Early September.
Batch after batch of interstellar warships sailed to the largest military starport under the Holy Angel King's rule.
Zhao Chen sat upon a sofa and looked through the vast floor-length viewport at the unbroken stream of warships outside the port.
"Considering the Angel Race's present case, this time I have brought two batches of the military order outright — 20,000 Owl Dragon-line interstellar warships. And 20 trillion star coins' worth of interstellar missiles besides; your missile ships shall assuredly eat their fill!"
Zhao Chen said it with a smile, looking at the Holy Angel King seated beside him.
"Then let me first thank the Owl Dragon's lord on the Angel Race's behalf." The Holy Angel King nodded slightly.
"Then by the agreement…" Zhao Chen looked at her with a narrow smile.
"Two batches is 20 trillion star coins, and with 20 trillion star coins' worth of missiles besides, 40 trillion in payment altogether — is that right?" the Holy Angel King asked.
"Just so."
"At present 20 trillion star coins of payment stands ready within this military port; and a further 10 trillion will reach here within three hours. The last 10 trillion will arrive within twenty-four hours," said the Holy Angel King.
Zhao Chen waved a hand with a smile. "It is nothing; I am in no haste, in no haste at all. We are allies — should I be anxious over such payments?"
The angel Susan, standing behind, rolled her eyes.
She had by now discovered a particular quality in this Owl Dragon lord: that at times he is not in the least like a leader, but like some grinning merchant.
And yet at times the aura he lets slip without meaning it leaves one feeling one stands at the edge of an abyss.
"My lord, in truth I am much interested in your T5-grade interstellar warships as well." The Holy Angel King said it of a sudden at this point.
Hearing it, Zhao Chen waved both hands and said, "That will not do — that truly will not do. T5-grade warships, never mind ours: even among your Angel Race they are surely not for sale. This I truly cannot bring out…"
"The price may be discussed," said the Holy Angel King.
Zhao Chen now put on an air of difficulty. "This truly puts me in a hard place; I have not many T5 warships in hand myself. I…"
The Holy Angel King said, "Name what price you please."
"This… this is not a matter of price. There is no one upon the market now who has ever sold a T5-grade warship, is there?" Zhao Chen shook his head without cease.
"That T5 Hades of the Owl Dragon line…"
"The Hades is very hard to build; even our Owl Dragon could hardly build a second."
"Then the Dragon Emperor?"
"The same."
"The Fire-Qilin-class Heavy Carrier Starship?"
"I truly cannot sell it; do not press me so."
"What of the Holy-Redeemer-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Heavy-Artillery Battleship?"
"You cannot know it, but through our whole Owl Dragon Legion, high and low, the Holy Redeemers in service do not pass the fingers of one hand; I have not enough for myself."
"Then the Lightning-Wraith-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Cruiser and the Chaos-Knight-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Destroyer?"
"…"
Zhao Chen said nothing at this point, but took up a cup of some beverage beside him and drank of it in his own way.
"For one Chaos-Knight and one Lightning-Wraith, we are willing to offer 50 trillion star coins," the Holy Angel King named outright.
It must be said that the price of a high-grade warship is terrible indeed.
Two T5 hulls alone surpassed the whole price of the 20,000 warships and that batch of missiles before them!
"This drink is very good." Zhao Chen smacked his lips and looked at the cup in his hand, as though studying it closely.
"Susan, from this day forward arrange an interstellar transport weekly, to supply the Owl Dragon Galactic Interstellar Group with a ton of this beverage.
"70 trillion star coins."
Zhao Chen took up a small snack beside him, put it in his mouth and chewed, and at once raised a thumb. "This little thing tastes very well!"
"Susan, add this snack as well.
"80 trillion star coins."
Zhao Chen's eyes narrowed slightly; he laid his hand upon the table, tapped it lightly twice, and said with a face of the greatest difficulty, "You are truly putting me in a hard place. How can a T5 warship be sold at a word?"
This time the Holy Angel King was silent some seconds.
And Zhao Chen went on eating his sweets and drinking his drink in his own way, and passing a remark upon them now and again — for all the world a man come to taste the life of the place.
"100 trillion star coins."
"Ah, but the building of a T5-grade warship wants a vast quantity of raw materials…"
"For this order, we are willing to pay 10 percent down!"
"And it costs a great deal of time too…"
"Three months; delivery within three months will serve."
Zhao Chen's eyes widened by degrees, and he said with feeling, "To speak honestly, were it any other, I would truly not sell these two T5 classes. It is not a matter of price or no price; it is a matter of principle!
"But considering the relation of allies between us, and that Tilia and I are upon very good terms besides, and fought side by side before.
"I hear her say that in private you call her sister.
"She and I are friends, as near as brother and sister.
"You are her elder sister — then you are my elder sister too.
"When my angel sister opens her mouth, how should I not give it!
"Then let it be done as my angel sister says. Ah… this once! Truly, only this once!"
So saying, Zhao Chen put on an air of helplessness, took up the cup beside him and drank off the drink within it at a draught.
And tilted his head, with the look of a man in an agony of doubt.
The Chaos-Knight, the Lightning-Wraith — it is not that I wish to sell them to you.
It is only that the price my angel sister named was truly too hard to refuse!
The angel Susan behind him, seeing all this, very nearly brought up what she had eaten; if this fellow does not go upon the stage, that face and that mouth of his are a shameful waste.
And calling their Holy Angel King angel sister, of all things.
Were it not for the present relation between the two sides, she would assuredly have played a game of five-in-a-row upon his body with her sword!
The Holy Angel King, for her part, did not mind these things; to come by two T5-grade warships contented her well.
The number of T5 warships in the Angel Race's present service is not great either.
And with the losses of this stretch of fighting, those still able to fight do not pass a hundred!
Though they build with all haste now, the supply cannot be made up in any short time.
To procure T5 warships from the Owl Dragon was of course the best of all.
Where there is a first time, there will hereafter be a second and a third.
As for this vast sum of military purchase, the Angel Race's old stock is thick enough.
Upon a store of wealth built over a thousand years and more, to procure a few T5 warships is more than they can well spend.
And upon the other side, Zhao Chen labored to manage his expression, and at the last, having somewhat lost the mastery of it, could only take his leave of the Holy Angel King for the present and go back to his own Dragon Emperor.
At the moment he came aboard the Dragon Emperor, Zhao Chen swung his fists in his excitement.