288話 涙
「今後、この2人との接触を禁ずる」
を前にして父さんは厳かにそう言い放った。
最初、何を言われているかはわからなかった。
しかし、その言葉が俺の頭に浸透すれば、次に沸き起こったのは疑念と怒りだ。
「何を......父さんは、何を言ってるの?」
にしわを寄せて大きな溜息をつく。苦く、痛みの伴う決断だけれど、もう結論は出切っていると......そんな態度だ。
そして父さんだけじゃなく、親友たちまでもがこの事実を受け入れているような諦めの顔をしていた。
家の子だ、訊太郎。由緒正しい血筋の人間が、一般人の学友と共に行動するなど許されない。一般人などと深い付き合いがあるとわかれば、恰好のゴシップネタになりかねない。ましてや彼らの身が危険にさらされる」
それは......なに?
晃夜と夕輝は特権階級じゃないから、一緒にいちゃダメだって事なのか?
......友人を選ぶべきだ、訊太郎」
父さんは本気で......?
まさか、ゲーム内での活動が......俺の、仏神宮家の権力強化のために富を増やした事によって......地位が上がりすぎて、親友たちとの格差が広がってしまった......?
それとも日本の階級社会が強くなった?
どっちだ?
「今回は特別だ。この2人には極秘裏に我が家に来てもらった。手を回すのに苦労した......」
渋々と状況を語る父さんに、親友たちは何も語らない。
「イギリス王室とも懇意と知れ渡った今、政財界の各著名人を筆頭に、仏神宮家の動向を窺う者が急増している。もはや、父さんの手だけで対処し切れない程の脚光と注目を浴びてしまっている......」
つまりは様々な勢力に俺の動向は監視されているかもしれない、と。
父さんは晃夜たちを見つめ、淡々と語ってゆく。
「訊太郎。お前が男性の友人、しかも一般市民の男性と一緒にいる所を見られてしまっては炎皇家への心象も悪いだろうし、何より外聞が良くない」
父さんはオブラートに包んで発言しているけど、要訳すればこうだ。
皇太子殿下の
「そして時に、身分に伴わない者をやっかむ者が現れた時、彼らに何かしらの危害を加える可能性も十分にありえる」
以前にも確かに晃夜たちは難癖をつけられ、ケンカをふっかけられた。
あんな直接的な行動じゃなくても権力のある者なら、色々と親友たちにちょっかいを出すなんて可能だろう。
「でも、じゃあ......こうやって秘密で会うのはダメなの?」
俺のデメリット回避と、親友たちの安全のため。
理性では納得できていても、当然ココロは悲鳴を上げる。
それを見て、2人は既に父さんに丸め込まれた後だと理解できた。
「早い話、良くはないが......」
親友たちは寂しげに笑った。
2人は父さんの前だからなのか、気丈に振る舞っている。それでも瞳の奥に隠された色は、悔しさや哀しさが宿っているようだった。
俺だって同じ気持ちだ。
晃夜や夕輝からはたくさんの優しさを今までもらってきた。それは今も変わらず、俺が慣れない環境下で上手く立ち回れるようにと、風評被害を抑えるために......納得してくれたのだ。
だったら俺だって2人の安全を考えて......『離れたくない!』と叫ぶ心の声に、従うわけにはいかない。
ここで父さんの方針に反抗するのは簡単だけど、じゃあそれで他に代案はあるのかと問われれば......今の俺には思いつかない。そもそも国内の勢力分布を詳しく把握していない俺には、どう動けばベストな結果を導き出せるかなんてわかるわけがない。
だから、俺が親友たちと一緒にいたいと願うなんて、現時点ではわがままにしかならない。
そうとわかっていても、頭では納得していても、やっぱり心は追いついてはくれない。
「......うぅっ......」
やめろ。
親友たちだって男らしく堪えているのだから、俺だって我慢するんだ。
そう自分に言い聞かせても、涙があふれ出てきてしまう。
心からとめどなく流れ出す洪水。
ポロポロと、ただただ、素直に落ちていく。
そんな気休めで俺の、俺達の心は救われない。
中学からこいつらと過ごしてきた、馬鹿でくだらなかったあの日常は......もう二度と戻ってこない。繰り返され、当たり前のようにして次があると信じていた暖かな日常が、唐突に消えた。
その喪失感を埋められるはずがない。
俺は、世界の変革を防ぐより。
ウィルスパンデミックから日本を救うより。
ただ、お前らと一緒に笑っていたかった。
「俺は、お前らと一緒にいたい......」
ぐちゃぐちゃになった顔で親友たちに言えば――
俺達の気持ちは同じ。
だからこそ、俺は親友たちを信じて......。
視界を妨げ、目を潤ます涙に負けぬよう、2人を見つめる。
「なぁ......また一緒に会ってくれるよな?」
そう問い掛ければ、親友たちは力強く頷いてくれた。
「あぁ、必ず。お前の
291 288 Words Tears
"I forbid contact with these two in the future"
That's what my father said strictly in front of Yuki and Koya.
At first, I didn't know what they were saying.
But if that word penetrated my head, the next thing that boiled down was suspicion and anger.
"What... what is your father saying?
In response to my confusion, my father puts a wrinkle between his eyebrows and sighs heavily. It's a bitter, painful decision, but when you've already come to a conclusion... that's the attitude.
And not only my father, but even my best friends looked like they were giving up accepting this fact.
"You are the son of the Buddha's Shrine, Shintaro. It is unacceptable for a human being with the correct blood muscles to act with an alumni of the average person. If you find yourself in a deep relationship with the average person or something, it could be a good gossip story. Not to mention putting their bodies in danger."
Is that... what?
Are you saying we shouldn't be together because Shaking Night and Evening Fai aren't privileged classes?
"Now (...)... you should choose a friend, Shintaro"
Father is serious...?
No way, my in-game activities have increased my wealth in order to strengthen the power of the Buddha Shrine... my status has risen too much and my disparities with my best friends have widened...?
Or has the Japanese class society grown stronger?
Which one?
"This time it's special. I asked these two to come to my house confidentially. I had a hard time turning my hand..."
My best friends don't tell my father anything about the situation reluctantly.
"Now that both the British royal family have known each celebrity in the political and financial world, there is a surge of people watching the trends of the Buddhist shrine family. I no longer get enough footlights and attention to deal with my father's hands alone..."
In other words, my trends may be monitored by various forces.
Dad stares at the shaky nights and talks pale.
"Shintaro. If they see you with a man friend, but also a man of the general public, they'll feel bad about the Flaming Royal Family, and most importantly, they don't listen well."
My father speaks wrapped in oblate, but here's the point.
His Royal Highness's fiancee (me) says it's not a good idea to act with the lowlife men...
"And sometimes, when someone turns up who doesn't come with an identity, there's plenty of potential to do them some harm."
Even before, the swinging nights were certainly obsessed with obfuscation and were plucked into fights.
It would be possible for someone in power not to act in such a direct manner to give a little bit to all kinds of best friends.
"But then... this is how we can't meet in secret?
To avoid my disadvantages and keep my best friends safe.
Naturally Coco screams, even if he is convinced by reason.
Seeing that, I could understand that the two were after they had already been rounded up by their father.
"Quick story, not good..."
My best friends laughed lonely.
Is it because the two of you are in front of your father, or are you behaving in a temperament? Still, the color hidden behind his eyes seemed to dwell on remorse and pity.
I feel the same way.
I've gotten a lot of kindness so far from Shaking Night and Evening Fai. That's the same now, to keep the reputational damage under control so I can stand around in unfamiliar environments... he convinced me.
Then even I think about the safety of the two of us... 'I don't want to leave!' You can't follow the voice of your heart screaming.
It's easy to defy Dad's policy here, but then if he asks me if I have any other alternatives... I can't think of any right now. If I don't know the distribution of forces in the country in detail in the first place, there's no way I know how to move to get the best results.
So I can only be selfish at the moment wanting to be with my best friends.
Whether you know that, or you're convinced by your head, your mind still won't catch up.
"... ugh..."
Don't.
Even my best friends are enjoying themselves like men, so I have to put up with them.
Even if I told myself so, I would be flooded with tears.
Floods flowing out of my heart.
Polo and just, honestly, falling off.
My heart won't be saved with such a rest.
I've been spending time with these guys since middle school, that stupid, crappy routine... never coming back. The warm routine, which was repeated and believed, as a matter of course, to have the next, abruptly disappeared.
There is no way we can bury that sense of loss.
I'd rather prevent the world from changing.
Than saving Japan from the virus pandemic.
I just wanted to be laughing with you guys.
"I want to be with you guys..."
If I tell my best friends with a messed up face...
We feel the same way.
That's why I trust my best friends...
Stare at the two to obstruct your vision and not lose the tears that moisturize your eyes.
"Hey... will you see me again with you?
If you ask me that, my best friends nodded forcefully.
"Oh, be sure. Let me be beside you."
I Became a Beautiful Girl, but I’m still an MMO Junkie
美少女になったけど、ネトゲ廃人やってます。
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/i-became-a-beautiful-girl-but-im-still-an-mmo-junkie/
Adventure Comedy Fantasy Gender Bender Mystery Psychological Shoujo Ai
Accelerated Growth Adapted to Manga Age Regression Alchemy Appearance Changes Appearance Different from Actual Age Beautiful Female Lead Chuunibyou Curious Protagonist Cute Protagonist Demi-Humans Disabilities Doting Older Siblings Fairies Famous Protagonist Fast Learner Friendship Loli Male to Female Misunderstandings MMORPG Multiple POV Mysterious Illness Older Love Interests Overprotective Siblings Past Plays a Big Role Past Trauma Pill Concocting Popular Love Interests Race Change Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n0170db/
星屑ぽんぽん