Chapter 134
Pastel did her best at method acting.
Summoning the strongest friend into my body!
A blonde Mage girl immediately came to mind.
Iyaaah!
I am Melissa! I am Melissa!
And not Melissa Camelot.
None other than Melissa Kraft!
Not the greenhouse flower (Warlord Successor) who likes fairy tales and always talks about her mother, but the schemer who massacred her siblings according to the principles of the succession competition and seized the position of marquis!
How would such a terrifying Schemer feel when she tried to stab the Emperor and join the Republican Faction, only for the Republican Faction to do something foolish and try to grab Kraft by the leash first?
"I am disappointed."
Pastel first let out a deep sigh.
A disappointment that the Melissa Kraft in her imagination would strongly relate to.
Good.
I think this emotional line is right!
But then again.
If it's Melissa Kraft, would her hair be pink or blonde? If it's Kraft, pink is right, but since it's Melissa, it feels like it should be blonde. You could say that's a bit more elegant.
Suddenly, she felt Duke Nastasya's observing gaze.
Gasp, my thoughts suddenly went to a weird place!
No! No! I'll think about this interesting topic later! I bought some time by sighing, so I must hurry to the next step!
Hoo, hoo.
To buy more time, she let out another deep sigh like Lord Demon.
"Haa, honestly."
Now I have to make a plausible mastermind remark and encourage a misjudgment.
The principle is to use Kraft's infamy to make her forget the idiot-idiot Pastel she just experienced.
Since the Duke is formidable, throwing out plausible empty promises is impossible. I need to invent a lie equipped with proper evidence and a proper past.
Pastel's 'I'm bad at studying but my brain is smart~ (Real)' went into full operation.
In fact, she hadn't prepared anything, but just as it's surprisingly not difficult to find something to publicize when digging into a celebrity's private life, weaving together a plausible issue from the life of Governor-General Pastel was probably not that difficult.
At this point, when the other party was misjudging Pastel's true nature and thinking with a bias due to Kraft's infamy, she had to throw out food for thought to expand those delusions.
A past that I had no thoughts about, but that Melissa Kraft would have imbued with deep intentions!
A thought flashed.
I remembered!
Yahoo~! I'm saved!
"I was well aware that the Republican Faction wouldn't be pleased with my joining. I don't even feel regretful about this. Rather, I will apologize for causing you unnecessary concern due to my family's past."
First, Pastel didn't foolishly jump straight to the main point, but took the lead in the atmosphere.
This is a basic iron rule of business.
Take the lead in the atmosphere first.
"We didn't feel enough aversion to warrant an apology. Even though the Kraft Family has so many achievements in making the Empire what it is today, both the former emperor and the current emperor persecuted you excessively, so there are many among us who welcome the marquis's joining."
Duke Nastasya's expression changed to a troubled smile. She had given the necessary response to a great noble's apology, but she seemed to guess what kind of troublesome context would come next.
"Is that so. Then I am disappointed after all."
Pastel felt burdened doing facial acting while sitting face-to-face, so she stealthily stood up.
She walked over to the pastel-toned portrait the Duke had drawn for her. Once her back was to the Duke, she relaxed her expression with peace of mind and observed the portrait with a goofy grin.
Pink-Pink, sparkling~.
Wow, it's really pretty!
How does the paint sparkle?!
I was going to give it to Lord Demon, but maybe I should hang it in my bedroom?!
She felt a gaze from behind.
Gasp! To think I'd be mesmerized by my own portrait!
Ahem.
"To convey my sincerity to the Republican Faction, I tried selecting the Acting Academy President through a noble vote, but was my sincerity lacking? Was my expression insufficient?"
Duke Nastasya's groan rang out.
"We also watched that part with interest. Since there is no precedent, it is worth researching and discussing—"
"the highest person"
Duke Nastasya's words were cut off.
Pastel lifted the portrait. As she examined it and raised it high, the portrait tilted according to the angle and cast a shadow. Even so, the well-made portrait shone even in the shadow.
"Shouldn't they be someone who is revered, desired, and takes the lead."
Duke Nastasya's gaze was felt.
Ah?
It was a gaze from behind, but based on her intuition as a popular person, it felt like it had become incredibly intense.
Did the strategy of throwing out seemingly profound philosophy with no logic somehow work in a plausible atmosphere?
If I were to retrace what the Duke must have just thought.
Pastel: I originally intended to join the Republican Faction, but I'm sad that you suspected me! I'm such a Republican that I even agonized over who to pick in the vote!
Duke: Gasp, this level of consideration? I didn't know this! Sorry!
Good! Good!
I'm saved! I'm completely saved!
Even if I run away to the Sky Island like this, they won't ruthlessly stab me, a Republican!
And neither will His Imperial Majesty the Emperor, who entrusted me with the Demon King Hunt!
Wow! Now I should stop this scary tightrope-walking conversation and run away!
Pastel flipped the portrait over just like that.
And then she placed it on top of her head.
She spread both arms just like that, turned around, and met her gaze brightly.
It seems the misunderstanding is cleared up, so I'll be going back!
However, Pastel could see Duke Nastasya, whose expression had changed to a somewhat serious one. For some reason, it was a look meant for a rival.
Uh-oh.
An atmosphere that felt like the relationship was about to change from the child of an old crush to the child of a romantic rival!
Is there some huge misunderstanding?!
A really, really huge misunderstanding!
Gasp.
Could this be the situation the Duke advised about earlier?
—Ambiguous reliability will earn you unnecessary suspicion even from allies.
Uwaah!
The Duke's advice was too spot-on!
Because I did some unnecessary acting, I ended up attracting suspicion that even I don't understand!
Pastel felt like her breath was catching in her throat. She couldn't tell what kind of delusions Duke Nastasya had ended up having.
I don't have any particular intentions!
I'm just, just Pastel!
This is why it's difficult to converse with smart people...!
On the verge of breaking into a cold sweat, Pastel gathered all her mental strength and shouted as brightly as possible.
"But I'm young, so I wouldn't really know!"
I might have said something serious, but because I'm young, I misspoke without even knowing the intention!
The young Her Excellency Pastel has so many shortcomings that the presidential post is something the experienced Professor Horace would occupy!
"We're about a generation apart, so you could say it's troubling if you expect the same level!"
You could say I can't follow the Duke's thoughts at all!
Yeah, yeah!
Perhaps reading some unintended signal in these words again, Duke Nastasya was shocked, and her expression became one of rapidly multiplying thoughts.
That was that kind of recommendation? No, what does Kraft usually think about in her life to assume that the leader of the Republican Faction, whom she hasn't even met face-to-face, would understand the recommendation just from an election on the far-off Sky Island? It was that kind of nuance.
Uwaah...!
At this point, it's too scary!
I have no idea what it is, but it worked too well!
Is this the curse of intellect? Is this how the statistic that smart people fall for scams works more easily?
I can't do a situation assessment at all, but it seems I've become roughly a schemer who shouldn't be messed with, someone on the same side but not a rival.
I don't know, I don't know! The Sky Island is the Frontier anyway! I even got the governorship, so I just have to run away!
Pastel tightly secured the portrait resting on her head with both hands.
"The level is different from what I expected, so I'll be going now!"
The abyss of the central political circles is scary!
She ran off in a hurry. A confused gaze followed her, but it disappeared as she kicked open the door of the art studio and left.
A sunny garden and a vast lake unfolded before her. A few ducks were floating around.
"Run away! Run away!"
Save Pastel!
She kept running down the white marble path, panting, and glanced back. With no one following her, only the lakeside scenery scattered with painting canvases caught her eye.
"Phew!"
I really survived.
She wiped her forehead, which wasn't particularly sweaty, and placed the portrait on a nearby canvas.
She walked to the lake and scooped up some water.
Splash, splash.
So clean.
Pastel rubbed both her cheeks and looked around as if searching for something.
Oing.
No towel.
Lord Demon, who should be giving her a towel or handkerchief, wasn't there either.
Uwaah?
Pastel is dignified enough to do method acting as Melissa, yet she committed the vulgar act of washing her face in a situation where she had nothing to wipe it with...!
Drops of water dripped down her chin. The water drops left water stains on her hem just like that.
Completely undignified.
Pastel rolled her eyes, crouched down, and stealthily lifted her white skirt hem. She wiped her face with her skirt hem. And then she feigned ignorance as if nothing had happened.
"Wow! Clean!"
I should go back!
She walked lightly and picked up the portrait.
The pastel portrait sparkled as it caught the sunlight.
Yahoo!
Portrait acquired!
It was scary, but anyway, nothing major happened, so I'm happy!
She leisurely examined the portrait.
Wow, she really drew it well.
I should have come with Lord Demon and gotten two!
Uh-oh?
Come to think of it, if Lord Demon had been here, wouldn't this scary situation have been avoided?
Uwaah!
Pastel clutched her head.
It would have been fine if only Lord Demon had been here!
To think he's not by my side when I need him!
Lord Demon is bad!
Completely, utterly bad!
It might be the fault of Pastel, who came alone because she was afraid of being scolded to tears if they were alone after hearing him tell her to prepare to be scolded while she was highly enjoying her insubordination. But anyway, Lord Demon is bad!
Yeah, yeah!
Sooo.
I should ask him to make me marshmallows!
Hehe.
Pastel returned to Lord Demon.
—Why on earth did you go there alone?
He had an angry expression.
With a new reason added to the existing one, Pastel could really be scolded to tears.
"Uwaaang!"
Tears came out drop by drop.
"Lord Demon is really, really bad!"