5
体勢を崩した私を力強い身体が支えた。振り返り見上げれば、怒りを宿した群青が真っ直ぐに相手を睨みつけている。
「殿下!」
どうしてここに。
彼の張り詰めた空気がふっと緩む。怒気が霧散して、代わりに気遣うような視線が送られる。
そのとき私たちと向かい合う男が口を開いた。
「これはこれは。少々不味いな。二対一じゃあないか」
ふむ、と考え込むような顔をするその男。
彼はサジャッド・マハジャンジガ――去年五高に選ばれ、今年第三学年だ。
動きのある長髪をオールバックにしていて、背が高く体格もいい。「優秀でしかも親切だ」と、男女分け隔てなく人気があるのを知っている。
――――だが、私は前から思っていたのだが、
「ならせめて......少しくらいは抵抗してからやられるとしようか?」
この男、いつも目が笑っていない。
背筋がゾッとして思わず一歩下がった。
人の良さそうな笑みと真っ黒な瞳との対比が恐ろしくちぐはぐで、気味が悪い。
しかし。
「なんてな!」
殿下が怒りを込めて一歩前に踏み出したとき、サジャッドは出し抜けに自分の真横の窓を魔法で吹き飛ばした。
殿下がそれを確認してから私に向き直る。
「レベッカ、無事か」
「ええ、殿下が助けてくださいましたから......。ありがとうございます」
ほっとしてなんとか笑顔を作りつつ、心臓はまだ早鐘を打っている。
サジャッドは第二部の黒幕。攻略本によれば、彼の幻獣はバクと呼ばれる四つ足の生き物だ。
彼はその力で他人の『夢』に介入できる。
『昨日見た夢はどこで何をしたものだったか』。この情報が夢の『住所』に当たるらしい。これさえわかればその人間の夢は次の晩からサジャッドの手中だ。
恐ろしいのは、人の夢が深層意識と強い繋がりを待っていることだ。
なんとサジャッドは夢の中で、その人の大事な記憶を隠したり、壊したり、新たな思想を植え付けたりすることができる。しかもその痕跡は一切残らず証明が困難だ。
学園には『他人に好きな夢を見せられる能力』と偽っているから、たしか去年の『夏』で入賞していた。
――第二部のシナリオでは、この力で主人公エミリアがサジャッドの傀儡にされてしまう。
目当ては『三強』の権力や特権。彼の家は子爵家で、特に現子爵がその力を欲している。
サジャッドは自分の力に限界を感じ、三強である主人公を自分のものにすることを思いついた。
『俺はな、エミリアッ! お前が三強だから近づいたんだよ! そうでもなければ、お前みたいな下賎な平民などッ!』
第二部の舞踏会で主人公に悪行を暴かれた彼は、本性を剥き出しにしてこんな風に叫ぶそうだ。
好青年の皮を被った身分差別主義者――それがサジャッド・マハジャンジガの本当の姿なのだ。
現実ではエミリアが三強ではないから、順当に考えれば狙われるのは私だろう。
だがしかし、今は『春』だ。
サジャッドが私に危害を加えてもなんら問題はない。
殿下にお礼を言ったとき、私は第一部の『春』を思い出していた。デジャブである。
「殿下、もしかしてまた私を探していらっしゃいました......?」
「いいや、偶然だ」
「本当ですか?」
疑いをもって彼のすました顔を見つめる。『何食わぬ顔』が上手だ。十人に九人が信用するだろうが、私はあいにく残る一人である。
追及しようとしたら殿下がふと顔を上げた。
「今、新たに二人校舎に入ったらしい......この魔力は、オズワルドか。一緒にいるのは妹だな」
名前を聞いて息を呑む。
オズワルド・セデン――第三学年にして三強、燃えるような正義感を持った男だ。幻獣は
妹であり五高のジュディス・セデンとともにこの場所にたどり着いたらしい。
「なあ、レベッカ」
つい目を瞬いた。殿下が楽しいことを思いついた少年みたいな顔で私を見ていたのだ。群青の瞳がいたずらっぽくきらめく。
「せっかくなら、二人で一位が取りたくないか?」
「! はい!」
「決まりだ。行こう」
殿下が私に手を差し出す。顔を輝かせてその手を取った。少しの緊張と、それを上回る興奮で胸が膨らむ。
今から始まるのは、殿下と私出会って以来初めての、共闘である。
Ch 51
My body, which had collapsed, was supported by a powerful body. When I looked back, I saw that a group of blue with anger was glaring straight at my opponent.
"Your Highness!"
How did you get here?
The tense atmosphere around him suddenly softened. His anger dissipated and he looked at me with a concerned gaze.
At that moment, the man facing us spoke.
"Well, well. This is a bit unpleasant. Isn't it two against one?"
He had a thoughtful look on his face.
He was Sajad Mahajanjiga----he was elected to the Five Highs last year and is now in his third year of school. (TL:saziyatsudo*mahaziyanziga I'm not sure what the author was thinking. The name is completely out of place.)
He had long, flowing hair pulled back in a ponytail and a tall, well-built figure. "He's excellent and kind," I knew he was popular with both men and women.
--------But, as I had thought before,
"Well, at least ... shouldn't we resist a little before we're defeated?"
This man always has a smile on his face.
My spine tingled and I unconsciously took a step back.
The contrast between his good-natured smile and his pitch-black eyes was terrifying, and it made me feel uncomfortable.
But.
"What!"
When His Highness stepped forward with anger, Sajad blew out the window next to him with magic and then flew out of the window, flapping(waving) his hands, and disappeared.
His Highness confirmed this before turning to me.
Rebecca, are you okay?
"Yes, because Your Highness helped me... Thank you very much."
Trying to make a relieved smile, my heart is still beating fast.
Sajad is the second part's black curtain(mastermind). According to the strategy book, his Phantom Beast is called a four-legged creature called "Tapir"(baku).
He can intervene in other people's [dreams] with that power.
[What kind of dream I saw yesterday, what did I do in that place]. It seems that this information corresponds to the [address] of the dream. If this is known, that human's dream will be in Sajad's hands from the next night.
What's scary is that human's dream has a deep connection with the subconscious.
Sajad can hide, destroy, or implant new thoughts in a person's dream. Moreover, there is no trace and it is difficult to prove.
He entered the Academy by pretending to have the ability to [show other people the dream they want to see], I think he won the prize last [summer].
----In the second part's scenario, the protagonist Emilia is made into Sajad's puppet with this power.
He wants the power and privileges of the [Three Strongs]. His house is the Viscount house, and the current Viscount particularly wants that power.
Sajad felt a limit to his power and came up with the idea of   making the Three Strong, the protagonist, his own.
[Emilia! I approached you because you are one of the Strongs! If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't even look at someone like you, a lowly commoner!]
At the second part of the dance party, when the protagonist exposes his wrongdoing, he apparently screamed like this while revealing his true nature.
A young man wearing the mask of a good person----that is the true form of Sajad Mahajanjiga.
In reality, Emilia is not one of the strongest, so if we think logically, I should be the one targeted.
However, now it is [spring].
Even if Sajad harms me, there is no problem.
When I thanked His Highness, I remembered the [spring] of the first part. It was a deja vu.
"Your Highness, could it be that you were looking for me again...?"
"No, it's just a coincidence."
"Really?"
I looked at his smiling face with suspicion. He is good at [putting on an innocent face]. Nine out of ten people would believe him, but unfortunately, I am the one left.
When I tried to pursue him, His Highness suddenly looked up.
"Now, it seems that two people have entered the school building... This magic is Oswald's. The person with him is his sister."
I heard the name and gasped.
Oswald Ceden----a third-year student and one of the Strongs, a man with a burning sense of justice. Was the Phantom Beast a mole?
It seems that he has arrived at this place with Judith Ceden, who is his sister and also one of the 5 Highs.
"Hey, Rebecca."
I couldn't help but blink. His Highness was looking at me with a mischievous expression, as if he had thought of something fun. His blue eyes were sparkling.
"Since we're here, don't you want to compete and see who comes out on top?"
"!Yes!"
"Alright, let's go."
His Highness extended his hand to me. I smiled and took it. My chest was filled with a mix of tension and excitement that exceeded it.
What was about to begin was the first time, since I met His Highness, that we would be fighting together.
The Villainess Carries a Strategy Guide
その悪役令嬢は攻略本を携えている
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-villainess-carries-a-strategy-guide/
Fantasy Josei Romance Shoujo
Academy Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Doting Older Siblings European Ambience Female Protagonist Love Interest Falls in Love First Magic Nobles Otome Game Reincarnated in a Game World Villainess Noble Girls
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n6554fr/
岩田加奈