Ch.328IF Side Story: From the Beginning (96)

Naturally, the most important part of a spaceship is the engine room. Without energy, we can’t produce anything we need to survive in this space.

Though this was my first time on a spaceship, Ju-a told me that while the generator system might be different, usually there would be an engine compartment containing mana-infused fuel instead of this generator. Just like how an engine runs on fuel to turn wheels and generate power, this worked the same way.

That’s why the generator was located in the safest place. It’s horrifying to imagine what would happen if this place was completely destroyed in space.

…And yet we had been fighting wildly in there.

Looking at the scratched and torn-up space everywhere, I was secretly impressed.

It’s amazing it didn’t break. Being such an important place, it must have been built much sturdier than I imagined.

We decided to head to the bridge first. Supporting Jihye’s mother who had collapsed, carrying her on my back, we passed through the corridor.

On our way to the bridge, I nearly slipped on ice several times. Plus, the corridor was frozen solid, making it freezing cold.

Without being able to use magic, we became this vulnerable.

We tried to stay warm by huddling close together with our battered bodies, which helped a little. I wanted to keep the other kids warm, but for some reason, I was standing at the center of the group.

I briefly wondered if I was the only one benefiting from this arrangement.

The bridge, and the corridor leading to it, were all severely damaged everywhere.

“Will we be able to return to Earth?”

“When I checked the bridge earlier, the communication device was still working. If we contact Cherry, she can come pick us up. Since this is where the chairman’s granddaughter was hidden, it should have proper life support systems.”

I nodded at Ju-a’s words.

That’s fortunate.

At least the temperature gradually rose as we moved toward the outside of the ship. As Ju-a said, the station was functioning properly.

“This is going to take forever to find again.”

Just before entering the station, I muttered while looking at the outside view from the ship.

“But you’re not thinking of giving up, right?”

“That’s right.”

I nodded.

Even if another Kaijin appeared, I had no intention of giving up.

I thought this while feeling slightly intimidated by the enormity of Jupiter visible outside the screen.

*

Fortunately, the station wasn’t overly complex in structure, probably to fulfill its role as a “station” properly. It was well-marked too, though not in Earth languages.

Thanks to that, we were finally able to find Pang Pang in the VIP quarters.

Pang Pang was asleep.

The room was certainly like a luxury hotel. Spacious, with a large bed. Plus, elegant furniture placed throughout.

Even the fabric of Pang Pang’s clothes looked soft.

However, Pang Pang, sitting leaned against the side of the bed, didn’t look very happy.

In fact, she looked much happier back in that semi-basement studio, laughing with us over coffee, high on caffeine.

Pang Pang’s face was swollen, as if she had been crying for a long time.

She was asleep.

I wasn’t sure why she had come down to sit beside the bed rather than sleeping on it.

“…”

I really liked Pang Pang’s unclouded personality.

She never talked about dark things in front of me, never complained about troubles she encountered at work.

Pang Pang only talked about the future. About how awesome we were, how perfect caffeine was.

And about idols, or manga—or about her dreams.

Pang Pang’s dream talk was, in a way, as random as a child’s.

Like when a child who just started watching videos online says they want to become a content creator, or when a kid who just started gaming wants to become a pro gamer.

It might be possible, but the kind of talk you’d hesitate to encourage.

Pang Pang said she wanted to become an astronaut. That was her dream.

Not simply piloting a spaceship, but actually flying in a rocket built the Earth way, she said.

Even though manned rockets aren’t made anymore, even on Earth.

But somehow, when Pang Pang talked about it, her expression was focused on something far away. The way her eyes shone when looking at that goal seemed so pure and wonderful that I couldn’t help but cheer her on.

“Pang Pang.”

I crouched slightly in front of her and placed my hand on her shoulder.

“Pang Pang. Wake up.”

“Mmm…”

At my voice, Pang Pang’s eyes slowly opened.

With puffy eyes opening with difficulty, her pupils reflected my face slightly.

“…Jieun?”

The kids who see me call me by my name. Some of them seem to consider it special to call me by that name. Even though it’s just a name, some kids think it’s a privilege to call me by my real name instead of “Happy Lily.”

The kids who remained as my definite “friends” were a bit different.

They always know it’s my real name. They also know that way of addressing me isn’t particularly special.

I liked that pressure-free way of calling me.

“That’s right. It’s me. I came to get you.”

Pang Pang’s eyes widened.

“Jieun…!”

Pang Pang hugged me tightly.

“Someone like me…”

“Don’t talk like that.”

I said.

Since we hadn’t known each other long, Pang Pang hadn’t told me her whole story, and she was one of the combatants fighting against me… if I had wanted to make excuses not to come, I probably could have. Others might think that way.

But, well.

I didn’t want to abandon someone I considered a friend.

After I first learned about magical girls, I continued to harbor the vain dream of becoming one. And eventually, through some circumstance, that dream came true. All of it was so similar to Pang Pang’s dream of becoming an “astronaut.”

Maybe I just couldn’t leave it alone.

Haha, I sound like some light novel protagonist.

Well, to be more direct, we’re the kind of people who fly around trying to save complete strangers from burning buildings.

Of course I should rescue a friend who’s been kidnapped. Especially when I have the power to do so.

I patted Pang Pang’s back.

Pang Pang cried for a while with her face buried in my shoulder.

My hope circuit was turning slowly.

*

True, rescuing Pang Pang was our main goal, but dealing with those who had tormented us was also part of that objective. If those goals hadn’t overlapped, I would have definitely handled those two separate objectives separately but thoroughly.

The return journey took much longer than the way there.

Not just because it was difficult and far, but because we had things to do.

First, Ju-a sent a message to Cherry. It was a kind of distress signal, and she said we didn’t need to wait for a response.

The ship was already damaged, and I had used up the generator. It was probably scattered as dust somewhere inside by now. We didn’t have enough energy to move the ship.

Fortunately, once a ship came to pick us up, we could return to Earth right away. Plus, we needed to take care of Jihye’s mother, and above all, we were exhausted. We preferred waiting for someone to come get us rather than forcing ourselves to move.

Next, we found the original chairman inside.

“…”

Not in a condition to have a proper conversation with us.

Whether truly in a coma, or just in a deep sleep.

I heard he had been searching desperately for Pang Pang, and I could somewhat understand why.

Pang Pang stared at the chairman for a while, then shook her head. The sleeping chairman was in no condition to talk with Pang Pang anyway, and we couldn’t carry all that equipment out.

Finally, we decided on a place to wait. Since we needed somewhere to lay down Jihye’s mother, we decided to take over the room closest to the corridor where the chairman was sleeping.

And, gathering in the room, we caught a brief nap.

Actually, we hadn’t intended to sleep. We were just that exhausted and relieved.

After all, we hadn’t encountered any enemies in there.

*

I woke up to an alarm.

Just before we fell asleep, everything had been quiet. We had damaged the ship, but hadn’t touched the station in that way at all.

“Ah!?”

Ju-a, who had rushed to check a nearby panel, shouted.

I jumped up without thinking to look inside, and my face turned pale.

The content on the screen was something anyone could understand immediately, even without programming knowledge.

[Did you think it would end like this?]

…The generator had emitted massive energy.

And the ventilation system had received that massive energy.

If the ship could warp, couldn’t “information” warp too?

That final gift left by Pyung-pyung. It seemed to be his determination to drag us all to hell.