“Zing~.”
Pastel walked into the waiting room where the tournament draw was about to take place, looking quite clever.
“Detective Pastel and Revenge-Seeking Pastel have collaborated to figure it out!”
She pointed at the empty front.
“Professor Carlo is suspicious! If there’s a spy in the academy, it can only be Professor Carlo!”
It was indeed that way.
“Hormone Friend.”
What an immense sense of betrayal.
“I said it last time, but Sky Island is the front line, and the position of a professor in the academy isn’t for just anyone. While I was stuck in the basement, a whole new era passed, and though I don’t know the current state of the empire well, the basics probably haven’t changed much.”
Pastel shook her head.
“But actually, the Demon Lord is wrong! That’s it!”
“Provide a reason.”
Reason, evidence.
“You think silly Pastel can’t answer? But I can! Because this is related to a Cult, and I’m currently judging very seriously.”
Pastel put on her clever face.
“As I said last time, Professor Carlo has been handling things so bizarrely. Of course, it wasn’t that strange in isolation, but when you put it all together, it looks odd!”
She looked back at the empty hallway, folding her fingers one by one.
“He wanted to abolish the student council system for students. He implicitly allowed the use of Gem Awakening potions, facilitating the Cult’s infiltration. He failed to block the sewers in time, promoting assassinations and terrorism.”
Exactly!
“He handled everything while providing reasonable justifications like budget saving, performance improvement, and administrative principles, but it’s too consistent!”
When coincidences keep happening, it becomes inevitable.
“It might be possible, but I doubt the empire has fallen to the point where it can’t even properly select an academy professor.”
Huh.
What kind of image does the Demon Lord have of the empire?
Is this the generational gap caused by age?
Ugh.
The age gap is way too big.
“I think the reason that professor seems suspicious is simply that he’s too incompetent. Just because you’re in a high position doesn’t mean you have the skills.”
Pastel, the rebellious youth who attempted to retort against the ancestor generation Demon Lord, was stunned.
“It’s easy to mistakenly think that those who teach are only because the world is lacking compared to them. That professor just cast aside humility and was seated in a high position, showcasing incompetence for all to see.”
That’s intense.
Even if Carlo could hear this, he would doubt whether this is meant to defend him.
Still, the sight of a professor, who might still not be a spy, being publicly insulted made Pastel’s conscience prick.
The Demon Lord is truly demonic.
“I think that’s a harsh statement.”
Really.
“Huh? Why am I being portrayed as the bad guy? It’s common for someone competent in their field to overestimate their capability in unrelated areas.”
Pastel shook her head.
“Gossiping is bad.”
Exactly.
“Why am I the bad guy?”
The Demon Lord looked bewildered.
The waiting room door at the end of the hallway opened. Elly peeked out, surveying the corridor, and spotted Pastel.
“Pastel, hurry up! Everyone’s waiting.”
“Ah! Got it!”
Pastel ran, her pink hair flowing behind her. Inside the waiting room were her friends assigned to Tournament A.
Melissa, Elshire, Leonard, Friends A, Friends B, and more.
Everyone she knew!
They arranged several tournaments by their scores, pairing similar levels together, so Tournament A was filled with the top tier only.
Pastel waved her hands.
“Hey friends! Did you wait for me? You did, right? Your long-awaited Pastel has arrived!”
Melissa, who had been intently staring at the Countess Elshire, broke into a smile.
“Oh, Pastel. Did you have any trouble on the way?”
Pastel cheerfully replied.
“Nope! Just arrived late! I’m a latecomer!”
But since she’s powerful Pastel, no one could scold her~!
Yay!
“Did everyone miss me? I’m sorry!”
Pastel pressed her palms together and gave a gentle apology.
The popular one with a guilty conscience.
“Hey! No one missed you, so just get to the group formation.”
Leonard, sitting with his feet up on the table, nodded toward the platform. As if playing leader, Friends stood around like subordinates.
“No one missed me?!”
Pastel’s eyes widened.
Then, she burst out laughing by herself.
“Ahahaha! Leonard! Saying that won’t change my friend rankings in my heart! Trying to fish for interest this way will only lower your rank!”
He just dropped out of the top 20!
“What?!”
Leonard’s mouth dropped open. Astonished, he turned to his subordinate.
“Why does she always speak like that to annoy me?”
The subordinate thought hard and replied.
“Boss, heavy denial is actually a positive thing.”
Other subordinates nodded.
“These guys?!”
A scuffle ensued.
Pastel’s eyes widened.
“Wow! Friends! Don’t fight over me!”
Waving her arms with a bit of a sulky face.
“I don’t understand why a coup d’état is so fun! If you keep fighting over me, you’ll all drop to below friend status! Seriously!”
Elly approached, casting a sideways glance at the spectacle.
“Boys.”
She swept her black hair behind her ear and handed over a paper box.
“They’re telling you to fight, so let’s get on with the draw.”
Huh.
So chic.
Pastel looked at Elly with a stunned face and then glanced back at the fighting scene. Then she looked down at the paper box thoughtfully.
She smiled brightly.
“Alright! Let’s do that!”
She walked up to the platform. The awkward Dustin made way for her.
“You all know, right?”
She pointed to the tournament bracket behind the platform. The names were empty, and they were about to pick.
“One person will come up at a time to draw!”
Pastel looked down at her friends and pointed to the silver-haired girl who was quietly sitting by herself in a corner.
“First up, Elshire! Hurry up! Time for the nail-biting group formation!”
Elshire looked a bit awkward. Then, without getting up, she hesitated before speaking.
“I’ll forfeit.”
Huh.
Pastel was shocked.
This was a tournament held to safely see what the next level, the Semi-Knight rank, was like, and now you were skipping out…?
Totally panicking~.
“Why do you want to forfeit?”
Pastel flusteredly held the tournament guide up. She pointed to the rewards section.
“But look! Even if you don’t need the ranking prize since you’re from the Duke of Bellamont, see! There’s bonus points for submitting the semester report! If you get this, you can breeze through preparing the second semester report!”
Totally awesome!
Elshire shook her head gently.
Huh.
Pastel lowered the tournament guide.
“Why do you want to forfeit?”
“Well.”
Elshire seemed a bit burdened by the gazes on her and hesitated. Then, looking embarrassed, she spoke up.
“I’ll win anyway.”
Huh.
“I’m sorry to take a good opportunity away, and I just don’t think I belong at this level.”
Level.
“I didn’t enter to make it harder for you, so I think it’s better if I sit out and let you all enjoy.”
A chilling silence fell.
Pastel’s mouth hung open.
“What?”
Leonard, who had been grabbing the collar of his subordinate, dropped his hands. His fierce glare zeroed in on Elshire.
“Are you saying you want to fight, huh?!”
Elshire seemed flustered.
“No, I’ll forfeit.”
“That’s exactly what you’re saying!”
Leonard slammed the table. The noise filled the room, creating a tense atmosphere.
Watching from the sidelines, Melissa covered her mouth and let out a small sigh before speaking up.
“Bellamont, show some respect to your classmates. This isn’t the North where you grew up.”
Elshire, who had been embarrassed looking at Leonard, felt a bit relieved.
“You’re right. I’m still feeling the sensibilities of the North, thus it’s hard to match your level.”
Melissa smiled softly. Then, staring silently at Elshire for a moment.
“If it’s hard to suppress your presence, shall I be your opponent? In the tournament. I’d be a sufficient match, right?”
Elshire looked flustered again.
“I don’t want to face a magician easily in a narrow tournament setting. You’re not even a grand magician.”
Melissa’s eyelashes fluttered. She wanted to argue as they had during the tea party at Bellamont’s dorm, but she held herself back in this public space.
Ugh.
Pastel’s mouth hung open.
The Semi-Knight rank is just so arrogant.
Elshire stared.
“In any case, I’m going to forfeit. You all have fun.”
Ugh.
Pastel met her gaze and picked up the quill from the podium. She began writing additional words in the tournament guide.
Scratch scratch scratch.
“That’s not allowed!”
She held up Tournament Guide 2.0, pointing at the freshly written rule like it hadn’t dried yet.
“It’s impossible to forfeit on the day of the tournament! That’s an act of betrayal against the students who have been preparing diligently!”
Ultimately, Pastel boldly declared her intentions.
This is power!
Yay~!
Power, how I love it~!
Elshire stared at Pastel, who looked utterly astonished.
“What are you doing?”
Leonard slapped the desk and burst out laughing.
“How fitting! How wonderful!”
Leonard pointed at Elshire.
“Isn’t this our academy! What do you think! Can you still dismiss us as beneath your level?!”
Huh.
Leonard, just moments ago irritated by popular Pastel, is now shifting his attitude like that.
Though he enjoys playing leader, his behavior is totally like a sycophant.
So, so…!
Pastel’s expression bubbled with power.
Totally having fun!
I hope more sycophants show up!
Ahem!
“Oh.”
Melissa’s face turned red as she covered it slightly.
“This level….”
Her voice was filled with utter embarrassment.
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