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188 The End of the First Job
188話 初仕事の結末
After all, the mountain was cleanly more than half gone, not just the remains of the fortress of the bandit stronghold.
結局のところ、盗賊拠点の砦跡どころか、山が綺麗に半分以上無くなる事態になってしまった。
But the fort remained somewhat intact, you know?
でも、砦は多少は残っていたんだよ？
The warehouse, which was supposed to contain the most important and crucial evidence, seemed to have been built very tightly and sturdily, and it seemed like the whole box (?) was left behind. It seems that the entire box (?) was left behind.
最も肝心で、最も重要な証拠品がある筈の倉庫は、かなり厳重で頑丈な造りだった様で箱ごと（？）残っていた感じだ。
Like a shelter? We were very lucky indeed.
シェルターみたいなもんかな？実に運が良かった。
I was quite pale and flustered, and Bibi was very angry with me, but I was very relieved when I got the key piece of evidence, a document.
結構蒼くなってワタワタ慌てて、ビビにも目一杯怒られたんだけど、肝心要の証拠品の書類が手に入ったので盛大にホッとした次第ですの。
Well, I didn’t know where the warehouse was, so I let the guys who happened to be lucky enough to survive unscathed (……), these were the three guys who took me to the arena! I managed to find them by having them guide me to the warehouse. ……
まあ、倉庫が何処にあるか分からないので、たまたま運よく無傷で生き残っていた連中……これがわたしを闘技場迄連れて行った3人組なんだけど！に案内させる事で、なんとか見つけられたワケで……。
About three-quarters of the fort ruins had been blown away, and the rest was just rubble. We let them get a good idea of where we thought it might be, and finally came out after blowing away the debris.
砦跡なんて4分の3位は吹き飛んでて、後は瓦礫ばかり。この辺じゃないかって場所のアタリを付けさせて、そこの瓦礫を吹き飛ばしてようやく出て来たワケですよ。
Well, I was in a hurry!
いやぁー焦りました！
I was in a cold sweat! But you feel like you accomplished your mission?
冷や汗ダラダラでしたわよ！でも無事任務が果たせましたって感じ？
It took a lot of time to sort through the documents inside.
中の書類を分別するのに、メッチャ時間はかかった。
I only do it until the wee hours of the morning, though. ……
もっとも、わたしは朝方までしかやっていないけど……。
At any rate, it was late afternoon that day when the process of finding documents with Lawrence Niven’s name on them and shoving them into a packing box from one side to the other was over.
とりあえず、ローレンス・ニヴンの名前が入った書類を見つけては、片っぱしから荷箱に突っ込む作業が終わったのは、その日の昼過ぎだったとか。
Bibi, who had dark circles under her eyes, told me later that she had done even more mind-numbing sorting in the carriage back to Dekenbel. Nammaida.
デケンベルに戻る馬車の中で、更に気の遠くなるような分別作業をしたのだと、目の下に隈を作ったビビに後から教わった。ナンマイダ。
Gohl and his bandit crew were mostly safe.
ゴゥルやら盗賊の一味も殆ど無事だった。
Luckily, the ivy from the restraining magic I used seemed to act as a barrier to protect it.
コレが運のいい事に、わたしが使った拘束魔法の魔力の蔦が、バリアー代わりになって保護してたっぽい。
Most of them were buried alive, and most of them were dying when I detected my magic and dug them out! No problem.
殆どが生き埋め状態になってたので、わたしの魔力を探知して掘り出した時には大体が瀕死になっていたが！まあ問題無い。
Even though they were lucky to survive, what awaits them from now on is an interrogation that will be worse than death.
運よく生き延びたとは言っても、これから先コイツ等に待っているのは、死ぬより辛い取り調べだ。
Whether or not these guys were really lucky is another story.
コイツ等にとって、本当に運が良かったのかどうかは別の話だろう。
Well, it doesn’t really matter!
ま、どうでも良い事だけどね！
I heard that Mr. Roderick is going to take Gohl to Dekenber, so Mia’s magic will make him into a minnow wrapped in ivy and dragged away in a carriage.
ゴゥルは、ロデリックさんがデケンベルに連行するとの事なので、ミアの魔法で蔦でグルグル巻きのミノムシ状態にされて馬車で引き摺られて行くそうな。
Ummm…Mia is not relentless after all.
う～みゅ、やっぱりミアもいい加減容赦がない。
The “horse” of this carriage is a special prototype made by Marsh that can change modes.
この馬車の『ウマ』は、マーシュさんが試作したモードチェンジの出来る特別製なんだとか。
I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard that the maximum speed after the mode change exceeded 80 km/h for a short time.
モードチェンジ後の最高速度は、短時間だが時速80キロを超えるとか聞いた時には耳を疑った。
The carriages are also specially designed to withstand the speed!
馬車も、その速度に耐えられる特別仕様なんだとか！
What’s that?
なんじゃそりゃ？！
Will Gohl make it to Dekenberu in one piece, dragged along by such a thing?
そんなもんに引き摺られて、果たしてゴゥルは無事にデケンベルまで辿り着けるんだろか？
It’s undead from the start, though, so it’s not like it’s Chinu.
元からアンデッドだから、ちぬって事は無いだろけどね。
But I don’t tell you that I got a little shiver down my spine when I pictured Mia dragging Gohl in the carriage with a big smile on her face.
でも、ミアが高笑いしながらゴゥルを馬車で引き摺る画が頭に浮かんで来て、ちょいと背筋が震えたのはナイショ。
Yes! And the mother and daughter in the basement!
そう！そんで地下室に居た母娘！
Laria (mother) and Viola (daughter)!
ラリア（母）さんとビオラ（娘）ちゃんの2人！
I was told by Mr. Roderick after he joined us that these two were ‘shipped’ to Mr. Roderick as a check against him.
この2人がロデリックさんへの牽制で『出荷』されたのだと、ロデリックさんから合流した後に聞いた。
In short, they say that all the people who were in that city base were taken out of Hexagom by the traffickers.
要するにあの街中の拠点に居た人達がみんな、人身売買組織の連中によって、ヘクサゴムから連れ出されたと言うのだ。
Mr. Roderick said that he had sent out personnel to rescue them, but he did not know where they were now or when they would be able to catch up with him.
ロデリックさんは、その救出の為に人員を送り出したのだけれど、今どこに居るかは分からないし、現状いつ追い付けるのかも分からないのだと。
You’ve got to be kidding me! I thought, and activated the marker plover I left with Viola.
ふざけんなよ！と思い、ビオラちゃんに預けたマーカーのチドリを起動させた。
Roderick and his team needed to get Gohl back to Dekenberu as soon as possible, so I decided to do the rescue by myself.
ロデリックさん達は急ぎでゴゥルをデケンベルに護送する必要があるので、救出はわたし単騎でやらせて貰う事にした。
I hurriedly asked Roderick, Gohl, Bibi, Mia, and Rudri to help me, and I went after the plovers on my own. It was already an hour after sunrise.
急遽、ロデリックさんとゴゥルを、ビビとミア、そんでルドリさん達にお願いしてわたしは単身チドリを追った。もう朝日が昇って小一時間は経ってからの事だ。
Their wagon was on a road in the mountains about 20 kilometers east of Hexagom.
連中の馬車は、ヘクサゴムから東へ20キロ程の山中の街道に居た。
Apparently, they were planning to enter another country directly from Grouse Mill.
どうやら、そのままグルースミルから他国に入る予定だったようだ。
The ones who caught up with us were about 10 bandits. They were all “man-eaters and man-beasts.
追い付いた連中は10人ほどの賊だった。やっぱどいつもこいつも『人喰人獣』だ。
At first, when he found out that I was the only one pursuing him, he scoffed at me, but as a matter of course, I killed him instantly. I sliced him up into a few pieces.
最初、追手がわたし一人だけだと分ると嘲笑って来たけど、ま当然の様に瞬殺ですわ。サクッと輪切りにして差し上げた。
After all, we could not leave the people who had been kidnapped on the spot, so we had to return to the street toward Hexagom in the form of their escort.
結局、攫われて来た人達をその場で放置する訳にもいかないので、彼らの護衛をする形でヘクサゴムに向けて街道を戻る事になった。
It was already around 3:00 in the afternoon when we finally met up with the people from Roderick’s place’s convoy.
ようやくロデリックさんの所の護衛隊の人達と合流できたのは、もう午後の３時を回ってからだった。
The sun was already well into the evening when I said goodbye to Viola and her friends, who were reluctant to leave the rest of the day’s activities in the hands of the convoy.
後の事を護衛隊の人達にお任せして、別れを惜しむビオラちゃん達とお別れした時は、もう陽が随分傾いていた。
Annie’s birthday party has already started long ago.
もうとっくにアニーの誕生パーティーは始まっている。
I was supposed to have Bibi tell me that he was going to be late using pigeons, but I realized that I was pretty damaged by not being able to see Annie’s sunny disposition.
ビビに、ハトを使って遅れる事を伝えて貰ってるはずだけど、アニーの晴れの姿を見れない事に、結構なダメージを受けている事を自覚した。
I would like to run home as fast as I can, but I can only feel the certainty that if I do so, I will cause irreparable destruction to the street!
全力で走って帰りたい所だけど、そんな事をしたら街道に取り返しのつかない破壊を与えてしまうという、確信めいた予感しか涌かない！！
But I want to go home as soon as possible at any cost!
でも何としても早く帰りたい！
Then it occurred to me.
そこで、フッと思いついた。
A beacon! and a lamp lit up?
ピッコーン！とランプが灯った感じ？
If you use the “magic barrier” as a springboard, the damage won’t reach the ground, will it?
『魔法障壁』踏み台にしたら、地面にダメージ届かないンじゃね？
If they are deployed at your feet in succession, you can step on them and go, can’t you?
連続で足元に展開したら、それ踏んで行けるンじゃね？
If you point it at your side with the attribute “anti-physical” and the characteristic “reflective”, it should last long enough, right?
属性『対物理』の、特性『反射』で自分側に向けたら十分持つンじゃね？
And that’s when it occurred to me.
と、そんな事をその時思い付いてしまったワケよ。
I tried it out right away, and I have a feeling that it will work.
ンで、さっそく試してみた所、コレが何とかなりそうな予感。
Simply repeat the process rhythmically, stretching the barriers under your feet as you run.
走りながら足の下に障壁を張って行くのを、リズミカルに繰り返して行くだけ。
I wondered if the timing for deploying barriers would be severe. I thought it might be severe, but it was surprisingly manageable.
障壁を展開するタイミングがシビアかな？と思たけど、意外と何とかなる物だった。
I started with a light run, as if I was going for a run, and then gradually increased the pace.
最初はランニングでもする感じで軽く走るところから始め、段々とペースを速めて行った。
This is going to be good looking, isn’t it?
これイケちゃうんじゃね？！
I thought, “I’ve got to go faster,” and I stepped on a barrier, and I lost my balance and fell down the street for about 20 meters.
とか思ってつい調子に乗ってスピードを上げようと思い切り踏み込んだら、障壁をバキリと踏み抜いて、そのままバランス崩して街道を20メートルくらいゴロゴロ転がったのは、色々と痛い思い出だ。
Is there a problem with the durability of the barrier? …… More strength? Or soften it? Can’t it be made to bounce back like a trampoline?
障壁の耐久性に問題があるか……。もっと強度を上げる？それとも逆に柔らかく？いっそトランポリンみたいに弾き返す様な仕様には出来なかろか？
I’ll talk to Dr. Seiwasi or Dr. Joseline when I get back in a bit.
ちょっと帰ったら、セイワシ先生かジョスリーヌ先生に相談してみよう。
With these thoughts in mind, I ran toward Dekenbel alone, searching for a speed at which the barrier would not break.
てなことを考えながら、障壁が壊れない速度を模索しつつ、デケンベルへ向けて1人ひた走ったのだ。
Still, I think the speed was quite high.
それでも速度は結構出ていたと思う。
In the end, we were probably going 100 kilometers per hour.
最終的に、多分時速にすれば100キロは出てたんじゃないかな？
Six Million Dollar Man-like?
シックスミリオンダラーのマン的な？！
There are many challenges and room for improvement.
課題は沢山あるし改良余地も幾らでもある。
I will eventually run faster than the speed of sound! he made a secret vow to the setting sun!
いずれ音速を越えて走ってやる！と、夕日に向かって秘かな誓いを立てたのだった！
The sun sets early this time of year. By the time I arrived at De Kembel, the sun had already set.
この時期の日没時間は早い。結局わたしがデケンベルに到着した時には、もう既にトップリと日が暮れてしまっていた。
The undead that had attacked the city that day had already been largely dealt with.
その日街を襲ったというアンデッドの処理も、既に大方片付いた後だった。
Uncle Philip told me that Carla and her team took care of it in a very efficient manner.
実に手際よくカーラ達が処理して行ったと、フィリップ叔父様が教えてくれた。
They are the quintessential Amcam brothers and sisters.
流石アムカムの兄さん姉さん達だ。
It seems that the undead were being dealt with by Dana, Lombardo and the others, and then the Arrows would burn them.
アンデッドの処理はダーナやロンバート達が集めて、それをアローズが焼くって流れだったらしい。
I heard that they started manufacturing human-shaped charcoal extinguishers from scratch.
片っぱしから、人型の消し炭を製造して行ったそうな。
Burning is the best way to cleanly dispose of the undead, who don’t stop moving halfway through an attack.
中途半端な攻撃じゃ中々動きを止めないアンデッドを、綺麗に処理するには燃やすのが一番だからね。
Of course, because it was in the city, the ability to control the flames was also tested. In that sense, Arrows was the right person for the job.
勿論、街中だから炎の制御能力も問われる。そういう意味ではアローズは適任だったわけだ。
However, it was a little bit scary that Arrows’ tension was rising. His eyes looked a bit pissed off and it was bad. ……
ただ、アローズのテンションが上がり気味だったのが、ちょとコワかった。目付きもちょいキレ気味でヤバかったし……。
It’s usually quoted that when Arrows gets mad, it’s when Carla does something dangerous in front of him.
大体アローズがキレる時って、カーラが目の前で危ない事をした時って相場が決まってる。
Normally, he is a quiet and normal person, but when he loses his temper, he is really scary.
普段、大人しい普通の人だけに、キレるとホント怖いのよ。
His eyes become sharp, he snaps his fingers and spreads flames, like some alchemist colonel! I’m like, “Is he some kind of alchemist colonel?
目付きが鋭くなって、指をパチンパチン鳴らして豪炎撒き散らすとか、どっかのアルケミストな大佐様か？！ってなモノよ。
I’m not sure if Carla was aware of this, but she didn’t make eye contact with Arrows either.
カーラも自覚があるのか、アローズと目を合わせてなかったし。
……I bet you did something, sis.
……きっとなんかやったんだな、この姉さん。
It looks like DeKembel unintentionally caused a lot of trouble, but the AmCam team did a great job!
デケンベルが思わず大変な騒ぎになった様だけど、アムカム勢が大活躍だったんじゃん！
I was thinking of …….
と思っていたのだが……。
For some reason, Will and the other brothers and sisters who had been assigned to defend the consulate seemed depressed.
何故かウィルを始め、領事館防衛に当たったという兄さん姉さんたちは気落ち気味だ。
Irving in particular is quite depressed.
特にアーヴィンはかなり凹んでいる。
Something about falling behind twice to the same opponent.
何やら、同じ相手に二度も後れを取ったとかなんだとか。
Hmmm, let’s be diligent. Do you want to train later?
ふむ、精進しようね。後で修行るかい？
They were all quite frustrated that we had cornered them and they got away.
みんなは、追い詰めていたのに逃げられた事が相当悔しかったらしい。
Jessica said with a look of real regret that Victor, Colin, and Willie had enough energy left on their side, so they should have been able to finish them off.
こちら側は、ヴィクター、コリン、ウィリーに十分余力が残っていたから確実に仕留められる筈だったと、ジェシカ姉さんがホントに悔しそうに言っていた。
Yeah, I see, vampires. ……
うん、なるほどヴァンパイアか……。
Niven’s eldest son.
ニヴンの長男ね。
All right, let’s dust them off as soon as we find them.
分かった、見つけ次第に塵にしよう。
Well, for me, the most important thing was that I could say “Happy Birthday” to Annie that day!
まあ、わたしにとっては、その日のうちにアニーに「お誕生日おめでとう」を言えた事が、最も重要な事だったんだけどね！
Thank you for reading.
お読み頂き、ありがとうございます。
Thank you for pointing out the typo!
誤字脱字のご指摘、ありがとうございます！
Thank you for your buzz and your rating! We are always encouraged!
ブクマ、ご評価もありがとうございます！いつも励みになっております！！
