Chapter 188
Even if they are parents, they are strictly their own individual people!
The talk of remarriage might make one dizzy, but a grown child opposing it is so old-fashioned! Even though these are the olden days!
Respect for freedom! Respect for freedom!
Pastel reflected on her past self, who had fiercely opposed it.
She wasn't in a sensitive phase needing parental care anymore, and having acquired a mature mind and a mature wallet, Pastel had plenty of leeway to fully respect her Dad's freedom.
She still felt sorry for her dead Mom, but honestly, she had never even talked to her Mom, gasp, wait, not that!
Anyway, when one looked at Dad's mental state that belonged in a prison, it was clearly a problem caused by not having a spouse.
What was needed at a time like this was, of course, a romance of the century that transcended destiny.
Namely.
Love!
Love-love!
When others do it, it's an affair; when I do it, it's romance!
So totally Pink-Pink!
Pastel felt like she had found her destiny.
Wasn't being born Pink-Pink a revelation to find a new mate for her poor-minded Dad?
Such a fitting task!
It seemed God had been punishing her with all this suffering because she hadn't accepted her destiny and had just gone around looking to make money!
In that sense, Duke Nastasha was the perfect fit for the position of Stepmother.
It was common to lock eyes with a friend you hadn't seen in a long time at a reunion and have this and that happen.
Furthermore, Duke Nastasha had a history of confessing to Dad and getting rejected, and was someone who still couldn't forget that time, and she came all the way to the Demon Realm just to hear news of her missing Dad.
Such supreme devotion!
Such deep affection!
It was destiny itself.
You are qualified to be my Stepmother!
Gasp?
Pastel flinched for a moment.
Come to think of it, she was going to be her stepmother, but Pastel felt she had put up a bit of a wall. They were practically bound by destiny, yet she had treated her too much like a stranger.
They were strangers, but the biggest obstacle to remarriage was the child's opposition. Faced with unavoidable reality, Duke Nastasha might give up her feelings and go find someone new.
Uh-oh.
She had a feeling things would get very troublesome if she went to find someone new.
If that new person was a gloomy guy ten times her age who wore a suit every day, wouldn't Duke Nastasha become incredibly unhappy?
She thought so.
Pastel felt a sense of anxiety.
Pink Eyes carefully gauged Duke Nastasha's mood.
"We're creating a one-stop smuggling route connecting the Demon Realm Inland to the Imperial Inland. The Demon World Corporation will smooth over the Demon Realm inspections, Marquis Pastel will handle Sky Island, and I'll handle the Empire."
"An interesting idea."
Duke Nastasha was currently pitching the new smuggling operation to Count Macenas.
"If transport that skips all time-consuming procedures is possible, we could immediately capitalize on market price differences and rake in gold coins."
"Exactly! It's as easy as pie."
Duke Nastasha gave a wink.
Count Macenas exhaled cigar smoke without much reaction to the intense wink from the girl-like figure.
"However, I don't know how to swim very well. As someone who eats the Empire's stipend, I find illegal acts problematic."
The Chairman of a company currently selling safe smuggling services in real-time to traders said exactly that.
"Aw, come on, we all know each other here. Don't be so stiff, Count."
Count Macenas looked over this way.
"What does the Marquis think?"
"Marquis Pastel said she doesn't smuggle. She's never even tried it."
"The same goes for me. I've never done it, and there's no reason to invest in a business missing the core link of its concept."
The atmosphere turned into a bust.
Duke Nastasha didn't seem to expect to be full on the first bite either, merely smacking her lips.
Gasp!
Pink Eyes sparkled brightly.
Now was the perfect time to score points with her stepmother!
Pastel shot one hand up into the air.
"I'm great at smuggling!"
They paused, and dumbfounded stares turned her way.
Pastel threw her hands up in a cheer.
"Smuggling Military Supplies for a 100% compound profit in one go! I love it! It's so much fun!"
Please let me do it for the rest of my life…!
A bewildered silence flowed.
Duke Nastasha was dumbstruck by the sudden change in attitude before breaking into a bright smile.
Her brown eyes shot a sidelong glance at the Count.
"You hear that? You're not going to tactlessly back out now, are you?"
Yay-yay.
Scored points with a good-natured lie!
I'm such an agreeable daughter!
Remarry with peace of mind!
Count Macenas twitched his brow and let out a low groan.
"It truly is difficult. A long-distance merchant run of that scale would require significant escort costs, separate from the inspections. To cover that, we'd need to gather a massive amount of high-profit goods, and our company would have to handle that task. However, it is somewhat difficult at present."
His cigar pointed at Pastel.
"Since we've decided to undertake massive Railway Construction across the entire Demon Realm, the company currently has no leeway for that."
Uwaah.
This was a situation where the Stepmother's business plan and the Daughter's business were clashing.
What should I do about this?!
Am I going to lose points over something like this?!
The remarriage falling apart…?!
"Oh my, is that so?"
Duke Nastasha clapped her hands once. A grin spread across her face.
"I didn't know that would be the case, but I came prepared!"
An official document was pulled from the Duke's coat. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't an original, but it looked like a copy of an official document.
"The Emperor has been racking his brain preparing for the prophecy, and it seems he's decided to focus more on domestic affairs than the Demon Realm. This is an order to sell the mining rights of certain Magic Stone Mines to the private sector."
Oing.
Mr. Penguin's 'The Republican Faction is the Traitor of Prophecy!' accusation had crossed paths with her, so the Duke shouldn't have been affected by it, yet she had this official document?
Separate from the Accusation, it seemed His Imperial Majesty the Emperor had intended to focus more on the Imperial Interior for some time.
It was probably because of the Fuse Click-Click Pastel.
Once the Accusation Mr. Penguin fabricated reached the Imperial Family, it was highly likely His Imperial Majesty the Emperor would be pleased with it.
A Treacherous Official always reads His Imperial Majesty the Emperor's mind and scratches where it itches.
Since the bad Mr. Penguin had thoroughly scratched His Majesty's itch with an Accusation completely unrelated to Pastel, it was bound to work.
Hwaah.
Spy Mr. Penguin is totally bad.
"Hoh? It seems companies aren't included in the private sector for this sale, so our company will just need to provide the funds."
"Exactly! The Kraft Merchant Guild is strictly a private merchant guild, so it has every right to participate in the Mine Acquisition Competition. If we just buy this…?"
"If we just manipulate the Documented Mining Volume, it would be the perfect high-profit item."
"Right!"
Their gazes turned to her.
Gasp.
What is it? What is it?
Ah!
I'm the one who has to gobble up the Magic Stone Mine!
Pastel clenched both her fists tightly.
"I'll do my best!"
I'm definitely going to score points with my stepmother!
For the sake of a happy remarried family…!
#
Magic stones are Military Supplies.
With the revival of commerce and the explosive increase in Airship Transport Volume, civilian Magic Stone Consumption had also drastically increased, but it was still undeniably Military Supplies.
The Empire, lacking any Magic Stone Mines, coveted the Demon Realm, the sole Magic Stone Production Area, and eventually sparked a great war.
Even having won the war, they currently own and operate all the Magic Stone Mines.
As times changed, mining rights were gradually sold off to Imperial Citizens, increasing private ownership, but the Imperial Family's sale of a Magic Stone Mine was still a massive event.
"Why are they doing it in a place like this?"
Pastel had left the Capital and arrived at an Outlying City.
Unlike the Capital, where Factory Complexes lined up and countless chimneys spewed soot to dye the sky black, this was a place you could only reach by pushing through vast winter Wheat Fields.
As one passed through the Wheat Fields and Brick Residential Areas to reach the City Center, there stood a two-story Brick Building where the grand event was to take place.
Pink Eyes stared at the two-story building with a strange look.
It wasn't a cheap building, but for someone coming from seeing the Skyscrapers in the Capital, it felt a bit…?
"It is rather questionable."
Lord Demon, who had come along as an escort in Melissa's place, rubbed his chin.
"If they were going to sell a Magic Stone Mine, it would be better to do it in the Capital, so why here? Furthermore, the timing is too rushed. At this rate, it would be difficult for an average merchant guild to even gather the funds to purchase a Magic Stone Mine."
Pastel put on a sullen expression.
"Count Macenas looked into it, and he said that aside from the funds, it seems there's a Designated Buyer. The quick-witted Large Trading Groups have already given up, apparently."
"Good grief. How did that mighty Empire end up in this state?"
Lord Demon sighed.
"If there's a Designated Buyer, it would be better to turn back rather than suffer needless humiliation. It's not your fault, so there's no need to feel too heartbroken."
Pastel shook her head vigorously.
"No way! I came here to beat that Designated Buyer and get the Magic Stone Mine!"
For the happiness of a remarried family!
Let's go!
Pastel decided to become a Pink Hair who fought against injustice.
A total protagonist mindset!
She confidently entered the building.
However, contrary to her stride, she didn't enter as Governor Pastel, but quietly showed her invitation as a nameless Agent of the Kraft Merchant Guild.
Her plan was to overtake the Designated Buyer in one fell swoop while he or she was letting their guard down.
The interior had the atmosphere of a banquet hall with a sparkling chandelier.
There were many merchants freely roaming among the food.
Judging by the material of their clothes and their accessories, they seemed to be either riffraff who came without knowing there was a Designated Buyer, or opportunists who knew about the Designated Buyer and came to try and leech off them.
Pastel naturally took a wine glass from a waiter and looked around the Banquet Hall. Then, she had the wine glass confiscated by Lord Demon and received a juice glass instead.
"Do not try to sneak a drink."
Boo.
She had a lot to say to that, but since she was strictly here to work, she resumed her observation of the Banquet Hall.
Who is the Designated Buyer?
Seeing as Duke Nastasha didn't know exactly, he didn't seem like someone with ties to the Central Political Circles, but then again, you never know.
The Designated Buyer was easy to find. It was right in the middle of the Banquet Hall, where people were noticeably clustered.
The Church's distinctive Black Robe was visible. The Designated Buyer wearing the Black Robe had a familiar face.
Ah?
The girl went blank for a moment.
Perhaps feeling the emotion-laden stare, the Father, who had been conversing with a merchant, turned his head. An indifferent gaze met hers.
Their eyes met.
The Father turned his head back without much reaction and continued talking with the merchant.
The corners of the girl's eyes trembled.
The heat from the Chandelier seemed to wrap around her body.
The girl felt the urge to ruin her father's plans.
Desperately.