I Got Tripped In Haken's World

CHAPTER 3: Feed Me With Your Presence

I pondered for a minute, my gaze drifting across the interior of my apartment, I observed the walls, their paint worn and marked. The ceiling showed signs of age as if it had weathered storms. But despite the lack of furnishings, with minimal belongings, there was an openness that made the apartment seem larger. Well, of course, now the space looked like it was just a personal playground, all because of a bizarre ring brought by a feeble Haken who patiently awaited my response, nestled against Michiko's stomach.

"How much time do you have left?" My eyes flicked towards the Haken, then back to the air, looking up at the warnings that hovered there.

"[ An hour.]" The Haken's response seemed to weaken, though I couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out faster than it claimed.

With each passing second, the reality of the Haken's near end became clear. If it died here, would its warnings disappear, along with the strange aquatic ring in my apartment?

But then, a chilling thought gripped me. What if Haken's death attracted the attention of its akin, creatures exploring in the deepness of space? If they came searching for me, I'd be at their mercy, enduring unimaginable horrors until my very last breath.

"Why did you choose Earth when there is only one creature that qualifies, which is me?" I asked, settling onto the floor, my legs crossed beneath me.

The Haken hesitated, its frail form seeming to struggle with the effort of speaking.

"[There are qualified species on every planet. However, they do not all appear simultaneously.]"

"[Some have not yet reached their time of conception, while others have not yet been born.]"

"[All of them take more than twenty years to meet the qualifications.]"

"[And you, you are not far from the last planet I stopped at, by coincidence.]"

As the Haken spoke, the gravity of its words became apparent to me. It seemed like its only purpose was to make deals with creatures on each planet but forced to wait more than twenty years for the prospective contractual. I wondered how long had the Haken lived and how many contracts had it formed before.

"Space Traveler...That's incredible..." I murmured to myself, marveling at the idea. I turned back to the Haken, curiosity driving me to continue the conversation.

"Um, how do you manage to find a contractual right away if you have to tour every planet? You only stumbled into this apartment thirty minutes ago, from the last planet you visited."

Despite its obvious ailment, the Haken began to laugh.

I couldn't fathom where the Haken found the strength to laugh. Was it amused by my question, or was it merely accepting its near death?

It felt more like the second option. Like, that last rebellious laugh person lets out when he just accepts the death thing.

"[Mere human, you have many questions, indeed.]"

I raised an eyebrow. "I've been asking them all along. Did you just realize that?"

The Haken's villainous laughter subsided, replaced by a gentle brushing of Michiko's fur with its pointed nails.

"[There is a map for Hakens...]"

With a snap of its fingers, an image of the Universe popped out in the air. Planets dotted the screen like fireflies in the night, their glow illuminating the darkness.

I was spellbound by the sight, while the Haken deftly navigated the screen, revealing the vast expanse of the Universe.

"Is that what you call a map?"