Inside the grand auditorium of the First Bureau of the Abyss Port Military Supervision Bureau, which is the Naval Military Supervisory Committee.
Farida, clad in the simple, coarse linen clothes designated for the oath ceremony, knelt on one knee before the podium in the auditorium.
The marble, which had never been touched by sunlight since the auditorium's completion, exuded a chilling coldness, numbing her hands and feet.
Behind the podium stood a statue of the Emperor of Mankind's death angel, sculpted by the most outstanding stonemasons on the planet five centuries ago with the utmost reverence. Its shadow enveloped Farida, who bowed her head in silence.
Farida had been kneeling for quite some time. Her gaze, fixed downwards, saw only the ancient, worn red carpet beneath her knees. The red was not as vibrant as when it was first woven, but deep and just right, like spreading fresh blood…
On either side of the red carpet stood rows of men and women in various colored uniforms with swords at their waists. On the left were the black and red uniforms of the Imperial Guard Commissar, and on the right were the white and gold uniforms of the Imperial Naval Military Supervisory Committee.
These men and women stood in crisp uniforms, power swords at their waists, hands clasped authoritatively behind their backs, and legs slightly spread, shoulder-width apart.
Despite their differing appearances, genders, and heights, the lower halves of their faces, visible beneath the shadows of their peaked caps, all bore the same stone-like coldness.
Were it not for the white mist from their breath in the cold air, one might have mistaken them for smaller stone statues, akin to the death angel.
Their presence elevated the solemnity of the entire ceremony by several levels.
Ever since she had that terrifying dream, the deaths of her mother, father, and Horatio had constantly haunted her.
Fear and worry filled her thoughts.
She longed for Horatio's companionship, yet worried for his safety. Under this complex and inexpressible emotion, she ultimately chose to become a Military Prison.
"If this can keep me away from him, perhaps he can live well and not be killed by the curse on me," she thought, clasping her hands and clenching her fists towards the Emperor of Mankind's majestic statue.
"Farida Hood.
Are you willing to dedicate your life and soul completely to the great Emperor of Mankind, the magnificent God-Emperor?"
A Naval Military Supervisory Committee of crimson rank, with a deep red bionic eye, stood solemnly beneath the statue and asked Farida in a low, hoarse voice.
Though his face showed age, his upright posture indicated no diminishment in his spirit or vigor.
Normally, an Imperial Military Prison of this rank, equivalent to a Navy Admiral, would primarily deal with paperwork and likely carry some bureaucratic air.
However, this Military Prison's demeanor remained as sharp and decisive as if he had just returned from the front lines.
"I am willing."
"Are you willing, for the God-Emperor's ideals and vision, to unswervingly fulfill your duties, no matter how critical the situation?"
"I am willing."
"Are you willing, for the God-Emperor and the righteous path of mankind, to decisively pull the trigger and mete out punishment to anyone suspected of disloyalty, injustice, or violating the God-Emperor's will? Even if it is the most important person to you?"
When the elderly Military Prison asked this, Horatio's image suddenly appeared in Farida's mind.
She instinctively thought of herself pointing a gun at Horatio, and her heart clenched.
"No, he couldn't possibly betray the God-Emperor, he would never."
"I am willing." Farida composed herself and made the vow.
She firmly believed that such a thing would not happen to him.
In a long and painful oath-taking, filled with chilling coldness,
Farida knelt before the God-Emperor's death angel, pledging her loyalty one by one in the name of the Emperor of Mankind.
The old Military Prison closed the large ledger, locked it, and then handed it to Military Monitor Camerline beside him. He then smoothly drew a power longsword from the scabbard she held.
He stepped forward slowly, his footsteps steady and firm, his military boots thudding heavily on the red carpet.
He stood before Farida, raising his sword majestically.
Farida looked up, directly into his bionic eye that emitted an ominous red glow, then closed her eyes and straightened her chest.
In the past, she might have felt nervous.
But now, she was no longer the fragile little girl she once was.
But a woman.
A true woman, both physically and psychologically.
The sword blade struck her shoulder with an inexplicable heaviness, as if the blow landed upon her soul.
"From now on, Farida Hood, you shall be the God-Emperor's eyes, the God-Emperor's measuring rod, possessing the authority to investigate and punish all acts that endanger the Imperium and all acts of cowardice and fear.
This is not only your power but also your duty.
You must make others revere you, and you must revere yourself, so that you can, in any critical moment, do what ordinary people cannot, turn the tide, and stabilize the precarious."
"I will certainly fulfill my duties."
Witnessed by all the Military Prisons, Farida made the solemn oath required of a Military Prison.
An Imperial Guard Commissar member and a Naval Military Supervisory Committee member, respectively, approached Farida's sides, carrying a Navy Blast Pistol, a power sword of military discipline, and the black, white, and gold Naval Military Supervisory Committee uniform, peaked cap, breeches, and long boots.
"Remember Loyalty!"
All the Military Prisons drew their longswords from their waists simultaneously, raising them diagonally upwards. The blades crossed at the top, forming arches of swords, and their majestic, resonant voices echoed throughout the cold auditorium.
"Remember Loyalty!" Farida took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief.
As an Untouchable, if she were to become a Naval Officer, her repulsive aura would only make her work extraordinarily difficult and arduous.
But… if she were a Military Prison.
After the oath ceremony, Military Monitor Camerline led Farida to the bathing area behind the auditorium.
Shedding her thin linen garment, she bathed and changed into the Military Prison's greatcoat with a high, stand-up collar. The breeches were loose and soft, and the patent leather long boots gleamed under the lights.
She put on the majestic peaked cap, its shadow adding a formidable quality to her ice-cold jade eyes.
Her beautiful face held a cold and dignified expression.
She finally didn't have to force a smile in front of anyone anymore.
Her duty was to inspire fear, and her Untouchable nature now gave her an added advantage.
Moreover, as a Naval Military Supervisory Committee, according to the tests and assessments of Military Prison experts:
During Warp travel, within a 130-meter radius of her location, no demon could tear open a rift and invade.
Within 330 meters, all demons would be severely weakened; the stronger the demon, the more severely it would be weakened.
If some lower-level unclean beings were personally slain by her, they would be completely torn apart, with no hope of resurrection in the Warp.
Her physique seemed born for the Naval Military Supervisory.
This gave Farida confidence. It was the first time in her life she felt that the trait that had troubled her for so long could be of value to the Imperium.
"If Horatio becomes a captain in the future, being on the bridge, I should be able to counteract demonic invasions and not interfere with the officers' work, right?"
She thought distractedly, but quickly frowned in self-reproach.
"What am I thinking… Before verifying whether the curse is real or not, I shouldn't get close to him."
Farida suppressed her inner thoughts, but she also remembered Horatio's analysis.
Whether this was a curse or a conspiracy plotted by malicious individuals for over a decade, she would find out. She also believed he would find out.
Reason told her.
It was best to wait until the truth came to light before discussing anything.
In the current situation, continuing to associate with him would be irresponsible to the Imperium and to his safety.
To be safe, she once again firmed her resolve, her left hand on her sword, and strode towards the door, then pressed her hand on the sword and walked out decisively.
She would be very busy from now on, and she knew he would be very busy too.
But this was reassuring, because she knew that he would eventually reach the same destination as her, after walking on different paths, and bring all the truth to light.
She would use her methods and efforts to quietly assist him in ways he could not see.
Seeing Farida emerge, Military Supervisor Melina approached her.
"Based on your previous service to the Imperium in the Adeptus Arbites and your combat merits during your time as a Navy Midshipman, after comprehensive point conversion, the Childer of Loyalty Military Supervisory has decided to directly grant you the rank of Junior Military Prison with 12,000 points."
"Understood, Military Supervisor Melina."
"Let's go, we need to get moving. There's no time to waste, the Storm Troopers are ready."
With that, the two exchanged an aquila salute and walked out together.
On the platform where the Valkyrie was parked, the Childer of Loyalty Storm Troopers were ready to deploy.
Valina, the team leader wearing a crimson beret, stood at the front of the formation, facing the somewhat anxious, pacing Inquisitor William Carter of the Daemon Court.
The Storm Troopers had no interaction with the Inquisitor; they were like rows of emotionless living combat robots, simply waiting for the next command.
This was not the first time Valina had served an Inquisitor; similar operations were too numerous for her to recall.
And they had contributed at least half of her Kill-teams' combat records.
She also clearly understood that for an Inquisitor, the Storm Troopers were useful sharp knives and tools.
People didn't need to account to knives and tools; the Inquisitor only needed her to eliminate the enemies and traitors of the Imperium.
Valina was very good at this.
Seeing the two Naval Military Supervisory Committee emerge, Valina's gaze instinctively swept over them quickly.
Then, her eyes settled on the young, blonde Military Monitor.
"Isn't that… Admiral Hood's daughter?" The Female Sergeant Major was unusually puzzled.
"She should be in the Imperial Navy, so why is she wearing a Naval Military Supervisory Committee uniform?"
The Documentary Court recently got a senior translation expert to help proofread and revise texts, but the expert has their main job, and their revisions are very professional and responsible, plus they were called in urgently, so it will be a bit slow. The next chapter has not been proofread yet, I will publish it immediately after the revision is complete.