92-92 Coffin of stone (1/2)

魔竜ララと一緒に飛び立ったノール先生は空の上であの怪物と対峙し、すぐさま私たちの頭上で信じがたい光景を繰り広げた.

ララはあの巨体すら霞むような凄まじい速さで空を縦横無尽に旋回し、上昇と急降下を繰り返しながら強烈な『破滅の光(ブレス)』で怪物の身体を幾度となく灼いた.

自らの身を灼くララ(てき)を落とそうと、怪物は無数の極大の黒い雷を放つが、ララの背に立つノール先生がそれを瞬時に『黒い剣』で弾き、遠くの平原や山へ難無く捌いて落とす.

────その度に、凄まじい雷鳴が大地を揺るがし、黒い閃光が彼方の地形を削り取っていくのがわかる.

時折、ミスラの上空全てを覆えそうな程の馬鹿げた威力の炎が空を満たすが、私とアスティラさんが二人掛かりで押し戻すことがやっとだったあの灼熱の炎の塊を、魔竜(ララ)はあの巨(おお)きな翼で一つ羽ばたくだけで強引に押し戻し、逆に怪物をその炎で焼いていた.

その怪物が怯む瞬間を見逃さず、ララは更に強力な『破滅の光(ブレス)』を目前の肉塊に容赦無く叩き込み、一瞬で赤黒く変色した空が白んだ.

直後、視界の全てが直視できないほどに眩しく輝き、遅れて爆風が地上に吹き付け、建物を崩し、瓦礫を吹き飛ばす.

ひたすらに止むことのない轟音と閃光と劫火.

そんな中で、ノール先生とララはずっと戦い続けていた.

────最早、常人には何が起きているか分からない領域だった.

「……すごい」

私は上空で繰り広げられるその壮絶な光景に見入っていた.

地上もまた激しい戦闘の最中だというのに、そのことを忘れてしまうぐらいに.

それは最早、私達人間が一瞬たりとも関わることを許されない、遥か上の存在同士の衝突だった. どんな豊かな想像力を持つ者も決して思い描けないような────まるで神話の神々が死力を尽くして戦っているような光景.

「すごいね……あれ」

天上の戦いに心奪われていた私は隣で一緒に空を見上げるロロの声で我に返った.

「……ロロ、すみませんでした. 急にララにも無理をさせるようなことをお願いしてしまって……でも、今はああいう方法しか思いつかなくて」

「ううん、彼女は喜んでたし、良いと思うよ. 今もすごく楽しそうだし」

ロロは空を見上ながら言った.

「そうですね……でも、このままでは勝てません」

私は先ほどロロに私の頭の中にある朧げな意図を読み取ってもらい、ノール先生にララと共に空へと向かってもらうことにした.

イネスによれば、あの怪物はあらゆる金属を切り裂く彼女の『光の剣』でも斬ることすらできなかったという.

でも、私は先程ノール先生があの化け物を砕くのを目にしている.

どういう理屈かはわからないが、ノール先生が手にする『黒い剣』ならあの得体の知れない存在を砕き滅ぼせるということだ.

だから、先生にはララと一緒に上に向かってもらったのだが────でもこのままでは、まずい.

先生は、なかなかあの怪物に近づけないでいる.

そしてあれだけ凄まじい熱戦と炎に焼かれているというのに、あの怪物がダメージを負っている気配がない.

おそらく、あの肉に包まれた本体を叩かねばあれを倒せない.

でも、一撃で都市を滅ぼすほどのララの『破滅の光』の破壊力を以ってしても、あの怪物の肉を削れる量はごく僅か.

あと一つ、状況を打開する戦力(ちから)を空(うえ)に向かわせる必要がある.

「────イネス. お願いできますか」

「……本当に宜しいのですか、リンネブルグ様」

イネスが押し寄せる魔物の群れを薙ぎ払いながら、振り返って私の顔を見た.

「はい. 地上(した)は私達で抑えますから」

「しかし……御身に何かあっては」

イネスは不安気な表情で私の目を見つめた.

I know what she's going to say.

Right now, she's almost alone in holding back the horde of demons.

We formed up with Inez at the front, and all she had to do was cleave the horde of demons with her Shield of Light, and the threat in sight would be wiped out in no time.

Thanks to this, we were able to relax a bit and have enough time to treat the wounded.

But once Inez leaves this place, the situation will change drastically. At the very least, there would be no time for conversation.

Please go to ...... immediately. Dr. Noor is the one who needs your help the most right now.

Inez was silent for a moment, then opened her mouth to think.

──── I understand. But please put yourself first. It's not my place to be injured.

”......I understand. Take care of yourself, Inez.

Yes, sir. Goodbye, Mr. Linneburg. Please be safe.

Inez then made a single cleave of her Shield of Light, and all the demons in her field of vision were slashed horizontally, instantly becoming a pile of corpses.

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──── She was headed for the middle of that heavenly battle.

Inez feared for my safety, but she was the one who should not be worrying about others.

But she has to go.

She's the only one who can intervene there.

And so, with the strongest shield protecting us gone, I called out to those around me.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the end of the break. ...... Are you ready?

”Yeah, I could use some rest, Leanne.

Yeah, it looks like no one's too injured to move. That's great, that guy ......, or was it Ines ......?

There were six people standing behind me: Rollo, Prince Tyrence, Astila, and the starboard side of the Twelve Apostles.

Other than that, there were no more people around.

There were many knights of Mithra here a while ago, but many of them were injured in the mix-up with the demons earlier, and Astila and I worked together to give them simple treatment,......, but even if they stay here, there will always be many injured people who die in vain. .

So, with the exception of the ten people who are still here, the rest of us have decided to focus on evacuating the citizens.

I will be the one to select them, and I will be the one to command them from now on, as I was delegated by Prince Tirens to command the troops, and I was the one who planned this ”operation”.

But ────

I'm not sure what to make of that.　It's a good thing that you're not the only one who has a problem with this.　......No matter how many orders His Highness gives, I'm not convinced. ......!

Of course, the frustration remains.

Miranda, the Twelve Apostles, gathered them together and seemed puzzled by what I had explained.

”Watch your mouth, Miranda. It is the order of Your Eminence and Your Highness to obey her. Do you dare to be disrespectful in this place?

”......, but ......, no matter what, that way ......!

...... Sorry. Miranda. I'm the one who said I wanted her (Lean) to run this scene. She's much better at this stuff (・・・・・・) than I am. If you have any complaints, feel free to blame me.

”At ......, Your Highness ......!　This is not the way I meant it. ......!

Then obey meekly. Miranda.

...... Okay, okay, ......!

...... I understand where she's coming from.

I'm sure you're not the only one.

”At ......, Miranda, Petra. I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.

...... If possible, I'd like to wait for Miranda to calm down, but there's no time.

I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it or not, but I'm sure you've heard of it.

It won't take much time for that horde to reach us.

We need to hurry up and get ready.

”But ......, hey. Are you sure you want to do this?　I understand what you mean, but that means we're all ────

”──── Miranda. We're here to protect the people of Mithra. You have to help.

But, ......, no matter what, it's still ......!

...... Miranda. You know why a guest of honor from another country would risk his life to stay here.

”Oh, ────!　I get it. ......!　I'm not sure if you're going to be able to do this, but I'm sure you'll be able to do it.

If you want to go to ......, we can start right away. We don't have time for this. Concentrate.

...... I know, I know, I know. ......!　Don't rush me. ......!

In spite of the hesitant tone of voice, Miranda's magic power increased in an instant, just a breath away, and she was ready to cast a spell.

”......, that's enough. If you're going to do it, do it.

I'm ready. I'm ready.

────【Scripture】Mr. Miranda.

Petra from ──── [Pseudepigrapha] .

They were young, probably around eighteen years old, not much older than me, but they were still top-notch magicians.

I'll be ready to cast a spell as soon as they do.

”Here we go: ────

And then the three of us breathed in unison and activated the spell at the same time.