――あと63日。
「はい、それでは雑巾がけから致しましょう!」
早朝から、わたくしは両親に白い目で見られた。
どうしてなのでしょう? 理由が皆目見当も......あ、そうか。雑巾がけをご存知ありませんのね!?
「雑巾がけとは、バケツに溜めた水でこの厚手の布を浸して、があーっと掃除をするのですわ!」
口で説明するより、やって見せるのが早い。わたくしは廊下に四つん這いになり、があーっと木目を見つめながら駆け抜ける。端まで着いたら、当然方向転換&少し場所を移動してがぁーっ、だ。
気持ち良い汗を拭いながら、わたくしは軽やかな笑みを向ける。
「では、みんなでやってみましょう!」
「......ねぇ、ルルーシェ?」
「なんでしょう。お父様」
なぜでしょう。お母様がフラフラと失神しそうになってるわ。お父様がそんなお母様の肩を支えている。わたくしが小首を傾げると、お父様が言葉を噛み締めるようにゆっくり話した。
「どうして、自分らが掃除をしなければならないの、かな?」
「え? ひとまず足腰を鍛えてもらおうと......」
昨日言った通り訓練の一環――という建前だが、本当は他の目的もある。
単純に、家督を失った後でも二人で生きていけるように、生活力を身に付けてもらいたいのだ。そのための家事能力を上げてもらうため、ひとまず掃除。このあとは料理人たちに朝食作りを教えてもらう予定を組んである。昼間はそれぞれ元の仕事をしてもらって......夕方からも晩餐の準備の手伝い、そして後片付けまでみんなでするつもり。
それに慣れた頃、さらに本来の目的を――とまで逡巡した所で、思いつく。
「あら、ごめんなさい! 昨日は説明が不足しておりましたわ! 手配はしてあるんですけど、種や肥料が届くのは来週になるそうですの」
『種!?』
「えぇ、だからそれまでは基礎体力づくりを兼ねて掃除などを......と。あ、ちゃんと事前にメイドさんたちに掃き掃除はしてもらってますわ。でも、明後日からはそこから始めるつもりです」
「ほら、雑巾がけってしゃがんだり立ったりの繰り返しになりますでしょう? 足腰を鍛えるのにちょうど良いと思いましたの! 掃き掃除も埃を探す洞察力の訓練になりましてよ。それを無駄なく始末する行為も、きっと畑の役に立ちますし。些細な変化を見極めるのも、大事というじゃないですか」
『............』
「さあ、皆で頑張りましょう!」
わたくしが両親の手を取り微笑むと、お二人は観念したように頷く。
「わ、わかった......」
まぁ、何事も最初は戸惑うものです。でもきっとすぐに楽しくなりますわ。なんたってわたくしの両親ですからね!
――あと50日。
そんなわたくしの読みは的中した。
特にお父様は国王陛下がドン引きするほどの熱意で『異国の美姫』を手に入れた人ですから。のめり込みさえすればとことんやるだろうと確信していたのです。
「ルルーシェ。土はこんなものでいいかな?」
「わあ! さすがですわ、お父様! だいぶ柔らかくなりましたわね」
屋敷の隅に作った畑。首にタオルを巻き、頭に光る汗を拭う。片手に鍬を持つ姿も板についたものですわ。
お父様は疲れた様子ながらも、軽やかに笑う。
「ははっ。始めは何を言い出したかと思ってびっくりしたけど......家族みんなで身体を動かすのも楽しいねぇ。メイドや庭師たちの雰囲気も最近いいし......これでルーファスもいれば、最高だったのだけど......」
――そうですわね。
わたくしたち家族はルーファスも入れて四人だ。欠けてしまったものを想わない日はないけれど、彼と両親は今生の別れをしたわけでも、絶縁したわけでもない。
だから、わたくしは微笑む。
「ルーファスも大成したらきっと会えますから。その時にお父様が作った野菜をお母様に料理してもらって......ぜひに振る舞ってもらいたいですわ!」
「そうだ! それも素敵だが、仕送りするのはどうだろうか。金銭は師匠の矜持などに関わるからできないが......自家製野菜ならば気安く受け取って貰えるんじゃないのか?」
「それはいいかもしれませんわね!」
それは盲点でした。さすがお父様! きっと皆さんの食事の足しにしていただけるでしょう。いい意味で貧乏臭いから、貴族だと居心地悪くなることもないと思いますわ。わたくしが言うのもあれですが、初めて作った自家製野菜は不格好だといいますし、より今回に限りは適切でしょう。
ですが、果たしてその段階まで見届けることができるか――わたくしが思案しているかのように視線を動かせば、お父様も似たような心配をしていたようです。
わたくしは悩んでいるふりをして、口元を隠します。ふふっ。先程はお父様の案にわたくしも感銘を受けましたが、伊達に長年お父様の娘をしていないんですの。
「詳しい方に心当たりがありますので、声をかけてみますわ」
その時だ。
「朝食ができましたよー!」
屋敷からお母様が顔を覗かせる。お母様も農業の手伝いをしてくれているけど、どちらかと言えば料理にハマったようだ。味付けのちまちましたところが気に入ったらしい。今度はお菓子づくりにも挑戦してみたいんだとか。
その家庭的な姿に、お父様はさらにメロメロで......今もとても嬉しそうな顔で「わかった!」と応えている。
--63 days remaining.
"Then, let's start with these rag!"
From early morning, I was dubiously stared at by my parents.
I wonder why?
"Rags are tools for immediate cleansing, these thick pieces of cloth are then immersed in a bucket of water!"
Honestly, it would be quicker to just show them how to do it. I crawled on all fours down the hall with a rag while staring intently at the floor. It was to the point that I could identify each grain in the wood. After I had reached the end of the corridor, I moved a little and turned around.
While wiping the pleasant sweat, I looked at them with a light smile--
"--Let's do it together!"
"...Uh, Lelouche?"
"What is it, father?"
My mother seemed about to faint. My father supported her by her shoulders. As I tilted my head, my father spoke slowly, as if mincing his words.
"...Why do we have to clean?"
"...Eh? For the time being, we should focus on training your legs."
As I said yesterday, it was for training. That said, it actually had other purposes as well.
I simply wanted them to attain enough vitality so they could live together even after our family fell into ruin. As such, to improve their housework ability, I was going to make them clean for the time being. Afterwards, I planned for the cooks to teach them how to make breakfast. During the day, I'd teach them how to do chores...
Once they gotten used to it, it would be time to advance to my main goal--
"--Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot to mention the other day, but I've made some arrangements! It seems that both seeds and fertilized will arrive within next week!"
""Seeds!?""
"That's why, until then, I'd like for the three of us to clean together so we can build up our physical strength! Oh, I've also had the maids do the sweeping and cleaning in advance. But starting from the day after tomorrow, we'll start doing the cleaning ourselves!"
"See, if we clean with these rags, won't we be repeatedly crouching down and standing? It's just right for training our legs! Sweeping is also a training of insight, because we'll be looking for dust! It's a necessary endeavor! The act of getting rid of dust will surely help in the fields. It's important to be able to identify even the smallest of changes."
"..."
"Let's do our best together!"
When I took my parents' hands and smiled, they finally nodded.
"I, I understand..."
Well, everything would be confusing at first. But I was sure, soon they'd start having fun! They were my parents after all!
--50 days remaining.
My assumption was correct.
About my father, in particular. After all, he was the same man who managed to win the hand of the 'Foreign Beauty', and even managed to make the king acquiesce. Once he became immersed in something, he'd see it through.
"Lelouche, what do you think about the soil?"
"Wow, as expected of father! It has become much softer!"
A field was created in the corner of the mansion. With a towel wrapped around his neck, my father wiped his shiny, sweaty, head. He was also holding a hoe.
Even though he looked tired, my father still managed to laugh.
"Haha, at first, I was surprised. It's fun moving your body with the entire family. It's also nice being around the maids and the gardeners these days... Now, if only Rufus were here..."
--That was right.
Our family consisted of four, including Rufus. There were no days when I didn't miss him. Regardless, as long as it didn't spell the demise of my parents, or my little brother living in isolation for the rest of his life--
--I smiled.
"...I'm sure we'll be able to meet Rufus once he has completed his studies. At that time, I want my mother to cook the vegetables grown by father. I want him to taste it by all means!"
"That's a great idea! Although, what if we just send it to him? I can't send him any money due to his master's pride, but homegrown vegetables should be okay, right?"
"That sounds like a plan!"
That was indeed a loophole. As expected of my father! The vegetables would surely improve his diet. The gift was humble, and in a good way. It surely wouldn't cause him any discomfort. Like I said, while our first homegrown vegetables might not be the best, they would still be appropriate as a gift.
...However, would it possible to see it through to that stage?
Although I was impressed by my father's idea earlier, I just realized that we hadn't had a father-daughter conversation in many years.
"I have an idea. Let me consult with someone who is knowledgeable about this."
At that moment--
"--Breakfast is ready!"
Mother peeked out from the mansion. My mother also helped with farming, but she seemed to be more interested in cooking. She seemed to enjoy making different things. At that time, she wanted to try her hand at making sweets.
Towards her homely appearance, my father grew even more mellow...
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