Chapter 40
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: I Came to Strengthen Our Friendship
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Pastel strolled through the apple orchard alone.
After enjoying apple pies, apple juice, apple wine, and more, she'd asked Melissa for a tour of the farm, then excused herself to wander on her own.
Melissa had seemed like she wanted to say something, hesitating awkwardly, but Pastel, her mind on the secret funds, pretended not to notice.
Sorry, Melissa.
For someone as popular as me, organizing my friend schedule is a must. I don't have time for you today. I've got plans with my secret funds friend.
Gasp.
Secret funds friend.
The friend who makes my heart go thump-thump!
The secret funds friend sent a distress call from underground in the farm.
Save me~, save me~.
Get me out~.
Uwaaaah.
My friend is in danger!
"Just wait a bit! I'll come save you!"
Pastel put on a serious face. She raised her hand to her brow like a salute and scanned the orchard with sharp eyes.
Apple tree, apple tree, apple tree.
Gasp.
Apple trees everywhere.
The vast orchard was filled with disorderly apple trees and untended plants. Forget secret funds—it was perfect for getting lost. Signs on trees here and there marked paths and distances, suggesting there were quite a few lost victims.
Ugh.
I feel like I'm gonna get lost.
Gonna cry "Demon! Demon!" while wandering.
"Hold on, friend! I won't give up!"
Pastel crouched down and pressed her ear to the ground. After listening for the secret funds' voice, she tried sniffing next.
Sniff sniff.
Roast whole pig friend in my belly, help!
Sniff sniff sniff.
『What are you doing?』
Eek.
Pastel froze mid-sniff, then stood up and awkwardly whistled.
"It's not like I was doing something weird out of desperation because the farm is too big."
Nod nod.
"More importantly! Isn't this place huge?"
She spread her arms wide. Spinning around, the entire view was orchard. It felt like they just fenced in a natural apple forest and called it a farm.
"Even if my secret funds friend is crying their eyes out, I couldn't find them in a place this big!"
Pastel went "Waaah waaah" too.
How was she supposed to excavate hidden secret funds in a place like this? In someone else's farm, no less.
『No choice. True rewards come from diligent effort.』
The demon said, then paused.
『Though hunting secret funds hardly counts as diligent effort.』
"Gasp."
Pastel's eyes went wide.
"You're right! I need diligent effort!"
『No, not diligent. Don't twist my words.』
"Diligent Pastel...! I'll live diligently!"
『You're talking about raiding someone else's farm.』
Pastel took the advice to heart and diligently searched for secret funds. She checked the ground for traces left when burying them and looked for unnatural plant growth.
That's when she spotted a rock. It was about knee-high, with faint artificial patterns that blended so subtly, you'd only notice if you looked closely—otherwise, it seemed natural.
Hmm?
Detective Pastel's instincts tingled.
Her brilliant detective brain reasoned: a clue to the secret funds was here!
Pastel crossed her arms and looked down at the rock. With a solemn face, she haughtily declared:
"No deception or disguise can fool Detective Pastel!"
Ahem.
"The ultimate insight that pierces deception and disguise!"
She touched both index fingers to her temples.
"Ultimate insight deduction...!"
Hiyah.
Clues swirled in her mind. Through metaphysical logic, she reached a higher conclusion.
Ping~!
The answer appeared!
Detective Pastel proudly pointed at the rock.
"This is...!"
『It's under here, then.』
The demon chimed in cluelessly.
Pastel froze, finger still pointing.
『Scratch the surface to confirm, then come back at night with a shovel. The buried contents probably aren't bulky. Maybe a pouch of gold coins and some promissory notes.』
Brutal follow-up explanation.
Uwaaaah.
Not-Detective Pastel flailed her arms.
"Demon! You're so mean! Evil! The devil itself!"
『Why, what's wrong?』
The demon sounded flustered.
"What do you mean why! I just called you demon like always! Ehehehe~!"
『Why are you like this.』
Pastel ignored the demon and dug under the rock.
Hands shoveling the dirt udadada.
"Making laundry fodder~!"
Dirt flew up pufufubak, staining her white clothes.
『Young Craft?』
The demon gasped in shock.
Pastel felt proud.
Proud.
This was laundry fodder born of countless experiences.
Teases the guardian just right~.
Rebellious thrill on the house~.
Oh yeah.
Ignoring the demon's whispers with one ear, she kept digging until the hole reached her ankles, then dusted her hands.
"I scratched the surface, but what am I supposed to confirm?"
『No, haa. Wait, let me check. Hmm. The soil's been magically treated. High chance secret funds are buried here.』
Magically treated?
Come to think of it, the soil seemed faintly mixed with black mana stone dust.
"Dirt that blocks detection magic?"
『Exactly.』
"Hee."
Pastel refilled the shallow pit. She packed it down with her feet and glanced inside. The moist overturned soil looked darker.
"Let's wrap this up quick!"
Grave robbing tonight!
Oh yeah.
#
Melissa stared blankly at the moon.
—Even if Craft is untrustworthy, coldly rejecting a peer who's kept approaching... it'll create grudges where none existed.
Her memory of her mother smiling fondly.
—If you can't treat them like strangers, just get along moderately. "Don't step on shadows" doesn't mean people's shadows literally. It means don't get tangled in dark secrets.
Not people's shadows?
Melissa was shocked. All that effort avoiding Pastel's shadow...
She'd watched the sun's position, wary of where shadows stretched—meticulous work. Pastel had a habit of suddenly rushing over to greet her, making it tough, but aside from a few slips, she'd nailed it. All from vigilantly eyeing Pastel's overly friendly approaches.
And it was all for nothing.
Melissa clutched her forehead and staggered. She grabbed the terrace railing to steady herself. The apple orchard beside the mansion lay below.
Mom was right again.
No matter how much a Craft she is, she wouldn't do bad things as naturally as breathing.
Today's proof. She came all the way to the territory just to see me, purely. Running from a friend like she's the plague is rude.
Melissa clenched her fists.
Let's be friends.
No matter how much a Craft, she wouldn't do bad things as naturally as breathing.
Meanwhile, Pastel had sneaked into the apple orchard and was shoveling under the rock.
Gasp.
Perfect crime.
#
Through diligent effort, Pastel reaped her reward. She set down the shovel from digging the pit and wiped sweat from her brow.
"Phew."
Is this true labor?
Feels like I could do it every day, like breathing.
Proud.
She pulled out the wooden box peeking from the earth. It was about palm-sized.
"It's small."
No gold bars, probably.
『Gold's great for burying, but this is Camelot territory after all.』
True.
She brushed off the dirt and carefully opened the box.
Thump thump.
First was a pouch of gold coins. Enough to fill the box, but given the size, it seemed for emergency funds.
She pocketed the pouch and checked inside. There were checks wrapped in leather.
Thump thump.
Thump-thump.
The checks were safely split across various merchants and institutions, under names unrelated to Craft.
Totaling the amount, a string of digits burned into her mind.
Whoa.
How many zeros... how many commas...
As the sum sank in, Pastel's mouth fell open.
Gasp.
Ten times my entire fortune...!
Enough for ten Pastels...!
She threw her arms up.
"Uwaaaang!"
Her cheer sliced through the night sky.
Refreshing day!
Oh yeah.
Then she flinched.
『Hmm.』
Gasp, right.
This is someone else's apple orchard.
I'm the grave robber.
She grabbed the shovel again and hurriedly refilled the pit. Scooping dirt, packing it layer by layer, patting it smooth.
Not a trace left.
She tucked the checks securely in her bosom. Clutching the suspiciously shovel, she dashed through the orchard. Hunting dogs barked somewhere.
Uwaaa.
Dash dash.
I didn't do anything!
I just like night walks...!
She sped past countless apple trees. A tree fence appeared. She sprinted, grabbed it, and vaulted over. Her body floated, then landed.
Pastel kept running. She hid the shovel in planned bushes, whistled awkwardly, and stepped onto the mansion's walkway.
Just head back to the mansion like this.
She glanced back anyway.
No one chasing.
Pastel's lips curled up smugly.
Perfect crime.
"Demon! Demon! I think I've got real talent!"
Saint of grave robbing!
Oh yeah.
The demon was dumbfounded.
『...That's not something to brag about.』
Gasp.
Oh!
Shock.
Chok.
Hahaha.
Pastel laughed to herself and pulled out the checks. Unwrapping the leather, dazzling numbers dazzled her vision.
"Ah! My heart's melting!"
She hugged the checks and spun around.
"The world is beautiful~."
You too, me too, beautiful~.
A voice joined the song from somewhere.
"Craft?"
"Yeah! In this beautiful world, my name is Pastel Love, eek?!"
Pastel jumped in surprise.
Melissa approached on the walkway in light clothes.
"M-Me-Melissa?!"
Pastel trembled, stuffing the checks back in. She whistled awkwardly.
"What's up, Melissa?"
I really have no idea.
Melissa hesitated, a bit shy.
"Couldn't sleep."
"Aha!"
Really nothing serious.
Phew.
Pastel adjusted her tone for her sleepless friend, speaking in a lower key than usual.
"Me neither. Wanna walk together?"
"...Sure."
They walked the path. Pastel, mindful of the late hour, didn't start talking, so a quiet stroll continued.
Insects chirped.
A cool breeze blew.
The mansion drew near before they knew it.
Melissa glanced over.
"Craft, I have something to say."
"Anything! Uh, go ahead."
Melissa bowed her head.
"I'm sorry for pushing you away all this time. I was rude. Can you forgive me? I want to be friends now."
Friends?
Pastel tilted her head.
"We've always been friends."
"Well..."
Melissa hesitated, then smiled softly.
"I guess so."
She looked up at the moon.
"I think I misunderstood you too much. No matter how much a Craft you are, you wouldn't do bad things as naturally as breathing. You're human, after all."
Pastel froze. The gold pouch and checks in her bosom felt heavy.
Gasp.
Her conscience suddenly stung.
Pastel ← The kid who does bad things as naturally as breathing.
Uwaaaah.
Undeniable fact...!
It's livelihood crime, go easy!
Pastel flailed her arms. She grabbed Melissa's chin. Melissa's eyes widened.
"Craft?"
"N-No need to apologize! We're friends!"
Her conscience kept stinging.
Came to build friendship, but ended up robbing the farm—total bad kid vibes.
But vibes? It's reality...!
"From tomorrow, let's hang out like real friends! Oh, right! Like your daily routine! Forget past worries and hesitations, together!"
Tea parties with haha-ho-ho.
Gasp.
Sip the tea.
Munch cookies.
Total noble lady life.
"Together."
Melissa blushed shyly.
"Craft, then tomorrow together..."
The successor to the southern commander said:
"Shall we go subjugate wild boars? Heard they're lurking near villages."
Subjugate?
Hmm?
The next day, Pastel was forcibly woken at dawn before sunrise by Melissa.
Dragged to the stables with messy hair, she was assigned a horse.
Drizzle fell.
Oiii.
Where's my tea party?!
Sip tea, munch cookies...?!