"Father~" Lileath cooed. She was clad in a form-fitting bodysuit, reminiscent of the mesh armor worn by Aeldari warriors, which perfectly accentuated the curves of a body that had matured into the physical likeness of a young woman of sixteen.
At the same time, Lucius had made no attempt to suppress Lileath's Warp-essence. Consequently, she had begun to manifest her innate divine talents: the domains of Fortune, Dreams, and Purity.
As the maiden-goddess of dreams, Lileath, despite the biological constraints of her Primarch-tier vessel, could effortlessly command unconditional devotion through her sheer charisma. To put it bluntly, her ability was the ultimate "Mary Sue" aura. While Lucius himself remained immune to such influence, he had already conducted experiments using the Aeldari souls he had rescued. Lileath's charm affected them profoundly; to follow her was to feel as though they were chasing their own most cherished aspirations.
"What is it, Lileath?" Lucius asked casually. He was currently preoccupied with observing the mortal realm, pondering what new "entertainment" he might provide for the denizens of the galaxy.
Lileath seemed far closer to this plain-faced "Father" than she was to either Erda or Isha. Regarding this, Erda couldn't help but wonder: Do Primarchs, whether human or Aeldari, simply have a genetic predisposition for a father complex?
Lileath threw herself onto him, her pale, supple skin forming a stark contrast against his ancient, tattered black robes. She looked up at him with bright, gem-like eyes. "Father, when may I share your burdens? I am impatient to finally meet my younger brothers and sisters."
"Heh... ambition and desire are healthy traits. But is Erda truly such a poor guardian? Are you that eager to leave her protection? She fought desperately to secure your safety from me," Lucius remarked with a smile. He remained entirely unmoved by the soft weight of Lileath's body pressing against him.
As a god, such detachment was elementary. Besides, the "texture" of her biological mother, Isha, was of a much higher caliber than Lileath's.
Lileath shook her head, her expression one of guileless innocence. "No, Father. I simply wish to lead my poor siblings and realize the world you envision as soon as possible~"
Lucius glanced over at Erda, who stood in the distance with an expression that clearly said, 'Raising children is exhausting.' He nodded. "Very well. Your siblings are nearly ready. I have commissioned a specialist to handle the final refinements. Since you are so keen to leave your ivory tower, then go."
"Yes~ Thank you, Father~" Lileath nuzzled her beautiful, pure face against Lucius's cheek before skipping away, looking every bit the part of a sheltered princess venturing out for the first time.
"I thought you intended to give her a perfect childhood, to let her choose for herself to reject the wars you so loathe," Lucius said to Erda.
"Sigh... I understand less and less as time goes on. Do I truly have no talent for motherhood? You have barely spent any time with her, yet why is she so drawn to you? Why does she support your schemes?" Erda sighed heavily, her dark, curly hair falling over her refined, bronzed features.
"You merely cultivated her flesh, Erda. You never understood her essence," Lucius replied. "Even if her memories haven't fully returned, her nature remains unchanged. She is a creature of grand dreams who often ends up outsmarting herself."
"Perhaps," Erda conceded. "I assume I am of no further use to you now? Your promise has been fulfilled. Honestly, I never expected a Chaos God to keep his word so precisely. Dispose of me however you wish."
Erda spoke with quiet resignation. Through her immense psychic power, she had long ago prophesied her own end. Yet, that destiny, to be slain by Erebus, had been twisted. Having achieved her dream of raising a Primarch, even if the results were imperfect, she felt she had already come out ahead.
"Hmm? How I wish to dispose of you?" Lucius rubbed his chin. "You are free to leave whenever you like. My Realm of Ruin has everything except a functioning exit door."
Erda's brow furrowed. She wanted to leave, but upon reflection, she realized she had nowhere to go.
She had no desire to return to that old fossil, the Emperor. If she returned to her original timeline, she would simply meet her fated death. Part of her wanted to stay and see if the Great Horned Rat's vision would actually come to pass, a future where humanity was not a bloated, hateful, extremist monolith, but a thriving power with its own allies and enemies, reminiscent of the vibrant dawn of the Dark Age of Technology.
Lucius immediately sensed her hesitation.
"If you don't wish to leave, you can stay. My realm is vast; I can afford to house one more stowaway."
"Hmph. I am not one for charity," Erda frowned. "If you have no more Primarchs to breed, I have other knowledge that might be of use."
"Are you offering your service? If so, I would be most welcoming," Lucius said with a grin. "The Great Horned Rat wastes nothing. I can even offer you a very generous 'promotion' to daemonhood~"
Erda looked at the monstrous forms of the Verminlords and immediately shook her head. "No thank you. I have no desire to look like that. Let me live as a human. If the human empire you spoke of ever manifests, I will return to Holy Terra and go back into hiding."
Erda casually rejected an ascension that countless Skaven and even some xenos cultists would kill for. Lucius did not take offense.
"As you wish. However, I am generous. I shall grant you the power and title of a Verminlord while allowing you to retain your form, until you grow weary of it," Lucius said, clapping his hands.
Suddenly, space tore open. A balding man in a power-armored suit made of human skin tumbled out, landing squarely on his backside. It was the purple-clad "Old Apothecary."
"Welcome back, Fabius Bile. Or rather, this time, I am your debt collector."
Clearly, this was not the same Bile that Lucius had previously dissolved, but another clone. However, it was evident that the predecessor had found a way to transmit data to the others. The clone shook his head, stood up, and spoke in a sharp, nonchalant tone.
"Oh, Great God, my creditor. Thank you for moving me from one loan shark's clutches to another's. Might I ask what business you have with me?"
"Good business, Bile. A precious, one-of-a-kind opportunity," Lucius said, gesturing toward Erda. "Do you recognize her? The Mother of Primarchs, the Emperor's collaborator: Erda."
Bile's eyes instantly lit up, showing far more excitement than he had displayed at being kidnapped by a dark god.
"How? The Great Erda... I heard you had been missing for aeons. Erebus claimed he had slain you. I never expected to find you here." Bile approached the woman like a scientist meeting an idol, scrutinizing her every feature.
"Enough. I didn't bring you here for small talk, Bile," Lucius interrupted. With a wave of his hand, thousands of Aeldari warriors in white bodysuits appeared before them. "I don't have the time to individually sculpt their vessels. That is where you come in. Consider it the interest on your debt."
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