――さくら......。
――待って待って! ちゃんと考えがあるから! 今思いついたから!
――行き当たりばったりね......。どんな?
――持つべきものは友達、だよ。ティナに会いに行こう!
なるほど、とリリアは少し納得した。この国において、男爵という位は限りなく庶民に近い貴族というものだ。ティナなら庶民に溶け込める服をいくつか持っていることだろう。ただ、やはり問題もある。
――私が行かないといけないわよね?
――まあね。変装するんだし、アリサとかに行ってもらうのはだめだと思うよ。いや、アリサなら協力してくれるかもしれないけど、間違いなく心配されるよ。
リリアがはっきりと命じれば従うだろうが、アリサに対してはそれはしたくはないと思っている。リリアのメイドであると同時に、数少ない協力者だ。大切にしたい。そう思っている自分に気がついて、少しだけ驚いた。
――仕方ないわね......。周りから何か言われそうだけど、行くとしましょう。
――がんばれー。
――気楽でいいわね......。
リリアは招待状に記載されている時間を確認して、小さく舌打ちした。夜会が開かれるのは今晩となっている。もっと早めに連絡してほしいとは思うが、どうせこれを計画したのはあの馬鹿王子だろう。あいつなら、ティナを誘う口実として夜会を急遽開催することぐらいしてもおかしくはない。
ただ、他に夜会の予定がなかったことから事前に計画はあったのかもしれないとは思う。ティナに断られないように、知らせるのを直前にしたのだろうか。
ともかく、リリアにはその辺りの事情は関係のないことだ。あまり時間もないので、準備を急がなくてはならない。
「アリサ。少し出かけてくるわ」
慌ただしく働き始めているアリサにそう告げると、リリアは部屋を後にした。
リリアが二階に下りて、そしてエントランスに出ると騒がしかった部屋が途端に静かになった。周囲を見ると、談笑していたと思われる生徒たちがそろってリリアを見て固まっている。上級貴族がこの階層に足を踏み入れることがないことを考えると、当然だろう。
――仮にも公爵家だから余計にだね。とりあえずティナの部屋を聞いてみようよ。
――そうね......。誰なら知っているでしょうね。
――誰でも知ってるんじゃないかな。有名人だし。どこかの馬鹿王子のせいで。
――ろくでもない馬鹿王子ね。
さくらと共にかつての想い人を罵倒しつつ、とりあえず側のテーブルへと向かう。そこにいたのは男子生徒が三人で、リリアが自分たちの方に向かっていることを知った三人が顔を青ざめさせた。まだ何もしていないのに、と少しだけ不愉快に思いながらも、少年たちへと問いかける。
「ティナ・ブレイハの部屋を探しているのだけど、知っているかしら?」
三人が顔を見合わせ、そしてためらいがちに頷いた。よろしい、とリリアは頷いて続ける。
「では案内しなさい。今すぐに」
「それは、構いませんけど......。何をしに行くのですか?」
「貴方に関係あるのかしら?」
リリアがわずかに目を細めると、三人が体を震わせる。どうにもこの三人だと話にならないと思っていると、
「ちょっといい?」
背後から声をかけられた。振り返り、その声の主を視界に納める。ショートカットの栗色の髪に気の強そうな赤い瞳が印象的な、リリアと同年代と思える少女だった。珍しいことにリリアを睨み付けている。それが少し新鮮で、リリアは思わず笑みを浮かべた。
「何よ」
その少女が口を開き、リリアは微笑のまま首を振る。
「いいえ。何でも無いわ。それで私に何か用?」
「そうだ。あの子に......ティナに何の用? 答えによっては叩き出す」
「へえ......。叩き出す? 貴方が? 私を? へえ......」
ゆっくりと、笑みを深める。少女が頬を引きつらせ一歩後退るが、しかし気丈にもリリアを睨み付ける目にさらに力がこもった。少しばかり驚きながらも、少女の反応を窺う。
「あたしは、貴族なんかに屈しない! ティナはあたしたちが守るんだ! 帰れ!」
なるほど、とリリアは内心で頷いた。どうやら完全に誤解されているらしい。今までの行いを考えるとそれも仕方のないことなので、怒りは覚えない。
――友達のためにリリアを睨み付けるなんて、なんて健気な子なんだ! リリア、その子の爪をもらっておこうよ。煎じて飲もう。
――それを飲んだら貴方がもう少しましになるの?
――え? その返し方は予想してなかったけど......。え、あれ? リリアの私に対するイメージって......。
悩み始めたさくらを無視し、少女に視線を向ける。どうやって誤魔化そうかと思ったところで、
――え? 誤魔化すの? そのまま言えばいいじゃない。悪いことしてないんだから。
なるほど、とリリアは頷いた。確かに今回はティナに協力を仰ぎに行くだけだ。何も後ろ暗いことはない。
「何か誤解しているようだけど、私はティナさんに少しお願いしたいことがあって訪ねるだけよ。何か問題があるかしら?」
「は? そんなこと信じられるわけないでしょ! いいからさっさと出て行きなさい!」
そう語気を荒げて言うが、しかし手を出してくるわけでもない。仮にもこの学園に通っている以上、貴族の、しかも公爵家の人間に手を出すことがどういうことかよく分かっているのだろう。リリアが身じろぎせず少女を見つめていると、少女の表情がどんどんと険しくなっていった。
「それだったら......あたしにも考えが......」
「も、もうやめようよ、アイラ」
「ケイティンは黙ってて!」
少女の奥にもう一人、青い長髪の少女がアイラの袖を掴んでいた。この国においても珍しい髪の色なので記憶にある。もっとも、見覚えがあるという程度で名前も家名も分からないが。
アイラと呼ばれた栗色の髪の少女が再びリリアを睨んでくる。時間の無駄だと思い始めたところで、
「アイラ、どうしたの?」
さらに第三者の声。ただしこちらの声はよく知っているものだった。
--Sakura...
--Wait wait! I definitely have an idea. It just came to me!
--How haphazard... What's your plan?
--Friends are real handy to have, bro! Let's go see Tina!
I see, thought Lilia as she got the gist of it. In this country, the rank of Baron was unequivocally close to that of a commoner. Tina should have any number of clothes that could blend in with the common people. Just, there was still a problem.
--I've got to go myself don't I.
--Well yeah. You need the disguise, and I don't think you could ask Alisa to do this for you or something. No, I suppose Alisa would actually help you out here, but I'm certain it would cause her all sorts of worry.
If Lilia straight up ordered her she would probably abide by it, but she didn't really want to subject Alisa to that. While being her maid, she was also one of Lilia few allies here. She wanted to treat her well. When she realised she was actually thinking such things, it surprised her a little.
--I suppose it can't be helped... I feel like I'm going to create more rumors around here, but let us go.
--Do your best~.
--Must be nice to be so carefree.
Lilia confirmed the time stated on the invitation, and make a small click of her tongue. The evening party was set for tonight. It would have been great if there was a bit more notice, but it was probably planned by that idiot prince after all. Speaking of him, it wouldn't be strange if just as an excuse to invite Tina he'd rushed out a last minute plan to hold an evening party here.
However, since there actually weren't any other evening parties scheduled this one should have to have been planned in advance. It was probably so that Tina wouldn't have a chance to refuse, that the notification came right before the event.
Either way, Lilia had nothing to do with the situation around that. There really wasn't much time left, so she had to hurry with her preparations.
"Alisa. I'll be heading out for a bit."
Informing Alisa who had hurriedly begun on her work, Lilia left her room behind.
Lilia descended to the second floor, and as she pa.s.sed through the entrance-way the lively hall quieted down all at once. Looking around, the students who'd been having friendly conversations had all stiffened as they noticed Lilia. Well, this should've been expected as high ranking n.o.bles didn't usually set foot on this floor.
--Even for someone of ducal cla.s.s this is pretty overboard. For now let's just go to Tina's room.
--Right... They probably have an idea of who I am.
--I'm sure anyone would know. You're pretty famous. All because of a certain idiot prince.
--A real good for nothing idiot prince.
While verbally abusing the former target of her affection together with Sakura, for now she headed to the table beside her. There sat three male students, and when they noticed Lilia coming in towards them all three faces instantly paled. Even though she hadn't even done anything yet... Lilia felt a bit displeased, as she asked them a question.
"I'm looking for Tina Breyer's room, might you know where it is?"
The three looked at each other, and hesitantly gave a serious nod. Very well, nodded Lilia as she continued.
"Then please lead me there. Right now."
"Well, I don't mind, but... What are you going there for?"
"Does that have anything to do with you?"
When Lilia slightly narrowed her eyes, the s.h.i.+vers were sent through the three's bodies. Just as she was starting to feel that she wasn't going to get anywhere with these three,
"If I may interrupt?"
She was called out to from behind. Turning around, the owner of the voice came into sight. With short chestnut coloured hair and a strong-willed set of red pupils giving off quite the impression, there was a girl who was probably in the same year as Lilia. And in a rare occurrence she was glaring straight at Lilia. That was sort of fresh for her, and Lilia unintentionally gave a bit of a smile.
"What?"
When the girl opened her mouth, Lilia kept the smile on her face as she shook her head.
"No. It is nothing. So is there something you need from me?"
"That's right. That girl, What do you want with Tina? Depending on your answer I might just hit you."
"Heeh... Hit? You? At me? Heeh..."
Slowly, her smile deepened. The girl's face stiffened and she took a step back, but her eyes that firmly kept her glare on Lilia only got stronger. While slightly surprised at the girl, Lilia examined her reaction.
"I, won't just yield to some n.o.ble! We will protect Tina! Get lost!"
I see, Lilia nodded in her mind. It seems that it's become a complete misunderstanding. Taking into account all that had happened up until now it probably couldn't be helped, so she didn't feel angry.
--To stare down Lilia for the sake of her friend, what a gallant girl! Lilia, you let's get her for some of her nails. Let's boil them and drink it.(1)
--If I drank that would you become a bit less objectionable?
--Eh? I totally didn't expect that kind of comeback... Eh, huh? The kind of image you have of me is like...
Ignoring the Sakura that started getting all distressed for some reason, she met the gaze of the girl. Right as she was thinking about how to bluff her way past this,
----Eh? You're going to bluff it? Why not just say it as it is? It's not like you're up to anything bad.
I see, Lilia nodded. Certainly this time she just wanted to ask Tina for some help. There wasn't anything shady.
"I think you may be misunderstanding something here, but I just have a favour I wanted to ask of Tina so I'm paying her a visit. Is there some sort of problem?"
"Hah? As if I could believe something like that! Hurry up and get out of here already!"
She started to raise her voice as she said that, but it wasn't like she had resorted to violence. As long as she'd been going to this academy, she would definitely know the significance of raising a hand against a n.o.ble, what's more someone from a Ducal. When Lilia continued to stare at the girl without moving, the girl's expression got steadily more grim.
"If it's gonna be like that... Then even I have my ways..."
"Just, just stop it already, Aira."
"Shut up Kayten!"
Behind the girl came another girl. She had long blue hair and was grasping onto Aira's sleeve. It was a hair colour that was rare even in this country so it had remained in her memory from sometime before. But of course, it wasn't to the extent of actually remembering her first or last name or anything.
The girl with the chestnut coloured hair named Aira renewed her glare towards Lilia. Just as she was beginning to think this was just a waste of time,
"Aira, what's wrong?"
Once more, a third person came to chime in. However this time she was well acquainted with this voice here.
Haunted Duke’s Daughter
取り憑かれた公爵令嬢
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/haunted-dukes-daughter/
Comedy Fantasy Romance School Life Shoujo Slice of Life Supernatural
Broken Engagement Character Growth Determined Protagonist Different Social Status Female Protagonist Friendship Hard-Working Protagonist Heartwarming Loyal Subordinates Maids Nobles Otome Game Possession Royalty Second Chance Servants Sharing A Body Sword And Magic Unrequited Love Villainess Noble Girls
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n5708cr/
龍翠