Bad Born Blood Chapter 302

302
‘Arcane Civilization.’

To be honest, I had no personal interest in the Arcane civilization. The mysterious ancient civilization and its relics were the interests of others.

Many rulers and powerful people were fascinated by the Arcane civilization. The legacy of the Arcane civilization sometimes changed the balance between nations and brought about great leaps in technology.

‘There are many who are fascinated by the Arcane civilization itself, such as Ilay Kartika and Paolo Kwan.’

It seems I am not cut out to be a scholar. I still have a hard time understanding those who are obsessed with the Arcane civilization out of intellectual curiosity.

However, regardless of my interests, it is a fact that research and interest in the Arcane civilization have influenced the flow of events on the planet Novas.

Whenever I hear the word Arcane, I feel a pang in my heart. The incidents and accidents surrounding the Arcane civilization usually end in the bloodshed of greed.

“Quilia, please bring it to me.”

The parish priest said.

widely.

Quilia placed the object wrapped in white cloth on the table.

Ssuk.

The parish priest neatly spread out the cloth and took out the items.

‘Arcane Relic?’

It was a palm-sized capsule. On its surface, electronic circuits, like beautiful decorations, glowed faintly.

“To put it simply, this is a kind of accumulator. Do you know anything about the Arcane civilization and the Holy Stone?”

“I know a little, but if there’s anything I don’t know while listening to the story, I’ll ask.”

The parish priest lifted the capsule. Its circuitry glowed as if in response.

“Our human civilization uses electricity as its main energy source. Any form of energy is ultimately converted into electricity. However, the Arcane civilization uses the Holy Energy itself extracted from the Holy Stone.”

This is a story that Director Jin Ga-woo would like.

I continued to listen to the parish priest’s words, trying to keep my concentration from faltering.

“Therefore, the main energy source of the Arcane Relics is naturally Holy Energy, not electricity. However, with our current technology, there is no way to extract the Holy Energy of the Holy Stone in a stable form. The only stable source of Holy Energy that is occasionally found as relics is this. Even then, most of them are either discharged or have little remaining energy.”

“Is that the Holy Energy Capsule that Kinuan took from the auction house?”

“Yes, it is a capsule in fairly good condition. They say it also has a very high amount of Holy Energy remaining.”

I listened to the story a little more.

The Holy Energy Capsule was of great importance in the study of relics. It seemed that many relics required a stable supply of Holy Energy to function.

Scientists tried to operate the relics with electricity or Holy Stone, but many of them failed or, even when they succeeded, they operated in an imperfect manner. This was because the stability of the Holy Stone and Holy Energy Capsules were different, even though they were both Holy Energy.

It was obvious, if you just think about it. Even electronic devices that run on electricity malfunction when the voltage is different or the current supply is unstable.

Sssss.

I felt my brain tense up. It felt like ice bugs were walking across my cerebral cortex.

‘Your patience is still astonishing, Kinuan.’

Kinuan piled up several layers of conspiracy and scheme in an uncertain situation. He waited, spreading out his conspiracy and scheme tightly like a spider’s web, until his prey was finally caught.

‘Kinuan has seized the mind teleporter from the empire.’

And a Holy Energy Capsule of appropriate size was also needed for the operation of the psychotransmission device.

‘I waited for news of the desired artifact to come in while contacting those who were exploring the Arcane civilization and artifacts.’

Kinuan’s plan was drawn in my mind. I could see what purpose he had in holding on and why he moved to Border City.

“In principle, arcane relics should be reported to the national government immediately upon discovery. However, not all relics have strategic value or are of great significance, and it is realistically impossible to monitor and regulate them all. Even ornaments with no particular function or daily necessities of the time are types of arcane relics. However, relics with strategic or research value are fiercely competed by each country to obtain them. This Holy Energy Capsule is no different.”

“So, that’s why the capsules were put up for auction during the chaos. The private market would pay a much higher price than if they were reported to the government.”

“There are many rich people of other races in the Border City Auction House. It’s not just humans who are after Arcane Artifacts. It’s embarrassing to say, but it’s hard to win an auction with the budget of the Border City Diocese. So as soon as I got the list of auction items… … I assigned the job to Kinuan.”

The parish priest provided Kinuan with information about the auction house. It would have been possible for the parish priest to find out the list of auction items in advance. The information power of the believers spread throughout Border City would be considerable.

‘The parish priest would never have imagined that Kinuan’s goal was an arcane relic. Kinuan would have given up even a valuable relic if he didn’t need it.’

Kinuan built a close relationship with the parish priest as he waited patiently for him to find the relic he needed.

‘Mental transference device and Holy Energy Capsule.’

After much patience, Kinuan obtained two relics.

‘What’s your next goal?’

The mind transfer device is an artifact that can transfer memories and personality to another being. In a sense, it is also immortal.

‘If Kinuan’s mind is changed to a mental power… … .’

There is no longer any way to find Kinuan, and he is no longer within the limits of his brain’s lifespan.

I felt a chill down my spine. It had already been quite some time since the auction house raid.

‘We have to hurry.’

My body reacted to my anxiety. I held back the shaking in my knees.

“I guess we should get moving right away. If we find Kinuan… … I’ll hand over the Holy Energy Capsule to the parish priest. It’s of no value to me.”

Our negotiations were taking place naturally.

“Take Quilia with you. She will help us find Kinuan. The cognitive distortion barrier used by Kinuan’s subordinates is originally Quilia’s ability. Show us a quick demonstration, Quilia.”

Quilia took a deep breath. She took a pure white mask with a smile drawn on it out of her bosom and put it on.

The mask’s eyes and mouth glowed blue. It seemed as if the mask was a catalyst for Quilia’s Force abilities.

Woohoo.

Quilia’s form shook and soon blended into the background. It was nearly perfectly transparent.

It was exactly the same concealment ability that Kinuan’s subordinates used.

Ssuk.

I felt Quilia’s presence again. She was now behind me.

‘It’s like using the Force to make someone else not recognize your own existence. What an eerie ability.’

I had some doubts, but I swallowed them anyway. I had to move now.

Squeak.

Quilia opened the door and went out, putting the mask in her bosom. It seemed she was going to wait outside.

Knock, knock.

I tapped the gauntlet with my fingers.

“Your Majesty, if I go outside the temple like this, the mechanism on my armor will activate. It stopped just before it started. If the armor activates, I will probably… … .”

“I know what you mean.”

The parish priest must have a solution, which is why he has been talking to me all this time. He closed his eyes and opened them again, continuing to speak.

“Lukaus Custoria, let me show you the blessings that God has bestowed upon us.”

The parish priest’s eyes lit up. The light was so intense that even his pupils disappeared. His bracelets jingled and the chains vibrated as if they were going to break.

Thud thud thud.

The furniture in the reception room was moving around randomly and falling to the floor. The force of the parish priest was so strong that it was physically pressuring them.

“Slow down, stop… … and then reverse.”

The Force light emitted by the parish priest instantly gathered at the end of the chain. The light became tangible, and the chain took on a rippling aura of Force.

Kiriririk!

The chain rotated around my collar.

I felt the tiny electronic and mechanical devices in the armor move.

‘That’s ridiculous… … ‘

It was hard to believe even after seeing it.

The parish priest briefly turned back the object’s time. Only the time on the wooden armor was turned back a few seconds, stopping it at ‘before operation’.

It was a local time reversal.

“Haa, haa… … .”

The parish priest looked very thin, as if he had been through long hours of hard labor. His cheeks were hollow and his eyes were sunken. He seemed to have been squeezed of his vitality beyond his physical strength.

‘Even if it’s just for a few seconds, time travel isn’t easy. It comes at a price.’

It wasn’t for nothing that he was called the High Priest of Korra. Even to me, who was ignorant of Force abilities, his power was close to a miracle.

“If you have this kind of ability… … you will be successful in your home country without having to go through the trouble of taking charge of the Border City parish.”

I said this while touching the wooden armor that was glowing with a soft light. I was just trying to guess. There must be a reason why someone with this level of ability left their home country and suffered in Border City.

“That’s true, but… … .”

The parish priest drank some water as he spoke, as if his throat was parched. He continued, wiping his wet lips with the back of his hand.

“… … If I don’t do it, who will guard the parish of Border City?”

I stood up after quietly watching the tired parish priest.

“Your Majesty, let me tell you one last thing. I am not like Kinuan. I will not repay your kindness with betrayal.”

The parish priest laughed with a sweaty face and leaned back on the sofa. For the first time, he showed his easygoing side. He must have been too tired to maintain his cool dignity.

“I hope so, Lucius Custoria.”

* * *

I left the Pioneer Temple with Quilia. The subtle pressure in the air was lifted, and the glow of the Force surrounding the armor had disappeared.

‘… … It’s surprising even if you know it in advance.’

My glove was working reliably.

‘I don’t know how the report reached Ivan, but… … .’

I shrugged. Looking around, it seemed like Gaya had already returned to the hospital. When Gaya returned, Lars would come to see me soon.

“Come this way, Luca.”

Quilia guided me towards the air vehicle.

“Give me all the information and clues about Kinuan. I’m better at gathering information than you are.”

I said as I walked towards the air vehicle. There is no time to waste. Everything must be used efficiently.

Quilia did not react emotionally to my words and actions. She seemed to be a woman who had restrained her emotions beyond control.

“And… … please explain your abilities as well. They seem quite tricky. It would be troublesome if Kinuan’s subordinates were still walking around in a transparent state.”

Quilia entered the air vehicle first and operated the computer in the cockpit.

Woohoo.

The hologram on the aerial vehicle showed the history and information about Kinuan collected by the Border City Diocese. There was a lot of information that I didn’t know.

“This is top secret information.”

“Of course you would.”

I muttered and stared at the hologram.

Kinuan performed many missions at the request of the Border City parish priest. There was even an assassination request.

“My Force ability is to create a cognitive distortion field to hide myself from the outside world.”

“You put that ability into a piece of equipment so that others can use it, and are Kinuan’s subordinates using it? If you commercialize it, assassins from all over the planet Novas will rush to buy it, even if it costs a lot of money?”

“The conditions for use are strict. The clothes must be made of a material with catalytic properties, and the stored abilities evaporate after just half a day.”

I stared at Quilia. She was a woman so indifferent that it felt like she didn’t have any emotional signals. It almost seemed like she was an android.

“and?”

“Cognitive distortion does not only affect the outside world. The user’s ability to recognize himself also decreases. If an untrained person were to use it, he would not be able to control his own body. He would feel as if he did not exist.”

I flinched.

‘I feel like I don’t exist.’

Those words lingered in my head.

“… …Is your diminished emotions a side effect of that?”

“You have great insight. You might be able to find the Kinuan hiding in this city.”

“If he’s still in Border City.”

I imagined the worst case scenario. Kinuan had already left Border City and achieved his goal with the psychic teleporter and Holy Energy Capsule.

“Kinuan is still in Border City. Let’s check the last data.”

“Quilia asserted, operating the aerial vehicle with a holographic interface.

Wing, wing.

I followed her words and flipped through the holographic screens, stopping at the last page.