“Is it too hard to hear about someone failing at unrequited love?”
Melissa, walking down the white corridor of the holy site, looked bewildered.
“Probably! Even if the person is just a servant, there’s a certain etiquette that must be observed. Even if it was just a moment’s pure love, that moment must have meant everything.”
Hormone Friend.
What a romantic notion.
Mom once thought the Demon Lord was everything?
Huh.
My feelings are a bit complicated.
I can’t imagine it.
“What made you curious about free love all of a sudden? Pastel, do you have someone you like?”
Melissa questioned in surprise.
“Not really. Now that I think about it, Elshire talked about free love too, right? Is it a taboo behavior for nobles?”
Is Popular Pastel too ahead of her time?
Melissa pondered slightly.
“Not quite taboo, but there are many who don’t encourage it. After all, the family’s intentions are what matters.”
Engagements between families?
Heh.
“Does Melissa have an engagement partner or something?”
Melissa smiled gently.
“My mother has told me to decide for myself gradually, so I haven’t really thought about it much.”
A model student who follows her parents’ advice to decide for herself. I’m not sure if that truly is deciding for oneself, but it’s an attitude worth emulating.
“What about Elshire?”
“Probably not…?”
Melissa twirled her golden hair.
“I haven’t heard anything, but since it’s a family matter, I can’t know for sure.”
“Pff, you two have gotten closer, right?”
You said you became close while managing the knight order together after we parted ways.
“Of course! I’m not sure about being friends, but we get along like normal friends.”
Uh-oh.
Then it means you’re not just friends.
But at least it’s better than fighting.
“That’s great!”
“Right?”
Melissa’s expression brightened. After all, having a good relationship is better than fighting because of bad relations between families.
“Ahh~!”
Pastel walked with her hands behind her head, stepping a bit faster.
“I need love~. Dating, engagement, dating, engagement~. While calling their name might suggest that dating is better~.”
“Pastel, as the family head, isn’t free love just about the same as engagement? There’s no one to ask for permission anyway.”
“Is that so? Then, when calling their name, engagement seems better~.”
While engaging sounds questionable for understanding love.
“How do you get engaged?”
Melissa thought for a moment.
“I’ve only heard about it, but many portraits come to the family. From those, we look at their family history and personal details and select who can be chosen by either the parties or their parents. They’ve met several times to check their impressions and personalities before reaching a preliminary agreement.”
“How rigid!”
That wasn’t what I was imagining!
This is not romantic at all!
Engagement truly is… engagement!
“Is that so?”
Melissa looked puzzled.
“You might think it sounds strict, but it’s not entirely without romance. My parents met this way too, but they have a good relationship.”
“Really?”
Is there a method of love that fits the era and situation?
“I’m not sure, but it sounds interesting!”
Yup!
Melissa hesitated slightly. Wishing to advise her overly carefree best friend, but it might interfere too much with Craft Family matters, she seemed torn.
Then she eventually brought up another topic.
“How should we handle the knight order? I had to execute prompt judgment for the conspiracy, but it’s awkward to maintain control indefinitely.”
“Oh, that?”
Since the faction in collusion with the cult has been dealt with, the knight order can self-regulate…
“What if we restructure while we have control? Cut the staff by about half. We can hire new people to fill the gaps.”
“H-Half?”
Melissa’s face went in shock.
“Yep! They all can’t do their jobs anyway!”
Better to streamline the operation rather than allow unnecessary personnel to ruin the work atmosphere.
There are risks, but considering all the knight order has done, I need to clear the space. It’s also a good time since we’ve already dealt with the cult and have some safety margin.
“Seems like they’ve brought all unnecessary stuff while coming here. Like they were preparing for a picnic?”
Pastel approached Melissa. She lifted her golden hair to get a whiff.
Melissa tensed up, shrugging her shoulders.
Oh, wait, it doesn’t smell like anything?
Is the heir to the Southern Commander entirely washed out in the field with soap?
“Didn’t use any fragrance?”
“Didn’t bring any.”
“It was in the knight order’s supplies, though? Now that you’ve brought it, just borrow some.”
“I enjoy such things, but I hold back during times like this. Fragrance is good for tracking by hunting dogs. If they figure out my preference and train with that scent, no matter how well I hide, they’ll locate me.”
Whoa, ultra-elite.
Pastel, who at first ignored the soap during her hair washing, felt a bit pricked.
“Melissa!”
She pulled her friend into a big hug.
“I wish I had someone like Melissa beneath me!”
Totally, totally more at ease!
“B-But if you cut it by half, won’t there be too much backlash? It’s not just the members; the Knight Order Leader is hard to control.”
Since he’s a knight rank.
“I already discussed it with the Knight Order Leader!”
Although my mental state wasn’t up to par yesterday, I’ve taken care of business.
I agreed to submit to the academy’s control in exchange for covering up the excessively disgraceful occurrences in the knight order.
“I’ve broadly sketched the restructuring plan, so talk to the Knight Order Leader!”
It helped to have previously investigated the knight order and checked internal matters. The details need readjustments again, though.
Melissa’s mouth gaped slightly, and her hand hurriedly covered it.
“You are really amazing. This is smooth sailing up to this point.”
Whoa.
Is that so…?
“If the Knight Order is practically under the academy’s wing, there won’t be anyone to stop you on Sky Island. Even if the former glory is still far off, it will lay the groundwork for rebuilding the Craft Family.”
Pastel was touched. She grabbed Melissa’s hand and shook it.
“Melissa! To care and worry for a friend like this… You’re the only one!”
“Really?”
Melissa smiled gently.
“In that case, as a friend, let me say this. How about stopping the disgraceful smuggling? While abuse of power isn’t great, it’s a matter for family rebuilding, so there’s some consideration. However, smuggling is too disgraceful. The odd structure where the student council funds Craft High Merchant’s operating costs, too.”
Oh, wait.
Pastel suddenly turned her gaze away.
Whoa.
An ant was scurrying past in the corridor!
Looks super busy!
“Melissa! It’s time for us to work like Ant Friend! I’ll inspect the loot by myself, so you talk to the Knight Order Leader!”
“Huh?”
Pastel dashed away.
Swoosh.
“Wow! There’s so much!”
Pastel’s mouth dropped open as she saw the piled-up gold and gems. It seemed the cult abandoned all their tangible assets.
This is the taste of plunder…!
I think I’m beginning to understand a pirate’s mindset!
“Full confiscation! Full confiscation!”
On the spot, she signed off on the loot confiscation.
After all, now there’s no one above Powerhouse Pastel!
“Good job, Baby Bird Friend!”
She ruffled the feathers of the giant chick beside her.
“If it weren’t for you guys, I’d have a hard time finding these hidden treasures in the corner tunnels!”
—Peep!
The baby bird puffed up proudly.
“Good job! Good job!”
Having decided to confiscate based only on the gold and similarly priced gems, she needed to be meticulous, so she checked the entire loot. Entering some accumulated warehouse, she caught a whiff of herbs. There were bundles and wooden boxes.
“Is this medicinal herbs?”
“Upon verification through the prisoners, it seems these were brought from the Sky Whale. That whale that regularly visits Sky Island.”
“Oh, that whale friend?”
I once gathered friends to sell medicinal herbs and carefully created a budget for the student council.
—Peep! Peep!
The baby bird, enjoying its contributor’s status, pointed its wing toward somewhere.
There, a luxurious treasure chest was sitting alone.
Oh, wait.
“What’s that?”
The knight member looked flustered.
“We’re not quite sure… When the cult found and researched the ruined relics on the back of the Sky Whale, it seems they discovered that loot.”
“What’s inside it?”
“That’s something we don’t know.”
“You haven’t opened it?”
Isn’t checking before managing loot rather standard?
The knight member looked flustered. He also seemed incredulous at himself for not thinking to open it.
“I should have checked… My apologies.”
What a bizarre oversight. Pastel was about to update the restructuring list when she paused.
“People can make mistakes! Just make sure to be more careful next time!”
Should I open the treasure chest?
Pastel hummed as she moved her hand. The box pleasantly clicked open. I can’t believe I didn’t think something this simple would be hard to open.
Peeking inside the box, there was a jewel that looked familiar.
It resembled what I obtained from the Demon King’s ruins. Powers of gem consumption or the power to control gems, maybe?
Her hand stealthily covered the box. Thinking quietly, she placed her hand into her pocket. A small compass came out. Its needle pointed at the box.
Wowza!
It’s the fate compass the Former Demon King gave to find his legacy! I even forgot it existed…!
“Confiscated! Confiscated! All taken!”
She pulled the chest straight under her arm.
“It looks dangerous, so I’ll manage this personally!”
She finished her tasks quickly.
Rushing to the kitchen, she found the Demon Lord making pie dough.
“Demon Lord! Demon Lord!”
The treasure chest on her head wobbled.
“Wait. It’s not ready yet. Sit down there and wait; why’s that on your head?”
“That’s just a hat!”
She casually placed the treasure chest on the shelf. Pulling some jewels from her pocket, she exclaimed,
“Demon King’s legacy!”
Smart Pastel found it!
“Was there a ruin in the holy site?”
The demon took off his apron.
“Must have been left carelessly. Hope there’s no harm done.”
His red eyes examined her.
“I can’t tell you, Demon Lord, but I endured a very arduous journey and bravely conquered the ruins, obtaining the power with honor!”
Feeling proud.
“What kind of journey was it?”
“A monumental journey! A journey to befriend a million Sky Whales!”
Whoa, awesome.
With this, it feels like world domination is on the table!
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Exactly!”
She opened the fate compass and jewel box to store the gems. They fit perfectly in the empty spots.
“Whoa!”
The pink eyes lit up round.
“This sensation! This sensation!”
Pastel became exceedingly excited and then rolled her eyes.
I don’t feel anything at all.
Former Demon King, could you explain this?
“This is the power of gem transformation.”
Whoa.
Gem transformation?
“Can I turn gems into pizza?!”
But now that I mention it, turning a gem worth its weight in gold into pizza would be a million times loss!
“Of course, not.”
“Seems so!”
Hehe.
Pastel pulled out the snack gem from her pocket. This gem friend pleaded to stay in her pocket, so she granted the request.
“It would be good to keep distance.”
“Yep.”
She went outside and placed the gem on the rock.
Spreading her arms wide, she shouted,
“Haah!”
I don’t know what it is, but power beam~!
“Psychic beam biiim~!”
The gem emitted a black sheen.
What is this? This is?
Energy surged from the gem. At the peak of its intensity, a powerful light burst forth. An explosion occurred, splintering the rock. The aftershock whipped the wind, tussling her pink hair.
Whoa.
A fine pit came into view.
The Demon calmly remarked,
“The gem has transformed into energy.”
Pastel heard this as,
“Gold turned into air.”
“Ahhhhh! The value of my gold…!”
There lay the debris, not even a speck remaining.
Thud.
“My gem friend!”
Just turn into pizza already!
