Tempatio

Ever since the purge began in the lower levels, Mid Hive and Upper Hive District had been watching it all.

They had grown accustomed to it, but as time passed, the nobles noticed something that sent chills down their spines.

The bloody purge of the lowest levels was over, yes, but the exiles had only just begun.

"How many people has the Bat of Eternal Night purged lately?"

Inside an exceptionally luxurious residence in the Upper Hive District, a noble lord was looking at a painting in his hands.

It was the work he was proudest of.

"Grand Duke Chris, according to our count, the number of people executed or exiled has reached thirty million so far."

"And as more people are exiled, that number is still rising."

Thirty million?

How long had it been?

Less than a month, surely.

How had they managed it? They were only warriors who had undergone genetic enhancement once, so why were they so efficient?

"Any news on the data for their genetic enhancements?"

"Grand Duke, forgive me for speaking frankly, but so far we simply cannot understand those serums."

"Cannot understand? What do you mean?"

"Just... what I said, Grand Duke."

They had indeed obtained blood samples through special channels after warriors of the Eternal Night Justiciar Legion were wounded.

But they could not understand the technology used for those genetic enhancements. They could make no sense of it at all.

It was like a paramecium looking at a Machine Spirit of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

"Useless! The lot of you are useless!"

Hearing the news, Chris felt that all his patience and effort had been for nothing.

But that was not the main issue.

As one of the absolute powers in Quintus Hive City's Upper Hive District, he had survived the Bat of Eternal Night's bloody purge.

Of all the current noble family heads, he was the longest-serving, and he knew how to bide his time.

"What's the Adeptus Mechanicus's stance?"

Ever since the Bat of Eternal Night killed that Adeptus Mechanicus sage, the entire Adeptus Mechanicus had done a search at the start and then, to this day, had not even let out a fart.

And those Tech-priests had the nerve to go on every day about how the mining world was an asset of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

It was ridiculous.

"The Adeptus Mechanicus's position is complicated. They're all waiting and watching."

"Waiting and watching? For what?"

"Are they waiting for that damned rodent to bite through their veins?!"

"Useless! Get out!"

Once all the servants had withdrawn, Chris looked around the magnificent, gilded living room and contemplated something very dangerous.

For the glory of himself and his family, he needed some powerful, unexpected force.

It seemed the Adeptus Mechanicus could not be counted on now. He would have to rely on himself.

Chris looked at the most perfect work in his hands.

"Bat of Eternal Night, die a glorious death for me, brat."

Chris tore apart the perfect painting that should not have existed in this world, and a chip fell from between its layers.

Picking up the chip, Chris went to a secret chamber in the family fortress.

The chamber door was fashioned from a single solid piece of adamantium, densely covered in reliefs.

The reliefs told the story of the Tempatio Family's rise.

The exquisite murals depicted the bloodshed and violence of a family rising from the very bottom, as well as a darkness that could not be spoken of.

As Chris looked at the murals, an indescribable pleasure appeared in his eyes.

The pleasure in his mind surged like waves.

"Darkness, bloodshed, fear, and intimidation made Tempatio what it is today."

"I, Chris Tempatio, will never allow the family to be disgraced!"

After passing through layer upon layer of biometric verification, Chris entered the secret chamber.

When he opened it, the chamber was not dim inside. On the contrary, it was extravagantly luxurious and gleaming with gold.

A figure sat beside a table.

"Pationa, my child, I've come to see you."

Looking at this ever more perfect being, Chris felt only ashamed of his own inadequacy.

It had begun when Chris encountered an Aeldari fleet on a voyage to another planet.

After a brief exchange of fire, Chris drove the Aeldari back. It was one of the most glorious achievements of his life.

At the same time, he found and adopted the girl several years ago.

She was so perfect.

As a native power of Quintus, the Tempatio Family had an exceedingly dark history.

To cover up that darkness, everyone began pursuing splendor and perfection in the utmost extravagance.

And in Chris's eyes, the girl he met was entirely worthy of the word perfect.

From then on, Chris never left Nostramo.

Whether she had been a little girl or the grown woman she was now, Chris had always regarded her as his own taboo.

The painting he had kept close at hand for years was a portrait of the girl that he had painted himself.

"Father, I've been waiting for you."

The woman before Chris spoke. Her voice was neither servile nor overbearing, and her emotions were normal too.

But to Chris, this was the greatest reward and comfort he could have received.

"Good, good, good."

"Father, I made some pastries. Would you like to have some with me?"

"Yes... yes, I would."

Chris trembled slightly with excitement. He walked over to the woman, looking very humble.

Yes, the scene was that absurd.

A feeling like humility had actually appeared in this old nobleman.

In fact, when Chris first brought Pationa back, he had intended for her to continue the family bloodline.

But as time passed...

By the time Pationa was sixteen.

Chris no longer had any such thoughts. He had simply watched her grow up in this deserted secret chamber.

This was Chris's secret. Nobody knew.

Pationa handed Chris a pastry.

After eating it, Chris himself fell to the floor and began convulsing without any regard for his dignity.

The immense satisfaction and pleasure nearly made Chris faint.

"Father, what task do you need me to carry out?"

After recovering for quite a while, Chris raised his head and looked at his daughter.

"I need you to..."

Chris spoke four words as he looked at his daughter.

He could not bring himself to say the rest.

To Chris, Pationa had been his private property ever since he brought her back.

Yet now the family needed her to make a sacrifice.

Chris felt that he might as well sell his soul to a daemon!

"Father, the family raised me. I'm willing to give of myself for the family. Whatever you seek, I will accomplish it to perfection."

"I know, Pationa. I've always known. You've always been my pride."

Chris trembled all over, this old man who was one of Nostramo's most elite nobles.

As though he had Parkinson's.

"What task do you need me to carry out, Father?"

"I... I need..."

"It's all right, Father. Everything for the family."

Pationa crouched down and looked at her father with a face of peerless beauty.

Her slender fingers, like white jade, cradled Chris's face as she simply looked at him.