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The laser scanner, which looked like a pistol, scanned my new prosthetic limbs and arms. The grid-like laser beam swept across my limbs. It was a non-destructive integrity check. Any unwanted or suspicious foreign matter would be immediately flagged.
Beep.
The test results came back clean. But we can’t rest easy yet.
Creak, creak.
I moved my fingers one by one, starting with the one I had examined. Even though they were covered with artificial skin, they made a rough sound because they were not accustomed to it.
‘This is much better than the original.’
Even though it was new, there was no foreign feeling. The signal stability and compatibility were good, so the feeling was quite similar to the old body.
Even though it was a new body, the output itself was almost the same as the old body. That was understandable, because I was already using the body with the highest output within the same body size standard. In order to increase the output further, I would have to increase the size or change the body to a full-body body.
I closed my eyes and listened.
Talk.
I tapped my new prosthetic hand and leg with my finger and listened to the waves of sound that spread. I didn’t feel any foreign bodies when I listened to the returning sound. That’s enough to feel safe.
I slowly opened my eyes. I have to be careful now. I have to be suspicious of everything.
‘I guess you didn’t plant anything strange in the gift.’
These prosthetic limbs and arms were gifts from Francek. They were the most high-end products on the market. They were a waste for me, who was about to undergo a full-body prosthesis. When I become a full-body prosthesis, I will use the prosthetic limbs exclusively for the Royal Guard.
The period of my hospitalization in the Imperial Hospital was three days. My recovery was surprisingly fast, if not bizarrely so. If I had received treatment in the Royal Guard, it would have taken at least two months to recover from the injury.
‘The people who came to see me for three days were Frances and Heilas.’
Kinuan, Giselle, and Ivan did not visit.
‘That’s normal.’
Giselle has no access to the Imperial Infirmary. Officially, neither does Kinuan.
… … And Ivan always came to me without anyone knowing, just like now.
I squinted my eyes as soon as I boarded the air vehicle set to autopilot to the Guards headquarters. Inside was Ivan Krachia.
Ivan stared at me with his legs crossed, his eyes shining brightly beneath his eyelashes.
“You disobeyed my orders, Luca.”
“Have you ever given me an order?”
I sat down in front of him, speaking calmly. For the first time, I felt Ivan’s emotions clearly.
‘anger.’
Ivan was angry at me. I clenched my fists because my fingertips were about to tremble.
“Luka, Luca, Luca. I don’t want to play with you. You understand my orders and my intentions. We have to hold Frances’ funeral right now.”
“No, I wouldn’t be able to attend the funeral. I would be in prison, blamed for the security breach. With my arms and legs cut off.”
“I said that, but you didn’t believe me. I would have taken care of the aftermath.”
“I didn’t want to gamble my life with someone who wasn’t even my comrade. No matter who it was.”
Now is the time to be strong. You can’t obey. You have to deal as equals. Don’t be led around by monsters, Luca.
I held back my agitated heart and stared at Ivan with wide eyes.
“I think I treated you well. I tried my best. Do you think I was not sincere enough?”
Ivan’s eyebrows furrowed sadly. But that must also be an act. The royal family treats even their own blood relatives as tools and deceives and kills them without a second thought.
“Ivan, you are not my superior. You are not the captain of the guard, nor Kinuan. Nor is your Majesty the Emperor, to whom I owe blind loyalty. I believe that I have done my duty sufficiently by not reporting your treacherous plans.”
Ivan bit his lower lip as if he was angry. A tearful look crossed his eyes.
Don’t be fooled by appearances, awaken your five senses and see inside that monster. Last night, that crazy boy tried to start a war by killing his own blood relatives.
It wasn’t that I stopped the war because I had a strong sense of justice. I don’t know much about war. I just had a gut feeling.
Starting a war to avoid the crisis I am facing now… …will only bring about greater sacrifices. I will lose more.
I have been in many battles so far. Every time, misfortune and sorrow ran wild. I cannot help but know how great the madness and disaster that a war that continues with hundreds and thousands of battles will bring.
I enjoy fighting and fighting, and I even take pleasure in it. Every time I defeat and kill a strong person with my own strength, I feel an indescribable pleasure. It was such an intense feeling that I found s*xual release ridiculous.
… … But even I understand that war is madness.
“After all, you weren’t my watcher. What a pity.”
Ivan spoke as if drawing a line. He tried to stand up, as if trying to separate his emotions.
‘I must not be hostile to Ivan. I must keep Ivan on my side.’
I moved my mouth quickly.
“You were the one who said that blind loyalty was not the purpose of a Watcher’s existence, Ivan.”
Ivan stared at me intently. He leaned back in his chair and moved his beautiful lips.
“Huh, keep talking, Luca. I’ll listen to your opinions.”
Ivan watched me with his lips pursed. I took a deep breath and continued speaking.
“It would be an extreme decision to start a war right away. Then the empire would have to wage war while facing an unstable internal situation. That is why Your Majesty also tried to consolidate internal power first and use the death of His Highness Francek as a trigger to start a war.”
Ivan’s pupils dilated. He smiled deeply, as if he was pleased.
“You understand the situation very well, Luca. Yes, Father thinks that if war breaks out, the power of the nobles, especially the military faction, will increase.
That’s why I wanted to sort it out in advance. But my thoughts are different. If war breaks out, the imperial power will be strengthened. Many nobles and soldiers will die… … Above all, I will command the battlefield as the crown prince. Strengthening the imperial power is a problem that will be solved if I become a war hero.”
I couldn’t imagine that boy with such a delicate appearance being hailed as a war hero.
We were talking to each other and sharing our thoughts. Ivan was dreaming of an ideal relationship between the Emperor and the Watcher. He must be quite pleased with the current situation.
“If Your Majesty is being manipulated by Kinuan as you say… …Kinuan is the biggest problem for the Empire and the Imperial Family. If that is the case, Kinuan must be eliminated first, and Kinuan’s death, not Francesek’s, must be the trigger for everything.
If Kinuan dies, many things will change. Your Majesty’s plans will also change. If Your Majesty relies on Kinuan for much, you may be able to hand over the throne right after Kinuan’s death. Ivan, your time will come sooner.”
Please, get caught up. I was desperately hoping for this. If this doesn’t work, it’s over.
“… … You don’t know much about Kinuan. If assassination was easy, you would have done it a long time ago. Even I can’t see the bottom of that guy.”
“Of course I don’t know. But if you teach me everything you know, the chances are better. You know what I don’t know, and I can move in places you can’t. By Kinuan’s side.”
“It’s hard alone, but it’s possible with two? You’re doing a good job, Luca. You’ve just managed to entice me.”
Ivan pulled his upper body forward and brought his face closer. His eyes sparkled with delight.
Ivan, of course, wanted the ideal relationship between the emperor and the watcher. It was understandable that he was dissatisfied with Kinuan.
Kinuan is too heavy a man to balance relationships. He is a man who pulls everything around him as if he is the center of the world. His very existence is a singularity.
“Kinuan has exposed a fatal weakness to me. His brain function is gradually worsening. If you stay by my side for a long time, I will have a chance. It would be even better if you create that opportunity for me.”
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“It’s funny, it’s really funny. Are you planning to kill your teacher?”
“If Kinuan needs to kill me, he will not hesitate to kill me.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“And I respect Kinuan, but I don’t value him.”
It’s true. It’s a bit of a bummer to kill Kinuan. But I was confident that if I had made up my mind, I wouldn’t hesitate.
“Look, if you want to, you can do it, Luca. You’re my watcher.”
Ivan’s voice was very excited.
“As always, no orders are necessary. I will execute it when the time comes.”
“Haha, okay. Let’s start everything with Kinuan’s death. I’ll assume his death and make all the plans. I’m already so excited I could explode. Oh, I mean, my head’s going to explode. Don’t get me wrong.”
Ivan was full of life, as if his inner spark and creativity were bursting out. He felt like a flesh-and-blood body, not a whole body, but an intense energy.
Perhaps because of the influence of that vitality, I imagined a future where Ivan became the emperor. My intuition seemed to foresee the future.
‘Ivan is… … .’
He will never be a good emperor.
‘… … But he will become a powerful emperor.’
We call that a tyrant.
“Luka, the storm season is coming soon. Take care.”
Ivan said as he approached the airship door. He slowly closed his coat and pulled down his hood. The coat had a camouflage effect, so his appearance seemed to blend in with his surroundings.
‘Season of Storms… …?’
Heilas had said something like that before. At the time, I thought it was just a metaphor. But it wasn’t a metaphor.
I searched for information. The storm season was indeed coming. It was a storm that hit Akbaran once every thirty years or so. It was called the storm season because it lasted for over a month.
* * *
I was dealing with everyone.
‘I told Kinuan that I would pull down Heilas and become the head of the household.’
‘I told Ivan that I would kill Kinuan.’
That’s how I got the reprieve and support.
This was a role that only I could play in a complexly intertwined relationship.
‘… …like Kinuan.’
I created my own realm by further tangling the entangled relationships. I learned more from Kinuan than I thought. He was a good teacher.
Crunch.
I checked the weapons on the aerial vehicle. For the time being, I plan to prioritize Ruina.
Even though Ruina didn’t do much in the last battle, I thought I should pay attention to her. I thought that if I put my heart into it first, Ruina would be able to do something the next time. I know that this is a superstitious way of thinking.
Beep.
A beep sounded. It meant we were getting close to our destination.
I looked outside the air vehicle as I dismantled Ruina. I saw the Custoria mansion.
‘Heilas told me to come to the mansion as soon as the treatment is over.’
There is nothing strange about visiting. These are turbulent times. There are things that have piled up that need to be talked about. I am also a Custorian, so it is not strange for me to visit my parents’ house.
Creak, creak.
But I was checking my weapons on my way to the mansion right now. Yeah, I have to assume the worst.
So far I have dealt with two people, Ivan and Kinuan.
‘And today it’s time to deal with Heilas.’
The aerial vehicle was lowering its altitude. It was approaching the mansion’s airfield. A person was visible below.
The person who came out to greet me was Giselle.
