Dormitory bedroom.
Pastel quivered.
Life’s greatest crisis, life’s greatest crisis.
An order to gather everyone under the Emperor, my lord, above me!
Ahhh!
The terror was like realizing a decree had been pronounced that I needed to eat gemstones, yet I had not a single coin in my wallet.
This was a summons right after defying the highest dignity in a hereditary society!
“Please save me! Please save me!”
Pastel clutched her head. As she shook it quickly, her mini pigtails flapped wildly.
I didn’t do anything wrong!
I really, really didn’t!
Even after hearing that the Emperor might be behind the Empire Bank, I thought, “Nah, that can’t be true,” and considering auction collusion did cross my mind, but there was no evil intent!
In any case, when I called out for a little gold coin for the colluded auction, the railroad company said one coin! Wow! Super cheap! Totally! Totally! And I might have thought that and acted on it, but still no evil intent!
Huh.
No evil intent.
Maybe a hidden agenda.
Ahhh!
But that’s akin to stepping on the Emperor’s shadow and dancing!
Thump thump, Pastel…!
Totally blasphemous!
If I were the honorable Pastel, I’d be taken into a private room for treason…!
Despair.
Despairrrr.
At the end of despair, Pastel reflected.
Why am I not the highest dignity?!
If only I had been born an Emperor!
This is my fault for being born into a lowly class!
God, oh God!
In my next life, let me be born as the highest power!
I’m not asking for much, just a little better luck in the lottery here!
“Calm down, hmm.”
The demon placed a hand on her pink head to soothe her but paused, unable to manage the flailing pink pigtails.
The demon looked conflicted about whether to grab the chaotic mini pigtails and stabilize them but then gave up.
“First, calm down. It might not be a big deal. Since they didn’t forcibly take you, it really just might be an invitation to meet. Craft is a proper noble, so there shouldn’t be any concerns unless it involves commoners or lower-ranked titles.”
“Huh!”
Is that so?
As the pink hair came to a stop and calmed down.
Hearing that, it really does seem that way.
I, the great noble Craft.
Unless it’s for treason, the chance of something happening due to imperial decree is extremely low.
I’ve never planned any treason, so I’m very, very safe.
“Phew!”
Pastel absentmindedly wiped her forehead.
“You’re right! I’m the safe, safe Pastel!”
Being born into a Marquis family was the greatest fortune of my life!
The demon tidied up Pastel’s messy pink hair.
“I don’t know if you’re really safe, but nothing weird will happen. The Emperor I know tends to be quite sensible.”
The Emperor, huh.
Come to think of it, the Emperor was once the unrequited love that the demon used to roam around with dear old mom, right?
Feels like a whirlwind of complicated emotions.
How deep did dad confess his love to mom to win between the great demon and the crown prince?
What is love that it can be so intense it can lead someone to let go of their child?
“Young Craft?”
“Huh!”
Geez.
Pastel rubbed her cheeks and switched her thoughts.
“But you know, finding out that the Emperor was that kind of person makes me worried in another way!”
Her hands trembled slightly.
“Could it be, could it be instead of mom?!”
Considering Pastel’s legendary popularity, it wouldn’t be strange if the Emperor lost his mind.
Historically, it’s quite common for an Emperor under obligation to produce heirs to take in a younger partner, right…?
Geez.
Geez.
“That’s.”
The demon’s expression turned serious.
“Probably not.”
“Probably!”
Pastel gasped.
Probably! Probablyyy!
“Wahhh!”
In an instant, her face crumpled in despair.
A potential confession from the parental generation!
14-year-old Pastel might get confessed to by the n-year-old Emperor!
That’s a bit…!
Very much so…!
I really hope that doesn’t happen in my life!
Totally totally!
The demon looked flustered.
“I misspoke. It absolutely won’t happen. The Emperor is already married and has a family, so he wouldn’t still have feelings for a past love.”
It feels somewhat credible when the demon, who isn’t married and has no family, says it.
“Even if he still had feelings, he wouldn’t make a ridiculous scene that would be mocked in society. Besides, a sane person wouldn’t confuse a mother with her child. The Emperor I know is quite sane.”
Is that so?
Is the Emperor sane?
The demon clenched a fist.
“If he makes any strange proposals, I’ll deal with him. I’ll punish him enough he won’t feel such feelings ever again.”
Huh.
Pastel gasped, covering her mouth.
“You’re higher than the Emperor?!”
The demon chuckled.
“I’m not just an ordinary demon, but a great demon. Do you think I’d be lesser than the Emperor?”
Totally trustworthy!
“I’ll only trust you, Demon!”
“Good.”
The pink eyes sparkled.
“Honestly, I think it’s pretty pathetic to turn to his daughter just because he got rejected by his mother!”
The demon nodded.
“That’s a valid point. It’s right not to even look at someone like that. It would be ridiculous if his feelings were passed from mother to daughter, and even if he did feel something, expressing those feelings across such an age gap would be even more ridiculous.”
Totally totally agree!
“Really, really!”
Pastel clenched her fists tightly.
“That’s a bit harsh! But! I don’t want to be in the same space with someone like that!”
The essence of cherry blossoms falling!
The demon wholeheartedly agreed.
“Good thinking. If there’s such a guy, tell me. I won’t let him approach you.”
“Wah!”
Pastel cheered. Then she spun around in delight.
Relief! Relief!
I’m glad I have the demon!
Please protect me for life!
#
Airship dock.
“Should I accompany you after all? I’ve met His Majesty once before.”
Melissa, who came to see her off, looked worried.
“It’s fine! Pastel can handle it alone!”
“That may be true, but meeting the Emperor for the first time will be quite nerve-wracking. That’s why it’s customary for young ones to meet with their parents.”
“It’s okay! It’s okay! The brave Pastel doesn’t get scared of things like this!”
Pastel waved her hands with the arm that wasn’t holding her bag.
“And the demon is here too!”
In the direction she pointed, the demon, dressed in formal wear, was confirming the schedule with the captain of the royal swift vessel.
“I see.”
Melissa fell silent. It seemed unclear whether this honorable Pastel was intending to hide the identity of the great demon.
“What a reliable servant. I have a maid whom I trust as well, though not as much as my mother. She was able to take care of me in her place while the busy mother was elsewhere.”
“You have two mothers! How nice!”
Melissa smiled softly.
“Yes, indeed.”
Melissa’s send-off ended, along with Elshire, who had been absentmindedly responding with “uh-huh” next to her.
Elly sneaked closer, checking if anyone was eavesdropping before quietly speaking.
“I’ve sent out all the news. By the time you return, we’ll have feedback from everyone. I’ll arrange for the railroad project accordingly.”
“Uh-huh!”
It’s the Demon King, the Demon King, Pastel!
Is this the Sign of Corruption?
Thump thump.
While Elly thinks it’s an act!
One day, I will make her call me the Demon Lord!
Pastel, after greeting her other friends, boarded the royal swift vessel.
It was just an airship, but its floor was entirely marble, with white walls ornately engraved with gold patterns. It was incredibly splendid and luxurious. You could definitely feel it was royal.
“Wahhh!”
So this is all tax money!
Wow!
For Pastel, who had lived a frugal life in the poor student council room, it was a culture shock!
I want to be a power wielder too!
As a student, one more pure dream added to the list.
With the high-ranking people treating her, she was personally guided by the captain through the airship and assigned an unexpectedly spacious guest room that felt like a waste of space.
Once the outsiders left, Pastel dashed to a gigantic landscape painting hanging on the wall.
The blue ocean and coral reefs filled her vision.
“Demon! Demon! How much is this?!”
The smell of taxes multiplied by a million!
The demon looked over a tea set and turned his head.
“Don’t look at the price tag when appreciating a painting. What matters is the artist’s intent and your own interpretation.”
Pastel spread her arms wide. No matter how much she stretched out, she couldn’t reach both ends of the painting.
“Wow!”
Her mouth fell open in awe.
“How much is this?!”
“You’re not listening, are you?”
The demon gave up and gazed at the landscape painting.
“Oh, this must be quite expensive. It’s a work of Nastasha.”
Who is that?!
But if the demon is impressed, then it must be at a certain level.
“So, how much is it?!”
The demon crossed his arms, tapping his fingers on his arm while squinting.
“At the very least, it must be worth the amount that a bankrupt railroad company could buy and still have money left over.”
Huh.
Pastel’s pink eyes trembled.
Does the royal family have so much money to hang such a painting in a swift airship guest room?
How much tax have they collected?
Is this, is this true power…?
Pastel suddenly felt small.
In reality, Pastel was simply a ruler of a border area.
Ugh.
“It’s not the price you’d normally place on something for a swift airship. Is it possible that the royal family specifically arranged it since it’s the room Craft will use to meet the Emperor?”
Huh?
“It seems that just one coin was a bit lacking.”
Pastel looked at the painting with trembling eyes.
Could this be a roundabout way of saying, “We’re not short on money, but if you say that, it’d be a bit lacking.”?
Ahhhh!
Please save me!
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