Bad Born Blood Chapter 317

317
To me, family does not mean blood relations.

I don’t even know the faces or names of my biological parents. I’ve never even thought about missing them.

From the moment I was born into this world and stood on my own two feet and walked, my life was a battlefield for survival, and others were obstacles to be trampled on and overcome.

Limited resources, unequal distribution, the logic of power, eyes filled with jealousy and malice, and a fragile fence that could disappear at any moment. These are the images and symbols of my childhood.

The only blessing and talent the world gave me was one.

‘Innate violence.’

I grew up and learned just like the kids in the orphanage, but I was sharper.

My isolated ego and my innate violence combined to give me the look of a good soldier.

If I had continued to maintain my ego isolation, I would have continued on the path of a soldier. I could have become a soldier worthy of being remembered in imperial history.

But people inevitably form relationships. Objects that cannot be dehumanized or otherized inevitably appear.

When I was in the orphanage, I didn’t see the people around me as human beings. The children of my age were helpless prey who had lost the will to move forward, and the orphanage director and the adults were pigs who were busy exploiting the weak.

‘Guardian cadet, Luca.’

From that time on, I began to be greatly influenced by external factors.

In the training center, there were children with similar personalities to me who had the same abilities as me, and the guards were all adults I could look up to.

That was the first time I felt like a person was a person.

It was only then that I experienced emotional exchange between people. I realized that other people were not obstacles but people I could rely on.

And the direction of my communication, which had been directed only to the side and upward, gradually went downward.

I was able to sympathize with the weak. Instead of simply despising them, I was able to empathize with their situations and understand them, and I was able to accept the concept of friends and family.

‘family…….’

Captain Heilas Custoria gave me a family. It wasn’t just out of favor. She recruited me to protect the Custoria family.

A family protects each other from external dangers. Even if the family members are on bad terms and sometimes feel like enemies… … when an external enemy appears, they join hands and cooperate. That is the kind of family I learned from Heilas.

Family is one of the hardest bonds to break.

It was the same even now that I was away from Custoria. If the Custoria family was in danger, I wanted to help them as much as I could. Even if the only family left in the Custoria family was ‘Jupe’ and my adoptive mother ‘Eva’ who hated me.

And ‘Jupe’ will probably think the same as me.

Like it or not, I bear the name of Custoria. I am a member of a family recognized by the head of the family, Heilas, and the elders.

Thud, thud.

I entered the reception room set up in Japa Company’s makeshift office building.

“It’s been a while, Luca. I could tell it was you just by looking at your eyes.”

The man sitting on the sofa looked at me and stood up.

The family that came to see me was ‘Jupe Custoria’. He is the current head of Custoria, the second son of Heilas, and the man I had ridiculed.

Jupe was wearing a body that looked older than before. Instead of the stiff Imperial uniform, he was wearing a retro 20th century suit. This must be because Imperial clothing stands out in Border City.

“What an unexpected visit, brother.”

“I heard rumors that you had returned. But I didn’t know where you were.”

“There were circumstances that prevented me from contacting you.”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s always been that way. You and your father… … moved in areas I don’t understand. And you still do.”

Jupe spoke calmly. He even sounded sad.

Jupe’s fiery temper seemed to have calmed down a lot. Experience and time have a way of changing people, and a position like that of the head of a household can change people dramatically.

‘I don’t know how Jupe lived after Heilas’ death, but I can tell it wasn’t easy.’

You may have been put in a situation where you had no choice but to change yourself.

“I’m sorry for being late in saying that I’m glad to see you again. It’s good to see you again, brother.”

I bowed my head slightly and then raised it and said.

The end of the storm came to mind. At that time, Jupe and I recognized each other. Jupe accepted me as a member of the family, and I accepted Jupe as a brother who had to trust him.

“How are you doing these days?”

I made a polite remark.

Jupe came to me first. If there’s something important to say, he’ll bring it up first.

Even though the other person is family, I don’t intend to rashly reveal my information first. I don’t know about Jupe’s ten years.

‘And in the worst case scenario, Jupe might betray me for the sake of the Custoria family.’

Jupe placed the terminal on the table and displayed a hologram. Photos and videos of members of the Custoria family appeared alternately.

I saw photos of my academy graduations, not of military cadets. They were of my nephews, either Jupe’s children or Nikolaos’ children.

“If the screening test results are not outstanding, I send them all to the Krachia Academy. The era of military families is coming to an end. If we want to survive as a prestigious family in the future, we need to control administration and business. The elders are not happy with me, but there is nothing I can do.”

“It’s a wise decision. Traditions are maintained only when we survive.”

We have seen how military families with the potential to become warlords are trampled. To survive, you have to change and not be bound by orthodoxy.

“Luka, I will lie flat and endure. My role as the current head of the family is not to shine with glory, but to survive tenaciously, even if it means rolling around in the mud. So… … do not return to the empire and the family. I do not have the confidence to handle the chaos you will bring. Just surviving is too much for me right now. When things break out, I will not have the luxury of protecting and helping you.”

Jupe brought up the main topic.

“That would be true. I have no intention of harming the family either. I am always grateful to the Custoria family.”

I understood why Jupe had come to see me in person. And now it was my turn to ask the question.

I took a breath and spoke.

“Was it Ilay Kartika who told you where I was?”

“A week ago, I received a call from the Kartika family asking me to come to Border City. They said they would let me meet you. I stayed in Border City and waited.”

My guess was becoming true.

Ilay had been planning to steal me since the day he left Akbaran. He must have analyzed all the variables and prepared for any eventuality.

‘Why did Ilay send Jupe to me?’

Well, the answer came quickly.

Jupe does not want me to return to the Empire. For the sake of the well-being of House Custoria, I must not return to the Empire.

Meeting Jupe has added more shackles to my feet.

“… … Illei used you too, hyung.”

Jupe tilted his head slightly, expressing his doubts.

“I was the one who kept asking Illei for information about you. I asked around as soon as I heard the rumor of your return. I thought that Kartika’s fox, who was your close friend, would know something about you.”

I also raised my head and opened my eyes wide at Jupe’s words. I didn’t think Jupe would come looking for me first.

“Why are you looking for me?”

“I don’t know about the dangers and conspiracies you face. In the past, I felt inferior because of that, but now I think it’s better not to know. As the head of the household, what’s important to me is the safety of my family and clan. If not knowing is safe, then I’d rather choose not knowing. However… … you’re still a member of the clan.”

Jupe took out a data chip.

“Giselle didn’t give me any explanation. I didn’t ask her for an explanation either. She asked me for just one favor. She asked me to give you this data chip if you ever show up again. I came here to fulfill my duty as a brother and as family.”

I stared at the data chip, my insides churning.

‘What Giselle left behind.’

My throat was ticklish because I thought I was going to laugh.

‘I never thought I’d entrust it to Jupe among all those people.’

Jupe is family, but I can’t say we’re close.

Ilay, Gabriel, Gilda, Barbara, Martina Diva and Grace from La Vie en Rose… … .

Giselle left them all aside and gave the message to Jupe.

Would Jupe be able to keep the secret? Would he be able to tell me safely? What about the possibility of betrayal? The decision to entrust it to Jupe was extremely risky.

But that’s why the superior ones didn’t pay attention to Jupe.

Jupe was a man who would bow down and stand firm, just as he said. He even used his ‘incompetence’ as a weapon so as not to offend anyone.

The more others underestimated him, the more Jupe was able to survive.

‘It’s funny. It’s really funny.’

It was a contrast to his father, Heilas, who was so capable that he put his family in danger.

“Don’t ask any questions, Lucas. I don’t know anything. I can’t keep secrets, and this is all I have to do.”

I nodded, taking the data chip with me.

“Thank you, brother. Sincerely.”

Jupe had come here at great risk. If his survival strategy was to work, he had to pretend to be unrelated to the series of events.

‘Meeting me is a dangerous act in itself.’

Jupe didn’t even entrust the data chip to anyone else. He kept the secret he received from Giselle to himself and only spit it out when he came before me.

‘… … I did my duty because you acknowledged me as a member of your family.’

There is also a way to entrust the data chip to Illei. It can also be passed on through other people.

However, Jupe delivered it directly as Giselle requested.

I felt a feeling that was hard to describe. I don’t have any particular memories of Jupe. We’re not even related by blood. But Jupe was my family. It was a really strange feeling.

“I hope that never happens, but if you ever need my help, just let me know. I’ll be there whenever.”

Jupe laughed heartily.

“Your ways are different from mine. I can survive without your help.”

Jupe stood up, putting on the bowler hat he had left behind. He left the reception room with a light wave of his hand.

I watched Jupe leave and then felt the texture of the data chip in my hand.

‘This is a message from within the Custoria family.’

I searched my memory.

Although Jupe and Giselle have no word on this, this data chip will likely be chemically sealed by House Custoria.

Heilas had once shown me a demonstration. When passing secrets between members of House Custoria, they use seals.

In the Empire, the elite families have their own analog sealing method to keep secrets. It was to prevent information leaks and hacking.

‘If you look at the data without chemical neutralization, it will evaporate.’

I too have learned the chemical formula for neutralizing the seal of the Custoria family. My memory is vague, but if I concentrate I should be able to recall it somehow.

“… … It won’t take long.”

I rolled the data chip between my fingers and put it in my pocket.

‘There’s a mark on your neck.’

Before leaving the room, I took a quick look in the mirror. Where the lanyard had been, I saw a dark red discoloration of skin. It looked like someone had strangled me with a rope.

Lapis felt sorry for the scar, but I didn’t care. I was just thankful that my skin wasn’t torn off. I’m not the type of person to care about scars in the first place.

Damn it.

I went out into the hallway and headed to the medical room. There are always various chemicals in the medical room.

It’s time to check Giselle’s message.

Ss …

A chill suddenly runs down my spine. I feel like Giselle’s ghost is behind me. Her cold hands and arms seem to be reaching around my neck and hugging my chest.

‘This is my delusion.’

Giselle is not dead.

… … It has to be that way, for my sake.