Bad Born Blood-Chapter 193

Chapter 193

I felt my consciousness waver as I stood before Lisanda. It had been a long time since I had experienced this level of mental shock.

It was as if my awareness was retreating from reality, like stepping back from a monitor. Even in the midst of carrying out an important mission, I was in this state.

’Jafa was a woman.’

No matter how many times I turned it over in my mind, it was still shocking. But when I thought about it carefully, it wasn’t all that strange.

I couldn’t distinguish between male and female among the Tajirun race. From my perspective, the name "Jafa" naturally led me to assume it was a man.

And Jafa had likely made a deliberate effort not to reveal her gender to me. The less information she exposed about herself, the easier it was for her to maintain control over our relationship.

"You don’t seem to know much about Jafa after all. I think I said something unnecessary."

Lisanda hesitated, as if carefully choosing her words. I snapped back to full attention.

"That aggressive attitude from earlier is gone now."

"I had to make it look like Jafa and I weren’t on good terms. The Menoa Family is convinced that Jafa has an informant inside."

"If there were no traitor, even Jafa wouldn’t have been able to respond to the attack. Is there a particular reason you’re cooperating with her?"

"I’m not sure if I should be the one to tell you something Jafa herself hasn’t said."

I shrugged, though Lisanda wouldn’t be able to see it because of my adaptive camouflage combat suit. At best, she might notice a fleeting distortion.

"I’m under suspicion by the people at the Round Table. All my communication devices are being monitored. I barely managed to send out the warning about the attack. Of course, I’m not the only one under surveillance within the family."

"Is this place safe? Not that it matters, considering how freely we’re talking."

"They don’t openly violate privacy. The surveillance stays within invisible boundaries. As you saw, the Menoa Family is relatively democratic. There’s no blatant monitoring or oppression."

"Then let’s get to business. What information do I need to pass on to Jafa?"

To avoid leaving any traces, I didn’t sit anywhere. I simply stood still, waiting for Lisanda to speak.

"The former head of the family—our father—died three days after the Round Table meeting. I don’t know what was discussed at the meeting, but it’s certain that he was assassinated because of it."

Jafa and Lisanda spoke as if it was a given that their father had been murdered. They didn’t even consider any other possibilities. This was a brutal world in its own way.

"The prime suspect is Ozmer?"

"If Father is gone, the next in line to become head of the family is Ozmer. It’s been over a week since his death, yet the inheritance hasn’t been settled. Besides the position of family head, Father owned numerous businesses and held shares in other companies as a Tajirun. Many people see that as the real prize."

Interesting. My curiosity was piqued.

"Why hasn’t the inheritance been settled?"

"Father secretly hired external lawyers without even telling us. They were instructed to take action upon his death.

He must have always considered the possibility that someone might kill him. That’s why, even after the funeral, his body remains perfectly preserved. There was a clause stating that if the body were damaged or disposed of before the law firm’s autopsy was completed, the entire inheritance would be immediately donated. The idea of a Tajirun donating wealth—it’s ridiculous."

"That law firm must be difficult to bribe. Your father wouldn’t have entrusted them to people who could be bought. If the Menoa Family had tampered with the autopsy results, the lawyers would have caught it."

"I looked into them, and they’re a rather prestigious law firm specializing in inheritance cases. Their clients are usually people at risk of being killed by their own children. No one expected Father to have made a contract with them. In any case, the firm will be visiting in two days."

"What happens if their autopsy officially declares it a homicide?"

"They’ll treat it as a murder case and conduct a full-scale investigation of the entire family. As much as I hate it, if we want to keep our inheritance, we’ll have no choice but to comply. The family’s honor will also take a massive hit."

"Killing your own father over money is enough to ruin your reputation."

Lisanda let out a quiet laugh.

"That’s not the reason. It’s because the job wasn’t done cleanly and we got caught. Other families will see us as fools who can’t even maintain internal discipline."

Hmm. It seemed I had underestimated the Tajirun. Even by imperial standards, their way of thinking was brutally pragmatic.

’Jafa really is an exception among her kind.’

That sense of disconnect from her own people was likely one of the reasons she had been exiled.

"Judging by the situation, if it becomes known that you’re working with Jafa, death would be the least of your concerns."

"Exactly. I’m walking a very dangerous tightrope. But I believe it’s worth it. I can’t last in the Menoa Family for much longer anyway."

Lisanda stuck out her tongue with a subtle smile. By now, I could read Tajirun expressions and emotions fairly well.

"What else do I need to know?"

"Jafa will tell you the same thing, but... you need to find out where Father’s body is being stored aboard the mothership, whether it was murder, and what he said at the Round Table meeting before he was killed."

After finishing my conversation with Lisanda, I took advantage of a suitable moment and stepped out into the hallway. Retracing my steps wasn’t difficult.

Moving between living quarters had a low security clearance—it was just an everyday space. The real classified areas would have proper security measures in place.

When I reached Jafa’s quarters, I knocked lightly on the wall. The Equessians, acting as if nothing was amiss, naturally opened the door and swapped shifts.

I slipped back into Jafa’s quarters during the shift change.

"Did the conversation go well?"

Jafa spoke while looking through a stack of paper documents.

’Jafa is a woman.’

Whether she was a woman or a man had nothing to do with me. Yeah, it wasn’t important. I didn’t bother bringing up Jafa’s gender.

’Damn it.’

Still, something about her seemed different. The triangular edges of her viper-like head appeared oddly softer. She didn’t look as sharp and fierce as I had initially thought.

The human perception system was absurdly malleable. The moment I realized Jafa was a woman, I started noticing different features.

"Why are you staring? Hoyot."

Jafa asked again. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

Chzzzt.

I deactivated my adaptive camouflage and removed my helmet. Sweat dripped from my hair and chin.

The adaptive camouflage combat suit had terrible ventilation. My body heat and sweat, trapped inside, spread through the room as soon as I took off the helmet.

"I don’t know what you promised Lisanda, but she cooperated well."

I relayed everything Lisanda had told me—except for the fact that Jafa was a woman.

"...That’s all?"

Jafa asked after hearing my report.

"Do I seem like the type to leave out mission-critical information?"

"Of course not, Hoyoooo. Then I need to think for a moment. This situation has become quite complicated."

Jafa sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. He—no, she—ugh, this was annoying. I should just think about her the way I always had.

After gathering her thoughts, Jafa flicked her tongue.

"Lisanda’s assessment is correct. We need to locate Father’s body, examine its condition, and find out what was discussed at the last Round Table meeting."

"What are the chances the body has already been stolen or tampered with?"

"They wouldn’t do something that foolish. Instead, they’d fabricate an excuse, making it look like the body was lost or damaged due to an unavoidable accident. It would have to be an incident significant enough to hold up in a legal battle. A fifty-fifty gamble at best, but if the death was definitely a murder, that’s their only way to secure the inheritance."

"If an ’unavoidable accident’ does happen, we’ll need to prepare for the body being lost or tampered with on our end."

I used a cold, damp towel to wipe the sweat from my neck and cheeks, temporarily cooling myself down. I wanted to strip out of my combat suit completely to air out my body, but... after unexpectedly learning the truth, the situation felt awkward.

"I have a rough idea of where the body is. It would be best for us to stay put until the law firm arrives. There will definitely be some kind of ’incident’ on the Menoa mothership."

"And the contents of the Round Table meeting? Should I grab one of the attendees and shake them down? Hmm, are Tajirun naturally resistant to pain?"

I made the joke out of sheer awkwardness. Jafa let out a sharp, hissing laugh before responding.

"There’s no need for that. I already have a faint idea of what might have been discussed at the meeting. We can test the waters during dinner. A few of them will surely react. When that happens, Luka, you can determine if they’re telling the truth or not. See if my guess is correct. But first, you should change and wash up. It’s going to be a busy schedule."

Jafa buried her head back into the documents on her desk, fully focused on her work.

"Ah, right. Well, makes sense."

I flicked the locking mechanism on my combat suit and slowly unsealed it. After already showing everything, rushing into the bathroom to strip would have just been ridiculous.

’Besides, we’re different species, damn it!’

Keeping my expression neutral, I fully removed my adaptive camouflage combat suit and stepped into the bathroom.

Washing away the sweat left me feeling refreshed. When I stepped out, my clothes were neatly folded just outside the door.

...The Equessians wouldn’t have done that. This was definitely Jafa’s doing.

Normally, I would have just thought of it as her being meticulous.

But now, thanks to this unnecessary bit of information stuck in my head, I was the one suffering. Damn it.

* * *

I attended the Menoa Family’s evening banquet with Jafa.

Despite being a banquet, the atmosphere was tense—cold, even. The conversations were little more than hushed whispers.

Still, the Menoa Family treated Jafa with formal courtesy. Their words were harsh, but on the surface, they didn’t openly mistreat her or serve her anything suspicious.

Jafa picked up the utensils while remaining seated. The dishes were being served one by one. Some of the Tajirun even ordered raw meat, nearly indistinguishable from uncooked flesh.

A chunk of meat from an unknown beast, still steaming with warmth, was placed on my table as well.

"Didn’t you say you wouldn’t eat the food served here? You have something separately prepared."

I spoke from beside Jafa.

"Since I said I would participate in the banquet, I do need to eat what is given. If I want to test them, I have to take some risks."

Despite Jafa being a guest, no one initiated conversation with her. Everyone was gauging the reaction of Ozmer, the head of the household.

Ozmer silently cut into the barely seared meat. As he lifted a piece with his fork, blood dripped from the raw center.

I did not touch the food. Seeing that Jafa did not signal me otherwise, it seemed I was not obligated to eat.

-The food is delicious. The kitchen staff’s skills must still be as sharp as ever.

Jafa spoke in Tajirunese.

-That’s why you were able to succeed in the restaurant business. One must experience good food from a young age to truly understand taste.

Ozmer set down his utensils as he spoke. He fixed his gaze on Jafa.

-Thank you for acknowledging my success.

-It’s simply an objective fact.

All attention in the room shifted to Jafa and Ozmer’s conversation. The clinking of utensils ceased simultaneously, reminiscent of a well-disciplined military formation.

-I understand that my father passed away not long after the round table meeting concluded. I’m curious about the last item on the agenda.

-There’s no reason to share that with an outsider like you.

It had begun. I heightened my focus.

Bzzzz.

My field of perception expanded. Twenty-five Tajirun, their every expression and movement, flooded into my awareness. My brain processed information at a rate hundreds of times greater than usual.

A hot, throbbing sensation spread across the bridge of my nose. It felt as if my blood vessels were on the verge of bursting.

-Even if you don’t tell me, I can more or less figure it out.

-How arrogant of you, Jafa.

-The topic must have been about me.

The atmosphere shifted in an instant. Unease rippled through the banquet hall.

-It sounds like you’re about to spout nonsense.

Ozmer responded calmly, moving his utensils again. He was suddenly trying to resume his meal. That meant he was flustered.

-My father must have been trying to revoke my exile.

I had vaguely suspected it. The sudden death of the head of the household, the Tajirun family’s uncharacteristically bold assault despite their usual caution.

And despite being an exile, the sheer hostility toward Jafa was overwhelming. Their gazes were akin to those of rivals eyeing a competitor. They were afraid of Jafa’s return.

I observed the Tajirun’s reactions. Jafa’s bold assumption had landed perfectly. It seemed they really had been planning to revoke her exile. Some of the Tajirun, unskilled in deception, openly revealed their unease.

Srrup, srrup.

Several Tajirun flicked their tongues out rapidly. They were trying to catch scents from the air, reading emotional signals through their senses.

The once-orderly atmosphere was beginning to unravel. Those unable to quickly grasp the situation were left in confusion.

-So, who killed my father?

Before the unrest could settle, Jafa dropped an enormous bombshell.

...Chaos descended upon the banquet hall. The kind of situation I liked best. Conflicted emotions spilled out in waves from the flustered attendees, swirling through the air like heat haze.

“Jaspiekederaaa—!!”

Ozmer slammed his utensils onto the table and roared. His voice was so loud that it drowned out the sound from my earpiece’s translator, making Jafa’s full name ring out clearly.

-Are you insulting Menoa right now? Even if you are a guest...!

Ozmer continued speaking, listing off a string of justifications for punishing Jafa. The moment he finished, the guards who had been stationed along the walls of the banquet hall took a synchronized step forward.

Click.

I, too, silently placed my hand on my sword hilt.

-The person by my side single-handedly subdued the Menoan Guard Commander. If a fight breaks out here, I may die—but so will half of the family’s key members.

Jafa spoke without lifting her back or hips from the chair.

‘She really did come here prepared to risk her life.’

I could feel the weight of Jafa’s resolve. She hadn’t come here on a whim. No, she... no, tsk, he had made up his mind before stepping into this place.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by f(r)eew𝒆bn(o)vel.com