Chapter 69
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 69
I left the subterranean cavern and moved to a spot within communication range to call for backup. Kinuan, who had been with me, was long gone. He was an Emperor's Watcher—a Ghost of the Empire.
I must not reveal that Kinuan had been here today.
"Rick Silva Nunez has been eliminated."
I reported the situation to Imperial Guard Captain Heilas over the communicator.
My account went like this: while investigating the Deadronin, I crossed paths with Rick. After a fierce battle, I killed him.
Before long, an Imperial Guard aerial vehicle appeared in the sky. At the sight of the Imperial Army, the vagrants of the Ruins scrambled to hide deep underground.
"...It really is Rick of Nemesis. An incredible achievement, Luka."
The newly arrived Guardsmen ran a DNA match on Rick's body, then turned to look at me. The heavy capes of their uniforms dragged long across the ground. From a distance, they looked like a flock of crows that had stumbled upon a corpse.
Knowing my background and armament, the Guardsmen were merely surprised, not suspicious.
Excluding his teleportation ability, I was on equal footing with Rick.
It wasn't strange for me to have killed him. My current combat capabilities far exceeded those of a mere cadet. Thanks to the Akies Combat Style, I was essentially on par with a high-ranking Guardsman.
Of course, if I wore a Legion, I'd just be another ordinary Guardsman, but...
The Akies Combat Style couldn't be applied to the Legion Full-Armor Prosthetic. My strength lay in handling a combat prosthetic, not a full-armor one.
Whir, whir.
Androids loaded Rick's body onto a stretcher and carried it away.
"This is easily worth a 4th Class Cross Sword Medal. A 4th Class Cross Sword... that would make you the first cadet in the history of the Imperial Guard to receive one. Congratulations on completing your mission."
The Guardsmen had assumed all along that I'd been on some special assignment. It seemed they figured this was it.
Well, it is over, in a way.
From here on out, I'd only pretend to investigate Kinuan. After all, I already knew his identity.
I boarded the aerial vehicle. The moment I stepped inside, I flinched.
An update?
An update notification for my terminal flashed across my retinal display. Surprisingly, the data server was the Empire's Upper Network—a network reserved exclusively for high-ranking imperial officials.
The Imperial Guard's aerial vehicle was serving as an Upper Network relay. That was why the update had triggered the moment I boarded.
My information access clearance has been upgraded. I really have become a Watcher.
I checked my retinal display. The augmented interface now laid out the personal information of the other Guardsmen. Their names, ages, affiliations, and specific specialties appeared in small text beside them. If I focused my gaze, I could even see their detailed service histories.
"Luka, is something wrong?"
The Guardsman sitting across from me spoke. His name was Rein Voltega Sorz. He was in his fourteenth year as a Guardsman, had received two 4th Class Cross Sword Military Medals, and had too many lower-grade medals to bother counting. His specialties were electronic warfare and ultra-long-range sniping.
"He's probably just winding down. His nervous system must be completely fried right now. Wouldn't surprise me if he passed out this very second."
Another Guardsman answered on my behalf. And his words were entirely accurate. I was barely holding on to consciousness. I would likely need to sleep for at least half a day.
"...My apologies," I murmured.
I gave a polite response. They soon looked away and began talking among themselves. Most of their conversation revolved around Rick. It seemed he was quite a celebrity among the Guardsmen. Well, he was a traitor who had once been one of their own, after all.
My newly upgraded vision felt foreign. The density of information flooding my sight was overwhelming. It would take some time to get used to.
Click.
I shifted my pupils to lower the information display level. Right now, I desperately needed rest—so badly that I felt I could fall asleep and start snoring right in front of my superiors.
* * *
When I woke, I found myself staring at a familiar ceiling. I was in my own room.
I still couldn't believe everything that had happened.
Kinuan had deceived and manipulated everyone. But that was precisely why he was so effective. Even Heilas believed he was colluding with terrorists. The terrorist Rick Kaiser had trusted Kinuan as a close friend.
Thanks to Watchers like Kinuan, the Empire could effectively control subversive elements. Even the outlets for venting dissatisfaction and hostility toward the Empire were under imperial surveillance.
...The more I think about it, the more terrifying it is.
Imperial Guard Captain Heilas had a history of infiltrating the witch Barbara into Nemesis. Yet even a captain like him had no idea Kinuan was a double agent.
Is the Emperor the only one who grasps this entire web of chaos—these tangled relationships, these intricate schemes?
Even if he wasn't the only one, I doubted many truly understood the undercurrents running through the Empire. They could probably be counted on one hand.
I slept for a full sixteen hours.
I checked the time. For me to sleep this long meant that, by normal human standards, I'd essentially been unconscious for three or four days.
Tap.
I tapped the table to bring up a hologram. My backlog of scheduled items appeared. At the very top of the list was a summons from Imperial Guard Captain Heilas.
Only natural. There were many reports that couldn't be committed to writing.
I headed outside. Cadets of all kinds passed back and forth in the hallway. Every time I shifted my gaze, their detailed histories and personal information laid themselves bare before me.
I arrived at Heilas's office and stopped. Straightening my uniform as I always did, I stepped inside.
Heilas Custoria...
Heilas sat at his desk, buried in work.
Deep down, I harbored a sliver of anticipation—the faint hope that I might be able to view Heilas's personal information.
As expected of the Imperial Guard Captain.
His personal information was inaccessible. The Imperial Guard Captain was, after all, one of the military officers closest to the Emperor.
"This might take a while, so take a seat."
Heilas tapped through the holograms one by one, methodically wrapping up his tasks.
I'd been spending a great deal of time close to Heilas. It felt a bit absurd to phrase it that way, considering we were, after all, father and son.
From what I'd seen so far... even if I rose through the ranks, I had no desire to become the Imperial Guard Captain. That position didn't suit me.
A grueling workload, plagued by endless paperwork all day long—that was the daily life of the Imperial Guard Captain. I'd rather be on a battlefield with bullets flying overhead.
"Begin, Luka."
Heilas crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. I started with the details he likely already knew.
"Did you face Rick alone?"
"There was no one else. Rick urged me to betray the Empire. When I refused, combat commenced immediately."
"Rick Silva Nunez was a class-one wanted criminal the Empire had failed to capture for a long time. And in the past, he was an outstanding Guardsman."
"I owe it to the Akies Combat Style. Even then, it was by a hair's breadth. If I hadn't been training under Instructor Kinuan, I wouldn't have survived."
Heilas paused, seemingly lost in thought, then spoke again.
"Any other information on Kinuan?"
My tongue itched. I wanted to spill everything I knew right then and there. It was a heavy truth to bear alone.
"I couldn't secure any. Not even evidence that the sponsor, Noel, is Kinuan."
The chips and documents I'd pulled from the Deadronin office contained nothing of real value.
"...I see."
"Still, I believe eliminating Rick is a significant achievement in itself. I performed beyond my own capabilities."
I spoke with confidence, even though I wasn't the one who had actually killed Rick.
"Your achievement is indeed worthy of praise. An unexpected harvest—almost anomalously so."
Don't let your emotions slip, Luka.
I desperately controlled my consciousness and emotions, keeping them as neutral as possible. Heilas was a soldier with superhuman insight, even without something like the Akies Combat Style. The slightest shift in my emotions, and he'd notice instantly.
He's testing me.
This was Heilas's specialty. If anything caught his attention, no matter how minor, he'd probe relentlessly. I'd been on the receiving end of this conversational tactic of his many times.
Don't feel guilty toward Heilas. If he knew the whole story, even he would understand. This is for the sake of the Empire.
Heilas favored me—but only as a cherished tool. He would discard me without hesitation the moment the need arose.
"As I said, my victory was thanks to the Akies Combat Style. And a soldier shouldn't be interrogated for a stellar achievement."
I let a hint of irritation show. Only then did Heilas chuckle, leaning forward as if lowering his guard.
"Luka, as you well know, awarding a 4th Class Cross Sword Medal to a cadet is highly unusual. Unprecedented, in fact. But given the magnitude of your feat, it will pass the evaluation without objection. Since this will also elevate the prestige of the Custoria family, a celebratory banquet will be held at the main estate—so prepare yourself. If there's anyone among your acquaintances you wish to invite, feel free to do so."
Instead, I showed more surprise at the news of the banquet.
Invite acquaintances?
Only a few people came to mind. First, let's put Ilay Kartika on the list. Come to think of it, I could just invite all my fellow cadets. The only other acquaintances I could think of were Gabriel and Gilda, but I couldn't exactly invite people from the Lower District.
"A banquet... sir?"
I asked, sounding reluctant.
"You are the guest of honor."
I frowned, and the creases around Heilas's mouth deepened. He seemed to find my reaction quite amusing.
"I do hope you paid attention during the ballroom dancing lessons at the Cracia Academy."
Heilas added. Sly old foxes certainly knew how to needle a man.
* * *
Time flew by. After enduring various tedious procedures, I received the 4th Class Cross Sword Military Medal. The engraving 'IV' was clearly etched onto its surface.
Eliminated class-one wanted criminal Rick Silva Nunez.
Another line was added to my record.
"I've been running all over the Empire completing missions, and yet you blow right past my score with a single one. As expected of Lord Luka. You've practically locked up the top spot for this class."
Ilay said teasingly, putting a cigarette to his lips. An instructor passing by in the distance saw Ilay smoking but said nothing.
To call us cadets was a stretch; we were essentially Guardsmen already. Even the Imperial Guard had enough flexibility to overlook minor infractions.
Just as the Empire turns a blind eye to subversives despite knowing they exist.
Allowing minor deviations was necessary to appease greater discontent.
The same applied to the Imperial Guard Cadets. The strict oppression had practically vanished by our fourth year. We enjoyed our freedom within acceptable bounds, keeping our wits about us all the while.
"So, are you coming to the celebratory banquet or not?"
I invited Ilay first. He was the perfect person to help elevate my standing.
Showing that I was close friends with the heir of the Kartika family would boost my reputation within my own family and make Jupe shrink back.
"Of course I'm going. How could I miss a spectacle like that?"
Besides Ilay, I sent invitations out to my other classmates.
I had a fairly good reputation among my peers. Even if I wasn't the most outgoing person, I was someone who never shied away from hard work. On top of that, a banquet hosted by the Custoria family was an event no noble child would want to miss.
Except for those with other schedules or missions, most of my classmates expressed their intention to attend.
Time flowed on once more, and the grand banquet where I was the star of the show finally began.