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510 – 「Oh, so That’s the Fleet of the Holy Vuelzarus Empire」

 

「Oh, so that’s the fleet of the Holy Vuelzarus Empire.」

Hearing that the fleet of the Holy Vuelzarus Empire had arrived, I moved from the dining area of the Black Lotus to the nearby lounge. The girls had gathered as well, so we activated the large holo-display to observe the fleet.

「…How should I put it? The design is rather unique, isn’t it?」

「Yes, it is… How should I say… Luxurious? Perhaps?」

「If those were mercenary ships, the decorations might be a bit excessive, I think. But personally, I like it. There’s a certain elegance to those graceful lines.」

Following my comment, Mimi and Elma shared their impressions. The ships of the Holy Vuelzarus Empire resembled pure white sailing ships. Well, they don’t have masts, so perhaps calling them sailing ships is a bit misleading. If they don’t have mast wouldn’t they look like a ship without sails—essentially what I’d consider a normal ship? No, not quite. That streamlined and slightly rounded form seems more fitting to call them sail-less sailing ships.

Their hulls were adorned with golden patterns and carvings that appeared purely decorative. The most striking feature, however, were the three pairs of light wings emerging from the rear side of the ship. What exactly are those? Are they mere decorations? Or perhaps they serve a purpose, like thrusters or stabilizers? I have no idea. There were devices that appeared to be weapons, but they seemed disproportionately small for the size of the ship. I can’t even begin to guess their capabilities.

「What the heck is that…? How’s it even movin’? There ain’t no thrusters.」

「Hmmm… Could they be using some kind of gravity-based propulsion, like the crystal lifeforms?」

「And what’s up with their gravity control? Didn’t they say gravity drives are way too unstable to use on ships with livin’ folks on board?」

「Any mistake in the internal gravity control could turn the entire crew into soup. So, I guess they use another method?」

The mechanic sisters, having laid eyes on the ships of the Holy Vuelzarus Empire, immediately began a lively discussion about the technology used in them. The content of their conversation is a bit unnerving thought. The entire crew could be turned into soup? What is that? Scary!

「Heh, I’m really looking forward to this. Once we get to the Holy Vuelzarus Empire, I’m sure I’ll have access to so many rare samples.」

「Um, Doctor, that might be a bit…」

「Come on, Kugi-kun, I’ll make sure to get permission from the donors, I’m sure they won’t mind giving up a little blood or a couple of hairs.」

「There aren’t many people who’d let you take blood for no reason, Doctor.」

Over there, Dr. Shouko was eagerly planning to collect biological samples from the citizens of the Holy Vuelzarus Empire, while Kugi and Neve were trying to rein her in. Dr. Shouko is obsessed with analyzing unknown genetic material, after all. Maybe I should keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn’t get too reckless when we arrive. Then again, I don’t want to forbid her from researching what she wants while she works with us. That would weaken her motivation to stay with us, and I don’t want to lose someone as talented as her, both as a researcher and a doctor. I have to find some way to cooperate with her goals.

Meanwhile, Moegi and Konoha had been staring into the void for a while now, twitching their fox and tanuki ears. It seems they are communicating telepathically. I can feel the mental waves buzzing back and forth since earlier.

「So, what’s the process going to be like from here? I might be just an honorary noble, but I’m still an Imperial noble, after all. Is there anything special I need to do?」

「There are no special pre-entry procedures. Your ship and crew will be recorded when you pass through the gateway.」

「I see. So once the Holy Vuelzarus Empire finishes whatever personnel movement they’re doing, we’ll be good to go. In other words, we just have to wait for them to finish.」

「Looks like that’s the case. Oh, Mimi, if you’re planning to bring goods from the Grakkan Empire into the Holy Vuelzarus Empire, make sure you double-check that none of them violate their import-export restrictions.」

「Of course. I’ll also ask Mei-san to review everything, just in case.」

「Yeah, that’s the safest course.」

Alright, I should probably prepare for our trip to the Holy Vuelzarus Empire as well. Not that I have much to do to get ready!

☆★☆

The contact from the Holy Vuelzarus Empire was swift. Among the ships that warped out of the gateway, a particularly small one quickly docked at the Neeparc Prime Colony.

「They’ve informed us that they plan to come here immediately to greet us. Is that alright with you?」

「Of course. But they’re coming to meet us in person? Wouldn’t it be easier to just use telepathy to communicate with me?」

「It’s a matter of etiquette. Unless you’re close acquaintances or belong to the same organization—like between a superior and a subordinate or colleagues—or if it’s an emergency, it’s considered rude to initiate contact with the Second Spiritual Form right away.」

「I see.」

I nodded in appreciation of Konoha’s explanation. The ‘Second Spiritual Form’, in other words, telepathy, had become so commonplace for them that it led to the development of unique customs in the Holy Vuelzarus Empire. Perhaps the proximity of minds led them to establish these intricate manners. Then again, it’s not all that different from the Empire. Even though we can make holo-calls with our small communication devices, there are still situations where face-to-face meetings are preferred.

「It seems they’ve arrived. Should we go greet them?」

「Mei’s handling it. We’ll wait here.」

As we waited leisurely, Mei soon returned, accompanied by three guests. The first was a man with black wings sprouting from his back, though otherwise, he didn’t stand out much—well, aside from having a somewhat suspicious face. The second was a slender woman with bunny ears, dressed similarly to Kugi. The last one was a young man with an extravagant crest of decorative feathers sticking out from the top of his head, much like an ahoge.

「Greetings, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Karasu, commander of the Rapid Response Fleet.」

「Nice to meet you, I’m Captain Hiro. I have to say, I’m humbled that not only did you send such a grand welcoming fleet, but you’ve come all the way here in person.」

「Haha, think nothing of it. To us, a friendly ‘visitor’ is more than enough reason for a warm welcome.」

「A ‘friendly’ visitor, huh.」

So, there are ‘visitors’ that aren’t so friendly, then… Just as that thought crossed my mind, the image of that pink-haired b*tch flashed in my head. The same unsettling feeling I had when I met her for the first time came rushing back.

「Is something on your mind?」

The man with the elaborate crest of feathers asked nervously. Oh, I guess he thought I took issue with the word ‘friendly’.

「Nah, nothing in particular. I just wondered, since you emphasized ‘friendly,’ that maybe there are others who aren’t so… amicable. Anyway, standing around chatting doesn’t do us much good. Why don’t we head over to the dining area and sit down? We haven’t even finished introductions yet.」

Shrugging my shoulders, I gestured for them to follow as I led them toward the dining area. With my crew, plus Fushin’s and Karasu’s group, it was quite a large gathering.

「Forgive my late introduction. I am Inaba, a scribe from the Ministry of Divine Affairs.」

「I’m Kuja. A Military officer.」

The bunny-eared woman and the man with the decorative feathers introduced themselves briefly. In turn, we all gave our own short introductions as well.

「I had heard the rumors, but… I must say, I am truly impressed.」

「Thank you. I hope that wasn’t sarcasm. My crew is exceptional, without a doubt.」

I have no complaints about my crew. If I had to point out an issue, it would be that I can’t add any male members now. Given my relationship with the girls, bringing a guy onto the crew could lead to all sorts of trouble.

「Well, we can save the conversation about my crew for later. There’s someone in your group I’m curious about too… but for now, we should focus on the discussion about entering the Holy Empire.」

As I said this, I glanced toward Inaba—the bunny-eared woman. Not for any inappropriate reasons, mind you. Yes, Inaba is beautiful, and there’s a certain appeal to the whole ‘bunny-eared shrine maiden’ thing, but that’s not what intrigued me. What really caught my attention was her affiliation.

She introduced herself as a scribe from the Ministry of Divine Affairs, and that piqued my curiosity. Kugi, too, was a priestess from the same ministry. I don’t know exactly what her connection to Kugi is, but there is no doubt that there is some kind of link between the two of them—and by extension, to me as well.

「I appreciate how swiftly you get to the point. Regarding our departure, it will be in approximately forty-eight hours. Please make sure to leave the colony before then. Once that’s done, we’ll send a request to synchronize our fleets for the journey.」

「Understood. I’ll make sure the cargo check is completed by then.」

As I glanced toward Mimi, she gave me a firm nod with an expression that said, ‘Leave it to me!’ When it came to managing the cargo and supplies, Mimi was definitely reliable, so I had no worries there.

「Anything else we need to keep in mind?」

「Nothing in particular. Just stick to reasonable behavior—don’t go firing off weapons or swinging swords out of the blue, that sort of thing.」

「Well, yeah, obviously. As long as nobody suddenly shoots at me, slashes at me, or uses Spiritual Power against me.」

Karasu chuckled at my response.

Was that a joke?

「Ah, and it seems Inaba-dono has a request for you, Captain Hiro. Inaba-dono?」

「Yes, I must apologize for the sudden and presumptuous request, but there is something I would like to ask of you.」

With those words, the bunny-eared priestess—Inaba—looked straight into my eyes. Oh, right. She isn’t a priestess but a scribe. What does a scribe do?

「I would like to hear the contents of your request before deciding if I can grant it or not.」

「Of course. Until we arrive in our country, and even after we do, I would like you to allow me to stay by your side.」

「…Excuse me?」

Her gaze was resolute as she made this declaration, leaving me utterly bewildered. I glanced toward Karasu for some kind of clarification, but he just flashed a sly, suspicious grin without saying anything. Desperate for some guidance, I turned to Fushin, who cleared his throat before speaking.

「Inaba-dono, it seems Captain Hiro is a bit perplexed. Perhaps you could explain your reasoning in more detail?」

「Yes, of course. My duty is to record your every action, Hiro-dono. Though that might sound a bit confusing. Let me rephrase it: my role as a scribe is to document the thoughts, actions, and principles of ‘visitors’ like yourself, Hiro-dono, and preserve them for future generations. To fulfill this task, I humbly request to accompany you as you go about your activities.」

「Yeah, I’m going to have to politely decline that…」

At my words, Inaba made a face like she was facing the end of the world. Her bunny ears, once standing tall, drooped sadly. I feel a little guilty, but honestly, who wouldn’t feel uncomfortable with someone following them around, documenting their every move for posterity?

「That being said, I don’t know much about the Ministry of Divine Affairs, but you are affiliated with the same organization, right Kugi?」

「Yes, my Lord. It seems there are various departments within the Ministry, so she is likely from a different one than I am. However, I must admit, I am not very familiar with the organization myself.」

「You aren’t familiar with the organization you belong to? Why’s that?」

「Since the moment it was decided that I would become a priestess, I’ve been in constant training. I’ve never actually had to perform any formal duties as a member of the Ministry…」

As I saw Kugi apologize for her lack of knowledge I felt something was weird about this. I always felt this but she’s too pure and sheltered for someone supposedly working as an agent of the Holy Vuelzarus Empire. It’s as if her entire life revolves around serving me, with little to no interest in furthering her own country’s agenda.

「Ahem. If I may explain, the priestesses within the Ministry of Divine Affairs, and the department responsible for their education, are quite unique. That is why Seijo-dono, despite being part of the Ministry, has little knowledge of other departments. It’s a matter of specialized training, or rather, a lack thereof in areas outside their role as priestesses.」

「I… see? I don’t really get it, but I’ll accept that explanation for now.」

What’s that? That explanation didn’t explain anything. I have to press them for a better explanation later, but right now, I have other concerns.

「…So, is it fair to say that you, Inaba-san, as a scribe, are fairly knowledgeable about the internal workings of the Holy Vuelzarus Empire?」

「Um, yes, to a certain extent.」

「Alright then, let’s make a deal. I’ll allow you to accompany me and take your records, but in exchange, you’ll provide me with information whenever I have questions. If you agree to that condition, you can tag along.」

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Moegi pointing at herself, looking utterly shocked. It seems she thought that explaining things to me was her role and she had just lost it without her input. You can keep explaining things to me, I just wanted another perspective, and you might get reassigned to another place as well, you know?