Paulus sat inside his tent, having removed all of his clothes, moving in strange, ritual-like motions as he vented the agitation in his heart.
No, not agitation.
It was a longing for the elevation of life.
Life was born for pleasure, and through the pursuit of joy, one would gradually become more perfect, until reaching the ultimate state.
Whether it was the gluttonous desire to consume the lowborn masses, or the delight of giving life through the union of flesh, all of it was part of that great process.
"Sixfold desire, sixfold delight..."
As he prayed with utmost devotion, he seemed to smell the scent of flesh he longed for.
That rich human scent made his whole body tremble.
But soon, he realized something was wrong.
How could an imagined smell become stronger and stronger?
Confused, he looked toward the flap of the tent.
In the next instant, a corpse with a shattered forehead came flying in from outside and landed heavily in front of him.
Under his racing heartbeat and rising saliva, bright blood and pale fluid spread across the floor.
Then came the sound of strong footsteps from outside, like something out of a nightmare.
Shivering, he turned his head.
And then he saw Gaia, the one who had already bewitched his mind, stepping into his tent from outside.
Though it would have been much better if she had not been covered in blood, if she had put down that hammer, and if she had stopped smiling like that.
"What are you trying to do? I am the heir of House Joguya. My father commands the Planetary Defense Force. If you dare..."
Gaia looked at the disgusting creature before her as if he were trash, then brought her hammer down hard on his ankle.
A shrill scream immediately rang out, and the corners of Gaia's mouth lifted slightly before she asked coldly:
"Tell me how your cult is set up on Klaurund."
This pampered young master had never suffered anything like this. Just as he was about to speak, he saw a strange smile appear on her face.
"Actually, forget it. Trash like you should be broken first and questioned later."
...
Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do?
Solomon sat outside House Joguya's camp, hugging his knees and reflecting on life.
He had only wanted to save a little docking money, so he had his crew drop him off somewhere in the outskirts.
Who could have guessed he would run into greenskins halfway through, and then end up like this.
As he smelled the blood drifting out of the camp, he could not help feeling a little lost.
As a free captain, he had done more than a few things that might be considered wildly improper.
But wiping out an Upper Hive noble and his entire retinue in the outskirts of a hive city was not something he had ever even imagined doing.
While he was sighing to himself, Gaia walked out of the camp with a somewhat grim expression, and the psychic presence around her seemed faintly stronger than before.
She had learned something that was absolutely not good news.
A great number of nobles on this planet had already converted to the Cult of Gluttony, and were actively carrying out special rituals they called offerings.
Even this green tide had been hidden for a long time, simply to keep the Imperium from discovering those secret acts of sacrifice.
And all of it was done to please a certain being.
Whenever Paulus spoke of that being, he erupted with almost twisted fanaticism, even ignoring his own pain as he laughed in a way that made Gaia's head ache.
What kind of being was that?
Relevant memories seemed about to surface in Gaia's mind, only to be pushed back down by that mist.
With her head pounding, she gave up trying to remember.
But if what he said was true, then how were they supposed to solve this planet's problem?
"This isn't just an ordinary cult infestation anymore. It needs a heavy response. But a real Imperial response can only be brought in by contacting the Inquisition..."
And right now, anyone with half a brain could guess that those nobles were not going to let outsiders reach the Inquisition.
"Wait. If it's contact we need, then the Astra Militarum could work too."
"Paulus said several Astra Militarum units had already arrived as reinforcements and were sent to the front."
Gaia's eyes sharpened. The next objective was obvious.
After evacuating the civilians, head to the front line, find the Astra Militarum, and report the Cult of Gluttony to the Imperium.
It was dangerous, and honestly this planet had very little to do with her.
But she could not stand by and watch an entire world of civilians sink into the same despair she had once known.
The pain of losing everything was something fewer people should have to bear.
Gaia's gaze became resolute.
At that moment, Solomon silently walked over from the side, holding two entrenching shovels.
He handed one of them to Gaia and sighed.
"Since we're already in this deep, let's at least bury them properly."
...
As she dug, Gaia glanced at Solomon with some surprise and asked:
"Aren't you supposed to be timid? Why aren't you staying far away from something like this?"
Solomon angrily stabbed the ground twice with his shovel and replied with righteous indignation:
"First of all, I'm not timid. I just don't like unnecessary trouble. Spending a tiny bit of dignity to save a huge amount of time is more than worth it for people like us who make a living trading."
"Second, staying far away wouldn't help anyway. Do you really think those Upper Hive bastards would spare anyone who might become a problem for them?"
He began dragging bodies over with clear irritation and tossing them into the pit Gaia was digging at an inhuman speed.
While continuing to dig like a human excavator, Gaia asked curiously:
"You seem to hate those people in power and the nobles, but when you're in front of them, you can bow and scrape without hesitation. Why?"
As he dumped another body into the pit, Solomon's mouth twitched. He thought for a moment, then finally let out a long sigh:
"To be honest, what I hate is nobles, not the noble system... or maybe what I really hate is the fact that I am not one."
"I spent years clawing my way up through naval service until I became a free captain, but I've never felt what real freedom is."
"If I ever got the chance, I'd absolutely want to try being a noble. But I wouldn't sink into indulgence like they do. What I want is that sense of freedom nobles have from not being constrained by status, and then use it to actually accomplish something."
"And on top of that, I'd try to be a good noble, one who treats people decently."
Gaia looked at Solomon.
For once, there was no trace of mockery on his face, only a rare seriousness.
After tossing in the last body, Solomon reluctantly pulled the anklet and ring from his pocket and dropped them into the pit as well, then began covering it with dirt...
...
The next morning, after blowing the assembly call, Commissar Horne counted the troops.
"Strange. Where are that Upper Hive noble and his guards?"
he asked in confusion.
"No idea. Maybe they overslept."
Solomon muttered quietly, his eyes shifting a little.
"No need to worry about them. Let's evacuate the civilians first."
"Maybe they'll catch up after they wake up..."
(End of Chapter)
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