Kingdom Come: Deliverance, but Warhammer 40k

Henry slowly raised his hand as if he were swatting a fly.

The eye that had emerged from the wooden table was still blinking, looking curiously left and right.

The power of the warp improved Anastasius's appearance; even his eyes were more expressive than when he was human.

But it was clear that the subspace had not improved his mind.

I was almost convinced by Cass when it suddenly pulled this stunt!

"Henry, you don't look well. Did the negotiations fail?"

Snapped.

A hand landed, flattening the restless mass of tissue.

Cracks appeared on the tabletop, flattening the restless, proliferating tissue into a thick, splattered mass.

Henry was still not satisfied, so he pressed it in again with his thumb.

"ah--!"

A scream came from outside.

The sound was drawn out, like some kind of creature whose tail had been stepped on.

Henry pretended not to hear and asked Cass.

Where was I?

  

Cass was still in shock.

His gaze lingered between the suspicious bloodstain and the armored knight opposite him.

In the end, I chose not to ask.

He has witnessed far too many strange things in the past few days.

If you have to investigate the cause of every single thing, you won't be able to sleep at all in the future.

"To where he was parasitized by parasites."

Cass rubbed his aching forehead.

"So, you mean that the guy now called Anastasius has become a demon in such a short time? How come I didn't know my subordinates would be so popular with the evil god?"

"I don't think any chaotic deity would give him any attention."

Henry picked up the conversation, not wanting to delve too deeply into this issue with Cass.

"Its birth was due to an accident, and the details are not convenient to go into here."

Cass leaned back against the seat cushion and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Then let me guess..."

"Are you trying to say that he was protected by the God-Emperor, maintained his sanity despite being corrupted, considered himself human, and firmly wanted to stand on the same side as humanity?"

Henry was speechless for once.

He had indeed considered this claim and had even prepared several versions of his story.

But unexpectedly, Cass said it for him.

He was at a loss for words.

Maybe I should really try to improve my speaking skills in the future.

However, the system probably can't help much. Most of the eloquence talents in Kingdom Come: Deliverance are related to trading, and the others are things like battle cries.

On the contrary, the abilities that could truly be used for negotiation came from academic advancement, while Henry himself was a commoner from the feudal world.

That's about it.

Henry could only nod in the end.

"His situation is rather special."

"Having retained his human psychology, he does not actively spread pollution, nor is he controlled by Nerd."

"In a sense, he possesses the essence of a demon, but he can still be considered human in a broad sense."

Cass did not respond immediately.

He picked up the metal water glass beside him and let the liquid swirl inside the glass, the foam rising and then breaking.

A bitter smell emanated from it.

"Knight, do you know how many self-proclaimed extraordinary individuals throughout the history of the empire have uttered such words?"

"They always think they can control chaos."

"They thought they were smart enough and determined enough to take power from the warp and return safely."

"And then?"

"Most of them became corpses on the altar, while the rest became new enemies of the empire, which in turn drained the empire's strength."

Henry had no way to refute it; Cass was telling the truth.

The gifts of the warp are always fraught with traps. The evil gods hold absolute power in the transactions, and no mortal can gain an advantage from them.

"Sir Henry! You don't even know what a demon is! You underestimate demons!"

"On the contrary, I know very well what the devil means."

Henry's sudden loud reply softened Cass's momentum.

"My hometown was destroyed by a fool who wanted to become a demon."

"For this he killed his own children, so that their souls would be controlled by evil gods for eternity."

"I survived because of hatred, and that's why I'm here."

Henry's eyes were burning.

Subtle, almost imperceptible ripples appeared in the reality around him, spreading outwards.

"But right now you're doing everything you can to protect a warp monster."

Hatred should be directed at sin itself, not at the blood spilled on the robes of the innocent; it should be a force, not a reason for depravity.

Cass chuckled.

"Your words sound like those of an old-fashioned knight from ancient times, but I've never heard of a knight standing up to defend a demon."

Anastasius did not consider himself a demon.

Henry said.

He still considers himself a human being.

"You can monitor him, study him, and he is willing to prove with his own existence that he is not controlled by chaos."

"I don't want to!"

Suddenly a shout came from outside.

Henry reached back to the edge of the table.

An ear suddenly appeared there.

But then Henry clenched his five fingers.

"ah--!"

The screams from outside came again.

"continue."

Henry casually withdrew his hand.

"He just needs some time to adjust to the difference in status, and his kindness will lead him to the right path."

Cass remained silent for a moment.

"Have you considered another possibility? Perhaps he is simply a more hidden, special variant. A chaotic entity that is still in a dormant phase and has not yet shown any destructive intent."

"Of course I know!"

Henry said.

"I will help you monitor him."

"But at least for now, he's safer than a mutated rat."

"Even his body is far more harmless than you imagine."

"In fact, his flesh and blood are not only harmless, but can also serve as food for mortals."

Cass frowned.

"What did you say?"

"I've tested it."

"You've experimented with him?"

"We just need to determine the level of danger."

Henry answered.

"And he himself did not object at the time."

A few seconds of silence followed, then Anastasius's grief-stricken voice could be heard.

"When did I ever agree to that!"

Henry reached out his hand.

The ear on the table was pressed down again.

"..."

Cass was at a loss for words; all he could feel was his head throbbing more and more…

This negotiation was not very meaningful; only those with military power can hold the power of discourse.

The fate of the demon named Anastasius is not important; for Cass, what matters more is Henry.

He knew that Henry's attitude was the only purpose of his trip.

"Forget it, the upper echelons don't need another devil like him these days."

"There are always some fools who are easily lured into joining cults. New demons appear every day, and the problems they cause to ships are much greater than those caused by a low-level demon."

Henry looked at him.

"So you agreed?"

"I can allow him to return to the upper levels."

"Cass said."

"But he must be monitored. He needs to be isolated and tested."

"If any abnormalities occur..."

He didn't continue, but his meaning was clear.

"I can kill him myself."

Cass picked up a document from the table.

"In exchange, knight."

"I need your help with something."

Henry looked at him.

"What do you want me to do?"

Cass did not answer immediately.

He simply stared at the map on the table, which marked the structure of the entire merchant ship.

Most of these areas are now covered by red markers.

"You should have already figured it out."

"The condition of this ship is worse than anyone expected."

"Is it because the armed forces are almost exhausted?" Henry replied.

Cass gave a wry smile.

"Even worse."

"Soon, we will abandon our plan to retake the lower area and then close all passages leading down there."

……