The planned city of the United Kingdom has a bright appearance with smoke and soot puffing everywhere, but just as there is light, there is a shadow, and darkness exists.
Though slavery has long been abolished under the Parliament’s rational judgment that taxes cannot be collected from slaves, but only from citizens, it was still inevitable for crime to sprout in the wide and troublesome underground passage.
Once again today, there were people descending the underground stairs like a swarm of rats toppling garbage bins.
Among them were a man in a suit and a purple-haired girl.
“I’m purple-haired~!”
Pastel, disguised with a special dye from the Craft Clan and makeup techniques, clung tightly to the arm of the demon lord and trembled slightly.
“Ugh, the atmosphere here is a bit sketchy.”
The underground passage, barely lit by sporadic magical lights, smelled musty and slimy. It was the stench of vomit from a place that lacked ventilation.
Ugh.
As they walked, a demon leaned against the wall in a tattered outfit, looking at them with vacant eyes. It didn’t look like it had good intentions.
Eww.
Though it seemed a bit prejudiced, Pastel felt that trouble would have arisen if she had come alone without the demon lord.
“Lord Demon, you know I like you, right?”
Pastel rubbed her cheek against the demon lord’s arm.
“Oh my, it would be nice if you had that mindset all the time.”
As the demon spoke and glared at the vacant-eyed demon, the demon lowered its head deeply.
“But contrary to your expectations, this doesn’t seem to be a date at all. It’s simply an introduction to a meeting spot. Did you misinterpret something?”
“That can’t be! With my intelligent brain, I can guess your intentions! Like you said, if I lack experience, I’m likely to misjudge emotions! Meeting alone in a place that makes my heart race could easily lead to misunderstandings of love! It’s a strategy to entice a naive girl!”
Nathaniel, you’re smart!
Even if the demon lord is present, it’s still not just the two of us!
“Young Craft, saying that with your own mouth means you’re not innocent. But if it’s true, then your intentions are quite despicable. What is a grown adult doing with a child?”
“Hey! Hey! I’m a young lady now! Please don’t meddle with petty remarks, attendant!”
Given the circumstances, Pastel had slightly matured her disguise and makeup.
At a glance.
From middle school to high school!
Wow, isn’t this enough to look like an adult?
I’m all grown up!
Though Pastel was grown up, she realized it was a bit unbalanced to cling tightly to the servant’s arm out of fear.
“Considering the affection I’ve nurtured over time! To make up for the regret of becoming independent, I wanted to act a bit spoiled! But I guess it’s time to stop! Because I’m all grown up now!”
Pastel let go of the demon lord’s arm and stood tall. She took a deep breath. An unpleasant, musty smell wafted in.
But grown-ups aren’t scared of that!
That’s right!
A suspicious shadow brushed past her feet.
“Whoa!”
Pastel was startled and clung tightly to the demon lord’s arm again.
A mouse had hurriedly scurried by.
Phew, it was just a little mouse friend.
Pastel wiped away the unnecessary cold sweat.
“Almost fell to an assassination.”
Thinking about it, clinging to a guard is only natural, even for an adult!
Wow, I’m smart.
“Oh my.”
Pastel felt a little embarrassed.
“Boo boo. It’s not my fault; it’s because the underground friends have a lot of family.”
“Do you really need to insist on using the word ‘friends’ to refer to the underground?”
The purple-eyed gaze sparkled.
“Ah! I just felt the nuance was subtle too!”
Hehe.
“Not like a good sewer friend from Sky Island, but calling them friends in a crime-ridden underground feels a bit strange!”
Pastel smacked her palms together.
“Anyway, anyway! Why is there an underground passage in the planned city?”
Isn’t it a place that’s industrializing and bustling? Is there any need to create a poorly secured underground space?
“Hmm.”
The demon lord rubbed his chin.
“I haven’t verified the reason for the underground since I’m surveying the city above, but I have some guesses. However, it seems you don’t need to know.”
“Eww. What is it, what is it? Just tell me!”
“Forget it.”
After walking for a while, they finally entered a more organized and relatively clean underground area.
Demons in relatively neat outfits were wandering around, and occasionally well-dressed individuals could be seen, creating a distinctly different atmosphere. The smell of muddy money lingered.
“Wow.”
The scent of corruption!
Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the unfamiliar scent, Pastel’s cheeks turned pink.
Excitedly looking around, she spotted Nathaniel leaning against the wall, clicking a pocket watch.
Ah, I had nearly forgotten his essence!
“Nathaniel! Over here! Here!”
Pastel waved her arms in joy.
The demon frowned.
“Is that guy? His body is weak and frail, making it perfect for tripping while walking.”
“Eww? Why did the demon lord suddenly speak such harsh criticism?!”
Nathaniel, perhaps confused by the purple disguise, approached with a reluctant expression.
“What have you been doing to be so late—”
He then flinched at the very displeased demon lord and hesitated.
“Y-You’re the Great Demon Lord, right? No, the Great Demon? Not like this… How should I address you?”
This was an attitude of not knowing what to do upon encountering someone he had only seen in history books!
The demon lord seemed doubly offended by Nathaniel’s lackluster behavior. The demon lord firmly decided what attitude Nathaniel should have.
“Don’t call me at all.”
Nathaniel was dumbfounded.
He awkwardly fumbled with his mouth, not knowing how to respond, and seemed to decide to escape from the situation by looking back at Pastel.
Pastel smiled brightly.
“Long time no see, Nathaniel!”
“We met yesterday.”
“It feels like meeting a hometown friend while traveling abroad!”
“What does that even mean?”
Nathaniel was baffled, turning away.
“Since we arrived late and are short on time, let’s move first. We need to go deeper to reach the casino we were heading to. This is a place for commoners.”
“Yes, yes!”
Pastel followed him energetically, cheerfully opening her mouth.
“But why is there an underground passage in the capital? Isn’t this a planned city?”
Nathaniel looked at her in disbelief.
He glanced at her with a look that questioned why a Craft would brazenly ask such questions before he reluctantly elaborated.
“Since the Holy Land of Sky Island was destroyed, it was created with the intent to try and restore it similarly in the capital. The intention was good, but due to issues with interests, there has been fighting in Parliament, and no decisions have been made, leaving it abandoned. Now, the cost of cleaning up the crime is so high that everyone in Parliament has kept their mouths shut and no one mentions it. What did the princess say again? I don’t know, it’s none of my business.”
Wow.
The ruins of the Holy Land of Sky Island = sewer friends
A clan that left nothing but the sewer of the demon’s holy land while indulging = Craft.
And the person who brazenly asked the question = Pastel Love Craft
Ahhh!
I’m sorry!
The demon clicked his tongue.
“You lack consideration. Your weak body matches your weak mind. A typical example of an untrained spirit.”
Ah.
Eheh.
Pastel looked at the demon lord with a playful gaze.
“So that means you were considerate of me, right?”
Ehehe.
The demon lord chose not to respond.
Boo boo~!
“What’s your name?”
“Nathalie Wingate Pillars! I’m an adult!”
She made a peace sign with her fingers!
The stern guard looked at her suspiciously.
Wow, did my alias make it obvious?!
I’m a good Pastel who can’t lie…!
“She thinks she’s an adult.”
With his hands in his pockets, Nathaniel pointed at her nonchalantly with his thumb.
“I see.”
The guard seemed convinced and stepped aside from the door.
“Be careful; refunds won’t be available if you bring your parents.”
As he said that, his gaze was entirely on the demon lord behind Pastel, treating him as if he was the child.
Eww?!
This isn’t the treatment I was hoping for…!
“Indeed.”
Don’t cater to her!
Though she encountered a very unfair situation, they were able to enter the casino safely.
On a stylish table lay cards and cash chips. A well-dressed dealer chatted leisurely with the customers. The chandelier sparkled with golden light.
“Wow, wow!”
Pastel exhaled in excitement.
Gambling! Gambling! Gambling!
Totally and completely purple-haired!
“I’m starting with poker-!”
As she tried to dash forward, she was suddenly grabbed by the back of her neck.
“Yahk!”
“What do you think you’re doing, trying to gamble on your own?”
The demon looked back at Nathaniel.
“Where’s the destination? Shouldn’t you have hurriedly guided us before she dashed off?”
Nathaniel flinched.
“Uh, we need to go to the VIP Zone.”
He pointed out the direction and walked ahead, looking back momentarily with an aggrieved expression.
“But we still have to fulfill the entry requirements. It depends on the amount of money spent.”
“Is that what you’re saying?”
The demon clicked his tongue.
“I figured that would be the case since I brought money with me.”
A bag of gold coins was taken out.
“What? Then why for me…?”
“Don’t just stand there; change it for money or chips.”
Ignoring Nathaniel’s grievance, the demon surveyed the casino. Finding a game he desired, he walked while tapping Pastel on the head.
“You just watch.”
Oh?
“Are you playing, Lord Demon?!”
“Yes.”
Wow, wow!
The demon arrived at a table where the dealer was shuffling cards without any customers. He sat down and crossed his legs.
“Blackjack has the highest chances of winning for players against the dealer.”
His finger flicked.
“Dealer, cards.”
Wow!
Professional aura!
I want to become a demon lord who does gambling well like him…!
