<div> Chapter 182
 I returned to my room and reviewed Gabriel’s story.
 ’Gabriel failed to fulfill his duty and lost the first family he ever had.’
 Because of that, Gabriel didn’t return to Akbaran and instead wandered around Border City. It seemed like he had even cut off contact with Gilda.
 ’He must have felt too ashamed to go back to the company.’
 freewёbnoνel.com Whatever the circumstances, Gabriel had abandoned his post at a crucial moment.
 ’Gabriel was a more competent bodyguard than I expected.’
 Even after becoming a wreck, flashes of his former self still surfaced. It was thanks to his training, education, and accumulated experience.
 ’Gilda and Giselle have grown apart. That means their relationship isn’t what it used to be. They might even be outright hostile to each other.’
 If Gilda had changed that much, approaching her would be extremely dangerous. If she revealed my whereabouts to the upper echelons of the Empire, it would become much harder for me to move freely.
 ’Giselle...’
 I tried not to let my mind wander beyond that name.
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 </div> I felt uneasy. Gabriel’s situation didn’t seem so different from my own. What if Giselle was not well? What if she was no longer among the living? What would happen to me then? At this moment, it felt like I could destroy everything in sight. I would tear the world apart until I broke down completely.
 I knew it was a childish thought. But emotions worked that way.
 Beep.
 Jafa’s name appeared on my retinal display. Well, there was no one else who would contact me anyway.
 -You remember our last deal, right?
 I had spent a lot of money tracking Ernest, so I had promised Jafa I’d take on a few odd jobs to make up for it. Honestly, considering how much I had spent, doing this much at least made me feel a little better.
 "Just say the word. Who do you need quietly eliminated?"
 -If I needed someone killed, I wouldn’t be hiring you. Assassins are like bullets. You use expendable people for assassinations.
 "That’s a pretty terrifying way to put it."
 -Hoyot, oops, oops. That was a slip of the tongue.
 Yeah, right. Slip of the tongue, my ass.
 "Just get to the point."
 -Anguis Regina is taking an internal tour of Border City. You’ll handle her security during that time. In exchange, I’ll forgive the debt from all that money you’ve recklessly spent.
 I frowned.
 "Me? Guard that woman? Are you asking me to put another bullet hole in her knee?"
 -If you want to test my patience, be my guest. I know how to get angry, too. And my retaliation would be quite fierce.
 “Well, fine. I did say I’d take the job. But out of all those Equessians, you’re really going to use me?”
 -Anguis Regina specifically requested you for close protection. And right now, her mental state is unstable. She’s never strayed from her main duties before, but there’s no guarantee she won’t in the future. Keep an eye on that, too.
 “So, it’s both surveillance and protection.”
 -Just don’t shoot her in the knee. And I’m not joking. Whether it’s the knee, the arm, or anywhere else.
 I had no intention of testing Jafa’s patience this time. Lately, I could really feel that he was at his limit.
 “Got it. Send me the details when you have them.”
 -And did you really have to beat Boyan like that? If it weren’t for the Crawler, he would have died.
 “He was up against Ergen Walter. I couldn’t bribe him, and I couldn’t just beat him up either. There was no other way. If you have a better solution, go ahead and tell me. The school was already gunning for that one Crawler, from the teachers to the students, even the guardians.”
 -And even knowing Boyan was under my sponsorship, he still acted that way?
 “He laughed and said your foundation supports too many students for you to care about just one.”
 -Well, normally, he’d be right. Hoyot. But still, I see I haven’t been acting very much like a Tazirun lately. The fact that something like this happened even with my name attached to him...
 I could almost hear Jafa’s cold smile through the call.
 * * *
 I looked at the black coat hanging in my wardrobe.
 The housekeeping android visited regularly to clean my room and do my laundry. If my clothes were too damaged, they were replaced with identical ones.
 ’Doesn’t seem like they plan on giving me anything different.’
 Not that I wanted to request it. I never cared much about clothing or appearance.
 I put on the coat, which still carried the faint sting of cleaning chemicals. I had been in Border City for quite some time now. My already long hair had grown even more unruly. Even when I tied it up, strands stuck out in all directions.
 ’Back in the Imperial Guard...’
 I recalled there was a machine that trimmed hair automatically. Stand inside for five minutes, and you’d be neatly groomed. It was surprisingly convenient, but there was nothing like that in Border City.
 I didn’t want to waste time or money visiting a barbershop, but if my hair grew any longer, I might have to consider it.
 ’Alright, today, too, I’m just another dreary-looking guy, Luka.’
 I checked my equipment while looking at my reflection in the mirror. Firelight Saber, Auto-Tracking Pistol, dagger. More than enough gear for me.
 ’Anguis Regina’s Border City tour performances.’
 I recalled the schedule.
 For three days and two nights, Anguis Regina would be performing all over the city. There wasn’t a fixed concert hall; instead, she would move between different venues owned by Jafa Corporation, promoting their business in the process.
 During the tour, Jafa Corporation’s revenue would more than double. This was an important event for him.
 Click.
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 </div> Unlike usual, I put on a combat mask. Its design closely resembled the combat helmets worn by Equessian mercenaries under Jafa Corporation. The only difference was that it was fitted for a human.
 As a secondary function, the mask supported independent communication lines and vision-sharing with the Equessian mercenaries.
 The Equessians were in charge of securing the entire performance area, while I was assigned as Anguis Regina’s close-protection guard.
 ’Is this woman really capable of generating that much economic value?’
 As someone from the Empire, I couldn’t quite grasp it. The Empire had entertainment professions, but they weren’t exactly high-value industries.
 I waited for Anguis Regina in her villa. Not long after, she stepped out of the elevator and gave me a once-over.
 “You’re wearing a mask.”
 “It’s my security uniform.”
 “It’s better than your bare face. You look less intimidating.”
 Anguis Regina, with her heavy makeup, smiled brightly. Her pupils shimmered in a way that resembled starlight—strange, almost unnatural.
 ’Fake.’
 I almost scoffed. I had seen the darkness lurking behind Anguis Regina. The idol persona was a complete fabrication.
 To hide her true self, Anguis Regina played up an exaggeratedly cheerful act. If she had chosen to be an actress, she would have been a huge success.
 ’Her darkness is connected to Kinuan.’
 I had done my own research on Anguis Regina before. But within the information available to me, I couldn’t find much about her past.
 “I have a proposal. If you help me ditch the Equessians, I’ll share everything I know about Kinuan. Including Jafa’s connection to him.”
 She spoke while walking straight ahead, not even looking at me.
 “Well, now that’s an interesting offer.”
 I muttered beside her.
 “You’ll never be able to figure it out on your own. The way we and Kinuan are entangled... it’s something beyond your reach.”
 “Probably. But who the hell are you to offer this?”
 “...What?”
 “You’re nothing but a byproduct of my deal with Jafa. On your own, you have no influence. You can’t provide me with cybernetic implants, you can’t support me, you can’t do anything except sing and dance. Don’t act like you can negotiate with me as an equal when you’re incapable of doing anything on your own. Compared to Jafa, you’re a worthless existence.”
 Anguis Regina halted in her tracks. She turned her head back and glared at me.
 “You calling me incompetent is just your narrow-minded Imperial way of thinking.”
 “If you prove yourself enough to change my mind, I’ll reconsider. Believe it or not, I’m more flexible than I seem.”
 Anguis Regina and I stepped out of the villa. The moment we emerged, a wave of deafening cheers erupted, altering the very pressure in the air. The windows of nearby buildings trembled from the force.
 “Waaaaah!!”
 “Anguis! Regina!! We love you—!!”
 “All hail the Queen of Serpents!”
 Equessian guards formed a secure perimeter, holding back the crowd. The sheer intensity of the struggle resembled a violent riot. Some were struck down by the Equessians, their heads split open and bleeding profusely. Others fainted and were trampled underfoot. There would undoubtedly be fatalities.
 And yet, even drenched in blood, countless fans continued to scream their desperate adoration for Anguis Regina.
 ‘This is madness as well.’
 I still couldn’t understand what made Anguis Regina so enthralling. It wasn’t just humans—other alien species were crying out her name too.
 ‘...I suppose, at this level, you could call it influence.’
 Much as I hated to admit it, Anguis Regina possessed power. The ability to sway the masses and shape public opinion was no small thing.
 Even the Imperial Royal Family worked hard to win the people’s favor. After all, a nation ultimately relied on its citizens. Without their cooperation and labor, no state could function properly.
 Click. Click.
 Anguis Regina stepped into the center of the Equessian-formed ring. With meticulously calculated movements, she spread her arms wide before clasping them together gracefully.
 “My dear audience....”
 She spoke in a voice laced with longing. It carried a certain frequency that tugged at emotions, evoking an inexplicable sense of empathy. Her electronic choker seemed to have an amplification function, causing her words to reverberate with a tingling sensation. The sound layered upon itself, cutting through the noise of the crowd and spreading far and wide.
 "...I love you all! I wish I could embrace every one of you, but since I can’t, please forgive me. If you buy the Anguis Set from Jafa Burger or the Regina Set from Jafa Pizza, you’ll receive a hug lottery ticket. Use it to meet me in person!"
 It was an obvious commercial ploy. The fact that people actually responded to it with enthusiasm and emotion was baffling. Did living in Border City lower one’s IQ or something?
 "I’ll buy it no matter what! I already bought ten sets today!"
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 </div> "Ten sets? Please. I bought a hundred! I’m freezing them to eat over the next year!"
 "Whether it’s a hundred sets or a thousand, I’ll keep eating until I win! I will meet you, Anguis Regina!"
 Gender, age, species—it didn’t matter. Everyone was frenzied over Anguis Regina.
 I maintained my position about five steps away from her, providing security. Wearing a mask was a wise decision. Just being in close proximity to Anguis Regina would be enough for some fanatics to dig into my identity and try to kill me.
 ’Do you still think I’m incompetent?’
 Anguis Regina tilted her head slightly and mouthed the words toward me.
 I finally understood why Jafa indulged her so much. It wasn’t just emotional attachment. Anguis Regina was genuinely useful.
 ’I know people like her.’
 Prince of Crimson, Francec Accretia, was the same kind of person as Anguis Regina. Every word and action she made was meticulously calculated to win people over.
 It wasn’t just natural talent that explained her overwhelming charisma and popularity.
 ’She must have undergone targeted education, just like Francec. Someone molded and reshaped her for a specific role.’
 Just as I was created for battle...Foll𝑜w current novℯls on fre𝒆web(n)ovel.co(m)</div>
 

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Chapter 182

Chapter 182 I returned to my room and reviewed Gabriel’s story. ’Gabriel failed to fulfill his duty and lost the first family he ever had.’ Because of that, Gabriel didn’t return to Akbaran and instead wandered around Border City. It seemed like he had even cut off contact with Gilda. ’He must have felt too ashamed to go back to the company.’ freewёbnoνel.com Whatever the circumstances, Gabriel had abandoned his post at a crucial moment. ’Gabriel was a more competent bodyguard than I expected.’...

Bad Born Blood

Chapter 182

Bad Born Blood - Chapter 182