Five days and five nights.
When the heavy alloy doors swung inward again, the first thing to spill out was not light, but a complex scent mingling aged parchment, dried ink, the low hum of power panels, and rich caffeinated drinks.
Then Lorgar appeared in the doorway.
A few barely noticeable creases had formed in his robes, and his usually immaculate hair looked slightly less tidy.
He raised a hand and rubbed between his brows almost imperceptibly, then lowered it and resumed his customary composure.
Senatis, who had long been waiting outside, immediately stepped forward. The attendants behind him moved in unison like precision machinery, silently and swiftly presenting their trays.
Fragrant hot tea sent up wisps of steam, while several plates of exquisite pastries, clearly the work of a master chef, were arranged just so on the side table beside a comfortable armchair.
Lorgar dispensed with formalities and went straight over, sinking into the soft sofa. He picked up a pastry garnished with candied fruit, popped the whole thing into his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed. Then he lifted the pleasantly warm teacup and drank more than half of it in one go.
"From now on, routine administrative work like compiling summaries and reviewing proposals..."
"Filter it by priority and established procedure, then bundle it up and send it straight to Chapter Master Rockefeller aboard the Law of Faith. He's good at this, and he has an eye for detail."
Senatis bowed slightly. "Understood, my lord."
"I've reviewed everything important." Lorgar leaned back against the sofa, let out a long breath, and closed his eyes briefly before opening them again.
"I rejected what needed rejecting, approved what needed approving, and marked anything questionable. I wrote detailed opinions on a few dubious personnel appointments and border agreements. Just