Emperor's Bane

Chapter 885: Are You Still There? Robert!

【really weird. 】

[It always feels like a long time has passed. ]

[But it seems... not that long? ]

As she ritualistically swallowed the one hundred and thirty-seventh cup of energy drink of the day, the Spider Queen finally realized what had gone wrong.

Or in other words: It seems like everything is wrong?

She looked at the pile of documents still on the desk in front of her, looked at her eldest daughter who was busy with a list behind her, looked at the Night Sky passing by the outside of the porthole, and looked at the giant star map on the wall that was constantly flashing with colorful lights.

Everything seems to be the same as it was ten, thirty, fifty or even a hundred years ago.

So far, more than two-thirds of her life has been spent like this: her desk is always filled with documents and power that cannot be cleaned up, behind her and outside the house are always trustworthy descendants and warriors, and a little further away, within her sight or in some corner of the galaxy, there are always troublesome things that need her to deal with.

Sometimes it’s people, sometimes it’s things.

Sometimes she can handle it, other times even she can only muddle through: the rest requires some patience.

But no matter what, there is one thing that has never changed, because Morgan has always tried his best to ensure its continuation: that is, whether it is painful power or blindly obedient heirs, whether it is new brothers who need to be taken care of or new troubles that need to be solved.

Each of them will bring tangible benefits to the Spider Queen, big or small.

Maybe some don’t, but their number is so small that it’s not worth including them in the statistics.

And every time she solved one of them, her kingdom and power would expand further: this has been an irrefutable truth for more than a century, and it is also the trajectory of life that Morgan has long been accustomed to.

Her white gloves, she is the king, she is the lord of the legion and the head of all nations.

She is the beneficiary.

She has adapted to this.

She should have adapted to this.

This is her normal life.

So: what went wrong?
Why does she always have a strong sense of uneasiness in her heart?

Why does she feel anxious and panic?

Why is there always a voice in her heart, constantly reminding her not to rest, not to let her guard down, to keep her nerves tense, to be ready for battle at all times: unknown troubles are likely to overturn everything in front of her, and nothing in her hands can save her goal.

The power to manipulate the world at will, the supreme majesty of being able to control the world at will just by sitting at a desk with ink, paper and pen: No, this won't work.

Armies sworn to their deaths, hundreds of thousands of Astartes and billions of mortal auxiliaries who would take up arms against anyone at her command: No, it would not be enough!

Her brothers, her weapons, the allies she had won with her generosity and courage during countless firefighting operations, and the promise to fight side by side: none of it was enough! The sense of security brought by all of it was not enough to fill the panic in her heart.

But: What exactly is this panic?
Why was she so nervous all of a sudden? Why didn't she want to rest even though she was so exhausted?
The voice in her heart, the instinctive consciousness that kept her from sleeping peacefully: What on earth is it?
What exactly is going on?

Morgan has been troubled by this problem for a long time.

But even someone as smart as the Spider Queen couldn't figure out the answer to the question.

All she could do was stay alert.

You can't rest or slack off, and even a short nap is not allowed.

Just like the voice reminded.

And, it makes sense.

The Lord of Avalon knew the horrors of the Warp better than anyone else, and she was afraid that once she closed her eyes, she would never open them again: there were things that could trap the Primarch in her dreams and fatigue, and then attack her country and legion while she was asleep.

This is exactly what Morgan fears most.

As the Lord of Dawnbreaker and Avalon, no one knows the situation of both better than the Spider Queen.

Indeed, on the surface, both the Dawnbreakers and Avalon are unshakable behemoths: although the former's disadvantages are well known, its superb military skills and huge number of Terran veterans, its large fleet and mortal auxiliary forces, as well as its numerous Mechanicus allies can make up for the lack of numbers.

As for the latter: unless the attacker can muster at least four or five legions and a formidable number of auxiliaries, no one can shake the crown of the Far East.

Sounds good, doesn't it: as if the Spider Queen's followers are already invincible.

But the Primarch knew the real key.

Whether it is the Legion or Avalon, they are essentially extensions of Morgan's power and will. No matter how huge they grow, their roots are always deeply rooted in the five fingers of the Spider Queen: Without Morgan, the sun hanging high in the sky, the Legion and the country will instantly fall into a state of stagnation.

Avalon has no vice-king, they don't even have a de facto center of power. The Spider Queen controls everything with her vigorous energy and excellent means. Her position can not be replaced by anyone. Even though Morgan has deliberately cultivated a series of deputies and assistants headed by Lana over the past few decades, the abilities of these Astartes are ultimately not comparable to those of their Primarchs.

Morgan once did an experiment.

The final result is that if all tasks and powers are given to Rana, the Lord Chancellor does have the strong will to fulfill his responsibilities. He can ensure that Avalon's rule will not go downhill, but maintain a stable state that is almost a straight line: but this is already Rana's limit, he can't do more.

In other words, Lana can ensure that everything in Avalon remains the same, and loyalty is of course necessary: ​​and with the help of a few star maids and other regents trained by Morgan, commanding a foreign defensive war within his capabilities will be a piece of cake.

However, if he were asked to carry out large-scale internal coordination while maintaining governance like Morgan did, sort out the intricate network of interests and relationship nodes, mobilize resources and manpower from thousands of worlds, and ensure that they would be implemented according to the numbers on paper: such a workload would be the end of the Lord Chancellor of the Guards.

No amount of help would help: no one possessed the Primarch's insane multi-threading abilities.

It is also not a good idea to leave more people behind to form several common cooperative administrative centers: issuing orders from multiple departments will only lead to disastrous results.

Moreover, the real point is: no one in the entire legion and in Avalon can issue orders like Morgan, which may change the fate of the entire Far East frontier: whether it is Morgan's descendants or Morgan's daughter, they do not have such tremendous power, and the cowardice in their hearts also makes them unwilling to issue such orders.

This can be fatal.

This is also what Morgan fears the most.

If it were under normal circumstances, she would not have to worry so much. Although there is a possibility of not waking up, as long as the situation in the galaxy is relatively stable and her descendants and brothers are able to contact the Emperor of the Earth in time, then it would not matter even if Morgan disappeared for a while.

But what is the situation now: Horus's march to Los Angeles has brought the tension in the galaxy to the forefront, the Emperor has disappeared, and even Lana, who Morgan considers to be the main successor, is on Terra at the moment. There is no one who can take over the power of the Spider Queen.

What? Conrad?
Never mind: the situation is not yet that desperate.

Although it is indeed not a pleasant experience.

【ah……】

[Damn it…]

[Damn Horus, damn the Emperor.]

Morgan touched his swollen forehead, a gift from four months of no rest: and that was a long time ago.

The Spider Queen couldn't even remember how long she had been paralyzed on this overly soft sofa: anyway, she was here when she decided to check the armament status of all core star regions in the Far Eastern Frontier.

And now, she is reviewing it for the third time.

This cannot be said to be repetitive work: although she was exhausted to the extreme, Morgan's ability was still online. She accurately squeezed out forty-six auxiliary legions and a patrol fleet including three battleships from the inland defense zone that had not been noticed before. They could all be added to Avalon's western defense line.

That’s right, the west: the line of defense close to the Maelstrom, the Luna Wolves and the core of the Empire. That is the next military focus of the Far East Frontier.

Morgan's head started to hurt again.

She wasn't sure if this was a sequelae of overwork or the result of not having rest for a long time, but the most likely answer was both: not only that, the long writing work made the bases of her eyeballs a little numb, her long-bent knuckles were complaining about the situation, and her teeth, neck and back were also complaining in their own ways.

With pain and soreness.

The Lord of Avalon had never hated the peculiar constitution designed for her by the Emperor more than now: of all the Primarchs she was the most mortal, and the only unfortunate one who suffered the same physical troubles as mortals.

Tsk, seems to be even more irritated.

The voice sounded again.

She hoped it wasn't Slaanesh, but there was a good chance it was.

After Lucy left, this day would come sooner or later.

And the emperor...tsk!

When he thought of the Emperor, Morgan couldn't help but think of the current chaotic galactic situation and the hidden enemies that might attack the Far East at any time: although he was physically exhausted, mentally, the Primarch's inner panic and tension expanded to the extreme, his nerves were tense, and he didn't want to rest anymore.

But something was clearly not right.

In other words: When she discovered that Lucy had suddenly fallen into a coma and the Emperor's golden giant sword began to lose its power, Morgan realized that there seemed to be something wrong with her mental state.

She could roughly guess that this was the work of the Four Gods, but she didn't dare to bet on the final outcome.

She even had a hard time remembering the time.

What time is it now?
Had she survived another night?
How long had it been since Lana and Bernard last came to report to her?

Why is there no response to the letter to Reza and Salamas? Wait? Did she write it?

Damn, the letter paper is empty!

She said she seemed to have forgotten something!
There were so many things going on, why couldn't she have someone who could help her: Guilliman perhaps?
Ah, right!

Guilliman! Robert!
Morgan's eyelids, which were about to close, suddenly opened, and the light emanated from his blue pupils again.

Almost at the same time, the Spider Queen heard Guilliman's iconic footsteps in the corridor outside the door.

Good, it seemed, her Macragge brother had not yet left.

If Morgan remembered correctly, Guilliman once said that he would stay here for three months. It seemed that time did not pass as fast as Morgan imagined.

【Ania. 】

The Spider Queen spoke up, telling her daughter to prepare some drinks for her brothers.

Oh my god, is her voice so hoarse?

Just as the Spider Queen was secretly marveling at the thought, the Lord of Macragge excitedly pushed open the door.

"Morgan, you'll never guess who I dream about..."

"Wow!"

"Are you planning on moving?"

Before he could even enter the room, the Macragge was shocked by the scene in front of him. Although he had known that Morgan was preparing to go on a long journey, he had never seen the Spider Queen's office so messy: all kinds of things that the Primarch had seen or had not seen were piled up in every corner he could see now.

The marble desk he gave to Morgan and the freezer containing Conrad's flesh and blood were stacked together. The runaway man from Caliban was rolling on the ill-fitting armor made by Vulkan. Lorgar's sacred words and Corax's letters were placed together in a mess, and on top of them was the medal that Magnus had awarded to Morgan.

Guilliman felt as if he had walked into a museum with the theme of Morgan's past experiences. Everything here reminded him how complicated the past of his blood relative was, and how complicated the interpersonal relationships were among all the Primarchs.
The man who created all this was now slumped on his sofa with a worried look on his face.

Her condition looked dire: she would need at least a few months of paid leave.

Guilliman carefully sat down in the seat he was most familiar with in these days. As soon as he sat down, Virgo brought drinks and snacks to the Primarch.

At the same time, she winked at Guilliman.

The Primarch nodded: This is their code.

Do you want to start taking action today?

He tried to calm down and started thinking about another more appropriate opening topic.

"I remember you said you were going away."

Damn, this topic sucks!

Guilliman took a sip of his tea.

[Yes, but not sure when.]

Morgan stretched his limbs and managed to straighten himself in the chair.

She had no energy to pay attention to Guilliman's inner thoughts.

"Well, I mean..."

The Primarch looked around: for god knows why Morgan's cat was hanging upside down from the ceiling.

"You don't look like you're going anywhere: you're just moving your whole room to another place."

[I need to free up more space to prepare for the Aurora event.]

"Activity? What activity?"

[Hmm, a free-fighting event for all?]

"..."

He should be used to hearing all kinds of strange things from Morgan.

"I noticed something odd."

Guilliman placed the cup on the table, trying not to look at Virgo, who was busy moving about.

【What? 】

Morgan forced himself to cheer up: the Primarch was sure that his current condition was worse than during the Randan War, but Morgan still responded to Virgo's questions while looking at his brother whose expression was gradually becoming serious.

"simply put."

The Macragge coughed.

"I noticed that you have recently carried out large-scale troop mobilizations in your Far Eastern borders, and also carried out front-line mobilization-level centralized deployment of materials and manpower. Every day, I find that a large number of senior officers and Astartes captains whom I have never seen before come to the Aurora to report, and teams of governors and senior judges from all over the country also come in an endless stream."

"Everything indicates that there will be big moves on your Far Eastern frontier in the near future, Morgan?"

【Yes. 】

The Spider Queen nodded.

She did not hide Guilliman's thoughts: as a de facto military ally, Guilliman was qualified to know about any large-scale military activities on the Far Eastern Frontier.

"Is it... serious?"

Guilliman's expression was somewhat serious.

As Morgan's earliest ally, the Macragge had witnessed the entire history of the Far Eastern Frontier. He remembered that even during the Ullanor expedition, Morgan had not made such large-scale preparations: this inevitably made people feel uneasy.

[It depends on how you understand it.]

Morgan scratched her hair. She wanted to tell Guilliman the whole story, but she couldn't: who knew if Guilliman could resist the corruption after she left.

[In short, I am pessimistic about the meeting between the Master and the Warmaster on Terra. You know, if the Terra crisis is not resolved well, the Empire will regress to the state before the Great Crusade: there will be no aliens this time, but war will still accompany the years to come.]

"Are you a little too nervous?"

Guilliman laughed.

"Horus has only just arrived on Terra. We won't know how their talks go for another few days."

"Besides, even if the talks fail, there is no need for the Warmaster and the Sigillite to go to war, right?"

"They don't have any hatred for each other."

"Could the Sigillite deliberately anger Horus: for example, by sinking the Vengeful Spirit?"

【…】

Morgan glanced at him and said nothing.

[Anyway, this is what I am worried about: I also suggest that you prepare for battle in the next few years, Guilliman, at least recruit more soldiers. At the same time, it is best to temporarily suspend your Six Hundred Worlds Plan and not throw so many resources and manpower into the Dark Zone outside the domain. ]

"It's hard."

The Primarch sighed.

"You think I don't want to? But once this starts, it can't be stopped."

"Once the supply of materials is cut off, those newly colonized worlds will suffer a huge humanitarian disaster."

"As for the military: I will."

Guilliman nodded.

"I will expand the military strength: maybe 100,000 to 200,000 troops in the next three to five years." [Alright.]

Morgan rubbed her brows, and heard Virgo's questioning voice in her ears, which made her look back.

【What did you say? Anya?】

[Enemy Blade? Of course I have to bring it. 】

[Star maps? I don't need that. I think Lana needs them more than I do.]

[By the way, leave him the communication method and token between me and Forge World Riza as well.]

[There is also a token of the Queen's Hand Legion, and the contact information of Conrad and Jonson. ]

"Conrad and Jonson?"

This reminded Guilliman.

"By the way, Morgan, I noticed that Conrad's Nightfall arrived a few hours ago?"

【yes. 】

Morgan nodded.

[But he wants to visit his old house first. ]

"In Nostramo?"

[On the lower deck: next to the Aurora's waste disposal center.]

"what?"

Guilliman was stunned for a moment.

"So...what is he doing here this time?"

[Come to say goodbye to both of us, and pick up some things from his second old house.]

"Uh, also on the lower deck?"

[No, the one you live in now is it. ]

"what?"

Guilliman blinked: he accepted this somewhat strange reality for the time being.

"Conrad wants to say goodbye to us?"

[That’s right: he is going to take his fleet and start the next Ghoul Star Expedition.]

[You know, the Night Haunter has a specific little ritual before each expedition.]

"What habit?"

Guilliman leaned forward.

He really didn't know this: maybe he didn't know his Primarch brothers well enough?
[He likes to take his personal belongings: the collar I used when I trained him, the comfort blanket Dawn gave him, etc.]

"..."

Guilliman fell silent.

He suddenly felt that sometimes it was okay not to know his brothers well enough: it was better for people to maintain some mystery between each other.

"Okay, so when can he come?"

【It should be here soon. 】

Morgan muttered.

[Hmm? What's wrong? Anya?]

"Mother, what should we do with the things in these boxes?"

【What's there? 】

"Conrad's final exam."

【Save it.】

"Conrad's error book."

【Throw it away.】

"Conrad's winter clothes."

[Send it to his room: there should be room for a little more under the bed that Guilliman sleeps on.]

"..."

So has he been sleeping on something like this for the past few months?

"Conrad's summer suit."

[Same: Remember to wash it first. ]

And these things haven’t been washed yet?
"Conrad."

"Hi, brothers and sisters."

A rare wild Night Haunter has emerged from his air duct habitat!
"You can never imagine that in Terra..."

【Throw it out.】

"Hey, hey, hey, wait, wait, don't wait, I have something else to tell you..."

"boom!"

"..."

"Um?!"

Guilliman, awakened from his thoughts, suddenly realized: Did something just fly out?
【Nothing, brother.】

Morgan yawned again, then pulled out a few clean pieces of paper from the side, thought again and again, and began to write letters to Reza and Dantioch stationed in Salamas.

【What else do you want to do? 】

"It's nothing... ah right!"

Guilliman suddenly remembered.

"I came to check on you, Morgan."

[You feel bad? ]

"The Dawnbreakers are already discussing in the cafeteria whether or not to put sleeping pills in your next batch of afternoon tea."

Are you sure this works?

"They don't know where they got it from: the World Eaters still have some anesthetics from Nukelia."

"So, you really don't want to think about it?"

[Hit yourself a nail? ]

Morgan wrote the first letter.

"I mean take a break."

Guilliman pointed to the bags under his eyes.

"You look as haggard as Mortarion after Sanguinius drained all his blood."

[No need, I'm fine.]

"But your condition..."

【You don't know, Guilliman.】

Morgan waved his hand irritably.

It was really strange. She knew that Guilliman's advice was sincere and correct, but she just couldn't listen. The voice in her heart made her instinctively resist all rest and made her nerves tense.

[I can't rest because there is an important reason that requires me to stay awake. ]

"You're not very sober right now."

Guilliman shook his head.

"And seriously, Morgan."

"Although we are the Primarchs, this does not mean that we do not need to rest all the time."

"You've been sleepless for so long, sister, your health has suffered from it."

"Don't you feel weak now?"

【weak?】

The word made Morgan laugh: and she had also finished writing the second letter.

[Are you saying that I am vulnerable now? ]

[Don't forget, brother: in virtual battles, my winning rate is always higher than yours.]

"That's because you have psychic powers."

Guilliman muttered quietly.

"Besides, in your current state, I doubt if you can still use your psychic powers."

"Seriously, Morgan."

Guilliman shook his head.

"You should take a break. I can knock you to the ground with just a rolled-up newspaper."

【ha? 】

Morgan smiled, and then she realized how chapped her lips were. After Virgo handed her mother a drink at the right time, the Spider Queen, who was concentrating on drinking, did not notice that her eldest daughter was secretly exchanging glances with Guilliman.

"Actually, he's right, mother."

Then, Anya leaned close to Morgan's ear and spoke.

"You're in really bad shape right now."

[You also think he can knock me over with a newspaper? ]

Morgan glanced at his daughter and began to write a final letter.

"That was not what I meant……"

Although she denied it, Virgo's tone somehow made Morgan feel uncomfortable.

【You wait.】

So, the Lord of Avalon acted on impulse for one of the rare times in his life.

She quickly wrote the letter and told Virgo where to send it. Then, she found a pile of newspaper-sized papers for Guilliman in the waste paper pile.

【Come! 】

Morgan sat up straight, an inexplicable excitement rising in his heart.

She knew that this was most likely just a clumsy way of provoking someone, but for some reason, in the Spider Queen's heart, an inexplicable pride made her breathing quicken: Even a guy like Guilliman could look down on her now?

She shouldn't be so childish.

But... there is no reason!
She wants to do this!
There's something wrong with her: but who cares!
【Would you like to give it a try? 】

When Morgan chuckled, there seemed to be lingering seductive breath and whispers from the warp around her lips.

"..."

Guilliman blinked: he seemed unable to believe that such a crude method of provoking the enemy had actually worked.

It seems that not taking a rest for a long time is really harmful to your health.

"you sure?"

【Just come if I tell you to. Why are you wasting time? 】

"Ok."

Carefully avoiding the documents and memoranda scattered all over the floor, Guilliman rolled up the pile of limp papers in his hand and slowly walked behind the Spider Queen's head under Morgan's mocking gaze and Virgo's worried expectation.

Then he raised his arms high.

"boom!"

"Pong-"

The sound of the paper scroll falling and the original body's forehead hitting the table rang out almost simultaneously.

Looking at the Spider Queen who fell to the ground, the Macragge people panicked.

"Morgan? Morgan!"

"Morgan, why are you..."

"Shh!"

Virgo hurried over, she first felt the breath of the Spider Queen, then put her head close to her mother's nose and mouth to listen carefully.

[Snoring…]

what.

A steady, soothing purr.

"Okay, be quiet..."

"Hey! Everybody!"

A wild Night Haunter has appeared!

"I'm back again... huh?"

When he saw the scene clearly, Conrad was suddenly stunned.

What did he see?
He saw the supreme ruler of Avalon lying on her desk, his life or death unknown.

And her eldest daughter, who was closest to her, was now pressing her head tightly, with a look of panic on her face.

On the other side, a Primarch with a bad reputation was standing behind Morgan with a weapon in his hand and a nervous look on his face.

"..."

Conrad watched all this: until he noticed that the two parties were slowly looking at him.

After thinking for a moment.

Midnight Haunter silently raised his hands.

"Will my joining your cabal now help Nostramo keep its tax-free status in the Far East?"

(End of this chapter)