Kaika sat down and sighed.

"Peter, is there a way to turn down the brightness of the lights?"

Peter rubbed the watch. "Maybe. There it is. Better?"

The living room of the ship clearly became darker. Perhaps a bit too dark.

"... Better." Kaika looked up, as if questioning something.

"Alright. Kaika, I'll warn you, going to Toree wouldn't be as simple as pressing a few buttons and then waiting for the ship to go there." Peter looked at Kaika, smiling.

Kaika could only continue to question. "What would be the problem?"

"Don't you know of Fedor Trigger? Peter gathered his thoughts.

"Currently, the only way to enter Toree is by going through his territory."

Kaika looked back inside his mind. "Fedor? He expanded that much?"

Peter looked at Kaika, with a hint of confusion.

"It has been a few years since he has completely blockaded Toree from us here."

Kaika forcefully let out a breath. "Why would he do that?"

Peter answered with no hesitation. "I don't know. Perhaps because he wants Toree for himself."

Kaika thought for a bit. "We'll obviously need to prepare for what comes."

Peter chuckled.

"Perhaps. You're up for quite the adventure. You could try to negotiate with Fedor."

Peter looked like he'd continue, but Kaika stopped him.

"Let's go. I already know what to do."

"Well... No problem, I guess." And Peter tapped on the watch a few times.

Both of them locked the seat belts.

"Here we go." And Peter pressed it one last time, before the ship went flying to the headquarters at great speed.

And the ship automatically landed in the ship hangar.

As always, it is convenient.

Kaika unlocked the seat belt and walked upstairs, ready to wake up Disedinel.

He opened the door and looked to the corner.

"Disedinel, we have arrived. Wake up."

"Already up." Disedinel still sounds tired.

Kaika left the ship.

There he was, Peter with unconscious Kiing.

"Kaika, before we say our goodbyes, I will have you know that Fedor likes riches. So, if you end up deciding that negotiating is the way, you know what to bring." Peter makes it clear that he has experience.

"How do you know?" Kaika couldn't not doubt Peter.

Peter giggled. "Oh, don't get me wrong. I had a time where I also negotiated with Fedor. But now, goodbye." He turned around and walked away.

"Oh, sorry. I don't know why I took it that way." And Kaika was left alone, waiting for Disedinel.

Conveniently, just in time, Disedinel appeared.

"Where is Peter and Kiing? They gone already?" Disedinel went straight to the questions.

Kaika took a somewhat deep breath.

"Yeah. Disedinel, do you still want us to be together?"

...

"Of course, why that question?" Disedinel raised an eyebrow.

"I know where to go next, then. Let's talk in my apartment." Kaika began walking to his apartment.

Disedinel followed.

They walked silently to Kaika's apartment.

"Oh, Disedinel! I wondered where you went with the keys, you didn't sell them, did you?" It is Sir Galland.

"Oh, Sir Galland. Here are the keys." Disedinel looked for the keys in his pockets.

But he forgot that he put them in his on-duty uniform, not his off-duty outfit.

Right, what am I thinking?

There it is, the on-duty uniform in his hands.

Disedinel grabbed the keys and gave them to Sir Galland.

"There, Sir Galland."

Sir Galland smiled. "Alright, thanks. What did you need them for if you didn't even go in the room?"

Disedinel smiled back. "I went there, but Kaika scheduled some things without my knowledge, and I had to leave soon after being in your place."

Sir Galland said, "Got it. See you later." And he then went on with his day.

...

Kaika unlocked the door.

"All is right, it seems. You don't mind if I cook while we talk, right?"

Both walked to the kitchen.

"No problem." Disedinel sat on the couch.

Kaika placed the grocery bag on the table in front of the couch.

"Disedinel, I know it sounds somewhat ridiculous, but I want us to next go to Toree."

Disedinel, sitting comfortably on the couch, leaned forward, placing his arms on the table.

"Kaika, this isn't going to be as easy as it was with this new planet. Toree isn't the accessible place it once was."

Disedinel fixed his eyes on Kaika.

"It was difficult even before the fall of the last outpost nearby Toree."

Kaika grabbed a few onions from a drawer.

"I understand. We'll need a solid plan and some clever tactics to get past Fedor."

Kaika unpacked the tortillas and laid out a few of them after slicing them in half.

"I think I know what we are going to do, though."

Disedinel could only wait for Kaika.

Kaika topped the tortillas with tomato sauce.

"... Well, I still don't have it figured out."

Disedinel stood up. "I don't think that I'll even have the ship for that in the first place."

Disedinel showed slight disappointment in his speech.

Kaika opened the turkey slices and placed them on the tortillas.

"Where are you going?"

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"I'll report everything. Call me when you have a legitimate plan."

And just like that, Disedinel left the apartment, unwilling to help Kaika think of something.

Kaika sprinkled slices of onions and mozzarella on the tortillas.

"...You should've at least stay for the pizza... Now, all that is left is to leave it in the oven at about 250 degrees Celsius."

"Oh! I forgot to turn it on beforehand."

Kaika turned it on and waited a few minutes.

"All must be right." Kaika put the tortillas in the oven.

Right after that, he set a timer for ten minutes.

...

Did I forget to set the timer?

After several minutes, Kaika wondered if he had forgotten something.

And after being hit by anxiety, he checked the pizzas.

"A minute or two, at least."

Then he checked the timer.

Huh, so I got it right.

The timer needed a minute and a half until it goes off.

Kaika sat on the couch, staring at the wall.

...

And the timer chimed loudly, hurrying Kaika to open the oven.

Kaika was blown by the hot air as he quickly opened the oven.

Then he stopped the alarm.

The aroma of the hot pizza filled the room in a moment.

"First, I have to get a trivet."

Kaika grabbed one from the counter.

He placed it on the table.

Then, he put the gloves next to the oven on his hands, to make sure he doesn't burn his hands while trying to place the freshly made pizza on the trivet.

And he did so.

"We wait a bit, and it should be ready to be eaten."

And as simply as that, a tasty pizza was made!

Kaika grabbed a plate and put it on the table, next to the trive with the pizza.

He left the gloves back at their place.

He sat down, then, he grabbed a slice.

"Ouchies!" It was still hot, but Kaika managed to take one of the slices on the plate.

After a bit of blowing, he took a bite.

"Hm. Might need some spices. It'd be great with some extra sauces, but it is supposed to be healthy, so I guess not."

And in a matter of less than a minute, the slice is gone.

In a coincidence, somebody knocked at the door a few times as Kaika finished the first slice.

"Yeah, come in." Kaika took another slice.

"Ah, still hot." He muttered.

The one who came inside is Disedinel.

"Kaika. We really don't have the ship for Toree. Did you come up with anything?"

"Disedinel, sit down. Have some pizza." Kaika proudly presented his pizza.

"You know unhealthy food limits your compulsion?" Disedinel shares an interesting fact.

"You're right, and it can show a clear effect. However, I didn't use dough for this, or anything unhealthy."

Disedinel took a plate, sat down, and took a slice of pizza.

"I haven't eaten today, so I'll take a bite anyway."

And Disedinel did as he said.

"Kaika. This tastes just like a pizza, yet it doesn't feel bad..." Disedinel quickly ate the slice and reached for another.

Kaika ate his second slice too.

"Thanks. Let me tell you what I thought of." As Kaika finished talking, Disedinel finished eating.

"There's no more? What is it you have to tell me?"

Disedinel looked forward to more, but he didn't realize his slice was the last one.

"I'll take over for the way we'll go to Toree, and you will take over for a new ship."

Disedinel looked at Kaika. "I guess we can do that." He took a deep breath.

"Do you think that one week will do?" Kaika stood up.

Disedinel stood up too. "One week will do."

Both smiled.

"Well... Time is running out. See you later, Kaika!" Disedinel hurried outside.

"See you... later." Kaika grabbed his wallet.

"We'll be emptying you, I guess."

"Oh, Disedinel, how are you?" Somebody passed by.

"I am fine, but I gotta go, bye!"

...

Kaika found himself in the library.

Despite the high-tech ambience of the headquarters, the library has a much different atmosphere.

There were tall bookshelves everywhere. Several floors filled with bookshelves, that is.

"Excuse me. I will head to Toree soon, and I need something that will help me on the way there. Could there be anything you'd recommend?" Kaika politely asked a tall man for a recommendation.

The tall man turned around.

"Oh, it's you, Kaika." The man smiled.

"Ooh, Galland. What are you doing here?"

Galland is, strangely, in the reception of the library. It looks like he was looking for something on the bookshelves behind him.

"Today, I am actually working here. You said you want to go to Toree, right? We can look together."

Kaika looked around, overwhelmed the tall bookshelves. "I definitely need help."

"No problem. What makes you want to go there, although it is dangerous?"

Kaika hummed. "Hmmm, well. It is attractive, it feels as if it is pulling me that way."

Galland laughed. "Oh, I see. Come, I'll show you where you can find what you need."

"Thanks, Galland." Kaika followed Galland.

They had to walk up the stairs until they reached the third floor. Isn't this so tall?

And there it is.

"Thank you. You can continue what you were doing." Kaika waved.

"No problem." And Galland headed back downstairs.

Even though he led me to where these types of books are, there are still so many.

Kaika walked around, taking a peek at the titles of the books.

He did so until...

Using compulsion to quickly scan the shelves would be easier.

...

Back to Disedinel's shoes.

Knocks. A few knocks on a door by Disedinel.

"Who is there?" A voice behind the door.

"It is me, sis."

"Hold on!"

Disedinel sensed steps coming from behind the door and then the click of unlocking a door.

To no one's surprise, it then opened.

Disedinel's sister appeared. This time, she is wearing a white shirt with beige trousers.

"Came to see me?" She smiled

"Yeah. It is not only that, though." Disedinel looked at his sister with a serious look.

She moved aside, letting Disedinel come inside.

"Thank you."

The apartment... Is the same as Disedinel's and Kaika's. The only difference can be noticed with the furniture.

She then closed the door.

"Let's sit down."

Kaika's living room has a couch surrounding half of his table.

While the room of Disedinel's sister also has a table, but it is round and has chairs instead.

They sat down.

The chairs had soft pillows.

Not that it helped.

"Sis, mind if I borrow your ship?" That was direct.

"... Is that it?"

"Somewhat, no. I need it to go to Toree."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Your humor hasn't gotten better." She sounded disappointed.

"... I really need to get there."

And his sister let out a breath. She couldn't make herself sound any more furious than that.

"What do you mean I need to get there? How about you do something about Lee?"

She stood up.

"You took him under yourself, and you lost him. And now, you want to go worlds away instead of taking him back!"

Disedinel stayed seated, as if he still believes that it could be talked over normally.

"About Lee, Therion, who took him, said that they have no idea where he is. They believe I took him. But that is not the case."

"So? What is your point? You still have to find him and take him back." She went right next to Disedinel.

Disedinel looked up to her.

"Something tells me that I have to go there, sis."

"You have to go there?" She muttered.

"Fine. What will you do against Fedor? And if you manage to get through him, which won't happen, what will you do in Toree?"

...

"... Kaika is planning it out, not me. I took the job of getting a ship, and he will plan it all out."

"What? Okay, so the young hope of the future is also a... is not any thoughtful?"

She grabbed Disedinel by the hand and forced him to stand up.

"Hey!"

Then she walked to the front door, still holding tight to Disedinel's hand.

"Can't we talk at least a bit more?"

She opened the door and pushed him out.

"Sure. Perhaps when you spend some time thinking instead of daydreaming." And she closed the door.

"... At least I tried."