取り戻す? 誰が? 誰の心を?
リリアから笑顔の仮面がはがれ落ちた。目が据わり、不機嫌を隠すことができなくなる。他の二人がそれにすぐさま気づき表情を青ざめさせたが、話している一人は全く気づかない。
「クリステル様からすぐにあの席を取り返しましょう。大丈夫です、私たちも微力ながらお手伝いさせていただきますわ。リリアーヌ様は安心なさって......」
「黙りなさい」
小さな、そして低い声だった。目の前の一人に聞こえればいい程度の小さな音。話していた一人がひっと短い悲鳴を上げ、言葉を止めた。それどころか、教室中が静まり返ってしまっている。だがリリアはそんなことは一切気にせずに、言葉を発した。
「もう一度言うけど......。私は今後、殿下と関わるつもりはないのよ。的外れな推測で余計なことをしないでほしいわね。それとも貴方は、私を怒らせたいのかしら?」
三人そろって勢いよく首を振る。かわいそうなほどに震えているが、リリアは気づかない。気づいたとしても止めるつもりもない。
「ではそのうるさい口を閉じなさい。いいわね?」
三人が何度も何度も首を縦に振る。それを見たリリアは、よろしい、と満足そうに頷いた。
――怖い。怖いよリリア。
――何がよ。私は丁寧に言ったわよ?
――確かに言葉だけだったけど! 怖いよ目が! なんか殺気を感じたよ!
――気のせいでしょう。
小さく嘆息して視線を上げる。三人はまだリリアの前に立っていた。申し訳なさそうにうつむいてはいるが、離れようとはしない。リリアが怪訝そうに眉をひそめると、先ほどまで話していた一人が深々と頭を下げた。
「リリアーヌ様。申し訳ございません」
「別にいいわよ。次からは気をつけなさい」
「はい......」
そうして頭を上げ、ようやくリリアから離れて自分の席へと向かっていく。リリアがその後ろ姿を眺めていると、さくらの声が頭に響いた。
――リリア。あの三人だけど。いや三人だけじゃないけど。
――何よ。
――まあ、うん。取り巻き連中のことだけどね。気をつけてね。
リリアが眉をひそめ、さくらが続ける。
――あれらはリリアの公爵家としての力が欲しいだけだから。友達とかになったらだめだよ。いやまあ、いい人もいるけど。ちゃんとリリアを見てくれる人と友達になってね。
突然何を言い出すのかと思ったが、どうやらさくらはリリアのことを心配しているらしい。リリアは内心で苦笑し、分かっているわと頷いた。
――ただ私は正直見極める自信がないのだけど......。さくらは分からないの?
――ん......。私の知識も取り巻きさんについては曖昧だからね。別の誰かを頼った方がいいよ。
――誰を頼るのよ。
――リリアの部屋の上にいる人。
リリアの頬がわずかに引きつった。そんな話は聞いたことがない。誰が、何の目的でいるというのか。知らず生唾を呑み込んでいると、さくらは何でも無いように言った。
――リリアの屋敷にいた人みたいだから、お父さんかお兄さんが護衛か何かでつけたんじゃないかな? 気配の隠し方がすごくうまい人だから、情報収集もできると思うよ。
――............。ああ、そう......。
まさかの身内だった。あの二人もリリアに隠す必要はないだろうに、なぜ黙ってそんなことをしたのか。頭痛を堪えるようにこめかみを押さえながら、リリアはため息をついた。
――分かった。戻ったらお願いしてみましょう。
――うん。三人いるはずだから一人二人抜けても大丈夫なはず!
三人もいたのか。リリアは今度こそ頭を抱えてしまった。
朝礼間際の時間になって、王子が教室に入ってきた。そしてその直後に教師が入ってくる。同行していたように思ってしまうが、王子はただの偶然といつも言い張っていた。毎日そんな偶然があるのかと疑ってしまう。
王子が朝礼間際に来る理由は単純で、リリア対策だ。早く来てしまうとリリアから相手するのも面倒なほどに話しかけられるので、それを避けているらしい。さくらからそう聞いた時は少し落ち込んでしまったものだ。今日もそれを続けているということは、先日のリリアの言葉は信じてもらえていないらしい。
教師が教卓の前に立ち、何事か連絡事項を告げていく。しかしリリアは、それを一切聞いていなかった。頭の中では、暇つぶしと称したさくらの講義が続いている。
今日のさくらの講義は科学、というものだった。今まで当たり前と思っていたことを理由づけて説明されていくのはなかなかに面白い。ふと気づけば教師の話は終わり、いつの間にか授業が始まっていた。
――あ、ごめん。授業だね。それじゃあ私は黙るから、がんばってね。
――なかなかいいところだったのに......。仕方ないわね。
この続きは夜になるだろうか。少しだけ残念に思いながら、教師の方へと視線をやる。最初の授業は算術だ。教師の説明をしばらく聞いて、リリアは眉をしかめた。
なんだこれは、と思う。二週間ぶりの授業だというのに、未だにこんな問題をしているのか、と。あまりにも退屈なその説明に、リリアは内心でため息をついた。
――さくら。起きていられる自信がないのだけど。
――ん......。続き、する?
さくらもリリアと同じことを感じていたのだろう、リリアの発言を咎めることはしなかった。分かってるわね、とリリアは笑みを浮かべ、小さく頷いた。
そして気づけば、昼になっていた。授業ごとに教師が入れ替わっていたはずなのだが、リリアは全く気づいていなかった。周りが騒がしくなってきたことにふと視線を巡らせれば、誰もが教室を出て行くところだった。そのことと腹の減り具合から、今が昼時なのだと察する。さくらの話を聞いていただけで、午前中は終わってしまった。
「リリアーヌ様! ご一緒しませんか!」
今朝の取り巻き三人がリリアの元へと来て、そう言った。リリアは胡散臭そうな目で彼女たちを見て、そして首を振った。驚いている三人へと、言う。
「ごめんなさい。今日は一人になりたい気分なの。せっかくだけど、私のことはいいから三人でどうぞ」
そう言うと、そうですよね、と自分たちで納得して教室を出て行った。何をどう納得したのかは分からないが、都合良く一人になれたのだから良しとする。
――さくら。一つ聞きたいのだけど。
――うん。何かな?
――私が......その......。あっちの食堂に一人で行くのは、問題かしら......?
Take back? Who will? Take whose heart?
Lilia's smiling mask came falling off. Eyes glazing over, she became unable to hide her displeasure. The other two girls noticed and their expressions immediately paled, but the one talking didn't notice at all.
"Let us go immediately switch back the seats with Miss Krystel. It is alright, although we are weak, please let us also a.s.sist you. Please rest a.s.sured Miss Lilianne..."
"Silence."
It was in a small, and low voice. It was at a level just for the one person in front of her to be able to hear. The talking girl let out a short shriek, and halted her words. Incidentally, silence fell through the cla.s.sroom as well. However, Lilia paid that absolutely zero mind, and released her words.
"I will say this once again but... From now on, I have no intention of involving myself with His Highness. I would bid you to not do anything unnecessary due to your own misguided interpretations. Or is it that, you actually wish to anger me?"
The three all vigorously shook their heads. They were shaking almost pitifully, but Lilia did not notice. Even if she did, she did not intend to stop.
"Well then please do close that noisy mouth. Is that alright?"
The three shook their heads up and down again and again. Seeing that, Lilia, with a 'very good', nodded satisfied.
--Scary. You're scary, Lilia.
--What is. I spoke with politeness right?
--Certainly your words themselves were! Those eyes are scary! Like I was feeling bloodthirst there!
--Isn't that just your imagination.
With a small sigh, she looked up. The three were still standing before Lilia. They had their heads hanging down apologetically, but it seems they didn't intend to leave. When Lilia frowned dubiously, the one who was talking until just earlier deeply lowered her head.
"Miss Lilianne. I am truly sorry."
"It's fine. Please be careful next time."
"Yes..."
After that she raised her head, finally leaving to head to her own seat. As Lilia was looking at her departing figure, Sakura's voice sounded in her head.
--Lilia. About those three. Well actually not just those three.
--What about it.
--Well, right. About those lot of followers. You should be careful.
Lilia frowns, as Sakura continues.
--Those people are ones who are after the ducal's power. It's no good becoming friends with them. No well, there are good people too. Make friends with the ones who will properly look at 'Lilia' rather than your status.
She was wondering what Sakura was trying to say all of a sudden, but it seems it was her trying to look out for Lilia. Lilia made a wry smile inside, and nodded that she understood.
--Just that honestly I don't have much confidence in seeing through people... Do you know of anything Sakura?
--Nn... My knowledge regarding the followers is also somewhat vague. It'd be better to rely on someone else.
--Rely on who then.
--The person above your room.
Lilia's face twitched slightly. She hadn't heard anything about that. Who, and for what reason they'd be there. As Lilia gulped down her saliva, as if it was no big deal at all, Sakura said,
--It seemed to be someone who was at your estate so, isn't it someone who your father or brother stuck there as a guard? They were really good at hiding their presence, so it's probably someone who can also do intelligence work.
--... Ahh, that so...
So it was her family's doing. Those two don't really have a need to keep it from Lilia, so why didn't they say anything about it? Pressing her temples and fighting back a headache, Lilia made another sigh.
--Got it. Let's make a request when we get back.
--Yep. There should be three people so it's probably fine if one of them shows themselves.
So there were three whole people. This time Lilia ended up truly holding her head in exasperation.
Just before the time for the morning a.s.sembly, the prince entered the cla.s.sroom. And immediately after that the teacher came in. You'd think that they were arriving together, but the prince would always insist that it was just a coincidence. Though it was questionable whether such a coincidence would happen every day.
The prince's reason for arriving right before the morning a.s.sembly was simple, it was an anti-Lilia counter. If he comes earlier, then dealing with Lilia trying to talk to him would be troublesome, so it seems he's trying to avoid that. Lilia had felt a bit down about this when she heard it from Sakura. Since he kept to it today as well, it seems he hadn't really believed what Lilia said the other day.
The teacher stood before the podium, and started relaying some announcements. However, Lilia didn't listen to a single bit of it. Inside her head, Sakura's lectures that she deemed as time-killers continued.
Today's Sakura's lecture was on something called 'science'. It was quite interesting to hear the explanations of reasons for various things that were just thought of as 'natural' before. She realised with a start that the teacher's speech had ended, and at some point, the lesson had begun.
--Ah, sorry. It's cla.s.s time huh. Well I'm gonna be quiet now, good luck with the lesson.
--Even though it was really getting into the good parts... Oh well.
Maybe she'd hear the continuation tonight? While feeling a bit reluctant, she turned her gaze to the teacher. The first lesson was arithmetic. Listening to the teacher's explanation for a while, Lilia knit her eyebrows.
What's with this, she thought. Even though there've been two weeks of lessons, they were still doing these problems? At the exceedingly boring explanations, Lilia sighed deep inside.
--Sakura. I'm not really confident that I'll be able to stay awake.
--Nn... Shall we, continue?
Sakura probably had a similar feeling, as she didn't disparage Lilia's uttering. 'So you get it,' Lilia said as she formed a smile and gave a small nod.
And so the next thing she knew, it was noon. Between lessons there would be a change in teachers, but Lilia didn't notice a single thing. When the surroundings got noisy and she looked around with a start, everyone was heading to leave the cla.s.sroom. From that and her depleted stomach, she guessed that it was now lunchtime. Just listening to Sakura, the whole morning ended up going by.
"Miss Lilianne! Perhaps we may go together!"
The three followers from this morning gathered around Lilia, inviting her. Lilia looked at them with suspicion, and shook her head. She said to the surprised trio,
"I'm sorry. I feel like being alone today. It's a unfortunate, but I'm good so you three go on ahead."
Saying that, the three came to an understanding with 'that is so isn't it' and left the cla.s.sroom. How and what they were understanding were unknown, but it was convenient to be able to be alone so this was fine.
--Sakura. I'm curious about one thing.
--Yup. What might that be?
--I... That is... I wonder if it would be a problem if I, went to that cafeteria...?
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