“Completely bad dad! Completely completely completely!”
Pastel spilled her frustrations into the arms of the demon.
When the opponent spoke, she couldn’t argue and just took it, but now that she was about to sleep, it was as if the words were finally freed.
“Wow, so bad!”
A million times worse!
The demon patted her back.
“Yeah. Calm down and breathe first. You’re somewhat hyperventilating.”
Pastel took a slow, deep breath.
“Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.”
“Don’t vocalize it.”
She sealed her lips and breathed through her nose.
Inhale, exhale, inhale…
Hugging the demon tightly, she felt a warm body temperature. For some reason, there was a scent of soap. It was a clean fragrance.
As her breathing calmed, she wiped her face with her hands. Red liquid mixed with her tears smudged her skin.
“Ugh.”
Her pink eyes came to a blank stare.
Huh.
Am I hurt anywhere?
She touched her head with her hands but found no harm.
Ah, it’s someone else’s blood.
It was the result created by her hormonal friend. The smell of blood wafted in. Her body slightly shivered.
Ugh.
I want to take a warm bath.
“Hah.”
The demon sighed in relief. Its red eyes looked down and then at the opponent.
“Consider it fortunate that you can’t harm the parents in front of the child.”
Her father rolled an artifact device in his hands and then put it in his pocket. A strange gaze was fixed on the demon.
“Demonius. What right do you have to meddle in someone else’s family?”
The voice, as if treating an old friend, made Pastel flinch slightly. She subtly shifted her position, moving closer to hide behind the demon.
The demon reached back and wrapped an arm around her while clicking its tongue.
“I at least have more qualification than someone who can’t even fulfill a father’s role. Who do you think is taking care of that child?”
Silence thickened the air.
For the first time, her father directly looked at Pastel. Feeling the gaze, she hid her pink hair behind her shoulders but looked back at the demon with a strangely pensive expression.
“You might be young, but you resemble him perfectly. However, you’re a different individual. Don’t project your opponent onto your child. It’s a matter of etiquette regarding Blossom.”
“What…?”
The demon’s mouth slightly opened. It seemed bewildered, as if it couldn’t comprehend the nonsensical words.
“Or do you want to break your promise of helping Blossom gain her demon identity, and then imprison me again, causing harm to your daughter?”
Her father’s gaze turned contemptuous.
“Don’t do that. It tarnishes Blossom’s honor.”
“Hah.”
The demon scoffed. Its palm rubbed across its face.
“That’s a very valid concern, but… what a thing for you to say.”
Somewhat calmed down, Pastel glanced at the demon.
The demon appeared to be in a very complicated yet absurd situation, seemingly at a loss for words.
Pastel trembled her hands as she took a deep breath. She shook off her anxiety and fully revealed her upper body, stepping out from behind.
“Ah, father!”
All attention turned to her.
“Please don’t misunderstand the demon! The demon is very kind and a reliable person! There was absolutely no bad intention or purpose!”
Pastel shouted earnestly.
“It’s not like they formed a relationship while you were mentally weak! It’s not like they spent all day together, interfering with other relationships! While such things happened, it was never a malicious tactic to make us dependent on this relationship!”
The demon looked down blankly. Its red eyes slowly blinked, and then it turned to her father.
The gaze was filled with far greater contempt than before.
“Don’t live like that.”
“No.”
The demon muttered.
“No.”
Pastel felt a sense of pride.
She had stood up confidently to defend the kind protector in front of the bad guardian. Though she couldn’t fully repay all the kindness she received until now, she had paid back at least a little.
A sound of flapping wings came from the terrace. A man riding a bird landed.
“Oh, was that a timely arrival?”
A knight-level cult member looked at her father.
“Have you finished?”
Her father glanced around at the white magic circles. He then walked towards the terrace.
“I’m done.”
Her father mounted another bird and looked back. The backlight of the artificial sunlight stung his eyes.
“Pastel, let me give you a piece of advice.”
Pastel jolted and stared blankly.
“To break the seal of the Great Demon, you need the heart of a Craft lineage.”
Huh?
“Wait.”
The demon looked bewildered.
“If you didn’t hear such important news, then you’ve got some dark intentions.”
Her father’s hand grabbed the reins. The bird spread its wings.
“When you want to help bring your mother back to life, come to the demon realm. I will make room for you.”
With the sound of flapping, her father left.
#
Pastel stared at the washroom mirror.
Her blank pink eyes reflected back. Clotted blood smeared her hair and face.
Though she wasn’t in a hospital, the scent of blood lingered.
Ugh.
“Hmm.”
The demon beside her created soap bubbles. It made a handful of bubbles and rubbed them onto Pastel’s face.
Slap, slap.
“Yikes! Ugh!”
“Just stay still. It’s not the time for a full wash, so I’ll have to do a quick face wash.”
Ugh!
“I got soap in my mouth!”
Ptooey, ptooey!
“Of course, it goes in if you open your mouth.”
Huh.
A fact she hadn’t known.
Gulp gulp.
Scrub scrub.
The demon rubbed Pastel’s face with a towel. Her soft cheeks squished.
“Ugh.”
“I can manage this much on my own!”
“Very well.”
Pastel finally took the towel and wiped her face with it. A somewhat clean appearance reflected back at her in the mirror.
“It smells like soap…”
Clean, clean.
Ugh.
She exited the washroom and walked down the white corridor. The demon walked alongside her.
Pastel made a slightly pouty face.
“Is there nothing you want to talk to me about, demon?”
Maybe about heart, heart?
“Hmm.”
The demon rubbed its chin.
“I revealed unnecessary information to the child.”
“Ugh!”
Pastel clutched her head.
“Fear! Confusion! Terror!”
The demon she trusted had some dark intentions…!
Could the naive Pastel become the sacrificial pawn for the resurrection of the Great Demon this way!
The red eyes looked down meaningfully.
“You should’ve done your own duties sooner. From now on, make your own bed in the morning.”
Huh.
Shocked, Pastel’s hands trembled.
Then she acted as if she hadn’t heard.
Wow, a silver-haired girl was approaching from the opposite side.
“Friend!”
“Craft.”
The neutral gendered Aelshire, carrying a travel bag, walked toward her.
“Camille said that the Culprit completed the subjugation of the cult’s base according to your plan, and asked for the next step.”
My plan?
Using the authority guaranteed by the royal decree to seize military authority from the knights and ambush this place?
When did I ever come up with such a plan?
To begin with, for such a terrifying power to have been in Melissa’s hands. And yet, she always spoke politely and nicely? The southern heir is really scary. Totally Craft.
But then again, thinking about it, since the actual person in charge doesn’t even know, it might be good if it’s credited to the great Pastel as an intelligent contribution.
Pastel lifted her head.
“That’s right! I planned it!”
You’re following behind my smart brain!
You all catch on quickly!
Aelshire looked at her with a strange expression.
“I was suspicious that it might be an excessive interpretation by Camille, but I guess I was mistaken.”
Huh.
Aelshire seemed a million times smarter.
Why is she still carrying that travel bag with that head of hers?
Mystery~.
“Anyway, I’ll head to the scene directly! I can’t leave it all to Melissa!”
Pastel walked along the corridor with her.
“Why did you have a staring contest with the little chick?”
“I put the knights’ burden on it, and it kept trying to pass it to me.”
“Heh.”
So, a staring contest with a giant chick?
“Heeee.”
The conversation gradually trailed off.
The demon following behind found it awkward to talk among others due to its status as a servant. Aelshire was also someone who usually didn’t speak up first.
Normally, Pastel would try to create a conversation to ease the awkwardness for Aelshire.
But currently, Pastel wasn’t in a very good mental state.
Her fingers brushed the ends of her hair. Dry blood powder smeared onto her hands.
What is love, anyway?
Love, love.
The most noble of loves.
Love, love.
The most important of loves.
For that reason, love that does not come to me.
Aelshire looked at her.
“Is something stuck?”
“I need love.”
The silver-haired girl tilted her head.
“How about free love?”
“Romance…?”
“Well, you’re the clan leader, and there are many people you like.”
Pastel’s eyes widened.
Then could she understand her father’s feelings?
Her pink eyes sparkled.
“Aelshire!”
She grabbed her hand. The girl flinched in surprise.
“Yes?”
“You’re quite good at giving advice! I knew you had this talent from our first meeting! Because we’re best friends!”
Pastel elevated Aelshire from friend to best friend. It was akin to returning to their first meeting when she had called her best friend outright.
It was exceedingly rare for pink Pastel to seek advice from anyone, and yet Aelshire even proposed a solution!
You deserve to be called my best friend!
She shook the hand she held.
“Aelshire! You can put down your travel bag!”
Even though she had never given orders among best friends!
“Really? Okay.”
Aelshire’s expression brightened slightly.
Though she wasn’t struggling due to her status as a squire, it seemed that the job of being a porter was somewhat cumbersome for a noble lady.
Aelshire quickly stepped away to set down her travel bag.
Puh! Puh! Puh!
Pastel stood boldly in the middle of the corridor. With her hands on her hips, she lifted her chin high.
The popular Pastel.
Romance is easier than anything else!
The demon, who had been walking apart, approached.
“Demon! Demon! Did you hear?”
“What is it?”
She raised one arm high.
“Popular Pastel!”
She pointed at herself.
“I’m going to start a romance!”
Doo doo doo!
The demon looked blank.
“What did you just say…?”
It had a look of thunderstruck shock.
