NOVEL NEXT Ch. 134
Chapter 134
At that time, Leen was holding his head in his hands at a hotel in the Central Star Cluster.
It was because he had witnessed firsthand that the information conveyed by his aide, Bunaha, was not exaggerated in the slightest. No, if anything, the conveyed version had been rather restrained.
An Earthling from a primitive planet who could converse as an equal with Terapolapaneshio, and even damage Terapolapaneshio's emotional state. Just what kind of charm did this creature called the Earth jellyfish possess to shake that embodiment of calm and cold logic so deeply?
Securing Terapolapaneshio's cooperation was a major win. However, the Federation had recently experienced a major upheaval in Congress. He'd heard that several members had been detained for violating Federation law. In such a situation, how much support could they actually expect from Terapolapaneshio? The uncertainty was endless, and the sudden expansion of his network left him unable to suppress his tension.
"Kait, Third-Rank Citizen (Enec Lagif)... Was relying on that person truly the right choice?"
A vague anxiety, like he'd been caught up in an unexpectedly massive incident.
Even Leen was the leader of the planet called Ragav. He had pride in walking the very center of his planet's history. But now, it felt like that path had collided with something far greater.
Honestly, once the scale surpassed that of Planet Ragav, it exceeded Leen's capacity.
He could endure it if it were for the sake of Planet Ragav, but the idea of having to interact with Terapolapaneshio for a while was still a depressing one.
"...Can I really get through this?"
But Leen didn't know.
That this anxiety and tension weren't even the beginning.
***
Summoned to the Earthlings' residential area, Leen headed there alone. Bunaha had been left to handle political duties back on Ragav. Other Ragav natives might come if he called, but he felt guilty about dragging them into this pressure.
But the moment he entered the designated building, Leen threw that mercy aside. He should've brought someone. He wanted to share this tension and fear.
"Ah, Representative Asheid...?"
"Hey, Leen, Fourth-Rank Citizen (Darda Elra). I heard you secured Terapolapaneshio's cooperation. Not bad at all."
Not just Kait and Terapolapaneshio, but even current Federation Congressman Asheid was present. He felt like he might faint already.
It didn't seem like Terapolapaneshio was a member of Congress. The body was relatively small. Still, to have both an active congressman and Terapolapaneshio in such a modest room...
How could Kait remain so composed in this situation? Was he some kind of nerve-of-steel monster?
"W-Why are you here?"
"By order of the chairman. I've been instructed to cooperate with Kait and Terapolapaneshio. Looking forward to working with you, okay?"
"Y-Yes. And your relationship with Kait, the Third-Rank Citizen...?"
"He's helped me with a lot. We're also personally close friends."
Asheid's eyes weren't smiling. There was a clear sharpness to his words.
Could it be that even Congress had been moved in such a short time? No matter how many petitions they submitted, the Federation Congress had never budged—yet now, they were cooperating with the preservation of Planet Ragav?
He was shocked, and at the same time, Kait's ability terrified him. He'd only recently become a Federation citizen, or so Leen had heard. The time since his joining and the quality of his connections didn't match at all.
"Wait, I haven't heard anything about Congress cooperating?"
"I just reported your idea. If it's approved and goes well, Congress can claim the credit. In fact, there are some within Congress too—people who lost their homeworlds for reasons like Planet Ragav."
Leen wasn't the only one who wanted to save stars and the lives on them, if there was a way. More than anyone else, Leen had refused to give up, and if Planet Ragav could be saved because of that, it might help prevent future disasters. That could bring even a small bit of solace to the hearts of Federation citizens who had lost their home planets.
What caught Leen's attention was Kait's idea that had even swayed the Federation Congress. Just what kind of outrageous method was it?
"That... idea?"
"Before I explain that, Fourth-Rank Citizen Leen. I'd like to consult you."
Asheid, resting his cheek on his hand in bad manners, gestured for Leen to take a seat. Only then did Leen realize he'd been standing frozen. Damn, his tension wasn't easing at all.
As he sat as prompted, Asheid was right in front of him. Diagonally ahead was Kait. And behind the two stood Terapolapaneshio. Was today the day he died?
***
Kait sighed in exasperation at Asheid's slightly twisted sense of humor. That was too provocative. He understood being on edge after so many troublesome events, but taking it out on Leen wouldn't help. The ones at fault were those involved in the crimes in the Tsubanda system—they'd already concluded that.
Before Kait could open his mouth to back Leen up, Asheid spoke first.
"Regarding the rescue of Planet Ragav, Third-Rank Citizen Kait has come up with a completely new methodology. There's a real chance of success. With Terapolapaneshio leading, there's now a possibility to save Planet Ragav and its life from extinction."
"What!"
"But it's still the first attempt. There's a significant risk of failure. To be honest, I'd recommend following the Federation's previous policy and saving only the intelligent lifeforms."
Under the table, Asheid showed his palm to Kait. A signal to keep quiet. He was presenting the risk to test Leen's resolve. That provocative attitude was part of the setup.
Indeed, Leen visibly faltered. He'd clearly been overwhelmed by Terapolapaneshio and Asheid, and even a small shake seemed to affect him greatly.
'We'd like to create a manual as soon as possible. It would be a great help if we could have your cooperation, Fourth-Rank Citizen Leen.'
"Congress is expecting results too. But if we fail, all life currently living on Planet Ragav will lose their home. And Planet Ragav itself might not survive. Unless you can accept that possibility, we can't share the idea. Right?"
'That's true. We're not perfect either. There's always a chance of failure.'
That's exactly why they wanted to rehearse on another planet before Earth. At least they had the sense not to say that directly to Leen.
Leen lowered his head. In a trembling voice, he asked,
"I-If it fails... what about compensation?"
"There is none."
"What!"
"The lives lost by this method would've been lost due to the near-miss with the star anyway. The Federation and the Federation Congress will not provide any compensation for that loss. And of course, even if the plan fails, no lawsuits may be brought against either Third-Rank Citizen Kait or Terapolapaneshio."
Asheid dismissed it without hesitation. While that condition might be welcome for Kait, for Leen it was only another source of anxiety.
Asheid and Terapolapaneshio made no effort to show how confident they were in their chances of success. But by watching them, it was clear—they were angry that Leen had dragged Kait into this. They were likely also displeased that he kept pushing even after being rejected by Congress. In fact, Terapolapaneshio had been unusually furious at first.
Then, Leen raised his head. Though his face was twisted in frustration, he spoke resolutely.
"...Even if it fails."
"Even if it fails?"
"I still want to try, for their future. I understand there will be no compensation. Even if we fail, I swear I won't direct anger or hatred at any of you."
That was a pass.
A glance at Asheid showed his expression was still stern. He stared straight at Leen and questioned him again.
"Even if you say you'll cancel it after hearing the idea, I won't accept that."
"I've already made up my mind."
The feelings Leen held for the life on Planet Ragav were genuine. That was clear even when they'd confirmed it before—this decision was filled with the strong will of a king.
"Very well. Then, with the Federation Congress's approval, I hereby declare the start of this project."
'We appreciate your decision, Fourth-Rank Citizen Leen.'
"Y-Yes. So then... what's the method?"
Asheid suddenly smiled. A beaming grin.
With the pressure from both sides suddenly evaporating, Leen was left confused. Kait explained the method as gently and concisely as possible.
"We're going to move Planet Ragav from the Ragav star system to another star system."
"...Huh?"
What is this guy talking about? Leen's eyes said more than any words ever could.