「お金が必要だわ」
ついにできあがった廃城の会議室で、アイリーンは両腕を組んで宣言した。長机の左右に分かれて座っているいつもの面々が、それぞれ反応を示す。
まずアイザックが、頬杖をついたまま怪訝そうな顔をする。
「金って。ドートリシュ公爵の要求はこなしただろ? 話題のオベロン商会を知ってるなんてさすがドートリシュ公爵家の情報網、娘は魔王と知り合いって一目置かれ出してるじゃん」
「新しい事業やるってことですか? うちの化粧品をまとめて買った人への初回限定特典の化粧箱のデザインは終わりましたけど」
図案をみんなに回しながらドニが言う。ちらとそれを見てから、リュックが手を挙げた。
「この間のハーブビネガーを改良して農作物の害虫駆除ができる薬品なら、もうできあがってますが」
「......。ただどれも、材料が足りない。現時点で大量生産は不可能だ」
クォーツは図案に目も落とさずに、両腕を組んで目を伏せたまま言う。アイリーンは唯一、テーブルにつかず壁に背を預けている人間に目を向けた。
「ジャスパー」
「......。へいへい。いいんだな」
「かまわなくてよ。時間がないもの」
アイリーンの手に、ジャスパーが資料を渡す。
アイリーンはそれと手書きの計画案を人数分、テーブルの上へと滑らせた。
「資料は写しよ。計画案は各自、確認した後この暖炉に放り込んで処分して頂戴」
「......。えっ」
資料を見て声を上げかけたドニが、慌てて自分で口を塞ぐ。リュックは目を丸くしたあとに、口元に手を当てて資料をまくる。クォーツは難しい顔でゆっくりとアイリーンが書いた計画案を読み込んでいた。
真っ先に資料とアイリーンの計画案に目を通したアイザックが、厳しい目をアイリーンに向ける。
「マジでやんのか。不戦条約ギリギリだ、一歩間違えたらこっちが大損害だぞ」
「魔物を守ることは、オベロン商会の利益になるわ。それにこちらには切り札がある」
「切り札?」
「はーい切り札のキースでーす! 弱みを握られて味方しに参りましたー!」
やけくそのような明るい声が響き、会議室の扉が開いた。
ぎょっとするアイザック達を尻目に、キースはアイリーンの横に立つ。
「弱みを握られただなんて。わたくしは正当な対価を用意したでしょう?」
「うわあ、ぬけぬけと。これだから権力者って嫌ですよね! さぁアイリーン様の下僕達、さくさくっと情報漏洩いきますよー」
「下僕......」
「安心して下さい、今は私も下僕仲間ですから! アイリーン様に『キース様を貸してくださる?』って可愛くねだられてオッケー出したうちの魔王、覚えてろ! 自分一人じゃお茶の場所も分かんねぇくせに! ベルゼビュートさんがお茶いれるなんて無理ですからね!」
「大丈夫か、こいつ」
アイザックが親指を向けて尋ねる。アイリーンは頷いた。
「権謀術数はあなたより得意でしょう。何せクロード様を」
「はーい結界内でそういう話やめましょうね、絶対聞いてますからねあの魔王! ――ではどうやって私めを助けてくれるんです? アイリーン女王陛下」
やけっぱちだった明るさを一瞬で鎮め、キースが胸に手を当てて尋ねる。アイリーンはにこりと笑った。
「あなたを冤罪から救うだけよ」
「冤罪、ね。――まあいいでしょう。私だってね、魔王の左腕ですから」
はああ、と大袈裟な溜め息を吐いて、キースが眼鏡の縁を持ち上げた。
アイリーンはぐるりと周囲を見回す。
「やってくれるわね。わたくしはあなた達を信頼している。あなた達の力が必要なの」
全員が顔を上げて、それから溜め息を吐いた。
その動作を了解とみなして、アイリーンはテーブルに手をつく。
「策に不備があるならアイザック、あなたが修正して頂戴。ジャスパーは確実な証拠と情報収集をキース様と一緒に。新しい情報は常に共有すること。ドニ、リュック、クォーツは作業を始めて」
アイリーンの指示に、アイザックがまず燃え盛る暖炉の中に計画案を放り込んだ。次にドニとリュックが、最後に資料に目を通したクォーツが資料と一緒に計画案を燃やす。
「一週間ないわ。いつも通り、素早く仕事にとりかかって」
「アイリーン! 敵襲! 敵襲! アイツラマタ来タ!」
影からぽんと飛び出てきたアーモンドに、アイリーンは振り向く。
暖炉をそれぞれ見つめていたアイザック達も顔をしかめた。
「敵襲? こないだの誘拐がどうのこうのはカタがついただろ?」
「違ウ! クロード様、怒ッテル!」
「――リリア様達がきたのね?」
全員がぎょっとする中で、アーモンドが「正解!」と叫ぶ。
不敵に笑うアイリーンの背後にある暖炉の中で、『魔物の売買取引』という文字が燃えて消えた。
[I need money] 
Declared Irene in the completed conference room of the abandoned castle while crossing both of her arms. There were different reactions coming from the usual people who were sitting around the long table.
First of all, while resting his chin on his hand, Isaac made a seemingly dubious face.
[Money? You've completed Duke D'Austriche's request, haven't you? And, to think they found out about the hot topic Oberon Company, as expected from the D'Autriche Duke's House's information network. And, his daughter is an acquaintance of the Demon King, hats off to him] (Isaac)
[Are you going to start a new business? The design for the cosmetics case of the first limited edition for buyers who wanted to buy them all at once is done] (Donny)
While the design was pa.s.sed around to everyone, Donny spoke. Because he looked over it at a glance, Luc raised up his hand.
[If it's the chemical, that is the improved herb vinegar from the other day that functions as a pesticide for the crops, it's ready] (Luc)
[....... But, both have insufficient materials . So, currently, it's impossible to do a ma.s.s production] (Quartz)
Quartz said, without dropping his gaze from the design; both of his arms were crossed, and he was still casting down his eyes. Irene s.h.i.+fted her focus on the only person who didn't have a seat around the table and had his back leaned on the wall.
[Jasper] (Irene)
[....... Yeah, yeah. As long as you're okay with it] (Jasper)
[I don't mind. I don't have time, after all] (Irene)
Jasper handed over the doc.u.ments onto Irene's hands.
Irene slid the handwritten draft on the table to pa.s.s them to the number of people around the table.
[Please copy the data . After confirming respective draft, please dispose of it by tossing it into this fireplace] 
[....... Eh?] 
Donny raised up his voice when he looked at the doc.u.ment, then he hurriedly closed his mouth. After staring at the doc.u.ment in wonder, Luc covered his mouth with his hand, then rolled up the doc.u.ment. With a complicated look on his face, Quartz carefully read through the draft written by Irene.
Isaac who had been the first person finished scanning over the doc.u.ment of Irene's draft turned towards Irene with a stern look in his eyes.
[Are we really going to do this? It's barely in accordance with the peace treaty. One wrong step and we're the one who's going to suffer a heavy loss] (Isaac)
[Protecting the monsters will be profitable for the Oberon Company . Besides, we have a trump card] (Irene)
[A trump card?] (Isaac)
[Hey, it's Keith, the trump card!She has grasped my weakness, so I've come to be an ally-!] (Keith)
At the sound of the desperately cheerful voice, the conference room's door was being opened.
Startled, Isaac and the others took a sidelong glance while Keith stood beside Irene.
[To say that I've grasped your weakness...I've prepared a proper compensation, haven't I ?] (Irene)
[Uwaa, how shameless . This is why I don't like influential person!Come, all of Irene-sama's manservants, let's quickly leak out some information-] (Keith)
[Manservant......] 
[Don't worry, right now I'm also your fellow manservant!When Irene-sama coaxed our Demon King while being cute and said{Can you lend me Keith-sama?} and have his permission... That Demon King of ours, I'll get him for this! Even though he himself doesn't even know where the tea is placed!There's no way that Beelzebub-san knows how to brew tea!] (Keith)
[Is this fellow okay?] (Isaac)
Isaac asked while pointing his thumb at Keith. Irene nodded.
[You're better than me in trickery, aren't you? Anyhow, Claude-sama is...] (Irene)
[Alright, let's stop talking about that sort of thing inside the barrier, okay? Since it will definitely be heard by that Demon King! ----So, how are you going to save me? Her Majesty the Queen Irene] (Keith)
Keith who had in an instant quelled down his desperate cheerfulness completely, put his hand on his chest and asked her. Irene smiled sweetly at him.
[I'm only going to rescue you from a false charge] 
[A false charge, I see. ----Well, fine. Because I'm the Demon King's left-hand man, after all] 
With an exaggerated sigh, Keith lifted up the rim of his gla.s.ses.
Irene looked around at everyone.
[All of you will come along with me, right? I have faith in all of you. I need your strength] 
Everyone raised their faces and breathed a sigh.
Irene considered those movements as their consent, then she placed both of her hands on the table.
[Isaac, if there's a defect in the plan, please modify it as you see fit. Jasper, you'll do intel gathering with Keith-sama to confirm the reliability of the evidence. New information must constantly be shared. Donny, Luc, Quartz, start working] 
As per Irene's instruction, Isaac was the first to burn the blueprint by tossing it into the fireplace. Next were Donny and Luc, and then Quartz who looked over the doc.u.ment for the last time, and then burned his copy together with others' drafts.
[We don't have a week. So, we're going to start working promptly] 
[Irene!Enemy attack!Enemy attack!Those people have come again!] 
Flying out from Irene's shadow, Almond turned to face Irene.
Isaac and the others who were facing the fireplace were frowning respectively.
[Enemy attack?For one thing or another, the matter about the kidnapping of the other day has been settled, right?] 
[Wrong!Claude-sama is angry!] 
[----Lilisama has come, hasn't she?] 
Almond yell[correct!] in the midst of everyone who was being startled by the news.
Behind Irene who was laughing daringly, inside the fireplace, the words{monsters trafficking business} was burned and soon vanished from sight.
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