Vashtor left.

After discussing what was to be negotiated between them, the creature in the subspace had no reason to stay: Morgan never welcomed it.

Of course, the more important reason is that in the strange waves of the High Heaven, the cold sun and its light are getting closer and closer to the galaxy where Caliban is located: the Lord of the Furnace is not yet arrogant enough to test the color of those cold rays.

The uninvited guest's departure was like its arrival, and it did not disturb anyone on the ship, leaving no trace of it to be tracked, except for the air distorted by the blazing flames of the subspace, and the death of an unknown mechanical priest.

For the next five Terra Standard Days, the Lord of Avalon locked herself in the deepest recess of the Aurora, and her activities were limited to throne rooms and private offices, and only her closest subordinates and henchmen could be seen when reporting on the results of her work or submitting important documents.

The Primordial's seclusion even caused a stir on the flagship: while the Lord of Avalon was associated with mystery and nobility in much of the Far Eastern Frontier, like the Tower Monarchs, the Daybreakers, at least in the Second Legion, never lacked the opportunity to meet the Mother of Genes.

Morgan would always choose a random Legion cafeteria as a place to enjoy lunch or dinner; She is also a frequent visitor to various large activity rooms, chess and card rooms and libraries; Although some of the more violent locations, such as the Legion's Colosseum, have never been favored by the genotypes; But at the very least, she would not be absent from the psionic workshops and Legion thought exchange events that were already available on a regular basis and open to every Legionnaire.

The soldiers who have been stationed on the Legion's flagship for many years are not only accustomed to seeing their genetic mother every day, but also accustomed to their protoplasms being able to accurately call everyone by name and express their gratification at their last victory: no matter how small it was.

Even for those new to the Legion, the Spider Queen would do it with a slight squint of her eyes and pause for less than a second: she could even use words to hold their hearts with precision, and utter the approval they craved in their hearts.

After getting used to this treatment, the protogens were shut for no reason for no reason, and it was enough for veterans and recruits to get together and whisper: although this faint wave was quickly suppressed by Ranner, the head of the Praetorian Guard, on the grounds that the protos had an important business, it still flowed into the ears of the Spider Empress.

It was Virgo who told her.

Tell her solemnly.

"I think it's a very bad omen, mother."

Meeting Morgan's somewhat puzzled gaze, the proud creature of the original was succinct, her pupils flashing with a vigilant light that was enveloping everyone gathered beneath Morgan's pyramid of power without distinction.

"I know that you have a high level of trust in Lord Rana, Mother, and I know that Lord Rana is indeed a trustworthy subordinate, but I also want to tell you: it is very inappropriate to over-distribute the power of the Legion to a few subordinates as it is now."

"Although you often appear in front of the Legionnaires to familiarize them with you, and from the conversations I have listened to surreptitiously, it is certain that almost all of the Daybreakers see you as the mother of genes over the other Protogens, and your appeal among the Legion ranks is unquestionable."

"But, on the other hand, with the exception of a few people such as Bayar, Lana, and Hect, the other Daybreakers rarely receive orders directly from you, but more often through these people, especially Lana: in the long run, your Praetorian Guard will accumulate a great deal of authority that does not match his current position."

"And that's not good for you."

"After all, you told me that under some extremely special circumstances, Astarte warriors, who have great prestige and special status in the legions, can in turn restrain or even harm the genetic protoplasms, and you have speculated with me which legions have such hidden dangers."

[Are you worried that Lana will also become such a hidden danger?] 】

The Spider Queen looked up slowly from her pile of papers, her hair brushing up, the corners of her mouth raised, and a light-hearted smile on her face: it showed that she was in a good mood right now, and that she hadn't been in a bad mood because of Virgo's warning.

The Genetic Prototype's palm fell, pressing on the countless papers, which were the direct cause of her shutting down, and the nexus that connected countless important realms, including but not limited to: the new batch of supplies that Holy Terra had brought to the front line of the expedition, Avalon's military and civilian reports, the Far Eastern Frontier's memo of exchanges with Otrama, two books attached to the Psionic Code that were filling in the pits, and official denunciations from twenty casting worlds, eighty-six merchant rogue fleets, and hundreds of star sectors......

[In your eyes, am I actually such a failed mother? 】

[Even one of my most trusted and most important heirs now is secretly pregnant with vicious sewage? Like a victorious Macbeth hiding his blade in front of his king? 】

With a hand on his chest, Morgan frowned, feigning operatic sadness.

“……”

Virgo's brow jumped.

"I didn't mean that, Mother, but this action of Lord Lana touched a certain keyword in my memory array: this keyword was told to me by you yourself, and it was specially marked."

[What? 】

"The War Dictator Theory."

【……】

"Do you need me to describe it, Mother?"

[No, I see. 】

Morgan let go of the pen in her hand, and she casually piled the approved papers aside, leaned back in her chair, and rubbed the corners of her brow.

Dictator of War: A system of the Roman Republic, established only temporarily in the most urgent moments, with literal power over everything.

[What you mean is that if I continue to let Rana establish this invisible prestige in the Legion, then one day in the future, if I have an accident, Rana will become the de facto helmsman of the entire Legion because of the invisible authority that I have always had.] 】

"Yes, because you told me that authority has a certain inertia, and when the warriors are accustomed to listening to Ranner's orders, he has a certain authority, and if you have an accident and the whole legion is thrown into chaos, this ordinary authority will make Rana a subconscious leader."

"In this case, while Rana's loyalty is irrefutable, we can't be sure that he will remain completely sane enough to make the right decision: after all, the connection between the original and Astarte is too deep, and your accident can completely make those Terra veterans under your command lose their previous logical thinking ability, and when the time comes, I am afraid that there will be no one to stop Rana, after all, Lord Marshall is too old, and Lord Bayar obviously has no more interest and experience in these matters."

"So, Mother, I suggest you think about it: you really need to build a regular team of squires now, like the Council of the Four Kings of the Shadowmoon Wolves, or the Trident of the Iron Warriors, rather than the current relationship between the Praetorian Guard and the Legion Council."

"You also need a real guard: not the old guard now, but a real genoplasm guard like the Phoenix Guard or Gastarin, who will only follow you."

[Interesting suggestion. 】

[Also useful.] 】

The Spider Queen leaned back in her seat, staring at her first creation so intently that she even felt like she hadn't looked at Virgo so seriously in a long time: Morgan couldn't help but wonder why words like this could come out of Virgo's mouth.

In front of her creation, Morgan had no intention of hiding the doubts in his heart.

Is this your own idea, my Virgo? Is this the result of your independent observation, independent summarization, and independent thinking? 】

Virgo shook her head.

"Have you forgotten, Mother, that we are essentially an extension of your will, and a part of your thoughts that you do not yet need: these words of mine are not of mine of mine, but of what you once told me."

"These ideas were the first ideas you instilled in me when you and your brother Perturabo had just created me: at that time, you had only been reunited with the Dawnbreaker Legion for less than a year, and you were carefully thinking about how to divide their power and organization."

"But after all this time, you seem to have forgotten about it?"

"Is it because you have other thoughts, or because you feel that these heirs of yours are no longer a serious threat to you: I beg your pardon, Mother, but I need to update my memory array because of this."

【……】

[I'll do it, Virgo, and after this expedition is over, I'll begin to build my Primordial Guard, and my personal staff: your reminder is timely, my trusty daughter, keep these entries going, I need them.] 】

[As for the reason......]

【……】

【……】

#摩根式叹息#

[People change, don't they? 】

——————

"It's just ......"

"Sometimes it gets better, sometimes it gets bad."

Luthor stood at the top of the watchtower on the outer wall, and he shook his head slowly, his eyebrows full of emotion and self-deprecating smile.

This was what Morgan saw: when she had finished everything on the battleship, remembered the words from Virgo, and landed on the surface of Caliban once more, intending to fulfill her pact with the Black Watchers, Luthor sent her an invitation.

With plenty of time for the genotype, she responded to Luthor's invitation and made her way to Castle Andreuka: Luthor's former peaceful home, a metropolis fortress of a million-inhabited population thanks to the efforts of the Empire, surrounded by mines, refineries, solar arrays, and grain processing plants under construction.

"I wanted to invite you to come and see the forest outside Andreuka's castle."

The Calibans turned their heads to the side, releasing apologies and regrets at the genoplasms.

"I used to think that standing on the watchtower of Andreuka Castle and looking out, you could see the most magnificent scenery in the Milky Way: emerald forests, turquoise rivers, vast mountains, endless greenery will bloom in front of your eyes, stretching all the way to the end of the sky, just like the heart of the god of nature, boundless."

"This beauty used to exist: when Andruka was not a city, but a simple castle, we see it every day, and every day we hear ancient legends about how the first warrior came to Andruka, found shelter in the caves, and then protected the people with his sword and shield, and then more and more people heard about it, and built towers, walls, and houses."

"Then a castle appeared, and more reliable warriors began to set out from it, and they continued to recruit men, heal the wounded, summarize the hard-won combat experience for future generations to learn from, and give the children of nobles and commoners the same opportunity to become knights, in accordance with the vision of the forerunner whose name has been lost."

"They gave themselves a resounding name: the Knights of Order."

[Is that the Knights you were in when you first met Johnson? 】

"Yes."

"Because in the ancient language, Andreuka means eternal, eternal, indomitable, and we naturally want to have a title worthy of the name of our homeland."

Luthor leaned forward and leaned against the railing of the watchtower, his exhalation frozen from the bitter cold of the air, staining his beard with a layer of frost.

"Legends like these have been sung in Caliban for at least a thousand years, and I grew up listening to them, and even a little tired of these clichés: just as I was tired of seeing the great forests day after day, and just wanted to go to the stars and witness some scenery that I could only dream about."

"When I left Caliban with Johnson: I can't deny that I was so excited and joyful that I didn't even want to come back."

"But when I really traveled across the galaxy, witnessing war, murder and honor among countless stars, and the thousands of stars that were impregnated by them, I suddenly realized that I still prefer the scenery of Caliban, and I still have an unshakable nostalgia for my hometown."

"My will is far less determined than I thought, and I was even a little happy when Johnson gave me the task to return to Caliban."

[Wanderer homecoming? 】

Morgan took a step forward and also came to the position of the railing.

“……”

Luthor laughed, baring his white teeth and spitting hot air into the icy cold wind outside the tower.

His voice grew quieter.

"That's it."

"But it's a pity ......"

“……”

"I'm late."

【……】

Maybe it's a hallucination: Morgan actually heard a little choked up from this sentence.

At the most basic courtesy, she didn't look at Luthor next to her, but leaned on the railing, looking intently into the distance.

She understood what Luthor meant.

As far as the eye can see: the emerald forests, turquoise rivers, vast mountains, and endless primeval forests of Luther's mouth have long since disappeared without a trace, replaced by the heavy bulldozers of the Terra Planetary Reclamation Mission, crushing everything that gets in their way for the sake of highways, landing strips, and giant farms, and at the end of the horizon, towering domes can be seen digging deep into the ground, nearly splitting the entire Caliban in two.

The Spider Empress remembered a document she had stumbled upon that, according to the Terra officials, they had completely destroyed tens of millions of square kilometers of Caliban's forests, leaving only thousands of hectares for ornaments and sanctuaries: when these numbers were put on paper, they didn't feel substantial, but just seeing the tip of the iceberg was enough to have a real impact on the protogen.

For a moment, even the Spider Queen didn't know what to say: she only felt a gleaming in her heart that her Far Eastern Frontier and Avalon had good reason to refuse most of Divine Terra's demands.

Morgan countered Luthor's silent exclamation with silence, and she waited patiently for a while, until the old knight's mood stabilized again, and until the embarrassing choking disappeared, and then she decided to continue the topic.

Then again, though.

Since Luthor has been back for so many days, why does he only show his feelings about things and people until now?

The genoplasm blinked.

She had a guess.

Perhaps, Luthor was just enduring patience, in the presence of his subordinates, his colleagues, and those whom he could not fully trust, until the one who could be trusted, until the best listener, appeared before him.

And Morgan, that's the choice.

【……】

Thinking of this, the Spider Queen even felt a little ridiculous: she had never thought that Luthor was so lonely in the Dark Angel Legion and Caliban.

"Sorry...... Some gaffes. ”

The voice that had returned to normal reached Morgan's ears, and it was clear that the Calibans were better at regulating their emotions than the vast majority of people Morgan had ever seen, and even the vast majority of primitives.

[Don't mind, friend.] 】

The original tapped Luthor on the shoulder.

[Fate has given you regrets, and these regrets make you feel a little sad: this is normal, you are a warrior, an outstanding commander, but you are also a person, not a war machine. 】

[As long as you are a living being, you have the power to grieve the death of your beloved: even if we are genetic prototypes, we are the same.] 】

[After all, my father ushered in an era of conquest, and conquest is always accompanied by sacrifice, glory, suffering and regret, no one can retreat from the battlefield with its whole body, and the laurels of victory favor only scarred faces. 】

[Not to mention......]

Morgan looked into Luther's pupils: there was sadness, but it wasn't just sadness, in fact, a much larger emotion was taking over the black eyes of the Caliban, and that was the main reason for his gaffe.

The genoplasma was recognized: it was a kind of confusion.

She nodded.

That's right: a general like Luther, who once held thousands of armies, although he will also be emotionally affected by things and people, will never evolve to such an obvious point, after all, the invisibility of joy and anger is the basic skill of a general.

It is only the deeper, more concrete, and even conceptual confusion that will make the former famous general of the Far Eastern frontier become the hesitant old man in front of Morgan: at this moment, the Spider Queen even wondered if the operation she performed herself was invalid.

[I can tell, Luther, that you are confused: do not deny it, my dear dear friend, I know you, you must be bothered by some kind of problem, and it is difficult for you to unravel them yourself. 】

[So, why don't you tell me these questions?] 】

“……”

Luthor pursed his lips, his fingers crossed and hung on the railing, the cold wind mixed with fine dust hitting his cheeks and hair, as sharp as a knife, but he still cast his eyes on the side of the watchtower, unwilling to look directly at the genogen or reveal his heart.

Morgan didn't press on, she fell silent again, and waited.

The original body is very clear: if Luthor did not have her [friend], then many of his thoughts would be pressed to the bottom of his heart until the uncontrollable monster slowly fermented, but now that Luthor already has her [friend], the problem is much simpler.

After all, Luthor was never one to actively refuse to communicate.

The progenitor waited for a few minutes, and it wasn't until she began to look boredly at the new building in her view: a prison that had been used to hold the rebels, that Luthor's hesitant voice reached her ears.

"Morgan."

[I'm here. 】

"Sometimes, I think about this: everybody says that the relationship between the Caliban and the Empire, like the relationship between the villages and towns of the Caliban and the Knights, is a sacred and concise relationship of vassalage, a combination of payment and gift, and even I used to think so."

"But the situation is this: the Caliban has given its land, its forests, its traditions and culture, its villages and towns, its best lads of every generation, all to the human empire, without reservation."

"So ......"

"What did the empire give to the Caliban?"

——————

【……】

【……】

Good question.

——————

[You just asked a very common question, my friend: in the galaxy, there are at least two hundred thousand inhabitants of worlds who will talk to themselves with the same question while looking at the double-headed eagle banner of the empire in a daze. 】

The Genogen grinned, she didn't lash out at this somewhat rebellious question, as some of her brothers did, but she didn't answer it directly: the Spider Queen twisted her words into nimble foils, avoiding the sharpest part and striking to the side.

The effect was significant: at least Luthor had turned his head back to Morgan, and the Calibans clearly wanted to have a good chat after realizing that his problem had not provoked anger.

"You know, Morgan, I'm just ......"

Luthor rubbed his hands together, and he coughed violently, looking like a lot of wind had been poured into it.

[I know what you mean, Luther: In the past few years, you have witnessed the Far Eastern Frontier and the Five Hundred Worlds, and what the happiest inhabitants of the galaxy will be, who do not need to betray the forests of their homeland, nor lose their culture, but only need to maintain their courage and pride, and they can live well, as is the case with Killiman's Macurag. 】

"So is your Avalon."

Luthor replied with a smile.

[Borrow your auspicious words. 】

Morgan smiled back: she was glad to see that the conversation had lightened up again.

The Caliban licked his lips.

"You're right, Morgan: after seeing the Five Hundred Worlds and the Far Eastern Frontier, when I see these changes in the Caliban, although intellectually I know that these Terrans are acting reasonably, emotionally, I still can't convince myself."

"I can't even be hostile to the rebels who hide in the wilderness of the Caliban, who are enemies of the imperial order: I know that their actions are detrimental to the general situation, and I know that their leadership is mixed, but I also know that most of them are fighting only because they don't want to lose their homeland, for what was common sense when they were children, but now they are in ruins."

"I can't be against them, because my sword was once wielded to protect them, and that was only forty years ago, and some of them even remember my face and can pronounce my name: how can I be their enemy."

Luthor's steps were heavy, and he slowly walked up the stone steps on the side of the tower, and sat down in the intersection of light and shadow, while the genogen leaned against the wall, listening carefully to every word, silently thinking.

[Do you think that joining the empire did not make the Caliban better?] 】

Luther let out a wry smile.

"It doesn't matter what I think, after all, I am only a knight, and my greatest dream is to die on the battlefield and have my place in the halls of heroes, to be mentioned by the bards in those taverns for a brief cheer: this was my dream when I first became a knight."

"And now, too."

"But you know, Morgan, it doesn't matter what I do, after all the killing and the war, even if I am to die in the Caliban, I have nothing to say: but what about the Caliban? But what about the villagers who had to move into so-called ecological buildings? What would they think? What will they think of the Empire, the Legion, and even Johnson because of the current situation in front of them? ”

"How are they going to tell their next generation: the former hero Johnson, who brought the emperor and the empire, so we lost our ancestral villages and forests, lost clean water and fresh air, and began to eat dry and custom-made food, circulating water and thick black smoke in the nest capital to embrace a new life?"

"I can fool myself, but I can't fool everyone."

"The arrival of the Empire has not made the Calibana any better: I don't see a reason for the Calibans to submit to the Empire other than violence, but if we can only rule the land with violence, not a contract of mutual respect, are we still knights?"

"Is Johnson still a knight?"

"Isn't this a far cry from his original ideal: violence has once again rampant in the land of the Caliban, and the Calibans still cannot live in civilization and comfort, only this time, the behemoth has changed."

Luther's words were a bitter sneer and rhetorical question, mixed with self-questioning, self-mockery, and pale comics, and he spat them out in one gulp, leaning against the wall, breathing heavily, covering his numb face with the calluses of his hands.

Morgan looked at him, then looked up at the watchtower's railing.

The wind still crashed against the ancient walls, but it couldn't drown out the roar of the steel behemoths: they were bulldozing mountains, digging tunnels, turning the heights into plains.

You know what, Luther. 】

The Spider Empress spoke, in an extremely rare tone of sarcasm.

[In the manifesto of the Empire, in the will of the Emperor, the happiness of our generation has never been promised: the Emperor has vowed to unite the scattered human race, vowed to destroy the alien realms one by one, and vowed to regain the former glory of mankind and create greater glory. 】

[But he never said that the world under his command would be better, and all he promised was the armed protection of the empire, only the glory and bright future of the expedition, not whether the ancient traditions of every land could still be preserved, not whether every family would still be happy: that was not his duty at all, and he could not control it. 】

“……”

"But you ......"

[But my Far Eastern frontier, or the five hundred worlds of Killiman, are different? 】

Morgan laughed.

[You're too shallow, Luther. 】

[Whether it's me or Killman, we all have a certain amount of luck: of course, Killiman's luck is better, which makes our home planet have higher development conditions. 】

[Of course, the most important thing is that we have the consciousness to improve and develop the condition of the home planet, to listen to the voices of our people, and to see it as a hobby and a duty: although it is a bit too heroic to say this, I still have to tell you, Luther. 】

[In the eyes of the Empire, the Caliban has never been the homeland of the Caliban. 】

[And the home planet of the genetic prototype is the home world of the Dark Angel Legion: this is the positioning of the Caliban in the eyes of the Empire. 】

[This positioning is decided: if you want the Caliban to keep the better appearance in your heart, then your eyes should not be focused on these Terra bureaucrats and the broken metal they brought, they are just the result of the matter, not the cause. 】

[Listen, Luther.] 】

[There is only one person who can change and reverse the current situation of the Caliban. 】

[There is only one person who has the absolute right to speak about the world. 】

[There is only one person who can solve the countless puzzles and problems in your heart. 】

You know who that person is. 】

[Caliban is his world. 】

[Isn't it?] 】

“……”

Luthor was silent.

Morgan stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder, his tone low and sincere.

The genogen felt a call from the bloodline: the icy sun that roamed the subspace had appeared at the edge of the Caliban galaxy with his warship.

The emperor is coming.

Now, the most important thing for the Gene Prototype is to welcome the Lord of Humanity and hand over the three artifacts: whether they are in Morgan's hands or not, to her Gene Father.

And as for Luther......

Morgan looked at him and uttered the last few words: words from the heart.

[Find a time, my friend, and talk to Johnson.] 】

You need to have a good talk, sit down, and listen to each other's voices. 】

[Trust me: it's not that difficult.] 】

(End of chapter)