NOVPUBChapter 44
The higher one’s status, the more they despise mingling with those below them. Even in the lower districts, people distinguish between neighborhoods that are merely struggling and those drowning in absolute poverty. The Custoria family, one of the Empire’s prestigious houses, was no exception.
The Custoria estate was located in the outskirts, far from the capital, Akbaran. There wasn’t even a road leading to the mansion, as if land travel had never been a consideration. Surrounding the estate was an expanse of red wasteland, stark to the point of awkwardness.
Our aerial vehicle ascended over the mansion. From above, I could see a garden and a fountain at the center of the estate. Greenery and water existed only within the mansion’s confines, making it resemble an oasis in the desert.
The estate itself consisted of four massive buildings, and the number of smaller annexes was too bothersome to count.
"I only visit the main house once every couple of months myself. Even though I spent my childhood here, I never grew attached to it."
Hemillas, the Commander of the Imperial Guard, spoke as he gazed down through the window.
Whirrrr.
Beneath the aerial vehicle, the propulsion system made precise adjustments to stabilize our descent. The altitude gradually dropped.
Several other aerial vehicles had already arrived at the mansion’s airstrip before us.
"They’re here to meet you. Some of them are my siblings."
"I’ve memorized all their faces and names."
I replied as I felt the vibrations of our landing. Our aerial vehicle touched down smoothly on the airstrip.
Click.
The door of the vehicle opened upward.
The Commander of the Imperial Guard—or rather, Hemillas. I should call him that now. Our relationship was no longer just that of a superior and a subordinate.
In any case, Hemillas was the first to step out of the vehicle. I followed closely behind.
"Ah, the family head has arrived. And this must be the new nephew?"
A man who bore a resemblance to Hemillas greeted us. Though his features were similar, his overall impression was much more fragile. I knew who he was.
Arthur Custoria.
He was Hemillas’ older brother. And also, a fool who had lost the position of family head to a younger brother ten years his junior. Hm, was that too harsh?
Hemillas had pushed him aside and been acknowledged as the head of the family. I had heard a rough account of the story beforehand.
"It’s been a while, brother."
Hemillas’ tone was polite, but his demeanor was arrogant. His cold eyes locked onto his brother, making their hierarchy unmistakably clear.
Arthur’s gaze shifted to me. I took a step forward to greet him.
"Luka... Custoria."
Adding a grand title at the end felt awkward. Arthur must have noticed my discomfort because he chuckled.
"Yes, I suppose we’ll be seeing each other often from now on. You’re about the same age as my youngest son—get along well with him."
Formal pleasantries were exchanged. Arthur was the first to enter the mansion. Following Hemillas’ lead, I greeted two of his sisters at the airstrip. They were my aunts.
There were still four more to go. Hemillas had seven siblings, and they were the ones currently at the forefront of the Custoria family.
I was already starting to feel exhausted. Everyone here spoke words they didn’t mean while closely observing one another.
"The rest are still on their way. Luka, go inside the mansion and get some rest for now. Your room should already be prepared."
We headed toward the mansion’s main building. I only moved my eyes, scanning the people coming and going.
The mansion’s hierarchy was divided into three broad tiers: members of the Custoria family, servants engaged in simple tasks, and the middle-ranking retainers and attendants.
A noble family’s retainers were mostly talented commoners who had earned recognition or nobles of lower rank than the household they served. Each of them assisted the ruling family in their respective fields. They ranked above the servants but were not considered part of the family.
‘If they have enough skill and luck, they might be taken in as an adopted child or a son-in-law, becoming part of the family.’
The retainers’ gazes as they looked at me were filled with envy and resentment. I had taken the position they longed for.
"Please follow me, young master."
A servant who appeared to be a middle manager guided me to my room. The title young master tickled my ears.
"If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call."
Even the servant’s polite attitude felt unfamiliar to me.
I examined my room. It had the atmosphere of a soldier’s quarters. Decorative spears and swords hung on the walls. The furniture looked like solid wood at first glance, but when I tapped the desk, a holographic interface immediately appeared. The wardrobe, too, was a thoroughly cutting-edge system when opened.
Crackle, crackle.
I stared at the fireplace. It wasn’t a hologram—real logs were burning inside. The warmth heating the room came from it.
"Ridiculous."
They had all sorts of state-of-the-art climate control systems, yet they still used a fireplace.
It was an unreasonably cumbersome method. Above the fireplace, there was a smoke vent designed to mimic the shape of a chimney.
In an era of interstellar travel, they were imitating an outdated architectural style using advanced technology. It was nothing short of ironic.
‘This must be what they call luxury and ostentation.’
Inefficient and unnecessary. That’s precisely why only nobles could afford to do it. When I thought about it carefully, it wasn’t entirely incomprehensible. Even in the Imperial Guard, ostentatious displays of strength were sometimes practiced. In a way, inefficient displays were the privilege of the powerful.
As I looked around the room, I stopped in front of the window. It was a large glass pane, wide enough for two people to pass through.
My formal introduction would take place at dinner. Until then, I had time to myself.
Knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
In an unfamiliar place, it was difficult to discern the presence with precision. I could only tell that it was a light-footed woman.
Creak.
The door opened. A familiar girl stepped inside. There were only a few members of the Custoria family that I was acquainted with.
“You’ve truly become a member of the Custoria family, Luka.”
Giselle Custoria spoke. She had tied her dark blue hair back. Every time it moved, it resembled the swaying night sky.
“I didn’t expect to take on the Custoria name this quickly either.”
I replied indifferently.
Giselle sat down on a chair, resting her elbow on the table and propping her cheek against her palm. She avoided my gaze for a moment before glancing at me. She seemed a little embarrassed.
“About last time... thank you. I never got the chance to properly say it.”
“You were in a chaotic situation. And Felix Eigen is the one who deserves your gratitude more.”
I had rescued Giselle from a terrorist kidnapping plot. Barbara had an odd fixation on her.
“I visited Felix as well. He didn’t recognize me.”
Giselle gave a bitter smile. She seemed weighed down by Felix’s irreversible state.
“You can express your gratitude, but there’s no need for guilt. Felix was simply fulfilling his duty as an Imperial Guard.”
“Are you trying to comfort me?”
“It’s not comfort; it’s just the truth. I’m not exactly the affectionate type.”
“I already know what kind of person you are. You’re like a blue flame. You seem cold, but in reality, you burn wilder and hotter than a red flame.”
Hm, she certainly has a way with words, fitting for someone well-educated, I shrugged my shoulders.
Giselle’s demeanor had changed from before. The sharp, prickly attitude had softened considerably. It was only natural. After all, I had risked my life to save her. Even nobles, if they have any sense, know how to be grateful.
‘Giselle doesn’t know about the Imperial Guard’s operation. She has no idea that her father, Hemillas, used her as bait so thoroughly.’
If she ever learned the truth, she would be deeply hurt. Even Barbara’s curse had been part of the higher-ups’ plan. Perhaps Giselle’s predicament hadn’t been mere coincidence but something preordained from the start.
Hemillas was an excellent Commander of the Imperial Guard but a ruthless father. But I understood him. In the chaos where even friend and foe were difficult to distinguish, Barbara had been able to become part of a terrorist group.
"...And I’d like to apologize for my disgraceful behavior back then. I was overwhelmed by my emotions. No, even saying that is just an excuse. It was conduct unbefitting a member of the Custoria family."
The proud and strong-willed young lady slowly bowed her head in gratitude and apology.
To be honest, I didn’t mind it one bit. I was finally being treated properly, as a human being, regardless of my origins.
"It’s only natural for an ordinary person to panic in a situation like that. You don’t need to dwell on it."
I kept my response brief. Giselle exhaled softly, closing her eyes for a moment.
"Thank you for saying that. Luka, do you remember what you said back then? That if you became a member of the Custoria family, you would support me."
I knew that whatever came next was the real reason she was here. There was a purpose behind her humble approach so far.
Now this was how a noble lady of the Empire should act—knowing how to secure her share and protect her interests. I liked that.
"Well, I wasn’t lying. Aside from the Commander of the Imperial Guard, you’re the only Custoria I’ve actually had a proper conversation with. And you’re the only one I think I can negotiate with."
The word "father" still didn’t come naturally to me.
The moment she heard the word "negotiate," Giselle paused for a moment, tapping her fingers lightly against the table.
Whirrrr.
A holographic lens opened at the center of the table. Giselle synced her personal device with the table’s hologram. One by one, she projected the faces of Custoria family members.
"Father probably hasn’t told you much about the Custoria family members, has he? He always expects his children to figure things out on their own."
"He’s certainly not the type to take care of everything for you."
"I’ll share information with you. Consider it my way of repaying you for last time."
I waited for Giselle’s explanation.
"Luka, the people you need to be most cautious of are my two older brothers—the first and second sons. Your arrival has made them feel an immense sense of crisis."
"A sense of crisis? I’m just an adopted son."
"That’s not true. Right now, among Father’s children, you’re the only one who meets the conditions of an elite soldier. Even without a blood connection, you hold a position worth being wary of. No matter what anyone says, Custoria is a military family."
I recalled what I knew about Hemillas’ two biological sons.
The eldest, Nikolaos Custoria. He had graduated from the Kracia Academy and pursued a bureaucratic career. Judging by his record alone, he was a remarkable elite. The only flaw, from the Custoria family’s perspective, was that he wasn’t a soldier.
The second son, Juppe Custoria. A military officer who had graduated from a regular military academy. He wasn’t part of a special unit like the Imperial Guard, and though he had been an officer for ten years, he hadn’t shown any particular achievements. He was just another noble-born officer, the kind you could find anywhere.
Nikolaos was twenty years older than me, and Juppe was thirteen years my senior. In an ordinary family, a young adopted son wouldn’t be seen as a threat.
But Custoria was a military family—a prestigious one at that. They needed to consistently produce elite soldiers.
"The other children are still too young to even take their second aptitude test. Right now, among Father’s children, the one with the highest potential as a soldier is you, Luka."
"Their noble selves sure are worrying over nothing."
I let out a small chuckle. But Giselle’s expression remained serious.
"Everyone suspects that Father brought you here to make you his successor."
I recalled Hemillas’ words.
‘You’ll be a fresh stimulus in many ways. Even to my children.’
Was this what he meant? It seemed I had been quite the stimulus indeed.
