Chapter 70
Pastel headed towards the newspaper club while earnestly feeling wronged. The demon in formal wear walked alongside her.
"To say I fed them black money to silence the newspaper club! It's absurd! How could they report something I didn't even do? Adding accusations of instigating terrorism on top of that!"
She waved her hands.
"Moreover! Even Ellie who always watched me in the student council doubted me after reading the article! And and! I showed them the paralytic poison to prove I don't have any wicked poisons, but even Dustin's gaze became strange!"
But upon reflection, Pastel stopped speaking as she thought that was indeed suspicious.
Eeng.
She hesitated, then having nothing particular to say, just pretended to cry.
"Uwang!"
She raised her voice in an acting tone while wiping her eyes with both hands.
Demon! Demon!
I need comfort! Comfort!
An excellent private soldier who would safely protect the academy without self-interest was patrolling the corridor when he spotted Marquis Your Excellency and saluted.
Pastel paused then received the salute with a normal face.
Then she walked on pretending to cry again.
"Uwang!"
Crying sounds crying sounds.
She secretly glanced at the demon walking with her.
The demon looked down with a subtle expression.
Eeing.
Why aren't you comforting me quickly?
Are you trying to make me really sulk?
You don't want to see laundry piling up, do you?
Ominous thoughts rose waft waft.
Like diving into bed in a mud-covered state whether or not the demon tells her to bathe and lie down.
Huk.
Diving into a fluffy bed when really tired.
It sounds so good!
The bed would get dirty but demon will wash it anyway.
Pastel's eyes sparkled.
Could I be a genius?
『Hmm? Something's giving me goosebumps.』
The demon looked around.
Ah.
Caught, Pastel whistled awkwardly.
The demon looked down suspiciously.
『Why are you whistling? What are you plotting?』
"Wh-what do you mean?"
Good Pastel doesn't know.
She deliberately made a blank expression.
"Are even you doubting me, demon?"
『...No.』
The demon who had been pondering spoke in an uncomfortable voice.
『Anyway, since I watch you almost all day, I won't misunderstand after seeing the newspaper club article... But if you keep showing such two-faced behavior like just now, even misdeeds you didn't do become suspicious.』
Eeng.
Pastel's eyes went round.
"Just now? What did I do?"
The demon pointed behind. The back of the distant private soldier was visible.
『If you show your usual lively behavior in this kind of campus situation, it will only feel like two-faced acting to others. It's a problem if you're not aware of this. Try to reduce the gap between your actions and attitude.』
Oing.
Pastel tilted her head.
"What kind of gap?"
I'm just living as I live.
The demon brought Pastel in front of a full-length mirror in the corridor. His gesture pointed at the mirror.
『What do you see?』
Pastel looked at her reflection. As she tilted her body, pink hair flowed down. Pink eyes looked back as if examining her appearance.
What do you see.
"An authority figure."
Pastel's mouth corners loosened hehe. She twisted her body.
"Authority figure Pastel!"
I love it so much.
It's so thrilling.
Hehe.
The demon was perplexed, as if it wasn't the answer he wanted.
『No.』
Pupu pu.
"I don't know what kind of gap you mean~"
It's exactly as it appears~
Pastel crossed her arms while happily going heheng. Then she arrogantly examined the demon in the mirror with an attitude overflowing with authority.
"Oing? How dare a servant look down on me!"
The girl pointed at her guardian.
"Immediately use honorifics to the great ruler of the academy, Marquis Your Excellen-"
『Hah, this tomboy.』
The demon pressed the pink head with his palm.
Squish.
"Uwak!"
Pastel struggled as she was mercilessly pressed.
"My hairstyle is getting ruined! My hairstyle!"
Pink hair became disheveled.
Uwaa!
Almost a bird's nest!
The demon snickered.
『It doesn't matter since I'll comb it for you anyway.』
Pastel was shocked.
How could this be!
How could this be...
To say such words after arbitrarily ruining the hairstyle I made while nodding off drowsily this morning!
But it was too correct.
Oing.
Unable to find words to refute, Pastel struggled.
"Wicked demon! Super ultra wicked demon!"
The demon snickered without refuting.
Zero damage.
Uwaa!
Already a demon!
Cowardly!
Completely cowardly!
If that's how it is, please make me a demon too...!
#
Pastel who reset her hair burst into the newspaper club.
Turn the bad newspaper club into a good newspaper club!
As in stories of heroes defeating demon kings, fierce resistance from the wicked newspaper club fabricating articles was expected, but surprisingly it wasn't like that.
Pastel was able to hear a sincere apology from an upperclassman in the newspaper club and receive snacks.
Oing.
Sprinkle sprinkle magic stone powder.
Munch munch.
The upperclassman looked at Marquis Your Excellency sprinkling heavy metal magic stone powder on snacks and eating with a complex expression, then bowed his head with a tense face.
"I'm sorry. I told new club members to practice writing articles by creating fictional situations for fun, but it was accidentally printed."
He was an upperclassman who was the vice president, not the president of the newspaper club.
Pastel's eyes went round.
"A printing mistake?"
The members behind the vice president hurriedly nodded.
"We'll publish a correction article right away. We're already preparing it."
The vice president showed a sample with a correction article and apology letter.
Ah what.
It was nothing.
Phew!
"Oh my! What was I thinking! I was startled when they made up that I gave money to silence the newspaper club and even instigated terrorism!"
Pastel put her hands on her sides and made a slightly firm face.
"Seniors! Your junior was shocked! Really shocked!"
So shocked that I spread paralytic poison gas in the student council room!
"I'm sorry. I can't imagine how shocked you must have been. A verbal apology isn't enough, but I'm really sorry."
The vice president bowed his head deeply.
Pastel waved her hands.
"It's okay! I understand everything! The newspaper club can make printing mistakes while practicing writing articles!"
The vice president looked around then turned to the members. Unspoken signals were exchanged between gazes.
Oing.
"While apologizing..."
Pastel tilted her head.
The vice president was embarrassed by the innocent reaction. His gesture pointed to the club room.
On a wooden table with many scratches that seemed picked up from somewhere, cheap yellow paper bundles and broken ink bottles were scattered.
And in the corner floor, bulging sacks with unknown contents were visible.
"As you know, the newspaper club isn't an official club. We're not running on school budget but our own money, so there are many difficulties in activities."
Pastel's eyes went round.
"The newspaper club doesn't receive budget support? To think students' voices are oppressed in a school for students!"
The vice president's face brightened.
"You understand well too! We are the students' voice, but we're operating while saving on living expenses."
How could this be!
Pastel was shocked.
A new realization came.
No wonder! No wonder!
She had thought the school wasn't protecting students and focusing on results, but it was because students' voices were oppressed.
Sniff.
To think they're active while even skipping meals for students.
These people are truly righteous journalists.
"I can't just stand by!"
She pointed at herself.
"I'll normalize students' voices on my name!"
Hwaahp!
She took out a piece of paper from her chest and held it up with all her might.
The check sparkled in the sunlight from the window.
Ta-da~!
Sparkle sparkle.
"That is...!"
The vice president and members were shocked then looked at the check as if enchanted.
Pastel felt satisfied.
Though it was money earned to make a living, at this moment it was being used without self-interest.
She handed over the check tsk.
"Use it for newspaper club activities!"
The vice president received the check with trembling hands. He looked at the check with a moved face, then saw the amount and was twice as moved.
The gazes of the vice president and members met. Suppressed joy spread across their expressions. It was a reaction like something went according to plan.
"We'll definitely represent students' voices!"
Pastel boasted.
"If it's not enough, just say so! There shouldn't be any difficulties in fair and just media activities!"
Proud.
I normalized the school again today!
Hehe.
To think I work this well.
Seems I'm totally suited to be an authority figure?
Suddenly one of the sacks stuck in the corner of the club room tipped over.
An upperclassman's face popped out from inside the sack and shouted with the most righteous journalist's gaze:
"Absolutely against government-controlled med-!"
A nearby member instantly rushed over and tied the sack again. The face went in and it became quiet.
Oing.
Pastel's eyes went round.
She stared intently at the now quiet sack.
What was that just now...?
She kept staring but there was no movement.
I must have seen wrong.
Nod nod.
Then another sack tipped over.
A student's face popped out, saw the sack that collapsed earlier, and screamed.
"President...!"
It was a cry like calling a comrade who was sacrificed while standing against injustice.
A nearby member rushed over and tied the sack again. The voice instantly disappeared.
Oiing.
Pastel's eyes went round again.
The vice president and members broke out in cold sweat.
Oing oing.
Pastel rubbed her eyes.
She looked at the sacks again.
Stare.
Staaare.
Just sacks.
They didn't even show signs of moving.
Aha!
I must have seen wrong!
There's no way people would be in there, right?
Nod nod!
Pastel turned her head.
She put her hands on her sides and felt satisfied.
I am Pastel!
I normalized the school again today!
Yahoo~!