Chapter 447 Mirror Flowers and Moon in the Water
"Father, are you okay?"

Guilliman, who was busy eating, raised his head, his panda eyes full of worry. He had never seen his father so uneasy, and he even thought he was seeing things.

The Emperor did not speak, but anyone could see that something was wrong with him. He just asked his offspring:

"Guilliman, am I a good father?"

"Ah, well, maybe you should stop asking, I'm afraid you'll beat me if I tell you."

Facts speak louder than words, Guilliman's meaning is very clear, the Emperor's last glimmer of hope is shattered, because he himself knows that he is not a good father, not even qualified.

At this moment, the person sitting at the dining table is no longer the invincible emperor in golden armor, but a conflicted big guy named Neos who doesn't know how to face himself.

The time was too far away, and the distant memories were almost blurred. Shafulin's words made Hogg dazed, and he came back to that first morning in a trance.

At that time, Alicia was in ruins. The civil war had left only one in ten people on the planet alive, and Hogg was still simply worrying about how to improve the pancake recipe.

Hogg loves what he does and likes this simple and happy life. Even though he knows that person will definitely come, he still stays in that small pancake shop.

Longing is the farthest distance. After rejecting Emilia's 1452nd meaningless invitation, golden light shines on every inch of Alicia's land.

First encounters are always memorable. The Emperor recalled the invitation and what he had said to the short son:
"My son, I am the Emperor, Lord of all mankind, your father!"

"Then how did you reply?" Shafulin, who did not share this memory, was very curious. She suddenly realized that Hogg was very insidious. He said that he had no secrets from her, but his whole body was full of little secrets.

Hogg calmed his pet, lit a cigarette, and stared at the table, his eyes gradually focused on the golden figurine:
"I gave him a scone! And I blackmailed him for half the galaxy's worth of supplies, and the scone was leftover from yesterday."

"What? Is this cake made of pure gold or shining gold? Father, you didn't treat me like this in the beginning."

Upon hearing that Hogg had exchanged half a galaxy's supplies for a piece of cake, Guilliman suddenly felt like he was not a biological child. Why was there such a big gap between people, and why he had to pay for it instead?

The emperor who was questioned sighed, and his originally uneasy expression became more joyful. He didn't know why he agreed to that obviously deceptive deal, but he did it.

"Guilliman, do you know why the Black Watch is no less powerful than your Ultramarines, but no one has ever labeled your brother as ambitious?"

"Isn't it because Hogg is a recognized idiot in the galaxy?"

Hearing this, Rambo on the side swung his claws and punched his nominal master, causing Guilliman's panda eyes to become a pair:
"Shut up. I won't allow you to insult our emperor. The Rambo family has enjoyed the emperor's grace for generations. My ancestors were the first group of Thunder Dogs who followed His Majesty Hogg to unify the home planet. If you dare to talk nonsense again, I will report you to Madam Euton and make sure you don't even have a doghouse to live in."

As soon as these words came out, the Emperor, who was also staying at Rambo's house, quickly held down Guilliman's head and told him what he was thinking at the time:
"Don't talk nonsense, you rebellious son. You are used to a good life. Alicia had been destroyed at that time, and only half of the hive was left on the entire planet. Without this batch of supplies, Hogg would not have been able to rebuild the mother planet, and Alicia would not have become the current imperial trade center." Hearing this, Guilliman also recalled the scene of his first meeting with Hogg. It seemed that he also came to ask for help. It was at that time that he divided the motherly love that belonged to him.

"Bang!" Another heavy punch from the dog, leaving two bloody noses on Guilliman, who was stunned. The Emperor beside him was also stunned. They both looked at Rambo beside them at the same time.

"Bah, don't think I don't know just because you don't say anything. The Rambo family has been blessed by the emperor for generations. I know you are up to no good when I see your eyes darting around. I advise you to put your hand down, otherwise Madam Euton will not forgive you."

As a man under someone's roof, he had to bow his head. Guilliman had no choice but to release the dog's neck. His two panda eyes looked at the equally embarrassed Emperor, and the Emperor also told him the reason:
"Although Hogg is a little... a little too lively, he is very protective of his children, especially those close to him. He is even overly tolerant. This is the difference between you and him."

Without giving Guilliman a chance to refute, the Emperor continued to sigh:

"I still don't understand his actions. Everyone knows that he is greedy for money, but almost every Primarch has received his assistance. Mortarion's Barbarus was built entirely by the Black Watch. Almost every Primarch he retrieved received a gift from him, even you."

“Although the population of Alicia is small, there has been no record of rebellion so far, and the high military expenditures have meant that each Black Watch mortal auxiliary soldier has received a cost equivalent to three soldiers from other legions.

In addition to various overly naive policies, even I know that the people on Terra do not live as well as their descendants, and this is also the initial disagreement between him and me. "

Once a crack occurs, no matter how it is repaired, it will never return to perfection. Shafulin, who was lying on Hogg, listened quietly and felt the unknown side of Hogg.

"He is looking too far ahead, and he is standing too high. Since you have all my memories, you should also know that I have long been aware of the threat of Chaos. Given the Emperor's crude methods, there will definitely be a violent explosion in the future.

I know that the Great Crusade is racing against time and drawing resources from the entire galaxy to build that damn webway, but I know even more clearly that all of this is castles in the air. "

He lit another cigarette. Hogg's face was obscured by the smoke and could not be seen clearly. Only his eyes were brighter in the shadows.

"You asked me if I was disappointed with Old Man Huang. I can tell you clearly that it's not disappointment, but I am completely heartbroken."

"The grand plan was originally hastily put together. Everything is for the two key points of Stargate and Kara. As long as there is stable navigation and communication, even if it is a little slower, the empire will gradually get better."

Hogg did not continue speaking, but Shafulin could sense his anger. After thousands of years of planning and many twists and turns, it still ended up in the same mess. Not to mention that the Emperor had never changed. Anyone would be disappointed.

She hugged her master tightly, her silver hair hidden in the light and shadow, and an illusory crown appeared in the smoke, as if celebrating the arrival of a king.

"You're not wrong, he's wrong!"

(End of this chapter)