「......俺達に何か御用ですか?」
こわっ......ヤの付く方々だろうか?
何にせよ人違いの可能性が高いので、俺は震えそうになる声を振り絞ってどうにか訊ねた。
しかしその男達は何も答えず、こちらの進路を妨害し続けている。
そんな中、司が俺の服の袖を引っ張って一言。
「あのう......師匠、この人達ウチのSPです」
「SP? ということは――」
に黙って、随分と楽しそうなことをしているじゃない。ツカサ」
「お、お嬢様!」
張りのある、通りの良い涼やかな声音が周囲に響く。
運転手らしき男性の手を支えにして、先頭よりも大きな後続の高級車から降りてきたのは......。
まるで西洋人形のような、金髪碧眼の美少女。
「ヘルシャ!? って、本当にその髪色と瞳なのか!? ゲームの設定で変えてたんじゃなかったのか......?」
もしやと思ったが、徹頭徹尾完璧に日本人じゃねえ! そして多分、ハーフとかクォーターですらねえ!
こうして実物を見ると、彼女の容姿からは微塵も日本的な要素を感じない。
更には特徴的なもみ上げのドリルも健在である。
「あ、いや、失礼。
相手の年齢も知らなければ立場も知らないのだ。
ゲームと同じようには行くまい、そう思っての言葉遣いだったのだが。
「構いませんわ、ハインド。それ以前に、今更貴方の敬語なんて気持ち悪くてお断りですわ」
「そりゃそうか......いや待て、気持ち悪いは酷くないか?」
そのままフッとヘルシャ......もとい、まだ名前を知らないお嬢様は髪をかき上げながら不敵な笑みを浮かべた。
そして俺は現在、高級車のシートの上で微弱な振動に揺られている。
......おかしいな。本当なら今頃はスーパーにでも寄って、帰路についている予定だったのだが。
このゆったりとした対面式の座席、リムジンってやつだよな?
こんなもの、一生乗る機会なんてないと思っていたのに......。
「どうしてこうなった」
「すみません、師匠。使用人は休暇中の行き先を告げるのが決まりでして......」
それで居場所が割れたのか。
ただし誰と会っているかは分からない筈なのだが、ヘルシャは司のそわそわした様子から何かピンと来るものを感じたのだそうだ。
つまりは単なる勘を頼りにここまで大掛かりな行動を起こしたようだ。
恐ろしいやつだな。
「一体何が不服ですの? 我が家の夕食に招待されるなんて、著名な財界人でも稀ですのに」
勢いで車に押し込まれてしまったが、理世の料理センスは壊滅的だ。
もう日が暮れるし、学習塾も終わっている時間だろう。
母さんも今日は日勤なのでそろそろ仕事が終わって帰って来ると思うのだが、疲れているだろうしうこのまま俺が不在ではインスタント食品コースとなる可能性が高い。
こちらが豪華な食事をご馳走されている一方で、家族二人が寂しく粗食を摂っているところを想像すると......とても胸が痛む。
そんな俺の表情から気を回してくれたのか、司が身を乗り出して精一杯の抗議をする。
「お、お嬢様......本日はボクの個人的なお願いで師匠をお呼び立てしてしまったので、その......」
「知っていましてよ! こういったものは“オフ会”というのでしょう? 何故私を除け者にするんですの!?」
「あう......」
司、沈黙。
まあ、誕生日プレゼントを選んでましたとは言いづらいわな......本人を前にして。
そしたら、まずは二人じゃないといけなかった理由をそれっぽくでっち上げなければならない。
完全な嘘は直ぐにバレそうなので、ここは......恨むなよ、司。
「実は司に普段着の服を選んでくれって言われてさ。メンズファッションの店に女の子を連れてきても、居辛いし退屈だろう? な、司」
「え? ............あっ、はい、そうなんですよ! お、お嬢様はボクの悩みをご存知でしたよね!」
「何ですの、その不自然な間は。確か、男らしくないのを気にして......ふむ。そういうことなら、致し方ありませんわね」
「そうです! 仕方ないんです、はい!」
「?」
隣に座る司はどうにか話を合わせてくれたが......嘘が下手だな。
向かい側に座るお嬢様は不自然さに首を捻っている。
「で、話は戻るんだが。もうその辺で良いから適当に俺を降ろしてくれないか? 帰りの足は自分で何とかするから」
「ノンノン、ですわ。要は貴方の御家族の食事をどうにかすれば宜しいのでしょう? なら、住所を教えなさい」
「何言ってんだよ? んな個人情報をホイホイと――」
「悪いようにはしませんわ! 私に教えなさい!」
「いや、だから――」
最初に会った時と似たようなやり取りだ。この強引さ。
しかし、住所を聞いてどうするつもりなんだろう? 出前でも取ってくれるのだろうか?
俺の住所を聞き出すと、彼女は横に座ったメイドさんに視線を流す。
そのままメイドさんがどこかに小声で連絡を始めた。
いやー、本物のメイドさんだよ......でもそっちは日本人なんだな、何故か。黒髪だ。
「ともかく、貴方は何も心配なさる必要ありませんわ」
俺は全てを諦め、シートの上でずるずると姿勢を崩した。
うぅむ、柔らかいなこの座席......。
それを見て隣の司がギョッとした顔をする。
「師匠......ボクが言うのもなんですけれど諦めが早くありませんか?」
「いいか司。こういう強引なタイプの女にはな、本人がこうと決めたら周りが何を言っても無駄なんだよ......」
「あら、分かっているじゃありませんの」
目を閉じると瞼の裏に腕組みをした未祐のドヤ顔が浮かぶ。
続けて目を開けると、俺は良く似た表情をしている対面の少女の顔を見た。
こっちは財力とかプライドが高い分、より面倒だ......。
気を取り直すと同時に姿勢を直すと、訊き忘れていたことを思い出す。
「そういや、まだ名前を聞いてなかったな。初対面には違いないのに、妙な感じがするが......俺は岸上亘だ」
「改めてよろしくお願いしますわ、ワタル。私の名はヴェンデルガルト・マリー・シュルツ」
「ヴェン――悪い、何だって?」
「ヴェンデルガルト・マリー・シュルツ、ですわ」
「......ミドルネームで呼んでも? あ、ミドルネーム呼びって親しくないと駄目なんだっけ? 馴れ馴れしいかな?」
「いいえ、構いませんわ。これはおじいさまの趣味であって、今時の名前ではありませんもの」
「じゃあマリーで」
そんなわけで、俺はマリーの家へ招待されることになった。
半ば強制的に。
その後、車に揺られること約二時間。
どんな高級なものを使用しているのか、異常に香りがよく甘いオレンジジュースを飲みながら着いた先は......。
小高い丘の上にある豪邸。
正門から遠くに見える入口の前には噴水が置かれ、左右対称の巨大な建物が威容を持って出迎えている。
芝が丁寧に管理された芝、そしてちらりと目に入るのはプールだろうか?
庶民には想像もできない空間がそこには広がっていて......ここ日本だよな?
車を降りてその光景に呆然としていると、別の車が一台、猛スピードで敷地内に入ってきた。
次いで中から見慣れた人影が二人、車から転がるように降りてくる。
あれは......
「兄さん!!」
「亘! 大丈夫!? どこも怪我してない!?」
理世と母さんが、俺にぶつからんばかりの勢いで近付いて体のあちこちを触りまくる。
この時点で俺の頭の中は疑問符で埋め尽くされた。
「あ? お? 母さんと理世がどうしてここに......? しかも何だよ、怪我って?」
「兄さんが誘拐されたって聞いたんですけど......」
「亘が誘拐されたって......」
「は!? ちょ、おおい! 二人にどういう説明したんだよ!?」
、と隣のメイドさんに問い掛けるマリー。
その前髪ぱっつん、静と呼ばれた冷たい目の和風美女はこう答えた。
「亘様の身柄はお預かりしております、とお二人には申し上げましたが」
「凄く紛らわしい言い方です!? し、静さぁん......」
「何してくれてますの静!? 穏便に事情をご説明してお連れしなさいと言いましたわよね!? 言いましたわよね!?」
司とマリー両者から非難の視線を浴びせられるが、そのメイドさんはどこ吹く風である。
夕食の心配は必要ないとは言われたが、まさか二人までこの場に連れてくるとは思わなかった......。
俺は片手で額を覆って首を軽く振ると、状況が飲み込めずに目を白黒させている家族の方に向き直った。
あっちは頼りになりそうもないから、俺が事情を説明しないとな......。
そこから先のことは若干記憶が怪しい部分が多い。
現実味の薄い光景が連続し、それが俺の精神的な許容量を超えたせいかもしれない。
最初は豪邸の中を案内された後に家族三人で客間に待機していたのだが、トイレに立った際に迷ってしまい......執事服に着替えて清掃していた司を発見。
そのままの流れでつい手伝ってしまった。
無理矢理手伝ったためか、司が叱られてしまったのは申し訳ないと思っている。
しかし、客だからといって一方的に世話をされるのはどうも性に合わないんだよな......黙って座っていると落ち着かない気分になる。
何故かそれを見た執事長に気に入られて「是非!」と執事見習いにスカウトされたのだが、お断りした。
現在働いている喫茶店を離れるつもりはないし、何よりも勤務地が遠すぎる。
そして肝心のディナーには、俺がゲーム内で作ったあの赤いドレスそっくりな物を着たマリーが登場したり......と、本当に数え切れないくらい色々あった。
理世は終始不機嫌だったが、母さんは豪華な食事がタダで頂けるとあって庶民的な感性で上機嫌に。更にはマリーに俺達の姉と間違われたためか、その後は一層上機嫌であった。母さん......。
マリーの両親は不在だそうで、正直それを聞いた時は心底ホッとした。
これだけの財力を持っている当人達を前にして食事など、娘のマリーだけでも一杯一杯なのに何を食べたか分からなくなるのは間違いない。
ちなみに後日聞いたところによると、司が作ったシルバーアクセサリーのプレゼントはマリーに大変喜ばれたそうだ。よかったな、司。
[...Do you have any bussiness with us?] (Wataru)
Scary...are these guys yakuza or something?
Anyway, there's a high chance that they got the wrong person so...I tried my best to not make my voice tremble and asked them.
However, these guys didn't reply at all and kept blocking the street.
In the middle of that, Tsukasa pulled my sleeve and said.
[You see...Master. These guys are our SP.] (Tsukasa)
[SP? So that means-] (Wataru)
[Without telling me a thing, you sure are having fun. Tsukasa.] 
[O-Ojou-sama!] (Tsukasa)
With a hint of pride, a refreshingly clear voice resounded throughout the street.
The one who descended from an even bigger car than the one before while being held by the hand of a man was...
Like a western doll, a beautiful girl with blonde hair and blue eyes.
[Herscha!? Wait, that hair color and eye color was natural!? You didn't change that with the settings in-game...!?] (Wataru)
I had wondered if it was really the case but...she's definitely not Japanese! Furthermore, I don't think she's even a half or a quarter either!
Seeing her in real life, I can't feel any Japanese characteristics coming from her.
Furthermore, her characteristic drills were going strong too.
[Ah, no, I apologize. It's actually our first meeting right...or not.] (Wataru)
Since I don't know her age I also don't know how I should act.
I thought that I couldn't speak to her as if we were in-game hence my wording.
[I don't mind, Hind. Besides, I already told you before that I find it disgusting when you speak to me in a polite manner.] (Herscha)
[I guess you have a point...wait a moment, isn't it too harsh of you to say it's disgusting!?] (Wataru)
Then Herscha made a sigh...or rather, the ojou-sama who I still didn't know the name of, fixed her hair and daringly smiled at me.
Currently, I was seated inside the luxury car while slightly shaking.
...This is weird. Actually, around this time I should have gone to the supermarket and would be on my way home.
These comfortable seats that were facing each other, this was a limousine right?
Even though I thought that I would never get to ride one of these in my life...
[Why did this happen.] (Wataru)
[I'm sorry, Master. Employees have to state where they are going on days off...] (Tsukasa)
So that's why they knew where we were.
Though she shouldn't have known who he was meeting, I felt as if Herscha understood something from looking at how Tsukasa was fidgeting on his seat.
In other words, you could say it was simply her sixth sense telling her a rough outline of what we had done.
She's quite the frightening woman.
[What are you dissatisfied with? To be invited into my own home to have dinner, even famous businessmen rarely get such a chance.] (Herscha)
I was forcibly pushed into the car and Rise's cooking sense is god awful.
It's becoming dark, so she should be finishing cram school about now.
My mom also has a day shift today so she should be finishing work and returning home, she should also be quite tired so if I'm not there, the chances that they make some instant food is high.
Just thinking of myself eating some extravagant dinner while the two members of my family are eating some simple meal...it makes my chest hurt.
While I was asking like that, Tsukasa did his best to protest.
[O-Ojou-sama...I was the one that called Master on my own personal request so...] (Tsukasa)
[I know that! This is what people call an "offline meeting" right? Why did you leave me out!?] (Herscha)
[Ah...] (Tsukasa)
Tsukasa was silenced.
Well, it's not like he can say he was choosing a birthday present...even less in front of the person herself.
In that case, I guess I should fabricate a reason for both of us to meet.
A straight out lie will surely be discovered right away, in this case...don't hate me for this, Tsukasa.
[The truth is, Tsukasa asked me to choose some casual clothes for him. It would be pretty boring to bring a girl to a men's fashion shop right? Isn't that so, Tsukasa?] (Wataru)
[Eh? ...Ah, yes, that's right! Ojou-sama, you know about my worries right?] (Tsukasa)
[What's with that unnatural question? If I remember correctly, you were worried that you are not very manly...I see.
[That's right! It can't be helped right!?] (Tsukasa)
[?] (Herscha)
Tsukasa, who was sitting next to me, played along but...he's really bad at lying.
The ojou-sama sitting down in front of us was tilting her head.
[So, getting back on topic. It's fine around here, could you drop me off? I'll just walk back somehow.] (Wataru)
[Non non, that won't do. What you wanted to say was that it would be fine if I did something about your family's dinner right? In that case, tell me your address.] (Herscha)
[What are you saying? There's no way I could tell others that kind of personal information so lightl-] (Wataru)
[I won't do anything bad! Tell me!] (Herscha)
[No, like I sai-] (Wataru)
This back and forth is similar to that first time we met. She's so pushy.
However, what is she planning to do once she gets the address? Is she going to order some food delivery or something?
Once she got that information out of me, she looked at the maid that was sitting next to her.
Then, the maid contacted someone in a low voice.
Uwah...it's a real maid...but for some reason, she's Japanese. She has black hair.
[Anyway, you have nothing to worry about.] (Herscha)
I resigned to my fate and slowly deflated on top of the seat.
Umu, this seat is so soft...
Once he saw that, Tsukasa looked quite startled.
[Master...even if I'm not one to say this, haven't you given up too easily?] (Tsukasa)
[Listen Tsukasa. When it comes to girls with such a pushy personality, once they decided on something, they won't listen to anything you say...] (Wataru)
[Ara, you do get it.] (Herscha)
Once I closed my eyes, I could see an image of Miyu smirking with her arms crossed.
When I opened my eyes, I could see a girl with a similar expression in front of me.
This one has pride and financial wealth on top of it, she's even more troublesome...
I calmed down and fixed my posture and remembered something I forgot to ask.
[Now that I think about it, I haven't heard your name yet. It feels kinda weird because it's not really our first time meeting but...I'm Kishikami Wataru.] (Wataru)
[Pleased to make your acquaintance, Wataru. My name is Wendelgart*Marie*Schultz] (Marie)
[Wen-...my bad, what did you say?] (Wataru)
[Wendelgart*Marie*Schultz]  (Marie)
[...Is it fine if I refer to you with your middle name? Ah, is it not good if I refer to you with your middle name unless we are close? Would it be overly familiar?] (Wataru)
[No, I don't mind. This is just one of my grandfather's hobbies, it's not the name I go by these days.] (Marie)
[In that case, Marie] (Wataru)
With that, I was invited to Marie's house.
Though I was half forced into it.
After that, we stayed in the car for around two hours.
While wondering what kind of high quality product this orange juice, which was oddly fragrant and sweet, the place we arrived at was...
A mansion on a slightly elevated hill.
From the main entrance, you could see a fountain in front of the door further away and there were magnificent gigantic buildings on both sides too.
The lawn was perfectly taken care of and...is that a pool I see?
A space that I wouldn't usually be able to imagine spread out in front me...this is Japan right?
While I was dumbfounded as I left the vehicle, another car entered the premises with great speed.
Consequently, two people descended from the car as if they were falling over.
Those two are...
[Nii-san!] (Rise)
[Wataru! Are you OK!? Are you injured!?] (Akeno)
Rise and mom tackled me with great vigor and were touching my body all over the place.
You could see a lot of question marks appearing inside my head.
[Ah? Oh? Why are mom and Rise here...? Besides, what do you mean by injuries?] (Wataru)
[I heard that nii-san was kidnapped...] (Rise)
[They said that wataru was kidnapped...] (Akeno)
[Hah!? Wait a moment! What kind of explanation did you give them!?] (Marie)
Marie asked the maid next to her what was going on.
Her hairstyle was cut in blunt bangs, the beautiful Japanese woman called Shizuka stated this coldly.
[I told them that Wataru-sama was under our custody] (Shizuka)
[The way you said it could be easily misunderstood! S-Shizuka-san...] (Tsukasa)
[What are you doing Shizuka!? Didn't I tell you to tell them in an amicable manner and bring them over here!? I said that right!?] (Marie)
Tsukasa and Marie looked at her while criticizing her but the maid didn't seem to care.
She did say that I didn't have to worry about dinner but I never thought she would actually bring both of them here too...
I placed a hand on my forehead and shook my head and looked at my family, who didn't know what was going on.
It seems like I won't be able to count on them so I did my best to explain the situation...
After that, there are parts that I don't really remember well.
The reason for that might have been because I reached my mental limits.
We first were led inside the mansion towards a guest room, when I was thinking about going to the toilet...Tsukasa appeared after having changed into a butler outfit.
Like that, I started to help him out.
Maybe because I forcibly made him let me help out, Tsukasa was scolded and I felt bad about it.
However, even if we are guests, with my personality it doesn't really feel right to be taken care of by others without doing anything myself...I can't really calm down after being told to just sit down and relax.
For some reason, the head butler seemed to take a liking to me and said  [You are free to come!]  and tried to scout me but I declined.
I have no intention to leave my current workplace after all. Furthermore, this place is just too far.
When it came to the dinner, Marie appeared wearing a red dress that looked exactly the same as the one I made in-game...unimaginable stuff happened that day.
Rise was in a bad mood from start to finish but my mom was in a good mood because she got to eat a stravagant dinner for free.
Marie's parents seemed to not be here at the moment and honestly, I was glad when I heard that.
To eat in front of people that are this rich, there's no doubt that I wouldn't be able to taste whatever I was eating if that were to happen when I'm already at my limits eating with their daughter Marie.
By the way, I heard that Marie was really pleased with the silver accessory that Tsukasa made. I'm glad, Tsukasa.
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都