釈然としないが、クロードへの挨拶もすませた。
早速仕事の話だと、アイリーンは晴天が見えるうらぶれた王の間で、微妙な面持ちになっている皆に振り返る。
「では、仕事の話をするわ」
「相変わらず切り替え早いな、お前! っていうか今の会話って」
「やめろアイザック坊ちゃん!」
「誰が坊ちゃんだよ正義の味方気取りのおっさん!」
「魔王は感情が乱れると、竜巻起こしたり雷を落とすらしい」
両肩をジャスパーにつかまれたアイザックが黙った。リュックが真顔で呟く。
「......セドリック皇子とどっちがましなんだろうね?」
「......。比較が難しい」
「魔王様、いい人っぽかったけどなあ。綺麗な人だったねー彫刻にしたい」
「いいから全員、仕事よ。わたくしにはあなた達を無駄遣いする暇はないの」
きっぱり言い切ると、渋々といったように全員が目配せをしながらアイリーンに向き直った。
「ドニは、クロード様の希望にそった城の改修をお願いするわ。ベルゼビュート様、魔物との翻訳をお願いします」
「仕方がない。王の命だ、こい、子供」
「僕、これでも十六歳なんだけどなあ......」
「ジャスパーは横領についての調査を。キース様も協力してくれるそうよ」
「......わあった。宜しく頼むぜ、従者さん」
「はいはい宜しくですよ。骨の髄まで搾り取りましょうね!」
きらきらしたキースにジャスパーが頬を引きつらせている。だが放っておいてもこの面々は大丈夫だろうと、アイリーンは一番の難関を切り出した。
「アイザック、リュック、クォーツ。あなた達にはわたくしの新しい事業の立ち上げを手伝ってもらうわ」
「新しい......ですか。石鹸とか僕が作ったものの処方箋なら、覚えてますよ。同じのを作るのはどうですか? 改良を加えれば、少しは」
「......。材料も、まだ少しなら、ある」
アイリーンより先に、アイザックが口を開いた。
「駄目だ。セドリック皇子は最低だが馬鹿じゃない。アイリーンは二ヶ月後の夜会で新薬開発の事業譲渡の書面にサインする。そこには事業の独占が当然、盛り込まれてるはずだ。少々改良したところで、難癖つけて販売停止か取られちまう可能性が高い。だからやるなら別の商売だ。薬品とはいえないものを開発しなきゃならない。で、何が作りたいんだ?」
さすが話が早いと、アイリーンは微笑む。
「わたくし、やりたいことがあったの。化粧品よ」
「化粧品?」
「貴族の女性は自分の美貌に湯水のように金を使うわ。それこそ貴婦人方の常備薬みたいなものよ。そこにつけ込むの。貴族の評判を落とさないよう、避けていたのだけれどね」
貴族相手の商売は、吸い上げる相手が貴族なだけに政治的な問題が発生しやすい。政敵をできるだけ作らないよう、セドリックの立場を考えて自発的にひっこめた案だ。
それでも兄も父も最初、面白いと言ってくれた。見込みはあるはずだ。
「......やる価値はある。俺はのった。リュック、クォーツ。お前らはどうだ」
両腕を組んでアイザックが、開発の中心人物になるリュック達に目を向ける。
「そう言われてもぴんとこないというか......薬は駄目だというのは、分かったけれど」
「こう考えて、リュック。化粧品というのはね、女性の肌を綺麗にする薬なの」
この世界の女性は、少し前まで蜜蝋を塗って白粉をはたく。まるで絵を描くように。
だが、化粧は絵画と違う。化粧品とは肌のことを考えた化学薬品だ。体と同様、肌が弱かった前世の自分は随分苦労し、最終的に手作りに走った。だから基本なら覚えている。
そして今、ここでは、化粧品はまだ絵画で、科学の領域が入り込んでいない。
「皮膚病を治す――という感覚の近さを持って頂戴。がさがさになってしまう手には、あかぎれを起こさないよう軟膏を塗るでしょう? それと同じよ」
「......なるほど、分かる気はします。やってみましょうか......クォーツは?」
「......。化粧水というからには、まずは水だろう。洗うと手がすべすべするような......へちま水、とかか」
「そう、そういうのよ!」
聞いたことがある気がする。
(深海水とか、ヒアルロン酸とか、さすがにどうすればとれるのか分からないけど!)
いずれ開発して欲しい。相当年月がいりそうだが。
「基本は潤いと保湿。水と精油――アロマを混ぜたらいいわ。あ、ひょっとしてアロマも売れる? なかったわよね、アロママッサージとか」
「アロマ......? なんだそれ」
「あとでまた説明するわ。それを夜会までに仕上げて頂戴。わたくしも使うし、クロード様が隣にいれば相乗効果があるはずよ」
「広告塔にするつもりか。あの魔王様、やたら綺麗だもんな」
「そうなのよ! だからせめて隣に立つわたくしも負けないレベルにして頂戴」
必死なアイリーンに、アイザックがやや引いた。
「それが動機か!?」
「そうよ、何か悪い? 売る自信ならあるわ。貴婦人の死活問題なのよ!」
「アイリーン様は十分お綺麗ですよ」
「......魔王はいわば人外だ。張り合わない方が......」
「魔王でも人間でも、男性があんなに肌も髪も綺麗って、それだけで屈辱よ! 一体どういうことなの......女として負けるわけにいかないわ......!」
「......。なるほど、確かに金になるわこりゃ」
アイザックのひそかな呟きに、全員が神妙に頷く。
はからずしてアイリーンは、自らの吐露により、新事業の有用性を納得させたのだった。
She wasn't really satisfied with the way their conversation ended just now, but she properly finished her greeting to Claude.
(1)Irene immediately wanted to discuss work. She can see the clear sky that was due to the shabby King, then looked back on everyone who had a strange look/expression on their face.
[Now, let's talk about work] 
[You're quick to switch over to work as usual!And, what's with the conversation just now?] 
[Stop it, Isaac-Bocchan!] (2)
[Who are you calling Bocchan, pretentious Hero of Justice-ossan!] (3)
[It seems like phenomena such as tornado and lightning strike happen when the Demon King's emotions are being disturbed] 
Isaac silently grabbed both of Jasper's shoulders. Luc muttered with a serious look on his face
[......Which one do you think is better compared to Prince Cedric ?] 
[....... It's difficult to compare] 
[But, the Demon King-sama seems like a good person. He's such a beautiful person-I want to make a sculpture of him] 
[That's enough everyone, let's focus on work. I don't have time to waste for all of you] 
When she clearly declared that, while exchanging looks with each other, everyone reluctantly turned around to face Irene.
[Donny, I'd like you to renovate the castle according to Claude-sama's wish. Beelzebub-sama, please interpret the words of the monsters for him] 
[Can't be helped. It's the King's command, come, child] 
[I, even though I look like this, I'm 16 years old though......] 
[j.a.pser will be investigating the embezzlement issue. Keith-sama too will cooperate with you] 
[......understood. Look forward to working with you, attendant-san] 
[Yesyes, best regards. Let's exploit those people thoroughly, okay!] 
Jasper showed a cramped smile at the sparkling Keith. But, Irene thought that it would be alright even if she left those two men alone to do their job; Then, Irene began to talk about the most difficult issue.
[Isaac, Luc, Quartz. I'll have all of you to help me launch my new business] 
[New......is it? If it's the prescriptions of the things that I've made such as the soap, I remembered them you know? How about making the same thing as that? If you wish for some improvements, I can make it just a little] 
[....... There are still some materials left, too] 
Isaac spoke before Irene could.
[We can't. Although Prince Cedric is a jerk, he's not stupid. During the evening party that's gonna be held in two months, Irene is to sign the transfer doc.u.ment of the new medicine development business. The business monopolization should naturally be included in that doc.u.ment. By the way, with only a slight improvement and if it happens to have a faulty, the possibility for the sales to be stopped or taken away is high. That's why, if we want to do it, we need to do another business. We must develop something that can't be called medicine. So, what are we going to make?] 
Irene laughed while thinking that the discussion moved faster with him around.
[I have something I want to do. Cosmetics] 
[Cosmetics?] 
[n.o.ble ladies spend their money like hot spring water for their good looks. That's like regular medicine for those ladies. We're going to take advantage of that fact. But, I just want to avoid the situation in which I'll be stripped of my n.o.ble reputation] 
Doing business with n.o.bles is p.r.o.ne to a political problem as the n.o.bles have the tendency to siphon off profits. It was an idea that she voluntarily withdrew in consideration of Cedric's position as not to make as many political opponents as possible for him.
But even then, her Brothers and even her Father told her it was an interesting idea at the beginning. So it should be promising.
[......It's worth doing. I'm in. Luc, Quartz. What about you guys?] 
With his arms crossed, Isaac s.h.i.+fted his attention to Luc and Quartz who were going to be in the center of the development.
[Even after that explanation, I still can't get the point......I mean, I understand why medicine is out of the question, but] 
[Think about it like this, Luc. These things called cosmetics are the kind of medicine that can clean women's skin] 
The women in this world, just a little while ago, would apply beeswax to the face powder as though they were painting a picture.
But, applying makeup was different from painting. Cosmetics were products with chemicals that actually considered the condition of the skin. In her previous life, like her body, her delicate skin gave her quite a hard time; she eventually leaned towards a hand-made product. So, she remembered the basics.
And now, in this place, cosmetics were still paintings and wasn't even in the field of science.
[Please cure skin diseases----or something close to it in a sense. We apply ointment to the roughened hands to prevent callouses, right? It's something similar as that] 
[......I see I think I understand. I'll try to do it......What about you Quartz?] 
[....... First, it'll be made from water because it's called a face lotion. Similar to the smooth hands that had been washed......like liquid cosmetic made from loofah extract as such?] 
[Yes, that's right!] 
I had a feeling that I've heard about it.
(Something like deep ocean water or hyaluronic acid, but still I don't know how those can be obtained, though!)
I want them to develop it sooner or later. But, it seems like it might take a considerable number of years.
[Basically, it should be rich and moisturizing. Water and essential oil----it'll be good if we can mix in an aroma. Ah, maybe we can sell the aroma as well? There isn't something like aroma ma.s.sage or something like that, right?] 
[Aroma......?What is that?] 
[I'll explain about it again later. Please complete that by the time of the evening party. Since I'll be using it, and if Claude-sama is next to me, there should be a synergy between us] 
[Are you planning to become an advertising sign? That Demon King-sama is excessively beautiful, after all] 
[That's right! That's why at least, please make it to the level that I won't lose to him when I stand next to him] 
Isaac drew back at Irene's desperation.
[So that's your purpose!?] 
[That's right, is there something wrong with that? I have the self-confidence to sell those products. Beauty is a matter of life and death for a lady, after all!] 
[Irene-sama is beautiful enough] 
[......The Demon King is, so to speak, is nonhuman. So it's better if you don't compete with him......] 
[It doesn't matter if he's a Demon King or a human, but for men to have that kind of beautiful skin and hair, it's just nothing but a disgrace for a woman like me?!Like what's going on?......I can't afford to lose as a woman......!] 
[....... I see, certainly, we can make money with this] 
When Isaac secretly murmured at everyone, they quietly nodded their heads.
Unexpectedly, Irene managed to convince them about the usefulness of the new business by expressing her own mind.
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