“Next week is vacation! You all did a great job this semester!”
Pastel placed her hands on her hips and looked at Elly and Dustin.
“Have you made any vacation plans? As the head researcher, allow me to advise you that diligent effort brings results, just as Melissa acknowledged!”
Hehe.
“Craft, you’re elegant.”
Right, right.
I’m an elegant swan.
“Don’t just let vacation pass by; you all should work hard too! Who knows who will be the next head researcher? Of course, it’s me again!”
“Well, it’s the first time I’ve seen you so focused without caring about image management.”
Elly thought for a moment and nodded.
“I knew that Craft’s spirit was to purposely avoid student council activities, but seeing you get so into it is really amazing. I didn’t expect you to write a whole thesis in such a short time.”
Craft’s spirit?
Pastel tilted her head.
Is she talking about betrayal and division?
Hehe.
Pastel, evil?
“What do you mean by image management?”
Dustin looked puzzled.
Elly shot Dustin a sidelong glance, as if he were a pathetic boy bewitched by a girl’s appearance.
“You wouldn’t understand even if you heard.”
“Elly, that’s not how friends should be! Dustin just has a talent for serving others, he’s not an idiot!”
Dustin’s expression grew intricate.
“Not an idiot, Dustin! I’ll explain!”
Pastel pointed at herself.
“Right now, I’m Managed Pastel! Look! My hair is flowing, and my skin is moist!”
The demon lord helps me manage it every morning.
“But what about when you were writing the thesis? You were so rushed that you couldn’t even manage yourself! Your hair was dull, your skin lifeless, and your eyes were glazed over! You looked like a grad student!”
Whoa.
Pastel marveled at herself.
A grad student…!
Grad student Pastel…!
Though it means something different, she indeed looked like a grad student due to the lack of vitality from writing a professor’s thesis.
“Cherry Blossom Pastel turned into Not-Cherry Blossom Pastel!”
Hehe.
Not-Cherry Blossom Pastel…!
Pastel’s hands trembled.
Shudder, shudder.
“The difference between managing and not managing is this significant! I’ll never become Not-Cherry Blossom Pastel again!”
Whoa.
“Ah! You meant the change in appearance due to lack of leisure was what you called image management. What was I even thinking? Got it.”
Dustin nodded in understanding.
Elly glared at Dustin with pity, seeing him as a foolish boy easily fooled by a girl’s innocent act.
Hmm.
Elly just doesn’t seem to vibe with Dustin.
Well, friends can have their differences, right!
As a compassionate person, I completely understand!
After saying goodbye to the student council members before vacation, Pastel moved busily.
It would take a few days to say goodbye to all her friends. Though a week was left until vacation, she had to move quickly to finish in time.
She spent time saying goodbye to every friend she encountered.
“Goodbye! Goodbye!”
Having many friends is a burden.
You could say it’s a struggle that only popular people face.
Of course, her friends seem to keep a personal distance from Pastel for some reason. Just like Melissa.
They accept greetings with smiles and acknowledge her as a friend, but seem reluctant to have deep conversations.
From afar, it’s comedic, but up close, it’s tragic; the attitude of wanting to only see the pretty things from a distance is palpable.
Pastel likes them, but it’s awkward to get close. Beam~.
Whoa.
The beam of light is dazzling.
Whether in a good or bad way, it feels like she’s become an idol.
“Oh! Leonard! Hi!”
Leonard, who was examining something with his subordinates in front of the first-year dormitory, turned around.
“What is it, what’s up?”
“I came to say goodbye to my friends before vacation!”
“There are no friends of yours here. Just go.”
Pastel cheerfully ignored Leonard’s words.
“Hello, friends! Are you ready for vacation?”
Leonard’s subordinates and Pastel’s friends responded.
Of course, they’re friends!
Ignore Leonard’s words!
“Hey! If you all respond this way, what will happen to my dignity! Don’t you know who’s more important between me and them?!”
Hmm.
“Of course, it’s not me, right? We’re friends! There are twice as many letters as ‘friend’!”
Twice the letters, twice the letters!
Oh yeah.
Leonard looked baffled.
“What kind of ridiculous talk is that? Do you really know how shameless you are?”
“Yep!”
Pastel eagerly confirmed.
“Wow, you’re really shameless?!”
Leonard was at a loss for words.
“Shameless Pastel~.”
But I have many friends~.
Hahaha.
Pastel chuckled to herself and changed the subject.
“But what were you friends doing?”
Leonard sighed.
“I was checking on some upperclassman installing something in my area.”
Installing?
It was a large square wooden device.
“What is this?”
“I don’t know; that’s why I’m checking. Don’t you know either?”
“Let me take a look.”
Pastel examined the wooden device with a serious face. It was the size and shape of a large box, but gears could be seen through its exterior and interior.
Hmm.
“Do you think you know what it is?”
Leonard subtly asked, his expectations hidden. The friends’ expectant gazes followed.
Haha.
“Of course I do!”
Pastel wore a confident expression.
And quickly touched the demon sword.
Demon Lord! Demon Lord!
I have no idea!
Whoa.
The honor of the head researcher…!
The demon lord calmly spoke.
『It’s an ejection device.』
Pastel confidently exclaimed.
“It’s an ejection device!”
Hehe.
“Whoa!”
Leonard and the friends were impressed.
“You figured it out all at once! You’re really the head researcher!”
Hehe.
Leonard stared at the device.
“It’s an ejection device. Do you know what it’s used for?”
“Of course I do!”
Pastel confidently answered.
And examined the ejection device. It looked like a large box, with gears peeking out.
“Ah-ha!”
She quickly touched the demon sword.
Demon Lord! Demon Lord!
I have no idea!
Whoa.
『It’s likely a small hot air balloon for launching.』
Pastel confidently stated.
“A small hot air balloon!”
Hehe.
“Whoa! Head researcher! Head researcher!”
Leonard crossed his arms and frowned.
“A small hot air balloon, huh? What’s the intention of putting something like this in someone else’s territory? You know this too, right?”
“Of course!”
Smart Pastel learns quickly.
She no longer hesitated.
Right away, she tapped the demon sword.
Demon Lord! Demon Lord!
Whoa.
『…It’s typically used for events. You hang a cloth with writing underneath the hot air balloon and launch it.』
“It’s for events!”
Hehe.
“Whoa!”
『Extreme use might be for gas distribution. Given its structure, this seems more plausible.』
“And gas distribution! This seems more plausible!”
Hehe.
“Whoa! Oh…?”
The friends, who had been marveling, suddenly froze.
Pastel, who had been speaking without thinking, also paused.
Huh?
Everyone’s gaze shifted down at the ejection device.
Silence ensued.
From afar, a new friend rushed over.
“Leader! An upperclassman installed something suspicious in our area! What’s this? You’re here too?”
Whoa.
『It may not be, but the risk of terrorism is high. Quite a bold action. Are they trying to promote their power as well?』
Terrorism?
“Whoa!”
Pastel clutched her head and screamed. It was as if she was pouring out her confusion and emotions, running her hands through her hair until she stopped and took a rough breath.
And slowly turned serious.
I’m in the student council, the student council.
The command center in an emergency.
It was a position that needed to take the lead.
She rubbed her trembling hands to calm down.
“Leonard, get the kids to evacuate inside the dorm and grab your weapons! I’ll check this out, so move now!”
At the firm command, Leonard flinched but then nodded.
“Got it. You all heard the student council’s order, right? Move out! Now!”
Heavy footsteps echoed.
Left alone, Pastel examined the device.
“Can I break it?”
『Due to its structure, it’s not an explosive.』
As she grabbed it and pulled, it broke apart, revealing the insides.
A small hot air balloon made of cloth and a small magical device. There was also a vial of what seemed to be a gas component.
『From the color, it seems to be a paralysis fragrance. It’s not immediate, but effective.』
“Let’s inform the professors immediately.”
『No need. Given such a bold action, they’ve likely already been discovered.』
As if to corroborate those words, an alarm rang throughout the academy. An alert for intruders.
After breaking the ejection device, Pastel quickly scanned the surroundings. She saw the panicking kids.
“Get inside the dorm! Get inside!”
With her guidance, they were able to evacuate without much chaos.
Armed Leonard and his group came running.
“What do we do next, student council?”
“That depends on the intent of the terrorism…”
Pastel crossed her arms and pondered.
Immediately, consecutive explosions were heard. Small hot air balloons rose into the air, releasing colorful smoke. The smoke began to settle to the ground as if heavier than air.
『It’ll ride the wind and fly up. It’s not safe here either.』
From somewhere, the cry of a beast could be heard. Did they unleash a beast for confusion?
“First, get into the dormitory building!”
“Shouldn’t we fight?”
“We’re capable of a siege, but there’s no need to engage in guerrilla warfare! It’s a sit-in! Let’s go in! Hurry!”
She pushed Leonard’s back.
Pastel entered the dormitory, shutting the door behind her. She examined the locking mechanism. The lock seemed sturdy.
“Alright. The dormitory should be relatively safe. Leonard, stay vigilant for window intrusions. There’s no particular reason to attack the dormitory, so if we just give the impression that it’s difficult to attack, we should be safe.”
“Got it. Did everyone hear that?! Count the number of windows on the first floor and distribute personnel! Block where we can with furniture and keep watch where we can’t! Extra personnel check the back door and secret passages!”
Leonard organized his subordinates. The chaos subsided, and quick actions were taken.
Nice job.
She felt relieved.
As Pastel watched this, she opened the door. The wind blew in, and her pink hair fluttered. All eyes turned to her.
“Leonard! I’m leaving now. Please take charge here. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
“What?”
Leonard, who turned his head, opened his eyes wide.
“You’re leaving alone?!”
“Yep, I’m in the student council.”
“Then we should all go—”
A beast’s cry was heard. A hungry wolf charged through the paralysis smoke.
Pastel took a step without even looking back. The wolf brushed against her clothes, and her sword slashed out. Blood spray flew.
The blood stained the door. The girl kicked the wolf’s corpse outside. Bloodstains remained on the ground.
“Leonard, it’s fine to play leader, but then carry out your responsibilities that come with the position.”
Blood flowed down her pink hair.
“Calm your emotions and regain your rationality. Gather opinions and do your best.”
The girl pierced Leonard with her gaze.
“You can do that, right?”
She extended her fist.
Leonard hesitated.
After a brief moment, their fists met.
Pastel smiled and left the safe zone.
Footsteps echoed.
The girl, with a body beyond human, walked through the paralysis smoke for a while and stopped in a position out of sight from the dormitory.
Suddenly, she clutched her head.
Whoa.
I joined the student council for no reason…!
I have to walk on four limbs…!
Life is so hard for Pastel…!
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