67
食事会も終わり、レオルドは解放されるかと思いきや、なぜか家族と共に実家へと戻る事になった。
いったいどういうことなのかと言えば、モンスターパニックを無事に乗り切った事を祝う為、王城で祝賀会を開く事になっていた。
そんな事を全く知らなかったレオルドは、驚きつつもギルバートに尋ねた。
「どういうことだ? 聞いてないぞ!」
「ギルを責めるな。ワザと伝えていなかったんだ」
「......ごめんなさい、レオルド。私がお願いしたの」
「母上が? なにか理由があるのですよね?」
流石に先程の食事会でオリビアの性格は分かっているから、意地悪と言う事はないだろう。だが、やはり事前に何も知らされていないというのには不安を感じてしまう。
「実はレオルドが痩せたって聞いたから、新しいお洋服が必要だと思って、私呼んでおいたの」
「......まさか、デザイナーを?」
「ええ! だから、レオルド! 帰ったらお着替えしましょうね!」
「は、母上。俺はもう十六です。母上に服を選んで貰わなくても大丈夫です」
心苦しいが、母親のセンスとは子供の想像を超える時がある。思っていた物よりも酷い事はざらにある。ならばここは断って、自分で選んだ服を着るべきだと、レオルドはオリビアの願いを断る。
「そんな......折角の親子の再会だというのに......母のお願いは聞いてくれないの?」
よよよと泣く演技をする母親にレオルドは顔が引き攣る。しかし、先程の食事会では心を救われた手前、断るのは忍びない。
だから、レオルドは母が喜んでくれるならと羞恥心を捨てる。
「わかりました、母上。俺に似合うものを選んで下さいね」
レオルドがそう言うとオリビアは顔を覆い隠して泣いていた演技を止めて、満面の笑みでレオルドの手を取り大いに喜んだ。
「ええ、ええ! 私に任せて、レオルド! 貴方にピッタリのお洋服を選んであげる!」
「ははっ......ははは......」
着せ替え人形が確定したレオルドは、聖母のようなオリビアもお茶目な一面があるのだと知る。ただ、乾いた笑いしか浮かばなかったが。
久しぶりに帰ってきた公爵邸にレオルドは感動していた。
(思えば半年程しか離れていなかったが、久しぶりに実家に帰ってきたんだよな......
ああ、覚えている。ゲームではあまり語られなかったレオルドの思い出。
そう、そうだよな。幼少期、少年期と、ここで色んなことをしてきたことを。
不当な理由で使用人を解雇したり、癇癪を起こして使用人に八つ当たりしたりと、本当に碌な思い出はないな!
そりゃ嫌われますね!
でも、中には綺麗な思い出もある。剣術の才能を父親に褒められて、魔法の才能も母親に褒められてたりと。武術大会少年の部で最年少優勝者になったことを両親がとても喜んだ事を。
まあ、その後に自分は特別なんだ凄いんだと自惚れて出世街道から外れたんですけどね!)
オリビアに連行されたレオルドは、夜に開かれるパーティ用の服を何度も着せ替えられた。
一応、双子の弟と妹もオリビアに誘われていたが、恥ずかしいと言って断っていた。残念がっていたオリビアだが、久しぶりに再会したレオルドがいるので今回は我慢した。
その反動からか、オリビアは楽しそうにレオルドの服を選んでいる。新しいのを手にとってはレオルドに勧め、それをレオルドが苦笑いになりながらも受け取って着替えると、オリビアは喜びの声を上げる。
「ふふっ! 似合っているわ、レオルド!
次はこれなんてどうかしら?
今着ているデザインのもいいけど、レオルドにはこっちも似合うはずよ」
「うっす......」
もう返事が適当になっていた。レオルドがおかしな返事をしてもオリビアは咎めることはない。だって、レオルドが自分の我が侭に嫌々ながらも付き合ってくれているのだから。
次々と新しい服を選んではレオルドに渡すオリビア。無我の境地にでも至りそうなレオルドは黙々と着替える。
そんな時、オリビアがレオルドに話しかける。
「私の我が侭を聞いてくれてありがとうね、レオルド」
「そんな、俺のほうこそ......ずっと我が侭ばかりで......母上や父上にはいつも迷惑ばかりで......」
「いいのよ。だって貴方は私達の子供なんだから。迷惑を掛けていいの。度が過ぎるのはちょっと困っちゃうけどね」
そう言って笑うオリビアに、レオルドはやるせない気持ちで一杯になる。
過去の自分と今の自分が違うとは言え、これまで無償の愛を惜しみなく注いでくれる母親を傷つけていた。
これ以上、屑な息子に愛情を注いでくれるオリビアを傷つけてはならないと、レオルドは強く決心する。
生き残る以外にも目標が出来てしまった。レオルドはこのどこまでも優しい
「いえ、なんでもありません。それより、どうですか? 似合っていますか?」
うふふ! 今日のパーティでは目立つ事間違いなしだわ!」
「そうそう、レオルド。その笑顔がいいの。私はその笑顔が好きよ」
「......恥ずかしいのであまり見ないでもらえるとありがたいです」
「まあ! どうして、隠すの? もっと、母に見せて頂戴。貴方とは滅多に会えなくなったんですから、今くらいはいいでしょう?」
「うっ......わかりました」
それからもオリビアによるレオルドのコーディネートは続く。
嫌々ではあったが、母親と過ごすこの時間は、確かに穏やかなものとなった。
Ch 67
After the dinner party was over, Leordo thought he was going to be released, but for some reason he had to go back to his parents' house with his family.
It was  Planned to hold a celebration party at the royal castle to celebrate the fact that they had survived the monster panic.
Leolde , who had no idea about such things, asked Gilbert in surprise.
"What do you mean? I didn't  know anything about that!
"Don't blame Gil. He didn't tell  you on purpose."
"...... I'm sorry, Leolde. I asked for it.
"Mother , you asked for this ? There's a reason for that, isn't there?"
he  knew Olivia's personality from the dinner party earlier, so she wouldn't harm him  However,  he  still felt uneasy th because he was not informed of anything beforehand.
"In fact, I heard that Leolde had lost weight, so I thought he needed some new clothes, so I called him over."
"You're not ...... a designer, are you?"
"Yes! That's why, Leolde! Let's  pick up a clothes when  we get home!"
"Mother. I'm sixteen years old.  and I don't need you to pick  up clothes for me."
It pains me to say this, but a mother's sense of style is sometimes beyond a child's imagination. It's not uncommon for them to be worse than what you expected. Leolde refused Olivia's request, saying that he should wear the clothes he had chosen.
"It's our family reunion  and you won't listen to mother's ...... request?"
Leolde's face twitched as his mother acted as if she was crying. However, since she had saved  him  at the dinner party earlier, he could not to refuse her.
So, Leolde  threw away his shame, hoping that his mother would be happy.
"I understand, Mother. Please choose something that suits me."
When he said this, Olivia stopped covering her face and crying, and with a big smile took his hand, much to  her delight.
"Yes, ! Leave it to me, Leoldoe I'll pick out the perfect outfit for you!"
"Hahaha ...... hahaha ......."
Leolde, who had been confirmed as a dress-up doll, found out that Olivia,  , had a mischievous side to her. He only can laugh dryly
Leolde was impressed by the duke's residence  where he had returned to after a long absence.
(Come to think of it, I've only been away for about half a year, but it's been a while since I've been back to my parents' house. ......)
(Yeah, I remember that in Memories of Leolde that weren't really  meaned   in the game.)
Yes, that's right. That he had done many things here as a child and a boy.
Dismissing servants for unjust reasons, throwing tantrums and taking it out on the servants... he really don't have any good memories!
That's a lot of hate!
But there are some beautiful memories. He  was praised by father for  his talent in swordsmanship and  his mother for  his talent in magic. That my parents were very happy that I was the youngest winner in the boys' division of a martial arts tournament.
Well, after that, he  was so smug about how special and amazing he was that he fell off the career ladder!
When Olivia took Leolde away, she was dressed several times for a party that was to be held in the evening.
His brother and sister were also invited by Olivia, but they refused, saying they were too embarrassed. Olivia was disappointed, but since she hadn't seen Leolde in a while, she held back this time.
Perhaps as a reaction to this, Olivia was happily choosing clothes for Leolde . She picked up a new one and recommended it to  him, and when Leoldoe accepted it with a wry smile and changed into it. Olivia squeals with delight as Leolde  takes it and changes into it.
. "It looks good on you, Leoldo!"
"How about this next one?"
"I'm sure you'll love the one you're wearing now, but this one will suit you too."
"Ugh. ......"
The reply was already appropriate. Olivia doesn't blame  him for giving  such answer. It's because Leolde is going along with her selfish wish , even though he doesn't like it.
Olivia picks out new clothes one after another and hands them to Leolde. , She  seems to have reached a state of selflessness .he silently  changes his clothes.
Just then, Olivia speaks to Leolde.
"Thank you for listening to my  wished , Leolde.
"No, I'm the one who's been ...... selfish, and ...... a nuisance to mother and father."
"It's okay. You are our child. It's okay to cause trouble. It's a little annoying when it goes too far."
Olivia smiled at him, and he felt helplessness.
Even though his past and present selves were different, he had hurt his mother who had given him so much free love.
Leolde  decides that he must not hurt Olivia any more, who is giving her love to her trash son.
He set a new goal: to become a person that Olivia, his kind mother, could be proud of.
"No, it's nothing.  Does it look good on me?"
You'll definitely stand out at the party today"!
"I love your smile. "
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't look at ...... so much, it's embarrassing."
"Well! Why are you hiding it? ? You and I don't see each other very often anymore, so it's okey , right ?
"Ugh. ...... yes."
After that, Olivia's coordination of Leolde continued.
Although he didn't like it, this time spent with  his mother was indeed a peaceful one.
Eroge Reincarnation, Struggle of a Golden Pig Aristocrat Against Fate
エロゲ転生　運命に抗う金豚貴族の奮闘記
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/eroge-reincarnation-struggle-of-a-golden-pig-aristocrat-against-fate/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Romance Shounen Slice of Life
Adapted to Manga Age Progression Aristocracy Beautiful Female Lead Broken Engagement Butlers Character Growth Complex Family Relationships Cowardly Protagonist Crafting Dense Protagonist Domestic Affairs Doting Parents Elemental Magic Emotionally Weak Protagonist Empires Fallen Nobility Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fat Protagonist Fat to Fit Galge Handsome Male Lead Hard-Working Protagonist Harsh Training Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Late Romance Lost Civilizations Loyal Subordinates Magic Magic Formations Maids Male Protagonist Management Manipulative Characters Marriage Misunderstandings Modern Knowledge Monsters Naive Protagonist Nobles Reincarnated in a Game World Royalty Sadistic Characters Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Time Skip Transmigration Underestimated Protagonist Weak to Strong Wizards
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4214gk/
名無しの権兵衛