인형의 기사/3권

Chapter 3 - On the Road Home

Pedro visited the city accompanied by the Blue Knight. With the crowning ceremony approaching, the streets were abuzz with excitement. As he strolled the city center, people passing by cast strange looks his way.

'What a noble knight he must be.'

'I'm sure he must be quite the famous hero.'

'Do you suppose he's attending the crowning ceremony?'

Trailing quietly behind the Blue Knight, Pedro could hardly keep himself from doing a little dance. It felt like a step towards Capri, who could control the Black Priest as if it was human itself. Of course, at the same time he found it annoying that others thought him the servant of his own creation.

It was on his way back to the workshop outside of town that Pedro's humming was interrupted by a scream.

'No... Please, stop!' cried a voice from the woods.

'Heh heh, no one's gonna save you!' a man growled. 'Give up and give in!'

From the looks of things, some thuggish men had a girl cornered.

Dainty and clad in a white dress, the girl's searching eyes sought desperately for a way to flee from the danger.

Pedro squared his shoulders, and lowering his cap to shadow his eyes, he set his fingers in motion. The Blue Knight charged forward.

第３話　都の帰路にて

ペドロは《蒼騎士》をつれて都を訪れました。 戴冠式をひかえ、にわかに活気づいた街角。 道行く人々が好奇の視線を投げかけてきます。

『なんと立派な騎士様だろうねぇ』 『さぞかし名高い英雄にちがいあるまい』 『戴冠式に出席されるのかな？』

澄ました顔で、蒼騎士の後ろを歩きながら ペドロは小躍りしたくてたまりませんでした。 《黒法師》を人間のように操るカプリに これで一歩近づいたような気がしたからです。 もっとも、自分が“従者”に見られたのは ちょっとばかり面白くありませんでしたが。

ペドロが、鼻歌を歌いながら 郊外にある人形工房に戻る途中のこと。 『いやっ……やめてください！』 木々の合間から、悲鳴が聞こえてきました。

『へへ、助けなんぞあるものか！』 『あきらめて、大人しくしやがれ！』 見れば、ゴロツキ風情の男たちが 女の子を押さえつけているではありませんか。

真っ白なドレスに包まれた、華奢な肢体が いましめから逃れようと必死にもがいています。 帽子を目深にかぶったペドロは 指先を踊らせて《蒼騎士》を走らせました。