R11:SA5 08.txt
From TLWiki
その前にもう一度だけ、サークル外を確認しておこうと思った。%K%P But before that, I decided to check outside the circle one more time. 念には念を入れておかねばならない。%K%P I need to stay focused and be careful. オレは玄関の扉を開いて外へ出た。%K%P I opened the door and stepped outside. ここにとどまっていられる時間は３３分間――。%K%P 33 minutes had nearly passed since my arrival here―― もうあまり時間がない。%K%P I didn't have much time left. 玄関前の床板を力強く蹴って、雪原の中へと飛び込んでいった。%K%P Filled with determination, I kicked off the floorboards inside the entrance and jumped out into the snow. 積雪をわさわさと掻き分けて進む。%K%P I trudged my way through it. 雪が足に絡みついて、これ以上速度をあげることはできなかった。%K%P Before long, the snow had piled up around my feet, making it impossible for me to go any faster. サークル外を確認する、なんてことはせずに、思い切って３人を連れ出すべきだったのではないかと後悔する。%K%P I probably should've just brought the three of them with me in the first place... だが悔やんでも仕方がない。もうここまで来てしまったのだ。%K%P No point in regretting it now, though. I'm already all the way out here. 避難小屋からサークルの円周までは１１０ｍ……。%K%P It was 110 meters from the shelter cabin to the edge of the circle.... いくら雪の抵抗があるとは言え、急げば片道５分とかからないだろう。%K%P Even with the resistance from the snow, a one-way trip should only take five minutes if I hurried. なだらかな上り斜面になってはいるけれど、それも計算に入れての５分だ。%K%P There was a gentle uphill slope on the way, but I'd already worked that into my calculations. オレは雪面を乗り越えるようにして丘を登り続けた。%K%P I continued trudging through the snow and up the hill. 天を見上げてみる。%K%P I raised my eyes to the heavens. 微かに薄雲が漂ってはいるが、夜空は皮肉なほど晴れ渡っていた。%K%P Faint clouds drifted far above, but otherwise the night sky was ironically clear. 時空間転移が発生すれば、この星空もたちまち掻き消されてしまうのだろう。%K%P Once the space-time transfer occurs, this starry sky will probably be erased in an instant as well. オレの意識は常に青鷺島に残留したままだから、それを見ることはできないけれど……。%K%P Though my consciousness would remain here at Aosagi Island, so I wouldn't be able to see it happen.... 黙々と斜面を登り続け……。%K%P I silently continued up the hill.... やがてオレはサークルのふちにたどりついた。%K%P And eventually reached the edge of the circle. そこがエッジだとわかったのは、雪面に小さな段差を見つけたからだ。%K%P I knew it was the edge because of the slight difference in elevation. 外側の方が明らかに積雪量が少ない。%K%P The layer of fallen snow on the outside was visibly lower. その鮮やかな切り口は、段差が人為的に作られたものであることを如実に物語っていた。%K%P To me, the clearly defined difference between the levels of snow was a strong indicator I was in an artificial environment. 顔をあげると、眼前には２日前に見たものと変わらぬ光景が広がっていた。%K%P When I raised my head, spread before me was the same scene I saw two days ago, completely unchanged. 遥か彼方には、まっすぐ伸びた水平線……。%K%P Far off in the distance, the horizon dividing sky and sea.... その上には累々たる星々の瞬きがあり、下には黒い艶をまとった豊かな海原が広がっている。%K%P A myriad of twinkling stars above it, the glassy depths of the dark ocean below. やはりここは青鷺島なのだ。%K%P This was Aosagi Island after all. 確認を済ませたオレは、息つく間もなく来た道を引きかえした。%K%P After I finished confirming it, I took a deep breath and immediately turned back the way I came. ほどなく、視界の片隅に奇妙な影を捉えた。%K%P But just as I did, I caught the merest glimpse of a strange shadow out of the corner of my eye. まだ１０ｍか、２０ｍか、そのぐらいしか進んでいない。%K%P I had only walked 10 or 20 meters from the shore. その影はサークルのすぐ内側にあった。%K%P The shadow was just inside the circle. 肌色の布地のような質感……。%K%P Some kind of flesh-colored cloth covered it.... どうやら衣服のようだ。%K%P I think it's clothing. オレは吸い寄せられるように、そこへと向かった。%K%P Drawn to it, I headed away from my previous path and headed over to it instead. ひとめ見て、死体だとわかった。%K%P I realized with a single glance that it was a corpse. ひとりの女の子の亡骸が雪の中に埋ずもれている。%K%P The remains of a lone girl lay there, almost buried in the snow. 抱き起こしてみたがピクリとも動かない。%K%P I tried lifting her arm, but she didn't move an inch. いや、動くとか、動かないとか、そういう状態ではなかった。%K%P No, she was clearly past the point of being able to move. まさに氷の彫像そのものだったのだ。%K%P You could call her an ice sculpture, the way she was now. 身体はガチガチに凍り尽くしていて、すでに周囲の雪と同化してしまっていた。%K%P She was frozen solid, no longer any different from the snow that surrounded her. ただ、眠るような死に顔が、かつてそこに生命の宿っていたことをかろうじて教えてくれた。%K%P Only her dead face, so similar to a sleeper's, hinted that there had once been life there. 白く透き通った肌……。%K%P Her pale white skin.... 氷に閉ざされたその顔は、星々の淡い光に照らされ魅惑的な美しさを放っていた。%K%P Her face, encased in ice, shone under the faint light of the stars with an almost enchanting beauty. 不謹慎かも知れないが、オレはしばし時を忘れて彼女の死に顔に見とれてしまった。%K%P It may have been imprudent, but I almost forgot about the time as I stared at that face. もちろん、彼女に見覚えはない。%K%P Of course, I couldn't recall ever having met her. いったい誰なんだろう、この子は……？%K%P Just who was she...? そもそもどうしてこんなところに女の子が……？%K%P And how did a girl get all the way out here in the first place...? 我に返ったオレは、彼女の着衣を探って財布を取り出した。%K%P Returning to my senses, I searched her until I discovered a wallet. 中に運転免許証が差し込まれている。%K%P There was a driver's license inside. 抜き出して、視線を落とした。%K%P I drew it out and looked down at it. %N %LC%FS『涼蔭穂鳥』――。%FE%K%O "Suzukage Hotori"―― 氏名の欄にはそう書かれていた。%K%P That's what was written there. オレは彼女の亡骸をその場に残し、走り出した。%K%P I left her remains lying there and began to run. 当然、後ろめたい想いがないわけではない。%K%P Naturally, it wasn't as though I felt no guilt. けれどそんな悠長なことを言っている場合ではなかった。%K%P But I no longer had the freedom to dwell on it right now. 雪を蹴り上げて走る。%K%P I kicked up snow as I ran. 斜面を転がるように駆け下りていく。%K%P I practically rolled down the slope back to the cabin. 思考の断片が頭の中を駆けめぐっていた。%K%P Fragmented thoughts raced through my head. 『涼蔭穂鳥』――。%K%P "Suzukage Hotori"―― 彼女の名前は『穂鳥』――。%K%P The girl's name was "Hotori"―― もう動かなくなってしまったけれど、彼女こそが正真正銘の涼蔭穂鳥の姿だったのだ。%K%P Though she was no longer alive, that girl was the real Suzukage Hotori. 同時に、オレは今、避難小屋の３人をサークル外へと導かなければならないのだった。%K%P But at the same time, I've got to get those three out of the circle. 頭が混乱する……。錯乱する……。%K%P Chaos reigned in my head.... I felt like I was losing it.... どうにか理性を繋ぎとめながら、両足を懸命に振り上げ続けた。%K%P I charged forward, raising my legs as high as I could, hoping to regain my reason. すると、そのとき――。%K%P At that moment―― 大気を切り刻むような律動の音が聞こえてきた。%K%P I heard something. A whirring rhythmic sound, rending the atmosphere. 見上げると、そこには１機のヘリコプターが……。%K%P Looking up, I saw a helicopter.... 自衛隊の輸送ヘリか何かだろう。%K%P It was probably a Self-Defense Force transport vehicle. 回転する翼は前後に２ヶ所設置されていて、重々しい機体を宙に浮かべていた。%K%P Its propeller rotated in its designated circle, keeping its heavy frame up in the air. ここは朱倉岳ではない。青鷺島だ。%K%P This isn't Mount Akakura. It's Aosagi Island. 輸送ヘリが上空を通過したとしても、不思議なことは何もなかった。%K%P It wouldn't have been at all strange for a transport helicopter to pass overhead. だが、それはオレが事実を知っているからこそ思うことであり……。%K%P But I only knew that because I knew the truth.... 避難小屋の黄泉木と鈴は……。%K%P Yomogi and Lin were inside the shelter cabin.... そんなことを思っていると、案の定、ふたりが小屋から飛び出してきた。%K%P And as soon as I thought that, sure enough, both of them came flying out of the cabin. あわてふためくように……。これが最期とばかりにうろたえながら……。%K%P Panicking.... As though this was their last chance.... 黄泉木「おぉぉぉーーーい！！ ここだぁぁぁーーー！！」%K%P HEEEEEEY!! OVER HEEEERE!! 黄泉木「こっちだぁぁぁーーー！！」%K%P DOWN HEEEEEEEERE!! 黛「助けてぇぇぇーーー！！」%K%P SAVE UUUUUUUS! 黛「もうっ！ こっちよ！ こっち！」%K%P Geez! HERE! OVER HERE! 黛「どこ行くつもりなのよぉー！」%K%P WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?! ヘリの音に誘われて出て来たのだろう。%K%P They were probably drawn out by the sound of the helicopter. ふたりは機影に向かって大きく手を振っていた。%K%P They waved their arms at the aircraft frantically. 黄泉木の手のひらには懐中電灯が握りしめられている。%K%P Yomogi was clutching a flashlight in one hand. 続いてゆにも、ふらふらとよろめきながら姿を見せた。%K%P After a while, Yuni appeared as well, staggering as he ran. ３人が顔を見あわせてうなずく。%K%P I nodded as I made sure all three of them were there. ヘリの後を追って走り出した。%K%P Then I took off running after the helicopter. 都合よく、それはオレの立っている方向と同じだった。%K%P Luckily, it was heading right in my direction. オレはその場に立ち止まったまま、彼らが来るのを待った。%K%P I stood there in place and waited for them to come to me. 振り返り、肩で息をしながら視線で機影を追う。%K%P Turning my head, I followed it with my eyes, breathing hard. ヘリの高度は高かった。%K%P It was pretty high up. 輪郭から輸送ヘリらしいということだけはわかったが、この距離ではそれ以外の情報をつかむのは困難だった。%K%P I could tell what it was by the way it was shaped, but, from this distance, it was difficult to make out anything else. ヘリは星空の中を滑るように遠ざかっていく。%K%P The helicopter glided further away through the starry sky. やがて黄泉木ら３人がオレのもとへとたどりつき……。%K%P Eventually, the three of them reached me.... 黄泉木「おい、なにやってんだよ、冬川さん！」%K%P Hey! What do you think you're doing, Fuyukawa-san?! 黄泉木「わからないのか！？」%K%P Don't you know what's going on?! 黄泉木「ほら！ あれだよ、あれ！ ヘリ！」%K%P Look! Look over there! It's a helicopter! 黄泉木「ヘリが来たんだよ！」%K%P A helicopter's come! 黄泉木は鼻息を荒げてそう言った。%K%P Yomogi shouted, breathing roughly. 指先はまっすぐ機体の方に向けられている。%K%P He pointed straight up at the helicopter overhead. 黄泉木「おぉぉぉーーーい！！ 待ってくれぇぇぇーーー！！」%K%P HEEEEEY!! WAAAAAAAAAIT, PLEASE WAAAAAAIIIITTTTT!! 大声を張り上げ、再び走り出す黄泉木……。%K%P Shouting at the top of his lungs, Yomogi began to chase after it again.... 鈴とゆにがその後に続く。%K%P Lin and Yuni followed close behind him. オレも彼らの背中を追った。%K%P I chased after them as well. 引き止める理由など何もない。%K%P There was no reason not to. このまま行けば、彼ら３人はサークル外へと脱出することになるだろう。%K%P If they continued on like this, the three of them would probably escape the circle. 待てよ……。彼ら３人……？%K%P Wait.... The three of them...? じゃあ、このオレは……？%K%P Then... what about me...? こころの肉体は……どうすればいいんだ……？%K%P What would happen... to Kokoro's body...? 考えながらも、ひたすら足を振り上げて追跡を続けた。%K%P But even as I thought that, I ran on, continuing my pursuit. ゆにに追いつく。%K%P I caught up to Yuni. 彼はオレと並走したまま言った。%K%P As we ran, he began to speak. ゆに「はぁ、はぁ、はぁ、悟……！」%K%P Hahh, hahh, hahh, Satoru...! 悟「なんだ……！？」%K%P What is it?! ゆに「実は、伝えなきゃ、いけないことが、あるんだ……！」%K%P Truth is... there's something I... need to tell you! 息を切らして、途切れ途切れに言葉を繋ぐ。%K%P Out of breath, he tried to speak over the pauses for breath that broke up his sentences. 悟「だから、なんだよ！」%K%P So what is it already?! ゆに「いい！？ 悟……」%K%P Listen, Satoru...! ゆに「ぼくらは、きっと、サークルの外には、出れない……！」%K%P There's no way we'll make it out of the circle! 悟「えっ！？」%K%P Huh?! ゆに「もうすぐなんだ……！」%K%P It's going to happen soon...! ゆに「時空間転移が、起こるのは……！」%K%P The space-time transfer...! オレはチラリと腕時計に目を向けた。%K%P I glanced down at my wristwatch. 針は『午後１０時５２分』を示している。%K%P The hands were pointing to "10:52 PM." サークルのエッジまでは、まだ遠い……。%K%P The edge of the circle was still far off.... ゆに「悟、落ち着いて、聞いてね……！？」%K%P Satoru, calm down and listen to me, okay...?! ゆに「ぼくらが、ここで、こうして会うのは……！」%K%P This... will be... the last time.... ゆに「これが最後なんだよ……！」%K%P That we meet like this...! その言葉に、思わず立ち止まってしまった。%K%P His words stopped me in my tracks. ゆにもつられたように動きを止め、オレの方を向く。%K%P Yuni halted as well and turned to face me. ゆに「なんでかって言うと……」%K%P How should I say this... ゆに「１７日にならないと、その次の転移が、起こらないからなんだ！」%K%P The next transfer won't happen until the 17th! 悟「おまえ、どうしてそんなこと、知ってるんだ！？」%K%P You... how could you possibly know that?! ゆに「いいから黙って聞いてよ！ 時間がないんだから！」%K%P Just be quiet and listen! We've got no time left! ゆに「次の転移が発生するのは１７日の午前４時４８分！」%K%P The next transfer will happen on the 17th, at 4:48 AM! ゆに「繰り返すよ！？」%K%P Let me repeat! ゆに「次の転移が発生するのは１７日の午前４時４８分なんだ！」%K%P The next transfer will happen on the 17th, at 4:48 AM! ゆに「だから、そのときまでに……！」%K%P That's why, until then――
