Chapter 257

Chapter 257

Luka and Ivan were holding hands and dancing. The only music was the hum of Ivan's quiet tune.  

"You're quite good. Seems like learning social dance at the Accretia Academy paid off."  

Ivan looked up at me as he spoke. His pupils shimmered with a mysterious light, exuding an almost inhuman majesty.  

A being whose natural dignity could not be obscured by any vulgar words or desires. That was the current Emperor of the Empire, Ivan Accretia.  

Slide.  

Ivan interlocked his fingers with mine, gripping them more tightly.  

The sensation of Ivan's skin against my tactile sensors was no different from that of a human.  

'Ivan's hands are warm, like flesh and blood.'  

There was not a single flaw to be found. His body was so perfect that it felt alien, as if beauty itself had been pulled from the realm of abstraction and manifested in the present world.  

'Which is why it's inhuman.'  

One who possesses perfect beauty is no human. Perfection is an artificial concept.  

'Real humans are full of flaws. No one is perfect.'  

And so, at times, perfection becomes synonymous with divinity.  

'Is Ivan’s brain really in front of me right now?'  

Was Ivan acting inappropriately out of obsession and madness for me? If so, this was a golden opportunity.  

'An opportunity to capture the Emperor.'  

If I captured Ivan, all the problems I was facing might be resolved.  

But remember, Ivan is one of the monsters.  

'He revealed a weakness to me on purpose.'  

Was it really my place to exploit that weakness?  

My mind and body were operating separately. While my body continued dancing, my thoughts were lost in the swirling storm of conspiracy and strategy.  

"Luka, you're misunderstanding something. I will not take away your free will. If all I wanted was your body and face, there are countless ways I could have obtained them."  

Ivan let go of my hand and pressed his index finger against the space between my brows.  

Our dance came to an end.  

"What I desire is your pure mind—your soul. That is the supreme treasure that no technology can ever replicate."  

Ivan's voice was sweet enough to make my teeth ache. And it wasn't just because of its beautiful tone.  

'I want to give in to his offer.'  

I wanted to believe those words—that he truly desired me. That he respected my free will and wanted to cooperate with me. The way those words sounded in my ears was unbearably sweet...  

It was a promise from the ruler of the Empire. Ivan seemed capable of resolving every issue that surrounded me.  

'However...'

The memories of the Storm Era seeped into my mind like ice, spreading through my bloodstream and coursing through my entire body. A chill ran down my spine. My body tingled as if struck by lightning.  

I knew Ivan’s true nature.  

He was not a perfect being. He, too, was just a human—one who could break and despair. Behind that composed exterior was a boy trembling with anxiety.  

'Do not rely on him. Do not depend on him.'  

Do not expect someone to work a miracle and solve my problems for me.  

Shortcuts in life are traps and swamps of poison. Those who succumb to such temptations have crumpled beneath my feet, piled high like a mountain.  

'Remember Hemillas Custoria.'  

Hemillas never took anything lightly. He always made his decisions after confirming things with his own eyes. My father was no small-minded man who sought out shortcuts with naive judgment.  

"Ivan, you are the greediest person I have ever met. You may deny it now, but in the end, you will want to possess me. That is the nature of a ruler."  

Ivan gave a sad smile. Turning his back to me, he reached for the cape hanging on the coat rack.  

Whoosh.  

He draped the cape over his shoulders and sat down in a chair, resting his chin on his hand.  

"You're right. I am greedy. I will surely try to consume you. Even though I know you're like a candy that will disappear once eaten, I won't be able to resist. Just smelling the sweetness won't be enough to satisfy me."  

I narrowed my eyes.  

'Why does Ivan want me?'  

Simple possessiveness? Or was it something deeper? Would someone like Ivan obsess over me for twelve years purely due to an emotional attachment?  

'Or is there something he needs—something only I can provide…?'  

I collected my thoughts and spoke calmly.  

"If there is something you want from me, say it."  

Ivan smiled, still resting his chin on his hand. His gleaming white teeth looked almost tantalizing.  

"Kinuan."  

He uttered the name slowly. If I had let my guard down, my heart might have skipped a beat.  

"The Emperor’s assassin?"  

I voiced the suspicion I had been harboring. It was an obvious move, and Ivan laughed at it.  

"No need to test me. I’ll explain Kinuan to you. There are things even Ilay and the others don't know—things known only to the imperial family and its branches."  

Ivan tapped his knee a few times before continuing.

"Kinuan stole one of the imperial family's legacies. It was done with remarkable precision. Even my father never suspected that he coveted it. No, if the opportunity had never arisen, Kinuan might have lived his entire life as an Akies Domini without ever expressing or acting on that desire. He would have quietly met his end in their service."  

"A legacy? Are you referring to the Arcane Civilization’s combat relic that you mentioned before?"  

"No. It has nothing to do with battle, but I can’t explain any further. You are not my possession. Besides, Luka, you bear some responsibility for Kinuan's theft."  

"My actions during the Storm Era… gave Kinuan the opportunity, didn’t they? But I wouldn't say that makes it my responsibility."  

"If it had been just Kinuan, the chaos he created wouldn’t have been enough to truly shake the Empire. But with you—a foreign element—thrown into the mix, even the Emperor was caught in an unexpected situation. Kinuan didn’t miss that moment. Decades of loyalty existed solely for that single day of betrayal that might never have come. Truly, how fitting of Kinuan."  

I had been the kind of person Kinuan wanted.  

I had a high aptitude for Akies Victima… yet despite possessing overwhelming power, I refused to conform to the system. I had a rebellious nature. Back then, I was like a runaway locomotive.  

The decisive difference between Kinuan and me: he never lost control. He watched coldly, waited patiently, and seized only the surest opportunities.  

The chemical reaction between us—similar yet fundamentally different—coincided with the Empire’s festering wounds finally bursting open, leading to utter chaos.  

"I will recover the legacy Kinuan stole."  

"If you succeed in this mission, you will owe the Empire nothing. You’ll be free to live as you please. I will release you from all obligations."  

I didn’t believe Ivan’s promise. He was the kind of person who would change his words the moment he got what he wanted.  

I decided to change the subject and shift the flow of the conversation.  

"A group calling itself 'The Empire’s Blade' has approached me."  

I spoke like an Akies Domini, reporting potential enemies of the Empire.  

"I've long been aware of their movements. I was curious when you would report it. It was obvious they would try to make contact with you. But you already know what to do without needing orders. That is what it means to be Akies Domini."  

Kinuan and Nemesis came to mind.  

I would have to infiltrate The Empire’s Blade, uncover their organization, and report their activities to Ivan.  

They would never suspect it.  

They had no idea that the very symbol they sought—Lukaus Custoria—was nothing more than bait for their downfall.  

"And the Federation’s combat weapon, MAU…"

"That’s enough. You don’t need to report on that. We already know everything. We’re developing our own counterweapon. The fact that they believe they can defeat the Empire in a firepower war… it’s laughable."  

Ivan spoke as if MAUs were no threat at all. Whether that was the truth or just bravado, I couldn’t tell.  

"Understood."  

"Luka, we’re on the brink of war. It won’t be long now. In times like these, having an Akies Domini outside the Empire might actually be a blessing in disguise. This is what they call fortune in misfortune."  

Ivan smiled brightly. His cybernetic implants activated, and his body reverted to that of a boy.  

Clap!  

Ivan clapped his hands. The crisp sound rang out beneath the crimson lighting.  

"Now, our dreamlike rendezvous ends here. It’s time to return to reality."  

He extended a finger, pointing toward the door. As I reached for the doorknob, I hesitated and turned back.  

I had to make a decision.  

‘This is a gamble.’  

If I failed, Ivan’s perception of me would plummet to rock bottom.  

"Ivan."  

"What? Are you planning to bid farewell with a kiss on my hand?"  

Ivan half-lidded his eyes and extended his hand toward me. I didn’t look at it—I only met his gaze.  

"You willingly met with me, risking your life by bringing your brain along. Why?"  

Ivan’s cybernetic body wasn’t remotely controlled. I had cleared away all doubts, removing the hazy mist of suspicion. I had to trust my instincts.  

Slide.  

Ivan tilted his head to the side. His violet hair swayed fluidly with the movement, like flowing water rather than strands of hair.  

"Because it was necessary. You already know that—so why don’t you seize me?"  

"Because just as you need me, I’ve realized that I need you as well."  

With those words, I opened the door and stepped out. Ivan’s laughter echoed thunderously behind me.  

Step. Step.  

I walked down the hallway. The rooms lined on either side reeked of blood. There was no sign of life within them.  

'Death and blood.'  

Puddles of blood had formed on the floor, and my shoes made wet, squelching sounds as they stepped through them.  

At the end of the hallway, near the entrance, stood the man with piercings who had guided me here.  

The peculiar detail?  

Only his head remained.  

Draped in a pitch-black hood and cape, one of the Emperor’s Shadows stood there, holding the man’s severed head impaled on a spear.  

Sssss…  

The Shadow, with a helmeted face resembling a combat mask, stared directly at me.  

—A… A gift… from His Majesty.

The Shadow spoke those words and gestured toward a long metal case.  

Creaaak.  

I opened the metal case resting on the table. Inside was an object both unfamiliar and yet deeply familiar.  

'Crucis…'  

A single-edged blade, almost identical in design to the Crucis I once wielded, lay within the case.  

Vwoom!  

I gripped it and swung it lightly—it was a high-compression weighted weapon. The same artisan who had crafted Crucis must have forged this one as well. The craftsmanship was unmistakable.  

'Crucis Fides.'  

More letters were engraved after the name on the blade.  

'And Ruina.'  

Beside it lay a newly crafted shock pistol, made by the same artisan. Though subtly different due to its handcrafted nature, its performance and specifications were identical to its twin.  

'Ruina Probatio.'  

Like Crucis, Ruina’s name had also grown longer.  

Next to Ruina, a cartridge of shimmering shock rounds sat neatly in the case.  

Kiing—Clack.  

I took Crucis and slid it into the sheath provided. Though it was my first time holding this blade, it fit perfectly in my hand.  

Tap.  

I grabbed Ruina as well, then brushed past the Shadow with my shoulder as I walked toward the door. The Shadow did not stop me—only its gaze followed my movements.  

"Tell His Majesty that I have received his gift well. That is my honest sentiment, without a trace of flattery."  

With those final words, I stepped outside.  

Whooosh.  

The chaotic air of Border City rushed into my lungs, as if I had entered an entirely different world.  

Step. Step.  

I kept walking without looking back. The high-compression weighted weapon in my possession made my stride slightly unbalanced at first, but I quickly adjusted as if nothing had happened.  

KWA-ANG!  

An explosion rang out behind me. I didn’t flinch. I didn’t turn around.  

The entire building where Ivan and I had met was surely engulfed in flames by now. Every trace of our secret meeting would be erased, consumed entirely by the inferno.

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