Chapter 44: Obvious Landmine

“Well then, now that we’re done with the business talk… I’d like to take this opportunity to ask a few questions now that you’ve personally managed to pay a visit to our ship. May I?”

“Well…… as long as I can answer them.”

Major Serena thought for a bit and then nodded.

“Pardon me then. It’s not really a big deal– is what I’d wanted to say. But there’s just a matter I’m concerned about. You remember the incident of a mercenary ship crashing against a military vessel during the pirate subjugation operation on the Termaine system, don’t you?”

“Yes, of course, I remember. It’s the matter regarding the military imposing a large fine regardless of the fact that I’ve already specified not to pursue the matter too harshly, correct? I think Elma-san over there is the one involved in the incident.”

“If you know of it, then it’ll make things easier. I’m just putting this out just in case, but didn’t you guys make a mistake regarding that imposed penalty?”

“Yes. I’ve already confirmed things with the relevant departments, so there’s no denying it. There was indeed a mishap regarding the specified deadline, but that and the compensation amount is a different matter altogether. We won’t be able to amend the amount now that it’s come to this point, nor will we be able to make some sort of refund. I do feel sorry about it, but the person involved in causing the mishap has already been dealt with. To be honest, that incident was probably a form of harassment aimed towards me. It sounds awkward for me to say this, considering what I’ve put you through, but the incident did end up helping me deal with a troublesome insect, so I’m grateful to you in a sense.”

Major Serena nonchalantly declared with a straight face.

“You don’t seem all that sorry for almost ruining a person’s entire life huh.”

“Well, yes. It’s not like I made a mistake in ordering a fine to be implemented. There’s no denying that it’s her fault that she crashed into a military vessel after all. Honestly speaking, there was a good chance she would have been pinned with a harsher crime you know? Even if it was an unintended accident, she did end up crashing into and damaging an imperial military starship, rendering it mostly inoperable. She also injured quite a number of imperial soldiers.”

‘Mm…… I see.”

“I do feel sorry that the deadline that was given was too short due to one of our people’s mistakes. In truth, the space forces have the right to determine how long the deadline would be. The shortest would be several months, and the longest would be up to a year. But that time frame isn’t fixed. If the incident is of a high enough magnitude, the deadline may end up shorter than normal, like in this case. It’s a case by case basis, and I actually ordered them to prolong the deadline as much as possible. However, someone interfered and the incident was escalated. My prior orders were ignored. But, as I said, the ones responsible have already been dealt with, so I believe we’ve shown enough good faith regarding this matter.”

Hmm…… There are some parts I find hard to accept, but I guess we unfortunately just got caught up in the dog-eat-dog social system of the military and the nobility.

“It’s fine already, Hiro. I accept that it was my stupid mistake that caused the accident. And it did lead to me getting together with you Hiro, so…… I don’t really think it’s all that bad.”

Elma softly pulled my sleeve and gave me a faint smile. Un…… Well, the one directly involved says it’s okay, so I guess it won’t do any good to keep dwelling on the matter.

“Fufu, you sure care a lot for your comrades, don’t you Captain Hiro? I actually have some good news for you.”

Major Serena flashed me a sweet smile. I have a bad feeling about this.

“Once you’ve completed my request, I also plan on officially designating you as my personal contracted mercenary.”

“……”

“This is my first time being gazed at with a look of such utter contempt you know.”

Major Serena’s cheeks twitched as she gave me a bitter smile. My expression must have looked really unpleasant. Well, you understand, right? It screams nothing but trouble.

“I’m gonna ask just in case, but what merits do we gain from that?”

“That’s a good question. First, if you become a contracted mercenary under me, it would make it so it would be unlikely for you to be involved in trouble with both the Graccan empire’s military and noble circle. I’m a major of the imperial space forces as well as the daughter of the house of Marquis Holz after all. Messing with you as my contracted mercenary would mean messing with me and House Holz.”

“I see. But it’ll also make the ones who already consider you as an enemy target me as well, right?”

“I can’t say there isn’t a chance of that happening, but I believe such incidents would be rare at best. If you do get into some sort of trouble, immediately inform me and I’ll swiftly deal with it for you. I promise I will do all that I can to aid you.”

“All that you can huh.”

“Yes. Is there something you are dissatisfied with.”

“Nah. So let’s hear about the demerits.”

I tried my best to make a neutral smile. It’ll be over if I step back here.

Major Serena smiled back at me. We were both smiling ‘pleasantly’ towards each other. Just like the best of friends. I noticed Mimi shivering beside me. You don’t have to be all that scared you know?

“There’s no such thing.”

“Hahaha! Great joke, Major. I’m gonna say this upfront. I don’t have the slightest desire to be made use of. In fact, you already owe us one. Haven’t you heard of the saying it’s not good to increase your debts before paying off your previous one?”

“Really now. Wouldn’t I be able to pay that debt once you agree to be my official contracted mercenary?”

“That’s just one of the methods for you to get me within your grasp, right? Saying that would make us even isn’t even funny. The reason we’re accepting this request of yours this time is due to you making certain concessions for us, so we want to properly pay you back and avoid any further trouble. Just like what Elma said earlier, the remuneration isn’t nearly enough for the work we’ll be doing. Normally, we would just refuse such a request. That’s why I said you owe us.”

Major Serena gritted her teeth in frustration.

“Regarding the trouble with imperial nobles and the military, we can just easily choose to escape once things aren’t looking too good. Considering that, the thing about shielding us from trouble doesn’t seem to be all that useful, honestly. And if I do become your personal contracted mercenary, those against both you and the Holz house would most probably put me under their radar, so that’s already a big enough demerit in my book.

And also, becoming your contracted mercenary will limit how much freedom we and our ship have. That’s another huge demerit. As you already know, my methods are kinda unorthodox. Wouldn’t it be bad for you if I did something reckless while being your contracted mercenary? Are you just gonna cut me off if that happens? If you plan on cutting me off just like that, there’s practically no merit for me, is there? In other words, there’s little to no merit in becoming your contracted mercenary. Conversely, there’s a ton of demerits attached to it. Do you have any objections to this conclusion, milady?”

Major Serena’s face turned bright red in frustration after hearing my tirade. Did I make her angry? Well, I’ve bottled up a lot of frustration myself. Apart from sending me spam recruitment mail, she pushed an unprofitable request on my face for no good reason. It’s just reaping what she’d sown.

“H-Hey, isn’t that going a little overboard—”

“Fufufu…… This is the first time someone dared to scold a daughter of House Holz like me.”

With her face still red from anger, Major Serena moved her gaze towards me with the corners of her mouth slightly twitching. I just wanted to get back at her a little. Did I really go too far?

“However, it’s fine. I shall forgive you. It’s not like I cannot understand where you’re coming from. There are things in this world that would break if you use too much force. There’s a big difference between a pet cat and a stray one after all.”

“Just who the hell is a cat!?”

You want me to scratch you, lady?

“It’s not possible to tame and feed one without first putting on a collar you see. So I shall feed and thoroughly tame it once I’ve successfully put a collar on it.”

“So you’re still aiming at collaring me someday?”

“Yes. As I said, I’m not the type who lets the prey I already aimed at to escape my grasp.”

Major Serena put one finger on top of her luscious lips and gave me a flirtatious gaze. The feeling of cold sweat running down my spine is just my imagination, right? Please make it so.

Mimi and Elma felt some sort of danger after seeing Major Serena like that and the two of them grabbed both my arms again. Major Serena giggled in amusement after seeing their actions.

“For now, let’s just be satisfied with you agreeing to my request. I shall make an official request to the Guild. We will be in your care then. I shall also send the relevant data to the Guild as well.”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll try to be as polite as I can when addressing you during work hours, so please pardon me if I ever slip up somehow.”

“Yes, please do so. I don’t mind if you talk to me in a more casual way when we’re alone in private you know.”

“Hahaha, alright.”

I have no intention of meeting up in private with you though.

“You got some nerve talking down to a senior imperial military officer and a lady of a marquis house like that…… I was sweating buckets the whole time.”

Elma suddenly opened while we were having lunch after Major Serena left the ship. Elma’s lunch this time consisted of something resembling Japanese-style pasta and a salad with chicken meat cooked with Szechuan-style sauce.

“If she threw a fit and gave up after that level of provocation, then it meant she wasn’t all that serious about the deal. But since she didn’t, and even laughed it off while claiming to forgive me, I guess she really is pretty set on roping me in. If I let my guard down even a little bit, there’s a good chance she’ll spring a trap on me, so I can’t relax against her at all and can’t make any hasty promises either.”

The meal I’m having consists of a hamburger, french fries and some sort of shake. The shake has a faint grassy aftertaste but is still tasty. Just what kind of shake is this anyway?

“That person won’t do. She’s dangerous.”

Mimi was unusually wary of Major Serena. She gave me a hard stare as she kept chowing down on her omelet rice slathered with plenty of ketchup.

No, no. Major Serena’s certainly a bombshell beauty with a nice body and large breasts, but I’m not the kind of guy who’ll be swayed by a woman like that who seems like the living embodiment of a destructive landmine. There’s no need to worry, girls.

“Well, let’s get in some training for now. I’ll focus on the request. I want Mimi to continue with your Operator training. Please support both of us as you see fit, Elma.”

“Alright. That’s all we can do for now. Well, we mercenaries don’t always have to spend days living dangerously anyway. There are times like this as well. But be sure to train regularly so your skills don’t get rusty, okay Hiro.”

“I’ll do my best. Well, it’s not like I don’t have a plan.”

Teaching only through oral discussion would just lead to my charges learning mere armchair tactics. They should also experience some actual combat along the way. I could play the role of the aggressor if need be and face off against the military folks in a mock battle. We should make ample use of the simulators.

“Well, since I took the job, I need to do it properly. I won’t be risking my life, plus I also get to have that noble lady officer owe me one in addition to earning a bit of cash. Since Mimi can also get some training in, it’s not all that bad.”

“Hiro-sama.”

“Hm?”

“Please be careful, okay?”

“Yeah.”

I don’t know if Mimi was just particularly wary of Major Serena or she actually doesn’t trust me much when it comes to things like this…… It’s the former, right? Please tell me it’s the former.

“Don’t get yourself ensnared by that noble lady, okay.”

“Can’t you trust me for once!?”

“Well, you’re guilty of previous offenses after all.”

“Can’t really deny that, yeah.”

I’m weak to this sort of guilt-tripping. And so, I spent the latter part of the day trying to butter up Elma and the strangely sulky Mimi. The three of us didn’t take a single step out of Krishna and spent the entire time holed up inside the ship. It’s nice to have days like this from time to time. Things are gonna get busy in the following days after all.