"'Topaz' Topaz, please state your objection."
"Mm." Topaz nodded, her face revealing a confident smile. She placed the Numby she was holding back onto her shoulder and stood up.
Under the varied gazes of those present, Topaz extended her right hand, displaying the back of her hand to everyone. More accurately, she was displaying the emblem engraved there.
"This is…"
The members of the Ten Stonehearts exchanged glances at the emblem Topaz revealed, then shook their heads in unison, indicating they had never seen a similar pattern before.
The emblem on Topaz's hand was primarily violet-gold in color, composed of a multicolored '♢' pattern and a gold-edged, violet-lined '∞' symbol. The '♢' pattern was positioned at the center of the '∞' symbol, creating a symmetrical aesthetic on both sides.
Observing their reactions, Topaz was quite satisfied—this was exactly the effect she wanted.
With the preliminary groundwork laid, Topaz channeled a trace of power from the emblem and released it.
Then, something miraculous happened. The teacups placed on the conference table silently shattered, one after another, the crisp sounds of breaking porcelain ringing out incessantly. Within moments, all the teacups on the table had been shattered by an unknown force, leaving only pristine white fragments behind.
"This power…" Just as everyone was lost in thought, privately speculating, Diamond—who had been sitting silently in the highest seat—suddenly opened his eyes. He even stood up from his seat, unhesitatingly picking up some of the broken fragments and examining them closely.
"No external force was involved. Unlike being crushed, these teacups seem to have shattered naturally, as if they were always meant to break…"
As the publicly acknowledged Emanator of Preservation within the company, Diamond stood at the pinnacle of the universe in terms of both authority and power. His insight far surpassed that of ordinary people.
"This power… I believe it acts directly at the root of causality. That's why it's so difficult to detect. Even I barely noticed it before it took effect."
After a moment of silence, Diamond glanced at Jade and continued, "Jade, I think you might have some impression of this ability?"
"Mm. If my guess is correct, this should be the power of causality." Jade nodded slightly. A few months ago, the Aeon of Causality had emerged abruptly, forging a brand-new Path. Yet, to this day, only a handful had truly set foot on this grand Path.
Among them, the most well-known and widely recognized was the daughter of a board member of the Interastral Peace Corporation—Asta.
After learning that Asta had embarked on the Path of Causality, the corporation had attempted to communicate with her, hoping the young lady would stop being willful and return to the company's headquarters.
Jade had been the one sent to the Herta Space Station at the time. However, the young lady's attitude was resolute—no matter how they tried to persuade her, she refused to return to Pier Point. Moreover, with the backing of Herta, the Emanator of Erudition, Jade had no choice but to abandon the effort. Before returning, though, Jade had made a request to witness the power of the Path of Causality.
Asta did not refuse this reasonable request and demonstrated a fraction of the Path's abilities. The power she displayed then was similar to what Topaz had just shown.
"Have you embarked on the Path of Causality?" Jade voiced her conclusion, which was also the question on everyone's mind.
"I think it might be more than that." Diamond clasped his hands behind his back, his deep gaze fixed on Topaz. After scrutinizing her for a moment, he shook his head slightly.
Even if Topaz had stepped onto the Path of Causality, unless this power could bring tangible benefits to the corporation, it could not be considered a valid bargaining chip. At the very least, it wasn't enough to offset the losses her actions had caused the company.
"I have not embarked on the Path of Causality," Topaz stated truthfully.
"You haven't?" The others frowned in unison.
"Mm. I swear in the name of the Amber Lord—I, Jelena, have not set foot on the Path of Causality." Topaz raised her hand and swore an oath in the name of the Aeon of Preservation.
"Diamond, I'd like to ask you to hear my report on this mission."
"Very well." Diamond returned to his seat and granted Topaz's request.
"Thank you for your understanding." Topaz clasped her hands in salute, then began recounting her experiences on Belobog—including the Stellaron, the Nameless, Cocolia, and the Masked Fool Sparkle. Naturally, she didn't leave out Yun Fan.
Though… she omitted the part where he made her act as a little maid. That wasn't important. Yes… not important at all!
"To summarize, I gained two key things from my trip to Belobog. First, I befriended Yun Fan, the Emanator of Causality, and obtained the 'Emblem of Causality' from him—a mark akin to a Cornerstone, allowing temporary access to the authority of an Emanator of Causality.
"Second, I established a deep friendship with the native inhabitants of Jarilo-VI. According to Yun Fan, the Emanator of Causality, Jarilo-VI will become a stronghold of Causality, much like 'Pier Point' (the headquarters of the Interastral Peace Corporation, the greatest faction under Preservation) or 'Penacony' (the headquarters of the Family, the faction under Harmony). In the future, this remote planet will undoubtedly become a new focal point of the cosmos."
With her speech concluded, Topaz gave a slight bow and fell silent, leaving the members of the Ten Stonehearts deep in thought, their expressions grave.
"If what Topaz says is true, then the events on Jarilo-VI were indeed more beneficial than harmful. In terms of merit, not only should Topaz's punishment be waived, but she should also be rewarded accordingly."
"However…" Diamond paused here. "Regarding the power of that emblem and the so-called authority of an Emanator of Causality, we still need further verification."
"Aventurine."
"Understood. Leave it to me." Aventurine adjusted his collar and retrieved an ornately decorated box from his chest. Carefully opening it, he revealed the 'Cornerstone' that stored the authority of an Emanator of Preservation.
A turquoise-blue gem, encased in a special metal, emitted a faint glow in the dimly lit conference room.
Snap! Jade lightly snapped her fingers. The next moment, the wall behind the conference table split apart, revealing an enormous training ground of immeasurable size. Encircled by barriers of Preservation energy, the entire area appeared as an indestructible shield—the sturdiest in the world.
With a few swift leaps, Aventurine arrived at one end of the field, gripping his Cornerstone tightly. A shifting light flickered in the handsome man's eyes.
"Hahahaha…! Come, Jelena!"
"Let's have a friendly exchange between colleagues!"