Chapter 72: Civilization Level Classification
A day of classes passed in the blink of an eye, and by dinnertime, Zastin brought concrete news.
"The King has agreed to your proposal. Anyone who comes to Blue Star and loses to you—everything they possess will belong entirely to you, including all fines after the match."
Franklin's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected the King of Deviluke to be so straightforward. Not only did he agree, he even offered extra benefits.
"Please thank Father-in-law for me. I don't really need their equipment or whatever. If I defeat anyone, just collect their stuff, exchange it all for spirit stones, and give those to me instead."
Zastin nodded lightly. "Leave it to me. As for that Balke Star person from today—he didn't bring any equipment into Blue Star, only a spacecraft.
He's been released, but the fine is one trillion Galactic Coins. The exchange rate is ten thousand Galactic Coins for one lower-grade spirit stone.
A hundred lower-grade stones make one mid-grade, and so on. That means the fine equals one hundred supreme-grade spirit stones. Once the payment arrives, I'll deliver them to you myself."
Hearing Zastin's words, Franklin shivered. One hundred supreme-grade spirit stones—just like that? It felt like a dream.
"Ahem… one hundred supreme-grade spirit stones will last me a while. Thanks. By the way, do you want a cut of it or something?"
Zastin's expression didn't change at all. After a brief pause, he shook his head.
"No need. We've never lacked such things, and having more doesn't mean much. But if you think it's too much, you could share some with Lady Lala. She's researching spirit energy technology, and she can't experiment without spirit stones.
The King has frozen all her research funding, so I imagine Lady Lala's been rather restricted lately."
At the mention of herself, Lala quickly stood up. "I'm full! And I don't need spirit stones—I've saved plenty already."
Seeing her get up to leave, Franklin grabbed her hand.
"Don't run from the topic. You already said what's yours is mine and what's mine is yours. I'll invest the spirit stones, and you'll develop spirit energy technology.
Once you've got results, I'll borrow them for use. I doubt Father-in-law would object.
And if we ever run into monsters I can't handle, using your spirit energy tech powered by my stones might just save our lives."
Lala's eyes brightened as she saw the spark in his. She sat back down.
"You've got a point. Then take out your phone that connects to other spaces."
Without further hesitation, Franklin willed the earth element within him to form a tray in his hand. On it appeared three hundred supreme-grade spirit stones.
"Take these for now. If it's not enough, just ask me for more."
Zastin, who was eating nearby, was stunned. He hadn't expected Franklin to be so generous. Normally, Lala's monthly research budget was only about a hundred supreme-grade stones—Franklin had just handed over three months' worth in one go. It made Zastin realize just how deep Franklin's resources must run.
"Lin, that's too much. I won't be able to use them all."
Franklin shook his head casually. "Don't worry. Just take them. If possible, make some reliable self-defense tools for Mikan and Miss Ryōko.
Remember, Lala—they must be flawless, completely safe, autonomous defense tools."
Lala nodded knowingly. After storing the spirit stones in her dimensional phone, she ran straight upstairs.
Seeing Zastin and Ryōko staring blankly, Franklin waved his hand in front of their faces, puzzled.
"Hey, Miss Ryōko, Zastin—what's wrong with you two?"
Zastin shook his head, finished his meal in a few quick bites, and went out to the backyard. A white light enveloped him, and in the next moment, he vanished.
"If he can casually spend three hundred supreme-grade spirit stones now when he's still in the early stages of cultivation, how many will he need later—thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands? I'd better inform the King."
Muttering to himself, Zastin disappeared. Franklin turned toward the still-stunned Ryōko.
"Miss Ryōko, could you explain this to me?"
Ryōko took a deep breath, her gaze at Franklin a mix of strangeness and awe.
"One supreme-grade spirit stone equals one million lower-grade ones. If used properly, that's enough to push Blue Star to a nanometer-level civilization.
Do you know what those three hundred supreme-grade spirit stones you just pulled out represent? They're worth the total assets of an entire nanometer-level civilization.
Currently, the highest civilization in the galaxy is the amimeter-level civilization, where the Deviluke Kingdom belongs. Below that are the femtometer-level, picometer-level, and nanometer-level civilizations.
Blue Star is only a micro-particle-level civilization right now. Do you understand what you just casually threw around?"
Franklin rubbed his face, utterly stunned. He'd never imagined supreme-grade spirit stones were that valuable—or that powerful.
"Whatever. Advancing a civilization doesn't happen overnight. I can't worry about that now. Earning supreme-grade stones isn't too hard for me, but not exactly easy either. I'll just use them more sparingly from now on."
Ryōko shook her head. "That's not what I meant. What I mean is—you've become a walking treasure vault.
If this information gets out, countless people will target you. You're still just from a micro-particle-level civilization—you haven't even left your home planet.
So why do you have so many supreme-grade spirit stones? Why does Lady Lala favor you? Jealousy is a terrifying thing. It can make people lose all reason.
There are always those whose minds don't work properly. When they see you living so well while they can't, their jealousy will twist them into monsters."
Franklin let out a long breath. "I'll be more careful from now on. As for your and Mikan's safety, I'll come up with something."
Ryōko shook her head slightly. "I don't mind. It's Mikan who needs protection."
Mikan blinked in confusion. "Miss Ryōko, big brother… am I dreaming, or are you two joking? Everything that's happening feels kind of unreal."
Franklin spread his hands helplessly. "You're not the only one. I feel like I'm dreaming too. Just be careful going to and from school. If you run into danger, don't be stubborn—play it safe and wait for your big brother to come rescue you."
Mikan rolled her eyes elegantly. "You caused all this, so of course you have to save me. You'd better get stronger fast. Otherwise, your little sister's bound to be in trouble sooner or later."
"You're right. I'll have to make an example soon. In the meantime, be careful."
Mikan snorted lightly and went back to eating, as if all of this were nothing but a trivial matter.
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