Bad Born Blood - Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The rebellion of the three families ended with a purge. The captured nobles would either die after torture or live in a state worse than death.

“Well done, Luka, Leader of the 21st platoon.”

The Imperial Guard Commander leaned back lazily in his chair. His interlocked fingers rested on his stomach. Now that the rebellion had been suppressed, he seemed much more relaxed—understandable, given that he had been one of the busiest people during the chaos.

The Suppression Force had not yet returned to the capital, Akbaran. Post-battle cleanup was as crucial a task as the battle itself.

I had been summoned by the Imperial Guard Commander alone. There could be several reasons for this.

‘In the worst case, it might be because he suspects my actions.’

The Imperial Guard Commander had taken an interest in me. It was both a blessing and a curse.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Well, I read your report thoroughly. Right after the fierce battle, you judged that the exhausted platoon members couldn’t move effectively, so you pursued the Ramoness family alone. Afterward, you joined Ilay to eliminate Hugo Ramoness and his family.”

The Imperial Guard Commander summarized my report. I replied briefly, “Yes, sir,” and waited for his next question.

“You didn’t execute Lilian Ramoness on the spot but brought her down to the lowest level. The report mentions your reasoning, but I’d like to hear it directly from you.”

The Imperial Guard Commander narrowed his eyes. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t nervous.

“We discovered the existence of the teleportation device through Lilian Ramoness. We intended to secure it in advance to prevent the rebels from escaping.”

“So, you moved to the lowest level with Lilian Ramoness as your guide, secured the teleportation device, and executed her immediately after? Why did you specifically choose Lilian as your guide?”

I stood without a flicker of movement. There was no need to show any agitation. I had already constructed a coherent lie.

“Among the Ramoness family members, Lilian Ramoness was the least capable in combat. In a battlefield where variables are unpredictable, I selected the prisoner who would be the easiest to control.”

“Hmm, a reasonable judgment. But Luka, I have more questions. May I ask?”

It had come to this. Of course, the Imperial Guard Commander would have noticed. Before he could press further, I intended to take the initiative. It was a somewhat bold move, but it was the better option.

“Are you referring to my relationship with Lilian?”

“It’s not just you. You and Ilay had interactions with Lilian Ramoness.”

I frowned slightly. Based on past experience, the Imperial Guard Commander often favored my insolent demeanor.

“…Ilay and I are highly capable. Although we had personal interactions with Lilian Ramoness, we are not fools who would jeopardize our mission because of it. No one knows this better than you, Commander.”

My lips moved slightly before I continued speaking in a torrent.

“And to be honest, I wanted to give Lilian a glimmer of hope. I’m not devoid of emotions, after all. Lilian died believing she might survive after guiding us to the device.

At the very last moment, she probably didn’t even realize her death was imminent. This was the most humane thing Ilay and I could do for her. I didn’t include this emotional detail in the report because it would make us appear weak. That seemed unnecessary.”

Lies are most convincing when blended with the truth. What I had just said was an example of that.

The Imperial Guard Commander, who had been listening intently, leaned forward, resting his heavy chin on his hands.

‘That should be enough, shouldn’t it?’

I shouted internally.

The time the Commander could afford to spend on me wasn’t endless. He had an entire queue of others waiting to report to him.

“…I see. That clears up the ambiguity, Luka. What you just said will not be recorded. As you mentioned, it might make you seem soft.”

A wave of relief surged through my chest. It felt like all the tension had suddenly unraveled.

If the Commander had been convinced, there would be no further interrogation on this matter. Besides, nothing catastrophic had come from our actions. On the contrary, Ilay and I had accomplished a notable feat.

“Well then, let’s consider this case closed. You must be tired.”

“Then I’ll take my—”

“No, no. Hold on. There’s still another matter to discuss.”

As I attempted to leave, the Commander shook his head. He pulled up another report on the hologram.

‘Kodrak’s report.’

It was a report from Kodrak, my lieutenant.

“Kodrak spoke highly of you. Particularly about your combat abilities, stating that you are the best he’s seen among all the platoon leaders and cadets so far. It seems Arkies Combat Method have significantly improved your skills.”

I feigned surprise. I hadn’t expected Kodrak to give me such high praise.

“But he also noted that your ability to build bonds with subordinates was lacking. Do you have anything to say about that?”

“I do not, sir. It is true that I have taken an aggressive approach when dealing with my subordinates. My intent was to establish authority as a superior within a short period.”

“That’s one way of doing things, I suppose. However… no, never mind. If you need advice on managing subordinates, Kinuan would be the one to learn from. His methods might suit you better.”

Kinuan’s name suddenly came up. I didn’t voice my question but merely nodded. I swallowed my curiosity.

It really felt like things were wrapping up now.

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

“Ah, Luka.”

I had turned halfway around when I stopped. The Imperial Guard Commander casually took a sip of water and spoke as if it were nothing.

“By the way, the Ramoness family was surprisingly skilled. Who would’ve thought they’d take out Ilay’s platoon so cleanly?”

It was all written in the report already. Ilay’s platoon had been wiped out after rushing into a pursuit and falling into the Ramoness family’s ambush. I had no reason to be flustered.

But what was the intent behind this probing remark? Swear words nearly reached the tip of my tongue. Just a slight disruption in my breathing would have caused cold sweat to pour down.

“…That wouldn’t have happened to me. Looks like I’ll be at the top of this class after all.”

At my response, the Imperial Guard Commander laughed heartily.

“Looking forward to it.”

—

The maglev train was silent, with only occasional high-pitched frequencies scratching at my nerves.

I fell into a near-unconscious sleep during the journey back to the capital. It was no wonder—days of constant activity and unrelenting tension had taken their toll.

So much had happened. And every last bit of it was utterly wretched.

Ilay Carthica, Lilian Ramoness, the Imperial Guard Commander Hemillas Kusthoria, the Arcane Fortress and the artifact, the teleportation device.

Scenes and people flashed through my mind.

‘Border City.’

That was where Lilian wanted to go. She died without ever escaping the Empire, struck down by Ilay’s gun, the man she thought was a knight.

It was tragic, but I didn’t want to feel pity for her.

Ilay and Lilian had both acted selfishly. If anyone was the victim of their recklessness, it was me.

After returning to the capital, Akbaran, we underwent maintenance and rested. Distributing rewards and playing politics were matters for those above. For people like us at the bottom, all we could do was wait for the next orders.

And two days later, I called Ilay to meet me behind the barracks.

Crash!

I grabbed Ilay by the collar and slammed him against the wall. He didn’t resist and just stared at me with an empty expression.

“You—quit being a cadet right now. You’re not fit to be a soldier, you piece of trash.”

I scowled menacingly, my expression filled with contempt. I still hadn’t forgotten what happened that day.

‘Ilay killed his subordinates because of his personal feelings.’

That was something I could never accept, not with my values. For a brief moment, I had felt genuine hatred and murderous intent toward Ilay.

“I’d quit if I could.”

Ilay turned his face to the side as he spoke.

“Should I make you permanently unable to get back up?”

“Luka, unless you kill me here and now… my family will make sure I become part of the Imperial Guard. It’s been my assigned role since birth. If you want to take out your anger, I’ll let you hit me.”

Ilay didn’t resist. I lost my steam as well.

Crash!

I struck Ilay squarely in the solar plexus with just enough force to avoid killing him. A few of his ribs cracked audibly.

Though staggering, Ilay somehow managed not to collapse. He coughed up blood and then looked at me.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t you say you’d take it? Didn’t think I’d actually hit you? Well, I feel a bit better now, so let’s talk.”

I shrugged. Ilay, clutching his chest with one hand, slumped against the wall, trying to catch his breath.

“I didn’t think you’d actually break my ribs. This hurts more than I expected. Maybe you damaged an organ—”

“If it’s broken, just replace it with a prosthetic. Quit whining.”

Ilay and I reviewed the details of our report again. We were deceiving the higher-ups. Even with all our caution, we couldn’t afford any mistakes.

After double-checking, there were no discrepancies. We had reported the same story to the higher-ups.

“I didn’t think you’d kill Lilian. Honestly, I figured you’d charge at the Imperial Guard despite having no chance.”

“If I’d been alone, I probably would have.”

Ilay spoke matter-of-factly.

‘So that’s how it was.’

It was the response I had expected. Ilay wouldn’t have killed Lilian out of fear for his own life. He made the best decision he could because I was there.

I could see Ilay’s thought process clearly.

At that moment, Ilay didn’t care about his survival. What mattered to him was Lilian’s life and mine. And since only one life could be saved, he prioritized mine.

‘If I hadn’t joined him… Ilay would have met his end with Lilian.’

I felt sorry for Lilian, but I had achieved my goal.

‘I saved Ilay. That’s enough.’

Only now did my mind feel at ease. Taking a step back, I leaned against the wall and looked up at the sky. The weather in the capital, Akbaran, was usually gloomy, and today was no different.

“My family’s pleased that I took down the Ramoness family. Funny, considering how often we had dealings with them. But that’s the aristocracy for you. Anyway, you and I might even get medals of valor for this.”

Ilay spoke as he rummaged through his pocket. A strange object emerged from his belongings.

“A cigarette?”

“My lieutenant was a chain smoker. I started smoking to get closer to him. He really enjoyed watching me cough my lungs out.”

“A cigarette is… well, whatever.”

I didn’t stop him. Ilay awkwardly held the cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

His coughing mingled with the drifting cigarette smoke as it swirled away in the breeze. My gaze followed the trail of smoke.

“Luka.”

Ilay suddenly called my name. I deliberately avoided looking at his face. His voice, calling out to me, was tinged with a faint sob.

“What?”

“What the hell have I done…?”

Ilay slid down the wall, sitting on the ground. With his face buried in his knees, his shoulders shook. The cigarette smoke trickled past his ears and dissipated.

I stopped myself from cursing and instead waited for him in silence.

Emotions that are suppressed because they’re unnecessary for combat can come rushing back like an aftershock when one returns to everyday life.

Ilay isn’t a murderer. There’s no way he feels no guilt about killing his subordinates. Even if we have a low aversion to killing, we’re not unfeeling machines. Moreover, after all that chaos, he couldn’t even save Lilian. I couldn’t begin to imagine the level of self-loathing he was experiencing.

I had achieved my goal, but Ilay had failed at everything.

And now, I was certain.

Ilay’s place wasn’t in the Empire. He didn’t belong here.

Sooner or later, he would die—whether it was his mind or his body that gave out.