Warhammer: In the Name of Nirvana

[Come here, Anya. 】

[Let’s get to know each other, this is Lord Perturabo, who created you with me: every inch of skin on your body, every gear in your body, and every weapon in your hand was created by him. It starts from nothing, ground by hand bit by bit. 】

[You shall respect him, Anya, as you would an elder: you shall call him lord, lord, or uncle: just as you addressed Conrad. 】

"uncle?"

The sound of steel echoed under the peacock blue dome, and heavy boots stepped on the Achaemenid carpet dotted with burgundy patterns: When Perturabo turned his head, the original body was still looking out of the corner of his eyes. The last trace of the landscape of Morgan's private dining room came into view, and he silently compared it with the most outstanding work of art he had ever created.

The only thing he ignored was the plates of exquisite meals placed in front of Morgan: Perturabo actually didn't quite understand why his blood relatives were so obsessed with [eating], and even behaved like mortals in this regard.

The comparison result also satisfied the Lord of Olympia: Morgan's taste and layout are considered to be top-notch even if we look at the entire galaxy, but compared to Perturabo's artistic attainments, the Spider Queen is still inferior after all. A little bit of spirituality is enough to differentiate between success and failure.

The Lord of Steel laughed: he did not see the twinkle in Morgan's pupils.

For Perturabo, whether Morgan is far superior to him or far inferior to him is not a satisfactory result. The former will make him have a contemptuous attitude towards his blood relatives, while the latter result is even worse: only Only when the outcome is clear without widening a huge gap can the master of steel feel a little real satisfaction in his cunning heart.

Although Morgan's taste is very good, it is still a little worse than him, and this negligible gap is precisely the talent that cannot be made up no matter how hard he works: it is also the difference between Perturabo and ordinary people.

The joy and satisfaction of victory rose in the heart of the Primarch, causing a long-lost smile to appear on Perturabo's face with rough lines. With this smile on his face, the Lord of Steel strode to the seat of Morgan and Virgo. Next to him, he began to look carefully at Morgan's eldest daughter, who was dressed up.

"You want her to call me: uncle?"

The Lord of Olympia's voice was surprisingly gentle. He made a friendly gesture towards the silent Virgo. The smile and affirmation on his face were luxuries that the Iron Warriors were not blessed to enjoy.

Faced with this inquiry, Morgan just leaned forward in her seat, crossed her legs, put her arms on the table, and supported her smiling face with her fingers together, and the smile in her blue pupils was This was displayed in front of Perturabo without any reservation, and it was accompanied by a slightly teasing rhetorical question.

[If you don’t like it, I can also ask her to call you...]

[Godfather? 】

"..."

"Cough! Cough..."

As soon as these words came out, before the wide-eyed Virgo could react, the Lord of Steel's resolute voice suddenly stopped: Perturabo turned his head to the side in embarrassment, with a trace of abnormal camel red color on his face. His rugged face flashed across his face, but was quickly swallowed up by iron-gray composure.

For a moment, the Spider Queen in the eyes of the Lord of Steel actually merged slightly with the figure of his sister Kelly Fannie: But compared to Kelly Fannie, Morgan is obviously more naughty Some, her courage must be greater than ordinary people, boundless.

When she faced Perturabo's somewhat dissatisfied gaze, the Lord of Avalon just blinked innocently. Seeing Perturabo's gaze, Morgan was still unwilling to leave, so Morgan outlined his lips. Corner, putting on an irresistible smile: a trick she learned from her genetic father.

From this point of view, that old bastard is not useless.

In front of Morgan's smile, the Lord of Steel could only lower his head, clear his throat, and continue the topic in a seemingly serious manner, acquiescing to this little fight between blood relatives: as if he had always been so generous. .

"In other words, will she regard you as a mother or something like that?"

Perturabo's eyes returned to Virgo again: the Lord of Steel could easily figure out the layers of gears and bearings under Virgo's skin, because all of them were created by him: of course he has not forgotten it. Virgo, this wonderful creation created by him and Morgan, is one of the Iron Lord's most proud works.

Although, Perturabo himself has no plans to create more Virgos: because such [semi-civilian] little guys are not very in line with the values ​​​​of the Lord of Steel, Perturabo is used to combining war weapons and He is distinguished from exquisite creations, and he resists anything that can connect killing, war and artistic creation in his bones.

Therefore, although he and Morgan each kept all the records of that experiment, when the Lord of Avalon shaped the [Star Maidens] one after another and regarded them as his true heirs, the Lord of Steel chose More hoop robots were built and put into the increasingly cruel meat-mincing battlefield.

[Yeah, it took me a long time, and under the premise of ensuring safety, to construct this kind of emotion that is infinitely close to human beings in Aniya’s mind bit by bit: but this emotion itself is still not To be sound, it must be based on a huge database and a large number of emotion codes. 】

Morgan's voice was a little helpless, but more of it was overflowing with pride. This pride was even praised by Perturabo: when he and Morgan drew the first stroke of the blueprint for the Maid of the Stars, None of them had ever thought that a creation like this could reach the current level and even produce noble emotions similar to human beings.

"I'm actually quite curious, how on earth did you do this?"

The Lord of Steel was silent for a while, until he watched Virgo pushing the dining cart and disappearing through the door, then turned his head and began to discuss these [privately] technical issues with his blood relative Morgan.

Perturabo stood beside Morgan's dining table. He did not sit down, because even in this relaxed brother-sister conversation, the Lord of Steel was still fully armed, with its thick special Terminator armor, every step it took, It will reverberate on the floor.

[A little improvement, a little creativity, and continuous upgrading. 】

As Morgan spoke, he used a knife and fork to divide the honey grilled cheese on his plate: the best Camembert cheese will exude the fragrance of root plants, and when baked a little, it will reveal the slightest warmth. Then pour rich honey on the surface, use a knife and fork to make a gap, tear off three or two pieces of soft bread, and soak it with the cheese flowing in the center of the cheese. Swirl the red wine in the glass among the rich aroma, and you can A side dish that would make a Primarch smile.

When the Spider Queen forked the slices of bread wrapped in cheese till golden brown and drew leisurely circles in mid-air, her words solved the confusion in the Lord of Steel's heart in a timely manner.

[You must have noticed, brother: In the more than 40 years since we jointly developed Virgo, I have never given up on small-scale updates and upgrades to Virgo. Many of her spare parts and built-in software are the result of experience. After several generations of changes, the psychic technology invested in her has undergone earth-shaking changes compared to forty years ago. 】

"But the overall situation hasn't changed."

The Lord of Steel was able to determine this.

"The main structure of this creation still adopts the design plan I had forty years ago, and even many of the main configurations have not been changed: it is completely the same as our original final draft, with only countless details changed."

[Because it can’t be done. 】

Stuffing the cheese into his mouth and squeezing his cheeks, Morgan's words flowed into the Lord of Steel's ears, sounding so calm and pleasant.

[This is your creation, brother. 】

The Lord of Avalon shrugged helplessly.

[Although with your help, I can understand the creation principle of the Star Maid, it does not mean that I can go further based on your foundation: Although I have been working hard in this direction over the years, but what greets me is But it always results in failure. 】

Morgan curled her lips, which looked a little funny combined with her bulging cheeks.

On this point, the Lord of Avalon actually did not lie: Perturabo's talent in engineering and data is undoubted, and the Star Maid that condensed his efforts really made Morgan unable to find areas for large-scale improvement. I can't think of a corresponding method.

[I have analyzed the blueprints you left behind countless times, brother, but no matter how many times, I can only make small repairs in those insignificant places, just like playing with a few tiles on a city wall. 】

"That's a bit of an exaggeration, Morgan."

The Lord of Steel's face was cold and hard, but there was a bit of looseness at the temples.

[No, I'm serious. 】

Morgan shook her head, and a long sigh came out of her throat. When she lowered her eyebrows to butcher the food on the plate, her slender eyelashes and scattered hair made it difficult for Perturabo to see those green eyes. The brilliance in the blue pupils could not be seen, and the corners of the pursed lips could not be seen.

But he could hear the sound clearly.

[Can you imagine the feeling of powerlessness I felt when I finally unfolded every inch of Virgo's blueprint and knew all the mysteries you weaved in it: it was like the ancient Saracen army going through After crossing Syria and Anatolia through hardships and dangers, when we arrived under the walls of Constantinople, we looked up at the sadness of that great wonder that would have been impossible to fall in the classical era. 】

[At that moment, the city wall was not just a city wall, it also meant unmatched technological advantages and rich experience. It meant that the contributions to civilization and the understanding of the world by both people inside and outside the city wall were far from the same level, which meant that it was almost impossible to The Chasm Crossed: It took me a long time to understand this. 】

[Perturabo, my brother. 】

【What an excellent person you are. 】

"..."

This is a very simple sentence.

But it silenced the Lord of Steel for a long time.

It wasn't until Morgan raised her glass of wine to pay tribute to her Olympian brothers that Perturabo reacted: He politely responded to Morgan's salute with a different kind of coldness and resistance, but the smile at the corner of his mouth The constant twitching of a few inches of skin showed that the Lord of Steel was not so calm in his heart.

He spoke hesitantly.

"Don't say that, Morgan."

"You are also a very good person."

[Yes, I am excellent. 】

Morgan curled her lips and drank all the wine in the glass. She didn't look at Perturabo's face at all. She was filling her cheeks with food while venting her inner pressure almost complainingly. .

[But the problem is precisely this: I am a very good person, Perturabo. 】

[If I were just a mediocre person, just like those mortals who could only see the most superficial aspects of things, then I wouldn’t be as melancholy as I am now: when facing your works, I would only praise them. Just a few words, I think you are also a very good person. 】

[But I am not mediocre, I am also an equally excellent person, and I am also a genius that mortals need to look up to. 】

[Because of this, when I saw your drawings and wisdom, I realized how profound your attainments are: just like standing on the highest mountain, you can deeply understand how unreachable the sky is. Things are something that confused mortals can never see clearly. Only by standing close enough to you can we feel the difference between you and this world, brother. 】

[I am excellent, brother. 】

【But you are not. 】

Morgan's smile was a little wistful.

[But you are not excellent, you are not only excellent: you are powerful, Perturabo, you are a powerful person, a strong person so powerful that people like me can only appear to be excellent. 】

【Being side by side with you is really a kind of misfortune in luck, and pain in happiness. 】

"..."

Perturabo smiled: a fleeting smile.

Sharp light refracted from his pupils and swept over Morgan's face until he found that the Lord of Avalon was immersed in the mellow aroma of cheese and didn't care at all about what he just said: whether it was a compliment or a complaint. It was Morgan’s emotion from the bottom of his heart.

At this time, Perturabo couldn't help but think of a secret, a secret that perhaps only he knew, a secret that had been mastered by the Lord of Steel on the Dawn Star sixty years ago: his Ah Although Wallon's blood relative is an outstanding person with a thoughtful mind and quick thinking, he is not perfect.

When Morgan's attention is briefly focused on a certain thing, she is very likely to unknowingly reveal many of her true thoughts in her words: I am afraid that even she will not realize it. at this point.

This is a secret that Perturabo firmly believes in, and Morgan's current performance further confirms his idea: The Lord of Steel does not think that his blood relatives can span sixty years of dimensions, wearing a hat in front of him He always maintains a clever mask, and he doesn't believe that he can see through anyone's disguise.

The Lord of Steel can firmly believe this: from the day he can remember, he can see through any lies and hypocrisy. The scheming politicians on Olympia are incomparable to him, and even among his blood relatives The flashes of sarcasm and slander in the hearts of the brothers could always be accurately captured by Perturabo, but he never cared.

He is a generous man, but not a stupid man.

Morgan at this moment is no exception: the Lord of Avalon has no ill will towards Perturabo in her heart, and her words are just pure emotion, unintentional words from the bottom of her heart, the most credible praise and boast, and also The kind of affirmation Perturabo could best accept.

This kind of emotion that is revealed unintentionally and comes from instinct, rather than a carefully planned boast, is a gift worthy of making his steel master feel happy and satisfied.

As for the little jealousy in the tone...

What genius is not enviable?

Thinking of this, the icy face that had been propped up finally collapsed, and a real smile spread at the corners of the Lord of Steel's mouth. Pride also rose in his heart, making the originally humble words in Perturabo's mouth, It sounded strangely elated.

Although from beginning to end, he never really looked into Morgan's pupils.

"It's just different specializations, sisters."

The Lord of Steel laughed, his breath like the groan of a giant beast in its slumber.

"Just like I can't give these creatures more help in terms of spiritual energy, but you can. We are just good at different fields. This doesn't mean anything. Moreover, you don't need to force yourself to be good at every issue. Able to stand alone: ​​If you need anything, I can definitely help.”

The Lord of Steel patted his chest, his voice dull.

"After all, she is also my creation and one of my most boastful achievements. I am happy to make her more perfect: you know, my sister, not all creations in this world cannot have the ability to become Having more perfect qualifications and abilities, and having room for improvement is a great advantage in itself.”

When he said this, a trace of anger flashed in the Lord of Steel's pupils. He might have thought of something bad, but it was quickly covered up by a smile.

"So, don't worry: If it's just an improvement in data and structure, I can still help, and we can conduct another collaborative experiment lasting weeks or even months just like we did forty years ago."

There was a trace of unconcealed expectation on Perturabo's face.

"However, that will have to wait until the end of this expedition: the mission of the War Council awaits us, and nothing should be compromised for the sake of the great conquest of the Empire."

[Ah, indeed. 】

Morgan nodded, her voice drawling.

[Conquest, victory, march, and the mission declaration of the War Council, isn’t this the meaning of our existence? Using the Western Outpost Tower on the Far Eastern Frontier as a springboard, this expedition to the northern part of the Galaxy will take a long time. 】

"Maybe a year."

Perturabo nodded, and his ears caught some sounds: it was Virgo pushing a dining cart that was bigger than her, and walked in calmly.

Seeing this scene, Morgan showed a flattering smile to her blood relative.

[So, before embarking on a one-year great conquest, I think both Holy Terra and Lord Perturabo, as the commander of the expedition, can allow me to enjoy a short fifteen-minute morning tea, right? 】

The Lord of Steel was amused, and he nodded casually: Morgan's [laxity] made Perturabo feel that his blood relative of Avalon was a more three-dimensional figure, rather than a perfect template in front of him. .

Of course, this kind of "lazyness" is taken for granted, based on the fact that the Lord of Avalon has sent the expedition plan to Perturabo in advance before the meeting: Morgan can only complete all the formal work. Only after the incident did she start to favor her own little hobby. She had always been very clear about this, and even Jonson and Perturabo couldn't fault it.

So, the Primarch of the Iron Warriors watched the plates of food being brought to the table in front of Morgan. He raised his eyebrows and declined the invitation to have morning tea together. Then, he was hooked by another sentence from Morgan's mouth. Got interested.

"You want to discuss something with me?"

"Looking for my support?"

The Lord of Steel's voice was strange.

Growing up, he had heard many sophistry that started with such words and was eager to extract benefits from him, until he instinctively felt bored with any words that seemed to come from a request: However, when he saw Ah When he saw the face of the Lord of Valon who was obsessed with food, Perturabo thought for a moment and decided to endure it temporarily and listen to what Morgan wanted to say.

Although Perturabo didn't think that his Avalon blood relatives would be like those vulgar mortal politicians who only wanted to extract benefits from him. However, the inherently sensitive heart still made the Lord of Steel wary: as long as he experienced the slightest bit of exploitative psychology from the Spider Queen, the Lord of Steel would not mind a sharp verbal counterattack.

"What do you want to talk about?"

So, after being fully mentally prepared, the Lord of Steel asked.

[Well, it’s not a big deal. 】

Unlike Perturabo, who was ready to prepare, the Lord of Avalon calmly waved his knife and fork, dividing the fried cheese tuna sandwich in front of him into several portions, and wiping the grease and milk foam from his mouth. , thought about it casually.

Seeing Morgan holding his fork and gnawing the fried sandwich like a hamster, the Lord of Steel couldn't help but fell silent: Was he a little unfounded just now?

Not to mention this Leman Russ-like way of eating...

In the silence of the Lord of Steel, Morgan finally remembered: she had promised a certain unlucky Caliban cat to help him with certain things.

so……

[I just want to ask you, my brother Perturabo. 】

Morgan blinked, stretched out his tongue and licked the cheese off the corner of his mouth.

[What do you think about the choice of the Imperial Warmaster in the near future...]

【What do you think? 】