Chapter 230
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 230
Ragnata Anima was an extraordinary woman. Even before her bio-enhancements, she had reached superhuman levels with nothing but her own flesh and blood.
I suspected the procedures she’d received weren't particularly high-level, either. It was likely just neural-chemical processing, muscle reinforcement, and metabolic acceleration—all a lower grade than my own.
“Rehabbing for your return to active duty?” I asked, stepping into her room.
Ragnata was balancing her entire body upside down on a single arm. The muscles on her withered limb stood out in stark relief.
“I’m activating my nervous system. It seems I’ll need a certain level of combat capability to fulfill your ‘request.’”
A smirk touched my lips as I set down the box I’d brought.
Creak.
Inside, a mechanical prosthetic leg crafted by the Handicraft Industry gleamed, its rugged exoskeleton fully exposed.
Unlike a cybernetic limb, a mechanical prosthetic didn’t require sophisticated synchronization between flesh and machine. It moved by reading the bio-signals of the terminal muscles, which meant it lacked precision and responsiveness.
“I’ve never worn glass slippers in my life, but to think I’d receive metal boots as a gift from a man… The world is a strange place indeed.”
Ragnata pressed the prosthetic against her stump.
Clack, clack.
The locking mechanisms engaged, wrapping around her knee and thigh.
Whirrr.
Once it was attached, Ragnata stood up. She wobbled for a split second but quickly regained her balance.
I started to move to support her, then stopped.
She’s in a different league, as expected.
Ragnata must have been feeling an immense sense of discomfort. The prosthetic wasn’t custom-made, and being mechanical, its response time was sluggish. Even someone with exceptional motor skills would normally need a day or two just to walk.
Yet Ragnata found her balance in seconds. Within minutes, she was moving freely, even throwing a few kicks.
“It feels like using an exoskeleton. The principle is almost identical,” she said, holding one leg high in the air.
She had adapted far faster than I’d anticipated. She was already combat-ready.
“…We’re moving out immediately. Keep the prosthetic in its bag until we’re out of the building. I don’t want to attract Japa’s attention.”
“Hmm. Are you preparing to cross Japa?”
Ragnata obediently sat back in her wheelchair and began undoing the prosthetic’s clamps.
“I’m not crossing them. I’m preparing for the worst.”
“Suspicious movements breed distrust.”
“A washed-up assassin lecturing me on trust with an employer? You couldn’t even honor your own contract.”
“True enough. I suppose I have no right to speak.”
Ragnata conceded, leaning back in her wheelchair. I took the handles and pushed her out of the building.
We headed for Gaya’s Hospital. I caught my reflection in the glass wall of a building; pushing an old woman’s wheelchair was a ridiculous sight.
“You are a truly fascinating child,” Ragnata said, sitting comfortably.
“I don’t live for anyone’s entertainment.”
“Of course not. You’re an ordinary person who prefers to step down from the stage rather than climb onto it. You pretend to be a monster among monsters… but you are far too ordinary.”
My eyes narrowed. “That’s the first time I’ve ever been called ordinary.”
“Let me be more blunt. You are an ordinary citizen who happens to be a bit strong. No matter how much overwhelming violence you possess, in the end, you are just an individual. Strength alone cannot make you a hero.”
Ragnata’s shoulders shook with a soft chuckle. Her laughter grated on my ears.
“I have no desire to be a hero. You’re misunderstanding something.”
“The hero I speak of isn’t some champion of justice. It is one who achieves great deeds that ordinary people cannot. A hero is inevitably a monster. They devour everything around them for the sake of their ambition. To shine brightly, a hero needs fuel, and they always start by burning down their own surroundings.”
Irritated, I didn’t reply. I just kept pushing the wheelchair toward Gaya’s Hospital.
Thump.
The wheelchair hit a bump and jolted violently. I’d done it on purpose.
Taking it as her cue, Ragnata continued.
“…You cannot inflate your selfish desires to a monstrous scale. Be it justice, malice, or conviction—whatever it is, you can’t bring yourself to ruthlessly devour others for a single purpose. Your stomach is too weak to become a monster. You bluff and posture, but in the final moment, you’ve always tried to save the people around you. Even now, with something major on the horizon, you’re smuggling your friend Gabriel to safety.”
I couldn’t hold back any longer.
Creak.
The wheelchair’s handles crumpled in my grip.
“You’d better shut your mouth before I crush your jaw, old hag. I despise people who try to analyze me.”
Ragnata’s momentum didn’t falter. “This is my final piece of advice, Luka, since we likely won’t meet again. And no matter what I say, you won’t lay a finger on me. Because of Gabriel.”
…Dammit.
Other people had become my weakness. When I had no one, I had no vulnerabilities. I could just run straight ahead.
Now, I had to constantly look back, to watch my step, to make sure the person crushed beneath my feet wasn’t a friend or an acquaintance.
My impurities…
People like Gabriel. My weaknesses, my impurities. They weren’t much help to me, but… I couldn’t just leave them behind.
“I don’t need advice from a failed assassin.”
“And yet you kept this failed assassin by your side because you needed her advice, didn’t you? Listen well, kid. You may have overcome hardships with your innate talent and violence, but one day, you will reach your limit. Cast aside the naive thought that you can achieve all your goals with your meager abilities. You know the world isn’t that kind. A moment of choice will come. Decide beforehand what you are willing to discard.”
Heavy, profound advice always stems from experience.
“Ragnata, what did you discard, and what did you gain?”
At my question, she tilted her head back to look up at me.
“I discarded my world and gained absolutely nothing. That was the price of my indecision. You’re right—I am a failure. I only hope you don’t walk the same path.”
Ragnata’s eyes swirled with a tempest of regret. She didn’t bother to hide it, likely thinking it would make her words more convincing.
“I’ll take your advice. Thanks,” I replied after a short pause.
* * *
“Gaya, don’t inform Japa of Gabriel’s discharge. I know you have ties to them, but I’ll trust that you prioritize your conscience as a doctor,” I said.
Gaya, wearing a white coat with religious undertones, stood before Ragnata and me.
“Do you believe following this woman is what’s best for Mr. Gabriel? Only then can I accept this.”
Gaya’s eyes were fixed on Ragnata, who was reattaching her mechanical leg.
“It’ll be better than Border City. Gabriel was a Nomad to begin with. If things go well, he might even find the family he was separated from,” I explained.
Gaya stroked his chin, a faint smile playing on his lips. “This reminds me of when you tried to break Mr. Gabriel out by force.”
“I was a bit impatient back then. Just think of it as a side effect of someone messing with my nervous system.”
“In any case, I don’t have the power to stop you and this noble lady. If you wish to take Mr. Gabriel, there’s nothing I can do. Besides, I don’t report every little detail to Japa Trading. If they had demanded that of me, I would have never accepted patients through them in the first place.”
I narrowed my eyes, tempted to scrutinize him, but decided against it. I chose to take him at his word. From what I’d seen, Gaya was a conscientious man.
“Then I’ll be on my way. Ragnata, find the right moment to get Gabriel out of Border City. This is for expenses.”
I tossed a pouch filled with gold coins and gems to her. It was the payment I’d received from Boyan’s father, Regor. Since it was accepted anywhere, it was better than credit chips for traveling.
Besides, my credit chips are backed by Japa Trading. They’re too easy to track.
I blinked, checking the schedule displayed on my retina. I had to visit the Handicraft Industry this afternoon. This was important.
“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to Mr. Gabriel?” Gaya asked, looking at my back as I turned to leave.
“No need for tedious farewells. Ragnata can explain everything.”
My schedule was tight. I hadn’t come here because I had time to spare; I had only rushed Gabriel’s arrangements because Ragnata adapted to her prosthetic so quickly. The faster we moved, the better.
The test for the Handicraft Industry’s prototype MAU was moved up to today.
On top of that, Japa’s unveiling of Paolo Quan’s legacy and Gilda’s visit were both happening soon. I had to wrap up my business with the Handicraft Industry before then.
Before leaving, I met Ragnata’s gaze. Standing tall on her prosthetic leg, she nodded.
I hope I haven’t made the wrong decision for Gabriel.
* * *
The Handicraft Industry was noisier than usual.
Son Seok-jae bustled about, completely ignoring the injuries I’d inflicted on him. His walking-assist device let out a loud, mechanical hum.
Thud. Thud.
The prototype MAU was walking out of the warehouse. It looked less like a weapon and more like a rugged piece of heavy machinery—just a torso and limbs, with no head. For now, it resembled a utility robot.
“The schedule was moved up faster than I thought,” I remarked, coming to a stop beside Son Seok-jae.
“Ah, you’re here. Perfect timing. We modified the prototype based on the data from Mushir Al-Kashura. It’s a race against time. We need to demonstrate that our technology is ahead of the other companies. Even with an ordinary pilot, the responsiveness metrics are visibly—”
“Save the numbers. When is the Federation arriving?”
“They’ll be here soon. The person in charge is the Vice Minister of the Strategic Weapons Research Department.”
“Are they high up?”
At my question, Son Seok-jae’s eyes widened, and he burst into a hearty laugh. “High enough to bring several negotiation proposals to the table.”
“Good. What about Assistant Manager Oh?”
“I’d love to say we’re looking for him, but frankly, we’ve been pouring all our resources into the prototype. We hired a few people unofficially, but…”
It was clear he hadn’t given Assistant Manager Oh much thought. With his lifelong project right in front of him, his mind was completely occupied.
“…Is Miss Lapis doing well?” he asked, more out of politeness than anything.
“She’s alive.”
“That’s a relief.”
Our conversation ended there.
So this is the Federation’s new weapon?
I watched the MAU move around the empty lot. For a weapon, it was sluggish. Even with thick armor, it was nothing more than a walking target. An armored vehicle or a tank would be far more effective.
Vroooom.
Before long, three six-seater aerial vehicles appeared in the sky. Sleek and silver, they touched down in the lot.
Step, step.
Well-dressed bureaucrats disembarked one after another. The power dynamics were so obvious I could tell who the Vice Minister was from a distance.
However, it wasn’t the Vice Minister who caught my eye, but a girl.
The girl who was with Boyan. The leader of that delinquent gang.
Her name was Yanaka. Her fluid movements had left an impression on me. Now, she stood beside the Vice Minister, wearing a stiff pilot suit.
As my gaze shifted to her, Son Seok-jae explained, “Ah, that girl is the official combat MAU pilot designated by the Federation. She’s a child they’ve been training to their own specifications, just like the MAU we’re developing.”
Yanaka’s gaze found me. The moment she recognized me, she scowled. Her lips parted as if to say something, but after a glance at her surroundings, she snapped her mouth shut.