Allen the Reincarnated Merchant: A Plan to Get Rich in Another World

The meeting with Minato, aside from discussing the record left by chairman Ryugen, didn’t delve into any particularly core matters. Instead, Minato asked about my experiences living on Zerad, my thoughts on the spaceship we were about to board, and any concerns I had about our destination, Seisen Star.

Having already received more than enough information from Yuzu and Eri, there wasn’t much for me to inquire about. When I lightly assured the concerned-looking Minato that I was fine, he backed off. The conversation shifted to lighter topics, such as how Japanese culture had evolved over thousands of years, sparked by the Japanese meal we were sharing.

“When we next meet, it will be when you visit the home planet of the Saioji family,” Minato said. “At that time, please allow me to personally guide you on a tour.”

“Of course. I’ll look forward to it,” I replied.

Given his position as the leader of the space military, I had expected Minato to be a stern, unapproachable figure. However, he turned out to be just as easy to talk to as he had been during our video calls. After exchanging a few polite remarks, Minato excused himself and left the room briskly, explaining, “Please excuse me; I must leave ahead.”

“Sending troops to another galaxy is almost unprecedented in the long history of the Imperial Nation,” Yuzu explained from behind me. “Minato-sama is busy managing negotiations with other nations.”

“When things settle down, there will surely be more time for in-depth meetings,” Eri added. “When that happens, we’ll rely on you again.”

Minato’s role as the head of the military naturally kept him extremely busy. Even the mere thirty minutes he’d carved out for this meeting likely involved significant schedule rearrangement.

Watching his graceful exit, I stood momentarily in awe. Yuzu and Eri, sensing my curiosity, elaborated further. They explained that Minato was currently juggling not only the response to the Roifana Holy Kingdom, which had declared war unilaterally, but also managing relations with other neighboring nations. Additionally, the nobility had already become aware of my presence, adding yet another layer of complexity to his responsibilities.

The upper levels of Zerad’s spaceport were studded with spiky columns protruding outward, resembling the quills of a hedgehog. These were bridges connecting the spaceport to docked spaceships, facilitating transit between the two.

Naturally, these bridges operated in a zero-gravity environment. After the meeting with Minato, I donned a sleek spacesuit at the airlock leading to the bridge, preparing to board the Imperial spaceship.

A faint pshh—like the sound of a soda can being opened—signaled the activation of the airlock. The familiar sensation of gravity disappeared, replaced by the strange feeling of my insides floating as I experienced zero gravity for the first time.

“Please hold onto my arm,” Yuzu said.

I had no idea how to move in zero gravity, so I simply drifted helplessly in the airlock, slowly spinning. Yuzu, poised and stationary with a hand on the wall, extended her arm to me.

“Thanks,” I said.

Unable to manage on my own, I gratefully took her hand. The spinning sensation stopped, and I steadied myself. Just then, the door leading to the bridge opened, revealing a pathway constructed entirely of transparent panels.

The view was breathtaking. Unlike the scenery seen through a window, the bridge offered a panoramic perspective. Directly below lay the massive spaceport, dwarfed by the even larger resource planet Zerad. The three-dimensional expanse of space created an overwhelming sense of distance, evoking the vertigo of standing at an impossible height.

“That’s the Kasuga, the spaceship you’ll be boarding,” Yuzu explained. “Unlike other vessels, the Kasuga is a passenger ship, so it offers a gravitational environment similar to Zerad’s for those unaccustomed to zero gravity.”

Guiding me with one hand gripping the rail along the bridge, Yuzu kept us moving steadily. Meanwhile, Eri stepped forward to explain more about the Kasuga.

“Impressive, isn’t it? The ship is approximately 800 meters long and 300 meters wide, making it one of the largest personal passenger vessels,” she said.

The Kasuga resembled a massive, streamlined white sunfish, tapering toward the front. Its bow housed two enormous turrets, while smaller gun emplacements dotted the ship’s surface to ensure no blind spots. Despite being a passenger vessel, it was clearly equipped for combat.

At the rear were three enormous engines, currently teeming with activity. Dozens of figures worked around them, seemingly conducting final checks. Intrigued, I watched as the workers moved methodically, each clad in a powered suit slightly larger than an adult human.

“That’s the final inspection and resource loading process,” Eri explained. “Rest assured, the crew aboard this ship has been handpicked from the Imperial Nation’s First Space Fleet.”

She reassured me as the airlock to the Kasuga opened, and we stepped inside. The journey to Seisen Star was about to begin.