Chapter 316

- This is a metamorphic metal incorporating Arcane engineering technology. When subjected to external impact, its atomic structure rearranges in real-time, transforming the metal's physical properties into the most suitable resistance material. If you think about it, high-compression heavy weaponry originates from the same type of technology.

Lapis displayed text on the holographic screen as she explained.

I remained lying down, simply reading the text in silence.

- The production cost of that neck brace must be astronomical. It's a shame to dismantle it like this.

Lapis moved her fingers, manipulating the holographic interface. She was programming the nanomachine liquid she had applied to my neck brace.

- Predator-type nanomachines were originally designed to destroy the locks of Arcane ruins or relics with minimal damage. The production process is extremely complex, resulting in limited output. Only a minuscule amount makes it to the civilian market... Your friend sure managed to get their hands on something rare.

I flinched.

Lapis quickly looked at me and gestured for me to stay still.

- If you're not careful, the nanomachines might start eating away at your flesh, Luka. Don't move outside the designated area.

I had no choice but to remain lying down for two whole days.

‘This is insane.’

In two days, more than enough could happen in our world. Ilay had already been on the move for quite some time.

- Anyway, it's good to see you again, Luka. I thought I'd never meet you again.

I had thought the same. I had believed I would rush straight to the conclusion of the book called Kinuan without hesitation.

‘To think I'd get caught up with Ilay here.’

I had too much time to think, to the point of frustration.

The effects of the drug that had been dulling my mind were slowly fading.

‘Ilay has a keen interest in the Arcane civilization and its ruins. He’s also someone who handles the Empire’s darkest secrets, not to mention the head of the Carthica family.’

As soon as we arrived in Border City, Ilay and I went our separate ways. We planned to track Kinuan through our respective methods and corner him into a dead end.

‘Ilay wasn’t tracking Kinuan—he was looking for a way to disable my neck brace.’

For Ilay, this mission was merely an excuse to get out. He had an entirely different goal.

‘Kinuan was extremely wary of Ilay, who had been tracking him for a long time. Because of Ilay, Kinuan had been restricted in his actions.’

Yet this time, Ilay had been of no help in tracking Kinuan. If he had been tearing through Border City with an entirely different objective in mind, that would explain it.

Predator-type nanomachines belonged to the Tarfa species. As Lapis had said, they weren’t something one could easily acquire anywhere.

‘Someone in the Tarfa community of Border City must have seen Ilay. No matter what it took—coercion or any other means—he would have found a way to disable my neck brace.’

I couldn’t shake the thought that there had been gruesome murders along the way. Ilay had neither the time nor the patience… and certainly no mercy.

‘And…’

A possibility I didn’t want to consider surfaced in my mind.

If the suspicion swirling in my head was true, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from beating Ilay to death.

‘At the last moment, Ilay and Kinuan struck a deal.’

That would explain how Kinuan’s preparations and schemes fell into place so smoothly. He countered my every move as if he knew everything, luring me into a trap.

Kinuan wasn’t an omniscient being. He only knew what he had been told or had seen through someone else.

‘Kinuan caught Lars at the perfect moment and used him to draw me into a trap.’

If Ilay was the one colluding with Kinuan, everything clicked into place.

‘Since when?’

Their cooperation couldn’t have started long ago. Ilay was the kind of man who wouldn’t hesitate to hand Kinuan over to the Empire if it suited him.

‘For Kinuan, dealing with Ilay would have been a major gamble. If he exposed himself carelessly, he could have been caught in an instant.’

I bit my lower lip.

There was only one scenario where Kinuan could have confidently reached out to Ilay.

‘I became the weakness of Ilay, who was once nothing more than a machine devoid of emotions.’

Ilay wanted to pull me out of this chaos. He didn’t hesitate to act against his own objectives for my sake.

Because of that, Kinuan had been able to approach Ilay safely, using “Luka’s freedom” as a bargaining chip.

‘…My disappearance happened all too naturally.’

Kinuan had gotten me, but with the help of my connections in Border City, I had barely survived. Even Ivan wouldn’t suspect anything under these circumstances.

‘And Ivan must have sent the Shadows beyond the Empire’s borders to prevent me from being taken to the Holy Corite Alliance.’

The Empire had no other unofficial combat force capable of extracting me besides the Shadows.

A pattern was emerging.

‘Ilay Carthica…’

Right now, he wasn’t tracking Kinuan.

‘…He’s heading to Akbaran, the capital.’

Ilay was on his way back to the Empire. Before long, he’d set off the bomb he had prepared somewhere beyond my knowledge.

‘You’re going to fail, Ilay.’

No matter what Ilay had planned, the chances of success were incredibly slim. He must have known that, too.

The Imperial Family was not to be underestimated. Throughout history, extraordinary heroes had risen in every era, challenging their rule—only to fail every time.

‘My neck brace hasn’t been dismantled yet.’

There was still the option of directly contacting Ivan Accretia.

‘I could report Ilay’s seditious actions to Ivan and have him stopped in advance.’

If I did that, I might at least be able to save Ilay’s life.

‘But…’

Ilay was already aware of all the risks, and he had chosen to accept them.

‘He’s the kind of person who would deceive me without hesitation if it meant saving my life. He actually thinks that’s what friendship is.’

But my way was different.

‘Choice is our privilege, even if the outcome is destruction.’

Ilay had made his decision not under coercion or brainwashing but of his own free will. He had a life path shaped by his own experiences and choices, and the parts that overlapped with mine were minuscule.

Even if his path led to death, forcing him away from it would mean denying the life he had built.

‘I am not Ilay.’

I had learned how to respect a friend’s choice—from my own life’s journey.

…And so, I accepted the dismantling of my neck brace without resistance.

Ivan would feel deeply betrayed. He would be furious.

But to me, Ilay came before Ivan.

To Ivan, I was nothing more than a cherished toy, a pet. He never saw me as his equal.

‘Who would dare claim to stand on equal footing with His Majesty, Ivan Accretia, Emperor of the Empire?’

A hollow chuckle escaped my lips.

A day passed.

Lapis, exhausted from her work, had even stopped communicating via hologram. Whenever she found a moment, she slept as if dead.

Her gentle, rhythmic breathing filled the quiet room.

I wanted to drape a blanket over her as she slept slumped in her chair, but I was in no condition to move.

Tak, tak.

The sound of high heels. Light, yet with a rhythmic confidence.

Chiiik.

The moment the door slid open, a sweet scent flooded the room.

I felt suffocated for no reason. A woman I had no desire to face entered.

‘Anguis Regina.’

She scanned the room before approaching Lapis, who was still asleep in the chair.

Swish.

Anguis Regina slipped off her coat and draped it over Lapis’s sleeping form. Lapis, undisturbed by her presence, continued to sleep peacefully.

“Luka, I’m glad I can finally repay my debt to you. That means we’re even now, right?”

“There was never a debt to begin with.”

I answered in a low voice.

"Our side of things is going smoothly. It looks like I’ll be taking over the management rights of Sonsu Industries. By consolidating the shares I inherited and buying up the scattered minor stakes held by Son Seok-jae’s investors, I ended up with a larger share than his family."

"You managed that in a short time."

"They were the kind to give in after just one drinking session. Shallow men, really."

"A drinking session? Are you sure you don’t mean a night in bed?"

"Is that how you see me?"

"More than enough."

I spat out the words, cold and rude.

Anguis Regina frowned at first, but then she smiled—softly, almost sadly.

"You’re deliberately being cruel. If I look at it differently, maybe it’s because you feel something for me and want to keep your distance."

This was exactly why I hated meeting Anguis Regina. She understood me far too well.

I stayed silent, and her smile only deepened.

"…I’m only saying this in case you’re curious, so listen if you want. I tried to transfer Sonsu Industries' MAU technology to Deputy Minister Ismael La, but there was significant pushback."

"From inside Sonsu Industries?"

"No, from the government bureaucrats, actually. They insist that maintaining the current contract-based competition among private companies is necessary. If the Strategic Weapons Research Department takes over MAU development directly, they claim inefficiency and corruption will become rampant. It’s a reasonable argument."

"It’s also partly true."

"Either way, this puts me in a difficult position. My influence over Sonsu Industries won’t last long. I don’t know much about this field, so I’ll eventually have to hand the company over to someone who does. When that happens, I won’t have the means to extract the MAU technology myself."

As I listened, my mind quickly started to work through the situation.

"Or an internal dissenter opposing you might leak Sonsu Industries' proprietary technology to a competitor. In any case, with time, the company’s technological lead will naturally fade. Now that Son Seok-jae, their key engineer, is dead, they’ll fall behind. Well, I suppose I don’t need to spell it out for you."

Thinking about it, there was no need for me to ramble on.

Ismael and Jafa were by Anguis Regina’s side. They were experts in political and business maneuvering.

‘From here on, it’s their game. They’ll handle it well.’

Political schemes, assassinations, financial power—whatever it took, they would find a way to gain the upper hand. With the resourceful Ismael and Jafa supporting her, there wouldn’t be a problem.

‘If public opinion within Border City is needed, Anguis Regina’s influence is formidable.’

No matter how I looked at it, their future was solid. It wasn’t something I needed to worry about.

"Luka."

Anguis Regina hesitated before calling my name.

"Speak."

"I think… I’ll be getting married soon."

I responded quickly. Leaving a pause would only create unnecessary emotional space.

"To Ismael?"

"That would be nice, but if that happened, Deputy Minister Ismael would have to step down from both his position in the Strategic Weapons Research Department and MAU development. A spouse can't be the majority shareholder of a company receiving government contracts."

I had asked a stupid question. Of course, Ismael wasn’t going to be her husband.

"I’ll be marrying someone from a powerful political family—someone who can change the game. It’s a form of strategic marriage. Tying myself to a family with strong political backing could be beneficial in the future."

"You’re moving up in the world. Congratulations in advance."

I kept my words brief.

Anguis Regina bent slightly, letting out a soft giggle. Tears welled in the corners of her eyes.

"Don’t congratulate me now. Save it for later. No matter where you are, I’ll make sure you get an invitation."

"If I’m still alive by then, I’ll attend."

"You have to come. I’ll make sure to stand there looking so breathtakingly beautiful that you’ll regret everything. On that day, we’ll see who the luckiest person in the universe really is."

A faint smile crossed my lips.

I had always liked how confident Anguis Regina was. She honed her charm into a weapon and fought the world with it—just as I had used violence to survive.

Chiiik.

The door opened. Anguis Regina walked out the way she had come.

Time passed steadily, night giving way to day and back again.

Lapis was starting to look like an overworked laborer, disheveled and exhausted. At the same time, my neck brace was gradually dissolving.

It had lost all function, leaving behind only a faint band around my neck.

"I’m finishing up. If you feel any stinging or pain, let me know. I can stop it immediately if needed."

Lapis spoke as she focused on controlling the nanomachines.

Beep.

A holographic screen appeared in front of me.

Jafa’s face filled the display.

- Luka, you have a visitor. Someone’s here to see you.

I frowned.

"A visitor? For me?"

- They said they’re family.

Hearing the word "family" only made my expression twist further.

‘What the hell is this now…?’