Chapter 32: I Propose That Guilliman Become the Emperor

A few seconds later, all the attendants drifted into a gentle slumber. Anda’s power swept over them, blurring their memories. He did not even bother to fabricate false memories, as that would be far too tedious and embarrassing. He would have to invent them himself.

"Malum," Anda said, sitting wearily on a lounge chair and supporting his forehead with his hand, his immense power now subsided. "Tomorrow, Dalet will certainly insist that Aaron fight Erst first."

He lifted his head, his gaze returning to normal as he detached himself from his previous rage—an instinctive behavior. "Teach him some decent combat techniques. Aaron approached me about this yesterday. To show that I am a dutiful father, I appoint you as his instructor. I have seen your strength with my own eyes; there shouldn't be any issues."

"Although the combat scene was indeed too blurry, your act of charging into a place infested by demons without wearing any protection was truly reckless."

Aaron secretly made a note: This was the second time his father had responded seriously to his requests, taking another step toward becoming more human. *Sigh*, for the sake of his parents' romance and the future successful birth of his younger brothers, he, as the older brother, really carried too much on his shoulders.

Once the attendants had left in a daze, believing they had completed their tasks, Anda asked:

"How was the intelligence gathered yesterday? If the upper-level decision-makers of Egypt are truly fools, then I believe there must be more demon incursions. It is not yet time for that storm to break, so this place should not have become a den of monsters. But those disgusting little tricks of theirs ought to be completely incinerated."

Aaron reached out to signal Malum not to speak and answered himself:

"Three legions are approaching Laswit; the vanguard is led by Erst. Egypt intends to fully occupy the main trade routes between the three lands via Thebes to reap the benefits."

"That is a very stupid move. They lack the strength to step beyond this land."

Anda glanced at his offspring, a playful smile appearing on his face. "It seems you have put in quite a lot of effort? Well, it is a good thing that I do not have to listen to the long-winded reports of the Ultramarines. Now, it can be confirmed."

He braced himself against his knees and let out a breath. "The high-ranking officials of Egypt have already been encroached upon by demons. There must be some power that convinced them to believe their empire could conquer the world."

Malum knew well what "power" His Majesty was referring to and asked respectfully:

"My Lord, has the corruption already arrived?"

He worried about the activity of those previously transformed by the plague into rotting corpses—

Anda waved his hand. "That has nothing to do with it. When you were sent here, I was at my most powerful state regarding the Warp, and that moment happened to align with that filthy garden, carrying some things along with it. Those things set out later, but arrived earlier than you."

"Do not worry too much; at most, it is just some enhanced mortal soldiers or a few low-level demons."

He stood up, his body restored to its original state, completely calm. "Our goal is to resolve these anomalies and prevent human history from recording them."

"Although the faith generated by civilization itself is dangerous, I will impose guidance. And the weakest of the demons' invasions, being the filthiest interference in the history of human civilization, must be completely erased!"

Aaron looked with a sour expression at the man who was holding forth, his face filled with firm determination as he spoke of his great goals. He admitted that his father was indeed attractive at such moments; perhaps his mother had been drawn in by this smooth-talking charisma back then.

Aaron came to Malum's side, poked him in the waist, and whispered:

"Have you ever seen Father in the future with your own eyes? Was he like this back then?"

"I mean, when he rules humanity or induces my younger brothers to work, when he sends you to fight—is he this same模样?"

Malum began to sweat again. He could not answer a single one of these questions. If this were forty thousand years later, anyone asking such things would be seized and executed on the spot. After all, fighting for the Emperor was the very meaning of their existence.

"In the future, all warriors fight spontaneously for their own faith. Fulfilling one's loyalty is the greatest reward; there is nothing else to ask for."

"We have never heard a single word from the Master's own lips. For at least ten thousand years, the Master has not delivered speeches or employed the other morale-boosting methods you speak of."

He had no choice but to selectively narrate some truths, which was not exactly lying. *Father, forgive me. I would rather fight in the realm of demons for a thousand years than face these kinds of questions.*

The blue paint of the Ultramarine was shining a bit too brightly.

Aaron sighed. "I think it would be better to let Guilliman be the—the Emperor, is that what you call him in the future?"

He had to keep stealing the spotlight for Guilliman; he had to make his father understand how indispensable the younger brothers would be later!

*Clack!*

As soon as Aaron finished speaking, Malum fell to his knees.

Blasphemy! This was an act of blasphemy!

Anda gradually transformed from his confident state back into that disheveled old man, tugging at his own hair. "What is this now? I cannot see every single detail of the future clearly. If Guilliman can handle many of the systemic affairs in my stead, I think that would be just fine."

Malum felt that the stimulation from the sights and sounds of the past was beyond what his Astartes life-support system could handle to keep his heart beating.

Aaron poked fun at him with ill intent: "So, it is because Guilliman cannot find you, I guess you long ago slipped away and are hiding somewhere, slacking off."

Anda stretched his body. "Think what you want. I am going fishing. The fish in Thebes do not like me; they refuse to take the bait. Since I have arrived in Egypt, perhaps the fish here will show me some respect."

"Malum, start the training. I do not think Erst can kill my son, but I also do not want to see him beaten to a pulp, looking pathetic while being knocked to the ground."

The old man walked away once he had arranged the matters, smoothly seeking a fishing rod and nearby fishing spots from the priest's attendants. He then happily boarded someone else's carriage, surrounded by people, and left amidst cheers.

Not far away, Dalet watched the back of the departing Anda with kindness, wiping away tears from the corners of his eyes, his nose twitching slightly, deeply moved. It seemed his Anda had moved past the emotions of the past; after today's cleansing, he was ready to welcome a new life.

His expression smoothed out, and the snake-scale tattoo on his face unfolded.

Now it was time to handle serious business; Erst was coming.

The arena to welcome this mad crocodile was also finished—very crude, merely built of stacked stones, but sufficient to satisfy the priest's bloodthirsty desires.

After that, it would be time to send troops north to retake Thebes.

On the road, he would take good care of his Anda.