episode_0038

I encountered a miracle.

In a situation where everyone seemed to be slowly going crazy, we miraculously came across a glimpse of human civilization.

Artemis Colony.

A very small colony that is barely enough to be called a total population, and quite a bit to be called a colony.

If we were to make an analogy to the Earth.

If Zodiac’s 12 colonies are big cities like Tokyo or Beijing in the United States or China.

If the Starlight Colony we left behind is like the Republic of Korea, which is small in size but shows its strength in its own way.

In the case of this Artemis Colony, despite the name of the Greek god Artemis, it is no different from any rural village in the Republic of Fiturumaturu in the Third World.

However, even in such rural villages, there is water and food, and a place where warships entering the colony can land.

“I barely survived.”

In accordance with the Space Zodiac Agreement, our warship enters the dock following the guidance line emanating from the Artemis colony.

The colony was so underdeveloped that I wondered if the battleship we were on was a little stuck in the dock even though it was a small ship, but I was just thankful that there were facilities for us to dock and traces of civilization.

purple.

“Now, finally…!”

“Internet, line please…! As long as the colony allows access, you can find out news from Starlight Colony…!”

“Oh, I want to eat.”

The appearance of those full of hope.

Those who had been chewing biscuits without any hope not long ago are now entering the colony with their eyes full of light.

And I…

“I will not sue you, Instructor Cloud.”

“…….”

“Even if someone later reports it as a third-party sexual harassment complaint, it can be said to be a youthful outburst caused by delirium due to an extreme situation.”

I am being tortured, not torture, by instructor Aria next to me.

“…I was the one who sexually harassed you, so why are you so confident?”

“There is nothing to be ashamed of.”

Instructor Aria proudly opened her chest.

The uniform is stiff, but the feel of it beyond it still lingers in my hands-

“I wouldn’t know if I was poor or small, but I have something that I wouldn’t be ashamed of anywhere, so why wouldn’t I be confident?”

“……So you took my hand and made it touch your chest?”

“If it is considered sexual harassment, countless people in colonies across the universe will be immediately referred to military law and have to take off their clothes.”

“That’s right… No, when I think about it, I guess I was the one who suffered sexual harassment. You took my hand and touched it.”

“But didn’t the instructor sexually harass me in something else?”

“What?”

As soon as the boat entered the dock, instructor Aria chuckled lowly.

“The moment you hugged me from behind.”

“Isn’t that why you pulled me like you’re throwing me over in judo?”

“What was that that touched my butt?”

“…….”

I was at a loss for words.

“Although I have absolutely no insight or knowledge in that area, hmm. At least when I think about the feel of what touched my butt…”

“How far into the abyss are you planning to drive me?”

“Why do you think I’m driving the instructor into the abyss? It’s just an incident that occurred in outer space.”

“Just talking like that is eating away at my spirit, so if you’re trying to give me a stress-related stomach ulcer, I’d say it’s very effective. And….”

That’s it for the small talk.

“It looks like he doesn’t fully welcome us.”

“…Do we not know what we are going through?”

“Well.”

The posture of the Artemis Colony people wearing space suits on the dock is not very good.

It was hard to see his facial expression because of the space suit helmet, but it was clear to anyone that he didn’t have a good attitude.

“Waiting with a gun.”

People wearing space suits and coming out to the dock are pointing guns.

There are about a dozen of them, and they are wearing old spacesuits that look like they will have holes at the slightest touch.

Even the gun is somewhat old-fashioned rather than new, but the fact that he is very nervous while pointing the gun proves that the situation is unusual.

“Cloud instructor. Does the enemy look like he has an EMP?”

“No. It appears that there is no such equipment. thank god. Because the scale is large enough for Androids to respond.”

When people get shot, they get hurt.

If you hit it wrong, you die.

But Android never dies.

It has the appearance of a human, but underneath its skin it is made of alloy harder than steel, so no matter how many bullets you fire with that old-fashioned rifle, it will only chafe its skin.

“Because it is not in a state of weightlessness, it is not possible to enter through any opening other than the main entrance, so it would be safe to go out with an android as an escort.”

“The first impression must be the worst.”

“I’m holding a gun and pointing it like that. Is there any way to make a worse first impression?”

Ku-ung.

The battleship has completely docked.

And soon, one of them in a spacesuit came forward.

[iced coffee. This is ‘Actaeon’, the person in charge of the Artemis Colony.]

A boyish voice.

Although he was a little shorter than ordinary people, the voice transmitted through the external microphone was full of caution and tension.

[If it is a living person, please reveal your identity!]

“…Huh?”

[Prove that you’re not a ghost! Encroached upon by the ghost of the ether!]

“…Aha.”

I immediately understood what was going on.

“Cloud instructor. Are they… right now…”

“I understand that the entire battleship was eroded by ether. It’s a ghost fleet. Do you know that she is a siren?”

“Of course I know. As the main mecha used in Gemini Colony…”

“No, no. It is a monster from Earth’s mythology that became its motif.”

This is why they come from the colony.

“A fairy with a human upper body and a fish-like lower body, sings a beautiful song with only her upper body exposed to attract people.”

“… Indeed. Are you saying they think we are sirens?”

“In fact, monster mechas submerged in the ether also spread traps in that way.”

It is now common knowledge in the space century that they approached someone pretending to send a rescue signal, but in fact it was a signal sent by an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Battleships are no exception.

“The ghost remaining on the battleship engulfed in ether sends a rescue signal and even speaks like a real living person.”

“Have you actually seen it?”

“…Not once or twice, but at least I haven’t seen him since ‘retirement’.”

It’s not easy to see.

At the same time, even in rural areas like this.

Then why did they accept our battleship?

Whether it’s a haunted ether battleship or something else, it’s clear that it’s a ‘treasure chest’.

“You will be disappointed. If it turns out to be a person.”

“…….”

“Still, I can’t die from being shot, so I have no choice but to leave.”

I tapped the panel on my wrist and opened the door leading outside.

“Protection.”

[Order, fulfilled.]

The android dolls that ran in front of me opened their black umbrellas and went out.

When the dolls wearing maid outfits that were difficult to say to anyone’s taste went out first, spreading their umbrellas like shields, the people of Artemis Colony who were aiming their guns in this direction began to panic.

“Well, that is…!”

“New maid robot…?! For battleship management?! Oh my god, that can’t be possible…!”

“Nice to meet you. Everyone.”

I went out of the battleship and stood in the middle of the android doll.

“We-”

“It’s a suspicious maskㅡㅡ!!”

“…It’s not a mask, it’s a vision aid device.”

There is no one other than me who can say that I made the wrong choice.

“We are the staff and students of Starlight Colony and Starlight Academy who went into space for educational activities and then became stranded. My name is Trev Cloud, and I am a faculty member at the Academy.”

Because there is no one but me who can stand in front of a gun like this and speak confidently and talk about our situation.

“Starlight Colony…?”

Actaeon, who was aiming his gun at me, was taken aback.

“No, that can’t be possible…. What are you saying…?”

“We were sucked into a wormhole created by the clash between the two Creation Beasts, Fenrir and the Red Moon. And now, after about 24 days of drifting, I have managed to make contact with you for the first time.”

“……!!”

“We are not ghosts or space pirates. In accordance with the Zodiac Protocol, we ask that you please accept us humanely. If you are connected to the galactic Internet, you can receive sufficient compensation through connection to Starlight Colony -”

“Starlight Colony has disappeared.”

“……Yes?”

Now, what do you say?

“No, rather than disappearing… Are you really the people of Starlight Colony?”

Actaeon’s voice began to sound like he was worried about us.

“Yes. We are all from the Starlight Colony. You can also send an Android doll to prove your identity.”

“…….”

Actaeon lowered his gun and took off his helmet.

“If you are really the people of Starlight Colony.”

He, no, she does.

“Please refrain from expressing regret.”

In a sad voice, he slightly bowed his head to us.

“…regret?”

“I understand the situation. To put the situation in one line… Well, it’s not an easy situation to understand…”

The first news I received after barely making contact with human civilization after drifting for about 24 days was.

“Starlight Colony is currently occupied by the Genesis Beasts.”