Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [306]

A private visit from government personnel doesn’t represent the official political stance of the government?

Foreign mercenaries? Invaders?

A few question marks slowly appeared above Fia’s head.

She pondered for a moment. The IPC hadn’t openly invaded the Sterbe Autocratic Empire. The turmoil inside was mostly caused by local governors under her jurisdiction rebelling—where were the mercenaries and invaders in that? Simply put, Sterbe was just fighting a civil war.

Even if one were to argue that the IPC was secretly supporting a rebellious regime, not only did the Sterbe royal family lack evidence, but the Empire certainly didn’t have any proof either.

Little did she know, that was exactly what Chen Lin wanted—no evidence.

Unfortunately, Fia had never received any proper diplomatic training since childhood. By the time she was born, the Sterbe Autocratic Empire had already pacified all planetary tribes. While the governors of various territories might have had minor disputes, none dared to bring them to the surface.

As a result, she couldn’t fully grasp the implications of Chen Lin’s words. Feeling slightly embarrassed, she pursed her lips, her autumn-water-like eyes shifting downward to the floor.

"Apologies, Governor Chen. I’m not very adept at reading between the lines. Could you please clarify?"

"…"

Chen Lin couldn't hold back and subtly signaled to Bronya beside him with his gaze.

Bronya gave a slight nod and immediately picked up the conversation.

"The Empire is willing to assist Sterbe in maintaining domestic peace and stability at no cost, ensuring that there is only one unified government within Sterbe’s civilization."

That statement was as outrageous as telling a starving man that you’d feed him lavish meals of fish and meat every day for free.

"Why?!"

If the Empire couldn’t provide a reasonable explanation, Fia wouldn’t even dare to accept their offer.

Where in the world does such a one-sided deal exist, where all the benefits go to one party? Sterbe people might be brash, but that didn’t mean they were stupid.

"Because of the inevitable course of events."

This time, it was Seele who interjected. She tilted her head slightly, gazing at the colorful stained glass windows, as if she could see a vast, restless ocean beyond them. A faint trace of sandalwood incense curled upward from the table.

"As a successor to your nation’s throne, have you ever considered whether you even have the ability to defend your land on your own? Do you truly have the qualifications?"

Seele had always spoken bluntly. Bronya had once been a successor to a civilization too. Back when the Stellaron crisis struck, Bronya never focused on following conventional development plans—her sole concern was whether her civilization could even survive in the interstellar era.

Forget space pirates for a moment—what if the Legion decided on a whim to invade Belobog? How would they resist? What would happen to Belobog if extraterrestrial invaders arrived?

It was precisely because she had thought about these questions that Bronya ultimately chose to ask the Empire if they would allow Jarilo-VI to join them.

Looking at it now, that decision had been entirely correct. At the very least, the IPC wouldn’t constantly bring up past grievances to settle scores with Belobog, nor would they dare to make any moves that would push the already fragile city into further turmoil.

At least in Seele’s eyes, ownership wasn’t determined by who claimed it but by who had the power to take it.

The universe is cold and merciless—never assume others will coexist with you peacefully or try to understand you.

A civilization without strength has no right to talk about fairness.

"…"

Fia opened her mouth but couldn’t utter a single word.

She had never forgotten the way other civilization leaders reacted at the banquet when they learned of Sterbe’s internal chaos and the IPC’s involvement. One by one, they kept their distance from her, fearing they might get caught in the IPC’s crossfire.

Had the people of Sterbe done anything wrong?

No.

Did the Sterbe Autocratic Empire have to pay for the debts of the chaotic Warring States era?

Legally, no.

Was it fair for the IPC to force them into submission using overwhelming technological superiority?

Not at all.

Did those civilization leaders not realize that the IPC was behind everything?

Of course, they knew.

But who among them would speak up for justice?

Every single one of them represented their own interests—no profit, no action. That was the simplest truth. Sterbe had no one to blame but itself for failing to withstand the IPC’s machinations, for falling from a peaceful autocracy into a nation embroiled in internal rebellion.

If the IPC were allowed to keep chipping away at Sterbe for a few more years, there might come a time when no one even remembered that a civilization called Sterbe had once existed, let alone that it had once been a unified empire.

People move on. The world forgets.

"Heh… Haha…"

Fia let out a bitter laugh.

No wonder the Empire had no interest in the resources she had promised. Turns out, they were no different from the IPC—always seeking to drain every last drop of Sterbe’s blood.

A bunch of insatiable vampires!

"Tch."

Fia stood up and nodded, a fleeting but resolute glint flashing in her eyes.

"The Empire need not interfere. The troubles of the Sterbe people will be handled by the Sterbe people! Also—"

She had just turned to leave when she heard a mocking voice from behind her.

"Did you really think anyone actually wanted your miserable little planet? Oh, right, I forgot—you don’t even have a star map anymore. Here, take a look for yourself!"

Seele casually tapped a few times on her terminal before tossing it over. Though her tone was mocking, she wasn’t actually angry. In fact, she even chuckled, folding her arms.

"The IPC might covet your resources—that’s just how those capitalists are, always wanting more. But Jarilo? We've never lacked resources. What you consider valuable might be worthless in the Empire’s eyes."

Fia clenched her sharp teeth, resisting the urge to smack the terminal away. Instead, she twisted her wrist and caught it in her palm.

She saw the current layout of the interstellar map.

A map this detailed would be considered an invaluable state secret for any civilization venturing into space. Yet, the Grand Fleet Marshal had just tossed it to her without a second thought.

Every star system was labeled. Clicking on them revealed their specific details. The Jarilo star domain had expanded laterally, encompassing dozens of star systems!

However, within this grand expanse, two star systems stood out in stark contrast. They looked jarringly out of place on the map.

One was labeled the "Rilusia Royal Court."

The other was labeled the "Sterbe Autocratic Empire."

In other words, these two civilizations were completely surrounded by the Empire’s interstellar territory, with only three star systems separating them from Jarilo’s home system.

Fia’s face turned pale.

She was starting to understand.

Seele’s smirk deepened as she studied Fia’s reaction. Then, she suddenly laughed.

"My terminal’s star map includes mineral survey data for each planet. Why don’t you compare the resources of Jarilo-VI and the surrounding developed planets with Sterbe’s own resource reserves? I doubt you need someone like me—who never even went to school—to explain the numbers to you."

Fia wanted to accuse them of falsifying the data, but considering Jarilo-VI’s rapid development and the Empire’s overwhelming wealth, it was hard to refute. Ordinary civilizations would struggle to build even a few super warships, yet on her way here, she had already seen more than a dozen.

Suppressing her urge to curse Sterbe’s fate, she steadied her breath and asked, "What does the Empire want? If you don’t care about Sterbe’s resources, why offer to help us for free?"

"Because of principles."

Chen Lin, who had remained mostly silent until now, slowly raised his index finger.

"First, the Empire cannot tolerate a potential intelligence breach near its home system. Second, the Sterbe Autocratic Empire has no real means to defend itself against external threats. Third, the IPC and the Empire are merely in a temporary cooperative relationship—there is always the possibility of divergence, at least for now."

A temporary cooperative relationship…?

Fia was momentarily taken aback.

Chen Lin continued, "The current interstellar order has been shaped almost entirely by the IPC. The reason is self-explanatory—the IPC has maintained its absolute dominance for a thousand Amber Eras. If the Empire hadn't set its sights on the galaxy, how much longer would this unchecked expansion continue? How many civilizations are even capable of challenging such a hyper-dominant power? The rise of the Empire is inevitable. The IPC knows it cannot stop this, which is why it chose cooperation. But the Empire has never sought to rule the universe—it has far greater responsibilities to fulfill."

Fia listened intently, her piercing gaze fixed on Chen Lin without blinking.

"Are you referring to… that supposedly terrifying calamity?"

"The Nano Cataclysm is only the beginning."

Chen Lin suddenly extended his hand. The tea set beside him floated gently into his grasp as if carried by invisible hands. He poured a cup of steaming tea before lightly tossing it toward Fia's table, where it landed smoothly.

"Why don’t we sit down and have an honest discussion, Miss Fia? You and I stand as equals—I won’t force you to decide immediately. The Empire will assist the Peris royal family in resolving your internal crisis, and you can make your decision afterward. Besides, it’s just a 'Lord Ravager.’ One move from my chief guard is enough to settle it."

Fia stared blankly at Chen Lin as he gracefully took his seat, his robe flowing around him.

Coming from the mouth of the Empire’s Governor-General, those words carried significant weight. He… he wouldn’t go back on his word, would he?

Wait…!

The Lord Ravager alone had the power to wipe out Sterbe. Yet Chen Lin had just said that his chief guard could take down the Lord Ravager single-handedly. If that was true… then didn’t that always-smiling chief guard also have the ability to single-handedly wipe out Sterbe?!

Fia’s understanding of the Empire was shallow at best. In the half-month she had spent in Belobog, she had merely wandered the city, picking up scraps of information here and there—hardly enough to grasp the Empire’s true secrets.

Besides, as the ruler of a weak nation, if she could easily obtain the Empire’s secrets, wouldn't that be absurd?

After mulling it over, Fia finally sat back down. Lifting the teacup, she mimicked Bronya’s elegant sip.

A unique, refreshing herbal fragrance spread across her tongue, instantly lifting her spirits. Even more remarkably, just one small sip quenched her thirst, leaving her mouth feeling refreshed after an entire night without water.

Her temper cooled considerably.

"The Empire is truly willing to offer Sterbe such a generous deal? Governor Chen, I have my doubts. What exactly does the Empire stand to gain from this?"

"To eliminate any potential footholds for foreign powers in the Jarilo Sector. Right now, the only breach points are the Rilu System and your Sterbe System."

Fia mulled over his words. "Have you spoken with the Emperor of Rilusia?"

Chen Lin waved a hand dismissively. "No need. The specifics aren’t something I can share with someone who is neither an enemy nor an ally, but you’ll understand soon enough."

"Then I won’t ask further about Rilusia."

Fia studied him for a long moment before speaking. "What I do want to know is—how exactly does the Empire intend to help Sterbe? And, Governor Chen, perhaps there’s been a misunderstanding. Sterbe has no ‘invaders’ or ‘mercenaries.’ Those are Sterbe’s own people."

"Says who?"

"Huh?"

"I don’t see how those people are Sterbe citizens. Bronya, Seele, do you?"

Bronya chuckled and shook her head. "No, they don’t resemble Sterbe people at all. If anything, they look more like the Ossidrians—the ones who perished four Amber Eras ago."

Seele also shook her head. "I’m even worse at this. I couldn’t tell if they were humanoid or not."

"…"

Fia glanced left and right. Do you guys even know what Sterbe rebels look like?

This was starting to sound like—

…Wait.

Fia suddenly had a realization.

During her time in the Empire, she had read quite a few of their literary works. Many of them had a distinctive artistic flair, even when set against the backdrop of ancient planetary conflicts.

It was like this:

A and B were very close friends. One day, B saw that A’s family was having internal strife. B couldn’t interfere in someone else’s family matters—but if B saw an outsider attacking A’s family, wouldn’t it make sense for B to step in and help?

Even if A and B weren’t childhood friends but merely acquaintances from the same neighborhood, intervening would still be justifiable…

All at once, something clicked in Fia’s mind.

Looking back at all the convoluted arguments she hadn’t fully understood before, she finally saw through it—

The Empire wasn’t just picking sides. They were fabricating a justification to openly intervene in Sterbe’s internal affairs without facing external condemnation.

If the Interstellar Rift Empire simply couldn’t stand by while a neighbor was being invaded, that sounded far more reasonable than "The Interstellar Rift Empire is meddling in Sterbe’s domestic politics."

The former sounded almost noble. It would be difficult to find fault with it—people might even praise them for their actions.

"Uh… well…"

Fia stumbled over her words, then, frustrated with herself, smacked her own cheek. Only then did her voice steady.

"Is… is the Empire planning to send troops into Sterbe?"

"Troops? What troops?" Chen Lin smiled warmly.

"They’re just ordinary civilians who can’t bear to see Sterbe’s people suffer. They’ve taken it upon themselves to form volunteer forces and sneak in to provide aid.

"As for the Empire? We are simply condemning the aggressors in words and advising our citizens to remain calm and restrained.

"But alas, there are always impulsive young people who refuse to listen.

"What can the Empire do? Tie them all up?"

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This is a fan translation of 在星穹铁道点群星科技树真的没问题吗? by 杏雨诗韵 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!