Chapter 30
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Even During Vacation, the Student Council is Busy
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School during vacation was silent. Like it was stretching lazily while awaiting tomorrow, the cradle of learning had fallen into a deep slumber.
But not everywhere was asleep.
There were signs of activity in the student council room. A pink-haired girl sat in a chair, poring over the knight order's report.
"The Cult?"
The demon in a suit looked over it with her and frowned.
『That can't be right. Isn't the investigation result mistaken? The Cult collapsed not long ago. It couldn't possibly be rebuilt already.』
"What's the Cult specifically?"
『A group that denies personal gods and worships evil gods. During the blank period when the personal gods' revelations were cut off, it rapidly grew in power and threatened the temples.』
Pastel frowned just like the demon.
"A religious conflict?"
『You could see it that way. But it's different. The Cult worships evil gods, but it's closer to a self-interest organization than a religious one. They trade with evil gods for personal fame and fortune. They don't hesitate at murder or terrorism.』
"A group that follows the evil gods' worldly contracts rather than the gods' ethical teachings. For their own fame and fortune."
『Exactly. It's not a proper religion.』
"Heh."
Pastel stared straight at the demon with a subtle expression. She met its red eyes and gave a strange smile.
"The Cult's activities probably aren't much different from demon contracts. Fulfill what the demon demands and gain evil power in return."
『In fairy tales, sure.』
"Heh."
Pastel poked at the demon.
Demon can't do stuff like that, huh?
Wanna get evil power though.
Like slicing that damn flying ship to bits with one swing.
The demon looked down at her with a complicated expression.
『Don't fall for pointless temptations. It'll only lead to your ruin. True power comes from diligent effort.』
Pastel suddenly pouted.
Not demonic at all.
Shouldn't you tempt me with a demon contract at a time like this?
"Ah, forget it! I always knew you weren't much help in my life! Same as always this time!"
『What?』
The demon looked bewildered.
『Get in the habit of folding your blanket in the morning first before saying that. Who do you think tidies up that messily crumpled blanket?』
"The bed does! My bed friend and I get along great, so it tidies the blanket too! Didn't know? I did! Gloomy demon has no friends, that's why!"
She stuck out her tongue.
Bleh.
"Hmph!"
Pastel whipped her head away and scribbled furiously with her quill.
Cult, Cult, Cult, Cult, Cult.
The group that killed my loyal vassals.
And then they brazenly toy with me.
Her rough scribbles dirtied the report. Ink smeared and tangled. The quill tore the paper. She snatched the torn report. The sound of ripping paper echoed repeatedly.
"Evil worshippers of evil gods."
I'll definitely kill them.
Pastel bowed her head deeply.
The air grew heavy.
The demon started to say something but stopped and moved its hand. The hand pressed down on her pink hair.
Time passed.
Pastel let out a breath.
"Sorry. I know you fold the blanket for me every morning."
She fidgeted with her fingers.
"Just... it frustrates me so much seeing the people I have to get revenge on just fine... I took it out on you for no reason."
What rudeness to the demon who always helps me.
『It's fine.』
"Sorry."
『It's fine.』
Pastel gathered the torn papers one by one and tidied them up.
"Was fighting back then the right choice? Instead of suppressing my emotions like a coward, should I have pursued revenge as the family head?"
『You judged rationally.』
She shook her head.
"I think I lack the qualifications to be family head. Why did they die protecting someone like me-"
『Young Craft.』
The hand stroked her pink hair.
『Don't lose yourself in life. Results aren't determined solely by your choices. Humans are powerless before the world, so no need for self-recrimination. You did your absolute best in that moment. It was just bad timing and luck. Aim for the next opportunity. There will be plenty.』
Uwa.
Demon's kind advice.
Is this the demon's whisper?
If I can't make a demon contract, shouldn't I at least rely on the demon's whisper?
Feels like it.
Pastel deliberately took a deep breath.
And shouted with all her might.
"Got it!"
She threw both arms up high.
"Hormone friend! Let's wait for revenge together! We'll show that the weak can beat the strong!"
Don't run away alone!
Fight fight!
We can kill them!
Adrenaline burst out pop pop.
Her hormone friend responded as if cheering her on.
Yeah! Next time, we'll dismember them! Cut off their limbs! Fight fight!
Oing.
Reliable response.
Oyeah.
Pastel clapped her cheeks.
We can do it!
She turned to the demon.
"Demon! Demon! Since things are like this, let's throw ourselves into smuggling! We'll rake in tons of money, build up our forces, and topple the evil Cult!"
The demon, who should have responded in kind to the mood, hesitated for a moment. The awkward word "smuggling" had popped up out of nowhere, leaving it flustered.
Eue?
Pastel's eyes went wide.
"Demon? You can't topple the evil Cult? For real?"
Eue?
Is the demon worse than my hormone friend?
The demon hastily chimed in.
『Of course we have to topple it. You can do it.』
The hand patted her pink hair.
Pat pat.
Pastel felt the touch and nodded vigorously.
"Right! I can do smuggling great!"
『No.』
"Demon-approved smuggling! I'll work hard at it!"
The demon was at a loss for words. It looked deep in thought.
Pastel felt proud seeing that.
Good.
Seeing the demon flustered definitely lifts my mood. The depression's flown away.
Is this the thrill of a tomboy?
Hehe.
Subtle sense of immorality feels kinda good.
Pastel laughed and picked up her quill.
Mood refreshed.
She pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and wrote.
Her tasks for vacation were neatly listed.
First up: secure the Demon King's legacy hidden underground while taking advantage of the dorm construction.
Demon King's legacy?
She'd wanted a mana stone duplicate until recently, but she'd changed her mind.
Something her hormone friend would like would be better than a mana stone duplicate.
For example.
A chainsaw or something!
Saw blade vroom~!
#
"An underground passage?"
She walked with the construction manager.
"When we exposed the floor, we found a passage not on the blueprints. It looked deep, so we didn't go in."
"Oh, that."
Pastel pretended to know.
"As you know, this place used to be an officer training camp. There are some military secrets. Halt construction for now. The student council will check it out and get back to you."
She invoked student council authority and headed to the dorm construction site soon after.
The old dorm had been demolished, leaving only the floor. The manager led the workers away from the site.
Pastel was left alone. She looked down at the dark underground stairs sitting there on the floor. Stuffy, cool air wafted up. There was a fishy smell.
"What kind of facility is it?"
She tossed a pebble lightly, and an echo rang out.
Uwa?
The echo suggested it was pretty vast.
『Doesn't seem like a military facility.』
Pastel suddenly cupped her hands and shouted.
"Yahoo~!"
An echo rang out.
Yahoo~.
Wow.
She shouted again.
"Pastel is smart~!"
She quickly perked up her ears.
An echo came back.
Pastel is smarrt~.
Gasp.
Pastel's eyes went wide.
"Demon! Demon! It says so!"
Pastel, totally smart.
Underground facility friend agrees too.
The demon went silent for a moment, ignored Pastel, and continued.
『Doesn't seem military. Probably a sewer built before the officer training camp went up. They just buried it and built the camp on top.』
Gasp.
Our friend was a sewer?
Sorry, correction.
Underground facility friend → Sewer friend.
Misunderstanding cleared.
Clap clap clap.
『Strictly speaking, this place is broadly a holy site for the demon race. Humans seized it and deliberately built the officer training camp here as a mockery. Training officers in a demon holy site to invade the Demon Realm—what a spectacle.』
Pastel, who had been listening casually, froze.
Eh.
Such a vicious intent.
Humans totally evil.
『They didn't even properly fill in the sewer and still built the camp. That explains why the legacy is here. The Demon King must have hidden it somewhere in the sewer during the Sky Island war.』
Pastel was morally outraged.
"Humans are really bad! I'm human too, but the idea of building an officer training camp on a holy site is just too much!"
It was during war, sure, but even now in peacetime, they hadn't returned it and had rebuilt the academy instead.
"Bad person! Bad person! It's been ages, so the bad guy's probably in a grave, but if I ever meet one, I'll give 'em what for!"
Splash splash!
The demon's voice grew complicated.
『The one who pushed for it back then was a Craft.』
Oing.
She'd learned of her family's evil origins.
Pastel's mouth fell open.
She averted her gaze awkwardly and whistled.
Aw, awkward.
Feels like I should bow and apologize~.
100 bows, Pastel~.
『More importantly, let's get going. Delaying the construction forever isn't good. It'll draw unwanted attention.』
"Ah, yes!"
Pastel hurried inside. A dark, long passage stretched ahead. It was damp and humid, but the sewage itself seemed to have evaporated—no sign of it.
As she went deeper, the light from the stairs faded away. It grew hard to even see right in front of her.
She squatted down and fiddled with the oil lantern she'd brought. The pink-haired girl tinkered with it in the near-darkness.
Fiddle fiddle.
Ugh.
Ah! Here it is!
She found the flint and steel attached to the lantern and pulled them out. Sparks flew when she struck them. After several tries, she managed to light the oil-soaked wick.
The lantern brightened, dimly illuminating the passage.
"Whew."
Pastel wiped her forehead for no reason.
Lighting lanterns is super hard.
Not my aptitude, huh.
『...Next time, light it in a bright place before coming in.』
Gasp, genius?
That's why it was so tricky.
Hahaha.
Pastel burst out laughing to herself and thrust the lantern forward.
"Darkness, begone!"
Dim light, super strong.
Wow wow.
She held it like a hero wielding a sword.
"With light by my side, I fear nothing!"
Come at me, whatever it is.
I'll handle it with my ultra super swordsmanship!
She explored the sewer. She passed forks and navigated the maze-like twists and turns.
And as if by wish, she encountered something.
Unknown eyes densely filled the dark opposite side.
Oing.
She raised the lantern. The sight unfolded of knee-high rats packing the passage. Countless eyes stared at Pastel.
Wow.
Hi, squeaky friends?
I squeak too.
You squeak.
We all squeak.
As if responding, one giant rat opened its jaws. Bloodstained front teeth gleamed.
Oiiing.
Our friends... right?
『Dozens of eyes visible already. At least hundreds. Run. A rat horde is a natural disaster.』
One giant rat let out a squeak~!
Gasp, so cute.
The cry echoed through the passage. From the far dark end, countless eyes turned. Hundreds of eyes fixed on Pastel.
Gasp, not cute.
Rat cries chained one after another. The passage vibrated. A black tidal wave surged forward.
"Eeeeek!"
Pastel whipped around and bolted like an arrow.
『There should be a ruin entrance somewhere. Find it and you live.』
The chase was on.
Save Pastel~.