Coetzes let out a grotesque near-death laugh.

He was laughing, he was crying, he looked at the broken sculpture, and for a moment, the Lord of the Night was convinced that he had seen something inside beneath the pure white exterior—

That's the truth about something called "St. Giles."

Archangel...... Archangel......

Conrad struggled, why didn't you listen to me, why did you voluntarily go into the abyss?

He giggled, he deserved it, he deserved it.

Right now...... He looked at the broken deity who was struggling in the apparition...... This is the whisper of Conrad Coz, every minute and every second.

…… Shatter, O angel.

Conrad Coetze shed tears and whined again, as if he were singing an elegy for his brother.

…… He's right, but Koz doesn't want to be right.

——————————

You feel suffocated.

Suffocating, ridiculous, unbelievable.

Looking down the river, the bright morning sun of Baal became the light on the blade of vengeance, and there he was when you saw him.

Horus Lupecar, your best friend.

You are recognized as the best friends in the Primordial Body.

You don't know that if fate follows the original river, Motarian who admires Horus will sigh with jealousy of your relationship with Horus.

But in addition to this, he is also the legion commander of the Sons of Horus, he is the eldest son of all people, he is the commander of the war, and he is the most trusted person of the Emperor.

He is the Emperor's most trusted primordial body, and there is no one.

He's sitting there, sitting at the strategy table where you've been talking to him at length, and he's looking tired, tired—he's had had a lot more to bear than you did in the beginning.

He......

You stare at his back,

He's hurt.

You know he's hurt, you smell blood, but you don't see the obvious wound in his back, and the strong smell of blood tuggs at you, with the bitterness of winter, which makes you feel even more uneasy.

You lift your feet and try to walk cautiously over there.

[Horus? 】

You ask softly, but he doesn't answer your call, so you raise your voice again and speak cautiously,

[Horus? 】

【…… Emperor,]

Horus spoke, his voice hoarse, like a lost soul, like a lost dog.

You walk up behind him and see the commander in light armor, playing with two rings in his hand.

You know them, they were gifts from the Emperor to Horus.

The clay ring had cracked, ominous fissures clinging to it, and the gold ring was dim.

You realize that these two rings must have protected Horus a few times in some way, but now they can't carry it either.

You stare at Horus, and you feel like he's being ...... Infected? Or something else, Horus has more than just an aura in him.

But it could also be that you are suspicious.

Horus stroked the two rings, and there was something in his tone that made you feel chilled.

You build the empire, you overthrow the truth of the empire, you spread the faith of the god emperor.

You don't know which of them is acceptable to Horus.

【…… St. Giles. 】

Horus whispered, his hoarse tone hiding the things you can't face—disappointment, sadness, despair, anger...... You can't try to tell them apart.

Horus gently stroked the crack in the ring, as if recalling a thrilling scene.

【…… O St. Giles,]

The wolf god lamented and prayed,

[What I'm sticking to is really just a joke? 】

Horus spoke softly, breathing heavily, and he put back on the two rings he had played, and stood up resolutely.

You subconsciously take a step back.

You watch Horus come towards you, but his eyes don't reflect your wings, you're just a prophesied illusion, and at this moment, Horus is real, and you, you're a futile passerby.

No, you are the executioner who caused this scene.

Horus stood stiffly on the thick woolen blanket of his study, the intricate Gutera patterns glittering in the light.

You look at all this in amazement, is he really Horus? Or is it just a demon who mimics his appearance?

Horus stood still, his weary and dodgy gaze regaining clarity and firmness for a moment, and Horus turned his back to you again, as if he were facing something else, something else that you could not see.

[Father,]

Horus speaks, and now you realize what Horus is doing.

[Do you really want to give me the name of the commander? I do not question your bravery and wisdom, and I know that I am the most outstanding of my nineteen brothers,]

[But I still feel uneasy, that uneasiness has been hanging over me like a mist in the night, like a mourning crow standing in front of my window, crying, I feel a little uneasy about my own existence, I can be the most outstanding being among the nineteen warriors, but I am not sure that I will be a good general. 】

Horus was silent and silent, of course you know what it was, the emperor stood in front of his favorite heir, comforting his child.

For a moment, you feel a little sick.

The Emperor - Does the Emperor know this?

It is a mistake to think that he handed over an empire destined to collapse to the child who most expected to satisfy his ambitions, and that the cornerstone of this empire was even a lie.

You don't know how the Emperor comforted Horus, but you can imagine those frivolous words, and even more, ethereal promises, covering the heaviness of an empire with a few words of his own.

You stare at Horus, he's still continuing the show, Horus is the most innocent presence in this game, and you're starting to hate the emperor a little,

He personally pushed a soul loyal to him to the gallows.

You don't know the Emperor's final order to Hades, you only know that he ordered Horus to stand on the edge of the cliff.

After a brief silence, Horus smiled with relief, the smile on his lips was so sincere that he couldn't see much bitterness,

[I will, father, I will—I swear by the soul and life of Horus Lupecar, I will assume the name of the commander, I will lead the empire to a more glorious ten thousand years, and I will not disappoint your expectations. 】

Horus smiled, and you could already imagine the words of the man across from him, nothing more than nothing, empty promises.

You look at Horus, you look at him, your dear friend, you look at him, rejoice, he stands in the eyes of the whole galaxy, he wears a laurel wreath on his head, he takes the empire from his father's hands with joy, he is gearing up, he is hesitant, the great expedition is coming to an end, a more glorious future is coming, oh my God, how can he not rejoice?

He looked at the empire in his hands with joy, and tried to manipulate it like a child, believing that he would soon be able to get his hands on it, for he knew that he was the most outstanding being.

And then—

Syllable.

The masterpiece slipped from his hand and fell to the ground, shattered.

Horus collapsed.

Horus, who had just been recalling the repetition of his communication with the Emperor, collapsed to the ground, clutching his head in pain, struggling, whimpering, and overwhelmed by great self-reproach and guilt.

He's definitely struggled, he's definitely tried, but it's not a situation that a protomorph can turn around.

Because he has struggled, because he has worked hard, therefore, his despair at the moment is more and more unforgettable.

【…… No ......]

Horus whimpered quietly,

【…… No...... Peturabo...... No...... You can't...... Luojia ...... No... Alpha... No, no, no... Fogen ...... Magnus ...... No?! Magnus – Ruth!! 】

Horus uttered intermittent idiots, you hear the names of your brothers, you hear the names of the planets and the worlds, you hear some ...... The name of the devil, hear the name of the emperor.

The smell of blood on the tip of your nose is even stronger.

In a trance, the light dimmed for a moment, and you saw blood—

Blood...... Blood oozed from Horus's feet, and they clung to the stalls, and the blasphemous characters centered on the commander were written in blood.

That's a monster playing drama towards you.

You blink, and Horus is still wailing there, but the carpet is neat and clean.

You listen to his wails of pain, you can't help but walk over, you crouch down and wrap one of your wings around his back.

【Horus,】

You say firmly,

[It's not your fault.] 】

You know you're just a phantom, you can't interfere with him, you can only try in vain to comfort him—or comfort yourself.

But he looked up,

Horus stares straight at you.

You feel goosebumps climb up your spine,

Then why did you betray me, St. Giles? 】

Horus's eyes don't blink, he stares at you deadly, the whites of his eyes are bloodshot,

Your nose twitches again, and you smell blood - is he really Horus? Would Horus say such a thing to you?

No...... He will.

St. Giles thought that he would.

Horus's eyes were full of resentment,

[Second Reich? You...... You turned your back on us like that? Is your new kingdom built on the corpse of an empire? Do you think some of the beings have passed away? What do you think ......]

Horus sighed deeply,

【…… You think I'm a failure, right? 】

Horus asked incredulously,

This is Horus, and you feel like you're sure of that again, only Horus would ask,

You feel your mouth dry, you swallow a mouthful of saliva, you feel grit running through your throat.

[No ......]

You subconsciously retort that you try to lighten your words as much as possible,

Horus ...... Horus...... It's just a temporary organization, I ...... I can't get in touch with you, we've been waiting for your return. 】

[I—am I going to be the one who betrayed our father?] 】

[No, it's not,]

You quickly add, "This is...... It's just a helpless move, we've been working hard, and I've been waiting for news from the Empire and you. 】

You watch Horus sigh again like a dying man, and you realize that your words are still increasing the pressure on him—your presence, your words, your words that shirk your responsibilities, are also increasing the pressure on him.

You, your empire, your Knight Chief, your Inquisitor, are constantly reminding Horus of his dereliction of duty.

But, the truth is that the commander was indeed derelict in his duties.

He didn't keep the empire - but was it really Horus' responsibility alone?

You pause and change to a slightly brisk voice,

What do you want to do next, Horus? 】

Horus stares at you, he trembles, there is hatred and incomprehension of you in his eyes, there is collapse and despair, there is the dead silence after the hopeless struggle of dying and struggling, he stares at you tightly, opening his mouth slightly,

Your intellect tells you that Horus will say that he will judge you.

He will at least punish you for your actions, and the Horus you know is proud, and you are close friends, and he will suffer even more for it.

But Horus said, he said,

The wolf god sighed wearily,

【…… I can't forgive you. 】

【…… But I can't forgive myself. 】

Horus's gaze shifts as he stares at you, and after a brief moment of stubbornness and anger, a long weary aftermath remains.

[I just want to ......]

Horus sighed,

【…… I just want to sleep for a while. 】

And then try to understand that this is a mad, broken world.

You feel that something is wrong, you start to get a little anxious, you know what Horus is in now, he can't sleep, he has to build a high wall in his mind to resist the whispers of the devil,

[You can't sleep. 】

You resolutely say,

You can't sleep, Lupecar, you must let your consciousness occupy all of your time—you can't give up. 】

Horus looks at you, you look at him, you see his evasive, restless gaze, he is not aggressive, and in this matter, Horus in turn stabs St. Giles with his surrender-like attitude.

At that moment you realize that the Horus in front of you can't hold on,

His body was badly wounded, his soul could hardly accept the facts, and he could no longer walk.

He just needed a little rest - but the world wouldn't give him even a second.

He doesn't believe you, you don't know, if it's because of his nature, or if he sees something in the subspace.

He uses his gaze to tell you that he is going to put his consciousness in a coma.

Horus shook his head weakly,

【…… I can't do it anymore, angel...... I can't do it anymore. 】

Horus blinked slowly, he was sleepy, he was sleepy at an alarming speed, you felt his body about to collapse in your wings, you heard those rising whispers,

You try to persuade him, but you suddenly realize,

Is this really Horus?

Is that wolf shepherd god you know?

He gave up so easily?

And after you've done all this, he still calls you an "angel"?

You frown, and the smell of blood returns,

You slowly put your hands on your waist and grasp your sword,

You are not Horus. 】

Who the hell are you? 】

Before you could finish speaking, the lights in the whole study suddenly went out, and you saw a monster with blasphemous writing written in blood at his feet, and he held the broken ashes in his hands, and you stared at him, staring at him, trying to make out something.

You let out a sharp breath, and the sword in your hand did not tremble.

Now, if you think about it, it doesn't matter if he's Horus or not.

It doesn't matter which side is an illusion.

You shout as you stab the monster with your sword in your hand, you just need to make sure you kill it,

Serve, must, kill, die, it.

Knots, bundles, he, of, pain, suffering.

[O God Emperor! Give your offspring strength! 】

The blinding light flooded everything, and you knew you were about to wake up from your dream, and at the last moment, you saw the dying monster, and you saw the dying Horus.

True and false, illusion and reality, you fall out of the dream.

————————

Coetzes pounced,

[You hurt him!] Why are you-]

St. Giles slowly stood up, his hand in Coetze's mouth cleanly severing Conrad's newly grown mandible.

[It's just an illusion,]

St. Giles said calmly, and he made his conclusion,

[I have made my ruling, and now, Conrad, it is time for you to make good on your promise. 】

Conrad covered his mouth with a whimper, tears streaming from his eyes, he might not have imagined such a cold person in the world,

The Lord of the Night may think that's true.

It's really gone this time, don't wait, it was three shifts yesterday.

No, yes!

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(End of chapter)