Warhammer 40: My Fiancée Fulgrim.

Chapter 159 Everyone Has a Gold Ring

All eyes were on Astartes, the emperor's son, and not just the Lion King's Caliban knights.

The Phoenix Grand Theatre, with nearly 10,000 seats, was instantly packed with curious crowds.

Not only Astartes, but also the mortal forces from the Imperial Sons' auxiliary forces, such as the Chemos Guard, were still in disbelief when they heard that the First Legion Primarch, the stern and unsmiling lion, would actually perform on stage. They all flocked to him upon hearing the news.

As for the remaining unlucky ones still on duty, they were so anxious about missing the first performance of the Lion Dance that they wished they could fly to the Phoenix Grand Theatre right now.

This is not fair!

We want to see the Lion King performance too!
—And that depends on the narrators on the ships.

To ensure fairness and impartiality within the legion, and to ensure everyone could observe, Kasgar had no choice but to announce (not really no choice) that he would use the best video and photographic equipment to record everything in 3D projection.

And then provide copies to all members of the expedition fleet, so that the Lion King's first performance can be played on a loop throughout the entire expedition fleet.

To ensure the perfect quality of the photographs, countless cameramen and recording equipment, along with an artist setting up an easel in the distance, seemed to have been fully prepared for this moment.

Looking forward to it.

"Have we gone a little too far?"

Kasgar asked Fugrim, who was standing next to him, somewhat awkwardly.

"Haha, let's watch the performance first!"

"Anyway, if problems arise, neither of us will be able to escape."

Fugrim cleverly changed the subject, turning to hug half of Kasgar's body and smiling as she spoke.

Two accomplices.

The fact that they were able to gather so many people was something neither he nor she had ever expected.

There's no way around it, she seems to be a little too good at creating hype.

When the Lion King first ascended to the throne and declared his intentions, they only wanted to arrange a carefully prepared theatrical performance for the lion.

but!
How could an ordinary and commonplace "Centaur Gold Ring," which has been performed countless times at the Phoenix Grand Theatre, be worthy of the status of the Lion, the eldest son of an emperor?
Eh!
Fugrim suddenly had a brilliant idea.

Since the lion wanted to deepen the bond between himself and his brother, adoptive father, and son, Luther.
Why not let the Lion himself take the stage and tell his own story of the thirty years he and Luther shared, Caliban; the Knights; the Monastery.

Right! ?
Hearing other people's stories may evoke some feelings and create a sense of resonance, but ultimately it cannot fully represent their true feelings.

Only those poems created by himself can truly express the Lion King's inner thoughts and feelings.

After a brief discussion, Kasgar and Fugrim reached an agreement.

"I'll do it myself?"

The lion found it hard to accept the two men's strange suggestion—how could he, a guy who had never understood theatrical performances and had never seen anyone else perform on stage?

Won't this make me look ridiculous?

"It's precisely because I've never performed before that I'm able to express my most genuine emotions!"

"Yes, yes, there were no acting techniques whatsoever, it was all just overflowing with emotion!"

"Only a performance like this can evoke the most genuine emotions in every audience member!"

Is that so?

The lion was still somewhat puzzled.

"Yeah, that's right!"

"That's it!"

Kasgar and Fugrim nodded vigorously.

For a Primarch, memorizing lines is not difficult, especially for a Primarch like Lionheart, whose mind is meticulous and clear.

Among the Primarch's personality traits and abilities, those with low emotional intelligence are necessarily good at calculation.

This is the initial configuration given by the Emperor.

Of course, this isn't always a good thing—in Coz's words, some memories are a curse.

Just as a lion, upon reading the narrator's account of the "communication" between Horus and the emperor in unofficial history, was deeply cursed by this unforgettable memory, even down to the last word.

I can never forget it.

"But I can't evoke the emotions of every viewer like those great performing artists."

The lion still had some doubts.

"The great lion, sometimes, doesn't need to evoke everyone's emotions in his performance."

"You only need to move the person who needs it most and wants to be inspired; that is your goal."

"As for the others, as the originators of the First Legion, the most mysterious legion, your very existence is something they strive to acquire!"

"Yes, yes."

No more.

Now you can believe it, Lion King!
If you still don't believe us, we really can't keep making this up anymore!

"If that's the case, then I'll give it a try."

"how should I do?"

“The procedure is very simple!” Forgrim said preemptively, as if afraid the other party would change their mind. “Our team of lyricists is waiting for you in that room over there.”

"I assure you, they are all excellent experts in literature and art on Holy Terra. You can talk to them first, and if it's feasible, we will arrange a performance immediately!"

Due to the influence of Horus's influence, and even the combined effect of the Holy Blood Angels' fondness for this drama, there are already more fan creations of the Centaur Gold Ring than stars in the sky.

With so many different creative content options combined, the Centaur Gold Ring has long become a "pre-made drama" in the eyes of creators. They only need to arrange the content they want to express to quickly generate the Centaur Gold Ring they want.

The lion's requirements happen to be almost perfectly aligned with the original content.

Both are in a deadly world—one is a desert, the other a jungle.

Both teams worked together to overcome external enemies—one against the Sirius Knights and giant beasts, and the other against nobles and nomads.

Both were guided by the human emperor to venture into the stars, and both were an excellent duo whose relationship was the talk of the entire planet.
My God, that's a lion!

It seems that the story of the lion is exactly the same as that of the Centaur Gold Ring!

It's even closer to the original than the versions of Horus and the Emperor, the versions of the Holy Blood Angel and Saint Gilles, it's almost like they just changed the name!

He himself is the perfect embodiment of the Centaur gold ring!
How could such a coincidence happen in this world?

"Sure enough, I was absolutely right back then."

"I was thrilled to be able to lure the lion into the Phoenix Grand Theatre," said Forgrim.

She recalled the vow she had made on Chemos.

One day, everyone will be obsessed with the centaur gold ring!

That's right!

One day everyone will be obsessed with the Centaur gold ring!
This goal is nearing completion thanks to her continuous efforts!

Under the playwright's brilliant pen, who seemed to have a wellspring of inspiration, and under the composer's pen, who was stunned and said he never imagined the Lion King would have such a little quirk—which inspired him to compose even more.

A visual and auditory feast that everyone has been eagerly anticipating is about to be unveiled.

As the lion walked slowly but powerfully to the center of the stage, the entire Phoenix Grand Theatre erupted in thunderous cheers.

It wasn't just the Caliban knights who cheered—in fact, they were so reserved that their cheers were barely loud. The real cheers came from Astartes, the Emperor's son, and his mortal servants in the arena.

Over there were countless mortal auxiliary troops, as well as crew members from the void ships and trading teams led by the merchant ronin dynasty.

There were also members of the Mechanicus, those red-robed mechanical boys who, while not interested in entertainment related to human dopamine secretion, wouldn't miss the opportunity to come and watch the lion show.

Many more people, eagerly awaiting the lion dance performance, were seated in various small rooms outside the Phoenix Grand Theatre, watching with anticipation as the lion on the projection screen displayed its performance.

Those who are able to get inside are all people who have paid a lot of money for tickets.

—Perhaps Fugrim didn’t need the money, but she certainly made a fortune.

It's incredibly popular.

In addition, the accompanying reporters all had their most expensive and advanced photographic equipment ready, and were always full of anticipation.
It's hard to imagine that this first-hand video recording of a lion performing on stage for the first time would be extremely valuable!
How many copies of this video will be sold in the human world, and how much unimaginable wealth will it bring him?

Ryan Aljonsen surveyed everything before him.

The expectant, eagerly awaiting crowds struck him as something entirely new.

This was a welcome the lion had never received before.

Wherever he went, mortals would bow and scrape before him with fear, afraid that they might have offended this seemingly gentle beast.

Instead of such a grand and energetic welcome and applause—which previously belonged only to friendly and gentle Primarchs like Horus, and seemed to have never been associated with Llane or the Dark Angels.

But it feels pretty good, doesn't it?
With that thought, Ryan opened his arms, and his voice, accompanied by the sound array broadcasting system, resounded throughout the massive Phoenix Grand Theatre.

"As a child who grew up in a jungle full of death, my childhood memories are nothing but endless nightmares."

"That was the beginning of the story for me and my adoptive father, Luther—"

The lights were dim. At this moment, all focus was on the central lion, thanks to the lighting technician's adjustments.

The music then began its gentle and soothing performance, gradually drawing the audience into the mysterious, deadly jungle of Caliban.
The lion seems to be a natural orator.

Although he had not previously demonstrated this talent, and his diplomacy with others was often handled by Luther—this almost indulgent help left the lion in a situation where he was completely unable to interact with people.

While experiencing social anxiety, they are also prone to overthinking and have many thoughts, making it difficult to make accurate judgments. They often rely on the guidance of those around them.

Fortunately, as a Primarch, he still knew how to influence the thoughts and emotions of others through his own power.

In other words, despite not understanding human nature, the powerful charisma of the Primarch still exists.

—Just like an emperor.

As the Emperor's eldest son, Ryan is undoubtedly the rightful heir and there is absolutely no way he could have been switched at birth.

Soon, with the lion's captivating words, everyone's thoughts were quickly drawn into the story.

After all, the Centaur Gold Ring is a staple of the Phoenix Grand Theatre. Anyone who is a crew member on the Emperor's Pride is very familiar with the Centaur Gold Ring; they've heard of it countless times.

But with the Lion's speech and vivid performance—even though the Lion wasn't particularly good at it—this minor issue quickly became insignificant during the performance, thanks to the assistance of the top-notch artistic team stationed on the Imperial Pride.

With the stage lights, music, and atmosphere, it was as if the lion had really led everyone into the dark forest filled with countless bizarre beasts, just as he had described, and they barely survived while being tormented by endless nightmares and fighting against the beasts.

Tension, fear, and helplessness.

That tension that made you forget to breathe filled the entire Phoenix Grand Theatre.

Until—the plot takes a turn when Luther, a genius knight from the human world, arrives in the jungle after hearing that a child will appear there, and encounters the lion.

Then, he began to teach the young lion from its ignorant state, gradually growing and becoming familiar with it step by step.
They fought side by side to form the Order of Order, carving out a niche for themselves in the perilous land of Caliban, surrounded by behemoths.

The tension transforms into a sense of exhilaration, thanks to the story, refined and adapted countless times by the best playwrights on Sacred Terra, making it naturally captivating.

Almost everyone was captivated by the Lion's compelling narrative style.

—Except for one person.

Luther.

He was restless.

Or rather, when he entered the venue and saw Ryan Aljonsen on stage, he should have fled the place as quickly as possible, for whatever excuse he had!

This is not a place fit for humans! Run!

But he can't escape.

As a Caliban Knight and the deputy commander of the Dark Angels Legion (in many ways even more like a legion commander than Ryan), his duties prevented him from leaving so easily.

Luther, you have to persevere.

There's even a beastly light-up artist who, at a crucial moment in the story, recounts Luther's encounter with a young lion in the jungle.

That bright white beam of light shone directly on Luther, who was standing in front of the audience!

Luther: "?"

Did you type it wrong?

He switched places with the dark angel beside him, puzzled.

That way there's no—

It's not that nothing's wrong.

The light followed him swiftly, even faster than he changed positions, without missing a beat!

Yes, it's you.

Surprised, aren't you, Luther?
This is also part of our Play!

Soon, under the spotlight, Luther also became the focus of everyone's attention.

Unexpectedly, this great hero who rescued the Primarch from the jungle also joined the Astartes Legion!
They are still alive and fighting alongside Ryan El-Jonson's First Army, battling in the north and south until now!

Moreover, he himself was in the audience of the Phoenix Grand Theatre, feeling the respect and love from the lion for him!

A legendary knight, and also the adoptive father, brother, and son of the legendary Primarch!

As Ryan explained the situation, everyone turned to look at Luther, who had a blank expression on his face, and couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

—He must be very pleased and happy to see the Primarch now, right?
Click click click.

The reporters, as if they had struck gold, pointed their other cameras at Luther and captured his restless face in its entirety.

This is precious information and must be preserved carefully.

Luther's expression remained one of utter despair.

Despite his outward appearance, he seems no different from before, still sitting there in silence.

But in his heart, he had been gone for quite some time.

Why am I still here?

Is it just for suffering?

Why didn't he run away on the spot when he had a bad feeling before the play even started?
Now he's the center of attention, and there's nowhere left to run.

Luther thought painfully.

Relief, happiness?
He just felt something was off!

Ryan, who used to be like a beast in human form, never once considering whether others would accept his proposals.
That was the Ryan he knew.

As the second-in-command from the Order of Order to the Dark Angels, Luther has always been cleaning up after Ryan's immature behavior until now.

Suddenly, this guy, perhaps corrupted by some unknown chaos, did a complete 180-degree turn in his mind and started expressing his care and love for you in the cheesy way Horus does.
That giant, nearly four meters tall, with a full head of blond hair and a muscular body.
what!
Too scary!

Just thinking about it made Luther feel the hairs on his entire body stand on end.

It was like listening to Rogdorn tell a collection of his own lame jokes, or like a Chaos Beast from Caliban performing a stunt dance in front of him!
It's enough to inspire awe!
But no matter how much he hesitated, it was no use; Luther had to stay here and watch the other side perform the entire show!

Ryan is such an awkward guy!
He wouldn't understand other people's feelings, and naturally, he wouldn't understand the meaning of embarrassment.

Luther thought with deep sorrow.

He was really going to have to endure Ryan's terrifying overtures for the rest of the time.
what! ! !
Luther was so startled that he almost stood up from his seat.

This is truly terrifying!

Luther chose to surrender.

Please spare me. I'll never hesitate again if I encounter a nuclear bomb.
They would have dismantled the nuclear bomb on the spot with Zaharie. Please stop acting.
"No, I must live. Luther, you must live!"

"It's not impossible, Luther, you have to believe in yourself."

Even those who have undergone prisoner training within the Dark Angels, even when subjected to torture, will absolutely not utter a sound.
How terrifying! How horrifying the punishment!

The lion's voice and his words were more terrifying and dreadful than the interrogation of a dark angel!
This fate was so terrifying that he could no longer believe in himself.

But what else could he do besides continue to endure torture?

Persisting despite difficulties
Hagi Lion, is this my punishment?
You won, Lu Brutalist District.

Having lost all means and strength to resist, Luther slumped in his seat, motionless.

But this is not the end of the story.

The atmosphere inside the room intensified as the plot unfolded.

Soon, the title of the strongest knightly order in the entire Caliban was bestowed upon the Order of Order, founded by the Lion King and Luther.

Ryan, with his formidable combat abilities, was responsible for the Knights' mission to hunt down behemoths and reclaim lost territory, while Luther, as Ryan's assistant, helped him coordinate relations with other Knights, adjust the Knights' organizational structure, select and train new recruits, and manage the Knights' logistical support and logistical arrangements.
In short, he managed the political aspects that even a battle maniac like Ryan could never have imagined with remarkable efficiency.

Soon, as Ryan wiped out the giant beasts in the jungles of Caliban, only the Order of Order and the Sirius Knights remained on the entire continent.

At the height of his power, Ryan believed it was time to wipe out all the jungle behemoths and eliminate all threats on Caliban in one fell swoop.

But at this point, the Sirius Knights had already been somewhat infiltrated by the power of chaos—a point that was not mentioned in the play, of course.

As the Primarch and Legion with the most secrets, the Lion naturally knows how to keep secrets.

In the play, the Sirius Knights, driven by their greed for power, hoped to forever maintain their authority by relying on the giant beasts and opposed Ryan's plan to exterminate them.

The final battle broke out between the two sides.

This final battle on the Caliban is portrayed with great detail and a sense of destiny.

Luther wants to go to the front lines and fight alongside the Lion King.

"If today is the day you die, then I will live and die with you."

But the Lion King refused.

As the most powerful, invincible, and terrifying knight in Caliban, he should have fought that final battle alone against the treacherous and unpredictable Sirius Knights!
As Ryan's words roared out like a furious shout, their background music seemed to grow even more intense and passionate.

As the music grew increasingly agitated, the pent-up fighting spirit within countless viewers seemed poised to erupt.

It feels like it makes every listener who hears this song feel emotionally excited and their hearts are burning with passion.

"Something seems amiss."

Casca sensed the restlessness brought on by the unknown music, and he seemed to smell something that shouldn't be there in the Phoenix Grand Theatre.

Before he could react, half of his body was immediately climbed up by Fugrim.

"Casca, I can't take it anymore."

Her face was flushed, and her eyes were alluring. And judging from the direction of her hands, it seemed...
"Wake up!"

Kasga anxiously extended his right hand to her.

A tiny, almost invisible spark flew from Casca's hand toward his opponent in that instant.

In that instant, Fugrim's eyes cleared up a little.

What just happened to me?

Her face turned extremely flushed, as if she herself hadn't expected that she would just rush up and [do something].

This is the Phoenix Grand Theatre!

Countless eyes are still watching!
"I'd like to ask too. Something's off about this music, what's going on?"

"Who? Who is in charge of the music performance and composition for this play? I've never heard this piece before!"

"It's Ginska."

Fugrim said in a low voice, somewhat embarrassed.

The composer in charge of the stage performance was Becca Kinska, a famous composer from the Holy Terra.

what?
Who? Jinska?!

just now.

The moment the composer Kinska received the script for The Lion King.

An inspiration, an unparalleled realm, and an ineffable aesthetic filled Becca Kinska's heart at that moment.

It was a thrill that was hard to describe in words, as if all the compositions she had made before, all the talent and wealth she had acquired, were merely paving the way for this moment.

In that indescribable flow state, she poured out the music that would be performed on stage with her purple fountain pen.

Jinska.
Casca's expression changed instantly.

This girl... if Casca remembers correctly, she will fall into Slaanesh's trap because of her pursuit of musical perfection, and eventually cause a great disturbance at the Phoenix Grand Theatre.

This ultimately triggered a rift in the subspace, transporting six Slaanesh to the Phoenix Theatre, which was gradually descending into madness!
Her music will infect everyone present with the desire for Slaanesh and create the first noise warriors of the Emperor's Sons.

—But all of this should be much later, after Forgrim has picked up the dagger!

How could this have happened so soon?!

Damn!

Casgar was caught off guard.

The accelerated speed of the four Chaos Gods interrupted his original plan.

Horus hasn't even become a War Master yet, let alone the Piercing Sword, he hasn't even seen the people of Piercing Planet!
How could it be possible to trigger large-scale subspace fluctuations right now?
Casca felt a wave of fear wash over him.

Fortunately, I had just restrained Fugrim, who was in a dazed state.

If I had been pinned down by Fugrim just now, the consequences would have been dire.
It's unthinkable!

"Quick! We have to stop him from playing! There's something wrong with this music!"

As Kaska spoke, the Flame Star in his hand ignited, and he was about to rush forward to stop them.

They are now dressed in their usual casual clothes in the theater, without their weapons or armor.

All we can rely on is the flame in our own hands!

fast!
Stop Jinska's performance!

If this is not handled properly, the entire Sons of the Emperor's army will suffer greatly!
"Damn demon, you can't defeat our friendship, you can't defeat our bond!"

Just as he was about to climb over the fence and onto the stage, a roar from the lion struck everyone present like a blow to the head.

The lion, facing an enemy that seemed to have no existence, brandished a sword that had no existence in its hand.

Click.

A golden light flashed by.

(End of this chapter)