Chapter 35
“I have also kept the consolation money you sent along with the Obituary Letter.”
Merchant Guild Leader Grace took out the letter and the jewels.
When sorting out the situation after conquering the Grand Mansion, she had scraped together what little she had to send consolation money to the Family Relatives of the Retainers. She hadn’t starved so much that she couldn’t even afford a single chicken skewer.
“Although I couldn’t visit you because I was mindful of my Surroundings, I always prayed that the Family Head would overcome this situation. My sister would have done the same.”
Gasp.
I wasn’t alone.
So touching.
A trivial Update on Recent Affairs and small talk followed.
The Merchant Guild Leader sent a pitying look. She reached out and gently held the girl’s hand.
“How hard it must have been for you.”
The warmth felt like it was soothing her heart.
“Th-that’s right.”
“From now on, you will only walk on a path of flowers.”
There was a Pat-pat on the back of her hand.
“That’s right.”
Pastel’s eyes grew red.
This person seems really nice.
Her wariness melted away.
Goodwill overflowed.
She felt like she would willingly accept whatever this person asked of her.
She felt like she should at least accept an Assassination Contract.
Nodding.
Her heart agreed as well.
The Demon muttered quietly in a voice filled with complex emotions.
“You said you wouldn’t let your Guard down…”
It seemed to mean that while he understood her heart softening, her wariness melting away was concerning.
Pastel Flinched.
She realized her lips had curled into a relaxed smile.
Ah.
Her professional demeanor had slipped away at some point?!
She had become completely unarmed!
Uwaah.
But, still,
There was no way her heart wouldn’t soften when Head Maid Emma’s Relative was speaking so favorably. Anyone Human would naturally be swayed.
Sniff, sniff.
Of course, rationally, she knew this was nothing more than Breaking the ice and building rapport before getting down to real Business. It was obvious that her wariness melting away was the opponent’s Strategy.
But that was just rationally speaking; her heart felt like it didn’t matter either way.
Yeah, yeah!
Since she had received loyalty from Head Maid Emma, wouldn’t it be okay just once To Fall for a Fraud from her Relative?
Gasp.
Such a Correct Statement.
Pastel is so smart!
Pastel just shared small talk while Grinning.
As she completely Let Go of her wariness and opened her heart, a reaction came from the Merchant Guild Leader instead.
The Merchant Guild Leader was flustered that her wicked Oratory, which targeted the child’s rough Family History, worked too well. And she felt slightly apologetic.
It was as if she had sat down To Face the Head of the Craft Family, whose true nature was hidden, only To Realize that her opponent was just a kid.
“Y-you really went through a lot. You were a child all alone…”
The Merchant Guild Leader’s conscience seemed to sting. Her Folding Fan snapped open and fluttered hastily.
Of course, Pastel, who only had the mind To Fall for a Fraud but not the intention to mortgage her life away - and thus hadn’t completely dropped her professional demeanor - could immediately notice the Merchant Guild Leader’s Change.
Woowaoowa.
A good person.
Pastel was so touched.
Goodwill is followed by goodwill.
As expected, The World is Beautiful.
“That’s right, I tried hard.”
She remembered the starvation she had experienced before committing Livelihood-Driven Corruption.
Rumble, rumble.
A life where she couldn’t even buy a chicken skewer.
Sob.
Her eyes grew hot.
Her chest felt tight.
Pastel rubbed her eyes for no reason.
“It was really rough. I couldn’t even eat properly and starved. If my luck had been just a little worse, I might have starved to death.”
Tears smeared onto her fingers.
Ing.
I was actually crying.
Uwaah.
What a discourtesy in a Business setting.
She Hurriedly wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Her nose sniffled.
Uwaah, why am I like this?
It would be a real disaster if my nose ran.
By the time Pastel was flustered and trying to calm her emotions, Grace felt her breath catch as she watched her.
This was not the Head of the Craft Family she had expected.
She had thought the girl would have a devious mind completely different from her pretty and cute exterior, but she was truly a child of that age.
“I’m sorry, I can’t control myself. I’m really sorry.”
Pastel wiped her tears and sniffled.
Grace Hurriedly took out a handkerchief.
“H-here, use this.”
The hand offering the handkerchief trembled.
“Thank you. I’m really sorry. Please Wait a moment. I can Calm Down soon.”
The child wiped her tears and blew her nose. She folded the handkerchief and blew her nose again.
The sight of the child trying not to be a nuisance in a Public setting.
Grace’s heart ached. The blatant ploy she had been using until just now came to mind countless times.
She Clearly knew about the difficult circumstances. Was there anyone in this Empire who didn’t know of Craft’s downfall?
And yet, she had deliberately mentioned the child’s dark Family History, twisted the child’s fragile heart and looked for an opening to peek into her inner thoughts.
The Selfish Process of trying to stand in an Advantageous Position by recalling memories and stimulating emotions as if it were offering favorable consolation, occurred.
What was the result of that?
The child tried To Force back her tears. Then, wiping away tears she couldn’t control, she repeatedly apologized.
She had definitely received a report that she was a bright child, a child with a beautiful smile and cheerful Laughter.
Just how many scars were hidden beneath that bright exterior? And with what cold purpose had she dug them up?
Her Gaze turned toward the Obituary Letter and the jewel consolation money.
The child who sent consolation money to her Retainers' relatives even if it meant starving had…
Grace’s mind grew Faint.
Calculation of Gains and Losses flew far away, and her conscience filled her heart.
The Merchant Guild Leader was no longer a Merchant Guild Leader.
Before long, the calmed child smiled brightly.
“Thank you. I’ll do the Laundry for the handkerchief and return it to you completely clean!”
“No. You can keep it.”
It was difficult To Meet the child’s eyes. She fanned her Folding Fan, Gently Swaying it with a trembling hand.
“M-more importantly, what brings His Excellency here?”
Grace had the mind to provide Living Expense Support or whatever else to this Pitiful child. It had gone beyond just a feeling and become a Sense of duty.
“Ah! That’s right.”
The child smiled brightly. Then she Hurriedly put on a Serious Expression.
How many scars were behind that smile?
How much effort was behind that Change?
Surely, a Pitiful purpose that would Break her heart would come out.
The good adult opened her heart wide, fully intending to let herself be taken advantage of.
And Pastel, having caught the opening, coldly struck with professional demeanor.
“This is regarding the Merchant Guild Establishment under the Student Council and its Operation Entrustment. Since the small talk has gone on long enough, I would like To Discuss immediately the Approval Status and the Profit Distribution Rate.”
Smuggling…?
Cold Reality struck the Merchant Guild Leader.
The good adult was swept away before she could even Grasp the Situation.
#
Pastel washed her face.
Eopueopu.
Rub, rub.
Eopueopu.
“Phew!”
She picked up a Fluffy Towel and wiped her face.
“Ugh, I was so focused on the negotiation that I didn’t even realize the Tear Stains were still there. No wonder the Merchant Guild Leader kept giving me Strange looks throughout the negotiation; how funny those Tear Stains must have looked.”
So Embarrassing.
“Still, I Think we Signed under good Contract Terms, right?”
Grace Merchant Guild Leader agreed to handle everything from the establishment to the Operation of the Student Council Merchant Guild in exchange for receiving a portion of the profits. The Capital would be provided by the Student Council, of course.
Of course, the Trading Group Owner is Pastel.
A whopping 100% stake.
Woowang.
But if Grace is managing it and the Student Council is providing the Capital, why is the Owner Pastel?
That’s the reason.
Just because.
The Vice Student Council President, who is also the Head of General Affairs Department, the Head of Planning Department, the Head of Public Relations Department, the Head of Volunteer Department, and the Head of Disciplinary Department, simply wrote Pastel as the Owner instead of the Student Council on the Official Contract.
Oh yeah.
“Those are very good Contract Terms. If that Merchant Guild Leader signs contracts under these terms every day, she should quit being a Merchant.”
That much?
A Sense of pride welled up.
“I caught it perfectly! Maybe because the shift in the atmosphere happened while I was crying, I could see the Merchant Guild Leader was flustered! She couldn’t adapt to the shift in the atmosphere! It was obvious she had only ever conducted negotiations in Serious or relaxed atmospheres!”
A typical weakness commonly found in those who walked the path of privilege was unintended, but it was a Perfect opening.
“So I went straight into forced the negotiation through!”
Someone was taking advantage of her confused state of mind to push through various matters rapidly.
“Not handing the Professor’s introduction letter to the employee in advance and hiding my purpose also worked to my advantage! Being hit with matters she was Hearing for the first time made her even more confused!”
This is professional demeanor.
Pastel felt proud of her own intellect.
“It worked so well that the Merchant Guild Leader couldn’t even Gather her senses!”
Ahaha.
“I wonder if I was too harsh on the Head Maid’s younger sister. Did I push too hard just following my mood?”
Still, Business is Business, so I should take care of her separately outside of this contract.
Like a fruit (gold bar) basket.
Pastel, who had started laughing alone and chattering, wiped her improperly dried face with the towel.
Wow, the towel is so Fluffy.
“Young Craft.”
“Yes?”
Pastel stopped fiddling with the towel and looked down at the sword.
“Do not let life consume you.”
Ing.
“Lose what?”
“…Never mind. Live without worries, just brightly.”
Honestly, Lord Demon is hard To Understand sometimes.
Is it because he’s too old?
Gasp.
This is a truly disrespectful thought!
An affront to an elder that goes beyond insubordination!
Uwaah.
I don’t even feel a Sense of immorality.
Pastel Staggered from the Throbbing Pain of her conscience and Hurriedly returned to the Reception Room. She didn’t Think of anything.
In the Reception Room, Grace, the Merchant Guild Leader, was looking down at the contract with a haggard complexion.
Heot.
Were the Contract Terms too harsh for the Head Maid’s younger sister after all?
Should I Hand Over half the shares?
Her heart Suddenly weakening, Pastel approached Hesitantly.
“Merchant Guild Leader…?”
Grace, the Merchant Guild Leader, looked back.
“Ah. You’re here.”
“The Contract Terms are a bit much, aren’t they?”
100% stake seems too harsh.
She touched her head and laughed like a fool.
Ahaha.
Grace, the Merchant Guild Leader, silently looked at the contract and then shook her head.
“It’s enough. Doing Smuggling has great merits with Student Council Authority. The Profit Distribution Rate is low, but the safety is exceptional. And I can also take care of This and That for myself.”
“Aha!”
She had considered what needed to be considered in the midst of all that.
Is this the majesty of a Merchant Guild Leader?
Relief.
Grace, the Merchant Guild Leader, sent a complex Gaze. It was a look that seemed to be probing yet pitying.
Ing.
“What’s wrong?”
The Merchant Guild Leader shook her head.
“More importantly, even if we commit Misappropriation of the Academy Airship, Personnel are an issue, so the immediate establishment of the Craft Merchant guild will be difficult.”
Uh.
“We would likely need to do a Secondment of Core Personnel and resources from our Trading Group, but we currently have no leeway as we are busy with Pirate Subjugation. It’s the same for other trading groups.”
“Aah.”
How could this be?
To Think that organized Smuggling is under Temporary Inspection.
Pastel felt a deep Sense of disappointment toward the pirates.
“To Think that Head Maid Emma’s younger sister is in trouble because of wicked pirates, I absolutely cannot just stand by and watch!”
She jumped up from her seat.
“That Pirate Subjugation! I will Help!”
Pastel looked straight at the Merchant Guild Leader with a face befitting Nobles.
She elegantly placed a hand on her chest.
“I, Pastel Lovecraft, as the Head of the Craft Family, will gladly Help the Head Maid’s younger sister!”
With all my loyalty!
Oh yeah.