国王レオポルト３世陛下は、寝室の大きな寝台で、身体の半分を起こしていた。頬はややこけてはいるものの、血色はずっと良い。何より瞳に生気と威厳が戻っている。
「お前たちか」
私たちを見て、いつもの穏やかな笑みを浮かべる。傍らには、マリア王妃、そして宮廷医師のキルヒマン博士が付き添っていた。
「二人とも…迷惑をかけたな…」
低く落ち着いた声。包み込まれるような安心感があって私は心からほっとした。
「エラ…君が毎日浄化してくれたと…ありがとう」
「いえ…とんでもございません。」
陛下に初めて名前を呼ばれたことのうれしさと、陛下が私に対して言っていたという言葉がやはり本心ではなかったことを確信して私は胸が熱くなった。
「ルドルフ…本当に済まなかったな」
「ええ、まったくですよ」
王太子は、溜息をつきながら言った。
「父上は王なのですから。ふらふらと王都に行かれない方がいいと申し上げましたのに」
「いや…うむ」
陛下はしょんぼりと頭を垂れる。叱られた大型犬のように見えた。
陛下がミアと出会った契機はミアの口から語られた。
ウルリヒがヴィクトルとして経営する商会に、陛下がやってきたというのだ。偶然ではなく、ベルタ王女が彼と交際しているという話は陛下に伝わっていたから、娘の交際相手を見てみようというつもりだったらしい。
陛下は商人を装っていたが、ヴィクトルはそれが陛下の変装だと見抜いたようだ。ミアと引き合わせ、さらに自分の商品、魔薬入りの蜂蜜入りの茶菓子やお茶でもてなした。
一度口にしてしまっては最後。喉が渇いて水が欲しくなるように魔薬が欲しくてたまらなくなる。ヴィクトルの店に通っては蜂蜜を求め、そしてミアの魅了にも深くかけられていくことになった。
「聖女の力で魔薬はかなり取り除かれています。光の魔法での治癒を続け、お身体を休めるのがよろしいでしょうな。王女様も基本的に症状は同じです。ただ…王女殿下は精神的に参ってしまわれてますな…」
キルヒマン博士が口ひげをさすりながら言った。
「ベルタは向かいの部屋で療養させます。二人の看病はわたくしが。」
マリア王妃がそう言い、陛下は驚いたように目を見開いた。だが、王妃の表情を見てうつむき、そして、ありがとう、と呟くように言った。長いまつ毛の端には光るものが見える。
王妃は既に私物を王妃宮から移していた。長い別居生活に終止符を打とうと決められたのだ。
戦闘の翌日、陛下の治療のために、私はルドルフと王妃と共に、王の居住区域に初めて足を踏み入れた。マリア王妃にとっても実に20年ぶりだったという。王を若い時から支えてきた、年老いた侍従長が、王妃にどうしてもお目に入れたいと言って、一つの部屋を私たちに見せてくれた。
元は王妃が内輪のサロンとして使っていた部屋。それが物で一杯に埋め尽くされていた。
ほとんどが未開封の箱。大きいものから小さいものまで山のようになっている。その多くに真紅のリボンが掛かっていた。これらが誰のためのものなのか、もはや一目瞭然だ。
王妃は手近にあった一つを手に取り、リボンを解く。中からは薔薇をデザインしたティーカップが出てきた。
「全て妃殿下のためにと陛下がお求めになったものでございます。」
頭髪の寂しくなった侍従長は静かに言った。
「街へ行かれては買い求められ、その都度お贈りすることもできず、誕生日や祭りの折にまとめて、とも思われたようですが、結局お渡しできずにこのような状態に」
「…誕生日には毎年同じ花束をよこしたわ。あなたが持って来るわね。しかも夜に」
「はい…。毎年のようにご自分で持って行こうとなさって、結局お行きになれないのです。日が変わってしまいますので、私が。」
王妃は手に持った箱の中をじっと見つめた。
「馬鹿な人ね…。」
ぼつりと呟く。その表情は柔和な優しさに満ちていた。
「20年も…？不器用にも程があるだろ…」
ルドルフは腕を組んで呆れた声で言った。
侍従長によれば、象とかキリンなんかを贈ろうとしたこともあったそうだ。結局それもかなわず、10年近く前に離宮の一角に動物園が開園した。その離宮も元は結婚記念日の贈り物の予定だったらしい。
ドレスに宝飾品、どこで見つけてきたのであろうか、異国の民族の民芸品まで。詰め込まれて、うず高く積まれた贈り物は陛下へのこじれにこじれまくった王妃への愛だ。
「そういう訳だから。陛下のことは心配しなくていいわ。執務も私が手伝いますから。貴方達は北へ向かいなさい」
「マリア…」
王は妻を仰ぎ見る。王妃の表情には自信と威厳があって、まばゆいほどに美しい。
ルドルフは柔らかな笑みを浮かべて、かしこまりました、と答えた。
「父上…母上に存分に甘えて下さい。それと…何事も。言葉で伝えないと伝わるものも伝わらないのですよ」
「お前…」
陛下はきまりの悪そうな顔をする。
そうね。貴方も最近分かったことだけどね。この父子は女性への態度は似た者同士らしい。
長く凍り付いて止まっていた一組の夫婦の時間が動き出そうとしているのを私は実感した。
His Majesty King Leopold III was half awake on a large bunk in his bedroom. His cheeks were slightly puffy, but his complexion was much better. Above all, his eyes had regained their life and dignity.
Is it you guys?”
He looks at us and smiles his usual gentle smile. At his side were Queen Maria and Dr. Kirchmann, the court physician.
Both of you… you’ve caused me trouble…”
A low, calm voice. I was truly relieved to feel a sense of security enveloping me.
Ella…told me that you purified me every day…thank you.”
No…not at all.”
My heart was filled with joy at being called by His Majesty’s name for the first time, and with the certainty that what He had said to me was not what He really meant.
Rudolph I am truly sorry.
Yes, I am.
The Dauphin said with a sigh.
‘You see, my father is the king. I told him he shouldn’t have wandered off to King’s Landing.
No… um…”
His Majesty hung his head dejectedly. He looked like a big dog being scolded.
Mia told me how His Majesty had met Mia.
She told me that His Majesty had come to the trading company that Ulrich ran as Victor. It was not by chance, but because His Majesty had heard that Princess Bertha was in a relationship with him, he intended to see his daughter’s boyfriend.
His Majesty was posing as a merchant, but Viktor seemed to see that it was His Majesty in disguise. He introduced her to Mia, and then treated her to tea and sweets containing his own product, honey with magic potion.
Once you’ve had a sip, it’s the last thing you want. Just as thirst makes you crave for water, you crave for the potion. He would go to Viktor’s store and ask for honey, and then he would be deeply under the spell of Mia’s fascination.
‘The saint’s power has removed much of the magic potion. It would be better for you to continue healing with light magic and rest your body. The princess has basically the same symptoms. However…Her Royal Highness is suffering from a mental breakdown…”
Dr. Kirchmann said, rubbing his mustache.
Bertha will be in the room across the hall,” Dr. Kirchmann said, rubbing his moustache, “and I will take care of her. I will take care of the two of them.
Queen Maria said, and Her Majesty’s eyes widened in surprise. But then she looked at the queen’s expression and said, “Thank you,” as if muttering. A gleam could be seen at the edge of her long eyelashes.
The queen had already moved her personal belongings from the queen’s palace. She had decided to put an end to their long separation.
The day after the battle, I went with Rudolph and the queen for the first time into the king’s living quarters to treat His Majesty. For Queen Maria, it was the first time in 20 years. The old chief chamberlain, who had supported the king since his youth, insisted on meeting the queen and showed us one of the rooms.
The room used to be the queen’s private salon. It was filled to the brim with objects.
Most of them were unopened boxes. From the largest to the smallest, they were piled up in a heap. Many of them were hung with crimson ribbons. It was now obvious who these were for.
The queen picked up one that was close at hand and untied the ribbon. Inside was a teacup with a rose design.
All of them were purchased by His Majesty for Her Highness.
The head chamberlain, with a lonesome head of hair, said quietly, “You should not go to the city to buy them.
She went to the city to buy the roses, and as she could not give them to Her Highness each time, she thought she would give them to Her Highness on her birthday or on the occasion of a festival, but in the end she could not give them to Her Highness, and they are now in this state.
He gave me the same bouquet of flowers every year on my birthday. You bring them to me. And at night.
“Yes…. Yes……every year you try to bring them yourself, but in the end you can’t go. The day changes, so I will bring it.
The queen stared at the box in her hand.
She stared at the box in her hand, “You are an idiot….”
She muttered softly. Her expression was soft and gentle.
Twenty years…? How clumsy can you be…”
Rudolph crossed his arms and said in a disgusted voice.
According to the chief chamberlain, he had even tried to buy him an elephant or a giraffe or something. In the end, that didn’t happen, and a zoo was opened in a corner of the villa nearly 10 years ago. The palace was originally intended to be a wedding anniversary gift.
Dresses, jewelry, and even folk art from foreign lands, where did they find them? The gifts piled up high in a pile are the love for the queen that has been complicated by the complications to His Majesty.
That’s why,” he said. Don’t worry about His Majesty. I will help you with your duties. You will go to the north.
“Maria…”
The king looked up at his wife. The queen’s expression is confident, dignified, and dazzlingly beautiful.
Rudolph smiled softly and replied, “Yes, sir.
Father…please indulge me, Mother. And…everything. You have to use words to convey what you want to convey.
You…”
His Majesty looked uncomfortable.
I know. You have recently discovered this. It seems that this father and son have a similar attitude toward women.
I realized that the time of the couple, which had been frozen and stopped for a long time, was about to start moving.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
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