Emrys, who woke up from a nightmare, was silent for half a second before looking at the unfamiliar old man, his lips twitching slightly: "Excuse me, who are you?"
If it weren't for the old man's age, he would have slapped him already. What's wrong with claiming kinship the moment he opens his mouth?
Arthur was stunned for a moment, then remembered he hadn't introduced himself yet. He cleared his throat and said seriously: "I am Arthur Emrys. From a bloodline perspective, I am your Grandpa."
Emrys suddenly understood.
He got it, this was his noble Grandpa!
"Child, I know... it might be difficult for you to accept this now, after all, I..." Arthur was about to comfort his little grandson.
As a result, he saw Emrys nimbly jump off the soft bed and hug his leg: "Grandfather—I finally found you!!!"
Good!
Shameless enough!
Arthur's eyelids twitched wildly. He didn't expect his grandson to be so quick-witted. No wonder he was his father's son. With this level of thick skin, he would surely be a talent in the future.
The family's future is promising!
Arthur stroked Emrys' hair and said softly: "Don't worry, child, I'm here... no one will bully you again. I swear by the name of 'Emrys' that I will train you to be a qualified noble!"
If Emrys could hear Arthur's thoughts, he would probably curl his lips in disdain.
Having fallen to the level of a scavenger, what face is there to lose?
No matter what, even a noble in a cesspit is countless times better than a scavenger in a cesspit!
As for face?
Whoever wants that can have it, he wants to cling tightly to his noble Grandpa's leg!
"Child, how are you feeling?"
Arthur truly looked like a kind old man, stroking Emrys' hair, a hint of affection showing on his aged face, and he said in as gentle a tone as possible: "It's normal to feel uncomfortable after being abducted into the Warp by a Great Daemon of Tzeentch. If anything feels off, just say it."
"I... I feel very good, no problems."
After much hesitation, Emrys decided to keep the things he saw in his dream a secret. Otherwise... who knows if the old man would get excited and pull out a gun to shoot him.
After all, having traversed the realms of the four gods in a dream, it seemed a bit too outlandish no matter how one looked at it.
As for the final scene in the nightmare... to be honest, Emrys couldn't quite understand it. Could it be that the prisoner on the Golden Throne was really about to lose control?
"Since you've mostly recovered, it's perfect timing to come with me to a banquet. Many people... are waiting to see you."
Arthur smiled, but in Emrys' eyes, there was an indescribable feeling in the old man's smile.
"Oh..."
Emrys finally had time to survey his surroundings.
A huge crystal chandelier, soft carpets made of unknown animal fur, and lit incense. Any single item from the room's furnishings would be enough to cause a fierce fight among the gangs of the Lower Hive!
This was... the life of a noble!
Emrys had previously imagined, to the best of his ability, that upper hive nobles would live very luxuriously, but he never expected... it could be this damn luxurious!
To be honest, even Tony would probably curse: extravagant, wasteful!
"Child, I know... this is very simple."
However, Arthur's words instantly broke Emrys' composure. He whispered in a pained tone: "But this is already the best room in Roselle. It will be much better when we return to our ship. Just bear with it for now."
"..."
Emrys was stunned for a full ten seconds.
No, he felt this place was no less than a palace, yet in the old man's eyes, it was only barely acceptable?
How decadent must true nobles be then!
"Dress the young lord."
Arthur snapped his fingers indifferently.
Soon, two maids with excellent figures and superior looks entered from outside the door, carrying soft noble clothing. They gracefully bowed: "Esteemed young lord Emrys, from now on, we will be responsible for your food, clothing, housing, and transportation. If you need anything, you may command us."
Hmm, as expected of a noble, even the standard maids are this beautiful.
Emrys took a few more glances, but quickly withdrew his gaze. As an ambitious person, physical beauty was merely the lowest form of desire.
He had more, higher pursuits.
Little did he know, his performance added several more points to his favor in Arthur's eyes.
Arthur had initially thought that his little grandson, who was born in the Lower Hive and had never experienced luxury, would quickly become immersed in various desires and unable to extricate himself. So he had planned to let Emrys experience everything he hadn't before, until he got tired of it, and then explicitly point it out.
But now it seemed he had worried too much. Emrys' performance was excellent. Aside from noble etiquette, he couldn't even find a single fault with him.
Although Emrys was a little unaccustomed, he still managed to complete the changing process with the help of the two maids.
Suddenly, as if inspired, a thought popped into his mind from the depths of his consciousness.
Is this... a bit dangerous?
After pondering for half a second, Emrys asked the two maids to step out for a moment. Although the two maids didn't quite understand, they still complied.
Soon, Emrys, having changed into noble attire, walked out of the room with satisfaction.
It must be said that noble clothes, woven from some unknown material, were incredibly soft when worn. The gold-embroidered patterns, at first glance, seemed very simple, yet exuded a subtle luxury.
"These two will be responsible for your daily life from now on."
Arthur looked at Emrys, who had finished changing, with a satisfied expression. Then his gaze became somewhat sharp as he stared at the two maids and said indifferently: "But there is one thing I need to caution you about. They are only responsible for your daily life. You can make any requests, but... you must not pour too much emotion into them, do you understand what I mean?"
Understood, isn't it just controlling his urges?
Emrys nodded slightly, understanding the hidden meaning in the old man's words, but he currently had no thoughts in that regard.
"Hmm, good, you look much better now."
Arthur scrutinized Emrys from head to toe, then said indifferently: "From the perspective of Imperial law, you are not yet the heir of Merlin, so I will not demand noble etiquette from you. And considering your background, these matters... I will teach you slowly in the future."
Upon hearing this, Emrys suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.
Others might not know, but he understood perfectly how troublesome Imperial nobles were. Just the etiquette and family history would be enough to give him a headache!
"Come with me, child."
Arthur stepped forward, personally adjusting Emrys' collar, and said in a solemn tone: "Next, I will take you to meet Imperial officials, and then formally confirm... that you will become the heir of Emrys!"
"Um... Grandpa, how long was I unconscious?" Emrys asked cautiously, following behind Arthur.
"Fifteen days."
Arthur said indifferently.
"Then... have the cults been dealt with?" Emrys' biggest concern was still the cults of Roselle: "Also, has that governor Galarion been caught?"
Arthur stopped, not turning back, and said indifferently: "These are minor matters, you don't need to worry about them at all."
Seeing this, Emrys could only suppress his doubts and continue to follow behind Arthur until they reached a large door.
The attendant at the door pushed it open for them.
A resplendent golden light seemed to emanate from within, and the overwhelming aura of luxury made Emrys feel like a bumpkin entering the city for the first time in his life.
God Damn!
Dozens of people gathered in the palace, filled with top-tier noble luxury. Judging solely by their attire, almost every one of them was a noble, including cardinals of the Ecclesiarchy, Archmagos of the Mechanicus, and even Imperial military officers, and so on.
He even saw Captain Albert, who had rescued him, and another Astartes Captain he didn't recognize. The two were in a corner, intensely discussing something.
Judging by their lip movements... oh, they were discussing how to divide the spoils!
Shifting his stiff gaze, Emrys looked again at Arthur, who claimed to be his 'Grandpa,' and swallowed: "Um... you, why don't you check again? I'm afraid there's a mistake."
It was the first time in his life he had seen so many nobles!
Suddenly, he transformed from a scavenger of the Lower Hive into an Imperial noble. The change in identity was nothing short of a meteoric rise, and even now, it gave him a dreamlike illusion!
"I know what you're worried about, child."
Arthur smiled and patted his shoulder, his tone very gentle, saying: "While you were unconscious, I already extracted your blood sample and compared it with the family records. The result is... genetic identification confirms you are a direct relative. You... Merlin Emrys, are the direct descendant who inherited the Merlin bloodline!"
The old man's last few sentences suddenly rose in pitch.
The whispers throughout the palace instantly quieted down, and dozens of scrutinizing gazes suddenly converged on Emrys, making him feel immense pressure.
"Everyone!"
Arthur pulled Emrys, stepping onto the red carpet, from under the gaze of Imperial officials, Astartes, and Ecclesiarchy priests, to the center of the palace, and loudly declared: "Thanks to the Emperor's blessing, the child beside me is the next heir of the Emrys Rogue Trader Dynasty... Merlin Emrys!"
Boom!
A clap of thunder seemed to explode in Emrys' mind.
He... was Merlin Emrys, the heir of a Rogue Trader Dynasty?!
The vast banquet hall was resplendent with gold.
But Emrys' mind, until this moment, was completely dazed; he hadn't expected Emrys to be a Rogue Trader!
Rogue Traders can be traced back to the 30th Millennium, when they were appointed by the Primarchs, military leaders, and the Emperor of the Imperium of Man, with their main duty being to expand the Imperium of Man and explore unknown territories.
Because Rogue Traders often traveled through unknown regions, where communication was poor and the Imperium of Man had difficulty governing, they dealt with unknown alien civilizations, even migrant worlds from best years of Human expeditions, and various other threats.
Therefore, Rogue Traders possessed extremely high levels of freedom and authority.
As long as Rogue Traders believed their actions were in the Imperium's interest, they could even act as diplomats, engaging in trade with alien civilizations usually forbidden by the Imperium, in exchange for appropriate benefits.
Of course… if necessary, Rogue Traders could order private armed forces to conduct legitimate plundering, or directly exterminate weak heretical civilizations!
In summary, it was one sentence.
Emperor's special permission… act first, report later!
The power of Rogue Traders was so immense that it could be described as 'feudal lords'; in remote star systems, on worlds where the Imperium's authority could not be exercised, they were local emperors!
And in the 40th Millennium of humanity, Rogue Traders were also the last pioneering and enterprising spirit of the Imperium of Man!
They were both explorers and plunderers!
To some extent, Rogue Traders were more like licensed privateer fleets under the former British Empire!
However, not every Rogue Trader family possessed the privilege of 'hereditary succession'; apart from trade charters issued by the Emperor himself, Primarchs, and a very few High Lords, many Rogue Traders did not have hereditary qualifications.
Rogue Traders who possessed the qualification of 'heredity' were often referred to as—Rogue Dynasties!
"Go, child."
While Emrys was in a daze, Arthur quietly pushed him, making him stand under the spotlight.
Inside the banquet hall, powerful figures from all corners of the Imperium focused their gaze on the sole blood heir of the ancient Emrys Rogue Dynasty!
One could say that his appearance… saved Emrys!
The Cardinal of the Ecclesiarchy sprinkled holy water on Emrys, recited the Emperor's prayers, bestowed blessings from the Ecclesiarchy, and recognized him as the inheritor of the Emperor's will!
According to ancient Imperial documents, the Emrys Rogue Dynasty could be traced back to the 30th Millennium, with their family's trade charter personally signed by the Lord of Mankind!
Merlin Emrys' name would be transcribed by Ministry of Interior officials onto blessed parchment and sent to the great Imperial Palace on Terra for preservation!
The Ecclesiarchy's priest held the scripture parchment and loudly proclaimed that, according to the Emperor's will and the results of genetic sequence identification, it was confirmed that Merlin Emrys indeed possessed the direct bloodline of the 'Emrys' Rogue Dynasty!
Arthur even personally presented the 'Trade Charter' that the Emperor had issued to their family ten thousand years ago during the Great Crusade.
On the wall-like projection, there was clearly the 'Trade Charter' from eons ago, symbolizing the family's honor, power, and status!
Goodness… a 'Trade Charter' personally issued by the Emperor during the Great Crusade, with even a drop of the Lord of Mankind's blood seal remaining on it; the value of this thing surely needs no further explanation, right?
Emrys looked at the sacred seal in the projection, as if he could feel the residual power of the Emperor within it!
He had once fantasized that his family was very powerful.
But… he never expected it to be this powerful; no wonder they could command a 'Conqueror-class cruiser', it turns out they are the most ancient Rogue Dynasty within the Imperium!
Such ancient trade charters are probably only a handful in the entire Imperium today, which shows how precious they are!
No wonder so many people came!
From the Cardinal of the State down to the Astartes… and honestly, in this banquet hall, the lowest political status probably belonged to those two Chapter Masters.
The Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus bestowed upon Emrys the blessings of the Omnissiah and offered the income of an entire industrial world as a humble gift.
Raymond, the First Company Captain of the Watchers Astartes Chapter, representing the absent Chapter Master, expressed willingness to forge a deep friendship with him and promised Emrys that wherever he might be in the Milky Way Galaxy in the future, if Emrys needed assistance, they would willingly endure the hardships of traversing the perilous passages of the Warp to provide all possible help!
Albert, the Company Captain of the Frost Wolves Chapter, made a similar promise; he even specifically found a master-crafted power sword from the Chapter's armory and presented it to him as a gift.
This master-crafted power sword had once slain a Greater Daemon of Khorne!
The indelible bloodstains on the sword were the dying wails of that Greater Daemon of Khorne; Emrys liked it very much and stated that if he had the chance in the future, he would personally cut off the head of a Greater Daemon of Khorne!
Through the extremely convoluted process, Emrys was like a puppet, manipulated by the Cardinal of the Ecclesiarchy.
Finally, it was over, and he could breathe a sigh of relief; what awaited him next was to act like a 'noble' and engage in superficial conversations with people from various factions.
In Arthur's words, this was an indispensable occasion for a Rogue Trader.
They must learn how to unite allies; only then could the family continue!
Of course, Emrys also made a friend.
Karon from the Knight world, it was said, rushed non-stop after receiving the distress call, but still didn't make it in time.
By the time he arrived at Roselle, the cultists had already been bombed and wiped out by the Astra Militarum, leaving him deeply regretful, cursing the heretical Chaos for not holding out a few more days until he arrived before dying, highlighting his sheer frustration.
"If you ever have any trouble next time, remember to find me first!" Karon was of similar age, but his face was full of bitterness.
Emrys deeply sympathized; he was quite aware of the intricate etiquette of Knight families.
Every day upon waking, he would kneel in the family's prayer hall, praying to the mountain-filling family history; such a life was harder than that of an ascetic monk, no wonder every Knight, after reaching adulthood and owning a Knight suit, wished for constant warfare in the Milky Way Galaxy, desperate never to return home.
Emrys agreed, comforting this noble of the Knight family.
He barely managed to suppress his laughter, and at the same time, felt a bit fortunate that he wasn't the heir to a Knight family.
"Hello, I am Charles Gransol."
At this moment, an old man suddenly appeared, looking kindly at Emrys, and slowly said, "You may not know me, but you should know my disciple… Winnie Winslet, I am her mentor. May I ask you a few questions?"
Finally, he arrived… the ultimate madman!
"Of course, Honorable Inquisitor Gransol."
Emrys swallowed; facing an Inquisitor's inquiry, let alone a Rogue Trader heir, even Arthur himself would have to handle it carefully.
"No need to be so nervous, I'm not here to accuse."
Charles Gransol seemed very gentle, smiling and waving his hand, asking, "I heard from Captain Albert of the Frost Wolves that you encountered my disciple… Winnie Winslet, in the Warp, is that right?"
After pondering for a moment, Emrys took a deep breath and nodded, "That's right, Your Excellency Gransol, we did encounter your disciple in the Warp."
"That's good… that's good…"
Hearing this, Gransol seemed to age many years in an instant, a hint of relief showing in his eyes: "to live is good, to live is good. Then I can rest assured."
Emrys looked at Gransol's desolate expression, opened his mouth, and hesitated, "You… aren't you going to ask what happened?"
Gransol sighed deeply, shaking his head bitterly, "What's the point of asking?"
No matter what.
Winnie, after all, had her life spared; this was a blessing in disguise.
As for anything more, as an Inquisitor of the Imperium, he knew very well what could be asked and what absolutely could not be asked.
"Excuse me, would you like some drinks?"
Just as the two were talking, a nearby waiter bowed, approaching them with drinks.
"Uh, no, thank you." Emrys didn't pay much attention, waving his hand to indicate he didn't need any.
However, Inquisitor Gransol next to him suddenly furrowed his brows, as if sensing something, and abruptly pushed Emrys away, shouting loudly, "Careful, it's an assassin!"
An assassin?!
At this moment, Emrys' mind was completely ran.
The lively banquet atmosphere was brought to a freezing point by that shout; under everyone's astonished gaze, Gransol drew his personal bolt pistol and aimed at the waiter.
Without a single word of nonsense, this mature, seasoned Inquisitor pulled the trigger directly!
He had absolute faith in his judgment, but the waiter holding the drinks, upon realizing he was exposed, immediately threw away the silver tray, ducked to avoid several bullets, and with a sudden burst of power from his legs, like a pouncing leopard, a fierce killing intent flashed in his eyes as he instantly lunged at Emrys!
This scene happened too quickly, so much so that everyone present failed to react.
That was a specially trained assassin, incredibly agile and swift; at such close range, even the Astartes didn't have time to rescue him.
Emrys' pupils constricted; just as he was about to use his psychic powers to repel the assassin, he suddenly felt a violent nausea, as if his soul was being devoured, and multiple phantoms appeared before his eyes, a thought instantly popping into his mind: "Damn it, I've encountered a null!"
The opponent seemed to know him extremely well, even specifically sending a Blanks, an assassin specialized in countering psykers.
Under the horrified gazes of Arthur, the Cardinal of the Ecclesiarchy, the Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Grand Inquisitor, the Astartes Captain, and the others, the assassin, with all his might, plunged a dagger covered in a kinetic field deep into Emrys' chest!
As the dagger, activated with a kinetic field, plunged into his chest, many thoughts flashed through Emrys' mind.
But, in the end, they coalesced into one idea.
Damn it!
Good thing I was careful before attending the banquet!
The immense impact force was no less than being hit by a car. Emrys had no idea how such power was contained within the seemingly slender body of the assassin.
He was stabbed in the chest by the dagger, then violently thrown back by the assassin, like a rag doll, directly slamming into a pillar in the banquet hall.
If not for the bio-armor, that single impact alone would probably have confined him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
However, after throwing Emrys back, the assassin's face showed a hint of surprise.
Simply because the feel of the assassination seemed a bit off.
The dagger, enveloped in a kinetic field, felt as if it had struck hard armor, and did not, as he had imagined, pierce the target's vital heart.
The assassin was momentarily stunned for half a second, clearly looking like he was questioning his life, wondering if the dagger the higher-ups gave him was picked up from some garbage dump, otherwise, how could it not pierce the man's clothes?
But soon, the assassin understood the reason; it wasn't a quality issue with the dagger.
It was because Merlin Emrys, this shameless bastard, actually wore a 'suit of armor' underneath his clothes to such an important banquet ceremony!
Beneath Emrys' noble attire, torn by the kinetic dagger, a pitch-black suit of armor was revealed.
"Damn it, good thing I was extra careful!" He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, immensely grateful for the sudden flash of insight he had while changing clothes earlier.
If not for that sudden inspiration, and temporarily putting on the Silent Sisterhood's 'Oathplate,' he would have been dead just now!
That dagger was a kinetic weapon; bio-armor couldn't block it!
Clutching the spot on his chest where the dagger had stabbed him, Emrys' heart pounded faster, and his face turned pale with fright.
It's no exaggeration to say that just now... was the closest he had ever come to death!
Even when Khorne dragged him to the Crimson Fortress, facing the challenge of a Khorne Daemon Prince, it wasn't as thrilling as that a second just now.
His heart was almost leaping out of his throat, but fortunately, with the protection of the 'Oathplate,' aside from being thrown back, feeling a bit of pain, and being disturbed by the Null-field, which made him feel very uncomfortable, he didn't suffer any major injuries.
The moment Emrys was assassinated, Arthur's heart almost stopped beating.
He couldn't imagine his family's only direct bloodline being assassinated on the day of his inheritance ceremony. The thought of plummeting from heaven to hell in an instant was enough to drive him completely mad!
But fortunately... the Emperor protects, his grandson Merlin Emrys seemed to be unharmed!
"Kill him—!"
Arthur, finally recovering, roared like a furious lion, his voice echoing through the entire banquet hall.
Albert and Raymond, like lightning, rushed forward!
Although they had surrendered all their weapons when attending the banquet, they were bona fide Astartes; even without weapons, dealing with an assassin was still a piece of cake, wasn't it?
However, the situation seemed to be a little different.
Seeing his attack fail, the assassin moved with extreme agility, bypassing the two charging Astartes.
If stabbing the heart wouldn't kill, then... change the location!
The assassin clearly intended to die, holding no hope of to live, acting like Deadpool, and charged at Emrys again with the dagger.
Nulls, also known as 'Untouchables,' have no projection in the Warp and form a literal 'vacuum' around them, drawing souls within its range, especially for psykers, against whom they are almost a natural counter!
The Emperor once formed a Silent Sisterhood, and the owner of Emrys' 'Oathplate' was an 'Untouchable' in her lifetime.
In other words, when facing an 'Untouchable,' Emrys was like a lamb to the slaughter!
Gazing at the incredibly agile assassin, whose speed even surpassed that of the Astartes, Emrys was about to draw his gun but was again enveloped by the 'Null-field.'
In an instant, an extremely uncomfortable pain surged through his heart, making it difficult for him to even think.
"Damn it, I've met my match!"
Emrys felt dizzy and disoriented, as if covered by a pitch-black shadow, feeling his soul sink into a black hole.
Bang!
Suddenly, an extremely precise bolter round blocked the assassin's path.
It was Inquisitor Gransol, the shrewd and experienced Inquisitor, who had predicted the assassin's trajectory and intercepted him with a bolter.
The assassin stopped in his tracks, then turned and rolled away.
Boom!
Albert's massive fist slammed directly onto the ground.
Looking at the assassin, who was like a loach, the Captain's veins pulsed on his forehead; it was the first time he had been so thoroughly played by an assassin.
But thanks to Gransol and Albert, who forced the assassin away from Emrys and out of the Null-field's embrace, the young man's fire suddenly flared up!
Assassination?
Emrys was already enraged, a crimson gleam flashing in his eyes, and he directly pulled out the plasma gun he hadn't used in a long time from his personal space.
"I'll show you assassination!!!"
The moment the trigger was pulled, a plasma ball half a meter in diameter burst forth with dazzling light!
The assassin's eyes widened, and he cursed inwardly: Who the hell carries a plasma gun to a noble banquet?!
And then there was no 'then.'
No matter how flashy the assassin's footwork, he couldn't dodge a plasma cannon; his entire body was instantly melted by a single shot!
Having dealt with the assassin, Emrys finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Damn it, he hadn't even enjoyed the perks of being a noble yet, and he'd already experienced an assassination.
He suddenly felt that... being a noble didn't seem much safer than being a low-hive scavenger, especially as the last heir of a Rogue Trader Dynasty; the risk was too great!
"The Emperor protects, the heir of Merlin is safe and sound."
The Cardinal of the Ecclesiarchy next to him was also thoroughly frightened by the sudden assassination just now, and with trembling lips, he hastily expressed his stance: "To dare assassinate the heir of the great Rogue Trader Dynasty, this must be evil Chaos heresy, a betrayal of the Emperor!"
"Indeed, this must be evil heresy!"
The official specially dispatched by the Administratum was even paler with fright, stomping his feet and cursing heretics and Chaos.
This matter... really couldn't be investigated too deeply!
To dispatch a 'Null' assassin specifically at the Merlin Rogue Trader Dynasty inheritance ceremony, the deeper implications were terrifying to consider!
How many lives did a lowly Administratum official like him have to get involved?
Arthur's gaze was dark, like a sharp knife, carving across the faces of those attending the banquet one by one, but eventually... the old man's heaving chest and fierce eyes gradually calmed and subsided, as if nothing had happened, and he calmly said: "Indeed, this must be an assassination by Chaos scum. Fortunately, the child had the Emperor's protection, and thus survived."
This statement set the baseline tone for the assassination incident.
After hearing Arthur say this, the tense expressions of those present relaxed slightly, and they all began to follow suit, cursing evil Chaos and heresy.
"Thank you very much, everyone, for attending today's banquet."
After calming himself, Arthur still maintained his noble etiquette, apologizing unhurriedly to those around him, and slowly said: "But something like this has happened today, please forgive me, the banquet is temporarily over. I need to take him to rest."
This sudden assassination served as a wake-up call for Emrys.
From now on, he'd best weld his 'Armor of Vows' to his body and never take it off, otherwise, who knows when someone might slit his throat.
Being an heir to a Rogue Trader Dynasty was too dangerous. He even regretted it a bit, considering whether he should just give up and let the old man find another heir. He had barely announced the inheritance ceremony and almost got stabbed to death; he couldn't even imagine how many assassinations there would be in the future!
After the banquet ended on a sour note, Arthur personally led Emrys back to his room.
The old man sat in the chair in silence for a long time, his eyes showing a hint of guilt, a hint of surprise, but mostly… fear!
He couldn't imagine what would happen to the Emrys Rogue Trader Dynasty if the assassin had succeeded. Most likely, it would lose its last heir, and the best outcome awaiting him would be like a whale fall, where all things thrive, with greedy parasites clinging to the dead body, gnawing at its flesh and blood.
But thankfully, the Emperor still watched over the ancient Emrys Rogue Trader Dynasty!
"About what just happened… don't you have anything you want to ask me?"
Arthur hesitated for a long time, asking Emrys in a somewhat probing tone.
"No."
Emrys shook his head, seemingly foolish, and grinned, "You already said it was the damned heretics and Chaos. What else is there for me to ask?"
"Yes, exactly, it was the damned 'Chaos and heretics'," Arthur suddenly smiled, his eyes seeming to hold a hint of relief, then he said meaningfully, "Remember, child, no matter who asks you about the assassination just now, tell him that. Understand?"
"I understand, Grandpa."
Emrys nodded, tacitly understanding.
Yes, no matter what the truth of the assassination just now was, from this moment on, it could only be Chaos and heretics!
He could guess what Arthur was worried about: if they investigated thoroughly, it would likely expose an even greater shadow, and then they would only be asking for trouble.
The truth didn't matter.
What mattered was that this matter could not be brought into the open, otherwise, it would be bad for everyone.