Chapter 298

The turmoil that had shaken Border City was beginning to subside.  

Anguis Regina's concert had ended successfully. Throughout her performance, she spoke about coexistence and peace between different races and mentioned that Jafa and Sonsu Industries had reconciled.  

On the surface, it seemed as if the conflicts and disputes in Border City had come to an end. However, only a few knew of the schemes and conspiracies lurking beneath.  

Son Seok-jae's death would only be announced after the commotion had settled and stability had been restored.  

'The problems in Border City aren't over. We've only put a temporary lid on them. This will happen again.'  

In nations and societies, problems were rarely resolved perfectly. Whenever an issue arose, all that was done was suppressing it with makeshift measures. Even if the current situation had been forcibly contained, one day, these social conflicts and tensions would explode again—whether as riots or war.  

There was no definitive solution to social conflicts. Even rulers and politicians could do no more than maintain a precarious balance to prevent immediate collapse.  

Countless incidents would continue to unfold in Border City, beyond my sight.  

As Son Seok-jae’s adopted daughter, Anguis Regina would secure shares in Sonsu Industries and negotiate with his family while making deals with the federal government.  

Ismael would attempt to bring Sonsu Industries' MAU technology and designs under the Strategic Weapons Research Department and seek cooperation with both Anguis Regina and Jafa.  

They weren’t the only ones eyeing the spoils left behind by Son Seok-jae’s death. There were others, unknown to me, salivating from the shadows. His death would only breed further chaos.  

But that was their story now. Not mine.  

…My involvement ended here.  

Drip, drip, drip.  

I turned my head and stared at the window. Thick raindrops pelted against the glass.  

After parting ways with Ismael, I had checked into a cheap hotel. Lars was in the room next door.  

The rain was growing heavier.  

Whoooosh.  

Before I knew it, the downpour had turned violent.  

Some of the street signs and hologram advertisements flickered and went dark, possibly due to electrical short circuits.  

It was a rather noisy night.  

‘At dawn, I'll go find Doctor Gaya.’  

I wasn’t sleepy yet, but I should at least rest with my eyes closed.  

Squelch.  

I heard an unnatural footstep mixed in with the sound of the rain.  

Slowly, I turned my gaze toward the window. A pair of glowing yellow eyes shone in the darkness.  

Knock, knock.  

Despite the ominous glow of those eyes, the action was polite. Their owner gently knocked on the window.  

‘Boyan.’  

I sighed, stood up, and opened the window. Then, stepping back, I switched on the room's light.

"Boyan here. Pardon my intrusion."  

Every time I saw him, Boyan seemed to have grown bigger. Awkwardly, he climbed through the window and stepped inside.  

"How did you find me?"  

"I asked the Deputy Minister."  

"Even Ismael wouldn’t know my exact location."  

"My sense of smell has gotten a lot sharper lately. As I wandered around, I caught Luka’s scent."  

Boyan sheepishly tapped his nose.  

"A natural-born hunter. Finding my scent even in the rain—impressive."  

I glanced at Boyan’s arms and legs. They should have been broken by Lars, yet there wasn’t even a splint.  

Sensing my gaze, Boyan chuckled in embarrassment.  

"They were clean breaks, so they’ve healed enough to move."  

I was speechless. Broken bones healing on their own in just half a day?  

It was the result of his superior physique and high metabolism. On top of that, he was in the most physically active stage of his growth.  

"Well, anyway. What brings you here with that sturdy body of yours?"  

"Uh… is it strange or unpleasant for me to come and say hello?"  

With the way he put it, I had no argument.  

"…Sit down over there. This is a cheap place, so there’s no drinks. If you need something, get some tap water."  

I dragged a chair over with my foot and pushed it toward Boyan.  

"I'm grateful enough as it is. Seeing you safe puts me at ease. I heard that Luka had gone missing outside Border City."  

"I did go missing. But it’s not something I need to explain to you."  

Living with Mushir al-Kashura… was not a pleasant memory. It would haunt me as a nightmare for the rest of my life.  

"A lot happened while you were gone. There was even a moment when things almost exploded between Son Seok-jae and the Deputy Minister..."  

I listened to Boyan. The sequence of events was more or less as expected.  

‘If I had stayed in Border City, Ismael would have asked me to assassinate Son Seok-jae at the right moment.’  

I examined Boyan’s hands and face. The traces of battle weren’t just from recent fights.  

"Have you been training for combat?"  

"From time to time."  

"You used to hate fighting. Looks like you’ve decided to embrace it."  

"I’ve decided not to waste my strengths anymore. I plan to use everything I have to climb up the ranks of the Federation. And I’ve been meeting with other Crawlers regularly, too."  

"Crawlers from the streets? They don’t seem like your type."  

My interest in Boyan’s story had grown considerably.

"I used to despise and look down on other Crawlers. To be honest, I still do. Most of my kind are filthy, stupid, and shortsighted. But they are still my kin. They were born that way, so it can't be helped. They won't change… which means I have no choice but to understand them."  

I could feel Boyan’s internal conflict. There was both love and resentment toward his own people.  

"If you want to integrate Crawler society into the Federation and lead them… first, you need to be someone they respect. Realistically, the only way to earn their acknowledgment is through the logic of power."  

"You're right. Even if I smoothly climb the ranks as a federal bureaucrat, my own people won't recognize me. Meeting other Crawlers made me realize that. I can't earn their respect by looking down on them and dismissing their ways."  

But it was a tremendously difficult path. He had to excel as a Crawler while also achieving success as a bureaucrat.  

"There must be others like me in Crawler society. They're just too afraid to step forward. After all, this is a path no one has ever walked before."  

I flinched as I listened. For some reason, it felt familiar.  

Boyan fidgeted with his fingers, deep in thought, before continuing.  

"I… want to be the light for those people. A guiding marker. Proof that even a Crawler can live a different life. If I keep walking forward, someone will follow. Even if I collapse along the way, those who follow the path I paved will go farther than I ever could."  

Revolution and change do not happen overnight. They are the culmination of countless layers built over time.  

‘…Noel Mullizcane.’  

The founder of Akies Victima came to mind.  

Born in the slums, Noel had sought to become a beacon of hope for the powerless lower class. He forged a path through the pitch-black darkness where no one had dared to tread.  

A pioneer’s footsteps become a great milestone—a light for others.  

‘Regardless of success or failure, the act itself is what makes it great.’  

Boyan rose from his seat, his expression refreshed.  

"I just wanted to share my thoughts. Whether I succeed or fail in the future, it doesn’t matter."  

He knew the chances of failure were higher. But he did not waver.  

Crawlers had a shorter lifespan than humans. It wasn’t strange that Boyan’s adolescence and growth felt rapid.  

Even so, the changes and growth of others always seemed fast. The moment I took my eyes off them, they had already changed.

‘Did the people who watched me change feel the same way?’  

I let out a small chuckle. Hemillas must have been just as surprised every time he saw me change.  

“Well, do your best, Boyan. You’re definitely going to be a better person than me.”  

Boyan grinned confidently.  

“That’s the plan. I have to repay the favor, after all.”  

Just as he had when he entered, Boyan opened the window and climbed onto the windowsill.  

I sat in my chair, watching him. The storm winds howled behind his back.  

"One last thing—just out of curiosity… are you and Yanaka just friends?"  

The confidence Boyan had moments ago wavered. He averted his gaze, hesitating.  

"…At least, I think that’s how Yanaka sees it."  

"Hah, I figured."  

Boyan bowed his head in farewell.  

"Please take care of yourself."  

Boyan was sharp. He must have already realized that I was caught up in something dangerous.  

He also knew there was a real chance this would be the last time he ever saw me alive.  

---  

I woke up in bed. The storm that had raged all night had passed.  

Thud.  

I knocked on the wall of the adjacent room where Lars was staying while packing my things.  

Creak.  

When I opened the door, I found Lars already waiting for me in the hallway, fully prepared.  

“So, we’re finally getting to the real mission. Yesterday’s job was just a warm-up, but it was fun.”  

Lars, seemingly feeling more comfortable with me now, even threw in a joke.  

‘He handled the task I gave him flawlessly. No wonder he was chosen for Ilay’s special operations unit.’  

I had taken a liking to Lars as well—he was efficient and precise.  

‘The Imperial Guards of the past maintained these kinds of relationships for decades.’  

It was no surprise that the Imperial Guard had become militarized. Even the strict selection process and obsessive loyalty training couldn’t prevent deep bonds from forming among the guards.  

The longer their service, the more their loyalty shifted—not to the Empire or the Imperial family, but to their commanding officers and comrades. This was inevitable.  

‘That was the cause of the Imperial Guard’s downfall.’  

The Imperial family had always been wary of the Guard’s militarization. They had researched replacements, but before any of those projects could bear fruit, a remarkable figure—Hemillas—had risen and become the Guard’s charismatic leader. Enough to make the Imperial family feel threatened.  

…Now, imagine Lars and I continued carrying out missions like this for decades.  

When the moment of decision came, Lars might turn his back on the Empire—  

and side with me.

In reality, the Imperial Guard had fractured in much the same way during the Storm Era.  

"Luka, is something wrong?"  

Lars asked, noticing my silence.  

"No, it's nothing. Just a bit tired."  

"Once this mission is over, you should consider switching to a full-body prosthetic. Biological bodies require too much rest."  

Lars suggested it as casually as if he were recommending a change of clothes. In the Empire, full-body prosthetics were seen as a mark of superiority—something to be envied.  

"…I'll think about it. When we check in, tell Ilay to start making preparations."  

Before the pale blue morning mist had even lifted, Lars and I arrived at Gaya’s clinic.  

Gaya was already waiting for us, dressed in the neatly arranged robes of the Holy Corite Alliance.  

"You're early."  

Gaya greeted us.  

"I don’t sleep much."  

"How were the past two days?"  

"Not good, but not bad either."  

Because of my intervention, En had died. But Ismael, Boyan, and Yanaka had survived. If I considered that the better outcome, then I owed En an apology.  

"Lars, here’s the checklist and today’s schedule. I’ve called in extra hands for patient care, so all you need to do is handle security."  

Gaya handed Lars a thin booklet. Lars scratched his cheek, then looked at me.  

"So, I’m not allowed inside the temple?"  

"Just follow Gaya’s instructions."  

At my words, Gaya explained further.  

"In Corite society, there’s a strong aversion to full-body prosthetics. Especially when the modification isn’t due to injury or disability, but simply to become stronger… that's practically a taboo. Even in Border City, where the frontier temple is relatively lenient on body modifications, it would still be difficult."  

I gave Lars a look that said, 'You heard that, right?'  

"…Understood."  

Lars flipped through the booklet in an instant before tucking it away. His cybernetic eyes had likely stored all its contents.  

He would be handling security for the clinic in Gaya’s place. Although much of Border City’s chaos had settled, the situation still wasn’t fully stabilized.  

"Luka, do you need any further preparations?"  

"No, I’m ready."  

"Then let’s go."  

Gaya gave a faint smile. He made a call, and before long, a temple-affiliated aerial vehicle arrived above the clinic.  

True to Corite design, it had a smooth, streamlined shape, painted in a pure white finish.

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