16. NEVERMORE (IX)

"Could you keep watch over him for me for a while?"

Saint Celestine said nothing. She merely drew a knife from behind that exceptionally heavy belt.

The blade was not long, but it was broad and thick. Its spine bore serrations meant for sawing and tearing, and its overall design was plain, save for a shallow symbol related to Ecclesiarchy faith carved roughly two-fifths of the way down the blade.

She held it at first, then loosened her fingers slightly. Next, she crouched and laid the deadly weapon across the unconscious giant's throat.

Having done all this, she looked up at the Inquisitor Lord with an exceedingly serious expression, as though saying: Give the word, and I'll kill him immediately.

Karyl very nearly laughed, but ultimately did not.

He gave the Sister an approving nod, gestured for her to stand, then turned away. Holding the wide-brimmed hat stained with the serpent's blood upside down, he began wandering leisurely around the first floor of Raven Tower.

He did not look like a taciturn, vicious Inquisitor who would slaughter an entire family at the slightest disagreement. Instead, he looked more like some idle, good-for-nothing scion of wealth.

As it happened, his face—so pale it could almost be exaggerated into translucence—fit that derogatory term perfectly.

By this day and age, few people still knew that such sickly skin coloration had anything to do with an Imperial frontier world called Nostramo.

But to the Techmarines observing the hall through sensors and cameras, this man was more than ten thousand times more troublesome than any ordinary spoiled young master.

Several seconds later, a drone flew out of the darkness and arrived before Karyl.

"My lord." A voice emerged from its built-in speaker. "You—"

Karyl waved a hand, signaling that there was no need to continue.