「それでここまでいらっしゃったんですか? ヴァンダレイ様はいつも想像のつかないことをされますねぇ」
稲穂のような煌めく金髪の女性が、上品な調度の部屋でこれまた上品にころころ笑っている。
そのご令嬢、セクティアラ・ゾフ様はさすがである。こんなことに巻き込まれても慌てる様子もないとは。器の大きさが尋常でないし、大変可愛らしい。
馬に乗った兄さまが私を連れてきた先、そこは立派なお屋敷だった。ゾフ侯爵家はさすが指折りの有力な家なだけあって、王都にここまで大きな別宅があるらしい。
敬愛するセクティアラ様との再会はとても嬉しい。だがタイミングがタイミングだ。
「兄さま、せめてエミリアとメリンダを連れてきてもいいでしょうか......」
「それならもう手配済みだ! 間も無く来るはずだぞ!」
「......」
何故そこは有能なのか。兄さまの言う通り、すぐにエミリアとメリンダが到着した。
「レベッカ、あなたのお兄様なかなかぶっ飛んでるわね」
「お願い、何も言わないで......。フリード様へのプレゼントは買えたかしら」
「ええ、あの......お待たせ」
メリンダは半ば目が死んでいる。エミリアの目は大きなお屋敷を見ていることで輝いている。
私はなんだか疲れが出てしまって、メリンダと二人で大きなため息をついた、そんなときである。
......ヒュッ、ドオオオオンッ!
轟音がした。お屋敷というか、地面が揺れている。
「妨害はしておいたのに、思ったより早かった! さすが殿下だ!」
「ヴァンダレイ様、行かれるのですか。ご武運を。お屋敷は可能な限り壊さないでくださいね」
「ああわかった!」
兄さまが満面の笑みで立ち上がり、セクティアラ様が見送る。慌てて後を追おうとした私をセクティアラ様が止めた。
「直接行くのは危ないです。西側の窓から見られると思います」
指示に従い、エミリアとメリンダと一緒に窓の下を覗く。
「え、魔王......?」
それは誰の呟きだったのか。多分全員そう思っていたのでわからない。
暴風と共に屋敷の敷地に入ってくる殿下は、雰囲気が黒すぎてもはや魔王だ。
それに大剣を構えて対峙し、気丈に笑う兄さまは、声は聞こえないが勇者さながらだ。
取り敢えずとても手を出して無事で済むような雰囲気ではない。私たちは固唾を飲んで二人の対面を見守ることにした。
***
ヴァンダレイ・スルタルクは二メートルあろうかという大剣を肩に担ぎ、屋敷への入り口を塞ぐようにして立った。
だが人には情というものがある。
レベッカ八歳、ヴァンダレイ十歳の時別れたことで、以前レベッカはヴァンダレイに距離を感じていた。
「覚えているか、『冬』で貴方と俺との勝負の決着はお預けだった」
「今度こそ、これに貴方が勝ったら、スルタルク公爵家は貴方を認めよう」
「ああ――――参る」
こうやって度々仕掛けてきた勝負。去年の『冬』より前もあったそれらを、ルウェインは一度だって受けなかったことがない。
今日もレベッカたちを尾けていた人間はヴァンダレイの差し金だ。ルウェインがわざわざヴァンダレイのシナリオに付き合ったからこそ、今二人はこうして対峙しているのだ。
そんなことはどれもこれも百も承知で、それでもヴァンダレイは剣を振るう。炎と風を乗せ、逆巻く竜巻をまとってルウェインに突っ込んでいく。
ヴァンダレイ渾身のそれを、ルウェインは正面から受け止めた。力を込め相殺して、自分の魔力で押し返す。
ルウェインの攻撃を受け流して追撃するヴァンダレイ。それを避けることはせず、全て自分の魔力で弾くルウェイン。
互いに一際大きい魔力と魔力がぶつかり合った刹那、一瞬の静寂がその場を覆った。
暴風が真上に突き抜けて雲を散らす。木々が大きくしなり、目を開けていられないほどの衝撃波がその場を、屋敷を、二人を襲う。
それが収まった時、ヴァンダレイが見たのは青い空だった。硬い地面に背がついていた。
自分が倒れていることに気がつくのに数秒を要した。
足音が近づいてくる。彼を見下ろすようにして、ルウェインはしっかりと立っていた。相討ちという最後の可能性が消える。
「――――俺の負けか」
「強いなあ、貴方は」
「それだけ強いなら、俺の妹を守れるか」
「もちろんだ」
ヴァンダレイ・スルタルクは才物だ。優秀な彼は、ルウェインの学園生活で一番の好敵手だった。
そして今、初めて敗れた。
ヴァンダレイは一度固く目を閉じた。己が負けた事実や、妹が誰かのものになることや、それが一国の王子である現実が彼の頭の中で巡る。
再び目を開いたとき、彼はやっといつものように笑った。
「殿下、約束通り、スルタルク公爵家は貴方とレベッカの
「ああ――――ちょっと待て。まだ婚約を認めていなかったのか? そこは結婚を認めろ」
「それならまずはうちの父を倒してくれ! 強いぞ、父さまは!」
「今『まずは』と言ったか? あと何人控えている? ガードが厚すぎるだろう」
珍しく疲れ切ったと言わんばかりのルウェイン。ヴァンダレイは思わず声を上げて笑った。やっと大事な妹をこの男に託すことができそうだった。
それなら自分も、待ってくれている愛しい婚約者に求婚をするいい時期だ。
卒業して数ヶ月、父の仕事の手伝いと諸々の準備で王都に留まっていたが、公爵家領に帰ろう。できることなら彼女を連れて。
そして妹のため、この義弟のため、いつでも力になってやれるようきちんと公爵家領を治めねば。
彼はそんなふうに考えつつ、屋敷の窓から自分たちを見ていた妹と、その一つ上の階の窓から不安げに自分を見ていた婚約者に、笑顔で手を振った。
"Is that why you've come this far? Vanderlei-sama always does things beyond our imagination, doesn't he?"
A woman with sparkling golden hair like a wheat field, is elegantly laughing in an elegant room.
As expected of that young lady, Cectiara Zoff-sama. Even though she's involved in something like this, she doesn't seem flustered at all. Her composure is extraordinary, and she's very lovely.
The place my older brother Nii-sama took me to while riding a horse was a magnificent mansion. As expected of the Zoff household, one of the most powerful households in the Royal Capital, they even have such a big mansion here.
Reuniting with the beloved Cectiara-sama makes me very happy. But the timing is just timing.
"Nii-sama, could you at least bring Emilia and Melinda along with you?"
"I've already taken care of that! They should be here soon!"
"..."
Why is he so capable? As Nii-sama said, Emilia and Melinda arrived soon.
"Rebecca, your older brother is quite wild, isn't he?"
"Please, don't say anything... Did you manage to buy a present for Fried-sama?"
"Yeah, um... sorry for making you wait."
Melinda looked half-dead. Emilia's eyes were shining as she looked at the grand mansion.
I was feeling a bit tired, and Melinda and I both let out a big sigh. That's when it happened...
...whoosh, boom boom boom!
A loud noise shook the ground. It was like the mansion, or rather the ground, was shaking.
"I set up the interference, but it was faster than I thought! As expected of His Highness!"
"Vanderlei-sama, are you leaving? Good luck. Please try not to destroy the mansion as much as possible."
"Alright!"
My brother stood up with a big smile on his face, and Cectiara-sama saw him off. Cectiara-sama stopped me when I tried to follow him in a hurry.
"It's dangerous to go directly. I think they can be seen from the window on the west side."
Following her instructions, Emilia, Melinda, and I peeked out from under the window.
"Eh, the Demon King...?"
I don't know who muttered that. Probably everyone was thinking the same thing.
His Highness entered the premises of the mansion with a storm, had an atmosphere that was too dark and was already a Demon King.
My brother, with his big sword, stood and faced him and smiled confidently. My brother's voice could not be heard, but he looked like a hero.
At any rate, it didn't seem like the situation would be resolved peacefully. We held our breath and watched the two of them face off.
***
Vanderlei Slutarch carried a two-meter long sword on his shoulder and stood blocking the entrance to the mansion. He walked towards him, facing the man who seemed to be the center of the storm.
But there is such a thing as emotion.
Rebecca was eight and Vanderlei was ten when they parted. Until then, Rebecca had always felt a distance from Vanderlei. But what they don't realize is that it is Vanderlei whose mind really hasn't caught up.
"Do you remember, the outcome of our match in [Winter] was left undecided."
"If you win this time, I, Duke of Slutarch, will acknowledge you."
"Yes, I will --------."
This is how he repeatedly set up the match. He had never lost in any of those matches that were even before last year's winter.
The person who was following Rebecca today was Vanderlei's hired hand. Llewayne was purposely following Vanderlei's scenario, that's why the two of them are now facing each other.
Despite knowing all of that, Vanderlei still swung his sword. He charged at Llewayne with a whirlwind wrapped in flames and wind.
Llewayne faced Vanderlei's full-strength attack head-on. He countered with his own power, pushing it back.
Vanderlei followed up with an attack after dodging Llewayne's attack. Llewayne didn't avoid it and deflected it all with his own power.
In the moment when their overwhelmingly large powers collided, a momentary silence covered the area.
The storm broke through the clouds above. The trees bent greatly and a shockwave that couldn't be seen with open eyes struck the area, the mansion, and the two of them.
When it settled, Vanderlei saw a blue sky. He was lying on the hard ground.
It took him a few seconds to realize that he had fallen.
Footsteps are approaching. Llewayne stood firmly as if looking down at him. The possibility of a duel is eliminated.
"--------It's my loss."
"You're strong."
"If you're that strong, can you protect my sister?"
"Of course."
Vanderlei Slutarch is talented. The outstanding him was the best rival in Llewayne's Academy life.
And now, he lost for the first time.
Vanderlei closed his eyes tightly for a moment. The fact that he lost, that his sister will become someone else's, and that it is the reality of the prince of a country, circulated in his head.
When he opened his eyes again, he finally smiled as usual.
"Your Highness, as promised, "I" will approve the marriage and engagement between you and Rebecca!"
"Yeah--------wait a moment. The Duke of Slutarch hasn't approved the engagement yet? You're supposed to recognize the marriage."
"If that's the case, you'll have to defeat my father first! He's strong, my father is!"
"You just said [first]? How many more are waiting? You're too well guarded."
Llewayne Vanderlei, who hardly ever looked tired, couldn't help but raise his voice and laugh. He finally seemed able to entrust his precious little sister to this man.
If that's the case, it's also a good time for him to propose to his beloved fiancee.
After graduating, he had stayed in the Royal Capital for a few months to help his father with work and various preparations, but he was going to return to the Duke estate. If possible, he wanted to take her with him.
And for his sister's sake, and for the sake of this brother-in-law, he would properly govern the Duke estate so that he could always be of assistance.
He smiled and waved to his sister, who was watching them from the window of the house, and to his fiancee, who was looking anxiously at him from the window one floor above.
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