The accident is one's own responsibility.

Fubuki and Tsukikage returned to the Salius Stellar Province.

The group, visiting the Free Merchant Fleet Union for procedures, was told an unexpected fact.

"Aila's A884 hasn't returned?"

"Yes. The Ranglord Consortium's fleet and Rek's Javelin have already come back, but Aila's A884, which should have finished its mission at the 6325 Stellar Federation and set off on its return journey earlier, hasn't come back yet."

According to Lina's report, after resupplying at the capital colony of the 6325 Stellar Federation, Aila apparently returned directly to the Sirius Stellar Province without taking on any new assignments.

She claimed to have taken a route avoiding danger, and indeed, there is a record of her passing near a navigation beacon station along the way. However, she has not been recorded passing the next required station.

It's hard to imagine a lone escort vessel being attacked by space pirates, so she might have encountered trouble or met with an accident of some kind.

"I think so..."

Even if the area where Ira is believed to have gone missing has been identified, it's located deep within vast international space, and straying slightly off course would bring one into regions dotted with asteroid fields and areas of intense gravity.

"This might be quite difficult. What about search and rescue operations?"

"Five patrol vessels from the Coast Guard have been dispatched to conduct search operations in the designated space region."

Seyra and Miliena gasped in surprise at Lina's words.

"Five vessels only?"

There was no surprise in their reaction.

The designated space region would take about five days to traverse even under normal conditions, but that was only if one traveled in a straight line.

In reality, the space is even more vast, and the issue cannot be resolved with just five ships.

Even with five patrol vessels, it would take ten days to search only five percent of the designated area.

"Can't we send out more ships?"

"Yes, we can't send out enough! There are far too few!"

It's no surprise that Sera and Milena are frustrated.

Both had repeatedly overcome dangers and grown as sailors, but neither had ever witnessed a close comrade like Ira meet with an accident.

That's why they didn't know how they would react in such a situation.

It's by no means rare for spacecraft to go missing, not just merchant vessels. While the incidence of accidents is indeed very low, they still do happen. Typical causes include distress situations, attacks by space pirates, or malfunctions during hyperspace jumps. If a distress signal is sent, we can search for them, but if not, there's essentially no way to locate them. Even the coast guard, whose primary duties include rescue operations and maintaining security, can't possibly deploy large numbers of ships to search for missing vessels.

Though Shinosuke's explanation made sense in his mind, he couldn't fully accept it on an emotional level.

And since the two people missing were someone he knew well—Aira—it only made things worse.

"Um, Shinosuke-san..."

"If that's the case, then we should—"

Shinosuke cuts off the two as they try to plead.

"You're not going!"

"Wha—?"

"If you want to go searching with Fubuki, then I'm not going with you."

Taken aback by Shinosuke's unexpected words, the two fall silent.

"That kind of thing..."

"Isn't that a bit cold?"

Shinosuke shrugged under the two's gaze.

"Of course, setting sail costs money. If there were a search request, that'd be different, but no one's going to pay for a rescue when a freelance merchant ship goes down. Even if we paid out of pocket, the losses would be enormous. There's no way anyone would voluntarily go searching for a missing ship like that."

The two look at Rina after hearing Shinosuke's cold words, but Rina simply shakes her head in silence.

"Even if we did search, it'd be impossible—just like the coast guard. No matter how excellent Fubuki's detection capabilities are, the sheer size of the area in question makes them useless."

Though humans travel through space in spacecraft, space is unimaginably vast and filled with danger.

Faced with the vastness of space, sailors set out relying on their own skill and their vessel, taking full responsibility themselves.

As Shinosuke always says, it's a world where "accidents and bento boxes are each person's own responsibility."

"I-I'll cover the reward, then. If it's an official request, that shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"I'll contribute a little too."

The two press their argument further, but Shinosuke shakes his head no.

"There's no sensible merchant who'd go around requesting something and then taking it themselves. Even if someone did issue a request, no one would accept it."

Rina agrees with Shinosuke's words.

"I understand both of you are worried—I'm worried too. But there's nothing we can do about this situation. Let's just wait and hope the Coastal Guard finds Aila."

Both Seira and Milena understand what Shinnosuke and the others have said, but despite knowing it, they can't stay still.

Seeing the two of them, Shinnosuke sighed deeply.

"...I don't plan to go myself, nor does Marks. But for now, we have no intention of using Fubuki. Whether it's training or a self-initiated search, if you're going out on your own responsibility, you can go ahead. But I'm saying this again—neither I nor Marks will be going."

After hearing Shinosuke's words, Seira and Milena glanced at each other and nodded.

"Then we'll go by ourselves."

"Yes. We'll go look for Ira."

The two spoke with determination, but Rinna damped their enthusiasm.

"But you two can't go alone. Neither Seira nor Milena has a captain's license, even though you both have communication clearance and pilot certification. You can't sail independently without a captain's or shipmaster's license."

Seira and Milena were caught off guard, having forgotten the crucial detail.

Both of them hung their heads in disappointment.

"Hmm, uh-huh!"

Suddenly, Shinnosuke cleared his throat.

When the two looked up, there was Shinnosuke patting Andy on the shoulder.

Rina was also smiling softly as she looked at Andy.

"Eh?... Oh, me?"

Andy had the qualifications to be captain.