40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 53 53. The Emperor's General

"No, you can't go down with me."

"But I don't have to go to class now."

"You have eight hours left before you go back to class, don't you?"

The hissing Nostramo language once again sounded in a room on the Emperor's Dream. After a moment of silence, Conrad Curze nodded reluctantly.

"But I want to help you." He said so with the last bit of hope.

Khalil didn't answer, he just looked at Conrad Curze without saying a word. Facing his gaze, Conrad Curze gradually lowered his head.

"I don't want to say that you 'should' do something, Conrad. But you and I actually know that what you should do most now is to study, right?"

"I just want to go on patrol once."

"I've already greeted them for you." Khalil said calmly. "I have greeted everyone from No. 1 to the broken horn that you have not numbered yet."

The pale giant raised his head suddenly - he was still shorter than Khalil, which had never happened before, but it seemed very appropriate.

"Really?" he asked in a low voice.

"I didn't lie to you, did I?"

Khalil smiled slightly, walked forward, and opened the door of Conrad Curze's room for him. The conversation came to an end, and the last communication between them was not conducted in words.

Through the door, the Midnight Ghost stared at him for a while.

Through the door, Khalil nodded calmly.

The door closed gently.

The double-headed eagle carving on it replaced Conrad Curze and stared at Khalil coldly. He returned the same attitude of gaze, but was a little curious about why the Emperor used the double-headed eagle as the symbol of the Empire.

Unfortunately, the answer to this question can only be found later. He hadn't had time to study recently, and the Emperor's Dream

From the gazes around those corners, Khalil knew that he was not welcome.

Turning around, he was about to leave. But a giant in golden armor stopped him at the next corner.

His armor was more impressive than that of his equally proud companions, and a flapping eagle waited threateningly on the huge shoulder armor. He was not wearing a helmet, and a calm face waited quietly under it.

Khalil raised an eyebrow.

No weapons.

He noticed this.

"So. It's his invitation?"

"No." The calm giant shook his head. "Our lord is thinking at the moment, and he won't see anyone during this time."

"Do you always speak like this?"

"This is High Gothic."

"That's what I said." Khalil chuckled. "But the language you use seems to be more ancient. Just a little grammatical difference can make a language more difficult to understand. It's really interesting." "Yes." The giant nodded calmly and stretched out his hand: "But this is not the purpose of my coming tonight-Marshal of the Guards, Constantine Valdo, salute you, Caril Rohals." Caril stretched out his hand and shook his hand. Every detail of the golden armor was slowly felt in his palm, the coldness, delicacy and the slow hum underneath. He remembered them one by one. The short etiquette ended here, and Constantine Valdo began to talk in the golden and magnificent place that was dozens of times wider than the corridor in the conventional sense. "You are trying to transform that... planet." The Marshal of the Guards paused, as if swallowing an adjective. This pause did not escape Caril's keen senses, and he smiled. "I guess you want to use a not-so-good adjective in front of Nostramo." "Indeed." The Marshal of the Guards nodded, his expression still calm. "But I won't say it in front of you."

"It doesn't matter, it's dirty, hateful and not worth saving. I won't be angry because someone revealed it."

".In short, Caryl Rohals, you are doing something that is almost impossible to accomplish."

"I know."

"Then why don't you give up?"

Sincere tone, sincere face-not a sarcastic question, nor some deliberate irony.

Very good, Caryl thought.

"Because I have to."

He said, his voice very soft. "You also said that it is almost impossible to accomplish, but it is not really impossible. And even if the probability is only one percent, I will try it."

"The probability may be 0.1 percent."

Constantine Waldo frowned. "I don't think you don't know this, Caril Rohals. The lord trusts you very much, which means you are by no means a stupid person. And based on our observations of you over the past few days, I am sure that you are intellectually superior."

"Intelligently superior? This is really an adjective I have never heard of."

"Intelligence and wisdom cannot be confused. I don't know if you are wise, but your intelligence must exceed that of most humans in this galaxy."

Constantine Valdo shook his head again: "This means that you can clearly understand what the current situation of Nostramo means. Its only value to the empire is those minerals."

"Other than that, it can give nothing to the empire. The Eighth Legion will arrive soon. They are the sons of Terran criminals, and many of them are even criminals themselves."

"And Nostramo is too scary a place even for them. Trust me, if what you want to do is make this a recruiting planet, you won't succeed, Terran. There will be strong opposition.”

"What you say is interesting, but I don't intend for Nostramo to become a recruiting planet - strong people are either nobles or gang members. Can these people also join the Eighth Legion? ?”

Khalil laughed. "I have read the information, and I know what kind of killing machine those transformation surgeries can turn a person into. Therefore, the people who enter the legion are either a blank slate or a person of noble character. Nobles and gangs have neither. "

Constantine Valdo's brows began to frown more and more.

"So you know," he said doubtfully.

"Yes, I know - and I can't do anything to the Eighth Legion. The Lord of the Eighth Legion is currently in his room preparing to rest. He is the one who can give orders to this Legion."

Khalil replied with a smile.

The way he talked about it made the Admiral of the Imperial Guard realize something, and the latter quickly changed the subject after a brief silence.

". Khalil Lohars, I have one last question for you." He whispered.

"Speak, Marshal of the Imperial Guard."

"My Lord has received you alone."

The Admiral of the Imperial Guard spoke slowly.

"When he came to this planet, the first thing he did was not to see his son, but to talk to you alone. And after that, he gave you a huge power. I don't think you It can be abused, but you need to know the full story.”

He stared into Khalil's eyes.

"This power is terrifying. I have seen countless heroes and virtuous people rot in it, turning into the most despicable form they once had, and the power they hold is not even one-tenth of yours."

"I won't question my lord, and I don't think he can recognize people. But, Khalil Lohars, you need to be careful."

The Marshal of the Custodes said solemnly and solemnly: "Power is a poison, Khalil Lohars, don't let it poison you."

"You are the most confusing person I have ever seen in my life. You were born on a remote, nightmarish planet, but you have impeccable morals. You even possess an unexplainable power - my Lord trusts you. , so we will trust you too”

He lowered his head and his voice became deeper.

"I hereby ask you not to live up to it."

After a brief silence, Khalil spoke softly.

"I don't think I can make any promises to you, Marshal Constantine. It's too early to say that now, isn't it?"

"I can't promise you that I won't live up to it. Because I don't know where the boundaries of this trust are, and everyone has different ideas. One day, I may do something that none of you can understand."

He stopped talking and smiled softly under the gaze of the Admiral of the Imperial Guard.

"So - that's it, Marshal Constantine Valdo. There is only one guarantee I can give you."

"Speaking."

"I won't turn into a dragon." Khalil said lowly. "Because I already have a sword hanging above my head."

——

"What's this?"

"a knife."

"I know it's a knife, Ferus - but my question is, what is it?"

Fulgrim looked at the sharp blade resting peacefully between his brother's hands in shock, and whispered: "Whose weapon is this?"

"Conrad's."

"You built it?!"

"Of course not. I can only build weapons."

Ferus raised his head and glanced at the Chemos. He had a clear view of the latter's expression, so the corners of his mouth quietly curved.

"And the knife was clearly not a weapon," he said. "It goes beyond a weapon. It reminds me of certain mythical and legendary weapons."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and held the weapon with his right hand. It fit quietly into his palm, not exactly welcomingly.

Ferus groaned noncommittally.

".It's really interesting." He whispered.

"interesting?"

"Yeah, interesting if only Vulkan was here."

"Hey!"

"I didn't say that your forging skills are not as good as his. Both you and I know this is a fact - but since you are not going to rest, come over and help me."

"What?"

"Come and help me, Fulgrim," Ferrus repeated. "I need to make a proper grip for it. I can make it sturdy, but not necessarily beautiful, so I need your help."

"Ha! Do you still need Vulcan at this time?"

"."

Ferus said nothing, just sighed.