[Conrad, are you asleep?] 】

The Spider Empress's words were like arrows soaked in the ice pool of the cold winter of the lunar month, and they were even more piercing than the gloomy atmosphere deliberately created by the Nostramo people.

Even the former Night King, after hearing this voice, couldn't help but jump up from the chair he was crouching in, and instinctively swept the books off the table, leaving only the simplest notebook that could never be mistaken.

And after doing all this, Conrad realized that there didn't seem to be any [illegal items] on his desk: after realizing this, the Nostramo man shook his ears, and his thin face became a little unhappy.

But before he could make a change, the door to the room, which could theoretically resist the fire of the Terminator and could only be opened by Conrad, was flapped aside by the random palm of the Spider Queen's small words, and the tips of Morgan's boots pressed against the thin black line between the room and the corridor, like a territory-seeking lynx blocked in front of a stream.

With the light in the hallway on her back, the pauses, thoughts, playfulness, and the smiling mask that followed on the Spider Queen's face were clearly visible to Conrad, who was staring at her, and she herself was equally undisguised.

[May I come in, Conrad?] 】

She craned her neck slightly, maintaining that false and insincere politeness.

“……”

From the shadows where Conrad was hiding, a vague mutter.

"This is your ship, and you can go wherever you want."

The tone was a little impulsive.

Morgan smiled perfectly and didn't respond, she walked easily into the room, although it was very dim, but in the field of vision of the genetic prototype, it was no different from a square exposed to bright sunlight.

The Genogen glanced at the layout of the room: there were no sofas and coffee tables for entertaining, the main furniture was only the essentials such as beds, bedside tables, tables and chairs, and there were surprisingly many display shelves, which were piled up on the low cabinets next to the bathroom, which served as hangers, wardrobes, and storage cabinets.

In the shadows of the surrounding corners, there are also a large number of objects that are not commonly used, which seem to have a simple classification according to the corners they occupy: for example, in the shadow farthest from the door, there are a large pile of [artworks], most of which are half-carved statues of gargoyles, chimeras, vampire bats, and other monsters, all of which are failures, scarred by impotence and rage to represent renunciation.

"Ahem!"

As if he felt that the gaze of his carrion blood relatives was a little too inquiring, Conrad, who had been standing next to the chair and was a little restrained, coughed heavily, and after attracting Morgan's attention, he thought for a moment and asked in an absent-minded tone.

"What are you going to do?"

[I can't talk to you?] 】

Conrad didn't reply, but his somewhat distorted countenance, and the pale lips that were ready to speak, explained his attitude.

Sensing that Morgan was slowly moving towards his desk, the Nostramo man almost rushed into the shadows behind him, dragged out another chair, wiped it with a speed that Morgan couldn't even see, and presented it directly to the Spider Queen's feet.

"Sit!"

【……】

Morgan's eyes rolled upward, and through the gap at the end of her bangs, she couldn't help but be amused by the rather reluctant smile on Conrad's face.

[Ah, you're sensible.] 】

“……”

Nostramo didn't reply, he waited for Morgan to take his seat, then immediately returned to his seat, then thought about it, and dragged his chair forward again, erecting a veiled wall of flesh between his desk and Morgan's field of vision, keeping his blood relatives away from his table as much as possible.

Although there was nothing illegal on his desk, instinctively, he just didn't want Morgan to get close to his private domain: allowing her to step into the room was the limit, and being close to the table was something that couldn't be thought of.

In this way, the two genogens sat in their seats, so close that the awkward air could gather into a breeze and blow on the cheeks of both men at the same time.

"Is there something wrong?"

Sitting upright in a chair made Conrad feel a little uncomfortable, he was not used to these formal and rigorous sitting postures, which would give him an inexplicable feeling of suffocation.

[I brought a call order. 】

The Spider Empress didn't talk nonsense.

"About me?"

[Of course.] 】

Conrad was silent for a moment.

"Is it my father's?"

[No, it's Johnson's. 】

The Nostramo man raised an eyebrow, his doubts not beyond Morgan's expectations.

[A long time ago, before I took over my legion, I made a pact with our brother Johnson, and now, he wants me to fulfill this pact: So, I will lead my main force to the northwest of the galaxy, and participate in what may be a long expedition. 】

Conrad blinked.

"That doesn't sound like it has anything to do with me......"

[If you don't want to go, it doesn't matter, there is another way: the static cabin you used at the beginning, I still keep it for you, the original taste. 】

"But I'd love to be part of this expedition."

The abrupt change in Nostramo's tone was even three points faster than his pace in the shadows, and Conrad smiled at his blood relative, and then, as if afraid of being so unconvincing, he added another slogan dryly.

"For the Empire."

【…… Ah, for the Empire. 】

"Your slogan doesn't sound as sincere as mine, Morgan."

[Shut up.] 】

"Understood, my lord."

Nostramo's cheeks were filled with a smile of indifference: he seemed to be becoming more and more proficient in it, and the smile drawn by the elongated cheeks and sharp canines had changed from bloodlust and madness that was visible to the naked eye to something more elegant and mocking.

Morgan glanced at him, and made sure in her mind that she didn't know whether the change was good or bad for Conrad, and he seemed to see more things, but with pure mockery, he condescended to comment on every foolish act in his eyes.

Rather than the bloodthirsty killings that he didn't care about, or the muttering on the way to the atrocities, Conrad now seems to prefer to crouch on a high place, sneering while secretly sharpening his upcoming minions.

But in front of Morgan, the Night Lord always resisted the urge to take the next step, a mark imprinted by the Spider Empress with years of uninterrupted cordial communication, which the Nostramo people had been able to comply with as if they were instinctive.

For now, Morgan is fairly happy with the progress, so she doesn't want to talk nonsense with Conrad anymore: continuing to communicate doesn't do her heart any good, it will also make her anger surge, and as soon as she gets angry, she will involuntarily eat too much, and then usher in the failure of the weight loss campaign again.

She really gave too much for this flying kid from Nostramo.

The Spider Empress sighed silently, and was about to get up and leave, but at this time, Conrad, who was slowly retracting his smile, looked at Morgan's back, thought for a moment, and took the initiative to speak in an extremely rare manner.

"So, you're going to support Johnson?"

[It's that we're going.] 】

Morgan looked back at him, keenly aware of the uttered words.

[Do you have any thoughts on Johnson?] You haven't met yet, or is that haunting prophecy of yours telling you something? 】

Conrad licked his teeth.

"Thanks to you, I haven't seen much prophecy in these years: but at some point on Nostramo, I have a faint glimpse of the guy named Johnson and his affairs in some broken vision."

[Any questions?] 】

The Spider Empress stopped, slowly turned, and stared at her blood relatives.

Conrad hesitated, his voice like an inconsequential admonition.

"Don't put too much faith in him."

[Who?] Johnson? 】

"He's not as reliable as he seems."

[I know that.] 】

"In our bones, he and I are actually the same kind of people, the same creatures."

【……】

[I really don't see that. 】

Morgan chuckled, and a thought flashed through her mind: Coetze's words just now were not considered to be scolding herself, after all, his attitude towards Johnson was already obvious.

And unlike Morgan's smile, there was a real seriousness on Conrad's face: this rare solemnity infected the Lord of the Second Legion with great speed, and soon, Morgan's face was filled with equal seriousness and sincerity.

This scene even gave Conrad a rare touch.

[Is there anything you want to tell me: about our brother Johnson?] 】

"Just that sentence: don't trust him too much."

Conrad shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands, looking rather helpless.

"He's an idiot."

Is there any of our brothers who are not fools at all? 】

“……”

"But he is different, his appearance is so deceptive that even he himself is bewitched: don't think that Johnson is such a reliable fellow, Morgan, if you believe him from the bottom of your heart, then his actions will only disappoint you."

You seem to have little faith in him: even though you haven't even met. 】

Conrad smiled contemptuously.

"Because I know what he's going to do, I know what he's going to want, and I see, I see this so-called Imperial loyalist, how stupid and ridiculous he is in front of those important multiple-choice questions: he even has a talent for comedians."

"He couldn't see his place clearly, he couldn't recognize his identity, he groped his way through the darkness with a half-understood attitude, and he stumbled on a right path, but he also lost a lot of things because of it: of course, in his current understanding, those things are not important, and he will regret it later."

Conrad's sarcasm made the Spider Empress blink, thoughtful: according to the memories of Johnson in her heart, Morgan was convinced that the words of the Nostramo people were not groundless, but had real reference value, which made her hesitate and add questions.

[Then you say, for a knight like Johnson, what can make him regret it?] 】

"Knight?!"

Conrad's voice let out a high-pitched scream, as if hearing an incomparable joke, and the Nostramo grinned and laughed heartily.

"Don't be fooled by him: what kind of knight is he, he's a beast, a mongrel like me, a dagger coated with poison, cared for when it's useful, locked in a cupboard when it's not useful, out of sight and out of mind."

"But what's really ridiculous is that he really believes that he is a knight, that he really thinks that he is a sword that can be hung on those triumphal ceremonies and auditoriums, and become the benchmark of loyalty in the eyes of everyone."

Conrad laughed, his night owl-like shrill hiss roaming through the dimly lit room, causing the other genogen to frown: but despite this, the Spider Queen was not offended or outraged by his words, she just listened quietly, watched calmly, until the Night King's laughter subsided like a fading wave.

"Ahem...... Ahem......"

Conrad coughed pretendedly, avoiding the palpitating gaze, and he spread his arms and continued.

"So, here's the thing, our great knight king is so noble, like a baby who doesn't know anything, curled up in terrifying armor, wielding the power he possesses."

"Even the greatest temptation could not shake him, but conversely, even the most lame lie could lead his mind astray: of course, if he could grasp some of the right points, perhaps the great lion could easily be led away by those who had a heart."

"For example: you?"

【……】

The Spider Empress was silent for a moment, and this silence made Conrad's smile run wild: Realizing this, Morgan let out an icy snort, her fingers cutting through the air in front of her, causing the Nostramo to raise the French military salute without hesitation.

Of course, the disgusting mocking smile on Conrad's face could never fade.

"My reminder satisfies you, Master Morgan?"

【……】

No, you can't beat him, there's no time right now.

[That's right: it's a pity that it's still not comprehensive enough, and the reference value is low.] 】

"After all, I'm not like you: intimate~"

【……】

Morgan slowly put her hands behind her back, pinching each other's finger bones with a crackling sound, she was still smiling, but those seemingly good smiles made the Nostramo people wisely retreat.

So, do you have any other reminders for me? 】

Taking a deep breath, Morgan struggled to make his words sound unwavering.

Conrad shook his head.

"Don't put Johnson too seriously: that's all."

[You have been emphasizing this sentence: But from beginning to end, you have not said anything untrustworthy about Johnson, and do you still want to accuse him of being reliable? 】

Conrad laughed.

"I don't doubt his reliability."

"I just doubt his brain."

【……】

[But you just said: You and him are actually the same kind of people. 】

"Yes, Johnson and I would be the same kind of people: that's why I doubt his brain."

【……】

"Do you think people like me can be normal? Will it be trustworthy? Will they be the same kind of people as you guys? I don't really know Johnson, but I know myself. ”

【……】

Well said and makes sense.

She was speechless.

——————

"So, this is the final plan?"

"Realistically, indeed."

"Who's going to give it to Lord Primordial?"

"She'll probably come in person, probably."

The Great Council Hall is undoubtedly one of the most important locations of the entire [Dawning Goddess], and the only places that can rival it in status and fame are the throne room of the genetic prototype, as well as the Legion Arena, the Concorde Hall and a few other occasions.

Because the Glorious Queen-class battleship happened to be anchored in the Avalon system to rest, this time the Legion Council, all the members of the council were actually all assembled, which was extremely rare in the past ten years: but at the same time, this meeting was also extremely long and arduous.

Although there is only one topic, every member of parliament cannot reach the simplest consensus on this: in the mouth of their genetic mother, how much power does the sonorous "all" mean to mobilize?

It took a full three hours for this question alone to pull out an answer that everyone was barely satisfied with, but with some repercussions: and it was at this time, as if the time had been calculated in advance, that the footsteps of the Spider Empress descended down the corridor from far and near.

In a solemn salute, the original body sat on the main seat of the council hall for the first time in a long time: compared to the silver and white throne between the thrones, the main seat of the council hall was undoubtedly softer, and the feeling of being entrenched on the staircase, and the feeling of seeing the faces of each heir under the stairs clearly also soothed the Spider Queen's brow a lot.

[Have you come up with a result?] 】

Morgan's inquiry led to a handwritten report from Marshall, who smiled in response to the former Legion Master and current Commander of the First Company, who had retired into the background to serve the Legion and her pastoral territory at the heart of Avalon.

Although Marshall's body made it almost impossible for him to participate in any long expedition, Morgan had no idea of replacing him, for the company commander had become a totem of sorts, a symbol of the unmistakable fusion of some genoplasm with her legion.

Moreover, Marshall does possess extraordinary abilities and prestige, he has never been in trouble during his time guarding the Avalon Star Sector, and the highly decorated Terra veterans have great respect for their former leader.

In other words, if Marshall hadn't taken the initiative to semi-retire and hand over all the power in his hands to Morgan, the mother of genes, when Morgan had just returned, the connection between the Spider Empress and the Dawnbreaker Army would probably not be so silky: relying on this alone, as long as Marshall wanted to, he would always be an unshakable company commander under Morgan.

[Summarize with me, the results of your discussion.] 】

Morgan opened the folder of the report and, as was customary, listened to the verbal report as he looked through the written report, in order to find the subtle details.

"Yes, sir."

"According to the council's discussion: this expedition to the northwest of the galaxy will be committed to forty companies at one time, that is, more than 20,000 Astarte soldiers."

[But I remember that with the gradual integration of the Salamas Star District into the Avalon Federation in the past few years, the legion's recruitment activities there are also smooth: according to the latest report, my legion strength should have exceeded 30,000 now, right?] 】

"Barely that number, my lord."

"But then again, of the 30,000 troops, at least 8,000 were recruited from Aegis, Gulgrad, Salamas and other Far Eastern Frontier regions as the [Frontier March] unfolded.

"Judging from the knowledge we have again about the Randan Alien Empire during this time, throwing these 8,000 new blood into the war against Randan is tantamount to suicide: in order to gather these 8,000 people, we have traveled to almost every world under our rule, and the next large-scale conscription like this will have to wait until the next generation."

[So we can't move these 8,000 recruits, I know: you still have about 2,000 veterans left, that's why too? 】

"We can't expect these recruits to protect all of Avalon."

[That's true.] 】

The Spider Empress nodded, agreeing with her heir's words: 20,000 Daybreakers is indeed the current limit of the Far Eastern Frontier, and it can even be said to be a big gamble.

So, skipping these questions, the Lord of Avalon turned his attention to the [Mortal Forces] that followed, after all, these mortal auxiliaries, Mechchana allies, and the Titan Legion are also one of Avalon's most important military forces.

[The two Titan Legions: The Sun Legion and its Knight Families are all dispatched, and the only requirement is to be able to fight under my direct command, while the other Legion of the Warmongers, because of our alliance with Reza, is destined to not be able to join the expedition in full, but will also invest more than half of its military strength. 】

The Dawnbreaker nodded, a hint of regret in his tone.

"It's a pity that we have never negotiated with the three casting worlds of the triple galaxy, otherwise with the three Titan legions they control, if they are put into the expedition, it will be enough to change the power of the entire galaxy."

[Even if we had negotiated with them, they would not have been able to do so much to assist us: this is why I have not been able to reach an agreement with the Triple System for a long time, they want too much, and the original Reza is no more than that. 】

[But Reza was one of my first friends, and she was so far away: but the Triple Galaxy, just beside my couch, what qualifications do they have to talk to me about independence, equality, and mutual benefit? 】

"Are you going to war on them?"

[No, that's too rough. 】

A chilling smile crossed the corner of the Spider Empress's mouth, and instead of dwelling on the subject, she flipped through the papers in her palms and looked at the remaining numbers.

[Four hundred warships, this is nothing, the Dark Angel itself does not lack naval power in the void, we can bring a little more capital ships: remember to inform them, bring excess supplies, if you can't do it, bring more supply ships, to be able to achieve complete, complete self-sufficiency. 】

The Dawnbreakers frowned, and Lana stepped forward under the steps.

"Isn't this kind of thing generally handed over to the home combat party like the Dark Angel, compared to the mortal captains under our command, the Legion Commander of the First Legion is the actual person in charge."

【……】

The Spider Empress snorted lightly, but didn't reply.

On the other side, Hawthorne, who had not shown up for a long time, seemed to be thinking about something else.

"Of course, do the fortresses you brought back from the Gothic Sector need to go on an expedition together?"

【…… No. 】

[I don't need them yet.] 】

“…… However, even if there is only one ......"

[None of them are brought.] 】

The Spider Empress waved her hand and rejected the proposal without saying anything: not to mention the Blackstone Fortress, which had not yet had time to lay an armed array and various artillery emplacements, the monotonous means of attack were only two, and the problem of transportation alone was enough to discourage her.

Ouroboros, one of the three artifacts in subspace, is on Caliban, and there is a high probability that she will get these three together this trip, and when the time comes, the emperor will take away the three artifacts, and she has lost the Tuchucha engine, how to transport the slow big guy like the Blackstone Fortress from the northwest of the galaxy back to the Far Eastern Frontier?

Could it be that it can be given to Johnson?

That's too much of a loss.

Thinking of this, the little abacus in the Spider Empress's heart let out a cold howl: Although the Dark Angel Legion looks very wealthy, Morgan knows that most of the valuable treasures in the First Legion do not belong to them, but are gifts from the emperor, whether they are for sale or not, and Johnson is not the owner of these killing weapons, he is just a storekeeper with the right to use them.

If the emperor's gift is removed, then Morgan knows even better than himself that the little money in Johnson's hands is even better than himself: even if he sells the knight king of Caliban himself, I am afraid that he will not be able to exchange it for a galactic killing weapon like Blackstone Fortress.

Besides......

As if thinking of something, the Spider Queen's pupils darkened.

Morgan understands that the biggest killer feature of a weapon like Blackstone Fortress is its unknownness, and if it is used too early, its power and fighting style will be greatly reduced by the outside world.

After all, the destructive power of Blackstone Fortress is unstoppable, but it is not difficult to interrupt its attack: a large warship and a group of deadly crew members can make Blackstone Fortress kill in vain, and in this crazy galaxy, people who have the courage to sacrifice for their beliefs......

As many as the stars.

In the face of these dreadnoughts, even the Blackstone Fortress is not invincible.

The Spider Empress knew this well, so she had made up her mind from the start: she would not reveal the power of the Blackstone Fortress unless she had to, and she had to wait for the best opportunity, a location that could turn the tide of the galaxy, to unleash the ancient calamities in her hands.

Now, it's not the time.

In her mind, the Lord of the Second Legion admonished herself once more, and her fingers unconsciously flipped to the last page, where the deployment of the mortal auxiliaries was impressively arranged.

[So, the Empress Legion, is it ready to gather eight million troops at once to participate in this expedition? 】

"Yes, sir."

Marshall nodded.

"The Empress Legion is a top ace unit carefully selected from all the mortal auxiliaries of the Avalon Federation, and their training requirements, equipment supply, tactical style, and even officer training process are all directly aimed at the Sun Auxiliaries, or even more exaggerated."

"And the eight million troops invested in this expedition are all the elite of the Empress Legion: they are all officers and veterans of various units, and even instructors in officer training schools, or reserve officers, these troops are the top elite in their original world, and this time, they are all called up to participate in the expedition."

"If their losses are too great, the entire Avalonian Federation's mortal auxiliary forces will probably have to be built from scratch: but despite this, we believe that there is only such a team that can match all the power we have in your mouth."

【……】

[That's true.] 】

"One last thing, my lord: our Forge World allies."

[I will contact them personally, and I will ask them to fulfill their covenant and provide them with the most elite forces they have, and what they can send: I believe that the accumulation of thousands of years in the Randan Empire will be enough to heal the wounds they have suffered in this expedition. 】

The Daybreakers bowed their heads in silence, unfettered by the Primordial's decision: as the Queen of Avalon hammered out the forces needed to be invested, her heirs even felt a certain unease.

According to this level of investment, once this expedition has three strengths and two shortcomings, then the entire Dawnbreaker Legion will probably fall to an even more unbearable situation than before the reunion with their originals.

However, even with such worries and panic, no one would question Morgan's orders, after all, the mutual help between the legions is a silent tacit understanding, and the Dawnbreaker and the Dark Angels do have a long-standing bond that can help each other.

Besides, instead of worrying about the tragic future after defeat, it is better to put all your mind into the battle, and use sacrifice and courage to win a great victory for their original body and legion: this is what they should do as Astarte warriors.

Under this simple realization, this long meeting finally came to an end with the final word of Queen Avalon, and the entire Dawnbreaker Legion, the entire Avalon Federation, and even the entire Far Eastern Frontier were completely operational at this moment, and the endless army and the vast sea of supplies were activated one after another, all for a war on the other side of the galaxy, just for the most solemn promise.

Maybe when that promise was first born, it was just a joke with ulterior motives, but now: it is a promise, a promise forged with an army that has swept the world, with a cross-galactic army.

It is destined to be immortal.

——————

"News from the Far Eastern Frontier, my lordship."

As the Lion King's closest steward, Coswayne can simply knock on the door and enter the command room of the King of Caliban without waiting for any answer.

He was beaming, clearly uplifted by some good news: in the ten years of the Dark Angel's expedition to the Dark Stars, there had been only a handful of joyful news like this.

"Her Excellency Morgan has mobilized her legions and the world, and has pledged to join us as quickly as possible: this is her personal reply, along with the power of the Legion of the Daybreakers to devote to this expedition."

“……”

Johnson, as with his face on the floor, stretched out a hand with some anxiety, took the letter from Coswayne's palm, and read it silently and carefully.

The lion's gaze wandered three times as the Spider Queen greeted and spoken, before slowly moving to the numbers below: each one could shake the world.

And when Johnson saw them for the first time: he frowned.

“……”

"Twenty thousand?"

“……”

"Why so little?"

(End of chapter)