“I’m sorry!”
Waaah.
Pastel cried loudly.
Tears dropped like raindrops.
After tricking the Demon Lord and munching on black jelly, Pastel got a major scolding. They had to endure an hour-long lecture.
At first, Pastel listened to the Demon Lord’s reprimands with a smug attitude, but as time went on, they shrank and their eyes turned red until they finally burst into tears.
Waaah.
Tears welled up and poured down.
“I’m sorry! I won’t mess with the Demon Lord again!”
Seeing them cry, the Demon Lord flinched. As if their heart had suddenly softened, they looked away for a moment and spoke calmly.
“The problem isn’t that. The real issue is that you keep putting dangerous things in your mouth. Do you understand the danger? The hierarchy of existence is related to the essence of life, and indiscriminately consuming things can have a bad effect on your mind.”
“I was wrong!”
Pastel wiped their tears with their sleeves.
Waaah.
The now softer-hearted Demon Lord sighed.
“Think about the feelings of those who worry for you. When I told you not to eat, and you used their concern to pretend to faint and gulped it down, how do you think that makes me feel?”
“I’m sorry! Bad kid Pastel…!”
Waaah.
Pastel cried so much that they started to hiccup.
Hiccup, hiccup.
The Demon Lord flinched and stopped the scolding.
“Alright, it’s good that you understand.”
A fluffy towel was handed to them as if to say, “Wipe your tears.”
Pastel took the towel but used it to blow their nose instead of wiping their tears, producing a new laundry item. After receiving a new towel, this time they properly wiped their tears.
Sniffle, sniffle.
“Don’t do that again.”
“Yes….”
Nodding, Pastel washed their face.
The Demon Lord had tidied the bed. The blanket was removed, leaving a cozy space to lie down.
“Since what is eaten is done for, we’ll start with meditation. Lie down. You’ll fall asleep halfway anyway, so it’s better to try meditating lying down.”
Nod, nod.
Pastel gently lay down on the bed. The red eyes looked down.
“You’ve done it before, so it should be easier this time. Relax your muscles and maintain a comfortable state. Cut off your thoughts and focus on the sounds of your body. Submerge into the unconscious.”
“Demon Lord.”
“What is it?”
“Please cover me with the blanket.”
Pastel looked at the blanket pushed into the corner, as if asking for it.
“You’re not sleeping. You’re meditating.”
Hmm.
The result is the same anyway.
They hesitated but didn’t voice their thoughts. They just got scolded, after all.
“Now, close your eyes.”
They gently closed their eyes and relaxed their body. Cutting off their thoughts, they focused on the naturalness of the unconscious.
Meditation, meditation, meditaaaaate.
Zzzzz.
Pastel dozed off just like that.
Oh no!
I shouldn’t be sleeping!
Startled, they opened their eyes to find themselves in an inner-world universe.
An ominous black sun filled their view. Rocks that hadn’t become planets orbited around the sun.
Pastel floated in zero gravity. Their pink hair spread out in all directions.
They raised their arms.
Wow, I’m a meditation genius!
Just lying in bed and thinking transported me to my inner world, super ultra meditation genius!
So proud.
Pastel placed their hand on top of their eyes, seriously examining the universe of their inner world.
There were more rock fragments orbiting the black sun than last time. The hierarchy of existence reflected in their inner world from munching down a wild boar and a band of thieves.
With this amount, they could create a Mercury Friend among the solar system family. They needed to create a family for that ominous black sun.
Pastel moved their hands for order and harmony in the inner world.
The rock fragments moved according to their gestures, colliding and clumping together to form a rocky planet. The planet hovered close to the sun.
Pastel pointed to the rocky planet.
The closest planet to the sun.
Ta-da!
Mercury Friend!
The first family member of the solar system was complete!
Huff.
Pastel, moved.
Mercury made one complete orbit around the sun.
Change began to unfold in the inner world.
As if creating a solar system, the imaginary orbit of Mercury was gradually drawn into a circle. When the starting and ending points touched, the orbit was completed.
Though still weak, it resembled a small solar system with the sun and Mercury set.
Order and harmony were achieved.
Pastel felt a tingling sensation in their mind. The principles of nature awakened their consciousness. A clear realization came to them.
Huff.
A realization!
The realization…!
Agh!
They were stunned and paused.
Pastel pouted in confusion, pushing their pink hair around.
Did the realization come?
No idea.
They fumbled around their body.
Still, something felt different.
They extended their palms forward.
Super concentrated face on!
Telekinesis beam~!
Nothing happened.
Focusing even harder, they desperately stretched out their palms.
Telekinesis beam beam~!
Still no change.
Hmm.
This feeling of “I might know something, but I’m also clueless.” It felt like the sensation of an honor student contemplating what answer to choose from a confusing exam question.
In other words…
I have no idea!
Hehe.
Pastel chuckled awkwardly to themselves and looked around the inner world again. There were still rock fragments left.
As the Demon Lord had said, the hierarchy of the existence they just consumed was more akin to a wild boar than a band of thieves, meaning the roasted wild boar friend held an impressive hierarchy.
Now that there were rock fragments left, just having a Mercury Friend alone felt unreliable. Should they try to make a Venus Friend too?
Sounds good!
They stretched out both hands. Gathering the rock fragments with their will to a further orbit from the sun than Mercury.
Super fusion~!
The fragments collided and clumped together, forming a rocky planet. The new planet surrounded Mercury’s orbit, creating an even larger one.
Woohoo!
It’s Venus!
In a true solar system, Venus should be larger than Mercury, but somehow it was smaller here; regardless, it was Venus.
Hello, Venus Friend!
Pastel waved their hands enthusiastically.
Venus responded, swirling around the sun in agreement, tracing an orbit.
Whoa!
Something, something, a new realization!
A real realization…!
Suddenly, there was a strange crackling sound from Venus. Cracks appeared on its surface.
Huff?
No way.
Pastel trembled.
Are you going to die from lack of gravity like the former Mercury Friend?
As feared, Venus crumbled and turned back into rock fragments.
Aaaaaah!
Venus Friend!
Another family member of the solar system died right after being born!
Waaaaaah!
Their consciousness snapped back from the inner world.
Pastel sat bolt upright in bed, dumbfounded.
“Huff.”
Looking around, it wasn’t the universe but a inn room. The dawn light filtered through the window. The sound of birds chirping filled the air.
Pastel rubbed their arms and shivered.
To think after Mercury Friend, Venus Friend also died right after being born.
What a total nightmare.
They glanced at the table, hoping to grab a glass of water.
The Demon Lord, sitting in a chair, stared at them with a serious expression. A face steeped in anguish.
“Waaah!”
Having not sensed anyone there, Pastel jumped in shock.
The Demon Lord flinched.
“What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”
“Seeing someone wake up like that is a fright!”
“Hmm? Wasn’t I like this normally? Why bring it up now?”
“Anyway! My heart is racing right now! Apologize to my heart!”
“I’m sorry about that.”
So insincere.
Pastel pressed down on their heart to calm themselves and gulped down some water from the table.
Glug, glug.
“Ahh!”
They hastily wiped their mouth with their sleeve.
“I tried creating order and harmony in my inner world like you said, Demon Lord, but I can’t tell the difference. Even with the Mercury Friend fully integrated as part of the solar family, it hasn’t given me any profound realizations.”
They tapped their forehead with their index finger.
“The realization is just a squishy thought!”
“…That’s normal.”
Pastel’s eyes widened.
“Squishy thought?!”
Huff.
“No, I mean it’s normal not to have any realization.”
“Wait, are you saying that even with the Mercury Friend, nothing’s changed?”
Could it be that the Mercury Friend was useless?
“That’s also not true.”
The Demon Lord’s serious gaze pierced into them. Then they stood up and extended their hands.
“May I?”
They grabbed Pastel by the sides and suddenly lifted them off the ground.
Their feet left the floor.
Whoa!
Pastel was flying!
The Demon Lord’s serious face changed.
“You’re light.”
Huff.
Pastel was light.
“You may jump.”
Huh?
Pastel tilted their head, then lightly bounced. They were wide-eyed with shock.
“Whoa! Demon Lord! Demon Lord! I feel so light!”
Gravity felt so light.
“That’s right. Something feels odd—”
“Yap! Yap!”
Pastel delivered a spinning kick in the air. Their body moved effortlessly, rotating as the kick hit with precision.
“That’s uncharacteristic agility—”
“Wow!”
They felt so buoyant.
Pastel kicked a few times before launching themselves onto the bed. They bounced on the bed.
“Wow! Wow!”
Bouncy, bouncy.
Pastel felt as light as a feather…!
The Demon Lord watched with an unimpressed expression. They caught Pastel and gently seated them back on the bed.
“Listen when I speak.”
“Oh, yes.”
Behaving.
“As one’s hierarchy builds, nature complies, order follows, and bizarre phenomena emerge.”
“Like me?”
Feeling light?
“Your case is similar but different. Normally this process would mean that nature responds to a person’s will. This is similar to magic borrowing the power of nature. Hence, the techniques of a knight skilled in swordsmanship and a grand mage’s enchantments are essentially the same phenomenon.”
The red eyes remained fixed on Pastel.
“But your condition is different. Nature is not responding; instead, you are disregarding natural order. It’s like a body detached from humanity that refuses food and only consumes gems.”
“So the results are similar due to the changing natural order, but the process is different?”
“Exactly. It’s quite bizarre.”
The Demon Lord grew serious.
“It’s a strange distortion. It’s as if you’re an intruder who disregards the world’s order rather than a being belonging to it. Has your existence warped through the consumption of others’ hierarchies?”
Eeeek.
They had no idea what that meant.
“So what’s the conclusion?”
The Demon Lord pointed at the gem knife on the table.
“Don’t eat it again.”
Huff.
Prohibition on black jelly.
Prohibition on snacking…!
Having already been scolded to tears and completely forgotten about that, Pastel was in shock.
Aaaaaah.
“What’s your answer?”
The Demon Lord looked at them suspiciously.
Eek.
Pastel subtly shifted their gaze away.
“Yes.”
The Demon Lord continued to look at them suspiciously.
Waaah.
Shaking nervously, they quickly switched topics.
“Demon Lord! Demon Lord! I’ve come up with a brilliant idea! A brilliant idea!”
“Go on.”
Reaching for the table, a knife flew and landed in their hand.
Pastel bolted upright from the bed.
“Watch closely!”
They placed the knife near their foot and gingerly lifted their foot.
“Pastel, as light as a feather…!”
They balanced their body’s center of gravity on the knife. The knife squeaked and groaned under their weight, but somehow managed to hold up.
With the knife underfoot, Pastel floated up. Their eyes widened.
Huff.
This actually works?
Originally, they had planned to pretend to fail and change the atmosphere, but Pastel was too surprised and stole a glance at the Demon Lord.
Successful atmosphere change?
A spark of curiosity shimmered in the Demon Lord’s eyes.
“Whoa. It’s not just your body that’s light; the knife’s power has also increased. Should we say that your will toward the world has strengthened?”
Bending down, they touched the knife and admired it.
“This gem fuel might have high consumption but is very useful. It could allow for three-dimensional movement.”
Pastel instantly felt proud.
“Let’s practice right away!”
“Alright.”
Hooray, they weren’t scolded!
They moved to a courtyard of the inn. The dawn air felt refreshing.
Pastel stepped onto the floating knife and lifted off the ground.
“It’s quite stable.”
“Try to apply it.”
They kicked off the knife and jumped high. Their body soared. With a gesture, they moved the knife. Just before they started to plummet, the knife flew under their foot, anchoring their body.
Pastel jumped again. The knife returned beneath their foot just in time.
The sound of leaps echoed. The knife carved out countless trajectories, creating a series of supports as the leap sounds followed suit.
The pink figure soared high.
The silhouette passed over the inn building and ascended into the sky.
Pastel spread their arms wide. The wind enveloped their body. They beheld the town bathed in the dawn glow below.
Three-dimensional movement.
Mastered in an instant.
Hooray.
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