Chapter 103 - If You're Curious About Love, Just Try It

"Is hearing about failed one-sided love experiences too difficult?"

Melissa who was walking together through the holy land's white corridor was dazed.

"It would be difficult, right? I think there's etiquette to maintain even if the other person is a servant. Because even if it was just a moment of pure love, it would have been everything in that moment."

Huk.

Totally romantic words.

Mom was once demon's everything?

Eeng.

My feelings are complex and subtle.

I can't imagine it.

"How did you become curious about free love? Pastel, did you perhaps develop feelings for someone?"

Melissa was puzzled.

"It's not that. Come to think of it, Elsior mentioned free love too? Is it a taboo action for nobles?"

Is popular Pastel too ahead of the times?

Melissa pondered slightly.

"It's not to the extent of being taboo, but many people don't encourage it. Because the family's opinion is important anyway."

Engagement between families?

Heeh.

"Does Melissa have a fiancé too?"

Melissa smiled softly.

"My mother told me to decide for myself gradually, so I haven't really thought about it much yet."

A model student friend who well follows her parents' words to decide for herself. Though I'm not sure if that's truly deciding for oneself, it's an attitude worth emulating.

"Does Elsior have one?"

"She probably doesn't...?"

Melissa twirled her golden hair.

"I haven't heard news, but such matters are family internal affairs. I'm not sure."

"You two have gotten closer, right?"

You said you got along well managing the Knight Order together after separating from me. Though you've been denying being friends until now.

"Of course. We're getting along like normal friends, though I'm not sure if we're friends."

Eeyee.

Then you're not friends.

But it's better than fighting I guess.

"That's great!"

"Right?"

Melissa's expression became pleased. Despite everything, it's better to be close than fighting because family relations are bad.

"Ah~!"

Pastel put her hands behind her back and walked with slightly quick steps.

"I need love~. Dating, engagement, dating, engagement~. If I call that name dating is better~"

"Since you Pastel are the family head, wouldn't there be little difference between free love and engagement? You don't need permission from anyone."

"Is that so? Then, if I call that name engagement is better~"

Though I doubt if I can know love through engagement.

"How do you get engaged?"

Melissa thought for a moment.

"I've only heard, but many portraits come to the family. Among those, they examine family history and personal information to select, then the person or their parents choose. I know it's like meeting several times to confirm each other's impression and nature, then having an informal discussion."

"Totally stiff!"

This isn't what I imagined!

This isn't lovely at all!

Engagement is really engagement after all!

"Is that so?"

Melissa was perplexed.

"It may seem strict from what you've heard. But it doesn't happen without romance. My parents also met this way, but they have a good relationship."

"Really?"

Is there a love method suitable for the times and situation?

"I'm not sure, but it sounds fun!"

Nod nod!

Melissa hesitated slightly. She seemed to want to advise her best friend's too light mindset, but hesitated thinking it would be too meddlesome in the Craft family's internal affairs.

Then she finally brought up a different topic.

"How should we organize the Knight Order? Given the situation, we had no choice but to summarily judge them for collusion, but it's awkward for me to hold command authority indefinitely."

"Ah that?"

Though we can leave the Knight Order to self-purify now that we've dealt with the faction that colluded with the cult...

"How about restructuring while we have command authority? To about half the personnel. Fill too many vacancies with new hires."

"H-half?"

Melissa's expression became shocked.

"Yes! They're all incompetent anyway!"

Rather than ruining the work atmosphere with unnecessary personnel, it's about elitization.

There are risks, but considering what the Knight Order has done until now, we should remove everyone. It's also a good time with leeway in safety after subjugating the cult once.

"It's like they came to play, their luggage bags had too many unnecessary things! Is it a picnic?"

Pastel approached Melissa. She lifted golden hair and smelled its fragrance.

Melissa tensed, shrinking her shoulders.

Oing, there's no fragrance?

The southern commander successor had no scent, perhaps washing with soap during field camping.

"You didn't use perfume?"

"I didn't bring any."

"There was some in the Knight Order's luggage? You could borrow since it's already brought."

"I enjoy such things too, but I refrain at times like this. Fragrances are good for being tracked by hunting dogs. If they grasp my preferences in advance and train with that scent, my location will be detected no matter how I disguise myself."

Uwee, super-elite.

Pastel felt slightly guilty, not even glancing at stiff soap when actually washing her hair.

"Melissa!"

She tightly hugged her friend.

"I wish I only had people like Melissa under me!"

Totally totally puts my mind at ease!

"B-but won't there be strong backlash if we reduce by half? Not just the members, but the Knight Commander will be difficult to control."

Since he's knight-class.

"I already discussed with the Knight Commander!"

Though I wasn't fresh fresh mentally yesterday, I did work.

In exchange for covering up the excessively disgraceful incidents in the Knight Order, we agreed to follow the academy's control.

"I roughly drafted a restructuring plan too, so talk with the Knight Commander!"

Examining internal matters while investigating the Knight Order in advance helped. Though I'll have to adjust the details again.

Melissa's mouth opened slightly. Her hand belatedly covered her mouth.

"As expected of you. You're unobstructed. You planned this far."

Huk.

Is that so?

"With the Knight Order effectively coming under the academy, there will be no one to stop you on Sky Island. Though the former glory is still far off, it will be a foundation to rebuild the Craft family."

Pastel was moved. She grabbed her hands and shook them.

"Melissa! To worry about and care for your best friend like this! There's no one but you!"

"Is that so?"

Melissa smiled softly.

"Then as a friend, I'll say this. How about stopping the dishonorable smuggling now? Though abuse of public power isn't very good, there's room for consideration since it's for family reconstruction. But smuggling is too dishonorable. And the strange structure of the student council covering the Craft Trading Company's operating costs."

Oing.

Pastel suddenly turned her gaze.

Huk.

An ant is passing through the corridor!

It looks totally busy!

"Melissa! It's time for us to work like ant friend! I'll check the spoils alone, so you talk with the Knight Commander!"

"What?"

Pastel hurriedly ran away.

Pitter patter.

#

"Uwaa! There's so much!"

Pastel's mouth fell open seeing the piled gold and magic stones. It seems the cult left behind all their physical assets and fled.

This is the taste of plunder...

I think I can understand pirates' mindset!

"Full confiscation! Full confiscation!"

She approved confiscation of spoils on the spot.

Anyway there's no one above authority figure Pastel now!

"Baby bird friend, well done!"

She roughly rubbed the giant chick's feathers next to her.

"It would have been difficult to find these hidden in corner tunnels without you!"

―Piyo!

The baby bird boasted.

"Well done! Well done!"

Though confiscation was decided just seeing the gold and magic stones of similar value, work must be thorough so she examined all the spoils. When she entered a certain warehouse where they were gathered, there was a smell of medicinal herbs. Cloth sacks and wooden boxes were visible.

"Are these emergency medicines?"

"Checking with prisoners, they say these are things brought from the sky whale. The whale that regularly visits Sky Island."

"Ah that whale friend?"

I also frugally sold medicinal herbs gathered with friends friends to make the student council budget.

―Piyo! Piyo!

The baby bird sightseeing together as a meritorious figure pointed somewhere with its wing.

Some ornate treasure chest was placed alone.

Oing.

"What's that?"

The Knight Order member was troubled.

"We're not sure either... They say it's spoils the cult discovered when investigating ruins damaged on the sky whale's back."

"What's inside?"

"That, I'm not sure."

"You didn't open it?"

Isn't it right to open it if you're managing spoils?

The Knight Order member was flustered. He seemed to find it very hard to believe why he didn't think to open it himself.

"I should have checked, I'm sorry."

It was a strange mistake that somehow made her tilt her head. Pastel was about to update the restructuring list then stopped.

"People can make mistakes! Be thorough next time!"

Shall we open the treasure chest?

Pastel hummed and moved her hands. The chest opened pleasantly with a click. To think they couldn't even think to open something this easy.

Looking inside the chest, there was one familiar-looking jewel alone.

It looked like the things obtained from the Demon King's ruins. Like the power to consume magic stones or power to control magic stones.

Her hand subtly closed the chest. She quietly thought then put her hand in her pocket. A small compass was taken out. The needle pointed at the chest.

Uwang!

The fate compass the previous Demon King gave to find inheritances! Though I forgot it even existed...

"Confiscate! Confiscate! Full confiscation!"

She picked up the entire chest.

"This looks dangerous so I'll personally manage it!"

She quickly finished work.

She ran to the demon making pie dough in the kitchen.

"Demon! Demon!"

The treasure chest placed on her head shook.

『Wait. It's not done yet. Sit over there and wait, why did you put that on your head?』

"This is just a hat!"

She roughly placed the treasure chest on a shelf. She took out the jewel from her pocket.

"Demon King's inheritance!"

Smart Pastel found it!

『Were there ruins in the holy land?』

The demon took off his apron.

『We were needlessly separated. Are you uninjured?』

Red eyes examined her.

"I can't bring myself to tell demon, but after a very arduous journey alone I proudly conquered the ruins and claimed the power!"

Proud.

『What kind of journey was it to say that?』

"An amazing journey! A journey of becoming friends with a million sky whales!"

Huk, that's amazing.

Seems like I could conquer the world at this rate!

『You worked hard.』

"That's right!"

She opened the fate compass doubling as a jewel box and stored the jewel. It fit perfectly in the empty space.

"Huk!"

Pink eyes went round.

"This feeling! This feeling!"

Pastel got very excited then rolled her eyes.

There's no feeling at all.

Previous Demon King, instructions please.

『This is the power of magic stone transformation.』

Huk.

Magic stone transformation?

"Can I turn magic stones into pizza?!"

But now that I say it, turning magic stones worth gold prices into pizza is a million times loss!

『There's no way it would become pizza.』

"Of course not!"

Hehe.

Pastel took out a snack magic stone from her pocket. This magic stone friend specially had its wish granted after begging to be in her pocket.

『It would be good to keep some distance.』

"Okay."

She went outside and placed the magic stone on a rock.

She stretched out both hands.

"Huap!"

Power beam~ though I don't know what it is!

"Psychic beam beam~"

The magic stone emitted a black light.

What is this? What is this?

Energy surged from the magic stone. When it reached a critical point, intense light raged. An explosion occurred and the rock shattered. The aftermath caused wind that shook pink hair.

Uwee.

A dug hole came into view.

The demon spoke calmly.

『The magic stone transformed into energy.』

To Pastel it sounded like this:

Gold turned into air.

"Uwaa! My gold value...!"

Debris without even powder remaining was visible.

Thud.

"Magic stone friend!"

You should have turned into pizza instead!