Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: The Third Requires No Persuasion
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"Whoosh~!"
A paper airplane soared through the air.
"I'll start by teaching you how to draft official correspondence. It's not hard."
"Schwooo~!"
The paper airplane zipped around.
"Whoa, how do you know how to do all this stuff?"
Whoosh, zip.
"Eh, whatever. Check this out—this is the operations manual Pastel put together. Read through it, and if anything's confusing or tricky, just ask. Me or Pastel."
"Don't go through him!"
Pastel shouted as she ran around clutching a paper airplane.
Zip, zip.
Ellie and Dustin's gazes converged, then scattered.
"Right. Ask me."
"Uh, okay."
Ellie pulled out a few books.
"Don't overthink the work itself. Most of it's paperwork, so we rarely have to step in. Pastel handles the rest."
The books piled up in front of Dustin.
"You'll probably be doing mostly document drafting. It'll feel tough at first, but the tasks are straightforward. Just fill in the forms and specs based on precedents."
Ellie tapped the books.
"This is a collection of past student council documents. Pastel stayed up all night sorting them by category, item, and context."
One book flipped open.
"Flip through the collection to find something similar or identical to what you need, tweak the content for the current situation, draft it up, show it to me, get Pastel's approval, and revise if it's rejected."
Ellie added flatly.
"Easy, right?"
"E-easy...? Maybe...?"
Dustin looked dazed.
"Ellie! Don't be too hard on the newbie! Newbies can't do everything right awayyy!"
Pastel shouted while performing super ultra spinning acrobatic flights with her paper airplane.
Dustin examined the operations manual and document precedents. His eyes widened as he turned to Pastel.
"Pastel really did all this? That innocent little Pastel?"
"Innocent?"
Ellie gave Dustin a strange look.
"Boys."
A sigh echoed.
"Yeah, she did it all by herself. Looks cute, but she's the boss who'll coldly reject your paperwork."
"Then..."
Amazed, Dustin watched Pastel approach.
"Is that paper airplane part of the job too?"
"Whoaaa! Incoming collisionnn!"
The paper airplane flew in and stabbed into Ellie's black hair.
Pok.
"Eeeeek! Help! It's crashed! Save the planeee!"
Her black hair became disheveled.
Ellie muttered with dull eyes.
"She's just playing around..."
Dustin's handover was complete. He'd faithfully handle student council duties alongside Ellie.
The dormitory expansion proposal passed without issue too. Sure, she ran around with her pink hair flying, but there were no major hurdles.
And now Pastel was leaning against the railing of the aerial ferry.
"The sky!"
The skyway stretched out.
Yahoo, smuggling time.
Smells like sky mackerel.
Yahoo, yahoo.
The demon watched her with a subtle gaze from the side.
『Young Craft.』
Eek.
Pastel awkwardly whistled.
"Th-the sky~."
Whoa, it's totally beautiful.
The demon's eyes narrowed.
Uh oh, not buying it.
Pastel cleared her throat with a small cough. Then she stared at the demon with a serious expression.
"Demon, I've had a realization."
A fantastic, great realization.
『Speak.』
The demon crossed his arms, eyeing her like let's hear it.
"If you've already crossed the line!"
Pastel smiled brightly.
"Cross it boldly!"
She gave a thumbs up.
Up top.
Heck yeah.
『This tomboy...』
The demon rubbed his forehead.
Hehe.
Pastel twisted shyly. Then something flashed in her mind, and she stared at the demon again.
"Oh, right! Demon! Demon! What's our smuggling commission rate?"
『......20%.』
Eeeeek, that's super expensive.
Smuggling turns the 50% tax rate to 0%—a fantastic deal—but it turns out there's a smuggling commission on top.
Load up the goods, dock at port, head to Demon Realm Inc., and trade the smuggled items.
Sign normally, get paid normally. In broad daylight, with the military and customs watching.
The reason it works? Demon Realm Inc. spreads bribes around.
It's costly, so they charge smugglers their own commission.
20%.
Pastel's hands trembled.
Eeeeek.
20%.
Is it okay to take 20% from a starving kid's bowl?
"Sm-smuggling isn't smuggling."
It's just paying low taxes.
No wonder it felt too easy.
Visiting openly, signing normally, getting paid normally— that couldn't be proper smuggling.
I thought life was too easy and that's why I became Pastel, but it was only half-easy Pastel.
Gasp?
No wonder!
When I flew paper airplanes in the student council room, Ellie gave me dirty looks!
That's because life was only half-easy for Pastel!
If life was too easy Pastel, Ellie would've thought playing around was normal!
Eeeeek, harsh reality.
Pastel put on a resolute expression worthy of a brave smuggler.
"I can't accept 20%!"
The demon looked down at her like she was a tomboy.
『And?』
Pastel thrust her arm up high.
"Going full independent smuggling!"
Aiming for 0% tax!
Let's make Pastel's life too easy come true!
Heck yeah.
The girl got all excited by herself.
The demon stared blankly up at the sky.
『How did it come to this...?』
Port city Bluewave.
One of the Demon Realm cities influenced by the Empire's disarmament policy.
A military and economic hub, but with the war over, priorities dropped, and the army pulled out except for bare minimums.
Its port economy remained strong, though. Now, with the security vacuum, ruffians, thugs, and ambitious types tangled over gold.
The holy site of crime, the starting point of trade: Bluewave.
"Whoaaa!"
White buildings with blue roofs came into view.
"Totally fantastic!"
Pastel, leaning on the aerial ferry's railing, gaped.
『The Empire put effort into it, so the scenery should be worth seeing.』
"Let's sightsee! Sightsee!"
『Sigh.』
Pastel docked the ferry and ran around.
"Huff! Grilled fish! Port specialty?! One please! No no! Make it two!"
Mana stone dust sprinkled on the grilled fish.
She gazed at it dreamily before eating.
"Demon! Demon! The Pastel who gave up chicken skewers is gone! Now it's eat-when-I-want Pastel! Like this!"
Mouth wide: whoooomp, chomp.
Nom nom.
Crispy, savory fish burst in her mouth.
Huff.
This is port flavor?
This is money feast flavor?
Sprinkling gold dust endlessly on snacks—life is this happy.
"Demon! Demon! You try some too!"
The demon eyed the grilled fish in his hand with listless eyes.
『......Not in the mood.』
Aww.
No way.
Oh well.
Then I'll eat it!
"If you won't, gimme!"
She snatched the demon's fish and opened wide.
Soft lips parted, pink tongue revealed.
Whoomp, chomp.
Nom nom.
Huff, sooo good.
"One more please!"
『Stop eating. You'll have a proper meal soon.』
Aww.
Awww.
Hesitating, Pastel pretended not to hear and shouted quickly.
"Hurry, one more!"
The demon rubbed his forehead.
『Just this one.』
"Yessir!"
Whoomp, chomp.
Soon after, Pastel nom-nommed the demon's cooking on the ferry and set off.
She cautiously scoped out the dock warehouses.
"So we need local help after all, right?"
Whisper whisper.
『Yes, you have to stay on Sky Island anyway. Find someone established in the Demon Realm to assist during smuggling runs.』
A smuggling lecture infused with the master instructor's experience.
This disciple hears and obeys.
Helper, helper.
It didn't take long to find one.
Wandering the dock warehouses, decent-looking adults approached.
A man with a scar on his lip spoke up.
"What're you doing here, kid?"
Pastel made an evil face and spoke in a dark voice.
"Bad stuff. Looking for smuggling help."
Grrr.
The man looked dumbfounded, exchanged glances with his crew. Unreadable looks passed between them.
After their wordless chat, the man flicked his ear and scowled.
"What kinda clueless kid wanders around here."
The man's chin jerked.
"Follow me!"
Oof.
They led her to a shabby but complete building.
The man knocked on the iron door in a specific rhythm. A slit opened inside, peeked out, then the door swung open.
The heavy iron door clanged.
A dimly lit, gloomy interior revealed itself.
"Whoaaa, crime base."
Pastel followed with mouth agape.
The iron door shut behind with a sharp screech. External light dimmed, making the room even gloomier.
Pastel's eyes went wide.
"Doesn't it make your eyes hurt living like this? Just for greeting guests? You keep it bright normally, right?"
The doorman stared at Pastel.
"What?"
"Clueless kid."
The guide shook his head as he spoke.
"I know the world plenty well!"
Pastel added seriously.
"This is a kidnapping, right?"
Whoa whoa.
A calm voice came.
『Hm, not bad. Small scale, but strong bonds among members. No pointless ego clashes.』
Demon's totally reliable.
Veteran aura.
Without him, I'd be screaming eeeeek instead of whoa whoa right now.
Maybe scream now.
Eeeeek.
Eeeeeek.
Gazes locked on the pink girl.
The guide looked utterly baffled. He blinked slowly, trying to gauge her sanity, gave up, and turned.
"World-savvy kid, follow me."
"Whoa, accepted right away! Mister's so nice!"
This world's kindness?
Up on the third floor, she sat face-to-face with the boss alone.
The young man in a suit had a wooden twig in his mouth like a cigarette and eyed her.
"What'd you come here for?"
Pastel's eyes sparkled.
"Smuggling! Need local help!"
The boss silently twitched the twig in his mouth.
Then he cleared his throat and reached for the teaset on the table.
The teapot tilted.
Hot tea filled the cups.
Cups placed before Pastel and the boss.
The boss quietly sipped his.
Ooh, classy atmosphere.
Me too, classy-like.
Pastel lifted her cup with both hands. Blew hoo hoo, it was hotter than expected so foo foo to cool, then gulp a sip.
Nom nom.
Bitter grass taste.
Eh, green tea?
Eeeuch, bitter.
Her face twisted.
The boss calmly set his cup down.
Sharp eyes pierced the girl.
"Figured it out now? Right. Paralysis poison on the cup rims. Share the same tea to lower guard, get 'em to sip. Classic trick."
Gasp, what?!
Pastel's eyes widened. She looked at her hands. They shook.
P-para... paralysis? Like that?
Shiver shiver.
Eeeeek.
Eeeeeek.
『......You chugged mana awakening pills, why panic? Drugs don't work on you.』
Oh right!
Checked her hands again. Fine now.
Oof.
Aha!
Just startled, I guess.
Hehe, embarrassing.
A subordinate entered. He looked at the girl.
"Boss, what do with her?"
"What else? Send her home."
"Figured."
The boss cleared the teaset. He met Pastel's eyes.
"Scared now? Burn it in your mind, little miss. Don't wander the dock warehouses alone."
The boss's hand flicked.
"Once paralysis wears off, take her home."
"Got it."
Aww.
『Not a lie. Group's decent. Even if they get dirty hands, they treat kids right at least. They'll make good helpers.』
Demon, we're getting kicked out, not helped.
How do you even recruit help? Aren't they a crime gang?
『Simple.』
As if reading her doubt, the demon said calmly.
『Knock 'em all out.』
Pardon?
The subordinate approached.
"Lemme carry you for a sec. Gotta leave the boss's room."
Genuinely kind expression and tone.
Warm consideration not to scare her.
『Soft weaklings.』
Pardon?
『Show these clueless fools the logic of power.』
Pardon?
『Now.』
The master's firm voice rang.
Eeeeek.
Eeeeeek.
Pastel squeezed her eyes shut.
"Sorry, everyone!"
Then she swung her fist out of nowhere.
The subordinate, hesitating on how to gently carry her, took it to the face. Nose crushed, blood sprayed.
"Sorry!"
Ruthless punches followed.
Master said so.
Impact sounds rang out in succession.
The subordinate collapsed unconscious.
The girl charged the stunned boss.
Pink hair whipped.
"Sorryyy!"
Fist smashed the dazed boss's face.
Face crumpled, blood splattered.
Merciless violence overwhelmed the decent crime group.