"Lord Alexander, what incredible luck do you have?"
Sivatus Acheran of the Ultramarines' Second Company asked, his voice filled with admiration, as he looked at the Slaanesh cultist executed by a bolter.
Among the Ultramarines, the Second Company is known as the Temple Guard, and their duties include guarding all of Macragge, which naturally involves tracking down Chaos cultists who infiltrate Macragge.
"This individual has been infiltrating Macragge for about six years. In those six years, a total of sixty-six children from noble families were seduced by her to pursue so-called 'true love,' but most of them met unfortunate ends."
Acheran said to Alexander while directing the warriors of the Second Company to clear the bodies:
"Count Vasitor's youngest son fell in love with a wild boar in the Macragge jungle, the young lady of the Sigrid family fell in love with six beggars from Colossa city, and the eldest daughter of the Narcissus family fell in love with herself and drowned on the Falamis Coast."
"We have been tracking her for a long time but never caught her. I didn't expect you to catch her just by taking a stroll."
"Is this what they call the blessing of Saint Doraemon?"
Listening to Acheran's exclamation, Alexander's mouth twitched slightly.
"Would you believe me if I said she threw herself at me? She suddenly grabbed me in the middle of the road, demanding a love reading, dressed in purple, holding a mirror with a coiled snake. I suspect these Dark Prince cultists had their brains scrambled by Fulgrim with his bifurcated snake-bull."
"Most Chaos cultists have something wrong with their brains; their logic is usually incomprehensible," Acheran agreed.
He looked around the area, which had already been secured by the Second Company, and continued: "We will seal off this area, and then Grand Master Voldus will bring the Grey Knights to investigate if there are any other traces of corruption."
Alexander nodded slightly, noticing the obvious panic among the surrounding crowds.
The Astartes of the Second Company and the Grey Knights would screen the area for any unfortunate souls still under the spell of that Slaanesh cultist.
However, Alexander wasn't particularly keen on participating in their work.
"It seems we can only explore this far today," Reyna said with a slightly bitter smile.
At least for Reyna, this period was a rare moment of rest.
Alexander subtly observed Reyna, then quietly pulled down the brim of his baseball cap, as if to shield himself from the increasingly dazzling sunlight in the sky.
This hat was actually the secret tool "Sherlock Holmes' Reasoning Hat," which could effectively enhance one's logical reasoning abilities.
This tool, along with the Portable Pyramid for strengthening physical fitness, the Phantom Thief DX Suit as armor, and the Body Clay disguised as Alexander's skin covering the Phantom Thief DX Suit, were all part of his standard gear, meant to prevent any unexpected situations.
He looked at Reyna without speaking, just waiting for her to speak first.
"I know a quieter place. Would you like to go there to rest?" Reyna lightly brushed her braid and looked at Alexander.
Alexander nodded in agreement.
The two began to ascend the intricate marble staircase. Reyna's feet, clad in Roman sandals, skipped on the pale steps. Her light orange skirt occasionally brushed against the dust flying in the air. She nimbly passed through the suspended marble corridor, leading Alexander to an elevated platform in mid-air.
From here, one could barely overlook the nearby buildings, clearly designed to serve as a firing point during an attack.
Of course, Roboute Guilliman had also considered the possibility of the firing point itself being breached during the design, with other elevated platforms and corridors nearby that could overlook this spot.
However, having such an open view within Hera Fortress was already a rare treat.
Reyna stood at the edge of the platform. A cool breeze blew from the Macragge mountains, sweeping through her hair, momentarily dispelling the heat of Hera Fortress.
She gently lifted her skirt and sat on the edge of the platform, her legs exposed from beneath her skirt, dangling lightly in the air. Then she reached out and patted the spot beside her, looking at Alexander.
Her gaze invited Alexander to sit down, her moist eyes, illuminated by the sunlight, were a deep blue, almost purple.
Alexander showed an intrigued expression and silently sat down beside Reyna.
Reyna quietly moved closer to Alexander, and together they gazed at Hera Fortress unfolding before them.
This fortress-monastery of the Ultramarines was like a labyrinth of intricate geometric patterns, filled with dazzling lines and magnificent, grand architecture.
The city was so complex, yet unlike a hive city, it wasn't chaotic. The vast sky stretched along the city's borders, causing a slight discomfort in Alexander, who had long lived in hive cities.
Reyna shifted slightly, her sleeve subtly brushing against Alexander.
"The sky is too vast, even a little scary."
Reyna whispered, her voice revealing a sudden weariness:
"Looking at it makes me so tired… Or maybe I'm just tired."
She quietly placed her hand on Alexander's thigh, her head gently bowed.
"You must be very tired too, from Ashford to Baal, then from Ice Moon Krassus to Macragge. You've been through so much, haven't you?"
Alexander slightly turned his head to look at Reyna, who was very close to him.
He could even smell the faint scent of sweat on Reyna's body, brought out by the warm sun, and also the subtle fragrance in her hair, and the elusive scent of the fabric she wore.
"I'm fine," Alexander said, shrugging slightly.
The Emperor had granted him a portion of the authority of erosion and destruction. He could draw strength from death, and there was no shortage of death anywhere in this galaxy. Thus, Alexander was nourished by death, both physically and mentally, and his sense of fatigue was dispelled.
"But I'm already very tired. Cadia, Macragge, Primarchs… these things were just legends to me, but somehow they suddenly appeared before my eyes."
"I… I can't hold on much longer."
Reyna's fingers gently intertwined with Alexander's. She said with a hint of anticipation:
"We… let's go find a feudal world, one not too populated, forgotten by others, and rest."
"No factories filled with toxic gas, food growing from the earth, houses made of bricks, with an endless ocean, but no war, Chaos, or anything else."
"No lights at night, but the moonlight is bright enough… I just want a life like that, but I don't want to be alone."
Reyna was silent for a moment, then leaned closer to Alexander.
"This galaxy isn't just about us, is it? You've already brought back two Primarchs. Can't you… can't you rest for a little while?"
"Of course… I can't hope you'll stay with me forever; that's something I don't even dare to dream of… Just for a little while would be enough. We could even go see the sea during that time. I've never seen the sea before."
Saying this, Reyna's hand tightly gripped Alexander's, and she looked up at him.
Her eyes, black with a hint of blue, like crystalline gems, reflected the sky of Hera Fortress.
It was a firmament enveloped by a violet Void Shield, appearing like a beautiful amethyst in Reyna's eyes.
"Or, even just accompanying me to see the sea would be enough… I don't ask for more of your time."
"After all… after all, you seem to have many secrets. You seem like a Saint, a God, some existence I don't understand."
Reyna leaned her head slightly closer to Alexander.
"I want to understand..."
Every detail of her face was exposed before Alexander, from her face, subtly glistening with sweat between her hair, to her eyes, glowing with a faint purple light, from the deep but not disfiguring scar on her face to her lips, soft as petals.
Everything was very, very close to Alexander, so close it seemed to penetrate his spirit and flesh.
Reyna gently parted her lips, and a delicate, soft voice sounded in Alexander's ear, filled with weariness, helplessness, and pleading:
"You always make fun of me for being silly, and I truly don't understand many things."
"…But, but I just love you."
"…Just, just for today, will you come see the sea with me?"
Saying this, Reyna's lips moved slightly closer to Alexander—
But Alexander extended a finger, blocking Reyna's path.
Reyna's eyes immediately became a little moist, looking at Alexander with a not-unpleasant hint of resentment.
"Can you say that again?" Alexander asked sincerely, looking at Reyna.
He casually pulled out a data-slate with recording and video functions from his pocket.
Reyna's eyes showed some confusion, but she still put on an obedient expression and softly repeated:
"I don't understand much, I just love you."
Alexander, with a joyful expression, tossed the recorded data-slate back into his four-dimensional pocket.
Reyna continued to look at Alexander with a slightly resentful gaze, and softly asked, "Just one day, just this moment, can't you spare it for me?"
"No, no, no." Alexander gently cupped Reyna's head and brought her closer to him: "I can accompany you for a very, very long time, even a lifetime."
"We can mint coins for the Emperor on every moonless night."
Reyna's face immediately flushed. She seemed to instantly understand the meaning of minting coins for the Emperor, after all, everyone knew that life was the Emperor's currency.
"But, but I have a secret, one I've kept buried in my heart, and I don't want to keep it from you any longer."
Alexander lowered his voice slightly, speaking with a mysterious tone:
"This secret even concerns the entire galaxy, perhaps related to the Gods in the Empyrean. If one of the Gods were to know this secret… then He could even expand His domain to the entire Warp."
Reyna's eyes widened, showing intense curiosity.
Alexander gently cupped Reyna's head and brought her closer. Then he patted the four-dimensional pocket on his stomach, opening a dark slit:
"Do you see this pocket?"
Reyna nodded blankly.
"Good, the secret is in this pocket. Go in and see!"
A look of terror instantly flashed across Reyna's face. Before she could react, Alexander grabbed her head and pushed it into the four-dimensional pocket—