With the Interastral Peace Corporation's standing in the universe, even if you argue beautifully, even if logic is entirely on your side, even if the money the Corporation invested into Jarilo had no effect at all,
As long as they come to collect, you have no choice but to pay.
Although Emiya's family had clearly stated that they would take responsibility for this matter, this was different from the little skirmishes before.
The Interastral Peace Corporation was an enormous behemoth. Even if Emiya's family were truly gods, dealing with this mess would still be incomparably difficult.
Helpless, the Supreme Guardian and Gepard gathered representatives from both the upper and lower districts, Silvermane Guard representatives, and people's representatives overnight, and held intense discussions through the night without rest.
In the end, everyone unanimously came to a method that was at least workable.
Transfer the planet Jarilo to Emiya's family, let them shoulder all the debts owed to the Corporation, and let them transform Jarilo back into a planet full of vitality.
This short statement actually contained a lot.
Before this, to Emiya's family, Beloberg was merely a weakling they helped on a whim. They had no real ties to Beloberg, it was only Beloberg being unilaterally saved.
Now, once Emiya's family possessed Jarilo, they could no longer simply walk away whenever they pleased. It was as if they had been bound onto this small, storm-tossed boat called Jarilo.
As for the people of Beloberg, in truth, strictly speaking, they had given nothing, and probably didn't need to.
After living day and night together these past days, they had fully come to understand the strength of Emiya's family. Their unmatched personal power was secondary.
What was more important was Zoe's brain, as clever as that of the Aeon of Erudition, her nearly inexhaustible great inventions, and the endlessly produced powerful robots emerging from underground.
To put it bluntly, whether it was building up the lower district or the future utopian city they planned, Zoe could handle it all single-handedly with just her robots.
In these days, Zoe was still rebuilding the Creation Engines. Once those engines formally activated, Jarilo's day of revival would not be far off.
Admittedly, this result looked somewhat like selling the planet. But it was fundamentally different from selling it to the Interastral Peace Corporation.
The goodwill Emiya's family brought was visible and tangible. Whether high-ranking in Beloberg or common people, all truly believed that handing Jarilo to Emiya's family was truly a step onto the broad road ahead.
The next morning, as usual, Emiya washed up, prepared breakfast for the three girls still lazing in bed, and was about to head out to work.
Yet outside the door stood a mass of people. Curious, Emiya flew into the sky to look, he estimated that nearly 99% of Beloberg's population was here.
"What's all this? Don't tell me the Corporation attacked early?" Emiya rubbed his face subconsciously, half-wondering if he hadn't woken up properly.
"Emiya, this is the contract signed by all our people. You... you take a look."
Even with a face as thick as the city walls, Cocolia still couldn't help but feel awkward as she handed over the contract.
Emiya's family had already given too much for Beloberg, while Beloberg had nothing to repay them with.
And now, the entire population of Beloberg had the gall to shamelessly drag Emiya's family into this desperate mess. It was truly brazen beyond words.
But Beloberg had no other choice. If Emiya's family did not lend a hand, then Beloberg's doomsday would truly come, and its people would serve as the Corporation's cattle and horses for generations.
"No need to give Jarilo to us." Emiya waved his hand and passed the contract back to Cocolia.
"I promised you, when the Corporation comes to collect, we will do our utmost to help you repay."
Jarilo was only a stopover for Zoe's growth. When Zoe's power fully matured, they would come to take her away.
In truth, by Emiya's earlier plan, when the Corporation prepared to come early to Jarilo, they should have packed up and run.
But through their time together, the people's struggle to survive had moved Emiya. And since retrieving the Stellaron hadn't consumed extra magic, Emiya decided to stay and give it a try.
Earlier, when the Stellaron Hunters attacked, Vera had seized two half-ships, which contained all the Hunters' belongings.
Zoe also had many epoch-making inventions, which would fetch a high price easily.
One could say that repaying Jarilo's debt to the Corporation wasn't actually too difficult.
But now it seemed the Interastral Peace Corporation wasn't simply after money.
From the clues Zoe had investigated, the Corporation's target was the divine miracle released by the Preservation Aeon above Beloberg's skies, and that obviously overpowered Stellaron.
Though the Corporation couldn't use these things for now, their value was beyond doubt. Even left unused, they couldn't be allowed to fall into someone else's hands.
Aside from that, Jarilo's geomerrow veins were also extremely rare. The Corporation had coveted them since a thousand years ago.
As for Beloberg's people, they had no value at all. They were purely an obstacle.
By the Corporation's original plan, they probably wanted to quietly wait for Beloberg's people to perish on their own, then swoop in, claiming debt collection, and pocket Jarilo.
If it really came to that, the debt ledger the Corporation produced would never be filled, and it might well escalate to armed conflict.
Even if Emiya and Vera struck back and repelled the Corporation once or twice, or even hundreds or thousands of times, it would only invite the Corporation's increasingly frenzied retaliation.
"Please, take it. We really have no one else to rely on!"
Looking at the contract shoved back into her hands, Cocolia's tears streamed down all at once. What Emiya had just said, "do our utmost," was too lethal.
"Emiya, didn't you promise to bring Beloberg prosperity..."
Compared to the still somewhat restrained Cocolia, Bronya instantly broke into sobs. She rushed forward in just a few steps, grabbing tightly onto Emiya's arm.
As the one who had gotten closest to Emiya's family, Bronya naturally understood their attitude the best. For Emiya to say "as much as possible" at such a crucial moment, it could only mean he was already considering leaving.
Seeing mother and daughter like this, everyone else immediately understood Emiya's stance. Without rehearsal, they all dropped to their knees in unison.
This was about Beloberg's life and death, and about whether their descendants would know freedom. Even if they had to throw away their dignity, they had to fight for it.
"Lord Emiya, please protect Beloberg once more!"
"...Sigh. I'll go back and discuss it with my family."
In his heart, Emiya truly wanted to help. But now he was head of a household. He first had to be responsible to his family, and only then to others.
When Emiya returned home with a worried face, the three girls had already finished washing up and were sitting obediently in the living room, eating breakfast.
Silently sitting on the sofa to the side, listening to the laughter around him, Emiya couldn't help but smile too, and his heart finally steadied.
In his past life, the root of his tragedy was not knowing when to give or retreat. Reborn, he had already decided on what he must protect, and had been striving toward that all along.
"Mm. I've decided. Let's leave all our credits to Beloberg's people, and then leave here as soon as possible!"
Suddenly, a crisp, playful voice spoke Emiya's heartfelt thought aloud.
Startled, he looked up, only to meet three pairs of eyes curved like crescent moons from smiling.
"Hahahaha! We're happy that you'd give up Beloberg for us!"
Zoe stretched out her oily little hand and gave Emiya's shoulder a heavy slap. "But if you look down on our wisdom, we're really not happy!"
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