There was nothing unusual after defeating Fangboa.
　The greens I was looking for couldn't find them either.
　Nevertheless, it was a good addition to the trees.
　In the end, nothing special happened on the day except for Gaga's incident, and the work was finished safely.
　...the Gaga incident alone was big enough.
　At any rate, after finishing their work, Ray and others return to Gilm and break up.
　In Ray's case, however, Dusker's men come to the lord's residence shortly after the breakup.
　Knowing why Ray was also taken, he went to the lord's residence without any particular surprise or resistance.
　There was also, as a matter of course, a figure of Seto and Zozo on his side.
　When he arrived at the lord's house, Sett went straight to the garden, and Ray and Zozo were not shown in the hall where the parties were held, but where the knights trained.
　Ray wondered why there was such a place, but when he went there he found a mock battle between Gaga and Dusker's men, knights and soldiers.

"Ah... yes. Well, given Gaga's personality, should I have anticipated this development?"

　When Gaga, who is about three meters long and also known as the giant of the Lizard Man, wields a mock warfare weapon, the blow blows away knights and soldiers.
　Fortunately for knights and soldiers, Gaga's weapons were not her real weapon, but a mock weapon.
　But even mock warfare weapons must be made of metal.
　It's a sufficiently effective weapon for hitting.
　Still, perhaps because of Gaga's handling, Ray doesn't see anyone dead or seriously injured.

"Unexpectedly, you're a good hand at it."
'Yes. He trains his subordinates a lot. I wonder if that's the reason why he's loved by his subordinates.'
"...I don't usually like people who train hard."

　Ray mutters deeply when he sees the letters written on Zozo's tablet.
　As the term "Oni instructor" implies, it is not desirable to have a hard training partner.
　Well, it's not surprising that they even hate usurped.

(Maybe the Lizardman is not conscious of that?)

　Ray thinks like this, but even if we talk about it, it's not really the same as the average person.

'Even so, everyone knows that Gaga is training with his subordinates in mind. ... There are times when Gaga likes to fight.'

　As they engage in such conversations, Gaga realizes that Ray and Zozo exist, having finished training with knights and soldiers.

"Ray, Zozo,"

　What?
　Ray is amazed at what Gaga says.
　Clearly, it's their names that come out of Gaga's mouth.
　No, if it were just Zozo, I could call him this way because he knew his name because he was Zozo's brother...

'Gaga is often misunderstood because of her personality, but she's not bad at all. On the contrary, it's fair to say that she's pretty good.'

　Zozo's words are translated into lithography and Ray looks at Gaga again.
　I've seen a lot of people in this world who are very muscular.
　But a man of three meters in height... at least not human.
　It's just monsters like cyclops, sprigans, and augers.

(Oh, no, but Lizardman is a monster, too. I completely forgot it because we can communicate.)

　Ray's perception of being a monster from a different world may be significant in this case.
　That's why Ray and the rest... there was a great difference in perception between Lizzardians and Greens who didn't know that they were coming to another world, and probably on another continent.
　Anyway, when she sees Gaga waving at her name, she needs to return some action, and she waves to respond.

"Here we go,"

　Rey's words make Zozo nod.
　...Actually, I nodded to Ray's words without looking at the slate, but Ray didn't notice when he was looking at Gaga.
　Zozo, if not as good as Gaga, probably has a high level of intelligence around here.
　Or was his failure to communicate with Ray when he encountered him in the forest of Trent today?
　At any rate, Zozo felt sorry for putting his servant Ray in danger and was trying to learn more of these words and letters than ever before.
　Ray, who doesn't even know that he's determined to do so, waved his hand happily... and wondered what he thought, he was dumbfounded by Gaga wielding a large sword for mock warfare.

(Are you really smart? No, you called my name well.)

　I know that, but if you look at Gaga's attitude, you can't help but tilt your head when asked if she's really smart.
　The least salvation is that Gaga has a small sword.
　It seems contradictory to be a big sword and small, but this is an illusion that comes from the size of Gaga's body.
　The great sword Gaga had when she moved into the forest of Trent was not a great sword but a lump of metal in Ray's eyes.
　Of course, it had a solid blade and was shaped like a big sword.
　Anyway, it had a strong impact on its size, and that's why it looked like a lump of metal.
　Even if you have an ordinary big sword, it looks small.

"Ray,"

　Rey's name came out of Gaga's mouth again.
　However, it was difficult to learn many other languages in this short time, and I couldn't understand any other languages.

'Mr. Ray, why don't you play a mock game?'
"Oh... I see. I guess you'll misunderstand even if you're smart because of this kind of personality."

　I didn't think Ray would be challenged by a mock battle when he met again.
　Maybe it's proof that Gaga had so much fun playing a mock game with Ray.
　However, Ray, who has just finished his work, doesn't have that much energy.
　No, I could do it if I wanted, but I wanted to move as soon as possible as I needed to take Gaga to Marina's house.
　Anyway, considering Gaga's appearance, I can't walk her around.
　We had to move in a carriage, as we had moved out of the woods of Trent.

(I mean, if I show her, she'll be treated like a slave to me.)

　Even though I'm supposed to walk with Zozo in addition to Seto, it's too bad to add Gaga to it.
　...however, Ray expects that information about Gaga will spread by the end of the day.
　For when I played a mock battle with Ray in the forest of Trent, he showed up in front of so many people.
　Now that we've already broken up, there's no doubt that adventurers and woodcutters will be spreading Gaga's case in bars by now.
　Or are you talking to prostitutes in your sleep?
　Anyway, information about Gaga... or rumors are spreading.
　That's why Ray doesn't want to take Gaga with him.

"Anyway, the mock war is overdue. Marina's house... I'm going to the house where I live. I've already got permission. ... Oh, what should I do with the food? Marina said she'd get food from Mr. Dusker..."
"Ray,"

　Perhaps you hear Ray muttering, but the knight nearby calls Ray's name as if he were watching.
　When Ray saw such a knight, he somehow understood the situation.
　Perhaps... almost certainly, Marina's attack robbed Dusker of his money.

"What's the damage?"
"Nothing but the mental damage of Mr. Dusker."
"Oh, yes. I could have guessed it somehow."

　Marina has known Dusker since he was a child.
　それだけに、いわゆる黒歴史と呼ぶべきものを多く知っているのだ.
　レイが知ってるだけでも、子供のダスカーがマリーナにプロポーズした、というのがある.
　ダスカーにとっては、それ以外にも様々な黒歴史を握られている以上、基本的にマリーナには逆らえない.
　それがギルムの運営に関わることであれば、話は別なのだが.
　ともあれ、騎士の様子からマリーナがしっかりとガガの食費を奪って……否、徴収していったことは理解出来たので、マリーナの性格から考えて今頃は歓迎会という訳ではないが、何らかの料理を用意しているのはほぼ確実だった.

「ともあれ、それなら真っ直ぐに家に帰るか. ……ゾゾ、ガガ、行くぞ！」

　レイの呼び掛けに、何かを話していたゾゾとガガは頷くのだった.





「ここがこれからガガが住む家だ. ……住むんだよな？　今日だけじゃなくて」

　マリーナの家の前で馬車から降りると、レイは同じく馬車から降りてきたガガにそう告げる.
　そんなレイの言葉をゾゾは石版で翻訳し、ガガに告げると……質問されたガガは、当然だといったように頷く.
　レイとしては、出来ればここに住まないで他のリザードマン達と同様に領主の館に住んで欲しいという思いがあった.
　だが、ガガにしてみればレイというのは最低でも自分と同等……ほぼ確実に自分以上の力を持っている相手であり、そういう意味ではここで見逃すという選択は存在しない.
　また、ゾゾが持つ石版の力も非常に有用だということがある.
　石版がない状態では意思疎通をするのは難しいが、ゾゾがいれば石版越しであるとはいえ、楽に意思疎通が可能だ.
　……石版がなくても、ガガならそのうち言葉を理解出来るようになるだろうと、ガガの頭の良さを知った今では、レイにはそう思えるのだが.
　ともあれ、マリーナの家に到着すると、馬車の御者に軽く挨拶をして別れた後で、屋敷の敷地内に入る.
　一瞬、マリーナの家を守っている精霊がガガをどう判断するのかと心配したレイだったが、レイやゾゾと一緒にいるからか、それともマリーナの方で手を打っていたのかは分からなかったが、特に問題なく家の敷地内に入ることが出来た.

（いやまぁ、見知らぬ相手は全て排除するようになっているとなると、マリーナの家に来る相手は全員顔見知りじゃないといけなくなるから、門から玄関までは誰でも通れるのかもしれないけど）

　マリーナの家は、他の貴族の屋敷に比べると決して大きくはない.
　門から玄関の扉までだって、すぐに到着する.
　そんな場所であれば、誰が入ってきても特に問題ないようにしてあってもおかしくはなかった.
　家の敷地内に入ると、玄関には向かわずに中庭に向かう.
　ガガもそんなレイの様子に、特に疑問は持っていないらしい.
　玄関の扉の大きさを考えれば、ガガは自分が家の中に入るのは無理だと判断した為か.
　ともあれ、レイ達は中庭に向かったが、そこでもやはり精霊に攻撃されるといったことはなかった.
　レイやゾゾだけではく、ガガも含めて.
　そして中庭に入ると、不意に周囲の雰囲気が変わる.
　それは、精霊によって中庭が快適にすごせるように調整されているからなのだが、慣れているレイや、これが初めてではないゾゾはともかく、ガガは中庭に一歩入った瞬間に驚愕の表情を浮かべて周囲を見回す.
　精霊を感じる力がガガにあったのかどうかは分からないが、それでも周囲の様子が一変したというのは感じることが出来たのだろう.
　そして、レイは精霊ではなく漂ってくる匂い……食欲を刺激する匂いと、何より庭にテーブルが用意され、料理の皿が次々と運ばれてくることに驚く.
　レイ達が到着するタイミングで、こうやって出来たての料理が用意されているというのは、あまりにタイミングがよすぎたからだ.
　もっとも、レイはそれを恐らくマリーナの精霊魔法によるものなのだろうと判断したし、事実そうでもあったのだが.
　中庭の光景を見て、ガガは嬉しそうに何かを言う.
　その言葉の意味は分からなかったが、ガガが真っ直ぐにテーブルを見ており、その視線がテーブルの上の料理に釘付けになっていれば、何を言いたいのかはすぐに分かった.

（ガガもやっぱり魚が好きなのか？）

　レイが知ってる限りでは、ゾゾは魚を好んでいた.
　いや、それは既に好んでというよりも、執着していると言ってもいいくらいに.
　だからこそ、同じリザードマンとしてガガも魚を好むのかと思ったのだが、テーブルの上にはそれなりに大きな魚の塩焼きと思われる料理もあるが、ガガの視線はテーブルの上にある様々な料理に向けられていた.

（うん、取りあえず魚が大好きって訳じゃないみたいだな. ……まぁ、ゾゾとガガを見比べる限り、リザードマンはリザードマンでも、とても同じ種族には見えないけど）

　そのように思いながら、セトとゾゾ、ガガを従えて庭を進むのだった.