Chapter 90
I felt my vision distort. It felt like I was about to get dizzy.
The Crimson Crown Prince, Francec, was a "prepared sacrifice."
Emperor Yuri Accretia intended to kill his own son in the future.
A father not only using his child but planning to kill him.
If a lowly commoner at the bottom of society had devised such a plan, I could understand. But for it to co from the imperial family, the pinnacle of the empire... and from the emperor’s own lips at that.
I kept my mouth firmly shut. If I opened it, I felt like my agitation would spill out.
"Luka, you may have to carry out the crown prince’s assassination. An Overseer’s primary duty isn’t combat or assassination... but there are tis when it must be done."
Kinuan looked at as he spoke.
"If it is for the empire, I will gladly take on the task."
The response ca out chanically. Rational thought was nearly impossible.
"Let ask you one thing, young Overseer..."
Upon hearing my answer, the emperor smiled faintly. That smile resembled the countless portraits of the First Emperor that I had seen.
As the emperors of history aged, they gradually ca to resemble the First Emperor, Dino Accretia. Yuri Accretia was no exception. The traces of the First Emperor were etched into his mature, middle-aged face. No doubt, his face had been deliberately crafted to appear that way.
"Then... if not for the empire, but for ’my personal reasons,’ would you still be able to kill the crown prince?"
The emperor slowly gazed into my eyes as he continued speaking. His pupils swirled with light. There was an almost surreal sense of pressure, as if he were sothing other than human.
It felt like all five of my senses were being crushed. My body wanted to submit to the emperor. I was excellent—I knew well the model answer I was supposed to give here.
However, however, however...
My chest creaked, and my throat felt dry and rough. I often... veered off course at crucial monts. That filthy nature of mine, which despised bending to power, sotis reared its head. No matter how much I tried to suppress it, a person’s true nature does not change so easily.
"Your Majesty is the empire, so one could say that too is for the empire. However..."
You couldn’t hold back, could you, Luka?
"However?"
The emperor’s response carried a subtle hint of displeasure. Had anyone ever dared to contradict him before? If so, it certainly wouldn’t have been soone as insignificant as . At most, it would have been a chancellor or a high-ranking minister.
"...A guiltless child dying by his father’s command is an unpleasant thing. Even if it’s for the empire. Not just —I’m sure the people of the empire would think the sa."
I lowered my head as if bowing and closed my eyes. There was a chance I might die here.
Had I clawed my way to survival all this ti just to die after saying sothing so foolish? I was nothing short of an idiot.
A voice in my head scread in frustration.
But I wasn’t a fool who would recklessly throw myself off a cliff. I wouldn’t die just from saying that. I was certain of it—an instinctual feeling.
"Kinuan, I’ve always trusted you. This child is still young... but he does have the qualities of an Overseer."
The emperor laughed, brushing away even the faintest trace of anger. My instinct had been right.
"He’s sharp. Even more than ."
"You’ve always had a slippery side to you, ever since the old days."
Kinuan and the emperor spoke as if I wasn’t there.
Every word and action of mine was being scrutinized. The emperor was testing against so unknown standard. And just now—I had barely passed.
But what exactly were the qualities and criteria of an Overseer?
It didn’t seem to be just about aptitude for Akies Victima. There was sothing beyond that.
"Nevertheless, Crown Prince Francec must die. It is a matter tied to the future of the empire."
The emperor emphasized his words. He and Kinuan did not elaborate further in my presence. They rely gazed at with cold, resolute eyes.
"I may not want to, but if I must bear the disgrace and do the dirty work, then I believe that is my role."
That was what I said. My voice did not waver. Because, at least in this, I was telling the truth.
"Haha, that is enough. Excellent. I suppose it’s ti for an introduction."
The emperor tilted his head slightly and rested his chin on the back of his hand.
Snap!
He flicked his fingers lightly, producing a sharp sound. And then—a presence stirred behind him.
Click, click.
Footsteps rang clearly against the floor.
I knew the owner of those footsteps.
A part of had already anticipated this. When I heard that the Crimson Crown Prince was a fraud, a certain figure had co to mind.
A boy with violet hair erged. His youthful face belied the seductive glint in his eyes. He carried an androgynous allure, his gender almost indiscernible—but his beauty was so eerily striking that my instincts warned .
Danger.
Excessively beautiful flora and fauna often carry poison. A saying I had heard sowhere in the past surfaced in my mind.
"It’s truly a pleasure to et you face-to-face like this. You’ve managed to keep your head attached—how impressive. You should be proud to have survived this long, Lukaus Custoria."
The violet-haired boy spoke words brimming with hostility, yet his tone was warm, almost affectionate.
Today, I must have crossed the threshold between life and death several tis—perhaps even without realizing it.
"It is an honor to be able to et Your Highness with my head still on my shoulders. I am relieved that I do not appear before you in disgrace."
"I told you to call Ivan. You were the one who chose that na for , and I like it. Even when I beco emperor, I plan to keep using it."
I glanced at the emperor’s face. He was rely watching the exchange, a faint smile lingering on his lips as if entertained by it all.
"Do you approve of the one who will be your Overseer?"
"If I were a woman, I’d make him my consort."
The re thought of it was nauseating. I furrowed my brow slightly.
"Haha, Lukaus doesn’t seem to like you very much."
"I understand. I wouldn’t like soone like either. Cruel, capricious, and eccentric—it would be strange to be fond of such a person."
Ivan was well aware of how others perceived him. That made him all the more terrifying.
"That, too, is a quality of an emperor."
The emperor affird Ivan’s nature without hesitation.
"Luka, no matter what happens, survive and stand by my side. Then all the pain you’ve endured will be repaid in full."
Ivan stepped closer, standing right in front of . His voice was androgynous, and his breath carried the scent of flowers. Yet he was a snake—a venomous serpent luring its prey with dazzling patterns.
"I intend to. Even if my soul and mind rot away in the process."
But I have no intention of letting you people use up as you wish.
If I die, it will be by my will and my choice. Just as I had once chosen to resist and face death before Rick Kaiser, instead of clinging to certain survival.
This was the only form of rebellion I had left.
* * *
After my audience with the emperor, I returned to my quarters.
On the way back, Kinuan said nothing.
‘Akies Domini, the Emperor’s Overseer.’
I was rely a young apprentice—a provisional Overseer.
‘If I fail to et the imperial family’s standards, I will be disposed of.’
At least the fact that a ‘submissive personality’ isn’t the standard is a relief. Then again, if obedience were the criteria, they wouldn’t have considered making an Overseer in the first place. They must know well enough that I have a rebellious nature.
‘A commonality between Kinuan and .’
If that’s part of the qualification for an Overseer, then so be it.
‘The aptitude to master Akies Victima quickly.’
Nothing else ca to mind.
I could feel my nerves on edge. Even after returning to my quarters, I couldn’t truly relax. Even if I wanted to rest, my trained instincts were already moving quickly for survival.
From now on, my every action would reach the ears of Kinuan, the emperor, and Ivan. I had to be cautious at all tis.
‘Being evaluated without knowing the criteria.’
It was similar to learning Akies Combat Techniques. The initiation process involved stealing and mastering the techniques on one’s own.
‘It must be the sa for Overseers.’
Figuring out the evaluation criteria for oneself was probably part of the test.
‘What should I trust, and what should I doubt?’
Not only the emperor but even Ivan treated favorably. Kinuan also cared for .
‘But there is no guarantee that their attitudes and emotions are entirely genuine.’
Look at the Crimson Crown Prince, Francec. He doesn’t harbor the slightest doubt that he will beco emperor.
Throb. Throb.
It felt as if my skull was cracking. I placed a hand on my forehead, sensing the heat through my synthetic skin.
My temperature was high, as if I had caught a fever.
The overload was severe. Thinking further with this narrowed and sluggish mind would be pointless. It would only deteriorate my condition. I needed to regain focus and temporarily push away my anxiety.
‘What I need is rest.’
But even for soone as trained as , it wasn’t easy to erase the unease. Still, I had to sleep.
One fortunate thing was that I was an exceptional cadet.
A battlefield is littered with extre anxiety and stress, like stones on the roadside. I had been trained to sleep soundly even in such places.
Slowly, I exhaled and closed my eyes.
Right. I must be exhausted. My nervous system felt parched and brittle. The mont I relaxed even slightly, fatigue washed over .
Hoping that no one would disturb , I sank into deep sleep.
Beep.
At first, I ignored it. My shallow consciousness quickly faded away again.
Beep—beep.
It must be sothing urgent. But if it were an Imperial Guard summons or an important mission, the ssage would have been forcibly displayed on my retinal interface.
So I should just ignore it and sleep a little longer.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Suppressing the urge to smash my terminal, I forced my consciousness to resurface.
“Goddamn it...”
My eyelids felt heavy, as if they were about to shut again. My head prickled, as if needles were sporadically piercing into it.
Checking the ti, I saw that I had slept for about three hours. Normally, that wasn’t a short amount of sleep for .
‘But right now, I need at least four or five more hours for my nervous system to function properly.’
My mind was sluggish, my thoughts thick and murky. They started forming only to get stuck and break off midway.
Gabriel.
Seeing the sender’s na, I let out a sigh.
‘This better not be anything serious.’
I opened the holographic ssage.
-Luka, your little sister is here looking for you!
Gabriel only had one person he would refer to as my little sister. Damn it—Giselle Custoria.
-Shit, what should I do? Should I at least bring her a drink?
I’d rather just throw a bucket of cold water on her and send her away.
-Hey! Why aren’t you answering?! Damn it, she’s asking a lot of questions—can I answer them or not?
-You always go missing at the worst possible tisss—!!
I could understand Gabriel’s frustration. But my own irritation was rapidly rising.
After checking the ssages, I imdiately threw on my coat. Giselle—of all the damn days, why today?
I went straight through the security checkpoint and boarded the elevator descending to the lower district.
‘Didn’t I tell you not to wander down into the lower district, Giselle?’
She wasn’t answering my calls. She was ignoring them on purpose. Stepping out of the elevator, I ground my teeth in frustration.
‘Just leave alone already. I’m struggling enough as it is.’
The weak words nearly escaped my throat.
I stalked through the lower district with a venomous stride. My face must have been so vicious that even the usual pickpockets and thugs, who always lingered nearby, instinctively backed away like frightened dogs.
Screech! Bang!
I kicked the gang office door open and stord inside.
“Hey, you goddamn—”
I was already preparing to curse before the door had even fully swung open.
Bang!
The sharp crack of gunpowder exploded through the air.
My frayed and exhausted nervous system instantly detected danger, sending a desperate alarm through my body. My combat reflexes took over.
Clack!
I reversed my grip on my knife as I unsheathed it in one fluid motion. With my other hand, I drew my shock pistol and activated its preheating sequence.
My crossed hands and wrists shielded my face, while my forearms and elbows protected my heart and lungs. Even if a sudden gunfight erupted, I wouldn’t die.
Thud!
Only then did the door fully swing open, revealing the first floor of the gang office.
"Oh, you’re here. Then, let’s celebrate—uh... hey, put the gun away."
Gabriel, wearing a gaudy, multicolored party hat, spoke. He had birthday poppers stuck between each of his fingers, ready to set them off one by one.
So that gunpowder sound earlier—it must have just been party poppers.
I scanned the room. Gabriel, along with eight gang mbers, stood in ridiculous outfits. On the table sat a cake, its origin unknown.
No matter how I looked at it... this was a birthday party.
"Ga...briel, is it your birthday or sothing?"
I asked, bewildered.
"Luka, what are you talking about? It’s your birthday today. Your dear sister said so."
For the record, I don’t have a birthday.
My gaze landed on Giselle, who was leaning against the bar. She stood with her arms crossed and rely shrugged.
What the hell kind of nonsense is this, Giselle?
"Hey, you—"
I was about to start cursing again when I sensed movent behind .
"Oh, I heard today was your birthday, Lord Luka. This is a gift from Diva."
Grace, the one-eyed woman, walked past , carrying a stack of gift boxes piled higher than her own head.
"Whatever’s going on, your sister went through the trouble of celebrating your birthday. Everyone’s here to congratulate you. Quit frowning already and have a birthday drink."
Gabriel strode over, casually draping an arm around my neck and shoulder. With his front teeth, he boldly popped open a bottle cap before handing the bottle to .
"Ha, fuck..."
I let out a sigh, laced with curses, as I took the bottle from Gabriel.
...Screw it. Maybe I’ve already lost my mind from all this stress.
Might as well just go along with it for now.
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