An Essential Ritual for Nobles

The grand banquet hall was resplendent with gold and jade.

But Alvin's mind was still completely blank until this moment. He never expected that Valshius was actually Rogue Trader!

The Rogue Trader, whose origins can be traced back to the 30th millennium, was appointed by the Primarch, military leaders, and Emperor of Mankind Imperium of Man. Their main duty was to expand the territory of the Imperium of Man and explore those unknown areas.

Because Rogue Trader often travel in unknown regions where communication is difficult and Imperium of Man have little control, they face unknown Xenos civilizations, as well as the colonized planets of the Dark Age of Technology, and all sorts of threats.

Therefore, Rogue Trader had extremely high levels of freedom.

As long as the Rogue Trader believe that their actions are in the interest of the Imperium, they can even act as diplomats to conduct trade with Xenos civilizations that are usually forbidden from communicating with the Imperium, in exchange for appropriate benefits.

Of course... if necessary, the Rogue Trader can order his private army to carry out legitimate looting, or even exterminate those weak, Heretic Civilization!

In summary, it can be summed up in one sentence.

Emperor permission... to act first and report later!

The power of Rogue Trader is so great that they can be described as "regional governors." In remote star systems, on planets where Imperium power cannot be exercised, they are local emperors!

In the 40th millennium of humankind, the Rogue Trader also represented the last vestiges of Imperium of Man's pioneering and enterprising spirit!

They were both explorers and raiders!

In some ways, the Rogue Trader were more like the privateers who were licensed to plunder under the former British Empire!

Not every Rogue Trader family possesses the privilege of "hereditary succession." Apart from the Emperor himself, the Primarch, and a very few High Lord who issue Trade Charter, many Rogue Trader are not qualified for hereditary succession.

Rogue Trader who possessed the "hereditary" qualification were often referred to as a "Merchant Dynasty"!

"Go, child."

While Alvin was still in a daze, Horn quietly gave him a push, putting him in the spotlight.

Inside the banquet hall, powerful Imperium from all sides focused their attention on this man, the sole bloodline heir of the ancient Valshius Merchant Dynasty!

It could be said that his appearance... saved Valshius!

The cardinal of the Ecclesiarchy sprinkled holy water on Alvin, recited the Emperor's prayers, offered the Ecclesiarchy's blessing, and recognized him as the successor to the Emperor's will!

According to ancient Imperium records, the Valshius Merchant Dynasty can be traced back to the 30th millennium, and its family were the Master of Mankind, personally issuing Trade Charter!

Alvin Valshius's name will be copied onto a blessed parchment by the officials of the Ministry of the Interior and sent to the great Imperial Palace of Terra for safekeeping!

The Ecclesiarchy priest, holding a scroll of scriptures, loudly proclaimed that, according to the Emperor's will and the results of genetic sequencing, Alvin Valshius indeed possessed direct blood of the "Valshius" Merchant Dynasty!

Horn even personally produced a "Trade Charter" issued to his family by the Emperor during the Great Crusade ten thousand years ago.

On the projection, which resembled a wall, was the "Trade Charter" from ancient times, symbolizing the family's honor, power, and status!

Goodness...

During the Great Crusade, the Emperor personally issued a "Trade Charter," which even bore the bloodstain of a drop of the Master of Mankind. Its value is self-evident.

Alvin gazed at the sacred seal in the projection, as if he could sense the residual power of the Emperor within it!

He once fantasized that his family was very powerful.

But... I never expected them to be this powerful. No wonder they can pilot "Conqueror-class Cruiser"—it turns out they're from the oldest Merchant Dynasty in the Imperium!

Such ancient Trade Charter probably extremely rare; there are probably only a handful left in the entire Imperium today, which shows just how precious they are!

No wonder there were so many people!

From the cardinals of the nation to the Astartes... it's true, in this banquet hall, the people with the lowest political status were probably those two Chapter Company Commander.

The Grand Sage of the Adeptus Mechanicus bestowed upon Alvin a blessing from the Omnissiah and offered the revenue of an entire Industrial World as a modest gift.

Raimon, the Company Commander of the Watcher Astartes Chapter, representing the absent Chapter Master, expressed his willingness to forge a deep friendship with Alvin and promised that wherever Alvin was in the galaxy, they would go to great lengths to traverse the treacherous passages of Warp to provide any assistance Alvin needed!

Albert, the Company Commander of the Fang of the Frost Wolves Chapter, made a similar promise, even finding a finely crafted Power sword from the Chapter's warehouse as a gift for him.

This finely crafted Power sword once slew a Bloodthirster!

The indelible bloodstains on the sword were the dying screams of the Bloodthirster, Alvin greatly admired, saying that if he ever had the chance, he would personally cut off the head of a Bloodthirster!

In the extremely tedious process, Alvin was like a puppet, completely at the mercy of the Ecclesiarchy's cardinals.

Finally, it was over, and he could catch his breath. What awaited him next was to engage in perfunctory conversations with people from various factions, just like an "aristocrat."

In Horn's words, this was an indispensable occasion for a Rogue Trader.

They must learn how to unite their allies; only in this way can their family continue to exist!

Of course, Alvin also made a friend.

Kalon, from the Knight World, is said to have rushed to the aid after receiving the call for help, but ultimately failed to make it in time.

By the time he arrived in Losel, the cult had been blasted to pieces by the Macrocannon and wiped out by the Astra Militarum. He was filled with deep regret and angrily denounced the heretics, Chaos, for holding out for a few more days until he arrived before dying. He was utterly frustrated.

"If you get into any trouble next time, remember to come to me first!" Kalon was about the same age as him, but his face was full of bitterness.

Alvin felt deep sympathy; he did know a little about the complicated etiquette of the Knight Family.

Every day upon waking, he would kneel in the family's prayer hall and begin praying to the family's long and complex history. This life was more arduous than that of an ascetic. No wonder every knight, after reaching adulthood and acquiring a Knight Mech, wished the galaxy were constantly at war and never wanted to return.

Alvin agreed, thus appeasing the nobleman from the Knight Family.

Thankfully, he managed to hold back his laughter, and at the same time, he was somewhat relieved that he wasn't the heir to the Knight Family.

"Hello, I am Charles Gransol."

Just then, an old man suddenly appeared, looked kindly at Alvin, and slowly said, "You may not know me, but you should know my disciple... Winnie Winslet. I am her mentor. May I ask you a few questions?"

It's finally here... the ultimate psychopath!

"Of course, Your Honor, Inquisitor Gransol."

Alvin swallowed hard. Facing the questioning of an Inquisitor, even if it were Horn himself, let alone the heir of the Rogue Trader, he would have to be careful.

"Don't be so tense, I'm not here to interrogate you."

Charles Gransol seemed quite amiable, smiling and waving his hand as he asked, "I heard from Captain Albert of Fang of the Frost Wolves Company Commander that you encountered my disciple... Winnie Winslet, in the Warp, is that right?"

After a moment's consideration, Alvin took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "That's right, Lord Gransol, we did indeed encounter your disciple in the Warp."

"That's good... that's good..."

Upon hearing this, Gransol seemed to age considerably in an instant, a hint of relief appearing in his eyes. "It's good that you're alive, it's good that you're alive, then I can rest easy."

Alvin looked at Gransol's desolate expression, opened his mouth, and hesitated before saying, "You... aren't you going to ask what happened?"

Gransol sighed deeply, shaking his head bitterly, "What's the point of asking?"

In any case, Winnie survived, which is a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

As for more details, as an Imperium Inquisitor, he knew very well which questions could be asked and which absolutely could not.

Would you like some drinks?

Just as the two were talking, a waiter leaned down and approached them with a glass of wine.

"Uh, no need, thank you." Alvin didn't seem to mind, waving his hand to indicate that he didn't need it.

But Inquisitor Gransol, standing nearby, suddenly frowned, as if sensing something. He abruptly shoved Alvin forward and roared, "Watch out! There's an assassin!"

An assassin?!

At this moment, Alvin's mind was completely in chaos.

The lively banquet atmosphere was instantly extinguished by this sound. To everyone's astonishment, Gransol drew his Bolter and aimed it at the waiter.

Without uttering a single wasted word, this seasoned and experienced Inquisitor pulled the trigger!

He had absolute confidence in his judgment, but the waiter carrying the drinks, upon realizing he had been exposed, threw away the silver tray, ducked low to avoid several bullets, and then, with a burst of power from his legs, pounced on Alvin like a cheetah hunting its prey, his eyes filled with fierce killing intent!

This happened so fast that no one present could react in time.

He was a specially trained assassin, incredibly agile and nimble; at such close range, even Astartes couldn't arrive in time to help.

Alvin's pupils contracted slightly. Just as he was about to use his Psychic Power to repel the assassin, he suddenly felt a violent wave of nausea, as if his soul was being devoured. Multiple hallucinations flashed before his eyes, and a thought immediately popped into his mind, "Damn it, I've encountered Blank!"

The other party seemed to know him extremely well, and even specially dispatched Blank, an assassin who was effective against Psyker.

Amidst the horrified gazes of Horn, the Cardinal of the Ecclesiarchy, the Grand Sage of the Mechanicus, the Grand Inquisitor, the Company Commander of Astartes, and the others, the assassin, with all his might, plunged a dagger coated with a kinetic field into Alvin's chest!

Two more chapters to go, still 10,000 words a day today~ Hoping for a flood of subscriptions, shower me with monthly votes~