Chapter 30
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 30
Kinuan was under my surveillance. And yet, I found myself at ease in his company. He, too, understood perfectly well that I was acting on the Imperial Guard Captain's orders.
In many ways, ours was a delicate relationship. Come to think of it, the same could be said of most people I dealt with.
Since the subject of subordinates had come up, I decided to put a question to Kinuan.
"Ah, the Imperial Guard Captain mentioned something the other day. He said that if anyone knows how to handle subordinates, it's Instructor Kinuan."
"Heilas said that? Haha, he overestimates me. Still, I suppose I can offer a bit of advice. After all, I'm playing the part of your mentor for now."
Kinuan tilted his head, resting it against the back of his hand. With his other, he tapped the table.
Whirrr.
A holographic portrait flickered to life. It showed a man and a woman—Gilda and Gabriel.
"Gilda and Gabriel—these are people who could be considered your collaborators in the Lower District at the moment. You've done favors for them both. You saved Gilda from the gang, and you paid for Gabriel's medical treatment. These two would gladly lend you their aid."
Looking back, Kinuan had been teaching me how to make allies from very early on.
"Naturally. I did something for them, after all."
"But that isn't enough. If they ever find themselves in truly dire straits, they will betray you. You must forge a deeper connection through emotional exchange. Like family. Like friends."
I frowned at that.
"Like family and friends?"
"Yes. And sometimes even like lovers. Only when they are that emotionally close will they willingly throw their lives away for you. But you must maintain a psychological distance from them all the while. If you grow too attached, you'll hesitate to 'expend' them."
Kinuan spoke as though delivering a lecture. The content of his words was chilling.
"...I don't much care for that approach."
I thought it would be better to control people through violence and fear.
"The point is this: 'Be loved, but do not love.' That is the secret to holding the upper hand in any human relationship."
I made no effort to hide the distaste rising within me.
"Soldiers of the Empire will march into the jaws of death at a single command. I see no reason to go to the trouble of forming bonds."
Kinuan only smiled at my counterargument.
"In the future, you may find yourself leading those who are not soldiers. And not every soldier in the Empire is as brave as you seem to imagine. Above all..."
Kinuan paused, narrowing his eyes slightly as he laced his fingers together. The light gleaming in his eyes was cold.
"...if you expend your subordinates through direct orders, your reputation suffers. Resentment festers. But if a subordinate throws away their life of their own accord, it becomes an inspiring tale, and your reputation grows. Once that momentum takes hold, those swept up in the mob will eagerly cast themselves away for you. Humans who surrender their sense of self to a massive tide often discard their one and only life with ease—all while under the illusion that it was worth it."
I fell silent, sinking into thought.
The Imperial Guard Captain was right. Kinuan understood people far too well to be a mere Imperial Guardsman. He spoke like someone who had led an organization for a very long time.
Imperial Guardsmen did occasionally serve as commanders, but Kinuan's words touched on something far more fundamental. This wasn't the sort of insight one could gain from playing field commander a handful of times.
I stared directly into Kinuan's eyes, refusing to look away. And yet it was difficult to read his intentions, his thoughts. Why was he telling me all of this?
"...I understand. That is certainly an area where I fall short."
Even as a polite lie, I couldn't call myself sociable. If anything, I leaned toward being closed off. I doubted I could ever put such advice to good use.
"But there is one thing I'm curious about, Instructor."
Kinuan waited, gesturing for me to go on.
"What if one's own mind cannot bear the weight of expending others? Say, from pangs of conscience, or guilt?"
"You'll just have to get used to it," Kinuan said breezily.
I pressed him.
"And if you can't?"
"Then you lack the qualities to command others. It simply means you were never the sort of person meant to stand above them in the first place."
I nodded, very slowly. This wasn't a matter of agreeing or disagreeing. It was reality—a cold, hard fact.
* * *
The Empire boasts all manner of educational institutions. Just as not every noble is a soldier, military training centers are hardly the only places of learning.
One of them is the Royal Cracia Academy.
It is an institution named after His Majesty the Emperor himself. There's even a saying that to become an elite bureaucrat at the very heart of the Empire, one must first pass through the Royal Cracia Academy.
...Or so said the Imperial Guard Captain, Heilas Custoria.
I had rushed over the moment the Imperial Guard Captain summoned me. The Royal Cracia Academy? I had no interest in the place, and it was none of my concern. Or rather—that had been the case, until now.
"...I beg your pardon?"
My bewilderment was laid bare in that single question. Had I ever questioned a superior like this before? Not in any memory I could recall.
"You seem surprised by the word 'dispatch,' Luka."
Having finished explaining the Royal Cracia Academy, the Imperial Guard Captain chuckled, thoroughly amused.
"You're... not joking, I take it," I muttered.
The Imperial Guard Captain added, as though he understood my reaction completely.
"It's only a two-month dispatch. It will be good experience for you."
"I thought I would be exempt."
"It has always been our tradition to send cadets based on their training performance. Ah—Ilay declined. He said he wanted to rest at the family estate for a while."
"Then I decline as well," I said firmly.
But the Imperial Guard Captain replied without a moment's hesitation.
"And I reject your refusal. You have never set foot in high society. You need to experience it, even secondhand, through this opportunity—that is, if you truly intend to become a member of the Custoria family."
Once he brought that up, I had nothing left to say.
To put it plainly, I was to become a student at the Royal Academy for the next two months. It was absurd. But it was also an order from the Imperial Guard Captain.
I knew a handful of top-performing fourth-year Imperial Guard Cadets were sent to the Royal Academy each cycle. I simply hadn't expected them to include me—not with my Lower District background.
"If you believe it necessary experience for me, then I will gladly go."
I snapped to attention and saluted. I had no intention of showing any further un-soldierly behavior. Once an order was given, I would carry it out.
"Ah—and Luka."
The Imperial Guard Captain stopped me before I could leave.
"I've personally arranged for your guide. Let's see... pack your things and be at the airfield tomorrow at 13:20."
My lips parted slightly.
A guide?
I had my doubts, but I didn't ask. I'd find out soon enough tomorrow.
* * *
The next day.
Beep.
I felt the vibration of my wristwatch, synced with my terminal.
The time was exactly 13:20. The hum of engines rolled across the airfield.
A six-seater aerial vehicle touched down before me. Its exterior was black, with red lights gleaming stylishly along the trim. A faint seam split along the side, and the gull-wing door swung upward.
I stood still and peered inside. The interior was staggeringly luxurious. In place of the usual seats sat a refrigerator, a display screen, and other amenities, while the floor was laid with a muted gray fabric carpet, lending the space a calm atmosphere.
"Don't just stand there gawking. Get in."
A woman's voice. She sat deep inside, out of view from the outside. Irritation laced every word.
Well, this is the vehicle and the person sent on the Imperial Guard Captain's orders.
Shrugging, I stepped inside. Everything was top-tier, just as I'd expected. The carpet beneath my feet was plush. Though rated as a six-seater, the actual interior was configured for four, thanks to all the amenities.
"Imperial Guard Cadet Luka, reporting," I said toward the source of the voice.
"I already know your name. No need to introduce yourself."
Her manner was aggressive in the extreme. She had the air of someone who'd never once been slapped for rudeness. Which meant, without a doubt, she was a noble.
I studied her—not openly. A single glance was enough.
About my age, maybe?
Judging by her breathing and her presence, she didn't have a full-body prosthetic. Most nobles transitioned to full-body prosthetics upon reaching adulthood. A noble without one was either a minor or an oddity.
The woman sat with her arms crossed, staring out the window. She showed no intention of giving a proper introduction. Her hair was a dark, gloomy shade of blue—nearly black, depending on the light.
"I'm here on the Imperial Guard Captain's orders. Is our destination the Cracia Academy?"
"You seem well-informed."
She said no more after that. Hmph. I felt my patience beginning to fray.
"Understood, Lady of the Custoria family."
For the first time, the woman turned to look at me properly. Her eyes widened in surprise before narrowing into a scowl.
"How did you figure that out?"
"Simple deduction. If you were merely an errand runner or a vassal of the Custoria family, you wouldn't dare flaunt your displeasure after receiving an order from Imperial Guard Captain Heilas Custoria—no matter how unhappy it made you. Therefore, you must be a noble of the Custoria family."
Even after my explanation, the displeasure on her face refused to fade.
"Are you certain you didn't just learn my identity beforehand?"
"If you're that curious, why not ask your 'father'?"
I spoke with absolute confidence. Even within the Custoria family, a distant relation or a low-ranking member wouldn't dare hold such an arrogant attitude under the Imperial Guard Captain's orders. That meant she was either of the direct bloodline or very close to him.
Most likely his daughter. And if I was wrong, the worst outcome would be a brief moment of embarrassment.
Luckily, the gamble paid off. Perhaps intrigued by my cleverness, she softened just slightly as she spoke.
"...Giselle Custoria. I'm here to act as your guide, on my father's orders."
I wasn't sure whether to be pleased. There was no earthly reason for him to send his own daughter to guide me. And Giselle herself was plainly irritated, unable to fathom why she'd been saddled with playing escort to someone like me.
This whole situation was proof of one thing: the Imperial Guard Captain was treating me with special care.
Luka Custoria.
And it was a sign, too, of his intent to keep that promise.
"Your insight isn't bad. But never again speak to me as though you stand above me. It's grating."
Giselle reverted to her cold demeanor. She clearly had no intention of playing nice.
Lillian Ramones suddenly came to mind. Compared to Giselle, Lillian had been a decent woman from the very start. She'd never once looked down on me.
"If I've offended you, I apolo—"
I stopped mid-word and let out a deep sigh. The woman before me was a civilian. She wasn't my superior. Why in the world was I bowing my head to her? Even the Imperial Guard Captain would understand if I lost my patience at this point.
"...Actually, never mind. I'd sooner bite off my tongue than flatter someone who despises me. Let's just do what we were ordered to do. You guide, I'll follow. Are we clear?"
Giselle looked genuinely taken aback by my outburst. She stared at me blankly for a long moment. Then she bit her lower lip in frustration and turned her face away without a word.
What a haughty little lady. I felt a sudden, powerful urge to break her nose—and I didn't mean that figuratively. I meant it quite literally. Someday, I hoped I'd get the chance.
I crossed my arms and turned to the window as well. Before long, the Imperial Guard Training Center shrank into the distance. And just as swiftly, the Cracia Academy loomed closer.