006
The life of a guard cadet ends after four years. We were nearing the end of our second year. Before we knew it, the class below us had come in, and the instructors who had been teaching us had moved to that area, so most of them were no longer visible.
“You are worthy of being a centurion. Do your best for His Majesty the Emperor and the people of the Empire.”
The senior instructor who had been in charge of us for two years said as he was transferred to a lower rank. By ‘you’ he meant me and Ilay.
By the second year, the ranks of the classmates will have been completely determined. All the talents that could blossom have already emerged. We have all learned basic combat techniques. All that remains is to apply them through actual combat experience.
‘Centurion… … .’
The organization of the guard was simple and clear. There were a thousand guardsmen, and at the top was the captain of the guard. The captain of the guard was a thousandth commander, but also a hundredth commander.
The remaining nine hundred units are separated by service history and roles. The first unit that a cadet like me serves in after completing full-body mechanization is the 10th hundred. It is the lowest-ranking, rookie unit.
As you gain experience in the 10th Hundredth Regiment, you will eventually advance to the 5th Hundredth Regiment, and above that, you will be assigned to a higher-ranking Hundredth Regiment, from the 1st to the 5th, depending on your specialty and role.
‘If I become the 10th Centurion, I’ll be promoted quickly. I’ll be recognized as one of the best among the new guards.’
It was a position that all cadets with excellent training performance aspired for.
“I don’t really want to be a centurion. Luca, do you want to be a centurion?”
When we were left alone, Ilay said something comforting.
“Unlike you, I have nowhere to return to. If I don’t go up, I’ll just sink.”
“If you have experience as a guard, you will be treated as an elite wherever you go. Now that you have reached a position where your origins don’t matter, take it easy.”
Ilay said, extending his fist and hitting my chest.
Ilay is right. I have gotten to a point where I can afford to take it easy. But anxiety is also my driving force. The feeling of always being on the edge… I didn’t want to lose that.
Suddenly, a question about Ilay arose.
‘Why does Ilay want to become a guard?’
Ilay was very talented. To be honest, I thought he was a better guy than me. Because… … Ilay didn’t try as desperately as I did. It seemed like he was just taking things in stride, but the results were similar to mine.
Ssuk.
I leaned my arms and back against the railing. Then the handsome young master jumped up and climbed onto the railing.
Whew.
Ilay was standing on the railing, facing the wind. At first glance, it seemed precarious, but to us, it was just flat ground.
“… … Our family, the Kartika family, is a prestigious family that has produced many generals of the empire.”
Ilay spoke as if he had read my mind first. I was used to that kind of passing remarks now.
Ilay Kartika.
As someone who came from an orphanage, I had no idea how powerful the Kartika family was. All I could think of was that they were a prestigious family.
“So, if you do it moderately, your path to success is open.”
I said it half jokingly, half seriously.
Illai jumped up laughing and did a somersault on the narrow railing, his toes leaving a clean trail.
“I originally wanted to be a scholar. An archaeologist who studies ancient civilizations and delves into incomprehensible mysteries.”
“archaeologist?”
It was a job I had never heard of before. Illei smiled faintly at my question.
“It’s a promising profession in Bellatona and Cora. The Arcane civilization is overflowing with things to study.”
I was silent for a moment.
Just as Ilay covered up my pitiful mercy, I did not report the seditious words Ilay uttered to my superiors.
“If you want to do it, then do it.”
I expanded my senses and checked that there was no noise around me.
“In the Empire, it is forbidden for individuals to study the Arcane civilization without permission. Furthermore, my family does not allow me to do anything other than serve in the military. A prestigious family is called a prestigious family because it continues to produce talented people in that field.”
Illai spoke as if she was bearing all the world’s suffering with her eyes filled with excellence.
“You’re sad that you can’t do what you want? You’re just lying there talking nonsense.”
I was angry. I meant it.
There were many people at the bottom of the city who were not even guaranteed a day-to-day survival. Doing something they wanted was a luxury. What was important to them was being able to make a living.
“That’s right. To you, what I’m saying may sound extravagant. But to me, it’s true.”
Ilay stood there calmly.
“… … You’ll have to suffer and starve a little more.”
I spoke with contempt. Iley did not budge at my negative words.
“My dream isn’t known even to my family. I’m only telling it to you, Luca.”
“If you tell your superiors what you just heard, you’re finished.”
“You wouldn’t do that, just like I kept your secret. You showed mercy to Corinne back then.”
Illai crouched down on the railing. He brought his gaze down to my level.
I frowned as I looked at Ilay’s face.
“I hesitated because I was a non-combatant. I would have killed you even if you hadn’t taken action.”
“The captain ordered you to kill all the Corinthians there. The fact that you hesitated shows that you are a person who can refuse orders from your superiors.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. I am loyal to the Empire and His Majesty the Emperor. Because they have recognized my abilities. The enemies of the Empire are my enemies.”
Ilay looked at me and moved her lips.
“Even if it were me?”
“Whoever it is.”
I spoke with hostility. It is now certain. Ilay Kartika is dangerous. She could become an enemy of the Empire.
“Luka, if you were truly obedient beyond loyalty, you would have tried to kill me right now.”
I didn’t respond to Ilay’s words. I just looked at her sharply.
Ilay nodded, as if he took my silence as an answer. He jumped down from the railing as if falling backwards.
Looking down, I saw Illei landing lightly from the third floor.
“You stupid kid… … .”
I muttered as I watched Ilay’s back moving away.
Illei had everything, from family background to ability. He had everything that everyone envied, but he was actually pursuing something strange.
“… … And then you die, idiot.”
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A sigh escaped me.
* * *
The third year of basic training for cadets was a period of continuous combat. It was also a time when the number of deaths increased.
Thud thud thud!
The rain poured down fiercely. I, Ira, and three other cadets made their way through the dense forest, wearing waterproof hoods pulled down deep.
Five cadets walk silently in the rain.
Our mission was reconnaissance. During our cadet days, we had to take on all sorts of trivial tasks to gain diverse experiences. If someone without field experience takes command later on, they are likely to end up talking about empty talk.
For a soldier, especially a commander, incompetence and ignorance are the greatest sins and vices of all.
Ssuk.
I raised my hand to signal for a break.
We gathered under a tree to avoid the rain. Those who were sleep-deprived closed their eyes and fell into a quick and deep sleep. Sleep control is also one of the war techniques we learned.
Ugh, ugh.
I looked around while chewing on a bar-shaped snack. It was a rainy night, so visibility was limited. The forest, hit by the wind and rain, swayed and danced as if it were going to swallow us.
‘Somewhere out there, a guard in legion uniform is watching us.’
Even if it is a real battle, it is still part of training. If an enemy that is too difficult for us to handle appears, the guards will come out.
‘The last Force user thought that the higher-ups were at a level that we could deal with. And that was indeed the case.’
If Ilay hadn’t been injured first, Ilay and I alone would have been able to deal with him. If we had attacked together, we could have easily dealt with him.
‘This mission is a reconnaissance mission.’
I closed my eyes and thought about my mission.
The place we set foot on was an unexplored neutral zone. It was not yet anyone’s territory. Anyone we encountered here should be considered an enemy.
‘Ilay’s condition is different than usual.’
I watched Ilay drinking water with only her eyes moving. There was no sign of fatigue on Ilay’s face. Rather, she looked clearly excited.
‘Is it that good to just see the Arcane Ruins?’
The Arcane Ruins were the target of this reconnaissance. The ruins were surrounded by waves that hindered observation, so people had to go out to the scene to reconnaissance.
Ssuk.
I stood up, patting Ilay on the shoulder. It was our turn to stand guard.
“Isn’t it amazing? There was a civilization roaming the universe before we humans even existed.”
Ilay spoke chatterily. I had a hard time sympathizing with Ilay’s curiosity, so I just shrugged.
The super ancient civilization, Arcane.
I also know from fragmentary knowledge. I heard that there was a civilization that roamed the entire universe in the distant past. Their traces remained wherever you went in the universe.
“I don’t care about Arcane or Nabal. They were already destroyed long ago.”
Despite my negative reaction, Ilay wasn’t disappointed or offended.
“Luka, the present exists because there was a past. And the future can be predicted.”
Even though Ilay explained it plausibly, it didn’t make sense to me. It seemed like he didn’t really want to make me understand.
After resting and refreshing our bodies, we prepared to move again. Before we left, one of the cadets approached me.
‘Claude Ramones.’
The Ramones were a famous family, if not to the extent of the Kartikas. Even though I was born at the bottom, I had been a cadet surrounded by noble young masters, so I knew the subtle balance and power structure of the noble families.
“Luka, I have a younger sister.”
Claude Ramones suddenly blurted out something. I tilted my head.
“so?”
“If you don’t have a woman you can relate to, I want to connect you with my younger sister.”
“I’m from an orphanage.”
There was no one among the cadets who did not know my origins.
“Whether we come from an orphanage or a noble family, we will all be equal guardsmen. Maybe you will even become my superior.”
I looked at Claude’s face. It wasn’t teasing or anything like that.
‘You’re serious.’
It was a sudden suggestion. But on the other hand, I understood it.
I’m from an orphanage, so I’m not entangled in complicated politics. Iley also said that there must be a family that likes my free-spirited background.
“I don’t think it’s a bad suggestion. I know you’re close to Ilay, but there are no other women left in the Kartika family.”
“… … I’ve never thought about this before. And we’re on a mission.”
I said after a while.
“I’m not asking you to answer right away. I’m asking you to consider it.”
Claude nodded and stepped back.
Ilay, who had overheard my conversation with Claude, nudged my arm with her elbow.
“You’re popular, Luca.”
“It’s noisy.”
We advanced toward the ruins. As we neared the center of the forest, the remains of a half-ruined metal structure became apparent.
“This is Arcane… … .”
Illai approached the broken pillar, looking around.
Woof.
Illei’s hand touched the silvery metal pillar. A blue light briefly shimmered from the part where it touched before dissipating.
“Even though it’s a structure that’s hundreds of millions of years old, it still has energy responses.”
Illai couldn’t help but be amazed.
“… … Ilay, we are on a mission.”
I frowned.
“Oh, sorry.”
Just now, Ilay seemed to have forgotten even her mission. Her emotions were clearly expressed on Ilay’s face. She looked like a defenseless child.
It was my first time seeing Ilay like that.
Whoosh.
I gestured and straightened the ranks. We were planning to return after examining the structure and scale of the Arcane Ruins.
And if there are any salvageable relics, they should be collected immediately.
We moved through the cover, keeping our footsteps dead. The silvery roads branching off in all directions converged at one point. That seemed to be the center of the ruins.
‘Claude, this way.’
I gestured to Claude. Normally, he would be paired up with Ilay and act as the vanguard, but Ilay was feeling a bit untrustworthy right now.
The other cadets waited behind the pillars and walls, aiming their rifles. Claude and I approached the ruins under the protection of our comrades.
OMG.
I tried to analyze my surroundings with my right prosthetic eye, but the unique wavelength of the ruins bounced off my analysis attempts. My eyelids stung and my forehead felt hot.
Kirik.
An unfamiliar noise arose up ahead. Claude and I moved very slowly, holding our breath.
‘There is something ahead.’
Inside the ruins stood six large pillars, and in the center of them was a platform that resembled an altar.
I opened my eyes wide.
Kikrik, kkirik.
Above the stage, a cube was floating in the air and spinning. The cube was as big as a person’s head, and each time it spun around, the color of its face changed. Inside, a sound like mechanical devices meshing together continued to resonate.
And there was someone under that cube. The moment I confirmed its identity, my face hardened, almost distorted.
‘Sickness… … ‘
My nerves were on edge. My instincts and reason were both warning me of danger.
If the Empire had a Royal Guard… … then the Holy Nation of Korra had a Knight Order. A member of that Knight Order was standing before me. I could tell just by looking at their uniforms.
The armor, with its delicate decorations and workmanship, was a combination of blue and white. Melee weapons such as spears and swords were hung from the back and waist. The face was not visible due to the deeply pressed helmet.
OMG.
The knight of Cora turned his head. Blue light flickered inside his helmet. His gaze was directed at us.
Whirl!
The knight gestured. The spear on his back was engulfed in blue light and floated alone. The light shone brightly, as if swallowing the spear.
The brilliant light was paradoxically eerie. We knew that light was dangerous. Korra’s paladin was also a master of the Force.
“Ugh… … .”
I couldn’t continue speaking. It was all in a flash. The window seemed to disappear, then passed me by.
Kkwaduk!
The spear’s blade pierced Claude’s temple. The spear flew through Claude’s body and lodged itself in a pillar.
Claude is dead.
… … And then it was my turn.
