I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship, so I Became a Space Mercenary - Chapter 502

Chapter 502: 「I Won’t Wait」

「Don’t worry my Lord, this is only the result of my own shortcomings. I can’t allow myself to seek comfort from you.」

After our discussion about how to deal with the Holy Vuelzarus Empire, I wanted to check on Kugi, but she responded firmly. Her fox ears stood upright on her head. She seemed determined. However, her three tails were drooping sadly. They hung down limp, betraying her true feelings. No matter how she acted, it was obvious she was just putting on a brave face.

「Even if I say it was my fault, you probably won’t accept that so easily.」

「Don’t concern yourself with me, this is the result of my own actions.」

Kugi is quite stubborn, so no matter what I say, she won’t be convinced easily. Actually, judging by her tone, there’s no sign she’s even considering it.

That’s why I decided to take drastic measures.

「Yeah, that’s right. You’re that kind of person, Kugi. So...」

I held my breath and slowed down the flow of time.

Kugi was still completely off guard, her strong-willed eyes staring straight into mine. Moving swiftly within the slowed time, I reached out, cupping her head gently in both hands and brought my forehead to hers. Naturally, Kugi couldn’t even react to my sudden move.

「...I have to do this.」

「Huh...?」

Originally, the second power of law—basically telepathy, mental interference, and other psionic abilities that interfere with other people’s minds—relies on harnessing the target’s mental waves in various ways. Physical contact isn’t required to use them. In fact, as Kugi once explained, it’s considered best if these abilities are used without physical touch, allowing one to influence others without detection. However, there are definite advantages to utilizing these abilities through physical contact.

「Hn-Pii!?」

Kugi let out a sound I’d never heard from her before, a shriek that startled even me. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed her tails puffing up like a burst of fur.

Psionic abilities, classified under the second power of law, work by influencing others through mental waves. But when there’s physical contact—especially when it’s between heads, where our brains are housed—the power or, rather, the penetration of the effect, increases dramatically. In other words, it makes it much easier to transmit mental waves.

「......」

「W-Wha...?」

And so, through this direct contact, I sent Kugi my deepest feelings—how much I trust her and how much faith I have in her. I conveyed everything I could. However...

「Um, Hiro-sama? Kugi-san’s nose is bleeding!」

「Huh?」

「Pyaaa...」

For some reason, Kugi was now making a face that no one else should ever see, all while blood dripped from her nose. This is strange. I only wanted her to understand how I felt.

「...Did I overdo it?」

「This is not the time to act confused! Kugi-san? Kugi!-san? Should I call Dr. Shouko?! This is bad!」

「Let them do what they want. If anyone wants to go shopping or simply take a walk, they can, but make sure that Mei accompanies them when they go outside.」

「Understood, Master.」

I’m not sure if the Neeparc Prime Colony has anything my crew would want, but given that it’s a hub for trade, they might stumble upon something interesting. Plus, shopping can be fun in itself.

☆★☆

Kugi, who had been half-unconscious with that expression she definitely wouldn’t want anyone to see, eventually woke up. At first, she was so dazed and confused that she tried to attack me, but in the end, I managed to calm her down. Once she came to her senses, she was finally herself again.

「......」

「I’m really, really sorry.」

「......」

Regaining her composure, Kugi pulled the blanket over her head and hid in the bed of the medical bay. However, despite her retreat, her tails were sticking out from under the blanket and were even wrapped around my hand.

After a brief check-up from Dr. Shouko, who confirmed Kugi was fine, she left the room. Even Neve, who usually spent her time hanging around the medical bay, had gone shopping with the others, leaving me and Kugi truly alone in the medical bay.

「When you trained me before, you kept telling me that my power is strong, and that I should be careful when using it. I’m really sorry for not following your advice and putting you in danger.」

「......」

Kugi’s three tails were still wrapped around my hand—well, more like my wrist and arm—twitched slightly, showing that she could hear me. But even so, she remained buried under the blanket, hiding her face. I must have really made her angry.

「...Are you reflecting on your actions?」

「I am.」

「...Then, I guess I’ll forgive you.」

Her tails unwrapped from my arm and instead, her hand reached out to grab mine, squeezing it tightly. She continued squeezing as if testing the feeling. That’s a little embarrassing.

「It’s unfair if it’s just me, right?」

「Huh?」

「Don’t resist, okay?」

「Wait a second...」

「I won’t wait.」

As soon as Kugi pulled my hand, the blanket flew up with a whoosh! Her other hand reached out toward my face. That hand moved behind my head, and she leaned closer—her forehead touched mine. In the next moment, something flooded into my mind, and I lost consciousness.