I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship, so I Became a Space Mercenary Chapter 5 – Elf!? Why an Elf!?

Translator: SFBaka

“Whoah…”

The Trading Colony [Termaine Pri] I was currently at was a Torus-type… nah, it would be easier to picture if I described it as a Doughnut-type. Anyways, it’s a Doughnut-type space colony.

The colony was designed to continuously rotate, and the resulting centrifugal force, in turn, generates artificial gravity. Since the gravity was generated by centrifugal force, the outer areas of the “doughnut” serve as the main living zone of the colony.

“Hm. This is certainly an impressive sight.”

When you move your gaze towards a certain direction, you’d be able to witness the ground going upwards; seemingly without end. If you look towards the “sky”, you could see a ceiling made of glass-like material and part of the colony’s central hub showing in the distance. Sprouting from the colony’s surface were several elevators. Their appearance was akin to the spokes of a bicycle tire.

Considering the existence of these elevator “spokes” connected to the central hub of this space colony, it may be more appropriate to call it a bicycle tire-type rather than a doughnut-type.

“Mm. Alright.”

After thoroughly enjoying the sight of the colony’s interior, I started to casually stroll about. Most of the people around were giving strange looks, but I can’t help it, man. I’m seeing all of these for the first ti in person after all.

But, in any case, it wasn’t good to be too laid back. The state of public order within this colony can be considered “normal”. If I take the public order situation of my forr ho, in other words, Japan, and apply it as a standard, it would be considered “ideal” in this world. Well, you’d get a sense for the state of public security in this place if you consider the fact that an outsider like was allowed to carry a laser gun and show it off without any trouble.

Moreover, the only area an outsider like was allowed to visit was an area called the 3rd Block. You couldn’t exactly call it a slum, but the security was apparently the worst. I really don’t want to stay here too long.

All of the guys who took glances at here had this sort of “rough” atmosphere about them. They seed to be so small-ti thugs and quickly disappeared into the back alleys sporting sowhat regretful expressions the mont they spotted my laser gun. Guess this laser gun really was an effective deterrent.

“Hey there, newbie. You got a pretty good gun on you huh?”

The mont my nerves sowhat settled down after experiencing the intimidation effect of my laser gun, I was suddenly called out to from behind.

When I turned around, I saw a beautiful silver-haired girl staring back at .

She sported a level of beauty I’ve never experienced before. She had even facial features and a short bob composed of extrely thin strands of silvery hair. She had a slim but shapely build, with not a single ounce of extra fat on.

But her most striking feature was the pair of pointy ears poking out of her silver hair. Elf? An elf in Space? I thought this was a sci-fi setting? Why’d you suddenly spring Fantasy out on man? Stella Online didn’t have a race like this, as far as I rember…

But, co to think of it, pointy-eared aliens in sci-fi worlds was kinda a standard thing too huh? It’s actually nothing to get so worked up about after all.

And her clothes… how should I put this? They look pretty soldier-like and seed quite rugged.

Although she looked like an elf, she didn’t have much skin exposure and didn’t wear a fluttery outfit. She wore pants that looked pretty sturdy and practical and a plain white shirt enveloped by a tough-looking jacket. She also sported a hip holster that held a laser gun of a smaller model compared to mine.

“What’s with you? You’ve been staring down for quite a while.”

“Uh, if you were suddenly called out to by a stranger, you’d normally be wary right? It’s sort of common sense.”

“I suppose so. But I’m not a suspicious person. You can tell just from looking, right? I’m a rcenary just like you!”

The rc-style silver-haired elf girl then raised her chest while sporting a cheery grin. Her chest size… doesn’t seem so special huh. That said, it wasn’t like she was completely flat or anything. Was this a world which denied the rights of elves to sport substantial frontal assets? Nah, I can’t just generalize by taking this unfortunate looking space elf as a standard.

“Hey, just where do you think you’re looking at?”

The unfortunate looking space elf noticed the direction of my gaze and covered up her ager chest with her hands while sporting a grumpy expression.

“I was just looking at those lacking breasts you seem to be so proud of Miss. What of it?”

“‘What of it?’, he says. You’ve got quite so guts there, don’t you newbie,” the unfortunate space elf glared nacingly at and made a dangerous looking smile. Oh boy. Looks like making her angry was a bad idea. She’s got a laser gun with her and all.

“At any rate, how did you determine that I was a newcor? Do I have sothing on which indicates such a status?”

“Well first, stop it with your fake polite language. It’s making have goosebumps.”

“Kay. So?”

“Well, that laser gun you have on your shoulder pegs you right away as a rcenary.”

“I see.”

She’s right. Looking closely, there didn’t seem to be anyone else wearing rugged pants and stuffy jackets like and the disappointing elf. Everybody else was wearing thin, refreshing looking clothes. We really did stand out from the rest of the crowd because of our outfits.

“And also, you were strangely taken by the appearance of the colony’s interior right? It’s standard behaviour by bumpkins who’d just started travelling away from their hotowns.”

“I see. This disappointing space elf-san sure is smart.”

“What did you just say?”

“Oh, nothing really. So, what’s my smart rcenary-senpai want from ?”

For just an instant, I got assaulted by overflowing killing intent. Guess it’s truly dangerous to point out the cruel truth to people with smallish breasts. I better be more careful next ti.

“……Hmm. Well, no matter. I actually have too much free ti on my hands right now, you see.”

“Ha~ah?”

“I noticed the Sector Defense Forces making so suspicious movents lately, but I don’t have any definite info, so I ended up quite free. It really looks like sothing’s up, so leaving the colony isn’t an option. But this colony doesn’t have anything interesting in it. So I’m really bored out of my mind.”

“……And so?”

“So I just happened to notice a newbie-looking boy loitering around without a care. I just went over to tease you a bit.”

“I see.”

Guess I kinda understood but kinda didn’t at the sa ti. Well, since she’s the one who ca over to , let’s make the most out of it. I’ll get to obtain so more info. The other person could kill so ti. It’s a win-win relationship.

“Okay then. Let’s kill so ti by taking to a place where we can buy so grub senpai.”

“Eh, what should I do? The food shops here don’t have any alcohol so they’re not interesting.”

Alcohol? Booze huh…

That reminds , don’t I still have the containers with the brewed liquor I got from those pirates inside my cargo bay? They won’t sell for much anyway, and I don’t particularly like drinking myself… Guess I’ll use that.

“I have one container full of brewed liquor I plundered from so pirates inside my ship’s cargo bay.”

“He~e. So?”

“I’ll give it to you. Just take to a convenience store or sothing in exchange. Also, I’d be happy if you could answer my questions and give so appropriate advice as a senpai.”

“Fumu…”

The disappointing space elf tilted her head sideways in thought, and finally nodded after a few monts.

“I suppose that will be fine. I’d be able to stave off so boredom, and getting to drink so alcohol is definitely a tempting proposal. Agreed. In return, I shall tell you all about the ins and outs of being a rcenary. I, your ‘Senpai’, will do so for you!”

This disappointing space elf strangely emphasized that “senpai” part huh. Oh well. I don’t really mind her putting on airs as a great senior or sothing. Her looks weren’t half-bad and her reactions were pretty interesting, so it’s all good.

“OK, then it’s a deal. Uh, we do exchanges through terminals, right? I’ll register you on mine, so give your I.D.”

“Alright. But if you use it for sothing bad, I’ll imdiately block you.”

We took out our portable data terminals and exchanged contact I.D. info. Looks like this girl’s na was Elma. Since we’ve exchanged I.D.s, it’s now possible to trade goods between ships using the terminals.

“Hm. So you’re Hiro. Such a simple sounding na.”

“Get off my case. And Elma’s a pretty simple sounding na too y’know.”

“Mine’s got one more character than yours.” [1. Note: Hiro’s na in katakana: ヒロ (hiro) / 2 characters. Elma’s na in katakana: エルマ (eruma) / 3 characters. It’s a joke you won’t get unless you know your Japanese characters.]

“Yup. You’re right, huh.”

Why do I seem to enjoy teasing this girl so much? I actually have a smug grin plastered on my face right now. Maybe I was feeling a bit more lonely than I thought and relished her company.

I imdiately operated my terminal and sent the container with the alcohol to Elma’s ship. The transaction was imdiately approved and the booze was successfully transferred.

“Just how exactly do goods get transferred over with this?”

“You didn’t know? You can access the material transport system via connecting to the hangar network. You can freely exchange goods by making use of this material transport system.”

“Hm. I see.”

Looks like the process of unloading goods and cargo in this era is completely automated huh. The use of human labor in order to unload things from ships has been abolished.

“How long have you been an active rcenary Elma?”

“Five years. If you remain active for five years, you’re already considered a veteran in our circles.”

“Hm, that so.”

If she’s been active as a rcenary for five years, then she’d started her career before Stella Online went live. In a certain sense, she really was my senior.

“I see. You’re really my senpai huh. I’ll be in your care then.”

“Well, aren’t you suddenly all nice and proper? Ma~a, it’s certainly good to give appropriate respect to your elders.”

“Elder?”

“Even though I look like this, I’m already 53 years old this year.”

“……You’re purposely making yourself look young!?”

I can only see a young girl not even twenty before .

“We only live a little longer than you humans. No matter how long-lived a person from your race is, they’d only reach about 150 years old. We, however, live for at least 500.”

“I see. So it’s the difference between races… It’s been five years since you began your rcenary career, so you would have been 48 years old when you first started out. Just what kind of lifestyle did you lead before becoming one?”

“D- Does that even matter!? Trying to dig up a rcenary’s past is a great breach of manners, I’ll have you know!”

Elma seems to have lost her cool after hearing my question. She kept scolding away while jabbing her index finger in my direction. Looks like I poked the hornet’s nest. I raised both hands to indicate my surrender.

“I get it. I won’t ask about it, alright? I’m sorry for letting my curiosity get the better of . But, considering how strongly you reacted, I’m guessing there’s sothing about your past which would spell trouble if it gets found out huh?”

“Uuuh… We- Well, it’s good that you understand.”

Looks like it was sothing really troubleso. I don’t want to get overly involved in sothing like that, so I’ll try not to bring it up again.

I lined myself up beside Elma, who just recovered her composure and started walking, and asked about things related to rcenary work. I had this earlier impression of her as a disappointing space elf so I was a little concerned about what she would discuss with , but the contents turned out to be quite informative.

“If you want to take on a request, be sure to run it through the rcenary Guild first. More so if you don’t want to get into any sort of trouble.”

“The rcenary Guild huh. Oh yeah. Guess I’ll have to get myself registered soon.”

“Ha~a! Apart from being a complete newbie, you’re also unregistered? Get yourself registered properly before concerning yourself with supplies, you idiot!”

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry.”

My jacket was grabbed with surprising force, and I was dragged back to the area we were at before. Looks like the office of the rcenary Guild was located near the elevator leading to the hangar bay. Elma angrily explained just how dangerous the standing of an unregistered rcenary was on the way.

It seems that an unregistered rcenary unaffiliated with a guild would be treated no better than a criminal if one sses up, apart from being unable to claim any mission rewards. In so cases, one might even be refused port entry.

“Man, that’s harsh.”

“Well of course it is! Unknown individuals unaffiliated with any organization wandering around with a ship powerful enough to seriously damage or destroy a space colony or station would, of course, be treated with maximum caution! That’s just common sense! How in the world did you manage to not get in trouble until now!?”

“We~ll, there’s sort of a story worthy of a bucket-full of tears behind my current circumstances y’see.”

I continued to be dragged away by Elma while I talked about so stupid stuff, and we finally reached the rcenary Guild office. Guess I’ll have to explain my circumstances all over again.

Still, this place was a hundred tis more beautiful than the image of a rcenary Guild I had in my head.

The floor was made of so unknown, glossy material. There were a number of seats with comfy looking cushions lined up in what seems to be a waiting area. Beyond them were several counters.

Each counter had an information display on top of them. The number of people inside was quite sparse. Is business not doing so hot perhaps?

“Doesn’t this seem more like a governnt office than a rcenary guild office?”

“It’s sowhat similar. C’mon. Let’s go to the reception counter.”

“Understood, big sis.”

I was dragged by Elma all the way to the reception counter.