Chapter 177: The Red-blooded Dreamer (3)
Living as the 2nd Manager of the Prosecutor’s Office during the day, and as part-time history teaching assistant Charles Steiner by night—it’s quite the life.
It was thanks to my boss that I realized something was off the day I managed to escape the history lab. Normally, when faced with such a situation, one would operate under an alias during the day and conduct investigations at night.
“Whoa, hold up.”
Surprisingly, I now find myself rolling around in the daytime and operating undercover at night—a rather odd turn of events, if you ask me. Is this really how it’s supposed to be? I’ve never encountered anything like this in my time here in the 2nd Division.
No matter how much I ponder it, it just doesn’t add up. Even when there are plenty of nocturnal people, I’ve never conducted daytime investigations in the nightlife districts.
“You can return after dinner; no need to come back too early.”
“…Excuse me?”
Those were the words Christina said to me not long ago.
It took me longer than expected to wrap my head around that. Come back after dinner? Not “leave before” dinner?
I wondered if it was a clever joke meant for junior staff—yet despite her cheerful smile, the look in her eyes was serious; there was no playful intent there. It definitely wasn’t a joke.
“What on earth is the deal for an assistant teacher, anyway?”
Just thinking back about it still makes my head spin. People usually show up to work when others do, but here, they seemed to burn more brightly when others clocked out.
Sure, civil servants often live like this, but they have money and fame to enjoy—although who has time for that? At least they get something in return.
But what perks does an assistant teacher get?
“I really messed up.”
I haven’t spent much time on this position, yet I’m confident: the assistant teacher disguise is absolutely not a good fit.
At least the history teacher seems to owe my boss a favor, which grants me freedom in the day. But without that connection, I might as well have been stuck in the lab all day. I’ve come to realize that there are truly dreadful jobs out there.
…But can this even be classified as a job?
“Ah, the darkness of academia runs deep.”
I question how many assistant teachers must perish for a single teacher to emerge.
“Charles!”
While pondering whether to outlaw using assistant teachers as cover identities, a voice came softly from behind.
“Ah, Mr. Eriko.”
I turned around, putting on my professional smile. A neatly dressed man, Eriko Trian, an academy staff member with whom I’ve had a few encounters since our first meeting not long ago. We’re not close enough to be buddies, but we’re familiar enough to strike up a conversation.
“What a coincidence to see you again here.”
“Haha, right?”
And casually engaging in conversation with each other was just fine.
“What an idiot.”
While keeping up appearances and smiling, I cursed him inwardly. If it weren’t for work, I’d never want to associate with this guy! I’d rather scoop him up and toss him aside right on sight.
Why should I regularly meet with this dreary person? A coincidence? No such thing exists; every meeting is calculated.
Unfortunately, the man in front of me is someone I have to meet under the guise of coincidence for this mission.
“You brat.”
A minion of the Red Wave.
I suppressed the instinctive disgust that surged within me. Any display of negative emotion could cause this rebel to vanish.
I still can’t understand why a guy like him, someone with a title, and even a faculty member of the academy, holds such absurd beliefs. Did he hit his head or something?
“Who gives a damn?”
There’s really no need to know. It’s pointless to know about the life story of someone about to bite the dust. Every traitor might have their narrative, but most citizens of the empire really couldn’t care less about the pointless tales of a traitor.
“Oh, look! It’s lunchtime! Would you care to join me for a meal?”
“Sure.”
I casually nodded at the rebel, flashing him a smile.
*
What really is blue blood, and what is red blood?
Was there ever someone with blue blood when the first emperor founded the Muno Empire? No, indeed! The Muno Empire is a great nation formed by those with red blood who subdued the so-called blue bloods of their age.
Were all five of the greatest contributors to the founding of Kefellofen Empire blue-blooded individuals? Nope. Among the ancestors of those now ruling as dukes, there were red-blooded folks too.
In the old days, did the blue blooded rulers achieve such remarkable feats without the contributions of red blooded people? Absolutely not! Their victories and prosperity were all rooted in the sacrifices made by red blooded folks.
“In the end, everybody ought to be red blooded.”
During tumultuous times, it wasn’t the stagnant blue blood that produced heroes—it was the red blood! The dominion of blue-blooded individuals owes itself to the dedication of red blooded people. If one traces the lineage of blue blood, they’d eventually discover red blood at the roots.
So why is it that blue blood still reigns, and red blood merely inclines their heads in subservience?
“That simply shouldn’t be!”
There’s no intrinsic superiority of blue blood over red blood. If that were true, then throughout history, blue-blooded families would always remain blue-blooded while red-blooded folks would stay red-blooded, right?
Back when red blood started rising to power, the continent faced a cataclysm!
Thus, the distinction between blue and red must be eradicated! Equality must be established! Even if the approach seems radical, it is an absolute necessity!
“Opportunities need to expand!”
“We cannot afford to let the commoners—the majority of our people—remain stagnant. That would be a disservice to the empire and to humanity!”
And secretly, many people echoed this sentiment.
Wasn’t this Charles Steiner? A fine young man, indeed. Yes, it’s a tragedy for the continent and humanity that the majority—those red-blooded—remain confined due to their innate branding.
They seem to still be caught in the hypocrisy known as the blue bloods.
“Merely expanding wouldn’t suffice!”
Opportunities need to spread out COMPLETELY. We shouldn’t rely on the scraps that the overlords—the red-blooded—toss our way. We need to fight for and amid these opportunities!
But hey, it’s promising that he’s reached the conclusion that opportunities need to expand! Doesn’t that spark the thought of questioning the current state and demanding a change?
This kind of young guy could step forward and achieve great things if guided by the right allies.
“Mr. Charles, I totally agree with your thoughts. However, to overcome the stagnant society and the widespread poverty, we cannot allow ourselves to be confined by the limitations of the system!”
That ally should rightfully be me.
“The ones in the academy are people who have polished their talents. Leading even one person onto the right path is your mission, Mr. Eriko.”
I recalled the words of the comrade who led me into the Red Wave.
Yes, my mission. The purpose I should fulfill with my blood and open the eyes that have been shut since birth.
“The limits of the system, you say?”
I nodded at Charles’s question, feeling puzzled.
“Yes. The current situation is crafted by the system, so we must break free from it to advance.”
We must escape the old system of ranks to usher in a new era.
*
After delivering quite the expressive tirade, the rebel finally set off. Who would’ve thought he would take the entire lunch period!
“That was quite a noticeable speech, Mr. Eriko.”
“I, too, found our conversation enlightening.”
As I gazed down at the hand we had just shaken, I casually wiped it with a handkerchief.
“What a dolt.”
I had already known it, but this latest chat just solidified it—he is definitely a moron.
How does every word from him reek of red smell, and he got all animated just by receiving some mild agreement, too?
“Just like old times.”
Since forever, it has been a tangled challenge to locate the Red Wave; however, once you know where they are, identifying who belongs to it becomes a walk in the park.
Their distinctive ideology shines through their words and deeds, and a little prod like the last one loosens their lips, allowing for an easy unraveling. It’s laughably simple, yet the past Executive Manager went all out, practically bulldozing villages to hunt them down. Just what was he thinking?
“It sounds alright, though.”
Filtered through the right lens, Eriko’s words made decent sense; it’s a general waste to neglect commoners just because they happen to be commoners.
The Empire knows this, hence they facilitate capable commoners into the noble circle, while judging incompetent and corrupt nobles unworthy of value—erasing them entirely along with their family tree.
But is even that enough? Should there be a total erasure of distinction between blue-blooded and red-blooded?
“What nonsense.”
I muttered in disbelief. Equal rights, opportunities, and privileges must be granted based on adequate capability; otherwise, how does society remain intact if just flinging rights at uneducated commoners?
Well, if they had the capacity for such thoughts, they wouldn’t have been tainted by these ideologies.
*
I had a good laugh upon receiving the report from the 2nd Manager.
“How come they never make any headway?”
“Indeed.”
It’s ironic; while they shout about breaking away from the archaic system and stepping into a new era, those making the most noise are often the least changed. Their claims sound nearly identical; it’s like a decades-old replay.
In fact, the Empire shows more initiative in fostering change than the Red Wave ever did. Kefellofen, which toppled Apels who treated commoners as dogs, needed to showcase some alteration.
Free cities emerged, markets popped up, assemblies were born, and commoners finally began entering the nobility…and so on and so forth.
“We are currently on the lookout for other spies, but at the moment, it appears Eriko Trian is the only one.”
“That’s a relief. At least there are fewer lunatics in the empire.”
“I agree.”
I chuckled at the sight of the 2nd Manager shuddering in genuine delight.
Given his past altercations with the Red Wave, it’s no wonder he has an extreme hatred for them.
“So, just one?”
I halted my laughter and stroked my chin thoughtfully. If the 2nd Manager claims there’s only one, then it’s probably the truth.
That’s quite lucky. It’s a testament to the fact that a significant portion of the empire is still sane.
“Isn’t that obvious?”
The Red Wave, with its radical beliefs, has a lengthy record of failures. They once established a republic in the outskirts, but the blue-blooded just morphed into self-proclaimed revolutionaries, and the treatment of the commoners didn’t change a smidge.
It’s amusing that they still spout republicanism.
“Good work. Reach out immediately if anything arises.”
“Understood.”
As I reflected on the dynamic history of the Red Wave, I spoke up.
What’s the point in recalling that they’re morons once more? Given the circumstances, they’re all destined for the basement, anyway!
“This’ll all end soon.”
With the mole finally unearthed, at least I could relax a bit now.
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