第十六章「帝都襲撃編」　２１５．ドロテーアの真意 (Pixiv Fanbox)

※The English version is also below. ※글자수 제한으로 한국어판은 별도 기사입니다. お待たせしました。 第十六章「帝都襲撃編」をお届けします。 お楽しみ頂ければ幸いです。 ―――――― 「……魔王？」 　え、なにそれ。 　原作でも影が薄かった魔族なんていうものがいたんだから、そりゃ魔王だっているかもだけど、そんなコテコテの存在は設定資料集でも聞いたことがない。 　ドロテーアの言う魔王とやらが私の想像しているそれと一致すればの話だが。 「お母様、魔王とは一体……？」 　フィリーネがおずおずとドロテーアに問う。 　その顔には以前のような気後れはないが、ドロテーアの発した言葉に対する戸惑いのようなものが感じられる。 　ドロテーアはそれには気付かないように続けた。 「その名の通り、魔物や魔族たちを統べる存在のことだ。余はそれに会ったことがある」 　驚いたことに、ドロテーアの声には僅かな怯えがあった。 　あの傲岸不遜、豪放磊落を絵に描いたようなドロテーアが、である。 「あれは、余がまだ帝位を簒奪する前のことだ」 　ドロテーアによると、彼女がその魔王とやらに遭遇したのは、全くの偶然だったらしい。 　当時の彼女はまだ七歳になったばかりだった。 　早くも剣の才の片鱗を見せていたドロテーアは、実戦経験を積むために魔族との戦いに参加したらしい。 　もちろん、参加と言っても最前線ではない。 　いくらドロテーアの武威が凄かろうと、彼女は帝室の人間である。 　実戦経験というのも、どちらかというと経歴に箔をつけるとかそういった意味合いが大きかったようだ。 　過去のデータから比較的安全と思われる戦場へ赴き、後方から戦地を見学するくらいのはずだった。 　しかし、そこで彼女は出会ってしまったのだ。 　魔王、と呼ばれる存在に。 「魔族の強さは余も聞いていた。だが、ヤツは……魔王は圧倒的であった。当時、余は三大魔公くらいならなんとか出来るつもりでいたが、魔王は恐らく今の余でもどうにもならん。あれは人の身で相対するものではない。あれは災害である」 　ドロテーアが参加していた討伐隊は一瞬で殲滅された。 　彼女も剣を振るったが、魔王には全く歯が立たなかったという。 「さしもの余も死を覚悟した。だが、不思議なことに、ヤツは余を殺さなかった。他の者は皆殺しにしたのにな」 　不思議に思ったドロテーアは、魔王に問うた。 　なぜ殺さないのか、と。 「ヤツめはこう答えた。余を殺してしまうと歴史が変わりすぎてしまうから、と。その発言の真意は分からぬ」 　ともかく、ドロテーアは命を拾った。 　そして、彼女はこう決意した。 「魔王を滅ぼすには、人類の総力を結集する必要がある」 　ドロテーアはそれを達するために、最善を尽くしてきたのだ、と言った。 　つまり、彼女が推し進めて来た侵略外交も、そのための方便に過ぎないのだ、と。 　その賛否は別にしても。 「そんな強大な存在が、今まで広く知られることなく存在していたというのかい？」 　ウィリアム陛下がもっともな疑問を口にした。 「これはただの推測に過ぎんが、恐らくヤツのいう歴史を変えるうんぬんに関係しているのだろう」 「というと？」 「あれだけの脅威なら、世界に与える影響は絶大だろう。ヤツが歴史に極力干渉したくないというのなら、ヤツが自ら出張ることは少なかろうよ」 「ふーん……なんだか雲を掴むような話だねぇ。なんにしても、人類にとっていい話じゃなさそうだ」 　ウィリアム陛下が面白くなさそうに鼻を鳴らした。 「そんな脅威があったのなら、それを説明すればいいだけの話じゃないですのよ。わざわざ侵略なんていう方法を取らずとも、協力を取り付ける方法なんていくらでもありますわ」 「クレア＝フランソワ、お前は政（まつりごと）が分かっておらぬ。こと国と国との間の利害が絡む外交において、話し合いなどというものは弱すぎる方法ぞ」 　軍備、経済、思想、倫理――外交で用いられる手段はたくさんあるが、ドロテーアは会話の価値をそう評した。 　私は彼女には同意できないが、そう考える人は二十一世紀の日本でも少なくなかった。 「強大で共通の敵がいると、あなたの口から言えば聞く者もいるでしょうに」 　クレア様がドロテーアを重ねて非難するように言う。 　それに対してドロテーアは分かっていないなとばかりに首を振って、 「であろうな。だが聞くだけだ。魔族の脅威は我が帝国が押し留めている故にな」 「フィリーネのように全体の舵を取ることだって出来たでしょう」 「余という敵を前にしたようにか。すでに言ったが、魔族領からの侵略は帝国が防いでいる。故にどの国も本気での魔族に対しての危機感など持っておるまいよ」 　これはドロテーアの言うことにも一理ある。 　少なくとも私はバウアーで暮らしていた頃、魔族という存在を脅威に思ったことは一度もなかった。 「だからと言って、武力で他国を隷属させることが正しいとは思えませんわ！」 「然り。余も自分が正しいとは思ってはおらぬ。ただ、これが最善と思うただけだ」 　お前たちに敗れ去ったがな、とドロテーアは自虐的に笑う。 「ドロテーア、あなたの真意は分かりました。でも、魔族が大挙して押し寄せる、というのはどういうことですか？」 　どうしてこのタイミングで？ 「魔族はこの帝都に入ることが出来ぬことは知っていよう」 「ええ。結界のせいですよね？」 「然り。だが、魔族は人間を間者として送り込んでくるのだ」 　先ほどの戦闘中に逃げた帝国の官僚が、まさにその間者だったとドロテーアは言う。 「間者は魔族たちに、余が貴様らを皆殺しにしたと伝えよう。さすれば、ここぞとばかりにヤツらは攻めてくる」 「ひょっとして、さっきの皆殺し発言もそのためですの？」 　クレア様が問う。 　もしそうなら、演技にしてもやり過ぎだと私は思った。 「演技ではない。余に殺される程度ならそれまで。逆に余を殺せるほどならば、貴様らに任せようと思ったまでのこと」 「フィリーネ、あなたのお母さん、こじらせすぎ！」 「すみません！　本当にすみません！」 　私が悲鳴のように言うと、フィリーネが何度も頭を下げた。 「で、どうするんだい、これ？　首脳会談が無茶苦茶になったわけだけど？」 　戦闘が一段落して非戦闘員が戻ってくると、ウィリアム様が辺りの惨状を見回して言った。 「ドロテーア。魔族が攻めてくるまでにどれほどの時間があると見る？」 　ドル様が尋ねると、ドロテーアは少し考えてから、 「途中の砦を全て突破するのに、二週間ほどであろうな」 　と答えた。 「二週間……時間が足りなさすぎるな」 　ドル様が苦い顔をする。 　帝国に一番近いバウアーでも、応援がぎりぎり間に合うかどうかというところだ。 　このままでは人類が総力を結集なんて夢のまた夢である。 「キミも無策のままこんな無茶をしたわけじゃないだろう、ドロテーア？」 「お姉様！　回復なさいましたのね」 「うん、なんとかね。心配掛けたね、クレア」 　感極まったクレア様が、マナリア様の胸に飛び込む。 　ちょっとジェラりそうになったけど、気持ちは分かるので今は見逃すことにする。 　ふんだ、私はいつでもクレア様とハグ出来るもんね！ 「策ならある」 　マナリア様の問いかけに、ドロテーアは肯首した。 「魔族領と帝都の間にある砦の一つに、大規模な設置型攻撃魔道具が仕掛けてある。発動すれば、砦もろとも魔族どもを吹き飛ばせよう」 　ドロテーアの言う設置型魔道具というのは、帝国の魔法技術の粋を結集したとっておきらしい。 　その威力は地図を書き直さなければならなくなるほどだという。 「そんな都合のいいものがあるなら、さっさと魔族領で起爆すればいいじゃありませんのよ」 「どこにでも設置できるものではないのだ。火山帯の地脈が必要な魔道具なのでな」 　ドロテーアのその説明に、私はピンと来るものがあった。 「ドロテーア。もしかして、その魔道具でサッサル火山を噴火させましたか？」 　私の問いにクレア様とドル様、そしてセイン様がぎょっとした顔をした。 「鋭いな、レイ＝テイラー。その通りだ。その魔道具は地脈に流れる火と土の要素を活性化させるものだ」 　悪びれもなく、ドロテーアはあっさりと答えた。 　なるほど、ようやく腑に落ちた。 　原作の時よりも噴火の時期が早かったのは、帝国が裏で糸を引いていたからか。 　いや、ひょっとしたら原作でも、噴火は帝国の策略だった可能性は残るが。 「……貴様！」 　ドロテーアの襟首につかみかかったのは、驚いたことにセイン陛下だった。 　いつも憂鬱そうな表情ばかり浮かべている彼の顔に、今ははっきりと激情が浮かんでいる。 「……その魔道具のせいで、バウアーにどれほどの被害が出たと思っている！　今もバウアーでは飢えと紙一重のような国民がたくさんいるんだぞ！」 　王として民を誰よりも慈しんでいるセイン陛下は、サッサル火山の噴火から続く王国の惨状に心を傷めている。 　ましてそれが人為的に起こされたものだと言われたら、許せるはずがないだろう。 「言い訳はせぬ。余は貴様の国を支配するつもりでいたし、そのために手段を選ぶつもりもなかった」 「……開き直るのか！」 「では、余に何を求める？」 　セイン陛下につかみかかられたまま、ドロテーアは問うた。 「……貴様に求めるものなどなにもない。地獄に落ちろ」 「いやいやいや、セイン陛下。それは悪手ですよ。せめて謝罪と賠償くらいはきっちり確約させないと」 　心情的には理解出来るが、感情論で済ませていいことではない。 　そこははっきりさせておいて、今後につなげなければ。 「余としては、賠償も謝罪もする用意はある。だが、全てはフィリーネ次第だ」 「へ？　わ、私ですか？」 　急に名指しされたフィリーネが目を白黒させた。 「そう。貴様だ、フィリーネ。余は帝位を退く。貴様が次の皇帝ぞ」 *Translation below was made possible with the help of Angela and Jingle. Thanks, Angela and Jingle. Thank you for your patience. I'll bring you Chapter 16, "Attack on the Imperial City". I hope you will enjoy it. ―――――――――――― Ch 215. Dorothea’s True Intentions “...... The Demon Queen?” Eh, what’s with that? Even in the original game, the existence of the demons wasn’t really touched upon, so perhaps a demon lord actually existed, but I had personally never heard of something so over-the-top in the game at all. Well, that was as long as the Demon Queen that Dorothea was speaking of was from the game at all. “Mother, what is the Demon Queen……?” Philine asked nervously. She didn’t seem as timid as she did before, but one could tell that she was very puzzled by Dorothea’s words. Dorothea continued, paying no mind to her confusion. “As the name implies, they’re the person that controls all of the monsters and demons. I have met her once.” To my surprise, there was a hint of fear in Dorothea’s voice. The same Dorothea who had painted herself as such an extremely arrogant and bold character. “That was before I took up the throne.” According to Dorothea, her encounter with the Demon Queen was by complete coincidence. At the time, she was just seven years old. Dorothea, who had already begun showing promising swordsmanship abilities back then, had participated in some battles against demons in order to gain some practical experience in combat. Of course, she wasn’t part of the frontlines or anything. No matter how much of a prodigy she was, she was still a member of the Imperial family. It seemed that she simply wanted to use the combat experience in order to add some value to her own background. Based on previous data that they had, they went to a battleground that was deemed to be relatively safe, and simply wanted to observe it from a distance. However, that was when she had that fateful encounter. She ended up meeting an existence that she called the Demon Queen. “I had heard about how strong demons were. However, that thing was…… the Demon Queen was overwhelming. At the time, I had planned to do something against the Three Great Archdukes, but even with the way I am right now, I don’t think I could do anything against the Demon Queen. They’re hardly what you could call a human being. They’re practically a walking calamity.” The expedition team that Dorothea was a part of was instantly annihilated. Although she had also bared her sword against the Demon Queen, it had no effect whatsoever. “I was prepared to die. However, strangely enough, they didn’t kill me, even though they killed everyone else.” Puzzled, Dorothea asked the Demon Queen: “Why are you not going to kill me?” “This is what they replied with: ‘If I kill you here, history will change too much.’ Even now, I still don’t know what they meant by that.” But in the end, Dorothea’s life was spared. That was when she came to a decision. “In order to defeat the Demon Queen, we’ll need the collective power of mankind.” Dorothea did everything she could in order to achieve it. In other words, the aggressive diplomacy that she continued to promote was just a way of achieving that. Without any regard for who may disagree with her. “Even though they sound really powerful and all, are you telling me that their existence managed to fly under our radars this entire time?” His Majesty William asked a legitimate question. “This is just my guess, but I think that has something to do with the ‘alternating history’ thing that they talked about.” “Which means…?” “With a threat like that, it must be something so big that it could change the world forever. If she doesn’t want to do something that may alternate history, then that means it’s unlikely she’ll get her own hands dirty.” “Hmm…… That sounds kind of vague, but either way, that doesn’t seem like a good thing for humanity.” His Majesty William snorted like he was unamused. “If a threat like that existed, then it’s not just a matter of explaining it. If you wanted to earn the cooperation of others, there were countless other ways of doing it without putting everyone through your aggressive diplomacy.” “Claire François, you know nothing about politics. When it comes to diplomacy that involves each and every country, discussions are too ineffective.” Weapons, economics, ideas, ethics―― there were a lot of ways to negotiate when it came to diplomacy, but Dorothea looked down on the value of discussion. I disagreed with her opinion there, but there were many people who thought the same way as her back in 21st century Japan. “If there’s a strong, common enemy, then I’d bet there are lots of people who’d listen to what you had to say.” Claire-sama was pinning the blame on Dorothea again. On the other hand, Dorothea shook her head as if Claire-sama didn’t understand anything. “Of course they would, but listening is all they’d do. The Empire is the only country that needs to fend the demons off, after all.” “Couldn’t you have recruited the help of everyone else just like Philine did?” “You’re telling me to do that right in front of the enemy? As I said before, the Empire is already fending the demons off. Because of that, no other country has to deal with the threat of being invaded by them anyway.” What Dorothea was saying was true. At the very least, when we were still in Bauer, we were never threatened by the existence of demons. “But that doesn’t mean it was right of you to annex other countries!” “You’re right. I don’t believe what I did was right either, but it was the best I could do.” “Although you’ve defeated me now,” Dorothea said as she laughed self-deprecatingly. “Dorothea, I understand your true intentions now. However, what did you mean when you said that the demons were going to invade now?” And why now? “You are all aware that the demons can’t get into the capital, correct?” “Yes. That’s because of the barrier, right?” “Correct. However, the demons can send humans out instead.” According to Dorothea, the imperial bureaucrats that fled during the bloodshed earlier were a part of that. “Those spies will be going back to the demons to tell them that I’ve killed you all. Once they do that, they’ll be starting their invasion.” “Is that the reason why you stated that you wanted to kill us all earlier?” Claire-sama asked. If that were the case, then even if she was just faking it, she really took it too far. “It wasn’t an act. I was planning to take it to the point where you’d kill me instead. And if you were able to kill me off, then I thought I’d leave the rest in your hands.” “Philine, your mother is too difficult to understand!” “I’m sorry! I’m really sorry!” When I yelled that out, Philine bowed a countless number of times. “So then, what are we going to do now? The summit turned out to be a huge mess too.” The non-combatants returned right as His Majesty William looked around him and commented on our surroundings. “Dorothea, how long do you think we’ll have before the demons attack?” When Dor-sama posed the question to her, Dorothea paused before, “It will probably take about two weeks for them to break through all of the forts that we have set up.” She answered with that. “Two weeks…… That’s not enough time.” Dor-sama had a bitter expression on his face. Even Bauer, which was located closest to the Empire, would barely be able to provide their support in time. At this rate, the idea of getting all of mankind to help out was nothing but a pipe dream. “You didn’t come this far just out of sheer recklessness though, right, Dorothea?” “Onee-sama! I see you’ve recovered.” “Yeah, somehow. I’m sorry for worrying you, Claire.” Claire-sama, who looked like she was overflowing with emotions, jumped right into Manaria-sama’s chest. I was a little jelly, but I understood how she felt, so I’ll let it go for now. Hmph, I can hug Claire-sama any time I want to anyway! “I have a plan.” Dorothea said in response to Manaria-sama’s question. “One of the forts between the demon territory and the Imperial capital is equipped with a large-scale stationary offensive magical tool. If it gets activated, it should be powerful enough to blow away the fort, as well as the demons.” The stationary magical tool that Dorothea was referring to seemed to be a collection of all of the Empire’s best magical techniques. It was powerful enough that it could result in maps having to be rewritten. “If something so convenient existed, then you should just detonate it in the demon territory instead.” “It can’t be installed just anywhere. It’s a magical tool that requires a vein from a volcanic belt.” When Dorothea explained that, something suddenly came into my mind. “Dorothea, could it be that you were the one that erupted the Sassal volcano with that tool?” When I posed my question to her, Claire-sama, Dor-sama and Sein-sama all had perplexed looks on their faces. “You’re sharp, Rei Taylor. That’s right. The magical tool is activated through the fire and soil that flow through the earth’s veins.” Dorothea answered without any malice in her voice. I see, it finally made sense. Perhaps the reason why the volcano erupted earlier than in the original work was because the Empire was pulling some strings from behind the scenes. Well, there was the possibility that the eruption from the original work was also the work of the Empire as well, though. “...... You!” Surprisingly, it was His Majesty Sein that went to grab Dorothea by the collar. His face, which always looked melancholic, looked ignited by his overflowing emotions. “...... Do you have any idea how many people in Bauer suffered because of your magical tool?! Even now, there are still many people that are suffering from starvation and are as thin as paper!” His Majesty Sein, who loved his people more than anything, was traumatized by the devastation of the Kingdom after the eruption of the Sassal volcano. To be told that it was actually intentionally caused by somebody, it was something he could never forgive them for. “I have no excuses. I intended to take control of your country, so I couldn’t be picky with my methods.” “...... You’re just going to take it?!” “Well, what is it that you want from me then?” Dorothea asked while His Majesty Sein was still holding her by the neck. “....... I don’t want anything from you. I hope you rot in hell.” “No no no, Your Majesty Sein. That’s a bad move. You should at least demand an apology and some compensation from her.” I could understand how he felt emotionally, but it wasn’t a good idea to rely on emotions only. He needed to be clear in his demands and think about how he could use it to better the future. “I’m willing to issue an apology and compensate you. However, that choice is all up to Philine now.” “Huh? M-Me?” Upon being called out suddenly, Philine’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Yes, you, Philine. I will be retiring from the throne. You will be the next Empress.”