Chapter 62
『Well done. Filling an enclosed space with gas is a very effective method. It was a good decision to subdue them with paralytic poison without unnecessary conflict by blocking the door.』
"Huah."
Pastel staggered to her feet from the sewer floor. She trembled slightly and rubbed her arms with her hands.
"They were completely bad people."
Indiscriminate poison terrorism.
Uwaa.
She looked at the tightly closed iron door with fearful eyes.
"What kind of criminals are they?"
『There's a high possibility they're radical demon race. Not all demon race are like this, but some vent their hatred and resentment in innocent places. Like spraying poison in human students' water source.』
"Uwaa."
I feel afraid yet also a sense of duty as the student council. I have to protect my friends from such terrible criminals.
Pastel carefully opened the iron door while holding her sword. Yellow paralytic gas leaked through the door gap. When she inhaled the gas, she coughed.
Uwaat!
Gas, gas!
Save Pastel~!
She closed the door again in panic.
She hurriedly inhaled the not particularly clean sewer air.
"Hoo hah! Hoo hah!"
The demon was dumbfounded.
『It doesn't affect you. Why do you keep perceiving yourself as an ordinary human while sprinkling magic stone powder on your meals every day.』
"Ah! That's right!"
I'm fine!
So that's why I could adopt paralytic poison in glass bottles with high risk of accidents while only considering convenience of use.
Pastel who gained confidence slowly opened the door. She confidently inhaled the yellow gas leaking out.
"It doesn't affe- cough!"
Cough! Cough!
Not clean air but coughing!
The pain of breathing during a yellow dust storm!
『That doesn't mean you should deliberately inhale it...』
"Uwee, okay~"
She opened the door while covering her nose with her white sleeve. A demon race leaning on the doorway fell with a noise.
"Uwat!"
Pastel flinched then examined the demon race. They didn't even twitch as if completely paralyzed.
"A-are you dead?"
She poked the demon race poke poke with her sword blade. There was no response.
Uwa?
Did I commit murder?
『They inhaled gas in an enclosed state so the paralysis is excessive, reaching a comatose state.』
"I-is that so?"
She poked the demon race poke poke then turned her gaze to the room interior. Though yellow gas was escaping, the interior was still covered in hazy yellow.
She swallowed dryly gulp.
"Did everyone collapse?"
The wooden furniture and human silhouettes collapsed in confusion didn't even twitch either.
Phew.
Pastel needlessly wiped her forehead. Then she looked down at the wicked criminals with a triumphant air.
"Bad criminal everyone! Do you understand now? You who are among the worst criminals in history planning atrocious acts like poison terrorism can never win!"
She pointed at herself firmly.
"Knowing that, student council Pastel faced you without a moment's hesitation! Because I knew justice was on my side!"
Satisfied.
Many friends, I'm struggling like this.
So don't keep your distance calling me suspicious Craft and treat me like an idol, let's be friends. I don't know what part of this pink pink Pastel seems different inside and out.
Pastel who was intoxicated with victory while preaching examined the gas inside.
"Will inhaling this gas for a long time cause serious side effects?"
『It doesn't have that level of effect. I made it considering situations like you breaking the glass bottle while sleeping and surrounding people being swept up during sleep.』
Ing.
Suddenly feeling like a troublemaker.
Pastel who was about to refute recalled the memory of being scolded slightly this morning for spilling frying flour while watching the demon cook.
Maybe I am a bit of a troublemaker...
She subtly changed the subject.
"Si-since it's fine even long-term, let's leave these people here."
She pushed the demon race at the doorway. The demon race was lightly pushed into the room. She tightly closed the door completing the gas-filled enclosed space.
"We need to call the guards and imprison them~"
She dusted off her hands and retrieved the magic stone lantern placed in a sewer corner. When she increased the lantern light source, the sewer brightened.
Suddenly the far side of the sewer passage was noisy. A group of giant rats filled the passage and swarmed over.
Oing.
Pastel's eyes went round.
"Demon! The squeaky friends...!"
They're coming to eat my flesh and blood for revenge.
Uwaa.
『You'll need to clear the surroundings to bring guards. Control their numbers.』
Ah.
Pastel calmed at the calm voice. She looked around at the surrounding terrain then jumped to the passage wall. She stuck her sword at a height rats couldn't reach, rotated once and climbed up.
She looked down at the swarming rat group.
"Welcome, squeaky friends."
Time to greet knife friend.
Knives rushed from her chest.
Silver trajectories swept through the sewer.
#
She visited Elsior Bellamont's private dormitory.
It was a dormitory guarded by servants doubling as soldiers. The soldiers' long spears densely surrounded the dormitory like prison bars encircling a jail.
"When we interrogated the infiltrating demon race, they said the captured members were the advance party and there are additional personnel."
Pastel sat at the terrace tea table with arms crossed.
"Though we can block indiscriminate attacks like contaminating the water source since we've already caught the plan, it's difficult to perfectly prevent assassination targeting you."
"It's fine. Don't worry about it."
The silver-haired girl opposite scooped sugar with a teaspoon. White powder was sprinkled into black tea and mixed.
"It's something I expected since transferring. Though I didn't know they'd mobilize demon race."
"Assassination? Did you incur some grudge?"
Pastel tilted her head.
Elsior smiled faintly and didn't explain.
The answer came from the next table instead.
"It must be succession struggles."
Melissa took a sip of tea. The teacup was placed on the saucer silently and elegantly.
Melissa who had somehow heard the news and smoothly followed along sat alone at another table. Why is she acting like that again.
Pastel pointed at the seat beside her.
"How about sitting at the same table?"
Melissa shook her head.
"Don't mind me. I like it here."
"Is that so?"
What unique taste.
Elsior narrowed her brows. Silver eyes stared intently at the blonde girl.
"Child swayed by mother's words."
Oing.
Pastel's eyes went round.
Sudden provocation.
Melissa frowned.
"It's not being swayed, but following the words of a mother worthy of respect. Bellamont, even sharing time at the same table with you is a waste."
Elsior silently lowered her head then examined Pastel's shadow. After confirming Camelot's shoes stepped on Craft's shadow, she smiled crookedly.
"Child who can't even keep promises with beloved mother."
Uwaa.
Pastel's mouth fell open.
They said they weren't on good terms but it seems really bad.
Or not? Are they just close?
She subtly looked back curious about the reaction.
Melissa's eyebrows trembled finely.
"Pastel received permission from mother. Unlike you who was chased to the academy after being pushed out by the eldest son, I communicate well with mother. I can resolve misunderstood parts through words."
Elsior raised the corner of her mouth crookedly.
"In the end a child swayed by mother's words."
Uwaa.
Melissa is talking earnestly but Elsior is just roughly jabbing with one line.
Melissa's breathing became rough. Melissa couldn't hide her excitement and her voice became slightly trembling.
"It's not being swayed, but following words worthy of respect. How many times do I have to say it for you to understand. It might be rude to expect understanding from you with your vulgar mouth and disrespectful attitude."
Uwat, intense word choice.
Pastel who felt slightly like eating popcorn turned to Elsior. Isn't this a bit painful?
Elsior pointed at Melissa's shoes stepping on Craft's shadow with her finger.
"Child who doesn't even listen to mother's words."
Completely rough rebuttal.
But it seemed effective as Melissa lightly huffed. Her face turned red and she couldn't calm her breathing, a reaction that really seemed childlike.
"So, I said I received permission-"
Elsior shrugged her shoulders.
"In the end a child swayed by mother's words."
Melissa's body trembled flutter. She breathed out somewhat roughly feeling frustrated and insulted then sharply turned her head.
"Forget it. I can't converse with vulgar you."
Then she elegantly took a sip of tea as if ignoring. Seeing that, Elsior also snorted and drank tea the same way.
Silence fell.
Pastel who was watching opened and closed her mouth.
Uwa uwa.
Is this the high-level psychological warfare between southern and northern warlords over the empire's political power?
Since it's such high-level psychological warfare, pure Pastel doesn't understand~
She looked back and forth between them then drank tea as if imitating.
Gulp gulp.
"Huaah."
It's sweet probably from adding lots of sugar.
She put down the teacup after drinking it in one shot.
Clatter.
Gazes focused.
Pastel sprinkled magic stone powder on her plate and nom nommed cookies. Then she made a tearful expression looking back and forth between them.
"Girls! Don't fight over me~!"
She tightly clenched both fists and shouted passionately.
"Pastel, Pastel! Is everyone's friend! You can't monopolize!"
A cry filled with sincerity.
"What?"
Melissa was perplexed by the sudden words.
Elsior also blinked her eyes as if the same.
Nod, good!
The fighting atmosphere is roughly gone!
As expected I'm friend-making level 100!
Pastel ate one more cookie.
Munch munch.
"Elsior, even if you say assassination is fine, it's difficult for the student council to do nothing so I'll strengthen academy crackdowns for a while. At least until the one-on-one tournament period ends."
Wow but these cookies are totally delicious!
Pastel's eyes shone as she looked back and forth between them with cookie crumbs on her mouth.
"And and! If you're going to fight over me, delicious gifts would be good! Like these cookies! In that sense!"
She held out her index finger toward Elsior.
"Elsior 1 win!"
She clapped clap clap.
"Congratulations! You became closer to me! Waa!"
Elsior became dumbfounded.
Then she subtly looked at Melissa.
"Is she always like this?"
Melissa thought then nodded.
"Yes."
Eeng?
Pastel looked back and forth between them.
Then the cookie smell gently stimulated her mind so she just grabbed two cookies and put them whole in her mouth.
Greedy waaang.
Munch munch munch munch.
The dry crisp outer part crumbled. The moist inside was chewed and sweetness burst.
Pink eyes sparkled.
"Wow, really delicious!"