"IPC? Those people don't look like they're here with good intentions."
Seele lowered her hands and stepped to Bronya's side.
"They're… alright, I guess. From what I remember, IPC people tend to be pretty arrogant."
"You guys go ahead. I'm too lazy to deal with them~"
"The ignition ceremony is about to begin."
Little Herta stood with her arms crossed, directing the researchers from Belobog's Academy as they carried out the final adjustments.
She had no intention of going over.
Instead, Seele walked toward the IPC personnel alone.
Behind her trailed two curious little girls, both clearly interested in these off-world visitors.
Pitch-Dark Hook the Great.
And her second-in-command—Clara.
The true "boss" of the Robot Settlement.
"IPC employees? What are you doing on Jarilo-VI?"
Seele suddenly appeared in front of one of them and spoke coldly.
At that moment, the employee was still adjusting a synesthetic beacon.
The other two simply watched the three girls calmly, saying nothing.
That silence only made Seele's already expressionless face grow colder.
If their identities weren't still uncertain, she would've already drawn her weapon.
"Clara~ why aren't they answering Sister Seele?" Hook tilted her head.
"I… don't know…" Clara tilted hers too.
Both girls stared at the IPC staff in confusion.
What's going on here?
Do they just… not like talking?
The employee quietly scanned them, then raised a hand to his earpiece.
"Director Topaz. We've encountered several natives. Should we eliminate them?"
Eliminate?!
Hook and Clara both froze.
"What did you just say?"
"'Eliminate'?"
Seele didn't hesitate.
Her scythe was already in her hand, aimed straight at him.
A terrifying aura erupted from her body—ready to tear him apart at any moment.
Before she could strike—
A furious voice exploded through the employee's earpiece.
[Eliminate?!]
[Eliminate your head! Stay put and behave—I'm coming over right now!]
Topaz's voice was clearly agitated.
Just the brief glimpse of that glowing structure earlier had already piqued her interest.
And when it came to business—
You always secured control first.
Hurting the other party now?
That would be a terrible loss.
"Seele姐姐! They said they'd eliminate us!"
"What's there to be afraid of?" Seele replied coldly. "Hook, believe me—before they can even pull the trigger, their heads will hit the ground."
She tightened her grip on the scythe.
"…But it looks like their boss is here."
Seele glanced past them.
A white-haired girl approached from the distance—
Accompanied by a pink Warp Trotter.
Hook's eyes immediately locked onto it.
"Everyone, my apologies."
"Hm? Children? And… a lady?"
Topaz walked over, smiling politely.
"I'm sorry. My subordinates lack proper social skills—they spoke out of turn."
She stopped in front of them.
"Nice to meet you all."
"My name is Topaz, an investment specialist from the Interastral Peace Corporation."
"I'm here on Jarilo-VI to discuss a… special business matter."
She carefully observed the three.
Two girls—
And a small blonde child in a hood…
With a floating mechanical doll beside her.
A doll that seemed… alive.
"Hook, Hook… she feels suspicious!"
"Should we beat her up?"
"Shh! Don't say that out loud, Heavy Bunny!"
"Oh~ fine. I'll pretend I didn't hear anything~"
Heavy Bunny.
One of the items Evan left behind for Hook before he departed.
The first reconstructed armed puppet in this world.
Highly sophisticated.
Extremely powerful.
And now—
It had just caught Topaz's full attention.
Before coming here, everyone told her the same thing:
Jarilo-VI had no value.
So her goal was simple—
Bring this planet under IPC control.
Just like her own homeworld.
Sell it to the Company.
Put everyone to work.
At least with IPC support—
Jarilo-VI could quickly escape its current state.
"Hmph. IPC, huh?"
"What are you doing here?"
Seele finally lowered her weapon, placing a hand on her hip, still clearly displeased.
"You're fully armed. Looks like you came looking for trouble."
"Oh—right. I'm Seele."
She suddenly remembered to introduce herself.
After all—
She never struck down nameless opponents.
"I'm Hook! Pitch-Dark Hook the Great!"
"I-I'm… Clara."
The three introduced themselves in quick succession.
"Seele, Hook, Clara… nice to meet you."
Topaz smiled.
These were clearly the locals.
Seele might look hostile—
But from Topaz's experience?
Easy to handle.
"I'm here to discuss a business matter with your leader."
"But on my way here, I saw a strange light near a Space Anchor."
"What exactly are you doing over there?"
She pointed toward the snowy plains behind them.
Several kilometers away—
A massive cylindrical structure stood faintly visible.
The source of that light.
"…Hm?"
"Artificial star."
Seele answered casually.
"The core component of Plasma Spark technology—the Plasma Spark Device."
She didn't think much of it.
After all—
All related tech was under the Academy's control.
And before Evan left, he had said:
If anyone asks—just tell them.
Topaz didn't care about "plasma spark" anything.
But the moment she heard—
Artificial star
She froze.
"…What?"
"An artificial star?!"
She was stunned.
Topaz hadn't gone straight to Belobog after arriving.
Instead, she first analyzed the surrounding environment.
A planet surviving seven hundred years of eternal winter—
Admirable.
But business was business.
Seven hundred years ago—
Jarilo-VI owed the IPC a massive debt.
Resources had been invested.
Advertisements broadcast.
Monitoring never stopped.
The Company had simply assumed—
Everyone was dead.
That misjudgment?
Entirely their own.
On most worlds—
Such old debt wouldn't be enforceable.
But this was the IPC.
If this were her old self—
Topaz might hesitate.
But now?
She was the Investment Director of the Strategic Investment Department.
By Company logic—
All resources on this planet belonged to them.
After all—
There was no way Jarilo-VI could repay its debt.
"So, Miss Seele…"
"Could you take me there?"
"And introduce me to your leader?"
"There's a seven-hundred-year-old deal we need to discuss."
Topaz spoke politely.
"Looking for Bronya?"
"Sure. Let's go."
Seele stretched her sore arm, grabbed the two girls—
And led Topaz toward the distant Plasma Spark Device.
Topaz gave a few quick orders.
Her subordinates secured the area—
While she followed along.
A deal.
An artificial star.
And a planet buried in debt.
This trip…
Had just become very interesting.
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