“All the necessary procedures have been taken care of. We’re sorry for all the trouble, Christina-sama.”

“No, it is I who has troubled all of you. Thank you.”

In any case, since Chis woke up at last, we proceeded with finishing the necessary formalities first, since we wouldn’t be able to take any further actions without doing so. We’ve done all the necessary procedures on our end, but Chris’ family also needs to work on theirs as well. I did think of slipping out with Chris in tow immediately earlier, but I decided against it in the end since it would probably lead to more trouble down the line, and I also didn’t want to get Bruno and the other staff get caught up in the mess as well.

Bruno along with his subordinates asked Chris about the circumstances that led to her being put inside an escape pod and put the details on record, and explained to her about my being put in charge of taking care of her temporarily, as well as the outer space rescue laws and regulations that served as the basis for it.

Chris talked about how her mother was shot while protecting her and how her father overcame all odds to let her escape, but she didn’t say anything about her uncle, Balthazar, to the bureau staff. Perhaps she came to the conclusion that telling Bruno and the other staff about it would be useless in the end.

It was, in the end, an internal problem within the Daleinwald house after all. The one who has final say regarding these matters wasn’t her, but her grandfather, who was the current head of the house, instead.

“My grandfather… I wish to contact Earl Abraham Daleinwald if possible.”

“Yes, you can do so via a pre-recorded holo-video message. Are you familiar with the address we need to send it to?”

“Yes. I’d like to include him in the video as well, since he’ll be serving as my guardian for the time being. I would also like to talk about some private matters concerning the earldom, so, if possible, I would like for no one else aside from us two to be present while we’re recording the video.”

“Please leave it to us. We have a fully functional holo-message recording facility available. We also utilize the latest encryption technology, so you don’t need to worry about the contents of your message leaking out. Hey.”

Bruno gave me a stare which seemed to say ‘Is it okay for this guy to hear about the internal matters of an Earl House?’, but it only lasted for an instant. He exchanged looks with one of his subordinates soon after, and the said subordinate swiftly left the room. He’s probably going to get the recording room ready.

By the way, a holo-message is basically just a video letter. The only difference from the video letters I’m familiar with is that it will be played as a full 3D hologram projection.

“The mailing address is the Daleinwald earldom based on the third planet of the Dexer system, Daleinburg. The transmission code is ADK-4330208.”

“Understood. Please wait for a moment… Yes, the message will arrive at the stated address after five days’ time.”

Bruno operated his handheld tablet and declared as such.

“It unexpectedly takes a while huh.”

“We can opt for FTL transmission if it’s just within the star system we’re located on, but if you want to transmit to a different star system thousands of light-years away… it’ll be better to use hyperspace communication and gateways, so it’ll take longer for the message to arrive.”

Bruno shrugged his shoulders and answered my doubts. The gateways he mentioned are facilities that can artificially create wormholes that can allow one to traverse points in space that are hundreds or thousands of lightyears away from each other within mere moments.

Hyperdrive technology allows for the usage of hyperspace in order to move between different star systems via special subspace tunnels which allow faster than light travel. Simply put, it’s a lot like driving on an expressway via car. The wormholes created by gateways however, allow for travel between different points in space within moments. In other words, it allows instantaneous warps. They make moving from point to point in practically an instant possible.

The theory behind it seems to imply bending and opening holes in space-time or something, but I don’t really understand it all that much. What I do understand is that the gateways are strictly monitored and administered by each empire or state where said facilities are located. They’re not things your average mercenary normally has access to.

And the location of Chris’ grandfather seems to be pretty far away, seeing as it’ll still take five days for the message to arrive even after making use of such facilities. Considering that our message will arrive in five days’ time, the earliest that people from the side of Chris’ grandfather can arrive to pick her up will be after ten days or so. If we factor in the assignment of personnel, preparing a suitable ship, as well as various other procedures and schedule adjustments, Chris would likely spend up to two weeks in our care.

“Five days… In other words, the one week period where Hiro-sama is obligated to take custody of me will likely expire first before people from my grandfather’s side arrive to pick me up.

“You need not worry, princess. I won’t do something like abandoning you before your escorts arrive. Do I look like that kind of heartless person to you?”

“No. In fact, I believed you’d say that.”

“You’re one strong-willed princess. Don’t you think so too, Bruno?”

“Please don’t drag me into that conversation……”

It looks like this guy wanted to avoid saying anything that would seem impertinent to the genuine granddaughter of an Earl huh. Typical of an honest Imperial citizen I guess. Bruno then guided Chris and I to a pure white room. No, it was predominately white, but the walls were covered with square tiles with sides that were about 30 centimeters each. Each square had a black dot in the center. I’m guessing those are sensors or cameras used to take holo-vids. There was a console sitting in the middle of the room, and a blue sphere about the size of a typical basketball was buried in the wall directly in front of the console.

“This is actually my first time recording a holo-message.”

“Is that so?”

“Maybe it wasn’t all that common for ordinary citizens to send messages to distant acquaintances or relatives via holo-vids where I’m from? And I basically didn’t travel beyond the colony I was born and raised in before I became a mercenary.”

“I see… That really might be the case then.”

Chris nodded in a serious manner. Based on what I know, people who leave the colonies they’re born in are mostly composed of mercenaries like me, smugglers, outlaws who serve mostly as battlefield cleaners and paid hitmen, as well as pirates. More proper examples include traders and businessmen who often travel between different star systems, as well as soldiers on active duty. Oh, and researchers as well, I guess.

“Anyway, let’s go ahead and record the message. It needs to be done in one shot, right? What should I actually say?”

“I will be the one to explain the circumstances. I’m also going to introduce Hiro-sama later, so a simple self-introduction will suffice.”

“Well, I’ll go with that then…”

I observed from behind as Chris deftly operated the console. Fumu, it didn’t look all that complicated. It was even somewhat similar to operating the settings on the standard video camera I was familiar with.

“Well then, we’re going to start recording now. Please stand a little bit behind me on my left.”

“Gotcha.”

Chris operated the console and started the recording. Numbers appeared on the sphere in front. The countdown started. The video will start recording when the counter reaches zero huh.

“It has been a long time, dear grandfather. It is Christina. I am deeply sorry for having worried you so. I am alright. I was surprised to hear that it has been three months since the ship we rode on was attacked. I was put inside a cold sleep pod by father, and have just regained consciousness recently. I have recorded this video message inside the facility of the port administration bureau in the Sierra Prime colony. The person standing behind me is Hiro-sama. He is the one who rescued me as the pod I was in drifted in outer space. Hiro-sama is a mercenary affiliated with the Mercenary Guild, and told me that he picked up my cold sleep pod as part of the cargo held by a pirate ship he shot down. If I wasn’t rescued by Hiro-sama, I might have awakened in the bad company of pirates, and possibly toyed around with by them, or worse. In that sense, I owe Hiro-sama my life as well as my virtue.”

Chris then turned toward me and nodded. I nodded back and turned my gaze toward the sphere in front.

“I am honored to make your acquaintance. I am called Captain Hiro. Just as Christina-sama said earlier, I belong to the Mercenary Guild. I am a Silver ranked mercenary. I own the small high-speed combat starship, Krishna. I am obligated to shelter Christina-sama for the time being in accordance with the law, but I assure you that I will do everything in my power to ensure Christina-sama’s safety until the arrival of Earl Daleinwald’s people.”

I then placed one hand on my chest and made a light bow. Chris placed her hand on my hip. Acknowledging the gesture, I moved to the back once more.

“I have only met him for a short while, but I believe that Hiro-sama is trustworthy. At the very least, he is not someone who my uncle has sent after me.”

After saying that, Chris paused for a bit and took a deep breath. Now, she’ll begin denouncing her uncle.

“Dear grandfather, it was uncle’s men who attacked us. The attackers pretended to be mere pirates, but when father saw the ship the so-called pirates used, I heard him clearly say 『That’s a ship Balthazar’s private troops use.』 when he got a good look at it. When they successfully incapacitated the passenger ship, the ones who boarded sported equipment and weapons that were far too extravagant for mere pirates, and they were clearly aiming for our family. Mother covered for me and got shot, and father fought back while protecting me until he managed to put me inside a cold sleep pod. I do not know what happened to father after he let me escape……”

Chris shook her head forlornly.

“I am sure uncle is searching for me even now. I have told my circumstances to Hiro-sama. Hiro-sama has sworn to protect me in turn. I shall entrust my fate to Hiro-sama. Please, dear grandfather……. I need your help.”

Chris bowed deeply and stopped the recording. Her hand didn’t leave the console even after it turned off. Her body was evidently quivering. Was it due to worry for her family’s safety, or fear because of the reality that her uncle was aiming for her life?

Either way, I can’t just leave her like this.

“Let’s go, Chris. I’m gonna show you my ship first.”

I then patted Chris on the back gently.

I’ll need to explain the situation to Mimi and Elma as well, and we’ll need to procure some daily necessities for Chris as well. Her height was just a little smaller than Mimi’s, but since their chest sizes were poles apart, she won’t be able to borrow Mimi’s clothes. And Elma’s would be too tall for her. We’ll need to buy some new clothes for her then. Because of her situation, it wasn’t advisable to freely walk around outside the ship, but it wasn’t good to hole up in it all the time either.

“Yes.”

Chris turned around after wiping her tears with her hand. She took something out of the console. It was probably a memory device containing the video we took earlier.

“Uh, it would have been better if I had a handkerchief, but I don’t usually carry such a thing around…… Sorry.”

“Fufu…… A knight always needs to conduct himself in a gentlemanly manner, Hiro-sama. You need to get your act together.”

“Man. The path of a knight seems quite severe…… Let’s join up with Elma after finishing the procedures to send the video we recorded to your grandfather.”

“Elma-san?”

Chris tilted her head curiously. Elma was present when she regained her consciousness for a short while earlier, but I guess Chris was still pretty much out of it and didn’t remember seeing Elma.

“She’s one of the two crew members on my ship. She’s an elven lady, and she’s been a mercenary longer than me. A lot happened that led to her losing her ship, so now she’s serving as my crew member for the time being.”

“A lady…… Come to think of it, I do remember you saying that you have two female crew members aboard your ship earlier.”

“Yeah, the other one is named Mimi. She’s basically my ship’s Operator-in-training. Due to certain circumstances, she no longer has any relatives. Well, stuff happened which led to her boarding my ship. It would be better for you to ask them personally about the circumstances which led to them becoming my crew members, I think.”

Both of their circumstances aren’t things that can be divulged to others lightly after all.

“So Hiro-sama has two ladies staying with you inside your ship, correct?”

“……Well, y’know… There were extenuating circumstances y’see.”

Chris’ expression was still gentle as she looked at me, but it felt like being glared at by a huge serpent for some reason. This can’t be…… For me to be this overwhelmed……!?

“Well, no matter. A noble lady has to have enough forbearance. I suppose something like this is also an indication of a man’s worth.”

“Nn……?”

The pressure disappeared, but there was something weird about Chris’ words. Why’d she bring up forbearance anyway? In the first place, why did it sound like Chris forgave me for some reason or other……? Oh well. Let’s just chalk it up to her being at that age. And it seems she didn’t have many opportunities to interact with men other than her father and grandfather.

We called out to one of Bruno’s subordinates waiting outside the recording room. He then led us to where Bruno was, and we began doing the procedures for sending the video message. After completing it, we’re finally done with our business in the port admin bureau.

“Now then, where is that lady named Elma staying at right now?”

“Well, her last message said she was in the Mercenary Guild branch office but……”

I took out my portable terminal and pulled up the messaging app.

『Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrgggh! You’ve actually been promoted to Gold rank! Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!』

A sticker of a one-eyed alien emitting a beam from its eye in rage and burning a city to cinders was displayed on the app. What the heck?