Bad Born Blood - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I lay sprawled on my back, staring up at the night sky. Beyond the shoulder of the fallen Imperial Guard, stars were sparkling.

It was the first time I’d ever seen such a clear night sky. A sight I could never see from the empire’s capital, Akbaran.

Stars in the night sky… they’re beautiful.

Perhaps this scene would be the final image of my life. I’ve been shivering for a while now. The thrill of battle had faded, leaving only the crushing weight of pain and death pressing in on me.

“Ha, damn it.”

Only then did I notice that my side had been torn open in a long gash. Blood was streaming out in torrents. If I wasn’t careful, my insides would be spilling out for a nice view.

I wasn’t in any shape to get up and move on my own. With my mangled hand, I tried to press against the torn wound on my side.

Creak, creak.

My tattered fingers were malfunctioning. It only seemed to be worsening the tear. Forget it, damn it.

I blinked. Whether I died or not, the stars continued to shine brightly. Beyond that sea of stars lay Earth, the place where our ancestors once lived.

Step, step.

Footsteps echoed. I raised my head slightly, gazing ahead. I wasn’t the only survivor. I forced a faint smile.

“You’re alive, Luka.”

Ilray, missing one arm, was staggering toward me.

“The others?”

I asked, and Ilray slowly shook his head.

“They’ve all been cut in half—whether sideways or up and down.”

It looked like the Holy Knight’s sword aura had hit its mark. Only Ilray and I had survived.

Ilray stood beside my head. Kneeling, he stared silently at the dead Imperial Guard, then pushed the body back, letting it fall.

“…Luka, you’re badly wounded. If this goes on, you’ll die.”

“I know, even if you don’t say it.”

Ilray checked over my condition, but his expression was odd. His gaze kept glancing eastward, over and over.

Yes, Ilray Kartika. Your heart’s set in that direction, isn’t it? Now’s a good chance. An official ‘missing-in-action’ during a mission—it’s a clean wrap-up. It wouldn’t be strange if a single body wasn’t found.

“Luka, I…”

Ilray squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them. He turned his head, looking toward the east. I understood the meaning of that gaze. Our empire lay to the west. To the east was the territory of Cora and Bellato.

Ilray had always wanted to leave the empire. Even if he never directly said it, I could tell.

“If you’re going to go, go now. Don’t think about trying to heal me. The follow-up unit will be here soon.”

I lay there, watching Ilray. He looked at me with a distant gaze, then turned his eyes away.

Step.

Ilray walked past me. His footsteps grew fainter as he moved away.

I couldn’t understand Ilray’s thoughts or actions. He had both the talent and background that anyone in the empire would envy. His life was practically guaranteed to be one of success.

And yet, Ilray was abandoning it all to leave the empire.

‘No matter how hard I try, I just can’t understand you, Ilray.’

But I could respect it. I wanted Ilray to live as he wished.

If I was lucky, maybe I’d hold out until the follow-up unit arrived.

‘If not, then it’s the afterlife for me.’

I took a slow, steady breath. I closed my eyes, then opened them, staring at the stars. It wasn’t a terrible feeling.

Step, step.

The footsteps, which had faded, began to grow closer again. I let out a laugh, mixed with a sigh. Ah, laughing hurt.

“What are you doing, you idiot?”

I looked at Ilray, who had returned. He knelt down, pressed one hand against the bleeding wound on my side, and began administering first aid.

“Maybe I really am an idiot, just like you said.”

Ilray smiled wryly as he spoke.

* * *

Once I was taken back to the empire, I was summoned from place to place as soon as I recovered. It seemed this relic site mission had become a major issue for the higher-ups.

Even senior officials, whose titles alone gave me a headache, came to hear my report. They discussed complex political matters in front of me, speculating about potential diplomatic friction with the Holy Nation of Cora.

An Imperial Guard had died, and three cadets had lost their lives. But that wasn’t why this was causing such a fuss. Imperial soldiers dying was an everyday occurrence.

I was flipping through a catalog of cybernetic products. What I had now were temporary prosthetic arms and legs, which allowed only basic functionality for daily life. The lack of power output for combat left me feeling like I was shackled, with a heavy sense of restriction on my limbs.

“They found an artifact at the site we visited. There’s a lot of debate over who owns it,” Ilray said. True to his background in a prestigious family, he was well-informed on matters like these. It seemed he picked up a lot from here and there.

An Arcane artifact.

I remembered the cube spinning in the center of the site. I’d suspected it was no ordinary object, but I hadn’t realized it was an artifact.

“Have they recovered it?”

“They’re forming a recovery team made up of experts. For now, the Imperial Guard is protecting the site. It’s worth it. Some artifacts can serve as strategic resources for the nation…”

Ilray went on talking about the artifact. Apologies, but since I wasn’t interested, I let most of it slip by, only half listening.

“…If the Holy Nation doesn’t let go of this site and artifact, a fairly large battle could break out. It won’t escalate into an all-out war, though.”

All-out war was something every nation sought to avoid.

The Acrecia Empire, the Holy Nation of Cora, the Bellato Federation.

If any two of these countries engaged in all-out war, the remaining one would reap considerable benefits. For that reason, each nation continued to wage limited conflicts, containing the losses to manageable levels.

It wasn’t something that mattered much to me. Well, it mattered in some sense. But I wasn’t interested. In the end, it was just work for the high-ranking officials involved in politics.

All I had to do was fight when ordered. That’s what it meant to be a soldier, a member of the empire’s military.

“The Imperial Guard…”

I recalled the Imperial Guard who had met his end at the relic site. Even after his head had been blown off, he’d moved like a ghost.

“A phantom effect caused by residual signals.”

The Imperial Guard Captain had dismissed it with that explanation after hearing my report. A predictable answer. And not the answer I wanted.

“He listened to my words and responded even after death. It wasn’t just some phantom effect.”

The questions remained unresolved, lingering in my heart. But I wasn’t foolish enough to delve into what the higher-ups wouldn’t answer.

I found myself lost in thought, unable to turn even a single page of the catalog.

“Luka, for the prosthetic arm, go with the F-24 Reus model. The adjustment period is short, so you’ll be back in action sooner, and its performance is even better than the one you had before.”

Ilray leaned in beside me, pointing at the catalog.

I glanced at Ilray. He looked calm. He hadn’t run from the empire; instead, he’d chosen to save me.

“Ilray, you…”

“I have no regrets. Because, to me, you’re worth it.”

Ilray, catching the meaning in my words, replied. I didn’t say anything further.

* * *

It was around the time I’d gotten used to my new prosthetic arm and leg.

I stepped into an unfamiliar room.

The space was unusually bright for a cadet training facility. The walls were a warm shade of white, and a few potted plants were scattered along the shelves. Thanks to the sunlight streaming through the windows, the room was bright even without lights.

“A visitation room.”

It was a place where cadets could meet with acquaintances or family members. As someone from an orphanage, it was a place that had no connection to me whatsoever.

“Well…”

I scratched my neck, staring forward. I didn’t know what I was supposed to say. Sitting in front of me was a girl who’d come to see me.

I already knew who my visitor was.

“Lilian Lamones.”

She was the younger sister of Claude Lamones, who had recently died.

Lilian was still dressed in black mourning clothes. When she noticed my presence, she stood up. Her half-lidded eyes gave her a languid appearance.

“This isn’t… our first meeting, is it?”

Lilian spoke carefully. I nodded and took a seat in front of her.

“We saw each other at Claude’s funeral.”

I felt uncomfortable in many ways. After all, I had been the captain on the mission in which Claude died.

‘It would be proper for me to accept whatever accusations she has.’

I mentally prepared myself and waited for Lilian to speak. She simply looked at me in silence.

“Claude spoke a lot about you, Luka.”

It was an unexpected comment. Tilting my head slightly, I expressed my curiosity.

“About me?”

“He said he had a capable friend among his peers. He even asked me if I’d consider dating you.”

Claude had tried to set me up with Lilian. It seemed he’d already mentioned me to her on multiple occasions.

“Are you aware of my background?”

“That’s why it’s actually better.”

I was even more puzzled. As Lilian Lamones, she could likely marry a young man from a family far more prestigious. In this vast empire, there were certainly people with a stronger background and more ability than me.

“Better, you say?”

“It means fewer unnecessary steps between us. How about you?”

Lilian leaned forward, propping her chin up with both hands.

Her direct approach only made me more uneasy. I would have preferred the straightforward chaos of a battlefield filled with whizzing bullets.

“I don’t know much about you, Lilian.”

This was the most polite rejection I could muster. Engaging in this kind of conversation, which didn’t suit me, was already making my tongue itch.

“We could get to know each other from now on, couldn’t we? I don’t know much about you either.”

This woman wasn’t easy. Despite her relaxed expression, she was relentless. If I tried to shake her off too harshly, it felt like I’d be leaving part of myself behind with her.

“…I need a bit of time to think about it.”

“I think it’s a good opportunity for you as well. Others would be envious, you know.”

I flinched. Conditions that others would envy…

On reflection, there was nothing wrong with what Lilian said. This was a chance to be connected with a woman from a distinguished family.

If I wanted to rise higher, I would need connections and family influence. Lilian could provide that for me.

‘Ideal.’

For a man in my position, a woman like Lilian would be desirable.

…But it was what others would want, not what I wanted.

Suddenly, I thought of Ilray Kartika. Despite having all the privileges that others envied, he wanted to escape the empire. I’d always thought it was an incredibly foolish thing to do.

‘So this is what it was.’

Turning down Lilian’s proposal would be just as foolish. But right now, I wanted to do exactly that.

“Luka?”

Lilian tilted her head, looking at me. I gave my answer.

“I refuse.”

I kept it brief, without any flowery language. For the first time, a flicker appeared in Lilian’s eyes. She was probably running through a thousand thoughts in her mind.

Thud.

I rose from my seat. Even if Lilian felt insulted, I couldn’t help it. If I tried to decline politely, I had a feeling she’d cling to me to the end.

Clasp!

Lilian grabbed my wrist in a firm grip, stronger than I’d expected.

“I must have been rushing things, Luka.”

“No, that’s not—”

She cut me off, smiling.

“Let’s start as friends! I’ll come see you again.”

She released my wrist and spoke, then walked out of the visitation room before I could respond, showing me her back.

“…Not easy.”

I murmured to myself. She was a difficult woman in more ways than one.