"Bronya, are you alright?" Seeing Bronya's dejected expression, even though March 7th didn't fully understand the situation, she could guess it wasn't anything good.
She murmured unexpectedly: "That Topaz... actually has such a forceful side. I thought she was someone easy to talk to."
"March, that person is the Non-Performing Asset Liquidation Specialist of the Strategic Investment Department. How could someone in that position be easy to talk to?" Dan Heng shook his head and reminded her.
"But I saw how she treated us..." March 7th scratched her head, her voice getting increasingly smaller, clearly lacking confidence.
"Little March, that's natural." Welt pushed up his glasses and explained to the girl: "Although Trailblaze isn't considered a major force currently, due to its far-reaching reputation, various organizations will still show some respect."
"Of course, this is all predicated on there being no major conflicts of interest."
"Wow, is this what they call the world of dirty adults?" Stelle pulled out a small notebook from somewhere and began scribbling furiously.
Looking at the familiar faces before her, Bronya forced herself to gather her spirits.
"Stelle, March, Dan Heng, and... this gentleman."
"I'm sorry, I had planned to welcome you all warmly, but that lady who called herself the IPC's envoy suddenly appeared and disrupted my thoughts..."
Although Bronya was smiling, anyone could see that the young woman's smile was actually quite forced.
Finally, she sighed and gave up trying to put up a strong front before everyone.
"Since it's with the Astral Express crew, I have nothing to hide... Honestly, I don't have any energy to think about the Solwarm Festival now."
"Bronya, I think I just heard something about debt... What's going on?" March 7th quickly approached the desk, asking anxiously.
"...Yes, March, you heard correctly. Since you know her, I probably don't need to explain her identity."
"Her purpose in coming here is to collect debt."
"Collect debt?" Stella frowned, looking confused. "Didn't Jarilo-VI just survive the eternal freeze? Where did this debt come from?"
"According to her, it's a story from seven hundred years ago, a loan the Company provided to the city founders for disaster prevention when the Stellaron crisis first broke out."
"Se-seven hundred years? What kind of interest would that have accumulated to?" March 7th covered her mouth in surprise.
Hearing March 7th's words, Bronya seemed to have all her strength drained, her vision even becoming somewhat blurry.
"An astronomical figure... I don't even know how to accurately pronounce that string of numbers."
"This is too ridiculous! Why now, of all times? The Company clearly chose this timing on purpose! This is just bullying!"
March 7th pouted indignantly, her recently developed good impression of the Company completely vanishing.
"March, try to look at it differently. This is how the Company operates." Stelle casually searched through her terminal and soon displayed news about a certain planet being incorporated into the Company's territory.
Although it was written in grandiose terms, combined with Belobog's current situation, anyone could see what was really going on.
It just goes to show that regularly listening to news in the train compartment has its benefits.
"..."
"..."
"This is so frustrating!"
After leaving the Belobog fortress, March 7th became quite dispirited.
Looking at the black card in her hand, she suddenly felt like she had become an accomplice of the Company.
"Come now, March, aren't we going to talk with Ms. Topaz?" Welt smiled helplessly, though strangely, no worry could be seen in his eyes.
"But Uncle Yang, can we really succeed?"
After Bronya told everyone about the incident's beginning and end, she had lowered her head and asked for their help, hoping to use the Astral Express's reputation in the universe to at least postpone Belobog's repayment date.
So now March 7th felt immense pressure.
After all, she had just confidently promised, and she couldn't betray her friend's trust.
"Don't worry, March. I think Ms. Topaz is probably thinking the same thing."
Looking at the grand museum before them, the train crew quickened their pace.
Sure enough, Topaz was currently in the first-floor hall.
"My, it's you all again! What amazing fate we have, meeting three times in one day."
She sat on the sofa, speaking as if it were a chance encounter, but judging from the four cups of tea placed opposite her, she had clearly been waiting for some time.
Seeing this scene, Welt didn't say much and directly sat down on the opposite sofa.
"Ms. Topaz, we have some things we'd like to discuss with you."
"No need to rush, Mr. Yang. I know what you want to say. That High Leader really has found some good friends~"
She smiled and got straight to the point: "You all intend to guarantee Jarilo-VI's debt, right? No problem, I agree."
"Eh, that's so hasty?" Stella awkwardly withdrew the baseball bat hidden behind her back, saying somewhat bewilderedly.
"Hehe~, would you like to hear the truth?" Casually picking up a cup of hot tea, Topaz smiled and began to explain.
"If this was before that mysterious space appeared, I probably would have unhesitatingly applied to the Company to launch an attack against the Astral Express crew."
"Ah, you were planning to burn bridges right away?" March 7th gaped, seeming somewhat surprised.
"Miss March 7th, it's not quite that serious~ Often, different standpoints don't necessarily mean right or wrong."
"However, I guarantee to you all that even in such a situation, the train crew would never have been in mortal danger." Drinking the contents of her cup in one go, Topaz said gently.
"That's still too much! Besides, we're very strong, who knows who would have won!" March 7th put her hands on her hips, somewhat dissatisfied with Topaz's words.
How could she talk as if she could easily handle the train crew? Although they couldn't beat the Company, they wouldn't be easily defeated by a single executive.
"You're right, Miss March 7th, that's one of the reasons why I'll agree."
Topaz nodded, acknowledging March 7th's point. "In fact, until that space appeared, we hadn't realized there were so many capable individuals on the Astral Express."
"Though thinking about it, it makes sense, since you're all so modest~" Topaz said while her gaze swept back and forth between Welt and Dan Heng's faces.
"As for the second point~ I'm sure you all wouldn't think that the value of planet Jarilo-VI would be worth the Company risking antagonizing the Xianzhou Luofu to forcefully collect this debt."
Staring directly at Dan Heng's impassive face, Topaz said this.