“Completely bad dad! Completely completely completely!”
Pastel poured out her frustrations in the arms of the demon.
When the opponent talked, she couldn’t retort, but now it felt like she was finally able to speak up in her mind before sleeping.
“Super bad!”
A million times bad!
The demon patted her back.
“Right. Calm down and just breathe. You’re a bit over-breathing.”
Pastel slowly took deep breaths.
“Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.”
“Don’t say it.”
She zipped her lips and breathed through her nose.
Inhale, exhale, inhale…
As she hugged the demon tightly, she felt its warm body temperature. For some reason, it smelled like soap. A clean scent.
As her breathing calmed down, she wiped her face with her hands. Red liquid mixed with tear stains came off.
“Ew.”
Her pink eyes went blank.
Huff.
Did I get hurt somewhere?
She touched her head with her hands but was perfectly fine.
Aha, it must be someone else’s blood.
It was the result created by her Hormone Friend. The smell of blood filled the air. Her body shivered slightly.
Eew.
She wanted to soak in warm water and relax.
“Haa.”
The demon let out a sigh of relief. The red eyes looked down and then back at her.
“Be thankful that I can’t just deal with your parents in front of you.”
Her father rolled an artifact in his hands and slipped it into his pocket. A strange glance stared at the demon.
“Demonius. What right do you have to meddle in someone else’s family?”
The voice was sluggish, like that of an old friend, which made Pastel flinch slightly. Adjusting her position, she moved to hide behind the demon.
The demon reached back to wrap his arm around her and clicked his tongue.
“At least I have more right than the one who can’t even act like a decent father. Do you think it’s acceptable for someone who isn’t even grown up to be left to someone else?”
Silence fell.
For the first time, her father directly looked at Pastel. Feeling his gaze, she hid again behind the demon, glancing back at him.
“You may look just like your father, but she’s someone with her own identity. Don’t project your feelings onto your child. It’s disrespectful to Blossom.”
“What…?”
The demon’s mouth slightly opened, a blank look as if the nonsense he heard wasn’t processing well.
“Or have you already broken your promise to help Blossom gain pardon for her demonic status and decided to make a nuisance of yourself to her daughter instead?”
Her father’s eyes turned contemptuous.
“Don’t do that. It tarnishes Blossom’s honor.”
“Hah.”
The demon chuckled. His palm swept over his face.
“That’s a valid concern, but… you’re the one saying that. Hah.”
A somewhat calmed Pastel peeked at the demon.
The Demon Lord appeared to be in a complicated state of mind, seemingly speechless and taken aback.
Pastel trembled her hands and took a deep breath. Shaking off her nervousness, she fully revealed her upper body.
“Ah, Father!”
All eyes turned to her.
“Please don’t misunderstand the demon! The demon is incredibly kind and someone I can rely on! He had no bad intentions or purposes at all!”
Pastel shouted with sincerity.
“Just leveraging my weakened state to form a relationship or hindering the development of others during our time together! Those things may have happened, but it was never a cruel tactic to make me dependent on that relationship!”
The demon looked down, seemingly dazed. His red eyes slowly closed and opened, then looked back at her father.
He had a much more contemptuous look in his eyes than before.
“Don’t live like that.”
“No.”
The demon’s mouth moved.
“No.”
Pastel felt proud.
She stood up confidently for her kind protector in front of her bad guardian. Even though she couldn’t fully repay the kindness she received, she felt like she at least made a little effort.
There was a flapping sound from the terrace. A man on a bird landed.
“Oh, was that an appropriate timing?”
A knight-level cult member looked at her father.
“Have you finished everything?”
Her father scanned the white magic circles. Then he walked toward the terrace.
“Done.”
He turned back while getting onto another bird. The artificial sunlight was blinding.
“Pastel, let me give you a piece of advice.”
Pastel flinched and gazed blankly.
“To break the Great Demon’s seal, you need the heart of the Craft lineage.”
Huh?
“Wait.”
The demon looked shocked.
“If you didn’t know such an important fact, it means you have ulterior motives.”
Her father’s hand grasped the reins. The bird spread its wings.
“When you want to help revive your mother, come to the Demon Realm. I’ll make room for you.”
With the flapping of wings, her father departed.
#
Pastel stared at the mirror.
Her blank pink eyes reflected back. Sticky blood stains colored her hair and face.
It didn’t smell like a hospital, yet it reeked of blood.
Eew.
“Hmm.”
The demon beside her produced a lather of soap. He generously coated his hands and rubbed her face.
Splash splash.
“Wow! Wow!”
“Stay still. It’s not ideal for a full wash, so we’ll just do a quick face wash.”
Eek!
“I got soap water in my mouth!”
Ew ew!
“If you open your mouth, of course it’ll get in.”
Huff.
I didn’t know that fact.
Gulp, gulp.
Scrub scrub.
The demon wiped Pastel’s face with a towel. Her soft cheeks squished.
Uwaahk.
“I can do this much on my own!”
“Sure.”
Pastel barely took the towel and wiped her face. The somewhat cleaner reflection in the mirror looked back.
“It smells like soap…”
So clean, so clean.
Eew.
She left the washroom and walked down the white corridor. The demon walked alongside her.
Pastel’s expression turned slightly sullen.
“Don’t you have anything to say to me, Demon?”
Like, heart heart, perhaps?
“Hmm.”
The demon rubbed his chin.
“I inadvertently revealed an unnecessary fact to a child.”
“Uwah~!”
Pastel clutched her head.
“Fear! Confusion! Terror!”
Did my trusted demon really have ulterior motives…!
Innocent, innocent Pastel was about to become the scapegoat for the revival of the Great Demon!
The red eyes looked down meaningfully.
“Well, you should have taken care of your own responsibilities earlier. From now on, clean your own bed in the morning.”
Huff.
Shocked, Pastel shook her hands.
Then she pretended not to hear him.
Wow, a silver-haired girl is coming from the opposite side.
“Friend!”
“Craft.”
Elshire, carrying a backpack, approached.
“They say Camelot completed the destruction of the cult’s base as planned, and they want to know the next step.”
My plan?
Was it snatching military authority from the knight order with Camelot’s privilege guaranteed by the crown and ambushing this place?
When did I ever make such a plan?
I mean, I didn’t even know that Melissa held the scary power to snatch military authority. And she spoke politely and sweetly all the time? The Southern heir is really scary. Totally Craft.
But then I thought, since the person who actually did it doesn’t even know, it would be nice to credit the brilliant Pastel for the intelligent accomplishment.
Pastel lifted her chin.
“That’s right! I planned it!”
You guys are clever to catch up with my smart head!
Elshire looked at her strangely.
“I suspected it was an exaggerated interpretation by Camelot, but it seems I was mistaken.”
Huff.
Elshire seems to be a million times smarter.
With that head, why is she still carrying a bag?
Mystery~.
“Anyway, I’ll go to the scene myself! I can’t leave everything to Melissa!”
Pastel walked down the corridor alongside her.
“Why did you have a staring contest with the baby bird?”
“I put some of the knight order’s luggage on it, and it kept trying to pass it to me.”
“Heh.”
So that’s why she had a staring contest with a giant chick?
“Hehehe.”
The conversation gradually dwindled.
The demon following behind, given his servant status, felt awkward chatting with others. Elshire didn’t usually speak first either.
Normally, Pastel would have been the one to create conversation topics for the awkward Elshire.
But right now, Pastel wasn’t in that great of a mental state.
Her fingers rubbed against her hair ends. Dried blood dust clung to her hands.
What is love anyway?
Love, love.
The noblest love of all.
Love, love.
The most important love of all.
That’s why it doesn’t come to me.
Elshire looked at her.
“Did something get stuck?”
“I need love.”
The silver-haired girl tilted her head.
“Maybe try some casual dating?”
“Dating…?”
“Well, since you’re the head, and there are plenty of people you could like.”
Pastel’s eyes widened.
Could I understand my father’s feelings that way?
Her pink eyes sparkled.
“Elshire!”
She grabbed her hand. The girl jumped in surprise.
“Huh?”
“You’re pretty good at giving counseling! I knew you had this talent from the very first time I saw you! Because we are best friends!”
Pastel elevated Elshire from friend to best friend. It was almost like going back to where she first met her when she immediately called her best friend.
It was rare for the pinkish Pastel to ask someone for advice, let alone offer a solution!
You are qualified to be my best friend!
She shook their hands.
“Elshire! You can put down the bag now!”
I have never commanded a best friend before!
“Really? Okay.”
Elshire’s expression brightened slightly.
Though she wasn’t struggling with her burden as a semi-knight, being a pack mule as a noble lady must have felt a bit pitiful.
Elshire hurried off to put down the bag.
Phew! Phew! Phew!
Pastel stood right in the middle of the corridor. With her hands on her hips, she raised her chin.
Popular Pastel.
Dating is easier than anything else!
The demon, who had been walking away, approached.
“Demon! Demon! Did you hear?”
“What do you mean?”
She raised one arm high.
“Popular Pastel!”
She gestured to herself.
“I’m going to start dating!”
Doo-ru doo-tuh!
The demon looked dazed.
“What…?”
He wore an expression of shock as if he had just learned of a thunderous future.
