Bad Born Blood - Chapter 20



Only Noblemtl

020

I was wearing a helmet with dizzying wires attached to it. The wires stretched out and connected to the supervisor’s computer.

Metaphysical images and words flashed across the display projected onto the helmet. Occasionally, questions were asked in alternating male and female voices.

The helmet that scanned the brain’s responses emitted intermittent high-frequency waves.

No matter how many times I took the psychological test, I never got used to it. It always left an unpleasant aftertaste. My head was pounding. My breathing was rapid and my heart was pounding as if I had had a nightmare.

-It’s finished, Luca. Thank you for your hard work.

The android said, lifting my helmet up. I nodded and got out of the med chair.

My gaze stopped on the other side of the translucent glass window, where other medical staff and supervisors were discussing the results of my psychological test.

‘There won’t be anything special.’

I was confident in this psychological test. In particular, the reward that the captain of the guards subtly mentioned greatly shook my heart.

The adopted son of the captain of the guards, a member of the Custoria family.

It was enough to stimulate my desire for achievement. I was determined to do this without fail. That strong desire was enough to eat up distracting thoughts.

‘I watch over Kinuan while learning the fighting techniques of Akies.’

I left the examination room. The medical staff and the supervisor did not show me the results of the psychological test right away. However, I was confident of the high score, so I was not anxious.

After catching my breath, I took out my terminal.

Beep.

There were several messages piled up on the terminal. Among them was a message from Kinuan.

‘I’m going to take a break for the time being. Rest is also part of training.’

The message was brief. To paraphrase it, it meant not to come until he contacted me.

Beep.

I checked the following message.

‘Luka, come see me when you have time.’

This is Ilay’s contact. Ilay also helped me with this psychological test. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have been able to come forward so boldly.

I recalled my past self and readjusted my psychological state. I was able to get rid of the hazy and weak parts.

‘I try to keep my mental state like this.’

It was a good time for me. I won’t be going to the lower areas for a while. I won’t be in contact with Kinuan either. I think it would be a good idea to throw away any sympathy for the weak.

If possible, I wanted to reduce my contact with Ilay. He is also a bad influence on me. I didn’t want to meet Ilay until my mind was hardened and fixed in shape.

But this contact from Ilay felt strangely urgent. I could read his anxiety and agitation in the short sentences.

Thud, thud.

Today, my footsteps were light and regular, perhaps due to the stability of my neuromuscular system. I felt like I wouldn’t get out of breath even if I ran several kilometers.

After walking a bit, the headache that had remained as an aftereffect of the psychological examination quickly disappeared.

My mind and body are at their peak. I feel like I can do anything. If I do neuromuscular expansion training now, I will be able to update my limits. This is a feeling that is almost certain.

… … Everything was going well.

* * *

Kwa- Ang!

As soon as Ile entered the training room that he had reserved, loud noises erupted one after another.

Ilay was alternating between hitting the left and right sides of the sac. Each time his fist touched the sac, a loud clanging sound was heard.

bang!

The striking bag, which weighed over a ton, soared every time as if it were going to touch the ceiling.

I waited, leaning against the wall, without speaking to Ilay. Ilay was repeatedly hitting hard as if she was pouring out her emotions.

Kiing, kiing.

Underneath the artificial skin on Ilay’s limbs, overheated circuits were visible like tattoos, and smoke was leaking out roughly from the sweat glands.

Illei was pushing the output of her prosthesis to its limit. At the joints between the machine and the living body, the flesh was crushed and bruised, unable to withstand the impact, and blood was gushing out. This was because the impact’s recoil was so great that the joint’s cushioning device could not withstand it.

CLANG!

Finally, the sac reached the ceiling. Ilay opened her eyes wide and stared at the sac descending.

Kiiing!

The motor was spinning rapidly on Ilay’s legs. He kicked the sack of blows that were coming down while spinning.

I covered my ears for a moment. Ilay’s instep touched the sac. The air trembled slightly as if an explosion had occurred.

Kwajijijik!

The ceiling tiles connected to the impact pocket were shattered. The impact pocket flew straight into the wall and crashed down.

“Haa, haa… … .”

Ilay, who had just blasted the sac with a bang, was out of breath. He was holding his knees with his upper body bent down. There was a creaking sound from the looseness in his right leg where he had just kicked.

Ilay was looking at the floor with her wet hair hanging down. I waited for Ilay to raise her head without saying anything.

Anyway, it was Ile who called me. If she had something to say, she would say it first.

Knock, knock.

Ilay’s blood and sweat were mixed together and falling. It was the first time I saw the guy who was always calm get so excited.

Cheeeeek!

Illei inserted a syringe filled with coolant into his limb. Vapors containing the heat of vaporization flowed out of his limb.

“Phew.”

Only then did Ilay tilt his head back and let out his usual breath. He looked at me, pushing back his damp bangs.

“Did you pass the psychological test?”

“Thanks to you.”

I spoke briefly and turned away from the wall. Ilay, who had cooled her limbs, applied ointment to the flesh at the joint.

Ilay is far from being a self-destructive person. The fact that he was torturing his body like this meant that he was in a lot of mental pain.

I thought about what could be the cause of Ilay’s suffering. The first thing that came to mind was the death of her family.

“Ellie, if there’s anything I can help you with, let me know.”

I spoke in a flowing manner. But Ilay looked at me intently, as if she really had something to ask.

“I can’t say right now. But… … .”

“but?”

I squinted my eyes.

“Just once… … please grant me a favor.”

I couldn’t answer right away. If Ilay were to say something like this, it wouldn’t be trivial. It might be something that would cost me my life and career.

What worries me the most is… … the high possibility that it could be an act against the Empire.

Ilay made a rare and earnest request of mine. I suppressed the urge to nod. If I hadn’t been mentally hardened by the psychological examination, I might have said that I would help.

Illei also knows what my state of mind is right now. I am a more cool-headed soldier than ever before.

‘That’s why Elai is asking me right now.’

Ilay did not exploit my emotional turmoil or weaknesses. He made this request at my strongest moment. How righteous, Ilay Kartika.

“I’ll do my best, but I can’t give you a definite answer.”

My answer was theoretical. I think Ilay might think it’s cowardly.

“Thank you for saying that, Luca.”

Illai laughed bitterly. I felt a heavy feeling in my chest.

“Illai, if you are in danger on the battlefield, I will save you even if there is a slim chance. Even if it means dying.”

“I know. I don’t think you’re a coward. It’s just shameless of me to ask you for something without even telling you what it is.”

I am a soldier of the Empire before I am a friend of Illei. Let’s make this clear. I closed my eyes and opened them. My pupils were dry as minerals.

“Is this the end of your business?”

“Yes, but you’ll know what I’m going to ask you. If only this was my wish… … .”

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about what Ellie’s request was.

But I didn’t bother to try to satisfy my curiosity. Don’t try to know unnecessary things. That’s the virtue of an Imperial soldier.

* * *

After that, I didn’t see Ilay for ten days. Ilay seemed to be busy preparing something in her own way.

I was faithfully spending each day without Ilay and Kinuan. I was also successful in expanding my neuromuscular system, and was able to use a body with a higher output level.

There was no significant progress in the Aikies fighting technique. Aikies fighting technique had to be learned through actual combat. Self-study and training alone had their limits.

‘It’s long, Gabriel.’

It had been a long time since I had seen those two. But I felt like it would be okay if I never saw them again.

My heart was hardening. My confused emotions were buried in the ground like trash and covered. I was compacting the ground so that even the smell wouldn’t leak out.

Luca of the Custoria family.

The resonance of those words isn’t too bad. It’s an immediate goal for me.

Another fortnight passed. I felt myself becoming like steel.

Yes, this is the original me. I have regained my true self. The me who walked out of the orphanage and stood in front of the guard training center.

It was a month later that I saw Ilay’s face again.

The captain of the guard called all the cadets of the same class as me.

“Everything I say from now on is confidential. If you are aware of this, cut off all communication with the outside world.”

The captain of the guard spoke from the podium. He glanced at the cadets and then briefly glanced at me.

I also looked into the captain’s eyes and looked around. Iley was also waiting for the captain’s words with a stiff posture.

“As of now, we are entering special military operations… … .”

The captain’s explanation was long. To summarize, it was simple.

First, a rebellion broke out.

Second, the Guard cadets serve as infantry platoon leaders.

Third, among the families that joined the rebels was the Ramones.

The Ramones are the family of Lilian, the woman who rejected me. They are also the family of Claude, who died during my mission. They say that family is a traitorous family. They are a target for purging.

How do I feel right now?

This is so fucked up.