“Next week is winter break! Everyone worked hard during the first semester!”
Pastel placed her hands on her hips and looked at Ellie and Dustyn.
“Have you all made good plans for the break? As the research leader, my advice is that diligent effort leads to results. Even Melissa acknowledged that!”
Hehe.
“Craft, you are elegant.”
That’s right, that’s right.
I’m an elegant swan.
“Don’t just let the break pass by; make sure to put in some effort! Who knows who will be the next research leader? Of course, it will be me again!”
“Well, it’s the first time I’ve seen you so dedicated, given that you usually avoid student council work.”
After thinking for a moment, Ellie nodded.
“I knew that avoiding student council tasks was a part of Craft’s character, but seeing it in action is impressive. I didn’t think you’d be able to write an entire paper in such a short time.”
Craft’s character?
Pastel tilted her head.
Is she talking about betrayal and division?
Huh.
Pastel, evil?
“What do you mean by image management?”
Dustyn asked, puzzled.
Ellie shot Dustyn a look, as if seeing a pathetic boy captivated by a girl’s appearance.
“You wouldn’t understand even if you heard.”
“Ellie, that’s not how friends should behave! Dustyn may be good at helping others but he’s not a fool!”
Dustyn’s expression became complex.
“Not a fool, Dustyn! Let me explain!”
Pastel pointed at herself.
“Right now, I’m the managed Pastel! Look! My hair is flowing, and my skin is moist!”
The devil takes care of me every morning.
“But what about when you were writing the paper? You were so pressed for time that you couldn’t even manage yourself properly! Your hair was frizzy, your skin lacked vitality, and your eyes were dull! You looked just like a graduate student!”
Ugh.
Pastel marveled at herself.
A graduate student…!
Graduate student Pastel…!
Though it meant something different, she was indeed in a state of a graduate student due to writing a professor’s paper.
“The cherry blossom Pastel was wandering around as the not-cherry blossom Pastel!”
Huh.
Not-cherry blossom Pastel…!
Pastel trembled.
Shaking.
“It makes such a difference whether one manages themselves or not! I will never become not-cherry blossom Pastel again!”
Ugh.
“Oh! So the difference in appearance from not having enough leisure is what you call image management. I see now.”
Dustyn nodded.
Ellie shot Dustyn a glance of disappointment, as if watching a pathetic boy falling for a girl’s innocent act.
Hmph.
It seems Ellie just doesn’t get along with Dustyn.
Even among friends, that’s possible!
As a very understanding person, I totally get it!
Pastel busily moved after finishing her farewell with the student council members before the break.
It would take a few days to say goodbye to all her friends. Even though there was a week left until the break, she needed to move quickly to finish on schedule.
She spent time saying goodbye to all her friends that she encountered.
“Goodbye! Bye!”
Having many friends can be a hassle.
Is it a struggle that only the popular experience?
Of course, these friends oddly don’t engage deeply with Pastel on a personal level, like Melissa.
They acknowledge her as a friend with smiles and greetings, but they seem reluctant to have deep conversations.
From afar, it’s a comedy, but up close, it’s a tragedy, and the attitude of wanting to only see the pretty side is palpable.
I like Pastel, but I’m hesitant to get closer~.
Ugh.
The blinding beam of light.
I feel like an idol, in good and bad ways.
“Ah! Leonard! Hi!”
Leonard, who was inspecting something with his subordinates in front of the first-year dormitory, turned around.
“What is it?”
“I came to say goodbye to my friends before the break!”
“There are no friends of yours here. Just go.”
Pastel cheerfully ignored Leonard’s words.
“Hello, hello! Friends, have you prepared well for the break?”
Leonard’s subordinates, who are also Pastel’s friends, responded enthusiastically.
Sure enough, they are friends!
Just ignore Leonard’s words!
“You fools! If you come out like this, how will I maintain my dignity! Don’t you know who is more important here?!”
Hmph.
“Of course, it’s not me, right? We’re friends! We have double the letters compared to friends!”
Double, double!
Oh yeah.
Leonard looked dumbfounded.
“What kind of nonsense is that? Are you really that brazen?”
“Yes!”
Pastel readily agreed.
“Wow, you really are shameless?!”
Leonard was at a loss for words.
“Looks like it’s Pastel, the shameless.”
But I have many friends~.
Ahaha.
Pastel laughed to herself and then turned her gaze.
“But what were you friends doing?”
Leonard sighed.
“I was checking on what some upperclassman was installing in my area.”
Installing?
It was a large square wooden device.
“What is this?”
“I’m checking because I don’t know. Don’t you also not know?”
“Let me take a look.”
Pastel examined the wooden device with a serious face. It was a box-shaped form, and gears could be seen faintly inside and out.
Hmm.
“Do you think you know what it is?”
Leonard asked, subtly hopeful, while the friends’ expectant gazes followed suit.
Hehehe.
“Of course I know!”
Pastel said with confidence.
And quickly touched the magic sword.
Devil! Devil!
I have no idea at all!
Ugh.
The honor of the research leader…!
The devil spoke calmly.
『It’s a launching device.』
Pastel confidently said.
“It’s a launching device!”
Heh.
“Ooh!”
Leonard and the friends were impressed.
“To know it at once!
“Truly the research leader!”
Hehe.
Leonard looked at the device.
“So it’s a launching device. Do you know what it’s used for?”
“Of course I do!”
Pastel replied with confidence.
And examined the launching device. It was a large box shape with gears faintly seen.
“Ah ha!”
She quickly touched the magic sword again.
Devil! Devil!
I have no idea at all!
Ugh.
『Typically, it’s for events. You attach a cloth with writing beneath the hot air balloon and launch it.』
“It’s for events!”
Heh.
“Ooh!”
『The extreme use would be for a gas release. Given its visible structure, this seems more likely.』
“And gas release! This one is more likely!”
Heh.
“Ooh! Oh…?”
The friends who were amazed suddenly halted.
Even Pastel, who had been speaking without using her brain, paused.
Huh?
Everyone looked down at the launching device.
Silence fell.
From a distance, a new friend came running.
“Boss! Some upperclassman set up something suspicious in our area! What is this? It’s here too?”
Wait a minute.
『It might not be, but the possibility of terrorism is high. A brazen act indeed. Are they trying to promote their faction?』
Terrorism?
“Ugh!”
Pastel clutched her head and screamed. She raked her hair as if pouring out her confusion and emotions, then paused and exhaled roughly.
And slowly got serious.
I’m in the student council, the student council.
The control tower in an emergency.
It was a position that required leading by example.
She rubbed her trembling hands together to calm down.
“Leonard, evacuate the kids into the dorms and grab weapons! I’ll check this out, so move immediately!”
At her firm command, Leonard flinched but nodded.
“Got it. You all! Did you hear the student council’s orders? Move out! Now!”
Footsteps echoed loudly.
Left alone, Pastel examined the device.
“Can I break this?”
『By structure, it’s not an explosive device.』
As she grabbed and pulled, it broke apart, revealing its insides.
There were a mini hot air balloon made of cloth and a small magic device. There were also vials of what seemed to be gas.
『Given the color, it seems to be a paralysis potion. It’s not immediate but effective.』
“Let’s inform the faculty right away.”
『There’s no need for that. If they’re acting this boldly, they’ve probably been discovered already.』
As if on cue, alarms echoed throughout the academy. A warning of intrusion.
Pastel destroyed the launching device with force and quickly scanned the surroundings. She saw students milling about in confusion.
“Get into the dorm! Get inside!”
Directing them, she was able to evacuate without major chaos.
Armed Leonard and his group rushed over.
“What should the student council do now?”
“That depends on the purpose of the terrorism…”
Pastel crossed her arms and pondered.
Just then, explosive sounds echoed one after another. Mini hot air balloons rose and emitted colorful smoke. The smoke began to spread on the ground, as it was heavier than air.
『They will ride the wind. It’s not safe here either.』
A beast’s roar echoed from somewhere. Did they release a beast for confusion?
“Let’s go into the dormitory building first!”
“Are we not going to fight?”
“If it’s a siege scenario, there’s no need to engage in a field battle! It’s a siege! Let’s get in! Hurry up!”
She shoved Leonard’s back.
Pastel entered the dormitory, closing the front door. She examined the locking mechanism. The padlock seemed sturdy.
“Alright. The dorm should be relatively safe. Leonard, keep an eye out for window intrusions and let’s get ready for a siege. There’s no particular reason to attack the dorm, so it should be safe as long as we give the impression that it’s hard to attack.”
“I got it. Everyone heard?! Count the number of windows on the first floor and divide the personnel! Block where we can use furniture, and keep watch where we can’t! The remaining personnel will check the back door and the secret passage!”
Leonard directed his subordinates. The chaos began to settle as they quickly organized.
Good job.
She felt relieved.
Watching that, Pastel opened the front door. The wind blew in and her pink hair fluttered. All eyes were on her.
“Leonard! I’m leaving. Please take command here. Just keep doing what you’ve been doing.”
“What?”
Leonard, turning his head, widened his eyes.
“You’re going alone?!”
“Yes, I’m in the student council.”
“Then everyone should go together—”
A beast’s growl sounded. A hungry wolf charged through the paralysis smoke.
Pastel took a step without looking back. The wolf brushed against her clothes, and her sword flashed. A flurry of blood broke out.
The blood stained the front door. The girl kicked the wolf’s corpse out of the doorway, leaving a trail of blood on the floor.
“Leonard, it’s fine to play boss. But then you have to take responsibility suited for the position.”
Crimson liquid flowed down her pink hair.
“Calm your emotions and regain your reason. Gather opinions and do your best.”
The girl stared directly at Leonard.
“You can do that, right?”
She extended her fist.
Leonard hesitated.
A moment later, their fists collided.
Pastel smiled and left the safety zone.
Footsteps echoed.
The girl moved through the paralysis smoke with a body that transcended humanity. She stopped walking where she was no longer visible from the dormitory.
Suddenly, she clutched her head.
Ugh.
Why did I join the student council…!
Pastel, who has to walk away…!
Life is so hard, Pastel…!
