Chapter 69
I moved out of the underground cavern to a range where communication was possible and called for a support unit. Kinuan, who had been with me, had long since disappeared. He was the emperor’s Overseer and the empire’s ghost.
The fact that Kinuan was here today must never be revealed.
"I have eliminated Rick Silva Núñez."
I reported the current situation to Commander of the Imperial Guard, Hemillas, via communication.
The flow of the report was as follows: While investigating the Dead Ronin, I encountered Rick. After an engagement, I killed him.
Before long, the Imperial Guard’s aerial vehicle appeared overhead. At the sight of the imperial forces, the vagrants in the ruins were quick to retreat deep underground.
"…So it really is Rick of Nemesis. Quite an achievement, Luka."
The arriving Imperial Guardsmen performed a genetic match on Rick’s corpse and then looked at me. Their heavy uniformed capes dragged long along the ground. From a distance, they could have been mistaken for a flock of crows that had found a corpse.
They were surprised, but not suspicious. They knew my record and my combat capabilities.
‘Aside from his teleportation ability, Rick was a foe I could fight on equal footing.’
There was nothing strange about me killing Rick. My combat ability had already surpassed that of a cadet. Thanks to Akies Victima combat techniques, I was practically on par with an elite Imperial Guardsman.
‘If I wore Legion, I’d be just another regular guardsman…’
Akies Victima combat techniques couldn’t be applied to the full-body prosthetic Legion. My strength didn’t come from Legion—it came from using combat prosthetics.
Creak. Creak.
Androids were loading Rick’s corpse onto a stretcher for transport.
"This is worthy of a 4th-Class Cross Blade Medal of Military Merit. If that happens, you’d be the first cadet in Imperial Guard history to receive one. Congratulations on successfully completing your mission."
The guardsmen had assumed I had been assigned to a special mission. It seemed they believed this was it.
‘It is over, in a way.’
I would only pretend to be investigating Kinuan’s trail. I already knew his true identity.
I boarded the aerial vehicle. As soon as I entered, I flinched.
‘Update?’
An update notification popped up on my retinal display. To my surprise, the data server was linked to the empire’s upper network. This was a network accessible only to high-ranking imperial officials.
The Imperial Guard’s aerial vehicle was acting as a relay for the upper network. That was why the update had begun the moment I boarded.
‘My access privileges have been raised. I really have become an Overseer.’
I checked my retinal display. The augmented interface even displayed personal information about the other Imperial Guards. Their names, ages, affiliations, and specific expertise appeared in small text beside them. If I focused, I could see detailed records of their histories.
"Luka, what's the matter?"
The Imperial Guard sitting in front of me asked. His name was Rain Voltega Sorz. He had been an Imperial Guard for 14 years, had received two 4th-Class Cross Blade Medals of Military Merit, and had so many lower-ranked medals that counting them would have been a hassle. His specialties were electronic warfare and ultra-long-range sniping.
"He must be loosening up. That guy's nervous system is probably shredded right now. It wouldn't be surprising if he passed out on the spot."
Another Imperial Guard answered in my place. And that statement was true. I was barely holding on to my consciousness. I would probably need more than half a day of sleep.
"……I apologize."
I responded out of formality. They soon shifted their gazes away from me and continued their conversation amongst themselves. There was a lot of talk about Rick. It seemed he was a well-known figure among the Imperial Guards. Well, he was a traitor who had once been one of us.
The new vision felt unfamiliar. The density of information entering my sight was overwhelming. It would take some time to adjust.
Click.
I moved my pupils to lower the exposure level of information. Right now, I desperately needed rest—so much so that I could fall asleep snoring in front of a superior.
* * *
When I woke up, I stared at a familiar ceiling. This was my room.
I still couldn’t believe any of it.
Kinuan had deceived and misled everyone. But that was precisely why it had been so effective. Even Hemillas believed he had been colluding with terrorists. Terrorist Rick Kaiser had considered Kinuan a close friend.
Thanks to Overseers like Kinuan, the Empire had been able to effectively control dissident factions. Even the very outlets for discontent and resentment toward the Empire were under its watchful eye.
'…The more I think about it, the more terrifying it is.'
Commander of the Imperial Guard Hemillas had a history of infiltrating the Nemesis organization using the witch, Barbara. And yet, even he hadn't realized that Kinuan was a double agent.
'Is the Emperor the only one who fully understands all this chaos, these tangled relationships, and the intricate schemes?'
Even if he wasn’t the only one, how many within the Empire truly grasped the entire web of its complexities? Probably just a handful.
'I slept for a solid sixteen hours.'
I checked the time. For me to have slept this long, it was practically the equivalent of an ordinary person being unconscious for three or four days.
Tap.
I tapped the table, bringing up a hologram. A list of accumulated schedules appeared. The topmost item was a summons from Commander of the Imperial Guard, Hemillas.
That was to be expected. There were many reports that couldn’t be left on record.
I stepped outside. Several cadets were moving through the hallway. Every time my gaze shifted, detailed information and histories about them appeared before me.
I came to a stop.
I had arrived at Hemillas’s office. As always, I straightened my uniform before stepping inside.
‘Hemillas Kusthoria…’
Hemillas was seated, going through his work.
A slight sense of anticipation stirred within me. I wondered if I’d be able to access his personal information.
‘As expected, the Commander of the Imperial Guard is on another level.’
I couldn’t access his data. The Commander of the Imperial Guard was one of the Emperor’s closest military officers, after all.
“Take a seat. This will take a while.”
Hemillas pressed a few holographic panels, systematically organizing his work.
I was close to Hemillas. Saying that out loud felt strange. But after all, we were father and son.
From what I had seen so far… even if I rose through the ranks, I didn’t want to become the Commander of the Imperial Guard. That position didn’t suit me.
The overwhelming workload—especially the endless administrative tasks—defined the life of the Commander. A battlefield where bullets rained down seemed preferable.
“Begin, Luka.”
Hemillas crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. I started my report with the things I knew he was already aware of.
“You confronted Rick alone?”
“There was no one else. Rick urged me to betray the Empire, but I refused. The fight began immediately.”
“Rick Silva Núñez… A high-priority fugitive the Empire has failed to capture until now. And once, an exceptional Imperial Guard.”
“I managed thanks to Akies combat techniques. Even then, it was a close call. If I hadn’t trained under Instructor Kinuan, I wouldn’t have survived.”
Hemillas paused, as if deep in thought, before speaking again.
“Any other information on Kinuan?”
My tongue tingled. I wanted to reveal everything I knew right then and there. The truth was too heavy to bear alone.
“I wasn’t able to secure anything. Not even proof that his benefactor, Noel, is actually Kinuan.”
The chip and documents I had retrieved from the Dead Ronin office contained nothing of significance.
“…I see.”
“Still, I believe taking down Rick was a major success. I accomplished something beyond my capabilities.”
I spoke with confidence. Though, in truth, I wasn’t the one who had killed Rick.
"Your achievement deserves praise. An unexpected gain—almost to the point of feeling ‘alien.’"
Don’t let your emotions show, Luka.
I desperately controlled my thoughts and emotions, keeping them as neutral as possible. Hemillas didn’t need to learn Akies combat techniques to possess a superhuman level of insight. If there was even a slight shift in my emotions, he would notice instantly.
‘He’s testing me.’
That was Hemillas’s specialty. The moment he sensed even the smallest inconsistency, he would strike without hesitation. I had experienced his methods many times before.
‘Don’t feel guilty about Hemillas. If he knew everything, he would understand. This is for the Empire.’
Hemillas liked me—but only as a valuable tool. If necessary, he wouldn’t hesitate to discard me.
"As I said earlier, my victory was thanks to Akies combat techniques. And a soldier shouldn’t be interrogated over an exceptional achievement."
I let my irritation show. Hemillas finally smiled and leaned forward, as if relaxing.
"Luka, as you well know, it’s unprecedented for a cadet to be awarded a 4th-Class Cross Blade Medal of Military Merit. There's no prior example. But given your contributions, the approval will go through without any opposition. This will also elevate the prestige of the Custoria family, so the main house will be hosting a celebratory banquet. Prepare yourself. If you have anyone you’d like to invite, you may do so."
I was more surprised by the mention of the banquet.
Invite acquaintances?
Not many people immediately came to mind. Ilay Carthica was a clear candidate. Thinking about it further, I realized I could just invite all my fellow cadets. As for other acquaintances… only Gabriel and Gilda came to mind, but it was unlikely that anyone from the lower districts would be allowed to attend.
"A banquet…?"
I spoke with clear reluctance.
"You’re the guest of honor."
I frowned, and the wrinkles at the corners of Hemillas’s mouth deepened. He seemed to find my reaction amusing.
"I hope you learned social dancing well at Kracia Academy."
He added one last remark. Snakes always knew how to speak in the most irritating way.
* * *
Time passed quickly. After going through the necessary formalities, I was officially awarded the 4th-Class Cross Blade Medal of Military Merit. The engraving on the medal read ‘IV’ in sharp relief.
'Elimination of high-priority fugitive Rick Silva Núñez.'
A new line had been added to my record.
"Even though I've been running all over the Empire, knocking out missions left and right, you crush the scores with just one. As expected of you, Luka. Looks like you're locked in as this term’s top cadet."
Ilay spoke teasingly, a cigarette between his lips. Even though an instructor passing by in the distance noticed him smoking, they didn’t say much about it.
Ilay and I were practically Imperial Guards rather than mere cadets. The Imperial Guard had enough flexibility to overlook minor transgressions.
‘Just like how the Empire turns a blind eye to dissidents, even when they know they exist.’
Allowing small acts of defiance helped ease greater dissatisfaction.
It was the same for Imperial Guard cadets. By the fourth year, strict oppression had practically disappeared. We enjoyed our freedoms within the unspoken boundaries.
"So, are you coming to the celebration banquet or not?"
I invited Ilay first. He was the perfect person to solidify my standing.
If I showed that I was on close terms with the heir of the Carthica family, my reputation within the family would rise, and Juppe would be forced to shrink back.
"Of course, I have to go. I wouldn’t miss a spectacle like that."
Aside from Ilay, I also handed out invitations to my fellow cadets.
I had a decent reputation among them. I wasn’t particularly warm or friendly, but I never shied away from difficult tasks. Besides, a Custoria family banquet was an event no noble offspring wanted to miss.
Except for those with prior engagements or missions, most of my peers confirmed their attendance.
Time passed, and at last, the grand banquet where I was the main figure began.