Chapter 45
"Sky whale~"
Pastel drew a whale picture on the back of a document.
Scribble scribble with the quill pen.
The round body went swoosh.
The triangular tail fin went tap tap.
She put down the pen and examined the crooked whale drawing.
"Perfect!"
A drawing worthy of an art museum.
Could I be an art genius?
Pastel was admiring it alone when she looked at the whale drawing again and flinched.
Huk.
I didn't draw the wing fins!
Drawing the tail fin but forgetting the wing fins!
She grabbed her head in shock.
"Not perfect~!"
Uwaa.
Shock.
Shooock.
Was I not an art genius after all?!
After being shocked for a while, she grabbed the quill pen again.
"But failure is the mother of success!"
Effort genius Pastel doesn't give up!
She raised the quill pen high.
"Mother, give me strength!"
The sharp quill tip sparkled.
"Yap!"
Pastel burned with passion. She wielded the quill pen on the whale drawing on the back of the document.
"Yaap!"
Amazing battle cry!
Passion times a million!
The quill pen moved passionately.
Triangular wing fins were added to the whale.
Crooked crooked.
Scribble scribble.
"Perfect!"
Super art genius Pastel roughly put down the quill pen. A shockwave erupted. The office desk shook.
She held up the whale drawing on the back of the document.
"This is the fruit of one who never gives up!"
The whale drawing sparkled.
Peerless under heaven.
Unmatched in all ages.
The craftsman's skill created a miracle and unyielding passion carved an era.
A masterpiece for the ages self-illuminated.
A golden illusion floated above the whale drawing.
[SSS-rank Whale Drawing]
Uwaat!
Light from the drawing~!
Is this the aura of a mythical artwork?!
Uwaa.
The rank difference is unbearable for mere S-rank good child Pastel!
"I think I'll go blind!"
Pastel twisted her head this way and that, dazzled.
Art genius super crisis!
On the verge of becoming an unfortunate genius consumed by their own excellent results!
Save me, A-rank guardian demon~!
Pastel prayed desperately.
Instead of the demon who just stayed quiet since it was troublesome to scold someone playing alone, a black-haired girl approached the office desk.
Ellie, carrying a thick stack of approval documents, stared at the whale drawing with dark circles under her eyes.
Demon-like appearance.
Pastel flinched.
Uwat.
I wanted demon, not a subordinate in a demon-like state?
Feeling very guilty, Pastel subtly waved the documents she was holding.
The whale drawing on the back of the documents rippled as if coming alive.
"Sky whale~"
Yaho.
Ellie ignored it and looked haggardly.
"Pastel, did you finish the document work?"
Uwaa.
Pastel who was just playing around drawing whales in real super crisis!
Insubordination from angry Ellie, powerless Pastel goes grumble.
Only crunch crunch left for Pastel who can't nom nom magic stones.
Tremble tremble tremble.
Pastel trembled with a soul-drained appearance, but when Ellie's expression gradually became serious, she subtly pointed to the desk corner.
There were neat stacks of documents. Piled up they reached Pastel's height.
"All done."
Since it's done I can play.
Ellie was dumbfounded.
She looked back and forth between her work documents and the desk's work documents, realized Pastel had done several times more than her, and became confused.
"Why am I the only busy one?"
A question containing injustice.
Oh my oh my.
Pastel raised her chin.
She pointed at herself smoothly.
"Pastel, super elite."
She pointed at Ellie.
"Ellie, just elite."
Overwhelming difference!
Unable to accept it, Ellie rubbed her face then handed over the document stack with a haggard complexion.
"Please approve these..."
Regrettable.
Staff member #2 Dustin needs to come soon.
Pastel examined the documents related to this sky whale visit to Sky Island.
Since sky whales were profitable just by existing, many trading companies got involved when sky whales flew to human settlements.
Moreover, since it became like an annual event with whales enjoying visiting Sky Island, there were numerous trading companies that waited and prepared for this. It was an annual event where money circulated and everyone's pockets got fat.
The problem was that many caused nuisances just looking at money, so various crackdowns and vigilance were essential especially when sky whales flew over academy airspace. They couldn't overlook situations of unidentified trading company airships brazenly flying in academy airspace.
Though the Knight Order and professors handled major work related to this, minor areas or student-related matters tended to be passed to the student council.
"Has Leonard not returned to school yet?"
Need to subcontract labor.
"Some of his gang returned but Leonard isn't seen. Asked around and heard he's coming on tomorrow's airship."
Pastel nodded and quickly completed the document approvals. She passed some rejected documents to Ellie.
"Then I'll handle work cooperation with Leonard myself so redo these tomorrow and go home for today. It's vacation after all."
Ellie examined the rejected documents with a haggard look.
"I'll do them today."
"No no! Ellie rest!"
After sending Ellie away, Pastel remained alone in the student council room. She neatly organized the documents then sat in the chair.
Sunlight came through the window.
"Sky whales."
『Indeed.』
"What aspects are profitable?"
『Sky whales that live at least several hundred years basically serve as small ecosystems themselves. Plants grow on their backs over time and birds come to build nests. Life circulates and wind and rain help, so nature is created drawing a circle.』
Wow, an age-revealing riddle.
"You mean there are various animals and plants not found on Sky Island?"
『Correct. The ecosystem changes depending on the sky whale's journey route so the animals and plants differ slightly each year. Good chance to make a fortune. Moreover, the whale's byproducts themselves are very valuable so trading companies covet them.』
Byproducts?
"They catch whales?"
『Rather than catching them, it's closer to scraping off parts like dead skin since they're so huge.』
Heeh.
Sky whale byproducts.
Pastel supported her chin with a strange expression.
Wasn't a sky whale one of the ingredients in the magic stone stimulant spread by the cult?
Since high-grade ingredients like sky whales had limited distribution volume, traces were easily left in trading processes.
It didn't seem likely a named criminal organization would carelessly handle high-grade ingredient procurement, so it probably meant there was a connected trading company or the cult's own trading company.
A trading company connected to the cult.
Such a company wouldn't likely miss this annual event where easy ingredient procurement was possible.
Pastel smiled crookedly.
Heeh.
I see.
She leaned back in the chair.
『Why?』
"Nothing."
She shook her head.
After rubbing her mouth corners and patting her cheeks to change her mood, she smiled brightly.
"Just, since I'm now the owner of Craft Trading Company too, I want to participate in this annual event! It's totally a chance to make money!"
A windfall that came on its own.
She pumped both arms.
"Yes! Yes!"
『Good thinking, but Craft Trading Company already departed for trade.』
Pastel paused.
Huk.
Come to think of it, she even sent close friend Melissa.
Uwaa.
Come back, Craft Trading Company.
『No need to regret. This is strictly an opportunity where high profits come from accumulated know-how. For the first trade, smuggling brings far superior profits.』
The demon's rational calculation.
In other words, nagging with zero empathy.
"Don't calculate opportunity costs! Greedy people originally want both this and that!"
『Oh my.』
Pastel racked her brain.
Money, money, money!
Hut!
A brilliant idea!
She examined the student council budget situation.
Thanks to some unnamed person creating a trading company with student council funds, the coffers were completely empty.
"How could this be! How did the budget situation become such a mess! Just what happened?!"
『You made it like this. It's in tatters.』
In tatters.
How could this be, how could this be!
"As vice president cum general affairs head cum planning head cum public relations head cum volunteer service head cum student guidance head, I can't stay still!"
She kicked off the chair and stood up.
"I hereby declare a state of emergency for the student council as of today!"
『Hooh.』
The demon admired.
『Is the culprit who embezzled the budget finally revealed? Who is it? The vice president? General affairs head? Planning head?』
It was a teasing voice.
Pastel narrowed her brows.
"The culprit is demon!"
Trying to avoid responsibility.
『What...?』
The demon was shocked.
Pastel who instantly silenced her guardian declared proudly:
"Since I can't send demon to prison, good me will devise another solution."
She raised her arm high.
"I hereby declare that from today the student council will devote all efforts to raising funds!"
She pounded the desk.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
#
Pastel lurked around Sky Island's docking area.
Students disembarked from airships. After enthusiastically greeting known friends and waiting again, a sturdy-built male student who looked like an upperclassman disembarked.
Pastel smiled brightly and waved.
"Leonard!"
Leonard who was talking with servants flinched then turned around.
"What, why are you here."
"I waited for you!"
Smile smile.
Leonard looked at her strangely. He waved away the servants then raised one eyebrow smoothly.
"You came to the docking area to wait for me?"
"That's right!"
Pastel spread both arms. Then she spun around. The sight of lined up airships came into view.
"Wow, the docking area!"
The busy atmosphere of people and luggage coming and going was felt.
Just like a train station.
"Friends I've waited for like this are very rare so you can feel good about it!"
Pastel said that then approached Leonard and whispered secretly.
"Though I like all friends... you could say you're a somewhat special friend?"
Whisper whisper.
Leonard flinched. He backed away avoiding her gaze then suddenly frowned and glared.
"How rare?"
"Is that what you're curious about?"
Pastel tilted her head.
Hard to calculate statistics.
She counted numbers folding fingers one by one.
"One, two, three..."
After folding five fingers she folded the opposite hand's fingers. When that wasn't enough she counted more unfolding them one by one. Then folded again and counted anew.
"Twenty, twenty-one..."
"I'm completely low ranked!"
Leonard shouted with a red face.
Pastel's eyes went round.
"No no!"
She flapped both arms.
"You're middle ranked at least!"
Rank with subcontractor bonus added.
"You call that an explanation!"
Leonard raged.
Uweeh.
So prickly.
Nothing can be done.
Broad-minded me needs to understand!
Ahem.