The speed of the original Astarte's thinking made the leader of the Holy Blood Angel War think a lot in that moment. After considering the identity, status, age, possible personality tendencies, and education level of the person sitting across the table, he finally chose an answer that would be unbiased regardless of whether it was or not:

"It's really heavy, but it's necessary."

Literally, this answer can be answered in every way, whether the other party is talking about the weight of the suit in the first place, or alluding to Dante's long-standing responsibility as head of the Blood Angels.

Dante had thought that the conversation would continue like this, and that he would be able to judge the other person's attitude from the next reply. However, I didn't know where I heard something, but I raised my head and looked at him with a strange expression, thought for more than a second, and then spoke:

"That sounds really strange to me, but I'm not the kind of Terra official who hides twenty meanings under one sentence, so please don't be too nervous." There was a well-hidden smile in her tone, but she couldn't hide it from Dante, "I'm not here to check or accuse anything, I don't have that kind of qualification in any way." Therefore, for the sake of communication efficiency, I tend to be more open and honest - after all, I am here to solve some problems. ”

And create more problems in the process of solving some problems. She followed the topic silently.

Dante, who couldn't hear the other party's slander, smiled: "This does sound a little strange." At a similar table, I used to be the one who told the guest across from me, 'Don't be too nervous.' ”

Fujimaru Rika also smiled: "I assume that your words are just stating an objective fact. ”

"Exactly." Dante raised his glass in salute, and Rika Fujimaru responded by making the same gesture across the table. They all simply raised their glasses, and when they put them down, the latter noticed that the opaque little goblet in front of them contained freshly squeezed orange juice.

It's a bit weird, but considering Asclepius' presence, it's acceptable.

The atmosphere at the table was softened by an unimagined development. Given that Rika Fujimaru has already suggested that she is more inclined to be "open and honest", then Dante also chose to get straight to the point in the following questions:

"Forgive me for being so direct, but I really need to ask you the specific reasons why Your Excellency has come to Barr and offered him a long station."

"So Vasilyan really didn't mention it in all the paperwork he had submitted before." Rika Fujimaru complained almost unconsciously, "But I guess he should have at least mentioned in the department's signature that my 'Chaldean Bureau' belongs to the Star Torch Hall, right?" ”

"Definitely. But that's one of the reasons I'm confused. Dante admits, "We rarely see the officers or technicians of the Hall of the Torch outside of the Holy Terra. ”

In fact, not "very little", but "not at all". After all, the main work of the Star Torch Hall is just like its name, focusing only on the maintenance and operation of the Star Torch itself. And since the only Star Torch in the entire Empire is located in Holy Terra, there is certainly no need for anyone in this department to travel to other locations in the Empire.

"It used to be like this, but I think something like that will slowly change in the future." Fujimaru Rika calmly slipped the steak on the plate from an unknown animal, "But in short, the reason why the Chaldean Bureau is here as a subordinate department of the Star Torch Hall is that I am going to build a 'Second Star Torch' on the main planet of Baal that can illuminate the dark side of the Empire. ”

There was some discreet clattering of cups and saucers in Dante's place, and Rika Fujimaru understandingly pretended that she hadn't noticed anything.

"You're going to build a 'Second Star Torch'?" The leader of the Holy Blood Angel War tried his best not to sound too urgent, but his voice that was unconsciously hoarse and changed due to excitement betrayed him, "But this, you-are sure?" ”

"I think I have, but at the same time I think I'd better not be overloaded. If everything goes well in the selection of sites and bidding for the construction of projects and other things, we will be able to see the difference in three years at most when it comes to the 'star torch' part. ”

Although for Rika Fujimaru, this part of the project was basically a copy of the work that the emperor had done under the Himalayas, she decided not to make a "100 percent" package. After all, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

“…… Sounds like you're confident. Dante's tone was not so trusting. It's not that he doesn't think the words of a yellow-mouthed kid like Fujimaru Rika are unbelievable, but the countless disappointments that have followed in his long life have made him form this cautious character of "question first, then question".

"I'm not 'very confident.'" Rika Fujimaru said calmly, "You should know how important this matter will be for the empire today. You should also be aware that the responsibilities and obligations are placed there, and many things are not left out because the person concerned 'has no faith'. By the way, don't worry about the project payment, the Chaldea will come out. ”

INTERVIEWER Theoretically, the emperor would indeed earmark funds for this project. In practice, if the corresponding funds are to be in place, even if they take the green channel specially approved by the throne hall, there will still be at least two or three years behind. The confidence that made Rika Fujimaru dare to be so arrogant lies in Conrad Coetze, who was kicked out of the team:

The Throne Coins stored in the Storm Frontier were originally taken out of the Emperor's private vault to be used by the Midnight Lord Primordial to rebuild the warband. However, after the battle of Pamenio, he inexplicably had more heirs who could support the number of five warbands, so of course this part of the funding was taken over by the rich man of Otrama, who watched the whole process. When Kiriman's expeditionary fleet took Koz away, because there was no shortage of supplies under his hands, the person concerned naturally did not think about it, and Fujimaru Rika naturally did not mention it. As a ruthless person who dares to take kickbacks between King Gilgamesh and the goddess Ishtar, she has no psychological barrier to bullying the stupid son of the largest landlord of the galaxy, Koz.

In short, this is the money that can buy all the equipment for an entire canonical regiment, including the battle barge, and it should be easy to support the first phase of the project.

Rika Fujimaru's idea here is simply "As long as no one cards my funds, I am my own Party A." I can build it however I like, so that the progress of the project will not be slowed down." However, Dante was abruptly stuck: Wouldn't the Holy Blood Angel only have a piece of land on the main planet of Baal? In the absence of other checks and balances, what reason should they use to supervise the safety of the other party's project?

His temporary silence had given Rika Fujimaru room to move on to the next topic before his brainstorming progressed to the next section. The little girl still said calmly: "We have written various issues related to the project into documents, and there may be additions after the site selection stage, so we have not printed them yet, and they can only be regarded as drafts." If you would like to see this draft, I will ask the priests of Decker to bring it with them when they deliver the coffin and debrief, and some of the contents of it can be discussed further. ”

Dante thought briefly again and decided to put the question in the "Continuing Discussion" section after reading the document. The topic was a bit too heavy, and perhaps he should have held a warband meeting to hear from the others before deciding - so he wanted to turn the conversation in a safer direction: "I haven't thanked you for saving the Blood Angel's battle brother from under the hive. ”

Rika Fujimaru didn't intend to take credit: "It's really not my credit for this matter, in fact, when I first gave the order to go into battle, neither the Auger array of the Emperor Dream nor the monitoring device of the Storm Boundary found them. Even if I hadn't passed by Skalus at that time, San Giliano would have appeared before them and led them to victory in this war. Besides, Sergeant Ganon was still killed in battle, and all we could do was bring his body back. ”

She picked up her cup as she spoke, hesitated for a moment, and finally decided to add: "And Priest Decker will definitely bring back a lot of work for your apothecary department, as well as more complicated scheduling problems for warbands and sub-regiments. ”

"Has some kind of Taryn mutated again?" Dante guessed, "Don't worry, the Blood Angels are used to going head-to-head with ever-changing enemies. ”

"No, not really. He's just working with my ship's doctor to try to develop a potion that can alleviate 'red thirst'. ”

This time, Dante accidentally made a louder noise in a trance.

(End of chapter)

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