After this bout of astonishment,
what was shown next to these high elves was this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought's ship-gun weapons and the like.
"This is the electromagnetic energy main gun our Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought carries, which uses top T6 technology too. As for whether it reaches quasi-T7 grade, that's hard to say; I'm not a technician in that field. This Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought carries nine hundred of this type of main gun. The range is about medium; it can sometimes hit long-range targets too, but accuracy and power fall off a good deal as the distance grows."
"The fully-automatic high-density close-in gun: I hardly need explain what it's for. However strong an interstellar warship, it has to be ready to defend against the enemy's close-quarters raids, and interstellar fighters, interstellar drones and the like. With this close-in gun, this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought can attack at long range and defend at close range, and remove the threat of interstellar fighters and interstellar drones."
The high-elf councilors who heard this muttered in their hearts.
Who doesn't know that in a clash with your Owl Dragon legion fleets there's basically no interstellar air superiority to speak of?
What threat is there to talk about?
Just then Major General Wang Min, the captain, mentioned in passing, "Though it's a close-in gun, once the distance to an enemy starship closes within a certain range, attacking the enemy hull directly is a good choice too. Before, when two of our Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnoughts fought the Devourer Civilization's what's-it-called… Drought-Fiend Ghost-King-class Heavy Strategic Interstellar Multirole Destroyer, they closed to very short range and fought with all their firepower. These close-in guns came into play too. Whatever else, these are all weapons above T6 grade, aren't they? Within this effective range of attack, even a T3-grade interstellar warship here couldn't stand up to one shot of a close-in gun. A T4-grade interstellar warship would have to weigh up its own weight too."
"This is our electromagnetic bio-railgun heavy gun. It's a long-range ship gun, chiefly responsible for making up for any shortfall in conventional long-range fire output."
You're short of long-range fire output? Are those interstellar missiles for show?
Hearing Major General Wang Min's words, the high-elf councilors now had not even the urge to grumble left.
The fitting-out of this interstellar warship of theirs was simply not in the same class as their own interstellar warships.
"Last, this is the strongest ship gun on our Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought, and perhaps the most powerful conventional ship gun among our Owl Dragon-line interstellar warships. Not counting those few super-flagships; they're all monsters. The super-bio plasma pulse-cannon prow main gun! Even a T6-grade interstellar battleship in front of it couldn't take many shots of this gun's power. Mind you, this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought of ours has not just one of these super-bio plasma pulse-cannon prow main guns, but three. Locked on by these three main guns, unless it has a linked-defense-matrix star shield or is an interstellar warship of quasi-T7 grade or above, any interstellar warship before it will be blown to ashes!"
When Major General Wang Min, the captain, had got this far, a proud look had already risen unbidden on her face.
Nor could she help being proud.
The high-elf councilors present had very mixed feelings in their hearts as they heard these figures.
They did not want to admit it, or to believe it.
But they knew very well that this was fact.
For this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought was no mascot, but genuinely battle-tried,
and against those super-flagships of the Devourer Civilization's three Sovereigns at that!
Its fighting power was not just in theoretical figures, but on the battlefield.
So these high-elf councilors, however unwilling they were in their hearts to admit it, now had to admit that this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought's value and standing far exceeded any interstellar warship their Holy Elf Empire now had!
"We've basically covered the weapons. Next we'll go and see the bridge. Please follow me, everyone." Major General Wang Min, the captain, went on leading the way ahead,
as if she had not noticed in the least the mixed looks of the high-elf councilors behind her.
Compared with these high-elf councilors,
the few Elf Sovereigns' feelings were rather calmer.
The Flame Elf Queen's eyes blazed with a scorching light; after all, this interstellar warship would be hers for the next ten years; only ten years,
but she was already very satisfied, for this was nothing one could have just like that.
As far as she knew, the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire itself had only ten-odd of this interstellar warship now.
That was enough to show the value of such a Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought.
Gustav, the Radiant Elf King, walked with his hands clasped behind his back; seeing some remarkable thing, he would look a few times more, but without much stir of feeling.
Marietis, the Bluewater Elf Queen, was more curious, looking here and looking there.
She was perhaps the Elf Sovereign present least interested in this interstellar warship; it was more curiosity, since, when the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire went to war with the Devourer Civilization before,
they had heard a good deal of the related intelligence.
Especially of this mass-produced quasi-T7-grade interstellar warship of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's, there was no lack at all of news of its fighting on the battlefield.
Naturally that had made her curious too.
Onias, the Nightglow Elf King, wore a cold look, as if his face were frozen; one could not make out any change or stir of feeling on it at all.
And among them, Mansfield, the Emerald Elf King, was the most excited, the one asking the most questions too, while going everywhere to look over every part of this interstellar warship.
So earnest that he was like a student.
Very soon they came before the bridge doors.
Having toured it all, these high-elf councilors had very mixed feelings in their hearts.
The Emerald Elf King, for his part, was very excited now, for from only a single tour he felt a great many more ideas in his head.
If he could learn some of the technical details, this Emerald Elf King would probably be sunk in his laboratory for the next few years.
The other high-elf councilors, naturally, were shocked and envious, and then shocked and envious again.
The technology on such an interstellar warship was something their Holy Elf Empire had no way at all of reaching now.
Even the few Elf Sovereigns knew this very well in their hearts.
The bridge's light-door opened.
Led by Major General Wang Min, the captain, they all walked onto the bridge.
The bridge was very large, but now it seemed very "empty."
For this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought was not at full complement now; only the people needed to keep it sailing had been assigned, with one working group kept in each department.
So the people actually on the bridge now were under a tenth of its full complement.
Naturally the whole bridge seemed empty and quiet.
"This is the Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought's bridge; what it does here needs no explaining. You may look around here freely, but please don't touch the instruments and equipment at will; if you have any questions, you can ask our bridge soldiers around you," Major General Wang Min, the captain, said by way of introduction.
The moment these words were said,
the Emerald Elf King was the first to dart off; he studied this starship's bridge with great care.
To an outsider, it might not look like any special bridge.
After all, an interstellar warship could have no interstellar missiles, no main guns, no prow gun,
but it would certainly have a bridge.
What could be different about it? They were all much of a muchness.
But in the Emerald Elf King's eyes, one of the chief core parts of an interstellar warship was in fact the bridge.
The bridge was the interstellar warship's brain; the bridge's design and layout and the technology it used bore directly on how well and how efficiently this interstellar warship fought in battle.
A mere difference in one detail of design might make a world of difference in this interstellar warship's fighting power.
Above all, they had known before that this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought used artificial intelligence of a very high grade.
That was sure to show on the bridge; that might also be one reason the bridge's numbers could be so small.
Everyone was very curious about this place.
"Major General Wang Min, you and your soldiers: for the time you live in the Holy Elf Empire, I'll pay you the benefits of our Holy Elf Empire's highest-grade fleets. If you need anything at all, I'll assign someone to go with you, and you may tell her whatever you like. On our side we'll meet any need of yours as far as we can."
Hearing these words from Salaman, the Flame Elf Queen,
Major General Wang Min, the captain, said quickly, "There's no need for these. His Majesty the Emperor's side will see to our pay. We have extra allowances for coming all this way to the Holy Elf Empire too. As for daily living, the living supplies this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought carries would do not just for a few months but for a few years, no problem."
The Flame Elf Queen at once said with mock sternness, "What your Emperor gives you and what I give you are two different things. In short, since I mean to give it to you, you take it. Don't stand on ceremony with me! Now that you've come here, you're my guests. So naturally I have to look after you properly."
"Then… we'll do as we're bidden rather than stand on ceremony. On behalf of the crew, I thank Lady Flame Elf Queen." Major General Wang Min, the captain, was no one-track mind either.
From now on she would be, in a manner of speaking, under this Flame Elf Queen's hand.
Since it was theirs to give, she would take it first and see.
At worst, when they got back, she would report it to her superiors.
Most likely the higher-ups would not care about such a trifle, and it would count as getting some benefit for the soldiers under her who had come along on this "business trip."
……
When they had toured the bridge, the several Elf Sovereigns left the bridge with the reluctant Emerald Elf King in tow, and headed for the starship's mess hall.
Next they would enjoy a welcome banquet aboard this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought, then leave the ship.
And at this point the Emerald Elf King naturally could not let so good a chance go by; he clung to the Flame Elf Queen's side.
"Salaman, let me stay a while longer on this interstellar warship after this, won't you! I'll just look around, look around." The Emerald Elf King looked at the Flame Elf Queen with longing; from the way he was rubbing his hands, one could tell he was impatient to board that interstellar warship now.
The Flame Elf Queen shrugged and said calmly, "I only hold the right to use this interstellar warship; in ten years this interstellar warship has to go back to the Owl Dragon Emperor. You poke at this and poke at that; if you break something on me, what am I supposed to pay him back with then?"
"An interstellar warship this big; how could I possibly break it by looking around and touching a little? Salaman, I've helped you plenty before. Whenever you wanted advanced starship technology, I always looked after your fleets first. This time, when for once I come begging you, you can't even grant me so small a request?" The Emerald Elf King had the air of one who would make a scene, weeping and wailing, right here if she did not agree.
The Flame Elf Queen could see that, to explore the technology of an interstellar warship, this fellow the Emerald Elf King was quite capable of doing such a thing.
When they had not let him go to the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire before, that was perhaps forgivable; he had borne with it and got past it.
Now that this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought of his dreams lay right before him, to refuse him again
was something he truly could not accept at all.
The Flame Elf Queen hesitated a moment, then looked at Major General Wang Min, the captain, who had been following beside her all along.
Major General Wang Min, the captain, said with a smile, "Before we came, His Majesty the Emperor gave instructions. During this time, we and this interstellar warship are entirely at Lady Flame Elf Queen's command."
That was giving her face in full.
The Flame Elf Queen looked at the Emerald Elf King with feigned helplessness, then shook her head and said, "I really can't do anything with you. All right, then. You may stay aboard this starship after this, but apart from you, no one else may board without permission. I'll assign a few people especially to go with you; if you need anything, tell them. And any information you record must be looked over by us first. And whether you may go to certain places must have our permission too. If you can agree to all that, I'll let you stay here."
The Emerald Elf King could no longer be bothered with terms or anything of the kind; all he wanted now was to stay and study this interstellar warship, so without a second thought he agreed to the lot.
The Flame Elf Queen said nothing more either.
In fact, in granting the Emerald Elf King these permissions, she had weighed a great many things.
Since that fellow the Owl Dragon Emperor had not interfered, but had boldly sent this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought over, he was not afraid of their studying it.
So she might as well do a favor that cost her nothing.
Besides, the Emerald Elf King held a good deal of the Holy Elf Empire's top technology, and in his hands were some technologies only he knew of that had not yet seen the light.
She could take this chance to sound out the old fellow properly.
Who knew what she might gain!
…………
In the starship's mess hall,
what Major General Wang Min, the captain, had prepared for the several Elf Sovereigns and high-elf councilors was, naturally, food leaning toward elven tastes.
And it used ingredients grown by the most advanced Eden-class starships besides.
In the Holy Elf Empire, these delicacies were food a thousand in gold could hardly buy.
So even the Elf Sovereigns and the several high-elf councilors, who set great value on governing their own appetites, felt their palates stir at the sight of these delicacies.
The Bluewater Elf Queen was quickest of all; eating, she said admiringly, "Wow, the food on your Owl Dragon-line interstellar warships is actually this good. It's much better than the food in the restaurant on that ship of mine."
To outsiders, the Bluewater Elf Queen always looked innocent, pure of heart and few of wants.
But mind you, she was the one in charge of foreign affairs.
And in diplomacy between universe civilizations, the one thing there is naturally no avoiding is the banquet.
So the Bluewater Elf Queen had come to be very demanding about food.
She was unlike ordinary elves; because of what diplomatic occasions required, she did not shun certain foods, and now and then tasted other civilizations' foods too; even what was not plants or fruit she was willing to taste a little of.
But in her heart, what she liked best was still the diet she had grown up with.
When she visited other interstellar civilizations, the local powers' reception staff would naturally take this elven habit of diet into account too,
to give a good impression at the meeting.
So it was always carefully prepared.
The Bluewater Elf Queen always said kind things on such occasions,
but in her heart she never in fact rated them very highly.
Those foods fell short of the Holy Elf Empire's food by no small margin.
But the food on this Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought now was higher than the food of their Holy Elf Empire by no small margin.
This set the Bluewater Elf Queen, in a sense, to envying the Flame Elf Queen.
This was to be her starship, which meant she could enjoy these delicacies freely.
It seemed she would have to find time to drop in on the Flame Elf Queen from now on.
Now, as she enjoyed the food before her, the Bluewater Elf Queen had already begun working it out in her heart.
Meanwhile,
the Nightglow Elf King, always a man of few words, for once spoke up, aiming his words straight at Major General Wang Min, the captain: "Major General Wang Min. May I ask whether Your Excellency took part in the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's campaign against the Devourer Civilization this time?"
"I'm the captain of a Golden-Scarab-class Heavy Interstellar Dreadnought, so of course I took part in that campaign the whole world watched," Major General Wang Min, the captain, answered with a smile.
At the mention of this campaign, her face brimmed with pride.
To strike back into the Devourer Civilization's home universe twice, and cripple two super-flagships of the Devourer Civilization's three Sovereigns: only they, the Owl Dragon legion fleets, had done it.
That pride was theirs alone; no one else could have it.
It was what they had earned.
"Then may I ask what Major General Wang Min thinks of the Devourer Civilization's interstellar legion fleets in this war?" Onias, the Nightglow Elf King, only took a taste of things; the food was delicious, but he was the one present best able to govern his own appetites.
Now he looked calmly at Major General Wang Min across from him.
The Flame Elf Queen beside them narrowed her eyes at the fellow, wondering what this fellow, who always said little, very little even to them, the few Elf Sovereigns, was after in striking up a conversation with an Owl Dragon officer of his own accord at this moment.
There must be some purpose to it.
"What I think…" Major General Wang Min thought a moment, then answered calmly, "My feeling about the Devourer Civilization is that they have advanced interstellar warships and technological weapons, along with interstellar fleets of huge numbers. So in battle they have a huge advantage. But their will to fight isn't really all that strong, apart from the three Sovereigns' own fleets. The other interstellar fleets, perhaps because of what they originally were, are really the conquered, outside races that went over to the Devourer Civilization. Most of them joined the Devourer Civilization only because they had no choice. So they really don't feel they belong to the Devourer Civilization all that much. If the fighting goes well, fine; they can gain by it. If they're going to lose, they don't have the drive to fight to the death either."
Hearing this verdict from Major General Wang Min, the captain,
the Flame Elf Queen nodded silently beside them.
Long before, she too had had the fortune of clashing several times with the Devourer Civilization's interstellar fleets on the battlefields of other interstellar civilizations' universes.
So she knew that what Major General Wang Min, the captain, said was right.
The Devourer Civilization's interstellar legion fleets were nearly all like that.
The reason for it was plain too: as the Devourer Civilization's interstellar legion fleets had grown to what they were now, many of them in fact came from interstellar civilizations' universes conquered by the three Sovereigns.
Most had gone over of their own accord,
but they were the conquered after all, and the three Sovereigns were the invaders.
So the officers and men of these outside powers' interstellar legion fleets did not really feel they belonged to the Devourer Civilization all that much.
So naturally they had no will to fight to speak of.
When they had won every fight before, every one a rout, that was well enough.
But once they met a setback, pinned down and beaten on the battlefield by the Owl Dragon legion fleets as this time, the weakness in this respect would be laid bare.
"Then, judging by the course of the fighting this time: how many more ships would your Owl Dragon legion fleets need for you to be confident of wiping out all the Devourer Civilization's legion fleets at one stroke and taking the Devourer Civilization's universe?"
The moment Onias, the Nightglow Elf King, threw out this question, nearly everyone present pricked up their ears; even the Bluewater Elf Queen, enjoying her fine food, plainly slowed her eating a little at that moment.
Major General Wang Min, the captain, smiled faintly and answered, "I'm not the battlefield's commander in chief, so I don't know some of the battlefield figures very well. But going by the battlefield figures I do know, my own view is this. This time our Owl Dragon legion fleets sent out six million-odd interstellar warships. To wipe out all the Devourer Civilization's legion fleets at one stroke and take the whole of the Devourer Civilization's territory, leaving reserve war resources out of the reckoning, fifteen million Owl Dragon-line interstellar warships would be enough. But by comparison, as everyone knows, our Owl Dragon legion fleets burn through a great deal of war resources in fighting, so this means the war resources to be got ready might be at least five times more than for other civilizations' legion fleets."