Reborn as an Evolving Space Monster: Harem Of Otherworldly Beauties

"Cero, welcome." The Prime Minister gestured towards the seat on the other end of the table. "Would you like to eat something? Having meetings secretly does have that additional advantage."

They were meeting in a luxurious hotel room.

"I hope this is important." Cero said with a sigh before taking a seat. "You're taking me away when I'm already leaving in less than twenty-four hours."

"Haha, sorry about that." The Prime Minister nodded with a slight smile. "I won't take too much of your time, but this is important. We need to discuss how the Banquet will go for you. I also need to brief you on the mission you'll be going on."

"I'm not going on a mission." Cero scratched his nose. He didn't want to come off as rude or impolite, but it was an important distinction that needed to be made. Cero wasn't a Soldier of Wor or anything of the sort. "I'm just accompanying a friend."

"I know, I know. Still, we want everything to go well. Go on, order something."

One of the Prime Minister's bodyguards handed Cero a menu. He chose a couple of options, pretty much at random.

"I hope you will be a bit more talkative than you were last time we met." Cero said jokingly.

'Last time we met, huh?' The Prime Minister thought, immediately noticing. 'You don't want this to be framed as you going on a mission on behalf of Wor, and you don't want to refer to this or that one as "Meetings". Keeping things light, and unofficial.' The Prime Minister twirled the end of his mustache. 'No strings attached.'

Silent seconds passed.

"Well?"

"Right. Hm." The Prime Minister coughed. "As I'm sure you already know, the Banquet won't take place in one particular spot or area. Instead, it will take place on one of the most luxurious cruising spaceships available. I'll skip the details and give a quick overview. The first part of the Banquet will take place right here, the Capital. Some of the guests will stay with us, while others will leave before take-off. An hour or so will be spent at each of the nine locations we have decided are most important. Moving from one location to the next will take an average of nineteen minutes, take-off and landing included."

"And I'm supposed to act like a security guard, right? For about twelve hours?"

"Precisely." The Prime Minister gestured, and one of the bodyguards deposited a uniform on the table, right next to Cero.

"I hope it's not unpaid labour." He said, glancing at the folded uniform. It came with glasses, a metallic kind of face mask, a holster, a gun belt, and what seemed to be a white revolver.

"Well, you won't really be working security. Still, we can pay you, if you'd like."

"No, thanks." Cero chuckled. "No pay, since I'm not working for you."

"Of course." The Prime Minister chuckled back.

"So why am I supposed to pass for security? I'll stand out either way, probably."

"We've arranged things for you not to stand out."

"I see." Cero nodded, shrugging internally.

The door opened momentarily. It only took a moment for Cero's meals to be set in front of him.

"You still haven't answered my question."

"Why you need to pass for security?"

"Oh, so I need to?"

The Prime Minister stared at Cero for a bit, before moving his gaze towards the grand chandelier hanging from above.

"What did happen during those six months?"

"Hm?" Cero was busy at the moment, wolfing down one of the appetizing meals.

"The six months that preceded your landing on Wor."

"I'm not sure what you're asking." Cero wiped his mouth with a napkin.

While irrelevant, the Prime Minister found Cero's habit humorous. It was unexpected for a supposedly wild alien to wipe his mouth, not when dirtied, but after every bite.

"If you're not sure, then maybe I can help narrow it down." The Prime Minister gestured, and a tablet was brought to him. "It's been about ten days since you landed on Wor."

"Had a great time, by the way."

"I'm glad to hear that." The Prime Minister said with a slight bow.

Cero wiped his mouth. "Please, continue."

"As I was saying, it's been ten days since you landed on Wor." The Prime Minister clicked, and a hologram appeared right in front of him. "It might not look like much to you, but this badge is pretty special."

"Is that so?"

"Have you ever seen one?"

"I haven't."

"I see." The Prime Minister nodded. "It's a special type of Visa, or Permit. These badges allow their holder to travel pretty much everywhere, no questions asked. You wouldn't know this, but landing anywhere, Wor included, is actually pretty complicated. Well, as long as it's anywhere within the civilized world."

"Yeah, I assume." Cero scratched his cheek. "So I'm guessing these badges are issued by the Syndicate."

"Precisely. These Permits are usually only issued to those employed by the Syndicate."

"Uhu." Cero took a bite. 'I'm guessing they keep tabs on every Planet and civilization. They need to stay informed about everyone, so those employees are more like spies. Though it is legal… I guess they're government employees, even though the Syndicate is a Union and not a government.'

The Prime Minister took a deliberate pause. With time, his suspicions of Cero had decreased. The likelihood of his being a pawn of the Syndicate had decreased substantially, for the very reason that the Prime Minister was about to explain.

"Every day, we get a couple of individuals passing through our security and borders with such Permits. They land, either having flown with a commercial flight or a private ship, show their Permit, and pass through. No questions asked."

"Would they ask questions on Jin?"

"No, they wouldn't."

"Hm…"

"Forgery is impossible. Many have tried, failed, and are now rotting in cells."

Cero's eyebrow twitched.

'Was it that obvious that I was thinking exactly about that?'