TRI-HERMES

Chapter 7: Are you for real?

The Bird Afar

ENJP
Once, long ago, I saw a beautiful bird fly overhead.むかし、うつくしい鳥を見た。
ENJP
Round and round, it circled the distant blue sky.はるかな青い空を、ぐるぐると、回るように飛んでいる。
How high it flew in this era when humans,もう鳥たちの時代も終わって、
not birds, reigned supreme.とっくに人間の時代になっているのに。
And yet the bird was completely uninterestedあの鳥は地上で増え続けるわたしたちのことも、
in humanity's endless desire for expansion,より高さを増していくわたしたちの家にも、
our creation of even higher homes,工場の煙突から煤すすをまき散らすわたしたちの文明にも、
or the smoke bellowing from industry's chimneys.まるで関心がないようだった。
ENJP
The sky extends further than the eye can see.いつまでも、いつまでも。
It belongs to no one, not now, not then.大空はもう誰のものでもないのに。
The bird was a truly noble creature.鳥は気高けだかく。
Flapping its wings powerfully across the wild, ancient sky.古い野生の空のまま、力強く羽ばたいていた。
ENJP
Until... The sudden sound of cold iron.……けれど、鉄の音は響いて。
A wing is shot, its symmetry gone forever.羽は撃たれて、シンメトリは失われ。
Cruel and tragic, its body plummets downwards.地に落ちた姿はずるずると無惨に映り。
Not knowing its fate, the bird frantically beats its wings till the very end.ああ―――それでも彼は、最後まで鳥として羽ばたいて。
One moment soaring with eyes to the sky, the next crashing down to the dry, hardened earth.わずかに風をきって、瞳を北ソラに向けたまま、乾いた地面に墜落した。
ENJP
...This was the dream I saw.……そんな光景を、今になって夢に見た。
No matter how much I thought about it, its details remained clouded.あんなにも心に残ったのに、どうしてか、よく覚えていない。
What did that bird look like, for instance?あの鳥は―――どんなカタチをしていただろう？
ENJP
"All right, class dismissed!「はい、今日の授業はここまで。
That's everything that will be on the test. Please don't share it with the other classes. You're the only ones I'm telling-think of it as a homeroom bonus.試験範囲の総まとめなんかやっちゃいましたけど、これ、うちのクラスだけですから。よそのクラスには内密にお願いしますね。担任特権と思ってください。
Remember, if this class gets the highest scores you can brag about it to all the other classes!"ほら、現国の平均点ぐらいは学年一番にしておくと、皆さんも鼻が高いと思いまして」
ENJP
Mr. Yamasiro chuckled as he finished.ははは、と穏和な笑顔で語りかける山城教諭。
This was typical of the kind teacher responsible for Year 2 Class C, the master at relaxing his pupils.２－Ｃの担任らしい、心温まる気遣いに教室中が和むのであった。
ENJP
"I think you've got that backward, Mr. Yamasiro. You're the one who's after bragging rights!"「せんせい、口元に本音出てるー。鼻を高くしたいのはあたしたちじゃないですよねー」
"Yeah, then he can finally get Mr. Satonaka off his back. We know he's been making fun of you all semester for our bad grades, sir."「鼻っていうか面子ですよねー。センセ、里中先生に嫌味言われてばっかりだしー」
"Err, duuh! We're like, total washouts, except for our totally excellent sports skills!"「つーかハッキリ言えばいいんすよ、オマエらあたま悪すぎだってー。いやあまあ、うちのクラス見事なまでに体育会系ばっかりだけどさー！」
ENJP
"Please, though it might not mean much coming from me, high school is about more than just your test scores.「いえいえ。テストの点数だけが学生生活ではありませんから、僕から言うべきコトは何も。
Teachers don't really care that much about your grades, you know. Even if you all fail, it's not like anything bad will happen to us.先生方もそこまで目くじらたててるワケじゃないので、別にクラス全員が赤点でも僕の人生には何ら関わりはないんですけどねー。
But there is one student who does bother me..."しかし一方ではひとり、厄介な御仁がおりまして」
ENJP
"I think you know who I'm talking about-you chose her to represent the entire student body, a monumentally awful decision.「皆さんが選んだ全校生徒代表の方なんですが、これが恐ろしいのなんの。
She makes a daily point to threaten to report me to the Board of Education, claiming my students' grades are the result of poor instruction rather than lack of studying.“テストの点数が低いのは生徒ではなく教育する側が無能だからです。教育委員会への報告準備はいつでも出来ていますので”と日夜脅おどしてくるんですよ。
She said if students' scores don't improve, she'd come supervise my classes herself. What kind of student even says such a thing?!"それでも生徒たちが直らないようなら、その時は直接私が監督します、とか。生徒としてどうなんですかね、アレ」
ENJP
"..."「――――――」
The warm atmosphere in the room suddenly fell below freezing.和気藹々わきあいあいとしていた空気が、一瞬にして氷点下まで落ちこんでいく。
The students of Class C now knew who their true enemy was.２－Ｃ組の生徒たちも、誰が本当の敵なのかなんとなく悟ったようだ。
ENJP
"Right... I forgot Mr. Yamasiro was the student body advisor."「あー……そっか、山城センセ生徒会の顧問だったっけ……南無南無」
"The student president managed to revive the cheer squad, so I wouldn't be surprised if she can force a teacher out of their job, too."「さすがは応援団を立ち直らせた女傑。教師一人退職に追いこむなど造作もねぇ……」
ENJP
"Yeah. I heard the she can guess teachers' ages with 100% accuracy.「やっぱりなあ。会長、ぜったい歳サバ読んでるって。
I can't believe she's the same age as us!あの迫力、同年代と思えねーし！
ENJP
-- TRANSLATION HERE

|I mean, look at her compared to the girls in our class. Her boobs are way bigger!"|ほら、うちの女子と比べると特に。こう、おっぱい的に」|
|"Oh my god, please get Kinomi moved to Class A, sir! It's hard enough with a class full of apes, but he's such a pig!"|「せんせー、木乃美だけでもＡ組に引き取ってもらえませんかー。そりゃ男子はみんなサルですけど、コイツだけレベルの違うサルですよ絶対！」|

ENJP
"But y'know, that girl doesn't even get the grades for a Class A member. Kinda middle of the pack, right?"「あれ。でも女史、Ａ組だけどあんまり成績よくねえよな？　中の上ぐらいじゃなかったっけ？」
"That's the point, dumbass. She doesn't need to go to cram school, she's on the student council, and sometimes does a job or two. It'd be heinous if she got awesome grades too."「そうだけど、別にいいんじゃない？　塾もいってないし、生徒会しきって、たまにバイトまでしてるんだから。あれで学年トップだったら逆に気持ち悪すぎ」
"Totally... We should leave the good grades to the vice-president."「だよなー。首位は副会長に任せとけばいいんだよー」
ENJP
"Hahaha. All right, that's enough gossiping, everyone. It's not nice to talk about people behind their backs.「はっはっは。まあまあ皆さん、うわさ話はそのあたりで。地獄耳という言葉もありますから。
In any case, good luck with your studies. Remember, if your grades don't improve then winter vacation gets canceled!じゃ、それなりに復習をよろしく。あんまり点数が悪いと冬休みそのものがなくなりますからねぇ。
Oh, and Sizuki, could I have a word before you go?"あ、それと静希君、ちょっといいですか？」
ENJP
Mr. Yamasiro gathered his things and beckoned for Soujyuro to join him in the hallway.山城教諭は教材をまとめると、草十郎に手招きをしながら廊下に出て行った。
ENJP
There were no other students to be seen despite it being break time between classes.休み時間だというのに、廊下に生徒の姿は見られない。
Voices were audible in the distance, but the hall itself felt strangely quiet and calm.生徒たちの騒ぎ声は聞こえるものの、廊下はひっそりと落ち着いている。
Perhaps it was due to the sense of confinement created by the lack of windows.窓のない廊下は閉塞感があるためだろう。
Usually students spent their breaks either in their classrooms or on the veranda.生徒たちにとって休み時間の憩いの場は教室内か、そのベランダになっていた。
ENJP
"What is it, sir?"「なんですか、山城先生？」
"Oh, nothing major.「いえ、そう大した用事じゃないんですけどね。
Sorry to bring this up right before exams, but I've been meaning to ask: how's everything going with school? You settling in all right?"試験前にこんな話をするのもデリカシーがないんですが、気になったので。どうだろう、学校には慣れたかな？」
"..."「――――――」
ENJP
Though this level of concern from a teacher startled him, Soujyuro felt reassured.担任の気遣いに驚きつつも、なんとなく嬉しくなる草十郎だった。
While the suns might not set,さもありなん。
After having had to deal with such difficult personalities lately, Mr. Yamasiro's trivial questions were refreshing.ここのところ不条理な人間に振り回されてばかりだったので、些細ささいな心配こころくばりでもぐっっと励まされるのだ。
ENJP
"Yes. I think I understand the basics of school life for now. And I've made friends, too."「はい。学校の造りや決まりなら、自分なりに分かってきました。友達も増えましたし」
"Good, glad to hear it. Students in my class tend to mouth off, so don't take them too seriously. I'm glad you're able to fit in."「そっか、それは良かった。うちのクラスは口の悪い面々だけど、その分気を遣わなくていいからね。静希君と相性がよくて助かったよ」
ENJP
"..."「――――――」
Soujyuro's eyes shone brightly in appreciation.おお、と草十郎は目を輝かせる。
In Aoko's words, Mr. Yamasiro was a brutish, forgettable, downright detestable man who did not even deserve the title of teacher. But Soujyuro found him considerate in his own way.蒼崎青子に『憎むべき昼行灯ひるあんどん、教師にあるまじきのれんに腕押し野郎』と酷評される山城教諭だが、彼は彼なりに気配りの人なのだった。
ENJP
"Take it easy with your part-time jobs. We give students a lot of time off before exams, but don't push yourself too hard.「アルバイトもほどほどにね。試験前だって言えばたいていのところは休ませてくれるから、あまり無理はしないように。
And if you have trouble with exams just ask the other students for help. There's no need to suffer in silence. If this school has anything it's plenty of people to talk to."また、試験で困ったコトがあったら周りに相談しなさい。ひとりで悩んでいても時間の無駄だよ。ほら、学校っていうのは話し相手にだけは困らないから」
ENJP
With a wave of his hand Mr. Yamasiro was gone.それじゃあ、と手を挙げて山城教諭は去っていった。
The pure-hearted Soujyuro gave him a solemn nod as if to say he accepted the advice of his so-called forgettable teacher, and went back into his classroom.純朴な少年は昼行灯な忠告をまっすぐに受けとめ、なるほど、と頷きながら教室に引き返す。
ENJP
And then...そうして、
"Come again? You want my advice about girls?!"「ちょっ、女のコトで相談だあ！？」
Soujyuro had not wasted a moment in putting Mr. Yamasiro's advice into practice.一分も待たず、山城教諭から受けたアドバイスを実行した。
ENJP
"Yeah... It's like I've hit a wall with them.「そうらしい。難問にぶち当たっているんだ。
I thought about it and thought about it, but I realized that I'm no good at figuring them out."深く考えてみて気付いたんだが、どうも、自分は発想が貧困らしい」
Soujyuro averted his eyes out of shame over his lack of insight.いまじねーしょんがよわいのだ、と無念そうに目を伏せる草十郎。
"You coulda fooled me. I thought you were man with the ladies! Well, you came to the right guy. Follow me."「いや、豊かだと思ってたコトがビックリなんだけど……まあいい、こっちこい」
ENJP
Shocked as he was, Kinomi grabbed Soujyuro by the shoulder and pulled him over to the wall.木乃美は呆れながらも草十郎の肩をつかみ、教室の端はしに移動した。
Kinomi had nearly burst out laughing when Soujyuro, with a straight face, had admitted his difficulty with girls. But, he realized it was the first time Soujyuro had ever turned to him for advice.真顔で「女の子は難しいと訊く」と切り出された時は吹きそうになった木乃美だが、考えてみると草十郎が自分から相談ごとにくるのは初めてだ。
ENJP
Soujyuro was always able to break down any task at his part-time jobs into bite-size pieces, but he was clearly struggling with a different problem now.バイト先でもたいていのものは辛抱強くこなしてしまうこの男が悩んでいるのだ。
This was going to take some serious effort.これは、よっぽどのコトとかからねばなるまい。
ENJP
"Okay. Give it to me straight, pal. How big did you screw up?"「で。なんかやっちまったのか、ｙｏｕ」
"I didn't screw up yet... but it might happen soon."「……。これから、やるのかもしれない」
ENJP
"Let's say a girl walked into The Mad Bear who's as prickly as a porcupine.「木乃美。たとえばの話、まっどべあにハリセンボンみたいな女の子が入ってきたとする。
She doesn't like me and wants me to leave, but I don't want to."その子は俺が嫌いで、まっどべあから出ていってほしいようなんだけど、俺はまっどべあを辞めるワケにはいかない」
Soujyuro explained that he couldn't just quit his part-time job at the restaurant-he needed the money.なによりお金のために、と草十郎は熱弁する。
Kinomi grunted a few times to indicate he was still following Soujyuro's story.とりあえず頷くしかない木乃美だった。
ENJP
"So, like, you want the girl to split?"「……つまり、その女を追い出したいと？」
"No, no. I want her to be okay with me working there.「逆だ。なんとか認めてもらいたい。
Because the thing is... I sort of... don't not like her."隠していたけど、俺はその女の子が嫌いというワケじゃなくて……」
ENJP
Soujyuro furrowed his brow.草十郎はむう、と眉間に皺しわを寄せる。
Kinomi could not help but laugh at his friend's lack of manly resolve in his answer.この男らしからぬ歯切れの悪さに、木乃美はははあんと事情を察した。
Girls were the one area where Housuke's skills and experience were triple those of Soujyuro.こと女性関係においてのみ、木乃美芳助の巡りの良さは三倍以上になるのである。
ENJP
"A-ha. Now I see.「―――ははあん。はっはっーん。
That's just the art of flirting, man. You want to get along with her, right?"なんだよ、ようはナンパかよ。むしろ仲良くなりたいってワケ？」
Soujyuro wasn't sure how to respond.木乃美の指摘に、む？　と思案する草十郎。
He nodded slowly without really understanding the implication of what Kinomi had said.彼本人、それがどういうコトなのかよく分からないまま、こくんと頷いた。
ENJP
"But I don't know what to do. How can I get along with girls my age?"「けど、どうすればいいのか分からない。そもそもどうやって、同い年の女の子と仲良く話ができるんだ？」
"You talk to girls in our class all the time! Honestly, you make all the other guys look bad, you're a natural at it.「クラスの女どもとは話してんじゃん。あれでいいんだっつの、オレは羨ましいっつの。
Just keep being your usual clueless self and I'm sure you'll be fine.持ち前の天然系で押してけばいいべ。
Being raised in the mountains makes you Mr. Mysterious. You gotta use that unique identity to your advantage."山育ちってのは稀少なアイデンティティだと思うぜ？　珍しいものは活いかさないとさー」
ENJP
"Really? I don't think being unusual is such a good thing, though.「そうかな。珍しいというのは、あんまりいいコトじゃない気がする。
Like, how do you talk to someone who hates your guts? People in class are nice, but I'm dealing with a thorny beast here! O-Or maybe a hedgehog is a better metaphor..."だいたい、そもそも嫌われている場合はどうすればいいんだ？　クラスのみんなは親切だけど、相手はハリセンボンだ。いや、このさいハリネズミでもいい」
"Don't be a chicken, man. You know what they say, a tiny thorn can stop a lion. She'll come around."「そういう場合はめげなきゃいいんだよ。相手が折れるのを待つって寸法だな。トゲだけに」
ENJP
Soujyuro's brow sunk deeper still.むむう、と草十郎の皺はますます深くなる。
"All these abstract metaphors are too much for me."「このたとえ話は、ダメだ」
He needed more concrete material to work with.などと右往左往するものの、他にうまい喩えが見つからない模様。
ENJP
"Come on, dude. You have to put in the work to get on a girl's good side.「ばっか。女なんてのは機嫌を取ってればいいんだよ。
First ask about her hobbies and stuff she likes, then go from there. Think about what she wants, not what you want. You gotta blitz 'em from where they're weak, as they say."まずは女の趣味とか、大事にしてるもんとか聞いて、そこをフォローすればいい。自分の都合より相手の都合だ。まずは外堀そとぼりから攻めろってコトだな」
"You mean... don't be too direct?"「外堀……外回りか」
ENJP
"You got it. And then comes the most important part: bribery. You gotta shower her with presents.「もち。その後は、ま、結局はこれが一番効果的なんだけどな。袖の下ってヤツ？　プレゼントで釣れ。
If the supply matches the demand, she'll accept your gift even if she don't like you. Then you've got her, she'll feel like she owes you one."そん時の需要じゅようと供給きょうきゅうさえ合えば、嫌われてても受け取ってもらえる。受け取らせちまえば、あとはそれが義理になるってもんだ」
Kinomi then proclaimed with an odd sense of pride that this approach had resulted in only failure for him.いまのところオレはこれで連戦連敗さ！　と力強く語る友人に、何か間違った頼もしさを覚える草十郎だった。
ENJP
"There's just one problem, Kinomi.「―――けど問題がある木乃美。
I get that girls like being taken out to dinner, but..."たしかにごはんとか、そういうのをおごってもらうと嬉しい。けど」
ENJP
"You can't afford it. I know, I know.「そんな余裕かねはないってんだろ。分かってる分かってる。
I got you covered, haha. I'm gonna let you in on a sweet little secret-an easy way to get you some cold hard dough."……ひひひ、仕方ないねぇ。そういう静希君のために、いっちょ割のいいバイトを紹介してやろうじゃねえのよ」
"?"「？」
ENJP
They slid from the side of the classroom deeper to one corner.教室の端はしから、さらに隅すみへ。
To in front of the lockers, where no one ever stayed for long.木乃美は人気のないロッカーの前まで草十郎を連れこんだ。
It would be days before Soujyuro realized the suggestion he was receiving was of the illegitimate kind, the kind he should not have shared with anyone.それが他人には聞かせられない、悪質な勧誘の類たぐいであるコトを草十郎が知るのは、これより何日か後の話である。
ENJP
That night...その夜。
Dinner at the mansion was a feast of bread.洋館の夕食は、一面のパン尽くしだった。
ENJP
Soft slices lay stacked in the center of the table,テーブルの中央にはカットされたソフトブレッドが積まれ、
surrounded by variously colored jams.周りには色とりどりのジャムが置かれ、
In a bowl was salad-mainly lettuce-ボウルにはレタスを中心にしたサラダ、
with a small plate of unevenly cut ham.小皿には太さがマチマチなハムが並んでいた。
ENJP
Soujyuro may have had no frame of reference for what an average family dinner should be, but he could tell that this was most certainly not normal.一般家庭の夕食、その平均をまだ知らない草十郎ではあるが、これがおかしな夕食ものであるコトは感じ取れる。
In truth, it was a first-rate case of laziness.率直に言って、手を抜いているコトこの上ない。
ENJP
"Ugh. We're out of chocolate spread.「あ。チョコのペースト切れたままじゃん。
Didn't I tell you to buy some more, Alice?"有珠、新しいの買っておいてって言わなかった？」
"I've been locked away in my room all day.「……今日は一日、部屋に籠もっていたから。
And more importantly, you're the only one that eats that stuff, so you should buy it."第一、チョコレイトを食べるのは貴女だけよ。自分のものは自分で調達をするべきね」
ENJP
For these two girls, however, this dinner seemed to be completely normal.が、彼女たち的に、この夕食は普通らしい。
They had a system of irregularly taking turns being in charge of meals, and tonight was Alice's turn.食事の準備は変則的な当番制で、今夜は久遠寺有珠のターンだった。
Normally she would spend as little time and effort as possible, only truly applying herself when there was something to celebrate.有珠にとって食事当番とは、平時は手間暇を最小限に抑える作業であり、祝時のみ腕によりをかけて調理する……ものだった。
ENJP
Of course, Soujyuro was none the wiser to Alice's unique approach to food preparation.無論、そんな有珠の哲学を草十郎が知るよしもない。
For him it was a plain, lackluster meal.草十郎から見ても簡素な食事。
And when it came to dinner...加えて、
Not saying anything to each other was another staple of their meals.ふたりの間にはこれといった会話はない。
The sounds of cutlery, the scraping of chairs, and the tick-tock of the clock were the only things to be heard in the sunroom.食器の音、椅子ずれの音、時計の音だけが、サンルームに流れている。
ENJP
Soujyuro himself had already eaten. At this moment he was watching the goings-on from the drawing room.ちなみに草十郎はと言うと、夕食は済ませていたので居間からサンルームの様子を眺めているだけだった。
ENJP
"Your part-time job starts at nine, right, Soujyuro? See you later then. Don't mind us."「草十郎、九時からアルバイトでしょ。行ってらっしゃい。私たちの事は気にしないでいいから」
"Okay. I'll get going then."「ああ。じゃあ行ってくる」
ENJP
Soujyuro donned his coat with a goodbye nod.青子の声に頷いて、コートを羽織る。
When Soujyuro glanced again at the sunroom草十郎がもう一度サンルームに目をやると、
he momentarily locked eyes with Alice, or so he imagined.気のせいか、ばったりと有珠と視線が合った。
ENJP
"?"「？」
She had been ignoring him all day.今日一日、有珠は草十郎を無視し続けた。
And not just refusing to talk to him-she had avoided him so much so as to not look at him all day until this very moment.視界にさえ入れない、という徹底ぶりである。
He could understand if he was annoying her as the outsider in the mansion, but he felt no animosity in her gaze just now.邪魔者として睨まれているのであれば合点がいくが、先ほどの視線に敵意はなかった。
ENJP
"Maybe she was just glancing in the general direction of the drawing room."「……居間の様子を見てた、のかな」
Soujyuro looked nervously at his surroundings for a moment before heading to the foyer.きょろきょろと居間を見渡して、草十郎はロビーへと向かっていった。
ENJP
Alice only let her gaze return to normal when she was completely sure he was gone.草十郎の退出を認めると、有珠は不自然だった視線を戻す。
"Ugh. So much drama."「―――はあ、めんどくさ」
Aoko was appalled by Alice's brazen display.青子からすれば露骨すぎて呆れてしまう。
So much so, her immaculate veneer of apathy crumbled.無関心を装っているのがバレバレなのだ。
ENJP
"What's that, Aoko? Still upset over tonight's lack of chocolate?"「……なに。献立こんだてに不満でもあるの、青子」
"I would be, but I'm so over expecting other people to pull their weight.「もちろんあるけど、いつもの事だし慣れてるわよ。
No, what I can't stand is your attitude.私が呆れてるのはアンタの意地の悪さの方。
It's pretty sissy of you to pretend to ignore him while watching his every move. Could you be any more obvious with such a cheap trap?"徹底的に無視してるクセに、相手の反応を窺うかがってるなんて女々しくない？　罠張って待ち受けるようなもんじゃない」
ENJP
"I was not watching his every move. I could care less what he does. And mind how you use the word 'sissy.' It reeks of sexism.「彼の反応なんて探ってないわ。そもそも興味がないもの。それと、今のは差別発言ね。女々しいという表現は女性軽視にすぎるわ。
Next time, just say 'you're a hypocrite,' okay?"今の場合なら、貴女は矛盾している、と言ってちょうだい」
"Well look who suddenly found a soap box."「うわ、自覚ありときた」
ENJP
Choosing not to rise to her roommate's jibe, Alice resumed eating.同居人の指摘を聞き流して、有珠は夕食を再開する。
Aoko tore off pieces of bread and ate them one by one, anger still visible on her face.青子は呆れ顔のまま、ソフトブレッドをちぎっては食べ、ちぎっては食べるのだった。
ENJP
"Forget whatever issues you and me have for a minute, and take some advice from someone who knows a thing or two about messing with that boy.「じゃあここからは蒼崎青子としてじゃなく、共犯者としての質問ね。
Maybe, we need to cut him some slack.有珠的に、彼を見逃していいと思える判断材料はない？
Hypothetically, let's say it turns out that he's a mage too. Then would you be okay with him living here?"ありえないけど、実は彼も魔術師でした、なんてオチであったとしても、洋こ館こに住まわせるのは容認できない？」
ENJP
"Sure. But not for his benefit. I couldn't think of a more fitting punishment for you and I for not recognizing his ability sooner.「その理由なら認めるわ。彼を許すのではなく、そんな事に気付かなかったわたしたちへのペナルティとして。
So, yes, hypothetically speaking, I would. But we can burn that bridge when we come to it.……そうね。今のは絶対にありえない話だけど、それと同じに、絶対の結論もまたないわ。
But until then, perhaps I should accept his presence here, perhaps not. I reserve the right to have whims of my own."彼がここに住む選択を呑む場合すらあるかもしれない。気の迷いは、わたしにだってあるのだし」
ENJP
"Then we're agreed.「ええそう、そういうコトよ。
You can keep your chilly distance out of duty to me or personal pride, but if he shows signs of improving, then maybe-"今は私との義理とかプライドで冷静をたもってるアンタだけど、アイツの努力次第で少しは、」
ENJP
"Dream on. It doesn't matter what he does, he'll never change.「それは諦めて。彼が何をしようと無駄だから。
As you very well know."貴女も知っていると思うけど―――」
Alice had never been the type to let her guard down around others.そもそも、この少女は他人に気を許す事が出来ない。
The young witch despised humans, having recreated so many of their objects and fairy tales.多くの器物、多くの童話を再現する代償として、魔女は人間を嫌うものなのだ。
ENJP
"You can't use being a witch as an excuse for every personal issue you have. Yet another example of you being sissy, if you ask me.「そんなのアンタ個人のトラウマでしょ。自分の意固地さを魔女の血統云々で棚上げするのはそれこそ女々しいわ。
It's fine if you dislike him, just come out and act like it.いいじゃない、嫌いなら嫌いでハッキリしてれば。
Stop trying to have it both ways."私が気にくわないのはね、アンタのどっちつかずの態度よ有珠」
"And what's that supposed to mean?"「どっちつかずの態度……？」
ENJP
"That if you want to ignore him then ignore him for real.「そ。無視するなら徹底して無視してやれって言ってるの。
You're fortifying the castle walls while leaving the front gate wide open, waiting for him to make the horrible mistake of exactly what you're urging him to do. It's gross to watch.ガチガチに守りをかためて、そのクセ城門だけ開けて、獲物が油断して入ってきたら串刺しにする気満々とか、相棒として見てられないわ。
If you don't want him to come inside, then shut the damn door already!"アイツにできるコトなんて閉ざされた門をあける事ぐらいだっていうのに、その機会さえ無くすのはどうなの？」
ENJP
"I'm sorry, Aoko, you've lost me.「……ごめんなさい青子。もう少し簡単に言って。
Say that again in plain English."その喩えは、ちょっと……」
Alice seemed unable to grasp Aoko's metaphor.何を比喩しているのか分からない、と言いよどむ有珠。
Meanwhile, Aoko had had it up to here with her roommate's lack of self-awareness and was starting to lose her cool.そんな相棒の無自覚さに、青子の苛立ちは一瞬だけ沸点を超えたようだ。
ENJP
"If you really don't care, then quit worrying so much about him! If he notices you gawking at him, he might just get the wrong idea!「だから興味ないとか言っておきながらコナかけるなってコト！　あんなにチラチラ盗み見たら、アイツ、ヘンに勘違いしちゃうかもしれないでしょ？
ENJP
He's probably thinking, 'Alice looked like she wanted to patch things up. Maybe I should go stop by her room.'“有珠はああ見えて、本当は自分と仲直りしたがっているに違いない。じゃあさっそく部屋に押しかけてみよう”

|Or even worse!"|とか！」|

ENJP
"...You really think so?"「―――そういうコトに、なるの？」
"Yes! If it were me you were doing that to, I'd be dragging you out back and smacking you senseless. Bitch."「なる。少なくとも、私だったらいいかげんイライラして“話があるなら校舎裏まで来い”って決着つけかねないレベル。この毒婦どくふ」
ENJP
"Very well. I'll be more careful.「……そうだったのね。気をつけるわ。
It's not like I want to talk to him anyway. And for the record I didn't look at him, exactly. Only at his arms and legs."別に、彼と話をする気はないんだし。わたしも、彼を見ていたというより、彼の手足を見ていたのだし」
"And why in the world would you look at his arms and legs?"「？　手足って、なんで？」
ENJP
"Because of what happened the other night, though I doubt he even remembers.「手足は手足よ。彼個人には思うところはないけど、あの夜の出来事はまだ記憶に新しいから。
I was thinking about it and just...happened to glance over at his arms and legs."それが少しだけ気になって、つい視線で追っていたのね」
"You mean at the amusement park? I don't remember him doing anything special."「あの夜って、遊園地のこと？　なんかしたっけアイツ？」
ENJP
"..."「…………」
Alice's expression soured.有珠の表情が見るからに不機嫌になる。
She still felt the sting of her defeat.遊園地での敗北をいまだ引きずっているらしい。
ENJP
"You saw the way he flew through the air, didn't you?「飛んだでしょう、彼。
Off the track, straight at my Dumpty."レールの上から、私のダンプティに向かって」
"Sure, you were raving about how he flew a whole couple of feet."「ええ、そんなコト言ってたわね。勢いでつい、一メートルぐらいだから飛んじゃったー、とか」
ENJP
Aoko had not actually seen it in person, luckily.幸運な事に、青子はあの現場を見ていない。
All she knew was that the spell she had placed on Soujyuro was part of the reason he survived that jump of death.草十郎が死のジャンプをこなした理由のひとつが、自分あおこがかけた暗示によるもの、としか知らないのだ。
ENJP
Alice on the other hand had observed the whole scene from the clock tower.一方、有珠はあの光景を時計台から目撃していた。
It had only lasted an instant本当にわずか一瞬だけだったが、
but it had burned itself into her mind's eye,崩れ去るスナークよりも
more than when her precious moon had fallen at Aoko's hands地上で月を落とす青子よりも、
and Flat Snark had come tumbling down.目を奪ったその光景。
ENJP
"So that's it. You wanna get back at him for what happened to Dumpty, do you?"「でも、それがどうしたの？　卵の仇討ちってワケ？」
ENJP
"Dumpty's destruction was purely business. I feel no need for retaliation.「ダンプティは壊れるのが仕事だから、仇討ちも何もないわ。

|I was just intrigued to observe the movement of a human body."|ただ……人間の体って、あんな風に動くんだなって」|

ENJP
It could only be.そう。
For someone with as little human interaction as Alice, Soujyuro's leap must have appeared quite remarkable.人付き合いの少ない有珠にとって、草十郎の跳躍は初めて見る衝撃だった。
Particularly because his legs were orders of magnitude less capable than those of an animal in the forest.森の動物たちより何倍もバランスの悪い、二本の手足。
And yet, even with such feeble legs, with those meek arms of his, he managed to fly through the open air like a bird.あんな頼りのない足なのに、あんなに無力な両手だったのに、鳥のように虚空を駆った人のカタチ。
To her, it was akin to the feeling city folk get when they see a wild creature in its natural habitat.それは都市で暮らす人間が、野生の動物ピューマの躍動を見る感動に近かった。
ENJP
"...Forget I mentioned it. I just hope I can witness that again someday.「……気にしないで。機会があるなら、もう一度見たいと思っただけ。
And when I say 'human' I am not referring to him."別に、彼に何を期待しているワケじゃないわ」
"...I see. It was novel for you. It makes sense considering most of your Ploys have non-human forms."「……なるほど。有珠のプロイってだいたいが人型じゃないしね。たんに物珍しさで見ていただけか」
ENJP
Aoko sighed and released the tension from her shoulders.はーあ、と両肩を落とす青子。
She was disappointed to discover that Alice's behavior stemmed from simple curiosity, like that of a child with a new toy.有珠の思わせぶりな態度が、新しい玩具を欲しがる子供の好奇心と知って落胆したのだ。
ENJP
And Alice was in no position to take issue with her reaction.そんな同居人の態度に、有珠も異論を唱えなかった。
And how could she? She was not entirely sure what it was that she herself was feeling.彼女自身、自分の抱いた感動が何なのか、よく分かっていなかったからだ。
ENJP
"I'll make dinner tomorrow.「夕食、明日は私が作るから。
Another meal like this before exams is going to make it impossible to study."試験前だってのにこんなしょぼくれたもん食べさせられたら、一夜漬けする気合いも湧かないわよ」
"No complaints from me. I certainly wouldn't mind the free time."「ご自由に。わたしも手が空いて助かるわ」
ENJP
Night came and went in the mansion.洋館の夜は過ぎていく。
For better or worse, the disturbances caused by the foreign invader had not yet caused the kettle to boil over.幸か不幸か、異物混入による変化は、まだ表面化していないようだ。
ENJP
The next morning, at six-thirty, as sunlight spread out across the sky...翌朝、空に白みがかかりだした午前六時半。
Soujyuro walked to school with Aoko in the chilly morning air.冷えこんだ空気の中、なぜか草十郎は青子と一緒に登校していた。
ENJP
"So try not to ever be alone in the house. Okay?"“いい？　洋館にいる時は、極力一人にならない事。”
It was her intention to keep Soujyuro safe until he left the mansion.青子はその忠告通り、こうして洋館を出るまでは草十郎の安全を確保している。
Nonetheless...……にしても、
ENJP
"God I'm sleepy. What's the deal with going to school so early?"「眠い。六時から登校とか、アンタも働き者ね」
"I'm not. I have to pull a thirty-minute shift helping with deliveries."「そうでもないよ。三十分仕し出だしを手伝うだけだし」
His work ethic was a little too strong for a student entering finals.期末試験を控えた状況とは思えない、逞たくましいまでの労働意欲である。
ENJP
"Are you sure you're not pushing yourself too hard, Aozaki?「それより蒼崎、無理してないか？
You don't need to keep tabs on me, you know."別に、こっちに付き合う事ないんだぞ」
"Oh don't you worry. I'll catch up on some sleep in the student council's room when we're done.「ご心配なく、生徒会室で仮眠とるから。
I promised I'd walk you as far as the front gate, and I plan to stick to it."約束だし、門までは一緒に行くわよ」
ENJP
But internally, Aoko was worried.青子は思う。
What traps did her roommate have in store for him?はたして、同居人がどんな罠を仕掛けているか。
She could not imagine Alice had planned anything to go down in the woods, but she wanted to be safer than sorry.まさか森の中まで禁忌タブーを仕掛けているとは思えないが、念のためだ。
The least she could do was accompany Soujyuro to school. That much she was firmly committed to.せめて行き道ぐらいは草十郎の味方になろう、と決めた青子である。
ENJP
Any traps that presented themselves could then be dealt with on the spot.罠があるのなら行き道で解除すればいい。
Well, not "dealt with" so much as destroyed, since that was Aoko's forte. But that would be enough to keep him safe for the time being.一度解除……といっても青子には壊す程度しかできないのだが……してしまえば、しばらくは安全になるだろう。
ENJP
"As for when you get out of school, all we can do is hope that Alice is short on free time today."「ま、帰り道に関しては、有珠もそこまで暇ではないと信じるしかないんだけど」
"?"「？」
ENJP
If Alice was willing to put all her energy into a new trap after the first had failed, then they were as good as dead anyway.夜に罠を仕掛けて、解除されたら休むことなく日中に仕掛けてまわる……なんてマメさを発揮されてはお手上げだ。
But Aoko would cross that road when she came to it.その時はその時。
It all depended on how deep Alice's dislike of Soujyuro really went.久遠寺有珠にとって、静希草十郎はそこまでするほどの外敵だっただけの話だ。
It would have to be enough to make her abandon her pride as a witch, something she had protected fervently until now.あの少女が頑なに守ってきた、魔女としての矜持プライドを台無しにしてもいい程の。
ENJP
"..."「――――――」
If that were the case Aoko knew she would never be able to keep him safe. The moment twenty-four seven protection became necessary was the moment she had failed.そもそも、その場合は青子がどれだけ尽力してもこの少年は守りきれない。日中のコトまで気を回すのは意味がなかった。
Her character led her to focus on what she could do in the here and now, and ignore the rest.自分にできるかぎりの事ならするが、自分の範疇を超えた事はあっさりと切り捨てるのが青子の人間性である。
And this current plan of hers was her best attempt at doing right by everyone.彼女にとっては、この方針が最大限の譲歩だった。
ENJP
They left behind the Kuonji Estate.久遠寺の敷地から出る。
And the two remained together until the residential area at the bottom of the hill.坂を下りて住宅地に出るまでふたり一緒だ。
Where Aoko glanced casually at Soujyuro.ふと、青子は傍らの少年を盗み見る。
"So, any thoughts?"「ところで、何か考えてる？」
ENJP
Surprisingly, Soujyuro saw through her harmless question and sensed the bigger issue.青子は気まぐれで問いただしたが、意外な事に草十郎は質問の意図を察していた。
How was he going to win Alice over?“有珠をどう納得させるのか”
In fact he had been thinking about that very question.その難問を、彼は彼なりに考えていたらしい。
ENJP
According to his friend...友人曰く。
There were three basic approaches he could take.この手の難問には大きく三通りの対応法があるという。
One was the roundabout approach.一つは外回り。
ENJP
"This way takes the longest, but it's the most natural.“こいつは時間がかかるが、もっとも自然だ。
Humans love it when you pay attention to the things they like, just as friends do."人間ってのは自分が好きなものを大切にされると、コロッと気を許しちまう。仲間意識ってヤツだな！”
In other words, instead of focusing on the person one wishes to win over, one should focus on their interests.つまり、ターゲット本人ではなく、ターゲットが大事にしているものに気を遣え、というコトらしい。
ENJP
It was a surprisingly mature opinion coming from Kinomi. Unfortunately, Soujyuro had no idea what sort of things Alice liked.木乃美らしからぬ大人な意見ではあったが、残念なことに、草十郎は有珠の嗜好しこうを知らなかった。
She seemed very fond of the mansion, but what could he do-clean it for her? He sensed that would have a reverse effect.洋館を大切にしているコトは感じ取っているが、ここで洋館の掃除などをしても逆効果な気がする。
He had the distinct feeling she would not want him touching what was precious to her.草十郎としては、大切すぎるものには簡単に触れて欲しくないのではないか、と思うのだ。
ENJP
The second approach was to take the inner track.二つめは内回り。
"It's the fastest way to get someone to fall for you. When you can't coast on your natural good looks and charm, that's what your wallet is for.“でも、やっぱり本人を落とすのが一番早い。オレたちに魅力がないのなら、魅力のある外付け装備に頼るのだ。
ENJP
You know what I'm talking about-gifts!"―――そう、プレゼントなンだよ静希クン！”

|A quick-and-dirty strategy-the assassin's strike.|即ち短期決戦。かつ、一撃必殺。|
|Manipulate someone's feelings with an expensive gift.|高価な贈り物で相手の意識を変えろ、というコトらしい。|

ENJP
To Soujyuro, this sounded like his best chance.素晴らしい作戦だ、と草十郎も思う。
The approach was easy for him to grasp, and he appreciated its simplicity.なによりシンプルなのがいい。わかりやすいのは彼にとってありがたい。
However, he had the same concerns as with the first approach.しかし―――つまるところ、それも一つ目の作戦と同じ気がする。
A step was missing, and without this step the plan was bound to fail.なにより、先立つものがないのが致命的だ。
ENJP
"The only other option is...well, I guess you could call it 'wait and see.'“あとは……まあ、見ケンってヤツ？
ENJP
I don't fully understand it myself, but they say if you try too hard, your plan's bound to backfire.オレにはよくわかんねえけどさー、やりすぎると悪い印象を持たれるとか殿下がいってたなー。
Like, you don't ever want the girl to have a sudden epiphany of 'Oh, now I love him!' It's better that it dawns on her after you've hung out together for a while, like, 'Wait...I think I like him!'"アタシ、いま落とされてる！　って意識させちゃダメなんだとよ。付き合った後で、アレ、アタシ落とされた？　と気づかせるのが上等なんだとか”
ENJP
Though Soujyuro did not quite grasp the details he understood the basic idea: Don't press your luck.言わんとするところはまったく分からないが、要は無理をするな、というコトらしい。
He knew that much was good advice.まったく同感だ。
He would have to try extremely hard to get on Alice's good side.気に入られる為に努力するのは正しい。
And he could tell it would be a long process to get there.けれど、それにも段階があるのでは、と草十郎は思うのだ。
ENJP
Soujyuro recalled the time he had wandered inside a fox's territory in the mountains.昔、山で見知らぬ狐のテリトリーに入ってしまったコトを思いだす。
He had left some food on the ground for the fox, and then it never bothered him again.あの時は手持ちの食べ物などを置いてしまったが、それ以降、狐の気配はなくなってしまった。
What is considered good will and kindness varies from person to person.善意、懇意のカタチは人それぞれ。
But if there is enough good will from one side, regardless of whether that good will is reciprocated, the other side will eventually start to feel an obligation to do so.一方的な善意は時として重荷になる。
That was key.なので、
ENJP
"It's okay, I'll think of something. For now, I can only do... what I can do.「大丈夫、考えてるよ。とりあえず自分にできるコトとか、したいコトをしようと思う。
Don't worry. I've taken your counsel to heart, Aozaki."安心してくれ。蒼崎に忠告されたコトすら、きちんと守る方針だ」
"..."「――――――」
Soujyuro seemed ready to face things head on.まかせろ、と胸を張る草十郎。
His answer did little to reassure Aoko, however. She found herself more concerned about his safety than ever before.まったく頼り甲斐のない返答に、ほんと大丈夫かコイツ、とつい親身になってしまう青子だった。
ENJP
"You're looking for a broom like the ones at school?"「学校にあるような箒ほうきがほしい？」
"Yeah. The cheaper the better."「そうなんだ。できれば安く買えるところ」
"Don't you live in an apartment? Who needs a broom in an apartment?"「……静希の家、アパートよね。箒なんてモノ必要とは思えないけど」
"Well, you know, I've been wanting to clean things up a little. I could use some trash bags, too."「いや、ちょっと気になるところがあって掃除がしたいんだ。ゴミ袋もあると助かる」
ENJP
"Aren't you supposed to be broke or something?「無駄な出費はできないって言ってたクセに。
Whatever. Wanna use my broom then? I'll lend it to you if you want."ま、どうでもいいけど。うちのでよければ使う？　貸してあげましょうか？」
"Actually... I need it for longer than one day, so maybe it's best I buy my own.「たぶん一日じゃ終わらないから自分で買うよ。
I mean, I always wanted my own broom. Brooms are nice to have around, you know?"もとから欲しかったものだし。あると便利だよ、箒」
ENJP
Soujyuro was on his way home from his part-time job after school.学校が終わってから、アルバイトの帰り道。
It was four in the afternoon, two hours earlier than his part-time job would have normally ended.時刻はバイト終了時間から二時間ほど早い午後四時。
The Mad Bear's head chef had gotten in trouble with the accountant for making a student work the day before exams. Thus, Soujyuro's boss had tearfully sent him home early.試験前日に学生を拘束するとは何事か、とお店の会計係に叱られたまっどべあ料理長は泣く泣く草十郎を送りだしてくれた。
Just then...そして。
The interruption to his standard schedule must have been just the shock he needed.この二時間のタイムラグこそが、草十郎の明暗を分けるのだ。多分。
ENJP
Normally, he would meet up with Aoko after she was done with student council affairs and go home with her.本来の予定では、草十郎は生徒会の作業を終えてから下校する青子と合流し、久遠寺邸に向かわなければならない。
However, today, Soujyuro was asking the other students who worked at the same place if they knew any shops in the area where he could buy a broom.が、何を思ったか草十郎はバイト仲間の同期生に、この近くで竹箒を売っている店はないかと訊ねていた。
ENJP
"God, what's wrong with you? People from the countryside are like, so weird.「田舎者の趣味って理解不能ね。酔狂すいきょうすぎ。
Anyway... You know that nasty ramen place near school? Just go to the end of that street and there's a hardware store called Okita.三咲高うちの近くにまっずいラーメン屋あるでしょ。あそこの通りを終わりまで行けば沖田って金物かなもの店がある。
It's way cheaper than the home supply store to the west of the station, as long as they have what you want, anyway.一式揃えるなら西口のホームセンターより安くあがるわ。
Use my bicycle if you want, I don't care. I won't need it until exams are over anyway."……どうでもいいけど、わたしの自転車チャリ使う？　どうせ試験明けまで使わないし」
ENJP
Soujyuro's eyes lit up as if he had met his savior. But biking uphill to the mansion, let alone with a package to carry, was not a pretty thought.思わぬ助け船に目を輝かせるが、久遠寺邸までの坂道を自転車で、しかも荷物を抱えて走るのは難しそうだ。
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass. See you at school tomorrow!"「いや、自転車には乗ってみたいけど、今回は遠慮するよ。じゃあまた明日、学校で」
ENJP
Saying farewell to his co-workers he headed to the hardware store.少女に礼を言って金物店に向かう。
He needed a cheap and sturdy bamboo broom and a large dustpan to go with it.目的は安くて丈夫な竹箒と、大型のチリ取り。
If possible, a pushcart and stick for a splint would have been nice, too. As it happened, Soujyuro wanted quite a few things.できれば台車や添え木用の棒もほしい、といざ考えだすと色々なものが欲しい草十郎だった。
ENJP
Alice returned to her work after waking from her nap.午睡ごすいから目を覚ますと、少女は作業を再開した。
ENJP
The Kuonji Estate had an annex that housed a library.久遠寺邸には別館があり、その内部は図書室になっている。
The library was filled with books handed down to her from her mother, so it was Alice's territory such that even Aoko dared not enter.少女の母から受け継いだ書物を収蔵したそこは、同居人である蒼崎青子も立ち入る事を躊躇ちゅうちょする領域だ。
If the mansion was a witch's abode, left behind by the times,久遠寺邸が時代に取り残された魔女の館なら、
the library was a fairy-tale quarters, lost to the ages.この図書室は時代に忘れ去られた御伽おとぎの部屋。
It was a natural sanctuary for the young witch who could command Ploys to do her bidding.童話を操る幼い魔女からすれば、必然、相性の良い聖域と言える。
ENJP
She relied on her memory to recall the location of each book on the many shelves.少女は記憶を頼りに本棚を巡っていく。
And then...……と。
Upon raising her head she was met with the most unusual of sights.なんとなしに顔を上げた時、おかしな風景を見てしまった。
ENJP
"..."「…………」
Her elegant eyebrows bristled in distaste.優美な眉が不満げに寄せられる。
From that moment on, she failed to accomplish anything she had planned for that day.その後の予定は、なにひとつ守れなかった。
She was instead forced to stare at the strange sight outside her window, eyebrows fixed in that position until the sun set.少女は日が暮れるまで眉のカタチを変えず、じっと、窓の外のおかしな景色を眺めていたからだ。
ENJP
Ah well.―――とまあ。
Moving into the grand mansion on the hill had not brought any major changes to Soujyuro's day-to-day schedule.丘の上の洋館で寝泊りするようになっても、草十郎の日常に、とりわけ大きな変化は訪れなかった。
He woke up,起床、
went to his part-time job,アルバイト、
ate breakfast,朝食、
and went to school.登校。
Classes came and went, still strange and new,慣れない授業、
broken up by rare and brief moments of rest,数少ない憩いの休み時間、

|until the school day ended.|放課後。|
|He left school,|下校、|
|went to his part-time job,|アルバイト、|
|slept,|仮眠、|
|woke up,|起床、|
|and studied for exams.|試験勉強。|

ENJP
A modest life for a modest young man, continuing every day in the same fashion despite his best efforts to change his fortune.ささやかな少年のささやかな日常は、本人の努力とは正反対に、為なす術すべなく流れていく。
ENJP
But nothing ever really changes.状況は一向に変わらない。
Whether Aoko was by his side in the mansion, as was frequently the case,館内では頻繁に青子が隣にいたり、
or whether Alice was making him drink some potion she prepared before going to bed.眠る前に有珠の用意した薬を飲まされたりするのも同じ。
The former was an attempt by Aoko to make him feel better,前者は草十郎の安全を考慮した青子のフォローであり、
the latter was some attempt to keep him safe, even if he did not fully appreciate it.後者は、理屈は分からないが、やっぱり彼の安全のためだという。
ENJP
Then, one day, a day like any other, while Soujyuro was pouring himself some tea as he worried over the lack of change in his life...そして。今朝も今朝とて何の変化もない状況に頭を悩ませつつ、草十郎は朝の紅茶を淹れていた。
"...Oh, by the way."「…………ああ、そう言えば」
His relationship with Alice was the same as ever, but there was one major change this morning-he was drinking black tea instead of green.有珠との関係に変化はないが、大きな変化はここにある。草十郎の朝の一服は、煎茶から紅茶に変わっていた。
ENJP
Though there were all sorts of different types of tea to be found in the kitchen, a newcomer to the world of tea like Soujyuro could not tell one of them from the next.台所には様々な紅茶の葉があるが、ビギナーである草十郎には無用の長物だ。
Naturally his tea-making skills were limited to tea bags, one of which he placed in his cup before returning to the dining table.彼の用意する紅茶は当然ティーバッグで、自分用に一杯淹いれて食卓サンルームに移動する。
ENJP
Alice and Aoko were already seated.テーブルには先客が二名。
The two were eating in silence.青子と有珠は無言で朝食を摂とっている。
In this household it was everyone for themselves when it came to breakfast.久遠寺邸において、朝食は完全個人主義だ。
The diplomatic description of their breakfasts would be "simple." The more accurate description would be "two slices of stale bread prepared in seconds."ふたりの朝食は婉曲えんきょくに言えば質素な―――真実を言うと用意に二秒もかからない、堅そうな石窯パン一つきりである。
ENJP
Aoko exchanged a word or two with Alice, took a sip of tea, and stood up from her seat.青子たちは時折ときおり言葉を交わすと、最後に紅茶を一口だけ啜すすって席を立つ。
Since it was winter break for the high-schooler Alice, she returned to her room after eating as she normally did,有珠はもう高校が冬休みに入っているのでそのまま自室へ戻り、
while Aoko headed to the front door, shoes in hand, ready for school.青子はこれから学校なので鞄を片手に玄関へ。
After hurriedly clearing the table, Soujyuro rushed out the door after Aoko.草十郎も食器を片づけた後、青子の後を追って洋館を後にする。
Together they walked down the long hill in the direction of school.ふたりは長い坂を下りて学校へ。
They had spent three days following this very simple routine.三日間はこんな風に、実に簡潔に過ぎてしまった。
ENJP
"So, any word on you-know-who?"「ところで、あれから動きはあった？」
School had ended, and evening had arrived.授業も終えた夕刻時。
Buttered bread roll in one hand, Alice replied with a simple, silent shake of her head.青子の問いに、有珠は掴んだバターロールもそのままに、首を横に振るだけで『いいえ』と答えた。
ENJP
"Thought so. The enemy must be considering their next move too.「そう。なら、敵側あっちも次の手を考えているんでしょうね。
Have you figured out where the mage is?"魔術師本体の居場所は見当ついてる？」
Her response was exactly the same.返答はまったく同じ。
Without showing the slightest sign of dejection she continued to chew the roll and took a stab at her salad.落胆した風もなく、青子はバターロールを一口噛んでからサラダにフォークを突き刺した。
ENJP
"Okay then. I'll help you once exams are over if you can manage on your own till then. I have to help that idiot study so my schedule is pretty warped."「そ。私も試験が終わったら手伝うから、それまで悪いけどひとりでやってて。今日からあのバカを一夜漬けにしなくちゃいけないんで、余裕ないの」
Alice's face grew dour as if she had something to get off her chest.それには思うところがあるのか、有珠はわずかに顔を曇らせた。
ENJP
"Don't give me that look. You're on winter break, you can spend all day working on it, can't you?"「？　問題ないでしょ、有珠はもう休みに入ってるんだから。一日ぜんぶ使えるじゃない」
ENJP
"..."「………………」
Alice was indeed on vacation and could spend all day every day on her work as a mage.たしかに有珠は冬休み中で、一日のすべてを魔術師としての生活に費ついやしている。
Yet she had spent the past few days holed up in the library instead.ただ、ここ数日はある理由で図書室に籠もりきりだった。
She was hardly devoting herself to "dealing with the challenger," as Aoko put it.青子の言う“挑戦者への対策”に徹していたワケでもない。
ENJP
"Alice? Are you listening?"「有珠？　聞いてる？」
"Yes. I'll get to work on it tonight."「……分かってる。今夜から、そっちもやるから」
Sighing, she stood up.ため息まじりに返答して席を立つ。
What was bothering Alice, and what was it she wanted to say?……何が気になって、何が言いたかったのか。
What had she been doing only two hours earlier?ほんの二時間前、彼女が何をしていたのか。
The young witch took her leave from the breakfast table without offering a single clue.それらの出来事を飲みこんで、有珠は食卓から去っていった。

Scene 2

ENJP
Misaki High was a private school, and as such its winter break started earlier than public schools.私立という事もあって、三咲高校の冬休みは早い。
The end-of-term ceremony was in mid-December, followed by a brief respite before the next term began.十二月の半なかばには終業式を迎むかえ、校舎と生徒たちはつかの間、二学期までの疲れを癒す事になる。
Of course...無論。
That was if and only if they overcame the classic obstacle lying between them and an extended break from school: final exams.彼らにとっては恒例の関門、幸せな長期休日の前に立ちはだかる期末試験みっかかんを無事に乗り越えられたら、の話であるが。
ENJP
The radio continued its broadcast late into the night.深夜放送を受信するラジオ。
A thermos of hot tea eliminated the need to venture down to the kitchen.台所したまで下りる手間をはぶく、紅茶用の魔法瓶。
An electric blanket kept away the winter cold, and a crab-shaped pastry staved off any dinnertime hunger.冬の寒さから足を守る電気毛布と、夜食のカニパン。
This is what Touko had become.このように。
She needed to ensure that every aspect of her surroundings helped her pull a successful all-nighter.青子の部屋は一分いちぶの隙すきもない、一夜漬け強制空間になっていた。
ENJP
"Congrats on surviving the first day of exams.「期末試験一日目、ご苦労さま。
Are you ready to leave your old study habits behind and be reborn as a new student?"それで、生まれ変わる覚悟はできた？」
"..."「――――――」
Soujyuro nodded earnestly.こくこく、と頷く草十郎。
Upon returning from work he encountered not the mage he expected but the demon student council president-Aozaki.アルバイトから戻ってきた彼を待っていたのは、魔術師ではなく、鬼の生徒会長としての蒼崎青子だった。
ENJP
Half a day earlier.時をさかのぼること半日前。
The first day of exams were over, and Soujyuro was about to head back to the mansion where he hoped to put his plan into practice, when...期末試験一日目を終え、かねてからの計画を実行しようと洋館に向かう草十郎の前に、
ENJP
"Tonight, I'm holding you prisoner.「今夜、私の部屋で監禁ね。
Your grades are simply unacceptable. Cancel your shift and any other plans you have."あ、夕方からのアルバイトは当然キャンセル。ちょっと本気で、あの点数はあり得ないから」
...a cold, blue grin greeted him in the hallway.青い炎に包まれた笑顔が現れたのである。
Clenched in her fist was Soujyuro's exam paper.その手にはしわくちゃに握りしめられた静希草十郎のテスト用紙。
ENJP
Mr. Yamasiro had no doubt said,おそらく職員室で山城教諭から
"He only just transferred. We can't expect miracles."『ま、転校してきたばかりだし、しょうがないよね』
But she had snatched the exam out of the teacher's hands the minute he tried to show her.と見せられたものを、勢いきおい奪うばい取ってきたに違いない。
ENJP
That was how Soujyuro had ended up in Aoko's room, instead of the room in the attic to which he was accustomed.かくして、今日まで屋根裏部屋で寝泊りしていた草十郎は、この日にかぎって青子の部屋に通された。
ENJP
Though her situation was far from normal, at the end of the day she was an adolescent girl like any other.色々疑問視する点はあるものの、青子とて年頃の女学生である。
Naturally, she felt uncomfortable letting a boy her own age into her room.同年代の男子を自分の部屋に立ち入らせることに抵抗はある。
However, his grades were truly something that called for desperate measures.が、それ以上に草十郎の答案用紙はあり得なかったのだ。
That explained why her mood was even worse than normal today and the vein on her forehead was pulsing visibly with anger.なので、今日の不機嫌度は五割増し。彼女のこめかみから怒りマークがとれないのも無理からぬ事である。
ENJP
"I need to finish my own studies first.「先に自分の復習、済ませる。
You can use that table in the meantime."アンタはそのテーブル使ってて」
Aoko turned her back to him and sat down at her favorite desk.青子はテーブルに背を向け、愛用の机に向かった。
Soujyuro was left standing before a cheap-looking glass table.一方、草十郎の前には安物のガラステーブルが一つ。
ENJP
"I'm still really not used to all this.「……なんか色々と慣れないな。
What's that blue thing over there, Aozaki?"なあ蒼崎、この青いのなんだ？」
Restless, Soujyuro found his eyes drawn to the guitar propped up in the corner.落ち着かないのか、草十郎は部屋の隅にたてかけられたギターを眺める。
ENJP
"It's thin, blue and intense-looking, it's got your name written all over it.「なんか薄いし青いしとんがってるし、きっと蒼崎の事だし。
Don't tell me it's some kind of weapon?"……もしかしなくても、武器か？」
"It's a musical instrument. I understand if you've never seen an electric one, but you must've seen an acoustic guitar in the music room. Keep talking, though, and you'll soon see if it also works as a weapon."「楽器よそれ。エレキはともかく、アコギは音楽室で似たようなのあったでしょう。あとこれ以上青青あおあお言ったら、そのとんがってるので殴るからね」
ENJP
Soujyuro plopped himself down onto a cushion, struggling to suppress the desire to retort that it was a weapon after all.やっぱり武器じゃないか、という感想を堪こらえて、草十郎もクッションに腰を下ろす。
ENJP
"..."「――――――」
"Don't play the victim. Usually you're as oblivious as an old and deaf dog. What's got you worked up this time?"「ちょっとは落ち着きなさいよ。いつもは耳の遠い大型犬みたいに鈍感なクセに。何か気になるものでもあるの？」
"..."「………………」
In fact it was Aoko who was oblivious for once.この場合、鈍感なのは青子の方なのだが、
For his part, Soujyuro could not figure out why he felt so restless either. Suffice it to say, they were both pretty clueless in this moment.草十郎もなぜ自分が落ち着かないのか分かっていないので、鈍感なのはお互い様である。
ENJP
"Is it the way I decorated my room? My furniture's totally different to the stuff in the drawing room, so I understand if it seems a little weird.「あ、もしかして内装？　この部屋の家具のグレードが居間とは違うから不思議がってるのね。
I brought everything from home except the bed. It's been two years since I moved here, but I still don't feel like me and my stuff belong in this big, old house."ここ、ベッド以外は私の家から持ちこんだ物なの。引っ越してから二年経つけど、まだ屋敷には馴染んでないでしょ？」
ENJP
Though she misunderstood the real reason for Soujyuro's nervousness, Aoko seemed satisfied that she had resolved Soujyuro's anxiety for the time being and returned to her studies.そわそわと落ち着かない草十郎の心情を曲解、納得いったのか、青子は自分の勉強を始めてしまう。
She flipped through her notes and textbooks as if fast-forwarding a tape.早送りのようにめくられていくノートと教科書。
There was no opening for an outsider like him to intrude in her high-speed study session.そこに余人の立ち入る隙間はない。
Repelled by her intensity, he retreated to his table. He was at least sensitive enough to pick up on her desire to be left alone.青子の背中から立ち上るオーラに圧倒され、草十郎も気を引き締めてテーブルに向かった。
It was a testament to Soujyuro that having his needs utterly ignored was now second nature to him, to the extent that he could now happily go about his business in solitude.完全に無視されていながら平然と自分の作業に入れるあたり、草十郎も只者ではない。
ENJP
Two hours passed.それから二時間。
Then, as the clock neared eleven, Aoko's speed and concentration began to slip.十一時近くなって、ようやく青子の集中力スピードが減速していった。
Seeing his window of opportunity, Soujyuro seized the moment to strike up a conversation.それを頃合ころあいと見て、草十郎は凛と伸びた青子の背中に話しかけた。
ENJP
"Aozaki, can I talk to you for a minute?"「蒼崎、ちょっといいかな」
"Hm? Yes?"「ん、なに？」
She spoke hesitantly, not bothering to turn to face him.遠慮がちな声に、青子は振り向かずに応えた。
She continued to flip the pages of her textbook, albeit at a slower speed than before.減速しているといっても、青子のノートをめくる動作は止まらない。
ENJP
"I noticed how you and Alice have been acting at dinner these past three days, and, uh...「この三日間、蒼崎たちの夕食事情を見てきたけど。
Is it always like that?"君たちの食事はいつもああなのか？」
"Yes, it's normal. Do we not look normal?"「そうだけど、おかしい？」
"Hm... I'm not sure how to answer that.「む……そう言われると困るな。
It's just, at school people seem to enjoy eating together, so I thought it was strange that the two of you don't look like you enjoy it, and I thought maybe it's because of... you know..."ただ、学校じゃみんな楽しそうだった。誰かと食事を摂るって事は、ああいう風になるコトだって思ってた。だから、もしかすると」
ENJP
"Don't worry, it's not because of you that we haven't been talking at mealtimes. We've never talked to each other during meals."「もしかしないわよ。別にアンタのせいで有珠と話さないワケじゃないわ。私たちはいつもああだから」
Aoko spoke calmly with her back still turned, seemingly unaware of what he was getting at.平然と語る青子の背中は、そんな事実をどうも思っていないようだった。
ENJP
"Well, it can get pretty tense.「張りつめた食卓だな。
And here I thought you two were close friends."蒼崎と有珠は、仲がいいと思ってたのに」
She neither confirmed nor denied his statement.青子は否定も肯定もしない。
She was, however, surprised by the disappointed tone in which he had made it.ただ、草十郎の残念そうな呟きが、少しだけ意外だった。
ENJP
"You're not wrong. It can get tense.「ま、張りつめた食卓っていうのは合ってるわね。
I can't remember how many times she's put mescaline in your drink, and yesterday she was adding rowan to your salad.有珠が何回アンタの飲み物にメスカリンを入れてたかなんてもう覚えてないし、昨日なんか堂々とサラダの中にナナカマドなんか混ざってるし。
...Beats me what the hell she was thinking."……ほんと、あの娘なに考えてるんだろう」
A bitter smile spread across her face in reminiscence. The pages of her textbook continued to turn.思い出すように苦笑しながら、青子は教科書をめくっていく。
ENJP
"Mescaline? What's that?"「メスカリン……？」
"It's a hallucinogenic alkaloid produced by the peyote cactus. I'm assuming it's more than just your average hallucinogen if Alice is using it, though... And I'm done!"「サボテンからとれる植物塩基アルカロイドよ。有珠が使う以上、ただの幻覚剤じゃないでしょうけどね。……っと、私はこんなもんでいっか」
With that she slammed shut her fourth textbook of the night.そう言う彼女の手元で、ぱたん、と四冊目の教科書が閉じられた。
After having scarcely changed position the whole night she finally turned in her chair to face him.今まで微動だにしなかった背中がくるりと反転する。
ENJP
"Now it's time to put you to work.「さ、今度はアンタを仕込まなくちゃね。
I don't know what else I was expecting, but I still almost fainted when I saw your scores."今日の四科目の答案、実に草十郎らしい出来栄えで卒倒しそうになったわ、私」
Her tone was light but her gaze was heavy as she stared at Soujyuro, seated cross-legged on the floor.口調は楽しそうに、けれど視線は不機嫌そうに、青子はあぐらをかく草十郎を見つめる。
ENJP
"Modern literature, geography, math, and electronics...「現国、地理、数学、電子工学。
If you don't up your grades over the next two days your winter break is as good as gone. And that'll be more of a problem for me than you."あの調子であと二日続けたら、冬休みが消えるのは当然でしょうね。そうなると困るのは私なのよ、実際」
ENJP
"I disagree. I think it'll be worse. Going to school during the break would not work out for me."「いや、俺も困るぞ。休みなのに学校に行くのは、なんか気が乗らない」
Soujyuro calmly corrected her.冷静に誤りを訂正する草十郎。
"For you?! If you have to go to school over the break, what do you think will happen to me?"「そりゃあ私の台詞だ！　アンタが学校に行くってコトは、必然、こっちまでとばっちりがくるっての！」
All she could think about, as much as she tried not to, was Mr. Yamasiro and his annoying grin.思い出したくもない、山城教諭のニヤニヤ顔を想像してしまう青子だった。
ENJP
"I cannot allow any student to fail every single class. Not on my watch.「それ以前に、私の目が黒いうちはオール赤なんて生徒ヤツは許さない。
If I could beat good grades out of you I would."本来なら性根から叩き直すところだけど……」
ENJP
"Lucky for you, you have 'extenuating circumstances,' shall we say, so I'll give you a pass just this once.「ま、アンタは色々事情があるから、とりあえず点数だけで勘弁してあげる。
A good all-nighter is usually enough for me to prepare for exams, so it shouldn't take too long to get you up to speed either."私もテストは一夜漬けで片付ける方だから、アンタ一人仕込むのに、そう時間はかからないだろうし」
Soujyuro's expression openly soured in response to her declaration.青子の宣言に、草十郎は露骨に表情を曇らせる。
It was obvious he did not think he needed her meddling in his studies.そんなお節介はいらない、とでも言いたげな顔である。
ENJP
"Oh, please. Which of us do you think is going to have the harder time of it, me or you?"「アンタね。苦労するのは私と貴方、どっちだと思う？」
Soujyuro got the feeling that it would be him, but he nodded slowly nonetheless.間違いなく自分だな、と運命的に悟りながらも草十郎は静かにうなだれた。
Then again, it would probably take more effort on her part than on his, and in any case he knew there was no way to talk her out of it.どのみち断ったところで断りきれるはずがないし、青子の言う通り、苦労の度合いは彼女の方が大きいだろう。
ENJP
"...I feel bad for making you do this."「……この度は、ご迷惑をおかけします」
Soujyuro summarily bowed his head to show gratitude and willingness to work.観念と感謝の意をこめて、ぺこりと一礼する草十郎。
ENJP
"Good.「よろしい。
And don't worry, I'm not a demon, like they say.安心なさい、私だって鬼じゃないから。
You can get less than average marks and still pass. You'll probably be able to go to bed by three."別に平均点狙うってワケでもなし、予定通りこなしていけば三時には眠れるわよ」
ENJP
She nodded with satisfaction, pleased by his studious attitude.殊勝な教え子の態度に、青子は満足そうに頷いた。
He had plenty of obstacles ahead of him, but that sense of humility might be enough to see him through.ほんとうに色々問題のある草十郎だが、この素直さがあれば大抵のコトはなんとか出来てしまうだろう、と。
ENJP
"Wait, what was I thinking? I can't afford to be this soft on you."「……って、なにホトケ心だしてるんだ私。
Sizuki, let me be straight about this... temporary arrangement. It's not every day I offer private, one-on-one lessons like this.いい、静希君？　このあと頼られちゃたまんないから釘くぎさしておくけど、私がマンツーマンで誰かを仕込むなんてコト、滅多にないから。
This is beyond rare, an exception among exceptions. And don't you go forgetting that."これはあくまで、異例中の異例だって覚えておいてね」
ENJP
She spoke more to convince herself than him, but his expression still darkened.自分に言い聞かせるような青子の宣言に、えー、と顔を曇らせる草十郎。
It made one want to hang a side around his neck that read, "please take me home," like an abandoned pet. Aoko chided herself for being so soft.その顔の上に“拾ってください”なんて単語を連想してしまい、自らの甘さにうなだれる青子だった。
For some reason, in that moment she recalled that it had been raining the day they met each other.そう言えば、初めて出会った日は雨だったっけ、などと思いながら。

Scene 3

ENJP
Time passed like the falling grains of an hourglass.……時間は、砂が落ちるようにすぎていく。
ENJP
"...Finished."「―――結局」
Aoko squinted as light poured through the window and she downed another cup of tea. She had lost count of exactly how many she had drank long ago.窓から差しこむ朝の光に目を細めて、青子は何杯目かの紅茶を飲み干した。
"And it only took the whole night, eh, Aozaki?"「一晩かかったね、蒼崎」
Soujyuro picked up on what she left unspoken.不思議だ、とばかりに青子の独白を拾う草十郎。
ENJP
Aoko had used up all her pep.青子にはいつもの覇気がない。
In staying up all night, but also in shouting at him.徹夜明けプラス、一晩じゅう草十郎を怒鳴りつけた疲労のためだ。
He looked pale and uncomfortable, just as he had all night long.一方、草十郎は昨夜とまったく同じ顔色である。
ENJP
"I underestimated you, Soujyuro Sizuki."「……ええ。甘く見てたわ、アンタの事を」
"Come on, Aozaki, you know I get weirded out when you compliment me."「だから、誉めても何も出ないって」
"No, no. You deserve a pat on the head."「ある意味、誉めるに値するかもね……」
She was at the end of her rope, but she could not help the bit of pride that swelled up in her.呆れる青子だが、半分は本気で感心していた。
ENJP
His lack of even the most basic comprehension was shocking, even taking into account his upbringing in the wilderness.この山奥育ちには下積みがなさすぎる。
His ability was that of a middle school student, and that was being generous.控えめに言うと、かろうじて中学生レベルの学力だ。
Preparing him for exams by teaching him new concepts and ideas was a waste of time.なので、理解、修得を目的にした試験勉強は諦めるしかない。
Rote memorization was his only hope for passing.基本は点数稼ぎの暗記だけ。
Everything he memorized could collapse like a house of cards afterwards for all she cared. So long as he remembered for his exams.明日になれば忘れるハリボテの一夜漬けでいい、と青子は教官役を買ってでたのだ。
ENJP
Assuming he had the capacity to be a good student in the first place had been her mistake.……誤算だったのは、思いの外、この生徒が優秀だった事だろう。
It took all night to cover the content for just four exams, and she still did not feel confident he could apply what he so earnestly tried to memorize.四教科の試験範囲を終えるのに一晩かかってしまったが、それでもここまで熱心に、覚えたことを無駄にしないよう真剣に取り組むとは思わなかった。
ENJP
"I appreciate your effort, but you just take too long to memorize new information."「でもねぇ。真面目なのはいいコトだけど、アンタ、暗記するのに時間かかりすぎ」
"Come on, go easy on me. I'm used to learning things with my body, not my head."「そこは大目に見てほしい。今まで、頭より体で覚えるコトのが多かったんだ」
ENJP
"..."「…………」
Aoko let out an exasperated sigh.青子は仕方なさげにため息をつく。
Naturally, physical prowess mattered more in mountain life than the intellectual kind, but still.たしかに、山奥での生活で重要なのは知識ではなく経験則なのだろう、と。
ENJP
"Whatever. At least now you should do well enough to satisfy Yamasiro.「……まあいいわ。これで山城からアンタの成績について相談される事もないでしょうし。
Mind making some more tea?"紅茶、もう一杯淹いれてくれる？」
Soujyuro stood up and obeyed, as Aoko stretched her aching back.疲れきって背中を伸ばす青子に、はいはいと応えて立ち上がる草十郎。
She had apparently bought the tea bags in bulk, so there were still plenty to use.ティーバッグの紅茶は大量に買いこんでいたらしく、まだ十分に余っている。
ENJP
"Good grief. This is so wasteful."「まったく。無駄遣いだな、蒼崎は」
He spoke under his breath so she wouldn't hear.青子に聞こえないよう呟く。
It made him somehow happy to see her so tired and unfocused after the grueling all-night lesson she had given him.一晩厳きびしく教えられた反撃か、青子のだらしのない点が見られて嬉しいらしい。
It did not cross his mind that the excess tea bags, far from being an indulgent purchase, were purchased intentionally to sustain them through the night.……その買いすぎたティーバッグは失敗ではなく、今・夜・の補給物資になる事を、この時点では想像もできない草十郎だった。
ENJP
A relaxed expression came across Aoko's face as she watched him, naive and peaceful as could be.そんな平和ぼけしまくった草十郎を、青子は弛緩した面持ちで眺めている。
ENJP
"Not bad. But I should teach him how to make it from tea leaves instead."「……悪くないけど。せめて、リーフティーで淹れられるように仕込まなくちゃダメかな……」
Seeming to have overheard her not-so inner monologue, Soujyuro made to face her.独り言じみた青子の所感が聞こえたのか、草十郎はひょいと青子を振り返る。
ENJP
"Does it really make a difference?"「やっぱり味は違うのか？」
"Yeah, big time.「違う違う、もうぜーんぜん。
...Although, honestly I don't really care. Alice is the one who's really picky about her tea.……ま、正直私はどうでもいいんだけど、有珠はね、かなりお茶にはうるさいよ。
Which reminds me. How are things going between you two?"―――そうだ。草十郎、有珠と上手くいってる？」
ENJP
Aoko cheerfully slumped over the table, now covered with textbooks and scribbled notes.まだ教科書やらテキストやらが散乱しているテーブルに体を寝かせて、楽しそうに青子は言う。
Soujyuro watched her with a hint of resentment in his eyes.そんな彼女に、草十郎は恨みがましい視線を送った。
ENJP
"We only ever see each other at dinner, and you know how that goes. Honestly, I don't know why I should bother getting along with her."「彼女と会えるのは食事の時だけで、食事といったらアレだろう。どうやって仲良くなれって言うんだ」
"Really? And here's me thinking you'd have lots of motivation to play nice.「そう？　私はじゅうぶん脈アリだと思ったけど。
It's not like you're scared of her, for one. Plus, she's looking for any reason to kick you out.草そ十っ郎ちは有珠を恐がってないし、有珠は草そ十っ郎ちを追い出す理由を見つけようと躍起になってるし。
Sounds like a great reason to make nice, if you ask me."いい条件よ、これって」
ENJP
"...Are you sure about that?「……ぜんぜん分からないな。
Because to me, it feels a lot like me and you before everything at the amusement park. How is that a 'good' reason?"あの娘とこっちの関係は、遊園地前の蒼崎と俺の関係と同じじゃないか。いったいドコがいい条件なんだ？」
ENJP
"My point is, there's no hostility between you, right?「とりあえず反目しあってはいないでしょ？
It's a one-sided relationship, but that's not actually bad considering this is Alice we're talking about. You have a chance as long as she hasn't found a reason to off you.一方通行の関係だけど、それはそれ、有珠にしちゃあ上出来っていうか。理由を探している時点で可能性アリってね。
She's usually quick to respond to hostility, and it's her enemies that usually end up destroying themselves."あの娘は反感に応える事がクセになっちゃってるから、大抵、相手を自滅させちゃうのよ」
ENJP
"Huh?"「？？」
Her ominous words only confused Soujyuro further.抽象的な青子の言に、草十郎はますます首を傾げる。
"Once you understand that, it's actually pretty simple.「知ってしまえば単純な話なんだけどね、あの娘の場合。
Except..."ただ―――」
Whether or not he could put it into practice was another story altogether.知ったところで、そのスタンスを実践できるかは別の話。
ENJP
"Sounds like a difficult situation, then, Aozaki."「難しいよ、蒼崎は」
He carried their tea cups back to the table as he spoke.言いつつ、草十郎はふたり分のティーカップを持ってテーブルに戻る。
Aoko picked hers up and took a sip as if to dispel her exhaustion.青子はカップを受け取ると、疲れを打ち消すようにと口に運んだ。
ENJP
"But, I think you're right.「でも、たしかに君の言う通りだ。
I still don't know her at all. The problem is, my knowledge of Alice Kuonji ends with her name."俺はまだ、あの娘この顔しか知らない。久遠寺有珠という名前すら定さだかじゃないのは、問題があるね」
He followed Aoko's lead and took a sip of his own.青子に倣ならってカップに口をつける。
His cup contained not tea but plain hot water.草十郎のカップに注がれたのは紅茶ではなく、ただのお湯だ。
ENJP
"Hm. Well, would you like me to tell you a bit about her?"「ふーん。あの娘のこと、教えてほしい？」
Aoko scrutinized him carefully as she sat.真横に座った草十郎を覗のぞきこむ青子。
Most boys would have been captivated by her gaze in that moment...まっとうな人間なら見惚れかねない青子の仕草に、
"No. I think I should ask her myself."「いや。そういう事は、本人に訊いてあげるべきだと思う」
...but he ignored her and stared straight ahead as if speaking directly to Alice herself.彼は真摯に、居もしない少女に語りかけるよう、きっぱりと返答した。
ENJP
"Right...「……そうね。
You really want to do this her way, don't you?ほんと、アンタって有珠好みの対応をするわ。
Speaking of which, what exactly did you say to her in the guest room? I know she and I have an agreement, but I've never known her to just ignore a visitor for half a day."ね。前から気になってたけど、客室で有珠に何を言ったの？　いくら私との約束とはいえ、あの娘が部外者を半日も放置するなんてあり得ないのよ？」
He thought back to that moment.あの時―――
ENJP
He could recall only two or three words he had exchanged with Alice after awakening in the guest room.客室で目が覚めて、有珠と交わした二、三の言葉を草十郎は思い出した。
He did not recall the conversation being anything special, but he could not bring himself to casually share it with Aoko now.あの会話が特別なものであったとは思えないが、だからといって、気軽に話すことはできない。
After all...あれは、その―――
ENJP
"Hey, what did you say that had such an effect on her?"「ね、どんな台詞であの娘の気を変えたの？」
Aoko eagerly pressed him for answers.教えなさい、と詰め寄ってくる青子。
"..."「―――」
Soujyuro frowned, unsure of what to say.草十郎はむう、と難しそうに眉をひそめる。
He did not know what the interaction had been like for Alice, but for him it had felt special, sacred almost.有珠にとってどうであったかは不明だが、彼にとって、あれは侵おかしがたいものだった。
The question was, why-and for whom-was he so concerned?ある一点。なにを、誰に対して気遣ったか。
ENJP
"Come on, just tell me.「ほら、白状しなさいってば。
I can tell you're just dying to let it out."隠しごとなんて似合わないわよ？」
Her disconcerting smile moved even closer.意地の悪い笑顔が、ずいっとにじり寄る。
"..."「………………」
Soujyuro did not look like he was able to stay silent much longer.どうにも黙秘ではやり過ごせそうにない。
As he would eventually come to realize, Aoko Aozaki had a sometimes troubling propensity to gossip.草十郎もいずれ知ることになるが、蒼崎青子はこれでゴシップ好きの困った一面があったりするのだ。
ENJP
"...Well, I can't tell you what we talked about.「―――まあ。あの娘こと何を話したかは言わないけど。
But I will say that she wasn't as flirtatious as the way you are right now.今の蒼崎に比べれば、花も浪漫もなかったのだけは確かかな。
After how strict you were earlier I didn't realize you had such a friendly side."さっきまでは蒼崎が鬼みたいだったから、いいもんだなって気が付かなかった」
He stared directly into her eyes as he spoke.横から覗きこんでいる青子に、草十郎は真顔で視線を返す。
ENJP
Aoko nearly leapt out of her seat in panic.慌てて飛びのく青子。
Now that he pointed it out, she realized their bodies were practically touching.言われてみれば、さっきまで体が触れ合うぐらい近寄っていた気がする。
ENJP
"S-So you noticed, huh? I was just u-using the most effective way to break you, of course!「し、仕方ないでしょ、この方が効率良かったんだから。
And besides, the moment you leave my side, all hell seems to break loose."アンタ、横にいないとすぐ間違えるし」
Aoko stood up as she lashed back at him.悪態を吐きつつ青子は立ち上がった。
ENJP
"You got me there. I haven't felt so focused in years.「そうだね。なんか昔みたいで、久しぶりに集中できた。
Too bad this was just 'an exception among exceptions.'"これが異例中の異例っていうのが、本当に残念だ」
ENJP
"...Well look at you, Soujyuro. Before you know it, you'll be acing your exams and your relationship with Alice."「……余裕あるじゃない。その分じゃ今日のテストだけじゃなく、有珠との話し合いも上手くいきそうね、草十郎？」
"I will, Aozaki. Don't you worry."「ああ、それはもちろん」
His cool response caught her off guard, and for a moment she was at a loss for words.爽やかな返答に、青子はつい絶句する。
She meant it sarcastically, and yet he responded with a warm smile.嫌味のつもりだったのに、まさか笑顔で返されるとは思ってもいなかったのだ。
ENJP
"I'm gonna change my strategy. The first step: engage her directly.「方針変更だ。まずは近くで話しかけてみるよ。
You can't stay mad forever, as they say."嫌なことは、いずれ終わるって分かったから」
Aoko remained in a state of silent shock as he spoke and rose to his feet.そう言って立ち上がる草十郎の姿を、青子は絶句したまま見つめた。
She could not help but feel a reluctant respect for what seemed to be his newfound confidence and competence.……頼りがいがある姿というか、きちんと芯の通った振る舞いというか。不覚にも、少しだけ尊敬してしまった程だ。
ENJP
"I'll go home by myself today and speak to Alice.「とりあえず今日はひとりで帰って、有珠と話してみる。
You have a student council meeting after class, right?"蒼崎は放課後、生徒会だろう？」
He was right. It was their last meeting before winter break.草十郎の言う通り、青子には冬休み直前の最後の会議が待ち受けていた。
Normally he would have waited until the meeting ended, or else gone straight to his part-time job.本来なら会議の終わりまで待つか、学校からそのままアルバイトに行くのが草十郎の日課である。
This was part of Aoko's plan to make sure he and Alice were never alone in the mansion together.それも、ひとえに洋館で草十郎と有珠が二人きりにならないよう、青子なりの配慮なのだが―――
ENJP
"...Hold it. You mean you're planning to face Alice by yourself?"「……待った。まさかアンタ、ひとりで有珠とやりあうつもりなの？」
"You make it sound like we're gonna get into a fight. I wouldn't stand a chance, you know that."「別にやりあうつもりはないぞ。試し合あっても勝てないだろ、有珠には」
His reply made complete sense, which floored her.驚く青子に、平然と草十郎は返答する。
ENJP
"Even I can see that things only get more messy when you're around, Aozaki. That's why I'd appreciate it if you take your time with Tobimaru today."「でも、蒼崎がいたら話が複雑になるのは目に見えてるんだ。そんなワケで、今日はゆっくり鳶丸の相手でもしててくれ」
"...Are you serious?"「…………本気？」
ENJP
He felt like he was being tested but nodded nonchalantly nonetheless.試すような青子の問いに、草十郎は気軽に頷いた。
Knowing how grave the situation really was,事の深刻さを理解している青子と、
Aoko was not sure how to respond to his apparent lack of concern.その深刻さは要いらないと語る草十郎。
The morning light coming through the window marked a stark contrast between the two.窓から差しこむ朝の光が、立ったまま話し合うふたりを光と影とに別わけている。
ENJP
Which stood bathed in light?どちらが光に照らされているのか、
Which lurked in darkness? That went without saying.どちらが影に佇んでいるかは、語るまでもない。
The silence lasted for only a brief moment.短かな、ほんの数秒ほどの沈黙。
Staring at him gravely, she said,青子は草十郎を真顔で見つめて、
ENJP
"Fine. Then I won't stop you."「そ。なら止めはしないわ」
That was all she had.青子はそう口にした。
Her dry tone hid the significance of their pregnant silence, not revealing the slightest sign of discord.先ほどまでの沈黙の意図も、わずかな葛藤も感じさせない、彼女らしい冷徹ドライさ。
ENJP
"Are you sure you're not angry, Aozaki?"「……なんか怒ってないか、蒼崎？」
"Yes, I'm sure. But do you have some kind of plan? You need a good plan of attack with her, you know."「別に。それで、何か考えはあるの？　下手な考えは通じないわよ、あの娘には」
Soujyuro furrowed his brow in deep thought.む、と眉をよせて考えこむ草十郎。
He knew it would be hard to get close to her through talk alone. In fact, it felt nearly impossible.たしかに会話だけで有珠と親しくなるのは難しい。というか、不可能な気さえする。
ENJP
"Gifts work where words fail."“言葉で落ちないヤツは物で釣れ”
Kinomi had been the voice of wisdom (and folly) for him countless times in the past.彼の数少ない相談相手（勘違い含む）である木乃美芳助はそんな助言をしてくれた。
Incidentally, Kinomi had been referring to Aoko at the time he shared that pearl of wisdom,ちなみに木乃美の助言は対青子用のものだったが、その時の草十郎の感想は、
but Soujyuro had had the distinct impression that trying to buy Aozaki's kindness with gifts would not end well.“蒼崎を物で釣ると、後が恐そうだ”である。
ENJP
"Hm. I don't know what kind of stuff Alice is in to.「……む。だいたい、有珠の趣味も分からないじゃないか。
We probably have almost nothing in common."考えてみると、今の自分と彼女はまるで接点がない」
Soujyuro crossed his arms at a loss.困ったな、と腕を組む草十郎。
ENJP
"In other words, you haven't got any plan, as usual."「いつもの事だけど、何も考えてなかったワケね」
"Right. But I don't want to overthink this too much, either.「うん。でもまあ、あれこれ考えなくてもいいと思う。
It's not like I'm going to explain things to her and then she'll suddenly understand. I mean..."有珠にはあれこれ説明するとか、分かってもらおうとか、そういうんじゃなくて、なんていうか―――」
ENJP
He pondered intently as he tried to put his vague thoughts into something concrete.言葉にできない印象を、なんとか言葉にしようと悩む。
But he did not spend much time in thought.思考時間は短かった。
With a nod he concluded,草十郎はああ、と小さく頷いて、
"What's more important is whether I like her or not, right?"「要は、俺が彼女を好きかどうかって事じゃないか？」
He articulated that which is often so hard to say, with surprising clarity and calm.あっさりと、言いづらい感想を口にした。
ENJP
It was certainly a prerequisite for the task he hoped to achieve.確かに、それは全ての前提だ。
He had no hope of making her appreciate him with words,認められるために話すのではなく、
or with acts of giving with the expectation of reciprocation.見返りを求めての求愛でもない。
He simply wished to get to know her better because he liked her.まずその人が好きだから、触れ合ってみようと思う。
That was his honest, uncontrived intention, and it reflected the purity of his heart.それは打算のない、清潔な心のあり方だ。
ENJP
But whether that was in his best interest or not was another story altogether.けれど、それが人間として幸福かどうかは、また別の話。
Calculation and compromise, selfishness and conflict.計算と妥協、我欲と食い合い。
Purity such as his often irritated people who believed that morals went against human nature.道徳が非人間と糾うたうものこそが正しい人間性と信じる者には、その清潔さは目に痛い。
Or rather...……いや、正しくは。
People who were inevitably forced to believe it.そう信じざるを得なくなってしまった者にとっては。
ENJP
"..."「………………」
Aoko silently walked away without responding to what Soujyuro said.草十郎の言葉に何も返さず、青子は音もなく歩きだした。
Her long hair swung from side to side as she passed him.長い髪を揺らして、草十郎の前を通り過ぎる。
"Aozaki?"「蒼崎？」
Noting her strangely cold manner, he called out to her.どこか冷たい素振りの彼女を、草十郎は呼び止める。
However, she was already opening the door to leave.青子はもう部屋のドアを開けていた。
ENJP
"I'm going to take a shower downstairs.「下でシャワー浴びてくるから。
You can go back to your room."貴方は自分の部屋に戻ってて」
Her words lacked any expressive inflection.抑揚よくようのない台詞。
In his confusion, all Soujyuro could do was nod.それに戸惑いながらも草十郎は頷いた。
ENJP
"Okay... But are you sure you're not mad?"「いいけど……やっぱり怒ってないか、蒼崎？」
Emotion returned to her face as he spoke.言われて、青子の顔に表情が戻る。
Yet it was not the typical irritated look to which he had grown so accustomed.それはいつもの、もう見慣れた不機嫌そうな顔ではなかった。
ENJP
"I guess I might be what someone like you would call mad.「……そうね。アンタ流に言えば、たぶん私は怒ってる。
I'd rather not discuss the reason why, though."何に対してのものかは、あんまり言いたくないけど」
"..."「…………」
Poor Soujyuro did not even realize that he himself was the reason.その原因が自分である事すら草十郎には分からない。
She looked at him, and for an instant he witnessed an emotion on her face of which he had never seen the likes of before.そんな草十郎を見て、彼女はほんの一瞬だけ、今まで草十郎が見たことのない表情を見せた。
ENJP
"See you. This might be the last time we meet, so I should say goodbye.「じゃあね。これが最後になるかも知れないから、お別れぐらいは言っておくわ。
You take Alice far too lightly, you know.貴方は有珠を甘く見すぎてる。
For you that's a strength, but for us, it's pure poison."……でも、それが同時にアンタの強みなのよね。私たちには、毒にしかならないけれど」
ENJP
The door slammed loudly shut behind her.バタン、と音をたてて閉められるドア。
Her steps were audible as she walked away on the other side of the wall.壁ごしに歩み去っていく足音が聞こえてくる。
The corridor must have been nearly freezing without any central heating, but Aoko seemed perfectly comfortable.暖房のない廊下は冷蔵庫なみの寒さのはずだが、青子は慣れているようだった。
ENJP
"Wait, why am I leaving first?「―――って、なんで私から出ていくんだっ。
This is all backward! It's my room, you go first!"順番が逆！　普通、先に出てくのは男子そっちじゃない」
ENJP
Aoko promptly kicked Soujyuro out of her room.しっしっ、と青子にうながされ、部屋からほっぽり出される草十郎。
Once again the wooden door closed with a slam.バタン、と閉じられる木製の扉。
The corridor was not as cold as he had expected.思っていたほど廊下は冷えこんでいなかった。
Not quite as bad as a freezer, at least.―――まあ、冷蔵庫よりはマシな程度には。

Scene 5

Lib Note

i have no idea wtf happened to scene 4 and why there's a scene EX

ENJP
The second day of exams ended and Soujyuro was on his way back to the mansion.二日目の期末試験が終わって、草十郎はひとり洋館への帰路についた。
The road grew steeper and the woods thicker as he made his way up the familiar slope.坂道は上に行くほど傾斜を増していき、森も深さを増していく。
People in town called it not a hill but a mountain, simply because it took over twenty minutes to climb.それが二十分以上も続くのだから、地域住人たちにとって久遠寺邸のある丘は山以外の何物でもない。
ENJP
This did not sit well with Soujyuro, for whom a mountain was something that could not be overcome so easily.一方、草十郎にすれば歩くだけで踏破できる森を山と呼ぶには抵抗がある。
The road was paved, for one thing,舗装された道があり、
and the canopy overhead let in plenty of sunlight to guide the way.日射しで方角を確かめられる程度の森であり、
None of the inclines were especially steep, and no animals lurked in the underbrush.急な斜面も、茂しげみに潜ひそむ動物の姿もない。
There was no chance of losing his way, no reason to worry about getting lost.ここでは遭難の恐れはおろか、迷う事を心配する必要もないのだから。
ENJP
"...How sad. I'm still complaining."「……情けない。まだ未練ばっかりだ」
Soujyuro quietly reprimanded himself for getting so wrapped up in his own little world.知らず知らずのうち回想していた自分を、草十郎は静かに罵倒した。
In the past few weeks since moving here he had been constantly comparing the town with his former mountain home.町に引っ越してきてからの数週間は、山と町を比較してばかりだった。
ENJP
Normally he would not get upset over it,その時はこんな風に自分を叱る事もなかったが、
but in recent days-since meeting Aoko, as it happened-he had become rather hung up on the differences.ここ数日―――蒼崎青子と知り合ってからは、それが後ろ向きだという事にようやく気が付いたのだ。
He was none the wiser as to why, but he knew that Aoko was a force that could not be stopped.理由、理念はどうあれ立ち止まらない少女。
This naturally made him want to quicken his own pace.その姿を目で追ううちに、自分も自然と早足になっていたらしい。
ENJP
The mansion where they both lived was the antipathy of her lively personality.その青子が住む洋館は、活き活きとした彼女には不釣り合いな趣おもむきだ。
It stood out like a sore thumb, even in a town like Misaki.三咲町の中でも一際ひときわ異彩な建物。
Some people said it was haunted.幽霊屋敷と呼ばれる洋館。
There were no ghosts, per se, but it was inhabited by magicians, so their claims were closer to the truth than they could have possibly known.実際住んでいるのは幽霊ではなく魔法使いなのだけど、どっちもどっちなので、世論というのはわりと正しいのかもしれない。
ENJP
"Speaking of which, I wonder. Between ghosts and magicians, which would be more surprising?"「……そう言えば。幽霊と魔法使いっていうのは、どっちが常識はずれなんだろう？」
Lost in contemplation as he was, the boy failed to notice how his own lack of familiarity with city life played into the equation.都会の生活に慣れていない自分を棚に上げて、草十郎ははて、と首をひねる。
In any case, none of his pondering changed what needed to be done.ともあれ、どちらにしてもやるべき事は変わらない。
ENJP
Tomorrow was the last day of exams.期末試験は明日で終わりだ。
That meant he only had a little longer until Aoko stopped taking responsibility for his safety.青子が責任持って草十郎を保護する、といったリミットまであとわずか。
If possible, today was going to be the day when the mansion's owner accepted his continued residence there.可能であるなら今日のうちに、草十郎は洋館の主に同居人として認められなくてはいけない。
ENJP
Soujyuro slipped between the trees encircling the mansion and walked down the naturally tree-lined avenue that led him to the front door.館をぐるりと囲む木々の隙間、自然の並木道を通って、草十郎は玄関まで歩いていく。
"...Here goes."「――――――よし」
Taking a deep breath he stepped across the threshold.玄関の前で一度だけ深呼吸をし、草十郎は館内へと入っていった。
The drawing room was where he expected to find Alice.目指すは有珠がいるであろう居間である。
ENJP
However...しかし。
He found himself face to face with a most unexpected scene.そんな草十郎を迎えたのは、予想外の光景だった。
A few steps in, he arrived at the large foyer extending from the mansion's entrance.少し歩いて、玄関から館のホールであるロビーに辿り着く。
ENJP
But one thing was clearly out of place.そのロビーにひとつ、大きな違和感がある。
The foyer of the mansion was like a hall in a medieval castle.中世の城を思わせる洋館のロビー。
It was illuminated by the cold winter sun casting down through the skylight, unaided by artificial light.人工の明かりは一切なく、冬の肌寒い日射しが、さあ、と天窓から影を落としている。
ENJP
The wooden tiles smelled of the outdoors.緑薫る、木製のタイル。
And there was Alice, dressed all in black, huddled against a column so enormous it resembled a sharply cornered tree trunk.四角い大樹によりそう黒衣。
The mansion was quite literally supporting her frail body.少女は文字通り、洋館に体を預けている。
Like a mother's lullaby, or a gently rocking cradle.母親の子守歌か、穏やかな揺りかごか。
The heavy atmosphere within this old building suppressed even the slightest stir, almost as if warding away any disturbance to her slumber.洋館は少女の眠りを守るように、空気のざわめきさえ飲みこんでいた。
ENJP
There she slept in the shadows of home.館の影で眠る少女。
Hidden away from outsiders, her sleeping figure was enough to mesmerize anyone who laid eyes upon her.余人の目から隠された有珠の姿は、このロビーで最も鮮明に、見る者を魅了する。
ENJP
"..."「――――――」
Soujyuro instinctively looked up at the ceiling out of sheer awkwardness.草十郎は当惑から、つい天井をあおいでしまった。
He wanted to surprise her, but not in this way.……だって、不意打ちにも程がある。
Her slender frame lay asleep by the fireplace.少女は暖炉の傍で、その細い体を預けて眠っている。
The scene was as beautiful as a painting, yet hard on his heart at the same time.いかに美しい絵画のようでも、この状況は心臓に悪い。
ENJP
Her slumber seemed...breathless.……命を感じさせない眠り。
She was too still, with not even a hint of movement.あまりにも静かで、取り除くもののないカタチ。
And yet, slumped against that frigid column under the cold winter sky, happiness appeared to be her blanket.この寒空の下、冷たい柱にしなだれているのに、彼女は幸福に包まれていた。
A passerby would not be blamed for thinking she was in that most peaceful state of eternal slumber: death.死という名の永眠を、見る者に思わせてしまうほどの。
ENJP
"She must be pretty cold."「……寒くないのかな、この子は」
Soujyuro spoke to himself as he gazed idly upon her.ぼんやりと有珠を眺めながら、ぽつりと呟く。
Bringing her a blanket or something warm did not so much as cross the boy's mind.毛布でも持ってくる……なんて気の利いた案を、彼は微塵も考えなかった。
Instead, odd as it sounds, the first thing he thought to do was to go prepare some tea.代わりに思いついた事は、なぜか、ふたり分のお茶を淹れる事だった。
ENJP
He made sure to be as quiet as possible as he opened the drawing room door.静かにドアを開けて居間に移動する。
On the table, waiting for him, were three pills.テーブルの上には三粒の錠剤。
They were the medicine Aoko required him to take every day when he arrived home.毎日帰ってきたら飲むように、と青子から言われている薬である。
Gulping down the vaguely sweet pills and continuing on to the kitchen, he selected a box of tea from among the many in the cabinet and brewed enough for two people.わずかに甘い錠剤を飲みこんで台所に足を運び、数ある紅茶の箱からひとつを選んで、ふたり分の紅茶を淹れる。
Alice was still asleep when he returned to the foyer.そうしてロビーに戻ってみても、少女は眠ったままだった。
ENJP
Careful not to make any noise, he crouched close to the ground.物音に少しだけ気を配って床に腰を下ろす。
He was startled by how cold the floor felt through his pants.ズボン越しに伝わってくる床の感触つめたさにビックリする。
He thought it would be warmer here by the fireplace, but then again he recalled how Aoko had referred to it as "a useless hole in the wall."暖炉の傍そばなら温かいのでは、と考えもしたが、青子曰く、あの暖炉は無用の長物とかなんとか。
What was likely the case was that neither she nor Alice knew how to use it properly.青子も有珠も手入れの仕方を知らないらしい。
After taking the teacups from the tray and placing one in front of each of them, Soujyuro carefully pulled his textbook on classical literature from his satchel.草十郎は盆に載せたティーカップを有珠と自分の前に置くと、おもむろに鞄から古典の教科書を取り出した。
ENJP
"I better get to work or Aozaki will get mad at me again."「……蒼崎、怒ってたからな」
He could still see her angry face from this morning.今朝の青子の顔を思い出して、つい独白する。
The reason for her anger was still as much a mystery as the unusual look he saw briefly come across her face.彼女が怒っていた理由も、あの一瞬の顔もまったく意味不明のままだ。
ENJP
In any case, one thing was certain-he needed to start studying for tomorrow.それはそれとして、明日にそなえて復習をしなくてはいけない事だけはハッキリしていた。
Thanks to Aoko's instruction, today's exams went well enough, but tomorrow's would be an even more formidable challenge.青子のおかげで今日のテストは幾分ましになったけれど、明日の科目はさらに難敵だ。
After how angry she was this morning, he could not expect her to help him again tonight.今朝から怒っている彼女が今夜も手伝ってくれるとは思えない。
ENJP
"Which means I'll probably do poorly, and then she'll get mad at me again. Not that my grades have anything to do with her in the first place."「そのくせ点数悪いと怒るし。別に、蒼崎が怒る筋合いじゃないと思う」
He complained under his breath as he cracked open his textbook.文句を言いつつ教科書を開く。
Apparently, he intended to spend his time in this fashion until Alice finally awoke.有珠の目が覚めるまで、そうやって待つつもりらしい。
ENJP
The sound of the pages turning was the only audible noise in the grand hall.ホールにはページをめくる音だけが響いていく。
There was no ticking of clocks, or rustling of leaves to disturb her sleep.時計の針も、森のざわめきも届かない午睡ごすい。
After a few hours Soujyuro quietly rose to his feet.……数時間が経って、草十郎は静かに立ち上がった。
The light that filled the foyer was beginning to turn from white to red.ロビーに差しこむ日射しは、白から赤に変わりつつある。
ENJP
"Time to go to work."「そろそろバイトの時間か」
He glanced again at Alice as he stretched his stiff back.固まった背筋を伸ばして、草十郎はちらりと有珠を見た。
She slept in perfect stillness just as she had this entire time.眠りは変わらず穏やかだ。
"..."「………………」
Soujyuro arched his brow in speculation.む、と草十郎は真剣に眉をよせる。
He had no idea what her normal sleeping schedule was like, so he had no idea as to whether he should wake her.このまま寝かせておいていいのか、有珠の日常を知らない彼には悩みどころだ。
ENJP
"...Never mind. Aozaki will be home soon anyway. She'll be fine."「……いや。蒼崎も帰ってくるだろうし、いらぬ世話かな」
As if reaching the end of a long train of thought, Soujyuro gave a quick nod of his head and took his leave of the mansion.いかなる思考が生み出した結論か、草十郎はひとり頷いて洋館を後にした。
Today, work was a shift at the Chinese restaurant in Misaki's shopping district, The Mad Bear.今日のバイト先は三咲町商店街にある、中華飯店まっどべあである。

Scene 6

ENJP
Their uniforms had been made by someone with an obvious preference for garish colors.その制服は、輝かんばかりの色彩センスで作られていた。
The orange apron was emblazoned with a cartoonish polar bear slashing a wok in two with its powerful claws.オレンジ一色のエプロンにはデフォルメされた白熊が一頭、その強靱な爪で中華鍋を爆砕ばくさいしている。
The design resembled warning signs about wild animals seen in the mountains and stood out in Misaki for its one-of-a-kind originality.三咲町周辺では他の追随を許さないほど独創的な、山岳地帯の標識と見まがうデザインだ。
ENJP
This was the Chinese restaurant The Mad Bear.ここは中華飯店まっどべあ。
Aside from its name and logo, the restaurant was the type of cheap, hole-in-the-wall dive that could be found anywhere.地域密着型の、名前とロゴ以外はどこにでもある大衆食堂。
It faced competition from the ever-increasing number of chain restaurants, though it had managed to last longer than other dining spots, having received rave reviews on a regular basis.近年増えはじめているファミリーレストランに押されはじめているものの、食事処として日々絶賛営業中の老舗である。
ENJP
The Mad Bear prioritized the personal touch, focusing on its local clientèle, and thus made a point to offer home delivery.近隣住民との触れ合いを大切にする彼らは、サービスの一環として出張配達も行っていた。
It had earned the affectionate moniker QKS, the Quick Killer Stop.人呼んで『Ｑクイック　Ｋキラー　Ｓサービス　・森のクマさん』。
Making these deliveries was Soujyuro's responsibility for the time being.現在、草十郎のおもな仕事はその出前役である。
Places in Misaki within cycling distance fell under his domain. Anything beyond that was handled by a more experienced staff member on the legendary 50cc King Salmon motorbike, but anyway...自転車で宅配が可能な三咲丘周辺は彼の受け持ちで、出前先が遠くなると先輩方の愛車・万能50ccキングサーモン号の出番となるがどうでもいい。
ENJP
"You'll never guess what a buddy in Yashirogi told me..."「社木やしろぎのダチから聞いたんだけどな」
When delivery workers were not out on deliveries they spent their shift busing tables or washing dishes.出前待機中の配達人は、暇さえあればウェイターと洗い物を一身に引き受ける。
The dinner rush was yet to come, and Soujyuro and his fellow delivery boys were shooting the breeze while washing dishes in the back.今日はまだ夕飯時になっていないので、宅配専門の彼らは厨房で仲良く皿洗いをしていた。
ENJP
"Yo, Sizuki!"「聞いてるか、静希」
"I'm listening, Kinomi, I'm listening."「聞いてるよ、木乃美」
The two were elbow deep in a giant sink as they enthusiastically scrubbed. At least, that was what they pretended to do while they gossiped.学生バイトである彼らは大きな流し台に両手をつっこんだまま、熱心に仕事をしている……フリをしながら話しこんでいる。
ENJP
"He said it's not just that Japanese place, you know, Keniya? He heard Imperial Metropolis and Messiaen here in Misaki got orders, too!「和食のケニヤだけじゃねえんだってよ。三咲町の大帝都だいていとにもメシアンにもその手の注文があったらしいぜ。
I mean, if you want that much meat just go to Shitaichi! Man! Who the heck orders raw meat and an entire salmon?そんなに肉がほしいなら下市したいちに行けばいいのにな。なんだって、生肉だの大物の鮭まるごとだのを出前させやがるのか。
I tell ya, there's some weird shit going on at that place, for real. Maybe they have a pet alligator or something!"どうよ。こう、露骨にやばそうな話じゃねえ？　ワニとかアザラシでも飼ってるんじゃねえかな、そいつ」
ENJP
"I've definitely never heard of an order like that before. What's an 'alligator'?"「他に比べてみると、たしかに珍しい話だと思う。ところで木乃美、ワニってなんだ？」
"An alligator's an alligator, dude. You've really never seen one? I mean, I've never actually seen one in real life, either, but even I know what an alligator is.「ワニはワニだろー。だっせぇ、実物見たコトないのかよー。まあオレもねえけどな。
You know what? I'll lend you my tape of 'The World's Most Terrifying Animals' episode on Africa."んー、今度がくがく動物ランドのアフリカ特集ビデオを貸してやるから、見とけよ」
This was a familiar pattern of conversation between the two, especially now Kinomi was used to Soujyuro's lack of general knowledge.木乃美も慣れたもので、草十郎への対応が板に付いてきている。
ENJP
Their banter was interrupted by the delivery phone. The manager snapped up the receiver and quickly jotted down the order and address.そんなとりとめのない会話をしていると、出前の注文を告げる電話が鳴った。マネージャーが素早く受話器を取り、注文と住所を確認する。
Once he hung up, everyone in the kitchen did their best to avoid making eye contact with him.受話器が置かれると、厨房に集まっている宅配者たちはみんなそっぽを向いた。
Nobody wanted to go rushing out for a delivery on such a cold day.この寒空の中、風をきって出前に行くのは誰だって嫌なものだ。
ENJP
"Sizuki. This one's a little far away, but I want you to handle it."「静希くん。ちょっと遠いけど、配達お願い」
The manager singled Soujyuro out for the task, seemingly unfazed by his staff's laziness.そんな根性無しのアルバイターたちに失望する様子もなく、マネージャーは草十郎へ声をかけた。
ENJP
"Here's the order, and it's an unusual one, so keep it to yourself, okay?"「はいこれ、届けるもののリスト。異例だからあまり他のバイトには他言しないようにね」
The manager tore the sheet with the order and address written on it from his memo pad.マネージャーの手には注文と住所を書き留めたメモ用紙が一枚。
Soujyuro took one look at it before a grimace quietly spread across his face.それを受け取って、草十郎は静かに顔をしかめた。
ENJP
"Uh, boss?"「マネージャー」
"Yeah?"「なんだい？」
The manager stared right back at him as if he could tell what it was he wanted to say.言いたい事は分かっている、とばかりにマネージャーは草十郎を見つめ返す。
ENJP
"Look, I know what you're thinking. But I've been in this business a long time, and this is far from the strangest thing I've seen. It's no big deal.「君の疑問はもっともだ。しかし、まあ、長いことこの商売をやっていると、時にはこんな馬鹿な話が転がってくる事もある。そうおかしなコトじゃない。
Now help me get the stuff from cold storage."じゃ、冷蔵庫から品物持ってくるから」
Soujyuro stared in admiration as the manager, dressed in black, marched out of the kitchen in his all-business way.ごく自然に厨房を後にする黒服のマネージャーの姿を、なるほど、と感心して草十郎は眺めた。
Nowhere was free from the odd occurrence now and then.どんな所でも、おかしな話はあるものらしい。
ENJP
"You're late!"「遅いっ！」
It was after ten at night.午後十時過ぎ。
Soujyuro had taken a small detour on his way home from work, and now faced an outraged Aoko, as expected.アルバイトを終え、ちょっとした寄り道をしてきた草十郎を迎えたのは、ごらんの通り、怒いかれる蒼崎青子だった。
ENJP
Seeing her so visibly irritated made him feel a rush of relief.目に見えて不機嫌そうな彼女を見て、草十郎はホッと胸をなで下ろす。
He did not know why she was angry, but he could tell it was a different type of anger than what he saw earlier that morning.青子がなぜ怒っているのか不明だが、今朝の分かりづらい怒りとは別種のものだったからだ。
ENJP
"Really? But it's only a little after ten.「遅いって、まだ十時になったばかりだろう。
Did something happen, Aozaki?"どうしたんだ、蒼崎」
He set down the cardboard box he had been carrying in his arms and glanced toward the fireplace.両手に抱えたダンボールを床に下ろしながら、草十郎は暖炉のあたりに視線を向ける。
The sleeping girl was there no more.ひとり眠っていた少女の姿はない。
ENJP
"It's not 'only a little after' ten... You arrived after curfew!「違うわ。もう十時になった、の間違いでしょ。
You've got no clue why I'm angry, do you?"アンタってほんと、自分がどんな状態にあるか分かってないのね」
"?"「？」
"Just come with me to the drawing room."「いいから、居間に来て」
ENJP
She walked briskly to the other room without pausing, leaving Soujyuro standing in confusion, head tilted to one side.首を傾げる草十郎をよそに、青子はスタスタと居間へと歩いて行く。
He proceeded to pick his box back up and follow after her eagerly.ダンボール箱を抱え直し、草十郎もいそいそと後に続く。
ENJP
He removed his coat and hung it on a hanger as he entered the living room.草十郎はコートを脱いで、コートハンガーに掛けながら居間に入った。
Apparently today was one of those days where Alice kept herself locked away in her room.有珠は自室に引きこもっているようだ。
On the table were the familiar pills.テーブルの上にはお馴染みの錠剤が置かれている。
ENJP
"It's partly my fault for not being more clear about this, but you need to come home on time. Your curfew exists for a reason."「……説明しなかった私も悪いけど、貴方も帰ってくる時間は守ってよね。こっちはそのつもりで作ってるんだから」
Aoko handed him the pills and a glass of water with an expectant look on her face.はい、とテーブル上の錠剤と、水の入ったコップを差しだす青子。
ENJP
"But I already took the pills before I went out.「？　薬なら出かける前に飲んだけど。
And I feel fine, anyway. I don't think I need any more pills today."体の調子だって悪くないし、そんなにあわてるコトか？」
"Excuse me? You think this has anything to do with how you feel?"「は？　なんだって私たちがアンタの健康気にかけなくちゃいけないのよ」
ENJP
"Let's get real. These pills that you take every day when you come home... They're poison.「勘違いしてるようだけど、アンタが帰ってくる度に飲んでるのって、平たく言えば毒よ？
Slow-acting poison, mind, and they take half a day to kick in. If you don't take more pills before that happens, the older poison will kill you.速効性じゃないから効き目は半日すると出てくるんだけど、その前に新しい錠剤どくやくを飲んでおかないと、古い毒が体に回ってばったり逝くって寸法ね。
This is how much rope Alice is willing to give you."有珠のヤツ、これぐらいしないと信用できないって言い張ったのよ」
ENJP
"Get it? So drink up.「ほら、分かったらさっさと飲む。
I'm enjoying this just about as much as you are.……ま、私もこれ、面倒だと思うし。
And until I think of a way around this, you're going to have to deal with it."近いうちもっと形のある方法を考えてみるから、それまでこの方法で我慢して」
ENJP
"...Maybe I misheard you for a second. Did you say that these pills I've been taking this whole time are actually bad for me?"「……言ってる事は支離滅裂だが、とにかく今までよくない物を飲んでたんだな？」
Soujyuro took the pills from her and gulped it down.青子から錠剤を受け取って、草十郎は一口で飲みこんだ。
The fact that it was poison gave him no pause at all.毒物だと聞いて怯ひるんだ素振りもない。
And as for his roommates' tyrannical behavior, he showed no signs of standing up to it.どうも、青子たちの横暴を非難する気はないらしい。
ENJP
"Using poison to cancel poison... You two are really taking the old-fashioned approach, huh?"「まったく。毒をもって毒を制するなんて、また古風な真似するな、蒼崎も有珠も」
Soujyuro's face relaxed into a smile upon finding the funny side of the situation.笑いのツボに入ったらしく、草十郎は頬を緩ゆるませる。
Aoko was utterly dumbfounded as to how he could be happy at a time like this.一方、青子的には、どうしてそこで笑うのかまったくもって理解不能なのだった。
ENJP
"I was running late on the way home because I dropped by my old apartment to get all my stuff. You could've tried calling me if it was such a big deal, you know."「今日帰りが遅れたのは、アパートまで荷物を取りにいっていたからなんだ。そういうコトなら、電話のひとつでもすればよかった」
"Your stuff? Wait...is that everything?"「……荷物って、まさかそれじゃないでしょうね」
Soujyuro nodded emphatically as she pointed incredulously at the cardboard box in his hands.持ってきたダンボール箱を指差され、草十郎はもちろん、と頷く。
ENJP
"It's stupid to pay rent when I don't even live there, so I thought I should move everything out. But I arranged it so I can go back any time within the next three months."「住んでいないのに家賃を払うのは馬鹿らしいから、今日で引き上げてきた。いちおう、いつでも戻れるように話はつけてあるから、三ヶ月ぐらいは大丈夫だよ」
"Rent...?「家賃……？
ENJP
Oh, right.あ、そっか。そうよね、

|How could I forget? I'm sure Alice will be thrilled to hear about this."|私ってばなんでそんな事を忘れてたんだろう。有珠が聞いたら喜ぶわ、そりゃ」|

ENJP
A smile blossomed across her face, as they say.華のような笑顔、とはこのコトか。
It was the open, bold-faced look of a child who just came up with a mischievous plan.一点の曇りもない、ズバリ、新しい悪巧わるだくみを思いついた子供のような笑顔である。
Soujyuro shook with fear at the thought of what that smile might bring his way.不吉なコトこの上ない、と来るべき脅威に震える草十郎だった。
ENJP
"You sure don't have much. That one cardboard box contains all your worldly possessions?"「けど随分少ないのね、荷物。ダンボール一箱分しかないの？」
"This is a lot to me. Is Alice upstairs?"「そうかな、十分多いだろ。それより有珠は自室か？」
"She just went to her room, although she stayed at the dinner table longer than usual. I guess she got tired of waiting."「ちょっと前に戻ったわ。珍しく食後もここに残ってたんだけど、待ちきれなかったみたいね」
She gave Soujyuro a meaningful look while continuing to smile that sinister smile.青子は不敵な笑顔のまま、意味ありげな視線を草十郎に投げかける。
ENJP
"She got tired of waiting? For what?"「待ちきれなかったって、何を」
"I imagine she wanted to punish whoever decided to use the last of her Fauchon and Blue Calico."「そりゃあ、有珠が眠ってるのをいいことに在庫のないフォションとブルーキャリコを勝手に使ってくれた、どこかの誰かさんにお仕置きするためなんじゃない？」
ENJP
"Why do I know that name...? I think 'Fauchon' is that brand of tea I used."「フォション……って、あのお茶の葉？」
"It sure is. To be honest even I was shocked when I first walked in. I know how she falls asleep all over the mansion, but I've never seen her prepare tea first.「そう。私もびっくりしたけどね。有珠がどっかで寝入るのはよくある事だけど、紅茶を用意して眠るなんてのは初めてだったから。
I woke her up to see if she was okay, and she was just as surprised as I was. We couldn't imagine who would do such a thing."どんな心境の変化か知りたくて起こしたら、有珠の方が驚いてたわ。一体、誰の仕業なんだって」
ENJP
Soujyuro pounded his fist in understanding.ぽん、と手を叩く草十郎。
He had forgotten to clean up the tea before leaving.お茶の用意はしたけれど、後あと片付かたづけをした記憶はまったくない。
The regret written from forehead to chin delighted Aoko immensely.まずいな、という顔をする草十郎と、そんな彼を見て楽しむ青子。
ENJP
"I see... How mad was she?"「そうか……それじゃあ、有珠は怒っていただろう」
"Pretty mad. Robin was all aflutter about it, too."「当然。駒鳥がとばっちりでドリブルされてたしね」
"Well I'm mad at myself, too, if that helps. I can't believe I forget to take them back to the kitchen."「ああ、俺でも怒る。片付けをきちんとしないなんて、だらしないにもほどがある」
Soujyuro harshly scolded himself for his failure.なんたる失態、と草十郎は激しく自分を責めた。
"No dummy! She's mad at you because you sat and watched her sleep!"「論点違うっ！　あのね、寝顔をまぢかで見られたから怒ってるのよ有珠は！」
ENJP
"Oh... I didn't think she would mind all that much."「え…………そうかな。有珠は、そういうのは気にしないと思うんだけど」
"Well WE do mind when you watch us sleep, just so you know!"「アンタはそうかもしれないけど、私たちは気にするの！」
ENJP
Aoko's glare was enough to make glass shatter.ぎりり、とガラスを裂く擬音のような目で睨む青子。
There was an indescribable intensity in the way she said that.私たち、という響きに言いようのない迫力を感じる草十郎だった。
ENJP
"You mean it's a personal pet peeve for you and Alice?"「それは蒼崎たち限定の話か？」
"No, it's common sense! If you go around assuming that other people feel the same way as you, you're asking for trouble."「世間一般での常識よ。自分が気にしないからって他人もそうだと思ってると、いつか火傷するからね」
"Huh. But isn't it kind of her fault for falling asleep in the foyer in the first place? It would be stranger if I saw her like that and didn't want to look out for her."「む。でもそれだったら、ロビーで寝ている有珠にだって問題ないか？　見かけたら放っておけないだろう、あんなの」
ENJP
"Look, I appreciate that's what you thought, but you just have to understand that that's how the lady of the house is.「……その心意気は立派だけど、そこはそれ、この館の持ち主は彼女だから。
While you live here, responsibility for any and all mistakes or bad judgment on your part will be laid at your feet and your feet alone.この洋館内で貴方が出会ったあらゆる不義ふぎ不始末ふしまつ、失敗しっぱい失しっ態たいの責任は草十郎に押しつけられるの。
Do you get what I'm trying to say here?"この意味、分かる？」
Aoko's question sent Soujyuro into a trance of deep thought until finally he uttered,あんまりな青子の言葉に、草十郎はむむ、と考えこんで、
ENJP
"So in other words, I'm in Alice's kingdom now?"「―――つまり、ここは有珠の自治領なんだな？」
"Yes, congratulations. Although technically this kingdom belongs to both me and her.「はい、よくできました。正確には私と有珠のだけどね。
Which means what we say goes."領主は何をやっても許されるってコトよ」
ENJP
She smiled as she spoke and plopped herself down on the sofa.笑顔で言って、青子はソファーに腰を下ろした。
Soujyuro remained standing behind the sofa opposite her as he ran over their conversation again and again in his head.草十郎は青子の向かいのソファーの後ろに立ったまま、今の会話を振り返っていた。
The notion of this being their kingdom made him realize he actually had no idea where the girls had come from or their families' background.有珠の自治領、青子の自治領と言うが、そもそも彼女の家族、実家はどうなっているのか。
ENJP
"Where are your parents, Aozaki?"「蒼崎。君、ご両親はどうしてるんだ？」
He inadvertently blurted out, this being the question foremost on his mind.草十郎はつい、思いついた疑問を口にする。
"They're alive and well. They own a place in Toukawa, four stops from Misaki. I learned everything I know from my grandfather, who's retired now and lives with them."「生きてるわよ。三咲町から下りに四駅いった陶川とうかわってところの地主。師は祖父だけど、今は隠居して両親と一緒の土地に住んでるわ」
ENJP
"Huh. Sounds like a pretty normal family."「……む。そう聞くと、なんだか普通の家庭だな」
Soujyuro had imagined something more outrageous for a family of magicians.魔法使いの一族というから、草十郎はもっと破天荒なものを想像していたらしい。
ENJP
"Sure, as far as my parents go. My father sucked as a mage. My grandfather says it skipped a generation so I get double the power, but I'm not so sure about that.「両親はね。父さんにはあんまり魔術回路は作られなかったみたいだから。その分、私には二世代分の潜在能力があるって祖父は言ってるけど、どうだか。
I think Alice has more the type of family you're imagining. She's from England, you know."草十郎の期待してるような一族は、どっちかって言うと有珠のほうよ。私と違って英国出身だからね、彼女」
Aoko offered nothing more, as if to suggest that was as far as she was willing to reveal for now.そこまで口にして、いけない、と青子は会話を止めた。
Soujyuro had insisted on talking to Alice directly rather than hearing things secondhand, so chose not to go back on his word by pushing the topic further.有珠の事は本人から訊く―――目の前の少年はそう言った。その方針を、こんなところで台無しにする訳にはいかない。
ENJP
"Ask her if you want to know more. Now you know why she loves English blends of tea so much.「ま、詳しくは本人から訊きなさい。有珠の紅茶好きもそこからきてるんだし。
...Speaking of which, why did you use tea leaves today of all days? You should've stuck to the tea bags."……そう言えば、なんで今日にかぎってリーフティーなんか淹れたの？　ティーバッグを使ったほうがまだマシだったでしょうに」
ENJP
"But you said the leaves taste better.「蒼崎が、そっちの方がいいって言ったじゃないか。
And also that Alice is picky about her tea."有珠は紅茶にうるさいって」
Aoko was momentarily at a loss for words.むう、と自らの失言に青子は言いよどむ。
He seemed so oblivious most of the time, but apparently he was attentive to some details, at least selectively.大雑把に見えて細かい事を覚えているヤツめ、と。
ENJP
"Just forget it. Anyway, think you can make it home by yourself tomorrow?「……ま、いいわ。それより明日の放課後だけど、またひとりで帰ってくれない？
They accepted my proposal for a mochi-making festival in the new year, so I'll be pretty busy with that."年明けの行事があるんだけど、その場しのぎで言った餅もちつき大会が通っちゃってさ。明日も忙しいのよ、私」
Soujyuro nodded in acceptance.了解、と頷く草十郎。
In fact he had already been planning to do so before she even asked.青子に言われずともそのつもりだったらしい。
ENJP
"I'll be fine, but what about you? You haven't even slept since yesterday."「それはいいけど、体は大丈夫か蒼崎？　昨日から寝てないだろう」
"Oh, I took a quick three-hour nap earlier. I'll be fine.「夕方に三時間ちょい仮眠をとったから調子はいいわ。
What about you for that matter? I hope you didn't forget about our session tonight."そう言うアンタこそ体は保もつんでしょうね？　もう少ししたら昨日の続き、始めるわよ」
ENJP
She meant the all-night cramming session, of course.昨日の続き、とはマンツーマンによる一夜漬けだ。
Needless to say, Soujyuro was more than likely to struggle given that he, too, had not slept a wink.あれから一睡もしていない草十郎にとって、厳しい荒行なのは言うまでもないが―――
ENJP
All he could do was give a relieved smile.それ以上に、嬉しくてつい頬が緩んでしまう。
He thought back to the days just after he transferred here, when she watched his every move from the sidelines and showed a startling amount of concern for him.転校当時、物陰からはらはらと自分の行動を監視していた彼女の、分かりづらい心遣いが思い出される。
ENJP
"I didn't forget. And besides, it's tougher on you than me, Aozaki.「いいよ。どのみち苦労するのは蒼崎の方だし。
I'm still glad to be your exception among exceptions."異例中の異例は、有り難く受け取っておくとしよう」
ENJP
His cheery response grated on her just a little.晴れ晴れとした顔で返され、青子は小さく呆れながら、
"Wow. You manage to forget everything except the most irritating little details, don't you?"「……ほんと。くだらない事だけは、しつこく覚えてるんだから」
She heaved her shoulders in exasperation and dropped her head as an excuse to look away from the beaming smile on his face.その笑顔から視線を逸らすように、やれやれと肩をすくめるのだった。

Scene 7

ENJP
The following day...翌日。
The last day of finals had ended without a hitch.期末試験、その最終日は滞りなく終了した。
That final December hurdle was finally a thing of the past.多くの学生たちにとって十二月最大の難問は、晴れて過去の歴史と消え去った。
But...だが。
To Soujyuro, the greatest challenge was yet to come.草十郎にとって最大の難問は、この後にこそ控えている。
ENJP
He bid farewell to his classmates, all jittery with excitement for the last day of term, and headed into the Shiroinuzuka woods.明日の終業式に向けて浮き足立つクラスメイトたちと町中で別れを告げ、白犬塚の森の中へ。
The road home was no different than yesterday,昨日通りの帰宅風景、
like he was reliving yet another day striding up that hill.昨日の焼き直しのような気分で、草十郎は坂道を登っていく。
ENJP
Yet today, there was a fierce determination in his steps.草十郎とて確固たる決意に燃えている。
Today was his last chance, and he wanted nothing more than to talk to the girl.今日が最終期限であるし、なにより草十郎自身、あの少女の話こえを聞きたがっていた。
He did not care if she was cruel to him or ignored him, nor whether Aoko was being truthful when she said that she could trap him in a mirror land or something like that. All he really cared about was having the chance to speak with her face-to-face.多少邪険に扱われても、とことん無視されても、果ては“怒らせると鏡の国に放りこまれるわよ”とニヤけ顔で笑う青子の忠告を実現させる事になったとしても、挨拶ぐらいはしたいのである。
ENJP
But nothing is ever that simple.―――しかし。
To tell the truth, what he found upon finally entering the mansion was not wholly unexpected.草十郎を待ち受けていたものは、半分以上、なんとなく予感していた通りの光景だった。
ENJP
"...She sure sleeps a lot."「…………よく寝る子だな、ほんと」
The déjà vu he was experiencing made him dizzy.目眩を覚えるほどの既視感。
Faced with an exact reenactment of the previous day, he could not help but blurt out what he was thinking.見た目だけなら昨日と何ら変わらない風景に迎えられて、草十郎は素直な感想を漏らした。
ENJP
Alice was sleeping by the fireplace, just as she had done yesterday.少女は今日も暖炉の傍そばで眠っている。
The way her legs draped to one side resembled those of a princess in a children's book.正座から横にしなだれ落ちた両足は、絵本で見る少女の座り方に似ていた。
She looked more comfortable than she had the day before.昨日よりは幾分いくぶん居心地のいい座り方だろう。
Miraculously, he had a rare flash of insight that enabled him to read the situation more clearly.たまに奇跡的な察しの良さを発揮する彼は、それで事の絡から繰くりが読めてしまった。
ENJP
(...What could Tobimaru be doing at school on his own?)『……学校で、鳶丸はひとり何をしているんだろう……』
Upon glancing back at the entrance, he made his decision, took a deep breath, and rolled up his sleeves.ちらりと入ってきた玄関へ視線を投げて、よし、と気合いを入れて腕まくりをする。
If today was a reenactment of yesterday, then he supposed he would play along with that idea.何もかも昨日の通りなら、自分もそれに合わせてみようと思ったのか。
Soujyuro removed his shoes and headed for the kitchen.草十郎は鞄を置いて台所に向かった。
He was off to prepare another ill-fated pot of tea.もちろん昨日と同じ、不出来な紅茶を淹れるために。
ENJP
Since she was angry about him using her precious Fauchon, this time he turned to Jacksons' Fruit & Herb brew.フォションは怒られたので、今日は反省してジャクソンのフルーツハーブを手に取る。
...Sadly, this was about as much as Soujyuro could manage to amend his behavior.……悲しいかな、これが今の草十郎の限界だった。
He had failed to realize that it was not the brand of tea that had landed him in hot water, but rather his incorrect brewing method.お茶の葉の種類で怒られたのではなく、それを使いこなせなかった事が問題だったと気付いていない。
ENJP
After filling the pot with tea, he carried it back to the foyer.ポットに紅茶を淹れてロビーに戻る。
His breath was visible in the cold air as he sat himself down by the fireplace.白い息をこぼして草十郎は暖炉の前にあぐらをかいた。
Soujyuro took a sip of the fruity tea he prepared for himself and pulled his textbook from his bag.自分で淹れたフルーツミックスを口にし、鞄から教科書を取りだす。
Exams were over now, but he had been instructed to take extra classes for the subjects from day one of school. Quite inevitable.期末試験は終わったけれど、一日目の科目はいくつか補習を宣言されたので、やっぱりこうなる運命なのだ。
ENJP
The foyer was warmer than outside but still far from comfortable. It was enough to make anyone yearn for some source of warmth.ロビーは外より幾分いくぶん暖かいが、快適にはほど遠い。何らかの暖が恋しくなる寒さだ。
Soujyuro dove into his electronics textbook in the winter-chilled hall.冬の寒気を色濃く残すホールで、草十郎は電子工学のテキストに没頭した。
The class was not very popular, which is why it had been recommended to him in the first place. That fact that everyone who took it started on equal footing made it more appealing to him than other classes.選択する生徒が少ないという理由で勧められた科目だが、高校から基礎が始まる分、他の科目より少しだけ面白い。
ENJP
(Aozaki was right...)『けど、蒼崎の言う通り』
He downed the rest of the tea, having no appreciation for its flavor, and refilled his cup.味の分からない紅茶を空にして、カップに二杯目を注ぐ。
The tea was still warm, since the ceramic teapot had excellent heat retention.陶磁器のポットは保温性に勝れているので、紅茶はまだ温かい。
(I can't seem to remember anything that's written down.)『文字で物事を覚えるのは、苦手みたいだ』
He vaguely recalled their conversation as his eyes advanced across the page.ぼんやりと思いながら、草十郎は文字の羅列を読み進める。
ENJP
The lack of lighting in the foyer was forcing him to rely on illumination from the skylight.ロビーに電灯はなく、天窓からの日射しだけが頼りだ。
The light cut into the room at a diagonal angle in such a way as to divide the foyer into light and dark areas, with the fireplace in shadow.斜に差しこむ光はロビーに明暗を作り、壁際の暖炉はじき影に沈もうとしている。
ENJP
The room resembled ancient ruins covered in ash.見ようによっては、灰に浸ひたされた廃墟の風景。
Or perhaps the quiet, forgotten world of a faded fairy tale.あるいは、くすんだ童話の中に忘れられた、色あせた挿し絵の世界。
Time slipped on by within the white walls of this room, hidden away from the sun.白い城壁の部屋で、時間は人知れず、太陽の目を盗むようにこつこつと流れていった。
ENJP
"..."「――――――」
The minutes passed slowly for some time. Until...そうして、ゆるやかに時間が過ぎたあと。
The sound of a textbook slamming shut brought the room back to reality.ぱたんと教科書を閉じた音が、くすんだ風景を現実に引き戻した。
Soujyuro stretched his stiff back and eagerly got started on clearing up.草十郎は腕を伸ばして肩の凝りをほぐすと、いそいそと後片づけをはじめる。
ENJP
He put his textbook back in his bag,本を鞄にしまい、
placed his cup on the tray,有珠のカップはそのまま床に残し、
leaving Alice's sitting in front of her on the floor.自分の使ったカップをトレイに載せて立ち上がって、
"Well, time to go to work,"「バイトの時間だ」
he said unceremoniously.あっさりと。
He spoke as if to convince himself that he had no other choice as he prepared to leave the sleepy foyer behind.そういう事なら仕方ない、と納得するように口にして、眠るロビーを後にした。
ENJP
But before he could...―――その直前。
A sound behind him stopped him in his tracks.背後からの物音を聞いて、草十郎は足を止めた。
He turned around with his bag under his arm and tray in his hands.鞄を脇わきに挟んだままトレイ片手に振り返る。
So as not to cause even a ripple in her teacup, he greeted her,有珠用のカップに注がれた紅茶に波ひとつ立てず、
"Hey,"「や」
in a light, easygoing manner.気軽な口振りで、草十郎はそう語りかけた。
She remained seated next to the fireplace like a black-eyed sleeping beauty.暖炉の横で座ったままの、黒い瞳の眠り姫に。
ENJP
Her face was as still as a statue, almost no different than it had been in slumber.有珠は彫像のようだった寝顔と変わらない静かさで草十郎を見ている。
Looking at Alice now, he realized just how different she and Aoko really were.それを見て、草十郎は今更ながら有珠と青子の違いに気が付いた。
ENJP
Aoko communicated her feelings openly, even if he never could quite tell where they came from.青子は、その思考経路は謎としても、実に分かりやすい意思表示をしてくれる。
Her trademark expression of irritation would keep him guessing as to the reason she was angry, but to her credit her emotional state was always clear.トレードマークである不機嫌そうな顔は、何に不機嫌なのかはさておくとして、常に意思を反映している。
Alice, on the other hand, was completely unreadable.対して、有珠はそもそも感情が読めない。
She might be angry, or then again sad; he could not tell either way.怒っているのか悲しんでいるのかさえ表れない。
ENJP
"What do you think you're doing?"「何の、つもり―――？」
Her question gave him a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.沈みこむような問いかけ。
He could not decide whether it was animosity or perplexity that he heard in her voice.敵意なのか疑問なのかすら、草十郎には判別がつかない。
If the former, this was likely to turn into a replay of their interaction from the other night.もし前者なら、有珠を相手にあの夜の再現になるかもしれない。
ENJP
An image of the shattered bottle sprang to his mind.粉々に散った小瓶が草十郎の脳裏をよぎる。
Soujyuro knew his response would be extremely important,返答次第では無事では済まないと承知して、
and after struggling for a few moments he finally worked up the courage to say something.しばし迷ったあと、草十郎は覚悟を決めた。
Just not the correct thing, unfortunately.と、言うより―――
ENJP
"Right, about that... It'll take awhile to explain, so let me just have a seat first."「そうだな。一口じゃ説明できないから、座るよ」
He had no idea what the correct approach would be, so he simply did whatever came into his mind instead.何が正しい選択か考えもつかなかったので、単純に、自分のしたい事をする事にした。
ENJP
"..."「………………」
The room was silent.返事はない。
Her face said that she detested his presence, but he plowed ahead regardless.黒衣の少女は嫌がっているようにも見えたが、草十郎はあえて無視した。
ENJP
Soujyuro took a seat and set down the tray once more. Their eyes met.もう一度床に座ってトレイを置くと、ふたりの視線はぴったりと合った。
Her inscrutable gaze was enough to turn most people away.底の見えない有珠の瞳は、依然として余人を寄せつけない。
But, the target of her animosity appeared not to notice it at all.が。肝心の草十郎は、そんな重圧をまったく感じてはいないようだった。
ENJP
"Yes...?"「それで、なに……？」
"Ah, well, I guess I should have done this a long time ago, but I've been wanting to talk to you about something, Alice."「ああ。遅くなったけど、こうして話がしたかったんだ、有珠と」
Despite having suggested that it would take time to explain, he managed to sum things up succinctly.一口じゃ説明できないらしいのに、草十郎はあっさりと一口で説明した。
ENJP
"Me? Not Aoko?"「わたしと……？　青子とではなく？」
"Hm? Well, I have lots to talk to Aozaki about. In fact, I think all three of us should sit down at some point..."「ん？　そうだね、蒼崎とはもっと話したいところだけど、それよりは三人で話してみたい」
Alice found herself out of kilter, unable to read his true intentions.草十郎の意図が読めず、戸惑う有珠。
Soujyuro continued on, none the wiser to her bewilderment.そんな有珠の困惑に気付かず、草十郎はしかつめらしく話を続ける。
ENJP
"Aozaki said you two rarely speak to each other. I'd feel bad if that's because of me, but I'd feel even worse if it isn't.「蒼崎は普段から有珠とは会話がないって言うんだ。それが俺のせいなら困るし、俺のせいじゃないならもっと困る。
It's sad that we live together but never talk."せっかく同じ場所に居るのに会話がないなんて、もったいないと思うんだ」
ENJP
Each word he spoke was heavy with emotion.噛みしめるような、やけに情感の籠もった声。
Alice remained utterly unable to discern this boy's intentions.有珠には少年の意図はこれっぽっちも掴めない。
All she could parse was that there was something he wanted from her.けれど、彼が自分に対して強く、何かを願っているのは感じ取れる。
...But what could that be?……それが。
What she found even stranger was that he was not speaking to her from a place of fear.恐れに起因するものでない事が、彼女には意外だった。
ENJP
"Aren't you afraid of me?"「貴方は、わたしが恐くないの……？」
"No. I don't know enough about you to be scared of you, to tell the truth."「ああ。だってそう言えるほど、俺は君をよく知らない」
ENJP
Her gleaming eyes looked like they were made of polished quartz.見開いた瞳は玻は璃り細工のように。
His response had not been what she expected.少女にとって、少年の予想外さはもう驚きの域だった。
He spoke with pure honesty and unfettered truth.あまりにも素直な、脊髄反射のような答え。
Such boldness, however, did not actually upset her.そんな無遠慮極まりない言葉が、なぜか不快と感じない。
ENJP
Their conversation ground to a halt,ふたりの会話はそこで途絶えた。
if you could even call it a conversation in the first place.いや、もとより会話は成立していない。
Alice grew tense, as if displeased by the strangely comfortable moment of silence between them.不思議と居心地のいい沈黙を嫌うように、少女は気を引き締める。
Soujyuro endured her cold stare, showing no sign of flinching.少年はそんな少女の視線を、怯えることなく受けとめる。
ENJP
"...Talk."「…………話」
"Hm?"「ん？」
"You said you wanted to talk to me.「わたしと話をしたいと言ったでしょう。
So... be my guest. Whatever topic you like."なら、好きにしてみたら……？」
ENJP
It was more a challenge than an invitation.できるものならしてみろ、という少女の誘い。
He had neither a topic on hand, nor were they intimate enough to strike up a casual conversation.草十郎には彼女に話しかける話題も、親密さもない。
Nonetheless, her challenge hanged in the air, waiting for a response.意地の悪い少女の挑発は、しかし。
ENJP
"Well, what about that bird? The blue one over there.「じゃあ、あの鳥の話を。ほら、そこにいる青い鳥。
I see it around now and then. Is it your pet?たまに見かけるんだけど、君の飼い鳥か？
Or is it one of those, what are they called... 'Ploys'? A magical familiar?"それともほら、なんて言ったかな。プロイ、だっけ。あの鳥も有珠の使い魔？」
"Pff..."「っ―――」
Her eyes let slip for a moment a very natural response.一瞬、少女の瞳に人間らしい色が灯る。
It was annoyance, such as that which one might feel toward a troublemaker.あの厄介者、と睨みつけるような視線だった。
ENJP
"Yes, it's a Ploy, but the stupid bird isn't mine. It's lived here longer than I have, and I'm afraid I don't know much about it."「……アレもプロイだけど、わたしとは何の関係もない駄鳥だちょう。ずいぶん古くから在いるだけで、わたしもよく知らないわ」
"You mean... it just decided to live here of its own free will?"「？　じゃあ勝手に住んでるのか、この家に？」
ENJP
"Of course not. I would never allow such a thing.「勝手になんて、わたしが許す筈がないでしょう。
Robin's useless, but I inherited it from my mother. As such, I permit it to continue living here, despite its constant failures and shortcomings."……ロビンは本当に役に立たないけど、あんなのでも母から譲り受けたものだから。失敗続きでも、特別に住まわせてあげてるの」
ENJP
"I see. That's a relief. Here I was thinking I'm the only useless one in the house."「そっか、安心した。ここに住むの、役に立たなきゃダメってワケでもないんだね」
"Pff..."「っ―――」
ENJP
She turned away in silence to avoid looking at his hapless grin.無防備な笑顔を向けられて、少女は顔を逸そらして黙りこんでしまった。
Thus began Soujyuro's very lengthy monologue.あとの時間は、草十郎が喋るだけの一方通行だ。
It started with his part-time job, then moved on to the school. Next came the amusement park and random gossip around town, and last the subject of rent.日々のアルバイトのこと。学校のこと。遊園地でのこと。町のこと。家賃のこと。
He spent all of twenty minutes on mindless small talk.そんな益体のない話をすること二十分。
Then he ran out of things to say and finally stopped.さすがにこれ以上は延ばせない、と少年は会話を切った。
ENJP
"Sorry. I'm on the clock soon, so I should get going."「ごめん。アルバイトがあるから、もう行くよ」
And that was that.……この通り。
After finally getting his long-awaited chance to talk to her, he realized he had no exit plan in place.せっかくの機会をあっさり諦めるあたり、本当に何も考えていなかったらしい。
ENJP
So he returned the tray to the kitchen, placed his bag in the foyer, and headed for the door.草十郎はトレイを厨房に戻し、鞄をロビーに置いて玄関に向かう。
She had never seen the boy so candid.有珠は彼のそんな淡泊さを知らなかった。
Which was why, overcome with surprise, she found herself calling out to him.なので、意表をつかれて見届けそうになって、つい、
"...Wait."「―――待って」
She had no reason to do so, and yet she called out anyway.必要もないのに、その背中を呼び止めていた。
ENJP
"Hm? Yes?"「ん、なに？」
"...It's just...「…………その。
I saw the pot you used today."今日は、ポットがあったけど」
"Oh, right. I wasn't going to make the same mistake as yesterday. But I guess I'm the only one who drank any today, so..."「あ、うん。昨日の反省点だったから。結局、使ったのは自分だけだけど」
ENJP
"Well, that pot is normally used for coffee, so you shouldn't put tea leaves in it."「そう。……そのポットはコーヒーとの兼用だから、ハーブティーには合わないわ」
Soujyuro's eyes grew wide with shock.む、と目を見張る草十郎。
Now he remembered that there had been all sorts of cups and teapots in the cupboard. Each one specially designed for a different type of tea!言われてみれば、紅茶のポットとカップは何種類もあった。どうも各紅茶には専用のティーセットが定められているらしい。
ENJP
"Who knew there was so much to brewing tea?「……なかなかに奥深い。
I guess a beginner like me shouldn't mess with things he doesn't understand, huh?"あれかな、慣れない事はするもんじゃないってコトか」
She let out a vexed sigh.やれやれと嘆息する。
"Why didn't you wake me?"「……どうして、わたしを起こさなかったの？」
Either she had not heard what he said, or she had been waiting this whole time for a chance to ask him that.草十郎の言葉なんて聞いていないのか、それとも、それが本当に訊ねたかった事なのか。
In any case, her question abruptly interrupted his stream of thought.有珠は彼の言葉を遮さえぎって問いただした。
ENJP
He fell silent with introspection.草十郎はむ、と自問するように黙りこむ。
The thought of waking her had not so much as crossed his mind either that day or the previous one.言われて見れば、昨日も今日も“有珠を起こす”という発想に、まったく思い至らなかったからだ。
ENJP
"...Tell me.「……言って。
You didn't wake me. Did you expect me to just keep sleeping?"起こす気も、起きることも期待していなかったのは、なぜ？」
Her eyes were filled with animosity.その視線には殺意すら含まれている。
Lies were useless against such an all-piercing gaze.深い瞳にはどんな嘘も通用しない。
The setting sun transformed the foyer into a battle of life and death.夕暮れのロビーは一転して、生死を分かつ法廷になっていた。
ENJP
Lies or deceptive answers would not be permitted.嘘も、つまらない答えも許さない。
Amidst the palpable tension that filled the room, where any move, wrong or otherwise, was likely to get him killed, he felt pain rather than fear.何を口にしようと心臓を貫かれそうな雰囲気の中、草十郎が抱いた感情は恐れより痛みだった。
Alice's voice was icy cold, preemptively rejecting any response he was to give.久遠寺有珠の声は冷たく、また、回答を拒絶している。
The boy vaguely imagined a newborn chick that had fallen from the nest, struggling to survive on its own.少年は漠然と、地面に落ちながら独ひとり立ちしたひな鳥を連想した。
It gasped, hanging on to a thread of hope, yet detesting where that thread hung.一縷の希望を待ちながら、その希望の在処ありかを憎む、取り残されたモノの喘ぎ。
ENJP
"Do you really want to know?"「言わなきゃいけないか？」
Alice nodded sharply.有珠はこくりと頷く。
"Fine, but it's not especially meaningful or anything.「じゃあ言うけど、別に深い考えがあったワケじゃない。
I just think it's rude to wake someone who's asleep."単に、寝た子を起こすのはよくないだろ」
"...I have no time for jokes."「……冗談は聞いてないわ」
"That is the truth. I just thought I should let you sleep. I really wanted to talk, but I decided to wait till the next time we saw each other."「冗談じゃないよ。眠っているのならそのままでいいと思ったんだ。話はしたいけど、それはまた、目が覚めた次の機会にするべきだって」
ENJP
"How sweet of you. That reminds me, Aoko's protection over you ends today, doesn't it?「……ずいぶんと悠長なのね。青子が貴方を守るのは今日までだって聞いているけど。
That makes this your last chance to win me over.わたしに取り入る機会はこれが最後なのに。
So, have you, or have you not, learned your lesson, hmm?"それとも―――あれだけ忠告されておいて、まだ何も分かっていないの？」
ENJP
He had not.何も分かっていない。
He swore to her, agreed to her terms, and gone as far as to sit face to face with her to get to know her. Surely, he thought, this was enough to escape death.約束はした、事情も分かった、同じ人間として話し合えた。だから―――もう殺される事はないはずだ、と。
And she believed, as a mage, that his naive goodwill and simplemindedness were all the reasons she needed to execute him.そんな良識、常識からの判断なら、少女はこの場で魔女としての鉄槌を振り下ろす。
Trivial misunderstandings would only make things worse at this point.くだらない勘違いは、どちらにとっても害にしかならないからだ。
ENJP
"What lesson? What am I supposed to have learned? All this magic and magecraft stuff is way over my head.「そりゃ何も分からないよ。魔術とか魔法とか、たった数日で分かるもんか。
All I know is I've done everything you and Aozaki have asked of me."はっきりしているのは、有珠も蒼崎も言った事はきっちり守るってコトだけだ」
"Then why...?"「なら、どうして」
Her gaze said what she really wanted to ask. She wanted to know why he did not beg for his life.眠っている自分を起こして、命を乞こわなかったのかと視線で問う。
ENJP
She knew the answer.有珠は知っている。
She saw the look on his face when he turned to leave without so much as trying to wake her.この少年が自分を起こさず立ち去ろうとした時に見せた表情を。
A look of resignation.“そういう事なら仕方がない―――”
What on earth had it meant?あの顔は、一体どういう意味だったのか。
ENJP
"What do you expect me to say?「どうしてって、そう言われても困る。
I thought if the opportunity didn't present itself, then so be it.……そうだな。機会が訪れなかったのなら、それはそういう事だと思ったのかもしれない。
When I saw you sleeping again I didn't know what to do. You're not exactly the easiest people to approach, you and Aozaki, though Aozaki is a little different..."君の寝顔はそれぐらい、なんていうか判断に困った。蒼崎とは違う意味で、簡単には関われないと思ったんだ」
ENJP
Soujyuro struggled to find the right words, but said what he was feeling in the moment anyway.うまく言葉にできないながらも、草十郎はあの時の気持ちを口にする。
He'd seen a sleeping witch of the wood who clearly needed someone's help yet sought the help of no one.誰かを必要としているクセに誰も望んでいない、眠りの森の少女の姿を。
ENJP
"But here you are trying to approach me anyway.「……そう。でも、静希君は関わろうとしているのね。
Even though the opportunity never presented itself."その機会は、訪れなかったのに」
"Oh, but it did. That's why I decided to do things my way today, even if nothing could go right to begin with."「機会はやってきたよ。なんで、こっちも今日ぐらいは自分の勝手にして、無茶をしたくなったんだ」
"You talk as though you always expected me to reject you."「静希君の言う通りなら、わたしは貴方を拒絶するしかないのに？」
ENJP
"Err, yeah, I guess it's hard to explain."「まあ、そこが難しいところなんだけど」
Soujyuro glanced at the entrance.草十郎はちらりと玄関に視線を向ける。
He had no reason to-he just felt an urge to do so.今は何の意味もない行為だが、そうせずにはいられなかったのだ。
"I doubt I'm the only one who'd like to see this situation solved."「たぶん、そこを解決したがってるのは俺だけじゃないと思うよ」
ENJP
He muttered as if speaking to himself, but it was clearly meant for her to hear.自問めいた答えは少女に対して向けられたものでもある。
Alice knew full well how poorly he had understood the situation.それが大きな間違いだという事を、有珠は分かっている。
All of this was one giant misunderstanding on his part.全て彼の勘違い。
His tiny gesture of goodwill, pitiful and pure, resembled that of someone reaching out to help a dying kitten.死に瀕した子猫に手を伸ばそうとする程度の、清らかで浅ましい、小さな善性。
For Alice, doing so would be akin to clutching the thorns of a rose.それが、有珠には茨いばらのようにいとわしかった。
She felt pain in her chest for the first time in quite a while.……久しぶりに、胸に痛いと感じたのだ。
ENJP
"I still don't want you in the mansion."「……けど、わたしは貴方の同居を認めてはいないわ」
She addressed the floor at her feet to avoid showing him how she truly felt.そんな心を隠すように、うつむき加減に有珠は言った。
If he had, he would have seen that her face looked just the way Aoko's had earlier.立っている草十郎からでは、今の有珠が、あの時の青子と同じ顔をしている事には気づけない。
ENJP
"I'm sure you don't. And I doubt that'll change anytime soon.「だろうな。それはきっと、今は解決できない問題だ。
But that doesn't mean we can't work something out. It's okay if you keep hating me in the meantime."でもそのうち、何かの気まぐれであっさり終わるものかもしれない。だからその時まで、有珠はずっと、俺を嫌っていていいんだと思う」
ENJP
"..."「―――――――――」
Her gasp of breath was like a response in itself.息を飲む気配は、それこそ声のように。
To suggest she could keep hating him...その時まで、嫌ってもいいと。
She had once wished to hear those words so dearly, if only the once.そんな言葉を、少女は今まで、いや、一度だけ、強く願った事があって―――
ENJP
"I mean, you're not the only one. That goes for Aozaki, too. I don't think she wants me here, either.「だいたいだぞ。有珠だけじゃなく、蒼崎も同居を認めてない節があるじゃないか。
Expecting to feel welcomed would be a big mistake on my part. We're fundamentally different people, and that's never going to change.だから、認めてもらう、なんて意気ごみ自体が間違いなんだ。どうあっても俺は蒼崎や君たちとは違うんだし。
I just want you to tolerate me.となると、あとは我慢してもらうしかない。
I know it's a lot to ask, but is there a way I could live here without bothering you too much?"難しい話だけど、一緒にいても邪魔にならないぐらいなら、その可能性はあがらないか？」
ENJP
Thinking that of course it was possible, but if it were that easy none of this would have been necessary in the first place, Alice nodded in agreement.たしかにその通りなのだけど、それが出来るのなら苦労はしない―――と、そこまで思って、有珠はなるほど、と頷いてしまった。
There was no way he could have planned for things to work out this well.彼が企んだ訳ではないのだろうが。
But his plan in fact had worked, if inadvertently, from the moment the conversation began.こうして会話が成立している時点で、自分は術中に嵌はまってしまったのだ。
ENJP
"You mean, so that I can sleep undisturbed even with you sitting right next to me?"「例えば、貴方が隣となりにいても眠っていられるぐらいに？」
"Sure, why not."「そうだね、例えばの話」
Beaming, Soujyuro stood up and left the foyer.笑顔で返して草十郎はロビーを後にする。
Alice did not stop him this time.その後ろ姿を有珠はもう止めなかった。
ENJP
He had a newfound spring in his step as he headed to work.玄関から外に出た少年は、心機一転してアルバイト先に足を向ける。
But something gave him a moment's pause.ただ、その前に。
"It's not nice to spy on people."「じっさい、覗き見は趣味が悪いと思う」
He complained aloud to make sure a certain someone heard him.誰かに告げるように、そんな文句を呟いた。

Scene 8

ENJP
No more than two minutes had passed since Soujyuro left the mansion when a long-haired figure came creeping into the foyer.草十郎が洋館を後にしてから二分ほど経った後、足音を忍ばせて、長い髪の人影がロビーに入ってきた。
Aoko Aozaki had been just outside the entire time, eavesdropping.今まで外から様子を窺うかがっていた、蒼崎青子その人である。
ENJP
"...When did you get home?"「……帰ってたの？」
With a sullen glare, Alice addressed the interloper.むっとした目付きで、有珠は青子に語りかけた。
Aoko was shivering from head to toe after standing in the cold for so long.どれほど外に居たのか、青子の体は寒さで震えている。
She deemed gloves an abomination and refused to wear them except in the most extreme cold. As a result, her slender fingers were pitifully swollen and red.手袋は悪、と公言している青子は、よほどの寒さでなければ手袋はつけない。それが災いして、長い指が哀れなほど赤くなっていた。
ENJP
"Don't know, a while ago. Anyway, how did it go? You two were talking for so long..."「ちょっと前にね。それでどうだったの有珠？　ずいぶんと話してたみたいだけど」
She looked strangely elated, as she blew on her hands to warm them.吐息で両手を温めながら、青子はどこか楽しそうに問いただす。
ENJP
"..."「………………」
Alice was not fooled at all by Aoko's facade, clear from the ill-tempered look she wore on her face.その意地の悪い顔で、有珠は事の絡繰からくりを読み取った。
ENJP
"...I never expected you to be so overprotective.「……貴女がここまで過保護とは思わなかったわ。
But did you do it out of stubbornness, or obligation?"意地？　それとも義務？」
"Oh, please, I was just going with the flow.「どっちかっていうと成り行きね。
But seriously, how did it go? You told me you'd resort to force if he made you mad."で、どうだったのよ結果は。気にくわなかったら実力行使に出るって言ってたじゃない」
ENJP
"..."「………………」
Alice's mood was growing darker and darker the longer she had to look at Aoko's cheerful posturing.上機嫌な青子を前に、有珠はますます面持ちを暗くしていく。
ENJP
It all went back to their dinner together the previous night.話は昨日の夕食までさかのぼる。
After everything that happened in the foyer, Alice was both more suspicious of and intrigued by Soujyuro than ever before. She insisted that Aoko let him walk home alone the next day.ロビーでの一件で草十郎への不信感、および関心がメーターを振り切ったのか、有珠は“明日も彼をひとりで帰して”と青子に強要した。
ENJP
She then used a concoction to fake her slumber and recreate the same scene as the previous day.今日の眠りは薬による擬似的なもので、意図的に昨日の状況を再現したものである。
That portion of her plan went well, but the rest had veered totally off course. It did not help to know her roommate had savored every moment of it from the other side of the wall, either.状況はうまくいったが結果は彼女の予想から外れ、また、お節介な同居人が壁越しに手に汗握っていた、というのも面白くない。
To make matters worse, Alice was frustrated at herself for letting such trivial matters bother her.さらに付け足すのなら、そんなどうでもいい事に腹を立てている自分にも呆れてしまう有珠だった。
ENJP
She stared at the teacup still sitting on the floor.床に置かれたティーカップを見つめる有珠。
Her pale finger traced its cold rim.その白い指が冷えたカップの縁ふちをなぞっていく。
"It's as you said. He is harmless.「……青子の言う通り、害にはならない人ね。
...For the time being."あくまで、今のところの話だけど」
She forced a tone of indifference in order to hide her irritation with her apprentice.青子に内心の苛立ちを見せないよう、有珠は冷淡な感想を述べた。
It was in this moment that Soujyuro's fate was decided.その時点で、もう結論は出ているようなものだが。
ENJP
"That's it? You were talking for what seemed like forever."「あら、それだけ？　有珠にしては長く話してたのに」
Relentless, Aoko continued her line of questioning.白状しろ、とばかりに青子はしつこく繰り返す。
Alice only stared back icily.有珠はそんな同居人を冷徹に見据えると、
"Aoko, I know you were eavesdropping."「青子。貴女、隠していたわね」
She voiced her displeasure at Aoko's behavior in no uncertain terms.敵意すらこめて、彼女の不義を糾弾した。
ENJP
Suddenly the air in the foyer felt cold as ice.ロビーの空気が凍る。
They stared at one another, each trying to guess the other's next move.ふたりの少女は相手の出方を探るように見つめ合った。
ENJP
"...So you did notice. This... doesn't change anything about our deal. I hope that's clear."「…………流石ね。よくそこに気が付いたもんだわ。でも、こればかりは譲れないのよ」
Aoko widened her stance and glared at Alice.じり、と腰を落として有珠を睨む青子。
ENJP
"I'm a reasonable person, Aoko. It's fine with me if you take thirty percent."「なにも全て奪うとは言っていないわ。……そうね。貴女にも三割ぐらいは回すつもり」
Completely unperturbed by Aoko's warlike posturing, a simple look was all Alice needed to keep her roommate in check.戦闘態勢に入った青子に動じず、有珠は視線だけで青子を牽制する。
ENJP
"Down from all of it? Hah! Not a chance."「ふん。十が三に化けちゃあ、ちょっと黙ってらんないわね」
"Fly too high and you may lose those wings, Aoko."「高望みは命取りよ、青子」
Alice remained calm and dignified, not moving a muscle.凛とした姿勢のままで有珠は動かない。
ENJP
It felt like hours passed as the two stared at each other in silence.そうして無言のまま、両者は長いこと見つめ合った。
Aoko was grinding her teeth in frustration.ぎり、と悔しげに歯を鳴らす青子。
At this rate, their alliance would be in tatters before they even confronted their foe.このままでは外敵との対決を前にして、仲間割れという形で幕は下りかねない。
And worst of all,……加えて。
she knew Alice had the upper hand.どう考えても、分が悪いのは自分だった。
ENJP
"...Cheapskate."「…………けち」
Aoko accepted her defeat with a "tsk."青子はちっ、と舌打ちして敗北を認める。
ENJP
"Fine. You get sixty, I get forty."「悔しいけど有珠が六、私が四で手を打つわ」
It pained her to settle for less. Alice nodded in satisfaction.無念げに妥協する青子と、満足げにうなずく有珠。
ENJP
"Very well. But I'm the head of the house, and you're the one who brought him here, so it's your job to collect rent."「そうね。家主やぬしはわたしだけど、彼を招いたのは青子だから。そのかわり、家賃やちんの取り立ては貴女の役割ね」
"Fine. Ugh, this sucks. I should've gone into alchemy instead, then all my problems would be solved."「……いいけど。あーあ、情けない。こんな事なら錬金術でもかじっておくんだった。そうすれば、こんな思いをしなくてもすんだのに」
"Not really. Not even alchemists are immune to market downturns."「そうでもないわ。彼ら、バブルが弾けて大変だって話よ」
ENJP
Alice spoke with the confidence of someone with first-hand experience of such matters, yet Aoko only nodded absentmindedly in response.妙に実感のこもった有珠の言葉に、青子ははいはいと空返事をする。
Their bitter fight was over how to split the take of Soujyuro's rent now that he was officially going to move in.ふたりは草十郎を住まわせた後の、彼が支払う家賃の取り分を真剣に議論していたのだ。
Not the most becoming quarrel for a pair of mages.魔術師にあるまじき口論である。
Forcing a boy to live with them and then demanding he pay rent was beyond extortion-it was truly vicious.無理やり同居を強制しておいて家賃を取るあたり、詐欺を通り越してもはや暴力と言っていいレベル。
ENJP
"Since we're even discussing this, I assume that means you've accepted his presence in the mansion?"「でも、そんな台詞が出るって事は有珠もようやく認めたってコトね」
Aoko was triumphantly satisfied with herself.よしよし、と満足する青子。
"The only thing I've accepted is my responsibility for not catching him with the Bounded Field in the park that night.「……認めてはいないけど、公園での夜、彼を結界で捕捉しなかった責任があるから。
I mean, it's not as if I can blame it all on you and your promise to him."彼と約束をした青子だけを責められないでしょう」
ENJP
"...Oh, that promise."「……約束、か」
Aoko looked up at the ceiling as she recalled the night at the amusement park.遊園地の夜を思い出すように、青子は天井を見上げた。
Only a week at most had passed since then, but Aoko already felt that Soujyuro's fate and her own had become intrinsically linked.たかだか一週間ほど前の出来事なのに、あれから随分と草十郎との縁が強くなった気がする。
Or perhaps they had always been connected by fate since the moment they'd met.それとも、初めて会ったあの時から縁は強いものだったのだろうか。
She could not see into the future, so there was no way to know for sure.未来視ではない青子には、とうてい預かり知らぬコトではあるが。
ENJP
"Destiny and fate aside,「ま、縁とか運とかはともかく。
he's not a bad egg. Besides being weird, I mean."変だけどいい奴よね、あいつ」
A thought uttered to herself in self-confirmation more than to Alice.有珠に同意を求めるワケでもなく呟く青子。
Alice could only look on in annoyance.それを有珠は不機嫌そうに眺める。
Perhaps in an attempt to voice her displeasure at her comment.なにか、今の台詞が気に入らなかったのかも知れない。
ENJP
"Do you know about his injury, Aoko?"「青子、あの傷を知ってる？」
"Injury? What injury?"「傷……？」
Alice raised her slender fingers to her mouth as if to push the words back in.思わず口にでた声を、有珠は細い指で押し止めた。
She had blurted it out in the heat of the moment.感情的に出てしまった質問。
A secret that no one else was supposed to know, but that which one couldn't keep to herself.人に話す事ではないと分かっていたのに訊かずには―――知らさずにはいられなかった、自分しか知らない秘密。
ENJP
"Huh?"「？？」
Aoko tilted her head in confusion.有珠の問いに首を傾げる青子。
"I see."「―――そう」
Alice looked relieved for some reason.なぜか胸を撫でおろす。
Her sudden antipathy towards Aoko had dissipated as well.青子に感じた突発的な反感も、それで晴れてくれたようだ。
ENJP
"Ignorance is bliss, I suppose."「―――倖しあわせな人」
And with the tightening of the collar...そうして。
She made no attempt to explain who was fortunate, or why.誰がどう倖せなのか口にせず、有珠は冷めきった紅茶を口にした。
A moment later, her beautiful face contorted in revulsion.とたん、その可憐な顔が苦々しい貌かおを作る。
ENJP
"...Yuck."「……まずい」
She abandoned the cup to the floor once more.無情にも床に放置されるカップ。
Her black dress unceremoniously scrunched up as she stood.少女の黒衣がおごそかに揺れる。
Just one sip of the under-brewed tea sent her fleeing to the drawing room to remove the bad taste from her mouth.未熟な紅茶を一口だけ飲んだ有珠は、口直しとばかりに居間へと歩いていってしまった。
ENJP
As soon as she was gone Aoko hesitatingly took the teacup in her own hands.それを見送った後、ためらいながらも青子は残されたティーカップを手に取った。
It was almost certainly better left untasted, but she could not help but wonder how Soujyuro's tea could arouse such a strong response.よせばいいのに、有珠の酷評を受けた草十郎のお茶を飲む気になったのだ。
After one small sip she returned it quietly to the floor.くいと一口に試した後、青子も静かにカップを戻す。
ENJP
"Yep, he should have used the tea bags like I told him to. Dummy."「……だからティーバッグにしろって言ったのに、あの莫迦」
The expression on her face was nearly identical to that of her roommate's.有珠と同じ、苦いような困ったような顔をして、青子はそう呟いた。

Scene EX

ENJP
Walking around the mansion at night often led to mysterious encounters.夜中、洋館を歩いていると不思議なコトに遭遇する。
Mist might suddenly fill the hallway,館内にただよう霧や、
or doors might appear and disappear.増えたり減ったりするドア。
Just when Soujyuro thought he had seen it all with pig-shaped shadows mending the carpet,絨毯の手入れをする子豚っぽい影を見たかと思えば、このように、
he heard the sound of a bird's flapping coming from the sunroom.サンルームに向かってはかき消える、鳥たちの羽音を聞いたりもする。
ENJP
"What's going on over there?!"「なにごと……！？」
As much as he had become accustomed to turning a blind eye to such occurrences, the sound of flapping wings in the sunroom was too much to ignore.たいていの事は見ざる聞かざるな草十郎も、今の羽音は聞き過ごせなかった。
ENJP
And not just one bird, or even two, it sounded like dozens.一羽や二羽の話ではないのだ。
So many birds packed in the sunroom would inevitably lead to shattered windows and broken glass.十羽単位の鳥がサンルームに突撃したとすれば、窓ガラスとて無事では済むまい。
Soujyuro grabbed a broom and dashed toward the sound, prepared for the worst.いてもたってもいられず、草十郎はちり取りと箒ほうきを手にして走りだした。
Perhaps he was moved by his natural impulse to help, or desperate self-defense.生来の小姑根性か、せいいっぱいの自己防衛か。
His mind flashed to what a teacher had said at school.今日の授業でたまたま、
ENJP
"You should all make sure to keep your rooms orderly and clean. Work ethic and self-discipline will have a positive impact on your surroundings.「皆さんも部屋の整頓は心がけてくださいね。人間の自制心って環境に流されるらしいですから。
Think about it. Even in a nice neighborhood where there isn't much crime, it only takes one ill-kept house to send the whole block into a spiral of depravity.ほら、それまで犯罪の少ない街だったのに、一つボロボロの家が出来ただけで近隣住人がみーんな自堕落になるというアレ。
Of course, we all know a messy room won't turn you into a criminal. But I'd better not catch any of you breaking windows in the hallway or going for a joy ride on stolen motorcycles. Think of all the pain you'd be causing your poor teacher!"環境への無関心さがすさんだ精神を作り上げるとか眉唾ですけど、正直なところ、ブームだからって盗んだバイクで走り回ったり、学校の廊下の窓ガラスとか割ってまわっちゃダメですよ。先生の仕事が増えますから」
ENJP
At the time, school gangs had garnered a certain reputation among the youths.時に、校内暴力がある種の若者にとってステータスになっていた時代の話である。
ENJP
"Broken windows lead to broken hearts."「窓が割れると、心が荒れる」
Soujyuro appreciated the basic message of the lecture as he ruminated over it.草十郎はなるほど、と今日聞いた話を反芻はんすうする。
The thought of broken windows had given him a sense of urgency, as if the mansion's very moral foundations were at stake.割れ窓理論を聞いていた彼にとって、洋館内のモラル低下は放っておけない。
ENJP
His roommates were harsh enough with him already; anything further would only lead to rampant rumors at school about their cruelty.……同居人は既すでにして十分なほど凶暴だが、これ以上横暴おうぼうさが増しては、なにより本人の為にならない。また学校でよからぬ噂が流れてしまう。
He had to protect the honor of the student council president.我らが生徒会長の名誉を守る為。
It was also concern for his own safety that sent him rushing to the sunroom. However...ひいては実害から自分の身を守る為、草十郎はサンルームの掃除に向かったのだが―――
ENJP
"Huh?"「む？」
There wasn't a bird to be seen or a chirp to be heard upon his arrival.この通り、サンルームには鳥の姿はおろか、鳴き声さえ有りはしなかった。
ENJP
"Oh!"「あら」
"..."「――――――」
Only Alice and Aoko, sipping afternoon tea at the table that overlooked the courtyard, were present.中庭を臨のぞむテーブルには、午後のお茶を愉たのしむ蒼崎青子と久遠寺有珠の姿のみ。
The dozens of birds Soujyuro had sensed with his mountain intuition were nowhere to be seen.草十郎ソナー探知で十八羽は居たであろう鳥の気配はどこにもない。
ENJP
"Did anyone see a flock of birds?!"「いまここに鳥がこなかった！？」
"Alice?"「有珠、見た？」
"Who knows. If can't see them, there must not be any birds."「さあ。もう見えないのなら、いないという事でしょう」
"You heard her; no birds."「だって。いないよ、鳥」
It was a lie so blatant even Soujyuro could see through it.草十郎ですら感じ取れる、清々すがすがしいまでの嘘である。
ENJP
"That can't be true."「そんなバカな」
He knew for a fact he had heard the flapping of a flock of birds.さっきの羽音は聞き間違いではない。
Unable to accept that there really were no wild animals in the room, Soujyuro approached the windows with suspicion.こと野生動物の生態については一家言いっかげんあるのか、草十郎は急ぎ足で窓まで移動し、ますます眉を曇くもらせた。
There were no feathers or any other signs of birds having been outside, either.窓ガラスには鳥の跡はおろか、羽の一枚すら落ちていない。
ENJP
"Oh right, dinner. Chicken stew, was it?"「あ。夕食、鶏とり鍋？」
Of course Aoko would say something like that as she watched Soujyuro search desperately.鳥を探す草十郎を見て、なぜその発想にいきつくのか。
ENJP
"Sorry, I'm working at the fish place tonight. But I've got you covered if you want sardines."「あいにく、今日のバイトは魚屋さんだ。鰯いわしでよければ土産にするけど」
"Sardines... Sardines, huh... I don't like sardine pie...「鰯……鰯か……私、あのパイ嫌いなのよね……。
Not that I've ever had it."いえ、むしろ鰯のパイとか食べたコトないのよね……」
ENJP
Aoko's stand-up routine was far ahead of its time.青子の独ひとり芸は、この時代ではあまりに高度すぎたようだ。
Soujyuro backed away from the window and begrudgingly left the sunroom,草十郎は窓ガラスから離れ、とぼとぼサンルームを後にし、
feeling Alice's all-too-familiar inscrutable gaze upon his back.今まで幾度とあった、有珠からのよく分からない視線を感じた。
ENJP
"What's up, Alice-"「なんだい、有アリ―――」
Just as he opened his mouth to ask her what she wanted...何か聞きたい事でもあるのだろうか、と声をかけ、
ENJP
"Owww!"「あいたっ」
A blue comet crashed into his head.そんな草十郎の頭部に、青い流星が直撃した。
ENJP
It needed no explanation.流星の正体は言うまでもない。
It could only be Robin, the mysterious bird that appeared frequently in the mansion.洋館に出没する謎の駒鳥である。
ENJP
Chirp, chirp, chirp! It shrilled accusingly.チチチチチチ、と甲高く駒鳥は訴うったえる。
The truth was...……実のところ。
The tiny aggressor that assaulted him just now was the greatest of the mansion's seven wonders.草十郎に激突するコレこそが洋館の七不思議、その最たるものだった。
ENJP
Soujyuro encountered all sorts of people along his route to work.アルバイトに向かう途中、多くの人々とすれ違う。
Still new to city life, he found the crowds of people outside the station utterly fascinating. In fact, they were the highlight of his commute.まだ都会慣れしていない草十郎にとって、駅前通りの人の流れは圧巻だ。
No two people wore exactly the same clothes or walked in the same fashion.誰一人として、同じ服装や歩き方の人間がいない。
With so many people, you would think they would all melt into an indistinguishable huddle, but each person he saw was different and unique.ここまで人が多ければ似たような外見の人間がいそうなものだが、ただの一人も被かぶっていない。
Soujyuro was excited as a child as he looked out at the bustling, diverse streets of the city.多種多様な街の賑にぎわいに、子供のように感心してしまう。
ENJP
"...Stop it."「―――いや」
Closing his eyes in shame, he sighed.草十郎は目を閉じて反省した。
He was upset with himself for behaving like a bumbling tourist from the countryside.こんな事で感心しているようじゃまだまだ田舎者だ、とため息をつく。
ENJP
"Hey, you'll get in people's way spacing out in front of the crosswalk like that. Daydream somewhere else."「ちょっと。青信号で突っ立ってられるの、邪魔なんだけど。なにガラにもなく黄昏たそがれてるんだか」
A stern and familiar voice behind him snapped him out of his navel-gazing.と。ややセンチになっていた背中に、聞き覚えのある、刺々しい声がかけられた。
ENJP
"Let me guess. On your way to The Mad Bear?「なんだ、まっどべあに行く途中だったんだ。
My shift at the convenience store that starts at five. You?"……ふーん。わたしはコンビニのバイト。こっちは五時からだけど、静希は？」
"Same. Five o'clock start. Were you on your way somewhere else?"「同じく五時から。久く万ま梨りはどこか寄るところでも？」
ENJP
"I just stopped by a bookstore. I'm out of stuff to read, so I thought I'd look for something new."「本屋に寄った帰り。読みたかった本がなくなってたから、仕方なく出歩いてたところよ」
"I see. I guess we both have some time to spare."「なるほど。時間を持て余しているところも同じだね」
ENJP
The girl who greeted him was Kojika Kumari, a work friend who was also in the same year at Misaki High.声をかけてきたのはバイト先の知り合いでもあり、同期生でもある久万梨くまり金鹿こじかだった。
Though, it would have been more accurate to say she was looking for a pretext to fight him rather than greet him.声をかけてきた、というよりは因縁をつけてきた、という表現の方が正しいのだが。
ENJP
To Soujyuro, Kumari had been the first person in the city he could look up to.久万梨は草十郎にとってはじめての先輩でもある。
They'd met at his first job,最初のアルバイト先で知り合い、
where she insisted he wasn't cut out to work the register after many mistakes, and convinced him to quit working at convenience stores altogether.レジ打ちを間違え続けた事からコンビニは向いてないから辞めろと本気で軽蔑され、なぜか最後に、
In the end, she introduced him to his current job at the Chinese restaurant, The Mad Bear, a much better fit for Soujyuro.“こっちの方が貴方に向いてる”と中華飯店まっどべあを紹介してくれた人物だ。
ENJP
"You look a little worse for wear, Sizuki. Why the long face? I've never seen you so pouty.「なにその無理矢理な顔。なんか元気ない。いつも以上にイラっとくるわ。
Usually, standing up straight is the one thing you're good at.静希のいいところなんて、いつもピシッとしている背筋ぐらいなのに、みっともなく丸まってるし。
Something on your mind? ...Wait, are you getting bullied by the older guys at The Mad Bear? You can tell me anything, you know."もしかして悩みとかあるの？　……まっどべあに質の悪い先輩でもいるとか。それなら話ぐらいは聞いてあげるから、言ってみたら？」
ENJP
Though her tone was stern, her eyes were earnest.態度こそ厳しいものの、久万梨の目は真剣である。
Having grown up in the city herself, she was irritated by virtually everything Soujyuro said and did.都会育ちの久万梨にとって、静希草十郎という人間はそのすべてが癪に障るらしい。
Nevertheless, she still treated him like an equal.が、それはそれとして、彼女は草十郎を対等の知人として捉えている。
Introducing him to his current job was just one example of her sincerity.バイト先を紹介してくれたのも、そういう彼女の生真面目さ故だった。
ENJP
"No, nothing like that. It's just, something strange happened. Something really unusual..."「いや、別に悩みとかそういうんじゃなくて。不思議なコトがあったというか、珍しいものを見たというか……」
ENJP
Soujyuro could not find the words to explain his situation, but that did not stop him from trying.どう説明するべきか考えながら、草十郎は用件だけを口にした。
There were no problems at The Mad Bear to speak of.まっどべあには何の問題もない。
He liked it just as much as his other job at Uotatsu, the fishmongers in the shopping district.商店街の魚達ウオタツと同じぐらい好い職場だ。
In fact, his problem had nothing to do with work at all.そういった仕事の話とはまったく関係なく、
No, his problem was a certain blue bird that would not stop pecking at him recently.最近、青い鳥によくつっつかれるのだと。
ENJP
"You're getting pecked? By a bird? ...Wow. And here I was thinking the world had ended.「鳥につっつかれる？　なにそれ、小さい悩み。
...It is pretty unusual for a bird to be blue, I guess."……でもまあ、青い鳥っていうのは確かに珍しいわね」
"And that's not the only thing unusual about it."「いや、珍しいのは外見の話じゃなくて……」
He stopped, unsure of how to proceed.うまく説明できず言いよどむ。
Words alone were not enough to convey the bird's plump body or the sound of its chirping.あの青い鳥の、でっぷりとした外見や鳴き声を、人語でどう表現したものだろうか？
ENJP
"Hmm. There is a beautifully colored bird called the mountain bluebird, but they're not native to Japan.「……ふーん。綺麗な青色といったらマウンテンブルーバードだけど、日本にはいないわよね。
Maybe it's a blue swallow?"青いツバメだったらいるかもしれないけど」
"No, it's more round than a swallow. I tried to look it up in a bird book and the closest thing I found was a robin."「いや、ツバメじゃなくて、丸っこいんだ。図鑑で調べたんだけど、どうもコマドリっぽい。けど」
ENJP
"Yeah, but robins aren't blue.「うん、青色のコマドリは存在しない。
...You know those blue chicks they have at fairs in the city? Of course you don't, why would you? Just forget it.……静希は縁日の青ひよこって知ってる？　知らないわよね。いい、そう面白い話じゃないから忘れて。
Anyway, this robin-is it the only one?"それより、そのコマドリって一羽だけなの？」
ENJP
"Yeah, there's only one. It doesn't seem to have a mate."「ああ、一羽だけだ。つがいは見あたらない」
"Hmm. Well, if it's the only one of its kind, then I feel kinda sorry for it.「ふーん。突然変異だとしたらちょっと可哀想ね。
Imagine being the last one of your kind since the day you're born. Talk about lonely!……生まれた時から最後の一羽だなんて、孤独にもほどがあるわ。
I have no idea what species it could be. Maybe you should try being nice to it next time. It might bring you something special, like when you find a ten yen coin in a vending machine!"どんな鳥かは知らないけど、次に見かけたら優しくしてあげたら？　自販機で十円を拾う、ぐらいの幸運は運んでくれるかもよ」
ENJP
Her words were perfectly kind, but he could hardly sympathize with the creature after all the painful pecking to which it had subjected him.久万梨の言い分は優しさあふれるものだが、あの駒鳥につっつかれる草十郎としては、何とも頷きがたいものだった。
He wouldn't have called the bird lonely, either.そもそも孤独なんて、あの駒鳥にもっとも似合わない表現ではないだろうか？
ENJP
"If one little bird is all that's bothering you, you're lucky.「いいじゃない、小鳥一羽ぐらい。
The pecking part is weird for sure, especially in a city like this, but it could be way worse. Imagine getting attacked by an army of crows that swarm around the dumpsters!"そりゃ都会で鳥につつかれるのは珍しいけど、いい方の珍事よ、それ。これがゴミ袋をあさるカラスの大軍だったら困りものでしょうけど」
"Right. Actually, there was something else bothering me, too."「あ。そういえば、他にも気になる事が」
ENJP
Her example had reminded him of the mystery of the disappearing birds at the mansion.久万梨の言葉から、草十郎は久遠寺邸・とり集団失踪事件を思い出した。
A stranger than strange event.あの鳥たちも不思議と言えば不思議すぎる。
ENJP
"See that hill? I actually live on it.「実は今、あそこに見える丘に住んでるんだけど。
I see lots of starlings around there, but for some reason they never come down to town."でるんだ、大量のムクドリが頻繁に。そのクセ、街に出ると見かけない」
ENJP
"Well, duh, you never see birds in town. But on a mountain like that there are bound to be wild animals!「当たり前でしょ。町じゃ鳥なんて見かけないし、あそこは山だから動物は多いんじゃない？
Why would you move way out there, anyway? I mean, I heard you moved out of your old apartment, but isn't it a pain getting to school? What are you doing out there in the boonies?"それより貴方、あの山に引っ越したの？　前のアパートは引き払ったって聞いてたけど。……学校まで通うの、大変じゃない。なんだってあんな辺鄙へんぴなところに」
ENJP
"Things just worked out that way. And the commute isn't hard. If anything is painful, it's what happens inside that place."「ちょっとした成り行きだよ。それに通うのは大変じゃない。大変なのは中の話なんだ」
"?"「？」
It took thirty minutes to reach town on foot.街に出るまで徒歩三十分。
The forty minutes to the nearest convenience store would be the real kicker for most people, but for Soujyuro it was no inconvenience.近場のコンビニエンスストアまで四十分はかかる立地条件だが、草十郎にとって交通の不便さはそう問題ではない。
The real problem was the dark forces beyond human understanding that lurked within the grounds.問題は住んでいる建物の人外魔境っぷりである。
ENJP
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring all my complaints to you.「すまない、それは久万梨に話すことじゃなかった。
I'm curious about how you said there aren't many birds in town, though. Why is that?"それより今の話だ。町には鳥が少ないと言ったけど、どうして？」
ENJP
"Simple. They failed to adapt to the environment.「……たんに、環境に適応できなかったのよ。
I didn't know you were so interested in birds. Are you an animal lover or something?"なに、鳥の話には随分と食いつくわね。静希、動物好き？」
"I guess I do like animals more than I dislike them."「どちらかというと好きな方だけど」
"Really? I can't stand them. I'm surprised you didn't pick up on it sooner."「そ。わたしは嫌い。そんなわたしに鳥の話とかしてほしい？」
ENJP
Her statement could hardly be more self-contradictory.久万梨の言葉は矛盾に満ちている。
Minutes after telling him to be nice to a bird that attacked him, she was now claiming she did not even like animals.動物嫌いという彼女が、なぜ先ほど“鳥には優しく”と口にしたのか。
ENJP
"Well, even if you can't stand animals, I'd still like to hear what you know about birds."「そうだな。嫌いなだけで苦手でないのなら、知ってる範囲で聞かせてほしい」
"Can't take a hint, huh.「痛いトコつくじゃない。
Fine. I need to kill some time until work starts anyway.いいわ、バイトまでの時間つぶしにしてあげる。
So, like I was saying, survival is all about being able to adapt to your environment."さっきの続き。環境に適応できるかできないかってところからね」
ENJP
"Misaki's pretty big now, but it wasn't always like this.「今でこそこんなだけど、三咲はここまで大きな町じゃなかったんだって。
Half of it used to be woodland, which was closer to the type of environment the poor things were used to living in."昔はその半分が森だったから、彼らはもともと森に適した生活をしていたのよ」
ENJP
The way Kumari addressed them was of note.久万梨は鳥たちを「彼ら」と呼んだ。
Whether she liked them or not, she seemed to at least have some respect for them.好きか嫌いかはともかく、鳥たちに敬意を払っている証だろう。
ENJP
"Nature ended up with the short straw as the city modernized. Humans always change their surroundings to suit their needs, after all.「でも近代化した街じゃ自然のサイクルも成り立たない。人間ってのは、まず環境を自分たちの都合に変えるから。
Diverting streams to get rid of mosquitoes, covering everything in town with concrete... It made the area unlivable for the birds.藪蚊やぶかが多いって事で小さな川の流れを変えたり、町中コンクリートで塗り固めちゃえば鳥的にはお手上げよ。
Without enough bugs or trees they had no choice but to flee. Chased out of their home they moved from the forest to the mountains.虫も森も少ないんじゃもう山に逃げるしかない。彼らは故郷を追われて、この森から山に移った。
A convenient urban center for humans isn't the kind of place that can support a colony of birds."人間にとって都合のいい町は、鳥たちが生きるコロニーにはなり得ないから」
ENJP
"And that's all it took to get rid of birds in the city?「……そんな事ぐらいで減るものか？
Just like that, and we never see them again?"その、姿を見なくなるぐらいに？」
"It's not that extreme. I mean, come on, you just said you see starlings.「そこまで極端じゃない……とは思う。現に貴方だってムクドリを見てるでしょう？
It's all relative. There are so many humans in town, the number of birds seems small in comparison. It feels special just to spot one here or there."比較の問題よ。町には人間が多いから、鳥の姿はよけい稀少に感じるだけ。たまに見かけるだけで、珍しいと思えるぐらいにね」
ENJP
"That's true. So they all just left town and moved to the mountains..."「ああ、たしかに。じゃあ鳥は町から居なくなっただけで、あの山に移り住んで―――」
Humans might not be able to see them in day-to-day life, but they were alive and well nonetheless.目立たないだけで、きちんと今も生き続けている。
Their habitat and lifestyle changed with the times, but they never truly disappeared.時代と共に、その在り方、カタチは変わっても、まったくの無に帰する事はない。
Soujyuro's sense of relief was sharply disrupted by a serious look from Kumari.そう安心して気を取り直す草十郎を、久万梨は冷めた顔で否定した。
ENJP
"But the birds aren't safe in the mountains.「あの山に天敵がいなければね。
There's still overfishing by humans and conflict between the birds and their new ecosystem. With everything going on I doubt they'll last very long. Even a century might be optimistic.人間の手による乱獲らんかくか、移った先にいる生態系との衝突か。どちらにせよ、居場所を失った彼らの寿命は短いと思う。一世紀持てばいい方かもしれない。
Just look at what happened to passenger pigeons. Once humans noticed what they'd done to them, it was already too late. That's how it always is."……リョコウバトの例もあるし。気が付いた時には取り返しつかないのが動物と人間の関係よ」
ENJP
"...What are passenger pigeons?"「リョコウバト……？」
"Oh, they were large, beautiful birds, about sixteen inches from head to tail.「そ、リョコウバト。体長は四十センチほどもある、大型のきれいな鳥。
The males were a deep blue, with vivid red on their breast. The cutest part was their orange eyes-like something out of a book! And they could fly up to sixty miles per hour over great distances."オスの翼は深い青色で、胸は鮮やかな臙脂えんじ色。オレンジ色の目は嘘みたいに愛らしくて、その羽は時速百キロで長い距離を旅するの」
ENJP
Her voice had a certain tenderness to it.久万梨の声は、少しだけ優しい。
She was daydreaming about birds she had never even seen in the flesh.彼女は図鑑でしか観ることのない鳥の姿を、ひとり夢想しているようだった。
ENJP
"They were a type of pigeon native to North America, so they used to fly north in spring and then back south in winter until it got warm again.「北アメリカにいた鳩ハトでね、春は南から北へ、冬は冬越えのために北から南に移動するの。
But that was over a century ago.今から百年以上も前の話よ。
They used to be the most common higher animal on Earth.彼らはかつて地上でもっとも繁殖した高等動物だった。
There were five billion of them in total-that's more passenger pigeons than humans! Pretty amazing, right?"なにしろその数は五十億。当時の総人口より多かったっていうんだから、圧巻よね」
ENJP
"Wow. I never thought about an animal being more common than humans."「なんと。人間より数の多い動物がいたっていうのか？」
"Yeah, I know. But now they're all extinct, thanks to those same humans.「うん。でも彼らは絶滅したわ。他ならぬ人間の手によって。
Settlers from Europe who went to the Americas in the sixteenth century mentioned flocks of passenger pigeons so vast they covered the entire sky.１６世紀にヨーロッパからアメリカ大陸にやってきた探検家たちは、空を覆いつくすほどの鳥の群を見た。
Those are the oldest written references to them that we have."それがリョコウバトを記しるした、一番古くて確かな記録」
ENJP
"Books are the only way to know anything about them these days.「……まあ、わたしも本で知った知識だけど。
It's hard to imagine so many birds that they block out the sun, cover whole forests, and rain down droppings like snow. It sounds like something out of a dream, doesn't it?太陽を隠して、そのおびただしい数で森を覆って、雪のように糞を落としていく光景なんて、今じゃもう夢物語でしょうね。
But for people back then it was more like a nightmare.でも当時の人にとっては悪夢だった。
Sure, each individual bird was beautiful, but together they amounted to a violent force of nature."リョコウバト一羽一羽は美しいフォルムをしていても、それだけの数が集まれば、それはもう暴力なんだから」
ENJP
"They were downright demonic with the power to destroy forests and threaten everyone.「彼らはその時点では、森を破壊し、人間を脅かす悪魔のような存在だった。
Their nesting grounds were up to six miles wide, and just one colony could have fifty thousand birds in it, so you can imagine how loud it got.営巣地は十キロメートルにまでおよんで、一コロニーにつき五万羽近い鳥の鳴き声が響いたのよ。
A flock of birds so big it could instantly transform the landscape and cover the whole land with its cries... I can see why the settlers were scared at first."一瞬にして風景を変えるほどの鳥の群れと、世界を覆うほどの鳴き声。冒険家たちが竦すくんだのもうなずけるわね」
ENJP
"Fifty thousand birds, all in one spot..."「一つの住み処に五万羽―――」
Soujyuro trailed off as he attempted to count the number with his digits.草十郎は指折り数えながら絶句した。
He could barely count the number of people in the crowd outside the station. This would be far beyond his capacity.駅前の人の流れだけで手一杯な彼では、想像が追いつかないらしい。
ENJP
"But if there were so many of them, how could humans wipe them out?"「でも、そんな数の鳥を、人間の手でどうやって？」
"Good question. No one back then thought it was possible, either.「ええ。当時、誰もがそう思ったんでしょうね。
But it's simple when you realize that passenger pigeons were both a threat and a cheap commodity."でも話は簡単だったの。人間にとってリョコウバトは脅威でもあったけど、同時に安価な実みのりでもあったから」
ENJP
"All the flying was what made the meat of migratory birds so delicious to humans.「渡り鳥の胸肉は美味しいでしょ。よく鍛えられてるから。
And all you had to do was point your gun in the air. Bang! And there's dinner. What would you do in their shoes?そんな食材が、空に向かって鉄砲を撃つだけでバタバタと落ちてきたとしたら、貴方はどうする？
This might sound heartless, but the passenger pigeons were a species that could easily be converted into cold, hard cash."ま―――身もフタもないコトを言えば、リョコウバトって鳥は、簡単にお金にできる生き物だった」
ENJP
"Naturally, the hunting went on and on.「かくして、狩りは延々と続けられた。
People would pluck their feathers, stick them in a barrel with salt, and ship them out."落ちた鳥は羽をむしられて、塩漬けのタルにおしこまれて、次々と出荷された」
ENJP
"It wasn't hunting after a point, just consuming a resource. It didn't feel like work or labor to the people doing it.「それはもう狩りですらなかった。ただの消費。人間側は労働の実感も、作業の手間すら感じなくなっていた。
In those days you could get a whole passenger pigeon for one cent. That's roughly equal to one yen.その頃、リョコウバトは一羽一セントで手に入れる事が出来たんだって。ここでいうならたった一円。
Can you believe it?―――ほんと、信じられる？
The smallest denomination of currency in society was enough to purchase an entire life."その国最小の通貨一枚で売買される命が、この地球にはあったなんて」
ENJP
Kumari spoke as if reciting from a textbook.久万梨はあくまで他人事のように語る。
Her voice nevertheless had a certain darkness to it-was it pity for the slain birds, or disgust for her fellow man?……なのに、声にかすかな翳りがあるのは、鳥たちへの謝罪か、同種への嫌悪からか。
Either way, the passenger pigeons' fate was a cruel joke carried out by humanity. Typical, some might say.どちらにせよ人間らしい、身勝手な諧謔かいぎゃくだ。
Poor Soujyuro had yet to comprehend just how typical that side of humanity was.一方。そんな人間らしさを、草十郎はまだ理解できないでいる。
ENJP
"And that was only the beginning. The real damage began in the nineteenth century.「けど、それはまだまだ序の口で、本番は１９世紀に入ってからだった。
Passenger pigeon hunting became more popular than ever before.人間のリョコウバト狩りはますます熱狂していった。
Remember learning about the Gold Rush, and the American Civil War? America was expanding really fast back then.学校で習ったでしょ。ゴールドラッシュ、南北戦争を経て、アメリカ合衆国は急激に成長していく。
Immigrants kept flooding in from Europe, and by 1870 there were forty million people living in America. Passenger pigeons were the perfect thing for their purses and stomachs."西欧からの移民は増え続け、１８７０年には４０００万もの人口に達していたわ。そんな移民たちの胃袋と財布を満たす材料として、リョコウバトは最高の獲物だった」
ENJP
"But the worst part is how scheming people were.「で、もっと最悪な事に、人間は工夫する生き物だった。
They competed to find the fastest, most efficient way to catch as many passenger pigeons as possible.彼らはより速く、より多く、より簡単にリョコウバトを乱獲する手段を競い合った。
One thing they used to do is blind one pigeon and then use it as a lure for the group, sometimes catching ten thousand in a single day. Yet no one had a single qualm about what they were doing.目を潰したハトを囮にして集団を誘いこんで、一日で一万羽以上捕らえたヤツさえいた。それでも彼らは乱獲に疑問すら持たなかった。
Any sane person could see that the balance between breeding and hunting was clearly out of whack."―――繁殖と狩猟のバランスは、誰が見ても明らかに狂っていたのに」
ENJP
She was doing everything she could to speak in calm, measured tones.淡々と、努めて冷静でいるように淡々と、久万梨は語る。
Soujyuro, meanwhile, was completely enraptured by her words.一方、草十郎はただ感心するばかりだった。
Having been raised in the mountains it was by no means a happy story for him, but right now he was more interested in knowing why it ever happened in the first place.山育ちである草十郎からすれば気持ちのいい話ではないのに、今は、「どうしてそうなったのか」という疑問の方が強いらしい。
ENJP
"Something seems off about that. If their numbers were decreasing so fast the passenger pigeons should've tried harder to avoid humans."「それ、一方的すぎないか？　リョコウバトだって数が減ってくれば、人間には近寄らないんじゃ」
"That's where they were unlucky.「そこが彼らの不幸だったのよ。
They had really low fertility rates and no means of protecting themselves. All they knew to do was live together in groups. That was their only form of self-defense."リョコウバトは繁殖力が非常に弱くて、自衛手段を持たない鳥だった。大群で暮らすこと。それだけが、彼らの身を守る手段だったの」
ENJP
"Passenger pigeons managed to build an empire of five billion only because they lacked natural predators. Indigenous people didn't hunt them either, apparently.「彼らが五十億の王国を築けたのは、それまで天敵がいなかったからなんでしょうね。先住民であるインディアンも彼らを乱獲する事はなかったと言うし。
It was the settlers who wrecked the local ecosystem.けど入植者たちは自然のサイクルにはてんで疎うとかった。
No one ever imagined in their wildest dreams that so many birds could just go extinct.何より、あの夥おびただしい数の鳥が絶滅するなんて夢にも思わなかった。
The passenger pigeons couldn't have been prepared for a predator showing up centuries later out of the blue from across the ocean."リョコウバトにしたら青天の霹靂よ。まさか何世紀も遅れて、海の向こうから天敵がやってくるなんて」
ENJP
"Finally, in 1896 humans began to realize what their crazed enthusiasm had brought about.「そうして１８９６年。人間はようやく、熱狂を覚ますほどの現実に直面したわ。
A quarter of a million passenger pigeons...たったの２５万羽。
That's how many they estimated were still left. But it was too late. The government tried passing laws to protect them, but human habits are hard to break."それが確認されたリョコウバトの総数。何もかも手遅れよ。急いで保護法が作られたけど、人間の習慣はそう簡単には変わらないわ」
ENJP
"Or maybe hunters just thought that with two hundred and fifty thousand passenger pigeons still left,「あるいは、狩人たちはこう思ったのかもしれない。
taking one or two thousand wouldn't be a big deal in the greater scheme of things."ま・だ・２・５・万・羽・も・い・る・じ・ゃ・な・い・か・、千羽や二千羽ぐらいなら独り占めしても構わないだろう、って」
ENJP
"Hunters started using the latest technological breakthrough, the telegraph, to keep track of where the passenger pigeons were. Soon they had shot down two hundred thousand, and injured forty thousand more.「そうしてハンターたちは当時最新の技術―――電報でリョコウバトたちの所在を報せあって、実に２０万羽のリョコウバトを仕留め、４万羽を傷つけた。
That left only five thousand passenger pigeons in the world. And at that point they could no longer survive in the wild."生き延びたのは５０００羽だけ。この時点で、彼らは野生で生きられる種ではなくなったのよ」
ENJP
Soujyuro's face sunk into a scowl.草十郎は顔をしかめている。
No longer able to survive in the wild...“野生で生きられる種ではない。”
He knew all too well what that phrase meant.その言葉の意味を、彼は言われるまでもなく知っているからだ。
ENJP
No wild animal can last long on its own.野生動物は単体で生き続けるものではない。
No animal can survive without a sufficiently large population of their fellow kind and sufficient feeding grounds to support the group.全体の数と、それを支える餌場を一定数維持できなければ、存続する事ができない。
Strength in their massive numbers was all the passenger pigeons ever had, and so once that was gone they were as good as extinct.大・群・で・あ・る・事・がリョコウバトのシステムであったのなら、もうその時点で、彼らは袋小路に入っていた。
ENJP
"What happened to them in the end, though?"「それで、リョコウバトはどうなったんだ？」
"Eventually there were only three passenger pigeons left.「最後に保護されたリョコウバトはたったの三羽。
Two males and one female were kept in captivity at the Cincinnati Zoo, but within the year both the males had died.シンシナティの動物園ではオス二羽、メス一羽のリョコウバトが飼育されたけど、一年でオスたちは死んじゃったわ。
Then only the female was left.残されたのはメス一羽だけ。
At that moment when the other two died, she became the single loneliest creature on earth."その時点で、彼女は地上でもっとも孤独な生き物になった」
ENJP
"Her name was Martha.「名前はマーサ。
The last of her species that had once soared over North America, she would never fly free again, trapped forever in her cage.北アメリカを旅する鳥たちの最後の一羽でありながら、ただの一度も空を飛ぶ事ができなかった籠かごの鳥。
At the age of twenty nine she finally passed.結局、２９年で彼女はその命を終えたわ。
It happened at one o'clock on September 1st, 1914.１９１４年９月１日午後１時。
The only case in all of Earth history where we know the exact moment a species went extinct."一つの種が終わる時間がここまで正確に残っている例は、今のところこれだけよ」
ENJP
The story of five billion deaths had finally come to an end.……五十億の死にまつわる話は終わった。
The birds had been swallowed up by the machinations of human civilization.文明に飲みこまれた鳥の末路。
Kumari had intended to show her sympathy for the lost species, but the emotional impact had clearly been all but lost on Soujyuro.失われた鳥たちへの哀歌のような久万梨の話は、しかし、草十郎にはあまり伝わらなかったようだ。
ENJP
"Huh. I tried to make it sound all poetic and tragic, but I guess I failed.「意外。できるだけ詩的に語ったつもりだけど、ウケ、悪いみたい。
Aren't you angry, as someone raised around nature in the mountains?"山育ちの貴方には憤慨ふんがいものの話だと思ったのに」
"Oh... It was definitely an amazing story.「え―――いや、すごい話だったけど。
But it doesn't make sense. Why would humans keep passenger pigeons in captivity after working so hard to kill them?"その、整理がつかなくて。当時の人たちは自分たちの手で減らしておいたのに、なんで最後は保護したのかって」
ENJP
Kumari stared blankly at him, eyebrows raised high.その呟きを聞いて、久万梨はきょとんと眉を上げた。
What he likely meant to ask was why humans would protect the last of a speciesおそらく、草十郎はこう言いたかったのだ。
they themselves had hunted into extinction.“奪うために減らしたのに、なぜ最後の一羽を守ろうとしたのか”と。
ENJP
Kumari could hardly be blamed for her bewilderment.久万梨が思い違いをしたのも無理はない。
Having been raised in the city she failed to recognize the danger inherent in his cluelessness.都会育ちの彼女には、草十郎の疑問の危うさは理解できない。
ENJP
He felt neither anger toward humansこの少年にはまだ、
for their base selfishness, nor sympathy for the birds人間の身勝手な行為への怒りも、
who remained in their natural habitat even at the cost of their lives.住処すみかから移動しなかった鳥たちへの同情もない。
His upbringing had not provided him with the necessary sense of self-righteousness to produce feelings in either direction.そのどちらかに肩入れする独善じぶんを、ここまで育てずに暮らしてきた。
ENJP
"You don't get it, do you?「……あいかわらず、よく分かんないヤツ。
My point was that no matter how strong and beautiful animals might look, they don't stand a chance outside of their natural habitat.ま、わたしが言いたかったのは、どんなに強く美しく見えても、居場所から追われた生き物ははかないってコト。
Think about it, Sizuki.静希くん。
That bird you're complaining about might be the very last of its kind."貴方が見た鳥は、その最後の一羽かもしれないわよ？」
ENJP
And with that, their idle conversation came to an end.……益体やくたいのない立ち話は終わった。
It was nearly time for their shifts to begin, and Soujyuro was the first to head off.アルバイトの時間が近づき、草十郎は一足先にバイト先へ向かっていった。
ENJP
"What was I even thinking? It's not like me to rant like that."「……らしくない。なに熱く語ってたんだろ、わたし」
Kumari remained in the park after Soujyuro left.草十郎と別れた後も、久万梨は公園に留まっていた。
Martha. The last of her species...マーサ。最後の一羽。
She had not been referring to the blue bird when she mentioned Martha, but...そのフレーズは青い鳥にあてられたものではなく―――
ENJP
"No, stop it. Thinking something is special just because it's rare is dumb."「やめやめ。珍しいから特別視するとか、バカみたいだし」
She rubbed the back of her head, apparently angry at herself for getting involved in something that was none of her business.我が事のように愚痴りながら頭をかく。
She and Soujyuro were not even in the same class at school; he was a total stranger as far as she was concerned.久万梨からすれば草十郎は赤の他人で、同じクラスの仲間でもない。
The more something bothered her, the more she felt compelled to investigate it. It was a personal quirk of hers and the only reason she had gotten so worked up about the passenger pigeons.リョコウバトの話に熱が入ったのは、嫌いなコトの話ほど熱心に調べてしまう彼女の悪癖の結果である。
ENJP
Kumari's well-groomed brow furrowed.カタチのいい眉をひそめる。
She had only spoken to Soujyuro to make sure he was doing okay at The Mad Bear. Or maybe, it was that she had been strangely drawn to him.まっどべあで働く以上、ヘンな悩みを抱えて欲しくないので話し相手になったが、あるいは、あの少年に妙な磁力があるのだろうか？
The more they spoke the more she felt drawn to him.話せば話すほど深みに嵌はまっている気がする。
ENJP
"At first glance he looks like the last guy you would rely on, but when you get to talking to him you realize he's really got it together."「まあ、見てて頼りないってのが一番だろうけど……話してみるとしっかりしすぎてるのよね、彼」
Amidst her muttered complaints she recalled their conversation upon parting.久万梨はそうぼやきながら、別れ際の会話を思い出した。
ENJP
"So, gotten used to everything yet?"“で、少しは町に慣れた？”
to which he had given a weak shake of his head.そう訊いた久万梨に、草十郎は頼りなげに首を振った。
ENJP
"Not at all. There are so many things to keep track of."“全然。何にせよ、覚えなくちゃいけない事が多すぎて”
He was trying his best to keep up with the overwhelming amount of new information every day.日々新しい出会いがあって、それを飲みこむだけで手一杯。
However, despite his apparent naivety and frailty, he was in fact trying to learn everything he could about his new surroundings.あの純朴な少年は弱々しく見えるものの、町のすべてを受け入れようと全力で立っているのだ。
ENJP
But at the same, there was no reason it needed to be so overwhelming in the first place.しかし―――日々新しい出会いがある、というのは大仰すぎるのではないか。
It was only due to his own naively subordinate frame of mind that he felt compelled to memorize each and every detail.出会ったものを一つも取り落とさないよう努力するのは、彼が素直すぎるからだ。
ENJP
"I wonder...I don't think I'm exactly being subordinate.“どうだろう。素直って言うのはちょっと違うと思うよ。
The fact is I'm still just figuring out what's right and wrong."単に、それが良いことか悪いことか、まだ分かってないだけかもしれないし”
He awkwardly claimed.彼はばつが悪そうに返す。
ENJP
"Right. But, maybe... Just maybe..."“そうね。でも、もしかしたら、そもそも―――”
Kumari stopped herself mid-train of thought, deciding to instead wave goodbye and take her leave.そこまで言いかけて、久万梨はまた今度、と手を振って別れる事にした。
ENJP
She sighed aloud every time she replayed the scene in her head.思い返すとますますため息がでてきた。
Work at the convenience store started in five minutes.コンビニエンスストアのアルバイトまであと五分ほど。
She gave herself a light slap on the face in an effort to forget their conversation.久万梨は頬を叩いて先ほどの会話を飲み下す。
She reminded herself that she had neither the energy to worry about other people's problems nor the obligation to do so.他人のコトで気を病む余裕も、考察にふける義理もない。
She had her own concerns-saving up enough money for college, for example.彼女は彼女で、大学進学の費用を貯める野望がある。
Fighting against her parents' opposition every night was draining enough. There was no room for burdening herself with other students' issues.日夜にちや両親の反対と戦う久万梨金鹿にとって、同級生の悩みなど二の次だ。
ENJP
"Right. But, maybe... Just maybe..."「……でも、もしかしたら、そもそも、か」
It was not like her to get so tongue-tied, she thought to herself under a strained smile.我ながらなんて思わせぶりで、実のない言い回しかと苦笑いする。
ENJP
"I should have made my point more clearly.「ほんと、はっきり言ってやればよかった。
I should have flat-out asked him if he cares at all about human morality."貴方は単に、人の善悪そういうのに関わる気が、これっぽっちもないんじゃないのかって」
He really did annoy her.だからアイツ嫌いなのよ、と。
Now in a thoroughly bad mood, she left the park in a huff.悪態にもとれるため息をこぼして、彼女は公園を後にした。
ENJP
When Soujyuro entered the drawing room after work with a gift of sardines for his roommates, he came face to face with Alice sitting on the sofa.草十郎がアルバイトを終え、土産の鰯いわしを片手に居間に入ると、ソファーには有珠の姿があった。
ENJP
"Oh, err... Hi, Alice."「や。こんばんは、有珠」
"..."「………………」
The sense of familiarity to be able to say "I'm home" when entering the mansion still eluded Soujyuro.さすがの草十郎も、まだ「ただいま」と言えるだけの親しみはないらしい。
ENJP
He headed straight to the kitchen to fill a bucket with water to keep the sardines fresh,草十郎はそのまま台所に移動し、バケツに水を溜めて魚を保存しようとして、
but the icy stare on his back sent him anxiously to the refrigerator instead.背後からイヤそうな視線を感じ、しずしずと冷蔵庫を開けた。
(Buckets are not allowed in the kitchen, remember?)『台所にバケツはダメなんだな……』
Calmly accepting the change in plans, he shoved the sardines into the fridge and peeked back into the drawing room.仕方ない、とお手軽に魚を冷蔵庫にしまって、草十郎は居間の様子を窺った。
ENJP
"Alice, have you seen Aozaki?"「有珠、蒼崎は？」
"Well, either she's in her room or she's gone out somewhere."「さあ。自分の部屋にいるか、出かけているんでしょう」
Her reply was curt.にべもなく返される。
He nodded and got to work cleaning the kitchen.そうかと頷いて、草十郎はやや散らかった台所を片づけはじめた。
There was nothing in particular he wanted to say to her and also sensed that it would not be a good idea to start up a conversation needlessly.特に話題もないし、無理に話をする必要性も感じなかったからだろう。
ENJP
So he tidied up the sink area, washed the cutting board, wiped down the knives, and put away the cutlery so they could be easily found.水回りを片づけ、まな板を洗い、包丁を拭き、食器を調理時に出しやすい位置に整理整頓する。
Her black eyes monitored every action in his streamlined work flow,そんな、いずれ凄腕のハウスキーパーになる事を約束された、よどみのない作業っぷりを、
a rhythm that even the most seasoned housekeeper would be envious of.じっと観察する黒い目が、二つ。
ENJP
He would surely notice her gaze before too long.草十郎がその視線に気が付くのは時間の問題だ。
He bent over to store a large pot under the sink when it happened.身をかがめて、台所の収納に寸胴ずんどうをしまう。
As he began to stand back up he locked eyes with Alice, and then...そのまま立ち上がれば、居間にいる有珠と視線がばったり合って、
ENJP
"MAYDAY! MAYDAY!『メェーーーデーーーっすよーーーー！
Sling yer hook, boy!"小僧、今すぐロビーに顔を貸すっスーー！』
"Owww!"「あいたっ」
Before he could make another moveその直前。
he felt something slam into the back of his head―a bright shock of blue.立ち上がろうとした草十郎の後頭部に、青い衝撃が突き刺さった。
ENJP
He knew what it was without looking.確かめるまでもない。
It could only be the mansion's blue robin.洋館内せましと飛び回る、青い駒鳥だった。
ENJP
"Why does that thing have to start messing with me as soon as I get home?"「……洋館に戻ってくるなり、駒鳥に呼び出される」
Soujyuro muttered under his breath.ぼそっと呟く。
It was a rare situation that made Soujyuro feel like complaining.草十郎なりに、誰かにグチを言いたい気分だったのだろう。
ENJP
"Pull up a chair, boy!"『小僧、ちょっとそこに座るッス』
The robin chirped in its shrill tone.チチチと駒鳥はさえずる。
You see...……さて。
This little creature that loved to attack Soujyuro so, was the greatest of the mansion's many wonders.実のところ、頻繁ひんぱんに激突してくるコレこそが洋館の七不思議、その最たるものだった。
Because-なぜなら、
ENJP
"Are you havin' a bird bath, mate? You think you're better than me, ey? And what the bloody hell is chicken stew supposed to mean anyway? You got somefink against a Richard the Third?"『なめてるっすね？　ジブン駒鳥だってなめてるッスね？　ところで鳥鍋ってどういうコトっすか、それ美味しいんっスか、今度みまってほしいッス！』
Like so.この通り。
Soujyuro had an inkling of what the bird was getting at.駒鳥が何を伝えたいのか、草十郎にはなんとなく分かってしまうのだ。
ENJP
For someone raised in the mountains this was an utter nightmare.山育ちの草十郎にとって、これこそが悪夢だった。
Animals were not supposed to be able to talk.しゃべる動物なんて聞いた事もない。
Then again, having lived in the mountains for over a decade he did sometimes feel like he could understand what birds were trying to say. He knew it was just his imagination, but sometimes he thought they even saw him as a friend.そりゃあ、ごく希まれに、十年以上も山で暮らしていれば鳥の気持ちが分かるような時はある。もちろん錯覚だが、ちょっとだけ友情を感じる時もあった。
ENJP
That was not the case with this bird.だがこれはない。
Soujyuro had a realist's attitude toward wild animals as a result of being so familiar with them, in contrast to the ever mysterious humans who lived in the city.都会人より動物に馴れている分、草十郎は野生動かれら物に対しては徹底的なリアリストなのである。
ENJP
"It's... really talking to me."「しかし、現実だ」
As much as he wanted to deny the reality he was facing, he could not help but recall Kumari's story.頭を抱えて無視したいところだが、久万梨に聞いた話が脳裏をよぎる。
She had said to try and be nice to the bird the next time he saw it.鳥には優しく。
According to her, any rare or one-of-a-kind creature must accordingly feel very lonely.それが珍しいものなら、珍しいものなりに孤独を抱えているのだとか、なんとか。
ENJP
"I said sit your pipe and drum down! You hearin' me all right, mate?『座れって言ってるのにシカトっすか。
Hang on, there's no chair in 'ere! All right, just stand. I mean, I've stood up with you enough for the both of us!あ、でもイスないッスねココ。じゃあ立ってるッス。小坊主だけに、廊下に立ってるのがお似合いッス。
Get it? Pretty clever, if I say so myself!"あれ、いまウマイこと言ったっスかねジブン！？』
ENJP
The bird perched itself on the telephone receiver, seemingly worn out from all the flapping.羽ばたいているのも疲れたのか、駒鳥は受話器の横に着陸する。
Soujyuro was dumbfounded.草十郎に打つ手はない。
Listening in silence to the bird's chatter was his way of expressing his denial.基本、この鳥の鳴き声を聞くだけが対抗手段なのだった。
ENJP
"I'm pretty old, ya know, on account of me long career as a Ploy.『ジブン長いッス。プロイ歴れき長いッスよ。
I've served Miss Alice from when the Goddess Mum was around. Don't ask why I'm blue.マイ女神の頃からアリスさんに仕えてるっス。なんで青いかとかどうでもいいっス。
My best skills are playin' the detective and the victim. But my detective side always dies first so no one can ever figure out who killed me!"特技はズバリ探偵役と被害者役。でも探偵であるジブンが真っ先にコロコロするんで、誰がジブンを殺したか、結局誰も分からないッス』
"Wait, you're a Ploy? I've heard that word before. What does it mean again?"「プロイ？　待ってくれ、それには聞き覚えがある。プロイってなんなんだ？」
ENJP
"Say what? Is you askin' what I is?『？？？　なんなんだと言われても困るッス。
I don't know what to feel right now―sexy or terrified!"エロイ、とかヤクイ、とかの最上級じゃないっスか？』
Thusly, the conversation began between the two most powerless residents of the Kuonji Estate.ふむふむと話し合う久遠寺邸最弱のコンビ。
Humankind and birdkind, able toかくして、
understand one another after all.鳥と人間は分かり合えたらしい。
ENJP
Soujyuro was tired of letting the bird get to him, fully aware that ignoring it took more energy than it was worth.いちいち悩むのも疲れたのか、無視するのも体力がいると気が付いたのか。
Filled with a sense of resignation, by the time he finally did make an attempt to interject, both parties' guards were firmly down.観念した草十郎が合いの手を入れはじめたところ、二人はすっかりうち解けていた。
Soujyuro was focused on how rare the bird was,草十郎は珍しい話し相手として、
while Robin was focused on his showdown with his rival that was to be eliminated at all costs.駒鳥は排斥はいせきすべきライバルとして、ではあるが。
ENJP
"Don't get your knickers in a twist. Let's talk about something more important, like my beloved Miss Alice! The Angel Mum herself!"『いいんスよ、細けぇ事は。そんなコトよりマイ天使・アリスさんの話をするッス』
"Wait. She's an angel?"「なんと。有珠って天使なのか？」
It was an impressive sign of progress that he did not need to ask what an "angel" was.ところで天使ってなんだ、と続けないあたり、草十郎にも学習の跡が見られる。
ENJP
"Aye bruv, an angel! The way she's above the hustle and bustle of the masses, the way she doesn't give me the time of day... Absolutely angelic, I tell ya!『ヒユっす。ジブンにとって天使のような存在ってコトっす。下界の喧噪とか、ジブンの言葉をガン無視するところとかマジ天使。
She's holy and sacred she is, but she's also cruel and inhuman. Pretty fittin' for an angel, don't you think?アリスさんは神聖不可侵ふかしんにして冷酷非道。マイ女神であったところの母君ははぎみとはちょっと、毛色が違うッス。
Honestly, sometimes I think Goddess Mum didn't do the best job raisin' Angel Mum."ショージキ女神ははぎみ、ちょっと育てかた間違ったッスね』
ENJP
"Okay... So Alice has a mom?「そうか。そりゃあ有珠にもお母さんはいるんだよな。
I thought maybe she didn't have any family at all."この家にはいないようだけど」
"Oh yes, she has one all right, but it's a sob story, innit? All the birds in England cried out that day! Her mum was even more smashing than Alice. Gots photos later if you like. Fer only sixpence! How 'bout it, lad?"『イエス、悲しいコトにみまかられたっス。あの頃は全英の鳥が泣いたッス。アリスさんに負けないぐらい美しかったッス。あ、後でアルバムとか見るッスか？　６ペンスで手を打つッスよ』
ENJP
"Uh, no thanks. I wouldn't want to do that without her permission."「いや。そういうのは、本人の許しがないと」
Soujyuro said earnestly as he tilted his head.いけないんじゃないかな？　と首をかしげる草十郎。
The reason for his unease was also due to the fact that he had grown more interested in Alice than before.やや弱気なのは、以前と比べて有珠への興味が高まっているせいだ。
Despite his detached and passive attitude, he was still a young man like any other, after all.人畜無害な顔をして、彼も健康な青年男子であるらしい。
ENJP
"And right you'd be, lad.『イエス、それはそうッスね。
You know, you make sum sense for a feral human. You're right, I shouldn't go blabbin' about people's pasts.おまえ、シャバ僧のわりにいいコト言うッス。人の過去話カコバナとかみだりにしちゃいけないッス。
But maybe you'd 'ike to hear about her childhood! How 'bout it, lad? I'd love to lay bare some of her deepest, darkest secrets for ya. It'd make me feel like a heap 'o dosh!"―――ところでアリスさんの子供時代の話とかしていいっスか？　ジブン、シャバ僧の知らないアリスさんを赤裸々せきららにアピールして、精神的上位に立ちたいッス』
"Err... I just said I don't want to-"「あ、いや、だからそういう話は」
ENJP
"Lighten up, lad. I won't tell Alice about our little rabbit and pork.『安心しろっス、アリスさんには黙っておいてやるっスから。
Let me start with the day we first met. Despite 'er looks she didn't have so much as a single friend in the world, ya see. I was the only one that mother 'o pearl had to talk to.まずはアレすね、ジブンとアリスさんが初めて出会った時のメモリーを聞くっスよ。アリスさんああ見えて友達一人しかいなかったッスから、もっぱらジブンが話し相手っつーか。
Imagine playin' that game where you bounce a ball against a wall by your lonesome. It was just like that. Fourteen years of memories with her, I have. So lemme start at the beginning..."ほら、壁相手にカコンカコーンってピンポン玉打ち返すゲーム。あんな感じっス。アリスさんのメモリーはおよそ十四年分。じゃあ一年目から行くッスよ』
ENJP
"I just said-"「あ、いや、だから」
"Here we go!『行くッスよー！
Buckle in 'cause this is gonna get good!"もう誰もジブンを止められないッスー！』
ENJP
"..."「――――――っ」
This bird was trouble.この鳥は、まずい。
The word "bird-brained" had taken on a whole new meaning to Soujyuro.鳥頭とりあたまにも程がある。
If he were stuck here listening any longer, he had the feeling he might hear something he would not be able to unhear.加えて、このまま話を聞いていたら取り返しのつかないコトになる、と察する草十郎だった。
ENJP
"Sorry, but I should really get going."「すまない。そろそろいいかな」
With a wave of his hand he attempted to flee to the attic above the second floor.草十郎は手をあげて、じゃあ、と三階の屋根裏部屋への逃走を試みた。
ENJP
"Now wait just one minute, boy! You're about to miss the best part! Who do you think you are, Scarlet O'Hara? You think you're the most important character in this war?!『ちょっ、待つッスーーー！　ここからがいいところなのにナンデ去るっスか。スカーレットオハラっすか。激動の主人公気取りっスか！
You're not foolin' me, that's for sure. What's a saucepan and lid like you gettin' all Angel Mum's attention? Why, you're all she looks at. I can't stand it! So you'd better tell me your secret! I'm serious, and you ne'er wanna see me get serious!"そのあたりジブン、なんか納得いかないッス。まだうちに入ったばかりの新参ものが、なんでアリスさんの視線をひとりじめしてるっスか？　許せないスけど、その秘訣を教えてほしいっス。切実せつじつに。ジブン、本気だしたら凄いッスよ』
ENJP
"What?"「なに？」
Halfway up the stairs already, Soujyuro quickly retraced his steps.もう半分ほど登っていた階段から、草十郎はトコトコと舞い戻る。
"What did you just say?"「君。いまのはどういう？」
ENJP
"That whenever Angel Mum has a moment to spare, she starts watchin' you like a hawk, that's what!『だからアリスさん、スキあらばオマエを見てるッス。
And now I remember why I wanted to talk to you! I wanted to make sure you don't go gettin' any big ideas just 'cause she's looking you over with that burning look in her mince pies!思い出したッスよ、そもそもジブン、熱視線でサーチされてるからってつけあがるなと釘刺しにきたんス。
I've already saved you more times than you know, Mr. Sono-G.だいたい草の字は何度もジブンに助けられてるッス。
If it wasn't for Miss Alice's orders you'd be stuck in some old mirror, you know. What's really going on? Is this that crazy rubber and glove that you humans get all Moby Dick over?"アリスさんの命令がなかったら、今ごろ草の字、鏡の中でおだぶつっス。コレなんスかね。人間の感情とかわかんないっスけど、魚へんに里とか描くっスかね？』
ENJP
"...You're saying she saved me? Alice? Saved me?"「助けられてるって、俺が？」
"Yeah, well, she's also the one tryin' to kill you, but come off it!『まあ、殺そうとしてるのもアリスさんっスけどね！
ENJP
Here's what she told me. She said to save you if you ever were about to get lost in the mirror or got too close to somefin dangerous... but don't go gettin' no big 'ead, you hear me? It's not like anyone cares what happens to yo-アリスさんはこう言ったっス。彼が鏡の中に迷いこみそうになったら助けてあげて、危険なモノには近寄らないように誘導もしてあげて、ええ、でも思い上がらないコトねシズキクン、別にアンタのコトが心配なワケ

|GYARGH!"|じゃぶきゃっ！？』|

ENJP
It happened in a flash.一瞬の早技だった。
With a swift, unhesitating strike of her hand, Alice squashed the bird right then and there as it sat on the telephone receiver stand in the foyer.突如ロビーにやってきた有珠は、一瞬の躊躇ちゅうちょもなく受話器台の駒鳥を片手で粉砕した。
Her pressed palm continued to pin it down.もとい、片手で押さえつけた。
ENJP
The bird's crushed form resembled a bright rubber ball, like what a child might play with.青い鳥はぶにゃ、と潰されたカラーボールのように変形しながら、
"Hey! What's the big idea, Miss Alice!『ちょっ、アリスさん暗いッスー！
You're killin' me! I can feel all the blood in my body gushing out me beak!"そして痛い、体中の血液がくちばしからこう、右方向に流れていく感覚とかー！』
The bird raised a mighty uproar.たくましい鳴き声をあげている。
ENJP
"...「…………
ENJP
...Ignore everything the bird says."コレの言うことは、気にしないで」
Alice returned to the drawing room, taking the bird with her.駒鳥を回収し、居間に去っていく有珠。
Her dark silhouette cloaked in shadow was the complete opposite of the gaudy little bird.その後ろ姿は駒鳥とは正反対の、暗い翳かげりを帯びている。
ENJP
"..."「…………」
Soujyuro folded his arms as he stood alone, no less confused than before, and whispered,草十郎は困った顔のまま腕を組んで、
"Things get stranger by the day around here,"「こうして、ますます疑問は増えていくのだった」
up at the night sky visible through the skylight.ひとり、天窓から覗のぞく夜空に呟いた。