Chapter 143
The meeting quickly progressed and drew to a close.
Since the Hawks' representative said they were coming but didn't show up, the fiercest topic of debate was now Kraft's joining, but since Ellie appropriately squashed it using the Demon King's authority, there wasn't any topic worth discussing at length.
Even so, it was true that the presence of Pastel Lovecraft sitting on one side of The Round Table was a hindrance to openly discussing confidential matters like the development of the Demon Realm or the trivial daily lives of the attendees, as they normally would have in a meeting.
It would have been right for Ellie to mediate and ease such an awkward and uncomfortable atmosphere, but Ellie herself didn't seem to want to experience her heart pounding after blabbering about confidential matters in front of Pastel.
Thanks to that, Pastel was finding herself in a situation where her own heart was pounding more and more.
There is no moderately bad Demonkind...
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor's pressure for results?
It'll be solved if I go to a meeting where Demonkind gathers!
That positive thought was being ruined in real time.
Oh, dear.
What do I do! What do I do!
I can't see any wicked and bad Demonkind who look like they'd be the Demon King's subordinates at all!
Even Mr. Penguin, who was at least somewhat suspicious, was ostracized by all the attendees and was in a slumped state!
Someone, please try harder!
She was aware that she shouldn't have such wicked thoughts, but Pastel prayed for a bad situation to strike.
What should I say? What Should I Say?
Shooo! Pow! Shooo! Pow!
It was exactly the same feeling as entering an exam room without having studied and praying that the school would completely collapse from an earthquake and the exam would be canceled.
However, the difference between such an examinee and Pastel was that if Pastel made a wish sincerely, it would roughly come true.
Just as Pastel wished, something flew, shooo, into the wall of the Meeting Place. And pow, it exploded.
The vast flames of the explosive blew the wall away. A gust of wind raged.
"Gah!"
Her pink hair fluttered messily before settling down. Pink hair got into her mouth and stuck to it.
Sunlight poured in through the crumbled wall. A Demonkind, boarding a bird, landed, crushing the wall debris.
"Did you enjoy playing house?"
Oh, dear!
Anyone could tell he was from the Radical Faction...!
A certain Demonkind roughly brushed off the stone debris that had bounced all the way to The Round Table and stood up.
"Nathaniel! What is the meaning of this! This is the Sky Island! Do you think this is a playground that will put up with your pranks?"
Gasp.
Nathaniel sneered.
"You're the ones in trouble. I'm not in trouble."
Oh, my!
What a brazen remark!
What do I do! What do I do!
We were secretly having a confidential meeting right in the middle of the Sky Island, but that moderately bad Demonkind went and committed a misdeed, so rumors are going to spread all over town!
Even though the atmosphere is moderate towards Demonkind, the Sky Island has suffered several terrorist attacks, so its vigilance has skyrocketed!
An investigation net will be spread immediately!
The Knights Order will be mobilized, and the news will even reach the strict Highest Authority!
Then, then...!
It'll come to me?
Huh.
I wasn't particularly in trouble.
Knights Order: We have captured the scene of suspicious Demonkind holding a suspicious meeting!
Pastel: That's no big deal.
Knights Order: Oh, really? We didn't know.
Pastel calmed down.
Power really is the best!
Nathaniel approached The Round Table. He looked disgusted at a chair that had gotten dirty from being covered in dust and debris, and then just stood there and crossed his arms.
His gaze swept across the messy Meeting Place. His gaze paused briefly on Pastel before passing by.
"I heard there were traitors here mourning the achievement of shooting dead the Bellamont Successor... Did I come to the right place?"
"You bastard!"
A few attendees grew furious and tried to stand up.
Ellie raised a hand and lightly stopped them. Her calm voice spread out.
"Then you came to the wrong place. You'd better go back."
Nathaniel performed a surprised expression.
"The Princess was here. Someone who should be focusing on her studies is here unnecessarily, so I didn't even know you were present."
Pastel's mouth fell open.
This person, he's picking a fight with everyone, and it hasn't even been a few minutes.
Is this the kind of moderately bad Demonkind that an Ordinary Idea was talking about?
I think your standards are too high, friend, Ordinary Idea. You can't smoothly inflate your achievements like that.
Mr. Penguin, who had been ostracized by everyone and depressed until now, suddenly sat up straight.
His eyes glared sharply at the Hawks' emissary.
"Nathaniel, be faithful to your mission. It doesn't matter what you're thinking or how you feel. If you came as an emissary, fulfill your duty as an Emissary first."
Waa!
Hitting him with sound arguments!
Mr. Penguin, who kept saying uncomfortable things, suddenly feels reliable now that he's on the same side!
At this rate, we might even be able to do a waddling penguin dance together!
Nathaniel frowned. He glared at Mr. Penguin, then pulled a piece of paper from his chest and started reading it roughly.
"The Bellamont death incident wasn't led by us, but was an accidental occurrence caused by Demonkind associated with the Church."
"Accidental? You expect us to believe that?!"
A certain Demonkind slammed his hand on The Round Table.
Nathaniel looked unimpressed.
"Then don't believe it."
"What?!"
The paper, which must have had more written on it than that, was flipped over.
"Anyway, so it's an accidental incident we know nothing about, so clean it up yourselves. That's that, and now regarding the news of the Demon King's discovery..."
Nathaniel stared at Ellie.
"We cannot believe it."
Ellie narrowed her brow.
"What part?"
"We want to believe it too, but based on the timing, it's a lie."
His eyes glared at Pastel.
Ueh?
"The Demon King appeared right after Kraft got its hands on the Railroad Construction rights. And it was a Demon King favorable to Kraft, at that. How much time and resources have we spent so far trying to find the Demon King? But there were no results, and why now, of all times?"
Nathaniel let out a hollow laugh. He swept his gaze across the Meeting Place, carefully examined everyone, and shook his head.
"Seeing as I'm here, it seems he didn't come after all. How are we supposed to believe in a Demon King who doesn't show his face and whose intentions are suspicious."
Ellie let out a low groan.
"I think my explanation was lacking in this. For the sake of the Demon King's personal safety, it's unavoidable-"
Nathaniel kicked the stone debris. A shockwave erupted from the heavy stone block. The stone block flew out of the wall and hit a nearby stone building. A loud roar rang out. The wall came crumbling down.
Ellie quietly placed a hand on her forehead. She glanced back at Pastel, who would cover up the commotion, and flinched.
Pastel had a serious expression on her face.
If you evolve from an emissary to a terrorist, I'll become extremely busy as Governor-General Pastel.
In fact, I might have to call the Knights Order I had on standby.
Ellie whispered hurriedly.
"There's no one there. All the surrounding buildings are owned by us."
"Oh, really?"
Pastel became Pink-Pink again.
Ueh.
Nathaniel looked at the result with satisfaction before spotting a Sky Mackerel flying in from beyond the sky. His hand reached out.
Huh.
Mackerel!
Pastel, who had never had a good time meeting her mortal enemy the mackerel—no, it was good on the dining table, but anyway, she had never had a good time—felt a chill run down her spine.
Just as expected, the mackerel that flew in was carrying a leather bag on its body.
Oh, my! It's a carrier fish!
It's not even a pigeon, so the news brought by a mackerel is bound to be the worst!
A note was pulled out of the bag.
"We won't believe it until the Demon King steps forward himself."
Nathaniel read the note and waved it as if to show it off. The note was folded and tossed lightly. It landed at Pastel's seat.
O-i-ing.
A note was blatantly thrown for her to read.
Pastel fumbling, unfolded the note.
It contained a message saying they had succeeded in terrorizing the Demon Realm Railway and some of its infrastructure, which had been handed over to the Kraft Merchant Guild.
Oh, no!
My railroad...!
The sound of flapping wings was heard.
"We will do what we must do."
Nathaniel, who was boarding the bird before anyone noticed, grabbed the reins. The bird flapped its wings.
"So don't cause a nuisance! You traitors!"
Nathaniel fled beyond the sky in an instant.
"Oh, no!"
Pastel grabbed her head.
My railroad! My railroad!
The worst! The worst!
The worst!
She hurriedly ran to the edge of the broken wall and shouted with all her might.
"You moderately bad Demonkind...!"
As if telling him to take a hit, she pulled out a purple handkerchief and threw it. The rolled-up handkerchief flew shooo into the sky before unraveling and limply plummeting to the ground.
Heueuk, my railroad.
Pastel staggered and sank to the ground.
"Waaah! My railroad...!"
My chugga-chugga choo-choo!
Lord Demoooon!
That Demonkind is an utterly bad Demonkind!
Come to think of it, Lord Demon was considered a traitor by Demonkind, so he didn't come along.
Since there was no one to comfort her even if she cried, Pastel quickly calmed down and stood up. She dabbed her tears with a newly pulled out white handkerchief.
"My railroad..."
Waaah.
Ellie was approaching but paused. She looked flustered when Pastel calmed down so quickly, then thought for a moment and turned her steps toward the edge of the wall. Her gaze stopped on the handkerchief that had been thrown and had plummeted to the roadside.
Ellie's lips trembled slightly.
"What is that?"
Come to think of it, there was someone here to comfort her. Pastel's face turned tearful again.
"Ellieee!"
She hugged Ellie tightly.
Comfort meee!
"Why did you throw that?"
Are you more curious about that than I?
Hmph.
Pastel sniffled.
She slowly whispered into Ellie's ear.
"Princess, excessive curiosity is not good."
Wouldn't it be more comfortable for you if the popular person Pastel whined for comfort rather than Your Excellency Pastel giving such a direct warning?
Ellie's body stiffened.
Her hands trembled before stroking Pastel's back as if to comfort her.
Huwaa.
This soft touch.
A different feeling from Lord Demon!