As Marquis Craft refused to shake hands, an air of tension filled the banquet hall. The bank and company staff watched quietly, holding their breath during the silent standoff.
Count McKenna internally cursed.
Those pink eyes scanned him up and down with a condescending glare, showing no sign of confusion.
Considering the Marquis’s grasp on the power of Sky Island through cunning schemes, it would be too naive to think of him as just a foolish child.
The Marquis had entered the academy immediately after recovering from a mentally incapacitated state. His recent actions indicated that he had only visited the Camelot territory as a friend, lacking proper banquet and social experience.
So, he was trying to exert pressure as an elder in this unfamiliar situation and space.
But it seemed such light tactics wouldn’t work here.
Even in his downfall, Craft’s blood still ran strong.
No, if he had become this accomplished without undergoing the rigorous training of heir education and clan rivalry, one could argue his blood was thicker than ever.
Then it was reasonable to assume the sinister rumors he had uncovered were indeed based in truth.
Instigating terror and then using that as an excuse to reshape the Sky Island administration, all while dealing with the bothersome Knight Order. After falling from central politics, his plan was to find opportunities in the fringes.
If such rumors circulated about most targets, the mere act of spreading fear by initiating them would seem to indicate a significant financial backing, but…
If he inherited Craft’s scheming nature to this extent, it was quite possible he’d even orchestrated terror himself.
Even though his methods were rough and lacked finesse, considering the Marquis’s age, there was a semblance of humanity in them.
Or perhaps he was deliberately allowing rumors to circulate or encouraging them without any human empathy as a schemer.
The Craft family was in a defensive position. It was rare to find something as convenient as sinister rumors to advertise their strength. While they weren’t polished, extraordinary circumstances warranted extraordinary measures.
During a behind-the-scenes negotiation with the Empire Bank, whispers came in that, due to the very rumors spread intentionally, the royal family had begun to take a renewed interest in the Craft family, watching them closely. If this was Craft’s intent, it was indeed successful.
Although the royal family had brought the Craft family down, the other major nobles remained firmly positioned, leaving no reason for the central powers to interfere with Sky Island, which remained a remote region. It might even be possible to gain influence in the central political arena as the emperor’s hunting dog.
If the current Marquis Craft continued to develop this way, he might reach the capabilities of certain Craft family heads whose betrayals and schemes only became apparent after historians analyzed them posthumously.
And all this knowledge gained without any education.
Born to be a schemer.
That schemer had taken an interest in the railroad concession capable of impacting the Demon Realm…
Were his grandstanding references to the ridiculous method of electing an acting president and his open advertisement of being a pro-demon faction linked?
Count McKenna gracefully withdrew his hand, which had been rejected in the handshake, and continued to make a show of bowing his head near his chest.
“Your reputation precedes you. Indeed, you are as remarkable as your fame suggests.”
The golden ring on the Count’s finger glittered under the chandelier’s light.
Pastel flinched.
Huh?
Overwhelmed by the legendary level of corruption, her gaze, which had been intently scrutinizing her counterpart, froze. The motivation of a newbie trying to learn the glitzy golden fashion vanished into thin air.
Now that she thought about it, golden sparkles clashed with her pink aesthetic.
It wasn’t that her corruption level was too low—but rather, her fashion level was simply too high for her to wear golden accessories!
As her longing admiration faded, a fleeting sense of superiority as an elder emerged.
Her chin subtly lifted in pride.
Ahem.
“You have a discerning eye, Count.”
Yup!
Honestly, I think gold rings, gold bracelets, and gold necklaces are tacky!
And! And!
It’s so shameless to compete with someone younger over who makes the grandest entrance at the banquet!
I didn’t lose in this contest; the Count was just incredibly brazen!
Timing was everything. He must have been waiting nearby with his subordinates to observe the banquet, entering after I did!
Saying such a thing feels incredibly embarrassing!
Yup!
Moreover, competing over entrance order is just childish in the first place!
I did it too, but…
That’s fine since I’m inherently childish!
Puh phew!
What now!
Puh phew! Puh phew!
Childish Pastel uttered her insubordinate thoughts and regained her composure.
Revisiting it, there wasn’t anything I needed to bow to this person for.
Powerful Pastel, I may be outmatched in age and height, but power level is what truly matters.
She scanned Count McKenna.
He radiated power-level vibes.
Once a titan in the Demon Realm, he still wielded significant influence as the merchant alliance’s leader.
Though his profit margins from official gem trade were lower than those from smuggling, he monopolized the large-scale market and commanded a private army funded by vast resources.
On the map, there might not be any territory listed, but he essentially ran a nation.
While Sky Island had its de facto self-government, it was still plagued by the central empire’s strong influence, and with the Knight Order’s power split between administration and military, they were just beginning to unify, leaving them still on the backfoot.
Especially considering the company already had an alliance with the Empire Bank, going up against him in his own backyard felt like a daunting task.
Phew…
Still behind in power level.
Pastel subtly lowered her confidently raised chin.
“I hope we maintain a dignified bidding contest. The company operates expanding widely, so there’s no need to scowl over such minor matters.”
Right?
“Let’s aim for that,” Count McKenna said, his eyes sparkling as if seizing an opportunity.
“By saying that, it seems the Marquis has quite an interest in this item? I indeed came here rejecting advice from the staff to gather more cash, but your words have piqued my interest; the railroad must be quite viable, huh?”
“Haha!”
Pastel elegantly laughed it off.
Business mode?
No, objectively, it was a disadvantageous situation induced by her anxious feelings about the bids, so this was just a subtle sidestep toward ambiguity.
The pink-eyed count smirked, his gaze turning deep as he looked at the chandelier above.
“I’m very interested.”
And she offered no further explanation.
She was quite interested.
Yup.
A moment of silence passed.
Count McKenna’s eyes shifted, revealing a contemplative look as he pieced together what the Marquis’s comments might mean.
A smart person.
In fact, it’s often said that crafty people are easily caught by those just as intelligent.
The simple-minded Pastel continued to gawk at the chandelier.
Sparkle, sparkle.
It looks expensive.
After gathering his thoughts, Count McKenna donned a somewhat assured expression.
Huh.
I might be involved in some nefarious deeds I’m unaware of!
The Count’s gaze shifted to Elly, who had been watching him under the pretense of sipping wine.
Then, after scanning the area around the Marquis and the Count, where the crowd had slightly parted, he spoke in a low voice.
“Recruiting Professor Horace instead of Professor Marius as acting head, and it seems you are on good terms with Princess Elisyta.”
Oh?
Pastel turned to the demon girl.
Elly’s expression shifted to one of confusion. She shot a glare at the Count for exposing her hidden status, which was a clear affront. This change provided a kind of validation for the title of ‘princess.’
Elly was a princess?
My goodness!
That’s why she seemed so chic!
It was that chicness borne of a difference in social status!
But here I am, using that princess for paperwork.
Pastel briefly raised her chin again.
None other than the great Pastel!
The great Pastel smiled sweetly.
“We’re quite close.”
Totally close.
Just stating facts.
Count McKenna came to understand her. Even without Pastel’s comprehension, he began to suspect why the Marquis had crashed the auction scheme they had orchestrated.
He smirked meaningfully.
“But it won’t be easy. Since ancient times, politics has been the slave of gold.”
This remark seemed dangerously close to insulting the royal family.
“Haha!”
However, Pastel, utterly clueless about the context, simply laughed.
“Then I must be considered close with you as well.”
The pink-eyed count regarded the Count with an amused expression. A slightly cute, cunning voice chimed in.
“I, really like gold.”
Sparkle, sparkle.
Count McKenna’s expression shifted, becoming oddly intense.
He instinctively glanced around again to check if any ears from the Empire Bank were nearby. His face quickly morphed into a greedy grin.
“That’s excellent news. I also happen to love it dearly.”
His hands, as he spoke, lifted slightly, revealing a glowing golden ring.
“I have a villa nearby where I keep my golden collection; would it be alright to invite the Marquis before the auction?”
A private discussion among competitors before the auction.
Huh.
That sounds totally shady.
Pastel’s expression brightened.
Totally shady!
The thrill of deception was palpable!
“Our hearts are in alignment.”
Perhaps I should befriend high-level individuals of all kinds!
This time, I’ll make sure to learn all about that stunning golden fashion!
Earlier, I stubbornly denied it for pride, but Pastel genuinely thought the Count’s fashion was spectacular.
Golden rings! Golden bracelets! Golden necklaces!
Adorning oneself in gold!
I will become a high-level person too!
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