Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: One Apology Solves a Lot
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The crime organization was crushed in one fell swoop.
A dozen or so villains lay sprawled on the floor, knocked out cold from the beatings.
The lone pink girl in the center, completely unscathed, let out a wail.
Euaaaah.
Blood on her hands. Blood.
The blood of innocent criminals.
"Demon! Demon! My conscience is twanging like crazy!"
Twang twang twang.
Do I have that much conscience too?
The demon spoke firmly.
『Endure it steadfastly.』
"Huh?"
Is that right?!
Totally demonic advice?!
『Harden your heart. Safety isn't won through kindness alone. You need to clearly establish the hierarchy to make yourself safer.』
Eek, is that true?
『These are outright criminals. They could turn on you at any moment. They only showed goodwill just now because they underestimated you. Goodwill earned from being looked down on doesn't last. You have to seize it with strength.』
Eeeeek, Demon, what kind of life have you lived?
『And you don't need to feel that sorry for them.』
The demon continued in a gentler tone.
『You made your dominance clear without killing them. That's an act of great mercy. Even if you don't see it that way, they will. You need to understand that back-alley sensibilities are different.』
It kinda-sorta feels right... but also not.
Euaah.
The magic sword transformed into a demon in a suit. His red eyes softly scanned Pastel. The demon took hold of her bloodied hand.
『Now now, more importantly, you should wash your hands first. There should be a sink over there.』
"Okay."
Pastel washed her hands. The bloodstains rinsed away under the cool stream of water.
『If blood on your hands scares you, just wash it off. Water's more powerful than you think.』
The demon held out a fluffy towel beside her as he spoke.
"Ah, wasn't that a metaphor? Ding ding ding!"
I caught the Demon's embarrassing mistake!
The demon gave a faint smile.
『I meant it as a metaphor too.』
Euaah?
Suddenly I feel like the idiot here.
Guess I should just stay quiet.
"I wanna wash my face too!"
『Go ahead.』
Splash splash.
Splish sploosh.
Hehe, all done.
She dried her face and hands with the fluffy towel and stepped out. Sparkling clean.
The awakened criminals groaned from the floor.
Pastel wore a strange expression.
"You're probably right, Demon. A rough world needs rough methods."
She clapped her hands once and beamed.
"But still, I'll apologize once they're all up! I wanna do it!"
Hehe.
The demon looked at her with a complicated expression.
『You'll be underestimated. Subduing them was mercy enough. Apologizing is too soft.』
The girl shook her head vigorously.
Ding ding ding.
"Demon! You're wrong about this! That's why you're stuck in a suit—overthinking everything!"
Eek, so drab.
I'd never wear that.
"I do it 'cause I wanna!"
Demon overthinks too much.
Pastel bounced around teasingly, skipping sideways, spinning, swaying gracefully. Her pink hair whipped about. Her dress fluttered.
The red eyes stared intently.
『What makes you so sure...?』
His gaze was that of an exhausted office worker.
Pastel grinned brightly.
She pointed confidently at herself.
"'Cause life's too easy for Pastel!"
The world will help me!
Yay.
A little later, all the organization members woke up.
The young boss rubbed his bruised nose with a handkerchief. He chomped on the twig in his mouth.
Ugh, I can do this.
Pastel bowed deeply.
"Sorry! I panicked about how to get your help with the smuggling and my hand moved first! I'm really sorry!"
"Uh uh."
The boss pulled the handkerchief from his nose. He stared at Pastel in bewilderment.
"Eh, whatever."
The boss, who'd been mulling it over, waved his hand.
"It's fine, it's fine. No one got seriously hurt anyway. The paralyzing poison was overkill just to scare us. Must've been terrifying."
The boss turned to his men.
"No one's hurt bad, right!"
"Yes!"
As everyone answered, one thug raised his hand.
"Mine kinda hurts, aaack!"
The speaking thug got smacked and dragged away.
Eek.
Pastel's eyes went wide.
"Ahem!"
The boss cleared his throat to draw attention.
"But damn, you fight really well. Sorry for judging you as just a kid. My bad for the age bias."
The boss bowed his head.
Euaaaah?
A proper adult...!
Demon? Demon?!
The demon seemed awkward.
『Hm. Well done, young Craft. You handled it well.』
Yay, praise!
Yay yay.
Let's make this a holiday.
Pastel defeats Demon's opinion.
Gasp.
A strange thrill of defiance.
Is this the tomboy's joy?
The boss chomped his twig.
"We'll help with the smuggling. It's pretty profitable to haul it inland with some muscle anyway. But do you have the smuggled goods? Or the airship? We can't prep that for you."
"It's fine! I got it!"
"Oh? Then it's easy."
Pastel discussed business details with the boss.
A small group of a dozen or so, but they had the capacity to handle Pastel's smuggled goods.
They shook hands.
"Looking forward to working together!"
"Same here, Craft."
『Hm.』
Pastel smiled radiantly.
"Now let's build some friendship, Boss! Or should I say Mr. Preston?"
"Call me whatever's comfy."
"Yes! Boss! But Boss, why the twig?"
Is he a goat?
Gasp.
"This?"
The boss wiggled the twig in his mouth.
"Yes!"
"Gets sweet when you chew it. Beats smokes."
Ooh.
"Gimme one too!"
Preston chuckled.
"Little miss smokes?"
"Just one!"
"Hold on."
The boss rummaged in a drawer.
Suddenly, commotion erupted outside the boss's room.
The door burst open.
A pale-faced thug shouted.
"Boss! We're under attack! It's those bastards!"
"What?"
An explosion boomed from downstairs. The floor trembled faintly.
The boss scowled.
"Fuck, grab your weapons!"
Pastel's eyes widened.
She glanced at her rippling tea.
Oing.
The boss turned back. His face was tense.
"Miss, head home for today. I know you're good at jujutsu, but close combat's different."
The boss signaled a subordinate.
"He'll guide you through the underground passage. You'll be safe that way. Guide her!"
"Yes!"
The boss grabbed his gun and sword and dashed off.
Pastel was left alone with the guide.
Oing.
"I'll show you the way. Follow me."
She eyed the familiar guide with the scar on his lip, then moved to the window. She cautiously peeked out.
About thirty armed thugs surrounded the blasted building entrance. Daggers, axes, hammers glinted in the sunlight.
The cannon aimed at the entrance groaned as it was cleared away.
The apparent leader slung his axe over his shoulder and stepped forward.
"Preston! Today's the day you die! Wash your neck and wait! Hahaha!"
Mocking laughter echoed. Thirty weapons rose in unison. Silver flashed.
Pastel's hands shook.
Shiver shiver.
Euaaaah.
Real bad guys...!
A whole other level of evil...!
Preying on a hungry child—the heartless reality...!
Shiver shiver.
Preston's voice rang from the first floor.
"Wash my neck? I've been waiting! Come on in!"
The leader burst out laughing. He turned to his men.
"Hah! He's been waiting! We're twice their number! Booked a graveyard plot already?!"
Rowdy jeers filled the air.
Euaaaah.
"We gotta go now. It'll be hard to escape once the fight heats up."
The guide approached.
Euaaaaah.
Pastel hesitated, then shouted.
"No way!"
"What?"
She tapped the magic sword quickly.
Demon, Demon.
Give me the courage to not need protecting.
『Open space with a sizable group. You can't always pick ideal battlegrounds.』
The demon said calmly.
『Remember one thing. In a group fight, what you cut isn't people—it's their will to fight. Break their morale with ruthless strikes.』
Got it.
Pastel gripped the windowsill.
Steeled herself and leaped out.
Her view opened wide.
The air wrapped around her dress. Pink hair streamed.
Her feet hit the ground, and the girl stood. All eyes turned to her.
The leader and his gang stared in shock.
"What the?"
"Pastel."
The girl drew her sword. The blade scraped from its sheath with a sharp ring. Chilling silver gleamed.
The blade arced to point straight ahead.
Suddenly, the tip trembled faintly.
Hesitation. Resistance.
Ah.
Pastel looked embarrassed at the leader and his gang.
"Anyone wanna shoot me maybe...?"
Hehe.
Killing's too hard.
Wonder when I'll get used to it.
"Pfft, what kinda kid is this."
The leader casually dropped his hand to his belt. It touched the holstered pistol.
The barrel aimed.
Preston's voice snapped from behind, recovered.
"Run—"
The gunshot cracked. The round spun. The blade flashed. It sliced the bullet, sparks flying.
Adrenaline surged.
Pastel's mind blanked as she kicked off the ground. Distance exploded inward. A panicked face loomed close.
The blade rippled. Traces grazed the leader's body here and there. Silver flashed. Wet thuds rang out. Flesh shredded and scattered. Blood fountained.
Blood splashed a dazed thug's cheek. The blade curved. It cracked his neck. The head severed and spun.
What to cut isn't people—it's their will.
Sword strikes hammered the headless corpse. The blade sheared it to pieces. Debris blasted outward. Faces and clothes stained red.
"Ah...?"
A thug wiped his face in confusion. Flesh flecked his palm.
The blade flashed. It struck the body staring at its hand. Limbs flew. The body crumpled.
Screams erupted.
Footsteps scattered like contagion.
The girl pounced on the fleeing herd.
She slashed backs, lopped necks, severed limbs.
Screams vanished one by one.
Red blood trickled down pink strands.
Blood squelched under rough steps.
Suddenly, a calm voice pierced her trance.
『Good work. You can stop now.』
Pastel, chasing stragglers, halted.
Her mind cleared. Dazed sensation swallowed her body.
Eek?
She panted heavily, belatedly.
Blood dripped down the blade.
Footsteps approached, then stopped.
She turned. Preston and his men stood frozen, staring blankly.
Whoa, crime organization.
So cool.
Pastel smiled brightly through her haze.
"Hi, everyone."
Blood trickled through pink hair.
The girl pointed at herself.
"I'm Pastel Love Craft."
She extended a bloody hand.
"Looking forward to working together."
Hehe.
After that, Pastel renegotiated the deal with an even friendlier Preston.
Oing.
"Huh? For real? You can give me all these concessions?"
Terms adjusted far better for the hungry child.
Gasp, touching.
"Demon! Demon! They're really good people!"
Whoa.
"The world's beautiful after all!"
Pastel flailed her arms.
Life's too easy 'cause I'm Pastel!
"Life's too easy, Pastel...!"
Whoooaaa.
The demon sighed.
A soul-deep sigh puffed out.
Eh.
Can't understand Demon's sensibilities at all. Blame the suit? Maybe change outfits.
Anyway.
Pastel eyed the mana stone crates, seemingly 20% more than before.
Whoaaa.
Her mouth gaped.
Not just 20%.
Compounding gains per smuggling run.
Pastel clenched her fists.
Took a deep breath.
One, two, three!
"Whoooaaa!"
Once more.
"Whoooaaaa!"
Smuggling fee: 0% achieved!
Her body trembled.
Is this the thrill of total tax evasion?
Am I a criminal at heart...?
Yay.