Chapter 218: One Bite at a Time
The sunlight after the rain was not harsh. Romulus sat on a long bench, carefully explaining the details of governance to Seraphina and Rafael.
As the star's light once again fell upon the surface of Astorgius, some faces had vanished completely. Believers who had come to the chapel and knelt beneath the eaves felt a warmth on their backsides, and the railings before them were a little hot to the touch.
After a night of bloody battle, the cardinal world had come back to life. The first to try and flee were the off-world nobles of the sector. The news of the purge of the upper echelons could not be suppressed. After all, the people were well and truly gone, and their crimes had been proven. Romulus had even dared to kill a Cardinal; who knew if the man had developed a taste for it.
In fact, they were overthinking it. Romulus was no mass-murderer. Compared to an idealist, he was far more rational. So, until he had a clear picture of these nobles' backgrounds, not a single one of them was going anywhere.
You have to eat your meal one bite at a time. And you have to kill your enemies one by one.
Romulus looked at the reports from the various planets, his eyes narrowed. Some things had to be done thoroughly. Reform was not a dinner party. To compromise again and again was to not reform at all.
"My Lord, we will take our leave then," Seraphina said, seeing that Romulus had fallen silent.
"Go."
Seraphina accepted the order and left with Rafael. Even if it was just one city, she would govern it well. First, do the task at hand. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this planet would be the future capital of the Dawnlight Sector.
"They've grown up," Romulus sighed softly, watching the young people's retreating backs.
After more than a decade, these children were the true force supporting this reform. Romulus was grateful for the series of educational reforms he had implemented in the early days after his arrival. It made his choices when dealing with the sector's upper echelons much easier now. He didn't have to sift through filth to find gold.
Six months of patrolling had not only dealt with the external threats but had also dispersed this new generation of talent. They had inherited Romulus's ideals and were, at the same time, pragmatically assessing their assigned planets, formulating plans, and building administrative frameworks.
They were just waiting for an opportunity. Waiting for the Primarch's order. Then they would purge the entire upper class and take control of their planets.
He then asked casually, "How are the preparations on the various worlds proceeding?"
The information on paper was always delayed. For now, he could only see that Ciel, who was in charge of the planet Bavaria, was giving a speech, speaking with the voice of the Dawnbreakers, trying to win the planet's civilian population over to a neutral stance. Conflict was inevitable. Even the Dawnlight Fleet did not want to have to shoot at incited civilians while fighting a group of rebellious nobles.
Romulus recalled for a moment. Ciel was from the second graduating class of the Dawnlight Education Initiative. She had strong organizational skills but was very radical in her reformist ideas. She was a stronger supporter than most of the idea of "large-scale modification of the laws governing humanity." But perhaps this was also her flaw. She was too passionate. Given how rotten the Imperium was, Romulus still believed that many parts of Ciel's proposal needed to be revised. It was too extreme. The main need of the people in the sector right now was survival. Necessary changes had to be made to ensure that survival.
"Perhaps you should meet with the representatives in person," Arthur said, leaning on the railing with one hand, looking out over the city. "Three days ago, several resistance organizations, led by the one on the recruitment world of Bavaria, have begun to openly resist their planetary governments. One of their faction leaders set out several months ago and entered the port two hours ago."
"Alive?"
"Yes," Arthur nodded. "They wish to merge with the resistance organization dispatched by the Dawnlight Fleet. That is not a decision I can make."
Karna and Romulus's students were everywhere. One had single-handedly designed the Dawnlight Fleet's basic education system; the other would pop in for a lecture from time to time. They had certainly made their presence felt. The grassroots civil servants of the Dawnbreakers recognized these two. But until one reached a certain rank, few knew of Arthur and Ramesses.
"So they're relatively advanced?" Since he had made it to the port alive, he must be a decent sort.
"You expect too much of this universe," Arthur couldn't help but shake his head. "They are not satisfied with the status quo. The arrival of the Primarchs just happens to align with their interests. Just as a rebellion needs a respected figurehead."
As Primarchs, certified by multiple Imperial authorities, while they had earned the hatred of the conservatives, many factions who were dissatisfied with the status quo would also flock to them.
"Then let's meet them," Romulus said.
"I will arrange a conference room immediately," Drakus said, rising to his feet.
"That won't be necessary. This is fine," Romulus replied. "I will not be an emperor, and they are not my courtiers. For the service of humanity, this is more than enough."
"Understood," Drakus did not argue. Arthur took a few steps, then was called back.
"Wait, Master Arthur, teach me."
"..."
Arthur turned, a little puzzled, then noticed the 'I am definitely going to pull this off' expression on Romulus's face and couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I'll teach you."
Only at times like this could he vaguely find a trace of their past lives.
Before long, the sound of synchronized footsteps echoed in the corridor. A group of generals, led by a Lord General of the Wesson PDF, arrived at the office. There were not many of them, they were orderly, and their frames were powerful. From their aura alone, they were all battle-hardened survivors.
It was not just their individual quality. These representatives also controlled the Planetary Defence Forces of their various worlds. And after the Dawnbreakers' arrival, the rising resistance on the various planets had triggered a dramatic change within the PDF. If the common citizens of the Imperium mostly just wanted to live a good life, and joined the military more for a steady meal than for the Emperor, these military leaders, mostly from the nobility, were different. They truly wanted to fight, not to waste their time on tedious noble etiquette or political wrangling. Their desire was for glory and achievement.
The group ascended the stairs. The Lord General paused as he saw a majestic, powerful giant looking down at him. No, he was not looking at him. The crimson eyes held a distant gaze, looking not at any one person, but at the far-off future.
'Truly extraordinary,' the general thought. Having seen his share of nobles at home, he had to admit that a Primarch was far beyond a normal man. But then again, who else but a Primarch could possess such a presence?
While he was lost in thought, Romulus's gaze focused, and fell upon the Lord General. The representatives hastily made the sign of the Aquila. They opened their mouths to speak, but faced with that distant gaze, they could not get a word out. The long speeches they had prepared were completely forgotten.
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