Chapter 94
The tour of the Armament Exhibition Hall had come to an end.
Experimental combat prosthetics laden with uncommercialized technology, and the Legion—an embodiment of the Empire’s cutting-edge science and technology.
We had the privilege of experiencing the Empire’s gifts in advance. In essence, it was an event meant to inspire cadets on the verge of graduation.
Excitement was evident on the faces of the cadets as they exited the exhibition hall.
‘Being a member of the Imperial Guard is an honor even for nobles.’
The Imperial Guard was deployed only to battlefields where failure was not an option. That was how much trust the Empire and the Imperial Family placed in them as a combat unit.
I pondered my future as an Imperial Guard.
Even after completing the mandatory thirty years of service, it was rare for an Imperial Guard to be transferred to another unit immediately. Most continued renewing their contracts in ten-year increments, often serving fifty or sixty years before moving on.
‘To someone who hasn’t even lived twenty years, that seems like an eternity.’
At its core, the Imperial Guard was a combat unit. No matter how well one maintained themselves, after a century of life, brain function inevitably began to decline. The aging of the brain signified the deterioration of mental resilience.
Once an Imperial Guard entered the stage of aging, they could no longer control a Legion, and eventually, they had to downgrade the performance of their combat prosthetics as well. By that point, even if they wished to remain active in the Guard, retirement became inevitable.
‘The real question is whether I can even survive intact until retirement.’
Fortunately, the Imperial Guard did not rely heavily on Legions. The Guard was well aware that Legions eroded the minds of their wielders.
‘Hemillas probably has at most another ten or twenty years left as Commander of the Imperial Guard.’
Once his prime as a Guard was over, Hemillas would transition into the upper echelons of the military as a high-ranking general. Most Commanders of the Guard followed the same path.
The military always had positions available for retired Commanders of the Guard. It wasn’t just the Commanders—even throughout the military, retired Imperial Guards held key positions. Even at an age when cognitive decline set in, the capabilities of an Imperial Guard remained formidable.
‘The value of the Guard’s network is immeasurable.’
There was a powerful bond among Imperial Guards. The camaraderie forged over decades of service was not easily severed. Perhaps it was stronger than blood itself.
A sense of belonging and unity.
I was beginning to recognize the value of that as well. I still remembered Felix. Even when he had become irreparably broken, he mustered the last of his fading will to wish me luck in my path ahead.
I had seized success. The name of the Custoria family, the affiliation of the Imperial Guard—both were now mine.
But I was also burdened with the weight of being an Overseer. The moment I faltered, that weight would crush me completely.
The higher one climbed, the less room there was for mistakes. I had come to understand that all too well.
‘I have to survive, no matter what.’
Kinuan’s retirement was not far off. As his successor, I could inherit his authority as an Overseer.
"Luka..."
Ilay caught up beside me. He studied my face for a moment before smiling.
"…If you ever need help, just say so. You have a bad habit of trying to handle everything alone."
"It’s not a bad habit—it’s called strength."
I retorted brusquely. Ilay was used to this kind of response from me and simply smiled.
"I got a call from my family a while ago."
Out of nowhere, he brought up his household. There had to be a reason. He wasn’t the type to talk about these things without purpose.
"Your family?"
I asked out of courtesy.
"My father collapsed. He probably doesn’t have much time left before retirement. At the very least, he needs to hold on until I secure my place in the Imperial Guard."
It was a cold but realistic statement. Ilay still had to undergo full-body prosthetic surgery, complete rehabilitation, and adapt to the Legion. At this stage, taking on the role of the Carthica family head would be too much.
"Didn’t you say your older brother is irreversibly crippled? That makes you the clear successor, doesn’t it?"
"If my father falls before I’m ready, things change. He has brothers, and I have older, competent cousins. They’ve started showing their faces around the family estate, thinking now is their chance."
I could already predict what Ilay would say next.
"The one who actually needs help isn’t me—it’s you, Ilay."
"You owe me one from last time. If I show that I have a special relationship with the Custoria family, those half-hearted challengers will back down."
"But I’m just an adopted son."
"Come to the Carthica family banquet with Giselle. And… I know this is a delicate request, but could you ask Giselle to pretend to be my fiancée? Not for real—just enough to suppress any resistance for now."
Ilay’s smile grew awkward. He was well aware that this was an unreasonable request.
"That’s beyond my ability."
My voice was cold. Even I was surprised by how detached I sounded.
"In my opinion, if it’s you asking, Commander Hemillas or Giselle would agree to a fake engagement. They both care about you and like you."
He was right. Hemillas would likely nod without hesitation, and even if Giselle got angry, she would still grant my request.
‘For Ilay to go this far…’
It was clear this was a serious matter. If things went wrong, a civil war within the Carthica family could break out.
"I’ll discuss it, but don’t expect too much."
Saying that, I pushed Ilay away.
* * *
Hemillas planned to use the strength of the Imperial Guard to investigate and capture Bao Zakanan.
Although Imperial Guards would be mobilized, the operation still had to be led by someone from the Custoria family. That was why I was needed.
‘This time, you won’t be able to act on the field yourself. But the Custoria family must have a presence when Bao Zakanan is taken in. For this mission, you’ll be my representative.’
That was what Hemillas had told me.
What did that mean?
It meant that I would be carrying out the mission alongside the Imperial Guard as Hemillas’s proxy. Not just any Imperial Guards, either—I would be working with the elite of the elite, the 1st Centuria.
"Luka, you may still be a cadet but don’t hesitate to speak your mind. I trust you’re not foolish enough to withhold critical information out of deference to authority."
The words came from Iskan, an Imperial Guard dressed in plain clothes instead of his uniform. He was a monster who had already been a veteran long before I was even born. And like me, he was an Irregular.
‘Iskan never married. He must have received plenty of offers to become a noble family's son-in-law, yet he remains single.’
He had risen purely through his own strength. His record alone was enough to earn my respect.
Together, Iskan and I were tasked with monitoring Bao Zakanan. Along with him, two other Imperial Guards were also participating in the mission.
‘This isn’t for the Empire—it’s for Hemillas’s personal revenge.’
Yet Iskan and the Imperial Guards willingly assisted him. It was a mission that could potentially stain their careers.
"Bao Zakanan has appeared."
I reported as I spotted Bao Zakanan stepping out of a building.
We had been tailing him in two-man shifts, keeping a constant watch on his every move. Ideally, we would catch him in the act of conspiring with terrorists or subversives. If that wasn’t possible, we would seize an opportunity to abduct and interrogate him through torture.
Click.
I pressed an electronic mask to my mouth. As it expanded, it concealed the lower half of my face.
Whirr.
Simultaneously, my right cybernetic eye and the lens in my left eye activated. Even the color of my irises and the pattern of my pupils changed.
Iskan didn’t need to go through the hassle of elaborate disguises like I did. He had multiple full-body prosthetics designed specifically for covert operations. No one would be able to identify him.
"You take the left. I’ll follow from the right."
Iskan issued his instructions with practiced ease. The finer details of command were best left to a veteran like him.
Murmur, murmur.
Bao Zakanan entered the bustling district of the upper sector. The contrast with the lower sector was striking—pristine streets, neatly arranged high-rise buildings. Below them, the dense crowd formed a living barrier, shielding us from sight.
Beep.
I activated the tracking function in my right cybernetic eye. Even if Bao Zakanan disappeared from my line of sight, his predicted path immediately appeared.
‘Heading straight home again today?’
Bao Zakanan was a textbook imperial bureaucrat. Responsible, composed, and living a mechanical life, commuting solely between work and home.
We had been tailing him for three days, but his routine never wavered. He was an unremarkable man.
‘Suspiciously so.’
That was what made him stand out. I had observed countless individuals across the Empire—from high-ranking officials to the lowest commoners.
Humans couldn’t be perfect machines. Our unstable desires and insatiable cravings made us flawed beings.
Whirr.
I sank deeper into thought. How could I push Bao Zakanan into breaking from his routine?
Tap, tap.
I quickened my pace and, in a fluid motion, snatched a drink from someone’s hand as if I were a pickpocket. The startled victim glanced around in confusion, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Pushing through the crowd, I picked up speed as I closed in on Bao Zakanan.
Thud!
I slammed into him with my shoulder. Stumbling from the impact, Bao Zakanan lost his balance and fell.
"Oh, I’m so sorry! I was in a hurry!"
He lifted his head and looked at me. His face was well-defined, as if sculpted from stone.
"…If you were in a hurry, then I suppose it couldn’t be helped."
Even in an unexpected situation, he didn’t show anger. He merely dusted off his clothes with a faint smile. His emotional control was remarkable—truly fitting for a high-ranking imperial official.
"I don’t usually act like this, but I really had an urgent—oh! Oh no! I—I’m so sorry!"
Feigning clumsiness, I let go of the drink in my hand, spilling it all over Bao Zakanan’s head.
Well, well. Looks like my acting skills have improved, Luka.
"Since it was my mistake and your clothes got dirty, at least let me cover the cleaning fee…"
Bao Zakanan extended his palm forward, refusing my credit chip.
"It's fine. However, if you're truly apologetic, wouldn’t it be proper etiquette to remove your mask and at least show your face?"
At last, a faint trace of irritation seeped into his voice. As a high-ranking official of the Intelligence Security Bureau, he wanted to confirm my identity here and now. Later, he would undoubtedly find a "refined" way to take his revenge.
"Haha, that would be a bit troublesome. The moment I reveal my identity, people start clinging to me because of my family. Ah, not that I’m saying you would, of course. Anyway, judging by your attire, you must be an imperial official… I’ll make sure to remember your face and mention you to my father. If you suddenly receive a promotion, consider it my doing. Well then, farewell."
Perfect. That was an insufferably obnoxious way to speak. If someone had said that to me, I would’ve broken their nose on the spot, no matter who they were.
Arrogant, oblivious, and completely lacking self-awareness—the worst kind of person.
…Of course, I was merely imitating Enrico Lagan.
"W-Wait! I…"
Bao Zakanan tried to grab me, but I smoothly evaded his hand and disappeared into the crowd.
Once I was out of his sight, I regrouped with Iskan. He had been watching my entire stunt unfold.
"…In my experience, the more meticulous a person is, the darker their buried desires tend to be. With the stress I just put on him, he won’t last long before he seeks an outlet."
I briefly explained my reasoning. Iskan slowly curled his lips into a deep smirk.
"I think I understand why the Commander is so fond of you."
His gaze drifted toward Bao Zakanan, who was now irritably stripping off his soiled coat and crumpling it into a trash bin.
"You can call me 'Uncle' when we're off duty. I call the Commander by name when we drink, too."
Iskan reached out and gave my head a couple of light taps.