Meanwhile, as Doran plotted to have Marda use L391 Mineral like ordinary explosives to blast open a mountain, Marda was having afternoon tea with Caroline, her close friend and the representative of the newly arrived research team.
"Marda, is it really okay for you to leave your work just to spend time with me?"
In Revival City, Caroline watched her friend pour out her troubles about her exhausting workdays, and concern showed on her face.
She did not know the lord of Faoken Territory well, but his impressive record made it clear that he was an excellent commander who made hard decisions without hesitation.
And in her experience, commanders like that tended to be strict.
If he found out Marda was slacking off, her friend might be punished.
She did not want to get her best friend into trouble.
Besides, once this assignment was over, Caroline intended to leave the Imperial Research Institute and join the laboratory her teacher had established in Francia Kingdom as a collaborator. There, she could finally pursue the new project she had been unable to begin.
She had accepted Director Manny's assignment partly because she wanted to make one last contribution to the Empire that had trained her, in her capacity as a second-rank scholar of the Imperial Research Institute.
But after learning that Marda was in Faoken, she had also wanted to come and say a proper goodbye to her friend.
"It's fine. Work won't all get done in a day anyway. Besides, it's been seven years since we graduated from high school and last saw each other. You're the representative of the team the Empire sent to support Faoken. Someone has to welcome you."
Marda waved it off, then hurriedly explained to Caroline with an apologetic look:
"By rights, the governor should have