After returning to the hotel, we changed into more comfortable clothes and gathered in the spacious living room. It had a comfortable sofa set, a beautiful coffee table, and chairs that looked very much like antiques. They were partly made of a material that looked like wood, but Mei said it wasn't actually wood but a well-made imitation instead. Using cutting-edge science and technology just to synthesize highly convincing wood imitations didn't quite make sense to me as one who used to live on a planet.
"So, uh, you mentioned something about us being possibly targeted by someone or something, right?"
Elma, who was now wearing a tank top and hot pants, asked while opening a can of non-carbonated beer.
"Right. It would be nice if I was just overthinking things, but the problem is that doesn't seem to be the case."
"This one also sensed the hostile intent My Lord felt, so I believe there is no mistake. However..."
"However?"
I urged the hesitant Kugi to continue, and she opened her mouth once more after a short pause.
"I believe that the hostile intent was solely aimed at you, My Lord, and no one else among us, including me."
"...I see?"
I began ruminating Kugi's words. Assuming that what Kugi said was true, just why am I being targeted then? I had absolutely no idea. Of course, I wasn't in any position to say that no one had any reason to target me, but even so, I really couldn't think of a party that would be willing to kill me directly.
Why is that? It's because my fighting strength was already widely known in the empire. Not only was I apparently quite skilled with a sword to the extent of being able to go toe to toe with Drawn Sword faction nobles, but I was also a good shot with laser weapons. And, needless to say, I had already proven my strength in space combat during the imperial tournament. I don't think there are many folks out there who will actively pick a fight with me.
"Don't tell me it's something like making a name for oneself by killing me?"
"That's a bit of a stretch, right...? At the very least, I don't think mercenaries and nobles would go out of their way to act on something like that. It would be a different story if they went and challenged you openly to a duel or something to that effect, but going for assassination in the middle of a city is a bit too much."
"I see. So it's either pirates or similar types huh? Or maybe it's someone willing to kill me even by using dishonorable means. But if that's really the case, then it's quite weird."
"What's weird, Boss?"
"It took them too little time to pinpoint my location and even emitted murderous intent toward me."
It was murderous intent that was from such a distance that both Kugi and I failed to locate the source. In other words, they had made arrangements to monitor me from a considerable distance beforehand.
"We just arrived at this colony today, right? There's no way a surveillance system would have been in place if it wasn't set up beforehand. However, we only decided on coming back here while we were still at the frontier, and we used a gateway to come here directly. Don't you guys think it would be impossible for the other party to cast such a well-prepared net even if, hypothetically, they've been monitoring us since we were at the frontier and have stuck to us like glue?"
"...In other words, are you implying that there's a spy among us?"
Elma wrinkled her eyebrows as she said so. However, I shook my head.
"Even if that's the case, I don't think they would be able to outwit and avoid Mei's surveillance in the Lotus to conduct spying activities. Or rather, I wasn't considering something like that at all in the first place."
I shook my head once more. I didn't want to doubt my crew, and frankly, I don't really think there's a need to in the first place.
"What I'm getting at is that the other party has already set up a surveillance net and had made all the arrangements beforehand."
"I see... I see?"
Mimi's response was subtle as if she both understood and didn't. The other ladies had similar reactions.
"In other words, what kind of people are we dealing with here?"
"We wouldn't be going through all this trouble if I knew. In other words, what I'm trying to say is that the other party ain't 'normal'. I think it's likely that they aren't the type of people we can judge through common sense and are more prone to do stuff that's beyond expectations."
It probably wasn't mercenaries, nobles, or even space pirates that hold a grudge against me. The possibility that it's an unknown party we have yet to encounter was pretty high in my opinion.
"But doesn't that mean we don't know jack about them after all, Boss?"
"Well, yeah, I guess. I only wanted to voice out my suspicions. Anyway, they should be a pretty strange bunch."
After all, if we were aware from the start that they're the kind that doesn't conform to common sense, it would likely lessen the chances of us getting blindsided by them. For now, let's hope that the other party doesn't resort to unleashing plasma or other highly destructive weapons within the colony in broad daylight without any regard for potential collateral damage and casualties.
"I would like you guys to select a security service with what I said in mind."
"Understood. Well, we've already narrowed it down to just two candidates though."
After saying so, Mimi operated her tablet terminal and activated the holo-display installed on the coffee table at the center of the living room.
"It's the Igasek Service and Kouga Service."
"...You look like you're suffering from constipation, Hiro."
Those guys are definitely ninjas... I haven't actually seen them yet, but somehow, I just knew they were. They definitely were going to be ninjas. I'm even willing to bet one case of non-carbonated cola. They were ninjas. No doubt about it. And I had a sneaking suspicion that the two companies don't exactly get along all that well.
"Igasek has a biotech company behind it, and Kouga has a cybernetics company behind it instead. Both of them seem to be pretty competent in what they do. But due to that, they charge pretty high for their services."
"By the way, Inagawa Technology actually has a contract with Igasek. Maybe we'll even meet with someone I'm familiar with. Igasek personnel often accompanied me as escorts during my time working for Inagawa."
"Alright then. Let's go ahead and get in contact with Igasek."
Since they both provided quality services that seem to be on par, I think it would be better to get in contact with the one that already had some sort of connection with one of our own. If Dr. Shouko who long had dealings with Igasek people was present, negotiations with them might turn out easier for us.
"But looking at their service catalog... are these guys really a security service firm?"
They not only offered the typical personal security services but other, err, less-mainstream ones, and shadier ones such as counterintelligence and item recovery.
"I'm not sure about other companies. But the ones here are mostly similar to them."
"I see... Anyway, let's contact them first."
"As they say, the anxiety that results from inaction is worse than any danger one might face."
What about our current predicament? Does that saying… apply to it as well? Well, in any case, we better contact them as soon as we can. There's no point in worrying like this, so let's go ahead and do so.