Hearing Karna's sigh, not only Dante but even the gloomy and stern phiston found their expressions softening. After using all his psychological and psychic experience and failing to find a single flaw, phiston's rigid face thawed like lting ice in early spring.
He silently gripped his sword hilt, feeling a bit embarrassed about the continuous psychic probing he had maintained.
The Blood Angels were currently living in dire straits; they never knew which would co first—tomorrow or a disaster.
"Here is the proposal. It fully respects the culture of Baal's native inhabitants. The Hive City sectors intended for population growth will be isolated from the garden areas, and various agricultural production modules have been integrated. In theory, this will guarantee that Baal has the capacity to support a population of fifty billion. The initial plan is to establish an industrial world on Baal Pri, while Baal Secundus will assu the role of an orbital fortress."
Romulus tid it perfectly, pulling a hard drive and a stack of paper docunts from a file bag, handing over the long-prepared reconstruction plan.
This was the most suitable version he had selected after judging the progression of the eting.
The transmigrators did not pay much mind to the vigilance of the Blood Angels. Although to mortals, the wariness and probing of the Adeptus Astartes would indeed be a disaster due to the massive disparity between them, from their perspective—
Honestly, it was a bit like watching a group of children with congenital defects. They yearned for the beautiful teachings of their genetic father, yet were tortured by this dark universe into a state of nervous hypersensitivity. They longed for salvation, naturally invoking a sense of pity and affection.
It was not like they were dealing with those fanatics from the Dark Angels. If the transmigrators had encountered those green-clad fellows, they definitely would have had Arthur hack them down before discussing anything else.
Dante took the proposal, his eyes quickly scanning the text and diagrams.
Most of it concerned civilian infrastructure. Any construction plans regarding military facilities were preemptively noted as re suggestions. His gaze moved rapidly across the pages, his superhuman brain spinning fast as he absorbed the detailed data and the benefits these changes would bring.
The assembly hall was completely silent. Only the rustling sound of pages turning echoed in the air. Sunlight stread through the stained glass, washing over the docunts in Dante's hands and casting a golden halo over the dense text.
"..."
Dante remained silent for a mont, a trace of deep thought in his expression.
Truthfully, a developnt plan of this scale encompassing the Baal system touched upon a blind spot in his knowledge. He had never imagined that Baal and its moons could hold so many possibilities.
After all, this was how they had survived for ten thousand years.
Besides the honor of being Sanguinius's howorld, could Baal truly elevate its functional status in other areas?
"Chapter howorlds are entirely tax-exempt. The massive influx of pilgrims will bring imnse wealth. While securing the livelihood of the citizens, this wealth will ultimately flow into the Chapter's hands. Moreover, aside from ascetics, those who can afford such pilgrimages are mostly Imperial nobles. These connections and favors are well worth cultivating."
Seeing Dante's confusion, Romulus explained simply. His words carried an undeniable confidence, as if these changes were an absolute matter of course.
"A massive population will provide a higher quality of recruits, including for the Planetary Defense Force, while also supplying the labor necessary to boost industrial power and operate the fortresses."
"Excuse , my lord."
After seeking permission from Dante, a Blood Angels Company Commander directed a question to Romulus. A hint of confusion lingered in his voice; he was clearly baffled by these suggestions.
"What use do we have for this wealth and these connections?"
"..."
Not only the transmigrators, but even the Space Marines and mortal representatives listening in showed expressions of barely contained exasperation.
They had not noticed it before, as the Blood Angels were actually quite solitary. They were rarely seen participating in joint operations.
But looking at it now, their managent skills...
There was definitely a lot of room for improvent.
Dracus, standing guard behind Romulus, tilted his head to glance at Sepatus, who stood behind Karna. The thirteen Crimson Paladins felt that if they were not wearing Cataphractii Terminator armor, they would have cringed so hard their toes could have carved a statue of Sanguinius into the floorboards.
Ten thousand years had passed. Had the progeny of the Angel really degenerated to the point where they knew nothing but how to fight?
"Haa..."
Romulus took a deep breath, collected his thoughts, and began to patiently explain the concepts to the Blood Angels.
His voice carried a trace of helplessness, but it was heavily outweighed by a sense of responsibility.
Why were there so many oddities among the Blood Angels' successor Chapters?
One major reason was that the founding Chapter lacked a structural advantage over its successors. They could not restrain their successors' behavior, which naturally led to weakened ties after the Chapter was split.
Look at the Ultramarines. By holding Ultramar, they forever occupied the top of the food chain among their lineage. Their transcendent political, military, and economic status naturally created a strong cohesive pull on their successor Chapters.
Look at the Dark Angels. They maintained the Inner Circle—a structure from the days of the Legions—well into the 41st Millennium. mbers of various successor Chapters almost all held seats within it. Splitting them up was practically the sa as not splitting them at all; they rely had fewer overall numbers compared to the Legion era.
Then look at the Imperial Fists. The political status of being the Defenders of Terra went without saying. The Black Templars crusaded across the entire galaxy; over the course of ten thousand years, there were few factions that did not owe them a debt of honor. Add to that the Feast of Blades, a regularly held dueling ceremony, which served as a venue for their Chapters to exchange culture and foster bonds.
As one of the founding mbers of Imperium Secundus, and similarly missing their Primarch, the Blood Angels were living miserably. The only ones who could compare to their wretched state were probably the utterly broken Iron Hands. Yet the Iron Hands lacked the charm to catch the eyes of the Four Gods; they basically just played out their own tribal conflicts around their howorld of dusa.
Often, just because you cannot imdiately use the wealth in your hands does not an others cannot use it.
When a successor Chapter faces difficulties out in the galaxy, you can flip through your contact list and make an astropathic call to the local Adeptus Administratum officials or Imperial nobles, asking them to offer so support.
If a successor Chapter suffers catastrophic losses, you can use that wealth to help them purchase a new fleet, replenish their personnel, and so forth. Over ti, would that not tighten the bonds between the founding Chapter and its successors?
The Ecclesiarchy has so much money they cannot even spend it all. The reason they end up getting slaughtered like fat pigs by various Imperial factions is that they are forbidden from maintaining their own male ard forces.
Although Adeptus Astartes Chapters are restricted by the Codex, a founding Chapter can actually exploit many loopholes within those rules. The founding Chapter can handle the dirty work that is inconvenient for its successors to do, acting as a pillar of support for its kin. Slowly but surely, wouldn't that grant you authority and a stronger voice?
To be frank, those successor Chapters willing to deal with the Blood Angels do so out of respect for Dante himself, rather than respect for the Chapter's standing.
Romulus weighed his words carefully, preventing any heretical remarks from slipping out in public. He described in the greatest detail possible the vast benefits this series of renovations could bring, feeling as though he were teaching a class of completely clueless students.
It was absolutely ridiculous.
"From a purely governance perspective, I think Lord Guilliman is entirely correct."
Having sent a private communication request to Romulus and receiving an affirmative reply, Dracus spoke to Sepatus over a private channel. "The Ultramarines' aspirants are filtered through an educational process. Only after completing standard compulsory education are boys around twelve years old selected and enrolled in military academies for systematic learning."
"This way, even if they ultimately fail the Adeptus Astartes screening process, these students who have already proven their worth can still actively serve across all echelons as high-quality soldiers, officers, or administrative personnel."
During the 30k era, Guilliman did not like the Ultramarines calling him "father." Even after becoming Adeptus Astartes, the Ultramarines never severed their past social ties; they even had opportunities to visit their mortal relatives.
Guilliman consistently advocated that the Adeptus Astartes should integrate with humanity, leading mortals forward rather than isolating themselves from them.
But look at the current Blood Angels. Aside from fighting wars and recruiting, the only interaction they probably had with mortals was drinking the blood of their thralls.
It was yet another tragedy steeped in the unique flavor of Warhamr.
"Not all worlds are as prosperous as Ultramar."
Sepatus shook his head. Before the Battle of Calth, the average human lifespan in Greater Ultramar had reached ninety years. No other region governed by a Primarch could compare to that.
"That is precisely why developnt is necessary,"
Dracus replied. Seeing the current state of his cousins, he felt genuine sympathy from the bottom of his heart.
"In the beginning, Ultramar was nothing more than a loose confederation that struggled to even fend off Aeldari corsair raids."
He continued, as if to remind Sepatus that the glory of Ultramar had not been achieved in one step.
"Yes, indeed. When Father returns, he will certainly want to see a more beautiful Baal."
Sepatus harbored no objections to Baal's reconstruction plan, his words carrying a visionary hope for the future.
If even an existence as insignificant as dust like himself could return from the dead, what about Sanguinius, his genetic father?
His ti within the Legion of the Damned was a hazy blur. Because the Emperor constantly rejected his own nature, these warriors' mories of being in the Warp were actually far from clear. It felt as though they had simply been asleep.
"..."
Dracus wisely chose not to pick up that conversational thread.
He had died sowhat later and understood much more about the events that transpired aboard the Vengeful Spirit. Combined with his encounter with the Daemon Primarch Fulgrim and his knowledge of Chaos, he was personally pessimistic about whether Sanguinius—who had died at the hands of Horus—could ever be resurrected.
Their dialogue once again fell into silence, lasting until night descended upon Baal.
"There shouldn't be any more questions, right?"
Romulus ran a hand through his hair, asking with mild exasperation.
These Angels asked far too many questions. The real issue was that their questions were severely lacking in basic competence. Romulus finally understood the mindset of teachers trying to educate stubborn students.
Of course, he did not reject this behavior. The fact that the Angels were asking so many questions showed precisely how moved they were by the proposal and how seriously they were taking the matter.
This was a good thing; he couldn't dampen their enthusiasm.
"If Lord Dante agrees, the Ecclesiarchy can shoulder the responsibility of developing Baal,"
Arabella interjected at the right mont. "I can take charge of communications with the local parishes. Furthermore, the Adepta Sororitas will report on the Ecclesiarchy's actions in real-ti. All doctrines will be compiled purely around Sanguinius. The Blood Angels' authority over Baal must absolutely remain uncompromised."
It had to be known that the Ecclesiarchy was capable of taking a barren pilgrimage world without even an atmosphere and transforming it entirely into a Shrine World in just five years—let alone Baal, a planet bearing the imnse honor of Sanguinius.
As long as the Blood Angels gave the word, the Ecclesiarchy would foot the bill themselves to arrange everything on this planet exactly to the Chapter's liking.
"The Black Templars can spread the word,"
the High Marshal replied. Their crusade fleets were scattered everywhere; helping to promote Baal was a trivial matter.
"The Adeptus chanicus can assist with industrial construction,"
the Archmagos stated next, glancing at the transmigrators.
"But the relics..."
The Sanguinary High Priest hesitated, clearly resistant to the idea of putting the heirlooms left by their father on public display for veneration.
These were the last treasures Sanguinius had left for his progeny.
"Leave the relics to us. Since this was our demand, we will take responsibility for it."
Karna casually pulled out a small box and slid it forward, revealing a feather resting inside.
It was a pristine white feather suspended above a bed of silk. Despite lacking any internal light source, it radiated a soft golden glow.
"???"
Not just the Blood Angels, but even the Crimson Paladins standing behind Karna stared with wide, unblinking eyes.
This was a feather of Sanguinius.
The resonance from their bloodline and their souls told them there was absolutely no mistake—unless they themselves were not the progeny of Sanguinius.
"Wait, where did this co from?"
Romulus looked at his companion. Rases rely shrugged and cast a aningful glance toward the direction where the Sanguinor was still watching the show.
That guy certainly knew his limits. He understood that if he manifested physically here, things would escalate beyond control.
"?"
Romulus tilted his head in confusion.
Oh right, he forgot that Romulus couldn't see him.
Rases flatly replied:
"The Sanguinor granted access to everything related to Sanguinius. Items like this with bloodline and Warp resonance are expensive, but they can still be manufactured."
After all, as long as it existed within the material universe, for the transmigrators, it was simply a matter of cost.
"...I have no further objections, Lord Karna."
The Sanguinary High Priest badly wanted to argue that such a precious relic should be placed deep within their labyrinth to be permanently sealed away. However, it seed he had no authority to dictate how the Elders handled their own relics.
The Blood Angels then exchanged hushed whispers for a mont. Finally, following Dante's lead, they all turned their gaze toward Karna in unison.
'Why are you all looking at ?'
Karna, who had been trying to minimize his presence the entire ti, straightened his posture and looked at Dante with utter seriousness.
"We have rely laid out the assistance we can provide. The focus is on you. It depends on whether you have the courage to march into the unknown, and whether you truly desire to bring about change—"
A brilliant light sparked within the eyes of the Blood Angels.
That short statent carried a heartfelt expectation. It was the hope of a transmigrator who had witnessed truly beautiful things, looking upon a group of pitiful warriors worthy of salvation, and sincerely wishing for them to beco better.
"If you are willing to accept this, we shall naturally walk this path together."
"We agree!"
The Blood Angels nodded one after another.
"..."
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