40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 52 52. Gift (End)

"So, do you like it?"

Khalil asked gently.

He stood in the resplendent room, his wet hair reflecting the light from the chandelier.Facing his question, Conrad Koz hesitated again and again, but still shook his head.

"I can't use it," he said despondently. "I don't know why, but I always find it strange to use a weapon with both hands."

"A two-handed sword is far more powerful than a short knife or dagger, Conrad."

Khalil couldn't help laughing. He turned his head and glanced at the weapon that was lying quietly on Conrad Koz's desk. ".What's more, it's still a power sword."

"You know the power sword?"

"I didn't do nothing until I disembarked, Conrad."

Khalil shook his head and asked lightly, "So, do you like it?"

"It was given to me by Ferrus." Konrad Koz looked away, and answered with a hesitation.

"Do you like it?" Khalil asked, staring at him.

"...I don't like it, but I like it a lot."

After a long silence, the Night Ghost replied in a hissing voice.

He was annoyed that Khalil had been staring at him—and also, if someone asked a question, it would be rude not to answer it.

"Don't like swords, but like this gift—ah"

Khalil rubbed the center of his brows with a headache, and switched back to hissing Nostramo. "Then why didn't you say so when you went to see it with them?"

"I don't want to break Ferrus' heart."

Ghost answered in a low voice. "Fulgrim said it took him ten days just to sketch."

"Then—you might have to spend some time learning how to use the power sword."

"why?"

"Because it's a sword, and since you accept it, you should use it in the future. The fate of a weapon is to be stained with the blood of the enemy, not to be hung on an expensive display stand and exposed to the spotlight."

"But I won't."

"Then go learn."

Khalil replied in a tone that was almost relentless.

"And, in a way, it's a lesson, Conrad."

"Lesson?" Ghost stared wide-eyed.

"If you don't like it, you should say it directly."

Khalil shook his head with a half-smile.

"Hiding and tucking will only lead to a very awkward situation for each other. You think that if you don't use this gift from Ferrus Manus and use other weapons instead, he will how to think?"

".I'll learn tomorrow." After a moment of silence, Ghost pursed his lips and answered Kalil's words.

He bowed his head and said no more.

Khalil did not continue the conversation. He walked to the desk, looked at the long sword, and then lowered his head to look at the notes made by Curz.

To be honest, there wasn't much he could read, most of the papers were stacked together, and there were still many words covered by the sword, but he didn't reach out to touch them.

"Khalil?" Conrad Koz's voice sounded behind him.He switched back to High Gothic.

"Ok?"

"Do you want to see my notes?"

"Precisely, these things are your studies - but yes, I'd like to see them."

"Then why don't you remove it?"

Khalil smiled, knowing what Curz meant by 'it'.

Curz looked at him in confusion, but the former didn't answer, just smiled more and more happily.

"Because, Quintus is raining today. Didn't you notice?"

After laughing, Khalil said gently. "I don't want acid rain on your desk or your notes or that sword."

"But you don't smell like acid rain!"

"That's because you're used to it, Conrad—well, I'll clean myself up and change my clothes while there's still time tonight, and then we'll call on Ferrus Manus, shall we?"

"To visit him?"

"Yeah, it's better to explain things clearly in advance. And"

Khalil smiled slightly, and threw a silver sharp knife from his wide sleeve.

As a knife for close combat, it was too big for ordinary people, but for Conrad Koz, it seemed just right.

The pale giant caught it in surprise.

"Me, my knife!"

"Yes, your knife."

Khalil replied with a smile. "It needs a leather or wooden gauntlet for its handle, so we'd better pay your brother a visit. Kill two birds with one stone, no?"

"When are we going?" Conrad Curz asked impatiently.

"Don't be in such a hurry. I have to change into something decent." Khalil sighed. "10 minutes, how about it?"

"it is good!"

With a chuckle, Khalil shook his head and left here.

He didn't know how long this rare innocence could last, but Khalil was willing to let it grow a little longer before something shattered it completely.

Memories of childhood would shine brightly throughout people's lives, and he couldn't give the ghost anything, but at least he would give him all he could.

Partners only.he thinks.Then he started laughing at himself in the corridors of the Emperor's Mirage.
-
Ferus Manus looked at a giant standing on the right side of his workbench, and then looked at a giant standing on the left side of his workbench, with a rare puzzled expression.

"...what does that mean?" he asked.

"Huh?" The giant on the left of the workbench answered him with a more bewildered expression than himself.

"Just to visit you, Ferrus Manus." The giant on the right side of the workbench—Khalil, replied with a smile.

"Come together?" Ferrus asked, his tone calm, but the two eyebrows were raised suspiciously.

"Yes, come together." Khalil nodded calmly. "Is there something wrong?"

"If you follow the regulations, there are many things that are wrong"

"for example?"

"For example, you should give me three days' notice so that I have time to prepare for the parade, the welcome ceremony and a grand banquet."

Khalil laughed, a sarcasm in his smile—and Ferrus knew the sarcasm wasn't meant for him.

"You are so familiar? Don't tell me, you really like this set." He said briskly.

"of course not."

Ferrus shook his head. "But Fulgrim likes it. However, he agreed to a compromise. So the military parade was canceled, the welcome ceremony was shortened to less than four hours, and the banquet was just the two of us."

"Why, is he the only one who visits you often?"

Ferrus Manus nodded expressionlessly, said nothing, but seemed to have said everything.

"Anyway—we're here for Conrad's gift."

"I'm not surprised." Ferrus said calmly.

He looked at Conrad Kotz, paused for a moment, and under the latter's uneasy gaze, asked in a soft and even dry tone: "You don't like it, do you, Conrad?"

"me"

Khalil turned his head away, avoiding Conrad Curz's sight of pleading for help.

He didn't intend to replace the answer, some things were destined to be resolved only by Conrad Koz himself.

"I like it, but I don't like it either," said the pale giant through gritted teeth. "I mean, I like your gift, but I don't like swords—because I don't know how to use them."

The corner of Ferus Manus's mouth was slightly hooked up, and although it disappeared quickly, it is an indisputable fact that he once smiled.

"I'm not surprised," he replied. "I saw it when you came to see it."

Conrad Koz was taken aback and raised his head suddenly: "Is it so obvious?"

"No, it's just my keenness as a craftsman. As for whether a warrior likes a certain weapon... We can tell without even asking."

"Can you see that too?" Curz asked suspiciously.

Ferrus smiled again, and this time, his smile was real, and it stayed on his face longer than ever before.

He smiled and shook his head: "Of course, Conrad. You are not a craftsman, so you won't understand."

"Then can I become a craftsman?"

"you"

Ferrus looked him up and down for a while, then shook his head.He gave the answer directly without explaining the reason.Fortunately, Conrad Koz didn't care much about it.

"So, do you want to return that sword, Conrad?"

"No, no—actually I want to"

"you think?"

"I—er, Khalil!"

The giant who was named sighed, and turned his gaze back helplessly—he was admiring the unfinished works that Ferrus Manus hung on the wall of his room.

To be honest, he hadn't intended to interfere with this rare conversation, but it seemed that Conrad Koz had reached his limit.

"Yes, he wants to give you back that sword." Khalil said calmly. "Also, I would like to ask you for a small favor."

"As long as I can."

The pale giant blinked, and carefully drew a knife from his sleeve.

Prior to this, Ferrus hadn't noticed this at all.His pupils shrank inevitably at that moment—the clothes Conrad Koz was wearing today did not have very wide sleeves.

"A little trick."

Khalil explained calmly. "This is the knife I gave him. As you can see, Ferrus Manus, it doesn't have a proper handle. The mere metal section is not very friendly to a hand."

".indeed so."

Staring at the knife, Ferrus Manus nodded slowly.He glanced inquiringly at his brother, who promptly handed him the knife.The giant with a pair of steel arms took it, his movements and postures were extremely careful.

After a long time, he sighed deeply.

"...how did you do it?" he asked.

"Is this the knife?"

"Yes."

"A little skill." Khalil smiled slightly, raised his hand and tapped his temple. "What do you think of it?"

Ferrus didn't answer immediately, but narrowed his eyes and stared at the weapon.His fingers were twitching slightly.

After a while, he spit out two cold words.

"horrible."

Then he looked up and looked at his brother: "A handle, is it? Leather, or wood?"

"Uh"

"Let me decide?" Ferrus asked like a prophet.

Conrad Coz nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, it's up to you, Ferrus."

After a short silence, Ferrus Manus nodded slowly.

"I will not insult the knife," he said quietly to Khalil.

The latter smiled intriguingly: "It doesn't deserve your seriousness."

"In terms of weapons alone, I really don't know, but it's not a weapon." Ferus replied.

　sneak attack!
　　The Glorious Tradition of the Night Lords.jpg
　　(In fact, I just want to mention the progress, so add more, thank me, happy)

　　
　
(End of this chapter)