My Name Is Martha

In the vast galaxy, stars are born and suns perish at every moment. Massive purple scars hang between celestial bodies, yet the darkness within the void remains the universe's only eternal constant.

A portal of ghostly purple light tore open from the void, and the Blacklight, having completed its voyage, emerged from the Warp.

Astronomican coordinates confirmed, time-dilation parameters adjusted, astropathic link clear.

"Report to the Primarch, we have arrived at Olympia."

Olympia, the world where the Fourth Legion's Primarch, Perturabo, descended. It was a planet with natural landscapes remarkably similar to Terra, boasting mountains, oceans, lush greenery, and a temperate climate unseen on other worlds.

If one were to rank the starting conditions of the Primarchs, aside from the lucky master of Macragge, Guilliman, only the fourth, Perturabo, could truly compete.

Born into peace with a father, a mother, brothers to beat up, and a beautiful sister—he was simply miles ahead. To say nothing else, the poor lads of Barbarus would weep themselves to death; that was the most expensive family in the Warhammer universe!

The later miserable state of the Iron Lord was entirely self-inflicted. If it were the late-stage Iron Lord, he would be beyond saving, and the good men of the Fourth Legion were dragged down by him. But the young lad of today was not yet so extreme. Thinking of this, a plan slowly formed in Hogg's mind.

According to reports from Blackwatch sleeper agents, the Iron Lord had not yet fully matured; it was the perfect time for an education.

A psychic call was hastily placed to Holy Terra. After petitioning Emperor, only four words were returned: [Act at your discretion, I am arriving soon.]

Hogg was truly inept at teaching and nurturing; having lived two lives, he had never had children. However, Hogg had been thoroughly educated himself. Recalling his father's "seven-wolf" paternal love in his past life, he now had the psychic "heavy slap."

As he pondered, Hogg caught sight of a collection of photos on his desk—photos of Alpha he had forced her to take while dressed in women's clothing. A bold idea suddenly struck him, though it would require some preparation and precise timing.

In truth, Hogg, who should have arrived earlier, had been quite weakened after heavily infusing Alpha. After dumping Afa—who was nearly played to pieces—in some random location, he had gorged himself on a wave of Warp energy, snacking on little treats gifted by his Warp countrymen, before slowly drifting toward Olympia.

However, after deciding how to approach Perturabo, he had delayed for two days in orbit to prepare his plan.

The morning sun spilled over the white marble roofs as bustling residents began to weave through the well-arranged architecture. The warm climate made Olympia rich in produce; as long as one was diligent, anyone could live comfortably.

The now-unified nation began to stabilize, yet a fissure began to slowly tear open.

"You simply don't understand my vision, Father!" Standing nearly three meters tall, the still-youthful Perturabo argued loudly with Dammekos.

The old man on the throne, the tyrant of Lochos and the king nearing the unification of Olympia, sternly rebuked his adopted son. Despite his lack of stature, the mortal man suppressed the giant with his sheer presence.

The two parted on bad terms, and a figure walked to the side of the throne.

"Father, Perturabo is just young. I believe he will understand you," Calliphone said to her father.

"And how long must I wait? I know I am a foolish, tyrannical bastard, but Perturabo is my most excellent child. I yearn for him to integrate into this family."

"He will eventually succeed me in ruling all of Olympia. In his current state, what qualification does he have to be a king? Oh, my Calliphone! I am no longer young."

Watching the deepening conflict between her aging father and her brother, Calliphone felt a pang of sorrow. After comforting her father, she decided to have a proper talk with her brother.

To Perturabo, he was special. He was born with knowledge; even the wisest scholars could not compare to his intellect.

Yet, this wisdom was a curse. No one could understand him, and no surprise could move him. He was lonely and misunderstood by the world. Perhaps only his silly sister tried to understand him. Walking through the wilderness, Perturabo sighed deeply.

Sigh...

Sigh...

"Who... who are you?"

A tall, slender figure wore a long gray dress, her snow-white hair tied back with a cord. Her stunning beauty would move anyone who saw her. Her eyes looked upon him with love, and the radiance of motherhood lingered around her. A special connection existed between them, as if the person before him was his closest kin.

"Who am I? Child, that is a question you must ask yourself. Your heart will give you the answer." Maintaining his loving persona, Hogg looked up at the young Iron Lord who still had hair.

"Could it be? You are!"

"Shh! Child, seeing you grow so healthily makes me happy. I hope you will not blame me for my late arrival." A raised palm covered Perturabo's mouth, cutting off his words.

"Do you mind showing me where you live now?" Gentle words drifted into his ears.

Such an offensive act would usually be stopped by Perturabo, but an inexplicable connection caused him to lower his guard. She is my kin, there is no doubt. Perturabo made a preliminary analysis.

Following in Perturabo's footsteps, the two strolled through the streets of the city-state. She raised a finger and pointed to a giant wind turbine in the distance. "Did you make this?"

"Of course. I optimized the entire system to allow for more efficient and stable power usage," came Perturabo's proud voice.

"A perfect transmission structure, a treatment method that fits the local terrain—truly a perfect solution."

"No, this is not my best work." Although Hogg's praise was gratifying, he subconsciously refuted it.

"Are there other works?"

"Of course!" The two quickened their pace to Perturabo's workshop. During their conversation, Hogg, who displayed superb technical skill, easily kept up with the Iron Lord's train of thought and always offered insightful improvements.

Constrained by Olympia's extremely low technological level, even a Primarch with explosive technical talent was like a child to Hogg, who had received systematic education, absorbed the Emperor's black technology, and devoured the fragments of the physical god, the Void Dragon. This was the benefit of returning early—more accumulation, more growth.

Their heated discussion soon drew the attention of others. Pushing open the workshop door, Calliphone knew that whenever her brother was agitated, he would come here to tinker with his machines, but this time, a strange figure was present.

"Brother, who is she?" A crisp voice interrupted their discussion.

"She is..."

"Martha Menethil. You may call me Martha. I am Perturabo's kin, beautiful lady." A flawless smile, paired with a beautiful face, instantly dispelled Calliphone's doubts.

"Ah! Kin. Welcome to Lochos. It has been a long time since I have seen Perturabo this happy. I hope you can attend the banquet tonight."

"Of course, it is my honor, beautiful lady."

The tactful Calliphone exited the workshop, leaving the space to the two, and hurried toward the palace, intending to tell her father the news: "My brother's mother has come."

As the two continued their discussion, Perturabo became increasingly certain of the woman's identity. At the same time, a nameless anger began to rise. Why? Why did she abandon me? Why come here after abandoning me? Does she have a hidden reason? But why?

Time ticked away, and evening arrived. Calliphone once again pushed open the workshop door, inviting Martha to the palace banquet.

The platform has sent a message; I will look into it.