(......あら? あそこの茂みに、リリア様達がいない......)
ゲームであればリリア達が息をひそめて様子をうかがう現場近くの茂みの中に、人影が全くない。訝しんでいる間に、キースと取引相手がやり取りを始めてしまう。
仲間を売る会話に、またベルゼビュートの顔が渋くなる。
「駄目でしてよ、ベルゼビュート様。ここはキース様を信じて」
「分かっている。俺の役目はここでお前を守ることだ。キースにも、ドニにも頼まれた。他の連中にも――ここにはこられない、王にも」
きょとんとしたあと、ベルゼビュートが呟く。
「お前がいなくなったら、王はきっと絶望する」
「――ところで、おうかがいしてもいいですかペンネ伯爵」
ことさら大きく響いたキースの声に、意識を引き戻された。
「私めが欲しがっている土地、ドートリシュ公爵にお売りになったとか?」
「......な、なんの、ことだ?」
上ずった声が空とぼける。だがキースは迷ったりしない。
自分を味方にしろと迫ったあの日、アイリーンが見せたのは、彼が仲間を売ってでも欲しがった土地の売買契約書だったのだから。
「そんなにそわそわ待っても、私を捕縛する騎士団はまだきませんよ。橋が壊れて遠回りしている頃ですねぇ」
「な、なんだそれは」
「せめて一蓮托生の密売仲間という意識くらい持っているとは思っていました。まさか、私め一人に全部の罪をかぶせて終わらせようと思ってらっしゃったとは」
キースが眼鏡をはずす。
アイリーンが目配せすると、ベルゼビュートが空に向けて火の玉を作り出した。
「とっても残念です。ので、その帳簿をもらってお別れしましょう」
太陽のように発光する夜空の炎が合図だ。
光に怯んだ相手の懐に一瞬で入り込んだキースが、帳簿を奪い、そのまま剣の柄で昏倒させる。同時に、鍵をあけたままの檻から一斉に魔物達が抜け出した。旋回するアーモンドの指示に従い、アイザックに何度も言い聞かせてもらった通りの道順で逃げ出す。
「おい、魔物がっ......」
「それより帳簿を取り戻せ! あれが向こうの手に渡ったら」
魔物は人間を攻撃してはならない。それは大原則。
――でも別に、遊んで穴掘ったり、薬を落としたりするのはいいんだろ?
そう笑ったのはアイザックだ。アーモンド曰く魔王軍ご自慢の空軍が、リュックが用意した『目にしみる粉』とか『人によってはくしゃみと鼻水が止まらなくなる粉』を上空からぶちまける。あらかじめ掘っておいた穴に落ち、丸太が倒れるしかけを踏む。
(どれも魔物が用意できるものではないけど、不戦条約ギリギリでしょう、これ)
死人はでねぇからと笑っていたアイザックには、今度からもう少し注意するように言おう。
「それにしてもキース様、強いんですのね......」
援護をする魔物達は撤収し、仕掛けで大半の傭兵達が脱落したが、一対多数でもキースは平然と両手に短剣を持って戦っていた。その動きは剣舞のように無駄がなく、鋭い。眼鏡をしているからてっきり目の悪い文官タイプかと思ったら、そうではないらしい。どっちかと言えば間諜タイプなのかと思い直す。
「俺もあれくらいできるぞ」
何故かむっとした顔で、ベルゼビュートが口を挟む。
「何度も言ってるでしょう。魔物は戦っては駄目です」
「......。そうなると俺の出番はいつだ?」
「人間と魔物が戦う最終決戦時でしょうね。それか魔物相手か」
遠くから光が見えた。キースを捕まえるための、相手の息がかかった騎士団だ。だが、父親に頼んで半分ほど入れ替えてある。魔物は逃げ、取引相手が昏倒しているこの状況で、キースが「魔王に内密で魔物の売買を阻止した」と言えばこの茶番は終わりだ。実際、ゲームでリリア達が皇帝から与えられた仕事は犯人さがしではなく、穏便にことをすませることだった。
(皇帝はひょっとして、セドリック様達の駆け引きの素質を見たかったのかしら? クロード様との関係をどうするのかっていう、ものすごく扱いが難しい問題だものね、これ)
俯瞰して見て、思い出す。そう言えばリリア達はどうして来ていないのだろう。
あの三人の口を封じるのが、一番面倒そうなのに――。
「アイリーン!」
「!!」
叫びと一緒に、褐色の腕に抱きこまれた。じゅっと何かが焼ける嫌な音と匂いがする。
「ベルゼビュート!? あなた......っ」
肩から腕が、何かで焼け焦げたようにただれている。脂汗を浮かべ、膝をつくベルゼビュートの腕の中から慌ててアイリーンは抜け出た。そこへ人影が三つ、現れる。
「や、やだ。どうしよう。襲われないよう牽制するだけのつもりだったのに......」
「大丈夫だ、かすった程度だろう。リリアに非はない」
「......セドリック様」
「二人とも、後ろへ。アイリーンは結構腕が立つ」
「マークス」
そうして最後に、アイリーンはいつかと同じ角度で、その少女を見上げる。
「リリア様......」
「大丈夫ですよ、アイリーン様。私達、アイリーン様に話があるだけなんです」
可愛らしく、聖剣の乙女がにっこりと笑った。
(......Oh my? There are no Lilisama and the others in the bushes over there......)
Unlike in the game, there weren't even shadows of Lilia and the others who would've waited with bated breath in the bushes near the crime scene to see the transaction. While she was feeling doubtful, Keith started to exchange conversation with his dealings partner.
Beelzebub's face became grim once again upon hearing their conversation about selling his comrades.
[You can't, Beelzebub-sama. We need to trust Keith-sama on this] 
[I know. My duty is to protect you here. Keith, Donny, those other people----and even my King who couldn't come here, had requested me to protect you] 
After being stared at by Irene, Beelzebub murmured.
[If you're gone, King will surely fall into despair] 
[----By the way, may I ask a question, Earl Penne?]  (Keith)
Keith's voice that was deliberately resounded loudly, brought Irene back to her senses.
[Like for example, can you sell the plot of land that I want to Duke D'Autriche?] (Keith)
[......W, what are you talking about?] (Earl Penne)
His voice sounded shrill and nervous when he tried to feign ignorance. However, Keith won't waver.
Because on that day she approached him to request for an alliance, Irene had shown him the contract of sale for the plot of land he desperately wanted even if he had to sell off his friends.
[You can wait restlessly like that, but the Holy Knights who are supposed to capture me will not be coming yet. It's about time they took a roundabout way since the bridge is broken after all] (Keith)
[W-what the heck?]  (Earl Penne)
[I thought you should have at least the sense to bring along your friends who were in the same boat as you in this trafficking business. Don't tell me you intend to end this by making me bear all the charges]  (Keith)
Keith took off his gla.s.ses.
Noticing Irene's eye signal, Beelzebub pointed his fingers towards the sky and created a fireball.
[How extremely unfortunate. That being the case, just give me that ledger so we can be on our separate ways]  (Keith)
The luminescence coming from the signal was blazing in the night sky like a sun.
In an instant, Keith reached into the pocket of his enemy, who was recoiling from the light and s.n.a.t.c.hed away the ledger. And, just like that Keith made  the guy fainted using the sword's handle. At the same time, the monsters broke free all at once from the cage that had been unlocked in advance. In accordance with Almond's instruction, they escaped through the route that Isaac had shown to Almond many times over.
[Oi, the monsters are......] 
[Leave that aside, take the ledger back! If the other party puts their hands on it] 
The monsters must not attack humans. That's the greatest principle that they must follow.
----But, isn't it okay to particularly do something like playfully digging a hole or dropping medicine?
The one who was laughing at that was Isaac. Luc, under the pretext of the Air Force pride of the Demon King's Army, prepared something like {powder to sting the eyes} and{powder that will cause people to never stop sneezing and having runny nose} for Almond to throw out from the sky. And then, they could only experience defeat from the trick by falling into the hole that had been dug out in advance.
(Everything isn't something that can be prepared for the monsters, though. Isn't this barely in accordance with the peace treaty?)
Laughing, Isaac had said that there's no one dying after all. She would have to tell him to be more careful next time.
[Nevertheless, Keith-sama is strong, isn't he?......] 
He was covering for all of the monsters while they escaped. Although the majority of the mercenary dropped out because of the tricks played by the monsters, he still kept his composure while fighting one-to-many with both hands using the short daggers that he carried. The way he moved had no pointless movement and nimble, it was similar to a sword dance. She was convinced that he was a civil officer with bad eyesight since he was wearing gla.s.ses, but it didn't seem so. And speaking of which, she rethought about what kind of civil officer he was and decided that he was the spy type.
[I also can do at least that much] (Beelzebub)
For some reason, Beelzebub interjected with a sullen expression.
[I've told you many times, haven't I? The monsters must not fight] (Irene)
[....... If that's the case, when is my turn?] (Beelzebub)
[How about the final battle between humans and monsters?  Is that the monsters' enemy?] (Irene)
She saw a light from a distance. For the sake of capturing Keith, the enemy used the Holy Knights as their personal support. However, she requested from her father to replace just about half of them. In this situation where the monsters had escaped and his dealings partner had fainted, Keith wanted to end this farce by making it looked like[the Demon King prevented the monsters trafficking business in secret] . Actually, in the game, the Emperor didn't a.s.sign this task to Lilia and the others for them to look for the criminal. They just have to end the trafficking business peacefully.
(Perhaps by any chance, does the emperor wanted to see the bargaining quality of Cedric and the others ?Like, since this matter is related to Claude-sama, what is he going to do? Isn't this an extremely difficult problem to solve? )
She looked around to a.s.sess the situation. Then, she remembered. Which reminds me, where are Lilia and the others, I wonder?
Although, it seems like sealing the mouth of those three is the most troublesome----. 
[Irene!] (Beelzebub)
[!!] (Irene)
At the same time she heard that shout, she was being embraced by a tanned arm. There were a nasty sound and the smell of something burning.
[Beelzebub!? You......] (Irene)
His shoulder was inflamed down to his arms as if something was scorching him. Fl.u.s.tered, Irene slipped out from Beelzebub's arms who had fallen to his knees with a cold sweat.
[O-oh no. What should I do? My intention is just to restrain him from attacking us, and yet......] (Lilia)
[It's alright. It's at an acceptable degree, isn't it? Lilia didn't do anything wrong] (Cedric)
[......Cedric-sama] (Irene)
[Both of you, stay behind me. Irene is quite skilled] (Max)
[Max] (Irene)
And finally, Irene looked up at the girl from the same angle she had been looked at from some day that she couldn't remember.
[Lilisama......] (Irene)
[It'll be alright, Irene-sama. We just want to talk to you] (Lilia)
With a seemingly lovely face, the Maiden of Holy Sword sweetly smiled at Irene.
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