As far as Ray knows, there are some people who have come to this Elgin from Japan.
　Will it metastasize as it was when I was in Japan, or will it be born as a human being in this world?
　...in that sense, Ray's case is indescribable.
　The spirit remains the same as it was in Japan, and the body is based on what Zepyle made.
　Anyway, I don't know why, but the number of people coming to this Elgin from the earth... or Japan is not uncommon, if not uncommon.
　There is no doubt that there are so many people coming.
　And the black wolf, now dead in front of Ray, was probably one of them.
　No, if you think of the word Yokohama Chinatown, you can say it's definitive, let alone definite.

(Or, in fact, there may have been some other Japanese who were listening to him... no, I don't think so.)

　Watching the dead body of a black wolf, Ray thinks that way, but quickly denies it.
　It's probably because this incident was completely unexpected for Ray to think about.
　Ray recalls the black wolf's strong attachment to meat buns, thinking so far, that he did not want to kill the black wolf, that it was not a matter of feeding.
　And the last words left by the black wolf.
　I want to eat pork Kakuni buns in Yokohama Chinatown with my mother.
　Considering these two things together, it seemed certain that the black wolf was from Japan.
　However, that's what happened, and there's something I don't understand again.
　Why didn't Ray respond to it when he showed meat buns before?
　That even reminded me of the first time I was in Japan when I was dying.

(What's going on here?)

　Ray was thinking while looking at the dead body of a black wolf, but there was another person here besides Ray.
　Perhaps because the Black Wolf case had come to such an unexpected end that Ray completely forgot about it...

"Ray, what's the matter?"
"Oh!? ... oh, no. The words the Black Wolf uttered before he died... the world I was in before he came to this world."
"...what?"

　Elena, who inherited the magical stone of the Ensent Dragon, naturally has five keen senses.
　She knew there was an unfamiliar relationship between Ray and the black wolf, and that's why she was listening to what the black wolf had left to her, but she never expected such words to come out of Ray's mouth.

"Is that true?"
"Oh! I've spoken of a certain place in my country. Of course, I don't think I've spoken of it in front of the black wolf.

　The reason why I can't say so is probably because I gave the black wolf a meat bun.
　There was a possibility that the conversation at that time called Yokohama Chinatown.
　Speaking of Yokohama Chinatown, that's a famous place even Ray knows.
　That being the case, it is safe to associate meat buns with the words of the region.
　But, thinking so, Ray immediately rejects the idea.
　With his mother, the Black Wolf said so without a doubt.
　That being the case, it was hard to imagine that Ray had leaked the word Yokohama Chinatown.

"Well, I'm sure I haven't spoken the word before the black wolf. I haven't."To be honest, I'm out of my mind."

　The end of the battle against the Black Wolf was, in many ways, close to breaking point.
　Perhaps... well, surely, if that had been the case, the Black Wolf would have starved to death or had a more tragic end.
　Then there is no doubt that Ray took his life even in a form of salvation.
　Ray understands that, but it's also true that he didn't have to leave such a bombshell on the verge of death...
　This was the case when I participated in the civil war of the Vestian Empire, but how do you know that you are from Japan right before you die?
　I know it's hopeless given the circumstances. I know it, but... Ray has to feel unreasonable.

"Ray,"

　Elena calls out again to Ray, who thinks so.
　But the words are not about Ray's concern...
　She glances at Elena's voice, wondering if she noticed it.

"I want you to calm down and listen. There is very little possibility, but we may still be able to find out about black wolves."
"...what?"

　What came out of Elena's mouth was unexpected to Ray.
　No, Ray might have noticed the same thing in normal times, but he was rightly unaware of the fact that he had killed a black wolf, who was thought to be from the same Japanese background.

"Black wolves are not employed by any organization. Of course, they have nothing to do with any organization, but they are ostensibly so. That being the case, they need someone to mediate their request, and if they do, they know something about black wolves, don't they?
"That's... I see,"

　Ray convincingly agrees with Elena's words.
　There is no doubt that Ray had difficulty communicating with at least the black wolf he knew.
　With that being the case, there was no doubt that I could not imagine the scene of a black wolf being asked directly by someone.
　That means someone was mediating the request, as Elena said.

"But wouldn't it be difficult to find out who was mediating the request?"

　The question raised by Ray is undoubtedly correct.
　If the Duke and Duchess of Quevel had known who would mediate the request, they would not have left the assassin alone, such as the Black Wolf.
　It would not have been strange if he had taken the action of catching the black wolf... ...and, if that were not the case, killing it.

"Well, it will be difficult. That's true. But there may be some clue. ... A man who serves the Duke of Quevel is excellent."

　Elena was proud of her tone.
　That's how much he trusts those who serve his house.
　In fact, Ray, though for a short time, understands that those who serve the Duke of Quelevel are competent, given his stay at the Duke of Quelevel as guests.
　That's why I was able to nod honestly, without disagreeing with Elena's words.

"Well, I see. Then I'll go and get that information right away. ... But will you give us that information easily? No, it might be possible with Elena."
"Well, I don't know about it until I hear it in person. No matter how much I'm of the Duke of Quevel, I won't be able to teach it without my father's permission, if it's really important. But you can think about it only after you hear it."

　If I can't, I could ask my father for permission.
　Ray says thank you to Elena, who stops saying so.

"I'm sorry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Now that you mention it, you know. Really... Oh, really..."

　In Ray's words, Elena recalls that this action was a date between her and Ray.
　The battle against the black wolf has completely lost its atmosphere, but I feel very sorry for this incident.

(The Black Wolf... No, I'll never forgive the man who hired him.)

　エレーナのその思いには、二つの理由があった.
　一つは、当然ながら自分とレイのデートを邪魔したということ.
　そしてもう一つは、レイと同じ場所からやってきたと思われる黒狼を殺すことになってしまったことだ.
　もっとも後者に限って言えば、黒狼がレイを狙ってきたからこそ判明したことなのは間違いない.
　もし黒狼がレイを狙うなどといった真似をしていなければ、それこそレイと黒狼は出会うことはなかったのだから.
　そういう意味では、レイが黒狼と出会えたのは、黒狼がレイを狙ったから……ということにもなる.

「エレーナ、どうした？」

　黒狼の死体をこのまま放っていく訳にもいかず、ミスティリングに収納したレイが尋ねる.
　レイにとって、黒狼は自分と同じ日本からやってきたのだろう存在だ.
　そのような人物の死体を放っておくのは、あまり好ましいことではなかったし、何よりこのまま死体をここに放っておけば、誰かが見つけた時に大騒ぎになるのは確実だった.
　幸い今は冬で気温も低いので、もし死体が見つからなくても悪臭を発するということはないが、それでも伝染病が広がったり、場合によってはアンデッドになる可能性もある.
　それらを考え、後で自分が黒狼の死体を埋めるなり、燃やすなりしてやろうという判断からの行動だった.

「いや、何でもない. それより、このままここにいては騒動が起きる可能性が高い. そうならないように、今はここから立ち去った方がいいな」
「……いいのか？」

　レイと黒狼の戦いの影響で、壊滅的……とまではいかないが、周辺にはそこそこ大きな被害が出ている.
　その辺を考えると、警備兵に色々と説明をした方がいいのではないか.
　そんなレイの言葉に、エレーナは首を横に振る.

「その辺は後で屋敷に戻ってからにした方がいい. 今ここで何かをするには、面倒なことになりかねないからな」

　そうか？　と一瞬疑問に思ったレイだったが、考えてみれば街中でこのような騒動を起こしてしまえば、当然のように事情を聞かれたりといった真似はされて当然だろう.
　レイとしても、今の自分の状況を考えれば、面倒なことになるのはごめんだったし、黒狼に依頼する際の仲介役を見つけるという目的もあった為に、ここでそのような時間を取られるのはごめんだった.

「分かった. なら、さっさと戻るとしようか. で、黒狼についての情報は誰に聞けばいい？」
「その辺は私に任せて欲しい」

　エレーナにしてみれば、レイにケレベル公爵家の諜報を司っている者を紹介するのは、止めておいた方がいいという判断があった.
　レイと一緒に行動し、その上で信頼もしているが……それとこれとは話が別なのだろう.
　エレーナのケレベル公爵令嬢の立場として、その辺りの情報をレイに教えるといった真似は出来ない.
　レイがエレーナと結婚し、次期ケレベル公爵家当主、もしくはケレベル公爵家当主の夫という立場になると決まっていれば、まだ話は別だったのだが.
　レイもエレーナが何を思ってそのようなことを言ったのかは、大体理解出来たのだろう. 特に不満を漏らすような真似もせず、素直に頷きを返す.

「分かった. なら、それでいい. ……さて、なら行くか」
「うむ. ……それにしても、本当につくづく今回の一件は予想外の結果となったものだな」

　しみじみと呟くエレーナの言葉に、レイもまた頷く.
　本来なら、今日はお土産を買うだけの予定だったのだ.
　にも関わらず、こうして黒狼と戦うことになってしまったのだから、予想外としか言えない状況なのは間違いない.

「本当なら、もっと大勢の分の土産を買いたかったんだけどな. ……さすがに今はそんな気分じゃないか」

　黒狼と……自分と同郷の相手と殺し合いをした後で、改めて土産を買いに行くという気分ではなくなってしまった.
　無理をすれば、そんな風に買い物に行ってもいいのかもしれないが、今の状況でそんな無理をする必要はないだろうというのが、レイの判断だ.

「うむ. このような気分でお土産を買っても、それを配られた方はあまり面白くないのは間違いない. であれば、やはりここは後で改めて残りのお土産を買うということでどうだろう. 幸い、すぐにアネシスを発つ必要がある訳でもないし」

　一応新年のパーティーが終わったらギルムに戻ると言ってはあるが、それが具体的にいつと決まっている訳ではない.
　であれば、一日や二日延ばしても問題ないだろうというのが、エレーナの判断だった.





　暗い闇の中、空中に浮かんでいる明かり以外で闇を微かに照らしていた蝋燭の炎の一つが、不意に消える.
　そのことに気がついた人物は、どの蝋燭の炎が消えたのかを見回し……その中の一つを発見する.
　だが、その人物は視線の先にある蝋燭の炎が消えたことに気がつき、少しだけ驚く.
　もっとも、その驚きはまだその炎が残っていたのかといったことに対する驚きではあったが.
　そうしてすぐに蝋燭の炎から興味をなくすと、また先程までの作業に戻るのだった.