Pastel was able to choose a demon realm airship after intense contemplation.
In truth, it wasn’t that intense. It was because President Horace had been meticulously saving the academy’s budget to purchase a large warship suitable for the Governor’s ceremonial duties.
“Wooow! A warshiiiiip!”
Just like a civilian airship, the massive white warship, resembling a gigantic skywhale, filled the docking station with its considerable height.
The size difference was so apparent that the civilian airship and the warship felt like a baby whale and a mother whale.
In addition to its grand size, there was a distinctive feature that set it apart from civilian airships. Civilian airships were originally made of wood, and their visible material was naturally wood. Although the color could be vibrant through dyeing, it remained wood.
However, this warship clearly didn’t have a wooden exterior. It had no wood grain, and the smooth, solid surface felt familiar if one was used to such materials.
Pastel stood at the edge of the docking station, poking the side of the hull with her sword. The magnificent Emperor’s sword poked at the hull with a solid sound.
It made a ting-ting sound.
Not a thump, but a ting-ting?
Whoa, a ting-ting friend!
“The wooden whale evolved into a steel-plated whale…!”
Steel-plated whale?
Wow!
Steel-plated, steel-plated!
So cool!
Pastel smacked her smooth, cold cheek. The metallic chill made her feel the early winter cold.
“Wow! Wow!”
Icicles might form on my cheeks!
“Hahaha!”
President Horace clapped his hands on the warship, looking pleased.
“Wherever you go, just board comfortably!”
It was a statement that hovered somewhere between formal and informal, but it didn’t matter. Pastel just wanted to become a junior of this wonderful senior.
“I’m your junior!”
She clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling.
Emotion.
It looked incredibly expensive, yet she could ride it without spending a single penny!
Is this what it feels like to have my own corporate vehicle?!
“How did you know I like this kind of thing?”
“It is the duty of a senior to take care of their junior!”
President Horace laughed leisurely. It seemed like a display of his relationship with the Governor to the staff present.
Pastel shouted energetically.
“I trust you, senior!”
With that ability, he could easily leave for the demon realm while acting as the Acting Governor of Sky Island!
Based on that judgment, Pastel packed her things as soon as the schedule for departure to the demon realm was set.
After handling urgent matters and consulting with the Craft Guild about personnel distribution, it was finally the departure day.
Of course, the demon lord would go along.
Naturally, Princess Ellie would accompany them as well.
As for Melisa…
“Do you want to come with me on the business trip?”
“I’ve been wanting to visit the demon realm for a change of scenery. If not during school years like this, I probably wouldn’t have the time.”
Then let’s go together!
Leonard would surely manage without issues.
Dustyn is just Dustyn!
Yes, yes!
Elysia has returned to the Duke’s mansion, so she is all set to depart!
Then now.
“Departure! Departure!”
Pastel shouted from the warship’s deck.
The former knights and the personnel of the Craft Guild moved busily. The white warship expanded its fins and began to leave the docking station.
Pastel dashed to the deck railing and waved her arms.
“Goodbye, friends! Don’t cry even if you miss me; it’s not a long separation!”
The friends who came to see them off waved their arms in response.
One of them, Dustyn, pointed at himself with a bewildered expression as if to ask if he was truly alone. It was a gesture indicating his confusion, but it wasn’t particularly important.
Melisa seemed to think likewise, holding onto the railing and gazing wistfully at the docking station. Her golden hair flowed with the wind.
“I’ve hardly ever left the Empire.”
Her words paused for a moment before continuing.
“I’m feeling a bit confused and excited. Is this what my mother meant by knight training?”
Oh?
Pastel, still waving her arms, responded.
“Sky Island isn’t part of the Empire, right?”
“Well, that’s true too.”
Melisa stroked her ear with her finger. Her slightly unruly hair was managed in that action.
Melisa lightly waved at the noble ladies who came to see them off. It was a level of poise that was an entirely different dimension compared to Pastel’s unrefined waving.
Whoa, such noble moves.
Something about it felt ancient.
I should do that too!
Pastel also adjusted her hair by brushing her fingers against her ear.
Her flowing pink hair gathered and got tangled in her small ponytails that were tied with ribbons. The ribbons caught her fingers, and as they pulled, they loosened effortlessly.
Oh?
Pastel stared at the white string caught in her hand. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew. The loosened hair whipped across her face.
“Whoa!”
Save me, Pastel!
The pink thread unwittingly entered her mouth as she gasped.
“Ugh!”
Pastel flailed her arms in a panic.
What a crisis!
Ahhhh!
“Demon Lord! Demon Lord!”
Please save me…!
Melisa, who had experienced getting hit by Pastel’s hair numerous times, had already taken a step back to watch, bewildered.
“What are you doing…?”
The warship slowly moved away from the docking station. As people turned into dots and buildings began to seem smaller than clouds, the farewell greetings came to an end.
Phew.
“That was the biggest crisis of a popular person’s life.”
Pastel lowered her arms with a slightly exhausted expression. The hair tie that Melisa had magically secured for her was shaking.
Pastel couldn’t show her bundled hair to anyone, but she almost did.
“I often wonder if it’s okay to show my unkempt appearance to the maids every morning. Even though not worrying about it would be the right thing to do.”
Melisa covered her mouth and chuckled.
“Why is it the right thing to not worry?”
“Because that is their duty, and it’s also my duty. It would be wrong to refuse just because it’s a bit embarrassing.”
“Wow.”
I have no idea what that means.
Pastel walked towards the interior, her footsteps echoing on the deck.
She strained her ears to find where the Demon Lord was and learned that he was in the meeting room with Ellie, not in the kitchen, so she headed there.
Is the Demon Lord with Ellie?
I’m not sure what kind of combination that is.
I mean, I don’t really know the reason, but from the demon tribe’s perspective, the Demon Lord is a traitor…
Ew.
“The miniature train I prepared was cute. It brings back delightful memories of when my mother taught me military science.”
Melisa reached for the meeting room door.
“Ah, wait a moment.”
Pastel stopped her and grabbed the doorknob. Without opening it, she carefully pressed her ear against the door. A tranquil sound came from within.
Melisa looked at her curiously.
“What are you doing?”
Pastel hurriedly posed a shushing gesture.
“I’m trying to observe how the two of them are doing.”
“Observe, you say.”
Pastel strained her ears.
Using the auditory visualization taught by the Demon Lord, she assessed the situation inside.
The Demon Lord was sitting in a chair, reading a book.
Ellie was not too far away, adjusting the train model on the table.
There was no conversation?
It was a meeting between the demon realm princess and the demon realm traitor, yet there was no reaction.
But Ellie’s action of adjusting the miniature felt awkward, as if she were trying to create busywork to alleviate the strange atmosphere despite having nothing to do.
This could definitely be seen more clearly.
Pastel adjusted her winter dress and crouched down a bit. She checked for a keyhole in the door and cautiously peered inside.
As she twisted her body slightly to see inside, she noticed a girl with black hair staring intently at the miniature with a distinctly awkward expression.
How awkward indeed.
This time, looking at the Demon Lord, he was simply sitting there, legs crossed, just reading a book.
The Demon Lord looked completely at ease.
Ahh, is this the dynamic?
Satisfied, Pastel suddenly felt a strong gaze on the back of her head.
Turning slightly, she saw Melisa looking at her with a mischievous glint.
Oh?
With an appropriately lowered voice, Melisa spoke.
“I have a question—can I ask?”
Pastel shook her head hurriedly.
No, no.
Melisa disregarded the mischievous look and asked.
“Does this happen often?”
Gasp.
No way!
Pastel was not a friend who was after the cheese in the safe!
I’m often curious about what they’re discussing when I’m not around, so there were times I pretended to be out and secretly listened.
As a popular person who cares about her friends, that was a valid action!
It’s easy for a group gathered around a single popular person to experience subtle conflicts when that person isn’t around – don’t fight over me, now! – and if that isn’t resolved in time, even the popular person will fail to mend it later!
Crisis! Crisis!
Phew.
The student council members, except for Melisa, were gathered for power, so the organization wouldn’t collapse due to minor conflicts with bad stakes, but the struggle for second-in-command without harmony was still problematic.
There were clear reasons why Melisa has always held the number one friend ranking and why she consistently supports Ellie as the unwavering second-in-command.
Sigh.
The poor Pastel can only strive to survive today as well.
Do do do~.
I’m working yet again today~.
However, Pastel couldn’t explain all of this in this situation because she had no intention of doing so with Melisa, so she merely made an aggrieved expression.
So unfair!
Believe me!
Melisa smiled faintly.
“Is that so.”
Her expression showed that she wasn’t particularly surprised, as she already knew Pastel was crafty.
She gestured towards the keyhole, indicating that Pastel shouldn’t mind and should continue to peek.
Strangely, there was also a hint of a gaze directed toward Elysia along with that gesture.
Oh dear.
That’s not the gaze I wanted!
What do I mean by…?
Oh right, the north is underdeveloped, so culturally speaking, Belamont doesn’t change clothes (or something).
I should understand as a friend.
And…
Oh right, because craftiness is inherent, Pastel naturally engages in this kind of behavior. I should understand as a friend.
Ugh!
This is too much!
I feel like I’ve gone from being a suspect to being the culprit…!
It feels like being a thief who is forgiven just because they have a lineage of thieves!
But being wronged is still being wronged, and duty-bound Pastel glanced through the keyhole.
Just then, the Demon Lord closed his book, crossed his arms, and sank into thought. Ellie started and subtly turned her head at the sound of the book closing, just before the conversation seemed to begin.
Oh? An intriguing moment.
Thump-thump, thump-thump.
Feeling her cheeks flush, Melisa looked bewildered.
“What exactly are you feeling wronged about?”
Gasp, that question could be tricky.
