空が見えた。
さっきまではギルドの光景があった筈なのに、今は何故か青い空が僕の視界を埋め尽くしていた。なんだ? 何が起こった?
―――白がいた。
正確には、レイラちゃんとは違った純粋無垢で陽の光で輝いてみえる白髪に、白い肌、そして白いドレスを着た少女がいた。露草色の瞳は空を映したようで、でも感情が籠っていなかった。
そして次に、直した筈のギルドが無くなってた。正確に言うなら、地面から2m程までは壁が少し残っていたけれど、そこから上は屋根も壁も、何もかもが吹き飛んでいた。
地面にはリーシェちゃんや数名の冒険者達、受付嬢の子達が倒れていた。死んではいないようだけど、皆気絶している。
「あ、きつね君は大丈夫だったんだ?」
「レイラ、ちゃん......」
ただ一人、レイラちゃんだけは近くに立って白い少女を見ていた。いやそんな生温いものじゃない、レイラちゃんの表情は横から見ても分かる、警戒を剥き出しにした表情で彼女の睨んでいる。僕と訓練場で戦った時も一度あんな顔を見せたっけ。
Sランクの圧倒的実力を持つ彼女が、強敵を目にした様な顔をしていた。
「レイラちゃん......あの子、なに?」
「分からないよ、魔族じゃないのは確かだけど......人間とも違う匂いがする」
レイラちゃんの答えを聞いて、僕も立ちあがって白い少女を見据えた。少女はじっとこちらを見ている。嫌な眼だな、僕達を見ているのに、僕達を見ていない。まるで心の中を覗きこまれる様な眼だ。
勇者と会って、打倒勇者を決めたのにすぐこれか......なんでレイラちゃんといいこんな化け物ばっか僕の前に現れるんだ。
「えーと......君は誰?」
「......驚いています」
「は?」
「一撃で全員浄化するつもりでしたが......存外、お強い様ですね」
何言ってんのこの子。無表情のままに驚いていると言われても全然信憑性がない。浄化ってなんだ、殺すもしくは気絶させるつもりだったって事か? お強いって言われても強いのはレイラちゃんだけで、僕が気絶してないのは耐性と『痛覚無効』のおかげだと思う。
とりあえず、レイラちゃん同様話が通用しないらしいので、ステータスを覗いてみる。
◇ステータス◇
名前:ステラ
性別:女
筋力:28740
体力:39500
敏捷:26800
魔力:52600
【称号】
◇
スキルと固有スキルは何故か何かに阻まれた様に見れなかったけど......ステータスだけでもレイラちゃんを大きく上回っている。正真正銘の規格外、勝ち目のない相手だ。
そして何より気になるのが―――『使徒』って称号。レイラちゃんが人間とは違う匂いがするって言ったのはこの称号のせいだと思う。僕でも分かる、この子は人間の域を超えてしまっている。
「ん......今何かされましたね」
気付かれた!? ステータスを覗いてバレたことなんて一度もない、レイラちゃんですら気がつかなかった筈なのに......この子、本格的にヤバい。
「貴方と......貴女、一撃で倒せなかったのは貴方方が初めてです」
「うふふ、私を死ぬかもしれないって思わせたのも貴方が初めてだよ♡」
「そうですか」
レイラちゃんも通常通りに話してはいるけど、その頬に冷や汗が伝っている。かなり余裕がない状態なのは確かだ。この場を生き残るにはどうすればいい、僕は護らないといけない約束があるんだ、死ぬわけにはいかない。
そもそも、彼女はなんで僕達を襲う? もっと言えば殺す気があってやってるのか?
「君、何が目的?」
まずは、そこを聞いてみないと分からない。
「目的......世界の浄化です」
「浄化?」
「現在、この世界は不安定に揺らいでいます。原因は異世界からやってきた存在を招き入れたことによる空間の歪み―――私はそれを正します」
やべ、ソレって僕と勇者気取りのせいじゃん。逃げられる気がしない。
空間の揺らぎとやらがこの先どうなるのか僕には全く想像が付かないけれど、この少女がもしも言葉通りそれを正そうしているとすれば、僕と勇者気取りは狙われているのかもしれない。
「......具体的に、どうやって?」
「さしあたり原因である勇者を浄化します」
「浄化ってのは......殺すってこと?」
「魂を肉体から解き放つだけです」
「いやそれ殺すってことじゃん」
どうやら僕が異世界人ってことはバレてないようだけど、勇者は確実に異世界人だとバレている訳だから普通に狙われている。
フィニアちゃんとあの勇者気取りしか僕が異世界人であることを知らないから、口を滑らせなければ僕を狙ってくることはないだろうけれど......どちらにせよこの場に居る全員をのした訳だから狙われてようがいまいが大して差はない、か。
「それで......君はこれからどうするんだ?」
「この国で勇者が召喚されたと聞きました。どうやら入れ違いになったようですが......追いかけようと思っています」
「へぇじゃあ早く行きなよ、今ならすぐ追いつけるし君なら普通に殺せるよ」
勇者を追う、なら早く行って欲しい。
正直、彼女に暴れられたら普通に死んでしまう。レイラちゃんですら歯が立ちそうにないんだからね。
でも、そう簡単には行かなかった。彼女は『使徒』なのだ。
「ですが......そこの貴女は、人間ではありませんね」
「魔族、ですね―――まずは先に貴女を浄化します」
『魔族』を見逃す、筈がなかった。つまり、レイラちゃんが狙われた。
◇ ◇ ◇
白い少女、桔音がステータスを見て確認した名前はステラ、彼女はレイラを見てその手を前に突き出した。それはまさしく魔法を発動させる前のフィニアの様で、桔音は何か飛んでくるのかと身構えた。
だが、突き出された手からは何も飛んで来ない。
その代わり、
白い雷がバチバチと大きな音を立てて収束されていき、大きな青白い雷の槍と化した。
それは空気にバチッと摩擦音を響かせ、圧倒的な力を感じさせる威圧感を持っていた。良く見ればその槍の近くの空気が少し歪んで見えた。恐らくは凄まじい魔力故に周囲の光の屈折度が複雑に変化しているんだろう。
「私達は世界の揺らぎを正し、神を殺す事を目的にしています。これはその為の私の武器、神を葬る槍。故に――『
ステラはそう言って、青白い稲妻で出来た槍をレイラに向けた。
「私達、ってことは君みたいなのが他にもいるって事か」
「そうですね、私よりも強い方もいます......まぁ、一撃の破壊力に関しては―――私が一番だと自負していますが」
「ッ......んなっ!?」
くるくると槍を回転させ、そして彼女は言葉を言い終えると同時に稲妻を下から上へと振りあげる様に振るった。ガリガリと地面を削り、同時に稲妻がその身に宿した灼熱で地面を溶かす。
何の抵抗も無く地面を抉り、空高く振り上げられた稲妻の槍は、その彗星の様な軌跡から巨大な雷を打ち放つ。
青白い雷はレイラへと迫り、雷の超高速でレイラの顔の横を通り抜ける。
そして光線の様に通り過ぎた雷は、下から上へと放たれた故に、空へと向かって彗星の軌跡を残す。雲を蹴散らし、一瞬空を青白い光で染め上げた。
「.........!」
その威力は凄まじかったけれど、桔音にとって一番驚愕だったのはもっと別のこと。
自分がこの世で出会った最悪の脅威、その張本人である『赤い夜』......レイラ・ヴァーミリオンが、
―――一瞬も反応出来なかったこと。
稲妻が通り過ぎ、空を青白く照らし、元の青々とした空が戻ってきて、そこで初めてレイラは我に返る。遅れて彼女の頬に、稲妻が通り過ぎて出来た時に掠ったのか、線のような傷が入り、ぷつっと血が出た。
「なに、それ......」
「今のはわざと外しました......次は当てます」
茫然と呟くレイラの言葉は無視して、ステラは淡々とそう言った。次は当てる―――つまり次は殺すと。
言葉に感情は籠っておらず、瞳も無感情だった故に、その言葉は余計に背筋を冷やす。まるで後数mm動かせば心臓に突き刺さる、という所までナイフを突き刺されている気分だった。
心身は拘束されていないのに、生殺与奪権が握られている。
レイラは初めて死の恐怖を体感した。
強ければ強い者に興味を持ち、そして欲望が開放してきたレイラだったが、今は違う。
「あ......う.........」
「もう一度言いますね......次は当てます」
言葉の出ないレイラに、ステラは一歩、歩を進めた。
怖いのはその力ではない、殺気もなく、感情も無く、理由もなく、ただ命を奪おうとする機械の様な彼女自身が怖かったのだ。
そして、また一歩と近づいてくるステラに、レイラは後ずさる。
「勇者を追わなくてはならないので、手早く済ませますね」
すると、ステラはまた槍をくるりと回し、今度は更に大きな雷を発生させる。槍は目に見えて分かるほどに膨れ上がり、ステラはその槍を構え、レイラをその露草色の何も映っていない瞳で見た。
そして、その槍を振りかぶり、投げようとした―――ところで、その動きが止まった。
レイラは死ぬと思いながら、眼を瞑っていたが、飛んでくる筈の攻撃が来ないことを怪訝に思い、ゆっくりと眼を開けた。
すると、ステラの視線が自分に向いていないことに気が付く。その視線が向く先は、自分の横。レイラはその視線の先を追って、見た。
「貴方、何かしましたね」
ステラがそう言った相手、それはレイラの横に立ち、薄ら笑いを浮かべながらステラを見ていた。
「きつね、くん......」
「はぁ......どうしてこうも世界は僕に優しくないんだろうなぁ」
薙刀桔音、彼はレイラが恐怖した相手を前に、そんな呑気なことを言った。
何をしたのかは簡単だ。『不気味体質』を発動させ、ステラの意識を桔音に向けさせることで攻撃を止めただけだ。
「......あのさ、僕はレイラちゃんの事をうっとおしいと思ってるし、相手するのも疲れるし、正直どっちかというと嫌いなんだけどさ」
桔音はレイラの前に出て、言う。ステラは雷を抑えて、その言葉を聞いている。どうやら、桔音を殺すつもりはないらしく、また桔音が何をしたのかも気になったようだ。
「フィニアちゃんにルルちゃんまで取られて、結構頭に来てるんだよ。今の僕にはレイラちゃんの存在だってある意味精神的な支えになってるんだ」
「......きつね君......」
「奪おうって言うなら、君は僕の敵だ」
胸にぽっかり空いてしまった穴は、桔音の心を苦しめる。その苦しみは、もしかしたら桔音を潰しかねない絶望だ。
それでも桔音が潰れないでいられるのは、奪われた絆がまだ生きているという希望と、傍で支えてくれるリーシェや変わらず自分勝手に振る舞うレイラがいるからだ。
故に、レイラを殺されるのはフィニア達を奪われたばかりの桔音にとって、酷く不愉快だった。だから桔音は対峙する、抵抗する。圧倒的な力の差があろうが、そんなことは大したことじゃないと吐き捨てる。
ステラを見据え、レイラの前に立った桔音は薄ら笑いを浮かべながら、不敵に言い放つ。
「―――神殺しがどうした、僕は妄想の中で24回世界を滅ぼした男だぞ」
I'm looking up to the sky.
Even though I was supposed to be inside the guild up till just a moment ago, somehow right now my field of vision is filled by the blue sky. Why? What happened? In instance I straighten up my body, and turn my gaze from the sky to the ground. And then, I can see...
--something white there.
To be more precise, there's a girl, who in contrast to Leila-chan, has shining white hair, white skin, and wears a white dress, that as if made of light. Her azure eyes are as if reflecting the sky, but there's no emotion within.
Moreover, the supposed to be just been repaired guild's disappeared. More precisely, there's still two-meters-high wall remains, but anything above it, either it roof nor wall, everything's been blown away.
Rishe-chan, the adventurers, and the receptionists, everyone is lying on the ground. Seems like they aren't dead, but they're all fainted.
"Ah, Kitsune-kun, are you okay?"
"Leila-chan...."
Except one, Leila-chan, she's staring at the standing white girl. No, she isn't simply staring at her, I can understand it simply by looking at her face, vigilance can be clearly seen there. When we were fighting at the guild's ground, she showed such expression once, after all.
She, who has an overwhelming prwess of S rank, is showing an expression as if facing a formidable enemy.
"Leila-chan... who is that girl?"
"I don't know, I'm sure that she isn't demon, but... I feel like she isn't human either."
After listening to her answer, I also focus my gaze on that girl. The girl is staring fixedly on us. What an unpleasant eyes, they are looking at us, but they aren't looking at us at all. These eyes are as if peeking at inside our hearts.
After meeting that hero, I've decided to knock him down, but, the next one in line is this, huh... firstly Leila-chan, now this girl, why must these monsters always appear before me one after another?
"Umm... who are you?"
"...I'm surprised."
"Hm?"
"Even though I intended to purifiy you all in an attack... you two are unexpectedly pretty strong, aren't you?"
Moreover, what's that purify supposed to mean? To kill? Or perhaps to make us all fainted? And even if she says we're strong, the strong one is only Leila-chan here, I think the reason I'm not fainted is thanks to 'Pain nullification' skill.
Well, for now, since I feel like she's at least as strong as Leila-chan, let's peek at her status first.
*Status*
Name                        : Stella
Gender                     : Female
Strength                   : 28740
Stamina                    : 39500
Agility                       : 26800
Magic Power          : 52600
Title                           :{Apostle} 
*
I can't see her skill and innate skill as if I'm obstructed by something, but... even simply by status, hers has surpassed Leila-chan's by far. The genuine another level existence, someone I can't see any chance of defeating.
And then, the one that makes me most curious is... her 'Apostle' title. Leila-chan said that her smell is different that human, perhaps it's because of this title. Even I can uncderstand it, this girl is someone that has surpassed human limit by far.
"Hmm... you just did something, didn't you?"
She noticed it!? I've never been found out when I peeked at someone's tatus even once up until now, even Leila-chan seems like has never noticed it... this girl is really dangerous.
"You, and... you. You both are the first that I can't defeat in one attack."
"Ufufu, you're also the first that give me the feeling that I might die, you know?"
"Is that so."
Leila-chan is speaking just as she usualy does, but cold sweat is dripping on her face. I can clearly see that this isn't a good situation. What should I do to survive this predicament? I have promises I must fulfill, I can't afford to die here.
Or rather, why did she attack us in the first place? Moreover, was she intending to kill us?
"What's your purpose?"
Firstly, I must ask it first or else I won't understand anything.
"Purpose... to purify the world."
"Purify?"
"Currently, this world's stability is wavering. The cause is the space distortion when summoning someone from another world. I come to correct it."
Shit, doesn't that mean it's because of me and that fake hero? I don't feel like I'll be able to run away.
I don't know and I can't even imagine what she would do to this so called space distortion, but if what she says about correcting it is true, then there's a high possibility that her targets would be me and that fake hero.
"...specifically speaking, how are you going do it?"
"By purifying the cause of this instability, the hero."
"By purifying... do you mean kill?"
"I will only separate his soul from his body."
"That's exactly what I meant by killing!"
Seems like she hasn't noticed that I'm also an otherworlder, but since the hero is clearly from another world so he's clearly been targeted by her.
Aside from Finia-chan and that fake hero, no one know that I'm an otherworlder, so as long as they don't say a word about it, she won't be targeting me, but... either way, since she only knocked everyone here down, that means her purification target is solely the hero, huh.
"Then... what are you going to do?"
"I heard that the hero was summoned by this country. But since it seems like we've passed each others... so I think I'm going to chase after him."
"Hee, then just chase him immediately, if you go now, I'm sure you'd be able to catch up to him very soon, and with your prowess, you'd be able to kill him pretty easily."
Chasing after the hero, then just do it quickly.
Honestly speaking, if she decides to act here, everyone would definitely get killed. Even Leila-chan is seemingly unable to match her after all.
But, the world isn't that nice. She's 'Apostle', after all.
"However... you there, you aren't human, are you?"
"Demon, right? I'll purify you first."
She won't overlook 'demon'. That means, she'd be targeting Leila-chan.
* * *
The white girl, whose name, according to what Kitsune saw when he peeked her status, was Stella, staring at Leila, she pointed her hand forward. That stance was similar with Finia's when she was going to unleash her magic, Kitsune immediately put himself on guard just in case something flew out from her.
However, there was nothing flew out of that pointed hand,
Instead,
Along with thunderous sound of colliding lightning, a large pale lightning lance appeared there.
Along with sounds of fractive lightning, it gave a pressure of an overwhelming power. Looking closely, it could be seen that the air around the lance was a bit distorted. Seems like it was made by mixing a tremendous amont of magical energy and light around her.
"I'm going to correct the world's instability, and our goal is to slay the god. This is my weapon to achieve tha goal, God annihiliting lance. It's also called as 'God slaying lightning (Blue End)'."
Saying so, Stella pointed the pale lighning toward Leila.
"We, does that mean there's still other people than you?"
"You're right, there are even who are stronger me... but, well, one attack destructive power-wise, I can say that I'm the strongest."
"...wha!?"
Rotating the lance, together with her finishing her words, lightning was surging upward. Together with sounds of rumbling ground, the lightning was melting the ground with the radating heat from it.
The ground melted without any resistance, the lance, that was raised overhead, unleashed a comet-like giant lightning.
The pale lightning approached Leila, and passed by a slight away from her face in light speed.
The passing by beam-like lightning, suddenly flew upward leaving traces as if a comet that was returning to the sky. Scattering the clouds, in an instant the sky was dyed by pale light.
"...!"
That destructive power was surrely dreadful, however the thing that surprised Kitsune more was something else entirely.
The strongest threat he ever faced thus far, 'Red Night', Leila Vermilion was...
...unable to react to it at all.
After the lightning passed by her, dyed the sky in pale light, and finally the sky returned to its blue color... there Leila finally came to her sense. Perhaps the lightning grazed her face a little, there was a line of cut appeared with blood bleeding there.
"What, is that...."
"Just now I missed it on purpose... the next one, I'll surely make it hit."
Ignoring Leila's bumbfounded murmur, Stella flatly said so. Next one will hit... that meant, she'd kill her with the next attack.
Without any emotion in her words nor eyes, these words were unnecessarily very chill giving. It was just as a knife that was stabbed at one's chest, and just by moving it by several millimeters, it would immediately pierce the heart.
There was nothing retraining her body and mind, but Leila was unable to move under that life and death threat.
For the first time, Leila exprerinced the threat of death.
Leila, always had a great interest and uncontrollable desire at powerful existence, however this time she was deffierent. Right now, she was simply scared at the girl before her.
"A... u...."
"Let me tell you once again... the next one, I'll surely make it hit."
Toward Leila who was unable to say even a word, Stella took a step forward.
The thing Leila feared wasn't her prowess. Without any thrist of blood, emotion, nor reason, as if a machine that was made to kill, Stella herself was what frightened her the most.
And then, noticing that Stella took one step forward, Leila took one step backward.
"I have to chase after the hero, so I'll finish it as quickly as possibile."
Then, Stella rotated the lance again, however this time she generated a larger amount of lightning. Large enough to the point the lance couldn't be seen clearly. Readying that lance, Stella looked at Leila with her blank azure eyes.
And then, when she brandished that lance and about to threw it... there, her movement stopped.
Thinking that she might die, Leila closed her eyes tightly, but while  wondering why she didn't feel the supposed to be coming attack, she slowly opened her eyes.
Then, she noticed that Stella's gaze wasn't pointed at her. Stella's gaze was pointed at, someone beside her. When she turned her gaze at her side following that direction, she saw it.
"You, you did something, didn't you?"
The one Stella called out to was, someone who was standing beside her, and staring at Stella with his usual faint smile.
"Kitsune, kun...."
"Haa... just why is this world never nice to me even once, I wonder."
Naginata Kitsune, before the threat that even Leila feared, he carefreely said so.
What did he do? The answer was simple. He simply activated 'Eerie Constitution', averted Stella's consciousned toward him and stopped her attack.
"...you see, I do think Leila-chan is annoying, accompanying her is also very tiring, if I should put it in word, then I'd say that I hate her."
Saying so, Kitsune stepped forward and stood before Leila. Stella stopped her lightning, and listnened to his words. Seems like, she had no intention to kill Kitsune, also, she was curious about what Kitsune would do.
"I just lost Finia-chan and Lulu-chan, right now I'm quite depressed you know? That's why, right now, it could be said that even Leila-chan's existence is kind of mental support for me."
"...Kitsune-kun...."
"That's why, if you want to take her away from me, then you'e my enemy."
Kiusune's soul was suffering by the gaping hole at his heart. That anguish was, perhaps the despair that might even capable of crushing him.
Nevertheless, the reason why Kitsune hadn't been crush by it was, because there was still a hope for that stolen bonds to be kept alive, also Rishe; who always supported him; and Leila; who always acted as she pleased; who were always by his side.
That was why, to let Leila got killed, for Kitsune who just lost Finia and Lulu, that was a very unpleasant idea. That was why, Kitsune stepped up, and resisted. In spite of the heaven-and-earth disparity between their prowesses, he disregarded all of it.
Staring at Stella, Kitsune who was standing in front of Leila, along with his usual faint smile, fearlessly said.
"...what's up, god-slayer? Here, I'm the man that, in his mind, has destroyed this world no less than 24 times already, you know?"
I Kinda Came to Another World, but Where’s the Way Home?
【書籍化】異世界来ちゃったけど帰り道何処？
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/i-kinda-came-to-another-world-but-wheres-the-way-home/
Action Adventure Comedy Drama Fantasy Harem Shounen Slice of Life
Apathetic Protagonist Bullying Calm Protagonist Demi-Humans Demon Lord Demons Dense Protagonist Fairies Game Elements Ghosts Heterochromia Knights Level System Male Protagonist Murders Naive Protagonist R-15 Royalty R*pe S*aves Sword And Magic Transported to Another World Weak Protagonist Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2650bx/
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