I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship, so I Became a Space Mercenary Chapter 174 – The People of House Willrose

Translator: SFBaka

Despite Elma’s brother Ernst suddenly challenging to a duel, we sohow managed to finish all our shopping and made it back to Black Lotus.

“Was it really fine to leave him like that?”

“It’s fine. He probably thinks you’re keeping with you using my debt as a threat or sothing anyway.”

“Geez. Well, he’s not actually far off the mark in a sense though……”

In any case, Elma did offer her everything to using that 3 million debt as a reason. Probably. Uh, no, maybe that was just my misunderstanding in the first place. I feel she doesn’t even care about the 3 million Enel debt right now…… Or rather, she hasn’t even paid 1 Enel.

But apart from that ti where she splurged her money on buying expensive liquor in the Alein system, she hasn’t really spent her cash all that much. Maybe she really is saving up in order to repay after all. Or maybe she just doesn’t want to pay her debt so she can continue to stay with . I’ll have to ask her to make sure though.

“That probably was my intention at first. But now, I’m staying with Hiro because I like being with you. I am saving up money though…… But I’ve only managed to save about 1,300,000 Enels, so I’m not even halfway there.”

“Um, I’ve also saved up 380,000 Enels. It hasn’t even been one year since I started working for you and yet……”

Elma and Mimi brought out their data terminals and showed their savings.

It’s not like Mimi has a debt to pay anyway, so all of her savings are already her own. I did pay 500,000 Enels when I brought Mimi with from her ho colony, but I have no intention of having her pay that back. That would just an she’ll get into debt with instead of with the colony governnt after all.

Or rather, I have no intention of ddling with how they use their personal finances anyway…… They might not think of it that way though.

“Um, oh right. Since we’ve already made it back to the ship, do you want to contact your family, Elma?”

“Yeah, I guess…… Haah, this is so troubleso.”

“Ahaha…… But isn’t it great? You have a family that worries about you after all. Isn’t that right, Hiro-sama?”

“Mm, that’s right.”

Mimi and I both have no relatives in this galaxy after all. Mimi’s folks already died in an accident, and since she landed herself in that horrible predicant afterward, she might have lost contact with her grandparents and other relatives as well.

And then, there’s . I suddenly found myself in this dinsion for no rhy or reason and now I’m drifting about in the galaxy together with Krishna before I knew it. I have no family or relatives in this dinsion at all. I do treasure my crew as my family though.

“……You’re right. I’ll call them.”

Maybe she rembered Mimi and my circumstances. Elma’s expression changed from being annoyed to an earnest one.

“If it’s alright with you, I’ll sit in as well. We’re all part of the sa crew, so we’re sothing like a family as well, right?”

“I-I’m joining too! Ah, I’ll call i-san, Tina-san, and Whisker-san as well!”

“Alright. Please call them over.”

Mimi fiddled with her tablet terminal and called i, Tina, and Whisker. Elma displayed a soft smile as she watched her.

i stayed on the ship so she made it to the lounge straight away, but Tina and Whisker were still in the Grakkis Secundus satellite office of Space Dwerg, so they told us they probably won’t be able to make it. Apparently, the main branch was located on Grakkis Pri.

“Okay then. I’ll start the call.”

Elma already inford the Willrose House that we would be engaging in a video call with them beforehand. They actually replied straight away as well. It looks like they are also anxious to see Elma as well.

They imdiately picked up when we started the call, and the forms of three people got projected on the holo-display. One was a rather young-looking man, but he looked like the older version of the guy who pointed his sword at when he saw Elma earlier. The other two were young won who very much looked like sisters. All of them had pointed ears like Elma and shared the sa sort of aura as her.

“Dear father, mother, sister, It’s been a long ti.”

『Elma…… In any case, I’m glad that you seem to be doing fine.』

The young-looking elven male looked at Elma with a concerned gaze and sighed in relief. The two young won focused their gazes at though.

『……I heard he was a rcenary, so I fully expected a brutish boor.』

『He’s unexpectedly normal-looking, isn’t he?』

So which one of them was the mother and which one was the sister? They looked so young that they would both pass as Elma’s sisters. Well, one of them was really her sister though.

“I’ll introduce you. This is the captain of the ship I’m serving on; a Platinum-ranked rcenary recognized by the guild and a recipient of the Silver Sword Wings Assault dal, Hiro.”

“It’s my pleasure to et you all. My na is Hiro. As I am of common birth, please forgive my unrefined words from ti to ti. I am honored to be in your presence.”

After saying so, I placed one hand over my chest and gave them a slight bow. After seeing my actions, the three figures projected by the holo-display all beca quite surprised and were wide-eyed.

“Hey, Hiro. You just made my family speechless you know?”

“Huh? Um, did I do it wrong?”

“It would be fine if they were talking to a fellow noble, but a commoner rcenary talking so formally would seem really strange to them.”

“I see. Okay then. You’re up, Mimi.”

“Feh!? Ah…… Um, my na is Mimi. I was saved by Hiro-sama and Elma-san on Termaine Pri and have been together with them since. I’m pleased to et you all.”

Mimi introduced herself as well and gave a cute bow. The Willrose family turned their gazes to Mimi, and Elma’s father, Viscount Willrose, as well as the two ladies, got startled and widened their eyes once more. Or rather, they did a double-take and focused their gazes on Mimi. It seems one of the ladies realized sothing and tilted her head in thought.

“Is there sothing wrong with our Mimi?”

『N-No. It’s nothing. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence ……Ahem. Excuse us. I am Elma’s father, Viscount Eldmoore Willrose. This is my wife, Milfi, and my other daughter, Elma’s older sister, Elfin.』

『Thank you for taking care of my daughter.』

『It’s nice to et you.』

The lady with straight waist-length silver hair was the mother, Milfi-san, and the lady with hair that was close to golden blonde in color tied in a braid was the big sister, Elfin. Un. They all looked really young, including Elma’s dad.

『The reason we got in touch with you imdiately is due to Ernst. Ah, Ernst is my son, and-』

“We already t dear brother. He suddenly challenged Hiro to a duel, so I shooed him away.”

『……Well, it’s alright as long as he’s fine.』

Eldmoore closed his eyes and sighed in relief.

『As soon as he learned that you were in the capital system, he imdiately flew out of the house and went over to the Secundus colony. I already know that Hiro was awarded the Silver Sword Wings Assault dal, so I was worried sothing would happen once he finds you.』

“I see. Rather, what was the aning of that demand you sent to the rcenary Guild anyway? You told them to imdiately hand over in the na of House Willrose.”

『What? I should have only sent them a ssage telling them to have you contact us as soon as possible though?』

『That idiot probably intercepted your ssage and tampered with it, father.』

Elfin-san sounded rather harsh when she gave her take on the matter. She was referring to Ernst when she said ‘idiot’, right?

『Perhaps so…… I shall confirm it with the rcenary Guild later on. More importantly, it’s been five years since you left us, Elma. The engagent with Gilliam has already been called off, so you don’t have anything to worry about anymore. So please co back, dear.』

Eldmoore-san gently implored Elma with a serious expression on his young-looking face. Gilliam? Engagent? Aha!

“I see. So that’s the reason you ran away huh?”

“That’s not really the only reason, but it was a major factor, I admit. I’ll talk about it with you later…… Dear father, I do not have any intention of coming ho yet.”

『Is it because of your debt? It was 3,000,000 Enels, I believe. We can easily pay off that amount, dear. We can actually pay double or even triple the price if you wish. So please co back, Elma. The life of a rcenary is always fraught with danger, right? If you co ho, there’s no longer any reason for you to risk your life.』

“It’s true that I haven’t paid off my debt to Hiro. Or rather, I haven’t even paid him 1 Enel, not to ntion 3 million. But I can’t have you pay it off just like that either, dear father. I’ll work hard and pay Hiro myself.”

『I admire your sense of duty dear but bear in mind that you are a mber of House Willrose. Besides, you are still an unmarried girl. You must know the implications of a girl staying on a male rcenary’s ship-』

“Of course I’m aware. And we’re already in that sort of relationship as well.”

After saying so, Elma grabbed my arm and snuggled with .

『Wha-!?』

When Eldmoore-san saw her actions, his eyes opened as wide as saucers in sheer shock, but his expression turned quite murderous shortly after.

『How dare a re rcenary like you touch my beloved daughter……?』

“Well, I won’t deny what I’ve done. And I don’t intend to part with Elma either.”

I took his gaze head-on without flinching.

『Ha! Well said, you brat. But don’t think I won’t dare to open a hole on your- Ugeh!?』

The holo-display clearly showed two fists attack Eldmoore-san’s sides simultaneously and took the wind out of him. And the owners of those fists were, of course, Elma’s mother Milfi and Elma’s sister Elfin.

『This is why the n in our house are no good. As soon as sothing happens, they imdiately go shouting ‘duel, duel’ like idiots. ……Honestly.』

『One foolish muscle-brained brother who’s enamored with those Drawn Sword folks is more than enough for this household, father.』

『In the first place, Hiro-kun is already hailed as a hero and has received the Silver Sword Wings Assault dal. He will also be receiving a Silver Star, or perhaps even a Gold Star, later on, right? A Gold Star recipient will be given the sa accords as a viscount. And even if that was not the case, Hiro-kun should already be treated as an honorary imperial knight due to the Silver Sword Wings Assault dal. This is not the ti or situation for you to propose a duel.』

Eldmoore-san, who was currently crouching in pain due to the attacks on both of his sides, was scolded rcilessly by the two won. Um, even I’m starting to pity the guy. How about you leave it at that, ladies?

“And, um, there’s no way I’ll be able to part with Hiro now anyway……”

『Ara? Ara ara, ara ara?』

『So you beat to the punch huh? To think I’ll be overtaken by my own younger sister.』

After hearing Elma’s words, Milfi-san and Elfin-san started grinning teasingly at her. What? What did they get from Elma’s earlier words anyway?

“Hey, Mimi. What are they talking about?”

“U-Um, err, ahaha.”

Mimi seems to know sothing. Just what the heck is up here? I have no idea at all.

“It looks like you have lots of things to talk about with your family huh.”

“There’s no reason to hide anything anymore, so I’ll tell them everything later. Later, okay.”

『Oh my. I don’t mind if you tell us everything now you know.』

『Right, right. We’re all ears, my dear little sister.』

“Isn’t it obvious that those are things I want only dear mother and sister to hear!?”

The red-faced Elma started making a ruckus with her mother and sister projected by the holo-display. The riot continued until the downed Eldmoore-san finally managed to revive.

Specifically, it only ended after a full five minutes.