Bad Born Blood

Chapter 223

"Tarfa, do you even realize how horrific it is that I have to collaborate with Sonsu Industries?"  

Lapis Lazuli, who had been dispatched from Sonsu Industries, said this while maintaining my prosthetic.  

"I already said I'm sorry. Three times, in fact. You're probably the only person in the world who's ever heard me apologize three times."  

As I sat down on the medical chair, I took off my ragged coat and shirt. My torso, covered in pain-relief patches, was exposed.  

Lapis and I were borrowing a maintenance room from Sonsu Industries. It didn’t seem like the place was cleaned regularly—grime, metal shavings, and random small parts of unknown purpose were scattered everywhere, making a complete mess.  

"Three times won’t cut it for this. You should be apologizing five times, maybe even ten."  

Lapis set down the mechanical toolbox she had been carrying on her back. It reminded me, for no particular reason, of Mushir al-Kashura's metal case.  

Whirrr. Clank. Clank.  

As soon as Lapis’s toolbox hit the floor, it sprang open in all directions.  

Inside, an array of specialized tools was neatly arranged, and in the center, a mechanical arm equipped with a lens extended upward.  

With practiced ease, Lapis utilized the AI-assisted arm to perform maintenance on my prosthetic.  

Vrrrr.  

She replaced broken components and reinforced damaged outer layers by inserting and layering metal. The loud scraping and grinding sounds echoed as she adjusted the alignment.  

The newly patched areas stood out, looking mottled like mismatched skin tones.  

"I never imagined I'd see a Lazuli-21 model pushed to such an extreme. Even across Novus, prosthetics of this caliber are rare. Well, considering who you were up against, I suppose it makes sense."  

Lapis knew that my opponent had been Mushir al-Kashura. She was discreet—she wouldn’t go spreading it everywhere.  

‘But even if she doesn’t, the rumors will spread on their own.’  

There had been too many witnesses this time. News of the man who took down Mushir al-Kashura would inevitably spread through Border City. Before long, my name would be caught up in it.  

‘I don’t have much time.’  

The Empire—more specifically, Emperor Ivan Accretia—would soon learn of my whereabouts.  

‘I need to find a way to protect myself from the Empire before that happens.’  

Jafa Trading Company wouldn’t be able to protect me. It wasn’t a matter of willingness—it was a matter of capability.  

‘No matter how competent Jafa is, she’s just a businessman at the end of the day.’  

The Imperial House governed the Empire. The only force that could counter something on the scale of a nation was another nation of equal standing.  

"What was Mushir al-Kashura like? You got to see the reality behind the legend everyone only talks about."

I thought about how much I should say.  

‘I’ll leave out the assumption that he had multiple brains. Even if it’s true, it’s better that I keep that information to myself.’  

As I watched the metallic steam rising from my arm, I organized my thoughts.  

"You’ll find out when you examine the wreckage. The surprising part was that he wasn’t just using an exoskeleton—it was a full-body prosthetic."  

"In the Empire, a combat prosthetic of that caliber is called a full-armor prosthetic, right? And the highest-tier model is called…"  

Lapis trailed off, struggling to recall the name.  

"Legion."  

I answered in her place. Saying the word left a bitter taste in my mouth.  

"Ah, right. Legion, Legion. I’ve never seen one myself. Well, unless a war breaks out, I probably never will. It’s a state-controlled tactical weapon, after all."  

"It’s better if you don’t see one. If a foreigner ever comes face-to-face with a Legion, it means they’re in a nightmare scenario."  

"Still, as an engineer, I can’t help but be curious. It’s the pinnacle of cybernetic engineering, built solely by the Empire."  

I pressed my lips together. There was no need to bring up the dark side of Legion, nor did I want to.  

Sensing my mood, Lapis changed the subject.  

"…What did you discuss with Sonsu Industries?"  

I felt a sense of unease. That wasn’t the kind of question Lapis would usually ask. Jafa Trading Company had no knowledge of my negotiations with Sonsu Industries.  

"Did Jafa send you to find out? That’s a cheap trick."  

"That’s not it. I’m personally curious. Luka, you don’t know anything about Sonsu Industries."  

I narrowed my eyes. Lapis genuinely disliked and distrusted Sonsu Industries.  

"I know they’re powerful enough to keep Jafa Trading Company in check. And if you know more, you could just tell me, Lapis ‘big sis.’"  

Lapis burst into laughter at my words. She laughed so hard she nearly ran out of breath before finally speaking.  

"You’ll find out soon enough, so I don’t think there’s any need to explain. Anyway, En was furious, saying you betrayed Jafa, but I don’t see it that way. It doesn’t seem like Jafa does either."  

"It was a renegotiation on equal terms. Jafa wouldn’t sacrifice herself just to protect me. I was never a mercenary hired to guard my employer in the first place. I was hired to find someone. Unlike Equessian mercenaries, I have no reason to risk my life in loyalty to Jafa. She understands that perfectly well."

"That's right. It's a wise decision to have multiple escape routes. However, I believe that in the end, Luka will move for Jafa Trading, not Sonsu Industries."

I twisted one side of my lips.

"Now that's nonsense. I'm going to get some sleep, so take care of the remaining maintenance."

I closed my eyes, looking at Lapis's smile. At the very least, I should be able to sleep for an hour or two.

Finally, a proper rest. I'm overwhelmed. If I were to exaggerate, I might even shed tears.

…Let's go over the recent schedule. It was long. Very long.

'Deus Ex Machina and Jin Gaw.'

'Gaya's hospital and Gabriel.'

'A drinking session with Anguis Regina.'

'The house where the Jafa’s family lived.'

'And Mushir al-Kashura's attack.'

'Sonsu Industries and Son Seok-jae.'

This much is something to be proud of. I pulled off a superhuman schedule.

There was no superior officer here to praise me. I was the only one who truly knew what I had been through in succession.

'There's no one to recognize me. These were things I needed to do.'

A moment of silence passed.

I quietly opened my eyes. My eyelids felt light, a sign that I had slept well. More than two hours had already passed.

Lapis seemed to have finished the maintenance a while ago. She was sitting in a chair, playing with her terminal, and the toolbox was neatly folded.

"You were sleeping so soundly that I didn’t wake you."

Lapis noticed my presence and spoke.

I got up and put on my clothes.

"Anyway, I made you come all the way here for a job and gave you some trouble. Sorry about that, Lapis."

"Well, there's no need to apologize. It’s not like I wasn’t interested in this either."

I opened the door to the maintenance room. At the entrance, two Equessian mercenaries stood guard for Lapis’s protection. Even through their combat helmets, I could sense their hostility.

"Then I’ll be on my way. Thanks for the maintenance."

I nodded at Lapis as I turned to leave.

"…You went through a lot too, Luka."

Hearing someone acknowledge my effort… it wasn't such a bad feeling.  

*         *         *  

Inside the factory, people were busy moving around, transporting Mushir al-Kashura’s prosthetic body.

The technicians of Sonsu Industries were gathering every tiny component that had fallen off Kashura’s prosthetic.

Step, step.

I walked toward Son Seok-jae, who was in the factory. He finally noticed my presence and opened his eyes wide.

"Ah, you're here. Did the maintenance go well?"

"It was excellent. My dedicated technician is quite skilled."

I raised my hand, softly curling and unfolding my fingers as I spoke.  

"If we had a prosthetic expert on our side, we wouldn’t have had to entrust your maintenance to an alien."  

"I would have still gone to Lapis."  

"You trust an alien species?"  

"I'm not trusting an alien species. I'm trusting Lapis. I judge individuals, not races."  

Son Seok-jae chuckled lightly, as if he found me naïve.  

"Every species has innate tendencies and traits. Even among members of the same race, small differences lead to misunderstanding and hatred. Just look at the three nations on Planet Novus. If even the same kind struggle to understand each other, then with different species, the gap only widens, and conflict grows. Believing that differences can be understood and bring people closer is an illusion."  

"Sounds like you got betrayed by an alien once. No need to project your trauma onto me."  

"I'm merely stating my thoughts."  

Son Seok-jae walked ahead as if he had no intention of arguing.  

I followed him as we surveyed the factory.  

There was no equipment for mass production here. The entire facility consisted of small-scale custom manufacturing units. It was closer to a workshop or an industrial studio than a proper factory.  

"Make sure you don’t forget our deal."  

I spoke in a warning tone. Son Seok-jae and I had already concluded our negotiations.  

"Of course. Your combat ability alone surpasses our entire company’s security force. I'd have to be a fool to deceive someone who could turn this place into rubble."  

Son Seok-jae stopped walking.  

A warehouse filled with prototype units came into view.  

Various types of bipedal war machines were scattered around, each with only a skeletal frame and minimal armor plating.  

They were somewhere between bipedal robots and armored vehicles. And...  

'...They almost look like Legions.'  

Of course, they weren’t Legions. They were far larger, and—most importantly—they were piloted.  

"We’re striving to meet the Federation’s military standards. This is the Mechanic Armor Unit (MAU) project—still a tentative name, but we abbreviate it as MAU."  

"A weapon designed to counter the Empire’s Legion?"  

At my words, Son Seok-jae's expression lit up with excitement. For a moment, he looked more like an engineer than a businessman.  

"The Federal Government isn’t just trying to match the tactical value of the Legion. They want a weapon that surpasses it entirely. That’s one of their core demands."  

The moment I heard that, I found it laughable. I wanted to sneer.  

"Hah, do you actually think that's possible?"

"If we succeed, this will become the core of the Federation’s military industry. And weapon development moves far faster and more fiercely than you might think. War clouds are gathering over Planet Novus."  

I had heard plenty of times that war was not far off.  

Those with keen insight were already preparing for the inevitable future of war. And as for rulers and policymakers? That went without saying.  

"You believe that surpassing the Legion is impossible."  

"Honestly, yeah. I've seen them firsthand."  

"If a nation focuses all its resources on the military industry… its development speed will exceed imagination. History has proven this time and time again. If the Federation creates a weapon surpassing the Legion, the Empire will respond within a few years with its own countermeasure. When the survival of a nation is at stake, every minor issue can be ignored."  

…To some extent, I found myself persuaded.  

I'm not a weapons development expert—Son Seok-jae is. I tend to respect professionals, and what he was saying made sense.  

Planet Novus was balanced among three equally matched nations. That meant the Bellato Federation possessed technology and military power comparable to the Empire.  

"The Federation also desires a battlefield icon. Something symbolic and powerful, like the Empire’s Legion or the Holy Corite Alliance’s Holy Knights. These figures alone can shift the tide of battle. A weapon that plunges enemies into despair and nightmares while inspiring hope and boosting the morale of allies has value far beyond its sheer performance or firepower."  

Every word rang true. The Legion was exactly that. Add the prestige and background of the Imperial Guard, and its presence was overwhelming.  

When a Legion appeared as an enemy, soldiers would be defeated before even fighting. But when it was on their side, victory felt assured before the battle even began.  

On the battlefield, the Legion’s value went beyond its raw specifications.  

"I may just be the owner of a small factory now, but I want to change the world."  

Son Seok-jae gazed at each prototype combat machine with a distant look in his eyes, occasionally running his hand over their armor.  

"Changing the world through weapons doesn’t seem like much of a bright future."  

Son Seok-jae laughed heartily.  

"If we’re thrown into this universe at birth, shouldn’t we strive to shape the flow of history rather than be swept along by it? Who cares if the world burns? I refuse to live as just another pawn."  

An admirable yet dangerously reckless ideology.  

"You're an egoist."  

I spoke indifferently, suppressing the countless thoughts stirring within me.