5 "Do you want to climb a mountain?"
The Kamidake, which came into Jurai 's satellite orbit, detached from the Mikagami at the armored dock of the Juraian main defense satellite. It took quite a while to detach it because it was in quite a deep subspace.
"Even if we encountered a fortune ship, it would be impossible to separate from the Mikagami like this"Seto murmured while watching the Mikagami come out through the subspace gate of the mikagami's residential area.
"Miah, Mia!"
Fuku hugged Seina, she seemed to be a little saddened as she watched the Mikagami separate from her. "I'm sorry, I know you got along well with Mikagami."Seto stroked her with a bitter smile.
"But wait a while Fuku I'll introduce you to a new friend soon."
"Miah?"
"Just wait." Seto stroked Fuku with both hands and a little roughly.
"Well, let's go Kiriko-chan,"She headed for the transfer gate with Kiriko.
"Captain, the Kamidake will go to the designated dock on Tenju as planned." Hakuren was in the operator's seat instead of Kiriko.
"Please proceed" When Seina reached the captain's seat, the Kamidake left the armored dock and started descending to Jurai.
"It's the second time I've been here, but it's as amazing to see as ever."
Last time he saw the view of the sunrise in the early morning, this time it was a daytime view. Tenju was illuminated by the sun and it allowed the whole view to be seen but Fuku seemed to be more excited then him to see it.
"Mia! Mia!"
"Well then, Fuku this is first time you've seem this, isn't it?"
"Well ... when we left from Jurai she was still an egg, but didn't the ship record the original arrival?"
Amane said looking at Erma for confirmation
"Although there's a record in the ship's navigation record ... ... it seems not to be stored as a picture, so in a way this is the first time she's seen it ... .... oh! "
"Mia!?"
At that time, the image of Tenju reflected on the main monitor of the bridge disappeared. Then all monitors and lights on the bridge disappeared, and it became dark..
"Hey what's going on !?"
"Fuku !? Hey Fuku, what did you do?"
While sitting idly at the central table, Fuku didn't respond and looked shaky.
"Please wait!" Hakuren quickly activated the safe mode manually. However, they weren't able to regain control.
"I have no control over the ship, but the ship's navigation and orbit is normal ... ... maybe ......"
At that time, several nerve light lines began to blink in the pitch dark.
"Is this!?" For Seina, who had been in contact with the royal trees, he remembered the light source and its sensation.
"it's the Nerve lights of royal trees!"
─── welcome back.
─── Welcome.
─── Welcome home.
─── Welcome.
─── Welcome.
"Miah! Mia! Mia! Mia! Mia! Miaa! Mia!"
Fuku jumped around joyfully in the rain of nerve lights.
"... ... Is that what I think this is?"
Hakuren leaned against the backrest of the seat as if she was relieved.
"Well, what's happening?"
"The royal trees are greeting the Kamidake ...... No, they are celebrating Fuku's homecoming."
Hakuren began to explain to Seina who looked strangely at Fuku and the rain of nerve lights.
"This is likely what happens when Royal Trees who have been away from Jurai for a long time return ...."
"Fuku was brought to Jurai, and then she left for quite a long time didn't she?"
"Perhaps that's why, Seto said that the trees and Ryo-Ohki are closely related to each other, it seems that the trees think she is a relative that has come back ... No, On the contrary, maybe they think she is a child born here."
The lights started tickling them.
"Miah! Mia! Mia! Mia! Mia! Miaa! Mia!"
Fuku who seemed happy jumped around.
"Ga ... ... Ha ha, Ahahahaha!"
Seina finally burst into laughter with that, all the crew smiled and laughed.
Guided by the Trees the Kamidake came to a large dock in the upper common area of Tenju exclusively used by royalty.
-----------
The Mikagami, was acting differently from the Kamidake, it headed towards the top of Tenju, to a private port in the Masaki family area.
The high-ranking officials of the Masaki family heads Funaho and Azusa lined the port and greeted Kiriko and Seto as they got off from Mikagami. Funaho walked up to greet her.
Kiriko walked a bit uncomfortably up to and greeted her. For Kiriko she was both her colleague and her boss. It was a bit embarrassing to be greeted by her.
"We've been waiting, Kiriko chan"
"I'm sorry I didn't get to see you last time ... ..."
"Let's not waste any time with greetings."Funaho gently lead kiriko to the font gate.
"Kiriko-chan!"After passing through the gate, Misaki finally unleashed herself from Azusa's side and rushed to hugged Kiriko.
"You're the best!"
Azusa sighed. Misaki was like a ticking time bomb.
The reason why Misaki was able to keep from hugging kiriko for such a long time was that she was in a public place with witnesses. Misaki's hugging was famous. but her position as the second wife of the Emperor of Jurai, meant she had to retain some dignity in public.
For those who were born within the past few hundred years, Azusa regime was recognized internally and externally, but there were still many people who knew Misaki as a child. even so Misaki was a respected Princess. so she had to maintain an air of dignity.
But Azusa and Funaho were aware that it was hard for Misaki to do.
For Misaki seeing kiriko was like being reunited with her daughters after a long absence. Besides, Kiriko was a pretty cute girl who resembled Funaho and was very similar in character.
"Tsukiko-chan was so cute back in the day."
"I've heard that from a lot of people."
"But then she went to the academy, and soon Kiriko-chan was born, and she retreated to the earth."
"Heh ... .... I'm sorry... ....?"
"Oh no it's fine, Your a part of our family now, but I still want to adopt Tsukiko-chan."
"... but that would make me and my mother become sisters ..."
For Kiriko there was a considerable sense of incongruity, but for Misaki who was over 700 years old, the age difference between Kiriko and Tsukiko was more like that between sisters not parents and children.
"Ah!" After going through the transfer gate several times, Kiriko's walking stopped suddenly.
"What's wrong?"
As Misaki looked into the face of Kiriko strangely, Funaho quickly noticed the reason.
"Kiriko you've already been authorized to enter here."
The reason why Kiriko hesitated was she was now in the area of the Royal Tree, it was a place that was off limits to even royalty if they weren't allowed in.
"Oh, that's right!" Misaki realized what was going on, she pushed kiriko forward.
"Mi, Misaki-sama!"
"Go ahead ♡"
The contradiction of this place was that it was the oldest building in Tenju yet looked to be one of the newest. A colorful building material colored like persimmon juice gave it a unique atmosphere. This building material wasn't permitted for use currently, it was wood cut out from Tenju itself, and even though it hadn't been treated or reinforced, it stayed the same as it had been when it was originally cut and in an odd way it had reintegrated back with the living part of the tree. Originally Tenju, or rather Jurai was filled with a dense green smell everywhere, the passage was full of the rich smell, even more rich then the smell of the fresh early morning air.
"We'll arrive soon."Azusa warned. Misaki hugged Kiriko firmly and dragged her along.
"Hello everyone, I've been waiting for you." Syūzan Amaki was standing in front of the door to the chamber of the Royal Trees.
Syūzan, once fought back against the Masaki family and Seto, but had since given up the position of the head of the Amaki family to his son, and he had left all that behind him. And his body had been completely transformed since then, we was much older, and fatter, and happier. In a way It was a testament to what happens when you get on seto's bad side..
"Mr. Syūzan Amaki , I am Masaki Kiriko, I am sorry to have troubled you today. I'm afraid, I'm still a very young person, to be given such an honor to be adopted into the family of the Juraian emperor is a great honor, I have no intention to defile that honor as a member of the royal family I will make every effort to live up to it, so please give me guidance and encouragement. "
"I've heard about you and your accomplishments for some time Kiriko, I think a young woman like you would make an excellent member of the royal family and you have my full support. "
Syūzan narrowed his eyes
"It is a pity that we are not able to publicize your true identity as royalty but Seto is dead set on delaying for what reason I don't know, maybe she just wants you and the Kamidake's captain to be able to live a quiet life ... ... aha aha ha ha ha."
"Mmmf rude." Seto showed up next to him with puffed up cheeks.
"Well then, let's get this started."
"Well ... ... Kiriko-chan, this time, Seto-sama, Syūzan, I and Funaho will be your witnesses so we will be coming with you. please put your hand on the door."
"Thank you." Kiriko bowed deeply towards the four witnesses, and put her hands on the huge door with a tense face.
At the moment when Kiriko lightly touched the door, the door which was ten-stories high began to make a heavy noise as it began to open. The fragrance of a tree similar to a peach fruit came drifting out from inside.
"Come now, this way" Lead by Syūzan, Kiriko advanced to the transfer gate.
They went into the sanctum with the royal trees, if a person was able to warp on the transfer gate it would lead them to the second generation chamber meaning they would become partnered with a second generation tree or higher so it was traditional to step on the warp pad first because about 90 percent of the people who acquired trees only ended up with third generation trees, and those who acquire the second generation tree were rare.
"Come now, Kiriko, let's see how the trees have chosen." Syūzan said to Kiriko who headed for the transfer gate slowly. And the moment she stood on the plate it glowed.
"Oh!" A groan rose from everyone on the spot.
"Wow!" Syūzan was happy with this incident.
they were going to be transferred to the 2nd generation chamber
Before, Syūzan's son had gotten a second generation tree, but Syūzan himself, didn't witness it, so this would be his first time there.
"Are you joining us?" Syūzan said to Funaho and Seto with excitement.
"No please excuse us." Seto and Funaho bowed to Azusa, Misaki, and Minaho and remained in place.
"I'll give you a report later"Azusa smiled. There only needed to be three witnesses, the upper limit was undefined. However, Azusa, Misaki, and Minaho and Syuzan were all for now.
After the minimum number of witnesses stood on the plate of the transfer gate they were sent off
----------------------
Seina, who was told by Minaho that it would take time to choose a tree, left from the Kamidake and headed to the accommodation facility guided by Seto's officers.
"Myan! Myan!" Fuku was in a good mood
Of course, the officer holding her seemed to be in a good mood too.
"It's a great honor to get a second-generation or higher tree." Hakuren who accompanied Seina knew what it meant when it was said that the rituals for selecting trees was going to take some time.
" Seto-sama's Mikagami is also a second generation, right? Can it control Fuku?"
"The connection isn't formed that way and I don't think the Mikagami can do that, I think the Kamidake has appropriate countermeasures in place to prevent it, in any case, The Kamidake is a great ship"
"Unlike that dirty ship piloted by that idiot ...... ahahahaha"
"even so, it's lucky and that's all it needs"
"Well, it can't be that lucky since it was given such an embarrassing name."
The female officers and Seina entered the transfer gate.
---------------
The gates to which Seina were transferred were of a size much smaller than the previous one. Several people were transferred sequentially, Hakuren and others came out of the gate last.
"This is the area for the the Kamiki family." Hakuren said after looking around
"Have you been here?"
Seina looked around, but couldn't see anything to distinguish it from the previous area.
"Yes, I can tell from subtle shape of the branches and buildings, we've seen it a lot since we are Seto-sama's female officers."
The building in front of them seemed to be some sort of relay point.
"Everyone, please come here." The leading chief said when they got in the vicinity of the building.
Seina stopped walking and looked around.
"... ...This area reminds me of Seina's hometown, Like it's something from the Earth."
The design shape was Juraian , but what Amane was sensing was the someone rustic atmosphere the building gave off like that of an old-fashioned rural home. The garden was well maintained, but not meticulously planned. Of course Jurai had plenty of such places, but this one seemed a little messy. However, Hakuren felt something else was off, she looked around without making it obvious.
"Is that……" Hakuren tried asking question when,
"Welcome Seina,"Out of the house came Kanemitsu 's wife, Yuzaki.
"Ah……" Seina remembered the time they battled.
"It's been a long time."
Hakuren her group of people bowed reflexively and lined up. Although she was on maternity leave, Yuzaki was still the a fleet captain.
"Attendants thank you for your hard work."
"Attendants?"Hakuren frowned.
"I know it's a bit strange, but I want seina to get to meet my new daughter, just the two of them."
Yuzaki's daughter was still baby. There was no reason for anyone to object really.
"You might want to take a seat."
"What do we do in the mean time ... ...."
"Don't worry I've prepared a special arrangement for you."
As soon as Yuzaki said that, the ground where Hakuren and Amane were standing began to shine.
" ATransfer gate!?"
It was a trap type gate, used to capture enemy soldiers and animals. Amane tried quickly to escape, but it was already too late, they were transferred to somewhere else, leaving only Fuku and Seina.
"Amane! Where is Everyone!" Seina called
Yuzaki grabbed Seina's arms and rushed him away from the site.
"It's okay, I have escorts arranged to protect you in their absence, They'll be back by tomorrow."
Yuzaki said with carefree smile that didn't feel evil like Airi, Washu, or Seto's, but the word escorts made him nervous.Fuku seemed a bit worried too.
"All right, I'm going to leave alone for a while now." Yuzaki signaled to the officer holding Fuku and left.
------------------------------
"Where are we... ...."Amane, who had been transferred, looked around to check for danger
The place where they were transferred was a building with a domed roof about 20 meters high. The walls and the floor were just grass that resembled velvet, in Jurai there is a type of moss used instead of carpeting on the floor, and in the direction Karen looked she saw a person who could tell them what was going on.
"What's going on here Kanemitsu?" Karen said they all turned to look at him. Kanemitsu looked a little disparaged, like he too had been forced into this situation and wasn't having any fun as all. They felt uneasy about the many backpacks that were lined up next to Kanemitsu.
"What's all this?" Then next to kanemitsu another light was generated and a single woman was transferred.
"What!!!! What the hell is this !!"
The woman, who was making a big fuss,was a Wau woman, a rare sight in Jurai. It was Nene. Ringo's attendant.
"Oh no... why! That only makes this worse!"
kanemitsu looked up to the heavens and quickly gave up.
----------------------------------------
"Seina, I'm going to borrow Fuku-chan."Seina understood her intentions.
"I'll bring her back at dinner time."
"Okay Fuku,be a good girl and go with her."
"Mia!"
"Well then, Seina, this way."
the female officer headed off with Fuku and Yuzaki headed guided seina
"... Wow,this is a cozy little house isn't it?"
As soon as he entered the house, he felt a little relieved by the atmosphere.
At first impression, it seems like an old Japanese house, it was awfully nostalgic. A baby was asleep in the living room of the house.
"Her name is Mikage," the baby woke up and noticed seina.
"... ....? ... .... Oh! Ka ah!"
The little princess who saw Seina's face turned to him full smile and stretched her hands out at him
"Eh!?"
"I always show her pictures of you , and recently she's began to like seeing those more then she likes seeing my husband."
"Uhm, speaking of why isn't he here with you?"
"Ah ha ha! Because I don't want to be disturbed, he's together with Amane in Tenju 's basement."
"What?"
"I told you I wanted you two to have some alone time." Yuzaki laughed and placed her hands on Seina's shoulder.
"……Eh?"
-------------------
"I see ... ... I understand the circumstances."
Amane and the others were listening to kanemitsu's explanation.
"That bastard Yuzaki, that girl isn't even one year old yet!"
"It's worse then just her playing matchmaker! I know that Seina is a decent, respectable man! But it's different ... ... ... she's taken away my daughter~! A father is supposed to get about seven years before his daughter starts hating him...... ten if there lucky!But she already hates me. "Kanemitsu said with a face like he was about to cry.
"Oh..... is that so?"
"I feel sorry for him." They all looked at Amane.
"Amane you should know best about this, is what he says true about fathers?"
"What? I.... Uhm ... ....Uh ......" Amane looked around with confusion. Fortunately, as there are lots of other women of the same age here, they thought to them selves about it.
"Hmm... I'd say that's about right ... but I assume there are individual variances, I can't say for anyone but myself."
"It's said that there is an instinctive fear in men of there daughters becoming adults and feeling that way ..."
"But don't women's relationships with there dads usually stabilize once they become adults? I wouldn't worry too much about it."
"But if he overreaches and messes up the relationship, it will take him some time to restore it."
"Or not..." While saying that, everyone looked at Amane.
"My dad is clingy and annoying ... ... Oh, of course I have a good relationship with my mother, so if you take after her,things might go your way more quickly ..."
Amane explained as much as she could to Kanemitsu but honestly she was not a psychologist, it was difficult to express her emotions on the subject in words.
"Well I guess there's nothing I can do for now... we should probably get out of here ..." Kanemitsu stood up quickly
" Uhm Kanemitsu ... ... There's another persons problem we haven't solved ... ...."
"What? ... ...." karen pointed he turned.
"Todo you idiot ... ... Todo How could you!" Nene was scolding herself.
-------------------
"Kiriko-san ... .... No, Did Kiriko get her tree yet?"
Ringo put down the book she was reading after she had erected a privacy wall around her to take a call from Todo, her butler.
Ringo was in a mansion owned by Ringo's family in the Tatsuki family area. The Tatsuki family was the largest faction of the Imperial Family. Ringo had eight brothers and sisters, she came from a large family of over two hundred people if you included everything from nephews and nieces to her grandfather's great grandfather. Although it belonged to part of the royal family, and the mansion was huge, Ringo's room was only the size of a room that could fit two sisters in it.
"Yes. Last time Minaho contacted us. "
Since Ringo had an experimental lower generation tree ship, and because of her role in Seto 's accounting, she needed confidentiality, and mostly she exclusively used Honoka' s residential area as her place of living.
"Is that so .... what a wonderful event, the birth of the second generation of a royal tree hasn't been seen in a long time."
"This isn't good."
"Todo, it's bad to even say such a thing."
"But It means that Ringo must now become more aggressive than ever before now. Not only do you have to worry about Kiriko-sama, but the other's will rev their relationships into overdrive to compensate now. "
Previously, Kiriko had packed Ringo in a box and sent her back to Seto. That was something kiriko had done out of uncontrolled jealousy.
"I'm not worried, I was able to talk with Seina on imuim, just by ourselves ... ...."
"But Ringo, you're still handicapped against Kiriko, she has always been by his side hasn't she? "
"It's not a competition ... .... Seina needs lots of people to assist him with his biased probability.If I tried to create discord between those people, it would snowball out of control."
"Of course going too far would cause a problem. But, being too reluctant is bad too ...... and what if it happens again. If she packed you up like fruits and vegetables and sent you off cause she's jealous, what will she do to you when you're a real emergency? "
" ... ... why should I care" ...
"You should care a lot/.... and Don't forget second time it was Seto who did it to you! You should take the news of Kiriko's second generation tree and use it to your advantage. The assimilation with the Kamidake was postponed to tomorrow, so Seina will be staying overnight stay in Jurai. "
In other words, she should deepen her friendship with Seina.
"Fortunately Amane-sama is being entertained in Tenju's basement due to Yuzaki, so Seina is fair game."
" Tenju's basement Why were sent there !?"
"Kanemitsu and Nene are also there."
" Todo ... ... what did you do ..." Todo smiled at ringo's question
----------------------------------------
"Gaaa ...... aagh ...... Todo you idiot, How could you Todo! Even though I support Ringo ... ... I wouldn't have disturbed her!"
(You might not disturb her, but you'd get in the way ... ...)
The personality of Nene, would caused obstacles just by her usual meddling. Everyone there was keenly aware of this from there experience with her on Earth.
"Nene. If you want to complain, then you're going to have to get back up there. " Karen said
"That's right ...... That's right! That's right! okay! Todo .... Todo you bastard! I'll show you! I'm going to complain! I'm going to complain! I will complain!" Nene seemed to have regained her energy
"Where do we start, we have to hurry up."
They started preparing to climb immediately. Fortunately, GP uniforms, especially the Kamidake's crew's clothes were highly functional items that can also cope with emergency survival conditions. They were made to be able to withstand the heat and cold weather, from the absolute Zero degree weather of space to several thousand degrees of heat. Of course it was strong against a certain degree of impact and corrosion too. They could climb mount Everest easily and the backpacks had climbing tools and food items.
"... ... Alright now what."
preparations were complete. However, Amane, looked around. For a moment, the scenery seemed like an illusion as if a Tenju without leaves was turned upside down.
" are these the Roots?"
The thick roots reached far into the sky, like a myriad of elongated spider webs. the silhouettes emerging on the ground cast from the thinly lit sky looked like bolts of lightning."
"It's said that this is where the name of Jurai comes from"
------------translator's note----------
樹雷 Jurai - Wood Lightning bolt
-----------------------------------------------
Kanemitsu said to the girls who looked at it stupefied.
"Originally when the first Emperor of Jurai discovered this planet, there was no Tenju, or rather only the bottom part of Tenju was there in it's current state so this underground part was already in this state He started from here and worked his way up."
"So that means the founder of the Royal family started here."
"Yes, it's a story that children know well."
Tsunami seemed to have been asleep in that spot for a few hundred million days, but Tsunami's body was gigantic and had half turned into a tree. When the first Juraian Emperor got here he climbed up Tsunami's body. So Tenju is the body of Tsunami itself, as well as "Tsunami" the royal tree, as such Tenju is a tree with an infinite lifespan.
"Anyways ... are we seriously supposed to climb this?"
The underground part of Tenju was more complicated to climb the one would expect, The space made by erosion and collapse over many years was so large it was hard to believe it was underground. it was like they had a really huge mountain range to climb up
"But these are the roots of Tenju, and this basement is the soil under it, how is the part above ground supported?"
" what you see is only a small part of the roots. In the latest survey, the roots of Tenju have been shown to have reached the mantle and some of them reach into different dimensions like the royal Tree's "
"Kuh... ... ... it's just like one would expect of the founder of the royal trees, It's still kinda insane to think about though."
Even in this modern era a top level high-dimensional life form with a power suitable for being referred to as a God was amazing. It would have been better for her to say unreasonable though rather than insane.
"There are many places in Tenju's basement that we do not yet understand, but it's a place where train routes are being developed, so we aren't totally blind.
"Kanemitsu, how far is it to the ground?"
Amane said
"Oh, uh about 5000 meters up"
"...... Seriously? ... ... How long does it take to go such a distance?"
"There is a residential area and a public gate mid way, it seems that that must be our goal with Bio-Enhancement it should only take us a day."
"Still it's a whole day ... ...."
"What! What about me ?? I haven't undergone Bio-Enhancement, I have the body of a child!" Neiju said
"Of course, I'll carry you on my shoulders, because you're a shrine maiden, for that reason, I was dropped here."
"How come she gets to take it easy! ... I won't have it!"
"If we take a way that everyone can take, our arrival will be delayed is that okay?"
"It will take a week if we go a way that someone with the strength of a shrine maiden can handle."
"Let's hurry, Amane. I don't like that we don't know what's going on with Seina up there."
Hakuren said asking amane to give up her position.
"Fuck! Would you mind if I knock some sense into your wife when we return to top?"
"Well, I guess if it can't be helped." Kanemitsu said
"Alright then! Then Let's go!" Amane took off in a hurry.
--------
Unlike Amane who started to move, Ringo was still reluctant.
"I am aware of things that might pose a threat to you're pursuit of him. Seina-san is now in a bit of awkward circumstance now, Although I am prepared to deal with the scolding they are going to give me for showing you this, I am prepared to give you all the information I have. "
"Well, then what is it !?"
"The situation is urgent, don't you think you should confirm it with your own eyes? Here it is, the key to unlocking it is in your personal data, Ringo-sama. "
"Fine, I'll talk to you about this again on a later occasion Todo."
Ringo glared at Todo cut communications and let down the privacy wall.
"Sister, are you going out?"
Ringo's sister Ichigo Tatsuki who was reading a book with Ringo before she erected the wall raised her head a little sadly.
This was the first time they had gotten to spend together in a few weeks.
"I am sorry, it's urgent."
"My sister is serving Seto, so it can't be helped."
"It's about time we gave up the room to the girls in the lower right."
Young children get to use one room at a time in shifts, if the room opens, they move in order of age.
"... ... Although I will miss it, It can't be helped, I'll talk to mother for you, so please take care big sister."
"Thank you, Ichigo. I'll be going now."
"Take care big sister" Ringo went out of the room quickly after Ichigo took a deep bow and left.
----------end of chapter---------