Heartless Edgar/Chapter 3

昨夜の事情聴取は、状況を説明しただけで早々に終わった. 相手の男も厳重注意を受けた後、程なく解放されたらしい. 「まったく. 迷惑なヤツだよおまえは」 そして今朝. 財団の宿舎で顔を合わせた時点で、彼の機嫌は 悪かった. 「俺が待てって言ったのも無視しやがって」 「勝手に首を突っこんで怪我でもしたらどうすんだよ」 「どうして自分から殴られに行くような真似をするんだ」 今日は一段と厳しい. 「でもクレムが困ってたから. これで好感度は上がるよね？」 目を丸くしたかと思えば、怒りはシュルシュルと鎮火して、 ヘンリーは諦めたようにうなだれた. 「とりあえず、おまえの名前を聞かれたから答えといた」 「そっか、ありがとう」 「これで“ただの客の１人”から “あの時のあの人”くらいには昇格したんじゃないか？ お礼を言いそびれたって、残念そうにしてたし」 「そうなの？」 なんだか嬉しくて、頭の中が痺れる感覚がする. 「彼女、震えてたんだ. 喧嘩の仲裁に入ってくれた時」 「そりゃあそうだろ. むしろウェイトレスの使命感だけで、よく動けたもんだ」 「うん. 強い女性なんだと思う. だからこそ、また同じようなことがあったら助けたい」 「へぇ、そう. ２度目は助太刀しないからな」 「ん？」 ぼくの思考が一瞬止まり、すぐにフル回転で動きだす. 「遊撃士に通報したのってヘンリー？」 「ああ. 怪我人が出る前に来てくれて良かったな」 「ヘンリーって口うるさいけど、基本は優しいよね」 「そうだろ？　……って、一言余計だ」 その日は昼過ぎに食堂へ向かった. 入店したぼくに気がつき、 クレムはすぐに駆け寄って来た. 「お待ちしてました. お席はこちらです」 案内されるまま、店内の端へと進んで行く. 他の客と距離を とったテーブル席が用意されていた. 「もう来ないんじゃないかって、少し心配だったんです. 昨日はあんなことがありましたから」 「ぼくは何も気にしてないですよ. クレムさんこそ、ここへ来るのが怖くはないですか？」 彼女は少し俯いた. 「怖いんじゃなく、情けないです. お客さんに助けてもらう形になりましたから. エドガーさんには事情聴取を受けさせてしまって、 本当にご迷惑をおかけしました」 クレムはペコッと頭を下げた. 「そうしたいと思って行動しただけですから. クレムさんが気にする必要はまったくないです」 「でも……」 「ぼくを守ろうと、 クレムさんだって仲裁に入ってくれたじゃないですか. だからお互い様です」 彼女は申し訳なさそうに笑った. 「じゃあせめてお礼だけ. 今日はサービスしますから、好きなものを食べてください. シェフが、一応お友だちの分も用意していたんですけど」 「今日は用があって来れなかったんです. なので彼が残念がるくらい、たくさん食べてみせますよ」 ぼくらは思わずクスクスと笑い合った. 日が沈み始めた頃. 「ごちそうさまでした. おかげで楽しかったです」 出入り口までクレムは見送りに来てくれた. 「良かった. 退屈してたらどうしようって不安だったんです」 「退屈するわけないですよ. だって――」 その続きを言えなくて、そんなぼくを彼女は不思議そうに見 つめている. 「だって、きょ、今日は良い天気でしたから」 「それ、関係ありますか？」 「うーん、ないですね」 「ふふ. エドガーさんって面白い. また食べに来てくださいね、待ってますから」 「はい. ぼくも待ってるので、いつでも頼ってください」 「え？　……そうですね. その時は頼らせてください」 「待ってます. ぼくは、君の力になりたいので」 「――！」　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　「それでは失礼します」 歩きだして少しすると、名前を呼ばれたので振り向いた. 小さく手を振る君を、夕日が赤く染めていた. 町から数アージュ離れた一帯に広がる、ル＝ロックル渓谷. 切り立った両側の崖が、深く細長い谷を形作っている. そのせ いか、朝とはいえ絶壁の谷間は薄暗かった. ふと、外界と遮断された感覚に陥る. 「空が、狭い」 遥か頭上を、２羽の鳥が横切って行った. 彼らが飛んで行く先を見上げ、ぼくは昨日の彼女との会話を 思い出していた.
 * -|English= Chapter 3 - The Setting Sun The bracers' questioning went by quickly, and they released me once I was able to explain the situation. The other man was released as well, though not before a stern lecture. 'Sheesh. You're a real pain, you know that?'  When I ran into Henry the next day, he was already annoyed with me.  'I told you to wait, didn't I?' he said, the crease in his forehead growing, 'What would you have done if you got hurt butting in like that? What even possessed you to jump in, anyway?'  Usually Henry didn't lay into me like this until much later in the day.  'Clementine was in trouble. You told me if I helped her, she'd like me, right?' I responded.  A flash of anger spread across Henry's face. This was his usual reaction when my matter-of-fact responses got under his skin. Sure enough, it was quickly replaced with his usual look of exhausted resignation.  'After you left, she asked for your name, and I told her.'  'Oh. Thanks.' Despite my dull response to Henry, my mind started racing.  'Now you've gone from 'just another customer' to 'that crazy guy who almost got beaten up',' he said with half a smirk. 'She was disappointed she didn't get the chance to thank you.'  'Really?' My head started swimming at the news.  'When I stepped in to that argument...I could see she was shaking,' I said, thinking back.  'Well, of course she was,' Henry said, 'Anyone would've been scared in a situation like that. She must have a pretty strong will to have kept her cool like she did?  'Yeah,' I said, 'I think she's a strong woman. If something like that happens again, I want to be there to help her.'  'Oh, yeah?' Henry shot me a sardonic look, 'Well, I'm not gonna save your ass next time.'  'Huh?'  My head suddenly stopped swimming, and the gears in my brain started turning at full speed.  'You're the one who called the bracers,' I said, thinking back to the night before. I had seen him taking out his Comm orbment before I got up.  'Yup. I'm just glad they got there before SOMEONE got his face caved in.' He grinned.  ' You're a real pain in the ass, Henry, but you're a good guy at heart.' I smiled back at him.  'Right?' he started to laugh, before realizing what precisely I'd said. 'Wait just a sec! WHO'S the pain in the ass, here?!'   I went to the restaurant that afternoon. Clementine noticed me come in and hurried over.  'This way. I'll show you to your seat,' she said with a smile.  I followed her to a corner of the restaurant. A table had been set up away from the other customers.  'I was a little worried you wouldn't come back after what happened yesterday,' she said, sheepishly.  'Don't worry. Something like that isn't enough to scare me off.' I laughed. 'But what about you? How are you doing?'  'I feel terrible,' she said, hanging her head a little, 'Maybe if I'd handled things better, you wouldn't have been dragged off by the bracers.'  'That wasn't your fault. I just jumped in because I felt  like it,' I said, puffing out my chest, just the tiniest bit.  'But--' she started.  'Besides, you stood in the way to protect me, too, right?' I smiled at her. 'We helped each other out.'  She smiled back, blushing ever so slightly.  'Even so, I still want to show my gratitude. Today, your meal's on the house, so get whatever you like! The same goes for your friend.' Clementine quickly looked around, realizing Henry wasn't with me.  'Oh, he couldn't make it today,' I said, 'So I guess I'll just have to eat his meal, too.'  Both of us burst into laughter.   By the time I left the restaurant, the sun was setting.  'Thanks again for the meal,' I said, 'I really enjoyed myself.'  Clementine walked me to the entrance.  'I'm glad to hear it. To be honest, I was worried you might have been bored. You had this dreamy sort of look on your face.'  'What? No! There's no way I could've been bored. After all, I--uh, I mean...'  I stumbled over my words and trailed off. Clementine tilted her head at me, confused by my babbling.  'I-I mean, the...weather's so nice today! Yeah, that's it.' I stammered out the first thing that popped into my mind, but it just confused her further.  'Huh? What does that have to do with anything?' she asked.  'Um. I guess it, uh...doesn't,' I broke down into nervous laughter, but Clementine just giggled along with me.  'You're so funny, Edgar. I hope you come back soon. I'll be waiting for you,' she said.  'I'll be waiting, too. Anything you need, just let me know. You can count on me whenever,' I told her.  'Huh?' She still seemed a little confused, but she smiled at me. 'Right. I'll do just that.'  'I'm serious,' I said, 'I want to be there for you. Any time you need me.'  She let out a little gasp. They were a little roundabout, but my words had gotten through to her.  'If you'll excuse me, then.' I gave her one more smile before I headed out.  I began walking home, but after a moment, I heard someone calling my name from behind me.   I turned around to see you there, waving at me. Your bright smile shone all the more brilliantly as the golden light of the setting sun washed over you.
 * -|Japanese= 第３巻　　「茜さす君に」