"Ray? What's wrong?"

　The guards who have been watching the streets say so when they see Ray.
　I spoke to him lightly as usual, but his expression soon turned serious.
　That's probably because he saw Ray and thought this was not a half‐hearted affair.

"Actually, I was attacked a little by an assassin."
"...are you all right?"

　a security guard who checks on Ray when he hears he was attacked by an assassin.
　But Ray nods back that there is nothing wrong with such guards.

"What do you think I'll do about it so easily by those assassins? I've got most of the people who attacked me. ... There was one who killed me in the course of the battle."
"That can't be helped,"

　The guardsman who hears Ray say so, not particularly blaming him.
　As a security guard, it is more likely that he did well to hear that he killed the assassin who attacked him.
　However, if I had been told that I had killed everyone, I might have blamed them a little for not being able to get the information.
　The guards have nothing to complain about, as they say they are catching the majority this time.

"And how many assassins have you been attacked by, my arm?"
"There are three of them. Two of them are alive and well. They were good at fighting, but they were good at acting."
"...two of you. I thought Ray had been targeted by more assassins."

　The guards have great confidence in Ray's ability.
　That's enough to make him think that even if he was attacked by an assassin like he is now, it wouldn't be difficult to repel Ray.
　That's why I wasn't so worried about this assassin's uproar.

"Overall, that's how good you were. So I tried to kill myself when I was about to lose, so I stopped it, tied my hands and feet, and put my monkey in a trap so that I wouldn't bite my tongue. Will you accept it? If possible, I'd like to know where asked me to assassinate... or was ordered to do so."
"Well, I don't know. If there was someone in charge of the interrogation, I might be able to manage it to some extent."

　Judging from his reticence, Ray could have guessed that perhaps for some reason the person in charge of the interrogation was busy.
　But then Ray would be lost.
　We need information as soon as possible.
　I want to know who is behind this incident as soon as possible.

(Then the Knights? No, but I've got them in charge of the reconnaissance.)

　Knights may have many experts in that field.
　If so, I could not deny the possibility... that it might really work out.

"What should I do? If it's difficult to be a guard, I'll bring it to the Knights."

　The words give the guards a difficult look.
　The guards and knights are not hostile.
　Still, there's something like a sense of competition in the sense that we're protecting the security of Gilm.
　The honest thing is that we want to do the interrogation ourselves, if possible.
　Recognizing such a guard's idea, Ray thinks a little before talking again.

"If the person in charge of the interrogation can move at once, you may leave it to him, but if not, to the Knights. ... And what do you think?"
`Gooo,'

　The guard groaned vexingly at Ray's words, but if he didn't force himself here, he might soon go to the Knights.
　Then I thought a little... the only thing the guard could do was nod.

"Okay, that's fine. You're two survivors, right? Then you'll take me and Ray, right?"

　Ray nods to the security guard, who asks so.
　I nod, but... walking toward the assassin, suddenly wondering and asking.

"At least two guards are acting in pairs. But why are you alone today?"
"Because you're busy. Do you think there's any other reason?"

　It was a melancholy ... nodding to the exhausted look of the guard that Ray could do.
　Given the current situation in Gilm, it is not difficult to predict the busyness of the guards.

(Well, I think Mr. Dusker will be busier than the guard, but ... you'd better not say that.)

　When we start the Gillum extension project, it's a constant stream of troubles.
　Dusker had to deal with the trouble as a lord.
　Because of that, I have no free time except when I go to bed and eat.
　...no, I've been working while eating these days, so it was precisely time to get out of work when I went to bed.

(Wow)

　What would happen if I had to do the same thing as Dusker?
　It's going to be thrown out halfway, not to mention it.
　At least I can't imagine myself working as seriously as Dusker does today.

"Ray? What's wrong?"
"No, I thought there was one above me,"

　There's a boss on top.
　The guard, who understands the meaning of the word, looks less pleased and speaks.

"I don't think there are many people who are busier than us, but are there people who are busier than us.

　Ray shakes his head, though the guard seemed to say that nobody was busier than themselves.

"No, I think the busiest person in the current guillem is Mr. Dusker. That's literally what I do all day long."
"No,"

　The look on the guard's face, who had heard of paperwork all day and boasted of his busyness a few seconds ago, is deeply disgusting.
　It would be easier to work outside than to work in paperwork, as evidenced by the fact that you are you're a security guard.

"What do you think? Can you tell me that you're busier?"
"No, I'm still more comfortable. ... Not at all, but I can't do that."
"You know... I don't want to do that either."

　If he has to do paperwork like Dusker, Ray should be on the move outside, as he does now.
　...that's troublesome, but it doesn't take long to travel far away if you're traveling with Seto.
　If so, it would have been overwhelmingly easier.

"Well, it's a dead end. Do you know what I mean?"
"Oh. It's quite complicated around here, but if you're going to be a guard, you have to learn even if you don't want to. ... The trouble is that sometimes these paths change without any meaning."
「それは分かる」

　レイもまた、セトと共に裏路地のような場所を通ることが多い.
　それだけに、以前……それこそ数日前は通れた筈の場所が、ふと気が付けば何故か通れなくなっているという経験をしたことも珍しくはない.
　そうしたのは、喧嘩が原因で壊されたり、それを直したり、もしくは勝手に家を建て替えたりといったこと……それ以外にも様々な理由で起きる現象だ.
　そのように様々な理由で起きるからこそ、道は複雑になる.
　幸いにして、レイが暗殺者に襲われた場所は特に何かがあるような場所ではなく、あっさりと戻ってくることが出来た. ……元々そこまで複雑な場所ではないからこそ、レイはセトと共にそれなりに自由に歩き回ることが出来ていたのだが.
　そうして行き止まりの場所に到着した警備兵が驚いたのは、暗殺者と思われる二人がどうあがいても抜け出せないように縛られ、更には猿轡まで嵌められていたことだ.
　一応レイから前もって聞かされてはいたが、それでも目の前で縛られている男女を見れば、驚くなという方が無理だった.

「これは、また. ……うん. レイにそういう趣味があってもいいけど、それを表に出すのはどうかと思うぞ？」
「何を言ってるんだ、何を. これは別に俺の趣味がどうこうとか、そういう問題じゃない. あくまでも自殺しないようにする為の処置だ」

　妙な趣味を持っていると誤解されたくないレイは、警備兵にそう言葉を返す.
　もっとも、手足が動かせないように縛られており、猿轡まで嵌められているのだ.
　その上、男はともかく女は美人と言われれば多くの者が納得するような顔立ちである以上、警備兵がそんな風にからかってきてもおかしな話ではない.

「グルゥ！」

　二人の男女を見張っていたセトが、戻ってきたレイに嬉しそうに鳴き声を上げながら近づいている.
　レイがそんなセトの頭を撫でている間に、警備兵は縛られていない男……レイによって背骨を踏み砕かれて絶命した男に近づき、検分する.
　とはいえ、ここでそこまで詳しい調査をしたりはせず、ざっと調べただけですぐにレイに声を掛ける.

「レイ、悪いけどこの死体も運んでくれないか？　一応、色々と調べてみたい」
「ああ、別に構わないぞ」

　普通なら、死体を運ぶと言われてもこうも素直に頷くことは出来ない.
　だがそれをやるのは、ミスティリングを持っているレイだ.
　生きてる人間をミスティリングに収納することは出来ないが、死体となれば話は変わる.
　そもそもがモンスターの死体を普通に入れているのだ.
　……もっとも、モンスターと人では大きく違うが.
　ともあれ、日に日に気温は上がり、既に半分夏のような陽気だ.
　このまま死体を置いておけば、悪臭が周囲に広がり、やがてそれは疫病をもたらすか、もしくはその前にアンデッドになって周囲にいる者達を襲うか.
　周囲に迷惑を掛ける前に、ミスティリングに収納してしまうのが手っ取り早かった.

「さて、後はこの二人だけど……まだ気絶しているみたいだし、このままセトに運んで貰うってことでいいか？」
「え？　レイがいいのならそれで構わないけど……いいのか？」
「グルゥ！」

　警備兵の言葉に、セトは任せて！　と鳴き声を上げる.
　そんなセトの様子に、警備兵は感謝し……レイと二人で、背の上に気絶したままの二人を乗せる.
　セトは特に気にした様子もなく、気絶した暗殺者二人を乗せたまま、歩き出す.

「よし、じゃあ詰め所に行くか. ……いればいいんだけどな」

　警備兵が特定の名前を出した訳ではなかったが、それでも誰のことを言ってるのか、レイにも分かった.
　暗殺者を尋問するべき人物のことだろう、と.

（いない場合は騎士団に連れていけばいいから、俺はその辺を特に気にはしてないけどな. ……ただ、それでも今回の一件を考えると、出来れば警備隊の詰め所で尋問を出来れば、それが一番いいんだけど. ……こんな視線を受けながら、移動するのはあまり面白くないし）

　そう思いながら、ドラゴンローブのフードを被った状態で周囲の様子を確認する.
　すると、表通りに出た瞬間から多くの者が自分を見ているのが分かった.
　当然だろう. レイはともかく、セトはギルムでは非常に有名だ.
　そんなセトが、背中に手足を縛られ、猿轡を嵌められている男女二人を揃って背中に乗せているのだ.
　それで目立たない筈がない.

（こうして目立つのは嫌だけど……）

　フードで顔を隠しながら、レイの視線は未だに気絶したままの二人の暗殺者に向けられる.
　暗殺者というのは、基本的に闇から闇を渡る者.
　相手の不意を突き、殺すのが一般的だ.
　そういう意味では、レイが見た小芝居はかなり慣れたものだった.
　そのような暗殺者が、こうして縛られて大勢の前を移動し……結果として多くの者に顔を覚えられるというのは、暗殺者としては大きな……大きすぎるマイナスだろう.
　少なくても、レイが暗殺者であれば、とっととギルムから出て行くか、何らかの手段で顔を変えるような必要が出て来る.

「俺がいてよかっただろ？」
「まぁ、それは否定しない」

　警備兵の言葉に、レイはしみじみとそう返す.
　もし警備兵が一緒にいなかった場合、人さらいか何かに間違われてもおかしくはないからだ.
　そのようなことになったら、間違いなく面倒なことになってしまうだろう.
　だが、こうして警備兵が一緒にいることで、レイとセトに後ろめたいことはないと保証してくれている.
　今のような状況を思えば、警備兵が一緒にいるというのは非常にありがたかった.
　そうして歩き続け……好奇心の視線を向けられるのにうんざりとしてきた頃、レイ達はようやく警備兵の詰め所に到着する.

「おう、じゃあちょっと待っててくれ. 中をちょっと見てくる」

　そう言いながら、警備兵は詰め所の中に入っていったのだが……レイから見れば、それこそ逃げたようにしか見えなかった.