Chapter 50: Silver Soul (Earth Arc)

“I don’t know who you are, miss, but barging in like this and disturbing others’ leisure isn’t very polite, you know.” Takasugi slowly rose from beside the window, his flamboyant purple kimono adorned with golden butterflies unfolding gracefully.

This was nothing like the governor’s former style of dress! Was this person really the governor? The governor had always kept himself wrapped up tightly before, never giving off this kind of heady, pheromone-laden aura.

Come to think of it, why was it that so many of those old anti-foreigners were either cross-dressers, hosts, or dressed so flamboyantly?

“Takasugi Shinsuke, the governor?” Okakura asked uncertainly.

Takasugi laughed, his voice low and chilling.

“So you know my name, miss. You came prepared, didn’t you?”

Okakura Take quickly shook her head in explanation. “No, I just got lost and wandered in by accident. Governor, you probably don’t remember me, but I’m Okakura Take. Back during the anti-foreign movement, I hid my gender to join the ranks, and you assigned me to Captain Sakata’s squad.”

“Okakura Take…” Takasugi repeated the name, and then he remembered—a rather ugly and incredibly strong little brat.

He glanced up at Okakura Take. Who would have thought that ugly little brat was actually a woman? And more than that, the name Okakura Take sounded familiar from somewhere else, but he couldn’t recall it at the moment.

“I see.” Takasugi Shinsuke looked at Okakura Take. “I recall you were reported as killed in action.” His tone was as stern as a superior’s.

“Yes, but by chance, I survived, Governor.” Okakura Take scratched her head, embarrassed. Takasugi had been someone she admired in the past, and this was the first time she’d spoken to him so closely.

“I’m no longer your governor. Just call me Takasugi from now on, Miss Okakura,” Takasugi said, the underlying meaning clear—he didn’t want to waste any more words.

“True enough, Governor Takasugi. I won’t disturb you any longer, then. I’ll take my leave.” Okakura forced a smile and stepped out of the tatami room. She cast one last glance at the governor, who remained motionless, cold as ice.

His smile was now only a sneer. It wasn’t just his appearance that had changed, but his heart too, to the point that those from the past found him chilling.

Okakura Take left quietly. Watching her go, Takasugi took out the pipe hanging at his waist, lit it, and let the curling smoke fill the room.

“Lord Shinsuke, did someone just come in here?” Laishima Yuko entered from outside, sharp enough to sense a trace of someone else’s presence in the room. She was extremely familiar with Lord Shinsuke’s scent.

“Just a ghost from the past, come to reminisce with this spirit,” Takasugi exhaled a ring of smoke. “Laishima, next time you leave, remember to close the door.”

After wandering for quite a while, Okakura Take finally found a servant. Led by the servant, she found the restroom, and once she’d finished, the servant escorted her back to Sasaki’s room.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Sasaki,” Okakura Take said as she sat down.

Sasaki adjusted his glasses. “No worries. A man can always be patient when waiting for a beauty.”

“Ha, haha, is that so?” Okakura Take replied with an awkward laugh.

After enduring this painfully awkward meal, Sasaki offered to escort Okakura Take home. He had actually wanted to invite her for a stroll, but she had no desire to spend any more time with him. Enduring his barrage of emails was better than facing him in person.

Piano music played in the car. Okakura Take noticed Sasaki’s little finger tapping out the rhythm, while the gentle, flowing melody only made her sleepy—she preferred raging heavy metal.

“Are you tired, Miss Okakura?” Sasaki asked.

“Ah, I went to bed a bit late last night, so I’m still a little sleepy,” Okakura Take replied.

“Would you like to take a nap?” Sasaki offered.

“No, that’s alright—we’ll be there soon enough,” she said.

“I see. Please take care of your health, Miss Okakura. I hear the Police Alliance has been busy lately: you’ve acquired customs supervision authority, and you’ll be hosting Prince Hata’s return visit to Earth,” Sasaki remarked.

At the mention of Prince Hata, Okakura Take woke up halfway.

That idiot prince is coming to Earth… Okakura Take felt a headache coming on. She’d cleaned up after him for three years on Central Star, and now, even back on her own turf, she’d have to do it again. Wherever that fool went, chaos followed. Okakura Take’s head throbbed.

“I’ve heard about your feats, Miss Okakura. Quite impressive. I understand you even received Central Star’s Medal of Heroism. You don’t look like much—so slim and small—but you’re very capable,” Sasaki said.

“Thank you. Mr. Sasaki is called the ‘Three-Day Monster’ as well—quite formidable,” Okakura Take replied.

Sasaki gave a soft laugh. “I didn’t expect you to know my story, Miss Okakura. They say you’re quite the monster-catcher. Coincidentally, the world calls me a monster myself.”

“Would you care to capture this monster?” Sasaki turned his head toward her.

The atmosphere in the car grew subtly ambiguous.

“Sasaki, keep your eyes on the road,” Okakura Take said, spotting a large truck ahead.

“My apologies, I suppose I still get a little nervous saying such things.” Sasaki turned his gaze forward again. “So, Miss Okakura, what do you say?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Sasaki. I only catch monsters who harm humans,” Okakura Take replied.

“I see,” Sasaki said softly.

At last, the car arrived at Okakura Take’s apartment building.

“Thank you for dinner, Mr. Sasaki. My place is too messy, so I won’t invite you up for tea. Goodbye,” Okakura Take said, reaching to open the car door.

Sasaki caught her hand.

“Is there something else, Mr. Sasaki?” Okakura Take frowned, trying to pull her hand free, but Sasaki’s grip tightened, so she paused.

“Miss Okakura, would you ever like a man much older than yourself?” Sasaki asked.

“I don’t know,” Okakura Take replied.

“So you’re not particularly bothered by age, then. I’m thirty this year, but for an elite, age is never a limitation.”

Yes, yes, we know you’re an elite—no need to keep repeating it!

“So?” Okakura Take gritted her teeth.

“Would you be interested in an elite like me, Miss Okakura?” Sasaki asked.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Sasaki, but I don’t think I like your type of—elite,” Okakura Take said, opening the door and stepping out.

Sasaki smiled as he watched her leave. Elites were always persistent about what caught their eye; in this dull world, finding something interesting naturally meant wanting to toy with it a little. She really was an amusing pen pal.

Sasaki took out his phone and sent an email:

[Take-chan, let’s have dinner again next time.
Kosaburo.]

Okakura Take received the message just as she entered her apartment. She quickly replied:

[Thank you.
Okakura Take.]

She walked to the window and saw Sasaki’s black sedan pull away. Okakura Take sighed in relief—being around him was exhausting.

But next, an even bigger headache was coming: Prince Hata. A high-ranking, stubborn idiot was the hardest kind to deal with.

The weekend passed, and work resumed. Today was the day Prince Hata arrived on Earth. Okakura Take stood on the landing pad with a group, waiting for a long time before the prince’s ship finally appeared.

“Hello everyone!” Hata waved and grinned goofily as he emerged from the ship.

Okakura Take glanced over the craft. This time, the ship wasn’t very large—hopefully, he hadn’t brought any particularly dangerous creatures…

“Prince, welcome to Earth,” Okakura Take stepped forward to greet him.

“Hehehe, it’s been a while, Okakura. Ever since you left Central Star, none of those useless people here can control my pets. You really are the best. Why don’t I ask Father to transfer you back to Central Star?” Prince Hata said nasally.

Was he kidding? She’d only just escaped that idiot to return to Earth.

“Prince, Earth has many adorable animals. You can always visit, and I’ll protect them for you here. How about that?” Okakura Take replied with a smile.

“Alright, alright, that sounds good too.” Prince Hata was easily convinced.

“Prince, did you bring any pets with you this time?” Okakura Take probed.

At that, Hata became excited and had his bodyguard bring over a large cage.

“Look, this is my Goro,” Hata said, pointing at the cage.

Okakura Take crouched down to peer inside. The cage contained a miniature villa, complete with mountains and water and plenty of food. After searching for a while, she finally spotted a cockroach.

The cockroach crawled in and out of the villa, with the name “Goro” written on its back.

She breathed a sigh of relief. If he’d only brought a cockroach this time, there shouldn’t be much trouble.

She was proven far too optimistic. An idiot never stops causing trouble.

At 6:30 the next morning, her phone rang. The caller was Prince Hata’s bodyguard—the mudskipper-faced uncle—sounding terrified: “Something bad has happened! The prince’s pet cockroach has escaped!”

Okakura Take was still half-asleep. It’s just a cockroach, she thought.

“It’s fine. I’ll have someone catch a few more for the prince—Earth has plenty of cockroaches,” she said.

“That’s not the problem! You fool, the one the prince brought is a ‘space cockroach!’” the uncle yelled down the line.

Okakura Take snapped awake. The “space cockroach,” also known as the “Carnivorous Monster Roach King,” was a gigantic, highly reproductive, carnivorous cockroach species.

The one the idiot prince brought was so small—how could it be a space cockroach?

Ah! The queen of the space cockroaches is normal-sized. That made it worse—once the queen entered a natural environment, her egg-laying rate would skyrocket, and the eggs hatched rapidly, quickly unleashing swarms.

Okakura Take really wanted to beat up that fool prince.

Idiot—just stay home and play by yourself!

Author’s Note: The wildman is exhausted; please leave comments to revive me. (For some reason, I feel a bit shy~ (^_^)~).