Now, Gorou, who had been holed up in his room, had apparently managed to come up with name proposals before the deadline.
From here, citizens with citizenship rank above a certain level would vote on their favorite among the submitted names to decide. Kaito was freshly surprised that citizenship rank was required even for things like this.
This time, apparently only citizens of Fourth Rank Citizen Dalda-Elra or above could vote. Perhaps because it was the name of a species newly joining the Federation, it was restricted to those with much higher citizenship than usual public submissions.
“This certainly makes you want higher citizenship.”
While all citizens had the right to submit ideas, only the upper tiers had the right to adopt them. They said that those whose ideas were adopted sometimes got their citizenship rank raised, so it was quite well-designed.
Now, when Kaito found Gorou sprawled out in the cafeteria, he placed a tea-like beverage on the table.
“Good work, Sensei.”
“Ah, Captain. Thank you.”
“So what kind of name did you end up submitting?”
“Hmm? Is it alright to say?”
“It should be fine, shouldn’t it? I only have one vote after all. It won’t seriously affect the decision.”
“That’s true too.”
He sat up with effort and took a sip of the tea-like beverage. Lemon tea? he murmured in his mouth.
“I proposed the name Toona.”
“Toona?”
“It’s the name of a god from a certain tribe, who apparently appears borrowing the form of an eel. In the mythology, it gets its head cut off—rather violent—but I couldn’t come up with any better ideas.”
It’s just like tuna, Kaito didn’t dare say.
“Incidentally, in the original text it’s Tuna. That was too close to tuna, so I arranged it a bit.”
“Oh my.”
It went without saying.
“Understood. Then I’ll vote for that.”
“Really?”
“Well, yeah. I do feel some responsibility for spreading the name ‘space eel’ throughout the Federation.”
When he let out a wry smile, Gorou also smiled.
“You really should feel responsible for that.”
“Sorry about that.”
Neither Kaito nor Gorou knew at this time—
that the Terapolapanecio, having no particular preference, would vote for the same name Kaito voted for without thinking much about it.
As a result, the two of them laughing here couldn’t have imagined that the space eel’s name would be decided exactly as Kaito voted.
Through a process that felt somewhat illegal, it was officially decided that the space eels would be called Toona. Apparently, for matters that didn’t involve the Federation’s management or future, the space jellyfish had developed a tendency to prioritize Kaito’s intentions. Kaito decided in his heart to abstain from voting on matters that weren’t very important in the future.
Now, the role of conveying the new name was entrusted to Kaito. Considering the circumstances leading up to this, it was an utterly appropriate personnel choice.
——Oh, Kaito. Is there something?
“Yes. I have something to discuss with you. We’d like to call you Toona from now on.”
——Toona, you say.
“Yes. It was decided through the Federation’s public submission method. A way of choosing which is best among opinions submitted by Federation citizens.”
——I see.
“Toona is a name from legends on my home planet… a planet called Earth, where a great being took on a form resembling you.”
——I don’t quite understand ‘legends,’ but it’s good that a great being took on a form resembling me.
The response was better than expected.
Since Kaito wasn’t sure if Toona could understand the concept of gods, it was good that he had rephrased it as “great being.”
——I understand. From now on, when you call me among yourselves, you may call me Toona.
“That helps.”
Good. He didn’t dislike it.
Just as Kaito breathed a sigh of relief, the space eel—now Toona—asked a question.
——By the way, Kaito. Do creatures with forms similar to mine exist on your home planet?
“Eh? Yes.”
Kaito had had the same thought with the space jellyfish, but why were space creatures so interested in similarly-shaped beings?
In any case, Toona seemed quite intrigued.
——Since it’s your home planet, they must be quite small compared to me, right?
“That’s right. About this size.”
When Kaito showed a width of about thirty centimeters, Toona leaned his face closer with what seemed like involuntary emotion. Close, close. He was going to hit Radia.
——So small!? They are organic beings, right?
“They’re organic beings. I’ve even eaten them.”
——E-eaten! Oh, oh… how… savage of you, Kaito.
Says the species that kills and cannibalizes their own kind.
While somewhat exasperated but ignoring being called savage, Kaito glanced at Emotion nearby. Emotion nodded.
“I think we have images, would you like to see them?”
——Absolutely!
To Toona, who exposed his eyeballs on the largest scale ever, Emotion projected images of Earth eels in the air.
——Oh? Ohhh…!?
From electric eels to Japanese eels, even odd varieties like lampreys. Kaito thought there might have been some conger eels mixed in, but from a space eel’s perspective, there probably wasn’t much difference.
——What is this rising impulse? Something I’ve never felt toward my own kind, this relaxing of the heart. Ah, how should I put it!
“Want to protect them?”
——Want to protect…? Yes, that’s it! That word fits most perfectly!
Who would have thought a space eel would feel protective toward Earth eels?
Since silicon-based lifeforms apparently had an instinct to kill each other, they shouldn’t have ever felt warm emotions toward similar life. Protective instincts toward small, weak creatures had probably never occurred before. Kaito couldn’t find words for Toona, who was writhing.
Still, Earth jellyfish that made you want to interact with them, and Earth eels that made you want to protect them. Earth creatures were really something.
——Kaito!
“Yes, yes.”
Having learned enough from the space jellyfish, Kaito knew what the other party was about to say in situations like this.
Calmly, with a smile.
——I would very much like to go meet these Earth eels!
“Toona is too big, so no.”
He rejected that proposal.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
[Please do something about this, Kaito, Third-rank Citizen, Enek-Ragif.]
The complaint from the negotiating Terapolapanecio came about three days later. Since Kaito had eaten exactly ten meals since then, that timing sounded about right.
Toona had been dejected ever since being rejected by Kaito. As a negotiator, it must have been tiring to dialogue with someone in such a state.
However, Kaito had his own position. Since Toona’s desire to come to Earth was the cause, there was no other way to respond.
“That may be so, but what do you think would happen if such a massive creature descended from space? Earth’s environment would change drastically for the worse.”
[Mmm.]
“If Toona’s visit caused several species of Earth eels to go extinct, I feel like his dejection would be nothing compared to what it would become then.”
[T-that’s a valid point too…]
How unusual—the space jellyfish was hesitating.
It began floating and swimming through the air, so it was probably seeking opinions from its kind regarding this matter.
After a while, it descended as if giving up.
[…Indeed, other individuals seem to share the same opinion. Kaito, Third-rank Citizen, Enek-Ragif’s opinion is correct. However, negotiations won’t progress at this rate.]
What to do, pondered the negotiator. Then, Emotion, who had been listening to the conversation nearby, clapped their hands.
“This is perfect timing. Why not present that proposal from before?”
“From before… you mean the spare body matter?”
“Yes. It would be easier to advance research if they became more cooperative, wouldn’t it?”
[Please. I’d definitely like you to ask. That would help things progress significantly!]
Compared to the always composed Zodgia representatives and councilors, the negotiator seemed to lack emotional composure despite being capable at their job.
Space jellyfish really did have more personality than Kaito had thought.
——I’ll do it! Please let me participate in that experiment!
Conclusion: Toona was extremely enthusiastic.
He jumped at the outlandish proposal of creating a spare body small enough not to affect Earth eels or the planetary environment and transferring consciousness into it, without a moment’s hesitation.
Is that really okay, space eel?
While lightly holding his head, thinking that if Toona was fine with it then it was fine, Kaito tossed the rest of the discussion to the negotiator. Distancing himself slightly from the two parties who began rapidly deciding various matters that had been stalled, he turned a wry smile toward Emotion.
“That went well. Couldn’t have gone better.”
“Yes. From observing the Terapolapanecio’s behavior so far, I could predict this outcome.”
“That’s amazing. I didn’t have a clue.”
“The space environment probably forces more loneliness on creatures than we think.”
A poetic expression.
If that was why frameworks like the Federation and corporations existed, building societies that transcended species barriers, then perhaps there was meaning in that lonely space called the universe.
“I hope things will progress a bit more smoothly now.”
“Toona seemed able to distinguish Earth eels. Perhaps if there are common points, he can remember them.”
“That’s true. I’d be happy if he could deepen his understanding of organic life from that angle.”
Come to think of it, Kaito hadn’t eaten eel in quite a while.
While thinking he’d like to eat some after so long, he, suddenly curious about something else, casually asked Emotion.
“By the way, are there creatures similar to eels on planets other than Earth?”
“Yes. Strangely, no creatures resembling jellyfish seem to have been discovered, but creatures resembling eels or snakes have been observed on a fair number of planets, according to the data…”
This was just casual conversation, not particularly intentional. The reason Emotion hesitated was due to the gaze directed at them.
But this was too intense to call merely a gaze.
Under crushing pressure, Kaito involuntarily looked in that direction.
——What did you say?
Apparently, he had accidentally broadcast his words via telepathy. Kaito didn’t think Toona could have caught Emotion’s statement, but even so, the pressure seemed too strong.
Toona’s massive eye seemed to flash, reflecting starlight.
[Kaito, Third-rank Citizen, Enek-Ragif, we’re in the middle of negotiations.]
“…I sincerely apologize.”
This felt like the first time he’d received such a cold wave of thought from Terapolapanecio.
Additionally, an [Eel Observation Tour] visiting planets managed by the Federation was added to Toona’s requests.
[Actually, were we like this too in the past? Perhaps?]
“…I’ll refrain from commentary.”
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