Power comes with responsibility.
No matter how much you trust your friends, as a person in power, you must do what you have to do.
As the head of Craft, regardless of my weakened thirst for revenge, if I’ve become the sole authority of the academy, I must accept the responsibilities, just as I am obligated to take vengeance on the cult.
Especially in cases as heinous as terrorist acts.
“I believed in Elly…”
Pastel’s expression turned sorrowful.
Then, she cheerfully exclaimed, “But I can’t let personal feelings interfere with public duties!”
Even if there’s an internal ranking for bribes in my heart, I won’t just gobble them up carelessly! No matter how much money is offered, I will never cooperate with a terrorist!
Similarly, just because I like one friend doesn’t mean I can ignore the possibility of endangering others!
Because I am the great Pastel!
If you love power, you must also bear the corresponding responsibilities!
“Ah…”
Elly had a vacant expression. Her black hair was disheveled. Confused eyes stared down at the cold cup.
Huh?
That was just me casually stating a fact, but what an exaggerated reaction!
If the smart Elly understands, she must know it’s odd for the meticulous Pastel to be disrupting my subordinates’ work by flying paper airplanes around during official duties.
Sure, it’s true that I did it for fun, but isn’t it normal to discreetly check what my subordinates are up to while tossing a paper airplane now and then?
It’s common sense, just like a boss pretending to engage in casual chit-chat while subtly observing the department’s atmosphere and checking if the performance reviews submitted by subordinates are legit!
The clever Elly certainly must’ve noticed I kept sneaking glances at the student roster while looking for the next Demon King during work.
We didn’t need to explicitly say it; we tacitly understood each other!
We were both considering the tragic relationship of a spy who must hide their true intentions and a power figure who has to be suspicious of friends!
Friendship grows amidst tragedy.
As friends, I knew she had this sorrowful secret.
Ahem.
This is the popular Pastel!
I can tell how my friends feel without them saying it~.
However, being a princess means she isn’t just a poor spy suppressing her true feelings under orders from above; she’s the one with the decision-making power.
So now, I thought we could finally drop the pretenses — Yay! — and I could say it openly, but…
“Elly?”
Pastel looked on worryingly. She waved her palm in front of Elly’s eyes.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
The banquet was rather long, wasn’t it?
Especially since it was the half-demon banquet trying to seize the Demon Realm’s railroad rights, and I had participated as a demon.
Was I struggling with worries I didn’t even realize? Did I receive disapproving glances, if not outright mockery?
Oh man, that must’ve been it!
I haven’t been considerate enough…!
Suddenly, Pastel felt incredibly sorry.
“I’m sorry! It must be tiring, and I’ve been talking too much about work at this hour! Let’s save the rest for when we get back to school and can relax!”
Her expression brightened.
“As friends!”
Elly covered her face with trembling hands.
“I just… I need a moment to gather my thoughts.”
There was an anxious tone in her voice.
“Please be quiet, Craft.”
Huh.
Pastel’s eyes widened.
Craft.
Craft.
The title just got downgraded!
Waaah?!
Suddenly, Pastel felt unfairly judged.
What did I do?!
I’ve only been unable to think of a better way to be considerate of my friend!
It’s so unfair!
Elly lifted the cup of cold milk. The cup trembled as the milk sloshed around. Her wandering eyes and soft murmuring blended in the movement.
“How much of this is a lie and how much is truth? To what extent, to what extent…”
Pastel tilted her head.
Why is she acting this way?
Could it be that she’s suffering from a profound mental shock?
After enduring scornful stares during the banquet, has she started to doubt our relationship as well?
Is she scared that what has been shown until now is just a facade, and that behind my back, I’m laughing at her?
Oh no.
That’s not who I am.
Pastel reached out. Holding Elly’s empty hand, she felt a shiver. Their eyes locked.
Elly’s pink eyes softly closed.
“There’s no facade!”
I have a friend who is sometimes too expressive with her feelings and thinks only from her own perspective… but…
My heart, this relationship…
“It’s all real!”
I love money and adore power, breaking the rules and taking delight in misdeeds… but…
My heart, this relationship…
“It’s all real!”
Pastel smiled.
“The world is beautiful, and I must be even more charming, but…”
My heart, this relationship…
“It’s all real!”
You don’t have to doubt it.
Just as you like me, I like everyone just as much.
As much as I adore everyone, they will adore you too.
For a moment, only the ticking of the wall clock could be heard.
Before long, the true Elly gave Pastel a peculiar look. Her gaze fell on the hand they were holding.
“Even if you say that, I can’t be sure. Words are light, and promises can waver. I can’t be sure of truth without experiencing it.”
A smart remark.
Pastel pondered for a moment.
Her expression brightened, and she clapped her hands.
“Well then, let’s trust our intellect!”
“Intellect…?”
“Let’s analyze our relationship while considering our interests! Is this relationship one where we can lose sincerity to deception and trust to gossip?”
She pointed decisively at Elly.
“After all, you’re not just a princess, but an administrative specialist!”
Elly glanced down at her cold milk.
After a moment, she fixed her disheveled hair and shot a meaningful look.
“Looks like you’re calculating things even while making friends. That explains why your main connections seem too entwined in practical benefits.”
Huh?
Pastel froze.
A moment of silence lingered.
“That can’t be true!”
Absolutely not!
The popular Pastel never calculates the pros and cons when making friends!
There’s a friendship ranking that gets updated, but it definitely doesn’t fluctuate based on the amount of goodwill exchanged!
The reason Melissa ranks first isn’t just because she’s the heir of a southern warlord, absolutely not!
Going to Melissa’s family during break and seeing their lavish lifestyle didn’t make me think, “Wow! A hundredfold more to befriend her!” Absolutely, absolutely not!
“Your reply is too slow,” Elly said, looking incredulous.
“And you said there was no facade, yet you’re already telling lies.”
Oh no.
Pastel felt like ice had poured over her.
Elly glanced down at her milk cup. Then, she pushed it aside.
“I prefer green tea, you know.”
It was a much more relaxed tone.
“I can’t comprehend why they drink black tea when proper green tea is available in the Empire. It’s not like it’s an age when green tea could spoil due to long transport. It’s just silly.”
Elly said this and stood up from her seat.
“I’ll make sure to have green tea stocked in the student council room from now on, so do get it approved later. Pastel, you wouldn’t care since you don’t know how to drink tea.”
“Huh? Huh?”
Pastel appeared confused.
“Green tea? Is it really that different from black tea?”
Elly gave her a look of pity, one that had about 10% of the judgment she usually had for Dustin.
Oh no.
Just 10% of Dustin’s pity.
Totally hopeless!
“I’ll take my leave.”
Elly turned towards the door.
Oh no.
“Are you leaving?”
“It’s time to sleep. It’s already dawn. As you said, let’s discuss work later after returning to school.”
With that, Elly left.
Pastel’s expression became vacant.
Staring at Elly’s untouched milk cup, she transformed into a sullen face.
Looking around, she found the Demon Lord watching from a distance by the window.
“Demon Lord! You should have served green tea!”
The fact I hadn’t known Elly’s preferences, even after spending half a year together, must entirely be the Demon Lord’s fault!
The demon looked displeased.
“I knew a demon would prefer green tea, but there wasn’t any green tea to begin with in this room. I couldn’t serve coffee at this hour, hence the warm milk.”
“Then you should have conjured green tea out of thin air! Super Ultra Magic! Ta-da! If you can’t do that, then you’re unqualified as a servant! Unqualified as a Great Demon!”
“How far do you expect me to go?”
Just be my protector for life!
Pastel boarded the carriage to the estate of Count McKenna for the invitation to the property presentation.
Although this was a meeting for colluding before the auction, it was nominally unrelated to it and thus, her other friends didn’t accompany her.
“At the moment I saw Count McKenna, I realized right away! This person is incredibly kind!”
“Oh? What gave you that impression?”
The demon crossed his legs, intrigued.
Pastel wiggled her legs while seated.
“The vibes just hit me! Kind people have this aura, you know! Just from Count McKenna’s appearance, I thought, ‘Wow! This person must have a kindness level like a million!’ Boom!”
“Once in a while, there are those types of people. In the temple, the priests are taught to manage their outward appearance as such. When persuading others, a convincing appearance is key.”
“Exactly! Exactly!”
Pastel nodded vigorously, causing the frills of her white skirt to sway.
“So, I’m going in my usual clothes, not a suit! I’m all pink and frilly~!”
“Don’t lift your skirt.”
“Yes~.”
Her hair, loosely tied in braids, bobbed as she swayed back and forth, uselessly flapping around.
“Still, that count didn’t seem kind at all in my opinion. Especially with all that gold jewelry, it’s the hallmark of someone with unknown innermost feelings. It’s best not to develop a close relationship with someone who likes such things; it will leave a bitter aftertaste sooner or later.”
“Really?”
Fashion sense matters!
“Sometimes, you miss the kind vibe, and it seems you don’t realize it! If you hadn’t scolded me for singing late at night, you would’ve figured it out!”
“True, true!”
“Glistening gold ingots~.
So adorable you want to bite them~.”
Pastel leaned out of the carriage window, eagerly taking in the sights outside.
“We’re almost there! Wow! The villa is enormous!”
At the bottom of a gentle hill, Count McKenna’s villa came into view. The gate and walls stood alone like a theoretical border, with an endless garden extending inside. The garden seemed to stretch endlessly, with a majestic and grand villa building visible faintly at the far end.
It looked like it would take several minutes just to reach the main building from the gate.
Even if land prices are cheaper far from the city center, to have a villa this size is astounding!
“Wow! I can feel the kindness of the Count!”
Just like mine!
Pastel was genuinely moved.
Someone who earns money this well can’t be bad!
I shall become great friends and spread that positive influence!
Yes, yes!
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