Bad Born Blood - Chapter 89



Only Noblemtl

089

The current emperor’s name is Yuri Kratia.

He is considered to be the emperor who brought stability to the empire. Under Yuri Kratia, the empire expanded and grew without any major conflicts.

Even when there were localized conflicts with Bellato and Cora, Yuri used skillful diplomacy to resolve the conflicts. Furthermore, he secretly opened the market to accept some of Bellato and Cora’s technology and resources.

With the Empire’s tacit approval, traces of Bellato and Cora were seeping into the foundations of the Empire.

I asked a question while listening to Kinuan’s explanation.

“Won’t openness be the seed of discord and conflict?”

“But there is no progress without openness. The reason our Accresia Empire has the most advanced engineering technology, surpassing other brother nations… …is because we accepted the science and technology of alien races before Bellato and Cora.”

I flinched. The Empire rejects aliens. Aliens were rare within the Empire. Only a few alien races were recognized as ‘useful’ and were granted residency permits and permanent residency.

‘That empire was the first to adopt alien technology?’

Kinuan smiled when he saw my expression.

“It’s a distant past anyway. It’s a past that we could fill by dying and being reborn ten times. In any case, the Empire doesn’t blindly reject change. You know that, too.”

Something came to mind.

“… … I met Director Jin Ga-u at a previous banquet. I heard that he also interacts with the Bellato Federation for technological research.”

“As you can see, General Jin is a very unique type of person. He is better suited to Bellato than the Empire. That is why he is in charge of technical exchanges with Bellato.”

“He was such a unique person that it made me wonder how he had survived in the Empire so far.”

“Haha, isn’t the answer obvious? Irregular Luca.”

Yes, there is only one answer.

“His abilities must have been exceptionally outstanding. To the point where they covered up his personality flaws and shortcomings.”

“An irreplaceable being cannot be easily kicked out of any group.”

“Like the instructor?”

He spoke sharply and pointedly.

“You’ve already figured out my secret to survival. You’re as good as I thought.”

Kinuan just smiled softly and passed it over.

Crack, crack.

Our footsteps resonated deeply in the hallway.

I was in a building whose name I did not even know. But I could tell from the simple yet magnificent gold decoration that this was one of the private properties of the imperial family.

Creak.

I looked around the corner of the hallway. The camera that had been working until just now stopped and went limp. It was the feeling of discomfort I had been feeling since a while ago.

‘At some point, all surveillance equipment stopped working.’

It seemed as if the imperial surveillance system centered around Kinuan had been paralyzed. Kinuan’s movements were not recorded anywhere.

“Luka, this is the privilege of the Watcher. You will soon have it. No agency in the Empire can trace or monitor me. Any electronic device connected to the Empire’s network will ignore me even if they see me.”

This was the reason Kinuan could maintain his secret activities. It was natural that even the guards could not track Kinuan down.

“You are truly the ghost of the empire. But if a renegade Watcher appears, who can respond to you?”

“There must be someone else we don’t know about, someone who executes the traitorous Watchers. Don’t you know that by now? No one but His Majesty the Emperor can see the entirety of the Imperium. Neither can I.”

Even the watchers’ vision was extremely narrow. We are not all-seeing. We are just one of the Emperor’s eyes.

I was having high-speed thoughts while feeling extremely stressed, and because of that, my sensory functions were deteriorating.

The straight corridor seemed to be distorted. I barely managed to walk straight, enduring the dizziness.

‘I will meet the emperor soon.’

I would rather be dropped into the middle of a battlefield swarming with enemies. That was more comfortable. I was tired of fighting a powerful enemy when my chances of winning were slim.

Over the past four years, I’ve learned how to fight.

But the Emperor is not someone you have to fight and defeat. He is an absolute being to whom you must be blindly loyal and willingly give up your life for any absurd order or request. That is the Emperor.

“Luka, relax a little. Even if you show a bad attitude or make a mistake here, you won’t die right away.”

Kinuan said that as if he was teasing me. Well, I guess I would have done the same if I were in Kinuan’s shoes. It’s not often that I get a chance to look down on someone like me and make fun of them.

“… … That makes it even more creepy.”

The message was that if you can’t figure out the Emperor’s intentions, you’ll have to tremble in fear, constantly worrying about whether you should survive or be disposed of.

Damn it.

Kinuan stood before the door. The symbol of the Accresia Empire, which was shaped like an eye looking straight ahead, was engraved in gold relief. The symbol of Aquis Victima also had an eye-shaped pattern, but it felt different.

If the symbol of the Arches Victory was an eye that peeked out from the corner of the eye, the symbol of the Accresia Empire was an eye that felt oppressive and crushing.

Kinuan placed his palm on the center of the imperial symbol.

“Luka, if you don’t trust yourself, trust me. I have decided that you are the one to be the Watcher. For today, trust not in your abilities but in the depth of my insight.”

Kinuan is a great man. He is a monster in a different sense from Heilas. He sees through everything and never loses composure in any situation.

… … That Kinuan chose me.

Today was the first time I felt like I had received any helpful advice. In fact, my boiling heart was regaining its calm as if the ice had fallen off.

“Thank you, Instructor.”

I nodded and took a deep breath. My vision, which had been blurry from panic, became clearer.

Squeak.

Kinuan opened the door. I walked forward without lifting my head and looking at the floor.

chuck!

Kinuan, who was walking ahead, knelt down and showed his respect. I couldn’t even hear what he was saying.

I mulled over what I had to say, and the words I had practiced hundreds of times came out of my mouth.

“Lukaus Custoria… … greets His Majesty Yuri Kratzia, leader of the people and defender of the Empire.”

I didn’t raise my head. I waited for the Emperor’s words, my invisible soul lowered.

“Nice to meet you, child.”

The Emperor’s first words were surprisingly merciful, almost to the point where it felt like he was being rewarded for his hard work.

There was no one among the subjects of the empire who did not know the face of the emperor. Statues and portraits of the emperor were commonplace throughout the empire.

The orphanage I grew up in also had portraits of emperors, most notably the first emperor Dino Kratia and the current emperor Yuri Kratia.

I know Yuri Kratzia’s facial features very well. I could draw a portrait of her just by looking at her.

“Raise your head.”

I had seen the Emperor from a distance, through opaque glass. But now I was standing a dozen meters away from the master of the empire. This was my first time meeting him face to face.

I raised my head.

‘Yuri Krachia.’

The emperor was sitting on a magnificent chair, and next to him stood a man whose face looked familiar.

‘The Crimson Crown Prince, Francesque Kratzia.’

In principle, the personal information of members of the imperial family who have not entered public office is confidential information.

However, the public is well aware of the crown prince, the successor. No matter how much legitimacy and dignity of bloodline he may have, if someone they meet for the first time calls him the emperor, even loyal subjects will have a hard time accepting it.

So, the crown prince assists the emperor from an early age and accumulates achievements and accomplishments.

I didn’t know that the Crimson Crown Prince would be with the Emperor. He was nicknamed Crimson because he always wore red clothes. It must have been a kind of political act. To make himself easily visible to the public.

All I could see right away were the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

however…….

As I entered the room, I felt a sense of alienation and discomfort. There were at least two or three guards somewhere, either on the pillars, or on the curtains, or outside the window.

‘The protection of the Emperor is, in principle, the duty of the Royal Guard.’

But those caught in the net of my senses will not be the guards.

The Praetorian Guard is ostensibly the closest military group to the Emperor. The Emperor always accompanies the Praetorian Guard to official occasions.

‘In a place like this… … I’d probably bring along an escort with an unofficial position.’

To put it a bit bluntly, they are the Dark Guard.

Does Heilas know of their existence?

I am also a member of the guard. I feel bitter. There was a group of armed forces in the empire that was closer to the emperor than we were.

I had a little doubt.

‘Even if the Emperor and the Crown Prince are like that, is it okay to expose the position and duties of the Watcher to those guards?’

Suddenly the emperor laughed.

“Haha, that’s cute, Luca. They can’t see or hear anything without my permission. It’s a physical thing, so don’t worry.”

The emperor spoke as if he was reading my mind. His words and actions were strangely easygoing, and I felt like my heart was gradually becoming looser.

True to his nickname, the Crimson Crown Prince, Francis was wearing red today as well. He looked at me with a confident smile.

“You are the next Watcher. Just as Kinuan spent many years with his father… … you will spend a lot of time with me too.”

If I live as an Imperial Watcher, I will have a very long time to spend with Frances. Frances also knows this and speaks to me affectionately.

… … What should I say? Every moment was agony.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. From now on… … .”

Before I could finish speaking, Francis walked over. He bent down and tapped my shoulder.

“Enough with the pretense! I know you are not the type to flatter your superiors. What I want from you is solid loyalty and excellent ability. I don’t mind being blunt or making a slip of the tongue. If you want, you can be as arrogant as my nanny. My nanny is always nagging me about my lifestyle and womanizing. I swear on this spot! I will listen to your advice as if it were my nanny’s.”

Francis was a popular crown prince among the imperial subjects. Those who vaguely admired the imperial family liked Francis. When I experienced it firsthand, I thought I knew why.

‘A cool guy.’

It was a character that everyone would like.

“Fransec, have you seen the child who will become your future servant and watchman?”

The Emperor spoke behind Francis’ back.

Francesque smiled and spread her arms wide. Then she bowed and placed one of her arms on her chest.

“I like it even more when I see it in person. It makes me want to ascend to the throne soon.”

“I still have a long way to go, Francec.”

Jokes were exchanged. Hearing it this way, it seemed like a conversation between ordinary rich people.

Who would have thought that those at the center of the cold empire could chatter so calmly and cheerfully… … . It was so warm that I could even feel the warmth.

“Then I will go now. Even the Crown Prince cannot interfere with the duties and work of the Watcher.”

Francesque disappeared through the back door, and the surrounding noise disappeared as well.

“Lord Francesque is still a cheerful person.”

Kinuan said.

“Well, I think you raised him well. Thanks to you, he became a man loved by everyone. He’s grown enough to be the trigger. Everything will change with his death.”

For a moment I thought I had misheard.

‘Trigger? Death?’

My heart, which had been warmed for a moment, quickly cooled down. The extreme temperature difference made me feel like my heart was going to break.

“When the time comes, I will carry out your order.”

Now, what are they talking about?

As if Crown Prince Francis were a ‘tool’ for some purpose.

… … The Emperor and Kinuan were discussing the disposal and attrition of Crown Prince Francis.

“Don’t be agitated, Luca. The real crown prince is somewhere else.”

Kinuan turned to me and said. I couldn’t hide my emotions. They must have expected my agitation.

This fucking empire… … I couldn’t see the bottom even if I craned my neck to look inside.