“I don’t want to! I don’t want to!”
Pastel dashed across the deck.
Wudada!
『Stop eating and spit it out.』
A formally dressed demon chased after her.
“I don’t want to! I don’t want to!”
Pastel ran as if her life depended on it.
She quickly chewed the black jelly.
Munch munch.
『Please, just listen for once.』
Before she knew it, the demon had caught up and grabbed the girl.
With hands on her sides, the girl was lifted.
“Aaah!”
Pastel ran with all her might. Her feet barely touched the ground.
Zoom zoom.
“Wow! I’m running at full speed but I’m not moving forward!”
Is this the demon’s curse?
“Wow, I’m scared!”
“Pastel, save me!”
“Angel! Angel! Guardian Angel!”
Pastel flailed around, her limbs waving frantically.
Thump thump.
The demon cried out in mental agony as it got hit by her flailing limbs. He tossed the struggling girl away.
『If a person speaks, listen. Stop eating that vile thing and spit it out. Hurry up.』
“Aaaah!”
“I don’t want to! I don’t want to!”
Pastel shook her head vigorously. Her pink hair flailed about, slapping the demon’s face.
Good people say to ignore a demon’s whispers.
Munch munch.
The black jelly was entirely chewed up.
Glug.
The demon paused.
With a triumphant face, Pastel declared, “Poo poo! I ate it all!”
Yay!
She became a good girl who wouldn’t fall for the demon’s whispers.
Wow!
Pastel is super good!
Oh yeah.
The demon let out a pained sigh as if its soul was slipping away. The girl dropped down weakly.
『You really…』
“Poo poo! Poo poo! Pastel’s victory!”
Her small pink tongue stuck out playfully.
Sticking out.
Pastel, unaware, immediately put the black goo she’d pulled from the knife into her mouth when she was told about its danger.
The rank of existence is literally about existence and should not be treated carelessly.
Especially direct actions like consumption can create major issues and side effects. It could shake the existence and ruin the mind if done incorrectly.
Although the rank of this existence was processed nicely with magical ingredients for easier consumption, it felt uneasy to consume trusting only the power of gem consumption. It was definitely not safe.
Having heard all this, Pastel remembered just one thing.
Huh.
They said you could consume the rank of existence.
Can I become super ultra strong?
And she ran away, ignoring the demon’s commands, only to swallow the jelly.
The jelly digested rapidly.
Pastel’s eyes widened.
Oh dear.
Her mind floated away.
Her brain flipped.
Sparkle, sparkle.
A sense of satisfaction, filling the emptiness of her soul, began to come.
Oh dear.
It felt like she was eating a substitute for meat pudding.
Has the substitute food industry advanced this much?
While not as good as meat pudding, maybe eating a lot of this could satisfy her soul…?
『Little Craft?』
The demon, who had approached without her noticing, grabbed her shoulders with a worried gaze.
Uh-oh.
Pastel jumped in surprise, wiping drool with her sleeve.
Wow.
So delicious, it nearly knocked her out.
Could the black jelly be a friend of meat pudding?
Huh.
Friendship.
Both entered Pastel’s stomach happily.
Wow.
『Little Craft?』
“Ah, yes yes!”
Pastel startled and looked at the demon. The demon’s hand reached toward her and squished her cheeks.
What, what?
Her cheeks squished around.
“Wow! Steamed bun Pastel…!”
No red bean filling…!
『This is dangerous. It clearly puts a strain on your mind.』
The demon frowned.
『The rank of existence should be built honestly through life. You can’t achieve a complete state by stealing from others.』
The gem knife was scrutinized.
『It’s better to discard the product. After the battle, I’ll collect it, so keep that in mind.』
“Huh?”
Pastel rubbed her cheeks, eyes widening.
“You want to throw away what I just obtained?!”
『It’s very unhealthy. At your age, when you should be growing your ego, especially. Are you about to consume more after just experiencing that?』
Oh.
“That’s just because it tasted good….”
Embarrassed.
Hehe.
The demon looked at her skeptically.
With suspicious eyes.
“I’m serious! It tasted really good, and since it was my first time, I just lost my mind for a moment!”
The demon sighed heavily.
『Fine. This time, since you’ve already eaten it, there’s no helping it, but next time, you mustn’t do it again.』
Oh?
That sounded familiar.
The first time is hard, but the second is manageable, and the third…
Oh.
Good Pastel thought nothing of it~.
Pastel whistled awkwardly.
The demon looked at her curiously and then spoke.
『Since you’ve already eaten, it’s best to minimize the side effects. I will teach you how to use the rank of existence. I hadn’t planned to teach you due to its negative impact on your ego, but I have no choice.』
Wow.
“If I learn that, am I a knight-level?!”
『No way. You’re not even a semi-knight yet. Your basic specs and sense are amazing, but you’ll only know how to fight once you try.』
Eek.
Pastel moved to the cabin.
She sat gracefully on the bed.
『You need to enter your inner world through meditation. Then, the rank of existence you consumed will cause a dissonance with your inner self, so you need to train it well. Once you enter, you’ll instinctively know what to do.』
“What do I have to do?”
『The inner world varies from person to person, so I can’t tell you specifically. Just think of order and harmony. Follow the direction your heart is pleased with.』
Totally empty rhetoric.
Eek.
“What does it mean to be semi-knight level?”
『You need to change the outer world with your inner world. Then, the world will revolve around you.』
Totally empty rhetoric.
Pastel looked gloomy.
『Just try meditating first. You have overflowing talent, so you’ll manage.』
That was music to her ears.
Pastel closed her eyes.
Meditate, meditate.
Sleepiness washed over her.
Good night, good night.
『…Don’t sleep. You need a clear mind to be aware of your inner world.』
Yes.
Pastel felt herself getting drowsy to the demon’s voice like a lullaby.
Drowsy, drowsy…
Zzz.
She fell into a deep slumber.
#
When Pastel fell sound asleep, she suddenly opened her eyes in her inner world.
She floated in a state of weightlessness in the universe. Her pink hair drifted all around.
Huh.
Is meditation this easy? Isn’t it supposed to be better suited for calm and composed people?
Am I a meditation genius?
Oh.
So I was calm and composed all along?
What an amazing revelation.
Pastel was indeed a calm and composed child!
Wow.
I need to tell the demon lord when I get back.
Eek.
Demon lord?
Oh, wait!
Instead of that, I need to look around my inner world as the demon said.
Pastel scanned her surroundings in weightlessness.
The inner world was like the universe. Stars twinkled in the distance, and the Milky Way was faintly visible.
So beautiful.
Pastel tried to fly toward the Milky Way, but the distance didn’t seem to shorten, no matter how hard she tried. It really felt like outer space. She could only see it like she was looking through a telescope, but couldn’t reach it.
So far away.
Where am I again?
An empty space in the universe?
Or a planetary system?
She turned around.
A blazing sun came into view, casting a black and eerie light across space.
Twisted essence and origin.
Something her inner self showed.
Pastel was entranced as she flew toward the sun. Even without the gravitational pull, she could feel the heat as she approached.
The heat intensified, and soon flames erupted from her body. The flames scorched her and disoriented her mind.
Her consciousness faded to white.
Whoa?!
What a soft and dreamy feeling…!
It feels like I’m turning into Pastel Lovecraft!
Regaining her senses, Pastel quickly distanced herself from the sun. She hurried to shake off the flames. As the flames died down, the cold void of space cooled her body.
She wiped her forehead for no reason.
Phew.
Almost died mentally.
The universe is indeed cosmic horror.
Such danger all around.
What could I possibly do in this dangerous place to find the rank of existence?
Shaking in fear, Pastel glanced around.
Rank of existence, rank of existence.
Upon searching closely, there was something else besides the sun. Rock fragments spun around the sun, drawn by gravity.
Rock fragments?
Oh?
Could you all be the rank of existence I just consumed?
Somehow, the rock fragments radiated an unusual aura. It felt like guests rather than family.
Pastel furrowed her brow, pondering, before nodding.
Just as the demon said, the solitary sun in the planetary system feels out of place amidst rock fragments, doesn’t it? For harmony, it’s only natural that there should be a planet.
A planet?
Huh.
Suddenly realizing how to bring a guest into the family.
Am I a genius?
Oh yeah.
Pastel waved her hands towards the rock fragments. They moved, in accord with her will, through space.
Wow.
The fragments collided and merged together.
Squish squish.
All the fragments combined, forming a small rock planet. Once it was placed, it began to orbit closely around the sun.
Wow!
The sun and the planet!
Harmony itself!
Pastel pointed to the sun.
Sun!
Then she pointed at the small planet.
Mercury!
Cheers erupted.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune!
Oops?
Correction.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn!
We’re family!
Oh yeah.
(Pluto: Aww…)
Pastel flapped her ears to the sound of the planet crying, gazing excitedly at her new friend, Mercury.
Mercury orbited the sun.
Wow, I’m touched.
After completing one full orbit, suddenly, changes occurred in her inner world.
Like creating a solar system, Mercury’s orbit began to take shape as a perfect circle. Lines connected, completing the orbit.
Order and harmony had arrived.
Pastel felt her mind tingle. Nature’s principles awakened her consciousness. A clear realization set in.
Could it be, could it be?
Did I just gain super ultra abilities…?!
At that moment, Mercury let out a sound.
The planet cracked, collapsing into rock fragments again. All that realization flew away.
“Ahhh!”
“Mercury friend!”
My Mercury friend is lacking gravity!
Pastel sprang up from the bed in shock.
Huh.
The demon paused, about to cover her with a blanket.
『Yeah, you didn’t meditate at all, but it seems you entered your inner world well. You have remarkable talent.』
The red eyes stared at her.
『How was your inner world? Was it filled with sunlight? Did cute animal friends greet you among beautiful cherry blossoms?』
Pastel looked sad.
“Demon lord! Demon lord! My Mercury friend died because of lack of gravity!”
Aaaah!
『What do you mean by that?』
The demon looked puzzled.
“Because it was lacking gravity, it went crash!”
Aaaah!
『No.』
#
The Grace High Merchant smiled contentedly.
“Three pirate ships. We can utilize the academy airship, so if we secure funding through the pirate ships, we can buy more contraband.”
“That sounds right….”
Pastel nodded weakly.
“Um.”
A folding fan poked the High Merchant’s cheek.
“Sir, you look unwell. If there’s anything you’re dissatisfied with, feel free to say it honestly.”
“Oh, I apologize. I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s a personal issue, not because of you, High Merchant.”
Pastel shook off her feelings about losing her Mercury friend.
“I understand.”
The High Merchant changed the subject.
The papers were spread out.
“The initial capital you will put into the trade is all of this?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t there more? It’s much better in the long term to maximize capital before the first contraband trade.”
“It’s compound interest, so that makes sense. But really, this is everything. The sum I’ve gathered from the contraband earnings and the student council budget adds up to this.”
The Grace High Merchant tilted her head.
“It seems your capital, considering how many contraband trades you’ve done, is rather smaller than expected?”
Pastel sighed heavily.
“Well, the family fell apart, so I had no initial capital to circulate contraband. I gradually built this capital by buying trade goods with the student council budget.”
Though it was a bit lacking to establish a trade, it was still a respectable amount.
“The student council budget…?”
“Once it was all my fortune.”
Pastel looked into the distance as if reminiscing about a bygone time.
A past where she couldn’t even afford chicken skewers.
Huh.
The Grace High Merchant looked taken aback.
“What about the Craft Family’s slush funds?”
“Huh?”
“The family’s slush funds.”
Craft Family’s slush funds?
A family notorious for betrayal and intrigue?
Pastel’s eyes widened.
There’s no way such a sneaky and malicious family wouldn’t have slush funds.
But I don’t know anything at all.
Eek.
The Grace High Merchant was even more startled.
“W-Wait, could it be that you don’t know the locations of all the slush funds? How could this happen?”
Aaaah.
Shock.
Shock—
Pastel slumped back in her chair.
Silence filled the air.
“Now that I think about it…”
The Grace High Merchant sighed. Then she cleared the papers and fell into thought.
“It would be wise to find at least one slush fund for purchasing contraband before the first trade. For the long term.”
Pastel drooped.
“I truly don’t know anything.”
“Hmm.”
The Grace High Merchant tapped her legs with the fan.
“Though I don’t know how the Craft’s slush funds are managed, your sister, who was the maid chief, might have had a hand in it, right?”
“That makes sense, I guess…?”
The High Merchant’s eyes brightened.
“If that’s the case, I might have a lead. My sister casually visited a few places several times for no reason.”
“Oh?”
Pastel sat up straight, concentrating.
“Where is it?”
“The apple orchard in the Camelot estate. It’s right next to the Camelot mansion.”
“Huh?”
Camelot, as in the wizard friend Melissa Camelot’s house?
“What does that have to do with the Craft Family?”
The Grace High Merchant carefully explained.
“I believe your predecessor, Lord Craft, manipulated things to take the apple orchard that had been passed down through generations in Camelot. I recall something about him wanting it because of how delicious the apples were when he had the apple pie. Camelot finally got it back last time after being stolen for so long.”
Wow.
Once again, the evil past of the Craft Family came to light.
They took someone else’s farm just for a delicious apple.
Pastel’s heart raced.
The family’s slush fund.
The slush fund hidden in someone else’s apple orchard…!
Oh.
A burst of guilt surged.
“Let’s go dig it up right now!”
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