Chapter 119
The incense smoke curled around Agatha and me, rising and swaying as if enveloping us.
‘Agatha Custoria.’
Even I found it hard to believe after saying that name.
The elder lying in bed was Agatha Custoria. A figure from over two hundred years ago. Even among full-body prosthetic nobles, it was rare for someone to live beyond two centuries. Roughly calculating, Agatha had survived close to three centuries.
‘Agatha called me Noel. She believes I am Noel’s reincarnation.’
Reincarnation and the cycle of rebirth were nonsense. When one dies, everything vanishes. Consciousness was merely the result of electrical and chemical reactions.
Agatha simply wanted to believe in superstitious concepts. It was an illusion born from her feeble mind. More than anything, Agatha herself admitted that she had grown weak, which was why she now believed in such things.
‘But I need to take advantage of Agatha’s goodwill.’
I half-opened my eyes and gently clasped Agatha’s hand.
“If you mean Noel, are you referring to Noel Mullizcane?”
“…Mullizcane was a name added later. Noel was simply Noel. I never liked the name Mullizcane.”
It was confusing. Even organizing my thoughts felt overwhelming. But there wasn’t much time. Agatha could die at any moment.
‘How much does Agatha know? And… what about the other elders and Hemillas?’
Did Agatha think I was the Emperor’s Overseer? And was Noel Mullizcane… also an Overseer for the Emperor?
A long-standing question surfaced in my mind.
‘The first rebellion led by Noel Mullizcane.’
From what I had seen of the Empire’s depths, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the Empire had used Noel to instigate the rebellion. They could have orchestrated it, only to eliminate it before the flames grew too large.
‘Noel, who took on the role of the rebellion’s leader, must have been an Overseer for the Emperor, just like Kinuan.’
If that were the case, everything made sense—the reason Akies Victima was a requirement for Overseers. That’s why the Overseers’ other name was Akies Domini.
“You look so deep in thought… Just like Noel.”
“If there’s no genetic connection, I wouldn’t resemble him.”
“I’m not talking about appearances. I mean your soul.”
What utter nonsense. If a vagrant on the streets had said something like that, I would have ignored it.
“I don’t believe in the existence of souls. But even if they did exist, they wouldn’t be something you could see.”
A murky laugh followed. It had the distorted resonance of a mechanical voice.
“There’s no need to separate the inner self from the outer self. Our soul isn’t something inside us; it exists outside. The shape of a soul isn’t determined by inner thoughts but by outward actions.”
“Have you been watching me all this time?”
The sharpness in my voice was no illusion.
The secrets I carried were my shield. But the moment they slipped out, they would become the blade that pierced my heart.
If Agatha knew my secrets, then I was in grave danger. Hemillas could be standing behind the door, armed and waiting.
“I want my descendants to prosper. But that doesn’t mean I want to betray you twice. I hope this answers your questions and fears.”
Agatha’s words were strange. She was seeing Noel and me as the same person. I parted my lips slightly.
“I also want to protect the Custoria family. If there’s something I need to know, you must tell me.”
Silence fell. The light in Agatha’s metallic face flickered, as if it might go out. I feared that her consciousness would fade at any moment.
I had to make a choice here. If I wanted answers from her, I would have to offer a piece of my own secrets in return.
“…The Emperor is trying to bring down the Custoria family. I need your counsel. Though I do not share your blood, I ask you as a descendant who has inherited the Custoria name.”
Agatha’s eyes flared. With a trembling motion, she struggled to lift her upper body.
“The Emperor’s plan to expel the Custoria family isn’t exactly a great secret. Before asking for my help, you should have revealed that you are the Emperor’s Overseer. You hide your own secrets while begging me for aid… Just like Noel!”
She had known everything.
For the first time, hatred flickered in Agatha’s voice. My chest tightened. I couldn’t control the pounding of my heart. My breath caught in my throat, rising to the very edge.
I had made the wrong choice. I had stirred the hatred buried deep within her.
‘Her feelings for Noel are a mix of love and resentment.’
I couldn’t know what had happened between Noel and Agatha. It wasn’t something that could be explained simply.
“Does Hemillas… also know about the existence of the Overseers?”
I had to confirm this first.
Agatha listened to my words, then placed a hand over her metallic face. It was as if she were crying. But with a mechanical body, even if she wanted to cry, she could not.
"I already told you—I don’t want to betray you twice, child. Don’t make me any more miserable."
"You’ve remained neutral, then."
Even if I had to trample on Agatha’s feelings, I had no other choice. There were far more important matters ahead of me than her emotions.
If things went wrong, I might have to fight Hemillas the moment I stepped outside that door. Among the scenarios I had considered, that was the worst.
"Noel, in the end, you’re repeating the same mistakes. Chasing a grand cause, only to lose everything."
Agatha’s artificial eyes flickered, growing dim and bright in turns. I wasn’t even sure if she was in her right mind.
Grit.
I clenched my teeth and glared at Agatha with fierce eyes.
"If I am to make better choices, I need to know the past. I need to understand what mistakes Noel made. If you want to sigh in regret, do so all you like—but do it alone. I’m going to stand up from this. You’re a person who will die soon. But I have to live tomorrow and the day after that. I don’t want to waste my time on the ramblings of a ghost."
I rose to my feet. Slowly, I sent combat signals to my prosthetic body. My senses awakened and expanded. My brain was already heated, so my focus quickly sharpened to its peak.
Srrrk.
I reached into my inner pocket, preparing to activate Ruina.
If Agatha called for Hemillas now… I would fire Ruina straight at that door.
'There’s no point in despairing just because I’m facing the worst enemy, Luka.'
Life rarely offered anything good. Most of the time, you were left choosing between the worst and the lesser evil. Today, luck had simply dealt me the worst hand.
"Calm yourself, child. Hemillas doesn’t know about the Overseers, nor do the other elders."
Agatha’s voice came from behind me. It was much calmer now, devoid of emotion.
"Why didn’t you tell them? That information is crucial to the Custoria family’s survival."
"Because knowing would mean death. Being talented and perceptive isn’t always an advantage when it comes to survival. Sometimes, it’s far safer to be incompetent and oblivious. Hemillas has always had a sharp intuition. If given the right clues, he would uncover things he shouldn’t. Even now, he’s already begun sensing the imperial conspiracy and preparing for it on his own. If that child dies, it will be because he was too capable."
It sounded contradictory, but it was the truth.
The Imperial Court viewed Hemillas as a threat precisely because of his brilliance. Because he was exceptional, he was able to perceive their schemes. That, in turn, led to conflict. And since such conflicts could lead to civil war, the Imperial Court was trying to remove him preemptively.
Cause and effect were tightly woven together, forming an endless cycle.
The Imperial Court’s judgment wasn’t wrong. Hemillas was a potential threat. Even his unwavering loyalty was, in the end, nothing more than human will. And will, like the mind, was a physical phenomenon—one that could be influenced by variables.
Machines did not change. But humans did. And both Hemillas and I were human.
"I would have told him. Hemillas is the most exceptional soldier I know. His abilities are beyond measure. He would have found a way."
"You don’t understand, Luka. No matter what the Custoria family does, it cannot defeat the Imperial Court. The more Custoria prepares, the weaker the Empire will become from internal strife. In the end, all that would remain is an Empire exposed to external threats.
That’s why I opposed Hemillas being named the head of the family. But that child forced his way into that position through his own strength. As if it were his fate. Yes… If it cannot be stopped, then it is fate."
Fate again. I was starting to hate that word.
"If all that’s left after accepting fate is defeat and resignation, then I refuse to accept it."
Agatha laughed in a mechanical tone. It was strangely chilling.
"You say the same things as Noel, child. Then go and learn from his choices. The despair and anguish of having to choose the lesser evil because you can already see the future."
As if she still had strength left, Agatha rose from her bed. The cables and tubes attached to her body detached one by one.
Like a wandering ghost, she stood behind me. Her cold hand wrapped around my neck and traced down to my chest.
"If you are Noel, then I must believe you have returned to make a better choice."
"I am not Noel."
"A long time ago, a mysterious wanderer from Cora—no, from Corita—told me something. That if I endured through endless darkness, I would see the one I longed for once more. I have held onto those words to survive until now…"
Agatha’s glowing eyes reflected on the floor, gleaming red.
"…So you have to be Noel."
What a misguided faith. She only saw what she wanted to see. She only believed what she wanted to believe.
I wasn’t even angry. I only felt pity for this woman who had once been stronger than anyone—now so feeble and broken.
I closed my eyes for a moment before opening them again. Agatha swayed unsteadily, looking as if she would collapse at any moment.
Creak.
I caught Agatha as she fell, wrapping my arms around her. Then I turned and carefully laid her back onto the bed.
"We don’t have time, Agatha. If my presence has brought you any comfort, then you must help me in return. That would only be fair."
Noel had likely said the same thing in my position.
Agatha’s metallic lips parted slightly. I leaned in closer. She whispered a long-kept secret to me.
"…Thank you."
Lifting my upper body, I nodded slightly. Agatha’s hand, as if lingering with regret, reached toward my neck before falling away.
She wouldn’t last beyond today. The only thing keeping her alive until now had been her superhuman willpower. But she was broken, and she had just lost her last reason to endure.
"Goodbye, Noel."
Agatha murmured. Beyond the mechanical face, I saw not an old woman but a young girl.
She must have cried alone for countless nights. That was why—so that she would never shed tears again—she had removed the ability to express sorrow from her prosthetic body.
"May you dream well."
I bowed my head and pressed my lips to her forehead.
* * *
Creak.
I stepped out and closed the door behind me.
Walking down the hallway, I reached the second-floor railing. Looking below, I saw Hemillas and the elders standing on the first floor. There had been no eavesdropping or listening in.
Some of the elders must have known that the dying woman upstairs was the Custoria family’s founding ancestor. Given the family’s traditions, they would have regarded Agatha with absolute reverence. They would never dare question her authority.
Even when I first met the elders, Agatha’s presence and influence had been the strongest.
'The oldest elder sought me out before her death.'
I was neither the head of the family nor an heir by blood. Seeking me out in her final moments was more than unusual.
'What will they think of me now?'
As I descended the stairs, I locked eyes with Hemillas and the elders. They looked back at me.
Srrrk.
The elders walked past me without a word, heading toward Agatha’s room. They would bear witness to her final moments.
Thud. Thud.
I continued down the stairs. Hemillas stood waiting for me and spoke.
"What did you talk about?"
"She said I resembled her first love."
"Hmm, I figured it’d be a woman."
That was the end of our conversation.
Hemillas didn’t say another word. And that silence made me endlessly uneasy.
But I couldn’t be deceived. This was Hemillas’s specialty—pretending to know more than he did, making assumptions, and drawing out the truth through his opponent’s reactions.
'Hemillas doesn’t know.'
I had to trust Agatha.