The meeting quickly progressed and soon ended.
The representative from the radical group was supposed to arrive but didn’t, leaving the hottest topic for debate the inclusion of Craft, which Elly had cleverly brushed aside using the Demon King’s authority, so there wasn’t much to discuss.
However, it was true that with Pastel Love Craft sitting at one side of the round table, it was difficult to discuss confidential matters like the development of the Demon Realm or the trivial daily lives of the attendees.
It would have been fitting for Elly to ease the awkward and tense atmosphere, but it seemed like she, too, didn’t want to heart-racingly talk about secret matters in front of Pastel.
Thanks to that, Pastel was starting to feel her own heart racing.
There were no suitably bad demons around…
Was it the pressure of the Emperor’s castle?
Going to a meeting where demons gather would resolve everything!
Such positive thoughts were quickly falling apart.
Ahh.
What to do! What to do!
I couldn’t see any evil or bad demons that seemed like they would be in service to the Demon King at all!
The only suspect, Mr. Penguin, was getting ostracized by the other attendees and was looking quite down!
Someone cheer up!
I realized I shouldn’t be having such bad thoughts, but Pastel was hoping for a bad situation to arise.
What to say, what to say…
Swish! Bang! Swish! Bang!
It felt like entering an exam without studying and praying for the school to be hit by an earthquake, forcing the test to be canceled.
But the difference between Pastel and those students was that when she sincerely wished for something, it would generally come true.
As if obeying Pastel’s wish, something flew towards the wall of the conference room. And then it exploded.
A massive flame from the explosion blew the wall away. The wind rushed in.
“Eek!”
Pastel’s pink hair flew wildly before settling down. Pink strands got into her mouth and got tangled up.
Sunlight streamed through the shattered wall. A demon riding a bird smashed through the debris and landed.
“Did you have fun playing house?”
Ahhhh!
It was clearly a radical group…!
A demon roughly brushed aside the stone debris that had bounced over to the round table and stood up.
“Nathaniel! What in the world are you doing! This is Sky Island! Do you think this is a playground where we’ll indulge your antics?”
Huh.
Nathaniel laughed.
“That’s your problem. I’m not having any trouble.”
Ahhh!
What a brazen statement!
What to do! What to do!
We were secretly having a confidential meeting right in the middle of Sky Island, and that suitably bad demon just went and did something bad! The whole neighborhood would definitely hear about this!
Even though the atmosphere among the demons was mild, after a few terrorist incidents, the vigilance in Sky Island was extremely heightened!
A police investigation would be immediately launched!
The Knight Order would be mobilized, and the news would reach even the strictest heads of power!
Then, then…!
They would come to me, right?
Oh?
Not that it posed any particular trouble.
Knight Order: We’ve captured a scene of suspicious demons having a suspicious meeting!
Pastel: That’s nothing unusual.
Knight Order: Oh, really? I had no idea.
Pastel calmed down.
Sure enough, power is the best!
Nathaniel approached the round table. He seemed disgusted by the dust-covered chair, so he just stood there with his arms crossed.
His gaze scanned the chaotic conference room. It momentarily paused on Pastel before moving on.
“I heard there are traitors mourning the achievements of the heir to Bellamont killed… Did I come to the right place?”
“This guy!”
Several attendees tried to stand in outrage.
Elly raised a hand to lightly stop them. A calm voice echoed.
“Then you came to the wrong place. It’d be best for you to leave.”
Nathaniel feigned a surprised expression.
“Oh, the princess is here. I didn’t even notice you were here since someone who should be focused on studies is unnecessarily present.”
Pastel’s mouth fell open.
This guy is starting trouble with everyone after just a few minutes.
Is this what a generally bad demon looks like?
Pastel’s idea of a “generally bad demon” seemed to be set too high. That way, smooth achievements couldn’t really be inflated.
Mr. Penguin, who had been ostracized and gloomy until now, suddenly fixed his posture.
His sharp gaze focused intensely on the messenger from the radical group.
“Nathaniel, focus on your duty. It doesn’t matter what you think or feel. If you’ve come as a messenger, you should fulfill your duty as one.”
Wow!
That was a solid rebuttal!
Mr. Penguin, who had only said awkward things so far, suddenly became reliable!
With this, maybe we could do the waddly penguin dance together!
Nathaniel frowned. He glared at Mr. Penguin and pulled out some papers, casually reading them.
“The incident regarding Bellamont’s death was not orchestrated by us; it was an accidental incident caused by demons connected to the cult.”
“Accidental? Are you asking us to believe that?!”
A demon slammed the round table.
Nathaniel shrugged indifferently.
“Then don’t believe it.”
“What?!”
The paper that should’ve been longer was flipped over.
“Anyway, we had nothing to do with this accidental incident, so you handle it yourself. Now, regarding news of the Demon King’s discovery…”
Nathaniel looked over at Elly.
“We cannot trust you.”
Elly narrowed her eyes.
“Based on what?”
“We want to trust you, but it’s suspicious timing for a lie.”
His gaze locked onto Pastel.
Eek?
“Immediately after Craft secured the rights to the railroad, there’s the news of the Demon King. Not just any Demon King, but one who favors Craft. Do you know how much time and resources we’ve spent searching for him? Yet now, right when there are no results?”
Nathaniel chuckled but soon scanned the room, looking at everyone carefully before shaking his head.
“Given what I see, it seems like he hasn’t shown up. How can we trust a Demon King whose intentions are suspect?”
Elly let out a quiet sigh.
“I think I might have explained things insufficiently. It was for the safety of the Demon King, so it couldn’t be helped—”
Nathaniel kicked the stone debris. The heavy stone created a shockwave. The stone flew out, smashing into a nearby stone structure. A tremendous noise erupted. The wall crumbled down.
Elly quietly pressed her forehead. She glanced back at Pastel, who would bury the ruckus, but flinched.
Pastel had taken on a serious expression.
If the messenger evolved into a terrorist, it would make things extremely busy for Governor Pastel!
Actually, she might need to call the Knight Order that was already on standby.
Elly hurriedly whispered.
“There are no people around. Everything here is our property.”
“Oh really?”
Pastel turned a shade of pink again.
Eek.
Nathaniel was satisfied with the results and noticed a sky mackerel soaring through the air. His hand reached out.
Oh?
Mackerel!
Pastel felt her heart chill at the sight of the mackerel, which she had never had a good experience with, no, it had never been good at all except maybe at the dining table.
As expected, the mackerel came flying with a leather bag attached to its body.
Ahhhh! It’s the carrier fish!
It clearly brought the worst news!
A piece of paper was retrieved from the bag.
“We will not believe until the Demon King himself intervenes.”
Nathaniel read the note and shook it as if to show everyone. The folded note was tossed onto Pastel’s spot.
Oh?
The note was thrown down in such a way that it was obvious it was telling her to read it.
Pastel gingerly opened the note.
It contained information that they had succeeded in terrorizing parts of the Demon Realm’s railroad and infrastructure that had fallen into the hands of Craft.
Ahhhh!
My railroad…!
The sound of flapping wings was heard.
“We will do what we have to do.”
Nathaniel, now seated on the bird, tightened his grip on the reins. The bird flapped its wings.
“So don’t be a nuisance! You traitors!”
In an instant, Nathaniel fled into the sky.
“Ahhhh!”
Pastel clutched her head.
My railroad! My railroad!
The worst! The worst!
The absolutely worst!
She dashed to the broken wall and shouted with all her might.
“This suitably bad demon…!”
She angrily tossed a purple handkerchief into the air as if challenging him. The tightly rolled handkerchief flew up before unfurling and fluttered down to the ground.
Ugh, my railroad.
Pastel staggered and sat down.
“Uwaaaah! My railroad…!”
My choo-choo train!
Evil!
That demon is a totally bad demon!
Now that she thought about it, the Demon Lord was regarded as a traitor by the demons, so he hadn’t come along.
With no one around to comfort her even if she cried, Pastel quickly collected herself and stood up, wiping her tears with a newly retrieved white handkerchief.
“My railroad…”
Ugh.
Elly approached but suddenly halted. Seeing Pastel quickly calm down, she became flustered, then pondered before turning her steps toward the edge of the wall. Her gaze fell upon the handkerchief that had tumbled to the roadside.
Elly’s lips trembled slightly.
“What’s that?”
Thinking about it, there was someone there to comfort her. Pastel’s face transformed back into a pout.
“Ellyyy!”
She pulled Elly into a tight embrace.
Comfort me!
“Why did you throw that?”
Are you more curious about that than me?
Pwoo.
Pastel sniffled.
She slowly whispered into Elly’s ear.
“Princess, excessive curiosity is not good.”
Would it be more comfortable for you if Governor Pastel directly warned you like this, or if the popular Pastel threw a fit asking for comfort?
Elly’s body stiffened.
Her hands quivered as she gently stroked Pastel’s back.
Hooah.
That gentle touch.
So different from the Demon Lord!
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