キース・エイグリッド。由緒正しきエイグリッド子爵家の次男で、クロードより二つ上の彼は、クロードが生まれる前からその従者になることが決まっていた。
クロードが魔王だと周囲に疑われ出したのは、彼が五歳の時。庭で溺れたキースを、魔力を使って助けたことがきっかけだった。その後生まれたセドリックとの皇位継承争いで命を狙われるようになった彼を魔物が助けにくることが発覚する。
(多分、クロード様のことを皇帝達は隠していたんだわ......外聞を考えたのか、愛なのかは分からないけれど)
それがキースの命を救ったことで、魔王だということが隠しきれなくなった。きっとキースは自分のせいだと責めたのだろう。だから今も、忠実に仕えている。
魔王の意に反してもという、とても人間らしいやり方で。
クロードに話を聞いた時に気づいてもよかった。魔物のために買ったというあの土地。伯爵領を丸ごとを安く買いたたけるわけがない。あれを買うために、幼い彼は魔物を売って資金を得た。恐らく、助けを求めてやってきた魔物を間引くか何かしたのだろう。結界内に入る前ならクロードには気づかれない。
しかしたった一度で終わるはずだったそれは、何度も続けられることになる。
断れば土地を取り上げられる。いいように騙されたことを相談できる相手もいない。彼はたった一人で戦い続けた。ほんのひとにぎりの犠牲で大勢の魔物を救う、そういう選択を自分一人に課してきた。
それは人間側にも利益があったから続いていた取引だ。それが、リリアが聖剣の乙女として覚醒したことで綻ぶ。
(......あとはキース様が言い当てたとおりだわ。魔王がいなくなれば魔物は怖くない)
魔王がいなければ魔物は群れることをしない。知能も低下し、大半が少々厄介なだけの害獣に成り下がる。人間が道具と知恵を使って数人がかりで狩るのもそう難しくない。しかも部位によっては非常に高値で売れる。それならば魔王を排除してしまった方がいいという連中が出てくるのは必然だ。聖剣の一撃で、魔王は消し飛んでしまうのだから。
しかし、聖剣は魔物と戦う武器であり、人間にはきかない。まだ人間のクロードは聖剣で斃せないのだ。ならばいっそ、本当に魔物になってしまえ。それが魔王覚醒イベントが発生してしまう経緯だった。
金が欲しかったからだと、キースはゲームで叫んでいた。割の良い商売ができるからこそ仕えたのだとクロードを嘲笑い、恩など感じていないと言い切る。
けれど、それは優しい嘘だったのだろう。
『私はねえ、思ってるんですよ。......クロード様は魔物になった方が幸せじゃないかって』
今朝、アイリーンの報酬に負けたキースはそう言っていた。彼の選択は、本来はクロードがすべき決断だ。その罪悪感を負わせるくらいなら、自分に情を残して人間のままでいるなら、いっそ自分を含む人間全てを憎んで魔物になってくれと、ゲームの彼は願ったのだろう。
事実、ゲームでは怒り狂ったクロードがキースを自らの手で殺し、人間に絶望して竜に変わってしまう。
ゲームの、特にセドリック攻略ルートの場合、卒業前に皇帝から魔物密売を解決するよう課題を出されたセドリックを手伝う形でリリアはかかわり、キースを疑いクロードにもそれを密告する。セドリック達と共に取引現場をおさえキースを捕縛しようとするが、そこでキースを殺してしまったクロードと鉢合わせする。そして絶望し竜に変わってしまったクロードを「あなたの悲しみを止める」と聖剣を使い消滅させる。
ちなみにゲーム二週目のみに出現するクロード攻略ルートであれば、そこでクロードを人間に引き止める。キースに傷つけられたクロードを「私がいる」と癒やし、人間に戻すのだ。そして、リリアと生きていくことを決めたクロードは聖剣の乙女であるリリアとの対立を避けるべく、魔王としての立場を捨てる。魔物達を全て魔界に封印し、人間として生きていくのだ。
そのあたりの記憶を全て取り戻したアイリーンが言えるのはただ一つ。
「なんって役に立たないヒロインなの......!!」
キースが怪しいと気づいた時点で、クロードがどうなるか慮るべきだ。その上で行動するべきである。ゲームのリリアがやったことと言えば、キースの裏切りをクロードに見せつけ、傷つけ、そのくせ「悲しみを止める」と消滅させたり「私がいる」とクロードに全部捨てさせたり、やりたい放題だ。心底気に入らない。
しかも、聖剣の乙女という魔物と相容れないリリアと魔物達を守りたいクロードがどう結ばれるかと思ったら、まさかのクロードが魔物を捨てるというおよそアイリーンの感覚では信じられない答えだった。
(わたくしは、絶対クロード様にそんな未来を選ばせない)
アイリーンなら、クロードが望むものを全て用意してみせる。
魔物も捨てさせない。大事な従者だって殺させたりしない。
そのために必要なものは、全て根回しで決まる。戦いとはそういうものだ。
「――帰れと言っている」
クロードの声が響いたと思ったら、扉が勝手に開き、廊下まで吹雪いてきた。
Keith Aygrid (1). His real lineage was that of Aygrid Viscount House. As the second son of the house, Keith who was 2 years older than Claude, has been chosen to be Claude's attendant even before Claude was born.
Keith was 5 years old when Claude was suspected to be the Demon King by people around him. It started when Claude used magic to save Keith who was drowning at the garden. After that, when Cedric was born, the battle for the throne reached to the point in which Claude's life was being targeted; and then, it came to light that the monsters had been protecting him every time such thing happened.
(Perhaps, the Royal Family was trying to hide that fact about Claude-sama......I don't know whether they were thinking about their reputation or doing it out of love though) [Irene]
Because Claude had saved Keith's life, the matter about him being the Demon King could no longer be concealed. Surely, Keith blamed himself for that. That's why even now, he was still serving Claude faithfully.
It was a very human way of doing things even when he was serving the Demon King against the Demon King's feelings himself.
She was glad that she mentally took a note when she was listening to Claude's story about that plot of land that was bought for the sake of the monsters at that time. There was no way that they could buy the entire of the Earl's territory cheaply. For the sake of buying that, the immature Keith sold the monsters to earn capitals. He probably selected the monsters by asking the monsters for a.s.sistance to come along with him or something. If it was to be done outside the barrier, then Claude won't be able to notice it.
However, the thing that should only happen once, had become something that continuously happens.
If he refuses to do so, the plot of land will be taken away. He also had no one he was able to consult with regarding the matter about him being tricked. He was struggling on his own. It was either sacrificing a small handful of monsters or saving a great number of monsters; he was to bear the choice that had been imposed to him all by himself.
The transaction continued since there was a profit even on the human side. That was for the matter of Lilia had awakened as the Maiden of Holy Sword to come out.
(......The rest is exactly as Keith had said. There was no need to fear the monsters if the Demon King is gone) [Keith]
If the Demon King is gone, the monsters won't flock together. Their intelligence will decline, and generally, the harmful monsters will be degraded to only small pests. It will be easy for humans to use their devices and wisdom and send several people in charge to hunt them. Moreover, some parts from the monsters can be sold with an extremely high price. If that's the case, it will be inevitable for those people to come out with a concession that it is better to eliminate the Demon King because the Demon King will vanish with a blow from the Holy Sword.
However, the Holy Sword's existence is to fight the monsters, so it won't be effective on humans. While he is still a human, Claude can't be defeated by the Holy Sword. If that's the case, it will be preferable if he truly ends up becoming a monster. Those are the details of the Demon King awakening event.
In the game, Keith shouted that it was because he wanted money. With a scornful smile on his face, he had said to Claude that it was precisely because of the profitable business that he served Claude; he definitively stated that he didn't feel a debt of grat.i.tude or the likes towards Claude.
But, that was certainly a gentle lie.
{You know, I've been thinking. ......Maybe Claude-sama will be happier if he becomes a monster} (Keith)
Keith said that this morning when he succ.u.mbed to the remuneration offered by Irene. His choice was essentially the decision of what Claude should do. If he could at least make Claude carries that feeling of guilt and leave behind that feeling while remains as a human, he would soon harbor hatred towards all humans and thus becoming a monster; certainly, that was what the game's Keith had desired.
In the game's reality, Claude had killed Keith with his own hands in his fit of anger, then he felt despair over humans and thus transformed into a dragon.
In the game situation, especially in Cedric's capture route, Lilia was involved in helping Cedric who was given a task by the emperor to resolve the matter regarding illicit trade involving the monsters before his graduation; they had suspected Keith and informed it to Claude. Cedric and the others, together with the rear guards tried to apprehend Keith at the dealings scene; however, Keith ended up being killed by Claude in their encounter. And then, Claude, who ended up transforming into a dragon because of his despair over humans, being told[I will end your sorrow] by the heroine, then the heroine annihilated him by using the Holy Sword.
By the way, if Claude's capture route was to appear in the second playthrough of the game, thereupon, Claude would be restrained by the humans. Claude who was hurt by Keith would be told [You have me] by the heroine when she healed him, thus he turned back into a human. And then, Claude who decided to live together with Lilia, in order to avoid confrontation with Lilia who was the Maiden of Holy Sword, would abandon his position as the Demon King. He would seal all of the monsters inside the World of Demons and went on to live as a human.
Irene who had regained all of her memories about that situation could only say one thing.
[What a useless heroine......!!] 
The moment she was aware of her suspicion towards Keith, she should have carefully considered on how Claude would react. In addition, there were some actions that she should take. Speaking about what Lilia did in the game, she flaunted Keith's betrayal to Claude and hurt him in the process; and yet, she did things like saying[I'll stop your sorrow] then annihilated him or saying[You have me] , then made Claude abandoned everything, or doing everything as much as she pleased. And, Irene completely hated the situation from the bottom of her heart.
Moreover, while trying to find a way to wed Lilia the Maiden of Holy Sword who was incompatible with monsters, who would've thought that Claude who wanted to protect the monsters, would choose to abandon the monsters instead; Irene felt a sense of disbelief towards his answer.
(I definitely won't let Claude-sama choose that sort of future)
If it was Irene, she would prepare everything that Claude wishes for.
She also won't let him abandon the monsters. She won't let him kill his precious attendant either.
For that reason, it was necessary to settle all the necessary groundwork. That's what a battle was like.
[----I told you to go home] (Claude)
Just when Claude's voice was reverberating throughout the abandoned castle, the door opened by itself and there was a blizzard along the hallway.
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