CH 1

Kisei Touchdown

“Sir, please wake up.”

Feeling someone shaking his shoulder, Kisei woke up from his sleep. When he opened his eyes while letting out a big yawn, he saw a middle-aged woman in a suit.

“Ah, yes?”

Kisei replied with a fuzzy voice and looked around. He is currently sitting in a shabby lobby lined with old resin chairs. There’s an electric board displaying flight information installed in front of him 

“Um, I’m sorry. It was a long trip so I was a little tired.”

The middle-aged woman blushed a little when Kisei spoke to her with a smile. The reason is Kisei’s appearance. He is a very beautiful boy with a delicate build that even most models and idols would envy him for.

“It’s okay.”

The middle-aged woman replied with a bitter smile. On top of the woman’s head, there is a pair of cat/wolf ears. However, Kisei doesn’t seem to mind such bodily features that clearly don’t belong to a normal human.

“Are you traveling alone, sir?”

“Well, yes. It’s a work thing.”

“Oh.”

The woman exclaimed with a slightly surprised voice and observed Kisei. He is currently wearing a pair of thick jeans and a vintage flight jacket so she couldn’t think of him as a normal worker at all.

“Do you have someone to pick you up, sir? As you know, this planet is relatively safe but…..it is still dangerous for a man to walk around alone.”

“Yes, I know. But it seems that the other party is occupied at the moment so.”

Saying so, Kisei glanced at the mobile terminal he had taken out from his pocket and looked at the time. He frowned for a moment but he immediately switched back to his smile.

“Ah, I’m really sorry. It seems that I overslept a little. I’m going to be late for a meeting so I have to go now.”

Kisei stands up and grabs the handle of his small luggage case which lies at his feet.

“Thank you for waking me. See you around.”

“Y, Yes. Please be careful.”

After a light bow to the woman, Kisei sprinted out the front door of the lobby. He walks a little distance and then looks back. Behind him was a small building he just left from and a massive structure piercing the sky that dwarfed the former, a Mass Driver Rail. Next to the building is a large sign that says [Besaria Spaceport].

—–

**TLN: A mass driver or electromagnetic catapult is a proposed method of non-rocket spacelaunch which would use a linear motor to accelerate and catapult payloads up to high speeds. All existing and contemplated mass drivers use coils of wire energized by electricity to make electromagnets. Sequential firing of a row of electromagnets accelerates the payload along a path. After leaving the path, the payload continues to move due to momentum.**

—–

“Now then……”

Looking forward again, Kisei opened a map app on his mobile terminal. However, all he got from it was a merciless message saying [This Star System is not currently supported.] With a frown, Kisei started walking again.

2 hours later, Kisei found himself in a back alley with sweat drenching his forehead. He now has a paper map in his right hand and his flight jacket is now folded and tucked away under his left arm.

“I’m beat…….”

Although his destination should be around here according to the map, he was completely lost. While wiping the sweat off his face, Kisei looks up at the sky. The bluish sun is glaring down from above. With it being this bright, nothing can escape such intense sunlight.

“And it is supposed to be winter here huh. This is messed up.”

It was when I complained aloud to myself that a group of girls appeared out of nowhere and stood in front of him.

“Oi , Oi, Nii-chan, what are you doing alone out here.”

“Did you get lost? Hmmm?”

The girls all have a somewhat scary grin on their faces and they all dressed in outfits that anyone would find it hard to compliment them about. Just like the middle-aged woman from earlier, the girls all have beast ears on top of their heads.

“Geh.”

With a bitter expression on his face, Kisei immediately decided to run away. However, faster than he could react, the tallest girl grabbed his chest and casually lifted him up. Although Kisei has a delicate physique, the girl who is currently lifting him is hardly well-built. It is a strange scene.

“Didn’t your Mama teach you? There are a lot of scary people outside you know.”

Saying so, the girl pushes Kisei against the wall of a nearby house and licks his cheek.

“I’m, in a hurry so……can you let me off if I give you money.”

“Money? Do I look like I need money?”

The girl let go of his lapel and tossed Kisei to the ground.

“You should know right? The exact thing we want.”

With that said, she put her hand on Kisei’s pants.

“Is this some kind of bad joke……!”

Kisei tried to resist but he was completely subdued by her strength. It was like he was pushing against a heavy machine. Being subjected to such strength himself, he doesn’t think that a normal or even a big muscular man can push her off. Moreover, with him being physically weaker than your average man, he stands no chance of getting away through strength alone.

The other side also seems to realize that it is a futile resistance so her movement turned to a tease. Her face flushed and her gesture gradually turned beast-like.

It is a hopeless situation. However, a quiet yet audible sharp voice interrupted them.

“What are you doing.”

At the source of the voice is a girl with snow-white hair. She is dressed in elegant military uniform and her aquamarine-like eyes coldly glared at the girls.

“What? You want to get in our way?”

“Of course, I am.—–I can’t let a violent bunch like yours roaming around freely after all.”

“Heeee……..”

Hearing that, the girl loosens her grip and provocatively smiles at the new arrival. Kisei tried to get away immediately but he was restrained again by another girl.

“Aren’t you getting a little head of yourself here? Ms.Soldier.”

Saying so, the thug girl hit the military uniform girl. Albeit being thin, her speed was faster than Kisei’s eyes could perceive and her punch also has a powerful force behind it.

“Hmph.”

However, her fist was easily parried by the military uniform girl’s hand. She then grabbed the thug girl’s outstretched arm and twisted it.

“Ouch Ouch!”

“This much should be alright in a street fight like this.”

The military uniform girl said and put more strength into the twist.

“Did you understand the difference between our abilities now?”

At that moment, the military uniform girl pulled out a revolver pistol from her waist holster at blinding speed and fired. Accompanying the dry sound of the gunshot, a knife that one of the other girls threw toward her chest danced in the air.

“…….You should hurry up and get lost. If you don’t want to get hurt that is.”

“Ugh…..fine. Let me go!”

When the military uniform girl released her grip, the thug girl stood up and dusted her clothes while cursing at her.

“Let’s go!”

“Y, Yes.”

As she walked away, her minions also followed behind her. The military uniform girl then extends her hand to Kisei who was left behind.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you very much.”

Kisei stood up with her help and nodded.

“I’m glad. This is a dangerous neighborhood. I will walk you back to a safe place.”

“Ah, I think that is not going to be necessary.”

Kisei declined the military uniform girl’s kind offer. He then stood up straight, looked into her eyes, and performed a salute.

“Princess Schleer Henrietta, correct. Hokuto Kisei reporting for duty.”

“Hokuto…..Kisei!?”

“Yes, I’m the mercenary that you hired, Hokuto Kisei, at your service.”

Unlike earlier, Kisei replied with a challenging smile.