The Astartes of the Exorcists Chapter would return for further investigation, and Yuki was prepared for it. However, when they did return, it wasn't to investigate.
Rhino armored personnel carriers brought in vast quantities of supplies and materials. They drove straight into the golden wheat fields; Yuki watched with a flicker of anger as the scattered grains were swallowed by the mud. He had planted these with his own hands over the past few months. Yet, facing the arriving Astra Militarum regiments, Yuki didn't have much of a temper to show.
Dozens of Astartes disembarked from the Rhinos. Leading them was Enos, whom Yuki had met once before.
"Long time no see, mortal."
"Long time no see, sir."
"This area has been requisitioned. You had best find shelter or leave this planet soon. This place will become a battlefield."
Yuki watched as Krieg soldiers, wearing their gas masks, used heavy machinery to clear the ground, digging trench after trench. Artillery and armored vehicles moved into position one after another.
"It seems the situation is much worse than imagined," Yuki noted.
Enos nodded. "Although the Administratum is trying its best to conceal it, the direness of the situation is a fact. Yuki, we regret disrupting your life. If you encounter issues with leaving, we can assist."
Yuki didn't have the time to ask how Enos knew his name. He noticed two individuals resembling Commissars behind the Exorcists, eyeing him suspiciously. These overachievers from the Schola Progenium certainly wouldn't be as friendly as Enos.
"I understand."
Yuki returned to his room and gave Yuno a brief overview of the situation. Yuno's elegant eyebrows arched slightly. "That's a pity. I quite liked this planet."
Yuki shared her regret. If they could devour this planet, the fleet's numbers would recover significantly, and they wouldn't have to struggle with the grueling process of consuming a star. "Prepare to withdraw. The Maelstrom was never a suitable place for a meal anyway."
That night, Yuki's small cabin was requisitioned. There was no transport available for civilians; with the war being so urgent, there wasn't even enough transport for the troops, let alone for escorting civilians.
Yuki and Yuno were temporarily moved into a tent belonging to a Krieg squad. When he pulled back the tent flap and saw a sea of gas masks and heavy greatcoats, Yuki felt a level of awkwardness he had never experienced before.
"Uh, hello. Your commander probably told you... we're staying here for one night..."
No one responded. Only an individual who appeared to be the sergeant pointed to a set of bedding that had already been prepared. It was larger than standard issue and very neat, seemingly prepared specifically for the two of them.
Yuki was intensely curious about these Krieg soldiers but felt it would be rude to reach out and pull off their masks. They didn't like to talk, either. Do Kriegers even talk? They probably do, right?
Yuki liked the aesthetics of Krieg models, but seeing real Kriegers, his primary thought was a critique of "Nottingham town enterprise" abstract proportions. In the models, everyone looked like they had short limbs, but the men in front of him were all super-soldiers standing nearly two meters tall.
As his mind wandered, the Krieg commander handed him a lasgun. Yuki took it hesitantly. Was he just drafted?
"Use this. When the enemy arrives, we can die together."
What is this guy saying? Is this even Low Gothic? How can I understand the words but not the meaning when they're put together like that?
Yuno was also given a rifle. She observed the metal construct with curiosity and even took a stealthy lick of it when the Kriegers weren't looking.
It was currently free time for the Kriegers. Most of them simply sat there wiping their lasguns, bayonets, flak armor, helmets, or boots. Some shared nutrient bars with each other. The entire process was nearly silent, which Yuki and Yuno found unsettling. They had to communicate through the Hive Mind.
I say, if these guys eat those, will they turn stupid?
More likely they'll just shout 'For the Emperor' even louder.
Do you think these people fall in love?
Theoretically, yes. But their way is probably different. When they love someone, they likely just fight harder on the battlefield until they die, believing their death brings that beautiful future one step closer. That is their true expression of love.
"How tragic," Yuki looked at Yuno, a rare sense of loneliness appearing in his eyes. "There's no helping it, Yuno. Being born into this world is already the ultimate tragedy for them."
Free time ended. Outside, the concrete bunker complexes were already one-third complete. In just over twenty hours, the fields had been transformed into a ready battlefield. Yuki realized that if they stayed a few more days, they'd probably end up sleeping in a concrete bunker.
Before sleep—since they were in a Krieg tent—Yuki and Yuno decided to forgo their usual "exercise" and just sleep peacefully. However, just as Yuki was about to lie down, the Krieg commander returned. This time, he brought a book.
Yuki took the book, looking confused. "The Lectitio Divinitatus? What do you want?"
"The Emperor's holy words. We want to hear them, but we cannot read them aloud."
Kriegers were mass-produced through forbidden technologies and subjected to grueling military training and extremist cultural indoctrination. Their literacy was likely limited to receiving military commands.
"Your voice is pleasant. We want to listen."
Yuki had no reason to refuse. He opened the Lectitio Divinitatus, written in Low Gothic, and began reading from the beginning.
"He said: 'Whosoever is unfaithful to me shall be punished by lightning and fire; whosoever is faithful, their original sin shall be forgiven, and they shall eventually return to my embrace...'"
There are many versions of the Ecarchy's scriptures, differing on almost every planet. The Kriegers probably found this one after arriving here. They listened with extreme focus. Perhaps due to the unique nature of Krieg, Ecclesiarchy priests rarely spoke to them about the God-Emperor's glory. They didn't really know what the God-Emperor they worshipped was truly like.
The lamp flickered as Yuno leaned against Yuki. The night wind drifted into the tent. The oppressive atmosphere slowly dissolved under Yuki's voice. Gradually, the Kriegers drew closer to him.
The twenty-one Krieg soldiers would never forget this night as long as they lived.
After the lights were extinguished and the soldiers fell asleep, Yuki remained awake. He had long since lost the need for sleep.
"They're coming."