"Old Mal! Old Mal!"
When the Emperor started working on bringing Malcador back to life, anyone could see how excited he was. His hands shook like he had Parkinson's, and he might as well have had "love affair" written across his face.
This led Bile, the Old Doctor, who was quietly working nearby, to suspect that the rumors circulating through the Imperium were true: the Emperor and Malcador really were an item.
As a mad scientist who fit the stereotype perfectly, Bile wasn't good at hiding his feelings. His big eyes darting back and forth perfectly conveyed his gossipy curiosity. Paired with his "the countryside surrounding the city" tough-guy hairstyle, the whole sight was rather comical.
Hogg flicked Bile's shiny bald head, then pulled his newly recruited underling aside and whispered:
"See that? I don't tell just anyone this secret. The rumors are true: that Yellow Weasel really was involved with Malcador. And Malcador was a silver-haired little pretty boy. The Emperor sweet-talked him into joining forces back in the day. Otherwise, why do you think Malcador sacrificed himself? It was all because of their affair!"
"Oh? Boss, is that really true?"
"Come on, would I lie to you?" Hogg pulled the taciturn underling close, glanced around, then led Bile to the corner of the laboratory and lowered his voice even further.
"I'll bet you fifty. We'll just see what Malcador looks like when he comes back to life. If it's that old Sigillite, I'll give you fifty bucks and promise not to dissect your daughter ever again.
"If he's a little white-haired brat, you give me fifty and hand over your research on daemon fusion. I'll also promise not to bother your daughter again, and I'll raise her like my own."
Bile didn't dare argue. His people skills weren't