40k: Midnight Blade.

Chapter 80 78. The Ultimate Warriors (4, [-]k)

Despite a lot of preparation and typing—however, when he saw Conrad Curze in person, Lucretius Corvo still lost his ability to speak.

He was not as tall as Robert Guilliman, that was obvious.And his thinness may explain part of the reason.

There are a pair of quiet eyes on the pale face, which is pitch black, as black as black agate stone.He gazed calmly at Corvo and the five hundred Ultramarines who entered the banquet hall, standing with their hands behind their backs under the soft light, the silver edges of their tuxedos gleaming.

"Good evening, Ultramarines who have come from afar, sons of my brothers, you have worked hard."

He spoke softly, not loudly, but everyone could hear him clearly.

That noble ancient Terran accent was too obvious to Corvo, who wasn't of Macragge after all, he was of Terran descent.

Such a classic accent almost made Corvo unbelievable-wasn't the Primarch discovered in Nostramo?Why is his accent so elegant?

"I have heard about your sacrifices. I am willing to leave the Primarch and Legion and travel long distances to Nostramo. I am grateful for your protection of Nostramo's future and hope."

The giant, tall, pale, and thin just right, even so skinny that people think he should be, raised his right hand with a smile and gestured gracefully.

"All the long tables in the banquet hall of the Night Curtain are specially designed. Today, one of them will only be used for entertaining you."

"I—we are very grateful for your kindness."

Corvo's first word is pitched very high, but he realizes the problem quickly, calming his growling voice.

His adjutant calmly touched Corvo's elbow with his right hand, the strength was just right, and a calm complaint appeared in it.The leader of the Ultramarines went on, annoyed.

"But if we are the only ones participating in this banquet, it would be too unruly. Night Curtain is the flagship of our cousins, and it is also your flagship. How can we hold a banquet here without the participation of the glorious Eighth Legion?"

"If you think their presence would embarrass us, please rest assured that we have worked with your sons many years ago. Those nine victories are still in our history."

"Make no mistake, Lucretius Corvo."

The giant frowned.

"The reason why my legion did not participate in this dinner is because Nostramo is in desperate need of manpower. You can rest assured that the only reason they do not participate is because they have a mission, not It's my fear that you won't feel welcome because of their presence."

"We have no intention of that, my lord!"

Corvo hurriedly denied it, but found that Conrad Kerz's already relaxed brows were frowning again at this moment. Although it was only for a moment, the demeanor of that moment almost made his fingers tremble.

Am I saying the wrong thing?what to do?Guilliman, Lucretius Corvo, you are a fool.
His self-pity didn't last long—not even half a second, in fact.Because Conrad Coz has changed the subject.

"First Company Commander." He called solemnly into the darkness. "Is the instructor of the legion here?"

Legion instructor?The Ultramarines looked over suspiciously.They hadn't heard of the position before, and it wasn't often like it.

It is common for veterans to bring new recruits, and it is also a tradition for everyone in the Astartes Legion of the Empire.

But, instructor?
What is this title, and who does it refer to?

"Lord Khalil will be here soon, Primarch." A voice sounded in the darkness, low and solemn, but it made Corvo breathe a sigh of relief familiarly.

He turned his head, and without asking the instructor for the time being, he directly talked about the identity of the "First Company Commander": "Excuse me, Mr. Conrad Curz, is your first company commander named Van Cleef?"

The giant raised an eyebrow.

"Do you know each other?" He asked softly and curiously. "This is interesting. Have you fought side by side before?"

"Of course!" Corvo nodded quickly, took a step forward, and sincerely raised his right hand to cover his chest.

"If he is really the Van Cleef in my impression, then we have already been friends many years ago!"

Conrad Koz smiled, he turned his head and looked into the darkness: "Van Cleef?"

"."

In silence, a person reluctantly stepped out of the darkness.

Corvo laughed hastily, with a deliberate haste in it.He watched Conrad Kotz's expression out of the corner of his eye, and hurried over.

He held Van Cleef's right hand affectionately, first gave a warm hug and laughed, and then, taking this opportunity, he spoke with a throaty voice in the ear of the first company commander of the Eighth Legion.

"Please, Van Cleef, help me to liven up the atmosphere. I know we had a bad fight last time, but you have to admit that we were of great help on the frontal battlefield."

After the one-touch hug ended, the company commander frowned. Although he didn't immediately refuse, there was a question in his eyes.

'Active atmosphere?Active atmosphere for what?Isn't it normal now? '

and a kind of indifference.

'Unpleasant?Ah'

Lucretius Corvo's heart skipped a beat, but before he could react, he heard the voice of the Lord of the Eighth Legion behind him.

"Van Cleef, are you old acquaintances? What luck, in the vast galaxy, a long time has passed, and the old people meet again."

Conrad Koz nodded with a smile: "First company commander, I don't think you will go to participate in ground missions tonight, how about it?"

What he meant was obvious.

"."

After a short silence, the first company commander spoke with a reluctance that anyone could hear: "The First Dalian Company is performing a mission, how can I, as a company commander, attend the banquet? This is against the rules, Primarch."

"That's right." Conrad Koz thought for a moment and apologized apologetically. "It was my lack of consideration, Van Cleef—then, you go."

The company commander saluted, and then left in a hurry.The Lord of the Eighth Legion spoke again after a brief silence, his voice still gentle.

"So, Lucretius Corvo—may I take a seat, let's continue talking? I hope you don't mind the emptiness of the banquet hall. The civilians and staff on the Nightfall have been going to the ground for many days. In fact, It's still functioning today, thanks to our hardworking servitors."

"If it wasn't for their insanity, I'd like to award them medals. Therefore, I hope you don't mind the canned food heated and delivered by the servants. I'm sorry, but the conditions are really limited. "

He made a little joke.

Yes, Corvo could tell it was a joke - but, as he looked into those dark eyes, he read a deep sadness.

condolences.He is mourning.

But to whom?
An almost unbelievable guess came to mind, making Corvo unconsciously more serious.

"It is our honor to join you in this dinner."

Lucretius Corvo said so.

"Besides, we are soldiers and Astartes. Under difficult circumstances, even minerals can be eaten raw. Heated canned food is already considered a delicacy, so you don't have to worry about us .”

"I'm relieved, then. Ah, Khalil."

The pale giant smiled and nodded behind them, with a kind of intimacy in his tone that he didn't realize: "You're here!"

Lucretius Corvo looks back—

Then he saw another giant.

To be precise, it is a giant among giants.

His skin was as pale as Conrad Koz, almost deathly pale, and his completely dark eyes were calmer than Konrad Koz, even a little indifferent.Standing in front of the wide open door of the banquet hall, he didn't have to do anything, making everyone almost speechless.

Then, he began to smile.

and greetings.

"Good evening, everyone from Macragge." He nodded politely, his Gothic language was so noble that Corvo almost felt ashamed. "Hope I didn't scare you."

——In just a split second, the kind of horror that emerged from the depths of the bone marrow immediately dissipated.The smile of the giant named Khalil was so gentle that one almost forgot his height.Lucretius Corvo couldn't help opening his mouth and began to respond.

"No. Scared"

His gaffe lasted for nearly five seconds, and five seconds later, his adjutant coughed in embarrassment.
-
The banquet went on quickly. Nine minutes after they were seated, the machine servants belonging to the Eighth Legion walked into the banquet hall with various dishes.

The smell of canned Glocks meat was so palpable, mingled with the smell of the newest flavor, the ground meat-flavored Astartes porridge from Macragge.

These are new products, and they were immediately added to this logistics fleet by Robert Guilliman as soon as they were launched.As such, they're a fresh smell, even for Ultramarines.

The most critical point is that Lucretius Corvo also smelled a strong irritating smell.He didn't drink them, but he immediately analyzed what it was based on some gossip he heard in the past.

"It is the mead of Fenris," whispered his lieutenant, stepping ahead. "There are only [-] barrels in the warehouse of the logistics fleet, and this lord is willing to use it to entertain us. It is really an exciting courtesy."

Lucretius Corvo nodded, and was about to speak in agreement when his adjutant glanced over.

"Oh, sir," sighed the Adjutant. "But what manner do you use to face this kindness?"

".What manner? Am I out of shape or am I unbuttoned?"

Corvo retorted angrily. "If you want to say that my performance just now is embarrassing, just say it directly. Don't beat around the bush like those scholars of the No.15 Legion! Do you want to be like them? Use three twists to express it in one sentence?"

"It's rude of you to discuss other legions behind your back."

"...I was just a metaphor!"

"Hmm." The adjutant nodded. "In short, as the chief appointed by the Primarch, don't you plan to stand up and say a few toasts? Also, you don't plan to ask about that Khalil instructor?"

"You want to ask you to ask."

Although Corvo was dissatisfied, he still stood up holding the thick wine glass tailored for the Astartes, the dark liquid rolled in it, and a few bubbles popped out from time to time.

It's more like a poison than wine.Corvo could smell the gasoline inside.He felt that there might be blood in it, but that didn't stop him from making it for tonight's wine.

He raises his glass.

"In the name of Macragge, I, Lucretius Corvo, hereby extend my sincerest respect to you, Master of the Eighth Legion, Lord Conrad Curze. May the Eighth Legion Achieve one hundred thousand victories, may you be full of merit, gloriously on Terra, beside the emperor's statue, and build your image!"

Conrad Koz stood up slowly, with a soft smile on his face that strangers couldn't tell the real emotion.

He raised his glass and nodded at Corvo at the end of the long table.

"Thank you for your well wishes, Lucretius Corvo. I salute your Legion with the same respect. As for the one hundred thousand victories, if the Eighth Legion can really achieve so many victories, then, I Hopefully the Ultramarines will achieve more."

He smiled again, raised his head, and drank the strong wine in the glass.Afterwards, he put down his wine glass, and under Lucretius Corvo's grateful eyes, he spoke slowly again.

"You must have doubts." He said firmly. "And this question must be aimed at the giant beside me—right, the protectors of Nostramo's hope, the Ultramarines?"

"How can it be so ridiculous"

Corvo's gratitude quickly turned into a kind of anxiety. He took a deep breath, ignored the churning of the mead in his stomach, and said in a deep voice: "We are only performing our mission, but the praise you gave us is too much. Too heavy though, yes."

In the ghostly eyes of his lieutenant, Lucretius Corvo nodded.

"We do have questions about the giant beside you, the instructor of your legion, Lord Khalil."

Conrad Koz nodded with a smile, but did not speak.And the instructor Kalil, who was sitting beside him, chewing and swallowing Glocks canned meat, shook his head helplessly.

"I'm his." He began slowly, then paused. "Father."

The Ultramarines' eyes widened.

Conrad Koz also stared wide-eyed, hissing voice popped out of his throat without thinking: "You, you, what are you talking about?"

"Don't get too far, Conrad, I can't see the careful thought behind you pulling me over to this banquet tonight. I want to let your brothers who have never met get used to it in advance."

With a chuckle, Khalil shook his head and stood up slowly.

　Let me report that after the completion of this chapter, there are only 1.4 of the [-] updates ([-] words) owed on the shelf, and I will pay it off as soon as possible.

　　[-] to [-] were written in four days after being put on the shelves.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)