それは言葉ではなく呪文だった
とんと額を人差し指で突かれ、よろめいた瞬間ふわりと体が浮いた――と思ったら、次の瞬間、ぽすんと腰から落ち、柔らかいものに受け止められた。
ベッドの上だ。
突然現れた自分の寝室を何度もまばたきして見渡し、臍をかんだ。
魔法で強制送還させられたのだ。
「......やられたわ。もうひと押しだったのかしら......それともはずした?」
今一つ反応がつかめない人だ。淡々としていると思ったら、あっさり動揺したり、すぐ冷静に戻ったり。今回、ただの一度だって笑わなかった。
白のカーテンの隙間から差しこむ朝日に目を細めて、アイリーンはため息を吐く。
(脅しじみてたのがよくなかったかしら。まあヒロインはあんなこと言わないものね......でも確か瞬間移動させられるのってだいぶ好感度上がった時に起こるパターンだったはず)
ヒロインに惹かれていくのが怖くて、わざと距離を置こうとしたりするときにクロードは瞬間移動を使って物理的に距離を置く。
その行動から推測すると、初日から結構いい線にいったのではないだろうか。
「そういうことにしておきましょう。時間がないし、明日はもっと強引にいくべきね。アプローチも変えないと......」
「失礼します、アイリーン様。アイリーン様......お目覚めですか?」
寝室を叩扉する侍女に、アイリーンは声を返す。
「起きているわ。何か用?」
「旦那様がアイリーン様にお話があるそうです。もういい加減、立ち直れと」
そういえば今の自分は婚約破棄のショックで部屋に引きこもっている設定だった。
(でも昨日の今日で立ち直れとか、相変わらずあのお父様は......)
アイリーンの時は当然だと思っていたが、なかなか過酷な気がする。前世の記憶なんて婚約破棄より衝撃的な出来事がなかったら、普通切り替えられないだろう。
だがそれはそれだ。嘆息したアイリーンはベッドから下りて、寝室の扉を開ける。
「分かったわ。お父様に何かご迷惑をかけていないといいのだけれど」
「旦那様はいつも通りでいらっしゃいます。ですが、セドリック様との婚約破棄の件で色々支障が出たようで......その件についてかと思います」
「そう」
そっけなくアイリーンは応じた。仕方がないことだ。
今、セドリックから婚約破棄されたアイリーンの評判は地の底を這っている。加えて、いろいろなことに想像がついた。
「嫌なことはさっさとすませましょう。支度をするから――いえ」
魔法がかかった服を見て、アイリーンは怪訝な顔をした侍女に首を振る。
「このままで行くわ。あとで朝食を持ってきて頂戴」
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
魔力の名残がそよ風になって足元を流れていく。
どさりと椅子に腰を落として、クロードはまぶたを閉じ、こめかみに指を押し当てた。
「なんなんだ、彼女は」
「あれ、強制転移させちゃったんですか? まさかとんでもないところに送ったり」
「してない。ちゃんと彼女の部屋に送り届けた」
目の前から消えた令嬢がきちんと自室のベッドに落ちたのをまぶたの裏で確認する。何やらぶつぶつ言っている光景が視えたが、聞かないことにした。千里眼は便利だが音まで聞こうとすると神経を使うし、なにより悪趣味な力だと自覚している。
目を開いたクロードの前に、キースがお茶を淹れ直してくれた。
「ならいいですけどねえ。いやー朝っぱらからにぎやかでしたね」
「王がわざわざ送り届けずとも、俺が窓から屋敷めがけて放り投げてやったのに」
「それは死にますって」
「あれは殺しても死なない女だ」
真顔で断言したベルゼビュートに、キースは苦笑いを浮かべている。クロードも否定できなかった。
「だが、あれはまたくるのでは? どうされる、王」
「飽きるまで放っておけばいい」
「あのお嬢さんが飽きるより、クロード様がどうにかなる方が早い気がしますがねぇ......」
「魔王様、魔王様! 伝令! 皇帝ノ使イ、クル!」
真っ黒なカラスがテラスでばたばたと羽ばたきながら鳴く。おやおやとキースが笑った。
「今日はお客さんが多いですね」
「魔物達に門の内側に入るように伝えろ。結界を張る」
クロードの言葉を聞いてカラスはすぐさまばたばたと飛び去っていった。それを見ながら、ベルゼビュートが進み出る。
「王。追い返すのであれば、俺が向かう」
「だめですよ。不戦条約があります。あなた方が魔王様のためとはいえ暴力を振るえば、それだけまたうるさく言われますよ、色々ね」
キースの嘲笑交じりのたしなめに、ベルゼビュートは舌打ちした。
「本当に人間はおろかだ。王が命じない限り我らは人間を襲わない」
「そういえばクロード様、アイリーン様はどうして城に入れてあげたんです?」
「自分の足で僕に会いにきたからだ」
だから、話くらい聞いてやろうと思った。それだけ。
(用件はくだらなかったが。ああ、でも......)
――あなたの強さを、尊敬します。
再度目を閉じる。この城とその周囲にある森を囲う柵にまで、意識の範囲を広げた。
誰もこの城にはたどり着けない。たどり着かせない。
ここは、魔王の城なのだから。
That was not a word but a spell instead.
I felt my forehead was poked with his index finger, and the moment I felt surprised by his action, I felt my body floating----as I thought that it was so, the next moment, my body fell down on something soft.
It was the top of my bed.
I blinked many times as I looked around my own room that I suddenly appeared in.
I was forcibly deported by magic.
[......He got me. I wonder if it was another push......or maybe I was removed instead?] 
Right now, he is a person that I couldn't grasp his reaction. Just when I thought he was an indifferent person, he turned out to be someone who can easily gets upset over something, then turned calm immediately. This time, it was not the first time that I wasn't able to laugh.
Irene narrowed her eyes at the morning sunlight s.h.i.+ning through the gap of the white colored curtain and let out a sigh.
(I wonder if coercion was a bad move. Well, the heroine won't say something like that though......but certainly, there was a pattern in his action: he's going to forcefully teleport someone when he gets agitated)
Claude was afraid to be attracted to the heroine, so when he purposely tried to distance himself, he'll physically distance himself by using instant teleportation.
So if we make an inference based on that action, I think I've made some pretty good moves on my first day.
[Let's go with that. Since I don't have much time, I'll be more aggressive tomorrow. But I will have to change my method of approaching him......] 
[Excuse me, Irene-sama. Irene-sama......have you awaken yet?] 
Irene replied back to the maidservant who was knocking on her bedroom door.
[I'm awake. What is it?] 
[It seems like Master has something to say to Irene-sama. It's about time you pull yourself together, he said] 
Now that I think about it, I was supposed to be in a situation in which I should be locking myself in a room because of the aftershock from the annulled engagement.
(But telling me to pull myself together the day after such humiliating event... as expected of that father......)
When the time she was still "Irene", she would have thought that it was normal; but, I felt like it was quite harsh. Usually, normal people won't be able to switch roles quite easily when there were shocking events like suddenly remembering their past life memories and an annulled engagement.
But, that was that. Irene let out a sigh and woke up from her bed to open up her bedroom door.
[I understand. I hope I will not bother father too much] 
[The Master will always welcome you. But, it seems like the engagement annulment with Cedric-sama has brought in many troubles......so, I think it was for that kind of matter that he wanted to talk to you about] 
[I see] 
Irene responded promptly. It was something that could not be helped.
Right now, because of the engagement annulment with Cedric, Irene reputation had hit the rock bottom. In addition to that, I imagine there will be a lot of other things as well.
[Let's conclude unpleasant things as soon as possible. I'm going to prepare myself----no] 
When she looked at the magical dress, Irene shook her head while making a mysterious face at the maidservant.
[I'm going as I am. After that, please bring in my breakfast] 
---------------------------------------------------------
The remains of the magic power flow around his feet in a form of gentle breeze.
Claude flopped back on his chair, closing his eyes while pressing his fingers down on his temple.
[What is wrong with that woman?] 
[Eh, did you just do forced teleportation? Don't tell me you've sent her to some unthinkable place] 
[I don't. I properly sent her back to her own room] 
He had confirmed that the girl that had disappeared in front of his eyes, properly fell back to her own bed in her own bedroom by using clairvoyance.
In front of the Claude who just opened up his eyes, once again Keith brew some tea.
[If that is so then it's fine. No-it was quite lively even though it's still early in the morning] 
[King, even if you don't bother yourself by properly sending her home, I could simply throw her out of the window of this castle] 
[She'll die] 
[She's the kind of woman that will not die even if you kill her] 
Keith let out a bitter laugh at Beelzebuth who made that declaration with a straight face. Claude as well could not deny what he said.
[But, she will definitely come back again, right? What should we do, King?] 
[Just leave her alone until she get bored] 
[Rather than waiting for the Ojou-san to get bored, I think it's quicker if Claude-sama become someone she wanted him to be......] 
[Demon King-sama, Demon King-sama! Messenger! The Emperor's envoy, come!] 
A black crow flapped its wings while cawing at the terrace. Keith was laughing amusedly.
[We have so many guests today] 
[Tell all the demons to get inside the gate. Set up a barrier] 
Upon listening to Claude's words, with a flapped of it wings, the crow immediately flew away. Beelzebuth strode forward when he saw that.
[King. If you want to send him away, I'll do it] 
[You can't. There's a peace treaty. If all of you use violence and said what you did was for His Highness the Demon King, it'll cause a disturbance, in more ways than one] 
Beelzebuth clicked his tongue at Keith's mocking tone.
[Truly, human beings are foolish beings. We won't attack humans unless King commands it so] 
[Now that I think about it, Claude-sama, why did you allow Irene-sama to get into this castle?] 
[Because she came here to meet me with her own feet] 
That's why I thought I could at least listen to her story. Just because of that.
(Although the reason she came here was quite stupid. Ah, but......)
----I respect your strength.
Once again, he closed his eyes. The scope of his consciousness was extended to the gate surrounding the castle and its surrounding forest.
No one can reach the castle. He won't let them reach the castle.
Because this is, the Demon King's castle after all.
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