Chapter 73: The World's Disparity |
"May The Emperor's light protect you, Sister."
Arabella took the opportunity to remove her helmet. She knew very well that the saints were not very good at dealing with religious fanatics like them.
Of course, she wasn't particularly good at it either.
However, she didn't need to be.
When her face was revealed to the members of the Bloody Rose, the zealous Sisters immediately fell into an even more fanatical state.
"Respected Saint Arabella, we thank the God-Emperor for granting us the opportunity to gaze upon your magnificent presence."
"The Shrine of the Bloody Rose is honored by your arrival!"
Everyone else cast sidelong glances.
They couldn't tell at all.
This Great Sister, who had been stranded with them on the strike cruiser, was actually a celebrity?
"Do not speak such nonsense."
Feeling the gazes from behind her, Arabella let out a sigh.
She did not believe she had the qualifications for sainthood, but under the deliberate fueling of the Ecclesiarchy, the calls for her canonization across the various Shrine Worlds were growing increasingly fierce.
"We have brought weapons and supplies. Next, I wish to meet with the Superior and the Bishop. The Emperor's Angels have urgent matters to discuss with them."
"Yes, Saint Arabella. Please grant us the honor of leading the way."
Arabella returned the courtesy. "Thank you, Sister."
The Sister of the Bloody Rose stood up in excitement and subsequently ordered the Servitors to open the Adamantium Gate they were guarding behind them.
"Respected Emperor's Angels, and Great Sister Arabella, thank you for your aid. The Bloody Rose will forever remember your fearlessness and generosity."
Walking through the radiant and beautiful sanctuary, that clear voice drifted over before the person even came into view.
Yes, a style completely unique to the Bloody Rose.
The group looked toward the end of the corridor. The Superior and the Bishop had already arrived.
This Superior was clad in a fiery red set of Artificer Power Armor, adorned with an abundance of religious decorations symbolizing devotion. A few traces of undried blood still lingered on her body, the wet marks seemingly recounting the bloody battle its owner had just experienced.
However, the most eye-catching thing was the two little angels floating behind her.
"..."
As those little angels approached, the four people who remained completely unfazed even when facing Chaos Xenos all subconsciously took a step back.
Cherubael, servitors shaped exactly like human infants.
Although, according to the Ecclesiarchy's propaganda, these things were essentially akin to cyborg servitors, serving only to replace the function of servo-skulls. At most, their highly advanced nervous systems gave them biological reactions somewhat similar to those of cats and dogs.
'No way—'
Karna silently clamped his helmet back on.
He was losing control of his facial expressions.
Arabella quickly caught the shift in the saints' moods, and she knew exactly what caused it.
After all, during their lengthy interactions with the saints, they had never hidden their disgust for certain practices of the Ecclesiarchy.
Such as the "Cherubael" following the Superior.
If the Ecclesiarchy's initial intent in popularizing these creations was to invoke awe and dread, then they had certainly fulfilled that duty exceptionally well.
Arabella let out a sigh and smoothly stepped forward.
"May The Emperor's light protect you, respected Superior Alyssandra."
Arabella spoke naturally, and the surprise that had surfaced on Alyssandra's face due to the Emperor's Angels stepping back instantly dissipated.
"May The Emperor's light protect you, holy and selfless Arabella. Your fame spreads across the Cosmos; even as far away as Pierrede, we have heard of your great deeds."
The Superior did not hide her admiration.
This Great Sister, who bore the title of a saint and traveled the galaxy, had recovered countless sacred items for the Ecclesiarchy. Furthermore, she never claimed these Relics for herself. Instead, she generously gifted them to those Shrine Worlds before continuing her long journey.
Noticing the Holy Armor worn on Arabella's body, the Superior could not help but ask curiously.
"May I ask if, on this journey, you have found the Relic that will finally end your wandering path?"
"Alyssandra, my deeds are but a faint glimmer among the stars, not even a fraction of a sun's radiance."
Arabella replied humbly. "We bring aid on this trip, but we also hope for the Sororitas's assistance."
"Please speak, Arabella."
The Superior replied enthusiastically.
Arabella then yielded her position to Romulus.
"I need to ask you about something."
Romulus inquired, "Can you effectively manage the populace that has been regathered after the riots? The requirements are to distribute food into the hands of every single person, maintain stable order, and select the able-bodied youth from among them to form an armed force."
A look of confusion appeared on the Superior's face before she glanced at the Bishop beside her.
"Of course we can, my lord."
The Bishop said respectfully, "We are capable of conducting a mass accommodating tens of millions without a single mistake."
"Good. Take a look at this plan. Feel free to bring up any concerns you might have."
Romulus brought out the report he had compiled on the way.
It included the handling of various human settlements, the zoning of the shrine areas, the management of the population by gender and age group, and more. It also contained an arrangement for the Ecclesiarchy to organize the combat-aged men into a Crusade Force.
In the current critical situation, simply sheltering such massive crowds was impractical. They had to transform a significant portion of the eligible population into a Fighting Force within a short time.
Because the ensuing war would be a fight for survival. No one could stay out of it.
"My lord, the armaments and food required to form a Crusade Force will be a massive burden."
The Bishop spoke cautiously. Lord Romulus's plan was highly detailed, and many of the specifics were conclusions drawn from actual investigation, but forming a Crusade Force was a bit of an exaggeration.
The Ecclesiarchy certainly possessed boundless wealth, but on a planet like this, wealth alone could buy nothing.
"We can provide them. The transformation of food production areas, the resupply of armaments—we can provide it all."
Food?
This was an industrial planet; what it had in abundance was promethium.
Water?
The water recycling system used by the naval fleet was more than enough.
And the Transmigrators possessed the ability to rapidly install these infrastructures vital to the survival of a large population.
The Bishop then raised several tricky questions regarding personnel, but Romulus answered all of them comprehensively.
"I have no further objections."
The Bishop fell silent.
Although this lord didn't understand the Ecclesiarchy, he understood management.
That was enough.
"My lord."
The Superior looked at the bullet points in the document. A few of the demands left her feeling somewhat bewildered.
"Why must we continuously divert a portion of our strength to rescue scattered civilians instead of concentrating our forces to fight the heretics and Xenos? The Sisters have always longed to unleash their fury upon the enemies of The Emperor."
Yes, why?
Rarely enough, looking at the Superior's unmalicious, bewildered expression, Romulus closed his lips, suddenly unable to offer his usual effortless explanation.
He was stumped.