Black Badger

Ricardo grinned and waved his hand dismissively.

Shu didn't need to be asked twice. She poured water into a clear glass and lemonade into another before heading back to the game zone.

She handed the water to her companion and gripped her lemonade glass, then inserted the game chip into the machine.

She plopped down a short distance from the screen.

"Is sitting on the floor uncomfortable?"

"A bit~?"

"There's a chair over there."

Seeing her senior, who wasn't used to floor seating, she extended her hand.

"Drag it over and sit, senior."

Once Ricardo pulled the chair over and sat, Shu started the game.

A familiar title appeared and vanished on the screen. Even after playing it countless times, her heart raced every time she saw it. She loved this game series because of the eerie plausibility in its setting and story.

It had repetitive action patterns and low freedom, so it only appealed to a niche group of enthusiasts.

Shu smiled and began playing.

She had no intention of explaining the game to Ricardo, who was watching from the side. But she planned to replay it from the start all the way to the point where the Easter egg was revealed.

She quickly got immersed in the game.

To the point where Ricardo's voice made her jolt in surprise.

"Who made this game?"

It was a sudden remark from the man who had been silently watching the footage.

Shu turned her head.

"No one knows."

"No one?"

"Yeah. Some people tried looking into it, but they couldn't find anything."

"Do you at least know the release year~?"

Her senior's eyebrow arched.

Shu nodded.

"Yes. The release date is listed, but there's no info on the developer at all."

Except for the letters spelling "Eve."

After answering, she dove back into the game.

The game character Hildebert Talev was hopping around the High Castle. Ricardo watched in silence for a long while again. Shu successfully broke through the third floor of the High Castle by swinging the greatsword said to have been found in the Withered Pit.

The sword's durability was low, so she thought she should head back to the village to reinforce it with obsidian.

Clearing the fourth floor in one go would be tough with this durability.

She released her fingers from the controller and pondered for a moment when Ricardo suddenly broke the silence.

"You're touching your neck."

"Pardon?"

What was that supposed to mean?

She turned her head and saw the man fixated on the character in the game.

"That's the kid's habit~."

Shu arched her eyebrow and looked back at the screen.

Then she understood what he meant. With the controller untouched, the character Hilde on screen stood idly, stroking the back of his neck with his right hand.

In that instant, the image of the real Hildebert Talev rubbing his neck flashed in Shu's mind and faded. It was one of his unmistakable habitual gestures that anyone could recognize.

She unwittingly opened her mouth.

"You lent this to the kid, didn't you~?"

"Yes. He was so shocked and amazed, so I let him borrow it to try."

"What did he say after playing~?"

"He just gave his thoughts on the game. He said the playtime is short, the freedom is low, and the combat is repetitive, but it's still a good indie game. He wanted to keep it a bit longer to find all the Easter eggs."

Shu hadn't asked Hildebert Talev many questions.

Because seniors who talked too much weren't ideal. And whenever she probed about his past, a faint sadness would cloud Hildebert Talev's eyes. He probably wasn't aware of it himself.

The sorrow hidden in that subtle smile.

She didn't know if it stemmed from lost memories or the ones he'd regained.

Ricardo asked slowly.

"Did he return it after finding all the Easter eggs~?"

"No. He said there was a newly discovered one, so I got it back to check that out."

After explaining, Shu added, guessing that this man wouldn't get bored with the game easily.

"If you're going to keep watching, should I order dinner?"

"Ah~. I'll pay...."

With those words, Ricardo indicated he planned to stay for a while.

Shu didn't protest. She had no complaints.

She just thought that this finicky senior was showing quite a bit of interest in Hildebert Talev.

She started playing the game again.

*

Kudo kept checking the ground beneath his feet even as he dragged the woman along.

I had to forcibly pull him away when he insisted on searching every inch of the second floor. Fortunately, he agreed with my desperate plea of "Let's get the civilian out first." Once he agreed, he headed straight for the building's entrance, but his face was still pale as a ghost.

As soon as Kudo pushed open the stuck door and stepped outside, he said,

"Go on ahead."

I wasn't particularly surprised.

"What about you, senior?"

"...I'll handle it, so take her and go."

"Haha."

Instead of replying, I let out a chuckle.

Seeing him turn to leave, I couldn't help but laugh harder.

I knew he'd react like this.

"Why not go together and come back together?"

Even if I said I'd handle it and retrieve the ring, he clearly wouldn't accept.

So instead of pointless persuasion, I offered a compromise.

"Anyway, dealing with this creature is much safer with two people. You know that."

Kudo twisted his body and glared at me with irritation. He didn't like my suggestion.

But I also didn't want to hear news of my senior getting lost in an illusion while searching for the ring and falling to his death.

Sara clung tightly to Kudo's arm and wailed tirelessly.

Amid her pleas and the howling wind, I said,

"I'm pretty stubborn too."

"...Then hurry up."

Kudo relented unwillingly.

We dashed through the fog, toward where it was thinning and visibility cleared. We had to run until the hysterically thrashing woman finally calmed down.

Sara Perry only came to her senses after reaching the main road.

Kudo carefully sat her on a bench.

Freed from his arm at last, she listened to my explanation with a dazed expression.

"You understand? The police will be here soon, so absolutely do not move from this spot."

"Yes...."

The woman responded blankly.

Every time I repeated the explanation, she nodded like someone just woken from sleep.

After pouring out instructions for a while, I glanced over and saw my senior's ashen face. He looked like he was suppressing his impatience with effort.

Now we really had to head back to the building.

As I thought that, a shrill scream rang out.

"Jonathan!"

Sara stared at her fourth finger in horror.

"Your wife's ring!"

What was this now?

But I didn't think deeply about it. I couldn't.

That remark made Kudo turn and sprint back toward the building.

So that's why he was holding back so well.

I sighed and chased closely after him.

*

Searching for the ring had been fine enough.

Probably because all our desire and focus was on the ring. As soon as we entered the abandoned building, the door shut again and the interior began to waver, but nothing unusual happened. We split up and meticulously scanned the dusty floors for a while.

One could survive this creature unscathed if one kept one's wits about one.

But that wasn't as easy as it sounded.

I was on the first floor, Jonathan Kudo on the second, searching for the ring.

Then, out of nowhere, the space rippled.

The abandoned building faded away, replaced by a smooth dojo floor. Neatly arranged wooden swords and protective gear.

I instinctively knew I was in trouble.

The ring had to be on the second floor.

"...I have no intention of apologizing."

A resonant voice echoed.

A student in a dobok glared at someone. His young face was unmistakable due to the unique glint in his eyes, like suppressed resentment.

From the shadows opposite, a buzzing voice rumbled.

"Looks like you haven't learned your lesson. Do you even know what this is?"

"I'm talking about the violence that happened under the pretext of discipline!"

The murmurs grew louder.

"I told you you'd regret it?"

Sneering laughter mixed in.

"Think a few bruises make you a national representative already?"

"Guess you think you're the only clean one here."

Jeers and mockery. Shouts to keep his voice down.

I frowned as I watched the boy standing in the center of the criticism. The cacophony battered the student in the middle of the dojo.

I could roughly guess the situation.

The whispers grew louder.

Soon, in the midst of the malicious whispers filling the space, Jonathan Kudo shouted,

"How can the teaching to treat it like a real sword become justification for beating a junior with one?"

His clenched fist trembled violently.

He was afraid.

The moment the boy's emotion hit me, the wooden swords hanging around clattered to the floor one after another. Dozens of them covered the dojo floor.

I stepped over them and rushed up to the second floor.

"Senior!"

Kudo was climbing the stairs to the third floor.

Fortunately, he wasn't running but staggering along, gripping the railing. It was one of the typical reactions to someone enthralled by the Dream's Voice.

I bounded up the stairs three at a time and caught up to him quickly.

"Snap out of it!"

Whoosh!

A wind grazed my neck.

It was an attack flying at me as I reached for his shoulder. If I hadn't dodged reflexively, my throat would have been slit.

I widened my eyes and looked at him drawing a dagger.

The speed was nice.

The trajectory was light and fluid.

It wasn't the time to admire it, though.

Kudo aimed the blade at my throat and eyed my unmoving form warily.

I didn't move. As the piled wooden swords vanished and white floor tiles took their place.

A tidy suburban street bathed in warm spring sunlight enveloped the surroundings.

People strolled peacefully along the white road. A couple walked their dog. Children blew soap bubbles and ran about. A green Cooper slowly passed a traffic light.

In the midst of it all stood a flower shop, clearer and more vivid than anything else.

Ding!

The bell on the flower shop door rang.

My senior whipped around.

In that moment, I lunged at him.

Clang!

The dagger fell onto the stairs.

His hand was empty. The hand strike had worked.

Unfortunately, it didn't solve the problem.

"Senior!"

He resisted fiercely.

A fierce struggle broke out on the stairs. Far more intense than with Sara Perry. I took solid punches while trying to pin down my senior, who was trying to leap upward.

Subduing an augmented body user who'd lost his reason wasn't easy.

Please, just stay put!

The moment I thought that, our feet tangled.

Each foot hooked the other's, and our entwined bodies lost balance.

Oh no.

We were falling.

Thud!

A heavy pain struck my body.

I let out a small groan.

Worried he'd hit his head, I cupped the back of his with my hand, and it throbbed numbly. Not just my hand—the pain from the fall ached all over.

If he weren't an exceptional badger, I could have subdued him easily.

And his recovery was even better than mine.

Though we'd fallen together, he sprang up and headed for the stairs.

"Ah, senior."

I couldn't move from the floor, my voice choked.

"Please don't go."

Of course, he didn't hear me.

The sound of his footsteps faded.

"Looking for tulip bulbs again this time?"

As I struggled to rise from my unmoving body, an unfamiliar woman's voice resonated in the air.

"Oh, really? The last one died too?"

I didn't want to hear someone else's past like this.

I gathered my strength and stood. Staggering to my feet, I dragged my wobbling body toward the stairs.

My senior was climbing again.

It was a relief he was a badger. The creature would lure him to a higher floor.

Gripping the stair railing, I pursued Kudo.

With my other hand, not holding the rail, I fumbled in my pocket and pulled out my phone. I knew calling him myself wouldn't work. Someone enthralled by the Dream's Voice needed a familiar live voice.

Without hesitation, I called Ricardo.

I climbed the stairs while listening to the ringing tone.

Pick up.

If you didn't, I'd have to swing a sword slash at your comrade.

*

Ricardo stared fixedly at his phone screen.

[Hildebert Talev]

An unexpected name.

He'd thought the guy at least had the decency not to contact him first. Indeed, the rookie hadn't reached out since that day.

But a sudden call?

At this hour? He knew it wasn't work time. This enigmatic guy had been working with his comrade and partner. It was well past the time to finish the day's tasks and switch with the overtime crew.

Ricardo furrowed his brow slightly.

He glared at the screen for a while.

Then the man flipped the phone face down.

"Huh."

At the same time, Shu raised her voice.

"This must be it!"

He had no intention of forgiving.

No words he wanted to say or hear right now. What was there to discuss at this point?

Nothing would change anyway.

Ricardo set the phone on the chair and walked toward his fresh-faced junior.