Chapter 96
Two baby birds waddled ahead.
―Piyo.
The sight of walking with perfectly fine wings looked like lazy pigeons, but they were excellent guides anyway.
Actually, even though they're as big as people, their appearance and age are closer to chicks so calling them pigeons is too harsh!
"If you fall in an unfamiliar place~"
Pastel followed along chuk chuk while waving both arms.
"Receive guidance from locals~"
She suddenly pointed at the demon.
Duet! Duet!
The demon looked and narrowed his brow.
『It's been quite a while since I sang.』
My, how gloomy you are.
"Delicious food and cozy nests are waiting~"
The baby birds responded instead of the demon.
―Piyo~!
It was a reaction saying it's a really good song.
Nod nod!
Pastel actively agreed then suddenly paused. It seems the food and nests provided by the cult were expressed too positively.
"Breaking news! Breaking news!"
She waved both arms.
The baby birds turned around startled.
―Piyo?
"There was incorrect information delivery in the song lyrics so I will make a correction report! It wasn't delicious food and cozy nests but suspicious food and evil hideouts!"
Huk, totally serious.
The baby birds thought then shook their heads shake shake.
―Piyo.
It was a gesture saying that's wrong.
Really delicious food and cozy nests?
"That can't be! You have Stockholm syndrome, that is, you've lost objectivity from empathizing too much with your kidnappers!"
Totally pitiful state.
I can tell how evil the cult is.
―Piyoo?
The baby birds tilted their heads.
『Hmm. The state is.』
The demon rubbed his chin and pondered. Then he approached and bent his knee to match eye level.
Oing.
Pastel met his gaze with a somewhat calmer appearance. Red eyes were examining intently.
What does this mean.
『There's no need to forcibly try hard to hate the cult.』
Oh my...
Pastel was perplexed. She rolled her eyes then rubbed her cheeks and became slightly embarrassed.
"Is it quite obvious?"
I thought my acting skills improved since the villain act was going well, but I guess not.
Seems the revenge act didn't go well.
This makes me too sorry to the Craft retainers who sacrificed themselves to save me at the mansion and are watching from the afterlife...
"I've never had to hate someone for this long before."
Her fingers fidgeted.
"Well that's because, no matter how evil, they're people. They have their own lives and thoughts and hearts."
Pastel's feelings were complex.
"Some may kill people just for fun and take lives just for greed, but not everyone is that messed up. If I have to lump everyone together and hate them while ignoring their circumstances and hardships, that's."
I don't know.
But maybe it fits this era and world. Maybe that's the only valid revenge.
"My negative feelings have died a lot. Maybe the cult that carried out massacres at the Craft mansion or my father who took all the family assets and ran away have some circumstances. Though they did wrong, maybe there's some room for understanding when thinking from their position."
The demon slowly sighed.
『That's a kind thought.』
"I do know though."
Pastel twisted her body.
"Now that I have money so I won't starve, and made several friends and have many places to rely on, my heart has become relaxed."
It's too difficult for hatred to become sincere in relaxation.
"Just look at these days. If it was before, I would have switched mindsets with a serious mode because I had no leeway, but I'm acting in my usual state."
She pointed at herself chuk.
"Look! I'm just chattering while constantly checking for presences! Though I lowered my voice, this isn't right since I'm speaking seriously!"
My heart loosened as I gained power and force.
I'm really purple purple Pastel.
『I can guarantee that. The range your voice reaches is narrower than the range your hearing covers. Your voice volume is within ordinary people's range out of habit, but your hearing has left humanity.』
Pastel rudely pointed.
"There could be exceptional cases! Objectively speaking, demon was trapped in prison, so how much could you know about the world?"
『What?』
The demon was perplexed.
It's a situation overflowing with wickedness, but I'm serious now.
"The cult matter is an issue with people's safety at stake, so it's right to handle it thoroughly! We just belatedly noticed the baby birds' approach in the library, right? This was actually very dangerous! What if they were the cult's trained scout animals!"
『That's because your vigilance loosened since I'm with you in human form. It's a natural phenomenon as a protectee.』
"Anyway!"
Pastel who shouted earnestly panted huff huff.
"And and."
She rubbed her cheeks then looked around here and there in the air.
Uwaa.
Everyone's probably listening?
"E-even though it's like this, I'm not saying I'll give up on revenge! Though it was an oath made when mentally cornered, I'll definitely take revenge! As someone who was protected, that's the proper duty, right!"
After speaking, her shoulders shrank a little.
"B-but I'm just slightly curious about the other side's circumstances. I sometimes wonder why they live like that after joining the cult."
Frankly speaking, it's impossible in my right mind to burn with revenge and rush at a cult member discovered right in front.
"Retainers, I'm sorry for being such a family head."
Pastel apologized while rubbing her hands.
『Who are you talking to.』
"The ghost retainer friends listening. Uwaa, I misspoke. To the ghost retainer sirs."
『Hmm.』
The demon looked around the air.
"Don't say there are no ghosts. There definitely are. I'm not making a fuss mistaking kitchen curtains for ghosts when sneaking out to steal snacks at night."
The demon marveled slightly.
『So that's what it was. That time. I thought it was strange.』
Huk, caught.
Pastel froze like that.
Surely the incident of hiding pie pieces brought from the kitchen in the corridor pottery after that wasn't caught too?
Somehow when I looked inside to secretly eat the next day, it was empty. I thought mouse friend ate it.
The demon stretched out his index finger long. Pastel's forehead was touched tok.
『Don't lose yourself in life's hardships. If it's burdensome, lighten it as much as you want and it's not too late to look back later.』
Pastel stared at the red eyes looking at her kindly.
Her expression became somewhat sulky.
"That sounds like someone who was working hard for their family rationalizing giving up after meeting family in a dream because they're too tired."
She crossed her arms.
"Just as a self-created dream is like that, demon can't represent the retainers either."
『That may be so.』
The demon pointed in one direction.
『But turning your gaze to the periphery will be necessary. It's not good to be buried in your heart without changing your mood. If you overdo it, only you and your surroundings will be hurt.』
Where his hand pointed, there were baby birds.
"Uwaa!"
Pastel who was in another world alone with demon was startled.
"Sorry, friends!"
I brought you along then awkwardly neglected you! I even insisted the cult is bad while ignoring your reactions!
"I was quite forceful, right? I'm sorry! Though the cult is bad, depending on the case there could be hospitality of serving delicious food and cozy nests!"
How hurt must they have been getting openly rebuked.
They were so hurt both of them completely turned around and buried their beaks in the ground.
―Piyo?
A baby bird turned around.
It looked with a puzzled expression asking if she spoke to it, then slurped up the huge earthworm held in its beak.
The earthworm fluttered like noodles then disappeared into the beak. The earthworm's silent scream seemed to be heard.
Uwee.
Pastel's pink eyes trembled.
"Wh-what are you eating?"
Why earthworm friend.
No no.
Because they're birds, earthworms.
Nod nod.
Pastel's expression brightened.
"You were eating!"
―Piyo.
A cool expression forgetting the past of being rebuked.
Huk.
"You're really magnanimous!"
I recognized it from when we first met!
Like pecking at Pastel who fell in the nest as if she was food.
Or ignoring and erasing my face after I saved them by defeating the wolf pack that came.
Then begging to be rescued when I discovered they were kidnapped by the cult.
Oing.
Thinking back, they weren't particularly magnanimous.
But but.
Looking at their appearance just now, wouldn't they be at least medium-hearted?
Not magnanimous but medium-hearted.
Pastel brightly shouted again.
"You're really petty!"
―Piyo?
Huk.
Words came out wrong.
The two baby birds looked at each other. Time passed as if discussing whether we're petty, then they turned to Pastel.
―Piyo.
Nod nod.
"Are you affirming?!"
Pastel's mouth fell open.
Shock.
Impact.
How petty are petty people who acknowledge they're petty.
Can I keep being close friends with such friends.
They're not suddenly asking me to be a guarantor, are they?
Eeyee.
The demon looked at the far end of the corridor. Several huge mud-covered earthworms wriggled and crawled over on the pure white corridor.
『It's a sight unbecoming of holy land even if God abandoned it. Did the boundary between outside and inside the holy land collapse as the cult invaded? Perhaps beyond there is the cult's indirect activity area?』
―Piyo.
The baby bird asked affirmed.
I see.
There's no human presence but we should be careful.
Pastel put her index finger to her mouth.
"Then everyone shh from now on."
―Piyo.
"No piyo either! Shh! Shh!"
She earnestly cautioned then suddenly realized.
I just need to be quiet myself!
Idiot Idiot.
Ahaha!