「わー! 久しぶりっ!」
夏季休暇も折り返しに差し掛かったころ、私は上空で夜の飛行を楽しんでいた。
すぐ上には今にも降ってきそうな無限の星空。下には道標の役割も果たしてくれる街の輝き。
そして今見えているのは、私が生まれ育った故郷だ。ついつい身を乗り出して覗き込んでしまう。
ジオラマみたいな街の至る所に明かりが灯っていて、綺麗なおもちゃを見ているようだった。
「レベッカ、落ちるなよ」
そう言って背後から私を抱え直したのは殿下だ。嗜めるような口ぶりだがひどく穏やかな声で、きっとこの旅を楽しんでくれていた。
「殿下、見てください! あそこがうちの領自慢の観光地街です!」
「そうか、明日行こう。名物は何だ?」
「『モチマンジュウ』ですね、母が考案したものです! あっ、あそこの特に明るいのは美術館で、なぜか私が三歳の頃父のために書いた絵が大トリで飾られてます!」
「さすがは公爵だ」
観光大使にでもなった気分で殿下に領地を宣伝する。彼はそれにいちいち返事をくれて、誰も見ていないのをいいことに頬に唇も寄せてくる。
嬉しいけどくすぐったくて、私はたまに軽く身を捩って笑った。
今日は以前殿下と約束した、二人で公爵家領を訪ねる日である。
公務とは別で、ただのちょっとした里帰り、というかデートだ。だからなのか兄さまには「愛馬に蹴られてはたまらない」と遠慮されてしまった。
移動手段はクリスティーナとグルー。片方に二人で乗ってその間片方は休憩を繰り返し、ついでに私と殿下も交代で風魔法の追い風を吹かせれば、なんと一日で到着してしまった。すごい。
公爵邸の前に降り立つと、叔父がわざわざ出迎えてくれた。人の良さそうな顔に万年消えないクマ。変わりなさそうで何よりだ。
「遠いところお疲れ様でした......見るものもあんまりないとこですが、どうぞごゆっくり満喫していただいて......」
彼は王都で働く私の父に代わって領地を任されている。
見た目と態度に反してやり手だ。私は『吹けば飛んでいきそうなのは頭髪だけの叔父』と呼んでいる。
私からその呼び名を聞かされている殿下は、些か通常より上の方を見ながら叔父に挨拶していて、笑いを堪えるのが大変だった。
今日はもう遅いので、観光は明日ゆっくりする予定になっている。明日も泊まって、明後日王都に戻る。
殿下は公爵邸を興味深そうに見ていた。私が言うのもなんだが、屋敷は結構大きくて、正直あんまり行ったことがない場所さえある。
夕食をとったあと、私は殿下の手を引いて母のお墓に向かった。
裏庭に出ると夏の虫の声が私たちを出迎えた。昼間より気温が下がったとはいえ、籠るような蒸し暑さがいくらか残っている。
点々と置かれているオレンジ色のランプを追いかけるように奥に進んでいく。
最奥が母の墓地だ。公爵家の先祖代々が眠る墓地に埋めるはずだったのを、父が拒否した。
墓標の前に座り込む。周りには私が植えた花がたくさん生えているから、花畑の中みたいなお墓だ。
殿下も私の隣に腰を下ろした。
「ただ今帰りました、母さま」
そう話しかけながら墓標に刻まれた文字をなぞった。今は暗いからわからないが、『ソフィア・スルタルクここに眠る』と書いてあるはずだ。
顔の前で手を組み、黙祷を捧げる。
ゆっくり目を開け隣を見れば、殿下はまだ目を瞑ったままだった。
虫の声以外何も聞こえない暗闇の中で、私は短くない時間、飽きもせずその横顔を見ていた。
殿下が目を開ける。立ち上がって、また殿下の手を取る。
来た道を戻る途中、殿下が足を止めた。
「ああ、ここ」
吐息みたいに小さく呟いた彼は、軽く周りを見回してから、花壇の一つを指さした。
「レベッカ、その花壇の近くに立ってくれないか?」
不思議に思いながら言う通りにする。花壇の傍で殿下を振り返ったら、殿下は右手を筒のようにして目に当て、私を見ていた。
被写体にされているような感覚だ。
「これだ」
「何がです?」
「俺が初めて見た、レベッカの姿」
思い出を愛おしむように殿下が言った。
私が初めて殿下に会ったのは一年と少し前だが、見たのはもっと前だ。殿下は魔法で『窓』を作れるから。
殿下は今、私を通して小さな私を見ているのだろう。
「ならここは、思い出の場所ですね」
「そうだな」
殿下に近づいて、胸板に頬をくっつける。殿下は私に優しく腕を回した。
「レベッカ、地下室に案内してくれないか?」
顔を上げ、薄暗い中でもはっきりわかる群青と目を合わせる。
「構いませんが、何もありませんよ?」
「ああ」
スルタルク公爵家には確かに地下室がある。だが何があるわけでもなく、一部屋分の空洞みたいなものだ。そんなところに何の用だろう。
殿下を連れ、屋敷の外壁に沿って歩いていった。少しすると錆びついた両開きの扉があった。
小さい頃は意味もなく開けて入りたくなったものだが、重くてびくともしなかったのが懐かしい。
今、力を入れて持ち上げるようにして開けば、下りの階段が続いているのがわかる。殿下が魔法で明かりを灯した。二人でゆっくり降りていく。
「本当に何もないですが......」
扉はなく、降りきったらそのままそこが地下室だ。
中は外よりもひんやりしていた。真っ暗で何も見えない空間に私の声が反響する。
しかし殿下は一歩踏み出した。手を軽く掲げて、天井に光源をいくつも出現させる。
何をしているんだろう。天井から前方に視線を戻して、私は息を呑んだ。
地下室の真ん中に人がいたのだ。
だが彼は生きているわけではなく、透明な結晶の塊の中で、固く目を閉じ、ただそこにいた。
私はそれが永遠の眠りだと知っている。
信じられない気持ちでその名を呼んだ。
「オウカ」
"Wow! It's been a long time!"
As the summer vacation was about to turn around, I was enjoying a night flight in the sky.
Just above was an infinite starry sky that seemed to fall at any moment. Below was the shine of a city that also played a role as a guidepost.
And what I can see now is my hometown(dukedom) where I was born and raised. I can't help but lean out and peek in.
The city looked like a diorama, with lights everywhere, and it looked like I was looking at beautiful toys.
"Rebecca, don't fall."
That's what His Highness said as he hugged me from behind. He had a playful tone, but his voice was extremely calm, and I'm sure he was enjoying this trip.
"Your Highness, look! That's the pride of our territory, the tourist town!"
"Oh, let's go tomorrow. What's the specialty?"
It's "Mochimanju," invented by my mother! Oh, that particularly bright one is the art museum, and for some reason, a picture I drew for father when I was three years old is being displayed as the main attraction!"
"As expected of Duke."
I felt like a tour ambassador and promoted my territory to His Highness. He replied to each of them, and when no one was looking, he brought his lips close to my cheek.
It was happy but ticklish, so I laughed lightly and twisted my body sometimes.
Today is the day that I promised with His Highness before, to visit Duke's territory together.
It's not an official business, it's just a little trip back home, or rather, a date. That's why Nii-sama was hesitant and said "I can't bear to be kicked by my beloved horse."
The means of transportation were Christina and Grue. We alternated between riding one and taking breaks on the other, and with the wind magic blowing in our favor, we arrived in one day. Amazing.
When we got off in front of Duke's residence, my uncle came out to greet us. His face is always friendly and he never loses his smile.
"Welcome back from your long trip... there may not be much to see here, but please enjoy your stay..."
He is in charge of managing the territory instead of my father who works in the Royal Capital.
Despite his appearance and attitude, he is a real operator. I call him "uncle who seems to fly away with just his hair blowing in the wind".
When His Highness heard me call him that, he struggled to hold back his laughter while greeting my uncle and looking up at him.
Since it's already late today, we plan to take it easy and sightsee tomorrow. We'll stay here again tomorrow and return to the Royal Capital the day after.
His Highness seemed to be looking at the Duke's residence with interest. To be honest, even I haven't been to all the places in the house. It's quite large."
After having dinner, I led His Highness' hand and headed towards my mother's grave.
When we went out to the backyard, the sounds of summer insects greeted us. Although the temperature was lower than during the day, there was still some sort of suffocating heat.
We advanced towards the back, as if chasing the dots of orange-colored lamps.
The farthest back was my mother's graveyard. She was supposed to be buried in the cemetery where the ancestors of the Duke family are buried, but my father refused.
I sat down in front of the tombstone. Because there were many flowers that I had planted around it, it looked like a flower garden.
His Highness also sat down next to me.
"I'm home, Mother."
I said while tracing the letters engraved on the tombstone. I couldn't see it now because it was dark, but it should have said [Here lies Sophia Slutarch]
I folded my hands in front of my face and offered a silent prayer.
When I slowly opened my eyes and looked to the side, His Highness still had his eyes closed.
In the dark where nothing could be heard except for the insects, I looked his profile for a not-too-short time without getting tired of it.
His Highness opened his eyes. He stood up and took my hand again.
On the way back, His Highness stopped his feet.
"Ah, here."
He murmured like a sigh, looked around lightly, and pointed at one of the flower beds.
"Rebecca, can you stand near that flower bed?"
I wondered and did as he said. When I turned to His Highness by the flower bed, His Highness aimed his right hand like a tube at his eyes and looked at me.
It feels like I am being photographed.
"This is it.
"What is it?"
"The first time I saw Rebecca's figure."
His Highness said as if cherishing the memory.
I first met His Highness about a year and a little bit ago, but he saw me much earlier. Because His Highness can magically create [windows].
His Highness is probably looking at the small me through me now.
"Then this is the place to remember."
"Yes."
I approached His Highness and pressed my cheek against his chest. His Highness gently put his arm around me.
"Rebecca, won't you guide me to the basement?"
I looked up and met His Highness' blue eyes, even in the faint light.
"Yes, but there's nothing there."
"Oh.'"
The Duke of Slutarch does indeed have a basement. But there's nothing there, just a hollow room. What's the point of that?
I led His Highness and walked along the outside wall of the mansion. After a short while, there was a rusty double door.
When I was little, I wanted to open it and go in for no reason, but it was heavy and didn't budge. That's nostalgic.
Now, if we open it by lifting it with force, we can see that there is a descending staircase. His Highness lit the lights with magic. We are going down slowly together.
"There's really nothing here..."
There is no door, and when we reached the bottom, it is just a basement.
It was colder inside than outside. In the pitch-black space where I could not see anything, my voice echoed.
But His Highness took one step forward. He lightly raised his hand and created multiple light sources on the ceiling.
I wonder what he's doing. Returning my gaze forward from the ceiling, I was stunned.
There was a person in the middle of the basement.
But he was not alive, he was just there, eyes closed tightly in a transparent crystal mass.
I knew that this was eternal sleep.
I called his name with an incredulous feeling.
"Ouka."
The Villainess Carries a Strategy Guide
その悪役令嬢は攻略本を携えている
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-villainess-carries-a-strategy-guide/
Fantasy Josei Romance Shoujo
Academy Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Doting Older Siblings European Ambience Female Protagonist Love Interest Falls in Love First Magic Nobles Otome Game Reincarnated in a Game World Villainess Noble Girls
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n6554fr/
岩田加奈