Pastel is at that age where dating is on her mind~.
“Is there a claim that since the acting president was elected by student vote, the student council members must also be elected by student vote? Who thinks such a reactionary thought? The composition of the student council executives is the exclusive privilege of the powerful Pastel.”
Let’s also enjoy the engagement portrait~.
“I, Pastel, solemnly declare as the Vice Student Council President, General Affairs Head, Planning Head, Promotion Head, Service Head, and Discipline Head, that I will act for the students following President Horace’s example!”
“Wow!”
“Since Pastel, that popular figure, will win anyway in the student vote, to prevent waste of budget, we will not hold student council elections!”
“Wow?”
“Instead, I will distribute gold coins to everyone with that budget!”
“Wow!”
At that age, everyone ears perk up at love news about classmates~.
“Hey friend! What?! There’s a secret tip that Elly is abusing her power in the student council?”
“Not a radical group, but isn’t she a spy from the Demon Realm?”
“That statement, a challenge to the student council? No way! Kind Elly could never be a spy! It’s not like I’m ignoring considerations that she may be a demon spy; I made my decision based on her character! Look at this fountain pen! Elly gave it to me as a gift! A person who gives such a genuine gift can’t possibly be a spy!”
“Isn’t that bribery…?”
“Oh?”
Every day filled with fluttering feelings of love~.
“Is everyone gathered, friends? Through this presidential election, it seems many have realized that we should listen to the students! Totally agree! So, to serve the students, Pastel has decided to establish an oversight department! It’s not a student council-sanctioned event and won’t be recorded in administrative reports, but it’s a private gathering! Oversight authority is a bonus! Let’s all serve the students! Raise your hands if you’re joining!”
“Isn’t this calling for a secret police in an intelligence agency?”
“Leonard, it’s less persuasive when you’re the first one to raise your hand.”
“Shut up.”
Pink love is hard to shake off~.
“Grace High Merchant! The Knight Order’s restructuring has gone smoothly, and the academy is united, so I think we can pull out the soldiers now! Hooray! Hooray!”
“Finally, I can do some smuggling! Marquis, I have good news! As the occupation situation drags on, our expenses have increased, so we needed to cut down on smuggling scale, right?”
“That’s right! Ugh! My 100% welfare cash pipeline…!”
“Actually, there have been significant funds coming in from the Demon Realm recently, so we might handle a larger scale instead.”
“Wow! The Demon Realm! Good deeds lead to good news!”
“We’ve been preparing the upper trade, so we’ll set sail as soon as our forces return.”
“Oh, before that, please take a look at this personnel. I’ve sorted out individuals from the Knight Order’s restructuring who still have some value. Let’s hire them at the Craft High Merchant.”
“What’s this? Interesting. They might not meet the standards of military gatherers on Sky Island, but they’re undoubtedly too talented for a mere merchant to hire. But the hiring cost isn’t efficient.”
“It’s fine! It would be troublesome to mention this to an outsider like the High Merchant, but they’re all on the verge of retirement for disgraceful reasons. So, after consulting with the powerful Pastel personally, they’ve decided to be honorably affiliated with your merchant guild out of a desire to serve Sky Island! This level of cost. Wow! Such kind folks!”
“A hiring cost this low? If we can hire former Knight members like this, our merchant’s credibility will rise and we can borrow more funds, right? Marquis, you’re incredibly capable.”
“That’s the basics!”
Who will I end up dating~.
My heart goes thump thump~.
“Farewell!”
Pastel waved both hands at the countless smuggling airships leaving the dock. Soldiers and former Knight members on deck saluted to the Marquis.
The airships resembling whales grew smaller as they drifted away. Lowering her busy hands, she thought,
“Something, something just zipped past.”
Her pink eyes widened.
Lyrics flowed through her mind.
Who will I end up dating~.
“Feels like I’m just working.”
My heart goes thump thump~.
Suddenly, the realization hit her—her pink eyes widened.
“I’m really just working! Ugh!”
She clutched her head.
“I’m in a relationship with work…!”
Not living as bubbly pastel or even dark pastel, but as the gold-loving pastel!
“You’re a Demon!”
She clung to the Demon, who still seemed reluctant because of the Craft Family’s lingering past in smuggling.
“The world is interfering with my love life!”
The Demon clicked his tongue slightly.
“The world encouraging dating at your age is the bigger issue.”
“Ugh! That’s such an outdated statement, giving away my age.”
“What did you just say…?”
She buried her face in the hardened Demon’s embrace.
The scent of a suit.
“I shouldn’t think like this, but it would be great to have a convenient partner. Someone who can disappear when I’m working but show up when I want them. Plus, if they also dropped off delicious food, that would be even better.”
“Isn’t that an unprincipled ideal type?”
Well, for workaholics, it’s a dream we’ve all held at least once.
“If I had that kind of partner, I would be the one gifting homemade cookies!”
“Don’t gift those to others. With your looks, they might not be able to refuse, which would be quite a nuisance.”
“Ew.”
Pastel looked up at the Demon, her face now revealed. There was a subtle glint in her pink eyes.
“Isn’t that a bit overprotective? If I like someone, I have the right to pursue them, you know.”
Even the Demon can’t deny this rightful claim.
The Demon seemed a bit taken aback, perhaps imagining the scenario.
“You don’t understand, but people are not just what they appear. Especially in dating or marriage, their true nature shows. You should experience dating and marriage at least once each. So, think about such things when you’ve graduated and have the capacity to judge for yourself.”
Pastel gazed up at the red-eyed Demon, feeling a strange emotion.
What should she make of the advice from someone who once had an unrequited love for their mother?
It might be best to pretend she didn’t hear it.
Though that thought came second to her subconscious, which was already entranced.
“Did you also hear ‘that’ from your mother?”
The Demon became dazed.
A moment of silence passed, and then he brushed his hand over his face.
“Ha.”
A sigh from a loser.
Wow, wow!
It’s really true!
Pastel’s body trembled with the urge to tease. But that seemed a bit too harsh, so she held back.
Having a crush is not a crime!
Phew, phew.
Internally taking breaths, she calmed her rebellious spirits. She gently pulled away from the suit.
“Let’s head back to school!”
Pretending not to know, I seem so kind.
“Ha.”
The Demon sighed deeply.
Could this be the deep sigh of a loser?
Pure Pastel doesn’t know.
She left the matters to Grace High Merchant and headed back.
She was now away from the Demon. The Demon was lamenting the missed opportunities for intelligence gathering while cooped up in his mansion prison because Pastel didn’t visit the library.
Upon reaching the student council room, Pastel barged in without knocking like a homeowner.
“Hooray! The popular one has arrived!”
It’s your beloved Pastel here!
Elly and Dustin seemed a bit tired of Pastel’s constant presence due to their long time spent together, but today was different!
She was determined to show her diligence in paperwork using Elly’s super fountain pen!
And she also thought about regaining her popularity within the student council!
Attention focused on the pastel-colored popular girl. Dustin was busy with hands-on duties so he wasn’t there. Elly, pouring tea, and an upperclassman sitting on the sofa turned to look.
“Oh?”
The upperclassman, who was trembling slightly and sweating cold, lit up with a bright expression.
“Craft! No, Craft Junior? Uh, uh, can I just call you that?”
“Call me as you please, senpai!”
Pastel trotted over and sat down across from him. Elly handed the tea, piled high with sugar.
The upperclassman seemed troubled as though he had stepped into a very awkward hierarchical conversation. He carefully opened his mouth.
“Marquis…?”
Pastel beamed.
“Wow! That’s a fun title!”
“Phew.”
The upperclassman wiped the cold sweat from his brow.
Pastel took a sip of the tea. The sugar that hadn’t fully dissolved swirled around.
So sweet!
Delicious!
“What brings you here, senpai? The student council is open to all students, so feel free to speak your mind!”
The upperclassman quietly stood from the sofa. Then he walked carefully to a corner and knelt.
“Eh?”
“Please save our Pure Engineering Department!”
“Eh?”
If a senior suddenly kneels!
Kneels…!
Pastel squeezed her eyes shut.
Could it be that it might strangely make her feel good…!
Is this the taste of power?
It might turn purple!
“The Pure Engineering Department is somewhere I’ve always kept an eye on. It was mentioned a few times by Professor Carlo, who is now missing. Didn’t you receive investments from a guild during the industry-academia cooperation festival in the first semester?”
“I see you weren’t very interested.”
Busted.
But, but.
Pastel in pink wasn’t really that into engineering.
Sitting in a corner with blueprints was a life that didn’t suit the popular girl.
“As you know, we formed a relationship with a major guild.”
The upperclassman’s face turned nostalgic as he recalled history.
“After much cooperation, we had the chance to participate in the Demon Realm’s railroad construction. Thanks to that, we gained some shares and funding, so it was good… until the guild went bankrupt.”
The upperclassman had a face like an investor who put all his fortune into an opportunity and then witnessed its collapse.
Railroad.
Train.
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“Train cloud puff puff~!”
Wow, it’s really puff puff!
Suddenly, Pastel developed a huge interest in engineering.
Thinking back, maybe she was better suited for it after all!
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