If I’m with the Fairy who grants wishes, I can achieve anything!
Oh dear.
A Fairy who grants wishes?
Wow, I know this fairy tale!
How should I put it… Fairy lamp! No, magic lamp?
Anyway, grant me your wish, lamp!
After a cowardly power struggle, the prince who was ousted stumbled upon a magic lamp that grants wishes in the desert and returned to the capital, defeating his competitors through bizarre schemes and seizing power—just like in a fairy tale!
Oh my! I can’t believe it! It’s exactly what I want!
The Demon Lord couldn’t make contracts like a demon, but the Fairy is different!
Could it be that the Fairy and I are meant to be?
But the Fairy said the world’s greatest wealth and power are beyond reach, which feels a bit disappointing. I think we lack just a little to be soulmates.
Ugh.
I’m sorry, Fairy. I know you’re disappointed. But I can’t just sit anyone next to a celebrity! You’re not just anyone; you’ll be my best friend for a thousand years!
“Pastel seems overly happy. I wonder if something good has happened.”
Melissa whispered to Elly.
But the keen-eared Pastel heard everything and perked up her ears while walking ahead.
“Something good.”
Elly pondered seriously.
Then, as a senior who had learned through many experiences, she advised her junior diligently.
“It’s not good to be too perceptive. Even if you’re curious, pretend you don’t know. Pastel herself said that if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you.”
Goodness, if someone heard that, they might think Governor Pastel is secretly scheming something devious and is feeling high after a successful plot!
“Is that so?”
Melissa tilted her head. Thinking for a moment, she approached with the confidence of being ranked number one among friends.
“Pastel, you seem to be in a good mood these days. Is there something good happening?”
“I don’t know!”
Ever since I met the Fairy, I’ve felt weirdly high!
But wait, wasn’t popular Pastel always cheerful?
So, feeling good isn’t a special thing.
Wow, that seems to be the answer~!
Pastel hummed and walked on.
The end of the airship corridor was in sight. They had taken the train as per the existing schedule for a business inspection, but there was a shady group that had committed a massacre before the Governor, so they were now on the airship, moving quickly.
Slowly, they approached the capital of the Demon Realm United Kingdom. Due to security issues, the docking station was on the outskirts of the capital, so they still had a bit more to go.
“I think I know why you, Pastel, are in a good mood.”
Melissa walked behind with her arms crossed, smiling.
“Oh really?”
You know a reason I don’t even know!
“It’s because of Bellamont, right? I instructed them to transport any greeting letters to the capital of the Demon Realm once they arrived at the Sky Island, so Bellamont’s letter should be arriving about now. Am I right, popular Pastel?”
Pastel’s eyes widened.
Elshire!
She had completely forgotten about her existence.
Oh dear.
Since Elshire went back to the northern duke’s household due to succession issues, Pastel often forgot about her when she wasn’t around!
But then again…
Elshire never had much presence, so even if she hadn’t left, Pastel probably would have forgotten about her!
That means she didn’t particularly forget!
Yep!
“Am I correct?”
Melissa looked at her with sparkling eyes, curious about the answer.
“Wow.”
Pastel covered her mouth in surprise.
“How did you know?”
Popular Pastel was excited because she was looking forward to Elshire’s letter~!
“I knew it.”
Melissa, having guessed correctly, felt proud.
“I’m also looking forward to what kind of letter it is. I’m worried about how the succession conflict is progressing. Well, even though I did push a bit.”
Melissa seemed a bit guilty, worried despite having given advice that was very noble-like, suggesting her friend was sent into peril.
Melissa is so kind~.
“Elshire will do well! I mean, she is a friend of both me and Melissa! She won’t die like a fool tripping on the stairs!”
“That’s unexpected. I thought you would worry more, Pastel.”
Melissa turned to the airship corridor’s window. White feather clouds drifted by in the blue sky.
“Well, if you believe Elshire, then that makes sense. Pastel, you’re learning something today too.”
“Yep!”
Pastel looked through the window following Melissa. For a moment, demon realm buildings were visible below.
“Wow! We’re here! We’ve arrived! It’s the United Kingdom!”
“The border was crossed a while ago, though.”
The usually quiet Elly chimed in to correct.
“Ugh! Elly, you’re ruining the vibe!”
Pastel exclaimed and dashed down the corridor.
“We’ve arrived! We’re here!”
Zoom zoom.
She reached the end of the corridor and swung open the deck door with a burst of energy. The sharp sunlight hit her.
As she opened her eyes against the blinding light, the first thing she saw was the Demon Lord leaning over the railing, gazing down.
“Demon Lord! Have we arrived?!”
The Demon turned his head. The expression that was lost in the past faded as he shifted to a look of pondering what to feed this pink-hued one for lunch.
『Yes, we’ve returned.』
A fleet of airships, resembling whales, flew around in the sky, as befitting the capital of the kingdom. Their enormous fins flapped as they soared.
“Wow wow!”
From what appeared to be a warship-like airship, Elly surveyed the Great Demon with a telescope, while a soldier on the railing saluted and changed course at Elly’s casual wave.
“Wow wow!”
Pastel rushed to the railing. Her field of vision cleared, revealing the ground below.
Tall buildings that seemed to reach ten stories covered the land. The first skyscrapers loomed over the sky, shading out the sunlight and forming the skyline. Magic circles glittered on the building walls.
Turning her gaze aside, factory chimneys lined up as if to cover the horizon, black smoke forming clouds. An airship filled with goods soared through the smoke.
A highly planned city with divided development zones and arranged straight roads.
“Eww?”
Pastel blinked slowly.
The world view is different.
Elly approached the railing. Her hand reached out and pulled out the fountain pen that was stuck in Pastel’s chest pocket.
The fountain pen pointed towards the horizon.
“We’re the Empire now.”
A proud smile, a voice full of pride.
An undeniable sense of self-importance was evident.
The quietly trailing next Southern Commander smiled awkwardly, seemingly contemplating the blue-eyed look, turning his interest back to how Elshire’s letter went.
The airship flew through the city’s dark sky. The cloud of smoke covered the deck. The blue sky was nowhere to be found.
Elly awkwardly reclaimed the fountain pen.
“The air quality isn’t great.”
“Wow! Cough! Cough!”
Pastel felt a sting in her nose, and her eyes started to itch.
“It feels like my lifespan is being shortened in real-time!”
It felt like she needed to quickly wish for immortality from the Fairy!
『It would be best to return to the cabin.』
The Demon Lord nudged her gently.
“Demon Lord! Please make a contract for immortality!”
『What are you suddenly talking about? Stop rubbing your eyes; it’ll only make your eyes hurt more.』
“Waaah! Really?!”
Pastel, rubbing her eyes, only made her situation worse, her hands shaking with tears streaming down her face.
Waaaa!
“Demon Lord! Demon Lord! Immortality!”
『What are you suddenly talking about?』
As Pastel hurriedly fled indoors, Elly felt very awkward about her friend’s intense reaction.
“The air is indeed not very good…”
The fountain pen she hadn’t returned awkwardly scratched her.
“I think it’s unique and nice. More than good or bad, it’s probably a cultural difference.”
Melissa consoled her.
“Is that so?”
Elly, having regained a bit of color, turned back and stared blankly. Melissa was diligently covering her nose with a handkerchief.
Melissa, feeling shy, corrected herself.
“It’s true the air isn’t good.”
“Yep.”
“Wow! Demon Realm skewers! As the great Governor Pastel who rules the Sky Island, today I will compare how much the number one skewer of the Sky Island differs!”
Pastel sat on a bench behind the post office, holding the skewers in both hands.
Melissa watched with a hint of skepticism.
“Isn’t that title earned because the number one store in Sky Island offered you lifetime skewers as a bribe?”
Pastel pretended not to hear.
The Governor is hard of hearing~!
“I’ll try it!”
Sprinkle with gem pepper.
“Nom!”
Pastel’s pink eyes widened.
Oh wow.
What is this!
This is…!
Pastel hurriedly chewed the chicken and swallowed.
Then she shouted.
“Cough!”
A cough filled with the scent of smoke.
I don’t know about the taste, but the air is bad…!
Pastel had just arrived at the United Kingdom, but suddenly felt like she wanted to stay holed up in the hotel instead of sightseeing the city.
Melissa was darting around like a girl witnessing the city for the first time, and Elly, like a girl showing the city for the first time, couldn’t keep her mouth shut, but for Governor Pastel, ten-story buildings and industrial factories didn’t pique her curiosity at all.
The back door of the post office opened, and Elly came out.
As expected in the capital of the Demon Realm, the objective gaze towards the pink-haired person wasn’t too favorable, so Elly went instead to receive Elshire’s letter.
“I got one letter.”
“Yep!”
Pastel shook her legs eagerly while receiving the letter.
“Elshire’s exciting letter!”
The envelope was torn open, and the paper came out. Melissa, who was going to mention the wax seal, gave up and looked at the letter together with her.
“Let’s see.”
On the single sheet of paper was a short message fitting its number of pages.
“Craft, I need your advice. How should I win in the blood feud?”
Oh my.
Craft, where the rule of bloodshed means blood relatives killing each other, was now in a pitiable situation.
Pitiable.
