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"He's right, Princess Lashara. My life is not in danger."
Hearing Chiaia's words, Lashara let go of her worry.
She turned to look at Kenshi, then at Kaito and Sakuya.
"Who exactly are you people?"
Hearing Lashara's question, Kaito slipped into performance mode without missing a beat.
"I ended up here by accident. I was asleep at home when my maid came to wake me in the morning. A white light suddenly swallowed us both. When I opened my eyes, I was here."
Kenshi looked at Kaito and Sakuya with a surprised expression, pushing through his discomfort.
"Are you two not from this world either?"
Lashara startled at that. People from another world?
A brief explanation was in order.
Geminar had a long history of visitors from other worlds. Without exception, every one of them possessed a physique uniquely suited to piloting a Seikijin. Over time this had become common knowledge, and with it came a kind of reverence for otherworlders. That reverence, unfortunately, had gone to a great many heads.
The result was a long catalogue of strange customs woven into the fabric of Geminar's culture.
The formal Seikishi investiture ceremony, for instance, which ought to have been a solemn affair, had somewhere along the way acquired official ceremonial attire that bore a suspicious resemblance to a bunny girl costume. The only modification was cat ears instead of bunny ears. Pillow fights had also, somehow, become a recognised tradition.
All of it traceable to otherworlders who had arrived, been treated as living legends, and proceeded to do exactly as they pleased.
This was what Kenshi had once meant in the original story when he said, with quiet exasperation: "These seniors really do whatever they want."
"Oh? From what you're saying, you're also from another world. What a coincidence!"
Kaito said to Kenshi with an easy smile.
He had no personal dislike of Kenshi. The boy was genuinely kind, the sort of person who extended goodwill to others by default and stepped in to help without being asked. When it came to enemies, he was equally direct, striking without hesitation when the moment called for it.
There was actually someone in the Jura-Tempest Federation who reminded Kaito of him. Tanjiro Kamado, currently serving as Lieutenant General in the Army. But in terms of raw overall ability, Kenshi had the edge. His family background alone was enough to explain why.
"I... ugh... ah..."
Kenshi managed one word before a wave of nausea overtook him. He pressed a hand over his mouth.
"You're in a bad way. Here, drink this. It should sort you out. If you think it's poison, feel free to ignore it."
Kaito tossed a bottle of universal healing potion across to him.
Kenshi caught it, uncapped it, gave it a brief sniff, and without a moment's hesitation drank the entire thing.
The effect was immediate. The nausea vanished. The injuries he had been carrying healed as though they had never been. His strength returned to its peak.
"Thank you for the potion. I will not forget this kindness. My name is Masaki Kenshi. Please take care of me."
Kenshi bowed deeply at ninety degrees, his expression completely sincere.
"It's nothing. We're both visitors from another world. Helping you out might lead to finding a way home for both of us."
"My name is Kaito. This is my personal maid, Izayoi Sakuya."
That last part was a lie, at least in terms of motive.
Kaito did need something from Kenshi, but it had nothing to do with finding a way home. What he needed were the coordinates of Kenshi's original world.
That world had the Three Goddesses. With his current level of cultivation, Kaito had no particular reason to fear them. They could reverse time, restart the world, and from a surface reading the whole thing appeared to span multiple universes. But at the end of it, their power was still contained within the Tenchi Muyo worldview. It could only reach people of their own world.
Kaito and Sakuya were outsiders. Genuinely from elsewhere. That placed them beyond the scope of what the Goddesses could touch.
And beyond those specific abilities, Kaito was fairly confident he could take all three of them on simultaneously and still have something left in reserve.
"Ah... actually, I don't have a way home either."
Kenshi scratched the back of his head.
"Ha! That's fine. We can look for it together at our own pace. There will always be a way."
Kenshi nodded seriously.
"Um... may I interject?"
Lashara, who had been watching the two of them chat as though she were not standing right there, had reached her limit.
"Of course. What is it, little girl?"
"Th-that... this person came here to assassinate me. He owes me an explanation!"
She shot a wary glance at Kaito, then pointed firmly at Kenshi.
Kenshi shifted awkwardly and began to explain.
"I wasn't truly trying to assassinate you. The person who sent me said they would tell me how to get home if I did it. I am genuinely sorry for frightening you."
Lashara's expression stayed serious.
"Do you know who was actually behind it?"
Kenshi shook his head.
"No. They were all wearing masks."
"I see."
She did not look surprised. If anything, she looked more focused.
"Heh heh! When soldiers come, send generals to meet them. When the flood comes, build an embankment. There's no use worrying too much about it right now, little girl."
"I do have a suggestion, if you're interested."
"What suggestion?"
"Kenshi came here to assassinate you, which was wrong. But he had no genuine intent to take your life, and I think that counts for something."
"How about this. You take him on as a retainer. He atones through service."
Kaito turned to Kenshi.
"I think you've already seen enough of those people to know what they are. Following this girl seems like a significantly better situation than being a disposable piece for people who were never going to keep their word."
Kenshi didn't hesitate.
"I have no objection to what Kaito said. I will do everything I can to protect you and make up for what I've done."
Lashara raised a hand and rubbed her chin, looking Kenshi over with a thoroughly calculating expression.
"Good build. Otherworlder. Powerful male Seikishi."
"This is not a bad deal at all. I accept."
"From this moment, you are a retainer of Lashara Earth XXVIII, Empress of the Shtrayu Empire. Consider yourself honoured."
Chiaia, who had recovered enough to sit up properly, looked at her with an expression of helpless resignation.
"Princess Lashara, is it really all right to just take him in like this?"
Lashara waved a hand.
"Chiaia. Think about it. No one wastes a rare male Seikishi as a disposable pawn. He is obviously not one of theirs."
"This... very well. I hope you're right."
Seeing that Lashara's mind was made up, Chiaia nodded and let it go.
"Ahem. Since you've taken him in, I don't suppose you'd object to taking in two more?"
"Sakuya and I are, at the moment, without a roof over our heads..."