“Are you feeling any better?”
Pastel looked at Melissa, who had just drunk the emergency antidote.
“The pain relief kicks in quickly and feels good. My worsening injuries should settle down for a while. I should be fine until I meet with the medical team.”
Melissa gently touched her chest as she replied, then she gave a slight smile.
“Pastel, you truly have a knack for alchemy. Or could it be your talent for acquiring associated guilds?”
Ugh.
So calm.
To self-reflect like this after inhaling poison gas is quite impressive.
Is this really the heir of the southern commander?
Fluffy pink Pastel can’t keep up.
Melissa pointed beyond the purple toxic gas fog. In the mist covering the area, gunfire could be heard, and the visibility was practically zero.
“I’m fine, so you should go help Bellamont. This commotion doesn’t feel like a good situation.”
Pastel shook her head.
“Objectively speaking, Bellamont’s situation doesn’t seem urgent. We can take you to safety first and then go help.”
The sound of bullets ricocheting was intermittently heard after the gunfire. The constant interval between the gunshots and the sounds of spears deflecting bullets indicated that the distance between the two sides was consistent, showing a clear stalemate.
The demon assessed the battle situation solely by the sounds beyond the gas.
“Even if it’s a planned murder, killing a semi-knight isn’t easy. The terrorists are surrounding the marquis’ daughter, trying to buy time and make her succumb to the gas. Since they’re not knight-class immune to the gas, it’s definitely a solid strategy, even if it takes time.”
The Demon Lord is completely reliable.
“Huh?”
Melissa tilted her head.
An innocent reaction typical of a wizard not sensitive to her senses.
Pastel, putting on an air of confidence, gestured to lean in closer and explained, “According to my brilliant deduction, the sounds we’re hearing indicate a stalemate. Elshire is strong, so the terrorists can’t do anything and are simply containing her while trying to inflict a critical hit with gas.”
Melissa’s mouth slightly dropped open.
“You can deduce such things? I can’t imagine how much effort you must have put into that.”
Her eyes seemed to acknowledge that she had lagged behind Pastel in grades all term.
“Of course! That’s not all I know!”
Pastel, trying to calm Melissa down, added more words of reassurance while flying her on the broom.
Melissa’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You’re telling me you can deduce even more in this situation?”
“Yup! Because I’m smart!”
“What deduction is it?”
“Umm, umm…”
As Pastel thought, she rolled her eyes for a moment, then looked down desperately at the Demon Sword at her waist.
Demon Lord! Demon Lord!
“Why are you looking at me?”
Hurry! Hurry!
“Hmph.”
Melissa, awkwardly perched on the back of the broom, looked at Pastel with confusion.
“What deduction is it?”
Gulp.
I don’t even know!
Pastel’s mouth dropped open.
“To clarify, it seems the terrorists’ objective isn’t only to kill the marquis’ daughter. The fact that they’re radical demons does not help; they just release the gas without properly employing it for mass murder, indicating they have an entirely different goal in mind.”
The demon muttered as it considered.
“The terrorists probably have no intention of breaking the stalemate. The sound of bullets can also be heard from the airship above. The reason the airship isn’t firing is that the marquis’ daughter is still alive, so if the terrorists have an ulterior motive, they won’t want to take risks.”
Wow!
The Demon Lord’s thoughts are exactly what I was thinking!
Truth be told, smart Pastel already knew this but just wanted to check if the Demon Lord understood too!
Flying on the front of the broom, Pastel quickly recited the Demon Lord’s words.
Melissa was amazed.
Proud.
“Feeling assured now? Let’s take you to the medical team.”
Using her power over gems, the white broom carrying both of them strained as it lifted off the ground.
Broom friend, don’t be such a drama queen, just try your best.
Pastel patted the broom. The broom trembled and started to rise. However, it stopped short at a height where their feet were barely off the ground. The flying speed was incredibly slow.
“Is it broken?”
“It’s just heavy.”
Huh?
Focusing her mind, Pastel sensed that the gem fuel was being drained rapidly due to overload.
I should have ordered a two-seater.
Melissa seemed intrigued.
“Does performance vary with weight? Indeed. How can it fly? It’s not like you’re a great sorcerer.”
Oh?
Is flying something unusual?
Shouldn’t I have used the Demon King’s power so obviously?
“The broom friend flies just because it’s a broom friend.”
Duh.
Melissa cocked her head.
“So, it’s a broom friend just because it’s a broom friend?”
Yes, yes.
“Is that how it works?”
Melissa looked puzzled, then suddenly pointed her staff towards the toxic gas fog.
Light flared from the end of her staff. The always-prepared lightning bullet shot out. At that moment, a scream was heard, and a figure flickered in the gas. A falling sound followed.
Oh?
Pastel was stunned.
Melissa reloaded another spell casually, then spoke nonchalantly.
“I think I just sent someone to check if they were dead. Let’s go. If we can’t fly high on the broom, we can stick to the ground and exit the arena. On our way, we can sneak a look at Bellamont’s situation.”
“Uh, okay.”
Melissa seems scary.
Killing someone really can happen in an instant.
It’s a level that cowardly Pastel (of zero kills) has never experienced.
Silently, she maneuvered the broom.
Steering away from the area where gunfire was heard, she still moved close enough. The sounds of Elshire and the terrorists grew near.
Swallowing a dry gulp.
“This broom makes no noise when flying. In this gas fog, even a semi-knight wouldn’t easily notice us.”
Oh, right.
Feeling reassured.
“It’d be good to make a potion that creates fog after the terror ends. An illusion potion would ensure safety even if you accidentally break it.”
Huh?
Why does the Demon Lord automatically assume I’ll break it by accident?
Is the trust lacking?
Once it’s all over, I must juggle paralysis potions in my bedroom to show off my excellent skills.
Pastel resolved it in her mind.
Completely unaware of what the girl was thinking, the demon diligently continued instructing.
“Listen closely. They’ve cornered the marquis’ daughter against the wall. If you listen carefully, you can hear the sounds of the terrorists forming a perimeter. Every time she deflects a bullet with her spear, the perimeter tightens, making noise. It’s a typical behavior of poorly trained troops.”
Pastel focused her ears. Her enhanced hearing, thanks to too much gem consumption, allowed her to pick up the sounds clearly.
Every time Elshire deflected a bullet, the members making up the perimeter flinched, exchanging voices to reestablish their formation.
Wow, it really seems so.
Worried that Elshire might charge in for a massacre, and even more worried that her allies would escape first, they seemed to exchange sounds to confirm their trust.
She started to comprehend what untrained means.
“I see. Now, based on the sound of the marquis’ daughter deflecting bullets and the sounds of the terrorists, try to gauge each person’s position.”
Understood.
Pastel concentrated.
A synesthetic association transformed sounds into images. The shapes of Elshire and the perimeter could be identified through sound alone.
Wow?
“From the expression you’re making, it looks like you’ve done well. If you’ve gauged their positions, now you can also guess the weapons used by the terrorists surrounding her.”
Huh? Really?
“The distance between the marquis’ daughter and the perimeter is about 5 meters. Considering she uses a spear, even at that distance, we can infer they must be using lengthy weapons. They likely all have spears, but seeing as they aren’t adequately trained, I doubt they’ll have standardized equipment, so individual gear would be mixed in.”
Pastel rolled her eyes in thought.
So, so…
Then she nodded.
The Demon Lord’s words seemed right!
Those bad terrorists, using spears!
Using spears of all things!
So bad!
Pastel let the overly rapid teachings of the demon slip through her head.
She turned to look back at Melissa sitting behind her. Since making a sound might expose them, she exchanged looks instead.
Based on my smart brain, it really seems we’re in a complete stalemate!
There’s no need to put Melissa, who’s already down from inhaling gas, in danger!
Melissa gazed beyond the purple gas with a befuddled expression, then vaguely nodded her head.
Alright.
Elshire, just hold on for a bit. I’ll take Melissa to the medical team and be right back to help.
Not me, but Hormone Friend!
Veering the broom to circle around the perimeter.
There was a sudden gunshot. Pastel flinched but eased up when she realized she wasn’t detected.
She heard Elshire’s mocking voice.
“Not a chance. You think I’m so weak as to lose to a pathetic terrorist like you, claiming to have achieved merely semi-knight status, just because you rely on gunpowder weaponry? There’s a clear distinction even within the same tier of skill.”
Ugh.
Melissa is light-years apart from her attitude.
But regardless of the provocation, the terrorist seemed focused solely on containing her. Every time Elshire made a move, a gunshot echoed.
Elshire deflected the bullet and reconfigured.
“Or is it that a demon like you can only engage in a reckless suicide attack by crashing an airship into the arena? All you can do is pray for a lucky survival in the fall while claiming it was a success to the Demon King!”
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
The terrorist erupted in anger.
Pastel furrowed her brow, a voice sounding familiar.
Isn’t that the terrorist and demon mercenary leader we handed over to the Knight Order?
Probably that Mr. Trimaut?
“The Demon King is not someone you can call at your whim!”
Oh.
That’s him alright.
Excuse me, Knight Order folks?
Why is this taking so long?
“You claim to rely on fortune to crash an airship? No way! I’ve identified the weakness of this academy’s protective barrier!”
Trimaut fired his weapon and continued.
“During the admission practical exam, Marquis Craft managed to crash an airship into the exam site and came out unscratched! The transparent barrier that covered the sky absorbed the impact! This is a terrorism plan that utilized that data! It’s not luck but a meticulously plotted act of terror!”
Oh?
Why am I suddenly mentioned?
Elshire reacted immediately.
“Are you saying that ridiculous rumor is true? That Craft is instigating terrorism to seize Sky Island first and swallow the academy? Then it’s the Knight Order’s turn?”
“Terrorism instigation?! Don’t look down on us like that! Who serves such a family!”
Trimaut shouted angrily, slamming a fist to his chest roughly.
“I am here of my own will, with my own heart, to kill you humans!”
Gunfire rang out.
“If Craft admitted this is the chessboard, then this choice is my own will!”
“What?”
Elshire gasped in shock.
“Craft himself acknowledged this…?!”
Pastel gasped along.
What on earth does that mean?!
I never said anything like that!
Somewhere in the back of her mind, a memory surfaced.
I think I made some “villain” remarks while acting like Craft to Mr. Trimaut.
Huff.
Pastel’s mouth gaped open, and she froze.
Rolling her eyes, she quickly erased her memories like erasing a chalkboard.
Swish, swish, swish.
All clear.
Then she thought again.
I never said that!
Ahhh!
That’s so unfair!
Feeling the intense gaze on her, Pastel turned to look back at Melissa.
Melissa was staring intently at her.
A gaze suspecting the “villain.”
Ahhh!
This is double unfair……!
Trimaut’s voice resounded.
“You claimed to acknowledge this, and then you suddenly changed your attitude to mock—”
“Wahhh!”
As the revelations piled on, Pastel hurriedly whipped the broom.
The slow broom malfunctioned and accelerated.
Whoosh!
Escape from the scene!
Quickly handing Melissa over to the medical team, Pastel turned back to rescue Elshire with all her strength.
I will ensure the evil terrorists meet justice……!
Absolutely not to silence myself.
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