Moonlight.

Gobi.

The lion and the wolf.

……

Without a doubt, this is the most serious, loyal, and rational combination.

Isn't it?

——————

In the days of the past, the wolf shepherd had met and talked with his brother from Caliban: not much, and not much of a harmony, but not bad,

For Horus, a conversation with Johnson was like letting a warm spring breeze gently beat against a rock, futile.

For the most part, his so-called conversation with the Dark Angel's genetic protogens is simply conveying mutual disunderstanding, distrust, and disinterest.

Until then, the knight king, who had emerged from the deepest woods of the Caliban, had been a gap in the wolf herder's proud network of brotherhood: Horus had always strived to build friendships with each of his brothers, even if it was only superficial harmony and harmony, and his work had been successful until he met Johnson.

Forgrim, St. Giles, and Motarian regard him as close friends, while Riemanrus from Fenris respects him, and Dorne, who has never been able to handle it, trusts him, and the other Origin brothers have mostly trust, respect, and even reverence for the wolf shepherd.

Even the Lord of Otlama who had written his ambitions on the Blue Throne would not have any overt disobedience to him: of course, Horus had always wondered if he would constantly laugh at the name of the wolf shepherd and Horus's loyalty to the Emperor when he was cowering in the shadows of the Five Hundred Worlds, contemplating his dreams of Alexander the Great.

Well......

Horus felt that he could not ignore the possibilities.

The Wolf Shepherd had always had doubts about the Lord of the Ultramarines, about his legion, about his kingdom within a state, about the rustling quill in Gilliman's hand......

Someday, they will bring trouble.

Horus was convinced.

But even if it was Killiman, compared to the Caliban lion in front of him, who was walking slowly and had a frosty face, he suddenly looked a lot cuter.

After all, Killeman was only a little annoyed, and Johnson ......

The wolf wagging his neck slowly, he wouldn't reveal it to even his closest heirs: he instinctively felt nervous when he met the master of the Dark Angels: even the most powerful and terrifying opponents he had ever faced in the Great Expedition would not make the wolf herder nervous.

But Johnson, yes.

When he met the lion's cold turquoise pupils, Horus would even believe that Johnson would not hesitate to kill any of his brothers, even the wolf shepherd, if he needed to: the Caliban would not hesitate for a moment.

It was this kind of look, this thought, that made Horus feel nervous, even a trace of impossible fear: the mere thought of the possibility of fratricidal brotherhood was enough to make Horus tremble like a child, and the light reflected in Johnson's eyes, which was enough to be determined to kill his brother, made the wolf shepherd feel almost confused.

……

He hoped it was his delusion.

Horus sighed in his heart, maintaining the perfect smile on his face, and softly encouraging the heirs who were obviously still a little low, until they puffed up their chests, and the wolf herder slowly led the team forward to meet with the dark angels who were approaching here at high speed.

"Johnson! My brother, my Randan killer! ”

Before the two genetics could get within reach of being able to hug, the wolf shepherd opened his arms early, and he greeted the knight king of Caliban loudly in a cheerful tone that anyone could hear.

The wolf shepherd was full of enthusiasm and exuded the purest family affection: although Horus always had his own thoughts and worries, he still had the purest affection and friendliness for each of his brothers, just as he had sworn to the emperor, that he would be the friend of every brother.

Even if it's Johnson.

The wolf god knew that his Caliban brothers did not like him, but he could also swear to the emperor's throne, and Johnson's relationship with him was only cold at best.

Horus knew that Johnson was cold to him, and he knew that the Lion King of Caliban was like that to any brother: to be honest, the wolf shepherd could not have imagined what Johnson would look like when he showed kindness, trust, and connivance to a man.

Such a scene......

Probably like a well-mannered, suit-and-leather shoes, drunk-not-drinker, and vegetarian Riemanrus......

The wolf wrangler's brain imagined such a scene: it brought more and more joyful smiles to his face, and he marched towards Johnson with his stride.

He laughed.

And then.

He couldn't laugh anymore.

From seeing from afar, to advancing long enough to hug, it was a matter of time for the genotype: and the wolf herdsman had been happily spreading his arms all the time, longing for a hug.

But even when he walked in front of the knight king of Caliban, only Johnson's indifferent face responded to him.

On the lion king's face, the horizontal eyebrows were coldly raised.

Suddenly, when the air in front of the two genetic prototypes fell into a cold freeze, both the Shadow Moon Wolf and the Dark Angel fell into a silence that made them tense.

But fortunately, the wolf shepherd did not let this silence last, he still kept a smile on his face, gently moved his shoulders, and let his arms slowly slide down: as if he had just felt the soreness of his arms, and wanted to move his shoulders slightly.

And the moment his right hand slowly fell, Horus even allowed his fingers to stretch forward visibly: but in the face of this silent handshake proposal, Johnson's only answer was almost sculptural silence and coldness, his hands resting on the hilt and waist of his sword, motionless.

Horus's color changed, but he still smiled and brought up the first topic.

"It makes me happy to see you safe and sound, Johnson, my brother, my Ran Dan killer, we haven't seen each other for a while, and I can't even imagine that you and your legion have single-handedly created such a great feat during this period of time."

The voice of the wolf shepherd god was as loud as thunder, so that every warrior and mortal present could hear it clearly: in this seemingly unintentional greeting, Horus skillfully publicized the great achievements of the Randan War for his brother.

At this point, Horus is indeed envious and even admires Johnson: Johnson has done what the wolf god dreamed of, and no insider can deny that the final victory of the Randan Empire is an unprecedented monument since the beginning of the Great Expedition, and the merits of Johnson and the Dark Angel in this are undeniably deserved.

Johnson is the destroyer of Ran Dan.

Even the emperor could not deny this ironclad fact.

And in the face of the enthusiasm of the wolf herding god, Johnson's response was as cold as iron.

"Don't waste time here, my brother, the war with Ran Dan is over, and only tedious sweeps remain, except for the summary and reasoning of experience, it has no value to be mentioned again."

"And it's not a victory for me alone, it belongs to everyone else."

"You know, right?"

Unlike the sun-like voice of the wolf herder, the Caliban's voice was low and hoarse, resounding of a recent return from the brink of blood and death, like a sharp Hidden Blade hidden under armor and shields, and with Johnson's cold countenance and slow movements, it approached Horus's throat little by little.

"Horus, my brother."

Johnson slowly spat out words that only two genetic protogens could hear, in his deepest voice: this was his last and only etiquette.

"I'm busy, Horus."

"I'm very busy."

"I don't know what Ran Dan means to you, and I don't want to know, in my opinion, it's just a war, a war that can't be said to be won: don't mention it anymore, it's not worth showing off and analyzing, it's just the duty that any warrior should be able to do."

"That's the task the Emperor has given me, the expectations and orders he has given me, and all I have to do is to complete it, then rest, and wait for the next order."

"But now, someone has thwarted this natural order, and one of my brothers has taken the most important brain of the Dark Angel, so that my legion cannot be in the best condition for the rest and replenishment."

"Horus, my brother."

"I'm busy, I don't have time for all that red tape, and I don't have time to get angry and argue with you, let's open the skylight and talk to each other."

The Lion King seemed to sigh, and seemed to speak categorically, his turquoise pupils reflecting the light, and also reflecting the somewhat stiff face of the wolf god.

Johnson lowered his tone and spoke his final words to Horus in a tone that bordered on whispering.

Or rather, the command.

——————

"I don't want to quarrel with you, or play on useless words, I just want my things back, Horus, that is the mission and responsibility given to me by the Emperor, and I must maintain them."

"Something, destined to belong to the First Legion and true warriors, and not to your bombastic innate possessiveness, Horus, I hope you remember."

"Even the most prosperous moonlight does not shine into the depths of the forest."

"You can learn from our father and be a sun, Horus, but you must know and understand that there are beings who prefer only shadows and darkness to the sun."

"So, now."

"Where is she?"

"Give her back to me."

——————

Looking at the somewhat stiff smile of the wolf god, Johnson did not engage in more vain feelings with his brother: his brain and heart were tired from the long war, so tired that he no longer wanted to care about anything.

Meet the Emperor, take back the de facto archsteward of the Dark Angel, and then lead the legion back to the familiar Caliban, the familiar darkness, for a long rest and replenishment, and wait for the next order from the Emperor.

That's all the Lord of the Dark Angels wants to do right now.

Victory, glory, triumph, the mind under the mask, or the troublesome brotherhood......

Let them be, Johnson doesn't care about these things now, he just wants to go back to the jungle of Caliban, to the Legion Monastery that used to be his fortress, and sit on that cold stone chair, with Morgan on one side and Luthor and Coswayne on the other: just the four of them, they can manage the entire Dark Angel Legion.

…… Ah, right.

He also had to prepare a room for Morgan in Caliban's castle: an exaggerated bookshelf, a vessel for winemaking, a large wooden barrel, and a soft hanging chair on which she liked to rest.

Although Morgan never said it, Johnson knew exactly what she liked: as the knight king of Caliban said, when Morgan was observing him, he was also watching Morgan.

As for these things, leave it to Luthor to do, he can always be trusted.

When the name of his most trusted left hand appeared in his mind, Johnson's face couldn't help but soften.

Then he saw the smile that had risen again on Horus's face.

——————

The wolf god smiled.

Laugh out loud.

The laughter was so happy that it even made the Shadowmoon Wolves secretly wonder if the cold-looking Lord of the Dark Angels was actually talking witticisms to his father with a cold face on the surface.

Horus smiled and was active, and once again he opened his arms and embraced him warmly against his brother's cold gaze that was enough to kill.

Johnson...... Johnson ......"

"My brother."

The wolf god's words also became muffled, mixed with his laughter.

"I'd love to do that."

"I swear I will try to remember your advice and good words."

"But there's one thing, you're going to be disappointed."

He smiled, and in Johnson's field of vision, that smile turned into a certain cunning.

"You can't take her, brother."

"You're right, our blood relative Morgan, she doesn't belong to me, it's rightly true."

"But she doesn't belong to you either, Johnson."

"She belongs to the emperor and belongs to the empire."

"It's part of our family, not any one individual."

Horus whispered to his brother, about something Johnson had forgotten.

"She doesn't belong to your legion, brother."

"She's a primordial."

"A genoplasm."

"Now, behind me, our blood relatives are recognizing our father."

"She will soon return, to us, to her Astarte Legion, and she will shoulder her tasks and responsibilities and embark on the path of the Great Expedition alone."

"You can't take her, brother."

Horus patted Johnson on the shoulder.

"Nobody has that power."

——————

For a moment, the wolf shepherd even regretted something: why didn't his father give him the ability to remember?

Because, Johnson's face at this time is very, very interesting: Horus can even swear that for a moment, the moment he told the identity of Morgan's original body, a look that can be called [Honkai] flashed on Johnson's face.

It was enough to make Horus laugh.

In fact, he's laughing.

"You won't forget, will you, Johnson?"

"She's a primordial, not your second-in-command."

“……”

Johnson was silent, his silence like the collapse of an iceberg.

However, the knight king of Caliban, naturally not a task that would make any outsider see his move, it only took him an instant to kill his own misconception, and make his face cold again: this was not even observed by anyone except Horus.

“…… Of course I remember, Horus. ”

The Lion King raised his head, his tone arrogant and unquestionable.

"I knew from the beginning, I remembered from the beginning: because it was the task given to me by the Emperor, a task that belonged only to me, he gave Morgan to me, and ordered me to lead her in all things war and empire."

“…… With you...... Learn? ”

"Yes, learn from me, learn about fighting and war, learn about building and rule, learn about management and reason, learn how to get along with other people, make alliances and friendships."

"I taught her, how to win, how to rule the legions, and most importantly, how to make countless friends and friendships like me."

When Johnson said this, he was proud: proud.

——————

……

Poof-

No, no, no, can't laugh, can't laugh.

You can't laugh, Horus.

——————

Wielding the willpower to shake the mountains and the rift, Horus commanded his countenance to remain tense: to outsiders, it looked as if he was going to face a tough battle.

Where no one could see, the wolf god clenched his fists and poured out all the power that longed to laugh.

One second, two seconds, three seconds......

"Whew-"

Finally, he breathed a sigh of relief and put on some overly obvious happy face.

"I'm amazed, Johnson."

"I never knew you would do this."

Zhuang Sen bowed his head and looked serious.

Horus, on the other hand, continued his boasting, but soon, his words changed.

"But ......"

"You don't have to worry about these things."

"Because from now on, the Emperor has commanded me to teach Morgan."

——————

Temperatures plummeted.

——————

“……”

From silence to anger, it only takes the most brief sentence, a moment.

"What are you talking about? Horus? ”

"I know you value Morgan ......"

"Not this!"

The lion king's roar was like a thunderbolt tearing through the sky, causing everyone to involuntarily clench their weapons.

"That's the Emperor's mission for me!"

"Horus!"

"Don't interfere with my mission, go and carry out yours!"

Even the most angry lion could not match even the slightest roar of Johnson now, and his eyes widened with rage, and he mercilessly allowed his anger to roar unbridled at the provocation: even if the target of the roaring was the wolf herder.

"But the emperor has given me the task now, and now, this is the task given to me by my father, my brother Johnson."

Horus's face was as usual, Johnson's anger did not shake him even a little, and he would not back down at this time.

Morgan, it doesn't matter.

But Morgan means something important.

In the hearts of the two primitives, there was one thing that was far more important than Morgan.

That was the emperor's order.

That means trust, it means duty, it means that the Lord of Humanity takes a fancy to them, and that they are committed to the Lord of Humanity.

[Teach Morgan]: This is an order from the Lord of Mankind, and it was first given to Johnson, and now to Horus, but the problem is that Johnson does not know it.

In the eyes of the Lion King, Horus snatched his mission without permission: it didn't matter what the task was, but it was a provocation.

The most serious provocation.

"That's my mission! It's a mission given to me by the Emperor! Horus! Don't meddle with it! ”

The wolf god snorted lightly: Maybe others will be frightened and unbelievable by the sudden anger of the Lord of the Dark Angels, but Horus will not, he has collected some information about this brother, and he knows what kind of character Johnson will be in normal times.

Moreover, he has nothing to fear.

"It's your job, but that's the past, Johnson."

"During the time you were unconscious, the Emperor gave me the task."

“……”

Johnson was silent, he breathed heavily, and carefully observed the open face of the wolf herder.

After a while, he spoke slowly.

"I won't admit it until the Emperor speaks himself."

"Are you doubting me? Johnson? ”

"It's just the most basic security measures."

The Lord of the Dark Angels snorted, his countenance gloomy once more.

"She's in there?"

"Yes, and our father."

Horus smiled, and Johnson watched his smile coldly.

"Do you know how powerful she is? Horus? ”

"Hahaha......"

"Of course, my brother, she's a very good psyker, and she's almost as powerful as mine."

“……”

It seems that he does not know.

The lion sneered in his heart.

——————

When Morgan walked out of the shadows alone with the gift, she saw Horus and Johnson for the first time.

They had been waiting at the door for some time: the wolf shepherd did not hesitate in the slightest, he strode forward, and greeted Morgan, but Johnson seemed to be a little hesitant and hesitant, and he walked slowly, no different from usual.

"How's your conversation with your father, Morgan?"

Horus's first words silenced Morgan, who smiled somewhat reluctantly at the wolf herder, replied softly, and after a few small talks, they walked together in front of Johnson.

Horus easily captures the conversation of his two blood relatives.

[Awake? 】

“……”

What about the Legion? 】

"Cowes is managing, he is not very good at managing, he is not at the level."

[He needs to rest, his working hours and you are at the same level. 】

"I'll think about it."

[Hmm...... Can you bear it? 】

Morgan cast a silent gaze.

The lion king met the glimmer of gaze.

He didn't speak, but nodded.

——————

Horus touched his chin.

Morgan didn't lie to him: the poor relationship was hardly even a partner, and he couldn't see any emotions of friendship.

The wolf god smiled, and he walked over to the two of them, naturally blending into the conversation.

He spoke.

"Is that a gift from your father? Morgan? ”

The Spider Empress seemed stunned for a moment......

【……】

[According to him, yes.] 】

Morgan's words were a little dry: a shocking gift from the father of genes had knocked down her brain a little, and even that instinctive observation was suppressed.

Horus smiled, and he remembered a lot of things: a gift, a gift from the emperor......

The legion, the thirty years, the promise that Sagittarius symbolizes.

The shepherd wolf couldn't help but speak slowly.

"Cherish it, Morgan."

"That is your father's love for you, the embodiment of your position and grace in his heart, and the most powerful promise of how much affection and affection he will pour out for you."

"That means what you look like and what you have in your father's mind."

"That's his favor and promise to you, the most precious thing you'll ever get."

The words of the wolf shepherd god were low and gentle, enough to make anyone's face blow.

【……】

…… Except for Morgan.

Her complexion ...... It didn't seem to look very good, but it showed a smile that made Horus brow a little uneasily.

Johnson glanced at his brother.

He wanted to laugh.

Could it be that in Horus's heart, the gift is simply doting and pampering?

The Lion King even remembered the gifts the Emperor had given him: duty, war, the most important and difficult life and death in the galaxy.

He gave himself: it was trust, a heavy trust, countless times thicker than the ethereal so-called family affection.

Horus still didn't understand Morgan, and he didn't understand the emperor either.

This poor fellow.

In his heart, Johnson sighed.

Then, he stepped forward.

"You really should cherish it, Morgan."

"The gift that your father has given you is his expectation of you, the concentrated embodiment of the power you can exert in his heart, the concentrated embodiment of the responsibility you can get, and the best position you will get in his planning."

"That's his positioning and expectation for you, and it's a statement and announcement of your future."

【……】

“……”

“……”

【……】

【…… Oh, yes. 】

Faintly, there seemed to be the sound of fingernails scratching the box.

(End of chapter)