105-105 Completion Ceremony (1/2)

今日は記念すべき日だ.

俺が工事に参加した王都を巡る長大な『水路』が無事完成し、その記念の式典が行われるのだ.

魔導皇国の侵攻から半年.

まずは魔竜に崩された建物の瓦礫撤去から始まり、その後の地ならし、水路を通すための掘削工事と、俺もその作業のほとんどに関わってきただけに、完成となると感慨もひとしおだ.

ここまで本当に長かった.

とはいえ工期は予定よりも大幅に短縮され、水道の開通も早まった. 最早俺の相棒とも言える『黒い剣』が、今回の工事でとんでもない活躍をしてくれたのだ.

俺がミスラの旅から帰ってきて、水路を敷く為の溝を作る工事で『黒い剣』を使って穴を掘っていたところ、ふと親方が、剣が地中に埋まった邪魔な岩ごと削り取っているのに気づき、ちょっとした騒ぎになった.

そうしてその後、色々と話し合った結果、俺の持つ黒い剣の頑丈さを穴掘りにでなく、水路の『部品』を作る方に使ったらどうか、ということになった.

そういうわけで、俺は水路の部品を作る『石材加工ギルド』の工房の応援に行くことになったのだが.

あまり手先が器用でない俺は最初、石の部品を壊しまくり顰蹙(ひんしゅく)を買った. だが、その後も諦めずに石の加工を続けていると、だんだんそれらしい形のモノが出来るようになっていった.

最初は苦労したが、一旦慣れ始めると材料の石材は『黒い剣』で面白いように削れ、ほかの職人は目を丸くした.

今まで三人の職人が三日がかりで削り上げていた石の部材(パーツ)が、黒い剣を使った加工によって、俺一人で一日に二十も三十も生産できるようになったのだ.

途中、水路の部品が十分すぎるほど溜まった為、今度は工事現場の穴掘りにも戻ったりして、俺は工事現場と工房を何度も往復した. それが水路の復旧工事を大幅に早めることにも繋がったらしい.

他にも、俺にとって大きな発見があった.

てっきり、ガタガタでどこも斬れないと思っていた『黒い剣』だが、よく見ると一部分だけ真っ直ぐな部分がある.

そこもかなり傷ついているので、他の部分とだいたい同じだろうと思っていたのだが……うまく使えば、小さな木材ぐらいなら綺麗にすっぱり切断できることがわかった.

あの剣は魔物を斬ることには全く向かないが、なるほど、こういう使い方もあるのかと思った.

新たな使い道を見出された『黒い剣』の威力はすさまじく、おかげで石材加工の職人達に気に入られ、一緒に工房で働かないかとまで言ってもらえるようになった.

そういうわけで、完成したこの水路にはかなりの数、俺が加工した石材の部品が使われている.

今回の『竣工式』はある意味、俺も当事者(主役)のひとりとも言えるのだ.

「────作業員代表、ノール」

突然、自分の名前を呼ばれた.

見回すと、大勢集まった人の中で派手な格好をした小太りの人物が辺りを見回している.

「おい、ノール. 呼ばれてるぞ？」

俺の隣に立っている同僚にも肩をつつかれた.

そういえば、たしか、今日は俺の名前が呼ばれるとは聞いていたが……これ、どうすればいいのだろう.

「……呼ばれたが、どうすればいいんだ？」

「おいおい、朝の親方の話を聞いてなかったのかよ……？　とにかく前に行け. あそこに立ってる偉い感じの人の前だ」

「わかった」

えらい感じの人物……と思って見回すとすぐに、小太りの中年の脇に、身なりのいい若者が目に入った.

俺がそのまま彼に近づくと、しっかりと目が合った.

するとその若者は驚いた表情を見せた.

「────な……？」

その顔にはよく見覚えがあった.

というか、リーンのお兄さんだった.

...... I didn't think it was possible, but Lord Noor, ......?

It's been a while. What are you doing here?

...... This canal project is a national undertaking. My father was supposed to be here, but he's not. In the meantime, I'm supposed to be there in his place.

I was impressed by the fact that they were also busy doing work that I didn't know about, when Lean's brother looked at me.

The other day, my father and I were at a party.　...... I heard that my father and sister invited you to a ceremony in Mithra the other day. I thought you were going with them today.

Yeah, they did invite me. ...... I turned them down.

...... Turned you down?

I had this completion ceremony today. Is that a bad idea?

...... No. If that's what my father wants, I don't have to tell him.

He now looked at the 'black sword' on my shoulder.

...... What is that sword?　...... Why are you still carrying it on your shoulder at a time like this?

”This?　It was very useful for the construction. I thought I'd bring it along anyway.

The Black Sword is on ────?

For a while, Lean's brother stared at the black sword on my shoulder with a mysterious expression, but when the area began to buzz, he suddenly came to his senses and handed me a wooden box containing some small coins.

It was a shiny golden coin with the words ”Commemorative Completion” written on it in small letters.

'Just a souvenir. Please take it.

”Oh, thank you. ...... So, are we done?　Can I go back?

...... Oh, yeah. Thanks a lot.

We exchanged a few words and parted, and the memorial ceremony went on.

I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I think it's a good idea.

I arrived at the Adventurer's Guild.

When I arrived at the adventurer's guild, I handed the request completion form to the guild master, who stamped the form as usual and placed the leather bag containing my living expenses on the counter.

──── Noor. I'm really sorry for your troubles. I heard you did a great job this time. Here, this is your reward for what you asked for. Take it.

But there's something wrong with you. He's congratulating me with his mouth, but for some reason he's got a heavy atmosphere behind him.

”...... What's up ......?　Is there something wrong with ......?

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

”...... Hey, Noor. You know what?　Today, my guild received a tremendous amount of money. It's from both the Building Guild and the Royal Stone Workers Guild. I'm sure you know that. ...... That's all for your work.

”...... Really? Is it a lot?

I'm not sure what the breakdown is since I leave the money to my uncle in the guild, but I sure feel like I worked a lot. I have a feeling that I earned a lot of money.

I'm not sure how much I've earned. ......?　I've already got enough money to buy ten or twenty inns and bathhouses in the capital. I'm not sure what to do.　You can't believe ...... that even if you hunt ten big ones, you can still get change. It's incredible. I'm not sure what to make of this.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that we're not losing any money.

If you're in the black, good for you.