Warhammer: Start with a dog.

Chapter 467: School Starts!
-
Calixis Sector, Port Wanderer
Delicious and nutritious restaurant window
"You said you wanted to start a school?"

Perturabo BC stared at his body, and the other party responded with a matter-of-fact expression.

"correct."

"Wait, wait." The dog covered his eyes with his paws, and to others it looked like the brown-eyed one of the twin archons of Carlosini was holding his forehead.

"You mean, a school? Ramezane Kalosini, are you sure you're talking about the kind of institution that puts troublesome human cubs in to receive an education? Here? In a damn floating port on the edge of the galaxy filled with drunken sailors, gamblers, pirates, smugglers, prostitutes, adventurers, heretics and aliens? A school?"

"Yes. Pepe, you are so cute. If we don't do it here, do we have to open a school on the Destiny Steel or Carrick? The problem of organizing the Space School Bus pick-up and drop-off schedule and safety order is enough to make people feel overwhelmed..."

"No no wait, why did you suddenly think of opening a school?"

Perturabo BC shook his head, shaking out of his mind the horrible scene that Ramizarn had just brought him: the bridge crew officers from the Adeptus Astartes fleet were highly alert, driving a fast cruiser painted in the bright yellow of the Imperial Fists with red logos, suspended in the void. The cruiser was filled with chattering children from various worlds carrying small bags on their backs, and the Black Templars (because they were numerous) and the Death Guard loyalists (why Death Guard?) who were now wearing "Silver Skull" armor went back and forth in the seats, scolding the human children who did not abide by the rules of riding void ships, or tying the children who ran away back to the seat belts on their seats - and the reason why this cruiser was parked there was because it was waiting for the red light on the space route to be cleared...

The original border collie hastily shook its head again to get rid of the frightening scene.

"What's wrong, Pepe? Are your ears itchy? - Oh, look, there are so many people coming here now, and they never stop."

Ramizarn scratched his ears and stretched out his hand to draw aside the curtains. The hired painters and sketchers of all sizes waiting outside immediately began their race against time. Selling portraits of the two consuls is now a good business, although some people may buy them not for appreciation but for worship. He pointed to the crowd in the restaurant square, who were patiently, quietly, orderly, and devoutly crawling along the separated railing roads to wait for hot water under the supervision of the two-meter-plus "Carosini Dynasty Security Guards" holding bolt guns, carrying power swords on their waists, and wearing power armor.

"Look at all the children here!!!" He emphasized, pointing at the people in the crowd, from tall to short, from boys and girls to babies carried on their mothers' backs or in their arms. "Merchants, nobles and mercenaries are fine, but the pilgrims and workers bring a lot of children! Especially on the pilgrimage ships! The number of children brought by the pilgrims with their families is growing exponentially!"

Of course. Perturabo BC's brown eyes ruthlessly swept over the crowd that noticed them and began to cheer and pray to them with tears. These mortals who spent all their wealth just to come to the pilgrimage could not go anywhere on the crowded pilgrimage ship, and it was even more ridiculous to expect to reach their destination quickly - many pilgrimage ships were slow and dilapidated. Although they took fixed routes, they did not have the ability to use the warp engine to sail multiple times in a short period of time, so a pilgrimage often took many years - it is conceivable how many void children would appear during the entire pilgrimage or how many children began the pilgrimage while still breastfeeding - the missing son of Dorne was a child who set foot on the pilgrimage ship since he was an infant...

Perturabo BC withdrew his thoughts and the curtains were lowered.

"So what does the fact that there are so many children here have to do with your plan to open a school here? Let me remind you that we have no obligation to provide education for these weak mortals! And this is an unnecessary expenditure of additional resources! We don't have enough manpower!"

"Didn't you just tell me the reason? In a floating port on the edge of the galaxy filled with drunken sailors, gamblers, pirates, smugglers, prostitutes, adventurers, heretics and aliens, there are also a large number of children. A school, a school that can accommodate children surrounded by all these factors is simply too necessary!"

The dark brown eyes and the ice-blue eyes stared at each other for a while.

"You're talking about schools, not shelters or daycare facilities."

"Hmm, from what I know, childcare institutions also need to take on some educational functions, so a school, yes. This is the most appropriate."

"Lami Zahn. Ignorance is one of the few blessings that mortals can enjoy." Perturabo BC said coldly, "You must know that in this galaxy, it is normal to do good things with bad intentions or even to do very bad things with firm good intentions."

"You cannot demand that mortals be completely ignorant and at the same time demand that they be completely rational and strong according to your ideals, Perturabo." Ramizarn stood firm. "This is contradictory and violates the basic laws of things. A completely rational person is just an ideal model. Talent will make a small number of people born firm and upright, but for the vast majority of people, complete ignorance will only breed confused minds, foolish behavior, and weak minds."

The dog snorted coldly. "If you want to quickly and in large quantities obtain minds that are infinitely close to rationality, there are other ways. I must say that some surgical training of the Astartes and other orders was born for this purpose. So now you want to open a loyal successor school of our own? It's not impossible. Although the Iron... Destiny Steel has Walter, Magna, Decima and my loyal iron ring, we will always have new ships and need some middle and lower-level officers to fill in. It's just that these teachers..."

"Zhongsi College?" Ramizane looked at him in surprise. "Why do we want to run such a school? I am not good at Zhongsi College, which has a very narrow employment scope."

"So what kind of school do you want to run?"

"Well... if we can't come up with something like 9852111, we have to at least have some comprehensive college, right? For example, we can initially divide it into four branches represented by four colors... so we also have to look at the teaching staff at hand... let me think about who has special skills and how to assign them..."

Perturabo BC, whose hairy forehead now had a furrow deep enough to trap a fly, decided to give someone who had suddenly become enthusiastic about running a school a delaying tactic.

"... Let's put it this way. You see, we don't have to consider the rest of the process after we recruit students, right? That would lead to big problems like misleading students."

"Indeed. It is a big taboo to mislead young people."

"…So why don't you write some plans and implementation rules to think the whole thing through in advance?" Perturabo BC persuaded.

"I have to write plans and regulations again..." A familiar "I don't want to work" expression began to appear on a certain lazy person's face. Perturabo could only be thankful that at this moment no one who knew him in the past saw his face showing this expression that went against the "steel" creed.

"… Exactly. How can we arrange and allocate work without putting it on paper? How can we ensure that everyone is in their position? How can we determine the budget plan, various safety regulations, and responsibility allocation?"

"Ah, you are worthy of being my dear Pepe. Not only are you smart and dexterous, but your talent in this area is really underestimated. It would be great if your first captain Felix was still alive. From what I have read, I remember that he is the best among your descendants who inherited your project management, coordination and overall planning abilities."

"..." "Oh? Or did I remember it wrong? I remember him..."

"He was indeed my heir who was best at project management, coordination and operation. But Honso was recruited by me at that time, and when he arrived at the Destiny Steel, he brought me his death report, otherwise Felix should have been on the boarding list. Honso mentioned that Felix died from a direct hit by the Titan weapon on the Heart of Hydra..."

Ramizane sighed softly, "…when they cleaned up the battlefield, they found that the remaining parts of Flix's body were not enough to bring back to Medlengard, so they couldn't recover his gene-seed. I've read the report, Pepe, I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry about?" the dog muttered grimly, turning his eyes to the slit in the curtains and looking out the window. "It's just Felix's bad luck."

"No," the soul that drove Perturabo's body came over and sat beside him, rubbing the black and white plush tyrant's drooping ears, allowing him to gradually relax his tense muscles and get out of his depressed mood. "Perturabo, it is not shameful to admit that you miss and apologize to the people you love and express them. Steel will not turn into rust because of this. Admitting it will not change anything."

"If that's the case, then why should I admit it? Steel on the outside, steel on the inside, and steel is strength, strength becomes determination; determination casts faith, and faith creates tough iron."

"Uh... because acknowledging every important person in your life is like adding many different trace metal elements to your steel? And alloy steel is usually harder, stronger, more ductile and more corrosion-resistant than pure steel?"

"...I see you are the one who has been adding sand to my pure steel!!!"

----------
-
Medrangad, Camp outside Kalan-Gaur Fort

Soltarn's Meditation Room
The Ruler of the Earth had just finished his prayers for the day and slowly stood up from his precious manuscript.

He held the pendant in his hand, and the fragrant ashes beside him had just been extinguished.

Soltan pondered, and carefully wrote down the result of his prayer to his father on a newly bound page of the manuscript, then read it again, turned around, opened the door and walked out.

Waiting outside the door was Samokan, wearing the armor of an ancient warrior - they tried to spray the power armor into gun iron and silver, and it seemed that the color could still be applied, but it was not known whether it would have any impact when he became that strange half-demon state again - he was looking at Soltan anxiously and expectantly, and beside him stood Uriel and Pasanius, who had just returned from the Fortress of Kalan-Gol.

"How about it?"

The boy asked eagerly as Soltan stepped out of the threshold.

"The merciful and great father has just given me a revelation on this matter." Thortan nodded slightly, "Don't worry too much, Samokan, he has provided a clear method on how to accept and manage your...skinless friends. I will arrange this matter later, it won't take long - Uriel, I still need your and Jeffer's experience to assist me in this matter."

The former Ultramarines exchanged glances.

"How is the cleansing of the Kalan-Gol Fortress going?" Soltan signaled Samokan to stay calm and first asked Uriel about their Death Oath mission.

"With Tolamino's cooperation, things are much simpler." Uriel pressed down the corners of his mouth, showing the old soldier's ruthless side towards the Emperor's enemies. "Take away those who are still alive and the children who have not yet been put in. Pausanius organized effective flamethrowers and bombs to deal with the remaining barbaric undertakers. Most of the senior personnel at the lower level died from the mysterious weapon in the sergeant's arm, so the whole thing is much easier than expected."

He tightened his jaw. "We completely destroyed those farms and ended a lot of inhuman suffering. As for the demon, the seal that imprisoned it was obviously a little powerless after the placentas were removed, so we are trying to find a suitable way to banish it while removing the seal. The seal also provides some kind of protection for it. It is a very troublesome ritual, and we need a suitable secret ritual expert."

"Is Tolamino's professional knowledge not good enough?" Soltan asked with a knowing smile.

"...I think that whatever position Tolamino once held in...your Lord Chapter Master's army, he must have been better than a wizard."

"Ha. That's right. He used to be the captain of the 'Siege' Tyrant Terminators. Did you notice his personal emblem? It was a symbol of honor that he and his men had earned by fighting together with the Order of the Source, participating in the assault on the most difficult, complex and impregnable fortresses and walls."

"Shocking fact. You can't judge a person by his appearance. I thought he would be a member of your honor guard."

Soltarn shrugged slightly.

"Yes, we have all changed beyond all recognition in the past ten thousand years. But the change in father is so gratifying that I want to praise him loudly."

"So," Samokan finally found the opportunity to ask eagerly, "What good advice did the merciful and wise Lord of Iron give you? Thortan? I asked him too, but unfortunately, apart from feeling warm, I didn't receive any other response."

"The great Iron King has commanded these children we have received," they listened intently to Thortarn's every word, "to establish schools."

He looked around at some people who were beginning to become dazed and some who were puzzled, "I think what father meant was that it's time to start school."

(End of this chapter)