「これは......何をしているの?」
リリアの問いに、誰もが何も答えない。クリスですら気まずそうに視線をよそに向けている。リリアの取り巻き二人を見てみれば、体を小さくして震えだした。
「貴方には関係ないでしょう」
無言に耐えられなかったのか、クリスが言う。リリアはクリスを一瞥すると、そうねと頷いた。
「だから私が何をしても、それも貴方には関係がないわね」
「は......?」
クリスが首を傾げる中、リリアはセーラの前に立った。そして呼びかける。
「セーラ」
「............」
「セーラ・ヴァルディア」
フルネームで呼ぶと、セーラがびくりと体を震わせた。恐る恐るといった様子でリリアの顔を窺ってくる。リリアは無表情に、冷徹にセーラを見下ろした。
「話があるわ。ついてきなさい」
「え......。あの、どこへ......?」
怯えたような目でそう問いかけてくる。リリアは少しばかり苛立ちを覚え、
「どこへだっていいでしょう。いいから来なさい」
「は、はい......!」
リリアの冷たい言葉に、セーラは勢いよく立ち上がった。歩き始めるリリアを、セーラが追いかけてくる。
「それでは皆様、ごきげんよう」
最後に笑顔でそう言うと、教室にいる誰もが頬を引きつらせていた。
リリアはセーラを伴って、寮の自室に戻ってきていた。いすに座り、テーブルを挟んだ対面にはセーラが座っている。目の前には温かい紅茶で満たされたカップが置かれている。先ほどアリサが用意してくれたものだ。
テーブルの中央には、南側で買えるどら焼き。紅茶には合わないが、さくらが食べたいとうるさいので出してもらった。ちなみにこれは昨日、部屋に遊びに来たティナが持ってきたものだ。
リリアはどら焼きを一つ手に取ると、口に入れた。そしてセーラにも手を差し出して勧める。セーラは戸惑いながらも一つ手に取り、口に入れた。
「......っ! 美味しい、ですね......」
「でしょう。南側の街のお菓子よ。最近のお気に入りなのよ」
南側、と聞いてセーラが目を丸くした。それほど意外なのかと苦笑するが、自分自身他の上級貴族の誰かが南側に行ったと聞けば同じ反応をするだろう。
「さてと、セーラ。そろそろ本題に入りましょうか」
リリアがそう切り出すと、セーラが静かに目を閉じ、はいと頷いた。背筋を伸ばし、真っ直ぐにリリアの目を見つめてくる。
「セーラ。貴方はこの後、どうするつもりなの?」
「実家に帰ろうと思っています」
予想通りの答えだった。
「リリアーヌ様には最後までご迷惑をおかけしてしまい、申し訳ございませんでした」
深く頭を下げてくる。リリアはそれを見つめ、そして鼻で笑った。
「つまりは逃げるということね。情けない」
「貴方が......それを言うのですか......」
セーラの目が細められ、しかしすぐにはっとしたように我に返り、また頭を下げてきた。いい加減それはいいと思うのだが、好きなようにさせておく。
「失言でした。申し訳ありません」
失言、だったとは言うが、今のはセーラの本音だろう。セーラを追い詰めたのは間違いなくリリアだ。それに、リリアには一度、王子から逃げたという事実もある。それらを踏まえての言葉だろう。だがリリアはそれを完全に聞き流した。自分のことは棚に上げて、セーラへと冷たく言う。
「例え誰が言おうと、貴方が逃げるという選択をしたことに違いはないでしょう。それとも、また戻ってくるつもりなのかしら」
その問いには、セーラは力なく首を振った。そうだろうな、と思う。リリアは少しだけだがセーラを理解できる。リリアも逃げた一人であり、さくらがいなければ学園に戻ってくることはなかったはずだ。もっとも、さくらの話では学園に戻りはしたようだが。
「学園に留まるつもりはないの?」
「はい......。正直、耐えられません。この一週間でそれは理解しました......」
それもよく分かる。リリアは午前中しか見ていなかったが、あれほど徹底的にいないものとして扱われるのは相当こたえるものだろう。ある意味では嫌がらせをされるよりも辛いものかもしれない。
「ではセーラ。三つ目の選択肢を取るつもりはないかしら」
「三つ目、ですか?」
「そう。セーラ。貴方、私のものになりなさい」
意味が分からなかったのだろう、セーラが首を傾げる。
「別に私のメイドになれ、なんて言わないわ。ある意味ではこれまで通りよ。私の下につき、私に従いなさい。その間、貴方は私の庇護下に入る。悪い話ではないでしょう」
「それは......。私にとってはとてもいいお話ですが......。リリアーヌ様に何か利点があるのでしょうか。何も、殿下に敵と見なされている私を取り込む必要はないと思いますが。他の二人なら喜んで飛びつくでしょうし」
「そんなのはいらないわ」
セーラの頬がわずかに引きつった。今までセーラもその二人と共にいたのだから、いらないと言われるとは思わなかったのだろう。ある意味では、今までの学園生活を否定されたことになる。もっとも、リリアを選んだのはこの三人なのでリリアが責められる筋合いはない話ではあるが。
「いつ裏切るかも分からないような者など必要ないわね。その点、貴方は私以外には頼る者がいなくなる。私を裏切ることができなくなる。これほど都合のいい駒はないでしょう」
不適に笑うリリア。セーラは顔を青ざめさせるが、反論はしなかった。
「ですが、私は殿下に目をつけられていますよ」
「あら、それが何か問題なの? あんな男、気にしなくてもいいわよ」
学園の外なら間違いなく不敬で罰せられる発言だ。セーラは目を瞠り、次いで苦笑した。
「今までのものは殿下の気を引くためのものだと思っていましたが、本音だったのですね」
「殿下の気を引く? 私が? 冗談でも言わないで、虫唾が走るわ」
「リリア様、さすがに言い過ぎです」
リリアの背後に控えていたアリサが、さすがに見かねたのか苦言を呈してきた。リリアは肩をすくめ、気をつけるわ、と返しておく。そのやり取りを、セーラは興味深そうに見つめていた。
「メイドとも親しげなのですね」
「別に親しくしてはいけない、なんて決まりはないでしょう」
「はい。そうですね」
セーラは少しだけ楽しそうに笑うと、すぐに真剣な表情になった。しっかりとリリアの目を見てくるセーラに、リリアも視線を返す。笑ったりはせず、真剣に聞く。
「リリアーヌ様、本当によろしいのですか? 私が言うのもおかしいことですが、今の私は毒にしかならないと思いますよ」
「私はそうは思わないわね。私が、私の下につきなさいと言っているのよ。さっさと決めて返事をよこしなさい」
少しばかり苛立ちを覚えて語気を強くすると、セーラはすぐに頭を下げてきた。それは謝罪のものであり、そして、
「よろしくお願い致します、リリアーヌ様」
「ええ。よろしく」
セーラの言葉に、リリアは満足そうに笑みを浮かべた。
"Just what... Is going on here?"
Everyone was silent towards Lilia's question. Even Kris awkwardly averted her gaze and looked elsewhere. When Lilia turned her eyes towards her two followers, they shrunk back, trembling.
"It has nothing to do with you."
Seemingly unable to endure the silence, Kris spoke. Lilia glanced over at her, and nodded in agreement.
"True. And what I decide to do is none of your business either."
"Hah...?"
As Kris was tilting her head at Lilia's sudden declaration, Lilia made her way over to Sera. She stood in front of her desk and called out.
"Sera."
"......"
"Sera Valdia!"
Sera jumped at hearing her full name called and quivered in her seat. She timidly peered at Lilia's face. Expressionless and calm, Lilia looked down at Sera.
"We need to talk. Come with me."
"Eh... Umm, to where...?"
Sera asked with fear in her eyes. Lilia felt a tinge of irritation.
"Does it really matter? Just come with me already."
"Y-yes...!"
Sera sprung up from her seat hearing the coldness in Lilia's words. Lilia began walking, and Sera after her.
"Well then, everyone, have a good day."
When Lilia said those words with a smile as she bid them farewell, everyone in the cla.s.sroom couldn't help but stiffen their expressions in unison.
Lilia brought Sera back to her room at the dorm. They sat down at a table facing each other. Full cups of black tea were set in front of them, which Lilia had tasked Alisa with preparing beforehand.
In the middle of the table was dorayaki bought from the south side. They weren't exactly the best pairing for black tea, but Sakura kept pestering Lilia about how she wanted to taste them again so Lilia had them brought out here. These were in fact brought over just yesterday by Tina when she'd come to visit.
Lilia picked up a dorayaki and took a bite, indicating with her hand for Sera to help herself as well. Sera, while perplexed by all this, still reached out to take one and put it in her mouth.
"...! It's, really good..."
"Right? This is a confection from the southern district. They're one of my new favourites."
Sera looked on in wide-eyed surprise at hearing about the southern district. Though Lilia found it laughable that it could be shocking to such a degree, she herself would probably have had the exact same reaction if she had heard that some other upper cla.s.s n.o.bles had gone to the southern district.
"Well then, Sera. It's about time we get to the main topic."
With Lilia beginning the real conversation, Sera quietly closed her eyes, and nodded. Straightening her back, she went to look straight into Lilia's eyes in seriousness.
"Sera, what is that you plan to do from here on?"
"I was thinking of returning back home."
Her answer was just as expected.
"For all the trouble that I have caused you, Miss Lilianne, please accept my deepest apologies."
Sera deeply lowered her head. Seeing that display, Lilia gave a scornful laugh.
"So basically, you're going to run away. How disappointing."
"For you... To be saying that..."
Sera's eyes narrowed, but she soon came back to herself with a start, and lowered her head once again. Lilia felt there was quite enough of the head lowering already, but she decided to let her do as she pleased.
"I spoke rashly. My humblest apologies."
Rashly, so she says, but that was probably just her real feelings leaking out. The one who drove Sera to this point was Lilia after all. What's more, there was that incident where Lilia did in fact run away from the Prince herself, becoming a shut-in. That was probably where her words stemmed from. However, Lilia ignored all of that. Sticking to calling the kettle black, she looked coldly at Sera.
"No matter what anyone says, the fact that you have chosen the option to run away will not change. Or perhaps, are you planning on coming back again afterwards?"
At that question, Sera weakly shook her head, as one would expect. Lilia felt like she could, ever so slightly, understand what Sera was feeling. She herself was someone who had run away, and if not for Sakura, she likely wouldn't have ever come back to the academy again. Although, according to that 'story' of Sakura's, going back to the academy did indeed happen to her.
"So you don't intend to remain at this academy?"
"No... Honestly, I cannot endure it. I've come to realise that during this one week."
That was quite understandable. Though Lilia had only seen her situation during lunchtimes, it would definitely take something else to withstand being so thoroughly ignored. It was, in a sense, even harsher than simply getting hara.s.sed.
"Well then, Sera. I wonder if you have any intention of taking the third option."
"The... Third option?"
"Yes, Sera. You, shall become one of my people."
Not understanding Lilia's declaration, Sera tilted her head.
"Though it's not like I'm telling you to become my maid, or anything. In a certain sense, it would be like going back to how we were before all this. Following under me, and abiding by my orders. All the while, you would come under my protection. That's not such a bad deal, is it?"
"That... Would be quite advantageous for myself, but... How is there anything in this for you, Mistress Lilianne? In any case, I do not see any reason for you to take in someone regarded as an enemy of His Highness. And I am certain that the other two would happily take on this same offer..."
"I have no need for something like that."
Sera's expression cramped up upon hearing that. Up until recently, she had been in the exact same boat as the other two, and she never expected to hear that they were actually unnecessary. Putting it that way, it was like her whole school life up until now had been denied at its very core. But of course, it was them who had chosen to cling to Lilia, so they had no right to blame her, either.
"I have no need for someone who could betray me at any point. And regarding that, you no longer have anyone you can rely on other than me. There would be no way for you to betray me. One couldn't ask for a more convenient chess piece."
Lilia let out a vulgar laugh. Sera's face paled in response to this, but she did not deny it.
"However, His Highness has it out for me at the moment."
"Oh my, is that really a problem? There's no need to worry about that kind of guy, at all."
That kind of talk would definitely get you punished for lese majeste outside of the academy. Sera's eyes went wide, and then, she let out a wry smile.
"I'd been under the impression that all of this might have been a plan to get back with His Highness, but those words just now were your true feelings huh."
"Get back with His Highness? Me? Please don't say that even as a joke, it's quite disgusting."
"Mistress Lilia, perhaps that might be a bit much."
Alisa, who was standing at the ready behind Lilia, finally felt she couldn't look on anymore and chided her lady to mind her words bit more. Lilia simply shrugged, and responded that she'll be more careful. Sera looked on at this exchange with great interest.
"You seem quite close even though she is your maid."
"Well, it's not as if there's a rule against being close with your servants or anything."
"Yes, I suppose so."
Sera let out a relaxed laugh, but very quickly returned to a serious expression. She looked directly into Lilia's eyes, as Lilia returned her gaze. Without a trace of mirth, she asked seriously.
"Mistress Lilianne, is it really alright? It may be strange coming from me, but as I am now, I believe I am no more than a liability."
"Well, I certainly don't think so. Right now, I am asking you to come under my command. Make a decision already and give me your answer."
As Lilia began to feel a tinge of irritation and strengthened her tone, Sera immediately bowed before her. It was to apologise, as well as,
"I shall be under your care, Mistress Lilianne."
"Very well. Best regards."
Hearing Sera's words, a satisfied smile rose up on Lilia's face.
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