“Governor, congratulations on your inauguration. I wanted to welcome you at the docking station, but since it was an internal affair, I didn’t go. Hearing the news about the welcome ceremony makes me feel quite disappointed.”
When I visited the Craft Guild, Guild Master Grace welcomed me.
“All thanks to you, Guild Master Grace! Who do you think is keeping me from starving~!”
Pastel chuckled.
“But has the concert at the docking station become widely known? Ugh. Although Chancellor Horace did welcome me a bit too enthusiastically.”
Pastel covered her cheeks, feeling embarrassed.
It’s probably inevitable for the purely virtuous Pastel to blush at a formality she should have accepted without question.
Guild Master Grace covered her mouth with a fan and chuckled. She walked over to one side of the table and pointed at a large piece of paper laid out.
“The merger of the failed guilds has been completed.”
Changes in the ownership structure were neatly illustrated in a structural diagram. It was a visualization design that Pastel had personally created.
“Wow!”
Although I had been less attentive due to focusing on the railway guild, the merged guilds were quite substantial. Thanks to the Imperial Bank shaking up the Sky Island credit, dozens of guilds that were collapsing in a chain reaction were sorted out and combined.
“Wow!”
Her pink eyes sparkled.
All the smaller guilds that could be absorbed were absorbed, and the larger or specialized ones were separated, retaining only the management rights, completing a massive merger.
Without the budget, credit, and strong administrative measures of the Sky Island government, this would have been impossible for a private guild.
More than anything, Pastel was pleased with the number written at the top of the ownership structure.
Pastel Love Craft – 100%
Neat! Neat!
It might raise reasonable suspicions as to why an individual collected shares even when the Sky Island budget was involved, but…
No problem at all!
Because Governor Pastel and the Sky Island are one and the same! We live and die together!
“We’re family~!”
Pastel danced, waving her arms in delight.
“From today, family! From tomorrow, family~! A family better than blood relations!”
Guild Master Grace took out a new document. It was data on the asset value of the completed guild.
“Excluding special cases like the Demon Realm Corporation, we have become the largest guild in Sky Island.”
“Wow! A record asset holder!”
Pastel cheered.
“Even if it’s just big on the outside, and the inside is all piled with debt.”
The asset value after overwhelming debts was showing negative.
“Eek, a record debt holder.”
Pastel’s shoulders slumped.
In truth, we should have gone bankrupt due to deteriorating credit.
But we didn’t go bankrupt thanks to the kind creditors who strongly believed in the collusion between politics and business!
She tightened her fist.
I have to repay them by living diligently!
“Still, it’s incredible that we’ve grown this far. How many times have we borrowed funds to the credit limit and turned it all into trade goods to carry out smuggling gambles?”
Guild Master Grace chuckled.
“Thanks to hiring the Knight Corps personnel, it’s relatively stable now to the point of not really being called a gamble.”
“All thanks to my foresight!”
Pastel pointed proudly at herself.
“Indeed. That’s why you’re the Governor. You managed the Knight Corps while recycling personnel.”
Oh my.
She seems to believe it was a joke.
But since it’s not a bad thing, Pastel pretended it was true.
“Ahem.”
“However, now there’s an issue.”
Guild Master Grace brought out another set of documents. This time it was a bundle related to smuggling. She emphasized the part about the scale of the trade.
“It’s becoming difficult to hide since the scale has grown too large. Everyone implicitly knows, but it’s different from it being openly known. If we expand further, even the Demon Realm Corporation—who we’ve kept quiet through bribes—will have to speak up.”
“Are you saying that if we do this much, we should use the semi-public smuggling route created by our own bribery while paying a commission? Or else we’ll face crackdowns?”
“Exactly.”
Ugh.
Why do we have to pay a commission?
I prefer something for free!
“That’s not a problem for you, Governor Pastel!”
If it were in the days of “Governor Pastel,” she would have exclaimed, “Ah! Please help me! I don’t want to pay taxes!” But Governor Pastel is different now.
“Look at this!”
Pastel drew the Emperor’s sword from her waist. However, realizing she left it in her dorm, she changed her words.
“Look at me! A loyal retainer absolutely trusted by His Majesty the Emperor!”
To the extent of being entrusted with the authority to identify the Demon King and to borrow the private soldiers of the Demon Realm Corporation along with all necessary matters.
Pastel had a wicked thought.
No joke—really wicked.
What does it mean to have authority over a private army of an organization?
Glancing at the normalized Academy, she could see.
Our school is so beautiful!
I wish everywhere could be like this!
Student Pastel was flustered by the excitement around her and accidentally succeeded, but Governor Pastel was not meant to be accidental.
Long live His Majesty the Emperor!
Loyalty is sprouting!
“Command over private soldiers?”
Guild Master Grace seemed taken aback.
“It must be classified information I shouldn’t be privy to, but how strict of a command did you receive to acquire something like that?”
“Well, you’re right to think of it as confidential, so it’s somewhat inappropriate to discuss! But it is very, very important!”
The prophecy Demon King that could bring about the fall of the Empire is extremely important.
Guild Master Grace’s expression turned worried.
“In that case, it would be wise to concentrate on His Majesty the Emperor’s orders. No matter how big a guild is, its rise and fall depend on the royal family’s mood.”
Ugh.
Listening to that makes my stomach churn.
His Majesty the Emperor: “Huh? Why is this person not doing their job properly? Ah! They’re busy with business! Then if the business disappears, they’ll do their job well, right? I should help!”
Craft Guild, forced dissolution per Imperial decree.
Aaaaah!
The tyranny of the powerful…!
Pastel turned pale.
“I can manage the upcoming smuggling ships and guild matters well. You should focus on His Majesty’s orders, as the imperial throne is also for the capricious.”
Capricious.
His Majesty the Emperor: “You’re bothering me? Dissolved.”
Why is this so realistic!
Pastel’s hands trembled.
“W-well, I will focus on the railway business. There’s a connection to the imperial edict.”
“Is that so? Then, please, Governor. If it’s about railways…”
Guild Master Grace rummaged through her drawers and examined the schedule for the railway department.
“It wasn’t ideal that we won the right to establish railways at auction, and suddenly, our business partners halted cooperation, which caused a standstill in the railway project while you were in the capital. The Student Council sent an update saying it will be resolved, and to prepare for recommencement. Do you know the reason?”
Is it about Elli?
“I was likely meant to have discussions with those business partners. That’s probably what it is.”
The Pigeon faction’s meeting.
“Understood. Please take care of this part, Governor.”
Guild Master Grace said calmly.
“As a merchant, my advice would be to think of the royal family’s mood when conducting business, as it greatly impacts everything. This is crucial.”
Ugh.
Something feels wrong…!
You’re dissolved.
Wallet empty.
Gurgle gurgle.
Pastel, seated in the carriage, clenched her hands tightly. They trembled.
Elli, noticing how much she was shaking, watched her suspiciously before eventually worrying.
“No one will blame you. The sins of your clan aren’t your sins, and we’re currently gathered because of very good news. They found the Demon King, and there aren’t many demons who will talk about what Craft is doing. Even if it’s a fake Demon King, it’s not just us.”
Tremble tremble.
“Rather, vocally discussing the assassination of the Pigeon faction’s Bellamont would raise the stakes. Did they really do something to heighten the Empire’s vigilance at such a crucial moment of finding the Demon King?”
“That’s not it.”
Although Pastel was scared of what the demon kind might think due to her clan’s karma, that wasn’t the point.
Pastel glanced at Elli. The black-haired princess was elegantly dressed in a semi-formal outfit. She looked very refined.
“Elli.”
“What is it?”
“Are you perhaps, a reasonably bad demon…?”
Elli’s face turned full of question marks. After some deliberation, her brows narrowed.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you think?”
Elli looked incredulous.
“I won’t misunderstand you, but if you say such things to other demons, you should be prepared to be scolded.”
Elli didn’t seem like a reasonably bad demon.
Pastel groaned.
The carriage stopped, and they arrived at the meeting venue. It wasn’t a secretive and dark place, just a fancy building that looked wealthy.
Pastel timidly followed behind Elli as she entered.
The demons by the entrance and corridor greeted Princess Ellicita with bright smiles.
“Princess! We knew you could pull it off since the day you personally came for your enrollment!”
“I knew that although everyone opposed you, you would just flip your palm when the results came in.”
“Oh my! You found out!”
The discovery of the Demon King was indeed tremendous news, creating a very cheerful atmosphere.
However, the pink-haired girl hiding behind Elli received attention but no genuine interest, in a rather artificial manner. As if they didn’t want to mention an awkward topic on a good day.
So Pastel could somewhat relax and observe the demons as a bystander.
Reasonably bad demons, reasonably bad demons.
Everyone looked cheerful and had a very friendly attitude.
Absolutely not bad demons.
Could it be that all demons are good demons?
Even upon reaching the round table meeting venue, the situation remained unchanged.
The demons, dressed a bit more elegantly and showing their experience, warmly greeted her.
“Princess Ellicita, you did it in the end. I was quite worried when you forgot your purse and went for your entrance exam, but you found the Demon King. I always believed in you, Princess.”
“Believed? You formed a search party since you thought the princess had run away.”
“Oh dear!”
Reasonably bad demons, reasonably bad demons.
Pastel peeked around. As expected, artificial indifference was reigning, so there was no significant attention.
Reasonably bad demons, reasonably bad demons.
Everyone looks kind.
Perhaps it’s not this place.
Yet the change came from the round table.
“That being said…”
Just as everyone stood up cheerfully, a demon sitting alone struck the table. With a noise, a subtle crack appeared in the round table.
All eyes turned. But that demon glared back. The gaze landed on the pink-haired girl.
“I cannot tolerate this.”
Ugh.
They said they can’t tolerate it…!
