"I don't think he'll truly come to his senses just like that."
The one speaking was Corax. He sat directly opposite Roboute Guilliman, holding a marble chess piece and rubbing it carefully between his fingers. The game had actually ended long ago, but he liked the feel of the piece, and so he had never put it down.
Unlike his movements, however, the Lord of the Ravens adopted a rather restrained tone as he voiced his opinion. His expression was calm, every detail of his face unruffled, like a tranquil sea.
But what was hidden beneath the surface?
Faced with the reasonable doubt raised by his brother, Roboute Guilliman sighed.
He had rarely done that in the past, because he had to maintain his bearing before the Ultramarines and the Empire's high command. In the Empire of that time, he was the only one they could rely on. He had to appear omnipotent.
But things were different now. He could express his emotions and thoughts more as a normal person, rather than having to pretend every waking moment that he was a god walking among mortals.
So he sighed—and it was an incomparably vexed sigh.
"I agree with your view, Corax, but I understand something else even more clearly. Behind Magnus's return, Father's approval must have been involved. Otherwise, do you really think the Captain would do something so unnecessary?"
Corax said faintly, "He's done plenty of unnecessary things, like suddenly showing up at a banquet and throwing cake at us. And Father. Father isn't necessarily always right. You should know that."
"But he is still Father."
Guilliman shook his head. "He may not necessarily always be right, but the choice he makes is probably the best one among the millions we can see and the countless billions we cannot.