6
そんな生活が一週間続いた。さくらからは多くのものを学んだ。無論、一週間程度で全て教わることなどできるはずもない。ただこれ以上学校を欠席するわけにもいかない、というだけだ。今後は起床時や就寝前など、少しでも空いた時間で教わっていくことになる。
リリアは久しぶりに学校の制服に袖を通した。白を基調としたセーラー服だ。
――前から気になってるんだけど、この服っていつ頃からあるの?
「歴史のことを聞いているのなら、百年以上続く伝統よ」
――ふうん......。やっぱり私以外にもいたってことかな......。
さくらの言葉にリリアは眉をひそめた。まるでさくらと似通った存在が過去にもいたかのような言い方だ。だが確かに、過去にそういった存在がいなかったとは断言できない。
さくらの存在を、リリアは証明できないのだから。
着替え終えた後、さくらは朝食を取るために食堂に向かった。
食堂にはすでに家族全員が揃っていた。全員の視線がリリアへと向き、リリアが制服を着ていることに皆の目が丸くなる。その反応を少しだけ気持ちよく感じながら、リリアは自分の席についた。
「リリア。学校に行くのか?」
そう聞いてきたのは父だ。リリアは頷いて答える。
「はい。今日から寮へ向かいます。ご心配をおかけしました」
リリアがそう言って頭を下げると、父がぽかんと間抜けに口を開けた。そんなに意外かと心外に思いながらも、さくらが忍び笑いをしていることに気が付き小さくかぶりを振った。
「しかしそんなに急では馬車の手配が......」
「ご心配なく。お父様のお手を煩わせるわけにはいきませんから、こちらでしておきました。実際に動いてくれたのはアリサたちですけど」
「そ、そうか......。でも報告とか......いや、いいんだけど......」
肩を落として落ち込む父。威厳も何もあったものではない。こんな人だったかと不思議に思いながらも、テーブルに朝食が並べられたので考えないことにした。
「さて、いただこう。その前に......。クロス! いい加減その書類を置け!」
父の怒号に思わず首を竦めてしまう。隣、といっても少し離れているが、兄を見ると、ずっと何かしらの書類を睨み付けるようにして読んでいた。
「クロス!」
父の再度の怒声。兄は父を一瞥すると、小さく舌打ちをして書類を手元に置いた。舌打ちに父が反応するかと思ったが、どうやらそれは聞かれなかったらしい。朝から騒がしい人たちだ、とリリアは他人事のように思う。
「さて......。ではいただこう」
食前の祈りを済ませ、リリアは目の前のパンを手に取った。
朝食の間、さくらはとても機嫌がいい。リリアが聞いていることは分かっているだろうに、いつも鼻歌のようなものを歌っている。音程を外しているというわけではなく耳障りではないので、その件を注意したことはない。ただどうしてそんなに機嫌がいいのか聞いたことはある。
――美味しいごはん。
とても短い答えだったが、それ故に分かりやすいものだ。リリアと感覚を共有しているさくらは、リリアが美味しいものを食べているとさくらも幸せな気持ちになるらしい。
その時の会話をぼんやりと思い出していると、それは起きた。
「クロス! いい加減にしろ!」
再びの父の怒声。うるさい人たちだ、と思いながら兄の方を見る。兄はまた書類を手を取り、眉間にしわを寄せていた。
「食事の間ぐらい仕事をするなと何度言えば分かる!」
「お言葉ですが、父上。これは早急に片付けなければならないものです。この書類の通りであるならば、あの者は我が家の金を不正に使用したことになる。食事など後回しにするべきでしょう」
「食事の時間でどうにかなる問題でもないだろうが」
「甘いですね、父上。不正に繋がるものなのですから、早急に片付けるべきです」
見せしめのためにもね。
兄の最後の言葉に、父が渋面を作った。どうやら父と兄には考え方の相違があるようだ。
――まあ私には関係のないことね。
――リリア。止めないの?
――あら。止めた方がいいの? 貴方がそう言うなら、やってはみるけど。
そう問うたが、さくらの答えは分かっている。ここで止めるべきだとさくらが判断したのなら、リリアに聞いてくる前に止めた方がいいと進言してくるはずだ。
――言わないよ。だってどうせ言っても、女は口を出すなとか言うだろうし。
――でしょうね。簡単に想像できるわ。
――うん。私たちは学校の準備をしようよ。準備が終わったら少しでもお勉強。
――はいはい。
リリアは父と兄を一瞥してから、母へと視線を移す。母はその視線に気が付くと、リリアの考えを察したのか苦笑して頷いてくれた。その母に小さく頭を下げて、リリアは席を立つ。舌戦を繰り広げる父と兄はそれに気が付かない。
「姉上。僕も行きます」
弟、テオがおずおずとリリアの袖を掴んだ。リリアはわずかに顔をしかめながらも、さくらに注意されてすぐに笑顔を貼り付けた。この一週間で作り笑いも上達したものだと自分でも思う。
「いいわよ。行きましょうか」
「はい」
テオも席を立ち、扉に向かおうとしたところで、テーブルに置かれた書類が目に入った。
――あら......。口論以前の問題じゃない。
何に出費して、どういった収入があったのか、そういったことが書かれている書類だ。項目ごとに分けられていないがためにかなり複雑な内容となっている。これでは計算間違いをしてくださいと言っているようなものだ。
事実、この書類を作った者も確認した兄も間違っているのだから。
リリアは仕方がないと小さく吐息を漏らし、口を開いた。
「なんだ。女が出しゃばるなよ」
いきなりな物言いに思わず眉をしかめてしまう。父も兄の言葉に不快感を覚えたようで口を開こうとしていたので、リリアは口論に巻き込まれる前にと言い逃げをすることにした。
「私も急ぐ身ですので、一つだけ。ここと、ここと、ここ。計算を間違えています」
「何を言って......」
兄が書類に視線を落とす。しばらく黙り込み、そして驚愕に目を見開いた。
「では失礼致します」
リリアはそう言って頭を下げると、食堂の扉へと向かう。最早父と兄の口論になど興味はないので、テオを連れてそのまま部屋を出て行った。
Haunted Duke's Daughter Chapter 6
Such a lifestyle continued throughout the week. Lilia learned many things from Sakura. Naturally, not everything could be learned in just the span of a week. It was just that, staying absent from school for any longer would be bad. From now on, she would plan to continue her studies in the few moments she can spare in the morning and night before turning in.
Lilia got dressed in her school uniform for the first time in a while. It was a sailor uniform based in white.
--I've been wondering since before, but since when have these uniforms existed from?
"According to the history, these uniforms have been the tradition here for over a hundred years."
--Hmmm... So that means there has probably been people other than me before huh...
Lilia frowned at Sakura's words. She seemed to be implying that there have been existences similar to Sakura that have appeared in the past. In fact, it was impossible to completely deny that such beings have existed in the past before.
After all, Lilia couldn't even confirm Sakura's own existence.
After getting changed, Lilia headed off towards the dining room for breakfast.
In the dining room, the rest of the family had already gathered. They turned their gazes to Lilia as she entered, and seeing her in her uniform, their eyes widened in surprise. Feeling ever so slightly pleased at garnering such a reaction, Lilia took her seat at the table.
"Lilia. You're going to school?"
The one who asked was her father. Lilia answered with a nod.
"Yes. I'll be heading to the dorms today. I apologise for the worry I've caused."
As Lilia said so lowering her head, her father's mouth fell open, completely stupefied. While she was questioning in her mind if such a thing was really that unthinkably surprising, she noticed Sakura snickering away and her head flared up a little.
"But being so sudden the preparations for a coach to get there is..."
"Please rest a.s.sured. It would not do for me to trouble Father for such things, so I have already had them prepared. Though the ones who actually carried everything out were Alisa and the servants..."
"I-is that so... But at least giving a report would be... No, I suppose that's fine but..."
Her father's shoulders fell. All of his normal air of authority leaving his figure. While thinking what a strange sight it was, the food was laid out on the table and she didn't give it any further thought.
"Well then, let's dig in. Before that... Klaus! Put away those papers already!"
At her father's exclamation, Klaus only gave a small shrug. Beside Lilia, though there was actually quite a distance between them, looking at her elder brother - he had been intently reading through some sort of doc.u.ments the whole time.
"Klaus!"
Lilia's father shouted angrily once again. Her brother only gave a slight glance, and with a small click of his tongue put away his papers. Thinking her father would show some reaction to the rude tongue click, it seems that it did not actually reach his ears. As if it had nothing to do with her, Lilia thought about how noisy these people were right from the morning.
"Well then... Let's eat."
Completing their before meal prayer, Lilia reached out and took a piece of the bread laid before her.
During breakfast, Sakura was in a great mood. Now that she knew that Lilia was the type to listen, she was humming all the time. It wasn't as if the humming was completely tone deaf and grinding on the ears, so Lilia didn't pay much attention to that part. But she was questioning why Sakura was so happy.
--Tasty food.
It was a short but easy to understand answer. With their senses shared, it seems that whenever Lilia ate delicious tasting food Sakura would also feel great and become happy.
Thinking those carefree thoughts, it suddenly happened.
"Klaus! That's enough!"
Once again Lilia's father shouted angrily. Thinking that they were such noisy people, she turned to look towards her elder brother. He once again had those doc.u.ments in his hands, with wrinkles between his eyebrows.
"How many times do I have to tell you to at least stop working during mealtimes!"
"I must say, Father. These are things I must urgently take care of. If what these doc.u.ments show is true, that person is improperly using our family's finances. Shouldn't the meal wait until after such a thing."
"But it should not become a problem during just one mealtime."
"That is naive, Father. Regarding improper actions, we should take care of such matters with haste."
It was about making an example out of it as a warning to others.
At her brother's concluding words, her father made a grimace. It seems that the father and son had different ways of thinking.
--Well it has nothing to do with me after all.
--Lilia. You won't stop them?
--Oh my. Should I be? If you say so, Sakura, I'll give it a try.
Even though she asked so, Sakura's answer was obvious. If Sakura judged that she should stop them here, Lilia would have received such instructions before she had to ask to confirm for herself.
--I won't say that. Even if you did speak up, they would probably just tell you that women should stay out of it or something.
--That's right huh. It's easy to imagine what would happen.
--Yep. We'll just continue our preparations for school. And after that's finished we'll study as much as we can.
--Yeah yeah.
Lilia glanced at her father and brother, before changing her gaze to her mother. Noticing Lilia's gaze, her mother gave a wry smile as she understood Lilia's intention and nodded. Giving a light bow towards her mother, Lilia got up from her seat. The duo engaged in their oral combat remained oblivious.
"Elder Sister. I will go as well."
Her younger brother Theo timidly held on to Lilia's sleeve. As she frowned ever so slightly, with a warning from Sakura, Lilia hurriedly plastered a smile on her face. Even she herself believed that her artificial smile had improved over this one week.
"Alright then. Shall we head off?"
"Yes."
Theo also left his seat, and on their way to the door the doc.u.ments on the table came into view.
--Gosh... Aren't the problems here on a different level than what they're arguing about.
Expenses, and their sources, were the things written on the doc.u.ments. The entries had bad s.p.a.cing and were hard to distinguish, rendering the contents to be quite complicated to look at. It was like the thing was just asking for miscalculations to happen.
In fact, the one who made this doc.u.ment and her brother who confirmed it were both mistaken and at fault here.
Since it couldn't be helped, Lilia let out a small sigh, and opened her mouth to speak.
"What is it. Women should stay out of this alright."
At the abrupt disregarding att.i.tude Lilia reflexively knit her eyebrows. Her father also looked like he was uncomfortable with her brother's words, so before he could raise an objection and she gets caught up in the argument as well she quickly gave an evasive response.
"As I am a busy person myself, I'll just say one thing. Here, here, and here. The calculations are wrong."
"What are you talking abou-..."
Her brother looked down at the doc.u.ments. After falling silent for a while, his eyes went wide with shock.
"Well then, I will be taking my leave."
Saying so Lilia lowered her head, and headed for the dining room door. Having no more interest in something like her father and brother's quarrel, she took Theo along and just like that exited the room.
Haunted Duke’s Daughter
取り憑かれた公爵令嬢
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/haunted-dukes-daughter/
Comedy Fantasy Romance School Life Shoujo Slice of Life Supernatural
Broken Engagement Character Growth Determined Protagonist Different Social Status Female Protagonist Friendship Hard-Working Protagonist Heartwarming Loyal Subordinates Maids Nobles Otome Game Possession Royalty Second Chance Servants Sharing A Body Sword And Magic Unrequited Love Villainess Noble Girls
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n5708cr/
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