Annie looked at Nana before her like a mouse that has seen the cat.
Ever since this little sister of hers had come to work in the same post, she had been rather well-behaved and sweet at first.
But as time went on, she had now become the most loyal follower of the 'evil BOSS.'
"Your Majesty, what did you call me here for?" When Nana looked toward Zhao Chen, the expression on her face was wholly different:
respect, and adoration.
On Zhao Chen's side another data document opened, and the hologram of a warship appeared.
"These are the data and blueprints for the T6-grade Shadow-Phantom-class Medium Interstellar Stealth Bomber. Take them back and look them over closely, and arrange the production plan as soon as you can. There are still no few gaps on our side in T6-grade warships. In this campaign the Shadow Hunter ace fleet group did well, but because it had no T6-grade warships, it took no small losses in its operations. That sister of mine even sent me a message telling me to come up with a T6-grade interstellar stealth bomber in the shortest possible time, without fail." At the thought of his sister's words, with their 'threat' in them,
Zhao Chen could not help laughing.
"Yes." Chief Engineer Nana at once put away the data and blueprints for this interstellar stealth bomber.
"After this I'll add some more technical blueprints for T6-grade warships: interstellar supply ships, interstellar transports, interstellar reconnaissance ships and so on. When the time comes, I'll have my assistant Nicole bring them over to you. No need to trouble you to make the trip again," Zhao Chen said.
"Yes," Chief Engineer Nana answered.
The assistant Nicole, beside them, was somewhat astonished: the technology of T6-grade warships!
Anywhere else that would be top secret of the highest grade, and it was to be given her to deliver.
What trust His Majesty placed in her!
It gave the assistant Nicole a feeling past describing.
And what His Majesty's words meant was that he had these T6-grade warship technologies drafted in his head long since.
What an astonishing gift!
Only, before this there had always been talk: His Majesty had never stayed long anywhere connected with the industrial research institutes, so how was it he could always bring out these warship technical blueprints one after another?
Could His Majesty have some other top-secret research team?
But the supreme Chief Engineer Annie and the rest were all here.
It really made no sense.
This too had always been one of the unsolved mysteries within the Owl Dragon Empire.
Zhao Chen felt Chief Engineer Nana's eager gaze and the assistant Nicole's adoring one, and did not explain anything further.
In truth, all these T6-grade technologies had been handed over to him entire by the System before it disappeared.
When he had first come back, Zhao Chen had had time only to bring out those few important combat warship technologies.
After that it had been dealing with one thing after another: the Empire's internal strife, the invasion of Order's Pitch-Black Legion fleets.
Only now, having at last found time to stop,
did he have the leisure to set those warship technologies down in writing again.
"Once the work of filling out the T6-grade technology is done, I mean to research a breakthrough in T7-grade technology. When the time comes I may need Chief Engineer Annie to work with me. So some of her oversight work in other areas may need to be taken over by Chief Engineer Nana and Chief Engineer Iris," Zhao Chen said.
"You'll design and research it yourself?" Chief Engineer Nana looked at His Majesty the Emperor in astonishment.
"Yes. From here on, so long as nothing happens within the Empire, I'll be staying here. Look, haven't I opened the offices up into one? It makes things easier for Annie's work and mine." Zhao Chen pointed at the office, where no trace of the wall could be seen any more.
Only now did Nana notice that this office was indeed roomier than an ordinary office.
Annie, over in the distance, cast a reproachful look their way.
"It really is very nice." Chief Engineer Nana nodded in approval; she thought a moment and said, "Then why don't I knock out the wall of the office on the other side too, and move in here?"
Hearing this, Annie shuddered from head to foot over on her side,
with fear in both her eyes.
It was bad enough with Zhao Chen here.
If Nana came here too, her good days would be over for good.
Annie clutched her head in both hands; she seemed to feel two black shadows appear before her eyes, staring at her fixedly.
"There's no need for that. Our divisions of labor aren't quite the same. You're mainly in charge of overseeing our production plans. You need to be at the front of the production lines, and in the master control room," Zhao Chen said.
Chief Engineer Nana nodded. "That's true."
When she had said it, Chief Engineer Nana looked somewhat regretful.
By the look of it she too very much wished she could work with His Majesty the Emperor on research into the T7 technology grade.
"When the time comes, if there's anything I need, I'll call you over to work with me," Zhao Chen said.
Hearing this, Chief Engineer Nana said gladly, "Good! Your Majesty has only to give the word then; I'll come whenever I'm called!"
After that Chief Engineer Nana went back to her own post.
And Zhao Chen and Annie naturally went on with their own work.
Through the whole of that day's work, Annie looked like one who had lost her soul, listless and drooping.
But among all these bad things, there was still one good thing.
"This, this, and this. I want all of these!" As though venting her grievance, Annie ordered nearly every dish in the ordering window.
At the end she sat there pouting with her arms folded, looking ferocious.
Zhao Chen looked at the angel assistant Nicole beside him, who said nothing and seemed rather ill at ease. "Nicole, see what you'd like to eat. No need to stand on ceremony with me. We need to eat our fill to have the energy for work and research."
"Um… actually my salary allowance……" The angel assistant Nicole was still somewhat shy about it.
Zhao Chen waved his hand with a smile. "It's fine; don't think too much about it. Besides, I've had you take on being my assistant as well, which has added to your workload. A few meals are nothing. Go on and order."
Annie, beside them, now cut in of her own accord. "Nicole, don't stand on ceremony with our Majesty. This is our Empire's own Emperor, His Majesty~ Order whatever you want to eat. This one's good; I recommend you get one. And this, the most expensive one. We have a saying: when you eat, don't look for the best, look for the most expensive! One of those!"
The angel assistant Nicole looked at the dishes Chief Engineer Annie had ordered for her, and her eyes went wide.
The dishes ordered came to about what she usually spent on food in half a month.
She looked awkwardly at His Majesty the Emperor opposite.
"It's fine; just these. So long as you can finish it and don't waste it," Zhao Chen said, not caring in the least.
Zhao Chen could naturally see this 'revenge' spending of Annie's.
He did not mind it at all.
After all, if you set someone to work, you have to give them some benefit, don't you?
So Zhao Chen generously let Annie vent her stress here.
Very soon a heap of fine food was set before the three of them.
While the angel assistant Nicole was still sitting there ill at ease,
Chief Engineer Annie was already at work with both hands, stuffing delicious food into her mouth without pause, in such a manner that it seemed what she ate was not fine food but the flesh and blood of her enemy.
"Don't be so formal. We're just here to eat; there's none of all that etiquette." Zhao Chen picked up his chopsticks, looked at the angel assistant Nicole opposite, who had not yet begun, and said with a smile.
"Yes." At once the angel assistant Nicole sat up straight and began her meal.
Seeing it, Zhao Chen could only smile helplessly, and said nothing more.
In such a case, all his talking would be no use; he could only wait for Nicole to get used to it herself.
Very soon this fine meal had been enjoyed to the end.
Annie patted her belly, looking as though she had not had enough.
"Go back and rest properly; don't just play and binge your shows. Don't be late for work tomorrow morning." When he had paid with his card, Zhao Chen looked at Annie, restored to her glory, and did not forget to remind her.
Annie pouted.
Though she was very put out with this boss, seeing he had treated Annie to so many good things to eat, she did not hate him so much.
Then could she have him pay for her meals every day from now on?
Then Annie could buy more of the things she liked with what was left of her salary.
A light came into Annie's eyes in spite of herself; at last she had found one small good thing in this business of Zhao Chen's moving into the Imperial Military Industry Research Academy.
……
Zhao Chen came to his bedroom.
This bedroom was of the standard for a Chief Engineer's single bedroom; though not up to his luxurious bedroom aboard the Dragon Emperor Interstellar Command Ship,
it was more than enough.
Zhao Chen went into the room.
The door closed by itself.
Zhao Chen took off his coat and tossed it to the maid robot beside him.
"Run some hot water; I'm going to have a soak in a while." Zhao Chen went to the refrigerator, took out a bottle of chilled liquor, opened the cap and took a swig straight from it.
At this moment the sound of running water came from the bathroom as well.
'Master, Supreme Secretary-Officer my lady Lilith has scheduled a video call with you.'
The maid robot beside him said it.
"I know. Put it through." Zhao Chen took off his clothes and lay down in the bathtub,
enjoying the feeling of the hot water filling every inch of his skin.
He let out a long breath.
Though it was only brainwork, work of this kind was, if anything, what could tire Zhao Chen now.
Every T6-grade warship technical blueprint in his head had to be drawn out by his own hand,
and every one of them was a task of enormous difficulty.
"Your Majesty……"
Lilith's voice came at his ear.
Zhao Chen opened his eyes and looked at the video window before him.
On the other side of the video window was Lilith, and Lilith too perceived what was particular about Zhao Chen's side.
Her cheeks flushed a little, and then she went on, "Is Your Majesty bathing? Then shall I report to you after Your Majesty is done?"
"It's fine. Report right here. It's not as though you haven't seen it before, anyway." The corner of Zhao Chen's mouth lifted slightly as he looked at Lilith opposite.
Hearing this, and looking at the body half-hidden in the mist of the water opposite, Lilith flung Zhao Chen a roll of the eyes outright, while forcibly pressing down the fire in her belly.
This fellow knew perfectly well she had been keeping her distance from him on purpose all this while, and not doing that kind of thing, to make sure of the health of the child she carried.
She was bearing it so miserably, and here he was provoking her on purpose!
Once she had delivered, she would have back every bit of what was owed her for this time, without fail.
She drew a deep breath.
Lilith steadied her feelings, then said, "Your Majesty, what I have to report to you is the result of this campaign."
Zhao Chen put away the smile on his face. "Go on."
"The Pitch-Black Legion fleets Order sent this time numbered, first and last, over 50 million, close to about 60 million. They included 153 quasi-T7 pitch-black interstellar warships. Every one of the enemy's Pitch-Black Legion warships above was destroyed by us in this invasion."
She paused, and Lilith went on, "In this campaign we spent a great quantity of war-readiness resources; making up this part of war-readiness resources spent is expected to take three months' total production. Besides this, our ace fleet groups and Imperial fleet groups lost 100,000-odd warships in all, and 50,000-odd more warships are too badly damaged; on assessment they don't meet our Empire's service standard for warships, and will be sent back to the furnace for recovery or sold abroad. Besides this, in this campaign the Household Legion fleet groups sent out 5 million warships; near 500,000 warships were lost in the fighting, and another 300,000 warships are badly damaged and may be retired from the order of battle. The Great-Lord and lord fleets lost near a million warships in this campaign. Leaving out our Owl Dragon Empire's directly commanded fleets, since a certain technology can bring them back, the other personnel lost come to more than 5 billion combatants in all."
Hearing the number of the dead,
Zhao Chen closed his eyes.
Though most of these dead were people of the lord fleets of each region,
they were all people of the Owl Dragon Empire now, after all, and had died fighting for the Owl Dragon Empire.
It was only a pity that Zhao Chen's black technology could not take these people in too and bring them back.
At least with the technology as it stood now, it could not be done.
"The pensions for the dead: every Great Lord and lesser lord must carry them out as the rules require. As for help for them, for the warships they've lost we can make up the loss at a favorable price," Zhao Chen said in a deep voice.
"Yes." Lilith nodded.
"And the civilian losses. In this Pitch-Black Legion fleet invasion, by civilian records, 3,500-odd civilian starships were attacked and lost in all. Besides that, seven small starports and thirty-eight planetary space stations. And the surfaces of five planets were invaded. One planet among them was gravely damaged; a third of the land on that planet was destroyed, with heavy casualties, and we sent medical ships to its relief at once. By our records, the dead among non-combatants in this campaign, which is to say civilians, came to 20 billion people. The civilian property losses are still being counted."
When he had heard these figures one after another,
Zhao Chen sank his head under the water.
After half a minute he came up.
The water streamed down Zhao Chen's body.
"Order comes and makes a little trouble, and we lose 20-odd billion people. Heh heh heh. We'll keep the reckoning of these debts. After this, restore our production work as fast as possible, and for the planets that suffered disaster, see to resettlement as well. ……"
When Zhao Chen had given a whole series of instructions, the communication ended there.
And Lilith, at the other end, touched her nose and looked at the streak of blood on her fingers.
She looked reproachfully at the dark communication panel.
Just you wait!
Next time, you'll 'pay in blood for this blood debt!'