Two-Person Galactic Journey: Earth Was Destroyed While Imprisoned in Space Prison

Chapter 253

Chapter 253

Grilled eel is the ultimate dish.

While Tuna chewed on a third piece of grilled eel inside its mouth, it reflected on the limited lifespan of organic lifeforms. It wasn't just savoring the deliciousness of the eel.

Unlike space eels that journey through the seemingly infinite Universe over eons, organic lifeforms live out their lives generation by generation on the limited world of a Planet.

A small portion of them transcend their home planets and venture into space. The farthest reaches of that journey are the Federation, Kait, and Terapolapaneshio. Unlike the space eels that endure eternal emptiness in pursuit of a singular, absolute self, organic lifeforms live short but intense lives.

Eat, be eaten, live, die. What awaits at the end—extinction or prosperity? Evolution or adaptation? If Tuna's protection distorts that future—

'So this is what the Federation's policy of observation means'

"I don't think that's something you should say while stuffing your face with grilled eel"

Then perhaps you should stop grilling eel, Kait.

The grilled eel Kait made was delivered to Emotion's mouth and vanished in an instant. Apparently, grilled eel had short-circuited Emotion's circuits.

At that moment, Kait stopped his hand. Before the last piece of grilled eel could be stolen by Emotion, it was hurled toward Tuna's face. Tuna opened its mouth and caught it.

"Ah, ah, ahhh......!"

"Emotion is done for. Tuna, this is your last one too"

Emotion collapsed with a groan of despair. Tuna slowly savored the final, ultimate piece of grilled eel and looked up at the sky.

O long, slender creatures yet unseen. Please forgive me for grilling just one of your kind. No—maybe two would be okay. Three, if possible.

***

Teaching Emotion about grilled eel may have been a grievous mistake.

With Emotion unleashing an appetite that could potentially damage the Planet's ecosystem, Kait somehow managed to stuff her into Queen Bee and quickly left the planet.

'Kyurukyurukyuru...... I'll never forgive you, Captain'

"Hey now, Emotion. It's not okay for us to damage the planet's ecosystem"

'What are you talking about? There's no way the ecosystem could collapse from just a little interference from me and the Captain'

"I'd like you to say that after counting how many pieces of grilled eel you ate in that short time"

'Now that's just rude. I'm a mechanical intelligence, you know? Of course I've been counting how many I ate......'

Emotion, who had been grumbling nonstop, suddenly fell silent.

Upon reviewing the relationship between the duration of their stay and the number of meals consumed, she realized the truth. She was at a complete loss for words.

'Um, Captain?'

"What is it?"

'Did you perhaps use some kind of psychic power to accelerate time only while I was eating?'

"Don't be ridiculous. All I did was grill. I didn't do anything else"

'S-Still, the number of pieces I ate and the time that passed don't seem to match up. Did you perhaps distort my perception or something......!?'

"I didn't, I didn't. You were eating with such terrifying intensity that even Terapolapaneshio and Little Palnes were trembling"

The only one who didn't seem to mind was Tuna, who was equally obsessed with grilled eel.

'Hmph'

"Hmph?"

'How humiliating! That I'd eat with such force it scared Terapolapaneshio... Kyurukyuru... gyurugyurugyuru!'

"Alright, alright. I won't make grilled eel anymore, okay?"

'That's even worse'

"Ehhh......"

Emotion deliberately assumed human form and stared intently at Kait. The pressure in her gaze was unlike anything before, and Kait gave up, waving a white flag.

"I guess I have no choice. Well then, once your self-restraint improves, I'll make grilled eel again"

'Eh'

"That's the only way. If I had left you alone, you might've hunted down all the nearby members of your species"

After all, even Terapolapaneshio hadn't spoken to Kait. It was clear that even a small disturbance could affect the Planet's ecosystem.

Though still grumbling kyurukyuru, Emotion eventually fell silent, seemingly resigned. Once calmed, a mechanical intelligence is far more rational than a human. She likely realized her mistake and understood she had to correct it.

That said, she continued to growl kyurukyuru in barely audible tones, so her bad mood would probably persist for a while. He'd have to find a way to cheer her up.

"Well then. There probably won't be any summons from the council for a while, so let's return to our gourmet journey"

No response. She seemed to be sulking. When he looked over, she had turned her back to Kait and was still grumbling.

"Emotion. How about we go gather some rare ingredients you'd like, right from the source?"

Twitch.

Emotion reacted in an unmistakably obvious way. Since she reacted, there was no need to rush her for a reply.

Once her mood improved, she'd surely speak up about where she wanted to go.

While chuckling at Emotion, who was still grumbling kyurukyuru while searching the Federation's database, Kait set Queen Bee on a course away from the planetary systems.