8
「夜会? 今のわたくしにですか」
夜会は集団見合い、結婚相手を探す場所だ。婚約破棄されたアイリーンは当分自粛するのが普通で、招待する側も外聞の悪い娘を呼びたくないと声をかけなくなるものだ。
「一体どこの空気が読めない馬鹿からのお誘いですか」
「セドリック様とリリア様からだ」
めまいがした。
「あ、手紙も入ってるよ。リリア様から直筆の。内緒ですけど婚約発表もかねるので、是非お出でくださいっていう。実は私も呼ばれてる。大物だねぇ、リリア様は」
「......そう、ですわね......わたくしも見習いたいですわ......」
うつろな笑みを浮かべながら、アイリーンはかろうじて頷いた。
そこへルドルフがさらに追撃する。
「この夜会ではお前から譲り受けた会社を元に、セドリック様が新しい政策をお披露目するらしい。同時にお前は婚約破棄のサインを皆の前で署名しろ、とのご命令だ」
――つまりもう一度、公の場でセドリックにふられろ、ということだ。
婚約破棄の書面へのサインなど、内々にすませられる。それをわざわざ公の行事にするなんて。
(......どうしても、わたくしをやり込めたいのね)
そこまで嫌われていたのか。知らなかった。本当に知らなかった。
でもこれはきっと、嫌われ者の定番の言い訳にすぎないのだろう。
「さらに、事業譲渡の承諾をサインして欲しいそうだ。公に頭を垂れることによってお前の悪評を少しでもおさめてやろうという、慈悲だそうだよ」
全ての感情を押し殺して、アイリーンは肩から息を吐き出した。
「......つまり、欠席したらセドリック様の慈悲をはねつけたことになり、出席したら事業を乗っ取られた挙げ句公衆の面前で二度目の婚約破棄をされる。どちらでもいい笑い者ですわね」
「それで、お前はどうする?」
普通に考えれば選択は断るの一択だ。どちらでも好き勝手言われるのだから、サインだけ送りつけて欠席する方が面目は立つし時間も無駄にしない。嘆いてみせれば周囲の同情もひけるかもしれない。
――だが、しかし。
「出席致します。喧嘩を売られたら買って叩き返す主義なので」
あれだけ啖呵を切っておいて、今更しおらしくしてもしょうがない。同情もまとめて蹴飛ばしてやると、アイリーンは微笑む。ルドルフが満足そうに頷いた。
「いいねえ。それでこそドートリシュ公爵家の娘だ。ここまで馬鹿にされて尻尾巻いて逃げるような娘なら、公爵家から除籍して下町にでも放り出してやろうかと思ったよ」
この父親なら泣き真似をしながら嬉しそうにやりかねない。頬を引きつらせつつ、アイリーンはゆったりと頷いた。
「常識知らずとお父様も悪く言われるかもしれませんが」
「大丈夫だよ。ちゃんとアイリーンのかげ口をたくさん聞いてうんうん頷いて謝罪して、あとからリストに名前を書くよ」
「なんのリストか聞きませんが、お父様がよろしいのならそれで」
「じゃあついでに夜会までに事業の損失分を、ドートリシュ公爵家に補填しなさい」
なんでもないことのように言われて、眉をひそめた。
「さらっととんでもない要求を突きつけないでください。損失を補填って、また新しい会社でも起ち上げろと? わたくしはお兄様達ほど優秀ではありませんのよ。しかも二ヶ月でなんて」
「それは自分で考えなさい。お父様は皇妃にもなれず、疵物のままですごす娘など持った覚えはないよ」
にこりと笑う父親の目が本気だ。
ふと背筋が寒くなった。夜会で欠席を選び、家と自分の名誉を回復しようとしなければ、本気でこの父親は、公爵令嬢としてのアイリーンを切り捨てるのかもしれない。
セドリックは皇太子だ。アイリーンはいずれ皇帝になる人間から疎まれた。
どこかで巻き返せなければ、疵物の令嬢としていずれドートリシュ公爵家のお荷物になる。
(確か、ゲームでも平民に落ちる展開があったような......うっすらとしか覚えてないけど)
微妙に今、何かの不幸フラグを回避したのかもしれないと思うとほっとする。
それに、父親の要求をこなすアテがないわけではない。今ならまだ、父親――ドートリシュ公爵家の力もある程度は使えるだろう。
(あとはクロード様ね......それも感触が悪かったわけではないし。なせばなる、よ)
腹は括った。その分、今夜はよく眠れそうだった。
――が、その夜。夜中に飛び起きたアイリーンは叫ぶ。
「夜会に出席の方が下町に放り出されるフラグじゃないの! なんなの、この記憶の取り戻し方の出遅れ感は!! 神様の嫌がらせ!?」
真っ暗な天井に向かって吠えたアイリーンに答えてくれる親切な神様は、当然、いない。
CHAPTER 8
[Evening party? For the current me?] 
The evening party was a group marriage meeting and was meant to be a place to find a marriage partner. Normally, someone like Irene, whose engagement has just been annulled, would restrain herself from going to such party for the time being; and, the inviting party wouldn't want to invite a lady with a bad reputation and having a chat with her as well.
[Who in the world is this oblivious fool that sends me the invitation?] 
[It's from Cedric-sama and Lilisama] 
I felt dizzy.
[Ah, there's a letter as well. It was handwritten by Lilisama. In short, she wrote, it's was supposed to be a secret; but, because there's going to be an important engagement announcement, please come to the evening party by all means. The truth is, I was being invited as well. She's a big-shot, isn't she? That Lilisama] 
[......I guess you're right......I, too, want to learn from her......] 
While showing an empty smile on her face, Irene was barely able to nod.
Seeing Irene's reaction, Rudolph decided to further pursue the matter.
[During this evening party, it seems like Cedric-sama is going to introduce a new policy based on the company that he's going to take over from you. At the same time, there's also an order for you to sign the engagement annulment doc.u.ment in front of everyone] 
---- In other words, it means I'm about to be dumped in front of the public once again.
It is possible to sign the engagement annulment doc.u.ment in private, after all. To think that they deliberately made this a public event.
(......I see they want to corner me no matter what)
They loathed me to that extent? I didn't know. I truly did not know.
But, this was certainly, I guess this was only a basic explanation for a hated person.
[Also, it seems like they want you to sign the doc.u.ment of an agreement for business transfer. It seems like he means to show you mercy by allowing you to bow your head to them in public to restore even just a little bit of your bad reputation] 
Irene forcefully killed all of her emotions to prevent them from showing on her face, stiffened up her shoulders and let out a breath.
[......in other words, if I don't attend that evening party, my action will be taken as rejecting Cedric-sama's mercy, but if I do attend the evening party, I'm going to lose my business; and finally, for the second time, he's going to break off our engagement in front of the general public. Either way, I'm going to be an excellent laughing stock] 
[So, what are you going to do?] 
If you think about it normally, the only possible choice was to decline the invitation. Because either way, I'm going to be called a selfish woman no matter what my decision is. If I were to send the signed doc.u.ment without attending the party, I'll be able to keep my dignity; and, I won't be wasting my time either. If I were to show some grievance over the annulment, I might be able to gain some sympathy from my surroundings.
----But, however.
[I will attend. It is in my principle to accept challenges and fight back] 
I've been known for my sharp tongue, so there's no reason for me to act meek now. I'll kick some a.s.s while evoking others sympathy, Irene let out a smile at that thought. Rudolph nodded while looking seemingly satisfied.
[Very good. That's the daughter of the D'Austriche Duke's Family. If you were to become a foolish daughter who's going to run away with your tail between your legs after coming this far, I had thought of expelling your name from this house registry and to simply abandon you at the low-lying area of the city] 
For this father of mine, he is capable of feigning crocodile tears while looking delightful. Irene stiffened her cheeks while nodding calmly.
[To think Father who is knowledgable with common sense might able to say something bad] 
[That's alright. I've sufficiently heard a lot of Irene's malicious gossips, yes, yes, you just have to bow your head to apologize; I'll write a list of names later] 
[I won't ask what kind of list it is, but if that's all you have to say Father, I'll excuse myself now] 
[Then, make sure to make up for the D'Austriche Ducal House losses before the evening party] 
When I was told something like that in a way as if it was nothing serious, I frowned.
[Please don't just throw out that kind of outrageous demand without hesitation. Making up for the losses and starting up a new company? I am not as excellent as my brothers. Moreover, in two months?] 
[You have to figure that out on your own. Father don't remember having an unvirtuous daughter who had wasted her time and in the end, failed to become the Empress] 
My father's eyes showed that he was serious even when he was currently laughing.
Suddenly, my back felt cold. If I choose not to attend the evening party, if I don't try to recover the honor of my house and mine, my father will seriously, probably going to cut off and throw away the duke's daughter "Irene".
Cedric was a crown prince. Irene, sooner or later, would become someone who was ostracized by someone who would become the future Emperor.
If I could not regain my strength somewhere along the line, this unvirtuous young lady sooner or later would become a burden to the D'Austriche Duke's House.
(If I'm not mistaken, I feel like there's a development somewhere in the game, where I'm going to be demoted to a commoner status......I could only vaguely remember the details though)
What's wonderful right now, was I felt relieved when I think about the possibility that I've avoided some unfortunate flag.
Moreover, it's not like it was impossible to complete Father's demand. I can still do it now, Father----I could sure be able to use D'Austriche Duke's House's power to a certain degree.
(All that's left is Claude-sama......it doesn't feel like we are starting off at the wrong foot as well. Heh, see, if I have the mind to do something, I can do it)
I have to restrain my nerve. At this point, I felt like I'll be able to sleep well tonight.
----But, that night. In the middle of the night, Irene woke up screaming.
[Wasn't "attending the evening party" was the flag of me ended up being thrown into the street?! What on earth is this sense of delay in recovering back my memories!! G.o.d's hara.s.sment!?] 
Naturally, there's no kind G.o.d who responded back to Irene's cry while she was facing the pitch black ceiling.
Villainous Daughter Aims for the Last Boss
悪役令嬢なのでラスボスを飼ってみました
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/villainous-daughter-aims-for-the-last-boss/
Drama Fantasy Romance School Life Shoujo
Adapted to Anime Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Beautiful Female Lead Bloodlines Broken Engagement Business Management Businessmen Calm Protagonist Demon Lord Demons Female Protagonist Handsome Male Lead Hated Protagonist Kuudere Multiple Reincarnated Individuals Nobles Otome Game Politics Reincarnated in a Game World Royalty Saints Sword And Magic Villainess Noble Girls
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2766dz/
永瀬さらさ