こうして
雨妹
は移動したらしく、大偉皇子から見えない辺りで待っている。
そこまでたどり着いた雨妹は、安全な場所まで来れたことで気が抜けたのか、足がもつれるように地面にへたり込む。
――助かった、無事だよ私の髪!
もみくちゃになったせいでボサボサの髪だが、とりあえず無傷だ。
それがなによりも嬉しい。
雨妹だって女なので髪は大事であるし、あんな短剣で切られるなど冗談じゃない。
そんなことにならずに幸いだったが、できれば今すぐに洗髪を始めたい。
大偉皇子に頬ずりされた感触を洗い流したい。
――まだ寒いけど、この際井戸の水でもいい!
雨妹がそんなことを考えつつ、とりあえず落ち着こうと大きく息を吐くのを、立彬は黙って見ていたのだが。
「全く、用があり呼びに行けば配置場所におらず、探せば危ない御仁に引っかかっているとは。
そうため息交じりに言われて、雨妹は見上げて言い返す。
皇子が一人で回廊を歩いているなど、誰が思うだろうか。
との出会いは、あくまで例外だったのだ。
それにしても、短剣を向けられた時にはヒヤリとした。
あの刃が、雨妹の身体ごと髪を切り裂かなかったとは限らないのだ。
――やばい、今ごろ怖くなってきた......。
雨妹は今更ながら恐怖を覚え、身体が震え出す。
辺境育ちで都会っ子よりも多少身体が動くとはいえ、刃物を向けられる生活をしたことはない。
そんな自分に、短剣を平然と振り下ろそうとした大偉皇子を思い出すと、冷や汗が出るのがわかる。
ついさっきまで友仁皇子と楽しく饅頭を食べて体の芯までぬくぬくだったはずなのに、今は寒くて仕方がない。
そんな雨妹の様子を見ていた立彬が、前に屈むとそっと腕を伸ばし、髪がぐしゃぐしゃなままの頭に手を置いた。
「平気か?」
そして静かな口調で問いかけてくる。
そう呟いて一人震える雨妹をどう思ったのか、立彬が手を使ってぐしゃぐしゃの髪をそっと梳いてきた。
「怖い思いをしたな」
髪を整えながら言う立彬に、雨妹は肩の力が抜けるのを感じた。
――あったかい手。
同じ手でも、大偉皇子のものとは違う。
少なくともこれまで、この手が自分に危害を加えたことがない。
そのことに安心すると、雨妹の寒かった身体に少しずつ熱が戻って来るように感じる。
立彬はしばらくそうしたままでいてくれたが、やがて雨妹が落ち着いたのを見てとったのか、「立てるか?」尋ねてきた。
「また大偉皇子殿下と遭遇したら厄介だ、動けるなら早く行くぞ」
この言葉に、へたっていた雨妹はすっくと立ちあがる。
あの皇子とまたばったり遭遇、なんてことには絶対になりたくない。
今度は礼儀なんぞかなぐり捨て、悲鳴を上げて逃げるだろう。
「行きます、さっさと行きます!
「そうだ、だからここから移動するぞ」
立彬がそう言って雨妹が握ったままだった簪を取ると、簡単に髪を巻いてさしてくれたので、ボサボサ髪よりも少しは見れるようになった。
こうして元の場所に戻らず、さらにどこかへ行くこととなった雨妹だが。
喋ったら声を聞きつけた大偉皇子が出てきそうな気がしてしまい、黙ったまま足音も忍ばせて立彬に続くことしばし。
立彬に連れていかれた場所は、やはり太子宮だった。
半ば予想していた通りである。
立彬は太子に言われて雨妹を呼びに来たに違いないので、向かうのはここしかないだろう。
そして太子宮の庭園でも、
その中心にいた人物が、立彬に連れられた雨妹に気付く。
「まあ雨妹、よく来たわね!」
未来の皇后へ最も近い玉秀が雨妹を気にしたことで、他の妃嬪やお付きの者たちの視線までもがこちらに集中する。
――目立ってる、目立ってるよ!
今は色々な意味で目立つのはあまりよろしくない雨妹は、どこかに隠れたくなってしまい、手っ取り早く立彬の後ろに隠れようとしたのだが。
「大人しくしておけ、挙動不審は余計に目立つ」
「久しぶりね、雨妹」
貴妃、お久しぶりでございます」
玉秀にそう声をかけられ、雨妹は深々と頭を下げる。
玉秀とはあのインフルエンザの件の後初めて会ったが、とても顔色もよく健康そうだ。
あの時は痩せて骨ばっていた身体も、女性らしい柔らかい線を取り戻している。
「お元気そうで安心しました」
「ええ、全てはあなたのおかげよ。ありがとう雨妹」
そう話す玉秀は、今まで病でやつれている時の印象が強かった。
だが健康になると生き生きとした表情をしており、ただ美しいだけではなく、内なる強さがにじみ出ているように感じる。
なるほどこれが皇后となる人なのかと、雨妹も納得して内心で頷いていると。
子供の声が聞こえた気がした。
-------
T/L Thoughts: Ahh, progress! That first part was quite fluffy; even if it might be a suspension bridge effect (for Yui Mei), I'm still happy ????
Libin apparently moved away from the corner of the corridor since he was waiting for her in a place the Imperial Prince Dawei couldn't see.
When Yui Mei reached him, strength left her limbs and she sank to the floor. Perhaps it was because she thought that she finally came to a safe place.
'I'm saved, my hair is safe!'
Her hair was disheveled because of being crumpled, but at least it was intact for the time being.
Nothing made her more happy than this.
Yui Mei was also a woman, so her hair was important to her; besides, being cut with a dagger not a joking matter.
She was glad that it did not happen, but she also wanted to wash her hair as soon as possible.
She wanted to banish the sensation of Imperial Prince Dawei rubbing it to her cheeks from her mind.
'It's still cold, but well water would do!'
Yui Mei thought about these things, and for the time being, she exhaled deeply to calm herself. Libin watched her silently.
"Good grief, I came to call you due to some matters, but you weren't at your post, and when I searched for you, you were caught by a dangerous personage. What the heck were you doing."
He said that with a sigh, so Yui Mei looked up and retorted.
Who would think that an imperial prince would walk through the corridor all alone?
Meeting Imperial Prince Youren, who came out of a thicket with leaves sticking on him, had been an exception.
Nevertheless, she felt chills run down her spine when the dagger was pointed to her.
There was no guarantee that the blade would not have cut Yui Mei's body and hair.
'Oh no, I'm terrified now...'
Fear washed over Yui Mei, and her body started to tremble.
Because she grew up in the countryside, she could move her body better than those who were raised in the capital; nevertheless, it was not a life that would warrant facing a blade.
It was no wonder that she would break out in a cold sweat when she recalled how Imperial Prince Dawei suddenly tried to swing his dagger down.
Just earlier, her body had been warmed as she pleasantly ate manju with Imperial Prince Youren, but now she couldn't help but feel cold all over.
Libin saw Yui Mei's condition. He crouched before her, then he gently stretched out his arm and placed his hand on her head with her hair still messed up.
"Are you alright?"
He then softly whispered.
Yui Mei mumbled while quivering, and upon seeing that, Libin gently combed through Yui Mei's disheveled hair with his hand.
"You must be frightened."
Yui Mei felt her shoulders relax when Libin said that while fixing her hair.
'His hands are so warm.'
Even if they were hands all the same, it was still different from Imperial Prince Dawei's.
These hands never brought her any harm.
Feeling reassured, Yui Mei felt her chilled body gradually warming up.
Libin stayed with her like this for a while. 'Can you stand?', he then asked when he saw that Yui Mei calmed down.
"It would be troublesome if you meet His Highness Imperial Prince Dawei again, so we have to go quickly if you can move."
Yui Mei hurriedly stood up when she heard those words.
She absolutely didn't want to encounter that imperial prince again.
Next time, she would throw all courtesy out of the window and flee while shrieking.
"I'm going, I'm going now. Oh, by the way, were you looking for me?"
"Yeah. that's why we're leaving."
Libin said that, then he took the hairpin that Yui Mei had been gripping, and he easily rolled her hair and inserted it so that she was a bit more presentable.
And so, Yui Mei did not return to her previous station, but was led towards another place.
She felt that Imperial Prince Dawei would appear if he heard her voice when she speak, so she silently walked, trying to mute her footsteps as she followed Libin.
The place Libin took her was apparently the crown prince palace.
It was just as she had partly expected.
Libin must have come to fetch Yui Mei after being told by the crown prince, so this was the only place they would go.
Even in the crown prince's garden, she could see the concubines enjoying food and wine as they chatted with each other.
The person in the center noticed Yui Mei as she was being led by Libin.
"Oh my, Yui Mei, it's great that you've come!"
Yu Xiu was the person who had the highest probability of becoming the empress, so the other concubines and attendants trained their eyes on her.
'I'm standing out, I'm standing out!'
Yui Mei did not want to stand out due to various reasons so she wanted to hide somewhere, thus, she tried to hide quickly behind Libin.
"Be obedient, acting suspiciously will make you stand out all the more."
"It's been a while, Yui Mei."
"Noble Consort Jiang, it has been a while.
Yui Mei bowed her head deeply when Yu Xiu called out to her.
It was the first time she met Yu Xiu after the influenza incident, but her complexion is now good, and she seemed to be healthy.
At that time, she was almost skin and bones, but now, she regained her soft womanly curves.
"I am truly relieved that you have been well."
"Indeed, it is all thanks to you. Thank you, Yui Mei."
Yu Xiu's impression when she was gaunt during her illness was strong.
However, now that she was healthy, she had a lively expression, and not only was she beautiful, she was brimming with confidence and inner strength.
Yui Mei inwardly agreed that she was indeed suitable to become the empress.
She felt she heard a child's voice.
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