“Just a moment, let’s scan for any viruses before we take off.”
We asked the princess, who was knowledgeable in that field, to scan the ship, while I turned on the flashlight on my smartphone and looked around the ship with Mars.
“It’s kind of like a paper airplane, isn’t it? Just like a straight arrow.”
“It’s highly stealthy. Back when it was used for transport, this ship gave us a hard time. I never thought I’d end up riding in it myself…”
“The surface feels rough like sandpaper.”
“It’s beam-resistant coating. If the force field can absorb it properly, it’s quite resistant.”
While listening to Mars’s detailed explanations, the hatch on the ship’s belly opened with a crack.
“Boys, the ship is ready, so come on board.”
“Okay.”
“Well, it’s my first time going inside, after all.”
We climbed up the staircase-like hatch and followed the princess down a hallway so narrow that people could barely pass each other, leading to a room with four chairs fixed to the wall.
“This is the bridge. Nothing weird was installed, so I’ll start it up.”
With a small hum, the walls that were there until a moment ago transformed into displays all around, showing a parking lot and a factory. A transparent tablet-like device appeared about thirty centimeters in front of my face, displaying unreadable characters.
“Tonbo, touch that.”
“Oh, okay.”
When I touched it, the characters on the tablet changed again.
“Is the deputy captain okay with the princess and Mar?”
“Yeah… huh? Then who’s the captain?”
“Of course it’s Tonbo.”
“Anyone else besides Tonbo?”
Although they looked puzzled, I think either Mars or the princess would be better than me.
“I don’t know anything about space stuff. Wouldn’t Mars or the princess be better?”
“I’m going back to my country…”
“I don’t need such a lame ship, Princess.”
Went through a process of elimination… I touched the tablet again and sat down heavily in the rearmost seat. Becoming a space pirate by chance… it was a dream of mine from my childhood.
“Come to think of it, does this ship have a name?”
“It does. Um… if we were to translate it into local words… it would be something like Psycho Dragon.”
“P-Psycho Dragon…”
The name hit me like a ton of bricks, and I nearly fell out of my chair. I thought the ship looked cool, but Psycho Dragon? Well, it suited a pirate like me.
“Stealth mode engaged.”
“Engines running smoothly, no issues. Alright then, shall we head to space for a bit? Captain, are you ready?”
I sat back in my chair and rolled up the sleeve of my left arm. To appear in space with a spaceship, mow down enemies with the machine gun hidden in my left arm, and save a beautiful woman in distress—that was the dream of my childhood.
But surely, there was a gap between me and that dream bigger than the atmosphere itself. Still, here and now, by process of elimination, I was undeniably a space pirate. Since I had become something I never thought I could be, I decided to put the details aside for now.
I looked at Hime and Mars sitting in front of me and flashed a bold smile.
“Let’s just call it a win after a big loss and say one dream has come true, shall we?”
I raised my left arm, which I had equipped with a machine gun, high into the sky.
“Psycho Dragon, lift off!”
There was no manga-like acceleration, no intense G-forces. When I thought I saw the sky as the nose lifted up, seconds later, I was already in space.
“Amazing…”
As I marveled at the glittering Earth’s night view in the darkness, a beep beep and error-like sound came from the Psycho Dragon.
“Huh? There’s an error on the map.”
“What? Why? Unable to determine current position?”
“What about the positioning system?”
“Shall I try radar?”
Mars leaned over from the front seat.
“Tonbo, I don’t think there are any other ships around here, but can I use radar?”
“Do whatever you want.”
“Understood.”
When the princess operated something, a small arrow-shaped ship appeared on the displays all around.
“I’ve activated the radar.”
Princess says, more and more stars appear around that arrow. While I’m watching with admiration, a galaxy map is completed in front of me in no time.
” Eh!? Is this… serious? “
” There are only star systems that are not listed in the general map brain transfer… Where is this? Do you know, Princess? “
” Well, calm down and listen… “
The princess turns towards Mars and continues with a very unpleasant look on her face.
” This is the Shura People’s Garden… “
” …………Huh!? Are you kidding me, Princess!? “
” It’s true… “
I stand up and walk towards the two who seem serious for some reason. Is it because the ship is flying with gravity control, even in space, there seems to be gravity as normal, and the two are talking about what the Shura People’s Garden is?
” Um… what is the Shura People’s Garden? “
When I ask, Mars answers with his mouth open, saying only “A dangerous place…”. The princess pulls the sleeve of my right hand and leans close to my ear.
” You know, the Shura People’s Garden is… “
” Yeah, yeah. “
” It’s the galaxy next to the one where the princess were, and the one next to that.”
” Huh? Then it’s really far away, isn’t it? “
The princess pulls my right ear and speaks even more quietly.
” That’s not all. “
” Huh? There’s more? “
” So far, there are hardly any ships that have gone from our galaxy to the Shura People’s Garden and come back. “
” Huh!? Then what about the Psycho Dragon…? “
” Can’t go back… can’t go back. “
Mars’ answer, squeezed out, quietly echoed in the bridge.
Although he thought he could go back, he was in a place where he couldn’t go back no matter what. His regret was immeasurable to me. I, feeling powerless, didn’t even know what to say to the grieving Mars.
But the princess was different. In the dictionary of the galaxy’s former idol, there were no letters that said “[impossible]”.
” Well, there’s nothing we can do right now, right? Shall we build a bigger ship? “
The princess says so nonchalantly, and Mars and I look at her with half dumbfounded faces.
” What? Is there a better way? “
” No, princess, how big is a big ship…? “
” I heard that the ships that went to the Shura People’s Garden and back were planetary class, but for now, as long as we can go to the neighboring galaxy, we just need the propulsion and firepower of the current main ship, right? “
Mars, who was taken aback, asked the princess.
” Are you going to ask the Dragon Trading Company again? “
” No, we won’t ask. It’s absolutely no good to initiate trade with them. You saw it with this ship’s deal, they’re like demons who sold their souls for money. “
” Th-then what are we going to do…? “
” We’ll make it. “
” Where? “
The princess points her finger at something inconspicuous, and there… under the slowly shining sun, protruding from the edge of the earth, was a blue sparkling planet.
Afterword
Nice to meet you. My name is Mamizu Kashiwaka, the author of “[The Straw Millionaire, the Cat, and the Princess ~Rise to the Top with the Space-Earth Trade Skill!? A CEO! A Hero? …A Space Pirate!?~]”.
Thank you very much to everyone who picked up this book.
This book is an award-winning work that was published on the web under the title “[The Straw Millionaire is a Space Pirate],” and was awarded the Special Prize at the 8th Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest. It has been revised and supplemented for publication as a book, and the title has been changed.
I rewrote it like crazy, so the reading taste has changed quite a bit, and there are also stories that are not in the web version, so I hope even those who have read it on the web will enjoy it.
My previous work, “[Living in Another World – The Revival Magic User’s Laid-Back Staffing Life],” published by Futaba Bunko, was a fantasy work set in another world, so this work, a modern fantasy x SF, was a refreshing change to write.
While giving glimpses of the macro stage of the great universe, I also enjoyed writing about the micro life in the 1LDK, and sometimes I was attacked by a strong sense of nostalgia, to be honest, it was fun.
To be able to publish this book, it is thanks to the readers who read this novel on Kakuyomu, Hameln, and Novelow.
I would like to thank you once again.
Thank you very much.
And to the editorial staff who supported the publication of this work, my editor, Mr. K, and Mr. TEDDY, who drew the sharp illustrations, thank you very much.
Well then, everyone, I hope we can meet again somewhere!
Mamizu Kishiwaka
===============================================
TLNote: That’s all for volume 1, what a fun novel. About Vol 2 English Translation, it will start when the bar above reached 100 %
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