閑話 元婚約者の独白2
ルルーシェの妃教育は苛烈を極めていった。
彼女が十歳、俺が十三になろうとしていた頃、一度母上の私室に足を運び訊いてみたことがある。
「あんなに厳しくする必要が本当にあるのですか?」
その問いかけに、母上は鋭い目を一瞬見開いて。でもすぐに扇で顔を隠した。
「わたくしが要らぬことをするわけがないでしょう?」
「でも社交界デビューまで時間がありますし、何もそこまで――」
「あなたも、わたくしが私怨でイジメているとでも言いたいの?」
その複数形に疑問符を浮かべれば、母上は大きくため息を吐く。
「こないだザフィルドにも怒られたばかりなのよ......まぁ、ザフィルドには誤魔化しましたけど、あなたは社交界デビュー目前ですものね」
社交界は十三歳の誕生日を迎えてから参加資格を得る。それは貴族ならば爵位を問わず、当然それに王族も含まれる。そんな節目を迎えようとしている俺の肩に、母上は両手を乗せて。まわりに誰もいないことを確認してから、顔を近づけた。
「女の世界はほんっっと厳しい!!」
いつもの淑女たる然とする態度とは打って変わった口調と覇気に、俺は呆気に取られる。だけど、母上の愚痴にも似た熱弁は留まらなかった。
「そりゃあ男の世界が甘いなんて言うつもりはございませんけど......あのねちっこさと陰湿さはたちが悪いとしか表現しようがないわ! この世の泥という泥を混ぜ合わせてさらに泥を混ぜたようなをものを笑顔と白粉で隠して......ほんっとまともな精神してたら呼吸もできないわよ。しかも、都合が悪くなったとなれば男の影に隠れるのよ? 歯向かってくるなら正々堂々拳で殴りかかってきてくれた方が百万倍も......!!」
「ははうえ、かた、いたいです......」
ホホホッとわざとらしく笑う母上に、俺は化け物じみた狂気を感じて後ずさるが。母上は視線を落とす。
「とにかく......彼女はそんな世界の頂上決戦を嫌でも強いられていくのよ? 少しでも隙を与えようものなら、すぐに阿婆擦れ共に食われてしまうでしょう。どうも『異国の美姫』はその辺に疎いようだから......わたくしがしっかり立ち向かえるだけの武器を与えてあげないと。あいつらはうるさい羽虫とほくそ笑むことができるくらいの自信があって丁度いいくらいだわ」
だから、俺は確認のために訊く。
「それなら、過剰な妃教育はルルーシェやルルーシェの母君が嫌いだから、というわけではないのですね?」
「あら。『異国の美姫』は嫌いよ? あの女、いつまでも私可愛いつもりなのかしら? いつも主人が主人が主人がって惚気けてばかりなんですもの。ただでさえわたくしを押しのけて『美姫』の名をこの国に持ち込んだのに、惚気けまで......図々しいったらありゃしない」
あぁ、聞きたくなかったな――というのが正直な感想だ。こういうのは何ていうんだったか......知らぬが神。というやつだな。
だが、母上は「だからといって」とパチンと扇を閉じる。
「それで、その娘に当たるなんてせせこましいことをするつもりはありませんわ。あの子に罪はございませんもの。むしろ可哀想じゃない。両親の尻拭いのせいで、嫌でも王室に上がらなければならないんだから......貴族の娘なんて所詮は駒といえ、さすがに......今の時代、もう少し選択肢があっても良いのに」
母上は隣大国の元王女だ。継続的な和平のために嫁いできたらしい。だけど、よく口癖のように父上に言っていた。『わたくしは望んであなたに嫁いできたのよ』と。実際、母上には国内外にいくつも嫁ぎ先の候補があったらしく、兄弟姉妹間でそれぞれ好きなものを選んだそうだ。だけど一つ下の妹と選択がかち合ってしまい、じゃんけんでラピシェンタ王妃の座を勝ち取ったという。
対してルルーシェは――生まれながらにして、俺の婚約者になることを定められている。親たちの決めた条約のため、本人に選択肢の一つも与えられず。それは俺だって同じだといえばそうなのだが......俺は彼女以外の相手など考えられないから、それを不幸だと思ったことはない。
......ルルーシェはどうなのだろう?
そんなこと、怖くて聞くことができないけれど。
考え込んでいると、母上がそっと俺の頭を撫でてくる。
「まぁ、そういうわけですから。女の世界に男が口を挟むのは邪道というものです。あなたも紳士の一人になるなら、戦う彼女が安心して帰れる場所であれるように努めなさい。決して女の世界に足を踏み入れてはなりませんよ?」
「......それは、普通女性に求められることなのでは?」
いわゆる一般論との逆に眉根を寄せるも、母上はそれを笑顔で一蹴した。
「あなたはもっと幅広く勉強するべきね」
その笑みに、俺は確信する。これが国の頂点に立つ女の顔なのだと。
そして――これがルルーシェが求められているものなのだと。
By Antoinette Vanessa January 31, 2022
Lelouche's princess education was especially fierce.
When she was 10-years-old, and I was about 13-years-old, I once had a private conversation with my mother.
I asked her, "Do you really need to be so strict?"
To that question, my mother's sharp eyes widened for a moment. However, she soon concealed her face with fan.
"Do you think I'm someone who'd waste my time doing something unnecessary?"
"But there's still time before she makes her social debut, other than that--"
"You, are you going to suspect me of bullying her due to my grudges, as well?"
The moment I asked that, my mother sighed loudly.
"I just reprimanded Zafield the other day. I made a mistake with him, but you, on the other hand, are about to make your social debut."
She'd be qualified to participate in the social circles after her thirteenth birthday. The same applied to other aristocrats, as well. Naturally, that also included the royal family. Seemingly about to reach a turning point, my mother put her hands on my shoulders. After confirming that no one was around, her face approached mine.
"...The world of women is really difficult!"
I was taken aback by the tone and attitude that was different from her usual lady-like manner. However, my mother's enthusiastic speech that resembled a complaint didn't stop.
"I don't mean to say that the world of men is sweet. All I can express is, sinistery hides beneath all those prim appearances! Lurking behind those smiles and white powder is nothing but filth! Moreover, to hide behind a man once it becomes inconvenient--that kind of mindset needs to be changed! I believe that when someone hit you, you need to strike back a million times harder!"
"M, mother, I got it, already..."
I felt like my mother, who laughed on purpose, had been possessed by a demon of madness. As I withdrew, my mother looked down at me.
"Anyway, whether she likes it or not, as the one who'll stand at the top, she'll have to face some battles. If this auntie were to give her the slightest bit of leniency, she'd get gobbled up. I wouldn't want that. As such, I have to give her proper weapons to stand up for herself. To give her the right amount of confident to laugh at those noisy, feathery, cretins."
Then, I asked for a confirmation.
"Then, it isn't because you dislike Lelouche or her mother?"
"Oh, I dislike that 'Foreign Beauty' princess, alright. But I do wonder... will her beauty remain for eternity? Not only that, she's so subservient to her husband, even referring to him with honorifics from her kingdom... Her brazenness drives me crazy."
She didn't seem to want to hear it. I didn't know what to call her honest impression.
Then, my mother snapped her fan shut.
"I won't do anything as petty as hitting the girl. She's innocent. Rather, I feel sorry for her. She has to marry into the royal family despite the fact that she doesn't like it. It's because of the family history of her parents... Well, the daughters of noble families are nothing more than tools. Still, as expected, I wish we had a little more choice in this day and age."
Mother was formerly a princess of a neighboring kingdom. She seemed to have gotten married for the sake of maintaining peace. But like a habit, she often told my father, "I married you because I want to."
Lelouche, on the other hand, was born to be my fiancee. Due to the agreement decided by her parents, she wasn't given any options. It was the same for me... but I couldn't think of anyone other than her, so I never thought of it as unfortunate.
--But what about Lelouche?
I couldn't ask her that because I was afraid.
As I pondered about that, my mother gently stroked my head.
"Well, that's why. As a man, what you've just done is quite evil. If you're one of the gentlemen, try to be in a position where she can remain assured enough to focus on her battle. Refrain from stepping into her world."
"...But, what I just did, isn't that what women usually want?"
I lifted my eyebrows at her so-called general theory. My mother dismissed me with a smile.
She said, "You should broaden your horizon."
That smile convinced me. That was the face of a woman who stood at the top of the kingdom--
--and that was also what Lelouche was striving for.
The Villainess who Only Had 100 Days to Live Had Fun Every Day
【コミック２巻発売中】１００日後に死ぬ悪役令嬢は毎日がとても楽しい。
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-villainess-who-only-had-100-days-to-live-had-fun-every-day/
Drama Fantasy Josei Romance Slice of Life Tragedy
Aristocracy Beautiful Female Lead Broken Engagement Death European Ambience Female Protagonist God-human Relationship Gods Kingdoms Late Romance Misunderstandings Nobles Psychopaths Revenge Romantic Subplot Second Chance Slow Romance Villainess Noble Girls Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8024hd/
ゆいレギナ