15
私は兄さまのエスコートで夜会が行われているホールへ向かった。
中に入ると視線が集まる。殿下の婚約者という立場は何かと目立つのだ。このくらいは慣れたものなのでどんと来いである。
すぐ殿下を見つけた。私のことを見て、いつものように少しだけ目を細めて笑ってくれている。
そのそばに行こうとした。でも貧血でよろめいた令嬢を見かけた。
近づいてみれば可愛らしい子で、まだ学園にも入学していないような年頃に見える。
可哀想に、こんな子もコルセットで縛られるなんて。児童虐待には当たらないのだろうか。
義憤に駆られながら介抱しようとした私の肩に、誰かの手がポンと置かれた。
「レベッカ」
「兄さま?」
見たことがないほど静かな表情で、兄さまはゆっくりと首を横に振った。
「もうやめてあげなさい。『オーバーキル』だ」
あ、懐かしい、その言葉。母さまがよく使っていた。意味は確か過剰なまでに相手にダメージを与えるとかそんな感じ。
今は誰とも戦っていないので首を捻る。
「その令嬢は俺がお連れしよう。では、第一王子殿、妹をよろしく頼みますよ」
兄さまがよそ行きの顔で殿下に右手を出す。
「ああ。急な頼みを聞いていただいたこと、感謝する」
殿下が応えてその手を取った。
みし......っ! と、およそ握手とは思えない音がしたのはそのときだ。
見れば、両者手の甲に筋肉の筋が浮かび、どう考えても互いの右手を粉砕しようとしていた。私は「ひっ」と声を漏らした。
こめかみにも青筋を浮かべて、それでも笑顔を崩さなかった兄さまが、体調不良の令嬢を伴って退出した。
「殿下、右手は無事ですか?」
私は聞こえるか聞こえないか怪しいほどの小声で殿下に話しかけた。一時的に血流が止まったのか、彼の手は白くなっていた。
「ああ。ヴァンダレイと握手するときは骨を折るつもりでいくのがコツだ」
「どうして......」
「初めて会ったときの握手で実際折られたんだ。まあこちらも折り返したんだが」
「だからどうして」
家に帰ったら兄さまを問い詰めなければ、と考えていたとき、はたと気づいた。
かなり緊張して夜会に臨んだはずだが、気づけば力が抜けている自分がいる。
二人は私をリラックスさせるために一芝居打った――わけではないだろう。違うな、うん。
ともかく揃ったので国王陛下と王妃殿下に挨拶しに行って、あとはひっきりなしに話しかけてくる人たちとの歓談だ。
侯爵家、伯爵家、伯爵家、子爵家――ゴウデス侯爵もいた。キャランのお父さんだ。
途中でふと目線を上に奥にやったら、壁のそばに立っているフリード・ネヘルと目が合った。さすがの彼も今日はあの真っ黒なローブを脱いだようだ。
おそらくまた殿下から私の警護を頼まれているんだろう。
そういえばメリンダが「フリード様最近そっけない」とぼやいていた。仕事が増えて疲れているのかもしれない。
若干の申し訳なさを感じていたら、後ろから声をかけられた。
「ルウェイン殿下、スルタルク公爵令嬢、ご機嫌うるわしゅう。いやはやお二人ともまさに宝石のような美しさでいらっしゃる」
殿下が私の腰に回している手に力を入れた。私も内心警戒を強める。
そこにいたのはマハジャンジガ子爵。サジャッド・マハジャンジガの父親。実物を見るのは初めてだ。
笑顔で一礼する。だがもしも許されるのなら、私は不可解さを全面に表したいと思った。そのくらい意外だった。
――――この男が、サジャッドの父親?
彼の父親として想像されるのは、スマートで外面はよく腹は真っ黒な男だ。だが実際の子爵は、私と殿下に揉み手する小柄な男だった。ゴマスリが露骨で情けない。
そのギャップが妙に引っかかる。
だってサジャッドは父親に逆らえないから、シナリオでは主人公エミリアを洗脳し、現実では私を攻撃しているはずなのだ。
漠然とした違和感は、次にゾフ侯爵が話しかけてきたことで一旦頭の隅に追いやられた。
今はこの夜会での振る舞いを成功させることに集中しなければ。
夜会は真夜中まで続き、私は最後まで殿下の隣で婚約者としての役割を全うした。
帰り道、公爵家別邸まで馬車で私を送ってくれた殿下が、「夜会の間言えなかった分」と言って怒涛の褒め言葉をくれ大変だったのは余談である。
Ch 61
I headed to the hall where the evening party was being held as Nii-sama's escort.
When I entered, eyes were gathered on me. Being in the position of His Highness' fiancee makes me stand out in some way. I'm used to it by now, so bring it on.
I immediately found His Highness. He looked at me and smiled slightly, narrowing his eyes as usual.
I was about to go to his side, but I saw a pale and staggering lady.
When I approached her, she was a cute girl and looked like she hadn't entered the Academy yet.
It was pitiable that a child like her would be tied up in a corset like me. Isn't it considered child abuse?
With indignation, I tried to intervene, and someone put their hand on my shoulder.
"Rebecca."
"Nii-sama?"
With an expression I had never seen before, Nii-sama slowly shook his head.
"Please stop. It's overkill."
Oh, that familiar word. Mother often used it. The meaning is, to give excessive damage to the opponent or something like that.
I tilt my head because I'm not fighting anyone right now.
"I'll take that lady. Then, Your Highness, please take care of my sister."
Nii-sama extended his right hand to His Highness with a reserved look on his face.
"Ah, I'm grateful for the sudden request."
His Highness took his hand and responded.
Mishi...! At that moment, a sound that could hardly be considered a handshake came out.
If you look, both of them raised the muscles of their hands, and no matter how you think about it, they were trying to crush each other's right hand. I let out a yelp.
Even though Nii-sama's temples were bulging with blue veins and he still didn't break his smile, he left with a lady who was not feeling well.
"Your Highness, is your right hand okay?"
I spoke to His Highness in a doubtful low voice, wondering if he could hear me or not. His hand was white, as if the blood flow had stopped for a moment.
"Yeah. The trick to shaking hands with Vanderlei is to go with the intention of breaking bones."
"Why..."
"I actually broke my bones the first time I shook hands with him. Well, I broke his bones too."
"So why..."
When I was thinking that I would have to question Nii-sama as soon as I got home, I noticed something.
I should have been quite nervous, but I found myself feeling relaxed.
I don't think they were playing a trick on me to relax me----that's not it. No, it's different.
Anyway, I greeted His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen, and then talked nonstop with the people who kept coming to talk to me.
Marquis house, Earl house, Baron house, Viscount house----Marquis Goudes was also there. He is Kyaran's father.
Suddenly, as I looked up and back, my eyes met Fried Neher, who was standing beside the wall. Even he seems to have taken off that completely black robe today.
I wonder if he's been asked by His Majesty to take care of my security again.
Come to think of it, Melinda had muttered, "Fried-sama has been so quiet lately." Maybe he's just tired from having more work.
As I felt a little apologetic, someone called out to me from behind.
"Your Highness Llewayne, Duke Slutarch's daughter, you look well. Oh my, you two are truly like jewels, so beautiful."
His Highness put more force into his hand, which was on my waist. I also strengthened my caution inside.
The one there was Viscount Mahajanjiga. The father of Sajad Mahajanjiga. It's my first time seeing him in person.
He greets us with a smile, but if allowed, I would like to show my confusion on the surface. It was that unexpected.
--------Is this man Sajad's father?
The father I imagined is a man who is smart and has a good appearance but is actually a crooked man. But the actual Viscount was a blatant and pathetic man who shook hands with me and His Highness.
The gap between the two is strangely troubling.
Because Sajad can't defy his father, in the scenario, he brainwashed the protagonist Emilia and in reality, he should be attacking me.
The vague discomfort was temporarily pushed to the corner of my head when Marquis Zoff talked to me next.
Now I have to focus on making this evening party a success.
The party continued until midnight and I fulfilled my role as a fiance next to His Highness until the end.
On the way home, His Highness, who sent me home by carriage to the Capital's Duke's mansion, told me "what I couldn't say during the party." It was a great compliment, but it's a side story.
The Villainess Carries a Strategy Guide
その悪役令嬢は攻略本を携えている
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-villainess-carries-a-strategy-guide/
Fantasy Josei Romance Shoujo
Academy Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Doting Older Siblings European Ambience Female Protagonist Love Interest Falls in Love First Magic Nobles Otome Game Reincarnated in a Game World Villainess Noble Girls
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n6554fr/
岩田加奈