This is going to be difficult.
Pastel peeked out from the edge of the floating island, just sticking her head out.
The green vegetation covering the ground of the Great Hollow and the floating islands obscured her view. In between, black figures frequently caught her eye as they flew on birds in the distance.
Ugh.
Aren’t there too many Cult Members?
She had come up carefully while avoiding the patrol’s gaze on a baby bird, but she wasn’t sure if she could get any closer.
She hid back behind the rock.
“When does night come here? The sun is shining on the cave ceiling.”
Something mysterious revealed the Great Hollow without dazzling. If only that was gone, it might be worth sneaking closer.
The demon hiding with her peeked out his head.
“Is this created by God?”
“The sun is positioned right in the center of the ceiling, but it doesn’t match the current time, does it? I don’t know the exact time, but that’s in the position it should be around noon.”
It’s a sun, but it looks like it’s just hanging like a light bulb. I wonder if it will click off at night.
“That’s a strange state. Considering theological interpretations, the sun in the holy land shouldn’t be fixed like that. It’s the cult’s handiwork. They must have forcibly fixed the sun that would have moved according to the original time.”
Oh, I see.
Waiting until night to approach would be difficult.
The demon’s expression grew serious.
“That’s not a good omen. Whether the influence of the evil god has strengthened or the cult has gained the capacity to interfere with the system of the holy land, they possess a dangerous influence.”
The demon rubbed his chin.
“We certainly humbled them ten years ago through hardship, yet how could this happen…?”
Pastel, momentarily gazing at the demon lost in the past, looked back at the baby birds.
“Is there night here?”
—Piyak.
The baby bird shook its head.
“No way. Should I go back and regroup with my friends?”
Even if the floating island she rode was moving toward the cult’s stronghold, if there were that many cult members, it would be right to give up at this point.
The cult was active in such open floating islands that hidden movements were too difficult.
Pastel crossed her arms and pondered.
It wouldn’t be a problem to wrap up the Knight Corps investigation here since the cult’s existence was confirmed.
Though she didn’t have physical evidence at hand, they had power, so if she pressed the Knight Corps and conducted an investigation, it would be possible to unify the power of the Sky Island.
All power to the Academy~!
Don’t worry, it’s not a dictatorship!
A very satisfactory outcome.
However, there was something slightly uneasy. Continuing this work seemed like it would take two more days. The cult, which would have figured out that the Knight Corps spy was discovered, might do something in the meantime.
The cult might not do anything and just flee, but that would be disappointing in itself.
“Can we sneakily get around among ourselves?”
Help me, Hormonal Friend.
“Hmm?”
The demon snapped back to reality.
“Oh, sorry. What were we talking about?”
“The operation to blow up the cult.”
“It would be an act of poking a beehive, but it’s possible to confront them head-on. Let’s send these baby birds back to their nest first.”
Meaningless beehive poking is a bit…
—Piyah?
The baby bird, who was an acknowledged resident of the cult, opened its beak while openly sightseeing outside.
“What’s wrong?”
—Piyak! Piyak!
Its wings pointed somewhere.
Pastel peeked her head out. Black smoke was rising to the ceiling in the cult’s territory, something she hadn’t seen earlier.
Oh?
Suddenly, with a bang, flames leapt up. The cult members flying around staggered in confusion and rushed toward the source. Shouts filled with questions about what was happening were heard.
Oh wow.
“Did an alchemical experiment fail or something?”
Just like Pastel had learned potion making from the demon?
Seriously, who would create and sell a drug like a magic stone awakening agent? Foolish fools. It’s a cause-and-effect problem.
The demon furrowed his brow.
“That’s an attack spell. It’s an external assault.”
Huh?
Pastel’s expression turned strange.
Various thoughts raced through her mind, prompting her to move her body.
“Let’s infiltrate in this opening!”
She dashed toward the structures on the floating island. The white temple approached swiftly. She burst through the door.
“What are you trying to do?”
The demon and baby birds hurriedly followed her.
“I hope it’s not blasphemy!”
Pastel entered and yanked the curtains without hesitation. The curtains couldn’t withstand the force and tore away from the curtain rod.
“Now that this has happened, let’s make the best of it and go flying openly, thanks to the cooperation of my baby bird friends! Hey guys! Come here! Come here!”
—Piyak?
A long curtain was wrapped around the neck of the chick body.
“Like this! Like this!”
Pastel climbed onto the baby bird. Then she arranged the curtain to cover her body.
“Let’s fly while hiding!”
Since baby bird friends were already residents here, flying openly wasn’t a problem.
“Oh? A bird wrapped in curtains. That should attract attention.”
Heh heh.
“But in a confusing situation like this, the already verified baby bird shouldn’t attract too much attention because everyone is too busy!”
If that happened, she would have been scolded by her superiors for even stopping to look at such things now.
Pastel reached out her hair to see if it reflected on the white curtain. The pink thread was apparent.
It’s nice that my hair looks pretty, but that’s troublesome right now.
“One layer isn’t enough!”
She got off the baby bird.
“Next curtain! Next curtain!”
The demon reached out his hand.
“Wait. You don’t separate curtains like that.”
His hand shook the curtain as if raising it. With skilled movements, the knot on the curtain rod came undone in an instant.
“The knot is the same as that of the curtains in the old shrine. Here you go.”
Wow.
The touch bore the mark of someone experienced in laundering curtains!
In truth, Pastel had dedicated laundry duties to the demon for situations like this!
Prescient foresight!
“That’s great! Hurry up!”
Pastel focused on decorating the baby bird with curtains.
Knot, knot.
“If it’s too tight on your neck, let me know.”
—Piyak.
“What? Is it tight already?”
—Piyah!
“Really? I see.”
Considering the weight that wouldn’t be swayed by the wind, she tied it generously in ten layers. It was a quantity only possible due to the baby bird being as big as a person.
After finishing preparations, Pastel climbed atop the baby bird. She meticulously covered herself with the curtain. The baby bird, now layered with curtains, walked toward the edge of the floating island.
“Is the demon aboard too?”
“Yes.”
She tapped the baby bird.
Let’s go! Let’s go!
—Piyak!
The baby bird leapt energetically. Its plump body touched the air as it left the ground. And then, it fell straight down.
Oh?
The feeling of gravity swept over her.
Whoa?!
—Piyah?!
The baby bird flapped its wings with all its might.
—Piyak! Piyak! Piyak! Piyak!
Flap, flap, flap, flap.
The fall began to lessen, and it rose little by little.
Hoo.
Pastel pressed down her rapidly beating heart.
“I thought I was going to die.”
You need to go on a diet.
—Piyak.
The baby bird began to fly slowly, feeling embarrassed.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
As they approached the cult’s stronghold, the commotion grew nearer. The whispers of the cult members began to become quite audible.
– It’s an attack from the Knight Corps!
– Knight Corps? What’s the vice captain doing?!
– How did they know our location?!
A cult member riding a bird passed nearby. In a rush, they didn’t even mention the unusually dressed baby bird.
Pastel held her breath quietly.
Knight Corps?
That unreliable Knight Corps?
Was this place one that could operate without interference from the Academy?
Once the presence of the cult members vanished, she pulled the curtain slightly. She peeked through the gap to observe the source of the commotion.
The dense forest had been swept away by a powerful blow. Fallen vegetation was burning, causing confusion.
At the center stood the Knight Corps, clad in black armor. The magic wands were orderly firing projectiles into the air. Thunder and flame erupted. The cult members screamed as they fell.
What is going on?
There were noticeable figures right in front of her. In the center of the formation stood the Knight Corps Captain and Melissa, both wearing serious expressions while conversing.
Gasp.
My dear friend Melissa!
I don’t know what happened in between, but you’ve done well!
—Piyah?!
The baby bird, which had been glancing with her, seemed startled by something.
Upon closer inspection, there were other figures next to Melissa.
Alcior and another baby bird were engaging in a snowball fight while both carried matching backpacks. They were talking without a word, merely throwing snowballs at each other.
There’s another baby bird over there.
Oh?
Suddenly, Pastel realized.
Oh, there were three of them!
When she met them on the Skywhale, she was certain there were three!
One of them had suddenly disappeared back then, causing an explosion on the airship and causing quite a mess!
That baby bird friend still hasn’t changed its bad habits!
But the outcome is good, so it’s alright!
Pastel patted the baby bird.
“Don’t worry. Since my friend Melissa is over there, your sister? Brother? In any case, the baby bird friend will be safe too.”
—Piyak.
Since that side is trustworthy, we can exceed the infiltration and conduct a pincer operation.
She closed her eyes and focused her mind.
Just as the demon had taught her, she transformed the chaos and noise into a broad sense of presence. Three-dimensional images sprang to her mind as countless forms of the cult members were drawn.
She traced everyone’s movement paths and took her time to observe calmly. By methodically eliminating unnecessary information, she organized the details.
The path of a cult member, seemingly a messenger, was clearly discerned. It was a rapid back-and-forth route between the Knight Corps’s combat area and a certain floating island in the sky.
Found the command post.
“I’m going to hit the command post.”
Confusion, disorder, breakdown of the chain of command.
“Excellent tactics.”
She flew toward the command post. The guarding cult members looked puzzled as they approached, but she ignored them and landed on the floating island.
Amidst the vigilance, the curtain opened. The appearance of a girl revealed itself. Dazed gazes focused on her.
The girl stepped onto the ground with a calm expression. She brushed away her disheveled hair. Her pink locks flowed.
“I know you.”
Her pink eyes scanned the surroundings.
“Who will die first?”
A sword was drawn.
