題名 † 
原題 †
訳題 †
本文 †
原文 †
<font face=1>Warrior<br>
By Reven<br>
<br>
<IMG src="Book/fancy_font/t_52x61.dds" width=52 height=61>his is the third book in a four-book series. If you have not read the first two books, 'Beggar' and 'Thief,' you would be well advised to do so.<br>
<br>
Suoibud Erol did not know much of his past, nor did he care to.<br>
<br>
As a child, he had lived in Erolgard, but the kingdom was very poor and taxes were as a result very high. He was too young to manage his abundant inheritance, but his servants, fearing that their master would be ruined, moved him to Jallenheim. No one knew why that location was picked. Some old maid, long dead now, had thought it was a good place to raise a child. No one else had a better idea.<br>
<br>
There may have been children with a more pampered, more spoiled existance than young Suoibud, but that is doubtful. As he grew, he understood that he was rich, but he had nothing else. No family, no social position, no security at all. Loyalty, he found out on more than one occasion, cannot truly be bought. Knowing that he had but one asset, a vast fortune, he was determined to protect it, and, if possible, increase it.<br>
<br>
Some otherwise perfectly nice people are greedy, but Suoibud was that rare accident of nature or breeding who has no other interest but acquiring and hoarding gold. He was willing to do anything to increase his fortune. Most recently, he had begun secretly hiring mercenaries to attack desirable properties, and then buying them when no one wanted to live there any more. The attacks would then, of course, cease, and Suoibud would have profitable land which he had purchased for a song. It had begun small with a few farms, but recently he had begun a more ambitious campaign.<br>
<br>
In north-central Skyrim, there is an area called The Aalto, which is of unique geographical interest. It is a dormant volcanic valley surrounded on all sides by glaciers, so the earth is hot from the volcano, but the constant water drizzle and air is frigid. A grape called Jazbay grows there comfortably, and everywhere else in Tamriel it withers and dies. The strange vineyard is a privately owned, and the wine produced from it is thus rare and extremely expensive. It is said that the Emperor needs the permission of the Imperial Council to have a glass of it once a year. <br>
<br>
In order to harass the owner of The Aalto into selling his land cheap, Suoibud had to hire more than a few mercenaries. He had to hire the finest private army in Skyrim. <br>
<br>
Suoibud did not like spending money, but he had agreed to pay the general of the army, a woman called Laicifitra, a gem the size of an apple. He had not given it to her yet - payment was to be delivered on the success of the mission - but he had trouble sleeping knowing that he was going to giving up such a prize. He always slept during the day so he could watch his storehouse by night, when he knew thieves were about. <br>
<br>
That brings us up to this moment when, after a fitful sleep, Suoibud woke up at about noon, and surprised a thief in his bedroom. The thief was Eslaf.<br>
<br>
Eslaf had been contemplating a leap from the window, a hundred feet down, into the branches of a tree beyond the walls of the fortified palace, and a tumble into a stack of hay. Anyone who has ever attempted such a feat will testify that it takes some concentration and nerve to do such a thing. When he saw that the rich man sleeping in the room had awakened, both left him, and Eslaf slipped behind a tall ornamental shield on display to wait for Suoibud to go back to sleep.<br>
<br>
Suoibud did not go back to sleep. He had heard nothing, but could feel someone in the room with him. He stood up and began pacing the room.<br>
<br>
Suoibud paced and paced, and gradually decided that he was imagining things. No one was there. His fortune was safe and secure.<br>
<br>
He was returning to his bed when he heard a clunk. Turning around, he saw the gem, the one he was to give to Laicifitra on the floor by the Atmoran cavalry shield. A hand reached out from behind the shield and grabbed it up.<br>
<br>
'Thief!' Suoibud cried out, grabbing a jeweled Akaviri katana from the wall and lunging at the shield.<br>
<br>
The 'fight' between Eslaf and Suoibud will not go down in the annals of great duels. Suoibud did not know how to use a sword, and Eslaf was no expert at blocking with a shield. It was clumsy, it was awkward. Suoibud was furious, but was psychologically incapable of using the sword in any way that could damage its fine filligree, reducing its market value. Eslaf kept moving, dragging the shield with him, trying to keep it between him and the blade, which is, after all, the most essential part of any block.<br>
<br>
Suoibud screamed in frustration as he struck at the shield, bumping its way across the room. He even tried negotiating with the thief, explaining that the gem was promised to a great warrior named Laicifitra, and if he would give it back, Suoibud would happily give him something else in return. Eslaf was not a genius, but he did not believe that.<br>
<br>
By the time Suoibud's guards came to the bedroom in response to their master's calls, he had succeeded in backing the shield into a window.<br>
<br>
They fell on the shield, having considerable more expertise with their swords than Suoibud did, but they discovered that there was no one behind it. Eslaf had leapt out the window and escaped.<br>
<br>
As he ran heavily through the streets of Jallenheim, making jingling noises from the gold coins in his pockets, and feeling the huge gem chafe where he had hidden it, Eslaf did not know where he should go next. He knew only that he could never go back to that town, and he must avoid this warrior named Laicifitra who had claims on the jewel.<br>
<br>
Eslaf Erol's story is continued in the book 'King.'<br>
<br>
訳文 †
【訳文記述エリア】
<font face=1>Warrior<br>
Reven著<br>
<br>
<IMG src="Book/fancy_font/t_52x61.dds" width=52 height=61>この本は4巻シリーズの第3巻だ。もし前2巻の「Begger」と「Thief」をまだ読んでいないのなら、そちらを先に読んだ方がいいだろう。<br>
<br>
Suoibud Erolは自分の過去をよく知らなかったし気にもしていなかった。<br>
<br>
彼は子供の頃にErolgardに住んでいたが、王国は疲弊しており、そのせいで税金がとても高かった。莫大な遺産を管理するには彼はあまりにも幼かった。彼の使用人は主が没落するのを恐れてSuoibudをJallenheimへ移させたのだ。何故その場所が選ばれたのかは誰も知らなかった。もう今は亡くなったメイドが、子供を育てるのに良い場所と考えたからだった。他に良い考えは誰も思いつかなかった。<br>
<br>
そこでSuoibudはとても甘やかされ、ちやほやされたが、周囲のことが信用できなかった。彼が成長するにつれ、自分は裕福であるが他に何も持っていないということに気付いた。家族も社会的地位も安全も全くなかったのだ。彼は何度も忠誠心を見出そうとしたのだが、得ることはできなかった。自分が莫大な財産を持っていると知って、彼はそれを守りチャンスがあれば増やそうと決心したのである。<br>
<br>
全くの善人でも欲深いところがあるが、Suoibudの場合は、珍しい自然災害のようであり、 金を稼いで貯めることにしか興味がない人間に育ってしまったようだった。彼は自分の財産を増やすためなら何でもしようと考えていたのだ。最近になったSuoibudは、望ましい土地を攻撃するために、ひそかに傭兵を雇い始めた。そしてその土地に誰も住もうと思わなくなったときに土地を買い上げるのだ。もちろんその後は攻撃がやみ、Suoibudが二束三文で買った土地は収益を上げるようになるのだ。この企みは幾つかの農場を対象とした小さなものから始まり、最近ではもっと野心的な計画が行われるようになっていた。<br>
<br>
Skyrimの北中部はAaltoと呼ばれ地理学上独特な重要性を持っていた。周りを全て氷河に囲まれた休火山の谷の地面は火山の影響で暖かったが、降り続く霧雨と風はとても冷かった。Jazbayと呼ばれるブドウはその土地でよく育つが、Tamrielの他の場所ではすぐに枯れてしまうのだ。その奇妙なブドウ園は個人の所有であり、そこで作られるワインは珍しくとても高価だった。皇帝が年に1度そのワインを1杯飲むためには元老院の許可がいるといわれていた。<br>
<br>
Aaltoの所有者を悩ませて格安の値で土地を手放す気にさせるためには、Souibudは何人もの傭兵を雇う必要があった。彼はSkyrimで一番の私兵団を雇わなければならなかったのだ。<br>
<br>
Suoibudは金を使うことは好きではなかったが、私兵団のリーダーであるLaicifitraと呼ばれる女に、リンゴぐらいの大きさの宝石を支払う約束をした。彼はまだそれを彼女に渡していなかった。報酬は依頼が成功した後に支払うことにしていたのだ。しかし、そんなお宝を手放すことを思うと眠ることができなかった。彼は、盗賊がやって来るであろう夜に宝物庫を見張ることができるよう、いつも昼間に寝ていた。<br>
<br>
断続的な眠りの後にSuoibudが昼に目を覚ますと、驚いたことに寝室に盗賊がいたのだ。盗賊はEslafだった。<br>
<br>
Eslafは、100フィートの高さがある窓から要塞のような屋敷の壁の向こうの木へ飛び移り、干し草の山へ落ちることを考えていた。こんなことをしようとする場合、集中が必要である。寝ていた富豪が起きたのをみて、Eslafは飾ってあった大きな盾の後ろへ隠れて、Suoibudが再び眠るのを待った。<br>
<br>
Suoibudは眠らなかった。物音を聞いたわけではないが、誰かが部屋の中にいると感じたのだ。彼は立ち上がり、部屋の中を歩き始めた。<br>
<br>
Suoibudは歩き回ったが、次第に気のせいではないかと思えてきた。誰もいなかったのだ。彼の宝物は無事だった。<br>
<br>
Suoibudがベッドへ戻ろうとしたとき、ゴツンという音が聞こえた。振り返ると、Laicifitraへ渡すことになっている宝石がAtmoraの騎士の盾のそばの床に転がっていた。盾の後ろから手が伸びて宝石を掴んだのだ。<br>
<br>
「泥棒だ!」とSuoibudは叫び、壁から宝石がついたAkaviriの刀を掴んで盾を突いた。<br>
<br>
EslafとSuoibudの「戦い」は記録に残るような素晴らしい決闘ではなかった。Suoibudは剣の使い方を知らなかったし、Eslafは盾を使う専門家ではなかったのだ。不恰好でぎこちない戦いだった。素晴らしい装飾を傷つけて価値を損なってはいけないと思い、Suoibudは剣を使うことができなかった。Eslafは動きながら自分と剣との間に盾がくるように構え続けた。それこそが防御の一番の基本だった。<br>
<br>
Suoibudは盾を打ちつけながら苛立って叫び、部屋の反対側の壁にぶつかった。彼は盗賊と交渉しようとした。宝石はLaicifitraという偉大な戦士に渡す約束をしていると説明し、もしも返してくれるなら代りに喜んで他のものを渡そうと言ったのだ。Eslafは天才ではなかったが、Suoibudの言うことを信じなかった。<br>
<br>
Suoibudの呼び声で守衛たちが寝室に駆け付けた時には、Suoibudは盾を窓の前まで追いつめていた。<br>
<br>
Suoibudよりも遙かに優れた剣技を持った守衛たちは盾を打ち倒したが、盾の後ろには誰もいなかった。Eslafは窓から飛び出して逃げたのだ。<br>
<br>
EslafがJallenheimの通りを重そうに走っていると、ポケットの中の金貨がジャラジャラと音をたてていた。そして大きな宝石を隠した所がこすれている感じがした。次にどこへ向かうべきかEslafは思いつかなかった。町へ戻るべきではないということは分かっていた。それに、宝石を欲しがってるLaicifitraという戦士に会うことは避けなければならなかった。<br>
<br>
Eslaf Erolの物語は次巻「King」へと続く。<br>
<br>
