「聞いたよ、兄上のこと振ったんだって?」
もう学校中の噂になってますの?
わたくしは視線だけでお尋ねします。だって不機嫌極まりないんですもの。せっかくお見舞いに来てくれた方に失礼は承知ですが、勘弁してくださいまし。身体も気怠く、微熱も続く中......あなた様と対面する気力が湧かないのですよ。
『銀王子』ことザフィルド殿下は、今日も惜しげなくお得意の女受けする微笑を披露してくださる。
「それは僕に惚れてくれたから?」
まったく......何がひどいなーですのよ。そもそもですね、こんなに話が拗れたのはあなたのせいなのよ? あなたが裏でレミーエ嬢をいじめる手引をしなければ――今、どんな風になっていたのでしょうね。
「ねぇ、それは何?」
わたくしがため息を吐いた時、ザフィルド殿下がわたくしの手元に視線を向けてくる。
わたくしが弄んでいたのは、白っちゃけた小さなぬいぐるみだ。ただぬいぐるみと称するには薄っぺらく、あちこち擦り切れているのだけど。モチーフはうさぎ......のはず。とても不細工な顔をしているが、フェルト生地も多分元は桃色だった気配があるし、縦に伸びた耳はかろうじて長いですからね。
幼い子どもが作ったであろう拙いぬいぐるみには、新しい糸で縫い直した後がある。これまた不器用で......まあ、わたくしも裁縫はひとのこと言えないのですけどね。勿論練習は重ねたのですが、こればかりは人並み以下にしかなりませんでした。
手に針を刺しまくった思い出に浸りつつ、ザフィルド殿下の質問に応える。
「昨日サザンジール殿下が忘れていったんです。良ければ返しておいて貰えませんか?」
「え、兄上にそんな趣味があったの?」
「ふふ。あまり公にしない方が良さげなご趣味ですわね」
十八にもなる次期国王陛下が小汚いぬいぐるみを持ち歩いているとか、あまり良い噂にはなりませんわね。それでも、わざわざ持ち歩いているくらいだから......きっと大事なものなのでしょう。なので、お返しいただこうと差し出したら――ザフィルド殿下は、小さく手を振ってきた。
「いや、今は勘弁だな。兄上に話しかけたくない」
「あら、どうしてですの?」
当たり前の話だが、兄弟殿下は同じ王城内で暮らしている。学校も王城から馬車で半刻程度なので、寮ではなく王城から通っているのだが......殿下は顔を逸して、告げた。
「昨日、兄上と殴り合いの喧嘩をしたんだよ」
「......はい?」
殴り合いの喧嘩。その物騒な言葉の翌日のわりに、ザフィルド殿下のお顔に怪我はなく、身体のどこにも支障があるように見受けられない。小首を傾げるわたくしを察してか、殿下は続ける。
「あ、無論僕の完勝だよ。兄上が殴りかかってきたんだけど、ちょっとだけ反撃したら一発で沈んじゃって......さすがに罪悪感を覚えたよ」
「もっと剣術部のエースである自覚を持った方が宜しかったですわね、
「ルルーシェの師匠には好き好んでなったわけじゃないんだけどなー」
やれやれとわざとらしく肩を竦めた殿下は、ご自身の組んだ足に頬杖ついて。長い襟足を指先で弄んでいる。きっとこの御姿だけで黄色い悲鳴をあげる女生徒はたくさんいるのでしょうね。わたくしはそっと視線を逸らすだけですけども。
「それで、喧嘩の理由は?」
「えぇ? 君が聞いちゃうのかなぁ?」
「茶化さないでくださいまし」
まぁ、茶化すということは、そういうことなのでしょう。
「兄上が『俺のルルーシェに何をした!?』ていきなり突撃してきただけだよ。それでとっさにやり返しちゃったんだけど......あぁ、だから安心して。婚約破棄うんぬんは、まだ僕しか知らないから」
兄上も馬鹿だよねー、とザフィルド殿下は苦笑して。
本当ですわね、とわたくしも返す。
二人で見渡すのは、この部屋にやまほど積まれたプレゼントたちだ。これらは全て今朝届いた物。侍女たちに中身の検分をしてもらった所、寝具や寝間着、それこそ等身大のくまのぬいぐるみや本など......これでも食材や果物の類はキッチンに回したのだ。それでも部屋を埋め尽くさんとする贈り物たちに、わたくしも肩を竦めた。
「葬儀の時はもっと質素にお願いするよう、頼んでおいてくださいます?」
「は? 何その冗談。縁起でもないから、やめてもらえないかな」
「そんな本気で怒らないでくださいよ」
予想以上に冷ややかな視線が返ってきて、わたくしは思わず笑って誤魔化す。
そんなわたくしに殿下は嘆息して......お見舞いの定番である花束を放おった。見るだけで元気が出るようなオレンジの薔薇。
ザフィルド殿下は投げやりに言う。
「こんな贈り物の後じゃ、見劣りすると思うけど」
「そんなことありませんわ。これだけあるのに、お花は一輪もございませんし」
「本当、兄上はそういう所だよね」
呆れたようにつぶやく言葉の、何割が本気なのでしょう。
「たしかに“素直”や“いい人”は美徳ではあるけど......上に立つ者としてはどうなのかな」
「あら。それでずる賢い僕の方が国王に相応しいと?」
「......そう考えたことが何度もあるから、少し手を回してみたんだけど」
おそらく、彼にとってレミーエ嬢への手回しは実験のような意味合いだったのだろう。
他所の女にうつつを抜かしだした兄殿下を見て。彼女を悲劇のヒロインに仕立て上げたら、どう動くか。婚約者を悪女に仕立てた時、兄殿下は婚約者を切り捨てるのか。それとも守るのか。
その結果を、彼がどう判断したのかわからないけれど――。
「まだレミーエ嬢への嫌がらせはお続けになるの?」
「いや、君にバレたんだ。もうあまり意味はないだろう。勿論、君が僕の方が国王に相応しいと思ってくれるなら、全力で潰しにかかるけど」
わたくしが鼻で笑い飛ばして見せれば、ザフィルド殿下が肩にかかった銀の襟足を払い、椅子を立つ。
「それじゃあね。思ったより元気そうで良かったよ」
「お気遣いありがとうございました。来週から登校する予定ですので、またご教授お願いしますね」
「え、まだ訓練続けるの!?」
「勿論ですわ」
「本当......ルルーシェは見た目の割に図太い神経しているよなぁ」
「ほっとけよ」
そして「じゃあね」と手をひらひら振って。扉に手をかけるものの、手首は動かない。
「ねぇ、ルルーシェ」
「なんでしょう?」
「ルルーシェの好きなひとって、誰?」
ちらりと振り返った瑠璃色の瞳に、わたくしは笑みを向けるだけ。
すると、彼は再び嘆息して「お大事に」と部屋から出ていった。
扉が閉められ、わたくしは頂いたばかりの花束を見やる。
オレンジの薔薇――花言葉は『絆』。
これは......わたくしとの縁が途切れないように、とのこと? それとも喧嘩した兄殿下へ贈りたい本音? 単純に殿下が花言葉を知らない可能性もありますけれど。
「あなたのことを好きになれたら、それはそれで幸せだったかもしれませんわね」
そんなありえない未来に思いを馳せて――わたくしはくたびれたぬいぐるみと美しい花束をサイドテーブルに置く。そして疲れた身体を横たえ、目を閉じた。
わたくしに残された時間は、四分の一を切ろうとしている。
"I heard--did you turn down my brother?"
Did the rumors already spread throughout the academy?
Instead of answering, I only glared at the person. I was in a bad mood. It was nice of the person to visit me--
His Highness Zafield--also known as the 'Silver Prince', showed off his womanizing smile once again that day.
"Could it be... you've fallen for me?"
Had you not manipulated Ms. Lumiere from behind the scenes, would everything have even turned out like this?
"Hey, what's that?"
As I sighed, His Highness Zafield turned to gaze at me.
What I was playing with was a small, white, stuffed animal. Well, calling it a stuffed animal was a stretch. It was truly worn out. While it should had been a rabbit, the face was beyond ugly. The felt fabric was probably pink in color. Not to mention, its vertically elongated ears were barely long.
The strange stuffed animal that a child would've made had been re-sewn with a new thread. Although, the sewing was clumsy--well, I'm not in a position to say anything about that. Of course, I practiced a lot, but my skill was less than average.
While immersing myself in the memories of sticking thread into a needle, I proceeded to answer His Highness Zafield's question.
"His Highness Sazanjill forgot to take this home yesterday. Would you please return it to him?"
"I never knew my brother has such a hobby."
"Fufu, as it's a great hobby, it's no wonder he doesn't make it public."
For the future king who'd soon turn 18-years-old to still be carrying a dirty stuffed animal... it would bring rise to a bunch of nasty rumors. Even so, for him to carry it around everywhere... I was certain it was important to him.
"I'm sorry, but I'll have to reject that. I don't want to talk to my brother."
"Oh my, what's the reason?"
It should go without saying that the two lived together in the royal castle. The academy was about half an hour away from the royal castle, so the two would usually head straight to the royal castle instead of the dormitory.
"Yesterday, we had a fight."
"...What?"
It was probably a quarrel. As it was the day after they fought, there was no injury to be found on His Highness Zafield. Perhaps because I was tilting my head, His Highness Zafield continued.
"Oh, of course, it was my complete victory. My brother did hit me, but the moment I retaliated, he was defeated in one shot. I still feel guilty about that."
"...As the ace of the swordsmanship club, don't you lack awareness, teacher?"
"I don't know what to think about being Lelouche's teacher."
His Highness, who deliberately shrugged, cupped his cheek as he crossed his legs. He stroked his slender neck with his fingertips. I was sure that there'd be many female students who'd swoon just by looking at that figure.
"So, what was the reason behind the fight?"
"Eh? You're curious about that?"
"Do not tease me."
Although, he had already done so.
"...My brother suddenly rushed me, saying 'What did you do to my Lelouche?!' So, I fought back. Rest assured, as of the present, I'm the only one who knows about your annulment."
His Highness Zafield smiled bitterly while lamenting about how foolish his brother was.
I replied, "You aren't wrong."
The two of us paid no heed to the presents piled up within the room. They all arrived that morning. When the maids inspected the contents, we discovered it consisted of bedding, nightwear, life-sized teddy bears, and also books... I had ordered for the fruits and other ingredients to be sent to the kitchen. Even so, there was nothing I could do about the gifts that filled the room.
"Then, at my funeral, can you be more spartan than this?"
"Huh? If it's a joke, then it's in bad taste. Let's not incite any kind of misfortune, so don't talk like that?"
"Don't get mad."
The response was colder than I expected, so I laughed.
His Highness sighed at me and presented a classic sympathy bouquet. An orange rose that impressed anyone who saw it.
His Highness Zafield then said,
"After receiving such gifts, I think this one inferior."
"That's not the case. Even though there are so many gifts, none of them are flowers."
"Well, my brother is that kind of person after all..."
His Highness Zafield spoke in fake astonishment that might as well be serious.
"Honesty and kindness are indeed virtues. However, for those who stand on top, are they truly necessary?"
"Oh, my. Hence you think you're more suitable to become king--because you're sly and wise."
"...I've indeed thought about that many times, so I tried to turn my hand a little."
Probably, to him, bullying Lumiere was part of an experiment.
I stared at His Highness Zafield, the man who had planned to ensnare another's fiancee. After successfully making her into a tragic heroine, what was he going do next? Would His Highness cut her off and subsequently turn her into the villain? --Or, protect her?
I wasn't familiar with his thought pattern.
"Are you still harassing Ms. Lumiere?"
"Nope. You caught me, after all. It doesn't make much sense to continue anymore. Of course, if you think I'm more suitable to become king, I'll do my best to crush her."
I snorted, and His Highness Zafield proceeded to stand up while tidying up his outfit.
"I'm glad that you're feeling better than I expected."
"Thank you for your concern. I'm planning on retunring to the academy next week, so please teach me again."
"You're still going to train!?"
"Of course."
"...Truly, despite her appearance, Lelouche is fearless."
"Just leave me be."
While waving his hand, he went towards the door. Nevertheless, he didn't open the door.
"Hey, Lelouche."
"What is it?"
"Who do you like the most, Lelouche?"
I just smiled while gazing at his lapis lazuli eyes.
Then, he sighed once again, before going out of the room while saying, "Take care."
The door was closed, and I looked at the bouquet I had just received.
Orange roses--in the language of flowers, they meant 'bond.'
So... he was saying that he wanted our bond to not change? Or, did he mean to give it to his brother with whom he had quarreled with? There was also a possibility that His Highness simply didn't know the language of flowers.
"If I indeed had loved you, that might've been a happy future."
While thinking about such an impossible future, I put the worn-out stuffed animal and the beautiful bouquet on the side table. Then, I laid down and closed my eyes.
The time I had left was about to be cut down to a quarter.
The Villainess who Only Had 100 Days to Live Had Fun Every Day
【コミック２巻発売中】１００日後に死ぬ悪役令嬢は毎日がとても楽しい。
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-villainess-who-only-had-100-days-to-live-had-fun-every-day/
Drama Fantasy Josei Romance Slice of Life Tragedy
Aristocracy Beautiful Female Lead Broken Engagement Death European Ambience Female Protagonist God-human Relationship Gods Kingdoms Late Romance Misunderstandings Nobles Psychopaths Revenge Romantic Subplot Second Chance Slow Romance Villainess Noble Girls Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8024hd/
ゆいレギナ