Bad Born Blood-Chapter 144

Chapter 144

I knelt alongside Lieutenant Colonel Kasert, waiting for Francec to continue.

There wasn’t even a single guard around him. He had revealed himself alone in a danger zone.

“Shwell Kasert, open the checkpoint and protect the citizens of the Empire.”

Francec spoke as he stood up. His voice carried far without the need for a loudspeaker. It had a resonance as if multiple people were speaking at once.

“Is this an order from His Highness? Or from His Majesty?”

Lieutenant Colonel Kasert asked, keeping his knees and head bowed.

“Are you saying you wouldn’t obey if it were my order?”

“...I’m merely curious.”

“What value does an army have if it cannot even protect its own people?”

“It is a decision made to protect more lives.”

“Say it properly. Not ‘more lives’—you mean the privileged few!”

At Francec’s rebuke, the protesters erupted in shouts loud enough to shake Akbaran. Some boldly stepped over the boundary line.

Lieutenant Colonel Kasert was cornered. With the Crown Prince present, he couldn’t risk inciting violence. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

And Francec’s appearance was like pouring fuel on the fire of the protest. While many of the Empire’s lower-class citizens despised the nobility, few extended that hatred to the imperial family.

Francec, in particular, was popular among the public. Among the lower classes, he was likely more favored than even the Emperor himself.

Now that he had sided with them, the protesters seemed to have shed all fear, moving boldly.

“Lukaus Custoria, stand and protect me. We’ll talk about the details later.”

I rose at his command, scanning my surroundings. There were many suspicious movements within the crowd. I spotted some who seemed flustered—they weren’t just ordinary citizens. They were agitators.

‘If Francec had been even a little late, this would have turned into a bloodbath.’

That thought made me shake my head.

‘No, Francec deliberately waited for the most dramatic moment. He knows better than anyone how to make himself stand out in a situation like this.’

Even I had felt uneasy, wondering if he would come. When he finally arrived, I was more relieved than anyone.

‘Did Ilay explain things properly to Francec?’

I had sent Ilay to relay my intentions to him. There was too much that couldn’t be said over the network.

‘I just have to hope Francec has the stomach to swallow this chaos whole.’

Francec wasn’t one to be well-versed in dark schemes. He was a man who had been thoroughly trained to exist in the light.

‘How must Francec be feeling after hearing that both the Emperor and his own brother are conspiring to kill him...?’

I had considered the possibility that Francec might fall into panic and ignore my summons.

But he hadn’t studied the art of kingship half-heartedly. His imposing presence betrayed not a hint of anxiety.

The Crown Prince’s voice was grand, his physique flawless. Even his cape and robes, though long and flowing, billowed freely in the wind, unburdened by the storm.

Those who sensed his divine presence belatedly knelt, paying their respects to the bloodline of the nation’s founding.

Shaaah—

Francec took a step forward. A golden ripple spread outward in a perfect circle beneath his feet. It was nothing more than light, devoid of any physical force—a mere ornamental effect of luxury.

And yet, the soldiers instinctively stepped back, as if even treading upon that light would be sacrilegious.

Step.

Francec strode toward the entrance, where stairs led inside. The golden ripples followed his footsteps before fading.

No one dared to touch him. I followed closely behind.

Thunk!

Lieutenant Colonel Kasert caught up to us and blocked our path.

“Your Highness, you might as well kill me here and open the gate yourself. If you do this, I’ll be nothing but a fool who failed his duty while still breathing.”

“I wish to resolve this peacefully, Sir Kasert.”

Francec’s gaze lowered as he spoke. For a fleeting moment, his expression seemed melancholic.

“If you intend to enforce your will, you will have to spill blood.”

“A ruler...”

Francec moved his arm. From within his sleeve, a blade longer than his own arm emerged, defying the laws of physics. I had no idea how it worked.

Screeech!

The blade sliced cleanly across Lieutenant Colonel Kasert’s head—not his neck, but his head. The cut was smooth, likely due to a monomolecular coating.

As the blade passed, the cross-section of his brain was exposed.

“...must not fear blood, even if it is blood on his own hands.”

The soldiers at the checkpoint remained silent despite their superior’s death. They had no idea what to do. Torn between their duty as soldiers and their loyalty to the imperial family, they were paralyzed. No military academy taught how to handle a situation like this.

‘In chaos, one can only rely on their own will to make a judgment.’

I was most shocked by Lieutenant Colonel Kasert’s decision.

‘He chose death.’

Kasert was fully capable of avoiding Francec’s attack. Yet, he had willingly accepted his death, as if to uphold his own words.

‘Lieutenant Colonel Kasert was probably a completely uninvolved man... a soldier of utmost loyalty.’

He had silently and honorably carried out his duty. The Empire had lost a valuable asset. This was why civil strife was so dangerous. How many more capable individuals would be lost in this storm? Instead, it would be the cunning opportunists who would side with the victors and take Kasert’s place.

‘Because of my decision to escalate the chaos...’

Casualties would rise, and the Empire would only grow weaker. It wasn’t Francec’s tolerance that was being tested—it was mine. From now on, I had to swallow the atrocities I was about to commit, not spit them out.

“Luka, don’t just stand there—open the gate. Show them that we are the shield for those imperial citizens who cannot protect themselves.”

I nodded and stepped forward. My blade moved swiftly.

Ka-ang!

Crucis cleaved through the complex locking mechanism with ease. I reached out and grabbed the iron gate, pulling it apart.

To be honest, it was a struggle. I had to push my prosthetic output to its maximum and sustain it for quite a while.

But the slow, deliberate opening of the gate created a dramatic effect. The crowd held their breath, watching me.

Screeeech—

The massive door groaned as it dragged open. The components of the opening mechanism, unable to withstand my force, shattered and flew apart one by one.

Boom! Thud!

The stairs leading to the upper levels were fully revealed.

“Uooooooooh!”

“Long live His Highness Francec! Long live!”

“Eternal be the guardian deity of the Empire, Cracia!”

The protesters cheered for Francec and the imperial family as they stormed up the steps. No one hesitated to cross the boundary anymore. They had gained the unshakable backing of Francec himself.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

A woman bowed repeatedly before being swept up by the surge of people. She was clutching her child in her arms.

‘Those who cannot protect themselves.’

The weak were desperate. Throughout the storm season, they had been unable to leave their homes. But staying inside didn’t mean they were safe either.

Every district outside the upper sector had turned into a lawless zone. People in the lower sectors were still dying even now.

Francec and I ascended the steps as well. The protesters who had rushed ahead now stepped aside, yielding the lead to us.

“There are assassins lurking everywhere, waiting for a chance to strike at Your Highness. I may not be able to guard you alone.”

I whispered beside him.

“Our current image is being broadcast not just across Akbaran, but throughout the entire Empire. No one will act recklessly. And if your warning is true... then I’m in a situation where I can’t trust a single person around me.”

“Do you believe me, Your Highness?”

“No, I’m still uncertain. But my younger brother, Lailly—no, is he Ivan now? If that child is truly preparing to rebel against our father, then your words must be true. However...”

Francec’s tone remained calm.

“...if you and Ilay have deceived me, the punishment you imagine won’t even come close to what awaits you.”

“Your Highness already knows I haven’t lied. That’s why you came this far.”

A crack appeared in Francec’s mask. His brow twitched.

“Akies Domini is such an exhausting existence.”

“That title was stripped from me.”

“Then what are you now?”

It was a difficult question to answer. After a brief pause, I spoke.

“I will be the symbol of the new era that Your Highness envisions.”

Francec let out a dry chuckle.

“You’ve grown more flattering. But what you’re doing now is the very definition of overreach. You’re no longer just an advisor—you want the imperial family to move according to your will.”

“I would phrase it differently, Your Highness. I am in a situation so desperate, so dire, that I have no choice but to use you. This is not overreach—it is struggling to survive.”

I felt heat rise to my forehead. My thoughts were flowing endlessly.

‘Francec’s intervention.’

That single event had split the possibilities into dozens of new branches. And with each additional variable, those branches multiplied exponentially.

An infinite sea of possibilities, beyond the capacity of the human brain to process. The only tool capable of navigating it was intuition.

From here on, I had to trust my intuition. Logical reasoning alone would not be enough to carve a path forward.

* * *

The circular road of the upper sector was packed with Francec and the protesters.

Francec had made his move. He now knew that his own father, the Emperor, sought to kill him. If that was true, he had no choice but to act.

‘Francec’s weapon is the support of the masses.’

The crowd following us numbered in the tens of thousands. The streets were so congested that there was barely any room to move. Just from what I could see, there were over twenty thousand people.

And the number was still growing.

“...Cease this fight. I will guarantee your rights.”

The area was a standoff between the military and the rioters. Francec advanced through the cover and barricades. I was on high alert, scanning my surroundings.

Francec could be assassinated at any moment. By now, both the Emperor and Ivan must have realized what he was doing.

I was just as much at risk. Among the rioters were Nemesis operatives. It wouldn’t be surprising if one of them pulled the trigger on me the moment they recognized me as Rick’s killer.

“It’s dangerous! Your Highness, those people are rioters—”

An officer approached Francec cautiously.

“Watch your mouth. They are not rioters; they are citizens of the Empire. I will not tolerate imperial subjects pointing weapons at each other.”

Francec’s sharp retort cut through the tension. He extended his hand, gesturing toward the crowd of rioters.

The bewildered soldiers hesitated, but overwhelmed by Francec’s striking appearance and the aura surrounding him, they began lowering their weapons.

“Lukaus Custoria! In the name of Cracia, reclaim command from these fools and reorganize the unit. From this moment forward, you are no longer attack dogs for the privileged—you will become a true shield for the people of the Empire!”

Francec’s voice rang out, commanding the military forces. The officers stood frozen, fumbling for orders from their superiors.

Imperial military officers were mostly nobles, but the majority of the army—soldiers and non-commissioned officers—came from the lower districts.

Step, step.

Swayed by Francec’s charisma, the first to break formation were the NCOs. They abandoned their posts and moved to Francec’s side. Once the shift began, it quickly gained momentum.

“...Those who wish to set right all that is wrong, take up your weapons and follow me. The name of Cracia stands with you. Before ruling, the founding bloodline exists to protect you. Those who abandon their duty to safeguard the people have no right to rule. That was the vow declared when the first Emperor raised his banner!”

I had no way of knowing whether Dino Accretia had ever spoken such words. But there was no denying that they ignited something in the hearts of the people.

Francec hadn’t even specified his true goal in his speech. His words were vague. But through sheer cultivated charisma, he was absorbing both the upper district’s military and the rioters.

However, there were those who would try to stop this momentum. No matter whose orders they followed, I anticipated multiple assassination and sniper attempts.

The roar of the crowd seemed to slow in my perception. Despite my extreme exhaustion, I kept my eyes fixed on them. Someone in the crowd caught my attention.

‘A sniper?’

A figure leaned out of a window. A gun barrel emerged. If necessary, I was prepared to throw myself in front of Francec to shield him.

But the sniper never got the chance to pull the trigger. Someone grabbed his head and twisted it.

‘Kinuan...’

Amid the chaos, Kinuan had appeared. He eliminated the sniper targeting Francec, then vanished like a ghost.