16
その会話が頭に入ってこなかった。思考は完全に停止して、ただただ呆然としている。
――リリア! しっかりして!
さくらの声に、少しだけ頭が回転し始めた。同時に、王子の言葉が頭の中で再生される。こいつは、今、何を言った?
そして思い出した瞬間、リリアの心は急速に冷めていった。
――さくら。平気よ。
――でも......。
――平気。ふふ、むしろ頭が冷えたわ。私はどうして、こんな男を好きになっていたのでしょうね。
確かに婚約そのものは親が決めたものだ。だがそれでも、リリアは王子が好きだった。一目惚れだったのだが、確かに好きだったのだ。そのために、ティナに取られたくなくて嫌がらせをしたのだから。
だというのに、この男にとっては自分などどうでもいい存在だったのだろう。確かにティナもリリアを見た時は最初誰か分からなかったと言っていたが、この男は幼い頃にとはいえ、化粧をしていないリリアを何度も見ているはずだ。それなのに、リリアに気づかなかった。
ああ、とリリアは内心でため息をつく。この男にとって、自分は取るに足らない存在だったのだ、と気づかされた。それだけで、十分だ。
そしてリリアは、笑った。
「ひっ......」
周囲から短い悲鳴が漏れる。いつの間にか周囲から好奇の視線を向けられていたらしい。そしてリリアの笑顔を見た何人かが、口を手で覆っていた。その笑顔に気づいたティナとアリサですら、わずかに頬が引きつっている。
リリアはゆっくりと立ち上がると、王子へと口を開いた。
「久しぶりですね、殿下」
「ん? その声......。まさか、リリアーヌか!?」
王子の驚愕の声に、リリアは笑みを深くする。本当に気づいていなかったのか、と。
「お前、ここで何をしている? またティナに何かしているのか?」
「そのようなことはありません。ティナさんと少し話をしていただけですよ。平和的に、ね」
「信じられるか」
嫌悪を隠そうともしない王子の声。本当に、何故このような男を好きになっていたのだろうか。
「あら、別に殿下に信じてもらおうだなんて思っていません。事実を述べたまでです。それとも、貴方は何もしていない私を悪者にしたいのでしょうか? したいのでしょうね。ええ、よく分かりますわ」
あまりな言い方にティナとアリサが蒼白になる。王子は逆に、顔を赤くしていた。
「貴様......。不敬にもほどがあるぞ」
「あら。ここは学校の敷地ですよ。不敬罪は存在しません。それとも何ですか? 無理矢理外に連れ出して不敬罪としますか? まあ、怖いですわ」
王子の顔が激しい怒りに歪んでいく。リリアはそれを楽しげに笑いながら見つめ、やがてふっと嘲るように笑った。
「ご心配なく、殿下。私がティナさんに嫌がらせをすることはありません」
「そんなこと信じられるわけが......」
「だって......」
もう貴方には何の興味もありませんから。
言われた言葉の意味が分からなかったのか、王子は間抜けに口を開いて固まった。リリアはくすくすと小さく笑う。それを聞いた周囲の誰もが、一歩、後ろに下がった。
「それではティナさん。私は教室に向かいますね」
話を振られたティナはびくりと体を震わせ、しかしすぐに頭を振って笑顔を浮かべた。
「はい。ありがとうございました、リリア様」
「アリサ。私の部屋を掃除しておきなさい。後は自由時間でいいわ」
「畏まりました」
立ち上がり、アリサが恭しく一礼する。リリアは満足そうに頷くと、では、と王子へと顔を向けた。
「ごきげんよう、殿下。二度と私に話しかけないでくださいね」
満面の笑顔でそう言って、完全に固まる王子を置き去りにしてリリアはその場を後にした。
寮を出て、すぐ側にある校舎に入る。そして誰もいない教室を見つけると、リリアはそこに入って鍵を閉めた。そのままその場に、崩れるように座り込む。
「......っ」
瞳から涙が溢れた。堪えようとしても止めどなく溢れ続け、リリアの顔と服を濡らしていく。声も抑えきることができず、嗚咽が何度も漏れてしまう。
――リリア......。
頭の中に響く声は、リリアを気遣ってか優しげな声音だった。だがそれに返事をすることはできない。
自分の初恋の相手は王子であり、婚約した以上は王子も自分のことをそれなりに好いてくれていると思っていた。だがそれはリリアの願望であり、ただの幻想だった。王子はまずリリアに興味すら持っていなかったのだから。
――リリア。良い子だから、泣き止んで。ね?
そんなことを言われても、自分の意志で止めることができない。止められるなら、まず泣いていない。
そのまましばらく泣き続け、そしてふと気が付いた。
――......ひっく。
さくらの、嗚咽。
――どうして貴方が......泣いているのよ......。
――だって......。リリアの気持ちを考えると私まで悲しくなっちゃうから......。
勝手なものだ、と思う。結局はさくらのそれは、想像のものだ。自分の気持ちを理解しているとは思えない。
それに、とさくらが続ける。
――リリアのことを抱きしめてあげたいのに......私じゃ何もできない......。
リリアは思わず目を剥いた。そんなことを考えているとは思わなかった。何故、と考え、すぐに自嘲する。さくらはいつも、リリアのことを考えてくれている。だからこそ、今回のことも自分のことのように傷ついているのだろう。
――リリア、ごめんね......。何もできなくて、ごめんね......。
――気にしなくていいのよ......。気にしなくて、いいの......。
さくらとリリアの嗚咽が重なる。さくらはリリアの中で、リリアは誰もいない教室で、静かに泣き続けた。
Haunted Duke's Daughter Chapter 16
That conversation didn't enter her head at all. Her thoughts came to a complete halt, stuck in an absolute daze.
--Lilia! Get a hold of yourself!
With Sakura's shout, her mind slowly began to move again. At the same time, the Prince's words replayed themselves in her head. What did, this guy, just say?
The moment she remembered, Lilia's heart cooled rapidly.
--Sakura. I'm fine.
--But...
Fine. Fufu, rather my head has already cooled down. I wonder, how in the world I had come to love such a man.
Indeed, the engagement itself was something decided upon by their parents. But even so, Lilia loved the Prince. Though it was something like love at first sight, she did indeed love him. To that end, to not have him taken away by Tina, she had acted out her hara.s.sment.
Despite all that, she seemed to actually have been such an inconsequential existence to this man. Certainly, Tina also said that she couldn't really recognise Lilia when she first saw her, but this man, even if it was as kids, should have seen Lilia without makeup on countless times before. And yet even so, he didn't recognise her.
Ah~ah, Lilia sighed in her heart. That to this man, she was such a worthless existence, was made very clear to her. With just that, it was more than enough.
And so, Lilia smiled.
"Eek..."
A short shriek leaked out from the surroundings. It seemed that before they knew it inquisitive gazes were being directed towards them. And witnessing Lilia's smile, a good number of people had brought their hands to cover their mouths. Even Tina and Alisa, when noticing the smile, had their cheeks cramp up slightly.
Lilia slowly rose from her seat and opened her mouth towards the Prince.
"It's been a while, Your Highness."
"Nn? That voice... No way, is it Lilianne!?"
At the Prince's shocked voice, Lilia deepened her smile. As if thinking, So he really hadn't noticed before huh.
"You, what are you doing here? Are you trying to do something to Tina again?"
"There is no such thing. Just having a little chat with Tina is all. Peacefully, you know?"
"As if I'd believe that."
The Prince didn't even try to hide the disgust in his voice. Really, how did she ever fall in love with man like this.
"My, it's not as if I had the intention to have you believe me. I was simply stating the facts. Or perhaps, you want to make me out to be the bad guy even without me having done anything? You do don't you. Yes, I am very well aware."
Tina and Alisa paled hearing how she spoke. The Prince, on the contrary, had his face redden.
"You d.a.m.n... There's a limit to showing disrespect!"
"Oh my. This is indeed the school grounds. There is no such thing as lese-majeste here. Or perhaps it's that? You'll forcibly drag me outside and charge me for lese-majeste? Well, how frightening."
The Prince's face distorted with violent rage. Enjoying such a sight while laughing, before long she puffed out a scoff and smiled.
"Rest a.s.sured, Your Highness. I am doing no such things as to hara.s.s Miss Tina."
"There's no way I can believe such a..."
"After all..."
I no longer have any interest in you.
Perhaps not understanding the words given to him, the Prince hardened with his mouth agape like an idiot. Lilia laughed with a small giggle. Everyone in the surrounding area that had heard was made to take one step back.
"Well then, Miss Tina, I will be heading to the cla.s.sroom."
Tina, who had been left out of the conversation until now, trembled in surprise but immediately shook her head as a smile floated to her face.
"Yes. Thank you very much, Mistress Lilia."
"Alisa. Please make sure to tidy up my room. You're free to do whatever after that."
"Certainly."
Getting up, Alisa bowed respectfully. After nodding in satisfaction, thinking well then, Lilia turned to face the Prince.
"Good day, Your Highness. Please do not speak to me again."
Saying so with a full-faced smile and leaving behind the completely frozen prince, Lilia departed the area.
Exiting the dorm, she entered the school building right beside it. Then, finding an empty cla.s.sroom, Lilia went in and locked the door. Just like that, on the spot, she sat down as if collapsing.
"......Nn"
Tears overflowed from her eyes. Even trying to bear it, the tears continued to endlessly overflow, drenching Lilia's face and clothes. Also, without being able to completely hold in her voice, the sound her sobbing continued to leak out.
--Lilia...
The voice resounding in her head, perhaps in concern for Lilia, had a soft and gentle tone. But she was unable to give a response.
Her first love being the Prince, beyond just the engagement, she had thought that the Prince had at least held some fondness towards her. But that was just Lilia's desire, just an illusion. The Prince hadn't held even the slightest interest in her after all.
--Lilia. You're a good girl, so don't cry. Okay?
Even being told that, she couldn't stop despite her own will. If it could be stopped, she wouldn't be crying in the first place.
Just like that, she continued to cry for a while and then also noticed.
--...Hic.
Sakura's sobbing.
--Hey why are... you crying...
--After all... Thinking about Lilia's feelings even I'd end up getting sad...
That's just her doing her own thing, thought Lilia. In the end, what Sakura had was all just her own imaginings. It didn't seem like Sakura was really understanding her feelings.
Besides, Sakura continued.
--Even though I want to give you a hug... I can't do anything at all.
Lilia involuntarily opened her eyes wide. She hadn't thought that Sakura would be thinking about such a thing. When she wondered about the reason, she immediately felt disdain towards herself. Sakura was always thinking about Lilia. That was why, this time as well, she was probably feeling hurt as if it were about herself.
--Sorry, Lilia... Sorry, that I can't do anything for you...
--Don't worry about it alright... No need to, worry about it...
Sakura and Lilia's sobbing overlapped. Sakura being inside Lilia, Lilia being in an empty cla.s.sroom, the two continued to cry softly.
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