Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Smuggling Saves the Hungry Child
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『No.』
His red eyes stared back resolutely.
Beep.
Pastel looked crestfallen. She clasped her hands tightly and gazed up at the demon.
"Deeeemon."
『What's no is no.』
The demon, dressed in a suit, spoke in a cold voice and turned away. He carried a laundry basket on his arm.
Was her dream of smuggling ending just like this?
Pastel scurried after the demon.
"Deeeemon."
The demon walked on without reacting. A wet towel swayed from the laundry basket.
Waaah.
So cold.
He felt even more like a heartless salaryman in that suit.
Was this the feeling of a child cast before harsh reality?
She scurried after him.
"Demon, just once, pleeease."
Seniors lose on purpose at arm-wrestling to bond with newbies.
Maybe the demon would too?
But the demon seemed to sense a pattern. He let out a small scoff.
Then he opened the laundry room door with firm steps and headed straight to fill a basin with water. The sound of running water filled the air.
The suited demon ignored Pastel completely and ruthlessly began washing the towels.
Water sloshing.
Soap rubbing.
Washboard thwacking.
Towels getting clean.
His skilled hands finished washing ten towels in an instant.
『Phew, next up are the blankets.』
The demon wiped his forehead with his suited sleeve.
Gasp.
Pastel's hands trembled.
Eeeeek.
His attitude was way too cold.
Demon, things weren't this icy between us.
What was smuggling that it changed you like this?
Eeeee.
Pastel's future looked bleak.
What would she eat and live on without smuggling?
What dreams could she chase without becoming a smuggling god?
Grrrowl.
Suddenly, her stomach rumbled.
Huh.
The demon flinched and turned. A flicker of pity crossed his eyes, different from his prior cold, ruthless demeanor.
Huh.
Yes, this was it.
Pastel slumped dramatically, weakly clutching her empty stomach.
"Demon, you're right. Pure justice comes before hunger. This Pastel will starve for the greater good."
Hiiiing.
The demon hesitated as he gathered the laundry basket.
"I'll become a hungry martyr over a full pig."
Hiiiing.
The demon let out a deep sigh.
『Young Craft.』
"Yes?"
『Your acting is amateurish.』
Ugh.
Pastel looked crestfallen again.
"Ah, Deeeemon. Just once for real. Objectively, we don't have great ways to make money. Requests and research won't gather enough for gold three meals a day."
『That's...』
The demon furrowed his brow and pressed his temples.
『Haa, why is your situation always so dire?』
Oh?
The demon leaned down and raised a finger.
『Really just once. No next time. You'll find another way after.』
Pastel's eyes sparkled.
"Of course! I trust you, Demon! You'll find a solution even in this mess! You can make me a full-bellied Pastel!"
Fightiiiing.
『No, you have to find one too.』
The first time is hard.
The second is doable.
Then the third?
Oh yeah.
『Phew, fine. Now get up. You're getting mud on your clothes.』
"Ah, yes."
#
Look at this refreshing sky.
And the whale-like skyship gliding along?
"This is paradise on earth!"
The small airship shot through the sky. Pink hair whipped in the wind from the railing.
『Hm.』
The demon scanned the sky paths ahead from beside her.
『Flying creatures, perhaps.』
"Why can't they deliver packages because of that?"
Something so serious they couldn't even install glow-in-the-dark dragon eye beams?
『This world's master isn't man—it's nature. The sky paths shift with nature's whims.』
The demon emerged from the hold with large canvas sheets.
『We must wrap the fins in cloth before encountering the school.』
School?
Pastel tilted her head and followed the demon. She dashed toward the left and right fins mimicking a whale's.
She climbed precariously onto the flapping fins.
『Airships mimic sky whales but aren't perfect. The fins are rough with gaps—easy to jam and break.』
White canvas tied with ropes wrapped the fins. Expert work.
"Wow, Demon!"
Pastel started to speak, then shook her head quickly. Her pink hair flapped.
"I mean, Master! You're amazing! Like a real sailor!"
『Memorize this knot well. Some untie easily, others don't. It has to hold firm.』
"Ooh! I think I can do it!"
『Try it.』
Pastel took the rope and fiddled with part of the canvas.
"Like this, like this."
She tied a knot, but it felt wrong, so she undid it.
"This way, that way."
This time she pulled, but it came loose, so she peeked at the demon's knot for reference and tied with all her might.
One knot complete.
It pulled taut.
Wow wow.
Am I actually good at this?
Talent for seafaring too?
The demon approached, shouldering the remaining canvas. Dozens of knots adorned the rear fins.
His red eyes glanced at Pastel's knot.
『Well done.』
Proud.
『Now the other fin. Hurry.』
"Yes, Master!"
Pastel ran. She positioned herself on the opposite fin and tied knots with a serious face.
Quick hands wrapped rope and canvas.
"Like this, like this."
One done.
Whoa, twice as fast as before.
Small hands flew.
"This way, that way."
Another one done.
Gasp.
Already two.
Skills doubled at least.
Am I a seafaring genius?
The demon approached.
His sharp gaze inspected her work.
『Good job.』
Hehe.
Dozens of his knots were visible behind him.
"All prepped now?"
『Yes.』
"Wow wow."
Already?
"Teamwork with Master makes it a breeze!"
Pastel blushed.
"Great synergy between master and disciple!"
She swung her arms happily.
Wheee.
The demon alternated glances between his knots and Pastel's.
『...Yeah.』
The demon said nothing more, returned the canvas to the hold, and came back out.
Pastel leaned on the railing and gazed into the sky.
"What's a school?"
Not the one I know.
The demon's finger pointed ahead.
『That.』
Blue waves pierced through the clouds.
Streamlined sea creatures with white underbellies and blue backs.
Group mind and chain reactions.
The migration blanketed the sky.
Pastel's eyes went wide.
"Mackerels!"
What the heck.
『Sky mackerel.』
Mackerel blanketed the sky. Sunlight reflected off countless scales. Wave shadows tinted the air.
『Stay outside in case the fins jam. Hide behind the railing and hold tight. Incoming.』
Eeeeek.
Pastel stared at an approaching mackerel.
Fish's signature dead eyes.
Flapping fins.
Eh, but the size?
Our friend is bigger than my face.
Eek?
Monster mackerel.
Eeeeek.
She ducked behind the railing. Moments later, the mackerel school collided with the airship. Impact rocked it.
The ship swayed. Hail-like roars echoed from all directions.
Whoaaa.
Pastel trembled behind the railing.
Shiver shiver.
"Friends, don't do this!"
No memory of it, but we were pals, right? Friends don't do this.
After a while, the roar faded.
『The school adapted to the airship. They'll leave space now. You can look.』
Huuuuh.
Pastel clutched her pounding heart, calmed it, then peeked out.
A mackerel zoomed right at her face. Its streamlined body twisted away sharply.
Its fin slapped her cheek.
"Eek!"
Pastel flopped down.
Sob.
『You okay?』
"No..."
Mackerel scary.
"No mackerel dishes for a while."
『Noted. Lift your head when calm. You'll see something rare.』
She rubbed her surely red cheek and looked up.
Fish blanketed her entire view.
Like seawater flowing around a submarine, the school enveloped and flowed past the airship.
"Whoa."
Pastel's mouth gaped.
Sunlight rippled with the blue current.
The airship took on a dreamy hue.
This was the ocean of the sky.
"Um, I changed my mind."
『Hm?』
"I want mackerel now."
Nom nom.
The demon chuckled softly.
『Do as you like.』
Hehe.
Pastel cautiously stood. Knowing the fish kept a safe distance around the airship, she fully rose.
She looked around.
All fish.
"Wow, just like underwater."
Swish swish.
Whoa.
"But not as dangerous as I thought?"
The collision was rough, but not enough to halt deliveries, surely.
『The danger is the environment. There it is.』
Pastel turned.
Beyond the obscuring school, another airship floated, similarly surrounded by fish.
Sailors bustled on it. Nets fluttered, scooping mackerel.
Oh, fishermen?
A barely hidden skull emblem on the bow.
Eh.
『Chasing pirate ships with cannon fire is standard. Boarding means inevitable casualties.』
One pirate spotted Pastel's airship.
『The school blocks vision and lets pirates close in easily. Cannon shots risk dudding in the fish mass.』
The pirate ship moved.
『Many pirates fish too, so encounters spike.』
Eeeeek.
The pirate ship approached. The blocking school parted way.
"Friends, don't leave me!"
A wooden plank bridged to the railing.
Total disaster.
Pastel drew her sword.
"Whoa whoa! Not here to fight!"
A young man walked the plank alone, calling out.
Hands raised in surrender. A rapier swayed at his waist.
Huh?
『Hm, no issue.』
What?
The man stepped aboard. Still hands high, he backed away from Pastel.
His eyes scanned her.
"You're the girl who killed Morris?"
Morris?
"If you mean the greatsword pirate, yeah, I guess."
The man whistled.
"Impressive skill at your age. Bright future. Name's Jaxon."
Jaxon winked.
Brows fluttering.
"Little miss, piracy needs fresh blood. Wanna partner up?"
Eh.
"You're smuggling anyway, right?"
Gasp.
How'd he know?
Pastel's eyes widened.
Jaxon smirked.
"A girl's purpose traveling solo between realms is obvious. Especially with your skills—gotta be big money."
Really?
Pastel's lips quivered.
"I-I'm just going back and forth for legitimate reasons! Really!"
For the glow-in-the-dark dragon!
"I get it. Everyone's got their thing."
Jaxon nodded.
"Max goal's recruiting you, but can't expect yes right away. So I came to shift to mutual respect. We're not bad guys. See?"
His thumb pointed to the pirate ship. A scarred-face pirate caught the gaze.
The pirate panicked, scratched his head, then waved.
Hello hello.
Huh.
Pastel sheathed her magic sword.
Forced into piracy maybe?
Fishing too—they're just like me.
Suddenly, her hair prickled.
Instinct flashed.
Before her mind caught up, her hand gripped the sheath. She whipped around.
Cold-faced Jaxon aimed a flintlock pistol.
Single-shot powder gun.
The muzzle flashed. Lead ball launched amid flames, whipping air as it accelerated.
The girl thumbed the crossguard up. The sword flicked out.
Her empty hand seized the rebounding hilt. Momentum swung the blade.
What blurred was the mage girl's afterimage.
Deflecting light bullets.
Silver blade traced a sword path.
Bullet flew as if sucked in.
Blade met it—sparks flew.
Sliced fragments grazed the girl.
Jaxon's vest flapped. Loaded flintlocks revealed.
Hands drew pistols in sequence.
New muzzles flashed one after another.
Sixteen flashes.
Sixteen slashes.
Silver blade traced sword paths.
Bullets cleaved, fragments scattered.
Pink hair whipped. Steps surged. Rapier hastily drawn—but magic sword flashed first. Blood sprayed.
The man's body fell.
The girl turned.
Aimed for the next target.
The pirate ship had already withdrawn the plank and fled far. Hull hidden by fish.
"W-We’re honest fishermen!"
The terrified voice faded.
Huh.
Pastel blankly watched the pirate ship.
A familiar hand patted her pink head.
『Well done.』
Ah, Demon.
Hehe.
After that, they arrived in the Demon Realm and handled business.
Waited normally, met the merchant normally, signed normally.
Scribble scribble.
Smuggled goods unloaded from the hold.
Large crates in exchange, stacked neatly.
Crates clicked open.
Raw mana stones packed full.
The girl threw her arms up.
"Waaaaaah!"
This is my calling!
I'll do this forever!
『This really is the last time.』
"Yes!"
Pastel hugged a pile of mana stones, ignoring the merchant.
This hefty weight.
"Gasp!"
Heart pounding.
Body trembling with emotion.
"I-I'll become a full-bellied Pastel!"
Nom nom, gotta eat lots.
Demon will cook.
『...Really the last. You listening?』
"Yesss!"
Pastel nodded like a model student.
"How's our profit margin?!"
『Haa.』
Leading the seemingly dejected demon, she wandered the docks. Received packages from the delivery guild.
Returned to Sky Island.
Festival, festival.