(Hey, don't do it!)
A familiar voice echoed sharply within the confines of his soul domain, slicing through his concentration like a blade of reason. Then it came again, louder, more insistent—(Don't you dare spend that massive amount of pearls all at once!)
"Neri?" Robin responded mentally, his tone strained. "I realize it's a huge amount... but this mission—this dream of establishing a Centennial Empire within a thousand years—I can't achieve that without a fleet of Stellar Scout Ships." His jaw tightened as he ground his teeth in frustration. "Without them, the whole plan collapses."
"I don't know how you think you'll pull it off," Neri shot back, her voice both fierce and protective. "But you have to find another way—any way—that doesn't involve bleeding me dry of pearls like this!"
