クロードとキースの様子を見ていると、魔王覚醒の核心である『クロードを絶望させる』点は既に回避できている気がする。だが乗りかかった船だし、リリアが聖剣の乙女と発覚した以上、必ず弱みにつけ込まれる日がくる。
ならば懸念事項はさっさと排除してしまうべきだろう。
「もうそろそろお出ましですよ。あっちも毎回、魔物が暴れた時のために荒事に強い連中雇ってますから、アイリーン様はベルゼビュートさんのそばにいるように。何かあったらクロード様がそれこそ絶望しますからね!」
「わたくしよりキース様でしょう。最前線にいて、流れ矢に当たって死ぬのはなしよ」
「あーこれほんと分かってないですねぇ。アイザック様達、大変だろうなー......」
しみじみと言われながら、とにかくベルゼビュートと一緒にと言われ、現場が見下ろせる学園の屋上へと追いやられた。
満月が明るい深夜、現場はもうくることもないだろうと思っていた学園の、またもや聖騎士団に近い寄宿舎裏だ。イベントに用意する背景スチルを使い回したかったに違いない。
もちろん、あとは卒業を残すだけの今の学園には学生がおらず、人目につかずかつ魔物が暴れた際は騎士団に任せられるという都合がいい場所ではあるのだが。
「......おい、娘。大丈夫なのか、キースは」
「大丈夫、とは? 何か不安があるの」
「あいつは......魔物を、売ってたんだろう......」
クロードが傷つくから、余計なことは決して言うな。そう言われたせいでここ最近、すっかり無口になっていたベルゼビュートが、屋上の床を見つめながら言う。
「それがどうしてかは、最初に説明したでしょう」
「分かっている! 分かっているが、土地が欲しいなら俺が奪ってきてやった!」
「そんなことしたら、争いになるでしょう」
「それがなんだ! 人間などに我々は負けない!」
「わたくしは人間だわ」
ベルゼビュートが弾かれたように顔を上げて、またうつむいた。クロードよりこちらの方が傷が深いかもしれない。彼らは魔物だから、ただ仲間の裏切りが、悲しくてつらいのだ。
「キース様だって人間だわ。......クロード様だって、魔王だけれど、まだ人間よ」
「......分からない。どうして」
「分からなくていいわ。許さなくてもいい。......キース様だって、許されようとは思っていないでしょう」
学園の校舎屋上から見える地上では、ドニが作った魔物の檻を前に、キースが一人でぽつんと立っている。彼は今、どんな気持ちだろうか。
「......売る魔物を選ぶ時ね、キース様、毎回馬鹿正直に事情を説明したんですって」
「――何?」
「そうしたら、人語を喋る魔物達はいつもこう答えたそうよ。『それが魔王様の、皆のためになるなら、自分が行く』って。喋らない魔物達も、抵抗一つせず、キース様についていったそうよ」
その度にね、自分は所詮人間だ。そう思い知らされるんですよ。
そう言って、キースは力なく笑っていた。
「......それは......そうだろう。俺でも、そう言う......」
「でしょうね。だから――取り戻すわよ」
「......は?」
ぱちくり、とベルゼビュートがまばたいた。
「取引相手はずっと変わらないそうよ。そして毎回、どの魔物をいくらで買ったかという帳簿を持ってくる。それには魔物がどこへ売られたのかも書いてあるはずだわ」
そしてそれは、取引相手が魔物の売買にかかわった証拠でもある。
リリア達にはああ言ったが、実際のところ魔物の売買は罪にはならずとも、非常にデリケートな問題だ。魔王の怒りを買えば、魔王と不戦条約を交わした皇帝に余計な厄介事を起こしたと睨まれる。
「もちろん、もう殺されてしまっている子もいるでしょう。でも生きていてくれれば、買い戻せる可能性があるわ。キース様だって馬鹿じゃない。売った後で、圧力をかけられるところにはかけていたらしいから、その線からも見つかるかもしれない。そのせいで、給金や予算を横領されても強く出られなかったらしいけれど」
だが、ジャスパーという第三者の横やりが入ることで、横領した本人こそ突き出せなかったが、金は取り戻せた。
「確かに面倒だろうけれど、キース様はぎりぎりのところを見極めていた。本当に従者として優秀だわ。わたくしが欲しいくらい。さすが魔王の左腕ね。そうでしょう?」
にこりと微笑みかけると、ベルゼビュートがふてくされたように応じる。
「それは、まあ......そうだが」
「そして売られてしまった魔物達を少しでも買い戻し、さらにくるだろう新しい魔物達を守っていくにはキース様が必要。でしょう?」
「――気に入らん!」
吠えたベルゼビュートが、どかりと床に腰を下ろしてぶつぶつ言い出す。
「殴って解決では駄目なのか。どうしてだ。燃やせばいい!」
「そうしたら他の場所にいる魔物達が攻撃されてしまうわよ。魔王が人間を襲わないよう制御しているという建て前があるから、魔物に手を出しにくい環境になっているのだもの」
「それも焼き払えばいい! 人間の町など一瞬だ!」
「じゃあたとえばそこにドニの家があったら?」
通訳をしていたせいか、ベルゼビュートはドニと仲が良い。腰から下げている剣は、ドニがデザインしそのツテで作ってやったものだ。だからか、即答が返ってきた。
「燃やさない。その程度の調整はできる」
「じゃあ、あなたの知らないドニの友達がいたら?」
難しい顔をして黙りこんでしまった。苦笑いをしながら、アイリーンはベルゼビュートの頭に手を伸ばす。そしてその頭を、できるだけ優しくなでてやった。
「......何の真似だ」
「頑張って考えているみたいだから、えらいなと思ったのよ。――その調子で、色々学ぶといいわ。きっとクロード様とキース様の役に立つ。あなた本当は、キース様をたった一人で戦わせていた自分の不甲斐なさが、我慢ならないんでしょう」
ぐっとベルゼビュートが詰まってしまった。よしよしと、アイリーンはその頭をなで続ける。
「――いつまでなでる」
「あなたが元気になるまで」
「ならもういい! ――きたぞ」
聴覚と視力に優れているベルゼビュートの目配せに、慌てて地上を見る。遠くからキースに向かって、いかにも怪しげな集団が近づいてきたところだった。
場所も何もかもイベント通りに、密売が始まった。
Looking at Claude and Keith's situation, something tells Irene that she was able to avoid the crux of the matter related to the Demon King awakening that is{Claude falls into despair} . However, since the s.h.i.+p had sailed and now that they had discovered Lilia was the Maiden of Holy Sword, the day when those people took advantage of Claude's weakness would certainly come.
If that's the case, she must quickly eliminate the core of the problem.
[It's already about time they make an appearance. Also, during every transaction, those people will employ strong people for a countermeasure when a rough situation arises like when the monsters act violently. So, please stay with Beelzebub-san. Because if something happens to you, Claude-sama will fall into despair!] (Keith)
[Shouldn't it be Keith-sama instead of me? I mean,  I'm not going to be the one standing at the front line and die after being hit by stray arrows] (Irene)
[Ah-This one really doesn't understand anything. Isaac-sama and the others sure are having it rough-......] (Keith)
While she was earnestly lectured by Keith about staying by Beelzebub no matter what, the rest had been sent away to the academy rooftop to overlook the scene of the crime.
The full moon was brightly lit at this late of night. Once again, Irene was at the place where she thought she would never set her foot ever again: the academy's dormitory near the Holy Knight's Order. The scenery was no doubt the event's background CG that someone had diligently worked on for the event's sake.
The location was certainly convenient for them since currently, there were no students in the academy. Those students left as soon as they graduated, so in an unforeseen circ.u.mstance in which the monsters would go wild, they could leave it to the Holy Knights' Order.
[......Oi, girl. Will it be alright? With Keith that is] (Beelzebub)
[What do you mean by alright?Do you have something you're worried about?] (Irene)
[That guy......he's selling monsters, isn't he?......] 
While fixing his eyes on the rooftop floor, Beelzebub voiced out his question. Because you'll hurt Claude's feelings, don't ever say something unnecessary. After being reprimanded like that, Beelzebub turned completely taciturn these days.
[Didn't Keith explains his reasons for doing so in the beginning?] (Irene)
[I know!I understand, but if My Lord wants a plot of land, I can just s.n.a.t.c.h it away!] (Beelzebub)
[If you do something like that, a conflict will arise, right?] (Irene)
[So what?!We will not be defeated by the likes of humans!] (Beelzebub)
[I'm a human] (Irene)
Beelzebub lifted his face as if he wanted to snap at Irene, but he decided to look down again. Perhaps, this matter had hurt their feelings more than Claude's. Because they were monsters, being betrayed by their friend was just sad and painful for them.
[Keith-sama is a human. ......so is Claude-sama . He's the Demon King, but he is still a human] (Irene)
[......I don't understand. Why?] (Beelzebub)
[It's okay if you don't understand. It's also okay if you don't forgive him. ......Keith-sama doesn't expect to be forgiven too, does he?] (Irene)
On the ground that could be seen from the school building's rooftop, Keith was standing alone in front of the monsters' cage made by Donny. She wondered, what did he feel right now?
[......I heard that every time Keith-sama chose a monster to sell, he would be foolishly honest and explained the situation to them] (Irene)
[----What?] (Beelzebub)
[And then, it seems like the monsters who were capable of speaking in human's language would always answer{if it's for the sake of Demon King and everyone else, I'll go} . Even the monsters that weren't capable of speaking our language would follow Keith-sama without an ounce of resistance] (Irene)
Each time, I would say I am a human after all. That's what I reminded myself.
As he said that, Keith was laughing feebly.
[......That......that's a given. Even I, will say something like that......] (Beelzebub)
[Certainly. That's why----we're going to take them back] (Irene)
[......Huh?] 
Surprised, Beelzebub blinked his eyes.
[It appears that the trading partner will never change. Every time a transaction takes place, that person will bring a ledger to record what and how much the monster was bought for. Moreover, the locations of where the monsters were sold to should also be written on that ledger] (Irene)
And then, there was also information on the people involved in the monsters trafficking business that can be used as evidence.
Although she said something like that to Lilisama, in reality even if monsters trafficking wasn't a crime, it was an extremely delicate problem. If it manages to rouse the Demon King's anger, the Emperor who made a peace treaty with the Demon King should watch out for the unnecessary trouble that bounds to happen.
[Of course, there are also children that have been killed. But, if they are still alive, there's a possibility that we can buy them back. Keith-sama is not stupid either. Because it seems like the monsters were put in a place that can be put under pressure after they were sold, so he can probably trace the monsters using that kind of approach . However, because of that, he couldn't escape from embezzling the wages and budgets] 
But, thanks to the third party namely Jasper, they were able to recover the money, but they couldn't hand over the embezzler.
[It was bothersome for sure, but Keith-sama was able to see through it to the last minute. He's truly an excellent attendant. Enough to make me want him to be my attendant instead. As expected from the Demon King's left-hand man. You think so too, don't you?] (Irene)
When Irene sweetly smiled at him, Beelzebub responded in a sullen manner.
[That, well......yeah, but] (Beelzebub)
[The monsters that ended up being sold were bought back successfully though only a small number of them. Moreover, Keith-sama is needed to protect new monsters that will certainly come. Am I right?] (Irene)
[----I don't like it!] (Beelzebub)
Roaring that, Beelzebub sat down heavily on the floor and started grumbling to himself.
[Will it be no good if we solve it by using force? Why? It's better if I can just burn it all!] (Beelzebub)
[If you do so, the monsters in other places will end up being attacked. Because there's an official stance that the Demon King is controlling the monsters from attacking humans, it caused an existing circ.u.mstance in which it's hard to start a fight with monsters] (Irene)
[I'll reduce that to ash as well!The job will be done in an instant if it just the likes of human's town !] 
[Then for example, what if that's where Donny's house is located?] 
Maybe because he was translating for Donny, he was on good terms with Donny. The sword hanging on his waist was something that Donny had designed and made for him. Maybe because of that, an immediate reply came from him.
[I won't burn it. I can still adjust my power to that degree] (Beelzebub)
[Then, what about Donny's friends that you don't know?] (Irene)
He made a complicated face then sank into silence. While smiling bitterly, Irene reached out her hand to Beelzebub's head to pat his head as gently as she could.
[......What are you doing?] 
[I think it's admirable of you since it seems like you've been thinking hard about this. ----It will be better if you learn many things in that manner. Surely, you can be helpful to both Claude-sama and Keith-sama. Let's be honest. You can't help but feel worthless when Keith-sama was fighting all by himself, right?] 
Beelzebub became completely at lost. There, there...Irene continued to pat his head.
[----How long are you going to pat my head?] (Beelzebub)
[Until you feel better] (Irene)
[Then, that's enough! ----they're here] (Beelzebub)
She exchanged glances with Beelzebub whose sense of hearing and eyesight surpa.s.sed that of her. Then, they looked at the ground in a hurry. Indeed, there was a suspicious group of people from a distance who was getting closer to Keith.
The location and just about everything was similar to the event; the trafficking business has begun.
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