Chapter 187
20 minutes ago.
Pastel was able to face Duke Nastasha in a corner of the emptied Art Gallery. The brown-haired girl smiled and clapped her hands.
"It's been a while, hasn't it? I've heard a lot of news about Marquis Pastel, but I don't know if my news has reached the Demon Realm! I wanted to come see you at least once, but everyone stopped me, telling me to focus on the Imperial Interior, so it was a real shame."
[Gasp, is this an indirect warning not to tell useless lies since she investigated me thoroughly?]
It seemed like a simple greeting, but Pastel, whose guard was fully up, felt her hair stand on end.
"I've heard a lot of news about you too, Duke!"
[I also investigated you thoroughly, Duke!
Don't look down on me!]
"Really? I'm curious what kind of news is floating around the Demon Realm. It's not anything bad, is it? I do get scolded for not being dignified enough usually, so I'm a bit concerned. I suppose the Demon Realm's culture doesn't care about that as much? If so, that's a relief."
Brown eyes stared at her, expecting an answer.
[Gasp, actually I don't usually investigate.]
Pastel rolled her eyes around.
"Th-there were a lot of good evaluations. So good that I can't even remember them right now!"
"That's a relief."
Duke Nastasha smiled brightly. She pointed to her side and introduced Mr. Penguin, who was with her.
"You probably already know each other, but this is Redmond. He often gives our Republican Faction practical advice, so we receive a lot of help from him. Our hearts might be those of a republican citizen, but we inevitably fall short compared to someone born and raised here."
Mr. Penguin bowed his head.
"I am Redmond. Though my abilities are meager, I offer a few opinions to Duke Nastasha."
"They aren't meager. Princess Ellishita would be so disappointed if you said that."
[Ehh.]
Pink Eyes trembled.
Come to think of it, she had forgotten because it wasn't immediately important, but Mr. Penguin also had an identity where he built a friendship with Duke Nastasha and infiltrated the Imperial Republican Faction.
[Ehh.]
[Isn't Mr. Penguin being a bit too much?]
[He seems like too much of a Workaholic.]
[I wish he'd sort out his identities.]
It would be really nice if he threw away his various identities and neatly kept only his identity as the Princess's confidant. Then she wouldn't have to call him Spy Mr. Penguin.
"If Marquis Pastel ever has trouble organizing her thoughts, it would be convenient to ask Redmond for his opinion. We only discuss theory, so sometimes it clashes with the actual field."
[[Asking His Imperial Majesty the Emperor's Spy for advice on Republicanism. Maybe in a million years? the Emperor's Spy for advice on republicanism.] the Emperor's Spy for advice on Republicanism. Maybe in a million years? the Emperor's Spy for advice on republicanism.]
"I will."
[Maybe in a million years?]
Duke Nastasha, smiling brightly, briefly looked at the Coral Painting hanging on the wall. Then she quickly turned back to Pastel.
"I noticed you didn't participate in the auction. Were there no paintings you were interested in? I even brought a Cherry Blossom Coral that Marquis Pastel might find interesting, but you didn't pay it any attention."
[What is a Cherry Blossom Coral.]
[As a cherry blossom myself, I'm incredibly curious.]
"I think I missed it because I attended a bit late."
"Oh my, is that so? I painted it while thinking of Blossom."
[Ugh.]
[I couldn't even see the Cherry Blossom Coral she painted while thinking of Mom.]
Duke Nastasha looked regretful.
"Then you must not have seen me sell a painting for a very high price either? I earned enough for a Grand Mansion with that."
She seemed to be talking about the Coral Painting that eventually sold for 20,000 gold coins.
"I saw that! You were totally awesome!"
[Super rich from a single painting!]
"Right? There's still an Imperial Premium attached to Imperial Artwork, so it's quite lucrative."
[Imperial Premium?]
Pastel was slightly tempted.
"Does that mean if you just bring Imperial Artwork to the Demon Realm, the price doubles?"
"Not double, but roughly? There's a sense that it's valued higher than its objective worth."
[Gasp.]
[Suddenly I want to get into the Artwork Transportation Business.]
[The virtuous work of transporting artwork from the Empire to the Demon Realm while skipping procedures that lower the freshness of the artwork, like Border Inspection.]
"Though I think this will slowly normalize since I brought a large amount of artwork with me this time."
[Waaah.]
[The Duke already beat me to it.]
As Pastel smacked her lips in regret, Duke Nastasha glanced at her and smiled brightly.
"Come to think of it, there was something I wanted to discuss with Marquis Pastel regarding business."
"Yes?"
Brown eyes turned to look at Mr. Penguin.
"Redmond, I'm sorry for calling you here, but could you excuse us? I have something to discuss just between Imperial Citizens."
"Understood."
Mr. Penguin left.
[A business discussion that needs to be between Imperial Citizens?]
[I don't even go on Imperial Visits that often?]
[I can't even guess what it is.]
"I know very well that Marquis Pastel is having fun with Magic Stone Smuggling."
[Gasp.]
Pastel froze solid.
Her mind spun in circles.
[Hwaaah!]
[Crisis! Crisis!]
[What does it mean when a Person in Power from the Central Political Circles Suddenly comes and mentions the Illegal Business I've been diligently running while ignoring the law in the Frontier?]
[What else could it mean!]
[It's exactly……!]
"I've also developed a great interest in smuggling recently. It seems you only travel between the Demon Realm and Sky Island, but do you have any thoughts of expanding your smuggling domestically?"
[She wants us to do it together~!]
[Oh yeah.]
Pastel's ears perked up.
[I have Wanjeonwanjeon a lot of thoughts about it!]
Sky Island was strictly an Imperial Territory. Domestic Transportation within the Empire couldn't generate transcendent profits like a 100% return on a single trip, unlike transportation to the Demon Realm.
However, Sky Island was a Special Jurisdiction with its own Governor-General's Office, so it wasn't completely free of quarantine like true domestic transport. Transporting goods to the Imperial Inland required passing through strict quarantine and incurring additional costs. Skipping that would leave a lot of profit.
And above all, as the Magic Stone Smuggling to the Demon Realm received Compound Interest Calculation and its scale exploded, it was becoming increasingly difficult to operate secretly.
Now, it was standard for dozens of Airships to move in a single trip. When the Kraft Merchant Guild arrived, the Docking Bay would be packed tight, and the Magic Stone Volume of Goods in the Demon Realm market would Suddenly fluctuate, making them wary of the central government's gaze.
[What Should I Say, What Should I Say.]
[If someone like Mr. Penguin, who was keeping a close eye on the Magic Stone Volume of Goods—which were strictly Military Supplies—whispered into His Imperial Majesty the Emperor's ear, Pastel would be in a state of 'Hwaaah! Please spare me! I've never committed a Misdeed……!']
Just as a Small Stock Investment doesn't affect the market, but investing an astronomical amount can have a huge impact on stock prices, the scale of the Kraft Merchant Guild had grown too large.
In contrast, the Empire's market was vastly larger. Diverting some of the assets—which had become too bloated to embarrassingly call secret—toward the Empire would be excellent for Risk Management in the long run.
Since it also meant making money with funds that had to be hoarded because expanding the scale any further would be too obvious, it would also lead to Profitability Improvement.
The most difficult problem was that she needed a connection in the Central Political Circles…….
[What if Duke Nastasha, who had built a friendship since my parents' generation, showed interest first?]
[Ppuruppu~.]
A smile appeared on Pastel's face.
However, in business, if you immediately accept an offer just because the other party suggested it, you lose the initiative.
Instead, she opened her Pink Eyes wide.
"Pardon? Smuggling?"
[Good Pastel has never heard of such a thing.]
[I've transported necessary goods for desperate people, but I've never laid a hand on such bad things, so to speak.]
[Ugh, smuggling.]
[If there's an evil business area that someone born with Pink Hair should absolutely never touch, it would be smuggling.]
"Really? I must have heard wrong somewhere. It's troubling because my Retainers sometimes make mistakes like this."
Duke Nastasha touched her cheek with her hand. She looked truly troubled.
"I understand how you feel! From a Subordinate's perspective, it's just a mistake, but it twists the whole picture, so it's really awkward."
"Tell me about it."
Duke Nastasha looked around the Art Gallery. Her attitude showed she wasn't the least bit anxious about Pastel playing hard to get.
[She really looks uninterested.]
[Ugh, this is a tough opponent.]
[Is she planning to negotiate leisurely since today isn't the only day anyway?]
"By the way, where did Count Macenas go? I saw him participate in the auction, but he hasn't come looking for me yet."
"He said he's going to protest because the management of the Successful Bid Item was negligent."
"That is true. The Demon Realm is piling up money, but its history is short, so the details are lacking. It can't be helped."
Duke Nastasha moved her steps toward the Corridor. She peeked around as if looking for someone.
"What's wrong?"
"Didn't he come with you?"
[Who?]
Pastel tilted her head.
The question was immediately resolved.
Duke Nastasha slightly bent her upper body and looked past the corner of the Corridor. Following her lead, Lord Demon came into view.
"Hmm?"
Lord Demon, who had his arms crossed and was on guard against Assassination, looked back.
Duke Nastasha smiled radiantly, fitting her girlish appearance.
"It's been a while, Older Brother."
It was an intimate voice.
[Older Brother……?]
[Ehh.]
[Ehhh?]
Pastel became bewildered. She quickly examined Lord Demon. Lord Demon raised one eyebrow and accepted the greeting as if it were natural.
"It has been a while. You haven't changed. How have you been all this time?"
Lord Demon, who usually didn't initiate conversations with people around him, asked how she was doing as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Pastel felt a chill.
Duke Nastasha stepped out from the corner.
"I've been living as I always have. Though I didn't know my body wouldn't grow a-t a-ll from back then to now. You're the same as ever too, Older Brother Demonius. I haven't heard from you in over ten years; where have you been all this time?"
"I was trapped in the Kraft Mansion's Basement."
"Pardon? Why?"
An amicable conversation continued.
Pink Eyes stared blankly at Duke Nastasha, who had a joyful expression. And then stared blankly at the demon.
After looking back and forth between the two for a moment, her eyes suddenly widened. The girl covered her mouth with her hand in surprise.
"Gasp."
The conversation was cut short by the sudden gasp of surprise. Gazes gathered on her.
"Duke Nastasha!"
Pink Eyes whipped around to look at the Duke.
"Did you perhaps come all the way to the Demon Realm to see my Dad?!"
"Huh?"
Duke Nastasha was flustered.
Because the conversation they were just having was about why her Archdemon Older Brother was Suddenly trapped in a basement.
Duke Nastasha answered in bewilderment.
"That's part of the reason, yes. There were eyewitness accounts of him in the Demon Realm……. Do you know what on earth he's been doing without sending any word?"
[Hwaaah!]
[This is total Adultery Meow-Meow!]
[It was a Wanjeonwanjeon wicked ulterior motive.]
But suddenly, Pastel had a thought.
[I feel sorry for Mom in the afterlife, but shouldn't the living keep on living?]
[It seemed like it was Dad's freedom to start a new romance since he must be lonely.]
[Rather than sacrificing as a parent tied down by a child who might feel aversion, shouldn't he have that much freedom as an individual person?]
[That makes too much sense.]
The Filial Daughter Pastel firmly grabbed her Stepmother's hands.
Clasp.
"Huh?"
Her Stepmother was bewildered.
"That's great! I was looking for Dad too!"
[Duke Nastasha was the person destined to be my Mom~!]
[No wonder I liked her!]
[Woah-Woah.]