Chapter 126
Dormitory Bedroom.
Pastel shivered.
The biggest crisis of her life.
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor's "everyone below me and above you, assemble" order.
Uwaaah!
This was a terror equal to realizing she had not a single penny in her wallet right after receiving a sentence that she had to eat Magic Stones.
A summons order was issued right after offending the Supreme Dignitary in a Status System Nation!
"Save me! Save me!"
Pastel clutched her head. As she rapidly shook her head in that state, her mini pigtails flapped wildly.
I didn't do anything wrong!
I really, really didn't!
Even after hearing that His Imperial Majesty the Emperor might be behind the Imperial Bank, I did think about Auction Collusion first with an 'eh, surely not' mindset, but I had no malicious intent!
I did think and act on things like, 'Since we're doing Auction Collusion anyway, let's be a little shameless and bid 1 gold coin! A Railway Company for 1 gold coin! Uwaaang! So cheap! Totally! Totally!' but I had no malicious intent!
Gasp.
No malicious intent.
Ulterior motives, yes.
Uwaaah!
Either way, it was no different from dancing on His Imperial Majesty the Emperor's shadow!
Thump-tss thump-tss Pastel……!
Absolute irreverence itself!
A situation where Your Excellency Pastel would drag someone to the Secret Room, asking if this was insubordination……!
Despair.
Despair.
At the end of her despair, Pastel reflected on herself.
Why am I not the Supreme Dignitary!
It would have been fine if I had been born the Emperor!
This is my fault for being born with an insufficient status!
God, God!
Please let me be born as the Highest Authority in my next life!
I'm not asking for much, but I just need slightly better Gacha Luck here!
『Calm down, hmm.』
The Demon tried to place his hand on her pink head to calm her down, but hesitated, unable to do anything about the interference of her flapping pink pigtails.
The Demon wore an expression of deep contemplation, wondering if he should grab these frantic mini pigtails to stop them, before giving up.
『Calm down for now. It might not be a big deal. Since they didn't take you by force, it's likely literally just a request to meet. Kraft is strictly a Great Noble, so there shouldn't be any of the mishaps that a Commoner or someone of a Lower Rank would have to worry about.』
"Gasp!"
Is that so?
The pink hair stopped and calmed down.
Now that I hear it, that's really true.
I, Great Noble Kraft.
Unless it's treason, the chances of my personal safety being compromised by an imperial command are very low.
I've never made any treasonous plans, so I'm very, very safe.
"Phew!"
Pastel wiped her forehead for no reason.
"You're right! I was Safe-safe Pastel!"
Being born into a Marquisate was the greatest luck of my life!
The Demon smoothed out her disheveled pink hair.
『I don't know about Safe-safe Pastel, but nothing bad will happen. The Emperor guy I know was fairly good at distinguishing right from wrong.』
The Emperor guy.
Come to think of it, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor was also a one-sided crush guy who hung around Mom in her prime, just like Lord Demon?
Her emotions suddenly became complex and subtle.
Just how desperate of a love confession did Dad make to Mom to win over an Archdemon and a Crown Prince?
What is love, that it can become so desperate as to even let go of one's own child?
『Young Kraft?』
"Gasp!"
Eek.
Pastel rubbed both her cheeks and shifted her thoughts.
"But, but. Now that I know His Imperial Majesty the Emperor was that kind of person, I'm worried in a different sense!"
Her hands trembled slightly.
"Surely not, surely not as a replacement for Mom?!"
Considering the absolute peak popularity of Popular Person Pastel, it wouldn't be strange if His Imperial Majesty the Emperor lost his mind over her.
Historically, it's very common for an Emperor burdened with the duty of Successor Production to take in a young partner…… right?
Eek.
Eeeeek.
『That is.』
The Demon's expression turned serious.
『Probably not.』
"Probably!"
Pastel was appalled.
Probably! Pro-ba-bly!
"Uwaaang!"
She instantly looked like she was about to cry.
The crisis of receiving a confession from her parents' generation!
14-year-old Pastel, receiving a confession from the 30-something His Imperial Majesty the Emperor.
That's a bit……!
Really a bit……!
That's an event I'd prefer not to have in Pastel's life!
Wanjeonwanjeon!
The Demon panicked.
『I misspoke. It's definitely not. The Emperor guy is already married and has a wife and children, so he wouldn't still be holding onto a past romance.』
Hearing this from Lord Demon, who was neither married nor had a wife and children, made it seem both convincing and unconvincing.
『Even if his feelings still remain, he wouldn't do something so scandalous that High Society would mock him. Besides, a sane person wouldn't confuse a mother with her child. The Emperor guy I know is sane enough.』
Is that so?
Is His Imperial Majesty the Emperor sane?
The Demon clenched one fist.
『If that bastard really makes a weird proposal, I'll teach him a lesson. I'll punish him so much he'll never have those thoughts again.』
Gasp.
Pastel covered her mouth in surprise.
"Lord Demon, were you someone higher than His Imperial Majesty the Emperor?!"
The Demon chuckled.
『I'm not just a regular Demon but an Archdemon, would I be any less than an Emperor?』
So reliable!
"I'll only trust you, Lord Demon!"
『Right.』
Her Pink Eyes sparkled.
"Honestly, I think giving your heart to the daughter just because you were rejected by the Mom is incredibly pathetic!"
The Demon nodded.
『You're right. It's best not to even look at someone like that. Transferring romantic feelings from a mother to her daughter is scandalous, and even if such feelings arise, expressing them with that age gap is even more scandalous.』
Wanjeonwanjeon agreement!
"Really, really!"
Pastel clenched both her fists tightly.
"It's a little harsh to say! But I don't want to be in the same space as someone like that!"
A presence that even cherry blossom petals would avoid falling on!
The Demon strongly agreed.
『Good thinking. If there ever is a bastard like that, tell me. I'll make sure he can't even approach you.』
"Wow!"
Pastel cheered. She spun around and around just like that.
Relief! Relief!
I'm so glad Lord Demon is here!
Please protect me for the rest of my life!
#
Airship Dock.
"Should I go with you even now? I've met His Majesty once before."
Melissa, who had come out for the Seeing Off, worried.
"It's fine! Pastel does well on her own!"
"Even so, your first audience with His Imperial Majesty the Emperor will be quite nerve-wracking. That's why it's customary for young children to have their audience alongside their parents."
"It's fine! It's fine! Brave Your Excellency Pastel doesn't get scared by things like this!"
Pastel waved the hand that wasn't holding her luggage.
"And I have Lord Demon too!"
In the direction she pointed, the Demon, dressed in a suit, was reconfirming the schedule with the Captain of the Imperial Fast Airship.
"Is that so."
Melissa paused. She looked puzzled as to whether this Excellency Pastel had any intention of hiding the Archdemon's identity.
"He's a reliable Servant. I also have a Maid whom I trust and follow, though not as much as my Mother. I was able to receive a lot of care from her in place of my inevitably busy Mother."
"You have two Mothers! How nice!"
Melissa smiled softly.
"That's really true."
The Seeing Off by Melissa and Alcier, who had just been standing blankly to the side occasionally muttering "Yeah," came to an end.
Ellie quietly approached. She checked her surroundings to see if anyone was eavesdropping then spoke softly.
"I've sent out all the news. By the time you return, feedback will have arrived from everyone. I'll proceed with the Railway Project accordingly."
"Yeah, yeah!"
It's Demon King, Demon King Pastel.
Is this the Omen of Corruption?
Thump-thump.
Even though Ellie actually thinks it's Acting!
Someday, I'll make her call me Demon King!
After greeting her other friends as well, Pastel boarded the Imperial Fast Airship.
Even though it was just an airship, the floor was entirely marble, and the white walls were even engraved with gold patterns. It was incredibly flashy and resplendent. It strongly gave off the feeling that it was indeed fitting for the Imperial Family.
"Wow!"
This is all taxes!
Uwaang!
A Culture Shock for student Pastel, who had lived a frugal life in the poor Student Council Room!
I want to become this kind of person in power too!
Like a true student, she gained one more pure dream.
Treated like a high-ranking person, she was personally guided through the airship by the Captain and assigned a Guest Room so large she thought it was a waste of space.
Once all the Outsiders had left, Pastel dashed over to the giant landscape painting hanging on the wall.
The painting depicting a blue sea and a group of coral reefs filled her vision.
"Lord Demon! Lord Demon! How much do you think this is?!"
It smells like a million times the taxes!
The Demon, who had been examining the tea set, turned his head.
『Don't look for the price tag first when appreciating a painting. What's important is the artist's intent and your autonomous interpretation.』
Pastel spread her arms wide. Even though she stretched them as far as possible, the painting was so large that her hands couldn't reach either the left or the right edge of the frame.
"Wow!"
Her mouth hung open.
"How much do you think this is?!"
『You're not even listening.』
The Demon gave up and examined the landscape painting.
『Oho, the price must be considerable. It's a work by Nastasya.』
Someone I don't know!
But if it's enough to make Lord Demon marvel, I can guess what level it is.
"So how much is it?!"
The Demon crossed his arms, tapped his forearm with his fingers, and narrowed his brow.
『At the very least, it would be enough to buy the bankrupt Railway Merchant Guild at full price and still have change left over.』
Gasp.
Her Pink Eyes trembled.
The Imperial Family has enough money to hang a painting like this in the Guest Room of a fast airship?
Just how much in taxes did they collect?
Is this a true person in power……?
Pastel suddenly felt intimidated.
Actually, Your Excellency Pastel was merely a Ruler of the Frontier.
Sniff.
『It's not in a price range suitable for a fast airship. Since it's the Guest Room Marquis Kraft will stay in while coming for an audience, did the Imperial Family place it here on purpose?』
Eh?
『They must have felt a bit slighted by the 1 gold coin.』
Pastel looked at the landscape painting with trembling eyes.
Could this be an indirect expression saying, 'It's not that we lack money, but we feel a bit slighted when you do that'?
Uwaaah!
Please save meee!