Chapter 94
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 94
The tour of the Weapon Exhibition Hall had come to an end.
Combat prosthetics packed with uncommercialized technology, and the Legion Full-Armor Prosthetic—the very pinnacle of the Empire's scientific and technological prowess.
We had been given a sneak peek at the Empire's gifts. In essence, it was an event designed to inspire the cadets on the verge of graduation.
Excitement was written all over their faces as they filed out of the exhibition hall.
'After all, becoming an Imperial Guardsman is a prestigious honor, even for nobles.'
The Imperial Guard was deployed only to battlefields where defeat was not an option. That was how deeply the Empire and the Imperial Family trusted this combat unit.
I quietly pondered my own future as an Imperial Guardsman.
Even after completing their thirty years of mandatory service, it was rare for Guardsmen to transfer to other units right away. Most renewed their contracts in ten-year increments, serving fifty or sixty years before being promoted and moved to another division.
'To someone like me, who hasn't even lived twenty years, that seems like an eternity.'
At its core, the Imperial Guard was a combat branch. No matter how well one maintained their body, living past a century inevitably brought cognitive decline. The aging of the brain meant the decay of mental fortitude.
Once a Guardsman entered this period of decline, they could no longer operate a Legion, and even had to downgrade the performance of their combat prosthetics. At that point, retirement was mandatory—no matter how badly one wished to remain active.
'The real question is whether I can survive in one piece until then.'
Fortunately, the Imperial Guard did not deploy Legions aggressively. They knew all too well that the Legion slowly devoured a Guardsman's mind.
'Heilas's tenure as Imperial Guard Captain has ten, maybe twenty years left at most.'
Once his prime as a Guardsman ended, Heilas would transition into a general-level position at the very top of the military. That was the path most Guard Captains took.
The military always reserved general officer positions for retired Guard Captains. And it wasn't just the Captains—retired Guardsmen occupied key positions throughout the military. Even at an age where cognitive decline had begun, the sheer capability of a former Guardsman was formidable.
'The value of connections within the Imperial Guard is astronomical.'
A powerful bond existed among Imperial Guardsmen. A camaraderie forged over decades of service was not easily broken. It was, perhaps, thicker than blood.
A sense of belonging. Brotherhood.
I felt its value deep down, too. I still remembered Felix. Even after being ruined beyond recovery, he had squeezed out the last of his fading will to wish me luck on my path.
I had grasped success. The name of the Custoria family, and my place in the Imperial Guard.
Yet I also carried the heavy burden of being a Watcher. If I faltered even slightly, that weight would crush me.
The higher one climbs, the less room there is for mistakes. I had come to understand that truth all too well.
'I must survive, no matter what.'
Kinuan's retirement was not far off, either. As his successor, I would inherit his Watcher Authority.
"Luka..."
Ilay caught up to my side. He studied my face for a moment, then smiled.
"...Let me know if you ever need help. You've got a bad habit of trying to handle everything on your own."
"It's not a bad habit. It's strength."
I shot back bluntly. Accustomed to my attitude, Ilay merely chuckled.
"I got a message from the main house recently."
Ilay brought up his family out of nowhere. There had to be a reason. He wasn't the type to make idle chatter about such things.
"From the main house?"
I asked, mostly out of politeness.
"My father collapsed. It seems his retirement isn't far off. I just hope he can hold out at least until I establish myself as an Imperial Guardsman."
It was a cold but realistic assessment. Going forward, Ilay had to undergo full-body prosthetic surgery and rehabilitation. On top of that, he still had to complete his Legion adaptation training. Taking on the role of Kartika Family Head right now would be impossible.
"I thought your brother was ruined beyond recovery. Aren't you guaranteed to be the next Family Head?"
"If my father collapses before I'm ready, the story changes. There are my father's brothers, not to mention capable older cousins. They've started showing their faces at the main house, thinking this is their chance."
I could already guess where this was going.
"The one who needs help isn't me, Ilay. It's you."
"I helped you out last time, didn't I? If I can show that I have a special relationship with the Custoria family, any half-baked opposition will quiet down."
"Even so, I'm just an adopted son."
"Come to the Kartika family banquet with Giselle. This is a bit delicate, but... could you ask Giselle if she'd pretend to be my fiancée? Not a real engagement. I just need to suppress the opposition for the time being."
Ilay's smile turned awkward. He knew he was asking for an enormous favor.
"That's beyond my power."
My voice came out cold. My emotions had cooled to a degree that surprised even me.
"I think if it's your request, Captain Heilas or Giselle would agree to a fake engagement. They both cherish you. They like you."
He was right. Heilas would likely nod without hesitation, and Giselle—even if she got angry—would ultimately grant my request.
'If Ilay is going this far...'
It was clearly a grave matter. Handled poorly, it could ignite an internal war within the Kartika family.
"I'll talk to them. But don't get your hopes up."
I said, nudging Ilay aside as I walked past.
* * *
Heilas intended to use the power of the Imperial Guard to investigate and arrest Bao Zakanan.
Though Imperial Guardsmen would be mobilized, a member of the Custoria family had to remain at the center of the operation. That was why I was needed.
'I cannot move in the field myself this time. But we cannot have a member of the Custoria family absent when Bao Zakanan is arrested. You will be my representative for this mission.'
That was what Heilas had said.
What did it mean?
It meant I would execute the mission alongside Imperial Guardsmen as Heilas's proxy. And they weren't just any Guardsmen—they belonged to the 1st Centuria, the elite of the Imperial Guard.
"Luka, you may be a cadet, but do not suppress your opinions. Speak up. I trust you're not a fool who'd let rank silence vital information."
The one speaking was Iskan, an Imperial Guardsman dressed in civilian clothes rather than his uniform. He was a monster of a veteran, active since before I was even born. And like me, he was an Irregular.
'Iskan never married. Despite countless offers to marry into noble families as a son-in-law, he stayed single.'
He was a man who had truly climbed to the top on his own merit alone. His record was enough to command my respect.
I'd been tasked with surveilling Bao Zakanan alongside Iskan. Two other Imperial Guardsmen participated in the mission as well.
'They are acting not for the Empire, but for Heilas's personal revenge.'
Yet Iskan and the others willingly aided Heilas. It was a mission that could easily ruin their careers if things went sideways.
"Bao Zakanan's coming out."
I said, watching him emerge from the building.
Working in pairs, we took turns monitoring Bao Zakanan's every move. The ideal scenario was catching him in the act of colluding with terrorists or dissidents. Failing that, we planned to find an opening to abduct and interrogate him.
Click.
I brought the Electronic Mask to my mouth. It expanded, concealing the lower half of my face.
Whir.
A change swept over my right prosthetic eye and my lens-fitted left eye. Even the pupil color and iris patterns shifted.
Iskan didn't need to bother with such tedious disguises. He possessed several full-body prosthetics designed specifically for covert operations. No matter who looked, his identity would never be exposed.
"You take the left. I'll take the right."
Iskan gave the orders smoothly. The tactical details were left to his seasoned expertise.
The crowd bustled.
Bao Zakanan turned onto a busy street in the Upper District. Pristine roads and neat high-rise buildings, incomparable to the Lower District, stretched out before us. Below them, a dense crowd formed a wall, obscuring our view.
Beep.
I activated the tracking function of my right prosthetic eye. Even if Bao Zakanan slipped from sight, his predicted path was instantly calculated.
'Heading straight home again today?'
Bao Zakanan was a textbook Imperial bureaucrat. Responsible, quiet in his conduct, living a mechanical life that shuttled only between his workplace and his home.
We'd tailed him for three days, and he repeated the exact same routine each time. An utterly unremarkable figure.
'It's strangely devoid of any anomalies.'
And that was precisely what made him suspicious. I had observed countless people in the Empire, from high-ranking officials to the lowest citizens.
We can't be perfect machines. Unstable desires and unfulfilled cravings drag us down, making us imperfect humans.
Whirrrr.
My thoughts sharpened. What would it take to provoke an aberration—some abnormal behavior—from Bao Zakanan?
Step, step.
I quickened my pace. Then, like a seasoned pickpocket, I snatched a drink right out of a stranger's hand. Bewildered by my ghost-like swiftness, the victim looked around in confusion.
I pushed through the crowd, picking up speed as I closed in on Bao Zakanan.
Thud!
I slammed my shoulder hard into him. Jostled by the impact, he stumbled and fell.
"Ah, my apologies. I'm in a bit of a hurry."
The fallen Bao Zakanan looked up at me—a man with features as clean-cut as a sculpture.
"...If you're in a hurry, then it can't be helped."
He showed no anger despite the sudden disruption. With a faint smile, he simply brushed off his clothes. Impressive emotional control. Truly fitting for a high-ranking Imperial bureaucrat.
"I'm not normally like this, but I really do have an urgent matter... Oh—oh! I-I'm so sorry!"
Pretending to lose my grip, I spilled the drink right over Bao Zakanan's head. Wow, Luka. Your acting has really improved.
"Since I ruined your clothes through my own clumsiness, let me at least cover the dry cleaning—"
Bao Zakanan held up a palm, refusing my Credit Chip.
"That won't be necessary. More importantly, if you truly wish to apologize, I believe common courtesy demands you remove that mask and show me your face."
At last, a subtle trace of anger seeped into his voice. He was a high-ranking official of the Information Security Department. He wanted to identify me right here, right now. No doubt he intended to retaliate later—in some 'sophisticated' fashion.
"Haha, that's a bit difficult. If I reveal who I am, there's no shortage of people who cling to me the moment they see my family background. Ah—not that I'm saying you're one of them. Anyway, judging by your attire, you're an Imperial bureaucrat, yes? I'll remember your face and put in a word with my father to give you a push. If you suddenly land a special promotion, just think of it as my doing. Well then."
Perfect. What an unbelievably obnoxious tone! If someone had spoken to me like that, I'd have broken their nose on the spot—no matter who they were.
Oblivious, stupid, and arrogant on top of it all. Truly the worst kind of human being.
...In truth, I was just imitating Enrico Lagan.
"W-Wait! I am—!"
Bao Zakanan tried to grab me, but I slipped past his hand and vanished into the crowd.
Once out of his sight, I regrouped with Iskan. He'd witnessed my entire impromptu performance.
"...In my experience, the more meticulous a man is, the darker the desires festering beneath the surface. Subjected to this much stress, he won't last long before he needs to blow off steam."
I briefly explained the reasoning behind my actions. Iskan's lips slowly curled into a deep grin.
"I think I understand why the Captain dotes on you."
Iskan kept his eyes on the distant Bao Zakanan as he spoke. The man was irritably ripping off his soiled overcoat and stuffing it into a trash can.
"You can call me Uncle in private later. I call the Captain by his name when we're drinking, after all."
Iskan reached out and patted my head.