bookbashuk Page 255
Page 255
Terra has no seas; it's a dirty, brown planet, a fact Hades realized as early as his first trip to Mars.
This is fundamentally different from the Earth he remembers.
This did not cause Hades any spiritual tremor. He simply looked at the seemingly barren and crowded planet with a sense of relief, as if he had finally reached his destination.
He hates the subspace.
Makado slowly walked to Hades' side. The old man's face showed obvious disgust, as did Hades'—they tacitly kept a certain distance from each other.
Even so, the old man continued to introduce Terra to Hades, who was unsure whether this was due to Makado's diligence or the host's politeness towards a guest.
"Isn't this very different from your hometown?"
The old man spoke slowly.
Hades blinked. He didn't know whether Macado was referring to Earth or Barbaros, but both were clearly very different from Terra in front of him.
He nodded.
"Terra, the birthplace of human civilization, was not originally so ugly."
Macado sighed, seemingly lamenting the state of Terra, but Hades felt he was also mourning the state of human civilization.
Macardo stared at the brown planet, which, at the Emperor's call, they had unified and launched a great expedition that would change the course of human civilization.
Macado spent a considerable amount of time on Terra and poured a great deal of his life into it.
Perhaps in the eyes of other humans, reaching the Throne World, Terra, is an exhilarating experience that makes them tremble with excitement. They would sing praises to Terra's sacredness and beauty, to the profound epic history etched in every inch of its soil, and to the miracles of human history—
But only he and the Emperor knew that Terra had lost its beauty.
It became dirty and ugly; the azure ocean disappeared, replaced by barren, scorched earth.
And now… Makado wondered, what would Hades, the outsider, say about Terra? Would he praise its sacredness?
No, if Hades had experienced the good old days, if their world had not been as hopeless as it is now, then he would never have praised it, nor praised these pitfalls and sufferings.
Will he feel sadness? Will he realize the hardships of human civilization, and that he is about to climb an endless path destined for sacrifice?
Makado recalled the desolate heart of Bahar on Terra, a vast slum where even in Terra, in the world of humanity's most sacred throne, there was no shortage of suffering for the soul.
"Terra's oceans were stolen by a female tyrant, and since then, Terra has lost its last ocean."
Makado calmly introduced Hades, noticing that Hades' lips moved slightly.
"If you have any thoughts, feel free to share them, Hades. Personally, I'm curious about your opinion on Terra."
Hades' gaze shifted hesitantly to Makado, as if to say, "Are you sure?"
Macardo answered Hades with a resolute silence.
Hades shifted his gaze back to Terra, looked at her, and commented,
"I feel……"
Macardo waited. Hades was the Emperor's chosen one, and he had successfully fulfilled their expectations of him. He was not as hopeless as Macardo had initially thought; on the contrary... a kind of amazing wisdom lurked beneath Hades's appearance.
Makado eagerly awaited Hades's reply, which would allow the old man to better understand Hades, analyze him, and deal with him in a way that Hades preferred.
"...not as good as Macurag."
After a brief silence, Macardo realized what Hades was talking about, and then he let his instincts run wild—instead of letting them go through his brain first.
With both old and new grudges, Macardo could no longer tolerate it.
Makado transformed his scepter into a club, using psychic energy to increase his strength and agility, before delivering a slap to Hades' shin.
"boom!!!"
Hades let out an exaggerated howl, hugged his leg, and then looked at Macado with a resentful expression.
"You said we could talk about anything! You old man, you have no sportsmanship!"
Makado took a deep breath, then another, his loathing for Hades successfully transforming into rage.
"I remember... you've never been to Makula, have you?"
Hades immediately became serious and said,
“Killiman gave me a tapestry woven with the scenery of Macurag, which I have certainly seen before.”
...For the first time, Makado felt a sense of disgust towards Guilliman.
------------
Thanks to Hades's brilliant "humorous jokes," Macardo no longer discusses any humanistic insights with Hades.
They landed on the ground in the shuttle, and Hades showed a certain disdain for Macado's excessive luxury. It was an aristocratic shuttle, decorated with scarlet velvet carpets and inlaid with sparkling diamonds and pearls.
Makado ignored Hades's rebuke; the Ultramarines' ceremonial ships were far more luxurious than this.
After that, the seal bearer silently led Hades to visit the places that pilgrims usually like to go, as well as several more imposing buildings that the old man had enthusiastically selected for the outsiders.
He was supposed to say something; cunning politicians use the art of language, and Macardo could easily stir up emotions in people's hearts—mostly melancholic loyalty or heavy mourning—in order to better get people to fulfill their mission.
Even the most cowardly person will choose to make a heroic sacrifice when their emotions accumulate.
Macardo initially thought the same of Hades: to use language and humanity, history and civilization, to hold this outsider in place, so that he could continue working diligently even after leaving the Death Guard… In Macardo's eyes, the Emperor's decision to directly trust Hades still lacked some logic.
But Hades made Macardo realize profoundly that some people truly don't need logic.
For example, the Emperor, and Hades.
Macado's logic and reason had been shattered by Macurag. He suddenly realized that in Hades' eyes, the outsider had already seen through the thoughts of the Handprinter. He ended Macado's attempt with an absurd joke.
But is it really true that Hades was completely unaware of all this?
Makado was unaware that his mind was now filled with Makulagralan.
He took Hades on a tour of the Winter Corridor, the Crystal Observatory, the Disciplinary Institute, and countless other attractions, both large and small.
Then, Makado calmly led Hades to a restaurant inside the palace, which was reserved for high-ranking nobles. As instructed by the Lord of the Seals, no one else was to be served at the restaurant today, as the chefs had already prepared everything.
Makado stared blankly as Hades revealed a look of surprise.
This suggestion was made to the old man by Jin on Mars.
He vaguely recalled Mortarion, the Primarch who always seemed indifferent, who would grab the Netherflame pistol from his waist the moment he heard the word "psymage," or when Macado appeared in front of him.
...birds of a feather flock together.
Macado stared expressionlessly at Hades, who was examining the restaurant's decor, and drew his conclusion.
The palace's dining room was naturally more magnificent than most people could imagine. Everywhere you looked, there was a shimmering golden light, and rare woods that had been extinct for millions of years emitted a faint, alluring fragrance. But this was only the stepping stone you would take when you entered.
On any wall carved with exquisite figures, countless diamonds, pearls, amber, agate, and fist-sized rubies are adorned, with beasts' pupils inlaid before being slain by warriors wielding silver halberds.
Everything here, even the faint incense in the air, exudes an air of luxury.
Makado watched as Hades suddenly turned his head, staring at him expectantly.
"Um... Macado, it's not the kind of dish I'm imagining, the kind where you only get one bite of it, is it?"
"will not."
Makado spoke calmly, and the old man casually raised a hand, signaling his servants to act.
Although the one who holds the seal is unwilling to admit it, he has indeed grasped Hades's human weakness—
The aroma of carefully roasted meat wafted over, a complex blend of expensive spices. Hades could already hear the soft sizzling sound, the wonderful scent of meat just taken off the oven.
Macado held a wine glass brought to him by a servant; the rich, scarlet liquid inside emitted an intoxicating aroma.
The one who held the seal took a small sip. The torment he suffered in the Black Domain had left him with no appetite for wine. Even the richest wine could only wash away the nausea on his taste buds.
But clearly, there are always people who can maintain their appetite amidst the mutual dislike between psionicism and the Dark Realm.
A grand feast of meat, piled high with layers of meat, was placed on the table by several mechs working together. The succulent meat fibers glistened with oil, and translucent juices hung from the mountain of steaks, reflecting the shimmering light in the restaurant. Roasted, dried green spice leaves lay quietly on the side of the pristine white plate, emitting a complex and layered aroma.
Marcado took another sip of wine; the strong taste made him want to vomit.
The lord accepted Jin's suggestion and had his servants bring out all the dishes without any formalities, as the people from Barbarossa didn't care about such things.
...more like Ruth.
Macardo put aside his unfounded speculations and continued to admire Hades' actions.
Hades, the ghost of Barbarossa, commander of the Death Guard, soul devourer, master of the Silent Order… Hades is clearly unaware of all these titles he holds and how others perceive him.
With each dish served, Hades' eyes would light up a little more; it was a pure kind of joy.
Milky white broth simmering with giant fish, marinated seafood with a unique flavor, delicate and translucent pudding, drizzled with syrup, risotto piled high with toppings...
Hades took a breath, staring at the still bubbling fish soup with its eerie glow in the fish's eyes, pondering which to eat first.
"Macado, is this all just for the two of us?"
Hades hesitated before speaking.
"These are all yours,"
Macado slowly sipped his wine.
"Due to limited seating, not all dishes have been served yet. You can check the menu and change the ones you don't want to eat."
He looked at Hadeska with satisfaction for a moment, a subtle confidence returning after being manipulated by Macurag.
Hades seemed to want to reprimand Makado for his wastefulness and extravagance, but clearly, faced with a table full of food, the Lord of the Silent Order skillfully lowered his standards.
"Then I won't be polite."
Hades spoke quickly, and then Makado watched as the food disappeared at an astonishing speed. The speed at which it disappeared even made Makado wonder if the Dark Domain could also devour food, because Hades' movements were not very large, and he still maintained normal table manners.
After thinking it over, the old man finally decided to ask directly instead of beating around the bush, otherwise he might be fooled as a price for using vague language.
The old man spoke.
"What was your initial motivation, Hades? And what do you want?"
Clearly, Hades, engrossed in his food, had abandoned his damned sense of humor, and a rather cheerful Hades provided the answer.
"Whatever the case, if I had to put it simply, if I suddenly saw a child fall into the water on the roadside, my first reaction would definitely be to save him; I couldn't not save him."
"We can't keep thinking about things like loyalty and honor..."
Hades raised his hand, signaling his servants to prepare a meal. Unlike these damned, extravagant nobles, he, Hades, vowed never to waste a single dish!
"When you're on Barbarossa, you realize... this thing is so far away."
Macardo looked thoughtful.
4 words, that's all for today.
Great!
Chapter 303 A Surge of Ideas
The Solar System
Hades was now in a daze, and he only now understood that Macado's move was called "courtesy before force".
Before Hades could even take a stroll around Terra to digest his food, he was "invited" onto the operating table by the impatient Macado, without any time for Hades to prepare himself.
During those dark and hopeless years, Hades would often wake up with his internal organs feeling as if they were all squeezed together, in excruciating pain, but he was still required to undergo a skills test—and then be sent to the operating table.
Hades now understands why scientists, especially those who study life sciences, often play villains in horror movies.
Thankfully, it's all finally over! Hades' expression shifted.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of researchers, Hades has become bigger, stronger, more powerful, and even more amazing!
WAAAAAAGH!!
Hades' base stats received a massive boost—according to Makado, Hades can achieve base stats comparable to the Primarch, provided he gets adequate nutrition.
...but he didn't say which original entity was being compared.
During this time, a small incident occurred. When Hades' mechanical brain was being replaced, Makado was urgently summoned by the scientists. After whispering a few words to Makado, the old man looked at Hades with a playful gaze.
But when Hades tried to ask, Macado waved his hand and resumed his indifferent attitude.
"At least we don't have to think about this now, and as for the future... let's see if we can even have a future."
Reject riddle-mongers, starting with you and him. So Hades bothered Macardo, who was working, several more times after the surgery, and finally got a clearer (but impatient) answer.
"In the history of the Great Crusade, there have indeed been instances where a group of warriors, sometimes Space Marines and sometimes Auxiliary Forces, suddenly disappeared into thin air."