20 minutes ago.
Pastel found herself facing Duchess Nastasha in a deserted corner of the Art Gallery. The brown-haired girl clapped her hands with a smile.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’ve heard a lot about Pastel Marquis, but I wonder if my news has reached the Demon Realm! I wanted to meet the Marquis at least once, but everyone kept saying to focus on the Empire, so I was really disappointed.”
Huh, is that a roundabout warning not to lie since they did a full-on investigation on me?
It felt like just a courtesy, but the ever-vigilant Pastel’s hair stood on end.
“I’ve heard a lot about you too, Duchess!”
I did a deep dive on you too!
“Really? I’m curious about what kind of news is floating around in the Demon Realm. I hope it’s nothing scandalous. I’ve been told I’m not very proper, which makes me a bit nervous. Is it not something the Demon Realm would nitpick about? If not, that’s a relief.”
The brown eyes were expectantly staring at her.
Huh, to be honest, I don’t usually do research.
Pastel rolled her eyes.
“Uh, there were a lot of good reviews. So good that I can’t remember them all right now!”
“That’s a relief?”
Duchess Nastasha smiled brightly. She pointed to Mr. Penguin next to her, introducing him.
“You probably already know each other, but this is Redmond. He often gives us on-the-ground advice for our Republican Party, and he’s been a huge help. Although our hearts are with the Republic, we can’t compete with those born and raised here.”
Mr. Penguin bowed his head.
“I am Redmond. I offer humble opinions to Duchess Nastasha.”
“Not humble. Think of how disappointed Princess Ellyshita would be if she heard you say that.”
Ew.
The pink eyes trembled.
Come to think of it, I forgot that Mr. Penguin had built a friendship with Duchess Nastasha and had infiltrated the Empire’s Republican Party.
Ew.
Isn’t Mr. Penguin being too harsh?
He seems too much like a workaholic.
It would be nice if he could sort out his affiliations.
It would be really great if he could abandon multiple identities and just keep the one as the princess’s aide. Then I wouldn’t have to call him Spy Mr. Penguin.
“Pastel Marquis, if there are parts where your thoughts aren’t coming together, it might be easier to ask Redmond for his opinion. We’re just discussing theories, so sometimes we can miss the mark in actual situations.”
Asking the Emperor’s spy for Republican advice.
“I’ll do that.”
Maybe in a million years?
Duchess Nastasha, smiling, glanced at a coral painting hanging on the wall. Then she turned back to Pastel.
“I noticed you didn’t participate in the auction. Was there no painting that caught your interest? I brought a cherry blossom coral that I thought would pique your interest, but you didn’t seem to care.”
What is this cherry blossom coral?
I’m extremely curious about this cherry blossom.
“I probably missed it because I arrived a bit late.”
“Oh dear, really? I painted it thinking of Blossom.”
Aww.
I couldn’t even see the cherry blossom coral that was painted with thoughts of my mom.
Duchess Nastasha looked regretful.
“Then I guess you didn’t see that I sold a painting for a very high price? I made enough to buy a mansion with that.”
It sounds like she’s talking about the coral painting that sold for 20,000 gold coins.
“I saw it! It was amazing!”
One painting, a super-rich person!
“Right? The Empire’s artwork still has a premium attached to it, so it’s pretty nice.”
Empire premium?
Pastel felt slightly intrigued.
“Does that mean if we bring Empire artworks to the Demon Realm, their price would double?”
“Not quite double, but somewhat? People tend to overvalue it compared to its objective worth.”
Huh.
Suddenly, I wanted to get into the art transport business.
A good deed of transporting artworks from the Empire to the Demon Realm without the procedures that ruin their freshness, like a border inspection.
“I think it’ll start normalizing as I brought a lot of works this time.”
Oh no.
The Duchess beat me to it.
Feeling a bit disappointed, Duchess Nastasha glanced subtly and smiled.
“By the way, I wanted to discuss something business-related with Pastel Marquis.”
“Yes?”
The brown eyes turned towards Mr. Penguin.
“Redmond, sorry to call you here, but can you step out for a bit? We need to have a talk between Empire citizens.”
“Understood.”
Mr. Penguin left.
A business talk that needs to happen between Empire citizens?
I rarely visit the Empire!
I have no idea what this is about.
“I know very well that Pastel Marquis has been enjoying some fun with gemstone smuggling.”
Huh.
Pastel went completely still.
Her mind was spinning.
Hwaaaah!
Crisis! Crisis!
After operating an illegal business while disregarding the laws in the outskirts, what does it mean for a central power figure to suddenly come out and mention it?
What could it mean?
Right away…!
“I’ve recently become really interested in smuggling. It seems like it’s only going between the Demon Realm and the Sky Island, but don’t you think about expanding the smuggling route to the mainland?”
They want to share the spoils~!
Oh yeah.
Pastel’s ears perked up.
I’m totally thinking a lot about this!
The Sky Island is officially under the Empire. Internal transportation within the Empire doesn’t generate supernatural profits like the shore trade with the Demon Realm.
However, since the Sky Island has a separate governor’s office, it’s not entirely free from quarantine like domestic shipments. Transporting inland involves strict quarantine, which adds extra costs. Skipping that might mean a lot of profit.
And above all, the scale of the gemstone smuggling to the Demon Realm has been increasing so much that it’s getting harder to operate covertly.
Now, moving several airships is standard for a single trade route. When a Craft shipment arrives, the docks get packed, and suddenly the amount of gemstones moving in the Demon Realm’s market shifts dramatically, stirring suspicion in the upper echelons.
Well, you see…
Just like small stock investments don’t impact the market but astronomical investments can hugely affect stock prices, the scale of the Craft High Merchant has grown too large.
In contrast, the Empire’s market is vastly larger. By shifting some of the assets that have become too obvious to call “covert” back towards the Empire, it’s an excellent long-term risk management move.
If we upscale this, it would also improve profitability on funds that should just be hoarded without drawing attention.
The trickiest issue is establishing connections in central politics…
But what if Duchess Nastasha, with whom the ties were built through our parents, first shows interest?
Purr purr~.
A smile came to Pastel.
However, in business, if you accept an opponent’s proposal outright, you lose the initiative.
Instead, her pink eyes widened.
“Wait? Smuggling?”
Good-natured Pastel was hearing it for the first time.
I’ve transported vital goods for desperate people, but I’ve never dabbled in such nasty business.
Ew, smuggling.
If there’s anything an innocent pink-haired person like me should never touch, it’s smuggling.
“Is that so? I may have misheard. My subordinates sometimes make mistakes like this, and it can be troublesome.”
Duchess Nastasha pinched her cheek. She appeared genuinely troubled.
“I understand that feeling! From the perspective of those below, it’s just a mistake, but it completely messes up the bigger picture, and that’s really awkward.”
“Right?”
Duchess Nastasha surveyed the Art Gallery. Her attitude suggested that she was entirely unaffected by Pastel’s resistance.
She looks like she’s not really concerned.
Oh no, this seems like a tough opponent.
She must be planning to negotiate slowly since today isn’t the only opportunity.
“By the way, where did Count McKenna go? I saw him participate in the auction, but he hasn’t shown up yet.”
“He says he went to complain about the careless management of the items he won.”
“That’s true. The Demon Realm is piled with money, but their history is short, so the details can be lacking. It can’t be helped.”
Duchess Nastasha moved towards the corridor, peering around as if searching for someone.
“Why do you ask?”
“Were you not with him?”
Pastel tilted her head in confusion.
The question quickly resolved itself.
Duchess Nastasha leaned her upper body slightly, looking past the hallway corner. Following her gaze, the Demon Lord appeared.
“Hmm?”
The Demon Lord, arms crossed, was on alert for assassins when he turned around.
Duchess Nastasha smiled brightly, befitting her youthful appearance.
“It’s been a while, brother.”
Her voice was warm.
Brother…?
Huh?
What?
Pastel was taken aback. She looked over at the Demon Lord. He raised an eyebrow, accepting the greeting casually.
“It’s been a while. You haven’t changed. How have you been?”
The Demon Lord was someone who normally didn’t initiate small talk with those around him, yet he casually inquired about her well-being.
Pastel felt a chill run down her spine.
Duchess Nastasha rounded the corner.
“I’m just living life as I always have. I never thought I wouldn’t grow at all from then to now. But Demon Lord, you’re still the same. I haven’t heard anything from you for almost ten years; where have you been?”
“I was trapped in the basement of Craft Mansion.”
“Huh? Why is that?”
The lively conversation continued.
Pastel, with her pink eyes, looked at the cheerful Duchess Nastasha, then glanced at the Demon Lord.
After briefly switching her gaze between the two, she suddenly widened her eyes in realization. Surprised, she covered her mouth with her hand.
“Whoa.”
The sudden gasp caused the conversation to halt. All eyes turned.
“Duchess Nastasha!”
The pink eyes darted toward the Duchess.
“Did you come to the Demon Realm to see our dad?!”
“Huh?”
Duchess Nastasha was taken aback.
This was because the conversation had just been about why the Great Demon brother was suddenly trapped in the basement.
Duchess Nastasha, flustered, stammered a response.
“Well, kind of, yes. I heard reports of sightings in the Demon Realm… Do you know what he’s been up to without updating us?”
Hwaaaah!
Is this total adultery?!
It sounds utterly scandalous.
However, Pastel suddenly thought.
I feel sorry for my mom who’s in the afterlife, but isn’t it the right of the living to live?
Isn’t it within Dad’s rights to start a new romance since he’ll be lonely?
Being tied to a child who might feel uncomfortable shouldn’t keep a parent from making sacrifices; as a human, they should have that much freedom.
That’s so true.
Good daughter Pastel grasped her new stepmom’s hand firmly.
Firm.
“Huh?”
The new stepmom looked perplexed.
“That’s great! I was looking for Dad too!”
Duchess Nastasha was meant to become my mom~!
No wonder I liked her!
Woohoo!
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