"Wait, Celestine." The Emperor called Celestine back, seeming as though he still had something to say.
Celestine turned around and gracefully knelt before the Emperor, awaiting his holy words. But the Emperor did not let her kneel again; before she could do so, he supported her body.
"I'm sorry, child."
Celestine froze. Her beautiful eyes blinked. Then her face flushed, and she panicked like a child who had done something wrong. She closed her eyes and tried hard to kneel, but the Emperor's power would not allow it.
"Did I do something wrong?! Have I disappointed you?!" Unable to kneel, Celestine could not release the turmoil in her heart and spoke to the Emperor nervously.
"No... you did nothing wrong. In fact, you did very well." The Emperor looked at Celestine gently. "It was I who dragged you into this endless service..."
Seeing the guilt on the Emperor's face, Celestine was stunned. She could bravely destroy the Emperor's enemies, gently treat the soldiers fighting for the Imperium, and sing sacred hymns to guide the souls of the dead.
As a Living Saint, she was the embodiment of courage, devotion, compassion, and charm—a beacon that inspired others.
She was skilled at handling many situations, but she had never known how to respond to the Emperor's apology...
She had failed the Emperor's expectations and trust. She had failed to let his great light shine upon the lands of darkness, failed to bring the Emperor's mercy to more worlds burdened by suffering.
"Emperor!" Celestine said painfully, sparkling tears welling in her eyes. Since she could not kneel, she could only stand straight and offer an Aquila Salute to show the reverence in her heart.
She had nothing to say. The Emperor's struggles within the Warp were beyond the power of any words to