`Oh, my God!'

　Shouting with spirit, the soldier's spear thrusts out at Ray.
　It is a spear whose tip has been crushed for a mock battle, but if a soldier trained like a soldier comes at full speed, the blow is naturally heavy.
　That's enough for ordinary people to be mortally wounded, even if the tip of the spear had been crushed.
　But... that's only for ordinary people, and if the other person becomes Ray, the story changes.

"Sweet. If you want to take the opportunity, kill more air."

　As he spoke, Ray avoids a blow from the spear by lowering his right body one step back, grabbing the handle right next to the tip of the ear... and brandishing the spear.
　Under normal circumstances, the enemy would have caught a spear and swung it around, only to be deprived of its weapons.
　But the soldier with the spear puts his strength into his grip to keep it from being taken away by Ray.
　That's a quick judgment.
　He was undoubtedly excellent as a soldier, but at the same time he had a strong overconfidence in his power.
　I knew he was Ray, but I'm sure he'd still underestimate him for his appearance.
　That's why the man's body is used as a weapon, and he's hit by another person who attacks him with a spear from behind.

"Hey, you fool!"

　The soldier who was hit on his companion's body must have been completely unexpected; he couldn't abandon his companion, and he took it in spite of his complaints... but such behavior in the face of Ray was nothing but suicide.
　In the next moment, Ray pointed the spear at the first soldier he threw and fought with it.

"That's it!"

　That kind of voice echoes, and the people around me hear regretful voices.
　It's been about an hour since the soldiers started a mock battle with Ray, but no one has been able to beat him.
　No, on the contrary, I wasn't able to get him to be serious.
　I know Ray is nicknamed crimson. I know... but the soldiers were honest enough to fight some as long as he was employed as a soldier by the Duke of Quevel.
　There were quite a few people who saw the mock war, but we thought we could manage it... when we saw two of the soldiers who were known to be skilled easily lose, that feeling disappeared very quickly.

"Look, if you're going to deal with an extraordinary person like Ray, don't try to fight him head on. It's no use now because he was stupid, but it's not wrong to attack him from behind."

　The remark gently diverts his gaze from a man named Grain, who has been thrown at him without taking his hand off his spear.
　You know you've made a stupid mistake yourself, don't you?
　Even in this calm situation, in times of need... when it comes to fighting, it's not uncommon for me to wonder why I did such a thing.
　It's a semi-reflexive behavior, but it's a reflex behavior that raises questions about combat sense.
　In that sense, Grain's sense of taste was an immediate failure.
　Afterwards, the man who describes the good and bad spots of today's mock battle turns to Ray at the end.

"Is there anything else, Mr. Ray? If so, I'm sure. I rarely get the chance to play mock games with someone who's notorious."

　The remark was true.
　Ray comes to Annesis and plays mock battles exclusively with the Knights of Kellebel, not with the soldiers, but with less frequency.
　This doesn't mean Ray favors or anything, but it's largely because a mock battle with the Knights is more beneficial for Ray.
　Even the Knights can't win if they fight Ray head on.
　But the knights, whose individual abilities are superior to those of the soldiers, move to respond to Ray's actions.
　In that respect, the knight was clearly superior to the soldier.
　Above all, Ray also has a knight captain named Filma who plays mock battles with knights.
　Even if it's Ray, he'll lose if he makes a slight of himself.
　It was in Ray's best interest to be able to engage in mock warfare against such a person.
　Elena is busy today, though she should have a mock battle with Elena.
　After the New Year's party is over, many return to their territories after greeting the aristocratic leader Liberte, many of whom wish to meet Elena.
　...and Elena's luck was that her relationship with Ray at the party reduced the number of people she approached.
　Even in such a situation, however, there are people who approach you because Elena's charm attracts men.
　She was the daughter of a duchess who led the aristocratic faction, and she was beautiful enough to be called the goddess of beauty, but she was also nicknamed.
　For aristocratic men, this is not the case with such a good property.
　It was only natural that someone should approach Elena, even though she was prepared to look out for Ray.
　Still, Ray is not trying to woo Elena in front of him because he's scared.

"Well, I think you're well-trained overall. As a soldier of the Duke of Quevel, I'm sure you'll have no problem."

　The soldiers looked surprised at what Ray said.
　We lost unilaterally without any real fight.
　That's because I thought that even though I was told what I couldn't do, I wouldn't be praised.
　Contrary to such expectations, however, Ray's words came out of his mouth as a compliment.
　It's probably because it's different from what I expected, that's why I was so surprised.
　...however, it was the feeling of ordinary soldiers, and the man who was in charge of the mock war...the man above these soldiers was different.
　What Ray said was definitely a compliment. That's true.
　But it was only because I understood that he implied that the term "as an ordinary soldier" was a prerequisite, and that it was not within the meaning of proficiency as a soldier under the command of the Duke of Quelevel.

(Yes)

　When Ray sees the faces of these soldiers' superiors, he looks a little impressed.
　He judged that he understood the meaning behind his words, as far as his chagrined expression was concerned.

(He serves the Duke and Duchess of Kelebel, and is not stupid, though, on average, in terms of training his men.)

　Having trained him to average strength, he is by no means incompetent.
　But it was also true that at this point the strength of the soldiers was insignificant, and that it seemed unsatisfactory to be a soldier of the Duke of Quevel.

"Thank you, Mr. Ray, for taking on the mock battle this time. I'll make sure that this case will be of use to the future."

　It's fair to say that it's nice to say thank you properly while feeling frustrated.
　That's what Ray knows. He opens his mouth with a smile.

"Oh, if a mock battle with me has helped, then that's fine. ... I'll tell you, it's expensive to hire me as an adventurer."

　Ray said jokingly, but it's also true.
　a notorious Rank B adventurer
　The rank is B, but the notorious Ray is still good enough to be called a high-ranking adventurer... no, a top-class adventurer.
　It was only natural that the commission would be quite high if such a Ray was hired Ray.
　Nevertheless, Ray is associated with the soldiers in mock battles, as he did with the Knights, because he is conscious of being taken care of as a guest in the Duke of Quevel.
　...or perhaps it has to do with the house of a man named Elena.
　In that sense, these soldiers are undoubtedly blessed.

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
"Do so. ... Well, I don't know when it will be."

　In fact, this time around at Elena's parents' home... the Duke of Kelebel's residence, we don't know when we'll be back again.
　There is no denying, then, that this could be the last conversation with Ray in his life.
　The superior looks a little disappointed, perhaps realizing it.
　I couldn't play a mock battle with Ray, but the sight of his men playing a mock battle with Ray was still quite inspiring.
　That's why it's very regrettable that we can't see the Battle of Ray.

"Well... I'm afraid I can't help it."
"If you really need my help, I might be able to accept your request if you come to Guillum, or if it is really urgent, contact Guillum's Guillum directly from the Guild in Anesis."

　A network of guilds is formed of magic items called pairs of oves.
　今までにも、ギルムのギルドには何度かその手の連絡が入り、レイはそれによって依頼を受けた経験があった.

（まぁ、今はギルドマスターがマリーナじゃなくてワーカーになってるから、交渉するにしてもかなり厳しいものになるだろうけど）

　これは、マリーナよりもワーカーの方が優秀……という訳ではない.
　ギルドマスターを任された以上、当然のようにワーカーが優秀なのは間違いないのだが、単純に個人としての資質によるものだろう.
　そういう意味では、依頼する方としてはマリーナの方が依頼しやすかったのは間違いない.
　ともあれ、兵士達と短く言葉を交わしたレイは、そのまま図書館に向かう.

「お疲れ様でした. ……って言ってもいいんでしょうか？」

　そんなレイの側を、ミランダが歩く.
　レイの担当という形になったミランダにしてみれば、兵士達と行われたレイの模擬戦は、レイが一方的に勝利しているようにしか思えなかった.
　また、冬だというのも関係しているのかもしれないが、汗を掻いているようにも思えない.
　レイの着ているドラゴンローブは簡易エアコンのような機能があるので、もし今が夏であってもそう簡単に汗を掻いたりといった真似はしないのだが.

「そうだな. 一応それなりに疲れたから、言ってもいいんじゃないか？」
「では、お疲れ様でした、と. ……こちらを歩いているということは、次は図書館に？」
「ああ. 借りていた本を返そうと思って. ……それに、また何か面白そうな本があれば、借りてもいいし」

　もしかしたら、その本を読んでいればまた黒狼が現れるのではないか.
　そう思ったのも間違いのない事実ではあったが、それでも次に黒狼と遭遇した時にどうすればいいのかというのは、レイにもまだ決めることは出来ていなかった.
　黒狼が敵で、自分を狙っているのは確実だ.
　だが、それでも……今まで何度か接してきた為か、半ば情のようなものを感じているのも、事実なのだ.

（どうしたもんかね）

　困った様子で空を見上げるレイ.
　そこに広がっているのは、冬らしい澄んだ空気の青空.
　レイにとって冬といえば、どうしても日本にいる時のことを思い出してしまう.
　一日中曇天に覆われ、雪が降り続け、家の前の雪掻きをするという行為を.
　……もっとも、家が農家だからこそ冬の間は休みなのだが.
　育てる作物によっては、それこそ冬でもビニールハウスの中で収穫をしたりといった真似をするのだが、レイの家ではビニールハウスで何かを育てるという真似はしていなかった.
　いや、正確に自分の家で食べる分くらいの少しの野菜は小さなビニールハウスの中で育てていたが、出荷するような野菜は育てていなかった、と言うべきか.

「レイさん？」
「ん？　ああ、いや. 何でもない. 次はどんな本を借りようかと考えていただけだよ. 出来れば、俺が知らないモンスターが載ってる本とか、マジックアイテムについての本とか、そういうのがあればいいんだけど」

　そう誤魔化しながら、レイはミランダと共に図書館に向かうのだった.