"Corax, am I dirty?" Kurze's voice came from the darkness.
"What are you stirring up now?"
Corax's voice was utterly weary. His brother's condition was getting worse and worse.
Dorothy hoped he could treat Kurze, but Corax felt like he was going mad himself.
Kurze replied, "Another brother of ours is about to return."
"Then there are only four left."
"You've miscalculated. There's only one."
"Lion, Horus, Alpharius, and Omegon. Why just one?"
"Only Lion. Alpharius has always been here."
"By that logic, Horus is the first-found son, and Lion is the last-found son."
Kurze corrected him with a cold laugh: "I am the first-found son. Lion is the last-found son."
Corax stared at him quietly. "Then what is Horus?"
"What is the start of numbers?"
"One."
"It is zero." Kurze said. "I am one. Horus is zero."
"Then he is still the first-found son."
"But he is also the last-found son."
"You refuse to admit he comes before you?"
"The fact is, he comes after all of us."
Corax said nothing. "And what about Alpharius?"
"He has always been here. He is also the first-found son."
"I don't understand."
"He is the Emperor's first-found son. I am Father's first-found son. Horus is zero."
"Is he loyal to the Emperor?"
Kurze said casually, "Who knows? Our brother is the most mysterious. His Legion is also one of the Emperor's favourites."
"Isn't the Emperor's favourite Legion the First Legion?"
"The First Legion is merely a convenient tool. The Twentieth Legion is named after 'Alpha'. Don't you find that strange?"
'Alpha' is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, yet it belongs to the Twentieth Legion, which is last. This is indeed unusual.
Without the Emperor's favour, it would be hard to explain.
Corax said, "Father mentioned the 'Trefoil Legions' to us, but he didn't understand the inside story either."
The Sixth Legion, the Eighteenth Legion, and the Twentieth Legion.
These three Legions were the most special. They were different from all the others, and their creation process was entirely secret.
No one knows their exact origins. In all records, the First Legion were the first Astartes.
In the Imperium's official records, the First Legion's gene-seed has the highest overall cost-effectiveness.
Its stability is high enough, the mutation rate is very low, and its adaptability is above average.
But during a certain period of the Unification Wars, the First Legion's numbers were actually slightly smaller than the Eighteenth Legion's.
At that time, the Eighteenth Legion had 20,000 Astartes, and was therefore entrusted by the Emperor with a difficult mission.
In the brutal campaign to attack the Caucasus, the Imperium paid a heavy price: 10,000 Thunder Warriors and over a million Auxilia soldiers were sacrificed.
For this, the Emperor personally led six Legiones Astartes into the Second Battle. In this bloody campaign, the Eighteenth Legion paid the heaviest price. Of the 20,000 valiant Astartes, only 1,000 survived.
Yet in official records, the Eighteenth Legion has a very high mutation rate and is completely unsuitable for large-scale expansion.
Why was the Eighteenth Legion able to stand out during the Unification Wars?
This is undoubtedly inextricably linked to the 'Trefoil Legions'.
But considering the other two of the Trefoil Legions, it becomes very strange.
When the Great Crusade began, the Emperor personally led the Custodes and the Sixth Legion to form the First Fleet.
This also demonstrates the Sixth Legion's special status. But at that time, the Sixth Legion had only 3,500 Astartes.
This scale was second-to-last among all Legions. Last was the Alpha Legion, with only 1,000-2,000 men.
Yet the Great Crusade had been underway for decades, and each Legion already had at least tens of thousands of warriors. Only the Alpha Legion still had only 1,000-2,000.
Even that isn't an official record, because everything about the Alpha Legion is shrouded in shadow.
This is even stranger.
These three Legions seemed out of place in every way, but before the Primarchs returned, they were the Emperor's trusted confidants.
The Eighteenth Legion was large. The Twentieth Legion was mysterious. The Sixth Legion were the executioners.
But the secret of the Trefoil Legions is buried very deep. The Emperor's favour towards them goes far beyond surface-level reasons.
As for the specific reasons, since even their father knows nothing about it, they have even less chance of finding out.
But within their own Legions, there might also be an 'Alpha'.
Kurze said, "The secret of the Trefoil Legions doesn't matter. Russ and Vulkan are on our side. Whatever his secret, if he opposes us, we'll take him out."
Corax stared at Kurze. 'Who was 'he'?'
'Alpharius and Omegon? Or the Emperor?'
'This brother of mine... very ambitious!'
.....
"What do you think Lion El'Jonson is like?"
On a clearing in the forest, a campfire crackled. Caelan turned the roasting meat on the spit. Fat dripped into the fire, making a sizzling sound.
He looked up at Lion, sitting opposite him. The young Primarch's eyes reflected the flames.
The young Primarch silently watched the fire. He had learned human language, but now he was even more confused.
He frowned, not understanding why Caelan wanted him to evaluate himself.
"A powerful warrior." Lion still answered. He was used to answering Caelan's questions, even if he didn't understand why.
Caelan replied, "Lion El'Jonson is undoubtedly an exceptional warrior, a born commander, a master of tactics. But in essence, he is a hot-headed, stubborn, and reckless fool."
Lion fell silent. He didn't understand why Caelan was demeaning him so.
But Caelan must have his reasons, and Caelan would tell him why.
He was very patient.
Caelan asked, "What do you think is Lion El'Jonson's greatest weakness?"
Lion was silent for a long time before answering: "Weakness."
He was a powerful warrior, but he wasn't powerful enough. Weakness was the original sin!
Caelan said, "Being hot-headed. He never listens to advice."
The Lion's intelligence was no less than any general's. He understood strategy well and never slackened in his thinking.
He understood many things. He knew many principles.
But he often didn't follow common sense.
Because his style has one distinct characteristic: everything must be his way.
When the First Legion and the Sixth Legion fought together, the Lion agreed to let the Sixth Legion have the main assault.
But because some warriors in the Sixth Legion underwent 'Wulfen' transformations during the battle, the Sixth Legion had to delay their offensive to keep it secret.
The Lion grew impatient waiting, so he personally intervened and dealt with the enemy.
This caused a conflict between the two Legions. The two Primarchs fought a duel.
As they fought, the Wolf King came to understand his brother. But the Lion only cared about victory, asking the Wolf King again and again if he surrendered.
The Wolf King mistakenly believed that he and his brother had reached an understanding through combat. Then the Lion punched him unconscious.
The fight was over.
But the Lion kept the Sixth Legion's secret, never revealing his brother's shame to anyone.
That was the Lion's style.
He understood everything, but he would only do what he wanted.
No one could force him.
If someone tried to force him, it would provoke fierce resistance.
When the Lion's sons tried to admonish him using the Decree of Nikaea, the Lion simply made his son 'stand out', terrifying everyone.
Although the Lion had always been very strict with his sons, that was the only time he showed such cruelty to one.
Perhaps his son was right, but he shouldn't have defied the Lion.
When the Lion first arrived at the Imperium Secundus, he understood everything.
He acknowledged that Guilliman had achieved unparalleled success, far surpassing other Primarchs, even himself. He admitted Guilliman was a great architect, statesman, and administrator.
He even admitted the necessity of the Imperium Secundus, that only Guilliman could have achieved it in such a short time, and that Guilliman's theories and practices, though not recognized by the secular world, were a perfect model, a principle he could cherish.
He never thought Guilliman was ambitiously plotting a usurpation. He just felt Guilliman lacked the iron will to control the Imperium Secundus. He was too inclined towards diplomacy, too eager to compromise, too pragmatic. He couldn't be the Emperor of Imperium Secundus.
So, even though the Lion thought Guilliman had done nothing wrong, he still decided to destroy the Imperium Secundus.
Because he was that stubborn and reckless.
He thought the Imperium Secundus was a good idea, but he felt Guilliman couldn't handle it, so he might as well just let him destroy it.
If Sanguinius hadn't arrived in time, they would surely have fought a civil war.
Only Sanguinius could command everyone's trust, making both willingly maintain the Imperium Secundus together.
Looking back at the Lion's life, it's not hard to see his personality: he is a cat.
You must stroke him with the grain. Then he will purr happily. Perturabo used this 'stroking with the grain' technique to trick the Lion into giving him the Ordinatus, which were ultimately used to attack the Imperial Palace.
If someone dares to defy him, stroke him against the grain, no matter how good your reason, the Lion will definitely get his hackles up.
His son had to 'stand out'. His adoptive father was sent to guard the springs. Both were for the same reason.
They stroked the cat the wrong way.
Even if the Lion is genuinely wrong, you still have to stroke him with the grain, indirectly admonish or explain, not go against him.
So the Lion is a 'Hachimi' a cute animal: both dangerous and fond of being petted.
The Lion in 40K can become reasonable because he has learned restraint.
Even if someone strokes him against the grain, he can patiently explain.
But if someone truly insists on defying him to the end, he also knows a thing or two about fighting.
His personality hasn't actually changed; it's just that his circumstances have forced him to become more restrained.
The Lion doesn't completely reject advice; he just can't be told what to do.
But you can indirectly offer him suggestions, letting him choose for himself.
Once he's less angry and calms down, he will naturally make the best choice.
But if he's already made his son 'stand out' or sent his adoptive father back to his hometown, even if he knows he's wrong, he can't back out for the sake of his pride.
Cats are tsundere.
Lion's hackles rose. He leaned forward like an enraged lion, glaring at Caelan. "I do take advice!"
He had taken advice by getting dressed. He had taken advice by not struggling with the sword in the stone. He had taken advice by letting Caelan teach him. What more did Caelan want?
"I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about Lion El'Jonson."
"I am Lion El'Jonson!"
"Do you want to become that kind of Lion El'Jonson?"
"What other kind could I become?"
"You should take advice."
"What more do you want me to take?"
"Sit down. I'll explain it to you slowly."
Caelan's voice remained calm and gentle. Lion bared his teeth, his hair standing on end with anger.
But as he fumed, he felt very stupid.
What was he actually angry about?
If he was that angry, he should just throw a punch at Caelan.
But he didn't, because he knew he couldn't beat Caelan.
The consequence of charging in would be Caelan pushing his face into the mud, making him eat dirt and getting his clothes dirty.
So, he sat back down heavily, crossed his arms, his eyes still angry as if saying So you say I don't take advice? Then I'll take advice today!
Caelan laughed. "See? You can take advice."
"It's not that I don't take advice. It's that you said I don't take advice!"
"That means the person I was talking about wasn't you."
Lion fell silent. The logic seemed to hold.
But if the Lion El'Jonson Caelan was talking about wasn't him, then who was it?
He slowly uncrossed his arms. He opened his mouth, then closed it, finally just letting out a non-committal grunt.
He had to admit, the damned logic was flawless.
If he argued, it would mean Caelan was talking about him.
But Caelan clearly wasn't talking about him, so why was he taking it personally?
"I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about another version of you from a parallel universe."
"What's a parallel universe?"
"Just think of it as a future that hasn't happened. In that future, you never met me."
"So, because I met you, I take advice?"
"Exactly."
"Hmph. You're pretty narcissistic!"
Caelan smiled. Whether the Lion takes advice depends not on whether you're right, but on whether you're strong enough.
If you're stronger than him, then whatever you say is right.
That's why the Lion always loses when talking to the Emperor. The Emperor is always right.
If you're not as strong as him, you must use indirect ways to get him to listen humbly; otherwise, wait for someone to 'stand out'.
Actually, all Primarchs have these traits to some degree.
For example: 'Fine Head' Corax, 'Stand Out' Lion El'Jonson, 'Meat Paste' Horus, 'Devouring his own sons' Angron, and so on.
Defying a Primarch usually has terrible consequences.
"In ancient Terra, there was a psychological theory called the '12-second effect'."
"It refers to the peak of a human's immediate reaction to an intense emotional stimulus, which typically lasts about 12 seconds."
"During this brief period, the emotional fluctuation reaches its peak. After that, reason steps in."
"So no matter how angry you become in the future, I hope you will temporarily set it aside, wait for your reason to intervene before dealing with your emotions."
"Otherwise, you might regret it for life due to a moment of anger."
"Primarchs are different from mortals. Perhaps your reason doesn't need 12 seconds to intervene, but it's best to wait a little longer anyway."
Lion didn't quite understand, but he remembered.
Not because he thought Caelan was right, but simply because Primarchs have very strong memories.