/
CHAPTER 1 – MULTIPLE STARTING LINES
PART 05
——
“…Nngh.”
“Oh, you’re awake.”
Did I lose consciousness? How did I end up in this unfamiliar room…? There were several cockpit chairs scattered around the tiny place, which had two small windows and a dull silver ceiling and floor, the latter upon which I had been lying.
“You really scared me there. I guess Earthling bodies just aren’t strong enough to adjust to drastic changes in G-force. By the way, you were really dirty, so I cleaned you up and dressed you in new clothes,” Iris smiled widely as she spoke, her face mere inches from my own… Anyway, why did the back of my head feel so soft when I’m lying on the hard floor?
“W-whoa!”
“What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with lying on my lap?”
L-l-lying on her lap!? The ultimate male fantasy!?
I knew my face was burning red, and it only got worse when I caught myself staring at Iris’ legs. Had I really been lying on those bare thighs…?
I cast my eyes downward, and spotted her wagging tail. It was slightly bushy like a horse’s, and silver, just like her hair. While I found it really cute, it was also concrete proof that she was not a creature from Earth.
“No. Where are we, anyway?”
I finally replied her.
“Inside the spaceship.”
“Not that! I meant, where is the spaceship now?”
I moved to the spaceship’s window and peered outside.
We appeared to be flying through an undulating rainbow-colored space.
“Is this outerspace…?”
“We’re in a warp zone, headed to planet Phenerita now. We’ll be there in about three hours, I think.”
“Three hours!? That’s not good! Get us back to Earth at once!”
Satsuki is in danger. I need to go rescue her right away!
“Can’t do that,” Iris replied heartlessly. “We can only travel in a single direction in warp zones. Once we enter one, there’s no way to stop until we reach our destination. We can head back once we reach Phenerita.”
“B-but…”
I sat down heavily on the floor, knees weak.
“Hey, is something wrong?”
Yes, something is wrong! …My mind was full of rage, but my body too exhausted to summon the energy to shout at her.
Then again, it was my fault for mistaking Iris for Satsuki back there…
*sigh*
But lamenting wouldn’t do me any good. I just needed to pray that Satsuki stays safe until we exit this warp, and I beg Iris to bring us back.
However, no matter how much we hurry, it would be at least six hours before I could be back on Earth… Things were really looking bleak.
Watching me sigh, Iris started to pout again.
“Seriously, can’t you look a little happier?! How can I introduce you to Papa when you look all gloomy?”
“Huh? Introduce me? To your Papa?”
“Yes. I’m going to introduce Rekka as my lover to Papa.”
“…Why are we doing this again?”
“So that Papa would give up on the idea of marrying me to the king of Satamonia!”
“Why?”
Iris glared at me resentfully.
“Because I never agreed to the marriage! It was a one-sided proposal from that disgusting Satamonian king, and Papa agreed to it because he didn’t want to anger that man. It’s a dirty political marriage, and I’m going to be the sacrifice!”
“Well, that’s an awful tale, but is it really that unadvisable to get that Satamonian king mad?”
“Hmm, the Great Galaxy Commonwealth… Well, I guess Rekka’s never heard about it. Anyway, it functions like an intergalactic government, made up of chosen representatives from 72 planets, of which my home planet Phenerita holds one seat. And because it’s a governing body, there are many political bodies and factions formed within the group of 72.”
“I’m guessing the king of Satamonia heads one of the more powerful factions?”
“Yes. He’s the evil, violent head of the faction that initiates armed struggles. And there’s just so many dark rumors about him, like how he sends troops to planets in the remote regions of the galaxy just to conquer them. Just hearing these rumors makes me sick.”
The Satamonian king was really starting to sound like a lowlife bastard.
“Either way, I won’t ever agree to marrying someone like him!!”
“Whoa!”
Why was she suddenly embracing me!?
“That is why I need Rekka to be my lover and mess up all his plans.”
Her soft, coaxing voice tickled my ear, and those two soft mounds pressing against my back… are so bouncy! My mind was in a whirl.
“But, why me…?”
“Because you said you would help me, right? And when you held my hand and pulled me along, I just thought you were so cool. Anyway, you should feel really honored that I’m letting you be my lover, even though it’s just an act.”
“A-alright, I get it. Now let go…”
“Why??” Iris asked with a smile, her head tilted to one side, as if her body wasn’t pressed right up against mine.
Please stop pushing those soft things into me!
Huh? So what? Must I really act as Iris’ lover in order to prevent this political marriage? No, I need to rescue Satsuki from Messiah as soon as possible, but her squishies are squashing against me… Arrgh, I can’t think like this!
I needed to make her let go of me if I wished to focus on a plan.
“Sorry, but is there anything to drink around here? I’m quite thirsty.”
“Oh! That’s right, we did run quite aways back there. Wait a second, I’ll be right back.”
Finally, Iris let me go and left through a sliding door to go find some refreshments.