Chapter 327

Chapter 327

Giselle and I had fallen asleep leaning against each other. We needed plenty of rest. Our bodies were so drained that we managed to keep our eyes shut for more than half a day, even in a jostling vehicle.

We had come this far after enduring such a harsh journey.

Vrrrmmm.

The vehicle was gradually slowing down.

I had been in a light sleep for quite a while, so I slowly opened my eyes. At the edge of the horizon, artificial lights shimmered.

It flickered like a night market at dawn, bustling with people. Scattered among them were vehicles typical of the Nomads—erratic and mismatched. Among them, there were many large vehicles for habitation.

‘We’ve arrived.’

I took a deep breath and forced my brain into a waking state. My narrow field of vision expanded, and my awareness stretched beyond the vehicle.

I could sense Barbara stirring in the driver’s seat. She, too, seemed to be waking from a long rest. Until now, she had slept so still, like a corpse.

Tsssk.

Barbara was injecting a nutrient solution, mainly composed of glucose, into the nape of her neck.

“Hoo.”

Barbara exhaled sharply, as if her mind had suddenly cleared.

“Mmm.”

Giselle’s weary eyelids fluttered before she lifted them. She hadn’t been awake long since emerging from cryosleep. Since it hadn’t been a proper thawing process, the fatigue and aftereffects were bound to be severe, and her body likely wouldn’t move as she wanted.

Having once awoken from cryosleep myself, I understood Giselle’s condition well. The sense of reality felt distant, and the world would still seem vague to her.

“Nomads are rootless wanderers without a central hub, but they still have a minimal network and connections among themselves. Irregular Nomad markets like this pop up from time to time.”

Barbara spoke as if explaining to Giselle. She glanced at us briefly as she prepared to step out of the vehicle.

“Luka, stay here and look after Giselle. I’ll go buy what we need.”

Ever since Giselle had joined us, Barbara had changed.

Even I often found myself surprised by her words and actions. Barbara trusted Giselle.

‘Barbara believes Giselle would never betray her.’

If Barbara stepped away, Giselle and I could easily run off on our own. But Barbara acted as if the thought never even crossed her mind, and headed off alone into the Nomad market.

“…What did you offer that lunatic?”

I stepped out of the vehicle to loosen up my stiff body as I asked.

Giselle, still seated in the back, let the outside air wash over her. Her short brown hair fluttered in the breeze. It wasn’t a bad look, but I found myself missing her deep blue hair a little.

“It’s simple, once you understand. I just agreed to stay with her. Barbara’s always wanted to be with me. What made her seem so bizarre was just that her way of thinking operates on a completely different level from ours.”

I thought I understood what Giselle meant. Mushir al-Kashura came to mind.

‘Their minds are structured differently from ours.’

People like Mushir al-Kashura and Barbara felt so distant that even the emotions of other species seemed more relatable by comparison.

“If Barbara is anything like Mushir al-Kashura, that means she’s just as dangerous. Sooner or later, she’ll try to prove her affection in a way you won’t want.”

Barbara’s presence made me uneasy. It was probably because I had dealt with Mushir al-Kashura before.

“…Luka, do you trust Ilay Carthica because he’s similar to you?”

An unexpected question came from Giselle. It was a hard one to answer.

“That’s not it.”

“Do you know why I never worked with Ilay Carthica? Because he made me uncomfortable. Ilay is only a friend to you. No one trusts the Carthica fox.”

That was the reason there had been no cooperation between Ilay and Giselle.

‘And if Giselle had asked Ilay for help, he would’ve used her plan to serve his own interests.’

Giselle, keeping Barbara close. Me, keeping Ilay close. In essence, there wasn’t much difference.

Before long, Barbara returned to the vehicle, her arms full, carrying a box packed with all kinds of random items.

“We’ll pose as Nomads looking to settle down and enter Bellato City. It’s a bit early, but everything’s going according to plan. So don’t worry, my Giselle.”

Barbara handed clothes and goggles to Giselle as she spoke. It was practical gear for blocking out sandstorms.

“A plan I’m not in on? I haven’t heard anything beyond this point.”

I leaned against the vehicle, arms crossed, and shot back.

“I’ll explain everything, just wait. Don’t act so impatient.”

Barbara snapped at me.

Giselle, who was getting dressed inside the vehicle, answered instead.

“Luka, part of the money we siphoned from G&G Cybernetics is sitting in borrowed-name accounts in Bellato City. Barbara also bought some real estate under a shell company she set up. The money was laundered through Border City, so it’s safe from tracking. Honestly, we might never have to worry about money for the rest of our lives.”

Giselle spoke of an enormous embezzlement as if it were nothing. I pressed my palm to my forehead.

“No wonder Gilda’s flipping out. You stole enough slush funds to live off for a lifetime? We could’ve just earned money as we went!”

I think that was the first time I’d raised my voice at Giselle since our reunion.

“I know it’s heartless. And I do feel sorry for Gilda. But I wanted to be prepared for everything.”

Now dressed, Giselle pulled out an old terminal. She and Barbara exchanged data through the device.

Beep, beep-beep.

Giselle read through the terminal screen swiftly, like a cold-blooded businesswoman. Only her pupils moved up and down.

She kept speaking as she continued reading the terminal.

“…I was going to wake you up right before the war. Once the chaos of war begins, no one would be looking for us. And even if they wanted, they wouldn’t have the resources to.”

In the near future, Planet Novus would become a battlefield. A war all three nations had anticipated and were preparing for.

According to Giselle and Barbara’s prediction, the war would begin in about ten years from now.

Giselle kept her eyes fixed on the terminal as she went on.

“If necessary, I was going to use the Empire’s Blade to trigger the war. If internal conflict in the Empire drags on, the other countries would be forced to act. And once the war begins, the first city to vanish would be Border City. Then Lazarus’s cryosleep patients would be transferred to orbital hospitals or to Bellato City.”

Giselle was prepared to risk a war that would claim countless lives for her own personal goal. Of course, even without Giselle’s involvement, the war was an inevitable future—but emotionally, it was still hard to accept.

The Giselle I once knew was a girl who couldn’t stomach that kind of ruthlessness.

‘Whether the world burns or not… she’s only moving for a future with me.’

Giselle’s obsession held a madness that rivaled Barbara’s. Maybe the two of them had influenced each other during their time together.

Srrk.

I looked away from Giselle and turned to Barbara. She met my gaze immediately.

Barbara pressed her finger against one corner of her mouth and pushed it up. A clear sneer.

Her inner voice seemed to reach me like telepathy. I could read her thoughts with perfect clarity.

‘Luka, can you handle the Giselle who stands before you now?’

That’s what Barbara seemed to be saying. She was brimming with confidence.

---

About three weeks had passed since the Honey Space abduction incident. To be exact, twenty days.

I was spending my days in unfamiliar ways. I no longer roamed the streets at night. I woke up with the morning sun.

Well, sometimes I woke up at the crack of blue dawn. Today was one of those days.

……And the first thing I always felt when I opened my eyes was the warmth of soft skin.

“Mmm, Luka? You’re already up?”

Giselle stirred in the bed and looked my way. I grabbed the blanket and pulled it up over her shoulders.

“My stamina’s recovered a lot. I don’t need as much sleep anymore.”

“Yeah, I can tell. You’re getting stronger by the day. Which means I end up more exhausted.”

I let out a dry chuckle. Giselle’s hand wandered across my scarred abdomen, then she closed her eyes again, still drowsy.

Srrk.

I gently pushed her hand aside and slipped out of bed, walking to the window.

Shff.

When I drew the curtain, I saw the blue light of dawn settling beyond the window.

‘……Bellato City.’

We had arrived in Bellato City about fifteen days ago, and we were living in a multi-family villa on the outskirts rather than in the city center.

Bellato City was a blend of nature and architecture. Even from the window of our villa, I could see patches of green zones and parks scattered around.

There were citizens out on the streets, already exercising early in the morning.

The public safety in Bellato City was fairly good. Even in the outskirts, it was rare to see vagrants or outlaws. A calm and stable peace lingered throughout the city.

‘So quiet.’

Such peace and nature were unfamiliar sights to me. But I didn’t dislike it. It was good for my mental health, too.

I stared blankly outside, savoring the silence until the blue dawn lifted.

‘Peace, arranged by Giselle and Barbara.’

No one would be after me now. Even if someone was, they would have a hard time finding me.

‘I can finally stop walking a tightrope over a pitch-black abyss.’

The Honey Space spaceship abduction and the NewGen orbital hospital raid had been major incidents, yet neither Barbara’s nor my face appeared anywhere—no portraits, no photos. Even with Barbara’s hacking, at least a composite sketch based on testimony should’ve remained.

But instead, some random man and woman had been accused and arrested as the culprits.

‘If they fail to catch someone for a terror act of that scale, the government and the corporations would lose face.’

The underbelly of Bellato City was just as dark.

Still, unofficially, there would be people trying to track us down. For now, it was best to avoid any activities that might draw attention.

I stepped away from the window and reached for a glass of water—then flinched slightly.

Since arriving in Bellato City, I had replaced both my prosthetic arm and leg.

“Hm.”

The prosthetics I was using now were low-output models designed for everyday use. After spending a lifetime using high-output ones, I still often felt an odd sense of discomfort.

I focused, as if peering beneath the artificial skin, and then grasped the glass.

Gulp.

I drank water along with a pill from the table. The pill I took daily was a high-concentration neurostabilizer—so potent that an ordinary person would fall into a coma after taking it.

By taking the medication, I heavily suppressed neurotransmission, and through the low-output prosthetics, I minimized the strain on my brain. As a temporary measure, it worked well enough.

But honestly, these days I felt like I’d become an idiot. It was unpleasant. It didn’t feel like I was myself anymore.

More than anything…… there was something unresolved that weighed on my mind. Even if I could suppress Akies Victima, I knew everything wasn’t truly over.

Ilay and Kinuan……

Throb.

A headache came on. It felt as though the thoughts I’d been holding back would burst like an overflowing flood.

If I focused my mind on something complex, even the neurostabilizers couldn’t suppress it.

That’s why I tried, consciously, to avoid thinking about anything related to the Empire.

‘This is the life, the peace I wanted. Luka, get a grip.’

I frowned. If my prosthetic arm had been high-output right now, the table I was leaning on would’ve snapped in two.

Clack.

I headed out the front door and walked over to the neighboring unit. The door next door was wide open, as if even a burglar would be welcomed. I stepped inside and knocked on the wall to make my presence known.

Knock, knock.

In the living room next door was a girl surrounded by monitors and holograms. The orange-haired girl tilted her head at me with a crooked expression.

Yes, Barbara lived next door.

“What’s the occasion, neighbor guy?”

“Just wondering if things are going well.”

“I’m sleeping less and keeping all the data under control. Don’t worry. As long as Giselle still likes you… you’re safe.”

Barbara was constantly monitoring various networks, scrubbing away any trace of us. Even the tiniest thread that could lead to us was thoroughly eradicated.

“Well, thanks for that.”

I stared at Barbara’s monitors and holograms. Because of the neurostabilizers, my cognitive intake was significantly slowed.

Barbara looked at me and stretched her eyes and mouth into a wide grin. Her shoulders and chest twitched mechanically.

“Hee, hee, hee. I knew it, Luka. You’re the bastard child of violence. Even if someone handed you peace, you’d throw it away and run straight toward destruction.”

As if she’d been waiting for this, Barbara snapped her fingers.

Beep.

All the monitors and holograms instantly filled with information related to the Empire. The events that had unfolded were beautifully organized.

Snap.

Something inside my head broke. Like a dam giving way, my brain’s neurotransmitters went into overdrive.

The information sorted itself in an instant, filing into place in my mind like books on a library shelf.

“……Ugh, pffft.”

I shoved my fingers into my throat and gagged out the half-dissolved pill.

“You’re smiling right now.”

“I know, you damned lunatic.”

I wiped my mouth.

I had reclaimed myself. But it wasn’t about rejecting peace. I just had unfinished business to take care of.

For the sake of true peace.

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