――あと28日。
「はい、それでは復習よ。今日の晩餐会の主催は?」
「ルルーシェ様~。身支度中くらい勉強を――」
「晩餐会中にお勉強してもいいんですよ?」
鏡越しでにっこり微笑むと、パステルグリーンのドレスを着たレミーエ嬢は、観念したように肩を落とす。
「レメル伯爵様です。次男ホルス様のお誕生日会という名目ですが、ホルス様の婚約者が決まっていないため、そのお相手を探すのが主目的だと思われます」
「ホルス様はおいくつ?」
「十三歳。私たちより二つ下で......来年の社交界デビュー前に婚約者を決めておきたい所かと」
「宜しい。そのために比較的年の近いあなたにもメディアさん経由で声が掛かったってことね。......表向きは」
「ルルーシェ様~。私、めっちゃ怖いんですけど!?」
まぁ、表向き正式な婚約者のいるわたくしにも急遽届いた招待状ですから。先日のお誘いを断ったことに関して、何かしらあると考えるのが必然でしょう。それにレミーエ嬢が関与しないわけがない。
だけど、わたくしはにっこり微笑んだまま、整えていたレミーエ嬢の珊瑚色の髪を容赦なく引っ張る。
「わ・た・く・し。と・て・も・恐ろしい・で・す・わ」
「ワタクシ、トテモ、オソロシイ、です」
ちょっとでも気が抜けると言葉が乱れるあなたの先行きがわたくしは恐ろしいのですが......ちょっとレミーエ嬢。どうしてわたくしをチラチラ見ているんですの?
「なんですか? 今日は今までの集大成を見せてもらうと前々から言っていたでしょう? そんなに余裕なのかしら?」
「い、いえ!? でも......ルルーシェ様は私の準備を手伝ってもらってばかりで......ルルーシェ様は準備しなくていいのかなぁ、と」
「えぇ。わたくしの準備はすぐに終わりますから――それよりも、きちんと殿下からのエスコートは断っているでしょうね?」
「え、あ、はい......ルルーシェ様がアテンド役を用意してくださるってそのまま伝えてしまったんですけど......大丈夫なんですか?」
どうやら伯爵家次男のお誕生日会に、サザンジール殿下も顔を出すという。概ね、レミーエ嬢を心配してのことでしょうけど。
わたくしは不敵に笑った。
「ご安心なさい。今のわたくしに、怖いものはありませんから」
あと二十八日で死ぬ命ですし。
わたくしは、レミーエ嬢のいつもふんわりした髪をきつく纏め上げる。さぁ、調子に乗っている可愛らしいご令嬢方を、ちょっと懲らしめに参りましょう。
「さぁ、レミーエ様。こちらに手を」
仕方なしに、かろうじて馬車から降りたレミーエ嬢に耳打ちしてやる。
「そんな緊張なさらないで。今日のあなたは誰よりも美しい」
「はわわわわ!?」
おかしいわね。緊張を自信に変えてあげようとしたのだけど。
未だに戸惑うレミーエ嬢はおいておいて......わたくしは周囲を見やる。星夜の綺麗なパーティに相応しい夜。外が冷えるせいもあって、屋敷の中から漏れ出る光がいっそう気持ちを華やかにしてくれるわ。十三歳少年の婚約者探しとあって、可愛らしい花が多いわね。次々と入場していく令嬢方のドレスの華々しさも相まって、綺羅びやかな夜を演出している。
――まぁそんな願望はさておいて。わたくしはその人波の中を黒い燕尾服で歩く。当然、ふんわりとしたドレスに身を包んだレミーエ嬢の手を引きながら、だ。
視線が集まるのは、わたくしが全身コーディネートしたレミーエ嬢のせい? それとも男装従者となったわたくしのせい?
入場管理する執事たちも、二枚の招待状を見比べて戸惑ってる。
「ルルーシェ=エルクアージュ様、で宜しいですか?」
「えぇ。間違いないわ。この黒髪に覚えはなくて?」
「し、失礼しました......」
わたくしが一括りした黒髪を見せれば、問題なく入場を許される。『異国の美姫』から受け継いだ黒髪も便利なものね。顔パスならず、髪パスだもの。
会場に入ると、ざわめきを一身に受けた。こうした場所で注目されるのは久々だわ。悪い気はしない。わたくしは、ですけど。
「あなた、社交界デビューは果たしているのでしょう?」
「しし、しがない男爵家と伝統ある公爵家を一緒にしないでくださいーっ」
「学校ではいつも注目の的じゃない」
この根性なしがどうして殿下の隣に収まろうとしているのか――未だ謎に思いながらも、わたくしは彼女の腰を無理やり押して、会場を進ませる。いつまでも入り口で止まっているわけにもいかないわ。
「背筋を伸ばして。顎を引く」
「そこの見覚えのある馬の尻尾は誰かな?」
そんな注目の場で、異質なわたくしたちに気安く声をかけてくる青年。彼は誰の許可もなく、わたくしの束ねた髪をついっと指先で弾いた。
高貴に輝く銀髪の下に、ブルーサファイアの瞳をきらきらさせて。パーティスーツで着飾ってもどこかチャラついた様子を隠せてない第二王子殿下ことザフィルド殿下。彼が口元を緩ませて近づいてきた。
わたくしはスンと澄ましたままレミーエ嬢を肘で小突けば、彼女は慌ててドレスの裾を持つ。
「お、お声掛けいただき光栄です。ザフィルド殿下。同学年のレミーエ=アルバンでございます」
「え、あぁ......丁寧に挨拶ありがとう。今宵は一段と綺麗だね。大人っぽくてびっくりしたよ」
反射的に褒め言葉が出るのは、さすが女慣れしている弟殿下。
役だ。わたくしから王族の方に話しかけるなんてもってのほか。おとなしく下を向いていると、顔をあげたレミーエ嬢にザフィルド殿下が言う。
「隣の可憐な従者を紹介してもらっていいかな? 物凄く見覚えがあるんだ」
「えぇーと......今日、私のエスコートをしてくださるということで、その......」
そうね。そういうアドリブはまだ早いわね。
わたくしは顔をあげて、胸に手を当て一礼した。
「本日レミーエ様の世話役、ルルーシェ=エルクアージュでございます」
「うん、知ってる。だてに毎日の昼休みを君に捧げていないからね」
ザフィルド殿下。口元を隠しているおつもりのようですが、笑い転げたい様子が一目瞭然ですわよ? まぁ、今宵ばかりは見逃してあげますが。
「殿下こそ珍しいですわね? サザンジール殿下は後ほど顔だけ見せるとのお話ですけども」
「兄上はあれでも忙しいからね。さすがに伯爵家次男の誕生日まではってことで......」
「弟殿下は忙しくないんですの?」
そう苦笑するザフィルド殿下は、いつものザフィルド殿下。
だけどレミーエ嬢はいっそうガクブルと震えていた。そうね、あなたザフィルド殿下とは面識ありませんものね。殿下のおかげでよりいっそう注目を浴びてますし。
そんな注目の中、パーティが始まる。主催者の挨拶。今日の主役の紹介。順当にセレモニーが終わり――さぁ、歓談の時間だ。主役に挨拶をしないとね。
「それでは殿下。わたくしたちはお祝いの挨拶をしに参りますので」
「......今日はレミーエ嬢を売り込みに来たの?」
殿下と離れようとした時、あまりに率直に聞かれてわたくしは吹き出す。
わたくしは紅の引いていない己の口元に、人差し指を当てた。
「わたくしが育てた令嬢を、そんな安売りしなくてよ?」
--28 days remaining.
"Alright, let's review--who will be hosting of tonight's dinner?"
"Lady Lelouche, studying while getting dressed is just--"
"--Then, shall we resume our study during the dinner party?"
My smile was reflected upon the mirror. I could see Lumiere through the same mirror. She was wearing a pastel green dress and her shoulders were drooping.
"It's Count Remel. This event is for celebrating the birthday of his second son, Horus. However, as Horus' fiancee has yet to be decided, the purpose of this party seems to be for finding him a suitor."
"How old is Horus?"
"He's 13-years-old, two years younger than us... I wonder if he wants to select a fiancee before his social debut next year."
"That's correct. That's why we, who are relatively close in age to him, were also invited... ostensibly."
"Lady Lelouche!? Y, you're scaring me!?"
Well, an invitation had also been given to me even though I was officially engaged. It was inevitable to think that I shouldn't refuse the invitation. On the other hand, there was no particular reason why Lumiere shouldn't be invited.
With a smile on my face, I mercilessly tugged Lumiere's coral-colored hair which she had styled herself.
"I-am-truly-scary."
"I, I am, really, afraid of you!"
Lumiere, why are you staring at me?
"What? Didn't you say that you wished to see the culmination of my tutoring today? Are you having second thoughts about it?"
"N, no!? But, Lady Lelouche has only been helping me prepare... don't you need to prepare as well?"
"Indeed. I'll be ready soon. More importantly, His Highness isn't going to escort you, correct?"
"Well, yes. I just told him that Lady Lelouche would prepare an attendant for me... Was that alright?"
Apparently, His Highness Sazanjill was also going to present at the birthday party of the count's second son. I was mostly worried about Lumiere, though.
I laughed fearlessly.
"Don't worry, I have nothing to fear."
I was destined to die in 28 days.
I tidied Lumiere's always fluffy hair. It was time to discipline the pretty lady, someone who was also in good shape.
"Alright, Lumiere, give me your hand."
I had no choice but to assist to Lumiere who was barely able to get off the carriage.
"Don't be so nervous. You're more beautiful than anyone today."
"W, what!?"
What a strange reaction. I was only trying to transform her tension into self-confidence.
Aside from Lumiere, who was confused, I started looking around. The beautiful, starry, night was suitable for the party. The light escaping from of the mansion emphasized its gorgeousness, partly because the night air was cold. As the objective was to find a fiancee candidate for a 13-year-old boy, there were many pretty flowers. When coupled with the splendor of the dresses of the ladies who were entering one after another, a gorgeous night was created.
--I casted that yearning aside. I entered the wave of people in black tailcoats. Naturally, I did so while pulling the hand of Lumiere who was dressed in a fluffy dress.
For some reason, everyone's attention was transfixed on us. Was it because of Lumiere? Or was it because I had transformed into a butler?
The deacons who managed the entrance were also confused as they compared the two invitations.
"Are you truly Lady Lelouche Elcage?"
"Yes, there's no mistake. Don't you remember this black hair?"
"M, my sincerest apology..."
The moment I displayed my black hair, I was admitted without any trouble. The black hair inherited from the foreign beauty turned out to be useful. It wasn't a face pass, but a hair pass.
When I entered the venue, a commotion ensued. It had been a while since I had been noticed. I wasn't displeased by it, though.
"Is she making her social debut?"
"The humble baron and the traditional duke are walking together?!"
"They've always been the center of the attention at the academy?"
While the answer was still a mystery, I forcefully pushed her hips forward. We couldn't remain in the entrance forever.
"Hold up your back. Lift your chin."
"Why, if that isn't a very familiar ponytail?"
As the attention of our surroundings were glued to us, a young man casually beckoned to us. Without anyone's permission, he ran his fingers through my hair.
His blue, sapphire, eyes sparkled underneath his noble, gleaming, silver hair. His Highness the Second Prince, whose shock couldn't be concealed even by his dignified attire, smiled as he approached us.
I poked Lumiere with my elbow, and she hurriedly lifted the hem of her dress.
"I'm honored to meet from you, Your Highness Zafield. I'm Lumiere Alban, a student of the same grade as you."
"Y, yes, thank you for the polite greeting. You're even more beautiful tonight. I'm surprised to see you dressed as an adult."
The second prince, who was accustomed to dealing with woman, reflexively offered a praise.
--That day, I was but a humble attendant. Therefore, I would refrain from talking to the royal family. Then, towards Lumiere, who raised her face, Zafield whispered.
"Won't you introduce me to the pretty servant beside you? She looks very familiar."
"Uh, she's, she's going to be escorting me today, so..."
That was true. That sort of ad lib was still too early for her.
I raised my face, put my hand on my chest, and bowed.
"I'm Lelouche Elcage, and as for today, I shall be attending Lumiere."
"Yes, I know that already for I've been dedicating my daily lunch breaks to you.'
Although His Highness Zafield was concealing his mouth with his hand, it was obvious that he was laughing. Well, for that night, I would forgive him.
"It's rare to see you here, Your Highness. It was said that only His Highness Sazanjill would be making an appearance later."
"My older brother is still busy. His schedule is keeping him busy all the way through the birthday of the count's second son..."
"What about you?"
His Highness Zafield showed his usual bitter smile.
However, Lumiere only trembled even more. Well, she had never met His Highness Zafield before. Also, thanks to His Highness Zafield, we received even more attention.
With such lavish attention, the party started. The organizer gave his greetings and the day's protagonist was introduced. Once that opening was over, it was time to mingle. I had to greet the protagonist.
"Then, Your Highness, we must give our congratulatory greetings."
"...Did you come to promote Lady Lumiere today?"
When I was about to leave, His Highness frankly asked that. It honestly blew me away.
I placed my index finger against my mouth which wasn't adorned with crimson lipstick.
"Why would I sell the lady I raised at such a bargain?"
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