Bad Born Blood Chapter 129

Chapter 129

I explained Barbara’s true identity to Giselle.

Barbara was a spy that the Empire had spent over a decade preparing and deploying. A carefully cultivated agent ant to infiltrate Nesis. Antisocial yet loyal to the Empire, brimming with madness yet possessing a sharp intellect.

"...That’s Barbara. That’s why even Nesis never suspected she was an imperial spy. Because to anyone looking, she’s just a crazed witch perfectly suited to a terrorist group."

I finished speaking.

Even Giselle, who had steeled herself for this, had her expression change multiple tis. Anxiety, nervousness, anger... and betrayal. Her emotions were clear to .

"So Father knew about what happened at the Academy all along. He knew how much I suffered, and yet..."

"He had no choice but to watch. Barbara was an agent the Empire had painstakingly prepared. If the imperial high command had hovered around her, Nesis would never have taken her in."

Giselle must have understood that, at least rationally.

"So the reason Barbara was able to toy with the Accretia Academy was because the Empire let it happen. Now it all makes sense. She was a Trojan Horse."

Her fingers twitched restlessly, betraying her unease. The more she listened, the more her frustration and curiosity must have grown.

"The deeper you dig, the more the questions will pile up, and the more impossible it will be to shake off the fear and doubt. Even I can’t give you a clear answer."

I spoke as if reading her mind. If an explanation alone could resolve everything, I would have told her long ago.

"The reason Barbara is so obsessed with ?"

"That’s sothing you have to figure out, Giselle. It might have to do with sothing you did in the past. Or maybe Barbara is just insane. A madman’s actions don’t need a rational reason."

Giselle reached for the glass of water on the table. She moistened her dry lips before quietly closing her eyes.

"I’m scared of Barbara, Luka. I can’t even understand what she truly wants. I don’t know if she loves or hates ."

I didn’t think it was hatred. Being soone who had strayed from the norm myself, I could recognize it. Barbara expressed affection and goodwill in a twisted manner. Hm, no need to say that out loud.

Giselle opened her eyes and pulled out her terminal. A holographic screen appeared, prompting her to enter her network ID.

"Do you think it’s possible to negotiate with Barbara?"

She asked while typing, her gaze fixed on the letters appearing on the screen.

"Barbara is a lunatic, but in the end, she always acts based on rational judgnt. That’s what makes her even more bizarre. If she sees a benefit, she’ll accept my deal."

"This deal... will it truly benefit Father and the Custoria family?"

Having finished entering her ID, Giselle hesitated before asking.

"I’ll put it simply. Father and the Custoria family are in crisis right now. Father, Hemillas, may never return to us alive."

"So it’s true that he’s in conflict with the Imperial Court...?"

It seed Giselle had heard sothing about it from sowhere.

I nodded and looked at the holographic screen. Giselle lowered her head slightly and logged into the network.

* * *

Networking and electronic warfare weren’t my area of expertise or interest. But I was familiar with the classification of the Empire’s network systems.

There were lower-tier networks accessible to commoners, operated freely by private companies. These were flooded with corrupted data and low-quality information.

Since the lower networks were publicly available and widely used by the Empire’s lower-class citizens, they were inexpensive. However, they were virtually devoid of security. A device with a low security rating would get wrecked by viruses the mont it connected.

The upper class of the Empire typically used private networks managed independently by institutions, corporations, or noble houses—like the Imperial Guard’s internal network. These networks were exclusive to mbers of their respective groups, offering curated information and high security, making them both reliable and safe.

‘But that also ans they’re constantly under the scrutiny and censorship of higher authorities.’

Then there was the highest-tier network, managed by the Imperial Court itself. Only high-ranking officials and the top aristocracy were granted access. The network I accessed with my Overseer privileges as the Emperor’s agent belonged to this category.

‘Lower, internal, and upper networks.’

Most people classified networks into these three categories, but electronic warfare specialists and hackers divided them even further. I had heard that those so-called tech wizards could bypass through alien servers and even access the networks of Corite and Bellato factions. Well, that world was beyond my interest or comprehension.

"They’ll always be tracking you on the network, Giselle."

I spoke while standing beside her. Giselle, still seated, manipulated the holographic interface.

"I know. That’s why I’ve never logged in with my own ID."

We stared at the holographic screen.

The mont we connected to the public lower network, the firewall activated. The security system of the terminal was in the process of burning away hundreds of viruses and illegal programs. Quite literally, it was incinerating them.

Beep, beep! Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep!

As soon as we logged in, a flood of alarms popped up.

- If there’s a misunderstanding, let’s talk.

- We’re friends, aren’t we?

- I protected you! Why can’t you understand that?

- Connect, connect, connect, connect, connect, connect...

The sender varied with each ssage, but anyone could tell they were all from Barbara.

Hundreds of overlapping ssages covered the entire screen. Whatever trick she had used, even mass deletion wasn’t possible.

We had to manually remove each ssage one by one. In other words, unless we closed our eyes, we had no choice but to see them.

- Don’t trust Lukaus Custoria.

I flinched. And then ca the real spectacle.

- Luka is a pervert who rolls around with n in the back alleys! I saw it myself. Here’s the proof!

A doctored, manipulated photo appeared. It was horrifying. Soone with my face was engaging in acts I didn’t even want to describe.

“...It’s fake, right?”

Giselle glanced between the photo and . I really hoped that faint blush on her cheeks was just my imagination.

“Of course it is. Are you kidding ?”

I frowned and answered.

- Heehee, Giselle. It’s nice to see your face after so long. You’re still as lovely as ever.

The ssages beca more recent.

- Ilay Carthica? Are you out of your mind? You’re marrying that trash? That’s a lie, right?

- Giselle? Giselle? Giselle? Giselle? Giselle? Giselle? Giselle?

- Why can’t I see you? What did you do?!

The tone of the ssages beca increasingly agitated. It seed that thanks to Hemillas’ efforts, Barbara had a much harder ti stalking her. He had been protecting Giselle in his own way.

- Suddenly, I feel scared of myself. I even started to think I might hate you. So contact , Giselle. Right now!

Even under official scrutiny, these ssages would probably just look like those of a typical obsessive stalker. Which, to be fair, Barbara was.

- The season of storms is coming. Be careful. I’m doing well, so don’t worry.

After that, there had been no ssages for a long ti.

‘Barbara must be incredibly busy inside Nesis.’

If things were going according to the Empire’s plan, Barbara would be holding an important position within Nesis.

Beep.

And then, a new ssage appeared.

- Giselle! Please, answer . I’ve been struggling so much lately. Talk to like before. Please, please, please! Don’t run away. I won’t treat you badly.

I could almost hear her voice. Leaning forward, I pressed my hand against the table.

"I’ll talk to her instead."

I pulled the holographic interface toward .

- It’s been a while.

ssage sent. The reply ca instantly.

- Who are you? Who the hell are you to use Giselle’s ID? I swear I’ll find you and kill you. You’re not in bed with her, are you? No, Giselle, you’re my goddess! A goddess must remain pure!

- Don’t worry about that. I’m a pervert who rolls around with n, rember? I can personally guarantee Giselle’s chastity.

Giselle shot a glare and pinched my side. Hm, that’s definitely going to bruise.

Beep.

The next ssage had no text—just strange code. The terminal recognized it as an external network gateway.

We brought out an old, unused terminal and entered the code. Even so, this felt like a bad idea. Contacting Barbara on the network was incredibly dangerous. That world was her battlefield.

In reality, I could snap Barbara’s neck in less than a second. But in the network? It was the opposite. If I left even the smallest security vulnerability, she could hack into our terminal in a single second.

Vrrrrr!

The old terminal began processing the code. Despite its age, it was still a high-end model, equipped with a sturdy firewall. Since no viruses were detected, we could breathe a little easier—for now.

"Never seen this script before," I muttered, staring at the screen. Strange characters stretched across it in a long sequence, ford from dots and lines. It was bizarre.

"It’s the Tajirun script. Looks like she’s rerouting through a Tajirun server. Those money-grubbing bastards wouldn’t do this for just a few coins..."

Giselle recognized it before I did.

...Tajirun. The na felt unfamiliar. I racked my brain, trying to pull up the mory, like digging out a dusty old book from the back of a forgotten storage room.

‘Tajirun, the rchants.’

Finally, I rembered.

The Tajirun were a species. Snake-like in appearance, and saying their entire race was dedicated to trade and comrce wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

If the Equessians were a race of rcenaries, the Tajirun were a race of rchants. As a soldier, they weren’t particularly relevant to . I only knew that, true to their reputation as traders, they were cunning and cowardly.

- This network will only last five minutes, even if I empty my entire fortune for it. If you have business, speak quickly, Luka. If you called here for sothing trivial, you’ll regret it.

- I want to make a deal.

- Haha, the situation is different from last ti. Back then, I cooperated only because you had captured. Here, I’m stronger than you. I hold the superior position. I have no reason to negotiate. So hurry up and try to tempt .

I moved my fingers quickly, forming my response. Barbara could disappear at any mont.

- I have Noel Mullizcane’s records in the form of virtual simulation data. If you convert them into a modern format for , I’ll share them with you. I’m sure you’ll find them useful.

At the ntion of Noel Mullizcane, Barbara didn’t reply right away.

"Noel?"

Giselle tilted her head in confusion.

The Empire deliberately avoided teaching anything about Noel Mullizcane. It was natural that she was unfamiliar with the na.

Even if soone tried to look him up, the only information available was a brief ntion labeling him as a rebellion leader.

- Now this is interesting. Who exactly are you? Don’t tell ... you’re one of my kind?

- That’s none of your business. I’ll deliver it to you in person.

- I have a condition. Giselle cos with you.

I glanced at Giselle. She placed her palm over the back of my hand and nodded.

We set a ti and place. Barbara would appear in a form we wouldn’t expect. After all, she now had a fully cybernetic body.

The communication with Barbara ended. She grumbled about spending half of her savings on the connection.

"Luka, can you promise one thing?"

"I can’t promise anything without knowing what it is."

"When this storm passes... tell everything you’ve been through. No matter what it is, I’m ready to accept it."

I couldn’t tell her. My silence was my answer.

Srrk.

Giselle withdrew her hand from mine. My fingers twitched before I clenched them into a fist.

"I’ll fulfill my role, but keep this in mind. I’m not like my submissive mother. I can’t love soone completely if they won’t open up to ."

I still didn’t understand Noel’s choices and struggles. But I thought I was beginning to grasp Hemillas’ burdens.

Fulfilling two roles at once was difficult. Whether as a family head and a father, or as an Overseer and a lover—committing to one always ant neglecting the other.

Now I understood exactly how Hemillas felt.

...If I wanted to protect them, I had no choice but to be hated.