Chapter 207
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 207
After parting with Ilay, I walked the night streets with no intention of taking the direct route back. The alcohol was starting to hit, and with my head full of thoughts, I craved the bite of the cold night wind.
Giselle, Ilay, Kinuan, Ivan Cracia, Mushir Al-Kashura, Valek… Japa, Anguis Regina.
Everything was a tangled mess, with Kinuan at its very center.
Giselle.
I had a sudden, overwhelming urge to find Gilda and demand answers about Giselle. Gilda was the one who knew the most about her transformation.
Grit.
I ground my teeth, the fingers of my prosthetic arm twitching. An impulse boiled within me, begging to be unleashed.
Calm down, Luka. There’s an order to things. Find Valek first.
I am a trained soldier. I know how to control my aggression and impulses. Of course, that’s not to say I’m innocent. I’ve given in to them far too often lately.
Whir, whir.
A harsh mechanical sound made me look up. A man wearing a rear exoskeleton was stomping down the street, his every movement menacing. Judging by the sprawling tattoos covering his skin, he was some kind of gangster.
The Bellato Federation doesn't favor prosthetic bodies. They prefer to enhance themselves with equipment like exoskeletons.
To be more precise, prosthetics were generally disliked outside of the Akresia Empire. Replacing a perfectly healthy body part was heavily condemned. Only those who had lost limbs in accidents or wounded soldiers ever used them.
Come to think of it, the Empire's widespread distribution of prosthetics is another form of control. Once you have a full-body prosthetic, it's almost impossible to live outside the Empire. Within its borders, prosthetic specialists are common even in the Lower Districts, but that isn't the case elsewhere. The more of your body is replaced, the more you're effectively shackled to the Empire.
Full-body prosthetics, especially high-performance combat models, were nearly impossible to find outside the Empire. There would be very few technicians capable of maintaining them, either.
Valek discarded his high-performance combat prosthetic. And unless you’re a lunatic like Barbara, replacing a full-body prosthetic on your own is impossible.
Besides, Barbara was a woman who swapped bodies like they were disposable. She’d use one even if the calibration was off, then simply discard it.
But a combat prosthetic required incredibly delicate calibration. It absolutely required an expert’s touch.
There can’t be that many full-body prosthetic technicians in Border City. And the number capable of calibrating high-performance combat prosthetics has to be even smaller.
If I asked Japa, a list would be on my desk in no time.
…And even this line of reasoning must be within Kinuan’s expectations.
In my mind, Kinuan was an omnipotent monster. I had no choice but to admit it.
To me, Kinuan is invincible. He can do anything, and he knows everything.
I was utterly in awe of him.
In truth, I couldn't even imagine catching him off guard or defying his predictions. I couldn't picture myself defeating him at all.
Until now, no matter how strong the opponent, I had always been able to imagine a path to victory. But against Kinuan, I couldn't even conjure the image.
I’m losing before the fight even begins.
I had to shake off this weakness, but the wedge Kinuan had driven into my mind ran deep. If I were in his shoes, could I have pulled off such elaborate operations within the Empire? Not a chance. I couldn't even properly manage the handful of people around me.
I am inferior to Kinuan.
No matter how many times I tried to convince myself otherwise, I always arrived at the same conclusion. Asking Ragnata about the weakness of the Akies Victima was just another manifestation of this subconscious admission.
"…Dammit."
I spat out a curse and shoved my hands into my coat pockets.
* * *
The next day, I requested the necessary information from Japa. Seeing my request for a list of prosthetic technicians, he immediately understood my intentions.
"Hoyot! So tracking Valek is your priority, not meeting Mushir Al-Kashura?"
"There’s no need to dance to Kinuan's tune. I'll find him directly through Valek."
I didn't mention that Ilay was handling Mushir Al-Kashura. Japa had plenty of his own secrets; I didn't feel particularly guilty.
"In that case, I will ask around about Mushir Al-Kashura, since he may be needed later. He is an incredibly secretive figure, so making contact on short notice won't be easy."
"That mercenary, Kashura, has long surpassed his biological lifespan, even with a full-body prosthetic. He's probably not a single person. More likely, a successor is operating under his name and using his gear."
"Hoyoyoooo, I think so too. It’s a common trick among mercenaries to inflate their reputations. Well then, any other reports or progress?"
Japa flicked his tongue, his eyes fixed on me.
Click, click, click.
The rhythmic sound of him tapping his fingernails together echoed through the office.
Tajiruns read the emotions of others by catching scents on the air with their tongues. I blocked my own emotional signals, visualizing my pores tightening.
"Nothing."
"In many ways, hiring you has truly paid off. You are closing in on Kinuan faster than anyone else I've ever employed, Luka. Your ability to resolve other issues is also outstanding."
"Flattery won't get you anything extra, Japa."
"No, I say this because I wish to discuss the future. Even after the hunt for Kinuan is over, I would like you to remain with Japa Trading as a troubleshooter. I value talent. Money is merely a byproduct; talent is what creates it."
"If I'm still alive by then, I'll consider it."
"For now, that answer is more than enough."
Japa smiled. The expressions and emotional cues of a Tajirun, once so alien, were now familiar to me.
He sat down and began issuing instructions to his employees through his communicator. Before long, the list of prosthetic technicians would be sent to my terminal.
Step, step.
I left Japa's office and headed for the room where Ragnata was staying. She was being treated as a guest of Japa Trading.
How ridiculous.
What was even more ridiculous was that she and Anguis Regina seemed to be getting along quite well.
The floor where Ragnata and I were staying had a high security clearance, accessible only to Japa's inner circle. The hallway was quiet, allowing voices to carry from a distance.
Anguis and Ragnata… is there some connection between them?
From a distance, I watched them chatting. They were sitting at a bar by a window overlooking Border City, sharing a drink. Even in broad daylight, their faces were flushed with alcohol.
"Ah, Luka. Come have a drink."
Anguis Regina spotted me and beckoned me over. I sat on a sofa a short distance from the bar.
"You've got some nerve, drinking with the woman who tried to kill you."
"That's in the past. Besides, Ragnata was just doing her job. It wasn't personal. Right, Ragnata?"
Anguis Regina smiled brightly at her. Ragnata returned a soft smile of her own.
"A professional doesn't let emotion interfere with work. Besides, after failing a mission, I should be grateful just to be treated like this."
"A pathetic end for an assassin. If I were you, I’d have bitten my tongue and died."
I sneered, but Ragnata didn't even flinch at my provocation. She was far more resilient than someone like me.
"That's a strange thing to say for the man who spared my life and brought me here."
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Anguis Regina stood up.
"Oh, come on, don't fight, you two. Let's all get along. No need to make things difficult. I'm going to use the restroom."
She stood, tugging at her loose, flowing collar. As the light hit the fabric, it turned translucent, revealing the contours of her body.
I sighed as she walked away.
"What are you thinking, getting friendly with Anguis Regina?"
"She's an interesting young lady. Even though she's a cripple, she shows no fear of me, the one who tried to kill her. And she's not even a soldier or a warrior. Then again, perhaps that's to be expected of the celebrity who once ruled Border City?"
"She's just out of her mind. That woman is a lunatic, too."
I had seen Anguis Regina's dark side firsthand.
Ragnata lifted her glass with wrinkled fingers and tilted it to her lips. Her wheelchair, which had a height adjustment function, was raised to match the bar.
"Actually, I'm interested in you, Japa Trading, and this entity you call Kinuan. But no one seems willing to tell me what happened with him. It seems Anguis Regina is also connected to him in some way."
That was something I was curious about as well.
"…It’s a highly complicated relationship, no doubt."
"Why don't you sleep with her? You'll find out then. Psychological barriers crumble in bed. From what I can see, she seems to have a liking for you. It's not very gentlemanly to keep pushing away a woman who so clearly wants you. I heard you rejected her last time, too?"
It seemed the two of them had talked about all sorts of things.
"Don't say such disgusting things. I detest women like her."
Ragnata chuckled as she looked at me.
"Hmm, I don't think that's it. You seem to be a devoted romantic. Is there another woman you love? Yes, was her name Giselle? All for a woman who is no longer by your side…"
My eyes widened, and I glared at her, feeling the veins tighten across my entire body.
"Shut your mouth before I smash it."
"…So this is your sore spot."
She must have thought I was an easy target.
I shot to my feet, lunged forward, and swung my arm.
Smash!
I grabbed Ragnata by the temple and slammed her head into the bar. The solid wood cracked, sending splinters digging into her cheek.
"Don't mistake my goodwill for weakness. I am holding back with everything I have. You, Japa, Anguis Regina… there are times I want to beat all of you to death, several times a day. Do you know why I don't? Because you're useful. We are not friends. If you understand, answer me. If you keep spouting nonsense just to feel like you have the upper hand, I will make you scream and beg until I'm satisfied."
I loosened my grip, waiting for her to speak.
"I apologize, Luka. You are right. I forgot my place and took your goodwill for granted. It won't happen again."
Her response was perfectly calm.
"Good answer, Ragnata."
I let go of her head.
Pluck.
Ragnata pulled a splinter from her cheek and gestured behind me with her chin.
"But Luka, Anguis Regina is an interesting woman. Get close to her, and her secrets will spill out. Ah, consider that a piece of advice."
I had also felt Anguis Regina's gaze on me for a while now.
I turned. Having returned from the restroom, she was staring at me, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling.
She had been watching ever since I slammed Ragnata’s head down.
The same Anguis Regina who had been acting so sweet hadn't tried to stop my violence. Instead of being horrified, she looked thoroughly aroused, pressing her thighs together and grinding them slowly against each other.
Disgusted, I adjusted my collar and turned to leave.
"Fufu, Luka…"
She continued to watch me with a suggestive smile. I wanted to choke her and slam her against the wall, but I forced the impulse down.
I tried to walk past without a glance, but she spoke again, as if to pull me back.
"…Did you know? My dad died because of Kinuan."
Her voice was thick and sticky with saliva. She took a step back, as if inviting me to approach if I wanted to hear more.
"Oh, really? That's too bad."
I replied half-heartedly and walked away.
From behind me, Anguis Regina spat a string of curses. It seemed she knew how to speak Tajirun.