The legendary Inquisitor Eisenhorn was escorted into the flagship's archive by the champion guards of the lord of Ultramar's Five Hundred Worlds.
At that moment, the Primarch was seated in a custom Adamantium wheeled chair, his massive body gliding along the bookshelves as he filed away the many documents he had just organized.
Guilliman had his back to Eisenhorn.
Eisenhorn looked at the Primarch's broad back without saying a word, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.
"Eisenhorn."
The Primarch turned toward the Inquisitor along with his chair. Guilliman deliberately rose to his feet, a friendly smile on his face. "Thank you for coming to see me so promptly, even though my matter was not urgent."
Hearing this, the Astartes who had escorted the Inquisitor began wondering whether he had misunderstood his Primarch's orders. Perhaps he should not have brought Eisenhorn directly here, but waited for him outside the interrogation chamber instead.
But regardless, Eisenhorn was already here. Even if it had been a mistake, there was no undoing it now.
"Mm."
In response to Guilliman's greeting, Eisenhorn merely gave a faint hum.
Even as he spoke, Eisenhorn's eyes were fixed on empty space, his gaze drifting to one side. It was clearly rude.
Yet Eisenhorn held no prejudice against Guilliman, nor was he part of the anti-Regent faction whose very existence was taboo within the Imperium. He was simply distracted. His mind was elsewhere.
I need to go back and interrogate that Eternal War Veterans prisoner.
That was what Eisenhorn was thinking.
At the time, anyone could see that most of those in the interrogation chamber had no interest in the veteran. Adam, for instance, or that Inquisitor from the demon-hunting Inquisition... They had merely come to go through the motions, because they did not believe a Black Legion Eternal War Veteran