The Machine Cult, otherwise known as the Adeptus Mechanicus.
They were an organization and religion devoted to the Machine God, the Omnissiah, responsible for the Imperium’s science, technology, production, and more.
I would explain them in greater detail when the opportunity arose. For now, I would speak of their relationship with our Knight House.
The relationship between the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Knight Houses began when the former approached them in pursuit of lost STC designs and abundant resources.
The artisans of the Knight Worlds possessed the skills to maintain Knights and repair their battle damage even ten thousand years later, and thus they aided the Adeptus Mechanicus.
In return, the Adeptus Mechanicus supplied us with repairs, provisions, and replacement materials, forging a bond between us.
That was why it was only natural for me to have my Knight repaired aboard an Adeptus Mechanicus vessel.
"When do you believe the repairs will be complete?"
As I watched my Knight being repaired, I asked the Magos, the Adeptus Mechanicus high priest overseeing the work.
"Three days."
He gave a curt reply and ended the conversation. I had more questions to ask, but seeing how intently he was working, I left the area.
"There really is nothing to do aboard an Adeptus Mechanicus vessel... just as I expected."
The only thing that could even remotely be called entertaining had been watching my machine being repaired, but now I could no longer do even that.
"How tedious. Tedious beyond measure."
At the very least, it would have been nice if Tess or Erin had been here, but they were both still active at the front.
◇◇
"Yiseol. Repairs to the "Radiant Paladin" are complete."
"And the war ended as of yesterday. There are no more battlefields where I need to fight."
"That is excellent news. It means the Knight we went to the trouble of repairing will not be damaged again."
The Magos, an odd Adeptus Mechanicus high priest whose body had only been partially replaced by machinery, showed me my repaired Knight.
"It has been repaired well."
I silently observed the restored "Radiant Crusader."
"Yes. Its Machine Spirit cooperated admirably, so the work was completed with ease."
"When can I return to the battlefield? There are many there who need my help."
"You must still wait about a week. Though by then, this war will likely already have reached its conclusion. More importantly..."
The Magos briefly looked around, judged that no one was listening, and spoke to me.
"An Inquisitor has arrived on our vessel. Judging by the circumstances, she has come to see you. You are a psyker, after all."
"She is rather late. It has been years since I began distinguishing myself on the battlefield."
Click-clack.
"My apologies for that."
"..."
The woman approaching in archaic armor was an Inquisitor. And the Marine walking behind her was... an Exorcist.
"My name is Camillia. I am an Inquisitor, and I have also been assigned to investigate you. And this is..."
"A Grey Knight. A member of the six hundred and sixty-sixth Chapter. Then you are an Inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus."
"?!"
My words seemed to leave both of them greatly flustered. One had his face hidden by his armor, but I could tell by the way his body twitched.
Understandably so. Information about the Grey Knights was secret even among secrets, and their close relationship with the Ordo Malleus was even more confidential.
Yet a Knight fighting in some small war on the fringes knew such information? From their perspective, a frontier Knight had laid bare classified intelligence. Of course they would be alarmed.
But the Grey Knight Marine was only briefly taken aback. Quickly grasping the situation, he spoke.
"The rumors were true. The psychic power I sense from him transcends that of ordinary people. At this level, his psychic ability alone could earn him the rank of Grand Master."
"Is he truly that exceptional?"
The Inquisitor asked.
"Yes. Which is why I must ask: how do you control psychic power of that magnitude? Alpha-grade... Psychic power at your level should still be beyond the control of modern humanity."
The reason I could control my psychic power... My guess was that my very essence existed outside this world’s rules.
Because I was not bound by its rules, I could break them whenever I wished and act freely—or, put less charitably, use cheats.
Of course, that applied only in unreal domains such as psychic power.
I cannot exactly tell them that outright...
"It is the Emperor’s blessing."
"Hmm. I can sense the Emperor’s presence from you, so the claim that you have been blessed is not a lie. But I suspect there is more to it than the Emperor’s blessing alone."
"I cannot tell you that. We do not have the sort of relationship in which we exchange secrets. I would not tell even my own family."
"In other words, you have no intention of telling us."
Whirr.
"I know, though."
Using me as a shield, the Magos taunted the Inquisitor.
The Grey Knight and the Inquisitor exchanged a glance as they watched him, then turned back toward me and spoke.
"If we were to learn about your ability to control that psychic power, it would be of great benefit to humanity."
The Inquisitor spoke first, followed by the Grey Knight.
"If you know of us, then you must also know of the Librarians of the Space Marine Chapters.
We believe that if we obtained knowledge of your control ability and refined it, we could vastly increase psykers’ combat effectiveness and gain the advantage in these wars."
"And should it fall into enemy hands, the war would become even more difficult. Space Marines are not immune to corruption, either."
"And, decisively... you and I are human in different senses. That is the heart of my ability to control it."
"Human in a different sense..."
At the phrase "human in a different sense," the Inquisitor seemed to think of something and accept it for herself. She had likely thought of Perpetuals.
Though I was not a Perpetual.
"It cannot be helped. Inquisitor Camillia, I have finished my questions. Do you have anything more to say?"
"I shall ask my questions another time."
For an instant, her eyes shone brightly.
"You are not a heretic, and we arrived without warning. We should leave promptly."
Did she judge whether I was a heretic with that flash in her eyes just now? I did not know she possessed an ability of that kind. This has been a useful experience.
If I could somehow replicate it, it would be of great help in discerning heretics.
In any event, the Grey Knight and the Inquisitor departed without much fanfare.
With my repairs complete, I had no reason to remain any longer. I bade the Magos farewell, returned to my quarters,
and spent my time imitating the psychic technique the Inquisitor had used.
The following day, I named this technique "Piercing Eye."
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