Bad Born Blood Chapter 335

335
Iley no longer played Francis. He took a drink from the cupboard and put a cigarette in his mouth.

He looked like a debaucherous and corrupt nobleman. Well, that’s true to some extent.

Tsk tsk tsk tsk.

The cigarette that had just been lit burned down in an instant. This was thanks to the lung capacity of the whole body.

“Ha, damn it. The body’s performance is so good that not even a single drop of nicotine enters the brain. The internal filter completely removes all contaminants, so I can’t turn it off. Even if I smoke, it only satisfies a little bit of my mental needs. Even if I drink alcohol, it feels like I’m drinking water.”

Ilay said with a dissatisfied look on her face.

The Imperial Family’s full-body prosthetics are the pinnacle of the Empire’s engineering, and are packed with cutting-edge technologies that would take generations to commercialize.

I saw Francesque smiling like Ilay. Hmm, I’m confused. The cheerful man in front of me is Ilay.

I don’t know the principle of mental transference, but… it seems to be a transcendent technique.

I’m not a scientist, but I know a little about the brain and mind, having been in the Guard. But I still couldn’t fathom how someone could instantly transplant their mind into someone else’s brain.

‘Even the monster, Mushir Al-Kashra, takes great care to slowly eat away at the brains of others.’

Although Ilay is a cold-hearted and vicious man, he is not an inhuman monster like Mushir Al-Kashra.

But now, Ilay was manipulating other people’s brains as if they were his own, just like Mushir Al-Kashra. It was thanks to the mind warfare.

‘The Arcane Civilization that Makes the Impossible Possible… … .’

There was a reason why every nation coveted the Arcane legacy.

How should we feel about Ilay, who took over Francesque’s brain?

Honestly, I’m confused. Ilay did something that was beyond my expectations. This is a situation that is beyond my calculations.

“You’re the best of the empire.

Despite the gossip, Ilay just laughed.

Seeing the way she smiled at my aggressive remarks, I knew it was definitely Ille. There was no doubt about it.

“I know I am the worst of men. But Luca, don’t doubt my will to send you out of the Empire. You have suffered enough. From here on out, it is my struggle and my war. Death is mine, and success is mine.”

As Ilay walked, his crimson coat flapped. He threw down his cigarette and drink and slumped down in his chair.

“Since the brain has changed, doesn’t that mean the nicotine withdrawal symptoms have disappeared? Addiction is something that is physically imprinted on the brain.”

“Memories and personality are also physical imprints. Mental transfer imprints everything on the brain like scars. I was quite surprised. Even the smallest habits were transferred. It was as if I had been using this brain since birth. I don’t like metaphysical concepts, but in this case, there is no word more appropriate than the expression “soul transfer.”

Questions and curiosity were seething inside me.

“… …Is Francesque dead?”

“In a physical sense, I am Francek and I am not dead. But in a spiritual sense, I am dead. You must know this. Francek’s mind was destroyed long ago. It was destroyed by the long confinement and torture. Do you think Ivan left Francek alone? He only kept him alive. That is why I do not feel Francek inside me at all. He has been completely pushed away by me.”

Yeah, it was weird from the start. There’s no way Francesque would be in good shape.

Francis was a dangerous person enough to be the center of a rebellion. There was no way Ivan could leave any room for Francis to return.

I slowly pulled the pieces together. I thought about the best from Ilay’s perspective. He does things I can’t do with aplomb. He’s already crossed the line.

“You were the one who handed Francek over to Ivan, right? By handing Francek over to Ivan, you must have shown that you have no intention of fighting him now. Ivan probably wanted to use you rather than get rid of you right away.”

Little by little, everything falls into place.

Ilay didn’t deny what I said. If I were to lie, it would be incoherent and I would be caught right away.

“It would have been a miserable situation if I had been on the same boat as Frances. Frances might have been a great ruler in peaceful times, but he was not mentally strong enough to navigate turbulent times.”

I hate to admit it, but I agree with that statement. But that doesn’t mean I agree with Iley’s decision to give up on Frances.

“That’s why I wanted you to assist Frances. You have the ‘malice’ that Frances doesn’t have.”

Illei smiled sadly. A look of superiority naturally emerged from Francesque’s delicately designed face.

“At first, I thought I would assist you. I didn’t want to betray your expectations. I did my best. However, Ivan often showed insight and intelligence that exceeded my expectations. It was extraordinary, as if he had been possessed by a god. It was as if he had become a different person.”

Illai was calm. He sat down and regularly tapped the thumbs of his clasped hands.

“… … You also noticed Ivan’s ideal.”

“While tracking Kinuan, I discovered the identity of the artifact he had stolen. Kinuan had been on the run and had been researching and studying how to use the mind teleporter. When I got there, I saw the shadow of the previous emperor within Ivan.”

I’ve always felt this way since my days as a cadet, but Ilay was excellent. I didn’t want to believe that there was a genius in the world who didn’t work hard, but Ilay was like that.

Ilay, who had no enthusiasm for training, fought with me for the top and second place. Thinking back now, it was a damn thing. At that time, I really struggled desperately.

‘A son of a prestigious family from birth, with a talent that seems to have an aura that makes it seem like he will succeed in whatever he does.’

If a guy like that ran for over ten years, the results would be enormous.

He doesn’t need anything like Archie’s Victory. He was strong from birth, and he has solidified his position without being swept away by countless chaos and desperate confusion.

“After I learned of the relic’s true nature and effects, my plans were also revised. That’s when my deal with Kinuan began.”

Something struck me. It reminded me of what happened in Border City.

“Illai, you are like Kinuan. So you must have understood each other’s ways even without direct communication or interaction.”

“That’s right. I always gave Kinuan a chance to escape while pressuring him. Of course, there’s no guarantee that Kinuan will be caught even if I push harder, but Kinuan would know that I’m intentionally pursuing him loosely. I always left him with the possibility that he could cooperate if necessary.”

Geniuses skilled in strategy and intrigue exchanged implicit signals. Illei and Kinuan were too good to be left as hounds and prey.

“The hound realized that he was useless after the hunt and was in danger, and the prey realized that the hound had intentionally let him go. The only conclusion left for the clever hound and the cunning prey is to eliminate the ‘hunter.’”

Ilay snapped his fingers as if to confirm that was the correct answer.

It is not a full cooperation. It is a provisional cooperation.

If the prey is careless or shows an opening, the hunting dog will do its job, and if the prey can completely shake off the hunting dog, it will do so.

‘Ilay, the fox of Kartika.’

Ilay lived a life full of intrigue and schemes in places I didn’t know about. She must have committed countless vile acts that would make me angry.

It may be a bit sentimental, but I found that fact a bit sad.

‘I expected it. Ilay would become the same politicians I despise and loathe… … .’

Ilay is the type of person I hate.

But still, he was my friend. He risked his life for me, and even in this dire situation, he tried to get me out of the empire.

… … I cannot hate Ilay Kartika, just as I consider even Giselle’s sins as proof of love.

* * *

“Luka, it’s the end anyway. There’s no need to hide my story.”

Ilay spoke with a relaxed expression. He unraveled a long story he had been building up. I also told him about finding Giselle. I had nothing to hide.

I heard of Ilay’s life. He lived in the Empire, and his days were terribly dark and unstable.

‘Ilay couldn’t trust anyone. She wasn’t a person who trusted others herself. She couldn’t talk openly with anyone.’

People like Ilay were unable to form normal trusting relationships in the Empire. Born into the Empire’s highest nobility and caught up in a dark conspiracy, it was fortunate that he did not suffer from delusions of persecution.

Remember, even a great man like Heilas could only trust a small number of ‘guardians’ who had been with him for decades. Even Heilas did not trust his family. To him, his family was not something to be trusted, but something to be protected.

The only person she could trust in her life was a friend from the Royal Guard named ‘Luka’, whom she met by chance.

‘In this vast empire, only I will take Ilay’s side.’

In the eyes of others, Ilay is a vile person who is not worthy of pity. He deceives and deceives others, and deceives them again to gain his own benefit… …because he is a villain.

But I saw the moment of Ilay’s transformation with my own eyes.

‘The Death of Lilian Ramones.’

When he shot her, Ilay’s heart shattered like thin glass.

Of course, past despair hardly rationalizes present evil deeds.

Ilay used to respond to others’ trust with betrayal. Now, you shouldn’t be complaining about not being able to have a normal relationship. He’s my friend, but he doesn’t deserve others’ trust.

“Your dream is wild, Ilay. You want to become the Emperor of the Empire with Frances’ body? How long do you think you can keep doing it?”

I was complaining.

“It will be a short reign. After I drive out Ivan, I will transfer power to the nobles and the people and establish a republic. I have read a lot of books on politics. The class structure of the empire will not disappear overnight, so I plan to divide power into a noble council and a popular council. After that, Francek will rest in peace, and I will return to Iley.”

Illei’s main body was stored somewhere.

Ellie, a brilliant genius, devoted her entire life to one plan, crossing countless dangers along the way.

The only time Ilay moved without a ‘plan’ was when she ‘saved me’.

“Is that republic of such great value to you?”

Ilay shook her head.

“Actually, it is no longer valuable to me. I cannot escape the karma I have committed and the path I have walked. However, it is meaningful to the children who will be born in the future. It will become a country where people can live by their own choices, rather than the state arbitrarily determining their own fate.”

I don’t know if it’s that important even after hearing it. If there were no imperial screening, would we live by free choice? I don’t think so.

Even without the imperial selection and pressure, our lives are crushed and distorted by countless external forces. When I came to my senses, the life I had hoped for was nowhere to be found.

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

“The purpose you pursue doesn’t seem very valuable to me. But it must be important to you. It must be important to me.”

Yeah, if it’s important to Ilay, then that’s fine. Nothing else matters.

“Luka, you go back to Giselle. Why are you throwing away the happiness you’ve finally found? Are you an idiot? If it were me, I would never… … .”

“You too, I saved you from Mushir Al-Kashra the day you were captured. It was something that had nothing to do with your plans.”

Illei’s eyes glowed coldly. There was a strange sense of oppression in Francesque’s body. The monarch’s body was different.

“That’s paying off a debt from Lillian’s time.”

This is all I can come up with as a last resort. I burst out laughing.

“Haha, are you kidding me? Stop yapping about that Lillian. You’ve paid off that debt more than enough.”

“And I have lied to you many times. And I will continue to lie to you.”

Ilay tried to get me away from the empire somehow.

“I already knew you were that kind of kid. It’s not like it’s the first or second time you’ve hit me in the back of the head, so I don’t feel betrayed anymore. Rather, I’m wondering what the hell this kid is up to.”

“You insist on getting involved in this mess? It’s not going to benefit you at all. You think it’s friendship, but I see you as just addicted to the thrill and excitement. You can’t stand it unless you put yourself in an extreme situation.”

Ilay spoke in an even stronger tone.

Thrills, excitement, addiction, extreme situations.

The word hit me in the head. I had denied it until now, but I began to think that maybe it really was.

‘Am I a human being who can’t live a normal life with the woman I love? Am I that broken?’

I want to deny it even more. Of course, it is not difficult to confirm the facts.

Just go back to Giselle right now and try to keep the peace. You can do it, Luca. You can do it.

But I think I came here because of the ‘good side’ of me as a human being. I want to prove that I am not a completely bad person.

The evil deeds I committed, the sins and karma, the murder.

If there was ever a chance to rationalize myself and offset my guilt, it would be now.

The accident was going wild. The bridge of my nose was getting hot and tingling.

“… … That’s not true, Ilay. I didn’t come here to seek stimulation. This civil war will end with the deaths of countless people, no matter who wins. But there is only one way to end it without unnecessary sacrifice. Ivan has it, and you have it.”

I don’t need to say more, Illei will know.

… … I will become the emperor’s assassin.

Illei thought about it for a while and then answered.

“Ivan is not stupid. No matter how much he favors you, there is no way he would face you in a situation like this.”

I shook my head.

Ivan will treat me alone, if I bring him the ‘appropriate gift’.

A plan came to my mind and I thanked Archie’s Victory.

“Ilay, let’s cut off your body’s neck.”

“Hey, you crazy bird… … .”

Illai was about to swear, but then he touched his chin and continued speaking calmly.

“… … Well, that sounds plausible?”

Illei also realized that the front and back matched.