Chapter 66
Pastel suspiciously stared at the distant demon race mercenary group's airship.
"A mercenary group with apprentice knight-class personnel is just waiting at the docking area without doing anything?"
Plus their racial composition is identical to the demon race attempting assassination and terrorism.
"Totally suspicious!"
"That's what I'm saying. We don't need to look further at those guys. We should strike them down immediately."
Leonard answered with his leg cocked to the side in a crooked stance.
Strike them down?
Pastel swallowed dryly gulp.
Feeling slightly parched.
"How amazing is an apprentice knight-class mercenary?"
"What?"
Leonard looked at her as if receiving a strange question.
"For a commoner to be apprentice knight-class means they have the capability to earn a lifetime title by achieving merits under a high noble, about baronial rank."
"Baron?"
Pastel's eyes went round.
A social class pyramid went whoosh~ in her mind.
Baron, viscount, count, marquis...
Ing.
Baron?
Imagining the social class pyramid suddenly made it seem like no big deal. Well of course, since I'm a marquis.
Ah right!
There were commoners before baron.
Actually most people are commoners.
Then, does apprentice knight-class mean having the capability to become nobility through fighting ability alone, transcending commoner status?
Talent that even the class system can't stop.
Namely a super ultra fighter.
Huk.
Super ultra fighter?
It even compares to me, a super ultra authority.
Oh oh, come to think of it, even the number of letters is the same?!
Uwaa.
Even the number of letters is the same...!
No way...
Do I have to fight such a mercenary captain?
Huk.
Pastel turned pale and trembled her hands.
"Capability to become nobility!"
Can't we not fight?
Leonard looked at her puzzled.
"It's a lifetime title. What nobility is a commoner who can't inherit or have a family. They're just a successful commoner."
Oing.
Pastel looked up with round eyes.
"Then can you win?"
Are you apprentice knight-class?
"What?"
Leonard frowned. He tilted his head crookedly then frowned more and tightly clenched his fist. His innate physique and build despite his age created strong grip strength.
"You think I can't win? In a few years I'll be able to beat lucky commoners like that with my bare fists."
His fist hit the air.
In a few years?
Heeh.
So he can't win.
Pastel wasn't particularly disappointed.
Because she didn't expect anything in the first place.
Instead she tightly hugged the magic sword.
Demon demon!
As expected I only have demon.
Classmates are, how to say, difficult to rely on comfortably. Conversely, I feel like I need to take care of them?
Troublesome troublesome.
Taking care of them is very enjoyable as friends, but for work relationships it's a bit displeasing~
I'm greedy so even though I know this is a friendship, sometimes I think I wish they were competent in work relationships too!
Like right now!
It's regrettable that Leonard who looks reliable can't fight at all instead of me who's scared.
Nod nod.
"Hey! What's with that expression?!"
Leonard's face reddened as if his pride was hurt.
"Nothing! It's okay Leonard! You're leading the kids well! Everyone has their own aptitudes! If someone bullies you, call me! I'll help you as a friend friend!"
Pastel hit the air with her fist clearly smaller than Leonard's. The air burst and a small rupture sound rang out.
Heave-ho.
"What? What?!"
Leonard's face suddenly crumpled. Leonard's fist tightly clenched and shook slightly.
Then he spewed out words angrily as if feeling humiliated.
Saying don't be mistaken thinking you'll always win. Saying don't show off just because a tiny thing is good at fighting.
Woof woof chirp chirp.
Uwawat.
Harsh reaction!
Seems I misspoke!
Pastel felt sorry and flailed both hands.
"Leonard! Leonard! You can't help being weaker than me! I'm a super-genius!"
She pointed at herself tsk.
Super-genius.
"So don't blame yourself too much!"
She winked and made a fighting pose.
"Aja aja fighting! You can do it, Leonard!"
"Are you mocking me?!"
Leonard clutched his head.
Uwat.
His condition got worse when I comforted him.
Is this what they call an inferiority complex?
It was something I often experienced as a popular person.
At times like this...
Ignoring is good for both of us.
Pastel gave a thumbs up meaning cheer up then turned her gaze to the demon race airship.
She recalled the content Leonard told her while ignoring him complaining beside her.
Apprentice knight-class mercenaries. Moreover, demon race who rose from the bottom as commoners, not nobles raised in greenhouses.
Uwa.
Since it's quite scary...
I should just confirm suspicions and hand over combat and arrest to the Knight Order!
Hehe.
Pastel examined her appearance.
Pink hair pink eyes in white clothes.
Anyone would see Pastel Love Craft.
If I take the lead, their wariness will greatly increase and the possibility of battle occurring is high right?
"Leonard you take the lead! I'll watch from behind!"
"Are you even listening to me?!"
"Yes!"
Pastel energetically pointed at the airship.
"Go, Leonard! Approach pretending to be innocent and confirm suspicions! Show your acting skills!"
Leonard got more excited but soon calmed down. He even came to suggest a different method.
"There's no need to confirm suspicions. A commoner with apprentice knight-class skills living as a wandering mercenary itself shows disrespectful intentions."
"Is that so?"
Is this a noble-like judgment?
Pastel pondered then shook her head.
"Still, confirm suspicions first! They might be really benevolent demon race!"
Leonard clicked his tongue but didn't say anything else. Instead he suggested another method.
"When we investigated, those demon race were always on the airship but had group dinners at a nearby restaurant since the day before yesterday."
"Since the day before yesterday?"
"They must have felt stuffy being only on the airship. Or they're uniting before the terrorism operation since the tournament event is soon."
Leonard looked back and forth between the private soldiers waiting behind and the distant demon race airship.
"If you just want to confirm suspicions, rather than approaching the airship and raising wariness, how about having the security squad coincidentally investigate the restaurant those guys flocked to. The security squad only investigates the restaurant, not those guys. Giving a reason like tax evasion or whatever."
"Ah! That's a good idea!"
Pastel's pink eyes sparkled.
"You mean make them coincidentally encounter public authority and confirm their expressions for how tense they get? Since the investigation target isn't themselves and the location is a restaurant, the possibility of battle is less too!"
Leonard grinned.
"As expected of Marquis Craft who ate up top written exam and research excellence, you're smart."
"Of course!"
Pastel raised both arms high.
"Good! Start right away, Leonard!"
Depart depart!
Leonard paused.
"What. Do I have to do this too?"
Pastel nodded with an expression like it was obvious.
"Yes."
You suggested it.
"Ah geez!"
#
When Pastel heard news of the demon race visiting the restaurant, she boarded magic stone knives.
"Though I always seem to be playing~"
She skillfully placed her feet on the small knives and focused her mind, then her body floated up.
"I'm always working~"
She flew low like that and moved behind the docking area airships. Airship shadows covered the pink girl. It was a blind spot behind airships not easily visible to people walking the docking area.
She flew crossing between airship shadows while being careful of people's gazes. The demon race airship drew close.
Though she didn't tell Leonard, she planned to secretly search the airship the demon race left to go eat.
She said she'd indirectly mobilize public authority at the restaurant to see the demon race mercenary group's reaction, but that alone was a somewhat lukewarm measure. This was clearly a matter involving assassination and terrorism after all.
Pastel rubbed her arms with a slightly stiff expression.
They all left anyway.
No need to fight scary demon race.
The goosebumps rising on her arms subsided.
"Demon, I'll go in."
The demon spoke calmly.
『You infiltrated an airship before too, so you'll do better this time. Relax appropriately.』
"Ah, that's right."
Pastel brightened.
Come to think of it, I'm an experienced rookie!
As the saying goes a needle thief becomes an ox thief, I've already arbitrarily infiltrated someone else's airship so now I can do it better!
She floated the knives bobble bobble.
Her body floated up float float.
When she reached an appropriate height, Pastel carefully peeked at the deck over the airship railing.
No one.
Confidence welled up well well.
Pastel infiltrated like an arrow. She sprinted across the deck and ran silently through indoor passages.
Evidence evidence.
Suspicion suspicion.
She moved examining room after room.
Not all demon race had left, there were two people guarding inside, but it was fine. They were sitting in dining chairs drinking alcohol and chatting, perhaps annoyed at being excluded from the group dinner.
She hid against the corridor wall and subtly listened, then heard conversation that it was just the two of them so she was reassured and could secretly pass by to enter deeper inside.
Pastel searched the captain's cabin and bridge, and examined a wide space that seemed to be the operations room.
No evidence came out at all until she found a pile of ashes in the operations room fireplace.
Oing.
An extremely suspicious pile of ashes.
When she examined it, she found scraps of paper that remained unburnt in the corner. It seemed documents were burned whole.
Uwaa.
"Demon it's all burned? If this is a terrorist lair, isn't this destroying evidence?"
『Did they destroy evidence before the operation. Even without evidence, there's enough suspicion to arrest and investigate for now.』
"Let's look around a bit more."
Pastel went around other places too. She passed by the dining room midway, but the two demon race drinking alcohol were completely passed out so she could be reassured again.
However, separate from that, nothing came out still so she could only find something suspicious when she discovered a storage room at the end of an I-shaped corridor.
Pastel looked at the storage room locked with an iron door. Most doors so far were wooden, but this was made of iron.
Huk.
An appearance making me really want to enter.
『If there's something, it's here.』
"Right?"
Hehe.
Pastel fiddled with the iron door.
It's sturdy.
Though she didn't know what they were hiding, its importance was strongly felt.
But but~
Pastel took something out from her chest.
A bunch of keys stolen from the captain's cabin sparkled.
Ta-da~!
Bunch of keys!
Can open anything!
When she tried using several keys, the iron door opened. The creaking iron door sound rang out in the quiet corridor.
Oh yeah oh yeah.
I'm entering~!
Let's see if these are bad people or not~!
『Hmm?』
The demon suddenly paused. Since it was a subtle voice, Pastel also stopped moving along with him.
Demon?
『Wait a moment. I hear faint footsteps. A presence nature's principles obey and the world harmonizes with.』
When she waited while looking back, Pastel could discover the mercenary captain walking from the corridor.
The mercenary captain who was drinking alcohol roughly threw away the liquor bottle. Then he drew the one-handed sword and pistol at his waist while sending a fierce gaze.
"I came back because the alcohol tasted bad, and the hateful Craft conveniently came on her own feet. Kuku, another head to offer at the Demon King's grave."
Uwaa.
Pastel's mouth fell open.
I was caught!
I was caught~!
She frantically looked for a place to escape. There was no suitable escape route since it was an I-shaped corridor.
Uwak!
An obviously strange I-shaped corridor!
A place anyone would see as a trap!
Pastel panicked then turned her body when the mercenary captain approached.
She entered through the open iron door and closed the door. The iron door closed with a noise. She hurriedly locked the door with trembling hands.
Uwaa.
Pastel backed away with a pale complexion.
"That person! That person! He's apprentice knight-class right?! Right?!"
『That's-』
A change occurred as if cutting off the demon's voice.
Several sword strikes sliced the iron door. An ordinary one-handed sword penetrated the iron door and smoothly cut through, fragmenting it.
The iron door was kicked and collapsed.
The mercenary captain glared at the girl.
『He is apprentice knight-class.』
Uwak!
Don't pronounce the death sentence in a calm voice...!