Honkai Dimension, Imperial Capital, Grand Palace of Selene.
A gentle breeze brushed past beneath a clear sky where only a few white clouds drifted lazily across the azure expanse.
Within the palace city, the headquarters of the Imperial Guard presented a scene of bustling activity. Attendants and administrative officials hurried back and forth without pause, while Astartes warriors in power armor of varying paint schemes moved through the halls.
The Imperial Guard headquarters belonged to the outer court, situated along the outer ring of the Grand Imperial Palace near the palace city.
After Selene created and organized the Astartes Legions, the Imperial Guard headquarters did not change its name.
Beyond fulfilling its duties as the Imperial Guard headquarters of the Imperial Capital, it also assumed part of the functions of an Astartes Legion administrative office.
"Within a single day, within a single palace, the climate differs." Nothing could better describe the Grand Palace of Selene.
Under the automatic operation of the constant-temperature weather system, the halls of the Imperial Guard headquarters now resembled autumn. Fallen leaves were scattered along the interconnected corridors, their golden and crimson hues filling the eye.
Inside the palace, the arrangement of the halls possessed a clear sense of hierarchy. Even the quantity of furnishings adhered to strict rank regulations. No form of overstepping was permitted in any regard.
Passing through the great gates of the garden, soft lighting filled nearly every corner within, complementing the marble sculptures and making the interior appear even more magnificent and resplendent.
Thud, thud, thud—
Tear—!
Five pitch-black metal pillars were embedded deep into its body like iron clamps. It was a horrifying cylindrical object, only slightly larger than an adult human skull, yet its internal capacity defied humanity's basic understanding of spatial physics.
It was not a single solid whole, but a loose structure formed from layer upon layer of twisted flesh slabs and other materials, each layer shrouded in shadow over another.
Between the layers, indescribable skirt-like substances or remnants of matter extended greedily outward, flickering in and out of view.
Crimson and sickly yellow-green coatings were used to bind the layers together, preventing the true horror within from revealing itself too soon to the world.
Some undeveloped biological embryos had been cruelly scattered across its surface, their sole purpose to lure ignorant humans into uncovering its terrifying secret.
Crunch, crunch!
Uh... actually, it was just a hamburger.
The bread and the lightly charred slab of massive meat shattered between his teeth. The layered textures and bursting juices filled his mouth, the rich aroma of meat spreading everywhere. It was a feast for lovers of carbohydrates and purines.
"Mm... as expected, fresh Danger Beast meat from the Empire's core worlds suits my taste best."
Tall and powerfully built—far larger than an ordinary Astartes—with a brown crew cut and a resolute face currently showing satisfaction as he chewed, he wore black, finely crafted Legion Commander–grade power armor adorned with silver and red patterns. A red-and-white cloak draped over his shoulders, and an 'Ⅰ' encircled by olive leaves was engraved upon his gorget.
He was none other than Alex, Legion Commander of the Astartes First Legion, the Dark Angels.
"Legion Commander, are you certain it's appropriate to bring your own food? For the Great General and the other Legion Commanders, might that not be somewhat disrespectful?"
Behind him, his adjutant spoke with visible difficulty and resignation.
"Haha, it's fine. Just satisfying a craving. Besides, it's such a small portion—I'll finish it before going in. It won't affect anything."
"Legion Commander Alex, we have arrived. Please." The leading attendant gestured respectfully.
"Ah, thank you."
Turning his head, Alex waved his hand. "You all go with the attendants to the headquarters dining hall. The chefs here are excellent—an opportunity not to be missed. I have important matters to discuss with the Great General and the others."
"Yes!" The adjutant nodded, then departed with the members of the Legion Commander's Honor Guard under the guidance of another attendant, separating from Alex.
At this moment, an informal banquet was already underway.
As he walked, Alex finished the remaining bites in his hand and asked, "Hmm, has the Great General and Senior Lion arrived?"
"All Legion Commanders of the Astartes have already arrived. Oh... that's right, Legion Commander Sanguinius of the Ninth Legion, the Blood Angels, has not yet attended."
"Judging by the schedule, Legion Commander Sanguinius will not be participating in this meeting. Lady Arisa's Sisters of Battle have been deployed for some time and are currently engaged in a conquest campaign alongside the Ninth Legion, the Blood Angels."
The attendant stopped at the entrance to the courtyard and stood respectfully to the side.
"That's truly unfortunate... Not attending means losses when it comes to military budget allocations and resource distribution."
When Alex entered, the other Astartes Legion Commanders were engaged in friendly and harmonious mockery of a certain individual who had recently gained considerable benefits.
No other reason—just jealousy.
"Tch... Roboute, you've been trailing behind Her Majesty lately and reaping quite the harvest."
"Applying to the Imperial Assassination Unit for personnel, having General Esdeath participate, even getting Her Majesty to personally intervene."
"Roboute, honestly. Never would've guessed you were so adept at scheming. Bootlick—ugh, bah. Just outrageously lucky."
"I heard you even gave it a special name. Ultramar?"
"And it's your Legion's capital world?"
"Apparently, you even buttered her up..."
Listening to the sarcastic tones of his fellow Legion Commanders, Roboute felt utterly helpless.
Especially when the words "buttered her up" came from the mouth of Aurelian, Legion Commander of the Seventeenth Legion, the God-Empress Preachers. Roboute felt both anger and embarrassment flare within him.
When did I butter her up?! And besides, aren't you the one who's always flattering?!
...Well, maybe I did flatter her a bit... but so what?! If I can do it, it means I'm capable and had the opportunity. You'd flatter too if you had the chance!
Naturally, none of those thoughts could show on his face. Outwardly, Roboute responded to his colleagues' accusations with composed bearing and eloquent profanity.
"Bullshit!"
"Leman Russ, what do you mean trailing behind Her Majesty? How crude! We Ultramarines were fighting gloriously at Her Majesty's side. It was a reward from Her Majesty!"
"Scheming? Blind luck? Good fortune? Nonsense! Dorn, this is simply Her Majesty's recognition of our Thirteenth Legion."
"Bah! Aurelian, that's jealousy. Who told you to move so slowly, always meddling with useless things? You want to flatter too—you just haven't had the chance!"
...
"Uh... is it always this lively?"
Arriving at the center of the courtyard, Alex found a grassy lawn surrounding an artificial mountain waterfall. The air carried a faint mist of moisture as water cascaded down from a hundred-meter-high rock formation, producing a roaring whoosh that echoed through the space.
Not far in front of the lotus pond lay a spacious clearing where twenty low tables were neatly arranged. Several robust cherry blossom trees grew nearby.
Each tree was in full bloom, laden with soft pink blossoms. As the breeze swept past, petals drifted down like snow, filling the air with poetic beauty.
It was truly a perfect setting for young men and women to confess their heartfelt emotions.
Unfortunately, the scene was somewhat out of harmony. The dozen heavily armored giants seated cross-legged behind the tables did not evoke poetry at all. Rather than beauties and beasts, they looked like nothing but beasts.
Even without weapons—wearing only their plain, finely crafted power armor—the overwhelming, ferocious aura emanating from them was impossible to conceal.
"Yo, Alex. Take a seat. Aside from Sanguinius, you're the only one left."
Seeing Alex arrive clad in black armor, Liver lazily spoke while removing his gauntlet and trimming his nails.
"Senior Liver... you're as... relaxed as ever. What's going on with Roboute and the others? Where's the Great General Budo?"
"Relaxed? Heh... I was thoroughly scolded by Her Majesty not long ago. I won't be so relaxed in the future. I've been assigned to the newly established Strategic Support Force. I'll have plenty to keep me busy."
"The Imperial Auxilia units newly equipped with Knightmare Frames have already been dispatched to support Sanguinius. After this meeting, I might even have to go personally."
"You've just returned from the forefront of the expedition... It's natural you wouldn't know. Besides, it's not the sort of embarrassing matter to publicize."
Shaking his head with a wry smile, Liver's mood seemed lighter as he continued softly, "Roboute recently obtained something quite valuable from Her Majesty."
"His Legion's size now trails only behind the three founding Legions. At this rate of development, combined with Her Majesty's favor, surpassing us seems only a matter of time. Quite the formidable junior..."
"That sounds rather promising." Alex nodded approvingly, glancing toward Roboute, who was currently engaged in a spirited verbal battle.
"Hm? Earth Dragon meat?" Liver tilted his head slightly and pointed at Alex after catching the scent.
"Ah. A hamburger made from the forelimb meat of a Class 1 Danger Beast Earth Dragon is truly a delicacy. How could I return to the Imperial Capital and not savor it?"
Without shifting his gaze, Alex added casually, "Roboute and Aurelian seem to have quite a good relationship."
"Old sparring partners. A beautiful brotherhood, really. Aside from somewhat slow conquest efficiency and an excessive focus on missionary work, Aurelian's Seventeenth Legion—the God-Empress Preachers—is practically flawless."
Putting away his polished nail clippers, Liver commented.
Among all the Astartes Legions, the Seventeenth Legion, the God-Empress Preachers, likely possessed the lowest conquest efficiency.
Yet the quality of the worlds under their rule could be ranked among the very best, alongside the Third Legion, the Black Marlin, and the Thirteenth Legion, the Ultramarines.
Thinking of this, Liver could not understand it. I'm not the slowest either. So why did I get thoroughly reprimanded while Aurelian was fine?
Was it because he flatters better?
Due to Legion Commander Aurelian's fanatical—even pathological—devotion to Selene, combined with his meticulous guidance, every Astartes in the God-Empress Preachers could be described as an exceptionally professional zealot.
In every conquered world, massive monuments and grand temples dedicated to Selene were erected.
All prior beliefs, symbols, and even written texts were denounced as blasphemy and heresy, then burned to ashes.
During this process, vast numbers of the conquered populace were forcibly ordered to change their faith. Refusal meant facing oversized-caliber bullets or a chainsword.
Under such pressure, while some stubborn souls declared, "Never!"
Most pragmatic individuals quickly decided, Fine, we'll change it. It's not such a big deal. No need to wave guns and chainswords around. Please put those down—they're rather frightening.
After all, faced with a two-and-a-half-meter-tall figure clad in several tons of power armor, whose muscles alone could crush a man to death—capable of killing, waging war, and preaching all at once—belief became a rather flexible concept.
Just as the atmosphere grew increasingly lively and the Legion Commanders more relaxed—
"Silence—!"
In an instant, the vibrant mood froze. Those who had been gleefully trading barbs stiffened and turned their heads. "G–Great General..."
Budo emerged with a dark expression and took his seat at the head position, his voice stern. "You are all commanders of Legions. What kind of conduct is this, bickering like this?"
"With behavior like this, you're no better than a marketplace—" He suddenly slapped his forehead.
"Ah, my memory. This isn't a formal meeting, merely a private gathering. No need to be so severe. My apologies—force of habit."
Seeing everyone struggling to suppress laughter, Budo said nothing further. With a broad wave of his hand, projections appeared in the center of the arranged tables: voidships, humanoid war machines, new-model power armor, colossal Titan war machines, and a series of other newly developed equipment.
"Sanguinius is at a critical juncture in a campaign of conquest and cannot return to the Imperial Capital for now. We won't wait for him. Let's begin."
"These are the standardized equipment models Her Majesty has ordered to be deployed to all Legions. After this meeting, the Imperial Science Bureau will dispatch specialists to your respective worlds to guide the upgrades and restructuring of your forge worlds."
"This is a voidship. Constructed in Conquered World No. 37 of the Second Legion, the Retributors—the modified Logres-class voidship, eight kilometers in length... the modified Caerleon-class voidship, 2.2 kilometers..."
"Knightmare Frame—single-soldier tactical humanoid units. Base model A-0. The head uses an optical data collection system. The legs are equipped with high-mobility drive wheels. Capable of launching Slash Harkens."
"Can be modified into various configurations depending on the user and operational context. Divided into Astartes and Imperial Auxilia types. The former standardized at approximately 11.5 meters, the latter at approximately 4.5 meters."
"New standardized power armor templates. Energy wings, Float System—hover-flight system—Luminous energy shields..."
...
Meanwhile, at Schönbrunn Palace.
A gentle breeze swept across the palace complex like rolling mountains, slipping through lattice windows and stirring the hanging banners and drapes, bringing waves of cool air.
Within the Grand Imperial Palace, what remained eternally unchanged was the strict guard and patrol presence—especially around Schönbrunn Palace, where Selene resided. Golden-armored Royal Guards and Sisters of Silence stood in ranks, almost completely isolating it from the outside world.
Inside the bedchamber, Selene reclined upon a soft carpet, propping her chin with one hand, her eyes motionless as she pondered something.
"Hmm... it's difficult to decide. Should I bring the Sixth Legion, the Space Wolves; the Eighth Legion, the Night Lords; the Eleventh Legion, the Executioners; and the Twelfth Legion, the World Eaters back with me?"
Bringing those hot-blooded brutes along... somehow it felt like a 'filial son' returning home only to blow up the planet.