Chapter 140
"Governor-General, congratulations on your inauguration. I wanted to welcome you at the Docking Bay, but I didn't go since it was for insiders only. Hearing the news of the welcoming ceremony makes me feel quite regretful."
When she trotted over to visit the Kraft Merchant Guild, the Grace Merchant Guild Leader welcomed her.
"It's all thanks to you, Grace Merchant Guild Leader! Who else is the reason I'm not starving~!"
Pastel laughed, hehe.
"But did rumors already spread about the concert held at the Docking Bay? Ugh. Chancellor Horace did welcome me a little too excessively."
Pastel cupped her cheeks in embarrassment.
It seemed inevitable for the pure and innocent Pastel to blush at the protocol she rightfully deserved.
The Grace Merchant Guild Leader covered her mouth with a folding fan and laughed, huhu. She walked over to a table and pointed at a large, unfolded sheet of paper.
"The Merger and Acquisition of the bankrupt trading groups has been completed."
The before and after changes in the controlling stake structure were neatly drawn out in a structural diagram. It was the visualization design that Pastel had personally taught her.
"Wow!"
Although she had paid less attention to it while focusing on the Railway Merchant Guild, the trading groups involved in the merger and acquisition were of a considerable scale. Thanks to the Imperial Bank having shaken up Sky Island's credit, dozens of Trading Groups that were collapsing in a chain reaction had been reorganized and merged.
"Wow!"
Her pink eyes sparkled.
The mega-scale merger and acquisition was completed by absorbing everything that could be absorbed into the Kraft Merchant Guild, while separating the trading groups in areas that were large in scale or required specialization, and holding only their management rights.
It was a project of a scale impossible for a private trading group to undertake without the budget, credit, and strong administrative measures of the Sky Island Administration.
Pastel liked the numbers written at the very top of the controlling stake structure diagram more than anything else.
Pastel Lovecraft - 100%
Clean! Clean!
Reasonable doubt could arise as to why an individual took the shares when the Sky Island budget was used, but…
Absolutely no problem!
Because Governor-General Pastel and Sky Island are one in body and soul! If we die, we die together, and if we live, we live together!
"We are family~!"
Pastel danced, bobbing her arms up and down.
"Family from today! Family from tomorrow~! A family better than blood relations!"
The Grace Merchant Guild Leader brought out a new document. It was data detailing the asset value of the completed trading group.
"Excluding special cases like the Demon World Corporation, we have become the largest trading group on Sky Island."
"Wow! An all-time great capitalist!"
Pastel cheered, raising her hands in a hurrah.
"Even if it's only big in size and the inside is entirely a mountain of debt."
The asset value, reduced by the overwhelming debt, was hitting a negative number.
"Ugh, an all-time great debtor."
Pastel's shoulders drooped.
The one that should have gone bankrupt due to credit deterioration was actually us.
The reason we didn't go under is all thanks to the good-hearted creditors who strongly believed in the 'too big to fail' principle tied to our political-business collusion!
She clenched her fists tightly.
I must live diligently and repay their faith!
"Still, we somehow managed to grow it this far. I can't even count how many times we gambled by borrowing funds to the limit of our credit and then converting it all into trade goods to risk smuggling."
The Grace Merchant Guild Leader chuckled.
"Thanks to hiring personnel from the Knights Order, it's actually more stable than expected, making it difficult to call it a gamble now, though."
"It's all thanks to my foresight!"
Pastel pointed proudly at herself.
"It really is. As expected of the Governor-General. To think you would recycle the personnel while overhauling the Knights Order."
Oh?
It was a joke, but she believed it.
But since it wasn't a bad thing, Pastel pretended it was actually true.
"Ahem."
"However, there is a problem now."
The Grace Merchant Guild Leader brought out some documents. This time, it was a bundle of documents related to smuggling. She showed it as if emphasizing the trade volume section in particular.
"Because the scale has grown so large, it's difficult to hide it now. Everyone knows implicitly, but it being blatantly known is a different story. If we increase the scale any further, even the Demon World Corporation, which has been keeping the relevant people quiet with bribes, will inevitably have to say something."
"Are they saying that if we're going to go this far, we should pay a fee to use the semi-public smuggling route they created with bribes? Or that they'll crack down on us?"
"That is correct."
Ugh.
Why do I have to pay a fee?
I like free things!
"That is not a problem for Governor-General Pastel!"
If it were the days of Your Excellency Pastel, she would have cried out, Oh no! Save me! I don't want to pay fees, no, taxes! But Governor-General Pastel was different.
"Look at this!"
Pastel drew the Emperor's Sword from her waist. But as she tried to draw it, she realized she had left it in the dormitory and changed her words.
"Look at me! The Loyal Subject Pastel, whom His Imperial Majesty the Emperor trusts absolutely!"
He trusted her so much that he commanded the Demon King Hunt and even gave her the authority to borrow the Private Army of the Demon World Corporation and for its related matters.
Pastel had a wicked thought.
Not a joke, but truly wicked.
What did it mean to have the authority to operate a certain group's private army?
One could tell by turning one's head and looking at the normalized academy.
Our school is so beautiful!
I wish other places were like this too!
Student Pastel had succeeded by chance while going Huh? Huh? due to the rampaging of those around her, but Governor-General Pastel was not going to leave it to chance.
Long live His Imperial Majesty the Emperor!
Loyalty was growing rapidly!
"The right to command a private army?"
The Grace Merchant Guild Leader looked bewildered.
"It must be a secret I shouldn't hear, but just how demanding of a command did you receive to obtain something like that?"
"It is a secret just as you think, Guild Leader, so it's hard to say! But it's very, very important!"
The Prophesied Demon King who would bring about the downfall of the Empire was absolutely important.
The Grace Merchant Guild Leader took on a concerned expression.
"If it's to that extent, it would be best for you to focus on His Imperial Majesty the Emperor's strict command. No matter how large a trading group is, its rise and fall are determined by the mood of the Imperial Family."
Gasp.
Hearing that sent a chill down her spine.
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor: Huh? Why is she so bad at her job? Aha! She's busy running a business! Then, if her business disappears, she'll become good at her job, right? I should help her!
The Kraft Merchant Guild was forcibly dissolved by Imperial Command.
Uwaah!
The tyranny of a person in power…!
Pastel turned pale.
"I can take good care of the smuggling ships returning soon and the trading group's affairs. Please focus on His Majesty's command, Your Excellency. For the Imperial Throne also belongs to a capricious one."
A capricious one.
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor: I'm in a bad mood. You're forcibly dissolved.
It's too realistic!
Pastel's hands trembled.
"T-Then I'll pay attention to the Railway Project. It's, how should I say, connected to the Imperial Command."
"Is that so? Please do, Your Excellency. If it's the railroad…"
The Grace Merchant Guild Leader rummaged through a drawer and examined the schedule for the railway division.
"The Railway Project was halted because our business partners suddenly stopped cooperating, perhaps displeased that we obtained the railroad construction rights through an auction. While Your Excellency
Context: railway division.
"The Railway Project was halted because our business partners suddenly stopped cooperating, perhaps displeased that we obtained the Railroad Construction Rights through an auction. While Your Excellency was in the Capital, a message came from the Student Council. They said it would be resolved and to prepare to push forward again. Do you know the reason?"
Was it Ellie?
"It's probably because I was in the Capital that a message came from the Student Council. They said it would be resolved and to prepare to push forward again. Do you know the reason?"
Was it Ellie?
"It's probably because I'm scheduled to have a meeting with those business partners. It must be about that."
The Dovish Demons meeting.
"Understood. Please take full charge of this part, Your Excellency."
The Grace Merchant Guild Leader spoke calmly.
"As a merchant, I advise you that the mood of the Imperial Family has a huge impact on business, so you must definitely keep it in mind. Definitely."
Uwaah.
I feel like something went wrong…!
#
You're dissolved.
Wallet empty.
Gulp, gulp.
Sitting on the carriage seat, Pastel clenched both her hands tightly. Both her hands trembled.
She was trembling so much that Ellie looked at her suspiciously, wondering if she was acting, before soon becoming worried for her.
"No one will blame you. The sins of your family aren't your sins, and first of all, we're gathered because of very good news. There aren't many Demonkind who will fuss about Kraft this and that when they've discovered the Demon King. Even if it's a Fake Demon King, only we know that."
Shiver, shiver.
"Rather, voices will be raised when discussing the Hawks' assassination in Bellamont, asking why they would do something that raises the Empire's vigilance to the extreme at such an important moment when the Demon King was discovered."
"That's not ittt."
It's true that I'm scared of the Demonkind who will view me poorly because of my family's karma, but that's not the point.
Pastel glanced at Ellie. The black-haired princess was neatly dressed in a semi-dress. It was a very sophisticated look.
"Ellie."
"Speak."
"Are you, by any chance, a moderately bad Demonkind…?"
Ellie's expression became a question mark. After Ellie pondered, her brow furrowed.
"What are you talking about?"
"Are you not?"
Ellie was dumbfounded.
"I won't go as far as to misunderstand, but if you say something like that to other Demonkind, you should be prepared to get cursed at."
It seemed Ellie wasn't a moderately bad Demon.
Pastel groaned.
The carriage stopped, and they arrived at the meeting place. It wasn't some secretive and dark place, just a high-class building that looked like it cost a lot of money.
Pastel entered, following closely behind Ellie as if hiding behind her.
The Demonkind at the entrance and in the corridor smiled brightly and welcomed Princess Ellishita.
"Princess! I knew you would succeed from the moment you personally enrolled."
"And I knew you all would flip your stances like flipping a switch after opposing it, once results came out."
"Oops! We've been caught!"
Perhaps the discovery of the Demon King was truly tremendous good news, as the atmosphere was incredibly amicable.
As for the pink-haired girl hiding behind Ellie, glances came her way but there was no actual interest, and it was a rather artificial indifference, as if they didn't want to bring up an uncomfortable topic on a good day.
So Pastel felt somewhat relieved and was able to observe the Demonkind.
Moderately bad Demonkind, moderately bad Demonkind.
Everyone had beaming expressions and extremely kind attitudes.
Not bad, Demonkind, at all.
Actually, aren't all Demonkind good Demonkind?
Even after our arrival at the meeting place where The Round Table was located, the situation did not change.
Demonkind who were dressed up a bit more and showed signs of experience offered their greetings in a truly amicable manner.
"Princess Ellishita, you finally did it. I was so worried when you went to take the entrance exam after forgetting your coin pouch, but to think you found the Demon King. I believed in you, Princess."
"Believed, my foot. You formed a tracking team, saying the Princess ran away from home."
"Oh my!"
Moderately bad Demonkind, moderately bad Demonkind.
Pastel peeked around. As expected, artificial indifference was coming her way, so there were no major stares.
Moderately bad Demonkind, moderately bad Demonkind.
Everyone looks nice.
I guess this isn't the place.
However, a change came from The Round Table.
"Even so."
While everyone was standing and being amicable, a Demon who had been sitting alone struck The Round Table. With a noise, a faint crack formed on The Round Table.
Gazes converged on him. But that Demonkind glared back. His gaze landed on the pink-haired girl.
"It cannot be tolerated."
Gasp.
He says it can't be tolerated…!