Warhammer 30: The Second Legion's Expedition

"king."

The sound of footsteps and humble greetings reached Hector's ears.

He turned his head and saw a familiar person.

"Patrocross," Hector said.

Patroclus bowed respectfully, now fulfilling his promise to Moriarty, the commander of the Ninth Company, and becoming a new recruit of the Ninth Company.

Because he did not enter the arena, he did not obtain the position of a junior officer. At this time, he was Achilles' assistant, without any official rank, but trusted by the entire company.

"king."

Patroclus was extremely pleased that Hector knew his name, and he bowed.

"You've come to see Paris?" Hector asked Patroclus, initiating the conversation.

He was a talkative man, and now the conflict between Holmes and Frankenstein was escalating. For the first time, his most favored protégé had left with Frankenstein without reporting to him, and they were heading towards the dueling cage.

Feeling frustrated, Hector needed to talk to distract himself.

This gesture flattered Patroclus, who bowed his head and quickly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"I don't know when you became friends, Patroclus. No offense intended. I can name Paris's friends, but Apollo is not on good terms with you or Achilles."

As if remembering something, Hector gave an unnatural smile, his eyes unconsciously glancing at Paris lying in the hibernation pod: "Apollo's accusations against you are almost piled up into a small mountain."

"I think it must have started from the first surgery we performed," Patroclus added naturally after Hector had just finished speaking.

It was like a joke, or perhaps self-deprecation, that made the unsettled Hector smile more gracefully.

“Much earlier than that,” Hector laughed. “In fact, it was before that, probably when you boarded the Executioner’s ship, I reckon he had already started plotting this on the deck.”

"Because after that, I received not-so-sharp, but rather cautious, questions from the Apollo family about whether I had the right to board the ship."

"Then you must have firmly rejected them, since I'm standing right here, Your Majesty," Patroclus laughed heartily, his laughter not presumptuous.

“In fact,” Hector shook his head, “I ignored that advice, and now I somewhat regret it.”

Hector made a joke, pausing deliberately after saying that.

Patroclus made a worried expression, though it was hard to tell whether there was any real concern in it.

"Clever lad," Hector praised. "I regret not rebuking you more severely at the time, which seems to have given Apollo the wrong message, leading to Apollo's continued rebuke of you even after I said it was a fait accompli."

"Especially Achilles."

"Especially Achilles," Patroclus repeated.

"Boy," Hector laughed heartily.

He patted Patroclus on the shoulder.

The laughter attracted the attention of the medical staff, and Hector looked apologetically at his hardworking offspring, gesturing for them to continue their work.

"Looks like we need to keep quiet, kid."

He lowered his voice again.

"By the way, kid."

"How did you meet Paris?"

When faced with Hector's question, Patroclus did not flatter or embellish; instead, he recounted their first encounter in the Trojan language, which he knew best.

His words made Hector smile and nod, for he heard the truth that his own guards could not tell him.

"You recognized him."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Patroclus nodded. "Prince Paris is already trying to hide. He is hiding among the people of Middlehound, willingly letting the commoners of Middlehound crowd his expensive, understated clothes."

"However, Prince Paris is not good at this. I have a good habit of observation, and I saw at a glance Prince Paris's noble and proud aura that was extremely contrary to his surroundings and came from his very bones."

"Apollo also recognized Prince Paris," Patroclus added at the end.

"Our last meeting was in front of the ninth gate of the maze."

"He is standing with Apollo, solving the mystery above."

"Is that so?" Hector nodded slightly.

"Then the conflict was triggered."

"I think it's Apollo and Achilles, they're always so irreconcilable," Hector laughed.

"You're right, Achilles defeated everyone."

Patroclus nodded awkwardly: "I ignored that at the time because I was convinced that Achilles would win. I walked to the gate, Prince Paris..."

"Call him Paris, Patroclus, there's no need to be so formal," Hector said with a smile. "You are friends, comrades from the same legion, and your friendship should not be bound by status."

"Moreover, Paris is now a proud Dawnbringer; he is no longer an ordinary human prince."

"You should address each other as brothers, which is a much closer relationship."

Patroclus was deeply moved and replied, "Yes."

"At the time, Paris was solving a labyrinth puzzle in order to open the gate. He did not participate and kindly reminded me that I should go and help Achilles."

"To be honest, if I weren't Achilles' friend, I would have joined them too."

"But it will definitely be on the opposite side of him, and I will definitely punch Achilles hard in the face."

"Will he be hurt by that, Patroclus?" Hector asked, amused.

"Who cares?"

Patroclus's words elicited suppressed laughter from the two men.

Perhaps due to a change in mood, when Hector looked at Paris's hibernation pod again, he was surprised to find that Paris's expression had softened considerably, and he had quickly regained his vitality.

"Your friendship will surely be tested in this joint effort to solve the mystery," Hector affirmed.

"Yes," Patroclus praised Paris. "There are three riddles in total, with two answers. I am late and unworthy of this honor. The prince has already solved two of the riddles."

"Do you remember what the topic was, Patroclus?" Hector asked with interest.

Patroclus asked, puzzled, "You don't know?"

"Unfortunately," Hector shook his head. "You can't think of yourself as all-powerful. At least when it comes to puzzles, I'm far less skilled than those charlatans. They're experts at bewitching people."

"You still hate religion as much as ever."

"Religion exists to comfort and to offer solace to those suffering in purgatory. Its role should be to be a lifeline, but this lifeline must never be so large as to become a rope tightly twisted around the neck of humanity."

"Education and truth are the only burning candles lit in the long night, while superstition and religion are the wax that has solidified on the wick. If not cleaned, it will only burn thicker and thicker until it eventually extinguishes the flame."

"However, if used properly, the wax that is cleaned out, though it may make your hands dirty, can add a little more hope and warmth to the long night."