Chapter 182
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 182
I returned to my room and went over Gabriel's story.
'Gabriel failed his duty and lost the first family he ever had.'
Because of that, he hadn't returned to Akbaran, choosing instead to wander Border City. It seemed he had even cut off all contact with Gilda.
'He was probably too ashamed to go back.'
Whatever his reasons, Gabriel had abandoned his post at a critical moment.
'He was a more competent bodyguard than I'd expected.'
Even now, wrecked as he was, flashes of his former self still sparked within him. It was a testament to his training, his education, and his accumulated experience.
'Gilda and Giselle have grown distant. Their relationship isn't what it used to be. They might even be hostile toward each other now.'
If Gilda had changed that much, approaching her would be extremely dangerous. If she revealed my location to the Empire's upper echelons, my freedom of movement would be severely restricted.
'Giselle…'
I tried to stop my thoughts from taking root beyond that name.
Anxiety gnawed at me. Gabriel’s story hit too close to home. What if Giselle was in trouble? What if she was… no longer of this world? What would become of me then? The urge to tear down the world, to destroy everything in sight until I broke along with it, surged through me.
I knew it was incredibly childish. But emotions are what they are.
Beep.
Japa’s name appeared on my retinal display. Not that anyone else would be contacting me.
-You remember our promise, don’t you?
I had spent a great deal of his money tracking down Ernest, so I had promised Japa I would handle a few odd jobs for him. Honestly, considering how much I’d burned through, this was the least I could do to feel right about it.
"Just say the word. Who do you want me to kill discreetly?"
-If I just wanted someone dead, I wouldn't call you. Assassins are like bullets. You use them for people who are disposable.
"That's a terrifying thing to say."
-Hoyo! Whoops, my apologies. A slip of the tongue.
Slip of the tongue, my ass.
"Just get to the point."
-Anguis Regina has an upcoming tour in Border City. I want you to handle her personal security. Do this, and I'll wipe the slate clean on that debt you racked up spending my hard-earned money like it was water.
I frowned.
"Me? Guarding her? Are you asking me to put more bullet holes in her knees?"
-Feel free to test my patience. I, too, know how to get angry. And my retribution will be severe.
"Fine. I agreed to do the work. But why me? You have plenty of Equesians."
-Anguis Regina personally requested you for her close protection. Besides, her psychological state is currently unstable. She hasn't neglected her duties so far, but there's no guarantee that won't change. I'd like you to keep an eye on that as well.
"So it's surveillance disguised as security."
-Just don't shoot her in the knees. I'm not joking; I'm dead serious. Not her knees, not her arms, not anywhere.
I had no intention of crossing Japa this time, either. I could feel his patience wearing thin lately.
"Got it. Send me the detailed schedule when it's ready."
-And did you really have to beat Boyan that badly? If he wasn't a Crawler, he would have died.
"My opponent was Ergen Wilter. I couldn't bribe him, and I couldn't beat him down. There was no other way. If you have a better idea, I'm all ears. The teacher, the students, and even the parents were all waiting for a chance to get rid of a single Crawler."
-They were that overbearing, even knowing Boyan was sponsored by me?
"He just laughed and said your foundation sponsors countless students. Said you wouldn't give a damn about one of them."
-Well, normally he'd be right, hoyo. In any case, I understand. It seems I've been neglecting my duties as a Tajirun. To think something like this would happen even with my name attached.
I could almost feel his cold smile through the communicator.
* * *
I stared at the black coat hanging in my closet.
A domestic android visited periodically to tidy the room and do my laundry. If my clothes were too damaged, it would replace them with new ones—of the exact same design and color, of course.
'I guess they have no intention of giving me anything else to wear.'
Not that I would ask. I wasn't the type to care about my appearance.
I slipped on the coat, its fabric smelling faintly of sharp chemicals. A good deal of time had passed since I’d arrived in Border City. My hair, already long, had grown completely wild. It was now at a length where even tying it back couldn't contain the stray strands that stuck out in every direction.
'Back in the Imperial Guard…'
Come to think of it, they had a machine that trimmed your hair to a decent length. You just had to stand inside for five minutes, and you were done. It was surprisingly convenient, but there was nothing like that here in Border City.
I didn't want to waste time and money at a barbershop, but if my hair got any longer, I might have to.
'Alright, Luka. Still looking like a suitably gloomy bastard today.'
I glanced at my reflection in the mirror and checked my gear. The Hwagwang Yedo, an auto-tracking pistol, and a dagger. More than enough for the job.
'Anguis Regina’s Border City tour performance.'
I reviewed the schedule.
Anguis Regina would be performing across the city for three days and two nights. Rather than using a fixed venue, she would tour Japa Trading’s various establishments, combining her performances with promotional work.
During the tour, Japa Trading's sales would more than double, making this a critical event for Japa as well.
Click.
Unlike usual, I put on a combat mask. Its faceplate was similar in design to the helmets worn by Japa Trading's Equesian mercenaries, but scaled to human proportions. As a secondary function, it supported an independent communication line and vision sharing with the Equesians.
They were responsible for securing the entire performance area; I was Anguis Regina's close-protection bodyguard.
'This woman generates that much economic value?'
Coming from the Empire, it was hard to wrap my head around. The entertainment industry existed in the Empire, but it wasn't a high-value sector.
I waited for Anguis Regina at her villa. Before long, she stepped out of the elevator and scanned me from head to toe.
"You're wearing a mask."
"It's my security uniform."
"It's an improvement. You look less fierce than you do with your bare face."
Anguis Regina, caked in heavy makeup, smiled brightly. Her pupils held a unique sparkle, as if they contained starlight.
'What a fraud.'
I couldn't help but snort inwardly. I had seen the darkness inside her. This idol persona was a complete fabrication. Anguis Regina acted excessively bright to hide her true self. She would have made a damn good actress.
'Her darkness is connected to Kinuan.'
I had investigated her before. Within the information available to me, I couldn't find any proper records of her past.
"I have a proposal," Anguis Regina said as she began to walk, her eyes fixed forward. "Help me shake the Equesians, and I'll give you the information I have on Kinuan. And on the relationship between Japa and Kinuan."
"A tempting offer," I muttered, walking beside her.
"You'll never find out on your own. How we and Kinuan are entangled."
"Probably not. But who do you think you are?"
"Excuse me?"
"You're just a side effect of my deal with Japa. You have no real influence. You can't build my prosthetic, and you can't provide for my needs. All you do is sing and dance. Don't act like you're in a position to negotiate with me when you're completely useless on your own. You're so incompetent you don't even begin to compare to Japa."
Anguis Regina stopped in her tracks. She turned her head and glared at me.
"Calling me incompetent just reveals your narrow-minded, Imperial way of thinking."
"If you perform well enough to change my mind, I might. I'm more flexible than you think."
Anguis Regina and I stepped out of the villa. A roar of cheers erupted, so intense it felt like the very air pressure had shifted. The building’s windows rattled.
"Waaaaaaah—!!"
"ANGUIIIIIS! REGINAAAA!! I love you—!!"
"Praise the Serpent Queen!"
Equesian guards formed a security line, struggling to hold back the surging crowd. Scuffles broke out, bordering on outright violence. Some people got their heads cracked open by the Equesians, blood streaming down their faces, while others fainted and were trampled underfoot. There would definitely be casualties.
Even covered in blood, more than a few continued to scream their devotion to Anguis Regina.
'This is its own kind of madness.'
I couldn't comprehend her appeal. It wasn't just humans; other alien species shrieked her name as well.
'…Well, at this level, I suppose you could say she has influence.'
Loath as I was to admit it, Anguis Regina possessed power. The ability to sway the masses was a formidable force. Even the Imperial Family of the Empire went to great lengths to win public favor. The foundation of any nation, after all, is its people. Without their cooperation and labor, a state cannot function.
Tap, tap.
Anguis Regina stood at the center of the circle formed by the Equesians. With thoroughly practiced movements, she stretched her arms wide before clasping her hands together gracefully.
"Everyone..."
Her voice was wistful. It resonated at a specific frequency designed to elicit sympathy, and the electronic choker around her neck—apparently equipped with an amplification function—made her words echo with a soft, almost ticklish quality. The sound layered and spread out, cutting cleanly through the crowd's clamor.
"...I love you! Please forgive me for not being able to hug every single one of you. But if you buy the Anguis Set from Japa Burger or the Regina Set from Japa Pizza, you'll get a raffle ticket for a hug. Please come see me through that!"
It was the most blatant commercial pitch I'd ever heard. It was mind-boggling that people were actually moved by this garbage. Does living in Border City rot your brain?
"I'll buy them all! I already bought ten sets today!"
"Ten sets? Don't make me laugh. I bought a hundred! I'm going to freeze them and eat them for a year!"
"A hundred, a thousand, I'll keep eating until I win! I will meet you, Anguis Regina!"
Regardless of gender, age, or species, everyone went wild for her.
I stood guard about five paces away. Covering my face had been the right call. Just being this close to her would be enough to make people try to dig up my identity and kill me.
'Do you still think I'm incompetent?'
Anguis Regina tilted her head slightly, silently mouthing the words at me.
I was finally beginning to understand why Japa bent over backward to accommodate her. It wasn't just emotional attachment. Anguis Regina was an asset with immense utility.
'I know her kind.'
The Crimson Crown Prince, Fransek Cracia, was cut from the same cloth. Every calculated word, every rehearsed action, was designed to capture the hearts of others. Talent alone couldn't explain this level of popularity and charisma.
'Anguis Regina was likely subjected to targeted training, just like Fransek. A person who was thoroughly corrected and remodeled to play a specific role.'
Just as I was a human built for combat.