I run, trying to squeeze every ounce of strength I can out of myself. Breathing desperately, I just move my legs.

I just keep moving along the dark, narrow path. The cold air caressed my cheeks.

Mr. Greg, Gilbert, Luda and Tino were running ahead of me.

I was giving it my all, but the gap didn't seem to be closing.
I realized.

What? Are they taking it easy on me so that they don't leave me behind?

Gilberto, who was running unperturbed while holding a large sword in his hand, looked back at me and frowned.

Even though he was in a critical situation before I arrived, his expression now was relaxed. Did he recover while running?

'At that speed, he'll catch up with you. You'd better increase your speed--'

'Idiot! Cryi's just looking out for Tino who's injured!

'! Oh, that's right. ...... I'm sorry.''

In response to Luda's shouting, Gilbert apologized as if he had just realized what had happened.

What? You were injured? And my full speed is the same speed as the injured Tino?
What? You're not slow, are you? It's just that Tino is faster, right?

Maybe I've been unconsciously careless?

I was a little hurt, but those words calmed me down a little. I stopped to make sure there was no unusual noise behind me.
I don't have the skills of a thief, but Tino will let me know if there are any pursuers. It looks like they're gone.

Seeing me stop, the others also stopped. Perhaps they've become friends during the search, but they're quite obedient.

'? Are you done?

'It looks like you've scattered them. That was awful. Thank you so much for your help.

Greg thanks me, but I'm the one who should be apologizing.

But for now, I need to get my shit together.
I hold back the feeling of vomiting, catch my breath, and look at Tino.

Tino scratched his own shoulder as if frightened by my gaze.

'Ma, masu taa ......'.

'Cry. And Tino--he really worked hard.''

Luda said in a tone as if he was making an excuse for some reason.

'Yeah, yeah. You're right. I'm sorry about ....... How much better would it be if you could just say that?

'!

I don't need to be told. I can tell by the way you look that you've been working hard.

You can tell by looking at her that she's been through a lot. Her hair, which is always neat and tidy, is a mess and she looks pale. I wondered if she had caught herself somewhere. Her black shorts had been cut open around her right thigh, revealing her white skin, and the contrast drew my eyes to her.

This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money.

This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... What are you doing here? I'm not sure what to make of it.

I'm not sure what to do. You'll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes.

'Thousand and one changes, you can even cure ......'.

............ Ah, so that's where you got the wound. Let's talk about it. They won't notice. I thought it was just a joke.

No, well, the reason I stopped was for therapy.

Those well-developed white thighs you're holding out to me.
You can see a few veins through them, but no scars.

But I suppose there's damage that you can't see. Because of that, it seems that it can only run as fast as I can.

Of course, it has a treasure tool for recovery. In fact, there's no way I don't have it.

I take off the silver cross necklace around my neck, the Healing Hope, and place it against Tino's thigh.
When the blue light from the cross disappeared into her thigh, her expression relaxed for a moment. I'm sorry, I didn't notice.

'Thank you very much. It's okay. It doesn't hurt anymore.

Well, Tino still has to work hard, doesn't he?

The boy Gilbert said, somewhat relieved at the sight of the treatment.

'Oh ...... is the treatment indeed a treasure trove?

I'm not sure what to make of that. Hmm? What's wrong?
If this wasn't the treasure house, I'd be back at the clan house in a bad mood.

'Cry. Did those Wolf Knights defeat ......?''

Master Greg asks, keeping a wary eye on the road we've just been on.

If you're asking whether we've defeated them or not, we definitely haven't.

They say that wolves have a good nose. The wolf knight? They were afraid of the smell of slime on the capsule.
I don't know if slime has a smell or not, but I can't think of anything else.

I'm sure they're furious right now. They were fooled by an empty metal capsule and lost their prey.

All we have to do now is run.
It looked so fearsome, but once we get past the treasure house, the phantom won't be chasing us.

Our rescuer would be dead anyway.

He sighed once and stretched. 'I'll spare the sword, but my life is more important.

'That's not what we should be thinking about right now. Let's just walk.



'Oh, oh'.

Now, the question is: ...... Where are we and where is the exit?


§§



We walk in silence with me in the lead. Perhaps because of fatigue, there was no conversation.

The white wolf's lair, as I had seen on the map before, is made up of narrow passages branching off like an ants' nest, and the scene is so similar that I don't know where I'm going.

It was not a very spacious treasure house, but there was a possibility that we might have taken the same path.

I mean, why am I in the lead? I'm not a thief, am I? Isn't this what thieves do?
There are two thieves in this party.

I stopped to let them go ahead of me, but when I stopped, Tino and the others stopped too, so I was still in the lead.

What happened to your usual aggressiveness, Tino?

I looked at Tino, but when our eyes met, he immediately looked away.
It's as if he's rejecting me. It's as if he's saying, "I don't want to talk to Mastaaa, please die.

Hmm? Should I have gotten down on my knees immediately? In this dangerous treasure house? You're stuck?

I have no choice but to move forward without understanding. Sometimes I take side streets just because I feel like it.

The only thing that saved me was that I hadn't encountered any enemies in this treasure house, as if there weren't many illusions. Perhaps Tino was guiding me in a direction where there were no illusions.

Occasionally, a voice like a roar could be heard echoing through the hole, but it was still far away.
I think it's far. I think it's far. I hope it's far.

But I can't reach the exit even though I've walked a long way. I'm sure I'm going in the right direction, but this is why I hate cave treasures.

Maybe I should get down on my knees to Tino. Just as I was beginning to think about it, Gilbert shouted out as if he couldn't take it anymore.

'Hey ......, I'm sorry if I'm not saying this intentionally, but ...... where is this going? Is this an exit?

You've become much more reserved,......, but unfortunately I don't know either. Well, I'm pretty sure the target point is the exit.

I was about to say that, when Tino interrupted me impatiently.

'Gilberto, reading Mastera's intentions is part of the training. Also, we're not heading for the exit. The path to the right from the boss room doesn't lead to the exit no matter how you go about it.'

'So, is that so? ......'

So, that's it. ....... Inwardly, I have the same reaction as the Gilbert boy.

It's a way out. It's definitely the exit we're heading for.
But I see, there is no connection from the right side. ....... So that's the boss room?

Then what? Do you mean we have to go back now?

What's more, what? Tino, you've been training under these conditions? Where else would we be headed but the exit? Is there anything else?

'But, hey, Cry. It's about time you told me where we're going--'

'............'

Luda asks fearfully. The sound of her voice made me feel miserable.

I wonder where I'm going. I've always been lost in life.
I have no signposts. I don't know what it is, but I'm like a beacon.

Let's just make a quick U-turn. It's been a while, and I'm sure they're gone.

Yeah, I feel like making a U-turn in life too. I want to cry, but I keep my face tight.

I choose to turn. If you turn twice in the same direction, it's practically a U-turn. After a few minutes of changing my mind, I suddenly heard Mr. Greg's dry voice.

When I turned around, he was looking at me as if I were a monster.

'Stupid ......, there was no trace of ....... You didn't even check--how could you?

'I said because ....... Mastaa doesn't do anything random.

'This is not the time to be talking like that! We have to help her!

Luda runs off. Finally, I noticed a number of figures lying far down the road.

They weren't phantoms in terms of size. If you look closely, you can see them moving slightly.

What is that? Did you notice that, too, Greg?
You guys have really good eyes. I would've turned halfway through if I hadn't noticed.

But maybe he's the target of this rescue?
I didn't think you were still alive. ...... You're lucky. I'd like to take advantage of that luck.

Tino puffed out his chest proudly and looked at me dazzlingly.

So I said. Mastaa has read everything.'

'No, no, it's just a coincidence, no matter how you look at it.

You can't read the future like that, not even with a treasure.

'...... Why would the person who guided you say that?

The boy Gilbert gave me a look of dismay as I said the obvious.


§§


The rescue target was a man even bigger than Greg.

His armor was dull and shining, and his shield was painted green. Beside him was a conical spear, not used by infantry in war, ready for his grasp.

Rodolphe Davout. I'd never heard of him, and he was limping now, but his massive body boasted the majesty of a level 5 certified hunter.

Apparently, his bones were broken.



スムーズな動作で,僕にはどこを外していいのか見当も付かなかった鎧を脱がせ,ポーションを飲ませる. ティノ達が.

近くに倒れ伏す他のメンバーも全身ぼろぼろで重傷者も何人もいたが,どうやら全員ぎりぎりで生きているらしい. こんなところで倒れていてトドメを刺されなかったのは奇跡に近いだろう.

'痛くない？'

声をかけるティノに,ロドルフが掠れた声で礼を言う.

'は……はぁ,はぁ……あ,ありがどう. た,助かった'

'礼はますたぁに言うといい'

'いや,僕何もやってないし……'

正真正銘何もやっていない役立たずなのであった. やったことはティノを送り込んだことくらいだ.
あれ？ もしかして僕,礼を言われるべき？

ロドルフが朦朧とした目つきで僕を見上げる.

三日も穴蔵にいたのだ,痛みが消えても体力の消耗は激しいだろう.
せめて申し訳ないので,ポケットから,おやつとして常備しているチョコレートバーを渡してやった.

貪るかのような勢いでそれを噛み砕くロドルフ. 落ち着くのを待って聞く.

'食料は？'

'ッ……うぅッ……そ,そどだ'

'ますたぁ,私達のも外です. 外でキャンプするつもりでした'

'あー,そうなんだ. うちはいつも中でキャンプしてたからな'

僕の幼馴染達は危険な宝物殿をいつでも訓練できる便利な場所だと思っていた節がある.

生存した全員を集める. 何人か意識がないのがいるが,ポーションを飲ませたのでとりあえず死の危険はないだろう.

しかし,全員が生きてるとなると,また新しい問題が発生してしまう.

彼らの生存はそれを依頼した探協側からしたら吉報だが,助ける側からすると面倒なことこの上ない.

まず,怪我人五人を運ぶというのはかなりの手間だ. あんな恐ろしい幻影が出るのだから尚更である.

僕達にも余裕はないのだ. ロドルフはレベル５ハンターで頼りになりそうだが,ほとんど飲まず食わずで三日遭難した状態であの幻影の相手をするのは無理だろう.

そもそも,負けたから今の状況があるんだろうし.

むしろ動けるの？ そんなでかい鎧着て.
それ運ぶのとか普通に無理だよ. 多分槍を持ち上げるのすら無理だ. 宝具があれば話は別なんだけど. 最悪脱いでもらわないといけないだろう.

まだ意識が定まらないロドルフを叱咤し,状況の確認を始める. ティノが.

こんなところでいつまでも倒れていたらいつ幻影がやってくるかわからない.
ロドルフは運が良いのかもしれないが,僕は凄まじく運が悪いのだ.

ロドルフはベテランだ. 五人もいれば白銀のウルフナイトにも負けないだろう.

ティノの質問に,ロドルフが一瞬唇を強く結び,震える声で訴え始めた.

大きく見開かれた緑の目がただそれだけで受けた恐怖の大きさを物語っている.

'はぁ,はぁ……や,やばいのが,いる. こんなの,レベル３じゃねえッ……ここには――やばいのが,いるんだ. 油断,していなかった. だが――通じなかった. 槍も,こいつの,攻撃も――'

'ああ,わかってるよ. なんか人の骨で顔の右半分隠してる狼の騎士だろ. 俺達も戦ってきた'

ギルベルト少年が,身を震わせ語るロドルフの言葉に肩を竦めてみせる. 空気読めてない少年だ.

だが,ロドルフはその言葉に,目を見開き,大きく首を横に振った.

'は……半分？ ち,違う. 俺達,やられたのは,傷を負ったのは――顔全体を,骨で隠した,幻影(ファントム)だ. 早く逃げなければ――'

蒼白の表情. かっと見開かれた目はまるでその『敵』を幻視しているかのように恐怖に揺れていた.

クレームを入れたい気分だ.
あれより強いのがいるのか……どうなってるんだよ,この宝物殿.

……いくら運悪いなんて言っても,ま,まさか出会わないよね？

笑い飛ばしたかったが,とてもそんな気分にはなれなかった.



§ § §



ふと足音一つなく入ってきた小さな影に,白銀のウルフナイトがゆっくり顔をあげる.

その足の下にはひしゃげた金属片があった.
嗅いだことがないくらい強い死の臭いが染み付いた金属片だ.

だが,もうそれが安全であることを,自分が騙されていたということを,かつて存在したシルバームーンと同等以上の知能を持ったその個体は理解していた.

次に出会ったら,バラバラにできるということも.

身の丈程もある巨大な大剣を持ち上げ,どこか億劫そうにも見えるゆっくりとした動作で影を振り向く.
顔面の右半分を隠した骨の眼窩から覗く真紅の目が,先程よりも強い恨みを湛えている.

待ち伏せするように部屋に溜まっていた他の二体――弓を,棍棒を持った同格のウルフナイトが同じように顔をあげた.

その視線の先にいたのは――顔全体を歓喜の笑みを浮かべた骸骨で隠した小さな人影だった.
身の丈は天をつくほどの大きさを誇る白銀のウルフナイトの三分の一もないが,その身に纏う死の気配はウルフナイトのそれを大きく越えていた.

その手に握られたのはミドルサイズの抜き身の剣だ. 白銀のウルフナイトの持つ武器と異なり,透き通るような透明な剣身の剣だった.

『静寂の星(サイレント・エアー)』

明らかに異なる輝きを持った宝具が,無造作に下ろされた腕の下で揺れる. それがかつてレベル８のハンターの背にあり,途中で投げ出されたものであることをウルフナイト達は知らない.

身に纏うはプレートメイルとは異なる,まるで身の軽さを重視したような酷く人間じみた軽装. しかし,その膝近くまでを覆ったブーツのみが,ウルフナイトの鎧を思わせる黒金に輝いていた.

『白狼の巣』という宝物殿はかつての蹂躙の歴史,魔獣シルバームーンの残した呪いそのものだ.

染み付いた怨嗟の感情はその巣穴に蓄積したマナ・マテリアルに強い影響を与えた.

そこにあるのは人への憎悪であり,同時に強い憧れだ.
力への憧れ. 姿への憧れ. 知恵への憧れ.

憧憬と憎悪は表裏一体.
白銀のウルフナイトが二足で立つのも,道具を纏うのもその現れである. そして,その頭の半分を覆う人の頭蓋を模した骨も,また.

ならば,完全なる骨で顔を隠す個体は？

マナ・マテリアルの不足により,そこまで強い呪いを実現できなかったその宝物殿は今や,レベル５のハンターを撃退出来るほどの魔境と化している.

In front of the three silvery-white wolfknights, a shadow with a laughing skull covering the front of its face walked forward with unhurried steps.

The Wolfknights roared with the hatred they once held.