Robot Settlement. After confirming that Blake meant no harm, Topaz finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Friendly communication is always better. There was no need to make the atmosphere so stiff; it wouldn't be good for either side.
So... Topaz immediately changed her attitude, "In the long run, this is a... no, only by doing this can we guarantee Belobog's long-term interests. To achieve this goal... our company hopes to receive the Church's assistance."
Before Blake could respond, Svarog began calculating:
"Concept vague. Evaluating intent... Evaluation result: Failed. Envoy, how do you intend to persuade the company's leadership?"
"Mr. Svarog should be very clear, right? For the past seven hundred years, all mechas manufactured in Belobog have used the underlying system left by the [Company]. With such perfect code, the engineers here simply can't think of a reason to replace it."
"Somewhere in the Underworld, there used to be a huge arsenal where many... a great many weapons slept, enough to crush an entire vanguard of the Legion."
"This is my bargaining chip for negotiating with the higher-ups. If it's not enough..." Topaz looked at Blake; everything was understood without needing words.
"No problem, but the Church is limited to cooperating with the [Strategic Investment Department]. Addition: Does not include the Interastral Peace Corporation. So, please trouble Miss Topaz to change her rhetoric to the upper leadership."
Blake agreed to Topaz's request. "Regarding the wording to the leaders, Miss Topaz need not fear any consequences, speak freely!"
"For example, the Church unilaterally rejected your visit, regrettably mission failed. If the leadership continues to press step by step, then be prepared to go to war with the [Church of Eternity]."
"Mmh, as for the debt issue..."
Blake pondered countermeasures. Frankly speaking, even ten Churches couldn't afford to pay that astronomical debt of Jarilo-VI.
Damn it, the only thing he could count on at this time was capturing all the Stellaron Hunters for the bounty, but there were still too few of them...
The hateful Interastral Peace Corporation, acting willfully just because they have money, having no regard for the law! What is the Lord of [Equilibrium] doing? Don't those Arbitrators care?
"Mmh, regarding that previous fund from the [Strategic Investment Department], I haven't had the chance to visit and thank you properly... Or let [Diamond] come to the Church once to experience the Church's natural hot spring bath."
In the end, Blake chose to change the subject, skipping the question regarding the debt.
Topaz: ...
Is this guy really the Pontiff of the Church of Eternity? Be a bit more responsible!
"Mr. Bl... Blake, acquiring Jarilo-VI is a strategic decision approved by the company's high-level executives. Even if I intend to overturn this decision, persuading the people above is extremely difficult, unless..."
"Heh~ So thou art a proxy of a false god, a foolish person who cannot even handle such daily trivial matters!"
A clear and cold voice filled with maximum mockery came from behind Blake. The corners of Blake's mouth twitched frantically; no need to guess, it was Freesna.
"Eh?"
At this moment, Topaz and Svarog were even more confused. When did this girl appear? Popping up suddenly, eh... so scary!
"Stake the reputation of the [Church of Eternity] and [Eternity] to guarantee Jarilo-VI! How about it?" Freesna raised her head proudly. Being able to come up with this decision, as expected of her!
"Reputation... is indeed feasible, haha~" Topaz laughed awkwardly, complaining in her heart:
Actually, you didn't need to add [Church of Eternity] in front... No, considering the Church can call upon their Aeon, why does this sound like a threat?
"This should work. The subsequent reporting process, and possible accountability issues later..."
Topaz shook her head. Rank and such didn't matter; finding the best solution to the problem was what counted.
As for salary... let them deduct it. She had long passed the stage of working purely for money anyway. Besides, it wasn't all bad news.
As a member of the [Strategic Investment Department], she had established connections with two [Eternity] Emanators. Wasn't this good news?
As for Blake's invitation to visit the [Church of Eternity] later... honestly, she was quite looking forward to it. After all, it was a planet she hadn't visited, seemingly transformed from the Car Wash Star.
Just as Topaz compiled the information to send to the higher-ups and took a breath...
Beep beep beep!
Except for Svarog, the phones of the three people received a message at the same time.
...
Pier Point, Interastral Peace Corporation Headquarters.
Receiving the message from Topaz, the high-level leaders fell into silence one after another.
"The Church is clearly wanting to go against us. Just two [Emanators], can't we handle them?" One arrogant member slammed the table and scolded angrily. This was a naked provocation!
"Jarilo-VI is being defended to the death by the Church. Take a long-term view. From a commercial value perspective... they are the ones losing. Just let them have it."
There was no need to fight to the death with the Church for this planet with little profit. In the end, the losses would outweigh the gains.
"The two [Eternity] Emanators have already shown their attitude. The Church only has a few Emanators in total... truly a group of lunatics who will do anything to achieve their goals..."
"No, you all misunderstood. The truly dangerous one is not Pontiff Blake Hall, nor that unfamiliar Emanator we haven't met, but..." A high-level executive who had contact with the Church took a sip of tea and said solemnly:
"But the most secretive existence in the universe, undetectable, with whereabouts unknown to anyone, the true founder of the Church: Ite of [Eternity]."
"This is indeed a threat: but all signs indicate that if HE is attracted because of this matter, then the probability of our company surviving is zero. To exaggerate slightly, we have no countermeasures."
"From our own perspective, has the Interastral Peace Corporation made sufficient preparations to anger an [Aeon]?"
The high-level leaders remained silent. Unless that non-existent P50 level arrived, even if all members of the Interastral Peace Corporation went together, they couldn't do anything to the other party.
At this time, their phones received two more messages. One was a supplement from Topaz:
"The Church treats people kindly. Regarding Jarilo-VI's debt, Blake has obtained Ite's consent. Our company can obtain a personal item of the Amber Lord as compensation?!"
...
......
"Ah, an item of the Amber Lord? Strange, I seem to have suddenly lost a segment of memory. What was it again..." The high-level leader who shouted the loudest just now changed his face instantly.
Jarilo-VI or whatever was no longer important.
An old friend (Oswaldo Schneider) once said: Is there a more open-minded chairman in this universe than Qlipoth?
HE tacitly approves all our business decisions, never questioning, never asking! This is a great honor, a great trust!
The corporate spirit has not changed since its inception: Dedicate everything to the "Amber Lord" — Qlipoth.