◯５面ボス 新帝の盃
平 文門（たいらのふみかど）
Taira no Humikado
種族：ホムンクルス
能力：魂を遷す的な能力
その昔、"都"との権力抗争に巻き込まれて両親を亡くした文門を
祖父が独り身で育ててくれた。
負債の恩があるその祖父の望みの為、文門はその身の全てを捧げた。
祖父等にとっての『真の皇』の復活の為、
錬金術師であった祖父が狩ってきた鬼の体、そして文門の血、
その他多くの生物の能力や特質を付加させた生命体を創り出した。
魂の入ってない空っぽの幼く小さなソレに、自らの魂を遷し、
年月を積み重ねて肉体を活性化、成長、鍛錬させ続けた。
肉体が『器』として完成したときには、すでに祖父は病没していた。
文門は仲間と共に計画を続行し、その成就を祖父の墓に誓った。
祖父と共に作り上げたこの『器』の膂力と霊力。
そして、代々伝わる数々の『家宝』の効力と魔力を頼りに。
しかしその計画の途中、信頼できる重要な仲間の一人を失い、
計画は頓挫していた。
―――――これは、闇夜に朧げな月が浮かんでいた日のことだった。
无現里内にある、波の穏やかな海峡。
濃霧や蜃気楼の影響で空や陸からの光が届きづらく、
昼夜問わず年中薄暗いことから『幽暗海峡』と呼ばれていた。
文門は敵対者の刺客からの目を避けて海峡を渡るため、
大型船での移動は避け、夜の港の端の方で暇そうに
ウニを食べていた船頭を雇い、そいつの无帆船に乗って
海峡を渡ることにした。
「"都"へ行かれたんで？」
舟の上での会話は、船頭の方から切り出すことが多かった。
「ちょっと前まではこの船もお客さんが多かったんですけどねぇ
港で見たでしょ？ アノおっきな帆船！
『聯絡船(れんらくせん)』とか呼ばれてましたっけ？
あれが来てからめっきり客足が遠退きましてね～
そんでもって今度はあの大橋が出来ちゃうでしょ？
ここんところ一ヶ月間ぐらいは手紙や荷物ぐらいしか
運んでませんでしたよー
同業者もどんどん辞めていっちゃうし、
もうこの仕事じゃあ食っていけなくなっちゃうのかなー」
船頭は頼んでもいないのにつらつらと喋り続ける。
長い間、相当暇を持て余していたようだ。
「本当は海賊が夢だったんですけどねぇ～、
けど先駆者がいる以上、船乗り一人じゃなにも出来ないし」
本来、どちらかといえば客の愚痴でも聞く立場にあるはずの船頭は、
自分の仕事の愚痴を遠慮なく漏らしていた。
「渡し舟の船頭をやめたら、何をするつもりなんだい？」
文門がそう聞くと、"待ってました"といわんばかりの
笑みを浮かべて、船頭は懐から細い竹で出来た笛を取り出した。
なるほど、芸の道ってわけね。
それにしても趣味や仕事に節操のない奴だ。
「お急ぎでなければ、一曲どうですか？
いや、別料金をとるなんて言いませんから」
計画が滞っていた文門にとって、特に急ぐ用事はなかった。
ここのところ心がささくれていたから、
少し和ませたほうがいいだろう。
そう思い、奏でてみるように頼むと船頭は嬉しそうに、
そして誇らしげに笑った。
では一曲だけ・・・
っと言う声は、自信と緊張とが折り重なって少し震えていた。
人前で吹くのは慣れてないのだろうか・・・？
―――その曲は今までに聞いたことのない曲だった。
いささか気味の悪い音が多かったが、不快感は無かった。
酒の苦味と同じで、その苦味が旨みとなっている。
様々な辛い経験をした者にのみ分かる味・・・
暗闇の中、水面に響くその音色は、
二人以外の誰の耳に届くこともなく、波に呑まれていった。
別にそれほど気になったわけではなかった。
いい曲を聞かせてもらった礼儀として
一応名を覚えておこうかと思い、尋ねてみただけだった。
船頭が少しばつの悪い顔をしたあとの返答は、文門を驚愕させた。
『藤原』という響きは、无現里において特別であるのだから。
そしてそれは文門の『敵』の名でもあった。
少し間を置いて、文門は返事として自らも名乗ると、
その船頭も文門の名に驚愕したようで、
その後しばらく黙り込んだ。
―――――今夜は珍しく空気が澄んでいた。
多少の霧はあるものの、蜃気楼もなく、
遠く陸の方では小さな明かりが海岸線沿いに鏤められていた。
それも二人を照らすには敵わず、星々の光だけが
二人の輪郭をなぞるなか、
さらに遠くに見える都の仰々しい光は、
暗闇に慣らされた目には直視し難かった。
舟に打ち寄せる波は一定の間隔で舟底を響かせた。
まるでこれから始まる変革の胎動の音のようであり、
その心地よい脈拍は静寂の時を永く感じさせた。
二人の間に確認は不要だった。
文門はふと思い出し、丁度手元にある家宝の一つである
『小枝』を船頭に渡した。
この笛はあるべき場所を探していたはずだ。
自分以外の、誰かの場所を。
小枝を船頭に吹かせてみると、まるで魂を抜き取るような音色が
海面の波を震えたてた。
舟を中心に小さな波紋が広がり、
当たりに立ち込める薄い霧が晴れていった。
脱帽した。
持つべき者が扱えば、道具というのは
ここまで力を発揮するものなのか？
「それで、"都"には何の用だったんで？」
今回もやはり、船頭が話を切り出した。
「・・・計画の成就の為、ある情報屋を探していた」
「情報屋ですか？ それで、目当ての情報は得られたんですかい？」
「近いうちに、内側の結界に大きな穴が開き、
外部から様々なものが流れてくるらしいが、
その中でも取分け霊魂が多く流れ込み、无現里内に充満するんだとさ」
「ほぉ、そりゃ例の神社さん達が大変だろうに、
新人だとか、代理だとか聞きましたが」
「別にそんなこと知ったこっちゃないけど、
その霊達を利用しよっかな、ってね」
「へぇ～、それで、どうなんですかい、状況は？」
「・・・・・・丁度、駒が揃ったところ」
これが平文門と藤原伊代真との出会いだった。
「よーそろー....」
小さくそう呟く伊代真の過去を文門は知らなかったが、
その心情はなんとなく分かった。
帆のなかった伊代真の舟で、
文門と言う名の帆がようやく夜の順風を受け始めたのだ。
―――――ここは幽暗海峡。
東の空が、少し明るくなってきた。
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〇 Stage 5 Boss — The Vessel for the New Emperor
Taira no Fumikado
Species: Homunculus
Ability: Something like transferring souls
A long time ago, they lost both parents due to a political power dispute in the "Capital"
and was raised by their single grandfather.
Fumikado offered everything they could to help realize the wish of their grandfather, to whom they were indebted.
This wish was to resurrect who their grandfather and his associates considered the "True Emperor".
As an alchemist, he used the body of an oni that he hunted, added to it Fumikado's blood,
as well as the vital energy and some special qualities from a lot of other living things, to manufacture a new life-form.
Fumikado transferred their own soul into the young, small, empty and soulless lifeform,
and for many months and years kept stimulating, developing and training its physical body.
When the body was completed as a "vessel", their grandfather had already passed away.
Fumikado continued his plan with their comrades and vowed to realize it on their grandfather's tomb.
Using the physical and spiritual strength of the "vessel" that their grandfather created,
and by relying on the effects and magical powers of the various "heirloom" transmitted through various generations.
However while this plan was being executed, they lost an important and trustworthy partner,
and the plan reached an impasse.
—————This is a story that happened on a dark night, were a faint moon floated in the sky.
Now, there is a strait with gentle waves in "Mugenri".
Due to the influence of heavy fogs and mirages, light from the sky and land barely reaches the strait.
Thus, regardless of day or night, the strait was dim and gloomy the entire year and is hence known as "The Gloomy Strait".
To escape from the hands of assassins sent by enemies, Fumikado decided to go across the strait.
They avoided using a big ship to get across, and instead hired an idle boater
who was eating sea urchin at the end of the harbor at night.
They planned to use their sail-less boat to cross the strait.
"Did you come from the 'Capital'?"
Most conversations on the boat were started by the boater.
"Y'know, just a while ago there used to be lots of guests taking this boat...
But then you saw that thing at the harbour, right? That biiig sailboat?!
It's called a 'ferryboat', I think?
Ever since that boat appeared, the customers have almost disappeared.
And as if that wasn't enough that big bridge is gonna be complete soon as well, right?
It's been one month since,
and I've been only carrying things like baggage and letters.
Consequently, the number of people in this job started to decrease too,
perhaps it's getting impossible to get enough food with only this job..."
Even without being asked to do so, the boater kept on talking attentively.
For a long while, it seemed they had more free time than they knew what to do with.
"Y'know what I really wanted was to become a pirate,
but what with the pioneers already there, there's not much a single person on a boat can do."
Traditionally, sailors should be prepared to listen to the grumbles of their clients,
but instead of that, they were revealing all of the problems with their own job.
"If you were to retire from the job of boater, what would you do after that?"
When Fumikado asked that question, they smiled slightly as if thinking "I was waiting for you say that,"
then the boater retrieved a thin flute from their pocket made of bamboo.
"Going for the art path, I see," Fumikado thought.
Even with that they still looked like a person without integrity on their work or their hobbies.
"If you aren't in any rush may I play one song for you?
Don't worry, it won't add any extra cost to your toll."
Since the plans were already delayed, there was no special reason for Fumikado to be in a hurry.
Lately they were starting to feel irritated,
so it'd be better to calm down a bit.
Therefore, they asked the boater to try and play a song.
They accepted the request happily with a proud smile on their face.
"So... just one song..."
Their voice trembled a bit with a mix of confidence and tension.
Fumikado wondered if they were used to playing for other people....?
———It was a song that they had never heard of before.
There were a lot of notes that sounded a bit off but it wasn't discomforting.
It was like the saké's bitterness, with time such bitterness became good.
It was a taste that only a person who had been through a lot of bitter experiences could understand...
The darkness of the night, with only the two of them there to listen to the water surface's timbre,
the rest of the music was swallowed by the waves.
However they weren't feeling this kind of sensation.
They thought that it was a good idea to ask their name and express
their gratitude in a proper way after listening to a good song.
After doing an awkward face, the boater answered their question and surprised Fumikado.
This happened because the name "Fujiwara" is a very special name in Mugenri.
Moreover it was the name of Fumikado's "Enemy".
After a little pause Fumikado said their name as well,
and the boater was also surprised after hearing it.
Then they remained in silence for a moment.
—————That night was a rare night with a clear sky.
There was a light mist but nothing that could resemble a mirage.
Far away in the direction of the shore there were small lights mounted along the shoreline.
But those lights weren't able to reach them,
only the lights of the stars were able to trace their silhouette.
Even with their eyes already accustomed to the darkness of the sea,
it was difficult to look straight at the exaggerated lights from the capital that was even further away.
The ship's bottom was shaking with the waves breaking on it in a well-defined pattern.
Its sound was like an announcement of a change.
That pleasant pulsation persisted for a long while.
And there was no need to make it certain between the two of them.
Fumikado recalled one item amongst their heirlooms that they happened to have in their hands
and handed the "Saeda" over to the boater.
They were looking for a better place for that flute.
And that place was with anyone but themself.
It seemed that their soul was being taken away from their body when they asked the boater to try to play the Saeda.
Its timbre was able to make the sea waves shiver.
Small ripples spread around the boat,
and the thin fog dispersed alongside the ripples.
They took off their hat.
If handled by the correct person,
would tools be able to release so much power?
"So, what were you doing in the 'Capital'?"
This time again, the boater was the one to break the ice.
"...In order to fulfil my plan, I was looking for a certain informant."
"An informant huh? So, did you get the information you wanted?"
"Soon, a big hole will be opened on the inside of the barrier,
and it seems all sorts of things from the outside will flow in.
Particularly, among those a great number of spirits will flow in, filling up Mugenri."
"Ho, that will be a big problem for those at the shrine,
I heard they were new guys or substitutes or something."
"That's none of my business.
What I'm thinking is, why don't I use those spirits for something?"
"Heh~. So, how is it? What's your current situation?"
"......I've just now collected the needed pieces."
That was the meeting between Taira no Fumikado and Fujiwara no Iyozane.
"Steady as she goes...."
Fumikado didn't know of Iyozane's past, who murmured so,
but they somehow understood their feelings.
Then Iyozane's boat, without a sail,
had finally started to receive favorable winds after receiving a sail named "Fumikado".
—————This is the Gloomy Strait.
The eastern sky thus became a bit brighter.
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