Guilliman would not enter into a contract with a Warp entity in any form, but he had to prepare for the future.
Even if he could bring himself to execute Julius, that wouldn't stop other transmigrators.
If he could tolerate Olus as a 'human auspex', why couldn't he tolerate Julius, with whom he had an even closer bond?
Caelan asked, "What are the terms of your contract?"
"I really don't know," Olus said, his face full of misery.
"Then ask it."
Olus grimaced. 'Nehemiah, can I say?'
If he couldn't, he might be dead.
But to Olus's surprise, Nehemiah seemed very excited about this.
"Of course, of course! I completely obey my master's commands!"
The guardian spirit flew out of Olus's soul. With a wave of its little hand, a faintly glowing contract materialized in the air.
The contract's terms were simple and clear: It would fulfill Olus's requests and not harm Olus.
In return, Olus would provide it with emotional value.
However, this seemingly simple contract was far from perfect; it was full of holes.
Nehemiah only had to perform when Olus made a request. The rest of the time, it could do whatever it wanted.
The contract only bound Nehemiah to fulfill Olus's requests, but didn't limit how it fulfilled them.
When Olus wanted to become head of the Avitus family, Nehemiah's method wasn't to help him improve and surpass his competitors, but to make all his competitors die in 'accidents'.
This was relatively mild.
It could have been even more thorough, like wiping out the entire Avitus family except Olus.
As for not harming Olus, that also left enormous room for interpretation.
What constitutes 'harm'? Who defines 'harm'?
Direct harm is harm, but does indirect harm count?
Making Olus's competitors die accidentally isn't harm? Then making Olus's relatives die isn't harm either. So making his parents, siblings die would be only natural.
If Olus had a family, it could even make his wife and children die accidentally.
As long as it didn't directly harm Olus, it could do whatever it wanted.
Furthermore, the contract terms required Olus to provide 'entertainment value'.
What is 'entertainment value'? Who defines it? Where is the bottom line?
Most terrifyingly, this contract had no default clause at all!
Even mortals specify clear default penalties when signing contracts. This contract had nothing.
No default penalty means no default clause, which undoubtedly benefits the stronger party.
Without punishment, Nehemiah was not subject to any limits. It could unilaterally tear up the agreement whenever it wanted.
Olus's spine went cold, cold sweat pouring down his back.
Because he saw it too.
Although Nehemiah had never harmed him, it could turn on him at any moment. That alone was terrible enough.
No wonder he knew nothing about the contract.
No wonder Nehemiah didn't care whenever he asked to see it before.
With a contract like this, was he Nehemiah's master, or was Nehemiah his master?
Olus didn't understand why Nehemiah was suddenly willing to show the contract to outsiders. He only felt a deep sense of fear.
Caelan stared at the signature line on the contract. "Is your true name 'Olus'?"
Olus nodded in agreement. "I had this name before I transmigrated."
Caelan frowned, looking again at the contract's signature.
The contract was real, but the true name might not be.
The true names of Warp entities are often composed of twisted, crazy symbols, characters, or even living things. A mere glimpse could drive a mortal mad.
Even the most seasoned psychic master risks backlash when reciting the true name of a powerful entity.
Safeguarding a demon's true name is itself a dangerous task, and pronouncing it correctly is even more complex.
These true names not only contain obscure syllables and psychic chords that mortals cannot pronounce, but also dark secrets capable of corrupting the strongest warrior.
However, obtaining a true name does not force a demon to submit, nor is it even enough to banish them.
The specific effect of a true name depends on whether the user can effectively master it.
If you merely recite the name without understanding its meaning, you can only greatly weaken the demon, making it easier to destroy or banish.
With a deeper understanding of the true name, you can banish them almost permanently.
If you completely master the true name, you can command the demon or even bring it true death.
Therefore, Warp entities usually carefully protect their true names. Stupid demons who are too arrogant and tell their true name to mortals, leading to their banishment, are very rare.
Signing a contract doesn't require using a true name; even a pseudonym can bind the parties. Otherwise, Tzeentch's true name would be everywhere.
Caelan stared at Nehemiah's true name on the contract. At first, the characters were just harmless text.
But as he gazed at them, the characters suddenly transformed into countless writhing maggots, burrowing into his brain along his gaze!
If he were mortal, that single glimpse would have shattered his mind.
But Caelan merely frowned. Besides the disgust at these overlapping maggots, he suffered no actual harm.
"My Lord, the true name is real."
Lilith kept her eyes tightly shut, her head bowed, her beautiful cheeks twitching slightly, as if enduring great pain.
The more powerful the Warp entity, the more terrifying its true name.
Even she found it hard to bear. Nehemiah was no ordinary neutral Warp entity; its strength exceeded that of usual Primordial Annihilators.
"Using a true name to sign a contract. How extravagant!"
Caelan glanced at Nehemiah, which blinked its big eyes innocently, looking at him with pure innocence.
Call it honest, the contract had no default clause.
Call it cunning, it used its true name to sign.
"I see."
Caelan shook his head. "Lilith, draft a new contract for him."
Signing or not was irrelevant.
Having them sign a contract was giving them a chance, not begging them.
Lilith used her psychic power to project a contract template in the air. Guilliman reviewed it line by line, confirming there were no obvious loopholes.
Then, the contract was presented to Olus.
"How do I sign?" Olus asked nervously.
He had no pen, and even if he did, he probably couldn't write on it.
He didn't know psychic powers, and even if he did, he couldn't use them, because he had a ticking time bomb inside him.
Lilith said, "Only the principal party of the contract can sign it. Outsiders cannot interfere."
"You need to memorize this template and then re-establish the contract with it."
Olus dared not slacken. He memorized the template word for word.
He didn't try to be clever. He didn't change a single word. He took the template directly to Nehemiah.
"Nehemiah, sign it," he urged in his mind.
He was now somewhat afraid of this guardian spirit, but signing the contract was more beneficial than harmful for him.
Even if he was still under someone else's control, at least Nehemiah would no longer endanger him.
Nehemiah timidly glanced at Caelan. It hesitated for a moment, then signed its true name on the contract.
'Sign, must sign. If not, how to be a loyal follower?'
It had already given its true name. What was a contract?
After the contract was signed, Olus breathed a long sigh of relief. His taut nerves finally relaxed. At least a major worry was gone.
Julius's guardian spirit had been watching with wide, round eyes. When it saw Nehemiah and Olus sign the new contract, a trace of envy actually flickered in its eyes.
It couldn't help gently pushing the still-sleeping Julius, anxiously urging him to wake up.
"Was I asleep?"
Julius opened his eyes blankly. When his vision refocused and he saw the people around him, he jerked backwards in shock.
Robert caught his chair back just in time, stopping him from falling.
Julius looked at the familiar faces. His fear vanished, replaced by confusion and bewilderment. "Robert, why are you all here?"
Guilliman asked, "Julius, that thing in your consciousness, what is its name?"
Julius was surprised that Guilliman knew his greatest secret, but he only hesitated for a moment before answering.
"It calls itself Solomon. It's been with me since I was born."
Caelan said, "You should have signed a contract with it. Do you remember the terms?"
Julius nodded. "Solomon told me everything. It's my guardian spirit, always protecting me."
"Lilith," Caelan called softly. Lilith immediately pushed the faintly glowing psychic contract towards him.
Guilliman said, "Use this contract template to re-sign with your guardian spirit."
"Don't ask why. I'll give you a clear explanation after this."
Trusting his friend, Julius swallowed his questions.
The moment he memorized the terms, Solomon was already waiting, holding the exact same contract.
The new contract obviously added many restrictive clauses targeting Solomon, yet its attitude was almost eager.
As if it wasn't resistant to this stricter contract, but was rather impatient.
'What was going on?'
Julius was utterly confused. Although he found everything happening before him baffling, the signing process went surprisingly smoothly.
He followed Guilliman's instructions, having Solomon slowly unfold the contract. The content was identical to Lilith's template.
However, even a seemingly perfect template might still have loopholes.
In the 30k era of TTG 40K, the tragedy of the Fifteenth Legion stemmed precisely from this.
The Fifteenth Legion's Tutelaries betrayed their masters, pouring immense Aetheric energy into their bodies.
Unable to withstand this massive power, they eventually either self-destructed or suffered the flesh-change.
But in the contracts they signed with their Tutelaries, they had actually planted the trap.
The Fifteenth Legion often fought alongside their Tutelaries, and this tactic proved successful.
For example, they could send their Tutelaries through enemy lines, using their bodies to guide psychic powers to strike enemies behind cover.
When exhausted, they could have their Tutelaries channel psychic energy into them.
And this was the cause of their destruction.
Their Tutelaries didn't betray the contract; they simply executed its terms 10000%.
The Legionaries asked for power, and the Tutelaries gave them power, simply disregarding the consequences.
Although not all Tutelaries betrayed their masters, some remained loyal to each other throughout,
Such rare exceptions do not change the essence of the betrayal.
Caelan didn't trust these Warp entities.
No matter how friendly they seemed, Caelan wouldn't easily trust them.
Even if they rendered meritorious service and remained loyal to their masters, it could be for a larger scheme.
Like their true masters, they possessed ample patience.
…...
Guilliman gave a concise explanation. Julius's voice was a little hoarse. "I think I understand. Solomon and Nehemiah are both Warp entities."
"So, I'm standing on the edge of a cliff, about to fall into the abyss at any moment?"
Guilliman reassured him, "As long as you hold fast to your true heart, stay clear-minded, and aren't seduced by desire and false promises, you can resist it!"
"But I'm just an ordinary person. I don't think I have a particularly strong will."
Julius was very troubled. It wasn't that he didn't trust Guilliman, but he had grown up with Solomon and trusted it immensely.
Even if Guilliman told him Solomon would harm him, he couldn't accept it right away.
"Solomon, will you really harm me?" Julius asked softly in his deep consciousness.
"Of course I will," the guardian spirit answered bluntly.
This answer stunned Julius.
Solomon's voice carried a hint of naive delight. "Don't worry, that was in the past. It's different now!"
In the past, it didn't care about anything but emotional value, as long as it could harvest emotions from others.
Julius had been quite interesting, so it had helped him.
But now it had higher aspirations. It had found its direction in life!
Julius asked, "Why?"
Solomon's voice was full of joy: "Because I signed a new contract! Because I have a master now!"
"Isn't that still me?" Julius didn't understand. 'Did signing a new contract make you this happy?'
'What's wrong with you, Haki-Suo?'
Julius truly found it hard to understand why it felt this way.
Guilliman looked intently at Julius, his expression serious, his voice therefore somewhat low. "Julius, I have always considered you a partner who can walk with me. So, promise me: never fall off that cliff!"
Julius's expression also became serious. "How could I bear to fall off the cliff before I've seen the sights of the galaxy with you?"
Caelan said, "Maybe it's precisely to see more sights that you'll fall into the abyss."
Everyone who falls into the abyss once thought, arrogantly, that they could master the Warp.
They looked up into the boundless void, thinking they had glimpsed higher-dimensional truths.
Little did they know they were stepping down into the abyss. Once they cross that line, there's no turning back.
Even if someone dares to reach out and pull them back, they'll only be dragged down too.
…
"Father, it seems my brother is in trouble."
When Caelan got up, Magnus was already waiting outside his door.
Caelan said "A second transmigrator was found on Macragge. But the danger has been temporarily resolved."
"Why not simply eliminate the hidden danger?" Magnus frowned.
"Roboute has his own judgment. We shouldn't just question and deny him, but put ourselves in his shoes."
"Imagine if there were a transmigrator on Prospero, and that person were Amon. Would you kill him?"
Magnus didn't answer, but his hesitation was answer enough.
Although he had never called Amon 'Father', he had feelings for him.
Nine months wasn't long, but it spanned his entire childhood. Such emotions are the hardest to forsake.
And it wasn't just Amon on the scales. His Legion was already there too.
Could he bear to abandon them?
Even though he had never met his sons, knew nothing of their experiences or names,
If he were willing to abandon them, his brothers would surely generously offer assistance, offering their best sons to rebuild the Fifteenth Legion.
But he could never make such a cruel choice!
Even though he had never met them, they were still his sons. How could he bear to slaughter them?
If he couldn't, what right did he have to demand that his brother forsake his cherished companion?
Magnus lowered his head, slowly exhaling. "Father, I was wrong. I shouldn't have been so harsh on my brother."
A smile appeared on Caelan's face. "It seems I still have something to teach you."
Magnus nodded, "There's always something new to learn. You could teach me for a lifetime."
"It seems I've come at a bad time." Amon coughed, breaking the warm atmosphere.
Caelan asked, "Amon, what is it?"
"Nothing bad. The council invites you for a discussion. It's about the Psychneuein."
"It seems you've made up your minds."
Caelan had been on Prospero for a while. He had never interfered in the Tizca Commune council's debates, letting them argue.
This was also a valuable practical lesson for Magnus, showing him the consequences of too much freedom and too much democracy.
Though they were in an apocalypse, it had still taken the Tizca council a long time to come to him for a meeting. The efficiency was frighteningly low.
"I will go with my father."
Amon's expression was complicated. "Then come. You were going to attend the council anyway."
Although Magnus wasn't one of Tizca's nine Masters, his talent was evident to all Tizcans.
His knowledge and power had already surpassed all the Masters. It was just that no one was willing to step down yet.
Tizca seemed democratic, but could those in power really be expected to abandon it?
However, as Magnus's teacher, Amon had managed to secure him a place in the council.
In this matter, Amon saw things much more clearly than the other Masters.
Caelan had come for Magnus. Even if he said he would save Prospero, it was for Magnus, not the Tizcans.
If Magnus himself abandoned Tizca, then they would truly have no one to rely on.
.....
30 Chapters [email protected]/DaoistJinzu