Chapter 189
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 189
I caught my breath, savoring the lingering afterglow of the battle.
Even though I had sealed my Hwagwang Thermal Blade and placed other restrictions on myself, I had fully unleashed my skills in close-quarters combat. The Menoa Elite Guard Captain had been skilled enough to withstand my full power.
‘Back when I was an Imperial Guard Cadet, I had opportunities to vent this aggression three or four times a month. We had frequent live-combat missions, too.’
One of the hardest times I’d had in Akbaran was when I was dispatched to the Cracia Academy. Back then, I thought I was going half-mad from the restraint.
‘Now that I’ve let it out, things are quiet again.’
Closing my eyes, I turned my senses inward. The overflowing urge that had begun to manifest physically was no longer churning. It would build up again someday, but for now, it was gone. With my emotional turbulence faded, I could see the world with a clearer mind.
Looking at it this way… I was far from normal myself. My aggression had been on the higher side even among the cadets, but we were all of a similar breed.
The people I met in Border City were also far from normal, yet I was practically the only one who couldn't control my violent impulses.
"You've gone from a monster to a human," Ragnata said from inside the duffel bag.
"I'm starting to get the urge to rip that tongue out."
I opened my eyes and crossed my arms, staring at Japa and the Elite Guard Captain.
‘Strange.’
The two of them looked as if they knew each other. Japa quietly looked down at the captain and said something in the Tajirun language.
The Elite Guard Captain hadn't shown much emotion even while fighting me fiercely after his subordinates were wiped out. He had conveyed his state of mind through solemn action.
‘But now that he’s facing Japa, his emotions are plain on his face. Anger, contempt, hatred…’
He hated Japa intensely. He shouted accusingly in Tajirun, and Japa listened in silence.
‘Is Japa going to save him?’
By now, I too could faintly read the emotional cues of the Tajirun.
Japa looked at the Elite Guard Captain with pity. He gestured toward an Equesian Mercenary, signaling for them to transport the man.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Snap!
The Elite Guard Captain refused Japa's pity. He struck his own neck with the edge of his remaining hand. His neck bent at an unnatural angle, and the chilling sound of a life being extinguished echoed through the air.
-If we administer emergency treatment right now, we can save him, Japa.
One of the Equesian Mercenaries spoke through a translator. Come to think of it, En was nowhere to be seen.
"No. Let him die. It was his own choice," Japa said, turning his back. His already thin eyes narrowed further, a deeply troubled look on his face.
"Is this situation mostly wrapped up?" I asked.
Japa glanced between me and the duffel bag containing Ragnata.
"Mr. Luka, you've gained a companion. And if I recall correctly, I asked you to escort Anguis Regina, not to provide backup…"
I shrugged. I had nothing to say to that. Coming here was purely to satisfy my own desires.
‘Japa didn't need my help anyway.’
He had prepared extensively for today. His bold move of blowing up an entire floor of the building had surprised even me.
"Anguis Regina is at the safehouse. Should I bring her here?"
"I'll leave that to someone else. More importantly, I'm curious about the identity of the person with you. She doesn't appear to be in good shape."
"She's the assassin who ambushed Anguis Regina. And… an old acquaintance of mine."
I threw together a quick excuse. Ragnata let out a low chuckle from the bag.
"So she was an enemy. We'll send her to the holding cell and hear the details later. Is that acceptable?"
Japa must have a massive headache right now. There were countless things he had to clean up.
‘And with my own urges settled, I finally had the peace of mind to consider his situation.’
I nodded and prepared to hand the duffel bag over to the Equesian. Ragnata would be taken to the holding cells in the building's basement.
"This old woman is severely injured, so give her some painkillers and antibiotics. But do not, under any circumstances, untie her arms. Her legs are gone and she's weak, but she was a renowned assassin in her day. Let your guard down for a second, and she'll snap your neck. She's already killed several of your comrades."
The Equesian flinched at the mention of his comrades but quickly suppressed his personal feelings and carried the duffel bag downstairs.
Japa activated his terminal's hologram and began issuing orders to his employees. Next, he conferred with the press and Border City officials, informing key figures that the unrest had been settled.
"I will prepare a detailed press release and send it over. Ah, yes, hoyot, the report will also be ready by the day after tomorrow…"
Being the head of an organization is an incredibly exhausting position. I could never do it, not even if you paid me to. Having to say things you don't mean… if it were me, the stress would cut my lifespan in half.
Having dealt with the most urgent matters, Japa gulped down some water.
"Is En dead?"
"He almost died. He should be undergoing treatment right now."
"He talked a big game, yet he still got beaten."
"Because he took on the most dangerous role. En was the one who bought us time until the explosives could be activated. He has never disappointed me. He has never failed a mission, either."
Trust dripped from his words. They might be called employer and mercenary, but it was only natural after going through thick and thin together for so long.
I wanted to see how En fought. I had been curious about his skills for a while now. I’d probably get the chance someday. Seeing as he’d bought time against the Menoa Elite Guard, he clearly wasn't all talk.
"Are you going to renegotiate with the Menoa Family now? You've gone back to being an exile. Since you repelled their attack and they took heavy losses, there should be room for a peaceful resolution."
I broached the subject. Japa looked at me, deep in thought.
"Did you hear about my background from Anguis Regina?"
"About half of it. The other half from elsewhere."
"That woman earlier mentioned the Menoa Elite Guard. As you said, I am a member of the Menoa Family, and currently an exile. Does that interest you?"
"Interest aside, knowing more about you makes it easier to find Kinuan. My guess is that the information you're hiding is related to this matter."
Japa was in a tight spot with a lot on his plate. Negotiations with the Menoa Family were indispensable.
‘And En, his chief bodyguard, is severely injured.’
A void had opened up in Japa's security, and I was the perfect fit to fill it. The opportunity to access his private information had just presented itself.
"Mr. Luka, you probably anticipate what I am about to say. It seems you've guided the conversation to this point, hoyot."
I smiled, pleased by how quickly he caught on.
"I'll take over En's role for the time being. Free of charge. I won't ask for any separate payment."
"...Well, considering you have a conscience, you certainly shouldn't. For the record, hearing the word 'conscience' from a Tajirun is a very rare thing."
* * *
Three more days passed. Japa Trading was slowly returning to normal. It seemed Anguis Regina's tour would resume once things stabilized.
Step, step.
I walked down the hospital corridor toward En's room. Officially, I was there to take over his duties. Of course, that was just an excuse; I simply wanted to see what kind of pathetic state the bastard was in.
"Hmm, you're a total wreck. But seeing as you're still breathing, I guess Equesians really are sturdier than humans," I said, looking at the chart displayed on En's monitor. It was hard to find a spot on his body where a bone wasn't broken. The image was densely packed with the metal pins fixing them in place.
-You came to visit your senior in the hospital, and you're empty-handed?
Lying in bed, En turned only his head toward me. I rummaged through my pockets, pulled out a crumpled energy bar, and tossed it onto the bed.
"It's packed with nutrients. Perfect for a patient. Happy now?"
En frowned. An Equesian's face without a combat helmet was an unfamiliar sight.
Equesians were said to have evolved from creatures similar to what we would call horses on Earth, just as we evolved from apes. But just as humans lost most of their body hair, not many equine traces remained in Equesians—the result of a long evolution. If anything, their blue skin made them look more like reptiles.
Not that their species' appearance was any of my concern. What mattered to me was that Equesians were a tenacious and formidable warrior race.
-I'm sick of hospital food, but even that probably tastes better than this. Next time, bring me a Japa Burger or some pizza. They don't even let you order delivery here.
Glancing at the energy bar, En grumbled.
"I don't know if I'll have a reason to come back, but I'll keep that in mind. I'm Japa's dedicated bodyguard for the time being. Is there anything specific I should know?"
-It'll be tricky to guard a Tajirun with a human's biological rhythm.
"I can manage my own sleep cycle, so you don't need to worry about that."
-Also, Japa eats infrequently, but he's a glutton who eats a massive amount at once. Oh, and he won't eat unless there's soda. After a meal, he usually sleeps for over half a day.
The more details I knew about my client, the better, but hearing such trivial things made me feel like a babysitter.
"What else?"
-Sometimes Japa will wake up screaming. Just leave him be. He gets nightmares often. Lastly, regarding his private life… an employer's private life is…
En couldn't finish his sentence. He suddenly coughed up blood as the vital signs on the monitor fluctuated wildly.
Clatter!
The door burst open, and medical staff rushed in. They babbled at me, saying the patient needed absolute rest and wasn't supposed to be speaking in the first place. Apparently, his vocal cords and lungs were currently pierced by metal pins.
"See you next time, Equesian—assuming neither of us dies before then," I said as I slipped out of the hospital room.
* * *
I confirmed that Lapis Lazuli, Boyan, and Gabriel were all safe.
Naturally, Anguis Regina was also safe and sound. She was preparing to resume her tour. The attack on Japa Trading, which had thrown Border City into an uproar, was slowly fading from public memory.
Clatter, clatter. Thud!
Japa Trading's headquarters was in the middle of construction. Heavy machinery surrounded the building, and construction drones buzzed about, reattaching the burnt and fallen exterior walls.
Interior renovations were also underway, and people were busily moving back and forth carrying materials and furniture.
Step, step.
With my hands shoved into the pockets of my newly issued coat, I headed down to the building's basement. There was a row of holding cells, and beyond the iron bars, I could see various strange aliens and the occasional human. This was a private prison for those who had committed crimes against Japa Trading. Some probably hadn't committed any crime at all, but had simply gotten on Japa's bad side.
"I'll kill you! Japa! Japa! Japaaa!"
"It's in the Japa Burger patties! In the patties! That's what's in them! Aaaaargh!"
"Locking someone up for a whole year just for dining and dashing?! Let me out! This is illegal!"
As I walked past, people grabbed the iron bars, shouting and screaming. Many of them looked completely unhinged.
One of them spat at me. I raised my foot and kicked the hands gripping the bars. A sharp crack of snapping fingers echoed down the hall, and things quieted down a bit.
Screeech, thud.
I descended another floor and shut a heavy iron door behind me.
This level housed the soundproofed VIP holding cells. Ragnata was in the innermost room. She had received proper medical treatment; bandages were wrapped tightly around the stumps of her legs, and her broken arms were in casts. The sharp, stinging smell of antiseptic hung in the air.
"I guess you can't regenerate on your own? It would've been pretty entertaining to see your legs pop back out," I said, sitting on a chair across from the bars.
"If that were possible, I'd be a monster, not a human. Anyway, I'm bored. It would be nice if you brought me a few books next time."
"I have no reason to do you any favors. If you want something, we trade as equals. Just keeping you alive means you're already in my debt."
The wrinkles around Ragnata's mouth deepened into a smile.
"If there's something you want from me, boy, then speak up."
I clasped my hands, tapping my thumbs together, and finally spoke.
"What do you think is the weakness of an Akies Victima user?"
I asked, hoping to tap into her vast experience.