Chapter 95
Pastel, who infiltrated the Sky Island ruins to find a connection with the cult after seeing the Knight Order's suspicious handling of matters, discovers the real holy land existing below the ruins and investigates, but encounters an unexpected subject...
And so on.
"Uwaa!"
Pastel made a fuss.
"Were you kidnapped again?!"
The two baby birds nodded.
Huk.
Bad cult.
Totally evil and bad cult.
To think they would kidnap the birds again taking advantage of the gap when public power disappeared as the sky whale left, instead of gracefully giving up after failing once.
Don't use bad persistent tenacity.
Pastel worriedly examined the baby birds as big as herself. Her palm fiddled with fluffy feathers.
"Are you hurt anywhere? Are you starving? Bad cult! I can imagine how painful treatment you received!"
Thinking of cult soldiers riding adult birds and flying around, they must have endured very very harsh trials.
The two baby birds looked at each other. Then they turned back and shook their heads quickly.
Shake shake shake shake.
Eeng, what does that mean?
Surely surely.
"The treatment is somewhat okay...?"
―Piyo.
The baby bird affirmed.
Pastel's mouth fell open.
"They feed you well and make good nests and speak kindly and have clean employee relations?"
The baby bird pondered then affirmed.
―Piyo.
Uwee?
Is it like subcontractors show terrible welfare states even kidnapping employees, but when actually dispatched to the original contractor large company, the employee welfare is so good you want to be buried there?
"Th-that shouldn't be..."
Pastel became rapidly dejected.
"It's the cult."
A totally evil cult.
Evil god worshippers who also carried out massacres at Makmak Craft mansion and terrorism at Makmak Academy and such bad cult.
Thinking back, since it's certainly bad, Pastel became confident again.
"No! Bad treatment must be planned!"
She pointed at the baby bird.
"I must carry out justice before you become discarded tools no chicken chicken!"
That's right!
When work is done, the baby birds will be fried as chicken at the final party!
Baby bird chicken!
Uwaa!
―Piyo?!
The baby birds' beaks opened.
It was an appearance shocked at what evil person could have such an absurd idea.
"That's right! The cult is totally evil!"
『Hmm.』
The demon in formal wear rubbed his chin next to her.
『I don't think they would necessarily do that. They wouldn't knowingly harm themselves after going to the trouble of creating air forces. The cult is a place that runs on profit and loss calculations. They worship even the evil god because it grants wishes.』
The baby birds looked at the demon.
Then they turned to Pastel.
―Piyo?
Uwaa!
Pastel waved both arms.
"No! No! The cult is totally evil! Don't fall for the demon's whispers! Demon is a real demon!"
Really really really!
After a while, Pastel was able to persuade the baby birds with friend power. For now they seemed to understand since they were kidnapped themselves.
"Phew."
Is this how Cassandra felt when her prophecy was ignored?
I can empathize a million times.
After using hearing and sight to check if there was any presence in the holy land library and feeling at ease, Pastel glared at the demon.
"Demon demon. If you act like a demon that way, you're a demon."
Totally gossip.
"To make baby birds fall into bad ways. As an adult you should lead them on good paths."
That's right that's right!
The demon was dumbfounded.
『I didn't speak to them but told you. Do you think I would speak to young animals when I'm not even a current priest?』
Pastel's mouth fell open.
That's a totally species discriminatory statement.
Her hands trembled tremble tremble.
"Then then if demon found an injured baby bird while walking..."
She spoke then turned to the baby bird. The baby bird tilted its head and met her gaze.
Hurry and pretend to be injured!
When she waved her hand, the baby bird seemed to understand and drooped its body. It collapsed powerlessly on the fluffy ground.
―Piyoo...
The body that became somewhat chubby from eating too much food given by the cult rolled once then came back.
Roll thud.
The baby bird's beak opened slightly. A small burp sound was heard.
―Piyo.
"Uwaa!"
Pastel screamed.
"There's an injured baby bird here!"
Then she pointed at the demon.
"There's a species discriminator here!"
Uwa! Uwa!
She waved both arms.
"The poor baby bird is injured but unfortunately encountered demon so it can't receive treatment!"
The demon was dumbfounded.
『If it's that situation, of course I would take care of it.』
"Even though you're not a priest?!"
『Whether current or former, any person would naturally do so.』
Phew, what was I saying.
Pastel needlessly wiped away cold sweat.
It would have been troublesome if my master was a species discriminator when I'm making lots of animal friends.
The girl thought then giggled.
"Then you just felt embarrassed to speak to cute baby animals?"
That's how it was.
Turu tu tutu.
『What...?』
Pastel clung to the demon splat. She poked his formal wear side poke poke.
Somehow you only wear gloomy formal wear.
"Then that's troublesome troublesome! We need to track the cult using baby bird friends as guides, but what if demon fixed in human form now is clumsy at communicating!"
A playful but quite serious request.
"Make up with baby friends! Apologize first! They must be totally hurt by demon's remarks!"
She pointed at the baby birds.
Another baby bird approached the baby bird lying down acting enthusiastically. It looked down as if comforting then its beak opened slightly.
Burp.
A burp sound rang out once.
―Piyo.
Uwaa!
Totally hurt appearance of baby birds!
The baby bird acting as if so hurt it couldn't get up suddenly stood. It started pecking the baby bird that fired a burp.
―Piyo! Piyo! Piyo!
The sound of wings flapping rang out.
『Hah.』
The demon pressed his forehead.
『It's not that kind of reason you're thinking.』
"Everyone makes dishonest rationalizations. But popular Pastel knows well it's just because you're embarrassed."
Nod nod.
『You don't know at all.』
Pastel pointed at the baby birds who quickly calmed down.
"Talk! Talk with baby bird friends!"
The demon crossed his arms.
『Why should I.』
Puu puu puu puu.
"Elsior even spoke to the inanimate steering wheel! It's easier to speak to animal friends!"
Pink eyes sparkled.
"Since it's come to this, let's go by majority vote! Hands of creatures in favor!"
She raised her left hand high.
"One!"
She lowered it then raised her right hand high.
"Two!"
Already two people!
She turned to the baby birds.
The baby birds pondered narrowing their brows as fair voters for a unique and fair vote.
―Piyo!
One wing went up.
"Three! Four!"
Since demon is alone...
A whole four times!
Overwhelming superiority!
Pastel crossed her arms like the demon and faced him triumphantly.
"Kneel before the authority of majority rule."
A gaze looking down though shorter than demon~
This is authority figure Pastel.
The demon let out a hollow laugh. He brushed up his bangs then massaged his neck and looked at the baby birds.
『The treatment was severe. I apologize.』
The baby bird raised one wing in response.
―Piyo.
Pastel clapped.
Waa! Waa!
"I clearly engraved the image of demon apologizing with red ears in my mind! I'll tell this appearance of demon for generations to come!"
『I didn't redden my ears. Don't make things up as you please.』
"I'll tell those words too!"
『There will be misunderstandings if you only tell the words.』
A squad overcoming species!
For eradicating the cult!
Aja aja fighting!
#
A certain great cavern far from where Pastel is.
It was a cave with high ceilings and wide area hard to believe exists in underground holy land. Several huge rock boulders filled the space floating like miniature Sky Islands.
Cult members in black clothes flew riding birds and went between holy land buildings on rock boulders.
Though there were many many buildings, the currently most important building among them was decided.
The steering room manipulating Sky Island's navigation.
Pastel's father repeated calculations in front of 121 pure white magic circles. Artificial sunlight from the wide terrace shone on his monocle.
A huge bird shadow fell on the terrace then landed.
"Oh! Nice!"
A man in black clothes jumped off the saddle then patted the mother bird thump thump. The dagger held in one hand was playfully thrown then caught.
"You work especially well. You follow so well just from being given food and nests though you're a child kidnapper."
The man grinned.
"Is it because you have a bird brain?"
The mother bird narrowed her brow.
She stared intently then moved her beak.
"Ah! Ah! Why are you suddenly pecking?!"
The man hurriedly ran away indoors. The mother bird snorted and left.
"Ow, what a temper."
The man fixed his messy hair. His gaze looked at his superior sitting in front of the magic circles.
"Is the work going well?"
Pastel's father moved his hand without answering. He touched a relic stolen from the academy. Countless pure white magic circles transformed and changed.
"Huh, just looking at it."
The man made an expression like his mind was going blank. He waved his hands then needlessly poked around the magic circles.
"Are you going to just work here continuously?"
His superior's brow furrowed.
"Don't interfere."
The man became sheepish.
"Well I mean wouldn't it be good to change your mood sometimes. I'm worried even though you're a scholar."
His thumb roughly pointed somewhere over there.
"You know, your daughter is doing a lot. Seizing power and blocking terrorism well while solidifying authority. Looking at her moves, blood doesn't lie. I think blocked parts might open if you meet your daughter once at times like this."
"Not interested. I should have said already."
The man rubbed his nose.
"I'm not saying it as a joke. Sky Island is our area, but the guys in charge of the empire arbitrarily carried out academy terrorism receiving instigation from the Bellamont ducal family, so it became very troublesome."
The man shook his head.
"After doing that, they actually failed so relations with the ducal family became tangled too. Since your daughter is also acquainted with Elsior Bellamont, it would really become comfortable if we could just persuade her."
The man cleared his throat with a fake cough.
"She's still your child after all."
Isn't she?
"That's right."
Pastel's father massaged his eyes with both fingers.
"So, don't interfere in others' family matters."
It was a cold voice.
The man silently whistled. He subtly retreated then headed to the terrace.
"Ow, there's a lot of backed up chores. Huh?"
The man's eyes widened.
"Where did the bird go?"
The mother bird mocked from the opposite spire.
"Hey! Aren't you coming back?!"
The man pointed.
"I cancel saying you work well! Cancel!"