Planetes
2.b. The Lost at Sea (2)

How long have they been walking? Neptune who is in a stretcher can only wonder. To be taken where and in which direction, he did not know. Neptune can only trust these earthlings that are with him.

"Still away?" the bentala finally had no power to hold back his curiosity.

『Please be patient, Sir. After passing through the forest, we will arrive.』

Due to its royal curiosity, Neptune finally looks out of the stretcher. Sure enough, the dense forest ahead was waiting for them.

『Rest first, Sir. The journey is still quite far. You must save your energy.』

The soft words of one of the soldiers tried to persuade him. Come to think of it, ever since he destroyed a city in Greece some time ago, he hasn't slept at all. Maybe if ordinary humans would die from not sleeping that long, but Neptune is not human.

Neptune is reluctant to sleep for one or two reasons. First, he's an earthling threat. So, it is not impossible if some of them will intend to harm him when he is careless. Second, he had difficulty trusting people since the incident in the middle of the city in Greece.

Although the wound had closed, but honestly he was still afraid if he got the same treatment again. Looks like fate is trying to play a game with the bentala. Although he refused to fall asleep, in fact the twins slowly closed and he fell asleep.

I don't know how long he slept, which is clear when he woke up there were loud noises from outside. Neptune again bends his head out of the stretcher and his twin ain see a large, majestic building in front of him. Ah, have they arrived?

『Master, already awake?』one of the soldiers asked.

Neptune nodded his head and asked.

"How long have I been asleep?"

『More or less 5 days, Sir. During that time, we've reached the capital.』

"FIVE HA—" Neptune almost hit the roof of the stretcher so surprised. "Jeez, sorry. I was really surprised."

In my heart, Neptune is dying. How could he be so stupid? Lucky he wasn't hurt.

The soldiers looked at each other. No words were said from their rannum. Only the motion signaled Neptune to immediately descend from the palanquin and ask him to enter the palace.

While entering the palace to head to the hall, Neptunian neutrals were spoiled by the splendor of the palace. A sight he had never seen before. You know what space is like, right? Black color everywhere, and there was only dim light.

But look here, so bright and glittering. Neptune was also amazed.

『Baginda, the man you are looking for has arrived.』the voice of one of the soldiers jerking Neptune into the conscious.

The twin Ain belonging to the bentala was immediately turned towards a figure that the soldiers called 'Baginda'. A man in all-glittering and majestic clothes. So he is their king?

"Hamba pays homage to His Majesty" Neptune soon follows the way the soldiers pay homage to the King.

The blonde-haired young man on the throne stared at Neptune straight. Giving an assessment on that tall, mumal figure.

What is so special about this man to be feared? A tall stature? Hm, but this guy is pretty skinny. Even his face was hard to see because it was covered in a hood. The hood? Maybe that's what he should know. The figure hidden behind the hood.

「Show your face. Do not hide anything in front of the King.」

There is a haughty tone in the King's word. But Neptune understands that every ruler is like that. His power reached out to the hood that covered most of his head and lowered it slowly.

At first the people in the room had ordinary expressions. But when Neptune lowered his hood, they were astonished. Behind the shawl, there was a handsome man with long curls in light blue. Same color as sea color. The net is gray with light green diamond-shaped pupils.

Goddamn bum. The King cursed in his heart. The man he invited had more charisma than him. Despite its cumbersome appearance.

「Your name?」The King asked after calming himself from envy and envy.

"Name of Neptune's servant, Your Majesty." In a soft clear voice, the manifestation of the eighth planet of the solar system was introduced.

The King—Darts, stroking his chin for a moment. Strange name, he thought. Even the stature of this man is strange.

「A guest of the King should dress appropriately,」Darts reveals shortly after smelling the unpleasant scent of the clothes worn by Neptune.

He clapped his hands three times and the palace ladies approached.

「Clean and dress this man in proper clothes. You must make sure that he is clean before dinner arrives.」back Darts.

Neptune who was still in his place was immediately taken by the ladies to the bathroom. Of course to clean the manifestation of the planet from soil and blood stains.

Once clean, Neptune's long curly blue hair was combed neatly. He was even given clean and beautiful clothes.

This was the first time for the bentala to wear proper clothing since he set foot on the earth. Ever before? Don't ask, do you think Neptune was wearing clothes in space?

Put that problem aside. After Neptune cleaned up and put on his neat clothes, he was asked to attend a banquet where the King—Darts, and other palace dwellers gathered. Neptune does not know what it is called because its vocabulary is not so much.

Nevertheless, he can learn quickly new knowledge. So Neptune was able to master the local language without taking a long time.

The banquet is not at all as crowded as the room where the King's hall is located. They ate in silence, making the atmosphere very awkward and stiff.

It was only when the banquet was over that Darts opened its voice.

「Today, we have a great guest.」

Those who heard the words of the Darts looked at each other. Great Guest said? Then all the gazes were fixed on the figure of Neptune who was sipping his drink slowly.

Of course that gaze made Neptune instantly feel uneasy as it was as if their gazes were piercing and piercing through the recesses of his soul. Darts makes gestures so that everyone present is silent and attentive to it.

「He is a God who descends from the sky. Respect him and treat him well. I don't want this land to be affected by disaster because of his wrath.」

The words of Darts make Neptune's twin ain pattern. So, Darts already knew of the disaster he caused a while ago?

Wait, a while ago that wasn't the right phrase. He didn't do it once either.

Impressed arrogantly? A tyrant? Neptune just knows that's how to defend itself. When earthling threatens him, is it wrong to defend himself?

Before Neptune sank into his mind any further, his net saw the men flocking to prostrate at his feet. Write words of praise. Begging her blessings. Treat it as if it were something to be worshipped.

That's when Neptune felt his life was similar to that of the Mother, Mentari.

—connect