Pastel subtly gazed at the knight’s corpse.
A sweet aroma lingered.
It’s definitely meat pudding… but it looks human.
Is it really okay to eat this?
The girl pondered while chewing on the meat pudding. The armor chewed as tenderly as pudding.
Huh?
When did it get into my mouth?
The meat pudding that was supposed to be armor burst in her mouth. Sweetness drenched her senses.
She tore off an arm and bit into it.
The meat pudding exploded.
Tasty?
So good…!
Aha.
If it tastes good, who cares how it looks.
The girl stuffed the corpse into her mouth.
The black energy melted through her stomach and deeper.
The energy ceased wandering and returned to its original owner, Pastel’s soul.
The emptiness of the forcibly extracted soul was partly restored.
Having finished her meal, Pastel got up satisfied. She closed her eyes and savored the aftertaste.
A moment later, she turned to pick up the sword.
There was the broken longsword.
Oh, I broke it, didn’t I?
Sorry, friend. I lived because of your sacrifice. I won’t forget it.
She shifted her gaze to the dark sword the knight had used. A knife-shaped black pudding caught her eye.
It turned into pudding?
Eww.
I don’t have a proper weapon right now?
She grabbed the broken longsword.
This is better than a table leg.
But it lacks the vibe?
Weapon, weapon.
She quickly ate the black pudding and ran. Her pink hair fluttered in the wind.
The proper food in her head had long vanished amid gobbling down strange things.
#
Bloodline certification – complete.
Head of household certification – complete.
Power room operation – complete.
Basement prison release – complete.
Pastel grabbed the bars and gazed at the sword’s hilt inside the prison with sparkling eyes.
“Demon Lord! Am I good to go?”
“Hmm.”
The long sword scattered like smoke. Within the mist, a well-dressed man took shape.
The demon shook his black hair and surveyed the prison with his red eyes.
“Has the seal been broken?”
Heartbeat.
Is this how a demon summoner feels?
“That can’t be. Let go of the bars.”
She let go. The demon grabbed the bars and pulled them apart, twisting the steel and creating a space.
“Wow!”
The demon stepped out of the prison.
“Your radius of action has expanded around you.”
“Aha.”
I’m not a demon summoner yet, am I?
Her feelings were complicated.
Pastel shook off the exhilarating sense of betrayal.
But there’s something more important.
“You can turn into a sword, right? I don’t have a decent weapon.”
The demon glanced at the broken longsword. Then, without a word, he acted.
The man’s form scattered like smoke and transformed into a sword.
Oh yeah.
Pastel snatched the falling sword.
It had solid weight.
She groggily inspected the sturdy and elegant sword.
Wow.
Finally, I’ve got a complete weapon.
I feel like I can cut anything.
Hehe.
One, two, three.
Pastel raised the sword like a villain. The candlelight ominously illuminated the demon sword.
“Demon Sword!”
It talks!
Wow.
The demon sword’s voice rang out.
『…What are you doing?』
It really talks!
Wow wow.
Pastel, reveling in her treasure, lowered the sword.
“Did the sword get slightly smaller?”
Is it just my imagination?
『…I adjusted the size to fit.』
Wow.
Such amazing consideration.
“Thank you, Demon Lord!”
Pastel exclaimed, touched, as she left the basement.
Climbing up the dim spiral staircase, she reached the office, where a fierce commotion in the garden erupted.
“We’ve retaken indoors, but the outside is a problem.”
She headed to the window, as if to show the demon.
Peering down, Pastel froze.
The moonlight shone on the garden.
Under the full moon, a two-story tall monster howled. The atmosphere reverberated.
A gigantic monkey charged towards the monster. A punch struck the monster’s face. An impact wave burst forth.
Pastel’s eyes trembled violently.
What the hell?
I feel like my level has shot up?
“Uh, Demon Lord. Do you know how to deal with that monster that looks about five times taller than me?”
There must be some fantastic, great method, right?
『First, get away from the window.』
Pastel quickly stepped back.
『Are there only two of them?』
“I’ll check.”
She quickly circled the mansion. She looked in all directions but found no other monsters. It seemed like they ended up just two, having eaten each other.
In the center of the garden, a fierce battle unfolded between the giant monster and the monkey. The monkey swung its fists while the monster bit and clawed at it. The wounds immediately regenerated.
Whoa, such regeneration!
How much did it devour?
“How do we catch it?!”
The demon spoke firmly.
『We don’t catch it.』
What?
Pastel hesitated.
Then…
A chill creeping up from deep within her soul made her feel uncomfortable.
Running away means permanent loss.
“Is there any other way?”
『I strive not to catch them.』
Ahhh.
『There will always be enemies stronger than yourself. Do not waste your talents. You must escape when you can.』
Aww.
“The knight is tracking my traces. Are they coming after us too?”
『What?』
The demon sword scattered, transforming into a man. The red eyes scanned the girl.
The demon’s expression grew increasingly serious.
『Have you seen a large magic circle nearby?』
She led the demon to another window.
A large magic circle unfurled in the garden.
The girl glared at the magic circle and then looked back at the demon.
The demon’s face crumpled.
『It’s an extraction ritual. It’s primarily used to summon unidentified beings as sacrifices and forcibly extract their soul power.』
Unidentified beings?
What a weird term.
The demon scanned Pastel, letting out a sigh.
『I need to check your back for a moment.』
No way?
She approached and turned around.
The demon tugged at the neck area of her winter dress slightly. After peering inside for a moment, he sighed deeply.
『What’s with this?』
“What’s in there?!”
Could I be a sacrifice?
No wonder the name combination sounds weird.
The demon hesitated, folding his arms in thought.
『Something is odd.』
The red eyes looked at Pastel. The innocent girl reflected in its gaze.
『Hmm, perhaps not. Since the sacrifice seems unharmed, maybe the unidentified being simply visited without descending. It seems there was a ruckus when they tried to forcibly extract the soul power and failed.』
The demon rubbed his chin.
『No, they extracted the soul power and then fled without handling the suppression or follow-up.』
“Does that mean there is an evil mastermind behind this?”
The demon nodded.
『They fled after only gaining the fruits of their labor. The monster is a remnant of the unclaimed harvest and the ruckus caused by the unidentified being.』
Pastel clutched a blood-stained cloth piece from her pocket.
No matter how long it takes, she must…
『Excuse me.』
Quickly, the demon’s finger jabbed her back.
Tap tap tap.
Crackle crackle.
“Ouch! What was that?!”
『Done. You won’t be able to track them now. We should leave. If you run away with your back turned to the mansion, it won’t be hard to escape.』
The demon transformed into a sword that she grabbed.
Pastel rubbed her back and moved her legs.
“You’re really not going to catch it?”
『What do you expect? Talent isn’t omnipotent. Don’t throw it to chance.』
Pastel pouted and murmured.
“That may be true, but there should be some super ultra finishing move, or something fantastic and great, you know?”
She stabbed the air with her sword.
The demon sighed.
『At your age, that could happen.』
And then, it went silent.
Ugh.
Is it really true that they won’t catch it?
She felt like she had found a half-squashed cockroach in her bowl—the other half is missing…?
Ahhhh.
Pastel shivered.
She couldn’t help but glance outside.
Suddenly, the gigantic monkey flew into the garden of the magic circle. Its bulk collided with the ground, creating a dust cloud.
From the far side, the monster appeared and charged at the monkey. The monster’s maw clamped down on its arm, ripping it off.
The monkey screeched. With its remaining arm, it swung a punch. Another impact wave burst forth.
The struck monster rolled helplessly. It tumbled through the garden, crashing into the trees, breathing heavily but unable to rise.
The howl of victory echoed.
The monkey stepped forward to finish off the job. And then suddenly, it staggered. Black energy streamed incessantly from the torn-off arm.
The monkey staggered before collapsing onto the garden. A heavy thud resonated.
Silence descended.
Huh?
Pastel’s eyes widened.
Huh huh?
The monster slowly began to rise. It howled, as if paying respect to the rival it had just fought.
A legitimate match ended with a clear victor.
Such battles will become memories.
Glory will turn to solitude.
The monster attempted to walk towards the corpse but collapsed instead. Dust swirled. The black figure weakly pressed itself into the ground, inching towards the corpse. A long trail of dirt formed in the garden.
The lonely garden shone under the moonlight.
Wow.
Pastel flung open the window and leapt out. Gravity took hold. Her winter dress fluttered. The moment her feet hit the ground, she dashed forward.
The crawling monster hesitated. Its eyes met the girl who blocked its view of the corpse.
Pastel shouted valiantly.
“Pastel Love Craft!”
She aimed her sword at the formidable foe.
“As a proud swordsman, I will fight fairly!”
The match.
Pastel charged forward. The monster raised a forepaw before swinging.
Swish.
The strike nearly missed the girl and struck beside her. The breeze tousled her pink hair.
Ugh, it’s too strong.
Is this the ultimate enemy?
But the hero won’t give up.
“Hyaah!”
Pastel jumped with all her might, grabbing the monster’s forepaw, fully climbing onto it. She dashed toward its head.
Reaching it, she held her sword backward.
“Hyah!”
With all her strength, she plunged it down.
Thud.
Cough.
Pastel panted heavily.
Wiping the sweat off her exhausted face looked tough.
It was an intense battle.
I don’t think I’ll manage to do it again.
But after a life-or-death struggle, I emerged victorious.
The corners of her mouth rose slowly.
Pointing at herself above the corpse.
“I am the conqueror of the mansion!”
The moonlight cast its glow upon the girl.
Aha ha.
Laughter echoed in the garden.
Suddenly, the corpse transformed into meat pudding.
The ground beneath her feet sagged.
Huh?
Pastel fell right into the pudding.
Wah-ahh!
The giant pudding engulfed her body.
Conqueror, save me…!
Floundering, she paddled vigorously and finally broke free.
“Phew.”
I thought I was really going to die.
A sweet taste lingered in her mouth.
Ah, pudding.
She chewed thoughtfully on it that had entered her mouth.
『Seriously, why are you eating that?』
The demon’s bewildered voice reached her ears.
“Oh, this?”
Pastel’s eyes rolled like a junkie.
“I’ve been eating it continuously, and there’s been no problem.”
『What nonsense.』
The demon began to speak but paused.
Then there was silence for a while before he muttered.
『…Even so, you’re a Craft, so I shouldn’t care. Do whatever you want.』
Oh yeah.
The protector’s approval.
In the midst of neglect, the young girl indulged in the corpse feast.
#
Pastel’s eyes trembled.
Huh?
Something feels off with my body?
She jumped in place several times. To her surprise, she jumped quite high. Her body felt incredibly light.
This time, she struck a tree with her bare fist. The bark and markings were left behind. Her fist didn’t hurt that much.
Huh?
She detached a metal hinge from the door. Gripping it tightly, she gave it a squeeze.
Crack.
The shape distorted.
When she opened her hand, her fingerprints were left on the hinge.
Huh?
Something’s not right.
Did I eat something wrong?
Images of black corpses flashed through her mind.
Well, I did eat something wrong.
Pastel groaned and casually tossed aside the crumpled hinge.
Whatever, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The feeling of hunger had slightly lessened, so isn’t this a good thing after all?
“Positive mindset!”
Uha.
『Meal preparation is complete.』
“Oh, really?!”
Pastel hurriedly followed the demon.
Finally, proper food. I’m ready to feast!
On an unfinished kitchen table, the food was laid out.
“Whoa! Your cooking skills? I can’t wait to eat!”
Pastel picked up a fork.
『Wait.』
The demon looked at her oddly.
Did I act too impolite?
『First, put down the fork and hold your breath.』
Huh? Breath?
Pastel obediently complied. She inhaled deeply and held her breath.
The demon tapped the table with his finger. It followed a steady rhythm like a second hand.
60, 120, 180.
As she held her breath, Pastel’s mind filled with question marks.
Huh?
240, 300, 360.
Huh?
『That should be enough.』
Pastel exhaled.
Not out of breath, just calm breaths.
The red eyes held a complex emotion as they stared at her.
『You’ve ingested too much unidentified being’s power in sacrifice form. You are no longer a complete human.』
Ew.
“But I fought and got out of breath.”
『That’s a habitual response. You don’t need to breathe.』
Hoo-ah.
Pastel clutched her head.
What happened to me?
Am I disqualified as a human?
Then one thought crossed her mind.
But what’s wrong with not breathing? It might be convenient in a fight.
And my strength has improved!
Oh yeah.
The demon pointed at the steak with a knife.
『You can’t eat food either.』
What did you say?
『If you’re curious, give it a try.』
She stabbed a piece of steak and placed it in her mouth. The moist meat texture flooded her mouth. The savory flavor exploded.
Wow, this cooking is amazing.
She chewed thoroughly and swallowed.
Suddenly, she felt a fierce stimulus.
Huh?
Something from this world’s realm treated as a foreign substance stirred. A purification action occurred as it invaded her body.
Pastel coughed up blood.
The smell of iron permeated the air.
Huh? Huh?
Am I unable to eat?
The demon brought over a towel, gently wiping the blood from her lips. The soft cloth brushed against her face.
『You’ll manage drinking water.』
“That’s no comfort at all?!”
What am I going to eat now?
Meat pudding?
When there are no monsters left?
Her eyes trembled.
Am I going to starve…?
She gazed at the lavish dishes arrayed before her.
Starving in abundance…?
The demon brought a plate towards her.
Fragments of black jewels tumbled around.
A sweet scent faintly wafted.
『Try eating this. It’s soul gem.』
Pastel swiftly grabbed it and popped it into her mouth. The black candy crumbled. It was far inferior to meat pudding but had a palatable sweetness.
This totally feels like junk food!
『By your current state, you can replenish energy with soul gems.』
The demon ground the soul gem with his hands and sprinkled it onto the steak.
『You can eat food together. Food won’t help energy restoration but will relieve stress.』
She jabbed a piece of steak into her mouth. This time, unlike before, she could swallow it without discomfort.
It’s real!
Eh? What’s this?
It’s not a big deal, is it?
Pastel burst into laughter.
Aha ha.
“Demon Lord, you’re quite witty!”
Telling me the solution so late, you have a great sense.
The demon looked at her with pity. He surveyed the dilapidated kitchen like a noble and then thought about Pastel.
『It has a similar price to gold by volume.』
The fork fell.
The sound of tableware echoed.
Pastel’s hands trembled.
She stared vacantly at the black jewel.
This junk food is worth gold?!
Something that’s inferior to meat pudding as a dessert?
“Ahhhh…”
Pastel clutched her head. The pink strands tangled around her fingers.
“What do I do?!”
『It’d be best to change your residence. The soul gems are mined from the demon realm.』
The demon walked towards the window.
『The sky island between the human realm and the demon realm is a center for soul gem processing and trade. It’s more affordable than the controlled demon realm.』
Oh?
“Is it really that cheap?”
『It’s definitely cheaper but there’s a problem.』
“What, what is it?”
Pastel swallowed hard.
Her heart raced.
『Real estate is exorbitantly expensive.』
Ahhhh.
This is too realistic…!
『For your age, though, there are options.』
The demon gazed at the stars in the night sky.
『The application deadline for the Sky Island Academy will be next week.』
The Sky Island Academy’s.
#
“Underwear, socks and…”
Pastel frantically checked her bag.
“Is there something missing?!”
She darted around the room.
『Didn’t I tell you to pack up yesterday?』
The demon followed behind, brushing her pink hair.
“Whoa whoa whoa.”
Pastel panicked.
『Just stay still.』
The demon quickly grabbed the hair tie he had in his mouth. As he followed the erratic girl, his hands moved rapidly. In no time, her pink hair was neatly arranged.
“This is my first airship! I can’t help the excitement! Oh! The ticket!”
Pastel grabbed the airship ticket.
“I almost forgot you!”
Checking the airship time.
『Thanks to the one who overslept, we’re in a hurry. We need to run.』
“Yes! Yes!”
Pastel quickly closed her bag.
With her bag in hand, she dashed for the door.
“I’m off!”
『I’m going with you, what are you saying?』
The demon hurriedly transformed into a sword.
“Oh right!”
Pastel turned around, snatching the sword, and ran again.
“I will go with you…!”
『Sigh.』
The blue sky spread out before her.
It felt like bright futures lay ahead.
Surely, right?
“Welcome to the academy airship. You will undertake a surprise test. Those who fail will return.”
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