It was precisely because Dan Heng realized the attackers were from the Interastral Peace Corporation that Welt stepped in to stop the fight.
While the IPC wasn't exactly made of saints, they were still a top-tier force in the universe. No matter what their intentions were on Jarilo, talking was always preferable to clashing blades.
Welt didn't know if it was his imagination, but he felt Topaz's expression darken the moment he asked that question.
"The IPC has always operated extensively. Helping underdeveloped worlds rebuild is one of our missions. As for why I'm here on Jarilo—well, it relates to a very old assignment from the IPC. Who would've thought that the moment my ship entered Jarilo's atmosphere, a beam of light would strike? If I hadn't reacted in time, all you'd be seeing now would be the wreckage of my ship."
"..."
----------------------------
If someone were to open the door to the Grand Guardian's office at this moment, they would find the former Grand Guardian and the current one shining flashlights and holding magnifying glasses, staring intently at a piece of paper on the desk as if trying to burn a hole through it with their eyes.
"Mother, is this thing real?"
"According to the records, the book that held it belonged to the seventh Grand Guardian's favorite collection." The implication being: the Grand Guardian wouldn't have been so bored to forge something like this, and given how old it is, it's highly credible.
Bronya remembered the records from the seventh Grand Guardian—someone who took promises very seriously.
A record written by her own hand…
She felt a bit dizzy.
"Mother, according to the numbers recorded here, how much should it be by now?"
"Bronya, I taught you math."
"..."
"..."
"Let's take one credit as an example. Assuming an annual interest rate of ten percent, with compound interest over seven hundred years, **you'd have to add twenty zeros after the number.Just saying it out loud feels overwhelming."
In this moment, the excitement and joy from restarting the Engine of Creation completely vanished.
Both of them knew: if this debt turned out to be real, then the greatest crisis following Jarilo's revival was upon them.
As for hoping that the IPC wouldn't discover Jarilo's reappearance, that was less likely than Jarilo facing another cold wave.
When she had spoken with Yukong, she had already realized the IPC's influence throughout the universe.
Their issued credits were accepted universally.
Now that Jarilo was exposed again to the wider universe, being discovered was only a matter of time.
"Mother, should we report this to Lord Godzilla?" Bronya asked worriedly.
Cocolia sighed.
"This is a debt dispute among humans. How could we trouble a deity with such a thing? For now, let's pretend it doesn't exist. We'll deal with it once the Interastral Peace Corporation discovers Jarilo."
It wasn't that Cocolia didn't want to repay the debt—this sum was simply too enormous. In her dazed state, she couldn't come up with any solution.
She truly regretted opening that book.
Just as the two fell into silence, the door opened and Pela walked in, immediately sensing the strange tension in the room.
But she didn't think too much of it and spoke.
"Lady Bronya, Lady Cocolia, this is the report I compiled based on everyone's input."
Hearing Pela's formal address, the two smiled helplessly.
"No need to be so formal, just call me like you used to."
"That won't do. We must stay professional during work," Pela shook her head and then continued.
"Seele just got back, and she brought a team of people from space. They seem to be from the Interastral Peace Corporation. Hm? Lady Cocolia? Bronya?"
Pela tilted her head in confusion as she saw the two of them suddenly freeze with unpleasant expressions. She quietly tucked the report back into her arms.
Bronya had never really believed that people could be struck with sudden disaster in the midst of their success. And if it happened, she thought it must be the result of carelessness or arrogance.
But now, she believed.
...
In this comfortably decorated reception room, the atmosphere had grown tense.
Only Topaz, Bronya, and Cocolia were present.
The three were in a standoff, but anyone could tell: aside from Cocolia holding her ground, Bronya's expression was obviously uneasy and a bit awkward.
Topaz subtly observed the expressions of the two and chuckled inwardly.
She clearly knew they were already aware of Jarilo's debt issue.
"Ahem, seeing Jarilo so full of life makes me really happy. It seems like you've been doing fairly well during the time you were cut off from the rest of the universe."
In response to Topaz's words, Bronya replied softly.
"Actually, Jarilo has only started to recover in recent years. Up until a few years ago, we were still struggling with the cold wave caused by the Stellaron."
Topaz nodded slightly. "That's not surprising. I figured as much when I met the Express crew—the Astral Express often deals with Stellaron's. I assume they helped you remove it?"
"No, it's our deity."
"Deity?"
Topaz paused, even the motion of petting Numpy stopped.
A deity... Could it be an Aeon?
No, a mere Stellaron wouldn't be enough to draw an Aeon's attention and prompt them to act personally. It must have been a powerful Pathstrider passing by, who was ultimately worshipped as a deity.
Such occurrences aren't uncommon in the universe.
Many worlds aren't particularly strong—just the arrival of a slightly more powerful Pathstrider could cause a major stir. As far as Topaz knew, during the IPC's expansion period, many worlds regarded the personnel sent by the company as deities.
Glancing around the room, Topaz fell silent.
In fact, this trip wasn't solely about collecting the IPC's debt.
A 700-year-old debt—calling it a debt was almost symbolic. As long as the IPC found out about this planet, there was almost no escaping the fate of signing a contract and becoming employees of the IPC.
The IPC could send just anyone to complete such a task.
But Topaz had read the data on Jarilo.
The Antimatter Legion, the Stellaron, and reappearing after 700 years of lost contact.
Seven hundred years—who knows how many Xianzhou people blessed by Abundance had fallen to Mara in that time. And yet Jarilo resurfaced in the present day. Topaz didn't know what it had gone through in the meantime, but she knew it must have been extremely difficult.
The hardships here were reminiscent of those faced by her own homeland, and so a trace of sympathy rose in her heart. She intended to offer a helping hand—provided the people of this planet were worthy of it.
Bronya was about to speak.
Knock knock.
A knock at the door came right on time.
With permission granted, the door opened. Himeko, Welt, and Dan Heng walked in.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Topaz. I'm Himeko, the navigator of the Astral Express."
"The famous Nameless. Miss Himeko, I have several colleagues who admire you deeply—they dream of having a chat with you. A pleasure to meet you. So, what brings you here?"
"Of course, we're here for Jarilo." Himeko said with a smile.
Though she said so, inside she felt a pressure as immense as a mountain.
She hadn't known beforehand that Jarilo owed the company a massive debt.
"For Jarilo…" Topaz leaned back slightly, her back sinking into the sofa, her tone troubled. "Then you must have heard why I'm here. Debts must be repaid—that's a simple truth you wouldn't disagree with, right?"
Himeko smiled slightly. "Of course not."
"Himeko." Cocolia gave a slight shake of her head toward Himeko.
This was Jarilo's matter—it should naturally be handled by them.
"I understand." Himeko responded to Cocolia's reminder. But she had come not just for the issue of debt.
"Miss Topaz, I'm well aware of how the IPC handles situations like this. Clearly, this is not something that requires someone of your level. But I'm glad it's you here—your rank ensures this matter will quickly reach the IPC."
"Not long ago, the Xianzhou Luofu descended on this planet and was saved thanks to Belobog's assistance. There's a bond of friendship between this place and the Xianzhou."
"The Xianzhou Luofu—I'm aware of that incident." Topaz nodded slightly. It was precisely because she couldn't understand the Luofu's actions that she started paying attention here and then discovered Jarilo's reawakening.