第3章 冒険者の道[Chapter 3: The Adventurer’s Path]
次に何が起こるか見てみよう
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let's see what happens next
ライラは決心した。彼女は冒険家になるのだ。ゾラがどんなに努力しても、もう彼女を止めることはできない。もともと頑固な性格ではあったが、今回の決意はいつになく強かった。正式に冒険者になるには、ギルドに所属する必要がある。平和で小さな村にはギルドがなかったので、ギルドがある別の町まで行くことになった。出発の朝は、ゾラにとってほろ苦い朝だった。彼はライラが興奮気味に荷物をまとめ、期待に目を輝かせるのを見ていた。彼女は彼の静かなため息や顔に刻まれた心配に気づいていないようだった。
「パパ、一緒に来なくていいのよ」とライラはからかった。
「一人で行かせるわけにはいかないのよ」ゾーラはきっぱりと答えた。
ライラは目を丸くしたが、微笑んだ。「でも、今にわかるわ！試練を乗り越えて、物語に出てくるような立派な冒険者になるわ！」
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町までの道のりは長かったが、不快ではなかった。道は広大な森となだらかな丘陵地帯を通り、天気も良かった。しかし、ゾラは不安が拭えなかった。彼はもう一度、ライラに考え直すよう説得しようとした。「本当にいいのか、ライラ？冒険家の生活は、物語にあるような華やかなものではない。危険で、予測不可能で......私があなたに望んでいたような人生ではないわ」。「冒険家の人生は栄光ばかりじゃない。戻って来なかった者の話はしないものだ」。「それなら、私の話を伝えるようにするよ、パパ。今にわかるわ」。ライラは自信に満ちた笑顔で言う。ライラは興奮で顔を輝かせ、彼に向き直った。「危険なのはわかってるわ、パパ！私が見る場所、戦うモンスター、語る物語を想像してみて！私にできると思わない？」 ゾーラは低い声で言った。「そうするべきかどうかだ」。
しかし、ライラは聞いていなかった。彼女の心はすでに可能性で興奮していた。「試練はどんなものになると思う？誰かと戦わなければならないの？パズルを解くとか？ああ、モンスターを倒すとか？それはとてもクールだわ！」 .
ゾーラはため息をついた。彼女の熱意は揺るぎないもので、心配しながらも彼女の熱意に感心していた。
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ライラが興奮気味にこれからの試練について話しているとき、ゾーラの心はまだ小さかった頃のことを思い出していた。あの頃も、彼女はいつも大胆不敵だった。自慢げに捕まえた虫を持つ小さな手や、村中でニワトリやウサギを追いかけながら空中に鳴り響く笑い声が今でも目に浮かぶ。しかし、彼の心に最も鮮明に残ったのは、ある日のことだった。
ライラはウサギを追いかけてジャングルに飛び込んだ。友人たちが彼女を連れ戻したとき、彼女の膝は擦り傷だらけで出血し、顔には涙がにじんでいた。ライラは、パパがライラの傷口を拭いて包帯を巻いている間、パパのシャツを握りしめて泣き続けた。「痛いよ、パパ」と泣き叫び、その小さな声は彼の心を打ち砕いた。彼は彼女が眠りにつくまで抱きしめていた。その後、パパが彼女の友達に何があったのか聞くと、ウサギのこと、彼女がつまずいて怪我をしたことを話した。しかし、一番心に残ったのは、彼女が友人たちに言った言葉だった： 「こんな私を見てお父さんが悲しむわ。どうしたらいいの？
今でも、その言葉が彼の胸を締め付ける。彼女はとても小さくて、か弱くて、それでも頑固だった。彼女をベッドに寝かせ、涙でぐしゃぐしゃになった顔から髪を払いのけたとき、彼のすべてが崩れ落ちなかった。その夜、彼は彼女のそばにいて、その柔らかな呼吸に耳を傾け、彼女が無事でいることを祈った。
その記憶は今となってはほろ苦い。彼女の揺るぎない決意を思い出すと同時に、自分がどれほど多くのものを失わねばならないかを思い知らされた。
もし世界が今度こそ彼女に優しくなかったら？
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昼過ぎには町に到着した。静かな村よりもずっと大きく、活気と活気に満ちていた。入り口付近の通りには商人たちが列をなし、通行人に声をかけ、商品を陳列していた。空気は焼きたてのパン、焼いた肉、エキゾチックなスパイスの匂いで満たされていた。ライラは目を見開いた。「わあ！見て見て、パパ！すごいわ！」。ゾラは彼女の驚きに思わず微笑んだ。「何か食べていく？それともちょっと見て回る？」
しかしライラは興奮冷めやらぬ様子で首を振った。「そんな時間はない！ギルドはどこ？ギルドを探さなきゃ！」。仕方なく、ゾーラは商人や旅行者、町の人々の間をすり抜けながら、彼女の後について通りを歩いた。大きな木製の扉と、ギルドの紋章が描かれた巨大な看板が目立つ。ライラはゾラに追いつけ追い越せと言わんばかりに駆け足で中に入った。ある者は談笑し、ある者は地図を調べたり、契約の交渉をしたりしていた。
フロントでは、美しい女性が出迎えてくれた。「どうされましたか？ライラは興奮に満ちた声で一歩前に出た。「冒険家になりたいんです！」。女性は眉をひそめ、ゾラを見た。「まずは試練に合格する必要があります。その覚悟はある？「はい！」。ライラはためらうことなく言った。女性は彼女に用紙を手渡した。「これに記入してください。裁判は明日の朝行われます。日の出までに来てください」。
ライラの手は期待で少し震えていた。記入が終わると、女性はうなずいた。「もう大丈夫です。今夜はゆっくり休んでね。
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手続きが終わり、ライラとゾラは残りの一日を町の散策に費やした。地元の料理を試食し、市場で工芸品を鑑賞し、大道芸人が松明で曲芸をするのを見物した。ライラは相変わらず活発で、ゾーラにギルドのことや明日のことを延々と質問した。夜になり、二人は小さな宿に部屋を借りた。暖炉の火がパチパチと音を立て、ふかふかのベッドが安眠を約束してくれる居心地のいい部屋だった。しかしライラは眠れなかった。ベッドに横たわり、天井を見つめながら、試練のことが頭をよぎった。
「もし失敗したら？失敗したらどうしよう、実力が足りなかったらどうしよう......」珍しく小さな声で呟いた。ゾラは彼女の横に座り、肩に手を置いた。「ライラ、聞いて。あなたは一生懸命練習してきたし、自分で思っている以上に実力がある。試練は簡単じゃないけど、私はあなたを信じている。何が起ころうとも、私はあなたを誇りに思う」 彼女は目を輝かせて彼を振り向いた。「本当に？「本当に」ゾーラは小さく微笑んだ。「さあ、ゆっくり休んで。明日は大事な日だから」。
ライラはうなずき、心配が和らいで目を閉じた。数分もしないうちに、ライラはすやすやと眠りについた。ゾラはもう少し起きて彼女を見守った。疑問は残るものの、彼女の決意を誇りに思う気持ちは否定できなかった。彼はただ、世界が彼女に優しく、彼女が無事に自分のもとに戻ってくることを願った。重いため息をつくと、彼は横になって目を閉じ、眠りについた...。
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The decision was made, Lila was determined. She was going to become an adventurer. There was no stopping her now, no matter how much Zora tried. She had always been stubborn, but this time, her resolve was stronger than ever. To officially become an adventurer, she needed to join a guild and to do that she needed to pass the required trials. Their small, peaceful village didn't have a guild, so she had to travel to another town which did. The morning of their departure was bittersweet for Zora. He watched Lila excitedly pack her things, her eyes glowing with anticipation. She didn't even seem to notice his quiet sighs or the worry etched into his face.
"You don't have to come with me, Papa," Lila teased as they set out on the road.
"You know I can't let you go alone," Zora replied firmly.
Lila rolled her eyes but smiled. "Fine, but you'll see, I'll be just fine! I'll pass the trials and become a great adventurer, just like in the stories!"
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The journey to the town was long but not unpleasant. The road went through huge forests and rolling hills, and the weather was great. Zora, however, couldn't shake his unease. He tried, once again, to convince Lila to reconsider. "Are you sure about this, Lila? The life of an adventurer isn't as glamorous as the stories make it seem. It's dangerous, unpredictable... not the kind of life I wanted for you." ."You know the life of an adventurer isn't all glory. People don't tell the stories about the ones who don't come back. "Then I'll make sure they tell my story, Papa. You'll see." Lila says with a confident smile. Lila turned to him, her face lit up with excitement. "I know it's dangerous, Papa, but that's what makes it worth it! Imagine the places I'll see, the monsters I'll fight, the stories I'll get to tell! Don't you think I can do it?" ."It's not about whether you can," Zora said, his voice low. "It's about whether you should".
But Lila wasn't listening. Her mind was already racing with possibilities. "What do you think the trials will be like? Will I have to fight someone? Maybe solve a puzzle? Oh, what if there's a monster to defeat? That would be so cool!" .
Zora sighed, knowing it was futile to argue. Her enthusiasm was unshakable, and a small part of him admired her for it, even as he worried.
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As Lila excitedly talked about the trials ahead, Zora's mind drifted back to when she was just a small girl. She had always been fearless, even back then. He could still see her tiny hands holding bugs she'd proudly caught, her laughter ringing through the air as she chased chickens and rabbits around the village. But it was that one day that stayed with him most vividly.
Lila had run into the jungle after a rabbit, completely unafraid, as always. When her friends brought her back, her knees were scraped and bleeding, her face streaked with tears. She had been crying nonstop, clutching his shirt as he cleaned and bandaged her wounds. "It hurts, Papa," she had whimpered, her tiny voice breaking his heart. He had held her until she finally fell asleep, still hiccupping softly. Later, when he asked her friends what had happened, they told him about the rabbit, about how she tripped and hurt herself. But what stuck with him most were her words to them: "My dad would be sad seeing me in this situation. What should I do?"
Even now, those words brought a tightness to his chest. She had been so little, so fragile, and yet even then, her stubbornness had shone through. It had taken everything in him not to break down as he laid her in her bed, brushing her hair away from her tear-streaked face. That night, he had stayed beside her, listening to her soft breathing, praying she'd stay safe.
The memory was bittersweet now. It reminded him of her unwavering determination, but also of how much he had to lose.
What if the world wasn't kind to her this time???
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By midday, they reached the town. It was much larger than their quiet village, bustling with life and energy. Merchants lined the streets near the entrance, calling out to passersby and showcasing their goods. The air was filled with the smells of fresh bread, roasted meat, and exotic spices. Lila's eyes widened as she took it all in. "Wow! Look at all this, Papa! It's amazing!". Zora couldn't help but smile at her wonder. "Do you want to stop and eat something? Or look around a bit?"
But Lila shook her head, her excitement undiminished. "No time for that! Where's the guild? I need to find the guild!". Unwillingly, Zora followed her through the streets, going between merchants, travelers, and townsfolk. It wasn't long before they reached the guild, a grand building that stood out among the others, with its large wooden doors and a huge sign board illustrated with the guild's crest. Lila practically sprinted inside, leaving Zora to catch up. The interior was lively, filled with adventurers of all kinds, some laughing and chatting, others studying maps or negotiating contracts.
At the front desk, a beautiful young lady greeted them. "How can I help you?". Lila stepped forward, her voice filled with excitement. "I want to become an adventurer!". The woman raised an eyebrow, looking at Zora before turning back to Lila. "You'll need to pass the trials first. Are you prepared for that?". "Yes!" Lila said without hesitation. The woman handed her a form. "Fill this out. The trials will be held tomorrow morning. Be here by sunrise."
Lila quickly filled out the form, her hands trembling slightly with anticipation. When she was done, the woman nodded. "You're all set. Rest well tonight, you'll need your energy."
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With the formalities complete, Lila and Zora spent the rest of the day exploring the town. They tried local delicacies, admired the crafts in the market, and even watched a street performer juggle flaming torches. Lila was lively as ever, asking Zora endless questions about the guild and what tomorrow might bring. As night fell, they rented a room at a small lodge. It was cozy, with a warm fire crackling in the hearth and soft beds that promised a good night's rest. But Lila couldn't sleep. She laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing with thoughts of the trials.
"What if I mess up? What if I'm not good enough?" she whispered, her voice unusually quiet. Zora sat beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Lila, listen to me. You've trained hard, and you're more capable than you realize. The trials won't be easy, but I believe in you. Whatever happens, I'm proud of you." She turned to him, her eyes glistening. "Really?". "Really," Zora said with a small smile. "Now get some rest. Tomorrow's a big day."
Lila nodded, her worries easing as she closed her eyes. Within minutes, she was fast asleep. Zora stayed up a little longer, watching over her. Despite his lingering doubts, he couldn't deny how proud he was of her determination. He only hoped that the world would be kind to her, and that she would return to him safely. With a heavy sigh, he lay down and closed his eyes, and he went to sleep...
この章を読んでくれてありがとう、次の章も読み続けてくれることを願って...。
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Thank you for reading this chapter, hopefully you continue reading the next chapters as well...
