Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Pipe Tobacco and the Surfing Dwarf
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"By the way, Mr. Diplomat."
"What is it, Admiral?"
"Do you happen to know what a pipe is?"
"Admiral!"
Heavens, would you look at this guy?
"This thing I'm holding in my mouth right now—it's for smoking. You could call it an essential luxury for us Deneb folks."
"First time I've seen one. Some kind of hormone booster?"
"Something like that. How about a puff?"
Who'd have thought a soldier would introduce an alien to something so nice? I glanced at the aide nearby, who was breaking out in cold sweat trying to dissuade the admiral.
"Not hard. I'll gladly accept your kindness."
"What a refreshing attitude! Aide! Go grab a pipe from my office!"
Admiral Nikolai took the pipe from his aide and began kindly explaining how to use it with the most serious expression I'd seen yet. Put it in your mouth here, light the other end—mix in these improved Deneb tobacco leaves and it's out of this world—the golden ratio is such-and-such—
He handed over the completed pipe.
"Just feel it as you go."
I had no idea what I'd do if our species found tobacco to be deadly poison. Had the Deneb Federation really picked the right personnel? Or was the admiral just an idiot? It was a serious thought.
Never imagined I'd be learning to smoke a pipe from a space admiral—not even from a senior back on Earth.
I put the pipe in my mouth, and the admiral lit the end for me. As the tobacco began to burn, I carefully inhaled.
Suuup—
Fuuu—
"How is it?"
"..."
This flavor?
"Put it in the trade goods, Admiral. We'll import it."
"Hahaha!"
"Those improved leaves you mentioned—the intermittent aroma is superb."
"That's the one. The pride of Deneb."
The admiral's so-called improved tobacco leaves. Inhaling them activated my core's sensory abilities sharply. A drug aimed at humans that works on the hive mind too? No. Ordinary tobacco mixed in had zero effect on me—our physiologies are just too different.
But there were plants interspersed that opened the mind and seemed to heighten sensitivity to the legion. I needed this.
With trade terms more or less settled, it was time to head home.
"Please make sure to include those improved leaves, Admiral."
"Don't worry. I'll even pack some from my personal stash."
Boarding the Space Whale for the return trip, the legion reviewed the unused substance—the treaty written on paper.
An insanely favorable treaty for a first meeting. Sure, space borders aren't as valuable, so opening them made sense—but sharing galactic intel and guaranteeing mutual independence? In the game, those required seriously improved relations.
Just as I wanted to keep good ties with the Deneb Federation for peaceful monster life, they clearly wanted the same with our kingdom for some reason. Why else would negotiations go so smoothly?
In the trade 30 days from now, we'd be exchanging a few Space Whales. Why they'd want unstable bio-ships when they had their own vessels was a mystery—but I'd find out after the deal.
After all, we weren't really a kingdom; we were a hive mind. Everything the whales saw, heard, and felt in the Deneb Federation would reach me eventually.
Even if relations soured, my parts could return to my control anytime. They'd always be ready to obey me again.
Pity, but unavoidable. The meeting with Admiral Nikolai had been fruitful, but in national dealings, you couldn't trust the other side 100%. At least they hadn't detected the hive mind—probably chalked it up to some wart.
The major crisis had passed too smoothly. Now it was time to truly solidify internal affairs. The galaxy was vast—who knew when an enemy beyond our tech level might pop up?
In the game, you could grow a nation diligently, get crushed, hit by a stronger truck, or face crisis and just reset for a new game. But this vivid reality? No do-overs.
So prepare everything possible. Regretting too late meant nothing.
For example, that pipe tobacco from Admiral Nikolai. It sharpened the mind and let me sense the legion more clearly.
Just a few puffs this time, but upping the dose would surely help in emergencies.
If we'd approached the Deneb Federation hostilely, would we have gotten these leaves?
Probably not even known they existed. The admiral himself didn't seem to grasp their full effects—just that they had better awakening than regular smokes.
But friendly ties let us snag this gain.
Beyond that, the galaxy was full of exotic flora and fauna with effects beyond Earth norms—like Deneb's tobacco. Peaceful trade like this could strengthen us immensely.
This was the power of diplomacy.
For now, focus on immediate actions. Creating new entities needed organics, and even if I wanted to, the rice had to grow first for replenishment. So prep for Deneb trade.
Sell off unused minerals, odd-job workers, Space Whales—something like that?
"Queen."
As I pondered trade goods, a thought came from Jarvis.
"What's up, Jarvis?"
"An alien wants to make contact."
Just when I thought I could relax with internals and plant flags on empty land—another new alien. Monster life sure wasn't smooth.
"Another faction? Nothing detected near the border?"
"Yes. Not a nation. Seems like a wanderer. Made contact with a Space Whale patrolling the border region. Didn't reveal identity, but it has a powerful psionic presence."
I shifted my consciousness to the Space Whale in question, per Jarvis's words.
My view changed. There, floating in space on a surfing board, was a dwarf—so tiny compared to the whale that a normal human might miss it.
The dwarf, gazing at distant mountains, somehow sensed my shift into the whale and looked down, meeting my eyes.
"Hmm... Truly an exceptional spirit."
The dwarf let out exclamations like "ooh" and "aah," observing not the whale but the spirit 'me' dwelling within it.
"Even from beyond this star cluster, I felt your spirit brush the edge briefly—a blessed event indeed. Thus, this old body came all this way to confirm it personally."
Likely due to the temporary psionic expansion from Admiral Nikolai's pipe. Some kind of ability awakener? No clue on its true nature.
"So, what brings you all this way? I doubt it was just to check."
"I've confirmed it with my own eyes—nothing more desired. Keep progressing straight on that path, young spirit. Until the day you awaken to true faith. I'll await it then."
With that, he bowed, manually turned his surfboard with both hands, and departed without a hint of lingering.
No idea what this dwarf was about, but assuming every word true—from that puff of Admiral Nikolai's tobacco to now, he'd crossed this star cluster in that short time.
Minimum warp-level tech. No way hyperlanes got him here that fast—especially detecting a mind or thought from that distance.
In other words: Someone with overwhelming tech could be watching me. Realizing that sent alarm bells ringing loud.
Time to grow power fast. No matter how mighty the foe, to kill my core, they'd have to come to Lushaka and strike directly. I could pour bullets or lasers on them before then.
If attacked before we were strong enough? Well, fate. I'd struggle as hard as possible.