40k: Midnight Blade.

Chapter 53. The Emperor's General

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

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

"You still have eight hours to go to class, don't you?"

Hissing Nostramo once again rang out from a room on the Emperor Mirage.After a moment of silence, Conrad Curz nodded reluctantly.

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

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

"I don't want to say that you 'should' do something, Conrad. But you and I both know that the most important thing you should be doing right now is study, don't you?"

"I just wanted to go on patrol once."

"I've greeted them for you," Khalil said quietly. "From the first number to the broken horn that you haven't numbered yet, I have already said hello."

The pale giant jerked his head up—he was still smaller than Khalil, which had never happened in the past, but seemed fitting.

"Really?" he asked quietly.

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

Khalil smiled slightly, walked forward, and opened the door of Conrad Koz's room for him.And so the conversation came to an end, and their final exchange was conducted without words.

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

Through the door, Khalil nodded calmly.

The door closed softly.

The carving of the double-headed eagle was on it instead of Conrad Curz staring at Khalil coldly. He stared back with the same attitude, but was a little curious why the emperor used the double-headed eagle as the symbol of the empire.

Unfortunately, the answer to this question will only be found later.He has no time to study recently, and the Emperor Mirage
From those corner stares, Khalil knew he wasn't welcome.

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

His armor was a little more impressive than that of his equally proud companions, and a fluttering eagle waited menacingly on the huge shoulder plates.He didn't wear a helmet, and a calm face waited quietly under it.

Khalil raised an eyebrow.

No weapons.

He noticed it.

"So. His invitation?"

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

"Have you always talked like that?"

"This is High Gothic."

"That's what I said." Khalil chuckled. "But what you're using seems to be older. Funny how just a little grammatical difference can make a language more awkward."

"Of course."

The giant nodded calmly, and stretched out his hand: "But this is not the purpose of my coming tonight-Marshal of the Custodian Army, Constantine Waldo, salute you, Karil Rohals."

Khalil reached out to shake his hand.Every detail of the golden armor was slowly felt in his palm, the cold, delicate and slow humming below.

He memorized them one by one.

The brief etiquette ended here, and Constantine Waldo began a conversation in the resplendent and resplendent room dozens of times wider than the conventional corridor.

"You are trying to transform that...planet." The Marshal of the Forbidden Army paused, as if swallowing an adjective.

The pause did not escape Khalil's keen senses, and he smiled. "I guess you want to use a bad adjective in front of Nostramo."

"That's true." The Marshal of the Forbidden Army nodded, his expression still calm. "But I won't say it in front of you."

"It doesn't matter, it's dirty, abominable and doesn't deserve to be saved. I'm not going to be outraged that someone exposes it."

"...In short, Khalil Rohars, you are doing the almost impossible."

"I know."

"Then why don't you give up?"

Sincere tone, sincere face - not a mocking question, nor some kind of deliberate irony.

Good, Khalil thought.

"Because I have to."

he said, in a very soft voice. "You also said that it is almost impossible to complete, but it is not really possible. Even if the chance is only one percent, I will try it."

"The odds are maybe one-tenth of a percent."

Constantine Waldo frowned. "I don't think you're ignorant of the matter, Caryl Rohars. Your lord has great confidence in you, which means you're by no means a fool. And from what we've seen of you these days, I'm sure , your intelligence is superior."

"Superior intellect? That's an adjective I've never heard of before."

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

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

"It offers nothing to the Imperium except that. The Eighth Legion is coming soon, the sons of criminals of Terran descent, many of whom are criminals themselves."

"And Nostramo is too scary a place even for them. Believe me, if what you're trying to do is make this a conscript planet, you're not going to succeed, Terrans would be strongly opposed."

"It's interesting what you said, but I don't intend to make Nostramo a conscription planet - strong and strong people are either nobles or gang members, can these people also enter the Eighth Legion ?”

Khalil laughed. "I've read the materials, and I know what kind of killing machine those remodeling operations can turn a person into. So people who enter the Legion are either clean sheets or people of high moral character. Nobles and gangs have neither. "

Constantine Waldo's brows began to wrinkle more and more.

"So you know." He said suspiciously.

"Yes, I know—and I can't do anything to the Eighth Legion. The Lord of the Eighth Legion is resting in his room now, and he is the one who can give orders to this Legion."

Khalil replied with a smile.

The way he talked about it made the Marshal of the Custodian Army realize something, and the latter quickly changed the subject after a brief silence.

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

"Speak, please, Marshal of the Forbidden Army."

"My lord has received you alone."

The Marshal of the Forbidden Army spoke slowly.

"When he came to this planet, the first thing he did was not to meet his son, but to talk to you alone. After that, he also gave you a huge power. I don't think you Will abuse it, but, you need to know the full picture."

He gazed into Khalil's eyes.

"This power is terrible. I have seen countless heroes and people of high moral character rot in it, turning into the most contemptuous appearance they have ever seen, and the power they hold is not even one-tenth of your power."

"I don't question my Lord, and I don't think he's blind, but, Khalil Rohars, you need to be careful."

The Custodian Marshal said solemnly and solemnly: "Power is a poison, Khalil Rohars, let it not 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 morality. You even have a powerful power that cannot be explained-my Lord trusts you , so we'll trust you too"

He lowered his head and his voice became low.

"I'm here to ask you, don't let it down."

After a brief silence, Khalil spoke softly.

"I don't think I can promise you anything, Marshal Constantine. It's too early to tell, isn't it?"

"I can't promise you that I will live up to it. Because I don't know where the boundaries of this trust are, and everyone's ideas are different. One day, I may do things that you can't understand."

He stopped talking, and smiled softly under the gaze of the Marshal of the Forbidden Army.

"So—so be it, Marshal Constantine Valdo. The only guarantee I can give you is one."

"please say."

"I won't become a dragon," Khalil said in a low voice. "Because I already have a blade hanging over my head."
-
"what is this?"

"a knife."

"I know it's a knife, Ferrus—but my question is, what is it?"

Fulgrim stared in shock at the blade resting securely between his brother's hands, and whispered, "Whose weapon is this?"

"Conrad's."

"You built it?!"

"Of course not. I only build weapons."

Ferrus raised his head and glanced at the Chemoth.He had a panoramic view of the latter's expression, so the corners of his mouth curved quietly.

"And the knife is clearly not a weapon," he said. "It's more than 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 very welcoming.

Ferrus 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. You and I both know this is true—but, since you don't plan to rest, come and help me."

"what?"

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

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

"."

Ferrus didn't speak, just sighed.

(End of this chapter)