Chapter 226
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 226
Ilay was standing in an alleyway. Spotting me, he flicked his cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his boot.
"You're here, Luka. If you hadn't shown up today, I was going to leave Border City. My permit was about to expire."
Ilay spoke, pulling a thick muffler up to his nose. Instead of his combat suit, he wore light brown travel gear lined with practical pockets.
"What's with the outfit? Going on an expedition?"
"My pass says I'm an archaeologist. I have to dress the part to make it believable."
"In my experience, you don't really need a pass in this town."
"I have to travel to places other than Border City."
Since Ilay possessed extensive knowledge of the Arcane Civilization, a disguise as an archaeologist would be convincing enough.
"Fine. We can't talk out here. Where are we going?"
This alley was a secluded meeting spot, but it wasn't the place for a long conversation.
"Follow me."
Ilay slipped deeper into the alley, as if wrapping himself in the shadows.
The sun had yet to set. However, due to the city's haphazard development, buildings soared at chaotic angles, allowing only fragmented shards of light to occasionally touch the ground.
"Mushir Al-Kashura came to see me," I said as I followed him.
Ilay replied without looking back.
"I'm sorry about that. I didn't expect him to target you first."
"I'm not blaming you. It was unavoidable in many ways. The situation caught me by surprise as well."
I wasn't being sarcastic; I meant it.
Mushir Al-Kashura had appeared at an unexpected time and place.
"Luka, just in case, you don't have any cybernetic or electronic sensory organs installed, do you?"
"None."
Ilay pulled a small mechanical device from his coat. The device let out a brief hum, and the air seemed to vibrate slightly, inducing a strange wave of nausea.
A portable jammer.
Its output was remarkably high for a portable device. Even with my biological senses, I could clearly feel the magnetic field.
Ilay kept walking with the jammer active. Before long, we arrived at a signless shop.
Whirrr.
A camera and an automatic turret were mounted above the entrance, but they failed to detect us due to the jammer.
"I'll handle this. Just keep your mouth shut."
"I don't know what this is about, but let me know if you need help," I said, crossing my arms.
"It's my mission. I'm just taking care of it while securing a place for us to talk," Ilay said, as if he were merely running an errand. He slipped off his glove and grabbed the doorknob, which was fitted with an electronic lock.
Zzzzt.
An electric current flowed from Ilay's hand, completing the hack.
Clack, click.
The electronic lock gave way with pathetic ease. This was why one should always use mechanical locks.
Then again, in a neighborhood like this, that level of security is usually enough. Electronic locks are more convenient, too.
Pulling his glove back on, Ilay opened the door.
Firearms and mechanical devices were displayed on the walls, while heavy swords, prosthetic arms, and prosthetic legs hung from the ceiling.
A gunsmith? No, there's too much miscellaneous junk. There are even prosthetic bodies.
Scanning the interior, I deduced the nature of the shop.
A pawn shop dealing in stolen goods.
Well, in Border City, it would be harder to find a pawn shop that didn't deal in stolen goods.
"...I thought we had uninvited guests, but it seems the Grim Reaper has arrived."
A raspy, metallic voice echoed from the back of the shop.
Whir, whir.
I stared at the shopkeeper. He was a cyborg with a shoddy full-body prosthetic, the kind of man you'd only expect to see in the Lower District of Akbaran.
The parts of his limbs were of completely different specifications. As a result, his gait was awkward, and his aging components creaked and whirred with every step.
Half of his face lacked artificial skin and the emotion expression unit needed to mimic complex facial muscles. Only cold, robotic metal was exposed, and even that was rusted in streaks that looked like tear tracks.
Screeech.
The man stood behind the counter and looked at us. He squeezed out a sinister smile, the artificial skin on the remaining half of his face contorting unnaturally.
"Haha, Ilay. I hear they call you the Fox of Kartika these days? And..."
The man's gaze locked onto me.
Click.
Tilting his head to the side, he suddenly vaulted over the counter.
Whoosh!
His movements were remarkably clean for someone with such a cobbled-together prosthetic. Despite his appearance, he was highly skilled in utilizing his cybernetic body.
"My god, you're alive? And not in a full-body prosthetic, but flesh and blood. Yes, there's no way I could forget that face."
The man said, staring at me. His optical sensors flickered as they scanned my entire body.
I remained silent, trying to assess the situation.
"Senior, this is Lucaus Custoria," Ilay introduced me.
Senior.
I turned the word over in my mind. This meant the ragged cyborg before me was a former Imperial Guardsman.
I didn't recognize him. It wasn't as if I had memorized every single guardsman. But every member of the Imperial Guard knew me.
"I knew something was strange. A celebrity like you just vanishes… rumors that you were dead, that you were beyond recovery," the man muttered.
"Ilay, what is the meaning of this?" I asked, somewhat annoyed.
"After the Storm Era, a significant number of Imperial Guardsmen deserted. I've been looking for them," Ilay explained.
Color returned to the living half of the man's face.
"Ha, hahaha! So that's what it was. Indeed! Ilay, I heard you and Lucaus were close friends. Hmm, so that's how things have been playing out. To think those rumors were true."
The man was misunderstanding something.
This is related to the Empire's conspiracy.
And Ilay had deliberately dragged me into this. He must have needed my name.
"You can let the others know as well—that Lucaus Custoria is alive and has successfully made a comeback," Ilay continued, his voice calm and quiet.
"Unfortunately, we severed all contact with each other, just in case. Even if I wanted to pass on the news..."
Before the man could finish his sentence, Ilay's hand was already moving. He drew his Execution Pistol.
I frowned. It was too late to react.
Ilay pressed the muzzle against the back of the man's head and pulled the trigger.
Thud!
A sharp stake shot out from the muzzle, piercing straight through from the back of his skull to his forehead. When the stake stopped, it looked as if a horn had sprouted from his head.
Clack!
As the stake retracted, fragments of the man's shattered brain oozed out.
Rustle.
Bending down, Ilay gathered the brain fragments and placed them into a glass vial. It was likely evidence for his mission report.
"This is unpleasant, Ilay," I said, wiping away the blood that had splattered onto my face.
A former Imperial Guardsman had just died right before my eyes.
"I did it precisely to make it unpleasant."
"You wanted to use my name to draw out the other deserters."
Ilay nodded, pocketing the vial containing the brain fragments.
"Exactly."
"Did you really have to go this far? You could have told me beforehand."
Ilay reloaded the stake into the Execution Pistol and holstered it.
"If I had told you beforehand, you would have waited outside."
He was right. I wouldn't have lent my name and face to this kind of dirty work.
"Was it really worth provoking me? How incredibly loyal of you, Ilay Kartika. What was it again, the 'Fox'? That's a very elegant title for someone so despicable."
"Your criticism is almost nostalgic, but don't be too sarcastic. I want to keep working with you. I need offerings to blind the Emperor's eyes. And..."
Ilay narrowed his eyes. He had pulled his muffler up to his nose, completely concealing the lower half of his face. His emotional signals, already difficult to read, were now even fainter.
Hummm.
Only a cold, blue optical glow emanated from his eyes.
"And?"
"...I wanted to show you exactly who I am now. I've done countless things far more sickening than this. If you can't accept the man I've become, then our alliance ends here. I have no intention of wasting energy bickering with you over things like this, and I'm too numb to care anymore. I am giving you only one choice. Get used to my stench, Luka."
Ilay spoke dryly. There was no trace of sadness, anger, or hatred in his voice. He sounded as if he were merely listing objective facts.
"Twelve years is a long time."
I pulled up a chair and sat down.
"I'd love to accommodate a prince who did nothing but sleep for twelve years, but I don't have that luxury."
Ilay pulled out an Akresia Empire flag and unfurled it.
Rustle.
The imperial flag drifted down, covering the body of the former guardsman.
We conversed with the corpse of our former comrade lying right beside us.
"It seems there are quite a few desertions within the Imperial Guard. Publicly, you make it look like there are none."
"There were too many unacceptable situations. And as you know, the Empire's official announcements always paint a flawless picture."
I glanced at the body covered by the imperial flag.
"With the skills and experience of an Imperial Guardsman, he could have been treated well anywhere. Yet, this man lived in squalor as a recluse—a patriot who left behind everything the Empire gave him."
His only crime was failing to remain loyal to the Imperial Family. A rebellious thought surfaced.
"It would be fine if all deserters were like him. But there are bad precedents as well."
I didn't ask about the bad precedents. More important matters took priority.
Our conversation turned to Mushir Al-Kashura.
"...It was a Legion-class full-armor prosthetic. His brain wasn't even in his head; it was in a box on his back."
Ilay showed a faint trace of surprise when I mentioned that I had subdued a Legion-class full-armor prosthetic.
"Do you know how he controls it?"
Even with the Empire's technology, a Legion was a difficult machine to pilot.
"Well, I'm no technician."
I had a hunch, but I swallowed my words.
Because of Mushir Al-Kashura's escape, the path to Kinuan was temporarily cut off.
...But Mushir Al-Kashura will definitely come for me again.
It was a premonition bordering on certainty. He had approached me with a specific purpose. He would reappear before long.
"Luka, the representative of G&G Cybernetics... Gilda, is going to visit Border City. I've made an opening in her schedule, so go see her. You should be able to manage that."
I barely managed to keep my composure. Gilda was the person who knew more about Giselle's past twelve years than anyone else.
"Gilda is coming to Border City?"
"It seems she's planning to use Border City as a base to expand her business into Bellato. Growth has stalled within the Empire's domestic market. Entering the market alone is difficult given the current climate, so she's looking to form a joint venture. I've included a list of candidate companies."
Ilay handed me a paper document. I folded it and tucked it away.
We finished discussing the remaining matters.
"...Luka, your activities are drawing attention in Border City. That means your time is running out. You have about two or three months. If you haven't found Kinuan by then, go into hiding."
It was advice born of an objective assessment of the current situation. You're as sharp as ever, Ilay.
"I know."
I stood up and moved toward the exit.
Rustle.
Before leaving, Ilay poured oil over the imperial flag.
Flick.
Ilay's lighter dropped to the floor. The fire spread rapidly.
Stepping outside, we scattered into different alleys as if fleeing from the heat.
I turned my head slightly to look in the direction Ilay had gone.
Hummm.
Ilay was looking back at me too. His blue optical glow hovered in the dark like a will-o'-the-wisp.
His glowing eyes flickered unsteadily before vanishing completely.
Taking a winding route, I headed toward the office building of Japa Trading.
I need to review Gilda's visit schedule...
Thoughts of Giselle filled my mind. Her smile, her laughter... they were more beautiful than those of any woman I had ever known.
...It was hard to concentrate. The brighter the memories shone, the greater my anxiety grew. I hoped her past twelve years hadn't drifted as far away as Ilay's had.
The crowd grew thicker as I neared the Japa Trading building. Blending in with the people, I stared at the office building in the distance.
I froze.
My body reacted before my mind could process it. Akies Victima stirred within me.
My eyes locked onto a spot in the crowd.
Amidst the surging wave of people, a man stood as solid as a rock.
Whoosh.
My senses shut out all unnecessary information. My perception narrowed to a single point.
...The world fell silent.
I stared at that one man, as if we were the only two people left in the world.
When emotions reach their peak, they sometimes turn not into passion, but into a blank void.
I couldn't understand any of it.
Kinuan.
Kinuan looked back at me and gave a slight nod. It was a greeting one would give an old acquaintance.
...The gesture was so natural that, before I knew it, I nodded back in response.