Chapter 110
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 110
An ominous undercurrent was flowing through the Imperial Guard.
'The military and the Imperial Guard have taken the rights to the Catacomb Mine.'
Nominally, it was the Wounded Soldier Fund. Money meant for soldiers who had been killed or maimed fighting for the Empire, and for the families they left behind. Such a fund had existed before, but chronic deficits had made proper support all but impossible.
People assumed the decision regarding the fund was the Imperial Family's doing. Those who didn't know any better praised the Empire and the Imperial Family for it.
But the reality was different.
'It was a decision made by the military and the Imperial Guard.'
I didn't know how Heilas had managed to bring even the military on board. Was his influence truly that vast, or were there simply that many bold souls in the military willing to provoke the Imperial Family?
Perhaps, contrary to my assumptions, the Imperial Family's influence wasn't absolute. I still knew nothing about the high-ranking ministers and generals who truly moved the Empire.
I was currently with Kinuan. As always, he was sipping his tea.
"The Imperial Family has its pride, so they won't be able to overturn the decision on the fund. It was a shrewd move," Kinuan said.
I had reported everything that happened to him.
"I didn't realize the rights to the Catacomb Mine were so significant."
To my eyes, it seemed like enough to support a single noble family at best.
"If they terminate the flawed contracts on the mining rights and let the military operate the mine directly, it's a different story. Their finances will become quite substantial. The associated corporations will certainly grumble about having their mining rights suddenly stripped away, but since they'll assume it's a decision by the military or the Imperial Family, they won't easily be able to protest."
"And the pretext to oust the Corobus family, the owners of that Catacomb Mine... was provided just in time."
"It could be mere coincidence. Or there might have been a scheme we failed to perceive."
I didn't think this was a coincidence. The pieces fit together far too perfectly.
'But it wouldn't be the work of the Imperial Family or Kinuan.'
If the Imperial Family and Kinuan had planned the ousting of the Corobus family, they wouldn't have let the mining rights be snatched away like this.
'...Wait.'
I bit my lower lip, my eyes widening.
'Then, did the military and Heilas...?'
What if they had leaked information about Iskan and me to lure the Corobus family in?
Members of the Corobus family were already on the Imperial Guard's internal investigation list. Even without me, the Guard would have reached them eventually.
'Heilas exposed me to danger?'
I didn't want to believe it. But the possibility wasn't zero. However much I hated the thought, I had to keep it open.
'If he had just asked, I would have gladly played the bait. Yet if he orchestrated the ambush without telling me... does that mean Heilas doesn't trust me?'
My thoughts raced, one leading into the next. I had never once imagined that Heilas would stab me in the back. I didn't even want to entertain the thought.
Until now, Heilas had always treated me with trust.
"Luka, His Majesty is not in the best of moods right now. The timeline might be moved up. When the time comes, you must move as well."
"Heilas knows the Imperial Family is keeping him in check. If so, he must be preparing too. Is His Majesty prepared to wage a civil war?"
"The Empire's true enemies lie outside. That is why the Imperial Family is taking the roundabout path to avoid a civil war. Luka, to you it probably looks like the Imperial Family is needlessly provoking the military. It must look like they're trying to discard the loyal Heilas."
"To be honest, yes."
It was hard to deny. And even if I did, he wouldn't believe me anyway.
"We have solid grounds for this. If we don't purge the military's leadership now, a rebellion will break out within ten years. And with each passing year, the probability of a full-scale war with foreign nations rises. An unavoidable war will come within half a century."
"You speak as if you can foresee the future."
"As someone who has mastered Akies Victima, you should understand. The future is a product of reality. It does not come from outside of reality. The Imperial Family's predictions are approximations infinitely close to foresight. We cannot fight external enemies while leaving unstable elements behind us. The Empire must complete its preparations to fight, united around the Emperor."
If everything Kinuan said was truly the truth... then the Imperial Family's actions were justified.
'It doesn't matter who started it.'
The confrontation had already begun.
If the Empire truly faced an impending war with Bellato and Kora, it had to secure internal stability—even if it meant resorting to extreme measures.
"Keep monitoring Heilas's movements. If an opportunity arises, I'll leave the decision to your judgment."
"So I've ended up a double agent too. Just like you used to be, Instructor."
"Once this purge is over, I will retire. When that time comes, my authority will pass to you. In time, you too will come to realize it. The ones truly acting for the sake of the Empire and its people are us and the Imperial Family. Someone must soil their hands and do the ugly work. Because the world is twisted, there are things that can only be set straight through twisted deeds."
"I know. And I know that role is mine to bear."
Kinuan was a smooth talker. And while I didn't know the exact ratio of truth to lies in his words, he never fed me pure falsehoods. His persuasion was always laced with truth. Sometimes, he spoke nothing but the truth.
...It was the same now. The words Kinuan spoke were likely the truth.
A memory from the past surfaced. Before Rick Silva Nunez, I had once been prepared to die.
'My name is Lucaus Custoria, the sword and shield of the Empire. The enemies of the Empire are my enemies.'
'Do you plan on handling dirty work your whole life, only to be discarded in the end?'
'If someone must do the dirty work for the sake of the Empire... then that is my role.'
I had volunteered to be the shadow of the Empire. But that, too, had been for the sake of the Custoria family.
Now, for the sake of the Empire, I had to harm the Custoria family. My oath and my resolve could not help but waver.
"There is one thing I'm curious about. Once this is over, will the Custoria family be annihilated?"
"If it escalates into an actual rebellion, they will certainly be annihilated. If that happens, you will have to change your identity and your face to continue your work."
"Which means, if we suppress the rebellious factions before it comes to that, it won't lead to total annihilation. For instance, if Heilas is rendered incapable of recovery, and I become the next head of the Custoria family."
I spoke bluntly. I did not want the Custoria family wiped out.
"You really are... a Good Boy. Soft-hearted, aren't you?"
I knew he would say that.
* * *
An old saying came to mind. The night before a storm is always the calmest.
True to those words, Heilas made no moves for a while. For a fortnight, his daily routine consisted of handling paperwork in his office and occasionally visiting the Custoria mansion.
'Do you not trust me?'
I muttered those words to myself over and over inside the aerial vehicle, on the way to and from the mansion. I wanted to hear his answer.
Yes, it might sound a bit childish, but... I had hoped my bond with Heilas ran as deep as blood.
'Did Heilas use me as bait without so much as a word of warning?'
Just like Giselle, who had been used by Barbara at the Academy. Anyone could understand that situation. Even though she was her own biological daughter, Giselle couldn't keep secrets from Barbara. So Giselle had to be deceived as well.
'But I'm different. If he had told me beforehand, I could have played the bait even better.'
My hypothesis was this: Heilas wanted to seize the Catacomb Mine by ousting the Corobus family, and to accomplish it, he leaked information about Iskan and me to the Corobus family to orchestrate the ambush.
...It wasn't certain. That was why I hoped my assumption was wrong. I wanted to hold onto at least that much faith in the man who had guided me this far.
'Even if you were to die like Nikolaos, I would act the same way.'
When I'd heard those words, I had honestly been happy. Even now, I wanted to believe them.
But when I thought about it, my resentment was rather shameless. Did I even have the right to be angry at Heilas for deceiving me? I was deceiving him too.
"Luka, the next time we go to the mansion, we'll stop by the Silver Moon Pavilion. It concerns you as well, so clear your schedule," Heilas said inside the aerial vehicle as we returned to Imperial Guard headquarters.
The Silver Moon Pavilion was the annex where the elders of the Custoria family resided. The major affairs of the family were decided through the elders.
As expected, something was in motion.
From a depth we couldn't perceive, the current was shifting, step by step. A current that even I couldn't easily detect.
"About Giselle..." Heilas began.
Though I kept my poker face, I felt my heart skip a beat.
"...Is something going on between you two? You seemed to get along quite well, but lately it looks like things have soured."
Giselle and I avoided talking in front of others as much as possible. I might have been fine, but Giselle wasn't accustomed to controlling her emotions.
"We had a disagreement over an incident in the Lower District. If you wish to hear the details, I'll tell you."
"No, there's no reason for me to pry into a squabble between siblings. Take good care of Giselle. She's smart, but clumsy."
Smart, but clumsy. I agreed with that assessment.
"I am looking out for her," I replied.
The real problem was that I was looking out for her far too much. I had to fight down the urge to visit her every chance I got.
"Is the engagement with Ilay Kartika going to end as a sham? It seemed like a rather decent match."
"I encouraged it too, but it seems unlikely to happen. Especially on Giselle's side."
"I didn't expect much either. Giselle is the type to choose her own spouse. That's why she's rejected every marriage proposal so far."
"I didn't know you respected that side of her."
When I spoke with slight surprise, Heilas chuckled.
"I may have used my children, but I have never suppressed their choices. Jupe becoming a soldier, despite it not suiting his aptitude, was his own greed. He chose a profession where he could surpass his brother because he wanted to become the Family Head."
At times like this, I couldn't help but feel a deep affection for Heilas. He seemed like an ideal father.
'If only I could...'
I wanted to confess everything, right here.
That Kinuan, who seemed like a subversive element, was in truth the Emperor's loyal retainer and watcher. That the trump card the Imperial Family had prepared to oust Custoria was none other than me. That I was the one aiming for his back.
If I had craved a father figure just a little bit more, I would have blurted out those foolish words.
Imperial Guard headquarters drew near. Checking his messages, Heilas tilted his head slightly before speaking.
"Luka, in two days there will be Prince Fransek's street procession. It will stretch from the Upper District to the Lower District, lasting over half a day."
The Crimson Crown Prince, Fransek Cracia. Yet he was a man destined to die as a scapegoat one day. Only the Emperor, Ivan, Kinuan, and I knew that fact.
"I am aware. The escort duty falls to the Imperial Guard."
"His Highness has specifically designated you, a cadet, for his personal escort. He's likely interested in you because of the various feats you've accomplished as a cadet. He has a fondness for Irregulars."
It probably wasn't just because I was an Irregular.
Fransek believed he would one day become king, and that I would remain at his side as a watcher for a long time to come. That was likely why he had chosen me.
"I will prepare myself."