All the way, Zhao Chen was 'admiring' everything to be seen in this universe.
It was all stars, planets and asteroid belts, true.
But besides these, on sailing into places with habitable planets, one found that the atmosphere here was wholly unlike the Owl Dragon Empire's.
A different kind of air filled this place.
Of the great majority of planets here, apart from the gas giants, nearly every planet above a certain size was lush and green on its surface.
They had even developed some plants that could live in the environment of space.
These space plants were used for decoration too.
Zhao Chen saw a space city, for one, whose outer rim was eight-tenths wrapped in green plants, with flowers large and small to be seen as well.
Some of the flowers in bloom were a full kilometer across in diameter alone!
Anyone with a fear of giant things, seeing these plants here, would likely have felt a chill down the back.
Besides that, interstellar installations such as star gates and starports had more or less of this decorative style about them too.
The feeling it gave was that in the Sacred Elf Empire's star regions there was nothing of that deathly stillness,
but instead a feeling of living in the midst of nature, full of boundless life.
Even the black cosmos no longer weighed on one so.
Even on the starships there were traces of these plants.
There were some warships, even, that Zhao Chen suspected were built wholly of plants.
He even asked Gladys about it.
Gladys answered Zhao Chen's question.
It was true; some warships could be built wholly of these special plants.
For instance, in the Sacred Elf Empire now, nearly every T1 and T2-grade warship was built of plants; after that, as the warships' grade rose, the share of plant materials fell by degrees.
But these plants were not so simple as Zhao Chen understood plants to be.
They were all special plants bred for the purpose.
Among them was a special plant called 'Interstellar Moss 031,' which was now nearly the main building material of T1 warships and small shuttles.
One had only to set up a mold and let this interstellar moss grow within it, and wait for a while,
and a T1-grade warship would appear in the mold!
After that, one had only to breed different plants inside this warship:
plants that could produce energy, for example, and plants that could serve as starship engines, and plants that could fire lasers.
In the end these plants were gathered into one whole,
and a warship built wholly by plant-material technology was born.
Don't make light of these special warships.
Their merits were a very low building cost, and the ability to repair themselves when the hull was damaged.
As for their drawbacks:
they took rather long to build, their defense was weak, and their weapons middling.
But beside their merits, these drawbacks could in truth be wholly overlooked.
And this technology let nearly everyone among the Sacred Elf Empire's common people own a T1 or even T2-grade warship.
Interstellar sailing was a still more common thing in the Sacred Elf Empire.
There were even elves who longed for freedom and would build a dwelling-type warship, meaning to live in that warship forever.
Because of the low energy use of low-grade warships, and the natural advantage plant-type warships had in growing and cultivating an ecology,
T1 and T2-grade warships could now, in theory, go without ever returning to port.
Under this culture, the Sacred Elf Empire's internal friction was lowered, and everyone leaned more toward meeting the needs of the spirit.
"What do you think of this Sacred Elf Empire?" Zhao Chen looked at Marshal Chitong on the other side of the video window.
Marshal Chitong had come along on this visit to the Sacred Elf Empire.
She too had naturally been charged by Zhao Chen to observe everything around them closely.
And here, apart from Xiong Lulu, commanding the Emperor's Guard Fleet, Chitong was of the highest rank.
So Zhao Chen was discussing this matter privately with Marshal Chitong.
At this moment Zhao Chen was sitting in the office within his own private quarters.
Here, naturally, Gladys had no reason to follow along.
Marshal Chitong said slowly, "By what we know so far, and the material on the Sacred Elf Empire you sent me just now, I think the Sacred Elf Empire has a certain class structure: at the top the high elves, in the middle every kind of elf race, and at the bottom the other interstellar races, including those that fled into the Sacred Elf Empire under the Devourer Civilization's persecution. But though there are classes, those elves don't practice class oppression on the other interstellar races; they only look down on the other interstellar races from the heart. They won't eat crops grown by other interstellar races, for example, and won't even eat in the same dining hall as them. Nor do they bully those interstellar races on purpose, and the reason is that laying hands on someone seems to them a coarse thing to do. And the more so with these interstellar races they look down on in their hearts; perhaps in their eyes it's like fighting someone who's just climbed out of a cesspit. It would only disgust themselves."
Chitong's comparison drew a laugh from Zhao Chen in spite of himself.
But the comparison did fit the Sacred Elf Empire's present state very well.
That too was why, though ruled by the elves, the Sacred Elf Empire had no great internal strife.
"Those interstellar races are willing to keep things as they are. On one hand, naturally, because the elves are strong. On the other, the elves won't seize their planetary domains either; for the same reason as above: would you fight someone who's climbed out of a cesspit for his bed? Unless he had something you prized. But most of the time, plainly not. At the same time, the elves are not stingy with their low-grade technology. And as far as we know, in this universe food technology is very highly developed. So much so that the elves even waste it. As the saying goes, when those at the top eat the meat, you can still drink a mouthful of broth. And the other interstellar races that follow the elves can live on this broth alone. So the quality of life here, for those interstellar races, at least means no worry over food and drink. That way there's no chance for internal strife to break out."
Zhao Chen nodded.
He had thought of all these points too.
At this point, though, Marshal Chitong frowned slightly, and the tenor of her words took a sharp turn. "But a life like this is a good thing and a bad thing both. First, it's too peaceful here. So peaceful that even the eagles have lost the wish to soar."
Zhao Chen narrowed his eyes; he understood Chitong's meaning.
"The Sacred Elf Empire has the T6 technology grade now, true. But look at those warships, and look at the air of those elf soldiers. Those elf soldiers may be competent interstellar soldiers. But they're certainly not good warriors; I can't feel the least wish for war in them. There's no killing air in their eyes. A starship fleet with no wish to fight, even with advanced warship technology, can defeat enemies weaker than itself. But it can't defeat enemies of equal strength, let alone enemies stronger than itself. And if an interstellar empire's interstellar legion fleets actually have no wish to fight, then that interstellar empire will totter," Chitong gave her view.
Zhao Chen nodded. "There's sense in what you say. But it isn't quite accurate either. Perhaps because you haven't met the elves' upper levels. I met an Elf Queen before, and she has that air about her that you speak of. And with a commander like that, though I can't swear the whole Sacred Elf Empire has her drive, at least the interstellar legion fleets long under her command, steeped in her example over a long time, will catch it from her bit by bit. And I believe that, since this Elf Queen knows this very well, she'll surely train generals like herself to lead her legion fleets. As the saying goes: a timid soldier is timid alone; a timid general makes a whole den of them."
Chitong nodded slightly. "What Your Majesty says is indeed reasonable. In a state where power is more plainly held, perhaps it really would make a great change. But as things look now, the Sacred Elf Empire has five Elf Sovereigns and a High Council. I don't think that under such a system the power this Elf Queen holds is enough to let her change the state of the whole Sacred Elf Empire."
"Let's leave that aside for now. Later I'll find a way to get some combat data and material on the standard-issue warships of the Sacred Elf Empire's present army. When the time comes, analyze it quietly yourself, and produce as quickly as you can a detailed analysis of the Sacred Elf Empire's warships. At the same time, draw up every kind of contingency plan ahead of time as well." As Zhao Chen said the last words, he looked at Chitong with a gaze full of meaning.
Chitong nodded; she understood His Majesty the Emperor's meaning.
One must never mean harm to others, but one must always guard against them.
The more so with so powerful a neighbor.
Naturally one had to be ready on every front,
with a whole series of plans ready to meet everything that might happen.
With Zhao Chen there had always been one principle: some preparations might never be used in a lifetime, and lie gathering dust at the bottom of the chest.
But one could not be unprepared.
Plans of this kind: with Lilith there were who knew how many of them,
and Charlotte had made who knew how many too.
Guarding against trouble before it came was Zhao Chen's principle.
When the communication with Chitong was over,
Zhao Chen looked at the several documents before him on every aspect of the Sacred Elf Empire; Zhao Chen had sent Chitong a copy of these before this too,
which was what had let Chitong give her views and ideas.
And this information Zhao Chen had naturally obtained by breaking into this universe's communication network with his own technical means.
The information Gladys supplied, Zhao Chen naturally could not believe entirely.
But most of the intelligence got from these networks was hearsay too.
To get core intelligence on the Sacred Elf Empire from it alone was very hard.
Beep beep beep
At this point Zhao Chen received a communication from the bridge.
On the other side of the video window was Xiong Lulu.
"Your Majesty, Lady Gladys asks me to tell you that we've now come through the star gate into the outer area of the Sacred Elf Empire's capital star region. Next, within ten hours, we'll reach the outer area of the capital star system. Lady Gladys would like to confirm the detailed arrangements for your visit to the Sacred Elf Empire with you in person," Xiong Lulu said.
Zhao Chen nodded. "I understand; I was just about to go to the bridge. Ask Gladys to wait a moment."
"Yes."
The communication ended, and Zhao Chen rose.
Before long he appeared on the bridge.
"Your Majesty the Owl Dragon Emperor." In her time with Zhao Chen, Gladys had come to like this Majesty the Emperor a little, and was more humble in her manner too.
"Tell me how things are arranged for us next." Zhao Chen sat down and looked at Gladys with a smile.
At once Gladys raised her hand, and an electronic document appeared before them.
"Today we'll reach the capital star region. After that we'll go straight to the capital star system. By the arrangement, you and your fleet will stop briefly at the outer edge of the capital star system. You… your legion fleet will stay at the outer edge of the capital star system. You'll ride our starship into the capital star system……" Gladys said this far.
Xiong Lulu, who had been listening beside them all along, stepped out directly. "That won't do! Our Majesty the Emperor has come from so far, and he's to ride your warship just to enter your capital star system. Is that your way of welcoming a guest!"
Gladys said with an awkward face, "On this point… I've in fact put a suggestion to the High Council too; it's still under discussion."
"My legion fleet can stop outside the star system. But my guard fleet must come with me," Zhao Chen said evenly.
This was plainly the other side wishing to take the swagger out of the Owl Dragon Emperor come from afar.
Zhao Chen was naturally not going to let the other side have its way.
But bringing thirty thousand warships into an enemy's capital star system would indeed not be fitting either.
So Zhao Chen asked only to bring the Emperor's Guard Fleet.
That counted as showing Zhao Chen's position:
I can give way one step, but only this one step.
As for whether you want to keep face, that's up to you.
There was an awkward look on Gladys's face, but in her heart she let out a small breath of relief.
A request like this, Gladys herself at least found acceptable.
He was the Owl Dragon Emperor, the Emperor of a whole interstellar civilization's universe.
Having only just met you, he was willing to come in person at your invitation, which already showed his trust in you.
And with the standing of an Emperor, to bring three thousand of the Emperor's Guard Fleet: that was not excessive, was it?
At least the thirty thousand Owl Dragon legion warships were staying outside.
That gave them face enough.
"On this point, I'll try to take it up with the High Council."