Bad Born Blood

Translator: FenrirTL
Editor: Matt, Greedy
========================
< Chapter 3 >

“Did you endure the whole thing to the end? You should have just fainted gracefully when you needed to. You really have a stubborn side to you.”

It was the day after the pain tolerance training had ended. Ilay Carthica, who came to see me, spoke in a way that made it hard to tell if he was praising or mocking me. Probably a bit of both.

“I managed to hold out.”

I answered shortly as I drank some water. My mouth burned, my throat felt raw, and my fingertips trembled sporadically. I lost my balance without realizing it whenever I walked.

The aftereffects of the pain tolerance training lingered heavily in my body. I would need several days of treatment and rest to fully recover.

“Haha, that eye patch suits you. For a moment, I thought a space pirate had shown up.”

Ilay said, looking at my face.

“Once my nervous system recovers, I’m scheduled to get a mechanical eye implanted. It’s a better model than yours.”

Ilay frequently visited me during my recovery.

With a light smile, he spoke in a relaxed, gentle tone. He gave the impression of someone who would be a better fit as an administrative official than in the Imperial Guard.

‘Still, his incredible skill was undeniable.’

The difference in ability among the cadets was becoming distinctly noticeable.

Ilay and I were the most outstanding. This wasn’t arrogance—it was a fact. In most training exercises, the two of us would alternate between first and second place, or compete for the top ranks. In terms of overall scores, Ilay was likely just slightly ahead of me.

During the rest period, I felt restless. I wanted to return to training as soon as possible. As soon as I had somewhat recovered, I hastened to get the mechanical eye implanted. The doctor suggested removing and replacing my remaining eye as well, but I refused.

‘The surgery is being paid for out of the Commander’s pocket.’

I had overheard this. The removal of my eye had been an impulsive act by the Commander. For that reason, I’d heard he was personally covering the cost of my surgery.

‘…Well, with the Commander, he probably has money to burn anyway. Comes from an impressive family too.’

Even so, I didn’t like the feeling of incurring unnecessary debt.

‘It wasn’t done with malice.’

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who felt that way about the Commander’s actions.

“It seems like the Commander has quite an interest in you. You’ve caught his eye.”

That’s what Ilay said, too.

I could sense the Commander’s attention on me. For that reason, losing one eye didn’t bother me. In the end, I received a better eye sooner than I would have otherwise. My biological eye was something I would have discarded eventually.

Bzzzzzzzz.

For two days, I couldn’t sleep properly because of the high-pitched sound from my right mechanical eye. By the third day, the sound had stopped. My brain and nervous system finally adjusted to the new implant.

“You mastered it much faster than expected. Is that what makes you a talent of the Imperial Guard?”

The doctor gave a small chuckle as he spoke. He brought a precision scanner to my right eye, observing the intricate movement of my pupil.

Once the examination was complete, I looked into the mirror.

Bzzzzzz.

As soon as I focused on it, my right mechanical eye activated, its outline glowing brightly. A virtual interface appeared on the retinal display, projecting augmented information about my surroundings.

‘Activate Ballistic Trajectory Prediction.’

This was the most critical function.

With no firearms nearby, there were no trajectory paths to display. Yet, the headache was severe as a massive amount of information flooded into my brain.

My brain was expanding and restructuring its neural network to adapt to the newly added function. It would take quite some time to fully utilize this feature.

“Until the system adaptation is complete, take one pill a day before bed.”

The doctor, who had been watching me, handed over a pill bottle. It was filled with medication designed to aid neural cell formation and bonding.

“Thank you.”

“Thank Hemillas, the Commander, instead. I’m only doing this for the money.”

Hemillas—hearing the Commander’s name felt strange. We usually called him by his rank, so I rarely heard his actual name.

Thanking the man who gouged out my eye… as absurd as it sounded, I genuinely felt grateful. Anyone hearing this would think I was out of my mind.

* * *

Our training was now entering the third quarter of the second year. So far, two out of forty had dropped out. Unless death intervened, most Imperial Guard cadets completed the rigorous four-year training program to become full-fledged members. Attrition was rare.

However, low attrition didn’t mean the training and education were easy. The Guard prided itself on being the harshest unit in the Empire, with cadets required to master the full spectrum of knowledge necessary for both combat troops and officers.

Imperial Guards were elite soldiers, adaptable enough to become immediate combat assets in any situation or mission.

“Only cadets who pass the initial selection process are brought into the Guard’s training program. Almost no one drops out halfway. The ones who couldn’t endure probably paid extra to have their results altered.”

Ilay spoke while aiming his pistol at the target. His pupils, connected to his firearm, were likely displaying an interface that assisted his aim.

Swish.

I drew my own gun. Around the shooting range, the gunshots of others occasionally echoed.

While the Imperial Guard had a preference for melee weapons, they didn’t neglect marksmanship training. Guards needed to be proficient with all equipment and weapons the Empire had to offer.

“Is it really possible to manipulate the selection process results?”

I asked again. Ilay’s grin deepened.

“There’s no proof, but my gut tells me so. The Empire has been divided by rank and class for far too long. The illusion of meritocracy is slowly fading. With enough status and wealth, even the incompetent can make themselves appear competent.”

“That’s a dangerous thing to say, Ilay.”

I warned him. To be honest, his bold words worried me. Could an imperial citizen really say something like that? Even if he was from a renowned household…

*Worried?*

I chuckled bitterly as I pulled the trigger. It seemed that I had grown close to Ilay. Me, an orphanage kid, worrying about an heir of a noble family.

“Just as proof of that… Luka, those like you without any support system have never failed the advanced soldier cultivation process. They can’t meddle with you using money or tricks. Only those who are truly exceptional make it. It’s strange that they even have a special title like ‘irregular’ for people like you.”

Of course, with his powerful background, he could afford to speak this freely. If I held similar thoughts, I’d never dare to voice them. In fact, I’d never even considered them.

*Could nobles really be incompetent?*

I had never thought of such a thing.

Nobles were superior, while commoners… especially those from the lower classes, were incompetent. The Empire provided fair opportunities to all citizens through the selection process. Failure to seize that opportunity was seen as proof of incompetence, condemning one to an unsuccessful life..

That’s what I’d been told my whole life. I was living proof of it. Though I came from the lowest class, I rose up by seizing the opportunity provided by the selection process.

“Luka, I know what you’re thinking right now. But you only got this chance because your talent was undeniable. Letting someone as gifted as you stay outside the system would be more dangerous. Rather than letting a spark turn into an uncontrollable blaze, they’d rather bring it into the oven.”

The sound of gunfire partly masked Ilay’s voice.

He fired in rapid succession, each bullet piercing the same spot, leaving only a single hole in the target.

“…And when an irregular like you, who rose from the bottom, succeeds, people can convince themselves that if they fail, it’s because of their own lack of ability and accept the system as it is.”

The more I listened, the more dangerous Ilay’s words sounded. Instinctively, I felt repulsed. In my view of the world, nothing he was saying made any sense.

“If I were to report exactly what you said to the headquarters, you won’t be able to get away with it, even if you’re a Carthica.”

Ilay looked at me with an unwavering smile, his finger still pulling the trigger. Even while looking away, his aim remained impeccable.

“I know you won’t do it. If you truly intended to report me, you wouldn’t have even mentioned it in the first place. Thanks for worrying about me, Luka.”

Ilay spoke as if he were reading my mind. It annoyed me because… He was right.

* * *

The Accretia Empire had two long-standing adversaries.

The Bellato Federation and the Holy Corite Alliance.

Both were nations that had settled on planet Novus before the Empire.

“Opportunists who mistake cowardice for wisdom.”

That was what we thought of the Bellato Federation.

“Hypocritical zealots who preach sweet peace and justice while preparing for war…”

The Holy Corite Alliance wasn’t viewed any better. If anything, they were considered slightly more tolerable than Bellato—but only barely.

The Empire scorned Bellato and regarded Corite as an enemy. But there were those we viewed with even greater contempt.

Bellato and Corite, both branches from humanity’s original roots on Earth, at least had some basis for mutual cooperation. There were times in the past when they’d reluctantly allied together. After all, they were still human.

…But entirely different alien species, who shared no such roots, weren’t even worth associating with. Seeing aliens within the Empire was rare. If a foreign species happened to become a victim of a crime within the Empire, they received no protection or even the right to defend themselves.

To us, discrimination against alien species felt entirely natural. Aliens had always tried to deceive and exploit the Empire. If we extended a hand of goodwill, they would only cut it off and steal it.

That’s the knowledge I’d heard and learned countless times. Yet I’d never personally encountered aliens—or even Bellato or Corite people, for that matter.

Today would be the first time I’d see a Coritan. But it wouldn’t be a pleasant meeting. There would be bloodshed, though not ours—only theirs.

“Luka and Ilay will act as platoon leaders in this training. If any trainee has an issue with that, stand up and leave.”

The Commander spoke while sitting on a rock, with Ilay and me standing on either side of him. In front of us, the cadets stood motionless, like machines.

The cadets remained silent. No one objected to making Ilay and me the platoon leaders.

“Beyond that canyon lies a Coritan outpost illegally occupying our territory…”

The Commander pointed with his index finger toward a place beyond our sight. Drawing out his words, he finally issued the order.

“…No prisoners. Kill them all.”

This was also part of our training.

Without needing further instruction, the cadets gathered around Ilay and me. Our only weapons were melee weapons of personal preference and a single handgun each.

The handguns we were issued were so low-powered they couldn’t even pierce lightweight combat armor. They were practically meant for last-resort suicide or close-quarters execution.

We moved along a narrow cliff path in a silence so deep we could hear each other’s breaths.

After about thirty minutes, we took a short break. Without a word, everyone took turns keeping watch.

“Luka, see that? Our distinguished senior is watching us from afar.”

Ilay spoke, drinking from his water. Following his gaze, I looked toward the forest on the ridge above the canyon.

Focusing intently, I could make out a shape shifting in the forest’s shadows. The blurred outline was unmistakably the Legion, the full body mechanical armor of the Imperial Guard. It looked like a steel giant standing among the trees.

Officially, he was there to protect us. But his presence also served another purpose—surveillance.

*Surveillance…*

What exactly was he watching for? I shook my head to clear away the thoughts that followed.

After the brief break, we resumed our march.

Eventually, we spotted the outpost perched above the canyon. The front was enclosed by walls, but the rear, which backed onto the cliff, was open and exposed.

They would never suspect we would climb up the cliff path.

Crkk.

We climbed the steep cliff bare-handed. A fight would soon begin.

*Kill them all. No prisoners.*

I recalled the Commander’s order.

When Ilay and I reached the edge of the cliff, we raised our heads just enough to survey the area. The other cadets clung to the cliff below us, waiting for instructions.