40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 219 44. A Deserter (2)

A king reclines on his gorgeous throne made of ivory and obsidian, with a calm expression. He wore a white robe, and his broad cloak wound around the throne like a scarlet river.

The ornate armor, which has no other purpose than ceremonial purposes, waits calmly under the white robe. Most of its splendor is obscured, with only one right arm armor exposed. Reliefs of ferocious beasts from myths and legends gleamed on the white and silver arm armor, and the golden light was hot.

The king's eyes are emerald green, very beautiful, but not gentle. They didn't blink, just stared ahead, as if waiting. After a long time, someone called him gently.

"My lord, your brother has arrived."

"how many people?"

"Only one person."

"Doesn't he even have an honor guard?" The king frowned, and there was a flash of anger on his face. "This is not etiquette. Let the five hundred people stay still for now. I don't want him to feel uncomfortable."

"As you command, my lord."

The sound of footsteps hurriedly sounded, and the person who spoke to him left the hall. At this moment, only the king is left here.

He slowly changed his posture and left the throne. The stained glass behind him suddenly shed a hazy light at this moment, and the light was refracted and fell on his blond hair.

Such light would make even the dust particles in the air clearly visible, but he seemed perfect and nothing affected him. He stood on the steps, next to the throne, and waited calmly with his hands folded.

About two minutes later, the heavy door of the hall was opened. The darkness was swept away, and light spread in along with the sound of mechanical operation in the door.

The king stared closely at the two figures in the light, and the calm he had always had finally had a crack that was not easy to detect. What was revealed in the crack was not other emotions, but a kind of shock that should not appear on him.

However, he had no time to think about anything more. Leon El'Jonson began to walk, approaching his brother - the doors slowly closing now, his cloak dragging along the ground.

His brother and another man were also inching closer to him. They stepped on the fur of forest beasts, and the sound of their footsteps was so soft that it was almost undetectable.

"Brother." Leon raised his head and called, without any fluctuation in his voice. "When we first met, I have to admit that you surprised me a little."

"In which way?" one of his brothers responded, his voice soft and hoarse, spreading in the air.

They weren't standing close together, but it was enough for Leon to catch his brother's scent. The smell did not belong to the five-year-old he had imagined. In fact, the smell reminded Leon of some dangerous and special beast, some noble predator.

His expression turned serious and he responded.

"In many ways." Leon said, suddenly stretching out his arms and hugging Konrad Curze with extraordinary speed and strength.

There is no prelude to this embrace, just like the sky that suddenly changes color and becomes uncertain. Leon hugged his brother, his expression still calm, using strength and touch to collect information that might help him - he hoped to get something from Konrad Kurtz.

However, although he was hugging his brother, his eyes fell on another person.

The man's mouth was slightly curved and he was smiling at him.

The hug ends.

"It's good to see you."

Leon nodded towards his brother.

"Actually, it's very good. Very few brothers come to visit me directly, and even if they do, they won't be as simple as you. They will hide their purpose in military parades and grand parades, and propose it at banquets. Their opinions or requirements are not explained clearly through ship communications long before the meeting."

Konrad Curze smiled, bowed his head humbly, and answered the Caliban King's words in a tone that was hardly his own: "You sound angry."

"Really?" Leon El'Jonson stared at him. "You heard that I was angry? This is really strange, brother, because I don't even know why I have any need to be angry. You came here with Terra's order, and who am I to hinder your investigation?"

"Don't you think I'm being nosy?"

"I would have thought so if you had not produced Terra's order." Leon said in a slow tone, quoting Malcador's words. "As for now, let's start with the facts and let other topics come later."

"fact?"

"Facts," Caliban's Primarch said deadpan.

"For example, your purpose, such as the help you need, just ask, brother, the six wings of the angel will provide you with any help. This involves the reputation of the Dark Angels, although we care more about other things than it, but , If letting you investigate can make the truth known, why should I stop it?"

"You sound angrier now, brother," Curze said softly. "If possible, of course I would like to get involved in the investigation immediately."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"I want to talk to you about something else before that."

"I don't think it's necessary."

"Yes," Curze insisted. "You're my brother, and I want to get to know you better. Is that a problem? Even though we've never met, I've heard many of your stories, Leon."

A sneer suddenly appeared on the blond king's face.

"I guess it's not a good thing." He said coldly. "I know what other people think of me, and I don't care what they think and the stories they spin about me behind my back, but you'd better not bring it up in front of me."

Cozz raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise and was silent for a while.

After meeting Leon El'Jonson as he wished, he discovered that his brother was indeed a somewhat moody person - at least, from the beginning to now, Leon's every move was within his expectations. outside.

At first, Leon was gentle and polite. However, after half a minute, there was a little anger in his voice. As for now, he even showed a warning that went beyond anger.

Curze was silent, thinking about what to do next. And so did his brother. The Caliban man thought for a while, then suddenly placed his right hand carefully on Curze's shoulder, and spoke again in a low voice.

"Forgive me for what I just said." Staring directly into a pair of dark nights with emerald green eyes, Leon El'Jonson shook his head slowly.

"I should have been more forgiving. Emotion is the enemy and I fought it for a long time. Sometimes I was the winner and sometimes I was the loser. I hope that sentence didn't bother you, Conrad. ”

"That sentence seems to bother you more than it does me."

"It does bother me." The original body named after the Lion narrowed his eyes slightly and changed his tone again. Now, he sounds patient again.

He used an inexplicable willpower to control his true reaction at the moment, tightly binding everything in the deepest part of his mind, without leaking any information.

"But it's not important, Conrad. Since you don't want to start working right away, let's talk casually." He raised his left hand and pointed to an open side hall door.

Two thick pillars built a circular arch there, and the dark and dark green heavy door quietly waited in place. A beast with bared teeth and claws is embossed on it, roaring silently.

"How about we go to my private lounge and have a chat?" the lion asked. "Also, I would like to invite your adoptive father to come too."

"Perhaps my identity should not appear in such an occasion." Khalil lowered his head humbly, and that deliberate gesture made the Lord of the Night sigh in his heart.

Why do you have to act so similar, Khalil?

"Don't you want to come?" The lion frowned. "I have a lot of things to do—ah, forget it, too."

He nodded, as if he suddenly understood something: "Then, you may want to talk to my friend Luther. He and you have similar identities, and I'm sure you will have a good chat with him. I Don't want you to have nothing to do while I talk to my brother, Mr. Khalil."

"So, where can I find him?" Khalil asked with a smile on his face.

"He should be busy in his own study. There will be someone outside the door to guide you."

"Then, I will be disrespectful. Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness." Khalil bowed slightly and left the hall after performing the aquila salute.

The door closed again with the sound of mechanical operation. The lion looked back and tightened his right hand on Conrad Coates' shoulder.

"I hope you don't think I'm deliberately sending him away," he said.

"Of course not." Conrad Coates replied with a smile that was perfect, filled with kindness, enthusiasm and impeccable etiquette. "It's just that you seem to have some different feelings about him."

"Yes?" the lion replied nonchalantly.

Curze smiled silently, shook his head, and walked into the side hall with his brother. It looks just as gorgeous, solemn, and serious here as outside, just much smaller.

The throne was replaced by a wooden chair, and the floor was dark and also wooden. Curze could tell they had only recently been waxed. There are many furniture and furnishings here, such as sofas, tables, chairs, coffee tables, and even ten heavy bookshelves placed in the other corner of the side hall. It has a very lively atmosphere.

Cozz gently took a breath of air, turned his head, and asked the lion who was taking off his burqa: "Do you usually handle work here?"

"Not bad." With his back turned to him, Leon El'Jonson replied slightly dullly. "Sometimes I choose to go to the main hall to handle work. That throne is very uncomfortable to sit on, but sometimes I just need this kind of discomfort."

The lion turned around. He had completely taken off his burqa. The armor was ten thousand times more gorgeous than the burqa.

Its main colors are dark green and black, with silver appearing only on the limbs, and golden reliefs appearing throughout the armor. Majestic, serious, and its wearer actually does not need these things to reveal his own identity.

Some people can be called kings only when they wear a crown, but some people are not. They are born kings.

Curze smiled, admiring his brother's armor: "It's gorgeous."

"But it's useless." The lion said seriously. "It does little for me except on occasions like this. It's not easy to make, man."

"My subjects on Caliban used their hard work to create this armor, which was a waste of time and money. It took countless time and material resources, but I wanted to throw it into the trash the first time I saw it. It. What's the use? It's just a yoke to me, but I must accept it, just as you must come here to investigate me."

There was a strong confidence in his eyes, and Coz couldn't help but be surprised - he didn't understand why Leon thought so.

"Actually, brother." Coze sighed slightly regretfully. The reason why he regretted it was because he knew that after he said the next words, the intimacy shown by Leon El'Jonson might be about to disappear.

Even if it doesn't disappear, it will probably be greatly reduced.

"It's not what you think it is," Conrad Coates said. "Although Terra gave permission, and the Emperor and the Seal Master also stamped their seal on the Eighth Legion's actions, it is indeed my own wishes that drive it to this point. In other words, Leon , I came here on my own initiative.”

Caliban's eyes became colder little by little.

"But it's not just for investigation."

"Really?" the lion asked with a cold expression.

"Yes."

"So, what else do you want to do?" the lion asked, his voice as cold as ice. "You almost humiliated me, Konrad Curze. You threw my good intentions to the ground more than once. Don't mistake my good intentions for cowardice, brother."

"I also wanted to talk to you, just like you said, casually. You and I are brothers, Leon."

"Brother? What kind of brother would act like you?"

"I didn't do anything." Coz smiled slightly, but the smile quickly disappeared after that.

"At least nothing has been done yet, Leon. All I want to tell you now is your story, Caliban, your knights, your legions, your views on our brothers. That's all I have. What you want.”

"What? Is this part of evidence collection?" The lion sneered.

"Don't you think I can see that you're being soft-spoken? Let's get straight to the point, Konrad Coates. I'll tell you everything you need, if you think you can handle it. I hope you can Keep your current opinion after listening to it.”

"What's my opinion now?" Coates asked rhetorically. "Do you think I already view you and your legions as criminals?"

"Is not it?"

"Absolutely not."

Konrad Coates took a step forward and put his right hand on the Lion's shoulder. He was obviously uncomfortable doing this, his posture was stiff, and his expression also changed. Leon lowered his head and looked at the pale hand, suddenly remembering Fulgrim's words.

"Our brother is not one for physical contact, Leon."

His eyes froze slightly, he raised his head and glanced at Conrad Coates. The latter was looking at him expectantly, his dark eyes full of requests.

After a few seconds, Leon El'Jonson nodded slowly.

"Okay." He said with a cold expression and a gentle tone. "Okay, but I have to ask a question first."

"As you please, brother," Curze said submissively.

This chapter is 4.2k, I owe 1.8k, I will pay it back after I recover.

By the way, why do I still have back pain even though I don’t have a fever?