CHAPTER 6 – STILL A WAYS TO BECOMING THE PROTAGONIST
PART 04
——
When I opened my eyes, I was face-to-face with the dumbfounded council president of Phenerita.
“…So you really can teleport with this device,” Iris’ father mused as he stared closely at Satsuki’s mobile phone. I didn’t really have the time to explain how this worked nothing like a warp watch, but because the phone was imbued with magic.
“Mr. President.”
“Yes, let us open a direct line of communication with Satamonia now.”
After briefly explaining my plan to the president, he led us out of the room and we headed down the corridor.
In order to prevent the Satamonian king from backing out of this lost duel, we had chosen to return to Phenerita via magic rather than using Iris’ spaceship. I didn’t know if the Satamonian king would create a mess now that things were not going in his favor. In the worst case scenario, he might fire another meteor at Earth, or even involve Phenerita in the duel as well.
“Have you really collected all the relevant information?” The president asked as we travelled up the elevator without walls to the highest level of “Owaria” tower.
“Of course. I won’t be here if I didn’t.”
“You’re right. You are indeed more trustworthy and competent than you look. If you weren’t, I doubt you’d have made it back to Phenerita alive.”
“…That was a compliment, right?”
I felt that I had been insulted in some way.
Just then, the president cast a quick glance behind me.
“I see that you have gotten another girl to tag along…?”
Erm, why did his expression suddenly look thrice as scary compared to a moment ago?
“Well, I needed them to help me.”
“I was shocked when Satsuki-kun first appeared, but it seems like you really are popular with the ladies, not just Iris.”
“Umm. Well, Harissa has been going on about wanting to repay me, and I’ve said countless times that Satsuki is just a childhood friend. And about being Iris’ lover, it was purely because she initially wanted me to help her out. I’m definitely not popular with girls.”
“……Hmm.”
For some reason, the president’s frown deepened.
“Of all people my daughter had to pick…” I heard him mumble under his breath.
“Rekka-san, your level of thickheadedness is powerful enough to start a war.”
R nodded as she mimicked the president’s expression.
……Just what were they all talking about?
Then, we reached the highest level of the tower, and arrived at the round table of “Owaria”.
The lights around the round table had been dimmed, and the monitor on the wall showed the disgusting face of the Satamonian king. His dull eyes fixed upon me the moment I entered the room, as two or three veins popped up on his toad-like face.
[You brat! How dare you—]
“Kyaaaaaaahhh! I-I-It’s a frog-pig hybrid demon!”
Harissa screamed and sank to the ground the moment she spotted the Satamonian king’s face.
Thanks to her outburst, the Satamonian king’s rant was cut off, and for a moment, he could only open and close his mouth in silent fury.
It was all we could do to contain ourselves. Iris looked like she was seconds from bursting out in laughter, while Satsuki had a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle her giggling.
“Great King of Satamonia, I am sorry to have kept you waiting.”
The president, the only calm person amongst us, greeted the king as he signalled for the girls to take a seat.
I alone remained standing, taking up the best position to glare at the Satamonian king.
As usual, the skinny chief officer by the king’s side worked to calm him down. The skin-and-bones guy seemed really proficient at controlling the king’s bad temper. I also remembered how he was the one who suggested launching a meteor at Earth.
I wouldn’t lose to them again, and I would ensure that we settle this issue right now.
I decided to deliver the first blow.
“King, I’m sure you are aware that I have won this duel. You should quietly give Iris up.”
[……]
As expected, the Satamonian king refused to admit defeat, glaring at me silently. Even with the odds against him, his obstinate attitude didn’t budge. His reaction was really typical of a politician.
However, the fact was that he’d lost. His face slowly turned reddish-purple, though he still made no move to deny the fact.
Just then, Skin-and-bones stepped forward.
[There are no written terms and conditions regarding the duel. Since everything was decided upon verbally, we see no need to comply with you.]
“Oh?” I turned to face off against my real enemy, the skinny chief officer, “then it just goes to show how useless galactic kings are, since they can’t even keep a promise like a man.”
[It is fact that our king was the first to seek Miss Iris’ hand in marriage. You then butted in with your strange duel, and our king chose to humor you by playing along in your little game. The outcome of the duel will have no effect on the marriage between our king and Miss Iris.]
[T-That’s right!]
The Satamonian king bellowed, backing up his chief officer, but I refused to look at the pig-toad.
I needed to win this verbal war against Skin-and-bones, not the king.
“Does that mean you won’t give up on Iris?”
[Of course not. The king sees no reason to do so.]
“No reason…?”
Which meant that with the right reasons, he could be persuaded otherwise.
If the Satamonian king was really in love with Iris, then no amount of reasons would be able to make him give her up. Not that I had any experience in the matter…but any love that could be swayed by reason must not be true love at all. It was nothing but pure desire.
I wouldn’t let such a man have Iris.
“Satsuki, pass me the list.”
“Here. I’ve summarized it so that even Rekka will be able to understand it.”
“Thanks…and no thanks for the subtle insult.”
I knew that Satsuki wasn’t unwilling to help Iris…but it didn’t mean she would be eager to lend her aid. Did she have a thing against horses?
“Dooooom,” R declared, effectively summarizing the tense mood.
Well, that wasn’t the important thing now. I took the bundle of papers from Satsuki’s hand and shook it out, revealing a long list which I started to read off.
“Great Galaxial Almanac, Year 707 of the Gregory Cycle. Satamonia dispatched their 7th armada fleet to the unknown 3rd planet in the Auroll System located in unregistered galaxy number 305748.”
[What…!?]
Skin-and-bones’ eyes widened as his eyes fixed upon the scroll in my hands.
I continued to present the information written on the list. In short, it was a full record of numerous evil deeds carried out by order of the Satamonian king behind closed doors. Satsuki had returned with all this information after searching through history with the Great Magic of Creation, and Iris had helped to pick out the most incriminating pieces.
Unfortunately, I didn’t understand more than half of what I was saying, but it was easy to tell that these aliens were engaged in shady dealings.
“Great King… You bastard…!”
Iris’ father, who had been respectful to the Satamonian king all this while, swore in anger as he thumped his fist upon the round table.
Both the Satamonian king and his chief officer’s faces had turned bluish-purple. It was expected, since all their evil doings were laid out in the open.
[You brat…]
Skin-and-bones’ face twisted as he glared at me.
“You understand where all this is going, right? Give up on Iris.”
[…Do you have evidence to support all those things you said?]
“I have no solid evidence, but with this list, investigations can be launched to probe into the matter.”
Since the information had been collected by Satsuki, it was all truth, and I didn’t think it would be impossible to gather the proof we needed.
However, I was careful not to push the issue. Satamonia was a powerful militant planet in the Great Galaxy Commonwealth, afterall. The plan might backfire if I threatened them too much.
I just needed them to agree to a compromise. Even without evidence, Satamonia’s standing in the Commonwealth would definitely be jeopardized if this information was made known to everyone, especially to those planets whom the Satamonians regarded as enemies. In addition, they had no idea how I’d managed to compile this list, and that would help to sow more seeds of doubt in their minds.
“From now on, you will leave Iris and Phenerita, and of course Earth, alone. If you can promise that, I’ll promise to keep the contents of this list secret from the Great Galaxy Commonwealth.”
Now, it was up to Skin-and-bones. Would he choose to place his planet’s political position in peril, or dissuade the king from his selfish marriage demands?
[……Great King, let us accede to their request for now.]
[W-WHAAT!? But chief!]
The king turned to Skin-and-bones, adamant, but the latter just shook his head.
[If that list goes public, our kingdom will be doomed. So please, let us retreat while we still can. Show these people how gracious and generous you are.]
[U-Uuh… Well, I guess you’re right.]
With a few carefully placed words of praise, Skin-and-bones managed to placate the king, who then turned back to us with a deprecating smile.
[Brat, considering how much you’ve gone through to prove yourself today, I will let you off this time. Be grateful. Geb geb geb geb geb.]
With that jarring laughter, the monitor screen turned black, and the lights in the room brightened.
“…………………………………Phew!”
I sank bonelessly into an empty chair, all energy sapped from my body. That’s right, I was still injured from the battle with Messiah. Damn, I probably can’t stand anymore…
To think that all this had happened in the span of one day.
Beings from the future, wizards, aliens, otherworldly people… Just how many strange creatures had I met in this short time? It was just too extraordinary.
Then, R, who had been tagging along with me throughout the entire day, dropped before my face again. She was hanging upside down, just like how she did when I first met her, as she saluted me.
“You did a good job at not dying.”
Stop speaking as if you really expected me to die…
Oh well, it no longer mattered now. I just wanted to sleep. Right now. I had school tomorrow, but if I managed to get to bed now, I could still squeeze in seven hours’ worth of sleep. That’s right, sleep sounded good. Let us all master the art of sleeping…
“REEEEEEEKKA!”
“Oof!?”
And my dreams were shattered.
Overcome with emotion, a red-faced Iris climbed into my lap and embraced me in a bone-shattering hug.
“Rekka, Rekka, Rekka! Thank you, Rekka! I’m free now. I can be with Rekka as much as I like.”
Erm, well… My spine was groaning with pain as it was crushed with arms numerous times stronger than a normal Earthling’s. It wasn’t even funny anymore… Ah, I can see a flower field…
“Hey! Let go of Rekka!”
Satsuki interjected as she grabbed the collar of my shirt, trying to drag me away from Iris. Hey, now you’re choking me. I’m going to die, I’m really going to die!
“T-That’s right! Rekka-sama is my hero-sama!”
And why was Harissa tugging on my leg now!? I felt myself being pulled in opposite directions. Was my upper body going to say goodbye to my lower body just like that!?
But…shit, my consciousness was really…
“Oh dear.”
The last thing I saw before I blacked out was the side profile of R’s utterly defeated look.
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