I don't want to retract my remarks. Let's stand up for the duel?"
With that said, the lion man smiled with a snarling smile. The position of Isla's head, which was small in height, did not reach the waist of the giant lion man. It's an overwhelming difference in stature. If you look at it from the side, you will normally think that it won't be a match.
But Isla is a court mage with a genius magic talent. Even the crossbow arrows fired from close range are instantly caught by the physical barrier unfolded, and instantly unleashed the magic of thunder to defeat the assassin. The Lion Man certainly seems strong, but it would be almost impossible to confront Ira, who manipulates the physical barrier, with a simple physical.
"Okay, if it means a duel based on mutual consent with honor, we have no right to stop it. I'll be the witness."
What? You're not stopping me!? That's my honest feeling, but the progress of things after that made me feel better than ever.
Let's fight!
"Why...? Why...?"
Why am I supposed to duel with a fucking lion man in crowd surveillance!?
Goshujin-sama to Yuku Isekai Survival!
ご主人様とゆく異世界サバイバル！
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/goshujin-sama-to-yuku-isekai-survival/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Mature Seinen Slice of Life
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