“Wait. Only those close to Representative Damos or approved by the Ark are allowed beyond this point.”
About to apologize and turn around at the voice.
“…Rebecca?”
“Kaito? Kaito Crouch?”
Realizing it was someone he knew, Kaito couldn’t help but call out the name.
Rebecca Lutiano. Like Kaito, she was a leader candidate raised by the organization and had been his rival for the position of next leader.
The surprise wasn’t just on his side. Rebecca’s eyes widened even more as she stepped closer and grabbed his arm.
“You’re alive…!”
“Yeah, somehow.”
Feeling the warmth in his chest at Rebecca’s emotional reaction.
Unlike the adults who had tried to use him, she was a companion who had shared the same time. Though they had been rivals, emotionally, she was probably the closest to him.
After standing frozen for a moment, Rebecca shook her head and tugged on the arm she had grabbed.
“Come with me. I’ll introduce you to Representative Damos. Let’s go to space together.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m scheduled to board the next ship. The first one took a hundred thousand people. The next will have two hundred thousand. We need capable people like us to organize those heading to this strange new world, don’t we?”
“So you’re close to Representative Damos?”
Based on what she said, there was no doubt that Damos was Gilbert-Jane. He had changed his name after all.
“Yes. Because you weren’t there. I received thorough education to become the next leader’s closest aide. I’m an excellent assistant.”
“I can see you’re capable.”
She was the last rival he had fought against for the position of next leader. Kaito had thought she would be chosen as the next leader, since she had been more ambitious than anyone. But instead she had received training as an aide, and even seemed proud of it. Had she accepted that Kaito would be above her?
Rebecca didn’t seem to realize Damos was Gilbert-Jane. As they walked, she explained how wonderful the representative was, having negotiated with the Divine Ones and now leading the Earthlings to their next home, as if he were a saint. For a moment Kaito wondered if she was a different person, but unfortunately there was little room to doubt his judgment. Damos was Gilbert-Jane. The faint hint of doubt stemmed only from sympathy for Rebecca.
“Representative Damos is a wonderful person. No less than you. The Divine Ones must have contacted him because they knew about his great character.”
He remembered the saying that people only believe what they want to believe. He couldn’t bring himself to say Rebecca’s eyes were clouded, but knowing the circumstances, she seemed a bit pitiable.
But there was no point in saying that here.
“So? How did you manage to survive? It must have been hard.”
“Not really. It was more comfortable than I expected.”
“Did you find an intact plant too? Well, like you, you probably overcame it all with a calm look on your face as usual.”
“That’s presumptuous of you.”
Rebecca had arbitrarily constructed her own story of how he had survived, so there was no need to deny it. He vaguely went along with it.
Then Rebecca stopped walking. Her gaze was fixed on a building that was quite large for the middle of the city. While not as big as the central object, it could certainly be described as the residence of someone powerful.
Standing before the intimidating sentries guarding the entrance, they all saluted Rebecca in unison.
“This is Ms. Lutiano. And that person?”
“He’s a capable person. Much more so than me, you see.”
“More capable than Ms. Lutiano? Unthinkable!”
“Can you let us through? I need to introduce him to Representative Damos.”
“…The representative is currently in a meeting with the Divine Ones.”
“Even more reason then. With his help, the plan can be accelerated.”
“Understood. Please proceed.”
It seemed Rebecca really was Damos’s aide. Kaito was able to enter the building without even being asked his name.
He had been considering how to sneak in at worst. A pleasant miscalculation.
They walked down a slightly dusty but well-kept hallway.
Knocking twice on a door marked “Meeting Room”, an aged voice said “Enter.”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
“Excuse me, Representative.”
“Lutiano. An urgent matter…who’s this?”
“Divine Ones, pardon the interruption during your meeting. I wished to introduce him.”
“Ocular modification scars…a Federation citizen?”
Kaito didn’t miss the murmur from one of the Divine Ones with many feathered wings extending from their back.
There were four Divine Ones. Though their facial features were no different from Earthlings, it was likely a disguise – the Divine Ones he had seen in videos lacked noses. While their wing shapes varied, that was probably their innate individual characteristics.
Instead of addressing the Divine Ones first, Kaito spoke to Damos – Gilbert – standing a short distance from Rebecca, intending to open her eyes here. Though he hadn’t planned to expose Gilbert’s identity in this moment, making Rebecca see the truth took priority.
“You’ve gotten quite thin. With that beard and long hair, no one would recognize you from old photos.”
Gilbert turned sharply, glaring sharply at Kaito.
Rebecca, standing between them, seemed oblivious to the tension, looking back and forth.
“What’s wrong, Kaito? Do you know the Representative?”
“Not just me. You must know him too. His appearance has changed a lot, and without seeing old photos, even I wouldn’t have recognized him.”
“Tch.”
“Representative?”
“‘Human life can be turned into money’, wasn’t that your line? Working with aliens now is pretty thick-skinned, even for you, Gilbert-Jane.”
“Eh?”
He did not deny being Gilbert.
Not particularly quickly but unhesitatingly, he drew a gun from his pocket and pointed it at Kaito. As He tried to pull the trigger, one of the Divine Ones sharply stopped him.
“Wait, don’t be rash!”
“What’s the matter? Leaving this guy alive will be trouble. Rebecca, you’ve brought problems.”
“No way, Kaito? Representative? Gilbert-Jane…”
“That’s right. Human trafficker, revolutionary, the Devil . That’s Damos’s true identity.”
“You’re lying, you’re lying…Ugh!”
Rebecca couldn’t hold it in anymore and vomited. It was no wonder, given the revelation that the representative, who was supposed to lend his power under the guise of respect, had sold off Earthlings for his own selfish desires. It was pitiful.
Gilbert was busy interrogating the Divine people and didn’t even spare a glance at Rebecca. The Divine people, however, didn’t respond to Gilbert’s words and instead addressed the group in a polite tone.
“S-so, why would a Federation citizen come to such an undeveloped planet? The Absolute Fortress Zodgia isn’t withdrawing, is it?”
“You seem to have quickly figured out that I’m a Federation citizen.”
“Huh? Oh, yes. The traces of modification in your eyes made it obvious. Could this be your first encounter with a civilization outside the Federation? We Divine people were once—”
“I know the Divine people were originally Federation citizens. I also know why you were exiled.”
“I-I see.”
The Divine people’s face twitched.
Their scheming ends here. I calmly deliver the final warning.
“I’m Kaito Crouch. I’m an Earthling.”
“Wha…!?”
“Earth has recently been placed under Federation jurisdiction. Your actions constitute hostility toward the Federation. I suggest you stop immediately.”
The Divine people’s face visibly paled.
It might be an act, but their emotional expressions closely resemble those of Earthlings.
It was sickeningly unpleasant.
“That’s absurd!”
“It’s the truth. You recognized me as a Federation citizen, didn’t you? Then you should know I’m not lying.”
“Damn it!”
Unlike the flustered Divine people, Gilbert reacted quickly.
He rushed over to Rebecca, who was still retching, and pulled her up. It wasn’t to help her. He pressed the barrel of his gun to her temple and glared at Kaito.
For Kaito now, stopping a bullet would be trivial—even if it meant saving Rebecca.
“You, are you really an Earthling?”
“Yeah. Like you, I was exiled into space.”
“What do you know, we’re comrades. …So, what stroke of luck got you picked up by aliens?”
Being lumped together with Gilbert was unpleasant, but from an outsider’s perspective, they were probably the same. Kaito suppressed a sigh and told the truth.
“I had no intention of returning to Earth, so I aimed for Jupiter’s orbit. Like you said, I was lucky enough to make it there safely.”
“You’re insane.”
“I can’t really argue with that.”
As he listened, Gilbert glanced at the Divine people. Still holding Rebecca, he slowly inched closer to them.
Watching carefully to see what he was planning, Gilbert suddenly barked at them in a restrained tone.
“Calm the hell down, you’re being a pain! Hey, transfer me and her to your ship right now.”
“What are you—”
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
BUY THE SOURCE MATERIAL TO SUPPORT THE AUTHOR !!!
Kindly click on the green button above and contribute to filling the green bar if you’re interested in having another LN from the request page translated. Also, every donation is being used to purchase the source material and to fund more English translations.
Please consider joining my Ko-Fi membership. By becoming a member, you’ll also gain access to 2-10 additional chapters of all of the novels from this site translated into English. Last but not least your support will also assist me in upholding the translation quality and speed. For more information, please follow the link.
Donation for faster release is always welcome
Additionally, I am now accepting translation requests.
