Extra arc 『The Stage Ghost’s Cappricio』 Chapter 3
久しぶりに我が身を省みることになったが、私、公爵令嬢である。
It’s been a while since I’ve paid attention to it, but… I’m a duke’s daughter.
Even though we were both dukes’ daughters, it didn’t mean I was bright and sociable or equipped with the same 『gentle princess』 vibe in the likes of Solana Brugmansisempai.
I had black hair and a mole under my eye. If anything, I had an appearance that was on the dark side.
加えて今回私と父は、この劇場の後援者候補としてここに訪れた。それ故の劇場支配人、人気女優揃ってのお出迎えである。
In addition, Father and I were invited here as potential patrons of this theatre this time. For that reason, the theatre’s manager along with a popular actress came out to greet us.
We haven’t decided to support them yet and neither me nor Father have given our family name. Only that we were 『someone related to the 5 duke families』, well it’s not a lie, we only offered our first names and social statuses.
In other words, Miria didn’t know my exact rank, but as far as she was concerned, I was a high ranking noble that looked difficult to approach (or, to be more blunt, I looked a little scary). And as a potential sponsor, I was probably both unnerving and terrifying to her.
But, I didn’t want her to have a bad impression of me.
If possible, it would be great if we became friend…ly.
I feel like I have a long road ahead of me though.
（いいえ）と、私は自らを奮い立たせた。
(No), I thought, lifting my spirits.
相手がすでに王都の有名人である以上、身分に関係のない個人的な出会い、なんてチャンスは望み薄だ。ここは権力をカサに……じゃなかった、父の伝手を頼らないことにはミリアと個人的に会うこともできなかったはず。だから、相手に少しばかり警戒されてしまうのは仕方ない。
Seeing that she was already a famous person at the capital, it was unlikely to have this sort of opportunity for a face to face meeting that had nothing to do with my status. This happened because I took advantage of my political influence… Not! I doubt I could’ve even met Miria personally without depending on Father’s connections. That’s why, being treated a little warily by her is inevitable.
(This is just the beginning, the beginning! If I give up here, then the battle will end before it even began!)
この日の初対面では、私は彼女のファンであるということを伝えるに留まった。彼女は「私のことはどうぞミリアとお呼びください」と言ったが、明らかに支配人によって言わされた体である。
I paused to tell her that I was her fan at this very first encounter. But even though she told me 「please feel free to call me Miria」, it clearly feels like she was told to say that by the manager.
I was not only firmly denied from using polite speech towards her, a girl older than me, but also when I informed her 『I’d like it if you’d call me Lycoris』, she only bowed her head deeply at me. A passive rejection.
Even though we got to see a few of the dress rehearsals and the like, we quickly departed since it seemed like Miria couldn’t concentrate at practice with us around.
そして私の、プレゼント攻勢が幕を開けた。
Thus, it opened the doors to me agressively offering her gifts.
彼女の公演を毎日見に行ったのだ。手土産を持って。
Everyday, I came to see her performance. Bearing presents.
初めから重たいプレゼントはNGである。まずは花束。そして、王都で評判の甘いお菓子だ。ミリアが人間同様食べ物をとるということは当然調べてある。甘いものを好むというのも調査済み。こういうところは、人間の女性と何も変わらないようだ。
It’s no good to give massive presents right at the start. So I started with bouquets. Then, sweet snacks that were popular at the capital. I checked that Miria took in food just like a human, of course. I also investigated that she like sweet things. In these sorts of things, she was no different from a human girl.
Incidentally, the theatre manager’s behaviour was thoroughly polite towards me who continued to frequent this theatre. I don’t know the exact sum, but it’s obvious that Father investing in this theatre for the forseeble future had something to do with it.
私のこの行動について、シェイドは呆れたように言った。
Regarding my behavior, Shade said this to me as if disgusted.
『I’m a little skeptical over the wisdom of financially supporting someone you want as your friend』
Having been told that, I was at a loss for words. After all, the words that were painful to hear, were incredibly sound that I didn’t know how to refute them.
『……Th-then help me think of an honest way to be friends with her too, Shade! It’s not like I can just disturb her when she’s so busy practicing… The only thing I could think of was giving support after her performances』
There was also the matter of time. I can only visit the capital until school starts, so I don’t have infinite time. During this holiday, by all means, I want to build relationship with her to the point where 『it’s okay even if I send letters to her』 . That way, I won’t be completely forgotten by her.
Shade answered with a 『don’t ask me』 looking like he found helping me out both unpleasant and troublesome.
『If you won’t bother helping me at all then just leave me be』
Being scowled at by me, even Shade seemed to realize how resolved I was.
『I know you’re serious about this… and even though you’re going about this all wrong, I also know you’re doing your best』
『Eh? So are you going to help me out?』
I held on to a little hope. When making friends, I don’t think its good to get any further help from Father who was influential, having said that, it’s also hard to depend on Wolf for this. In times like these, it’s easier to ask favors from siblings.
Even though he took in my hopeful look, Shade gave me a slightly mean-spirited smile.
『I’ll help out by not getting in your way』
『Shouldn’t that be natural?!』
In the end, knowing that I was being teased by Shade, I abandoned the naive ideas of relying on my little brother or the like.
そんなやりとりもあって私は、自分で何とかするしかないのだと誓いを新たにした。
With that exchange, I renewed the vow that I’d figure something on my own.
First, I had to get to know the person.
Naturally, I knew about her achievements as an actress and all the various roles she played thus far. But though I had those sort of topics as a starting line, to begin with, she gets frightened every time I try to talk with her at the moment.
（First, I have to observe! Find the opening that will close the distance to her heart!）
Looking at her, I learned something almost immediately. That was… that she shows very few emotions on her face.
I find it really hard to believe after seeing her perform with an abudance of emotions on the stage, but Miria Galant was near expressionless off the stage. Even though it was clear enough to tell that she was frightened of me in our first encounter, it seems that was an exceptional case, if anything.
She doesn’t appear excited or nervous before a performance and she doesn’t look relieved when it ends either.
However, due to my persistent observation, I had just barely been deciphering the emotions hidden in Miria’s limited facial expressions. Of course, since I don’t have the confidence, I’ve been fumbling, day every day.
I’ve come to realize that she likes small cute flowers over large showy bouquets. It seems that she likes flower that were white in color. And it appears she wasn’t fond of flowers with overpowering smells.
So besides the bouquet I handed to her on stage, I also gave her a basket filled with small flowers at the dressing room.
It appears that among the sweets, she had a fondness for baked confectionaries. And it looks like she preferred not the overly sweet taste of artificial seasoning, but the natural sweetness and fragrance of plain simple fruits and nuts.
It had been a certain evening that passed while I was continuing to observe her in that manner.
I visited her dressing room, bringing a small basket of flowers like I’ve been doing these last few days. She earnestly welcomed me without shaking in terror like she had the very first time we met.
Even though I’m happy that she grew accustomed to me up to this level, our emotional and physical distance was still very far from 『friendly』 . I talked with her near the door without so much as stepping into her dressing room so that I won’t scare her.
The development that differed from usual was when she laid eyes on the flower basket I brought.
「もしかして、雪白花ゆきしろばな？」
「Don’t tell me… are those snowdrops?」
What grabbed her interest seemed to be the small white flowers that occupied a corner of the basket.
Miria stood up from her chair, still in her stage costume, and charged forward towards me — well, to be exact, towards the flower basket that I was holding.
「I knew it, these are snowdrops. And there’s so many. You even managed to get them in this season……」
「Well yes. They may be out of season but there are some stores that handle off season flowers. Uhm…but since they’re rare, I just found them by chance……」
Actually, I relied on my connections to search for this flower knowing that it was going to be a little expensive because it had matched her preference to a T– small cute white flowers with a mild smell. But since I’m scared she’ll draw back in terror if she ever finds out what I did, I can’t tell her that.
「Is this flower to your liking?」
When I asked while handing the flower basket over to her, she made a nearly imperceptible expression, but I knew well enough to tell it looked happy, and then nodded.
「This is a special flower for me」
Looking like she remembered something, she brought the flower basket closer to her face. Snowdrops really were nothing but very mild smelling flowers. But it appears that was enough for her to like it.
As the sender, there’s no way I won’t feel happy hearing something like that. Although I’d been pleased with myself, a short time later, she completely wiped the expression from her face again.
「……I’m sure it was expensive, wasn’t it?」
Panicking as I was, in front of me, she continued on as if she determined my intentions.
「There are many people who tell me they’re fans of my performances. But, I’m a doll, I thin it’s such a waste to devote energy on me like this…」
「That’s… but… this is something I want to do」
「……I don’t understand. Why is a person like you, well… being kind to someone like me?」
Looking bewildered even with the her limited expression, she looked even more charming than the flowers in her hand.
Had I been a man at this moment, I think I would’ve been drunk on the atmosphere and blurt out 『Because I’m in love with you!』 . That was close.
Despite thinking stupid thoughts, I squeezed out my courage from within my body.
I squeezed and wringed.
If I could say this to her now, I wouldn’t mind even if I shrivel up dry tomorrow! That’s what I’d felt.
「Uhm… If possible… I want to be friends with you…!!」
It may have been just a little, but upon my words, her eyes opened wide.
「私と友達に？ でも私は人形で……」
「Friends with me? But I’m a doll…」
「Eh? Is it unlikely for you to be friends with a humans?」
「That’s not it. But, something like friends is a luxury beyond me」
I doggedly opposed her pessimistic views.
「I don’t think so」
「But I’m sure there’s- what’s the word… something 『lacking』 in me」
「Lacking? To be friends?」
「Yes.……」
「でも、逆に言うと、友だちになるのに必要なものって何かしら」
「But, on the other hand, what could be that something required to be friends?」
「え？」
「Huh？」
「けっきょく、相手に好意さえ持てれば、それで十分だと思うのだけど。あなたにはたしかに、好きか嫌いかという感情があるでしょう？ 今日のプレゼントを特別喜んでくれたのはそういうことよね？ ……だから、もしあなたが私を嫌いでなかったら。好きになれそうだったら、その、ぜひ、お友達になってください……」
「I think so long as one holds good will towards the other person, I think that’s enough. I’m sure you have feelings of like and dislike, right? That’s what made you especially happy about the present I gave today, isn’t it? … That’s why, if perhaps, you don’t hate me. If you think you’d come to like me, then, uhm, please… be my friend…」
I thought I came by too desperate.
けれどミリアはかすかにだけれどはっきりと、私に向けて頷いたのだ。
But though it was only a light one, Miria clearly nodded back at me.
「……you’re the first one to tell such kind words to me… Okay. I think I’d like to be friends with you too」
私は、快哉を叫んだ。
I shouted for joy.
Author’s note:
People who feel uncertain about future since Lycoris is proceeding way too smoothly, raise your hand~
＼(^o^)／Me!
Translator’s note:
Lol. Doesn’t Lycoris seem like a man courting his beloved in this chapter? 😀
Heads up Wolf, you and Lily suddenly got a rival.