第103章：空虚な廃墟 II[Chapter 103: Empty Ruins II]
廃墟は静かだった。あまりに静かすぎて、三つのグループが奥へと続く道を探し続ける中、石床に足音がかすかに反響し、息遣いが異様に大きく響いた。全員が散開し、冷たい石壁に手を滑らせ、石を押し、手がかりを探した。動きごとに舞い上がる塵が、この場所をさらに古びて重苦しいものに感じさせた。
沈黙が続く中、ドランがいつもの無頓着な口調でそれを破った。片手で頭をかきながら、もう一方の手で鼻をぼんやりとほじっている。「本当に俺たち、正しい遺跡にいるのか？」半分退屈そうに、半分イライラした口調で尋ねた。
ゲパは穏やかな目を彼に向け、静かに首を振った。「ああ」と彼は落ち着いた声で言った。「間違いなくここだ。探検すべき遺跡はここだ。必ず先へ通じる道がある。まだ見つけていないだけだ」
ドーランはぶつぶつ文句を言ったが、それ以上は追求せず、ハンマーを肩に掛け、壁にもたれかかった。
---
二日前
ゾラは台所に立ち、自分用の夕食を準備していた。小さな家にはハーブと焼けた肉の香りがほのかに漂う。人間たちと共に暮らすようになってから慣れ親しんだ、質素な食事の匂いだ。彼の表情は穏やかだったが、鋭い感覚は決して鈍っていなかった。
鍋をかき混ぜていると、突然感じた。近くに馴染み深い気配が。身体が硬直し、お玉を握る手がわずかに力む。誰かがここにいる。
次の瞬間、ナイフが空気を切り裂き、まっすぐ彼に向かって飛んできた。振り返ることすらせず、ゾラは手を上げ、二本の指で刃を挟み込んだ。まるで何でもないかのように止めたのだ。彼はそれを静かに傍らのテーブルに置き、低く確かな声で言った。
「お前か」
影から謎に包まれた人影が現れた。返ってきた声は冷たくも揺るぎない。「ああ。俺だ。話がある」
ゾラは振り返りもせず、何事もなかったかのように料理をかき混ぜ続けた。「申し訳ないが」彼は平板な口調で言った。「話すことは何もない」
見知らぬ人影が近づいてきた。「これは非常に重要なことだ。どうか理解してほしい」
ゾラの顎が硬直した。「私はもう、君が知っていた人間ではない。ダンジョンボスでもない。私の干渉なしに、君は自由に何でもできる」
「それはよく分かっている」人影は声を震わせて言った。「そして君が今、人間を育てていることも知っている。だが、せめて話を聞いてくれ。無視するかどうかは、お前の自由だ」
長い間、ゾラは動かなかった。この人物が、重大な用事でなければ来ないことを彼はよく知っていた。ゆっくりと息を吐き、お玉を置いた。
「…わかった」彼は呟いた。
人影の口調が鋭くなった。「ザルサーの件だ」
その名は稲妻のように走った。ゾラの表情が変わり、まず憂いが浮かび、次に別の何か――すでに予期していたという表情が浮かんだ。
人物は続けた。「ザルサーが宝石を探している。指揮官たちに捜索を命じている。深紅の宝石はすでに彼の手に渡った。次は別の宝石を狙っている」
ゾラの声は低く響いた。「だがなぜだ？ なぜ今になって？」
人影は嘲笑した。「お前は馬鹿なのか？それとも見て見ぬふりをしているだけか？彼の企みはお前にも分かっているはずだ。良いことではないと」
ゾラの目が細まった。「私に何を望んでいる？」
「お前が彼を止めねばならない」
ゾラは首を振った。「もう言っただろう。私はあの道は捨てた」
「だから最も必要な時に臆病者ぶるつもりか？」
「この世には強い者たちがいる」ゾラは答えた。「彼らに任せろ。俺でなくてもいい」
人影の口調が鋭くなった。「この世にはお前の娘もいる。我々全員がいる。本当に構わないのか？いつから自分が誰か忘れたんだ？」
ゾラは拳を握りしめた。「人々は俺の名を恐れている。世間にはダンジョンボスだ。それ以上に、悪魔だ。娘をこの厄介事に巻き込むわけにはいかない。守るだけだ、それだけだ」
「本当に娘が幸せだと思うのか？」その人物は迫った。「父親が世界を救えるのに、臆病者を選んだと知って」
ゾラの表情が曇った。「真実を知れば、もっと不幸になるだろう。父親が悪魔だと。父親が…実の父親ですらないと」
人影の声は柔らかくなったが、言葉は鋭く切り込んだ。「そうだな。世界が滅びた時、彼女はきっと幸せだろうな？」間を置いて、付け加えた。「黒曜石の宝石だ。今、奴らが狙っているのはそれだ。そして、それはたまたまウラ町の近くにある。お前の娘がいる場所に」
ゾラの目がわずかに見開かれたが、すぐにその感情を隠した。
「さて」と人影は続けた。「娘が危険にまっしぐらに進むのを、本当にただ座って見ていられるのか？」
ゾラの唇が震えた。彼は背を向け、肩を重く落とした。「…彼女を信じることに決めた。彼女は強い。だが、私の過去を彼女に見せるわけにはいかない。彼女は私を愛しすぎている。もし私の正体を知ったら、彼女は壊れてしまう。小さな脅威なら助けてやれるが、こんな事態では…この人間の姿では、私にできることは限られている」
人影は首を振った。「ふむ。臆病者のままでいろ。なら私が自ら行く」
去ろうとする人影に、ゾラはかすれた声で問いかけた。「…アラクナ。私の立場なら、お前はどうする？子を失う痛みを、誰よりもよく知っているのはお前だ。怖いんだ…」
その言葉が部屋に重く垂れ込めた。
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遺跡にて
探検者たちは捜索を続けたが、苛立ちが募り始めていた。どの壁も同じに見え、どの石も触り心地が同じだった。
ダリウスは疲れた声で大きくため息をついた。「願わくば… 俺の思うものじゃないことを」
傍らを歩くアーニャが眉を上げた。「何を考えてるの？」
ダリウスは顎鬚を掻きながら、相変わらずだるそうに言った。「伝説でしか聞いたことないものだ。まさかここにあるとは思わなかった。もしかすると…ここは神秘の遺跡の一つかもしれない」
エイドリアンの目が大きく見開かれ、声は驚きで震えた。「えっ？！ 本当か？ まさか、伝説の遺跡だって？」
アレックスは眉をひそめたが、その口調は思索的だった。「それは…納得がいく。奇妙な謎解き、行き止まり。だが、もしそうなら、これがどれか分かるまで先に進めない」
リラは首をかしげ、困惑した。「伝説の遺跡？ それって何？」
エイドリアンは素早く説明した。口調は真剣だった。「全部で十一箇所ある。見た目は普通の遺跡だが、違う。生きているんだ。真の名で呼んだ時だけ反応する。間違った名前で呼べば怒り出す…そして二度と内部に足を踏み入れられなくなる」
その言葉に全員が沈黙した。
「つまり」アレックスは腕を組んで結論づけた。「俺たちは無理やり侵入しようとして時間を無駄にしてたんだ。代わりに、その真の名を知る必要がある。それが唯一の道だ」
一同はうなずき、目に決意の光を宿した。探索の方向性が変わったのだ。ブロックを探すのではなく、手がかりを探す。この神話上の遺跡の正体を明かすあらゆる手がかりを。
遺跡そのものが息をひそめ、冒険者たちの成功を見守るかのように静まり返っていた。
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The ruins were quiet, too quiet, as the three groups continued to search for a path deeper inside. Their footsteps echoed faintly across the stone floor, and the sound of their breathing seemed louder than it should have. Everyone spread out, running their hands along the cold stone walls, pressing on blocks, and searching for clues. Dust floated in the air, disturbed by every movement, making the whole place feel even older and heavier.
As the silence stretched on, Doran broke it in his usual careless tone. He scratched his head with one hand, while the other picked lazily at his nose. "Are you sure we're even in the right ruins?" he asked, sounding half-bored and half-annoyed.
Gepa turned his calm eyes toward him and shook his head gently. "Yes," he said, voice steady. "I'm one hundred percent sure. This is the ruin we are supposed to be exploring. There must be a way forward. We just haven't found it yet."
Doran grumbled but didn't push the matter further, his hammer resting across his shoulders as he leaned against the wall.
---
Two Days Earlier
Zora stood in his kitchen, preparing dinner for himself. The small house smelled faintly of herbs and roasted meat, the kind of simple meal he had grown used to cooking since living among humans. His expression was calm, but his sharp senses never dulled.
As he stirred the pot, he suddenly felt it, a familiar aura nearby. His body tensed, his hands tightening slightly on the ladle. Someone was here.
The next moment, a knife whistled through the air, flying straight toward him. Without even turning his head, Zora lifted his hand and caught the blade between two fingers, stopping it as if it were nothing. He placed it calmly on the table beside him and spoke in a low, firm voice.
"It's you."
A figure stepped from the shadows, cloaked in mystery. The voice that answered was cold but steady. "Yes. It's me. And I have something to talk to you about."
Zora didn't even look back at the figure, continuing to stir his food as though nothing had happened. "I'm sorry," he said flatly. "But I don't have anything to say."
The unknown figure stepped closer. "It is very important. Please, understand."
Zora's jaw tightened. "I am no longer the person you used to know. I am no longer a Dungeon Boss. You are free to do whatever you want without my interference."
"I know that very well," the figure said, voice rising with urgency. "And I know you are raising a human now. But just hear me out. Whether you ignore it or not, that's up to you."
For a long moment, Zora stood still. He knew this person well enough to understand that they wouldn't come unless it was something serious. He exhaled slowly, setting the ladle down.
"…Fine," he muttered.
The figure's tone sharpened. "It's about Zalthar."
The name struck like lightning. Zora's face changed, first worry, then something else, a look that said he had already been expecting it.
The figure continued. "Zalthar is the one searching for the Jewels. He has his commanders hunting for them. The Crimson Jewel is already in his possession. Now he's after another."
Zora's voice was low. "But why? After all this time?"
The figure scoffed. "Are you stupid, or just pretending not to see? You know what he's planning. You must know it's nothing good."
Zora's eyes narrowed. "What do you want from me?"
"You need to stop him."
Zora shook his head. "I already told you. I've left that path behind."
"So you're going to act like a coward when you're needed most?"
"There are strong people in the world," Zora replied. "They can handle it. It doesn't have to be me."
The figure's tone turned harsh. "The world includes your daughter. It includes all of us. Do you really not care? When did you forget who you are?"
Zora clenched his fist. "People fear my name. To the world, I am a Dungeon Boss. Worse, I am a demon. And I will not let my daughter get involved in this mess. I will protect her, and that's all."
"Do you really think she'll be happy," the figure pressed, "knowing that her father could save the world but chose to be a coward instead?"
Zora's face darkened. "She would be even less happy if she found out the truth, that her father is a demon. That her father… isn't even her father."
The figure's voice softened, but the words cut sharp. "Yes. She'll be so happy when the world is destroyed, won't she?" After a pause, they added, "The Obsidian Jewel. That's the one they're after now. And it just so happens to be near Ula Town. Where your daughter is."
Zora's eyes widened slightly, though he quickly masked the emotion.
"Now," the figure continued, "are you really going to sit idly by while your daughter walks straight into danger?"
Zora's lips trembled. He turned away, shoulders heavy. "…I've decided to trust her. She's strong. But I can't let her see my past. She loves me too much. If she learns what I am, she'll be broken. I can help with small threats, but for something like this… in this human form, I can't do much."
The figure shook their head. "Fine. Stay a coward then. I'll go myself."
As they turned to leave, Zora asked softly. "…Arachna. What would you have done in my place? No one knows the pain of losing a child better than you. I'm scared…"
The words hung heavy in the room.
---
Back in the Ruins
The explorers continued their search, frustration beginning to build. Every wall looked the same, every block felt the same.
Darius sighed loudly, his voice dragging with exhaustion. "I hope… it is not what I think it is."
Anya, walking beside him, raised a brow. "And what is it that you're thinking?"
Darius scratched his beard, still sounding lazy. "I've only ever heard of it in stories. Didn't think it'd be right here. There's a chance… this might be one of the Mystical Ruins."
Adrian's eyes widened, his voice breaking with shock. "What?! Really? No way, the mythical ruins?"
Alex frowned, but his tone was thoughtful. "That… would make sense. The strange puzzles, the dead ends. But if that's true, we cannot move forward until we know which one this is."
Lila tilted her head, confused. "Mythical ruins? What are those?"
Adrian quickly explained, his tone serious. "There are eleven in total. They look like normal ruins, but they're not. They're alive. They respond only when you call them by their true name. If you call them wrongly, they get angry… and you'll never set foot inside it."
Everyone fell silent at those words.
"So," Alex concluded, crossing his arms, "we've been wasting our time trying to force our way in. Instead, we need to learn its true name. That's the only way forward."
The group nodded, determination flickering in their eyes. Now their search changed, not for blocks, but for clues. Anything that could reveal which mythical ruin this truly was.
The ruins themselves seemed to hold their breath, waiting to see if the adventurers would succeed.
