愛されるルートを目指していたのに、いじめられるルートに入ったのだろうか。
(いえ落ち着いて。そんなルートなかったわ。記憶は全部戻ってないけど、絶対ない)
真顔で両腕を組んで、アイリーンはオーブンの前にいた。その頭には三角巾がまかれ、組んだ両手にはお気に入りのミトンがはめられている。
(そもそもクロード様ってそういうキャラだったかしら。確かに魔王という設定だけを見ればドSはありがちだけれど、感情が乏しい物静かで孤独感漂う悲哀キャラだったような)
――君を、泣かせてみたくなった。
「ふぎゃあああっ!」
「お、お嬢様? どうかなさいましたか」
「い、いえ、なんでもないわ......オーブンを見ていたら叫びたくなってしまって」
ぱたぱた赤い顔を手で仰ぎながら、厨房で作業している使用人を誤魔化す。使用人は不可解そうな顔をしていたが、かかわりたくないのか引き下がってくれた。
噴き出た額の汗をぬぐいながら、深呼吸を繰り返す。
(まずは冷静に分析を......そもそも美形以外許されない台詞だわ、しまったクロード様は美形だった!)
だからあんな台詞がとてつもなく淫靡に聞こえて、免疫のない自分の動悸がひどいことになるのだ。
決してときめいているわけではない。というか、ときめいたらまずい。
「まさかの倒錯SMルートはごめんだわ......メリバもさけたい......!」
ぶつぶつ言いながら、うまく焼けたアップルパイを取り出す。今日の差し入れだ。
冷ましている間に出かける支度をした方がよかろうと、アイリーンは使用人にあとを任せて厨房から出る。途中で外出の旨を伝えると、快く承諾された。
(『皇太子の婚約者』じゃなくなると、結構気楽よね)
今までは外出先一つにも気をつかった。自分に何かあれば、それはすなわちセドリックの疵になる。茶会の行き先も、贔屓の店も『皇太子の婚約者として恥ずかしくない』判断をしなければならない。
それが誇りではあったけれど、解放されてみると気楽だ。
「お嬢様、お出かけですか」
「ええ、お父様の言いつけでね。三層へ行くから、馬車は結構よ」
それだけで優秀な使用人達は用件を聞かなかった。
魔王の森という本当の行き先を隠し、着替えをすませたアイリーンは、外套を羽織って外へ出る。
今日もいい天気だ。
しかし、日中は慎重に行き先を誤魔化さなければならない。
「おい、そこの!」
一層から三層まで下り、舗装された道を歩いて作戦を立てていたアイリーンは、聞き覚えのある声に足を止める。
「あら、ジャスパー。ご機嫌よう」
「やっぱそうだ、アイリーンお嬢様だよな。婚約破棄って本当か?」
よれた上着で気安く手を挙げる顔なじみの記者に、アイリーンは微笑む。
「本当よ。ただし取材はお断りするわ」
「ああ、いいってそういうんじゃねえよ。うちはお嬢様に借りがあるし、何より俺は正義の味方なんでね」
愛用の万年筆をくるりと回すジャスパーは、人好きがする顔をにっと浮かべる。
アイリーンは肩を竦めた。
「あなた、まだそんなこと言ってるの。三十すぎにもなって」
「いーんだよ、そもそもお嬢様の悪口書いたって、平民向けの記事は売れねぇよ。お貴族向けの中身のない記事ならともかくな。しっかし、下手うったなあ。あんだけセドリック皇子に尽くしてたのに――って」
アイリーンの冷めた眼差しを向けられたジャスパーは、失言を感じ取ったのか口を手でふさいだ。癇には障るが、気は回るし危機回避能力は高い男なのだ。
ジャスパー・バリエ。第三層の商業区画にある小さな新聞社の社長で、貴族間の癒着や政治的汚職を追う気骨のある男だ。彼の新聞は平民向けに作成されており、しっかりとした裏付けのある記事と公平な視点から評判が高い。
一度、アイリーンは貴族議員の汚職を追うこの男と、共同戦線を張ったことがあった。貴族議員がセドリックの名前を使っていたからだ。アイリーンはセドリックに火の粉が降りかからないよう、その事件を追っていたジャスパーに情報を流す代わりにセドリックが醜聞に巻き込まれないよう手を打った。
それが縁で、ジャスパーはたまに接触してきては情報を落としてくれる。アイリーンはそれをそっと宰相である父親に耳打ちすることもあったし、逆にジャスパーに父親から知り得た情報を回してやったこともあった。要は仲介役だ。
(確かジャスパーはゲームに出てきてないキャラだから、安全だと思うけれど)
ゲームの関係者にかかわるのは最小限にしたい。念のため、さぐりを入れる。
「......そう言うジャスパーはリリア様をご存知?」
「あ? ああ、セドリック様の恋人か。直接には知らねぇよ。あんま興味ねぇし」
その答えにほっとした。どうも疑心暗鬼になっているらしい。頭を切り替える。
「そう。なら、丁度よかったわ。あなたに用があるのだけれど」
「ちょい待ち。申し訳ないが俺が先だ。頼まれててな。お嬢様、土木業とか運送業の会社起ち上げようとしてただろう。公共じゃ間に合わないって」
「それなら、めでたく公共事業になったと聞いたわ。わたくしはもう関知できなくてよ」
「実は、お嬢様が雇った連中がクビ切られちまったって泣きついてきてよ」
がりがりと首の後ろをかきながら、ジャスパーが続ける。
「お嬢様は庶民にも手の届く衛生面に役立つもんを安く開発して、その販路の運送と通路の開発で土木関係の雇用を増やして金を回す――って考えだっただろ? 第五層でその日暮らしの奴らに、少しでも定期収入が入るように。そしたら国も税収が増えて、豊かになれる」
「ええ」
「だから俺も求人広告出したりして協力したんだけどなあ。セドリック皇子が原産地を王家所有の土地に限るから運送も通路も必要ないって、土木関係の契約を切っちまったんだよ。まだほとんどできてなかったから、報酬がぱあだ」
「違約金はちゃんと払われたの?」
詰め寄ったアイリーンに、ジャスパーは首を振る。
「いいや、着工費すら払わないって言い放ったらしい。セドリック様が考えた事業には使わないからってな。......ルドルフ様が何とか出来高分だけでもって予算作ってくれたらしいけど、それも支払いは当分先でよ」
「――お父様が......」
父親がセドリックを切り捨てた理由が分かった。
仮にも皇太子ともあろう人物が、これはいただけない。
「でかい長期の仕事だったからな。みんな他の仕事入れてねぇし、次のアテがなくて困ってんだよ。なんかいいアテがねぇか。貴族様お得意の施しでもいいからさ」
「馬鹿言わないで、それじゃ経済は回らないしいずれ国の未来を食いつぶすわ」
きっぱり切って捨てると、ジャスパーは何故だか目を細めた。
「お嬢様のそういうところ好きだぜぇ、俺」
「ちゃんと何か正当な報酬が見こめる仕事を用意しないと――あ」
ふと思いついたことに、唇が弧を描いた。
Did I enter the bullying route even when I was aiming for the loving route?
(No, calm down. There's no such route. I haven't completely recovered all of my memories yet, but I'm certain there isn't such route)
Irene crossed her arms with a serious look on her face, facing the oven across her. Her head was covered with a bandana, and her hands were covered by her favorite mitten.
(I wonder if Claude-sama was that kind of character in the first place. Certainly, if we're only looking at the setting of a Demon King, it's pretty common for them to be a s.a.d.i.s.t, but he was a sad character with scarce feelings and calm loneliness)
----I wanted to make you cry.
[FUGYAAAAA!] 
[O-Ojou-sama? Are you okay?] 
[N, no, it's nothing......When I saw the oven, I ended up wanting to scream] 
She turned to the servant who was working in the kitchen and managed to gloss it over while fanning her reddened face with her hand. The servant made a seemingly baffled expression, but he probably didn't want to have anything to do with whatever on her mind, so he withdrew.
She repeatedly took a deep breath while wiping off the sweat on her forehead.
(First of all, I need to calmly a.n.a.lyze the...... in the first place, only a beauty could be permitted to say those words; oh no! Claude-sama is a beauty!)
That kind of words sounded unbelievably lewd. And for someone with a low immunity against that kind of thing, like me, those words were bad for my heart.
By no means, I meant to say that it made my heart to flutter. Or how should I put it, it would be bad if my heart was to flutter.
[I would like to refuse the perverted SM route...... I also want to avoid the "merry bad end"......!] 
She took out the deliciously baked apple pie while muttering those words. It was today's present.
While waiting for the apple pie to cool down, she thought it would be better to start making preparation to go out. After leaving the task to the servants, Irene went out of the kitchen. When she told them she's going to have a trip midway, she got a cheerfully positive response.
(When she's not the{Crown Prince's fiancee} , she's pretty easygoing, isn't she?)
So far, every place she had gone to, she had made some considerations before going. If something happened to me, it would become Cedric's weakness. Even before going to a tea party, and also her favorite store, she must make a judgment using a reason {Isn't this disgraceful for the Crown Prince's fiancee } 
That was her pride as the Crown Prince's fiancee. However, she felt more at ease after she was released from that role.
[Ojou-sama, are you going out? ] 
[Yes, it's on Father's command. I won't be taking the carriage since I'm going to the third layer ] 
Only by saying that, the excellent servants would not inquire further about her purpose.
Irene had concealed her real destination: the Demon King's forest. So, after she finished changing her clothes, Irene put on her coat and went out.
It was a nice weather again today.
However, since it was still in the middle of the day, she must be careful and prudence about her destination.
[Oi, you over there!] 
She was walking down the paved road connecting the first layer to the third layer when she was stopped by a familiar voice.
[My, Jasper. How do you do?] 
[I was right, you're Irene Ojou-sama. Is it true that your engagement has been annulled?] 
Irene smiled at the reporter's familiar face who wore a shabby coat with his hand raised in a friendly manner.
[That's true. However, I'll decline an interview] 
[Ah, I don't mean something like that. I am in Ojou-sama's debt and more than anything, I am a hero of justice] 
Grinning, Jasper shows a friendly face while spinning his favorite fountain pen around.
Irene shrugged her shoulders.
[You, are you still saying that? You're more than 30 years old] 
[I'm fine with it, in the first place, if I were to write something bad about Ojou-sama in the article, it won't sell to the commoners. If it's an article without content for the n.o.bles, I also won't write it. But, I was struck poor. Even though I've devoted myself to Cedric-sama to that degree----eh] 
Jasper who was facing Irene's cold gaze had a feeling that he had a slip of a tongue, so he covered his mouth with his hand out of reflex. Jasper always managed to get on her nerves, but he was a sharp man with a superb talent in crisis prevention.
Jasper Barry. A president of a small newspaper company in the third layer of the commercial district and a man with a staunch disposition to pursue matter like collusion amongst the n.o.bilities and political corruption. His newspaper is written for the commoners with strong evidence to support his articles. His newspapers are also placed in a high reputation for its fair point of view.
Once, Irene had formed a joint front with this man to pursue corruptions amongst the n.o.bles who had been using Cedric's name for their dirty business. Irene made a move to protect Cedric by striking a deal with Jasper who was chasing the case. In exchange for her intel, Jasper had to make sure that Cedric's name won't be dragged into the scandal.
With that kind of connection, Jasper occasionally came in contact to drop off information. There were times when Jasper would secretly whisper into her Father's ear, the Prime Minister. And conversely, there were also times when Father would pa.s.s Jasper the information that he was aware of. In short, he's a broker.
(I'm sure that Jasper is not a character that had appeared in the game, so I think he's safe, but)
She wanted to minimize her involvement with the people involved in the game. Just in case, she probed him.
[......Then Jasper, do you know Lilisama?] 
[Ah? Oh, Cedric-sama's lover? I don't know her directly. Don't really have the interest to do so] 
With that answer, she felt relieved. It seems in spite of herself, she has become a skeptic, so she changed her mind.
[I see. Then, that's just fine. However, I have a job for you] 
[Wait a minute. I apologize, but I have a prior engagement. I can't be of service. Ojou-sama, you are trying to start up a company for civil engineering and transportation industry, right? I heard it would serve for the public] 
[In that case, I heard it had become a propitious public project. I can no longer be concerned about it] 
[The truth is, the people that Ojou-sama's hired were fired. They ended up coming to me crying] 
While scratching the back of his neck, Jasper continued.
[Ojou-sama had developed something useful for hygiene that's cheap and accessible even for the commoner. That market for transport and roadway development will increase civil-related employment and in return will increase money----is what you thought, right? Even if it's just a little money, those people who are living in the fifth layer can get a fixed income. And then, due to the increase in revenue, the kingdom will be rich] 
[Yes] 
[That's why I also cooperated in advertising job employment and such. However, Prince Cedric had terminated the contract related to the civil engineering. He said that transport and roadway were unnecessary because the place of origin was a land owned by the royal family, thus making it limited to only the royalties. Because the project barely started, there was no compensation whatsoever] 
[Does the penalty for breach of contract was paid properly?] 
Jasper shook his head at Irene who was pressing him for an answer.
[No, I heard he didn't even pay for the starting-up cost. Cedric-sama thought that he did not need to use it for business....... It seems like Rudolph-sama had somehow managed to make a budget with just the amount of work done, but he will also help to pay for the breached contract for the time being] 
[----Otou-sama is......] 
Father's reason to cut down Cedric is understandable.
Even as a joke, for someone who's bearing the t.i.tle of a Crown Prince, this was unacceptable.
[It was a ma.s.sive long-term employment after all. Everyone had not accepted any of the other jobs, and were troubled since they did not have their next job lined up. Isn't there any sort of good job around? Even the charity that n.o.bles specialize in would be good too] 
[Don't say something stupid, the economy will not be turning in that way, and sooner or later, the Country's future will be eaten up completely] 
When I decisively abandon his idea completely, for some reason, Jasper squinted his eyes.
[I like that part about you Ojou-sama] 
[I have to properly prepare a somewhat reasonable remuneration, so I have to prepare a promising job----Ah] 
Suddenly, she thought of something, her lips formed an arc.
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