“Therefore, the Student Council declares a ban on drinking from now on!”
The jeering gazes of the Student Council members focused on her.
“What’s up with you all? Why are you reacting like that?”
Pastel declared confidently.
“If you have any objections, speak up!”
Melissa subtly raised a hand.
“Isn’t that a bit excessive? Even for you, Pastel, I think a drinking ban is too much. Historically, there have been a few instances of such bans in the Empire, but they weren’t effective. If wine is missing from a noble banquet, it would really complicate the customary practices.”
Ugh.
“Melissa, even you!”
Pastel waved her arms.
“Betrayal! Betrayal!”
These alcohol addicts!
How much wine have they drunk instead of water since childhood that they have no sense of guilt whatsoever!
As the only good essence here, despair settled in.
“Even if it is excessive, I can understand it feeling like betrayal. But as friends, we need to voice our thoughts.”
Melissa readily admitted and pointed to Elshire.
“Right here, BellaMont doesn’t experience the issues you’re concerned with. Being a semi-knight isn’t a light title. Right, BellaMont?”
“Yeah.”
“What did you say?”
Puff puff~!
Having found a topic, Pastel smirked mischievously.
“Did you guys know? During the auction banquet, Elshire had a few glasses of wine and ended up saying hello to a rolling stone friend?”
Greeting an inanimate object!
What a complete fool!
Such a fool!
Ahahaha!
Melissa tilted her head.
“BellaMont, was that behavior done in a sound mind? I thought only someone unique like Pastel would do that.”
“He was drunk. When savoring wine, you must also savor the natural processes. There’s no need to resist.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep.”
Having overheard the adorable conversation of the nobles’ children, Pastel’s pink eyes sparkled.
“Wait a minute! Just now, Elshire made a statement that sounded like a full-blown alcoholic confession!”
The good Pastel openly admitting to such drunken preferences was unthinkable.
“Can you still say the drinking ban is unnecessary? There’s an addict right in front of us! It’s clear that the level isn’t what’s important!”
The silver-haired girl looked flustered.
“In the North, it would actually be considered poor etiquette not to drink. I don’t know about here.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
Melissa defended Elshire.
“I’ve heard that the Northern Mountains have such barbaric customs. BellaMont’s drinking habits aren’t just for pleasure; they’ve internalized barbarism as etiquette.”
Elshire stared at Melissa intently.
The intense gaze left Melissa perplexed.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Do you have any ideas?”
“Is this a quiz?”
Pastel pondered slightly.
“Is there really such a culture?”
Then she crossed her arms to make an X.
“No way! No way! That’s still not okay! This is Pastel’s territory! If you’ve come to my domain, you follow my rules!”
“Since when has Sky Island been Pastel’s territory?”
“Sky Island is mine now!”
Solo power!
Yup!
“Now you’re not even hiding your greed.”
Pew pew.
“Anyone dissatisfied with this Pastel!”
Pastel hopped around, checking the Student Council’s members.
“No one!”
Oh yeah!
“Anyway, Elshire’s comment was a tremendous alarm bell! We need to impose the ban before he evolves into a super ultra addict!”
Melissa thought for a moment.
“That’s true. BellaMont’s remark was a bit excessive. But how about this? We just prohibit BellaMont only.”
“Yeah?”
Elshire looked at Melissa again.
“Wouldn’t it be good if we only targeted those with issues? That way, we wouldn’t face any backlash. If it works well, we can expand the ban. I respect your will, Pastel, but sometimes it’s important not to rush.”
“Well…”
Pastel seemed to be getting persuaded.
“Maybe you’re right.”
Melissa smiled gently.
“We have plenty of time. Let’s take it slow together, Pastel-senpai.”
Huff.
The mesmerized voice of Pastel-senpai.
The number one friend ranking is being abused!
For some reason, the sense of responsibility to set a good example was overwhelming!
Pastel raised her chin and cleared her throat.
“With that said, I have no choice! The drinking ban will be imposed only on Elshire! We’ll decide whether to increase the number affected based on the results!”
Once Pastel made this sudden declaration, which turned out well, everyone scattered back to their seats.
“What about my opinion…?”
Elshire stood there blankly.
“Pastel, just a moment.”
Ellie approached and gestured to the corridor.
“Huh?”
Pastel stood up quietly while looking around at the others working. She followed Ellie into the corridor.
Upon moving to a hidden room near the Student Council room, Ellie meticulously closed a door that blended a magic circle, ensuring special soundproofing.
Since the Student Council was a purely student-driven entity, there wasn’t a usable hidden room, so Pastel had prepared this space after the Academy’s normalization.
Pastel felt puzzled.
“Why am I here?”
“Is there a traitor among the Student Council members?”
At that question, Ellie froze.
Her trembling eyes turned towards Pastel.
“Why are you suddenly asking that? Is someone being investigated again?”
“No! I was just asking.”
I was wondering what kind of significant matter warranted coming to a hidden room.
A gaze of suspicion fell upon her.
Pastel was on the verge of feeling wronged.
What did I do!
Ellie looked at her with a complicated expression and opened a bag she had brought. A fishy scent wafted out.
What is coming out with that fishy smell from the hidden room?
A scene of red flashed in her mind.
Oh dear.
This seemed like a job for the Hormonal Friend.
More importantly, what kind of gruesome thing did Ellie bring out that she couldn’t show others?
Before she even saw it, Pastel’s face stiffened. She swallowed a dry gulp.
Ellie put her hands into the bag and pulled out something that was a blue-hued creature with a streamlined body.
It was mackerel.
Flapping.
Pastel was dumbfounded.
“Why mackerel?”
Ellie untied a small note tied to the body of the sky mackerel. The information brought by the messenger unfolded.
“Sadly, it’s bad news. The railway construction rights that the Demon Realm should rightfully possess have fallen into Craft’s hands. The backlash within our faction is not trivial. Even if I say I’ll take responsibility, since I’m not in the Demon Realm, it’s hard to persuade them.”
Pastel met the gaze of the fish’s eyes. The mackerel looked back at her and flapped its gills.
Flapping.
A fishy smell rose.
Yikes.
“Why is it mackerel? You may not know, Ellie, but I’ve been arch enemies with the mackerel clan for a long time! The bad mackerel that always used to hit me when we met! There will be no reconciliation until they all enter my stomach!”
Dinner tonight is mackerel pie!
“I figured as much.”
Ellie mumbled, her expression somewhat gloomy.
Huff.
Pastel pulled herself out of her own world. While retracing what triggering statement she had made, she sighed in relief that it wasn’t to a crossing-the-line level.
“I’m talking about mackerel! Just mackerel! If there was any misunderstanding, I’m sorry! But is the moderate faction really so opposed? Is the princess’ will being dismissed that much?”
Ellie looked troubled.
“Even though she is a princess, that’s just a title. Considering the tradition of the Demon King that does not adhere to bloodlines, there isn’t really a sense of legitimacy.”
That could be the case.
Regardless of bloodlines, ultimately all power gets seized by the suddenly appearing Demon King, doesn’t it?
“Even so, there are many who respect her, but when she’s not in the Demon Realm, her influence weakens, and there’s nothing to be done. The symbolism of Craft is just too strong.”
“Then it can’t be helped! Don’t worry! Pastel is a business genius! I can handle things without the moderate faction’s agreement!”
Ellie looked perplexed.
“How will you do that? Various fields essential for railway construction have already been occupied by our moderate faction. Without our agreement, even if you have construction rights, you can’t build a railway. There will be problems even after building the railway. Originally, we intended to operate it as a military railway for the United Kingdom to generate profits, but that won’t be possible either.”
Huff.
Hearing that made Pastel realize it was a problem that she, as a fool, couldn’t solve.
“Ugh!”
Pastel buried her head in her hands.
“Ancestors! Why did you live like that!”
What kind of bad deeds did they commit that the princess can’t even persuade the moderate faction!
“Right? Live more like a person.”
Ellie said with a casual remark and then contemplated.
“Isn’t there something we can use? If the railway project gets halted like this, the radical faction’s influence will just grow.”
Radical faction.
Terror rampant.
“That can’t happen!”
Pastel pondered along with her.
The sky mackerel flapped.
The fishy smell.
Ellie muttered.
“It would be easier if we could find the next Demon King. No matter how much Craft is involved, no Demon kind would disregard the first order of the Demon King.”
Pastel paused.
She glanced at Ellie. Just as Ellie was also turning her gaze away, their eyes met.
Ellie’s eyes shone with ideas.
“Now that I think about it, if you cooperate, we can search on a larger scale. While there wasn’t anyone in the Academy, there may be someone on Sky Island. What do you think?”
“Well…”
Pastel’s expression grew ambiguous.
“That does sound unlikely. The Empire must have thoroughly checked the imperial territory. The prophesied Demon King might have died during the newborn slaughter.”
Ellie sighed softly.
“Well, at least that’s better than the conspiracy theory that the Empire has already found the Demon King and is plotting to manipulate the Demon Realm by keeping them imprisoned. It sounds ridiculous that the culprit could be Craft instead of the Empire in front of you.”
Pastel still wore an ambiguous expression.
Ellie paused.
Silence flowed.
The demon girl’s eyes began to tremble.
Pastel smiled gently.
“I already know.”
Doesn’t it sound fun to manipulate the Demon Realm?
“What?”
Ellie went blank.
Then her body trembled, and she subconsciously checked for an escape route.
This is a hidden room.
