141. The Sister Who Pursues the Truth

"So that was how it was, Chapter Master Insel. You and your Chapter had such illustrious achievements!"

Sister Ankesha nodded in high spirits. "The Emperor above, what a hero I was meeting!"

Faced with her sincere words, Insel coughed, seeming quite unused to it. Sitting ramrod straight, he said with meticulous formality, "It was merely our duty, Sister. Do you have any other questions?"

"Oh, yes! Yes! What was your opinion of the captain?"

That question made Insel fall silent for a full thirty seconds. If he had not been certain there was not the slightest malice in the Sister's inquiry, his expression would probably have changed by now.

The question was, why was she asking that?

The Chapter Master of the Iron Snakes thought rapidly—she was the chronicler sent by the Primarch. Did she have free will? Did her question come from her own wishes, or from the Primarch's prompting? Was the Primarch investigating the captain? No, such a thing could not happen.

"May I know why you ask this question?" Insel asked expressionlessly, his thoughts still racing.

"Because this question is very important, Chapter Master Insel. You see, ever since I boarded this sacred vessel, everything I have seen has been the miracles brought by the captain. Yet he himself only met me once, and after that he never said another word to me."

Ankesha solemnly raised her notebook and handed it to Insel. "You may look through it. I have been visiting the people aboard the Vengeance. From the Astartes to the Astra Militarum, from civilians to merchants—I have been trying to restore the captain's true image, but what I have obtained has always been vague and fragmentary remarks."

Insel reached out and took it, then flipped through it roughly.

He had to admit that he was