......やっば。王子様だよ。本物の王子様だよ!?
しかも自国の王子様の顔も知らないとか......我ながら凹むわぁ。私、そんなに馬鹿なのか......。
そんな超大物を隣に侍らせる日々が、こうして始まった。
「どうしてあんな子が?」
「ルルーシェ様はどうしたの?」
私如きが王子様の隣にいるなんて分不相応にもほどがありますよねー!?
それでも、お昼休みに指定されたカフェテリアに行けば。
「レミーエ。こっちだ」
待っていてくれたサザンジール様が手を挙げて私を呼んでくれるから。
ひぇ~っ、と肩身が狭いを我慢して、サザンジール様が引いてくれた椅子に腰掛ける。
「わ、私のこと呼び捨てなんですか......?」
「嫌だったか?」
「い、嫌ではないんですけど......」
普通さ、あんま仲良くない異性相手だと〇〇嬢とかって『嬢』とか付けるじゃん? 付けなくていいの?
その意図を込めて聞いてみれば、サザンジール様は真面目な顔で声を潜める。
「ある程度懇意に見せておいた方が盾として効果的だろう。それに、そもそも俺は友人に敬称を付けるのが好きではない」
でしょ? お父さんの耳にも入るでしょ? それは嫌だもん。まあ、すでに王子様を盾にしている時点で大事なのは置いておいて......。
その親切を断っておきながらも、しっかりとしておかないといけないこともある。
「でも、その......婚約者さんは、いいんですか?」
「はい」
「ルルーシェは......」
俯いたサザンジール様はこっそりとポケットから例のぬいぐるみを取り出す。
「しっかりと説明しておきたいのだが、どうにもこれが直らない限り、会わせる顔がなくってな」
......なんだろう? そんな二人の大切な物なのかな? ルルーシェ様ってそんなに怖いの?
私が何て訊けばいいのか悩んでいると、サザンジール様が顔を上げる。
「だから、なるべく早くこれを直したい。協力してもらえるか?」
「もちろんです」
だって、私に拒否権ないし。それに......どのみちここまで来たら、最後まで付き合うつもりだったもん。だから、私は迷うことなく即答して――。
――安易な引き受けは良くないと、すごく後悔した。
ほんっとうに不器用。元の製作者さん(ルルーシェ様)も不器用なんだなぁって思ってたけど、それに輪を掛けて本当にサザンジール様って不器用!
いやぁ、まさか長期休暇までかかるとは思わなかったよね。ほとんど前期まるまる時間をかけても終わらず。長期休暇もサザンジール様の都合がつく限り(といっても、三日に一度一時間もないくらいの細切れで)頑張って――計四ヶ月くらい? あんな小さなぬいぐるみの首を直すだけで!! なんでようやく半分できたと思ったら解いちゃってるかな!? 「いや、今ならもっと上手く縫えるかと......」て大して変わらないから。というか解き方が下手で布の補強する方が大変だったから!
そんな長き苦難を乗り越えて、
「やった......! やったぞ、レミーエっ!!」
「やった。やったね。サザンジール様......!」
もう敬語なんかどこへやら。先輩だとか、王子様だとか関係ない。
この苦難の間に、私たちは友情を超えた感情を抱いていた。仲間だ。我らは同志だ。二人で手を握り合い、涙を流し合う。あぁ......その合間に少しの恋心を抱いたとて、きっと誰も責めない。私、頑張ったもん。そりゃあ、その間サザンジール様も付きっきりでそばに居てくれたから、私もかなり助かっていたけども。
だけど、現実は残酷だ。
「ようやく、これでようやくルルーシェに会えるぞ!」
この王子様、本当に律儀で。有言実行、本当にこの数ヶ月婚約者さんとまともに顔を合わせなかったらしい。婚約者さん、ものすごく怒っているんじゃないかなぁ......。こんなに「ルルーシェに会える!」と、直った(といっても縫い目ガタガタなんだけど)桃色のぬいぐるみを抱きしめて嬉しそうなサザンジール様に、そんな野暮なこと言えないけどさ。
「明日からちょうど新学期だ。共にルルーシェに会いに行こう!」
そう――明日からは心機一転新学期。サザンジール様の私への用も済んだんだし......会わなくなるにはちょうどいい区切り。それに......ルルーシェ様、怖いもん。だから、私は首を横に振る。
「私は遠慮するね。どうか、サザンジール様だけで」
「......たしかにレミーエがルルーシェに会う理由はないかもしれないが、俺のために同行してくれないか? 彼女にきちんと友人だと紹介しておきたい」
そりゃあ......巷では「いよいよ婚約破棄か?」とか「公爵令嬢が捨てられた」とか噂になっているもんね。もうちょっと早く手回ししろよ、と思わないでもないけど。その挽回のために、協力したい気持ちもあるんだけどさ。
でも――と、私がポケットの中の手紙を握っていると、サザンジール様が眉根を寄せる。
「さっきから何を隠し持っているんだ?」
「ふぇ?」
「悪いが、少々見せてくれ」
私が小さな悲鳴を上げるよりも前に、その手は引き抜かれてしまって――それは、見られてしまう。
「これは......ルルーシェからか?」
それは、ルルーシェ様と同じ頭文字が書かれた便箋だ。先程家に届けられていた。『明日からの新学期、我が身が可愛ければ身の程を弁えなさい』――それが何を意図としているか、私みたいな馬鹿でもわかる。
それなのに、サザンジール様は訊いてくる。
「俺がいない間に、何かされたことは?」
......別に大した被害はない。ノートを破かれていたり、黒板に悪口が書かれていたり。陰口叩かれたり。最初の頃に比べたら大した実害もないし、私が気にしなければどってことないことばかり。この休暇中はサザンジール様以外には会わなかったから......仕方無しに参加した
で事故と装いジュースをかけられたくらい。もちろん、相手はルルーシェ様じゃない。でも、たしか同じ『アン』クラスの人だったかな。
だから黙っていたのに......サザンジール様は無理やり私の手を引き上げる。
「きちんと誤解だと説明しに行こう! それに......正直ルルーシェがそんなセコい手回しをするとは思えん。これはルルーシェの名を騙った何者かの仕業だ。それを証明してみせよう!」
あっ、いいなぁ。その必死なまでの真剣な顔を見上げて、そう思った。
私もこんな真剣に想われてみたい。こんなに、こんなに、誰かから本気で愛されてみたい。
いいなぁ。いいな。いいな。いいなぁ。
その憧れは、決して叶わないモノなのに。確かな恋心へと変わって――。
だけど、新学期。いくらサザンジール様がルルーシェ様に声をかけても、彼女は「スン」と無視してばかりだった。そりゃそうだよな、と思う。だって噂の泥棒猫である私を引き連れているんだもん。そりゃ怒っているよ。
でもサザンジール様もそれをわかってか、
「......すまん。きちんとルルーシェが犯人でないことを証明するから。だから明日も懲りずに付き合ってもらえるか?」
と、毎日私なんかに頭を下げてきて。付き合いながらも、私もどんどん怒りを覚えていく。
......もしもこのまま破局したら、サザンジール様は私を想ってくれるかな?
そしてある日、報せが届く。
ルルーシェ=エルクアージュ様が階段から転落し、意識が戻らないという。
...Wait, he's a prince? Like, an actual prince!?
For me to not even know the face of my own kingdom's prince... I felt ashamed. I didn't know I was that stupid...
That was how those days of having such an influential person wait on his people began.
"How could she...?"
"What happened with Ms. Luche?"
...As I thought, it's too much for me to stay beside the prince, isn't it!?
Still, whenever I went to the cafeteria during lunch break.
"Lumiere, this way."
Sazanjill, who waited for me, would raise his hand and beckon towards me.
I'd attempt to make myself appear small as I sat down on the chair Sazanjill had pulled out for me.
"...W, why are you referring to me without an honorific?"
"Do you dislike it?"
"No, I don't dislike it..."
If one wasn't close to someone of the opposite sex, honorifics were only to be expected.
Once I told him that, Sazanjill whispered with a serious expression.
"If we were to appear to be friendly to some extent, it'd be more effective as a shield. Besides, I never use honorifics with any of my friends in the first place."
"Even if you refuse to admit it, this is actually an important matter, right? If your father heard about it, he surely wouldn't like it. Well, now that you're already using a prince as a shield, it shouldn't be a problem anymore..."
There were times when I wanted to refuse that kindness. However, I had to be firm.
"But... is your fiancee alright with this?"
"Yes..."
"Luche is..."
Looking down, Sazanjill silently took the stuffed animal out of his pocket.
"I'd like to explain everything to her, but until this is fixed, I won't have the face to see her."
Was the doll such an important thing between the two? Was he that concerned about Lelouche?
When I contemplated about what to ask, Sazanjill looked up.
"Therefore, I'd like to fix this as soon as possible. Will you help me?"
"Of course..."
It wasn't like I had the right to refuse. Besides... I had already gone that far, I had to see it until the end with him. Thus, I answered immediately without hesitation.
--Although I soon regretted that immensely.
He was truly clumsy. I thought that the original maker (Ms. Luche) was clumsy, but Sazanjill was even clumsier!
I never thought that it'd take that long! Most of the time we spent fixing the doll in the first half of the year didn't bear fruit! As long as Sazanjill permitted it (about every three days, for less than an hour), we'd keep going at it. Then, we ended up spending about four months in total?
Then, after overcoming such a long struggle...
"Yes...! We did it, Lumiere!"
"Yes, you did it, Sazanjill!"
I didn't care about honorifics anymore. It didn't even matter if he was my senior, or the prince.
During that hardship, our bond had developed into something more than just friendship. We were comrades. The two of us clasped our hands and shed tears...
But reality was cruel.
"At last, I'll be able to see Luche!"
As a prince, he was true to his words. He truly refrained from seeing his fiancee during the last few months. His fiancee must had been angry... Of course, I didn't say such a thing to Sazanjill who was happily hugging the peach stuffed toy, saying, "I can see Luche!"
"Tomorrow is the start of a new semester! Let's go see Luche together!"
Indeed, a new semester would start tomorrow, and also a change of heart. Sazanjill's business with me was over... It was just the right time to stop seeing me. Besides, I was afraid of Ms. Luche, so I shook my head.
"I don't think I can do that. You should go meet her by yourself, Sazanjill."
"...Certainly, there may be no reason for Lumiere to see Luche. But, won't you accompany me for my sake? I'd like to introduce you to her as a friend."
...Rumors about the duchess having finally been abandoned had swirled around. Since he hadn't had the chance to clear things up earlier, he was probably asking my cooperation to make up for it.
But--as I clutched the letter I had in my pocket, Sazanjill raised his eyebrows.
"What have you been hiding?"
"What?"
"I'm sorry, but let me have a look."
Before I could let out a scream, my hand was pulled--then, it was seen.
"Is this... from Luche?"
The envelope indeed had the same initials as Lelouche. It had been delivered to my house a while ago.
Nevertheless, Sazanjill asked.
"Did anything happen while I was away?"
...There hadn't been any major damage. My notebook had only been torn, and I was cursed on the blackboard. I had also been hit from behind. Compared to the previous time, it didn't cause much harm. As long as I didn't dwell on it, it was nothing. I hadn't seen anyone but Sazanjill during that vacation... However, during the tea party at the salon I attended, someone accidentally spilled juice on me, forcing me to get changed.
Of course, it wasn't Lelouche. However, the culprit was probably in the same class as her.
But, I kept silent. Sazanjill forcibly pulled my hand.
"Let's go to explain that this was all a misunderstanding! I honestly don't believe Lelouche is the kind of person who'd do such a thing. This is a work of someone who wants to tarnish Lelouch's reputation! I must prove it!"
I looked up at that desperately serious expression of his, and thought that.
I also wanted someone to be that desperate for my sake. I also wanted to be loved by someone to that extent.
How wonderful. It must be great. How wonderful. It must be great. How wonderful...
Such a yearning, one that'd never come true, turned into feelings that were certainly love.
However, in the new semester, no matter how much Sazanjill approached Lelouche, she always ignored him. I was convinced that it was because he brought me--the thieving cat--along with him. Lelouche was angry.
But did Sazanjill understand that?
"...I'm sorry, but I want to prove that Luche isn't the culprit. So, will you go out with me tomorrow and forget the tutoring?"
He said that, bowing to me every day. As we went out together, Lelouch became angrier.
...If that catastrophe were to continue, will Sazanjill think of me?
One day, the news arrived.
Lelouche Elcage fell down the stairs and had been unconscious since.
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