Warhammer: Empire Reboot

"So you lived out his value."

Lawson pinned the medal on.

"Remember it."

"The glory of nobility is not the number of names lying in the ancestral graves."

"It's about who you're willing to stand for until the very end."

Armand gritted his teeth.

"Yes, my lord."

Lawson continued walking.

Medals were awarded one by one.

After Lawson walked to the front of the line, the cornerstone sequence unfolded the second tray.

Above is a folded banner.

The flag is deep red with black and gold edges.

When unfolded, the inscriptions on top are in Imperial High Gothic and Low Gothic scripts side by side:

[Terra Corona Guard, Seventh Highland Defenders.]

The name of nobility must be proven by sacrifice.

The Empire will not forget.

On the platform, many young nobles finally couldn't hold back any longer.

Aurelia stared at the flag, her breath catching in her throat.

They came from Terra with the intention of taking honor back with them.

Back then, honors were medals, records, portraits in the family hall, nods of approval from elders, and envious glances from peers.

This flag is too heavy now.

It was so heavy that they didn't dare reach out to take it right away.

Because it doesn't just belong to the living.

It also belongs to Victor.

It belongs to the Bloch family.

It belongs to the countess girl who shoved the gun into the orc's mouth.

They belonged to the soldiers who did not live to see the arrival of the Bear Guard on the Seventh Highland.

Lawson handed the banner to Aurelia.

“Bring it back to Terra.”

“Tell those who sit in high halls talking about war that the Vigilant Star is not a gilded plaque.”

"And let them know that you so-called young masters and ladies have not disgraced Terra."

Aurelia accepted the banner with both hands.

"Yes, my lord."

In the queue, a young nobleman suddenly raised his hand and fiercely wiped the corner of his eye.

The person next to him whispered angrily, "Your crying is so embarrassing."

The man retorted, "Shut up, you're snotty."

The two spoke very softly.

But it was still heard by quite a few people.

Lawson heard it too.

It's not shameful for a young person to survive a pile of corpses and still be able to cry for the dead.

After the awarding ceremony, Lawson retreated back onto the steps.

"The Corona Guard will return to Terra."

"The Vigilant Star route remains risky. Chaos remnants, alien raiders, and warp storms could all occur on the return journey."

"I will send six combat personnel to accompany me to provide navigation, communications, emergency evacuation and battlefield support."

Aurelia immediately bowed.

"Thank you, Master of the Seal."

The review should have ended.

The escorting combat unit was already waiting on the other side of the platform.

However, Aurelia did not immediately return to the team.

She stood there, as if she were fighting a small battle with herself.

Lawson could tell she had something to say.

"Is there anything else?"

Aurelia's ears turned red.

This noble lady, who had once led her remaining troops in a counter-charge on the Seventh Highlands, now seemed even more nervous than when facing the orc leader.

She took a deep breath.

“Your Excellency, I have a personal request.”

"explain."

"I……"

She paused for a moment, her fingers gripping the edge of the banner tightly.

Armand, standing behind him, glanced away, pretending he hadn't heard anything.

Aurelia continued, "I want to... ask for a hug."

The platform was silent for a moment.

Among the members of the Corona Guard team, several young people almost couldn't keep their expressions down.

Armand looked down at the tips of his boots, his lips barely concealing a smile.

Lawson laughed.

"That's it?"

Aurelia blushed even more, but still stood ramrod straight.

"Yes, my lord."

Lawson took a step forward.

"can."

Aurelia seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

She handed the banner to Armand and walked up to Losen.

Lawson opened his arms and gave her a gentle hug.

Aurelia's forehead briefly touched the front of Lawson's uniform.

She smelled metal, gunpowder smoke, and a faint scent of cold fire.

She closed her eyes briefly, then quickly released her grip, stepped back, and bowed again.

"Thank you, sir."

Lawson nodded: "Get back to Terra alive."

"I will."

She turned and went back to the queue.

As Armand handed the banner back to her, he said in a low voice, "Miss Vane, you owe us all an explanation now."

Aurelia kept her eyes straight ahead.

"Shut up, Valmont."

"Yes, acting commander."

The wind pressure stirred up dust.

The sun flag was still visible before the hatch closed.

Aurelia held the newly awarded banner in her arms.

She looked out the porthole at the warning star, at Saint Harbor, and at the Dark Hand of the Shattered One standing on the platform.

Then, she placed her hand on the medal on her chest.

This time, she didn't try to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.

------------

After the various interstellar chapters left one after another, Vigilant Star finally quieted down.

Compared to the days when the Greenskins, Chaos, and the Cunning Brutes tore this planet apart, Vigilant Planet is now like a giant beast that has just climbed down from the slaughterhouse and can finally breathe again.

That's why many eyes were turned away.

Lawson, meanwhile, remained in Saint Harbor's wartime command center, continuing to suppress the reconstruction of Vigilant Star.

No one noticed that there were some lighter footsteps in the shadow of the warning star.

A team of Eldar assassins traversed the war-torn hive city's inner layers, following long-forgotten ancient passages, and entered the Spire Roots beneath Saint Harbor.

Their armor features long, slender lines, ancient inscriptions, and psionic runes that flow like cold light across their shoulder and arm guards.

At the very front of the group was a silver-haired female warrior.

She was tall with a tight waist, and her armor fit her body perfectly, resembling both ceremonial armor and a second skin designed for slaughter.