Thump thump, peeping.
Pastel focused on sneaking a look into the meeting room.
Elly fidgeted with a train miniature, hesitated, and slyly spoke to the Demon Lord.
“Hello, Great Demon Lord.”
Huh.
Isn’t it a bit awkward to start with a hello?
Moreover, she seemed to realize how awkward that was after saying it, so she fixed her gaze back on the train miniature.
The demon stole a glance at Elly.
“Yeah.”
And then just sank back into his thoughts.
Elly glanced at the Demon Lord’s voice and felt flustered by the lack of communication.
Whoa.
What’s with this awkward relationship?
Pastel, feeling the frustrated itch to move her body, flapped her arms a little. She wanted to kickstart a Friend Project, just like she had made Melissa and Elshire friends.
But calling the Demon Lord and Elly friends might be problematic due to their age difference.
Maybe a “Let’s Get Along~!” project would work!
She tore her eyes away from the keyhole and glanced at Melissa. A puzzled blue eye stared back at her.
“Melissa, Melissa. I think the relationship between the Demon Lord and Elly is as awkward as your old relationship with Elshire. We might need some expert help.”
“Is it that bad? What did you see?”
Melissa looked slightly curious.
Pastel wriggled sideways as if to say, “You should see for yourself.” She pointed at the keyhole.
“I’ll pass on that. Taking an interest in scandalous affairs isn’t the best attitude.”
A rejection without a hint of doubt.
Though it seemed she wasn’t completely uninterested in peering through the meeting room door.
Pastel gave Melissa a playful stare.
Something’s brewing.
Suddenly, she felt an urge to corrupt this model student.
Normally, as a pure 100% popular girl, Pastel should avoid unnecessary rumor-mongering and spying on others, but now that she was the powerful Pastel, it seemed like she had a valid reason to go about it. Shouldn’t model student Melissa also be suitably corrupted?
Moreover.
Currently, Pastel was half Demon King!
Consideration of corruption should be her duty!
If during their stay in the Demon Realm Melissa could do naughty things without a second thought, it would become a proud achievement in Pastel’s life!
Pastel made a serious face.
“Melissa, I respect your opinion, but this is something you really need to know.”
“Huh? Is that so?”
Melissa was flustered.
Pastel took on a 100% honest expression.
“How can you talk about kindness and mention being nice while turning a blind eye to the discord around you? Ignorance breeds injury, and indifference breeds conflict.”
So, spying on friends is justifiable!
“That…”
Melissa looked bewildered.
Her moral compass, which she had always trusted as common sense, seemed to shake when a friend (who she thought was less studious than her important) denied it.
Pastel’s heart thumped.
Huh.
That was a deft move to shake the model student with just one word.
Could it be, am I cut out to be a demon?
Maybe I should change how I address the Demon Lord?!
Melissa hesitated.
“But Mother told me not to do such things. Someone who moves the army must not be swayed by trivial scandals.”
Ugh.
The craftsmanship of Count Camelot’s family education is so thorough.
Little demon Pastel faced her first trial in life as a demon.
But for the charming Pastel, such hurdles were no problem!
“Could it be that you misunderstood your mother’s teaching, Melissa? Remember the first semester? You trusted your mom’s words and pushed me away, but when you returned home for the break, your mom said you were way too mean to your classmates.”
“That’s…”
The ethical scale tipped slightly towards the closer friend instead of her distant mother.
Huh, am I a super ultra genius?
Or is it that Melissa is way too weak?
Had she made friends with bad influences, it would’ve been a bigger problem! Lucky for her to have Pastel as a friend!
Melissa hesitated again.
“But still…”
Pastel quickly pointed. She donned a confident 100% trustful expression.
Time for some smart talks to begin.
“The principles of military and the principles of the masses differ. What distinguishes the tyranny of a librarian from that of a king? What difference does it make compared to the current king in history?”
Huh.
I feel like I’m making some really smart remarks right now!
But the problem is, I don’t quite understand what I’m saying…!
Melissa fell deep into thought.
“That makes sense. I can’t rely on a poorly informed person to gauge the downfall of ignorance and stupidity. You might have a point.”
Whoa.
If she suddenly responded like she understood everything, then Pastel would look like a fool.
Melissa hesitated, arranged her wizard robe, and subtly sat in front of the keyhole.
“I don’t know about the maid, but Elly is my friend, so she does have a duty to vaguely understand the circumstances as you said.”
Though the wording was lengthy, it meant she felt the urge to peek.
“Yeah, yeah! That’s right, a friend can’t be oblivious to their friend’s situation!”
Whoa whoa.
While she diligently rationalized with words, the expression on Melissa’s face really looked like she was curious about what was going on inside.
The blonde girl, nervous about doing something bad, trembled her hand slightly and cautiously peered inside.
After poking once, just with a nudge, she immediately rationalized her bad desire.
A thrilling sense of wickedness tingled within her.
Woohoo.
Pastel grinned, wrapping her arms around herself. Her body twisted with excitement.
Something’s happening.
What an incredible sense of achievement!
Did the Demon Lord say to tidy the bedding like this every day? That shocking moment when they get influenced by a mere whisper?
Huh.
Whispers of a demon.
There’s no turning back!
From now on, I must avoid making my bed!
Melissa, having crossed a line, seemed to lose some of her hesitation as she gradually adjusted her position, scanning the interior.
Yet despite her previously rejecting demeanor, her observing actions and kneeling posture showed she had likely learned a thing or two about spying and snooping as the heir of the Southern Commander.
An innocent face, while actually capable of doing it all.
Eek, that’s scary.
Melissa’s bewilderment grew.
“Nothing much is happening…?”
Whoa.
Her pink eyes widened.
“Oh my, is that so?”
Looks like Melissa didn’t need to cross any lines.
What a surprise! I shouldn’t have done it!
But in reality, there’s no quality assurance in life, so this isn’t my fault!
Melissa turned around with a blank stare.
It seemed like she was giving a look that the delivered product was vastly different from the description.
Pastel wore an “oh my” expression.
“It was so awkward talking to each other. We may need outside help after all. I guess the conversation gap just happened, huh?”
Stating only the facts.
“Oh, really? I suppose we did go on a bit too long talking amongst ourselves.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Pastel nodded and then noticed a presence within the meeting room that made her eyes sparkle.
“Oh wow! Hold on! Elly is about to attempt speaking to the Demon Lord again. Quickly, have a look~!”
She urged with both hands, causing Melissa to peer through the keyhole.
This time, seeing something worth spying on, Melissa seemed a little excited.
“Wow, you’re right. Elly is looking anxious about the servant’s gaze. Pastel, as you said, she seems to be really struggling.”
“I see! Keep giving me the live commentary!”
“Okay.”
Pastel leaned in to listen.
After a moment, Elly hesitantly started to speak.
“Today, the weather is nice.”
Ugh, resorting to a weather topic as an icebreaker?
These two are seriously awkward.
“Oh! The servant just looked up. They’re looking out the window. It really is nice out today.”
Melissa, her cheeks slightly flushed, fervently delivered the commentary. It seemed thrilling to disobey her mother in real-time.
Pastel eagerly awaited the next statement from the Demon Lord.
The Demon Lord replied.
“True.”
The conversation immediately stopped.
“And, read the book again.”
Silenced, Elly returned to quietly fiddling with the train miniature. The sound of flipping pages echoed.
The popular Pastel felt an overwhelming sense of frustration.
No, no, no!
If you’re going to communicate like that…!
Pastel flailed her arms.
Melissa readjusted her kneeling pose and alternated glances between the Demon Lord and Elly.
“You’re right, it is very awkward. But considering their dark past, I’m not sure they need any help with that—”
“Demon Lord!”
Pastel burst through the door.
The meeting room was filled with a table packed with the demon realm map and train miniatures laid upon it.
The seated Demon Lord and the standing Elly turned to stare. Their eyes met the exuberantly entered pink girl, then switched to the rather conspicuous state of Melissa.
It was obvious that Melissa was caught peeking through the keyhole, and she was now left frozen in shock.
Elly’s lips trembled under the focused gaze.
“This is—this is, um…”
Her face flushed bright red.
Melissa, with a slightly tearful expression, fluttered her eyelashes as her gaze spun around, seeking out a friendly face, eventually landing on Pastel.
Reliable Pastel shouted out.
“Demon Lord! How can you speak that way? If the other person speaks, you should respond with a question for the conversation to continue!”
If anyone saw this, they might think she had been locked away for ten years without speaking to anyone!
She pointed at Melissa.
“Just how frustrating this is, even peeky Melissa said it’s an awkward conversation!”
Melissa looked stunned.
“Huh? Huh?”
Pastel took on a serious look.
“Yep, yep! You’re the live commentator! This relationship needs the emergency care of popular Pastel!”
Exactly!
The Demon Lord snapped the book shut.
“I was just wondering what you were doing without opening the door.”
He stood up, calmly walking over.
“You young Craft.”
The book was gently raised.
“Please, don’t do anything bad.”
Pastel’s pink head got a light thump.
“Ouch!”
She covered her head with a pained expression.
Noooo!
This is so unfair!
Bad deeds? I didn’t do any of that!
It was Melissa who did something bad…!
I’m telling the truth…!
