11
ある日寮の自分の部屋にて、私は石像も真っ青の硬直っぷりを披露していた。口は半開きのまま。手は洗面所のドアノブにかけたまま。
順を追って説明させてほしい。
授業を終え寮に帰宅した私は、課題家事等を後回しにして先に風呂を済ませた。
ともかく、早々と風呂に入った。今日は用事があるからだった。そうでなければこんなに早く風呂に入ったりしない。
私の視線の先にいる彼も、まさか私がこの時間に風呂に入るなどとは思いもしなかったに違いない。そうでなければ彼も今私に負けず劣らずの硬直っぷりを披露してはいないだろう。美形というのは固まってしまってもやっぱり美形だ。それどころか古来から人間が美形を彫像にしてきたことからもわかるように、表情が抜け落ちることで美しさはさらに洗練さ、じゃなかったそれも今はどうでもいい。
動揺が思考にありありと表れている。
つまりだ。風呂上がりの私。楽だからという理由で、襟ぐりの広い大きめの上に下はいわゆるホットパンツ。脚はまるっと出ている。
洗面所のドアを開けたら、なぜか殿下と目があった。ちょうど窓から私の部屋に入ってきたところだった殿下と。
うん、ちゃんと説明したら耐えきれないくらい恥ずかしくなってきた。貴族令嬢というのは家族以外の男性に膝より上を見せないものなのだ。
私の身体中の熱が全て顔に収束したのを見て、殿下は逆に落ち着きを取り戻したのだろうか。窓枠に腰掛けていた体をぐるりと回転させ背中越しに声を出した。
「悪かった。時間が空いたから驚かせてやろうと思ってつい、待て、すまない、俺が悪かったから叫ぶのはやめてくれ」
だめだ、殿下も大概平常心じゃなかった。叫びそうになっている私を勝手に想像している。ここまで動揺しているということは、先日の『風呂等は決して見ていない』という言葉は信じても良さそうだ。
それにしてもなんて不良殿下だろう。王太子が婦女子の部屋に忍び込むなんて、この国の未来は大丈夫だろうか。
とりあえず、これ以上足を見られないよう、ベッドに座り足に布団をかける。
「わかりました、それはもういいです不良殿下」
「不良殿下」
「それより今ここにいるとまずいです」
私は自分が早々に入浴した理由を思い出していた。
勝手に部屋に入ったことはもういい。でも間が悪い。
おそらく、もう来る。
「レベッカ様ぁ。エミリアです。お邪魔しまーす」
ガチャ、と音がした。死刑執行人が断頭台に上った音に聞こえた。
何を隠そう、今日はエミリアが泊まりにくる予定だったのだ。ちなみにメリンダも来る。各自風呂を済ませて私の部屋に集合の約束だ。
殿下はこちらを振り返って渋い顔をした。
「なぜ鍵が開いてる。不用心だ」
だって私がお風呂に入っている間に二人が来るかもしれなかったから。って、今それですか?
殿下は分かっているのだろうか。私の部屋にいる彼は見つかれば『三強』に並び『不良殿下』のみならず『変態殿下』の二つ名を得るかもしれないのに。
そういえばここ6階なのにどうやって入って来たの?あ、鷲か。
固まる私、余裕の表情の殿下。私たちがいる寝室の扉がエミリアによって開かれる瞬間、私は妙に冷静になって自分を見た。
私、なんでこんなに焦っているんだろう?
女子寮への男性陣の立ち入りは禁止されているわけではない。申請があれば許可が下りる。
それでも、エミリアが顔をのぞかせ、その大きな瞳に彼を映したその時。
可愛らしい顔は驚きでいっぱいになった。殿下はそれをいつもの無表情で見ていた。私は焦燥にも恐怖にも痛みにも似た気持ちでそこにいた。
そしてはっきりと理解した。
私は二人に、出会って欲しくなかった。
「ええと、ルウェイン殿下でしょうか...?」
「ああ」
最初に声をあげたのはエミリアだ。そして何とも言えない顔で私の方を見ている。私の微笑みは少しぎこちなくなってしまったかもしれない。
第一王子にして一番人気の攻略対象・ルウェイン殿下とエミリアの出会いイベント。場所が『屋上』ではなく『私の部屋』であることに目を瞑れば、ここまではシナリオ通りだ。問題は次。
主人公の次の『セリフ』を『プレイヤー』は3択から選べる。『びっくりしました』・『お邪魔してしまいましたか』・『いらっしゃるとは知らなくて。失礼しますね』。
攻略本を読んだときはこれで一体何が変わるんだと思ったものだが。一つ目を選べば会話がほぼ発生せずに終わる。二つ目を選べば2.3の会話で終わる。三つ目を選ぶと、話し相手にちょうど良いと思った殿下に引き止められてお話ができ、ルウェインルートに入ることもできる。
私は知らず唾を飲み込み、エミリアの言葉を待った。
「えっと...お邪魔してしまいましたか?」
2つ目か。
状況が違うから意味が違う。屋上で一人考え事をしていた殿下にではなく、部屋に二人でいた婚約者同士に言うと意味が違う!
「ち、違います!」
違うんです、そうじゃないんです。何か色気のあることをしていたわけじゃないんです。
ああ、顔から湯気が出そうだ。あたふたと「違うの」と繰り返していたら、殿下がなんだか楽しそうに笑った。
「いや。邪魔は俺だな。失礼する」
すると殿下は私の手をとり、手首の内側に顔を寄せ―――ちゅ、と音をたててキスをした。
寄せられた唇、伏せた瞼。
あ、睫毛、長い。
間の抜けた感想が浮かんだ。あまりの状況に理解が追いつかなかったからだ。
いつの間に呼んだのやら巨大な鷲が現れ、殿下がその背に乗って姿を消した。
いつもの5割増しで笑みを深くしている殿下を惚けた顔で見送り、へなへなと座り込んだ。皮膚の薄いところに口付けられたせいでその感覚で頭がいっぱいだ。先ほどのうす暗い感情は霧散していた。何だかもうとどめを刺されたみたいな気分だ。
ガシャンと大きな音がして我に返る。エミリアだった。窓を下ろして鍵をかけたのだ。
彼女は何を思ったのかそのまま両手で窓枠を掴むと、グニャリと
振り返ったエミリアは満面の笑みだった。
「これでもう変なものは入ってきませんね!」
いや私、窓使えなくなったんですけど。どこにそんな筋肉を隠し持っていたんだ。
...ルウェインルートには、入らなかったと思っていいのだろうか。
その後メリンダが到着した。メリンダはわざと変形した窓枠を見ないようにしていた。面倒ごとの匂いを嗅ぎ取ったのだろう。
課題を終わらせた後はおしゃべりに興じ、エミリアが言い出した『お泊り女子会』なるものはなかなか楽しいものになった。
恋愛の話になったとき、エミリアは散々考えてから「今は二人といるのが楽しい」と結論を出して笑っていた。
それでもエミリアはいつか誰かに恋をするのだ。このゲームに『ノーマルエンド』、どの攻略対象とも恋をしないルートはないのだから。
そんな風に考えた自分に驚いた。一番シナリオに囚われているのは、他ならぬ私なんだろうか?
Ch 11
One day, in my own dorm room, I was showing off a stone-like stiffness that was as blue as the sky. My mouth was half open, and my hand was still on the door knob of the washroom. My gaze was fixed on "that person" who should not have been in my room.
Please let me explain in order.
After finishing classes and returning to the dorm, I put off my homework and housework and took a bath first. Each room has its own bath, so I was able to stretch my body comfortably. Recently, my favorite bath additive was Peach Flower Note, with a not too sweet aroma, but that's not important right now.
Anyway, I got into the bath early. I had something to do today. If not, I wouldn't have gotten into the bath so early.
He, who was in front of my gaze, must not have expected me to get into the bath at this time. If not, he wouldn't have also been showing off a stiffness that is not inferior to mine at this moment. Even if a beautiful person becomes stiff, they are still beautiful. Furthermore, as we can see from the fact that humans have been making statues of beautiful people since ancient times, beauty is refined even more when expressions are lost. But that's not important right now either.
My agitation is clearly reflected in my thoughts. I apologize for not being able to explain properly.
In other words, it's me, just out of the bath. For some reason, I'm wearing a large and wide-collared shirt on top, and my legs are fully exposed in what's called hot pants.
When I opened the door to the bathroom, I unexpectedly met eyes with His Highness. He was just coming into my room through the window.
Anyway, I've become so embarrassed that I can hardly stand it when I explain it properly. As a noble lady, I'm not supposed to show anything above my knees to any men other than my family.
As I saw the heat in my body converge on my face, I wondered if His Highness had regained his composure. He twisted his body, which was leaning against the windowsill, and spoke from behind.
"I'm sorry. I was thinking of surprising you because I had some free time, but sorry, I was wrong, so please stop yelling."
No, His Highness probably wasn't calm either. He's imagining me as I almost yell at him. If he's this agitated, then the words he said the other day, "I've never seen you in the bath or anything like that," probably aren't true.
Either way, what a bad Crown Prince. Sneaking into a lady's room like this, I wonder if this country's future is okay.
Anyway, to avoid showing my legs anymore, I sit on the bed and cover them with a blanket.
"I understand, that's fine now, bad Crown Prince."
"Bad Crown Prince..."
"Besides that, it's bad for you to be here now."
I remembered why I had taken a bath early.
It's already okay for you to have entered the room on your own, but it's bad timing.
Probably, they're coming.
"Rebecca-sama. It's Emilia. I'll be disturbing you."
I heard a sound like a "clank". It sounded like the executioner had climbed up to the guillotine.
Let's not hide it, today Emilia was supposed to stay over. Incidentally, Melinda is also coming. We each finished our baths and we're supposed to meet in my room.
His Highness turned around and made a bitter face.
Why is the door unlocked? You're being careless.
That's because they might come while I'm in the bath. Oh, is that it?
His Highness probably knows. He is in my room, and if he is found, he could not only get the title of "The Three Strongs" but also "Perverted Highness" in addition.
By the way, how did he get in here on the 6th floor? Oh, it's the eagle.
I froze, His Highness with a composed expression. The moment the door to the bedroom where we were opened by Emilia, he strangely became calm and looked at myself.
Why am I so flustered?
Men are not banned from entering the girls' dormitory. If there's an application, permission will be granted.
Even so, when Emilia showed her face and he was reflected in her big eyes.
Her cute face was full of surprise. The prince looked at it with his usual expressionless face. I was there with a feeling that was similar to impatience, fear, and pain.
And then I clearly understood.
I didn't want to meet either of them.
"Er, is it Prince Llewayne...?"
"Yeah."
The first one to speak was Emilia. And she looked at me with a face that couldn't be described. My smile may have become a bit awkward.
The meeting event of Prince Llewayne, who is the first prince and the most popular target for conquest, and Emilia. If we ignore the fact that the place is [my room] instead of [the rooftop], it's the same as the scenario so far. The problem is next.
The [line] of the protagonist, which the [player] can choose from 3 options. [I'm surprised]*[I'm sorry to intrude]*[I didn't know you were here. Excuse me].
When I read the strategy book, I thought what would change with this, but if you choose the first one, the conversation will end almost without happening. If you choose the second one, it will end with the conversation 2.3. If you choose the third one, you can talk to the prince who seems just right and enter the Llewayne route.
I swallowed my saliva without knowing and waited for Emilia's words.
"Um... did I interrupt something?"
I thought it was the second option.
But then I realized that the situation was different, so the meaning was different. It's not something you would say to the Prince who was alone on the roof, thinking, but something you would say to my fiance while we were alone in a room!
"No, it's not like that!"
It's not like that, it's not like that. I wasn't doing anything with any sort of charm (sexy).
Oh, my face feels like it's steaming. As I kept repeating, "No, it's not like that," the His Highness seemed to be enjoying himself and smiled.
"No, I'm the one who's interrupting. I'm sorry."
Then His Highness took my hand and brought his face close to the inside of my wrist--and kissed me with a sound.
The lips that were pressed to me, the downcast eyelids.
Ah, his eyelashes, they're long.
I felt a gap in my emotions. I couldn't understand the situation well.
Before I knew it, a giant eagle appeared and His Highness rode on its back and disappeared.
I sat down feeling weak and dizzy, looking after His Highness who was smiling with his usual 50% more charm. My head was full because of the kiss on my thin skin. The faint, dark emotion from before had dispersed. I felt like I had been pierced through by something.
A loud noise startled me back to reality. It was Emilia. She had closed the window and locked it.
She grabbed the window frame with both hands as if she knew what she was doing, and squeezed it tightly. The window frame made a creaking noise and deformed. It probably won't open again unless it's repaired.
Emilia turned around with a big smile on her face.
"Now, nothing strange can come in anymore!"
Well, now the window can't be used, but where did she hide that much muscle?
... Am I correct in assuming that the Llewayne route was not entered?
After that, Melinda arrived. Melinda deliberately avoided looking at the deformed window frame, probably sensing the trouble.
After finishing our assignments, we enjoyed chatting and the "sleepover girls' party" that Emilia suggested ended up being quite fun.
When the conversation turned to love, Emilia thought for a while and then concluded with a laugh, "Right now, I'm happy just being with the three of us."
But Emilia will fall in love with someone someday. There's no route in this game where you don't fall in love with one of the targets, the so-called "Normal End."
I was surprised by my own thoughts. Who's the one most trapped by the scenario? Me?
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