Chapter 33
Translator: SFBaka
“Welcome back!”
“Ah, we’re back . ”
“We’re home, Mimi . ”We went back to the Krishna and were greeted by Mimi . It seems she was in the middle of checking something and held her tablet terminal on one hand .
“Are you checking something out right now?”
“Yes . I was trying to see if I can find medical centers that have good reviews . ”
“I see . What’s the result?”
“I’m still in the middle of checking the reviews out . It’s not like more expensive facilities are actually better . Considering Hiro-sama’s case, I’m still deciding between a facility specializing in neurotechnology or one specializing in mental care……”
Mimi was pondering about with a serious expression . My purported selective amnesia is simply just a cover story I came up with in order to avoid saying the truth – that truth being me getting thrown into this world from another reality . It sounds absolutely nonsensical after all .
In other words, medically speaking, I’m actually fit as a fiddle . Well, there’s also this possibility that I’m just being made to think that I was from another reality and that I’m really a resident of this one .In any case, right now, I fully believe that I’m not someone native to this world, but a guy named Satou Takahiro who lives in Japan . In my world, ships like the Krishna only exist in fiction, and humanity has yet to fully explore the sea of stars .
“Amnesia, huh……”
In contrast to Mimi, who was earnestly searching for a way to help me cure my supposed medical condition, Elma was giving me a stare filled with suspicion . Guess my amnesia cover story wouldn’t fly with Elma huh .
If my guess is right, Elma is thinking I’m some socially inept rich young master who ran away from home to have a grand adventure or something .
In this world [normal] meat and vegetables are considered as super luxury items, apparently . In this world, most people normally consume artificially engineered food items made from algae and krill-like organisms which get turned into meat substitutes and such .
However, I ended up asking if they were selling『natural meat and vegetables』when I went out to shop for food with Elma for the first time . In this world, the only people who would mention those kinds of things like it was normal were either rich upstarts or members of the privileged class .
This made Elma believe that I was a rich kid trying to hide his identity by pretending to have amnesia . I guess I’ll also think that way if I were in Elma’s shoes .
But the truth is way different . I’m probably as healthy as an ox and didn’t have problems with my memory either . I still don’t have a clue about how I was transported to this world, but I remember most of the details of my life in Japan before I was sent here . The only things I don’t remember are the events that led me to get transported to this world . It’s truly unfortunate, considering it was one of the most important pieces of info for me .
“You really don’t have to focus on the memory part . It’s enough to find a place where I can get a detailed health check-up . I might also have to get myself vaccinated for infectious diseases and stuff like that as well . Please look for a place where I can get all of that done . ”
“I see……”
“I’m all good myself, but I think Mimi should get herself checked up as well . There are things like lethal infectious diseases that only humans can contract after all . I think it’ll be better for her to get vaccinated for all of them, just in case . ”
“And you’re fine with not getting shots, Elma?”
“I’ve already had mine done some time ago . ”
Even if Elma said so, I firmly shook my head .
“I’ll pay for the medical fees, so it’s better for you to undergo a check-up as well, Elma . It’s one of the Captain’s duties to ensure the health of the crew after all . I’ll pay for Mimi as well, of course . ”
“Yes . ”
“Really? Well, okay then . ”
Mimi and Elma both nodded in agreement . Great . I was able to get them to go as well .
And it’s not like I particularly hate going to the hospital, mind you . It’s just that going by myself feels kinda lonely somehow, right? And I meant it when I said it’s for ensuring the crew’s health . It’ll be well worth the money if doing so would limit the risk of me and the girls getting sick .
“I wonder just how much it’ll cost though . ”
“I’m not too sure . But maybe it’ll be around 1,000,000 Enel per head or something . ”
“Isn’t that kinda high of an estimate…? Well, it’ll be fine even if it reaches that amount . ”
Even if it did cost 1,000,000 Enel per person, my total assets right now amount to more than 10,000,000 Enels anyway . It’s certainly costly, but considering it’s for our health, it can also be said to be cheap in a sense .
But, well, since one Enel is equivalent to a hundred Yen… I’ll end up forking out about a hundred million Yen for each of us, right? If I really end up thinking of this as something cheap, I feel like my sense for money would definitely become distorted .
“Hiro-sama, I think one million Enels is a bit…”
“Hey, it’s no good if you back out because of the cost being one million, you know?”
“Nah, don’t worry . It’s already a done deal no matter the price . ”
“That’s fine then . ”
But it’s true that we don’t have any idea about the actual costs . I’ll check our finances again and make sure we have enough later on .
We spent our time relaxing around when we got back to the ship . We ate a delicious meal prepared by our high-performance auto-cooker『Tetsujin Mk . V』and relaxed in the bath afterward . We did our daily training as well and went to bed after we were done .
“Ho-hum…”
“How sleazy……”
“I don’t want to hear that from you, seeing that you’re lounging around on the bed with me here . ”
I was lying face up lazily on the bed as Elma leaned against my chest while fiddling with her data terminal . We’re the shining example of a lazy couple, aren’t we?
“I guess so . Lazing around like this isn’t so bad once in a while . ”
“Yeah . ”
Lazing around with Elma like this does have its charms . But it kinda felt like I was cuddling with an obedient puppy sometimes . We either laid about like this, gave each other lap pillows, or gazed up at the ceiling together in a daze . There was a lot of skinship between us ever since we got together .
These times somehow felt comfortably peaceful and was her favored way of relaxing and de-stressing herself . Since Elma liked it, I found myself enjoying it as well .
“Hm, it looks like Mimi found a buyer for the loot already . ”
“Oh? Sounds great . How much did they offer?”
“Excluding the handling fees, she sold it for a total of 4500 Enels . Together with the bounty rewards, our total earnings this time is 19,500 Enels, I guess . ”
“Uh, you’ll get 3% so… your share is 585 Enels, huh . ”
“Mimi’s share is 98 Enels . ”
“It’s quite small huh . ”
“That’s just how it normally is . Rather, earning more than 8,000,000 Enels after a single major mission is the one that’s out of the norm . Your share is 18,817 Enels by the way . ”
“Gotcha . It’s not like I’m rushing you with the repayment . ”
“……The normal thing would be demanding the debtor to hurry up with the payment you know?”
Elma gazed down at me with an exasperated look on her pretty face .
“Well, I just want to spend as much time as I can with Elma . ”
That’s my true feelings by the way . Elma owes me a three million Enel debt, and she was working as a crew member on the Krishna in order to repay me . Once Elma earns enough to pay the debt and acquires enough capital to re-start mercenary work independently, she won’t have a reason to stay with us as a crewmember anymore .
Elma was quite a skilled crew member, and we’ve been relying on her more and more lately . Plus, she’s a beauty . And we’re already in『that』kind of a relationship as well . And she’s also built up a great working and private relationship with Mimi as well .
Thus, it’s only natural for me to wish to be with her for as long as possible .
“You don’t have to worry so much, dolt . I’m staying with you for the long haul . Even if I pay back the debt, I still need to earn money to buy a new ship after all . ”
After saying that, Elma plopped her head on top of my exposed stomach . Fufufu, I’ve been training myself ever since coming to this world, so I got all my bases covered . Get a load of them! These wonderfully built six-pack abs!
“What the heck are you grinning for? They’re too stiff so they’re hard to sleep on . ”
“Uh, sorry . ”
“Mmhm . That’s better . Good boy . ”
It looks like Elma-san doesn’t prefer rock-hard abs . She made herself comfortable by rubbing her cheeks on top of my stomach . It kinda tickles .
“Hey…”
“Hm?”
“You really don’t have any amnesia, don’t you?”
“I’m not lying, y’know . ”
“It’s not like you have to hide it . ”
Elma’s head, which was on top of my stomach, shook . It seems like she was giggling .
“Well, I don’t really plan on pressing you for answers anyway . Would it be bad if I found out?”
“Mm… Well, not really . I’m just afraid you won’t believe me if I told you . ”
“What the heck are you saying, you dolt?”
It’s not like I can’t tell her . It’s just that I don’t know what Elma’s reaction will be if I ever revealed that I’m someone from a different dimension . She’ll most likely think I was crazy or something . Or maybe I’ll be taken to some sort of research facility to serve as a guinea pig .
“I could tell you if you want . But I think you’ll just say I’m crazy though . ”
“If you say it like that, it makes me quite nervous… but let’s hear it anyway . ”
“I see . Hm, okay . Where should I start… Are you familiar with parallel worlds or different dimensions?”
“I have a general idea . But I have no idea if something like that’s really possible . ”
Elma shrugged her shoulders while keeping her head on top of my stomach and using it as her pillow .
“Yeah, well, I’m probably from that kind of world though . Me along with Krishna, I mean . In my head, I think of that as an absolute fact . ”
Elma turned silent as if digesting my words .
“Do you remember the guild uncle saying I didn’t have any personal data recorded anywhere when I first registered? Of course, I didn’t . The first place I found myself in when I was sent to this dimension was Termaine Prime after all . ”
“Now that you mention it, he did say something like that back then . But, that’s just… No, maybe it is possible for parallel worlds to exist, I think?”
“Basing on my ship’s weapons and tech?”
”Yup . If you really did come from a completely different dimension, your Krishna’s equipment and technology being similar to the ones used in this world is something weird in itself . We can’t rule out the possibility that the technological development of both worlds is roughly similar . This ship is the only one of its kind as far as I know . I haven’t managed to encounter anything like it . But… it still feels off . Judging from your performance thus far, you’re definitely an experienced and skilled mercenary . Your skills aren’t something attainable by some run-off-the-mill merc . However, you severely lack common sense . So you come from a world sporting the same tech and has the presence of mercenaries, but with the prevalent customs and common sense different from this one? Isn’t that really weird?”
“Well… I think you’ll be more confused after this, but… in the first place, I’m no mercenary . I’m just an employee; a salaryman so to speak . I just have gaming as my hobby . ”
“There shouldn’t be a normal salary who knows how to fight like you do, you know! You’re quite skilled with firearms as well, right? Didn’t you say you won that gun of yours in a tournament or something?”
The gun Elma was referring to was my personal laser gun . It seems it was an ultra-rare item made by a famous gun-making studio called the Mandas Workshop .
I had great skills as a merc, piloted a starship like a decorated veteran, and sported a rare laser gun . There certainly isn’t any persuasive power when I claim that I’m just your average salaryman . I understand that point well .
It was as absurd as the idea of a self-proclaimed salaryman who can overwhelm cyborg soldiers and nanomachine weaponry with his bare hands .
“You’re right . But I got all that from playing a game . ”
Elma let out an uneasy ‘Hm!?’ when she heard me .
“In other words, you want to say that you’ve been sent to a world similar to the game you’ve been playing?”
“That’s right . And in the dimension I’m from, humanity hasn’t developed technology sufficient to advance further into space . Things like owning starships that zip through the cosmos or interstellar travel are only encountered in fiction or video games . ”
“That sounds like something from a planet housing a primitive civilization, doesn’t it…? It does seem too far fetched and would be enough for you to be thought of as crazy . Something like being thrown into a game world sounds like a generic plot from a teen novel . ”
“Doesn’t it? Honesty, I think it would be more believable if I said I got my memories overwritten due to some sort of conspiracy and was made to believe I was from another dimension for some reason . ”
“But, at least, you think everything you revealed to me earlier is true, correct?”
“It’s just my personal view of things though . We can’t really be sure until I have the insides of my head investigated thoroughly or something . ”
“I guess . It’s not like there’s no way to do that… but you don’t really have to stress yourself over it, I think . ”
“Really?”
“I understand why you’d be bothered, but it’s not like you’re troubled by your current situation, right?”
“Well, I don’t think so, yeah . ”
It’s not like I don’t want to find out the reason for my current predicament, but it’s not like I feel like I absolutely need to find out either . I don’t have any pressing reason to come back to my previous world after all .
“So it’s fine . Let’s just leave it up to fate or something . ”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right . ”
“Yep . ”
“I see…… But is that it? Don’t you have anything else you want to ask?”
“I don’t . No matter how you see yourself, it won’t change how I think of you . You’re a very skilled yet somewhat silly guy . Or maybe someone who’s still in the middle of a phase middle school kids often go through until now . ”
“Please, just stop . That’s kinda embarrassing y’know……”
Elma entered into a fit of giggles after hearing me complain .
“You really are a great woman . ”
“Well, of course, I am . Who do you think you’re talking to?”
“Elma, the disappointing elf . ”
“You’re on, you bastard . ”
“Oi, stop that idiot . ”
Elma started tickling my sides with her delicate fingers, and we started wrestling with each other on top of the bed . Fufufu . Don’t think you can win against my well-trained body with those dainty arms of yours—
“Guwaaah!? The heck!? A cross armbar!?”
I didn’t manage to win against Elma-san in the end… She unleashed a barrage of fancy wrestling moves on me . I wanted a little gentler form of skinship though . No, I insist .
