Lord of the Truth-Chapter 1971: Useless answer

Soul Society – Hall of Focus

"Alright, alright~" Robin scratched the back of his head thoughtfully, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "After sending the 40 billion Pearls to Caesar, how much do we have left exactly?" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Whoosh—Timari brought up the profits panel with a soft glow. The numbers flickered momentarily before stabilizing. "You have 61 billion Pearls remaining, Lord Human."

"It increased that much while I was busy sending the message?!" Robin’s eyes widened in astonishment, the sheer scale of the growth leaving him momentarily speechless.

"Hehe, you’ll need to get used to your new wealth quickly, Lord Human," Timari said, her voice gentle but tinged with amusement. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes reflecting the soft light of the hall. "If you take a short two‑hour nap and return, you’ll likely find an even better number. After the initial hours of the announcement, the explosive profits begin to slow naturally, and steady, reliable income begins to flow in."

"No need to wait." Robin shook his head decisively and turned back to the messages. "I already have enough for another person."

He tapped on Aro’s codename and began speaking, a sardonic, almost sarcastic smile spreading across his face:

"Your Great Horned Majesty, I apologize for keeping Your Majesty waiting. I will be sending you 50 billion Pearls. Use them wisely—to swiftly crush the Holva Empire and establish control over your star field. Use the remainder to prepare for what is coming soon... Zargol the Sorcerer Behemoth sent me a direct threat, and it seems he plans to personally intervene in Mid Sector 99. I will do my best to lighten the burden on you, but the fight is inevitable. Prepare yourself carefully, and emerge victorious—no other outcome will do."

Robin pressed send, the message vanishing into the interstellar network almost instantly.

"You have capable marshals, Lord Human," Timari remarked, gliding through the list of messages with a calculated elegance. "They may be young, inexperienced, and individually weak, yet they possess the potential to lead entire campaigns against huge entities—even if bolstered by your immense resources. That is no small feat."

"I know, but even brilliance has its limits." Robin exhaled slowly, his gaze momentarily distant. "Neither Caesar nor Aro can achieve anything against the individual dominating those empires. They may claim land and crush armies, but they cannot touch the head directly without dire consequences... Those figures will remain persistent thorns in their throats, haunting them relentlessly until I find a viable solution."

He turned to Timari, lifting a brow inquisitively. "Hey—surely there’s someone who rents out Guardians or Soul Master with seven starts and above?"

"....." Timari smiled faintly, offering no reply, her silence both confirming and warning.

"Alright, I understand." Robin’s sigh was deep, tinged with resignation.

Even the Syndicate refrains from renting such individuals. They are not mere soldiers—they are business leaders commanding entire sectors, and they answer to no one except their designated superior, Sevar. They rarely accept missions to eliminate Law Domination-level threats, both due to the difficulty of the task and the extensive impact on the sector when a single one falls. This is, in fact, one of the strict conditions imposed on them by the stellar academies.

After the influence of the stellar academies fades, might they begin to consider such high-stakes missions? Perhaps... but the cost would be astronomical beyond reason.

Robin scrolled further down the list until he arrived at Headquarters Lady‑7:

"You’re requesting 140 billion Pearls per century? Very well, Emily—I will grant you 140 billion Pearls per century. I will not attempt to deduct anything, nor will I raise my voice over the number. But understand this: by requesting such a sum, you have placed yourself firmly in my debt. You claimed that you could resolve all problems with this amount—so do so. Even if that trade alliance cannot keep pace with your ambitions, create new alliances, expand your reach... And be aware that devastating wars are set to erupt over the coming two centuries. I expect not to hear a single complaint about ’resource shortages’ or ’insufficient armaments’!"

Then he continued after a brief pause, his voice calm but deliberate, "As for the two new Greed Crucibles, allocate one specifically to the Imperial Guard and the Shadow Swords. They are not just warriors—they are the empire’s shield and its senses. Their role is critical, and they must never be neglected in favor of the regular army. Make sure their resources are prioritized. That will leave you with six remaining Greed Crucibles to oversee every other task, covering all other operations and departments."

"I’ll send the funds to my open account. You can withdraw them and deploy them however you see fit—use them in any way that serves our goals. Or, if it’s easier, simply send instructions to the Shadow Swords and they will act on them without question, moving the resources exactly as you command... I expect nothing less than excellence from you, Emily, and I will be waiting for it."

He pressed send with a faint sense of finality, the message vanishing into the network as quickly as it appeared.

"What exactly are Greed Crucibles?" Timari asked, her voice laced with a mix of curiosity and urgency, leaning slightly forward.

"Shhh—" Robin extended his hand gently and patted the fairy’s small body, nudging her back ever so slightly, as if moving an overly curious chicken from a forbidden area. The motion was soft but firm, letting her know she could step aside. "When my balance reaches 140 billion Pearls, send it all to my codename account. This way, the Shadow Swords and the Burton family’s commercial division can withdraw from it at will, using it for operations across the Soul Society’s headquarters as they see fit."

"...Ahem, understood!" Timari forced a tight, polite smile, though it was painfully obvious that a vein on her forehead was straining under the weight of that treatment. Her jaw tightened slightly as she blinked, trying to hide her irritation.

Robin returned to scrolling through the messages, his focus shifting effortlessly from one communication to the next. Eventually, he stopped at Boogeyman’s Fist and tapped the reply button.

"Holak, the resource issue at headquarters has been fully resolved. They will begin preparing high-tier, epic-level equipment sets and specialized vehicles for the Imperial Guards shortly. These units must be ready to fully equip the elite among your followers before any major war begins. Nothing can be left incomplete or delayed."

He paused for a fraction of a second, opening his mouth as if to add a comment, then reconsidered and closed it, pressing send instead. The message departed silently, leaving only the soft hum of the Soul Society’s network in the room.

"You looked like you were about to say something there!!" Timari laughed, pointing at Robin with a teasing smile, as if she had caught him in a rare moment of hesitation.

"~Do you even want to know what I’m thinking?" Robin asked, shaking his head wearily, his shoulders sagging slightly with fatigue. "Fine, then here’s a dilemma—perhaps you have a solution for it."

After a few moments of careful thought, he began speaking again, his voice measured, as if arranging the pieces of a puzzle in his mind. "You know the Black Wasps are under my command. They are immensely powerful, nearly unmatched, and I don’t want to involve them in ordinary wars. At the same time, I cannot allow them to remain idle—they would weaken without constant use of their powers. And simultaneously, I have forbidden them from attacking more kingdoms or empires, to prevent them from accumulating further negative reputation—for themselves and for me..."

He spread his hands outward, palms up, emphasizing the complexity of the situation. "So what should I do? Holak sent me that request not because he is short on resources, but because he wants an excuse—a justification—to return to his old habits. Boredom must be consuming him, and it is no different for the rest of the Wasps. Should I throw my Personal Guards into the fray and risk their lives in wars? Or should I continue observing them from a distance, allowing them to grow weaker over time due to lack of practical experience?"

"Hmmm?" Timari tilted her head slightly, intrigued. "This is fascinating. I feel as though I am contributing to something truly significant." She tapped her chin thoughtfully, her eyes narrowing as she considered the problem. "Hmmm... you should occupy them with a task of great scale, something only they can accomplish. It should be challenging enough to increase their strength and experience, generate profit for you, and yet have no impact on anyone else."

"...Alright, go on," Robin said, his voice carrying a mixture of fatigue and mild curiosity.

"Go on with what? That’s all the advice I have."

".....? Tsk~ You just rephrased my own words differently. Deep and superficial at the same time—you’ve restated the problem without offering any real solution. Involving you was... ultimately a waste of time." Robin exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting toward the distance. "...Anyway, I wonder how Theo is handling that file now~"