さんの様子だと、ここに来てずっと部屋に閉じこもっていませんか?」
「そりゃあ、あんまり好き勝手できるものじゃあなし、自然とねぇ」
だが、「えっ!?」と外から案内役の彼が驚く声が聞こえてきた。
――あれ、駄目なのかな?
「じゃあ、許可を貰いに行きたいので、どこへ行けばいいですかね?」
雨妹が廊下に向かって顔を出して尋ねるのに、彼はますます迷った様子になる。
「えっと、あっと、あ! ちょっと待ってください!」
しかしなにかに気付いた彼が小走りにどこかへ行ったかと思ったら、どうやらたまたま先輩官吏が通りかかってくれたようで、話し声が聞こえてくる。
「あの、そこの中庭であればいいそうです!」
そしてまた小走りに戻ってそう報告してくる。
遠距離走をしたいわけではないので、ちょっと身体を動かすには十分だろう。
というわけで、徐を散歩させるべく皆で中庭に出ることとなった。
雨妹たちが五人でゾロゾロ中庭に出ると、そこかしこで地面に座って休憩している官吏たちの姿があった。
彼らが本当に休憩しているのか、はたまた徐の周囲を見張るためにそこにいるのかは分からないものの、雨妹がわざわざ彼らのことを気にすることもないだろう。
「はぁ、外の空気っていいもんだったんだねぇ」
徐は元々夜が主な仕事時間で、演奏だって屋内がほとんどだっただろうから、屋内にずっといることに不足を感じなかったのだろう。
しかし自分ではなにも問題ないと思っていても、無意識のうちに身体に負担がかかっているということもあったようだ。
今の表情も、屋内にいた時と比べて柔らかだった。
「このお日様の日差しを浴びることも、健康には大事なんですよ!」
日焼けをしないために外に出ないものだっていうのが、宮妓ではよく聞いた話だがねぇ」
「日焼けの問題だけをあげれば、それが最適な行動なんでしょうけど。
「ま、日を浴びないヤツは軟弱に育つな」
「へぇ、そんなものなんだねぇ。
――うんうん、日光浴っていいよね!
ここでビタミンがどうのと説明しても理解されないだろうから詳しくは言わないが、外に積極的に出た方がいいと思ってもらえたらいいのである。
「なんだ?」
一人くつろぐことなく周囲を警戒していた立彬がそう声を上げた。
雨妹がどうかしたのかと立彬の方を見ると、彼は中庭を覗く建物の窓の一つを見ていた。
その窓の向こうに見えるのは廊下だ。
この建物は廊下も外に開放された造りではなく屋内になっており、犯罪者の脱走防止のためなのかもしれない。
雨妹は立彬がなにを気にしているのかすぐにはわからなかったが、しばらくするとその窓の向こうが騒がしくなってきた。
騒ぎ自体は遠くで起こっているようだが、その声がこちらにまで響いているのだ。
「廊下でなにかあったんですかね?」
監視役の彼が不安そうな表情をしていると、誰かが遠くから制止を振り切ってこちらへ駆けてくる姿が見えた。
そして衝突音がして、窓の装飾を壊さんばかりに両手で掴んでいるのは女であった。
よく見れば、あの捕まった宮妓ではないか。
"Miss Xu, judging from your condition, have you been staying inside the room ever since you came here?"
"Well, it's not as if I have any say with that, obviously."
Chen also agreed when Yui Mei invited Xu to take a walk, but then they heard the shocked voice of the guide from outside the room.
'Eh, is it not allowed?'
"Then, we would like to obtain permission, can you please tell us where to go?"
Yui Mei walked to the door and poked her head out into the hallway to ask the guy, but he looked troubled.
"Er, ahm, oh, ah! Please wait for a moment!"
The man seemed to have noticed something, and he immediately dashed off. Apparently, a senior official just passed by, and they could hear him talking to that person.
"Ahm, if it's the courtyard over there, then you can go, it seems!"
He ran back and reported.
It's not like Xu's going on a marathon, so that place is enough for her to move around.
And so, it was decided that everyone would go to the courtyard for Xu's stroll.
Five people entered the courtyard one after another, and that's when they saw some of the officials taking a break while sitting on the ground here and there.
Yui Mei wasn't sure whether they were really resting, or if they were there to keep an eye on Xu's surroundings, but she didn't mind them in the least.
"Huff, the outside air is so nice."
Most of her working hours were originally during the night, and her performances were probably done indoors most of the time, so she probably didn't feel any dissatisfaction for being indoors all the time.
However, even though she didn't have any problem with that lifestyle, it had been putting strain on her body without her being aware of it.
Her expression was softer compared to how it was before inside the room.
"Basking in Mr. Sun's rays, just like this, is also important for health!"
"Really? I always heard from the courtesans that they don't go out to avoid getting sunburned."
"If tanning is just the issue, then basking in the sun at appropriate times is still the best course of action. Sunlight regulates our body clock, and it also supplements the various deficiencies we have in our bodies!"
"Well, isn't it said that those who don't bask in the sun grow up weak?"
"Heh, so that's how it is. Yeah, this does feel nice."
'Yup, yup, sunbathing is great, right!'
Xu probably wouldn't understand even if Yui Mei explained the role of vitamins, so she wouldn't do that, but it would be great if Xu would think that going outdoors proactively was something good.
"What is it?"
Libin hadn't lowered his guard down. He had been surveying the surroundings, when he suddenly called out.
When Yui Mei turned around to check on Libin, she saw him staring at a window of one of the buildings overlooking the courtyard.
The hallway was visible beyond that window.
That particular building had indoor corridors instead of those that were accessible outside, probably to prevent the criminals from escaping.
Yui Mei didn't know what bothered Libin, but just a few moments later, that place suddenly became boisterous.
The actual ruckus was far from where they were, but they could hear the noise all the way here.
"Did something happen in the hallway?"
He looked anxious for some reason while watching, when they suddenly saw a person shaking her restraints off and running towards them from afar.
The sound of a crash resounded, and a woman grabbed the window decorations with both hands as if trying to break them.
Upon closer look, it was no other than the woman that had been captured before.
Housekeeper of the Hundred Blossom Palace
百花宮のお掃除係～転生した新米宮女、後宮のお悩み解決します。
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/housekeeper-of-the-hundred-blossom-palace/
Fantasy Romance Shoujo Slice of Life
Adapted to Manga Ancient China Complex Family Relationships Different Social Status Female Protagonist Imperial Harem Love Interest Falls in Love First Reincarnated in Another World Royalty
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4104ev/
黒辺あゆみ