Zhao Chen's words left the two princesses before him blank at a stroke.
And thereafter the two princesses showed states of feeling wholly unlike one another.
Blanche wore the look of one thinking, and there was a knot of trouble in her eyes.
Whereas in those eyes of Leona's there was nothing but a burning heat!
Her eyes were fixed hard upon Zhao Chen; and were it not for that General Charlotte standing at Zhao Chen's side, by her temper of former days she would by any estimate have thrown herself forward to this lord Zhao Chen's very feet.
"You are willing to help us produce these interstellar warships! That would be splendid! If we could hold these mighty interstellar warships, then even should the Demon Race fleets come raiding, I should have the backbone to give them a good lesson!" Leona cried in her excitement.
Blanche beside her, seeing her elder sister so excited, let out a sigh.
Though this sister of hers was no longer arrogant as before, she still could not hide what she thought, and thought of far too little besides.
How could anyone possibly furnish you these excellent interstellar warships so simply as that?
Upon everything whatever, a price has been quietly marked behind it.
"My lord, in furnishing us these interstellar warships, is there something you require us to do?" Blanche's way of putting it was much softened.
She did not directly use any such words as condition or price.
Zhao Chen did not answer Blanche's question directly; he asked instead, "The starship industry within the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth — of what is it chiefly made up?"
"That? Of the other tribes I do not know. Our Dragon-folk tribe's interstellar warships are chiefly built by three great starship industrial bases, two of which were established in cooperation with the Spider Queen tribe. We furnish the funds and the ground; the Spider Queen tribe furnish the technical personnel. Eight parts in 10 of the Dragon-folk tribe's serving interstellar warships are produced and built by these starship industrial bases." Leona said it, calling it to mind as she went.
The answer Leona gave was very vague.
One could see that this commander was not very well informed in the matter of administration in the rear.
Happily, she had an exceedingly able younger sister.
"Within our Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth there are ten great starship manufacturers. The three my elder sister spoke of just now are among them. And behind these ten great starship manufacturers there stand in fact the great families of the several tribes, holding them in control. For instance these three starship manufacturing enterprises of our Dragon-folk tribe: our line holds a controlling share in each, and in each it reaches 50%, the remaining portion being controlled by other family powers within. With the other starship manufacturers the case is much the same. As of now, our Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's starship industrial system. With no interference, and with raw material supply sufficient. Can deliver each year 1 million T2-grade interstellar warships, 10,000 T3-grade interstellar warships, and 100 T4-grade interstellar warships. Though the above is the theoretical case; in the actual case only some seven or eight parts in 10 of that capacity can be met. And at times these starship manufacturers must produce starship munitions besides, and repair starships, and make starship parts, and meet the production requirements for T1-grade interstellar warships…"
Set beside Leona, Blanche understood it exceedingly clearly.
Zhao Chen guessed that if he wished to dig to the very root of it, Blanche could by any estimate furnish the intelligence upon the other tribes' starship manufacturers as well.
"Your industrial capacity for production is indeed very fine, but it is far too crude and backward, and not concentrated enough besides, which greatly affects the efficiency of production. I have a proposal upon my side. To recombine these scattered starship manufacturing industries into one, and have our Owl Dragon help you upgrade and remake this starship industry, and furnish starship technology thereafter. By which these new starship manufacturing works can furnish you mighty interstellar warships in a stream without cease." Zhao Chen spoke it out.
At these words there rose before Blanche's eyes and before Leona's two scenes utterly unlike one another.
In Leona's eyes she saw only herself in command of a mighty interstellar fleet, able to give the Demon Race's interstellar fleets battle blow for blow.
But in Blanche's eyes what she saw was the time to come.
The Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth having utterly lost its own industrial system, every source of technology coming from the Owl Dragon; to the eye the Warhammer would hold advanced industrial bases and be able to hold advanced interstellar warships.
But should the Owl Dragon once pinch off that technical support, the Warhammer, having lost its own industrial system… what manner of pass it would come to is past imagining.
In this moment.
This man before her, seated upon a sofa and speaking of these things as light cloud in a calm wind.
Was in Blanche's eyes for all the world an emperor seated upon a throne at a mountain's summit — and before him the Warhammer had fallen already to a puppet in his hand.
When Zhao Chen had done speaking, Secretary Lilith stepped forward and opened a star chart of the Warhammer.
And upon the Warhammer's star chart there appeared three points of light, lying respectively in the Dragon-folk tribe's present territory, the former Black Tiger tribe's present territory, and the Spider Queen tribe's territory.
"In these three positions we shall choose three star systems and build, in joint cooperation, three starship manufacturing bases; in these three starship manufacturing companies our Owl Dragon Legion will be the party furnishing the technology. We shall hold 70% of the equity; as for the remaining equity, you may determine yourselves to whom it shall belong. I wonder whether Your Highnesses have any objection." Secretary Lilith's gaze swept across the cheeks of the two princesses before her.
Though in truth it rested rather more upon Blanche.
Princess Leona had already had her head turned by the fair imaginings of the future.
Leona in her excitement made to say something.
But she was suddenly stopped by Blanche beside her.
Blanche's eyes were alight, as though she had come to some decision.
"May I ask — if in future… we should establish a new polity within the Warhammer. Will the Owl Dragon Legion garrison troops within the Warhammer's borders?"
This question of Blanche's, coming so suddenly, seemed somewhat abrupt.
But those present who were clever knew that Her Highness was driving straight into the heart of the matter.
"I can give a promise: upon the premise that the new Warhammer does not threaten the Owl Dragon's interests, the Owl Dragon Legion will not garrison troops within this region of the Warhammer, nor will it interfere with the local government, or say rather the ruling class."
Zhao Chen tapped once upon the star chart Secretary Lilith had displayed.
Let none make light of that tapping gesture.
For Blanche bit lightly at her red lips — because this star chart did not take in those several star regions left vacant by the Machine Race's withdrawal and afterward occupied by the Warhammer.
The sense of it was very plain.
What was originally yours of the Warhammer, I shall not interfere with. But of places beyond that, think no further.
"With the Owl Dragon technology in use, is there any limit upon how many interstellar warships we may produce? And will there be limits as well upon the starship technology furnished?" Blanche clenched her fists and pressed the question further.
"At T2 grade and T3 grade, of the interstellar warships whose technology we furnish, you may produce as many as you wish, so long as we obtain that share of the profit belonging to our technical equity. At T4 grade, we shall set a production quota. But this production quota will hereafter be opened up by degrees as the case allows. Besides which, of starship technology there is indeed some I shall not give you. But I can promise you this: look at the Northern Goose Group of the Starlight Empire; whatever starship technology they have, that is the starship technology I shall give you," Zhao Chen answered.
Blanche, having heard him out, drew a deep breath.
And at the last she went down again upon one knee to the deck.
This time she had truly chosen submission.
"The Dragon-folk tribe is willing to hear the arrangement."