The Doge's Mansion in Jestal was not ornately decorated, and could even be said to be rudimentary.

There are no huge paintings on the walls, no elaborate columns and carvings, no elaborate hangings or sconces, just wallpaper. The furnishings in the room are also very plain, and it would be more appropriate to say that this is the decoration of an imperial middle-class family than to say that it is the Doge's Palace.

Perhaps it would have been a complete snuge for the rest of the Empire officials to talk to people here, but Rika Fujimaru preferred the Empire's intricate Gothic style.

After Deville had briefly arranged the next steps, Rika Fujimaru moved here at her invitation and began the "one-on-one talk" she requested:

"I wonder if the Governor has any clue about the targets that may be of interest to the Spirit Clan on this planet?"

She hadn't expected to get any useful answers, but after all, she was investigating the infiltration of the Spirit Clan, and the conversation had to be opened that way.

Governor Deville hesitated for a moment, and the blankness on his face did not seem to be fake: "Forgive me, Jestal is a small and remote place, and I do lack knowledge of aliens......

Fujimaru Rika quietly observed the other party's expression, and could not find any evidence that Governor Deville was lying.

"The Elves have a network gate on this planet, and they don't do it for no reason. Maybe they've lived on this planet, maybe they've stored some old alien things on this planet, or maybe they've got something they think they need to watch out for. ”

“…… I don't think there's anything like that, the planet has always been barren and nothing worth noting. Governor de Ville said with a wry smile.

Jaystar has always been barren. Barren enough that the Imperial Government and the Mechanics don't think it's worth investing in, so barren that Aliens and Chaos won't plunder, but because of that, there's no danger for humans to set foot on.

After a brief pause, Governor Deville added, "To tell you the truth, I only just learned about the fact that there is a Spirit Clan's network door on Jestar. ”

Fujimaru Rika nodded: "In other words, before, this planet has never been infested by the spirit race?" ”

"At least in the more than 100 years I've been in power." Governor de Ville did not say anything, "I did not succeed the Governor in the normal process, and many of the records of my predecessor when he was in office were destroyed by the Inquisition, and cannot be accessed by my authority. ”

This caught the attention of Fujimaru Ritsuka: "What happened when the previous governor was there, do you probably know?" ”

"No, I don't know, but I'm guessing there's a rebellion. When I first took office, the traces of war on the planet were still evident...... At that time the governor was also new, and so was the vast majority of the people. Even we came down on the same group of migrant boats. ”

Fujimaru Rika frowned slightly.

In the archives of the Empire, Jestal has a history of being an agricultural planet of the Empire for about five hundred years. Somney has mentioned that it is unusual that there have been nine governors in such a short period of time, and that Ms. de Ville is the most stable in her tenure. Before she took office, Jestal's global population had plummeted to three million — unimaginable even in a sparsely populated agricultural world.

"Why can you be sure that the war is fought by an insurgency and not by an invasion?" She asked.

Governor Deville smiled formulaically: "Maybe it's my habitual thinking." During my tenure, Jestal has always been peaceful. In addition, if it is a planetary rebellion, then it is reasonable for the Inquisition to destroy a large amount of information for this purpose. ”

"Speaking of which, I remember you weren't a native of Jestar." Rika Fujimaru suddenly changed the subject, "After you came to this planet, did you notice anything unusual here?" ”

"Why do you ask?" Governor de Ville was puzzled.

"I've also read a cursory account of the planet. During the five centuries that Jaestal was the territory of the Empire, only your rule and operation were stable. I'm guessing if it's because you've noticed some important points that several other governors haven't noticed. ”

“…… The point is that I always stand with my people. The current governor was silent for a moment, then said with a wry smile, "The empire does not run on us, the ruling class, but on the industrious masses of the people." Whatever the people need, I give them as much as I can. I believe that the power of man is infinite and that my people can do their best to take care of the planet as long as I do my best to take care of my people. ”

As she said this, the wry smile on her face gradually turned into a heartfelt, proud smile. This smile was different from the flattering look that had preceded her, and even though there were traces of wind and exhaustion on her face, it still made her look radiant.

"......" Fujimaru Rika was speechless for a moment, but her tense nerves were enough to allow her to recover her voice in time, "Lady Deville, you are worthy of being a pillar of the Empire. There are not many governors who can think like you. ”

If the governor really thinks so, the whole thing is a pity.

After Fujimaru Ritsuka's compliment, Governor de Ville appropriately showed a humble smile: "You have praised it. ”

Rikka shook her head and continued to ask along the topic: "You must have encountered a lot of difficulties in the process of governance. I had heard in the crowd that Jestal had once owed a lot of taxes, but had managed to pay it all back this year. ”

"Yes, thanks to Hasting's self-taught technique, he has found a way to keep the barley productive all the time." When the Governor mentioned this, there was also a faint pride in his tone.

“…… Self-taught technology? Isn't Hastings Tech Officer a member of the Mechanic Sect? Fujimaru Rika wondered, "What's the point of 'keeping a high yield all the time'?" ”

The smile on Governor Deville's face faded at the hearing of the question.

“…… Jaystar is a planet abandoned by the Mechonists. There was a faint but unoblivable sense of helplessness in her tone, "It seems to be in a very plant-friendly environment, and there are large plains to cultivate, which is why she is planned to be an agricultural planet." But in reality, for some reason, any plant that grows and reproduces on the land here for about thirty years will have a significant degradation at the genetic level. The Mechachanists have tried to figure out why, but they have failed, so they do not see the planet as a valuable investment. No matter how much I pleaded in a low voice, or asked the Empire for help, they withdrew most of their aid and researchers......"

Her voice grew softer and softer until she could no longer speak. But this was enough, and Fujimaru Rika had already understood her unfinished words in a silence:

“…… But she is still an imperial world with taxes to pay. ”

"Yes." Governor de Ville closed his eyes and took a deep breath before speaking again: "It was tough at first...... But things started to change after an unexpected archaeological event one hundred and ten years ago. ”

"Archaeological activity?"

"We accidentally dug an old cellar in the middle of urban planning." A shallow smile returned to the Governor's face again, "It is a remnant of the legendary Great Expedition era, and some knowledge of that era is preserved in it. Hastings taught himself some of this and re-bred the round barley at a frequency of about once every thirty years. Recently, he made a breakthrough in his research, suggesting that the current high-yielding variety is expected to adapt to the land of Jestal without degradation, and perhaps it will not need to be so troublesome from this year onwards. ”

"The remnants of the Great Expedition period...... Rika Fujimaru pondered, "though it may not have anything to do with my mission...... But can I go check it out? Satisfy your curiosity. ”

"Absolutely, it's a public open area now." The Governor looked a little surprised, but answered her question anyway, "Although the materials inside have been removed, there is still something worth seeing about the building itself. If you want to check it out, you can do it anytime; If you'd like to see the materials left behind in the Ancient Ruins, please let me first contact my CTO, Raj Hasting, who and his team are in custody. ”

…… The "ancient ruins" that Alita said are such ancient ruins.

"Well, I don't have to, I still have a job to do. Maybe we'll have to wait until the matter of the Spirit Clan is completely settled. "It was a pleasure to talk to you, Madam Governor, and it has given me a better understanding of Jestal, which will be very helpful in my mission. I wonder if you can provide me with a map of the first city and a quiet room? I probably already have some clues, and I want to think about it quietly. ”

Governor de Ville was at a loss. She didn't know what Rika Fujimaru understood, but her instincts, which had been honed over a long period of time and that automatically surfaced when facing the imperial bureaucracy, told her that she should do what the other party said.

So she smiled and nodded, "Listen to your honor, Your Excellency." ”

-----------------

It was already nightfall in Jestal. Holding a small cloth bag, Alita climbed to the eaves of a public room on the third floor with a look of frustration, and sat down next to Sevita, who had been thinking about life there for a long time.

She looked up at the sky. This may not be the case for other agricultural worlds, but Jestal is not as "developed" as her compatriots, and her unspoiled atmosphere is still crystal clear, and many stars are always clearly visible in the sky.

Sevita knew what she was going to say, so she didn't say anything, just waited quietly.

He was prepared to stay on the fence for a long time, and even decided to use the patience he had developed while serving in the Eighth Legion, but the always cheerful Alita didn't let him wait long:

"Lixiang, isn't she actually some kind of terrible person from afar?" She hugged her knees and gently asked her teacher, who seemed to know everything.

Even with mental preparation, Sevita hesitated here. But in the end, he decided to do nothing but tell the truth as much as he could: "...... yes, that's amazing. It's more amazing than the kind of person you think is the most terrible. ”

"Worse than the Governor?"

"She can execute the Governor of the planet at will without any condemnation if she wants to."

This is clearly beyond the imagination of a peasant girl. Aelita's eyes widened in shock: "...... Jacob, you're lying to me, aren't you? How can there be such a person? ”

"As I said, she's more than the worst person you think of in your heart."

"......," Aelita was silent for a moment, shrinking herself tighter, "That's right." ”

The silence lasted for a short time under the stars. Sevita closed her eyes.

He actually had something to say, but he didn't know how to say it. Conrad Coetze's seemingly malicious descriptions haunted his mind, and the prophecies of a tragic future became clearer. When destruction was about to fall on their heads like a hammer, it was as if all the silence and safety in the present had been stolen.

He didn't organize the language well. Perhaps he will never be able to organize the language well. But after a period of silence, Aelita managed to speak again:

"What should such a terrible person do with round wheat for her to eat?"

“……？” Sevita turned her head in surprise: "Why did you think of this?" ”

"Because didn't she say that she wanted me to treat her to dinner when we met again!" Aelita's tone clearly contained some "why did you forget so quickly" condemnation, "And she gave me candy, isn't it the most basic etiquette for me to return the gift!" ”

“…… That's probably what she said, and we don't know if we'll be able to see her again. Sevita reluctantly said, "And it's not that important, is it?" Don't you think about how you're going to get along with her when you meet again? ”

Aelita looked at him inexplicably: "That kind of future thing is not yet visible, and it's useless to think about it now, and you'll know it when you see it, right?" What kind of dish to make into the round wheat is obviously the more important issue at the moment, and it should be solved first. ”

Sevita was dumbfounded for a moment.

What is he bothering about "things that will not be seen in the future, and that are useless to think about now"?

-----------------

+Somny, please calculate the revolution period of Jestal, I want accurate data. +

+…… Yes, but still not investigating the pesticide factory? +

+ Not required. Adjust the observation time point of the Sheba lens to investigate the curve of the planet's foundation value in the past 100 years. If the pesticides here are really 'blue-gray'...... To put it bluntly, if the pathogen of chaotic pollution is concerned, then the foundation value of human science should decrease in the corresponding period during the period of spraying pesticides during the crop growth period. Just observe if there is such a periodic curve. +

+ Data collection is ongoing. After the calculation of the revolution period data of Jestal, what kind of calendar do I need to use? +

+ No, I suspect that the Terra Standard Calendar has been used here to cover up something. I ask directly: what are the following years in the Terra Standard Calendar—110 years before archaeological operations unearthed the remains of the Great Expeditionary period, 30 years of each surge in disappearances, 10 years of the 'Blue Gray' epidemic, and what are the local years corresponding to the Jestal Orbital Cycle? +

+ Calculated to four decimal places exactly, i.e. about 99 years, about 27 years and about 9 years. +

+…… It's all closed. +

Rika Fujimaru let out a long sigh in front of the contemplative. The screen opposite her showed a detailed map of the First City, and the route of the parade since the celebration had been marked - the routes that had not yet been traveled were dotted red, and the parts that had been traveled were solid red lines.

Now the solid red line has drawn seven tangent circles in the city, and the two dotted lines are left for the next two days.

+…… Have you found the source of the pollution in the first city? +

+ Not the source, it's a big ritual. +

Rika Fujimaru clenched the scepter in her hand.

+ It is a large ritual that has lasted for ninety-nine local years, planetary level, increasing in intensity, and is now nearing its end. There is no point in discerning where the source of pollution is, the entire planet has long since fallen into the net of chaos, and anyone or anything that has lived on it for a long time has become Tzeentch's bag. The threads of fate twisted and deflected in a ritual of this magnitude had now reached a point where no one close to the planet could escape after the ritual was over. +

Somny's words fell silent in a tense atmosphere.

-----------------

“…… Anyway, I picked out the best batch of round wheat first. Alita untied the small cloth bag in her hand and unfolded it for Sevita, "I don't think it's wrong to choose the materials first." ”

Sevita looked inside the bag. The night was hazy and the stars were dim, but it didn't stand in the way of Nostramo's eyes. Sevita could still see clearly in such a faint light, and in the bag were round "wheat" one after another, and there were also round marks on the round white background, all kinds of colors, like hundreds of eyeballs that could not be blinded in the bag, and some of them even squirmed slightly.

"It's quite energetic, is it really good to spend so much money?" Sevita asked with a smile.

He didn't think there was anything wrong with it at all.