Extra arc 『The Stage Ghost’s Cappricio』 Chapter 6
Edited ver:
私はばあやのタルトを手に、舞台稽古を終えたミリアの元へ向かった。
I headed to Miria’s direction after she finished the dress rehearsal with my nanny’s tarts on hand.
Since it seems Frandert-sama has thoughts about the current revision of the lines, he was now in the middle of discussion with the theatre’s manager.
As for me, I hurried my way to the dressing room eagerly hoping to talk with Miria for a bit alone.
When I neared her dressing room, I noticed that the door to it was ajar.
（Is someone there?）
部屋の中で話をしている一方がミリアであることはすぐにわかった。彼女の声が、普段よりもどこか緊張をはらんで、そのくせどこか華やいで聞こえる。相手は男性であるらしく、対称的に低い声が聞き取りづらい。
I quickly discovered that one of the people talking inside the room was Miria. Her voice was more nervous than usual, yet, it sounded somewhat cheerful. The other person seemed to be a man, his consistently low voice was hard to make out.
（こ、これは……）
（T-this is…）
もしかして、恋、というやつではないだろうか。今彼女と話し込んでいる声の主。彼女にこんな声を出させるそのお相手こそが、ミリアの恋する相手なのでは。
Could it be… could it be love? The voice that was deep in conversation with Miria right now… This guy that could make her speak in that tone was the person Miria likes, isn’t it?
But wasn’t Miria a doll?
No, that sort of thing isn’t a concern. I was fully aware that even she had likes and dislikes. If that’s the case, then it might be very likely that she could even love!
Now then, who is it!?
私がウキウキと（なんとなく）物陰に隠れて待つことしばし。楽屋から出て行くその人の姿が目に入ってきた。
For a while, I’d been waiting cheerfully, hidden in the shadows (for some reason). Then, the figure of the person who came out from dressing room fell into my line of sight.
His messy hair, which felt like he didn’t pay much attention to it, was not pure black but rather, slightly ashen in color. I’d be hard-pressed to say he had a refreshing impression, but it’s not like he was filthy. His beard was properly shaven and his clothes were… Nope, when I look closer, the cuff of his trousers are dirty.
比較的近くから初めて見たその顔立ちは――驚いたことに――整っていると言っていい。しかし神経質そうに眉間に寄せられたシワの深いことといったら。
Perhaps equating misanthropes to shutins who don’t go outside is too irresponsible, but even so, if he’d been a little tidier, my impression of him would probably be totally different. Comparatively, when I saw his features up close for the first time, I can say he was — surprisingly — good-looking. But the crease on his brows was so deep, he looked neurotic.
（劇作家、さん……）
（Mr… playwright……）
私は、とても複雑な気持ちになった。
I had strong mixed feeling about this.
その後私は素知らぬ顔で楽屋を尋ねたが、ミリアの様子はいつもと変わりなかった。
After that, I looked inside the dressing room feigning ignorance but Miria was the same as always.
However…
「I’m pretty sure that gentleman who passed by just now was the playwright…」
When I started the topic, her white cheeks immediately flushed red slightly. Now, I’m sure it’s love.
「Yes. I’m sure it was. It was Elius-sama」
「Elius… –sama?」
Seeing me look at her very suspiciously, Miria added.
「That is…he’s a wonderful playwright. So I admire him」
「And, he’s also the person you like, no?」
When I tried speaking on the hopes she’d spill, Miria looked surprised and paled. 『Eh? What’s with that reaction!?』, I thought, as she faced me and lowered her head.
「…I’m sorry. That’s beyond me…」
「There’s no way that can that be beyond you! Love isn’t a monopoly of humans, you know」
「Monopoly…?」
「Err… in other words, what I mean to say is that love isn’t something limited to humans」
「Love isn’t limited to humans…? -Is that… really true?」
Miria not only murmurred skeptically but also plainly shook her head.
「I think love is a 『monopoly』of humans」
Since Miria’s words sounded final, I was at a loss for words.
「Loving someone isn’t something a doll can do. Even if it looks like dolls can, it’s just a sham. Looking at what people do, dolls can do no more than mimic outward appearance」
Miria declared self-depracatingly but firmly. The words that were spoken as if to tell herself that didn’t need my reply.
「…… oh, that’s right. I… have something I’d like to ask you. You’re knowledgable in a lot of things and you even know about magic after all」
I nodded while feeling somewhat unease.
「I’ll listen to anything you say. I don’t know if I’ll be able to answer though」
Miria bowed her head politely, saying, 「thank you very much」.
Then, with light so unmistakeably, vivid in her eyes — said:
「人形が、人間になる方法を、ご存知ありませんか？」
「Do you know a way for a doll to become human?」