Chapter 63
"Cooperation with the Knight Order is difficult?"
A few days before the tournament, Pastel burst into the professor's office after hearing a strange notification.
"If the Knight Order is excluded, who will protect the students?"
She placed both hands on the professor's desk and stared at Professor Carlo.
Pastel was slightly on edge after discovering the assassination plan targeting the duke's daughter combined with terrorism. You could call it strict student council mode.
Though outsiders couldn't enter during the tournament period like during festivals, safety needed to be focused on since there would be more contact and visits from outsiders for various reasons.
But today, just days before, they suddenly received notification from the professor council that it would be difficult to include the Knight Order in prevention plans.
"There's a misunderstanding."
Professor Carlo with a gruff expression put down the work documents he was examining. Professor Carlo was someone who had slight friction with Pastel before when he notified about abolishing the student council.
"It's not that the Knight Order is being excluded, but that they should focus only on defending the academy perimeter. If they just block outside infiltration well like usual, we'll handle terrorism occurring inside the academy ourselves."
Pastel frowned.
"That's the same thing in the end. If terrorism occurs inside the academy, the Knight Order's immediate response will be delayed and then there will be danger to student safety-"
Professor Carlo held up his palm to stop her words.
"Excessive intervention by the Knight Order is unnecessary. We should and must protect the academy ourselves."
Eeyee.
What does this mean~
『Hmm, a power struggle between the academy and Knight Order? The two forces essentially running Sky Island probably don't want to be interfered with by each other.』
A power struggle over student lives?
Uweee.
Pastel's expression became like seeing dog poop while taking a walk.
『The academy's predecessor is the Sky Island governor's office and the Knight Order's predecessor is the imperial expeditionary force, so they're not exactly comfortable with each other.』
Professor Carlo looked at her then stood up from his seat. He walked to the window and drew back the curtains, letting strong sunlight into the dark office.
Pastel's eyes narrowed at the brightness. The professor looked down at the campus through the window.
"The chancellor passed away from the cult's attack before vacation. Since His Majesty the Emperor hasn't appointed a new one yet, the chancellor position is currently vacant. We can't bring in the Knight Order in a power vacuum situation."
Professor Carlo turned around with his hands behind his back.
"For other matters we actively cooperate with the student council out of respect for students. That's why we didn't particularly block budget allocation for holding the tournament."
Pastel blankly met his gaze then left the professor's office after receiving a few more cooperations.
I really really don't like this.
She crossed her arms and looked back at the professor's office.
Eeyee eeyee.
She subtly looked around then spoke to the demon.
"Isn't Professor Carlo somewhat suspicious?"
『In what way?』
"Last time he also made a decision to tacitly allow the cult's drugs to spread on campus."
He said it wasn't bad since student achievement improved due to physical ability enhancement thanks to the drugs.
"This time terrorists are targeting the academy but he responds like that! Of course the Knight Order isn't being completely excluded and will prevent infiltration by guarding around the academy like usual, but still!"
Totally suspicious suspicious.
Perhaps an internal collaborator?
『Hmm.』
The demon gave a lukewarm response.
『You're young so you probably don't know, but that professor is a common human type. And academy professor isn't a position just anyone can become. They go through identity verification too. It's certainly become looser these days, but not to the extent of treating it lightly.』
Huk.
You're young so you don't know~
The most annoying words.
"I'm old enough to know everything I need to know!"
『Is that so.』
The demon made a short laughing sound.
He-he sneered...!
"If you act like this I'll become a rebel! I won't listen to a single word and will live as I please!"
Pastel spread both hands with nails out and bared her canines like a cat.
Kraaang-!
"Krang! Kraaang!"
The demon was unimpressed.
『Since when did you listen well. It was just days ago that you caught your beloved squeaky friends and deliciously ate their rank of existence.』
The demon seemed to feel frustrated as he spoke and let out a sigh.
『Hah. I tell you not to eat it because it's dangerous but you don't even listen. If you're not going to listen at all then just live alone.』
Ah.
A sincere lament.
Pastel flinched. She subtly lowered her hands while checking his reaction and awkwardly whistled.
"Wa-waa. Since we can't get Knight Order cooperation I'll have to find another way~"
She moved her steps while waving both arms.
After walking for a while, someone approached from the far end of the hallway. It was a familiar professor.
"Ah! Senior!"
Pastel raised her hand high.
Senior senior!
"Oho! If it isn't my junior!"
Professor Horace looked around then confirmed no one was around.
"Is work going well?"
Here, work of course meant smuggling.
Pastel also looked around suspiciously then spoke confidently.
"Very well! Though the profit rate is lower than when I smuggled alone due to considerable expenses, by drawing loans in the trading company's name to increase smuggling scale, the profit amount itself has increased tremendously!"
The Preston Organization that needed to distribute in the demon realm was overwhelmed handling all the smuggled goods, to the extent Melissa had to help with organizational struggles.
"Oh! That's a shame!"
Professor Horace hit his own chest thump thump.
"I couldn't participate in your trade because it overlapped with the sky whale visit period and I had to protect the academy! What a huge opportunity cost loss!"
"Ah, I couldn't have invited senior to the dangerous first trade! I'll actively invite you on the next trade!"
Professor Horace smiled brightly.
"You'll do that for me?!"
"Just prepare smuggled goods! I'll deliver directly to the demon realm!"
Pastel gestured to the sky.
"Whoosh~ cheaply! I'll treat you as VIP!"
"Oho! I'll trust in my junior!"
Ahem.
This much is fine since you cover up the student council audit.
"We're currently recruiting investors so you can talk to the trading company! I'll tell the head of Grace Trading Company!"
After talking about serious business for a while, it flowed into casual conversation.
"By the way, what brings junior to this building?"
"I came to see Professor Carlo about reducing Knight Order intervention."
Ah right!
Should I ask senior for help?
"Is there any way to change the professor council's decision? As the student council, we're concerned about student safety. Please, senior."
"Ah, about that."
Professor Horace looked regretful.
"I opposed that decision too, but many professors have conflicts with the Knight Order so it's difficult to change the mainstream opinion."
"Ah, I see..."
Can this still be called an educational institution.
Professor Horace was bitter.
"I'm often away so I don't have much influence among professors. Since I don't have a plausible faction, I don't have the power to change even matters like this."
Ah.
Pastel waved her hands.
"No! It's not your fault professor! It's all this world's fault! Bad world! Bad world!"
"Junior..."
Professor Horace was moved.
『Hmm.』
The demon had complex feelings.
『It's unpleasant to say this in such a bitter atmosphere, but isn't that being away just smuggling? No wonder there's no trust among colleagues. I could tell from when you gave smuggling lessons to a student while being a professor.』
Huk.
Demon what are you saying?
Don't dismiss the professor's sincerity as materialism~!
Though he is materialistic~!
Pastel shouted in her heart then tightly clenched both fists. She looked at Professor Horace with burning eyes.
"Senior, don't worry! The student council will take responsibility for student safety!"
"Hoho. I feel reassured hearing you declare that, but also ashamed as an adult. If you need my help, tell me anything!"
"Ah so about that."
Pastel opened her mouth with slightly bad intentions.
"Could you cover up the student council audit?"
Professor Horace was puzzled.
"I'm already doing that though."
"I know! I know!"
But that's just the financial area.
"I was hoping you could interpret the student council's authority a bit more broadly for student safety."
For example, mobilizing emergency troops for student safety.
Currently the academy can't operate private soldiers, as seen by Elsior who received assassination threats barely bringing in soldiers disguised as servants.
But just...
Pink pink Pastel suddenly wants to command soldiers in this sacred place of education~
No big deal.
Hehe.
#
"We've increased operating airships to 13. That's the total including used airships acquired from bankrupt trading companies and pirate ships captured during smuggling."
Pastel walked through Craft Trading Company. Max, who oversees the trading company troops, reported the current situation.
"If Miss Melissa Camelot hadn't repelled pirates without losses during this smuggling, this level of pirate ship capture would have been impossible."
No wonder the smuggling took so long, they collected a lot of this and that. Saying the sky routes became arduous due to changes in flying creatures' habitats means it's the same for others and there's more to collect.
"As expected of close friend Melissa! I'll definitely show my gratitude! I should give her a kiss on the cheek when I see her!"
Pastel blew a kiss into the air.
Kiss mwah~!
Max followed walking and turned pages of documents.
"The trading company's combat troops have increased to about 260 people currently, but we plan to increase to around 450 before the next trade. We plan to deploy 30 people per airship for escort troops, leaving some behind."
Heeh.
"Then how many people ride each airship? The total number."
"Though they're combat troops, most can also operate ships so including combat troops, airship crew is about 50 people."
50 people.
Uwaa.
So many people!
Pastel's mouth fell open.
Gape.
The head of Grace Trading Company walking beside glanced over. The head's folding fan opened and covered Pastel's mouth.
Uweh.
"Many trading companies went bankrupt this time due to changes in flying creatures' habitats so it was easy to absorb them and grow in size, but looking at the substance the situation isn't so good. They're all debt-ridden. We need to shake off a lot by succeeding in the next trade too."
Pastel smiled brightly.
"It's okay! We'll definitely succeed! Right?!"
"Well that's true but."
The head of Grace Trading Company nodded.
Max pointed forward with his hand.
"Let's go to the training ground. I'll show you the training situation."
Pastel was able to see the orderly training scene of 260 people while standing on a platform.
Unlike a trading company, the training was systematic and equipment unified. It was thanks to Grace Trading Company's unique strong army tradition spreading to Craft Trading Company.
Ah, good.
So these are the soldiers who will defeat the cult.
Satisfied satisfied.
She smiled and clapped clap clap.
She subtly turned to Max.
"Is there a schedule for field training too?"
"Yes. We plan to do hunting in the forest area west of Sky Island."
Is that where I took the practical exam?
"Then let's do field training for a few days."
"What kind of training, do you mean?"
"Hmm."
Pastel crossed her arms and pondered then smiled brightly.
"Operation: The Sword is Mightier than the Pen!"
Let's protect our friends together~