Chapter 60
Ilay had been continuously carrying out missions. There were times when he took on assignments back-to-back without returning. It wasn’t the method recommended by the training center, but it was actually closer to real combat.
‘In real combat, you can’t always maintain your best condition.’
It was common to fight battle after battle while already battered and worn. That was why military combat prosthetics valued durability just as much as high output. No matter how powerful they were, if they lacked durability and reliability, they were useless in actual combat.
Ilay proudly showed me the greatest trophy he had obtained from his various missions.
…The moment I saw what it was, my eyes widened.
Beyond the glass window, a ‘metallic creature’ covered in countless electrodes and cables came into view.
Researchers bustled around us, busy monitoring the situation. Signals of unknown meaning were forming graphs across the screens.
‘Machine Beast.’
A beast made not of flesh and blood, but of metal and machinery. It was a lifeform occasionally found on Planet Novus, yet its ecology remained a mystery.
Grrrrng……
The Machine Beast let out a low growl, sounding utterly exhausted. It had a sleek form, resembling a wolf. However, its long tail split into three distinct strands, each ending in a sharp tip. From its shape, it seemed to use its tail as a weapon.
"That’s something to be proud of."
I spoke honestly.
Capturing a Machine Beast was no easy feat. For one, chemical tranquilizers didn’t work on them. On top of that, they had electromagnetic shielding exteriors, making electronic neutralization difficult.
I’d have to check Ilay’s report later to see how he managed to capture this thing. I was curious myself.
"Amazing, right?"
Ilay looked through the glass with an excited smile. In that expression, I could see pure curiosity.
"Are Machine Beasts related to the Arcane Civilization?"
Though he had changed, Ilay was still Ilay. His obsession with the Arcane Civilization remained unshaken.
"Well, it’s not certain, but the chances are high. Machine Beasts are made of mechanical components, but their structures are as intricate and complex as those of living organisms. Some even say that, somehow, they grow and reproduce over time."
Ilay chattered on excitedly. Since I had no interest in such things, I let his words go in one ear and out the other.
Ilay approached a researcher and started discussing the Machine Beast. Meanwhile, I observed the creature confined in its glass prison, waiting for their conversation to end.
‘A lifeform born with a mechanical body.’
We didn’t need to adapt to cybernetic prosthetics gradually like we did. Machine Beasts were born with electronic brains and nervous systems suited to their natural bodies.
Krrrk.
The Machine Beast lifted its head and looked in my direction. It had two pairs of pupils. The wavelengths of visible light they perceived must have differed, as each pair glowed in a distinct color.
Just observing it was fascinating. Even though it was mechanical, it was entirely different from a rigid android. It exhibited many involuntary movements, just like a living creature. Its eyelids periodically lowered to clean the lenses, and its three-pronged tail swayed gently.
"…Can this thing be tamed?"
I asked suddenly. The researcher burst into laughter.
"I can’t give a definitive answer on the possibility, but there’s no precedent for it."
"I see."
With that, I stepped back from the glass. The Machine Beast also turned its head away as if losing interest in me.
We left the laboratory.
"This will be the last time I see that thing. It’s being transferred to the Imperial research division."
"Transferred? More like imprisoned."
That Machine Beast would never see its homeland again. It would be confined somewhere unknown and spend the rest of its life as a test subject. I wasn’t sympathizing—it was just stating the facts as they were.
"Oh, and here’s my second trophy. This one’s a gift for you. Consider it a congratulatory present for rising to fame as the young master of House Custoria."
"I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or sincere."
"I’m serious, you idiot."
Ilay pulled out a knife. Its sheath was made of black leather, which looked exceptionally thick and sturdy.
Swish.
Ilay drew the knife and spun it between his hands. His movements were swift and dazzling, almost like a performance.
"Bone?"
In that brief moment, I recognized the material of the knife. Ilay stopped his movements and held the knife out toward me.
"It’s a weapon from the alien I took down this time. You know about the Equessian, right? That mercenary race they’re famous for."
"I’ve heard of them."
I examined the knife. The handle was wrapped in cord and leather. The blade, made of bone, was an unnaturally pure shade of white.
"Only Equessian commander-class warriors carry these knives. They’re rare, but beyond that, they’re also considered highly valuable for their craftsmanship. Collectors pay a hefty price for them."
"I can see why."
My artistic sensibility was below average. But even to my eyes, it was clear that this knife was no ordinary item. To put it bluntly, it looked expensive.
“It’s made from the bone of a native beast that only lived on the Equessians’ home planet. They say it’s extinct now, so even if you wanted to get one, you couldn’t. It was an incredibly ferocious and powerful creature, and any Equessian who managed to hunt one down with nothing but a spear or sword was honored as a great warrior among their people.”
Ilay explained its origins. I understood that it was a rare item. If it could never be obtained again, then of course, it was valuable.
I accepted the knife and ran my fingers along the blade.
“It looks more ceremonial. Can it actually be used in real combat? I mean, it’s still just bone.”
“Watch closely.”
Ilay took the knife back and struck it with his own blade.
Kang!
A crisp resonance rang out. The bone knife didn’t break. However, the edge chipped slightly, leaving behind a fine crack-like mark.
“You said it was rare, but—”
I stopped mid-sentence. The crack in the blade was healing on its own. Like regenerating cells, the fine fractures and chipped sections filled themselves in.
“In the Equessian language, it’s called ‘Graken Vuth.’ There’s no perfect translation, but in our terms, it roughly means ‘Immortal’? No, more like ‘Eternal White.’”
Ilay tossed the knife—‘Graken Vuth’—toward me. Since ‘Graken Vuth’ was too long, I decided to just call it Graken. I didn’t really care about the original meaning anyway.
Swish.
I spun the Graken knife in my hands, gripping it alternately with both. It was astonishingly light.
“There are dormant, nano-sized organisms living within the bone. When it takes an impact or gets damaged, they awaken and restore the bone to its original form. The Equessians used a special processing technique to lock that regenerative ability into the shape of a blade.”
“…Sounds like magic.”
“I’m being generous here, giving this to you.”
I stared intently at the knife, now restored to its pristine white state. The damage had disappeared as if it had never been there.
It wasn’t an overwhelmingly powerful weapon. But for a warrior, it was undoubtedly a treasure worth coveting. It wouldn’t be strange if my eyes gleamed with greed.
“I’ll make good use of it.”
Graken Vuth—the meaning behind it was ‘Eternal White.’
As a gift, it carried significant meaning. After all, everyone was drawn to eternity and immortality.
People want their names to be remembered in history, and they don’t want their finite lives to simply come to an end.
…And they wish for their relationships to be eternal as well, whether it’s friendship or anything else.
But we know. The reason we long for eternity and immortality… is because we cannot have them. Fame, life, and even our relationships with others are all finite.
There is one truth in the universe: even the universe itself is not eternal and is heading toward its end. One day, everything will cease to exist. Let alone us, mere specks upon the stars. Our lives are nothing more than the fleeting glimmer of a lifeform that is not even worthy of being called dust.
You’re being sentimental today, Luka. Well, it’s understandable.
It’s the first time I’ve received a gift with meaning behind it.
* * *
I belatedly checked the document Nikolaos had sent me via hologram.
The startup and closure dates of the shell companies I had requested, along with the names of their registered owners, appeared in sequence. As I moved my eyes and focused on a name, additional personal information surfaced.
‘This is far more information than I expected. He’s certainly thorough with his work.’
There was even data I hadn’t asked for. Nikolaos had already investigated whether the listed owners of these shell companies were real people or fabricated identities.
It made me feel a sense of duty—like I should do something in return for Nikolaos. The information was that impressive.
I refocused on the hologram. Even the money flow, something difficult to track with the lower district’s information network, was laid out before me. All the shell companies were laundering money in an intricate, tangled web.
Under the guise of cleaning services, supply contracts, security firms, and other operations, these shell companies siphoned funds from the gambling den and converted them into legitimate assets. To avoid tracking and investigation, most of these businesses did not operate for long, shutting down within a year or two.
I meticulously reviewed the entire document Nikolaos had sent, from beginning to end.
Uncovering this level of detail in the lower district wouldn’t have been possible in just a day or two. It was the kind of work that could take months, possibly years.
‘If, by some stroke of luck, I really do become the head of House Custoria…’
I might just keep Nikolaos by my side instead of purging him. As long as he didn’t turn against me, he could be an excellent strategist and advisor.
He possessed abilities I did not.
Of course, Lukaus Custoria, Head of House Custoria was a future with almost no chance of coming true. The walls I had to overcome for that future were far taller than any I had scaled before.
‘P.S. While investigating, I started seeing the outline of where the shell companies’ money is ultimately flowing. If I dig for a few more days, I think I’ll find out. I’m doing this because I find it fun, so don’t feel like you owe me anything.’
This was the note Nikolaos had added at the end of the document.
"I really do owe him now."
Nikolaos had already figured out what kind of person I was, which was why he was willing to give so freely. He knew I wasn’t the type to simply take and pretend I hadn’t.
‘Alright, until Nikolaos sends me the additional investigation results, I’ll set this matter aside…’
I wanted to tackle the assignment Kinuan had left me.
‘The next stage of Akies Combat Techniques.’
Ever since I met Ilay Carthica, I had been plagued with a lingering sense of unease. Ilay was improving at an incredible pace. He was honing his combat abilities through relentless real-world battles.
I wasn’t just idling around either. But right now, the things I was dealing with had little to do with actual combat. It was possible that, at this very moment, I was weaker than Ilay.
And I knew Ilay’s talent better than anyone. That bastard was chasing after me at full power.
I liked Ilay. But I hated the idea of losing to him. If he ever surpassed me, I was confident I could bring myself to despise him with everything I had—at least until I became stronger again.
I accessed the Imperial Guard network to book a private training room.
Beep.
A notification popped up on the terminal.
I rarely—extremely rarely—felt shaken. The last time had been on the battlefield, when a comrade beside me had died. My expression was probably even more disturbed now than it had been then. This wasn’t a battlefield. The hormones that turned me into an aggressive psychopath weren’t surging through my body.
‘Obituary…’
Someone I knew, someone among my acquaintances or relatives, had died.
And it was none other than the man I had just been muttering about to myself.
‘…Nikolaos Custoria.’
Nikolaos was dead.