「おはよう、ティナ」
「え、あ......。ああ! おはようございます!」
ティナが勢いよく立ち上がり、頭を下げてくる。リリアは小さくため息をつくと、じろりとティナを睨み付けた。それだけでティナは表情を強張らせる。
「えと、その......。おはよう、リリア」
「よろしい」
リリアが満足そうに頷くと、ティナは安堵のため息をついた。
「それで、こんなところで何をしているの?」
「うん。リリアを待ってたの」
嫌な予感が的中してしまった。頬を引きつらせながら、リリアは何とか笑顔を維持する。
「へえ。どうして?」
「少しお話したいなって......。それに、友達になれたのだって夢じゃないかな、って......。ねえ、リリア。本当に友達だよね?」
上目遣いでそう聞いてくる。リリアは一瞬だけ視線を彷徨わせてしまうが、すぐにティナの瞳へと視線を戻した。正直避けるつもりであるし、王子とのこともある。できるだけ会わないようにしようと言うために口を開いた。
「貴方は何を言っているのですか。リリア様が言葉を違えるはずがないでしょう」
アリサの言葉に、リリアは凍り付いた。
「そ、そうですよね! アリサさんの言う通りです! 私がどうかしていました!」
「当然です。リリア様ですよ。間違いありません」
何だこの信頼は。
――ぐさりと......ぐさりときたわ......。
――あ、あはは......。どんまい、リリア......。
どうやらリリアにティナを避ける選択肢はないらしい。リリアは重たいため息をつくと、ティナの対面に座った。それに気づいたアリサもその隣に座り、ティナは嬉しそうにカップに紅茶を注いでいく。
「それで? 何の話をするの?」
「え? あ......。考えてない......」
ティナがそこで黙り込み、リリアとアリサも唖然としてしまう。誘っておいて話題を用意していないとはどういうつもりか。リリアが目を細めていくと、さくらの声が割って入った。
――リリア。友達とおしゃべりするのに用意なんてしないよ。
――そうなの?
――うん。少なくとも私はしなかった。
――ああ、だから貴方はそうなのね。
――ちょっと待ってどういう意味かな!
ぎゃあぎゃあ叫ぶさくらを無視してティナを見る。目が合ったティナは、そうだ、と手を叩いた。
「お化粧」
「はい?」
「今日はお化粧、していないんだね。誰か分からなかったよ」
リリアが動きを止め、アリサが頬を引きつらせ、そしてさくらは楽しそうに笑った。
――容赦なく地雷を踏み抜いたね! リリア、ティナは知らないんだから、怒っちゃだめだよ?
――安心しなさい。私の怒りは貴方に向いているわ。
――安心できる要素がないよ!?
さくらと短く言葉を交わし、荒れそうになる心を落ち着かせる。はがれそうになる笑顔の仮面をもう一度張り直し、言う。
「似合ってない、と言われてしまったのよ。そのままでいいって。やっぱり変よね?」
「そんなことない! 今の方がずっといいよ。やっぱりリリアって美人さんだったんだなって思える」
「え? それはつまり今まで...... え?」
リリアが目を見開き、失言だったと気づいたのかティナは勢いよく視線を逸らし、その視線を向けられたアリサは我関せずとばかりに紅茶を飲む。なんだこれ、という声がリリアの頭に響いた。
リリアはティナの言葉をしっかりと考え、理解し、そして力なく微笑んだ。
――さくら。私の美意識はずれているみたいだから、今後ともお願いね。
――現実逃避よくないよ? 一緒に勉強しようね。
さくらの言葉が胸にしみる。さくらがいて良かった、と少しだけ思うのと同時に、こいつが何も言わなければこんな悲しみを味わうこともなかったのでは、と思い直す。ただ長期的に見ればやはり気づけて良かったことなので、何も言わないことにした。
「ティナ。アリサ。時間があれば、私に似合う化粧でも考えてもらえない?」
リリアがそう言うと、アリサが苦笑、ティナは驚きからか一瞬動きが固まった。そしてすぐに笑顔になり、頷いた。
「うん! 任せて!」
その後は緊張がほぐれたのか、他愛ない雑談を続けていた。ティナの家族の話は、実家で買っているというペットの話などを主に聞いている。それらの会話の中で、一つの話題だけはあからさまに避けられていた。
「ティナ。こんなところにいたのか」
その避けていた話題の張本人の声が、リリアの背後からした。リリアが表情を凍り付かせて動きを止め、アリサはその声の主を一瞥してリリアを心配そうに見て、ティナは焦りからか表情をわずかに歪めていた。
「殿下......。今日はお早いのですね」
ティナが平静を装いながら言う。ただその声は隠しようもなく震えていた。それに気づいていないのか、それともあえて気づかないふりをしているのか、声の主、この国の王子はそのまま話を続ける。
「ああ。リリアーヌが戻ってきたと聞いたんだ。それでティナが心配になって、早めに出てきた。ティナも今日は早いじゃないか。いつもならもう少し遅いだろう」
「ええ。その......。少し、お話をと思いまして......」
「ふむ」
王子は少し歩き、ティナの隣へと移動する。そしてリリアの顔を見た。さすがに王子から目を逸らすわけにもいかず、リリアも作り笑いで対応する。
見られた。同じ学校なのだからいつかは会うだろうとは思っていたが、こんなに早く会うことになるとは思わなかった。心が早鐘を打ち、緊張で胸が苦しくなる。
そして、王子が口を開いた。
「初めて見る顔だな。ティナの新しい友人か?」
ティナとアリサが息を呑む。この王子の言葉は完全に予想外のものだ。リリアは頭が真っ白になり、表情は抜け落ちていた。
「で、殿下。本当に分からないのですか?」
「ん? 俺も会っているのか? そう言えばどこかで見覚えが......」
"Morning, Tina."
"Eh, ah... Ahh! Good morning!"
Tina got up energetically and lowered her head. Lilia gave a small sigh and brought her gaze to Tina with a glare. Just that was enough to shatter Tina's expression.
"Umm, I mean... Morning, Lilia."
"Good."
With Lilia's nod of approval, Tina let out a sigh of relief.
"Well then, what are you doing in a place like this?"
"Ah, I was waiting for you, Lilia."
The bad premonition was spot on. With her cheeks stiffening, Lilia somehow managed to maintain her smile.
"Ohh. How come?"
"I just wanted to talk a little... And well, I wondered if becoming friends was really just a dream or not... Hey, Lilia. We're really friends now, right?"
Tina asked with upturned eyes. This made Lilia's eyes waver for just a moment before she returned her gaze to Tina. To be honest, she had intended to avoid her, along with the matter of the prince. She had spoken for the sake of not having to meet if it could be helped.
"What are you talking about? Mistress Lilia would never go back on her word."
Lilia froze at Alisa's words.
"Th-that's right isn't it! It is as Miss Alisa says. I don't know what got into me!"
"Of course. This is Mistress Lilia we're talking about here. There is no mistake about that."
What's with all this confidence here, thought Lilia.
--Deep... That really hit deeply...
Ah, ahaha... Don't mind it, Lilia...
It seemed like all her options for avoiding Tina had disappeared. Heaving a heavy sigh, Lilia sat down across from Tina. Noticing this, Alisa also took a seat beside, and Tina happily started pouring the black tea into their cups.
"Well then, what shall we talk about?"
"Eh? Ah... I hadn't thought about that..."
At that, Tina fell into silence, and Lilia and Alisa were also rendered speechless. To invite someone without having prepared any topic to talk about, what was this girl thinking? As Lilia was narrowing her eyes at the situation, Sakura's voice forced itself between her thoughts.
--Lilia. There's no preparation for just talking with a friend you know.
--Is that so?
--Yeah. Not for me anyways.
--Ahh, that's why you're like that huh.
--Hey wait a minute, whatever could you mean by that!
Ignoring the noisy complaints from Sakura, Lilia looked at Tina. Their eyes meeting, Tina clapped her hands with an "Oh right".
"Makeup."
"What?"
"Today, you don't have any makeup on huh. I almost didn't recognise you."
Lilia's movements froze, and Alisa's cheeks cramped up as Sakura laughed in amus.e.m.e.nt.
--She went headfirst into treading on a landmine huh! Lilia, Tina doesn't know anything, so no getting mad okay?
--Please rest a.s.sured. Since my anger is all directed at you.
--Nothing about that brings me rest or a.s.surance though!?
After a short exchange with Sakura, she managed to calm her brewing agitation. Once again fixing the smile that was about to fall off her face, she replied.
"I was told that it didn't really suit me. That it was fine to just go like this. Does it look strange after all?"
"That's not true at all! Your current look is much better. As I thought, it seems that Lilia is quite a beauty after all."
"Eh? Then that means up until now... Eh?"
Lilia's eyes widened, and as if realising she had said something inappropriate, Tina hurriedly averted her eyes, casting her gaze at Alisa. Alisa herself was busily drinking her tea as if to stay completely uninvolved with this. A voice going "what's with this" was echoing through Lilia's head.
Lilia properly thought over Tina's words, and coming to an understanding, she smiled feebly.
--Sakura. It seems my sense of aesthetics are quite off, so from now on I'll be counting on you.
--Escaping from reality's no good you know? Let's work through this together.
Sakura's words pierced deep into her chest. Though a part of her was glad that Sakura had let her know, at the same time, thinking back, if this one hadn't said anything, she wouldn't have had to taste such grief. However, looking in the long term, it was still good to have realised after all, so she decided to not say anything.
"Tina. Alisa. If you have some time, could you perhaps think of some more suitable makeup for me?"
When Lilia said so, Alisa made a wry smile, and Tina stiffened in surprise for a moment. Then, she immediately smiled and nodded.
"Okay! Leave it to me!"
After that, as if the tension was released, their conversation continued with idle chatter. The talk about Tina's family was mostly highlighted with talk about the pet they were keeping at home. However, during their conversation, it was clear that one certain topic was being avoided.
"Tina. So this is where you were."
Suddenly, the voice of the Mr. Avoided Conversation Topic himself came from behind Lilia. Lilia's expression froze with her movements while Alisa took a glance at the owner of the voice, then looked worriedly at Lilia, and Tina's expression, perhaps from restlessness, had distorted ever so slightly.
"Your Highness... You seem to be quite early today."
Tina said, putting on a veil of calmness. However, she did not even bother trying to conceal the trembling in her voice. Perhaps not noticing, or maybe even just pretending to not notice, the source of the first voice, the prince of this country, simply continued the conversation.
"Yeah. I heard that Lilianne had returned. So I was worried about you and left a little earlier. Aren't you quite early yourself today. You're usually a bit later than this."
"Yes. That's... I thought, I'd have a little chat..."
"Hmm."
The Prince took a few steps and moved beside Tina. Then he saw Lilia's face. Since it wouldn't do turn away from The Prince, Lilia also put on a forced smile and faced him.
She was seen. Since they were going to the same school, it was only a matter of time, but she didn't think they'd meet this quickly. Her heart was racing, and nervousness gripped her chest painfully.
And so, the Prince opened his mouth.
"A fresh face huh. New friend of Tina's?"
Tina and Alisa had their breath catch in their throat. This Prince's words were completely beyond their expectations. Lilia completely blanked out, with a completely dumbfounded expression on her face.
"Yo-Your Highness. Do you really not know?"
"Nn? Have we also met before? Now that you mention it, I do somewhat recall..."
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