Mafia’s total! Assassination! Plan! Kill! Scheme!
Ahh!
“Please spare me!”
Pastel is trembling.
I haven’t done anything wrong, yet I’m facing an assassination crisis! This is my worst nightmare!
But, but…
If I think logically, it seems the Mafia hasn’t done anything, and it’s Spy Mr. Penguin who’s been manipulating the data.
Even if the Mafia makes radical statements, would they really try to kill a governor who wields the Emperor’s sword at their waist?
I am the Emperor’s full delegate.
I am no different from Emperor Pastel.
Long live Emperor Pastel!
May they reign forever!
Huff.
Anyway, I really don’t think the cult would plan such a deadly assassination together, so it must mean that Spy Mr. Penguin is ruthlessly framing innocent members of the Mafia.
Aahh!
A professional with no blood or tears.
Pastel, with blood and tears, had no choice but to tremble in fear at the thought of killing innocent Mafia members.
So, she just trembled.
“Ahh! Please spare me!”
Tremble tremble.
Beside the table, Elly observed the governor’s assassination plans with a darkened expression.
“Is this not a fake?”
Her hands gripping the documents trembled slightly.
Even if it’s not the self-proclaimed Emperor, killing the governor who was granted full authority and visited the Demon Realm is not something that can be taken lightly.
The Emperor’s sword represents the delegation of authority, and killing the full delegate is a challenge to imperial power. It’s not truly on par with an assassination plan against the Emperor, but it’s enough of a blow to one’s pride.
Even in peaceful times, the potential for trouble is high. The atmosphere has become ominous with the appearance of the Demon King (not a fake but also not not a fake).
Let’s be blunt; it was a perfect excuse for a war.
The Emperor, who is preoccupied with the traitors within the Empire, wouldn’t make a blunder such as starting a war with the United Kingdom, but it’s easy to induce a war-like atmosphere.
If a war crisis suddenly struck the United Kingdom, which is buried in debt and focused on national development, the market would seize up, cash flow would freeze, and it would only be a matter of time before a wave of bankruptcies begins.
From the Emperor’s perspective, this would provide a perfect excuse to gently ruin the United Kingdom at its weakest moment without lifting a finger.
Mr. Penguin’s face became dark.
“This is a verified document. When Governor Pastel handed it over, I, too, didn’t want to believe it, but it turned out to be true.”
Ahh.
I don’t think I ever handed anything over, but somehow it feels like I might have.
Pastel tried to piece together her memory.
—Huff, Mr. Penguin! Waddle Waddle Penguin! This is my assassination plan! Ahh! Please spare me!
—Oh really?! Let’s verify!
—Instead of verifying, how about forcibly dissolving the parliament?!
—Oh, that’s not okay.
Aahh!
Thinking back, it does feel like I might have handed over something to Waddle Waddle Penguin, or maybe not, but it feels like it might be true!
Huff, does that mean it’s almost correct?
Pastel, trembling, pulled out a white handkerchief. She began writing a letter with a fountain pen.
“Elshire, I finally understand how you felt when you were faced with an assassination crisis. Just breathing has become so terrifying. I don’t think I can sleep alone tonight. Should I take my pillow and visit the Demon Lord’s room? Wouldn’t that help?”
Oh?
Oh oh?
The pink eyes rolled for a moment.
The fountain pen scribbled rapidly with a different tension than before.
“That seems right!”
I’m a total genius!
Eli, who had been glancing at the document repeatedly, caught a glimpse of the handkerchief letter. Her expression turned pitiful.
“I’m sorry.”
Huh?
Turning around, she didn’t look good. While diplomatic issues were problematic, it seems she’s having conflicting feelings because her friend is facing an assassination threat.
Huh.
Pastel’s conscience jolted.
No, this is fake.
The pink eyes glanced slyly at the co-conspirator.
Mr. Penguin wiped his face and looked gloomy.
“It’s fortunate that the governor showed us great kindness by informing us first. I can’t imagine what would have happened if this document had gone straight to the palace.”
Aahh.
Mr. Penguin has no conscience!
The innocent Princess Elly, having infiltrated the academy with a fake identity to make friends, ends up confusing her real identity with her fake one, prioritizing her friend’s worries over national interests, and instead of helping, Mr. Penguin is actually encouraging this!
Mr. Penguin is totally suited for being a wicked spy!
Shock.
Shock!
But because neither Pastel nor Mr. Penguin informed the foolish Elly that she was a spy for the Emperor, they just stayed silent.
Moreover, it was Pastel, too, who kept declaring “But we’re friends!” to the naive girl who was confused about her identity, so she remained quiet as well.
Huff, it feels like Pastel Governor’s sinister plot has been discovered late, but it must be a misunderstanding.
Yup yup!
“Really. I can’t imagine what would have happened if it had gone to the palace.”
Elly covered her eyes with her arms and collapsed onto the chair. Then her body leaned sideways and she weakly rested on Pastel’s shoulder.
“Thank you. It must have been a great risk for you.”
Her gaze looked up with a sense of nostalgia.
Pastel’s conscience suddenly ached. Her expression became awkward.
“It’s nothing! This is an easy task for me! Haha! Ahaha!”
Elly shook her head. Her black hair brushed against her shoulder.
“I know how difficult a choice it was for you. I can’t imagine how important it is for you not to get caught by the Emperor who brought down the Craft Family.”
Elly hesitated slightly, opening her mouth then closing it.
Then she slowly said, “Given that you oddly act in many ways only toward me, I began to suspect whether you enjoyed my reactions. After seeing you with the Great Demon Lord, I thought maybe you have some sadistic hobbies typical of Crafts. So, I began to doubt whether this was a proper friendship…”
Huff.
Elly smiled gently, looking apologetic.
“I haven’t had enough faith.”
Her soft voice echoed weakly.
“I’m not worthy of being a friend.”
The pink eyes met hers.
Oh, is that the reason?
For the normally cold Elly to feel excessive guilt, it must be because she thinks it’s bad to have doubted her kind friend for no reason.
Pastel was very happy.
“Not at all! Elly has always been a special friend with separate management! That will never change!”
Elly, pondering over the words, looked up blankly.
“If you say that so openly, then my suspicion comes back. Is it just my overreaction?”
“Yup yup! Of course!”
The wall that Elly always had in her heart has finally been dismantled.
Now, she can freely come and go in Elly’s heart!
But unlike the good news, the assassination plan being fake made Pastel feel down inside.
It felt like getting a super ultra-cool building only to find out it’s a 100% pure concrete building with no rebar.
Concrete Friend: I love earthquakes!
Earthquake Friend: Me too, I love earthquakes!
Aahh!
Please don’t do that!
Ugh.
I’ve become a bad person deceiving my friends.
Achieved the worst landmark of my life… first ever.
Mr. Penguin tidied up the chaotic documents. Melissa, who had been observing the documents in complete silence, finally pulled her hands away.
Elly suddenly stared at Melissa.
Melissa looked puzzled.
“What’s wrong?”
“Are you a friend too?”
Elly, perhaps feeling sentimental from the atmosphere, threw out the question.
“Huh?”
Melissa tilted her head.
“You haven’t participated in any political discussions though you’re here in your position. I’ve been listening whenever I could…”
Oh?
Melissa blushed in embarrassment and rubbed her cheeks.
“Did it feel like I was eavesdropping? I didn’t think about it, I’m sorry.”
She rested her chin on her fingers as if pondering.
“My mother told me not to speak on matters I can’t take responsibility for. As a mere heir, the topics are a bit heavy for me to engage.”
Melissa smiled softly.
She pointed one finger at each of them.
“Pastel is the governor, and Elly is the princess, but I’m just a simple heir. The weight is different, right?”
Yup yup!
“That’s right! We’re all friends!”
No matter how suspicious it may seem, if you express your true feelings, the other person wouldn’t be able to respond, so Elly must be in a somewhat sentimental state right now.
“Oh.”
Elly seemed to realize her misjudgment late and bit her lips slightly.
Then, realizing she was still leaning on Pastel’s shoulder, she flinched lightly.
Hehe.
Pink eyes sparkling~.
Elly shyly averted her gaze and straightened up.
“Regardless, thank you for notifying us of the irrevocable judgment of the Mafia. It means we can respond preemptively without the palace catching on, right?”
“Yup yup!”
If the Emperor acts first, that causes an even bigger problem.
With that emotional boost, Elly seemed to have regained her rationality as she held the expected list in her hand.
It’s a list compiling individuals suspected of connections with the cult. Although primarily consisting of radicals, there were a few moderates sprinkled in for objectivity.
The moderates were probably just for show, so they could remove them from the suspects when investigating.
“What will you do?”
Thump thump.
Thud thud.
Elly scanned through the list.
Once she checked everyone, she opened her mouth.
“Execute them all.”
Huh?
All of them?
The entire expected list?
Huh?
“They should have done it properly if they were going to do it. If they got caught, they should have fled correctly. If they stood in the wrong line, they should have known how to stand in the right one.”
She casually placed the document aside.
“Since ancient times, incompetence has been a capital offense.”
Princess Elly was decisive.
It sounded cruel.
Mr. Penguin shivered.
Pastel’s mind, which had briefly left, began to return.
The pink eyes widened.
“Aahh! Wait! Wait a minute!”
Is this the Demon Realm’s sentiment?
If we suddenly turn back to the age of barbarism, that would be bad…!
