Black Badger

Kyle whipped his head around.

I quickly crossed my arms to shield my face.

"Don't hit me!"

Kyle, who had been about to strike me, froze with an incredulous look on his face.

I lowered my arms, which had perfectly covered my face, and glanced at him nervously.

I knew this would happen.

"You know that's crossing the line... but I'll start with an apology."

"You lunatic."

Kyle didn't swing his fist, but he didn't lower it either.

He furrowed his brow and spat out the words.

"Are you pitying me?"

"Would I pity you? Sometimes I envy you to the point of jealousy."

That was another line that could get me hit.

I braced myself for the incoming punch. But Kyle didn't swing. Instead, he lowered his clenched fist and shut his mouth.

It seemed the story of my past that I'd shared over dinner on the day I handed the Pomegranate Stone to Kisis weighed on him.

He stood there motionless, his expression complicated.

I gave him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry. But really, I have nowhere to spend the money."

"Spend it on yourself. Buy food, clothes, weapons."

"The Knight Order provides meals, I hardly have time to wear civilian clothes, and I have no intention of changing my weapon."

"No one to spend it on?"

"You two?"

My straightforward answer made Kyle, who had been raising his eyebrows, blink in surprise.

He was a man whose black hair suited him whether tied back or loose down to his waist. When he tied it in a single ponytail, a few strands always escaped and fluttered free.

I rubbed my neck as I watched his black hair sway in the wind.

"You're the only two people I've grown attached to right now."

My life was monotonous.

I carried out assigned missions and spent the remaining time training. I rarely left the training hall. Kisis's skill had given me a long-overdue goal in life. A goal born from a sense of defeat.

Since that day, I'd focused solely on improving my abilities, free of distractions.

"But Ray's rich. He doesn't need my money."

"Doesn't he hate his family?"

"Yeah. But the family hasn't disowned him."

In fact, the Count loved Ray.

I'd heard he bragged everywhere about his clever third son joining the Knight Order and volunteering for hardship in the Western Division.

But Ray couldn't form an attachment to the Count's House.

To be precise, he'd detached from a certain point onward. Because his beloved older sister, whom he adored, had died young in an unwanted marriage.

It was death by spousal abuse.

Even though she knew the man was violent, the marriage had been pushed through. A political marriage for economic reasons. Ray believed the Count's House had conspired to sell off his blood sister.

Nevertheless, the count and his wife still loved Ray.

"My salary wouldn't even cover snacks for them."

Kyle stared at me for a long while as I smiled awkwardly.

He didn't speak until I was lost in self-reflection, wondering if I'd crossed the line too far again.

"Let's go."

Kyle brushed past me lightly.

"To where my people are."

I smiled faintly and followed behind him.

*

Kyle smiled a lot in front of his tribesmen.

He'd always had a refreshing smile, but he was also quick to flare up in anger. Yet around his people, he seemed endlessly forgiving. I watched him spend time with his own, holding the daily necessities, ingredients, and clothes he'd bought for them.

They were very welcoming to me. Partly because I'd brought the supplies, but mostly because they knew I was a comrade Kyle liked, so their attitude was even more positive.

I found it enviable.

I sat on a rock, spooning stew as I thought.

Enviable that he'd protected the people he had to protect.

After finishing the stew, I sat blankly, feeling the cool breeze.

At the edge of the Imperial Capital. A district thick with the scent of poverty.

Children who had to worry about their next meal ran to Kyle with bright smiles. Seeing him seemed to make them forget life's hardships. The endless plains they'd roamed freely, the pride of their people lost—all of it.

That's why he set down the sword he'd once raised to his own throat.

That's why he hadn't taken up the blade of revenge.

"Hilde."

After sitting for a while, Kyle approached me.

I looked up and met his eyes.

"Yeah? Time to go?"

"Have you found what you lost?"

His unexpected question made me blink.

My comrade, who stood before me, wore an unreadable expression as he waited for my answer.

I smiled quietly.

"I told you. It's you two."

"Don't be gross."

"You're too much."

I replied with a laugh, but Kyle didn't soften his expression.

He stayed silent for a moment, then beckoned me to stand with a flick of his hand.

I followed him wordlessly. Kyle led me to a deserted spot. If I didn't have skills on par with his, it would have been terrifying.

No one would find me for a long time if I got beaten to death here.

My friend stopped at a dead end in such an alley.

It was so dark that his yellow eyes stood out, gleaming unusually.

"Have you heard anything about what the Pomegranate Stone is used for?"

"Huh? No?"

I shot him a puzzled look, and Kyle narrowed his eyes. He seemed to be scanning the area for any signs of presence nearby.

"The Imperial Clan is desperately collecting them."

"Yeah? Does it make money?"

"No. It's connected to the World Tree, apparently."

I still couldn't follow the conversation.

Kyle placed his hand on the hilt of his sword—which he never let go of except when sleeping or washing—and fell silent.

It was a moonless night.

"Apparently, the Pomegranate Stone is useful for researching the curse of the Sacred Tree."

"Oh, really? Is that the only reason?"

"Those people are obsessed with researching the curse of the Sacred Tree."

"Because it could become a force to be reckoned with?"

"That's part of it, but they're probably believing the rumors circulating in the shadows."

What rumors?

I had no idea. Whenever research on the children of the World Tree came up, I'd been too busy suppressing my rising aversion.

Fortunately, Kyle didn't keep me in suspense.

"The Benediction bestowed by the World Tree is said to grant Eternal Life."

I blinked several times.

"You've never heard? It doesn't seem like baseless gossip."

"So that's why those things went mad when they saw me back then?"

"What?"

"Nothing, just talking to myself."

I told myself not to dwell on the past.

Kyle let out a deep breath and scrutinized me as I rubbed my neck.

I didn't respond for a while, calming my ragged breathing.

"Sometimes I envy you for successfully getting your revenge."

At my comrade's musing, I lifted my downcast eyes.

I looked into Kyle's eyes. Golden eyes that shone even in the moonless darkness. Brighter than my own golden eyes, which gave him an even more leonine feel.

They said he was the pride of his tribe.

"Since you've finished your revenge, start over. That mad prince seems to have his eye on you, so running away isn't an option. Might as well climb higher now that it's come to this."

I really didn't want to.

My feelings must have shown on my face. For the first time, Kyle gave a refreshing smile.

"I hate that mad bastard too. But there's truth to the advice to find what you've lost."

"Easy for you to say... I don't know if it'll work out..."

"It will. You're someone who forms deep attachments."

The black-haired knight declared.

"As long as you don't let go of reality, it's entirely possible."

Ray had said something similar a few days ago.

We stood in silence for a moment in the dark alley.

The Imperial Capital was vast, and it was hard to form attachments. The emperor I'd briefly met when receiving my knighthood, the stifling air without freedom, the imperial citizens who turned a blind eye to such stark poverty.

But I thought maybe I should try to form some attachments.

As I thought that, I gripped the hilt of my sword containing the ashes of the Sacred Tree.

The Holy Sword I'd pried from my master's hand in a pit full of the desiccated corpses of priests, where he'd burned to death.

*

Time flew by like an arrow.

Before I knew it, I'd grown accustomed to the Knight Order's bland meals. Sitting on the bone-jarringly hard saddle, dodging Kisis's sudden visits, and even accepting the occasional visits from the Count's House carriage—all became natural.

And I realized Kyle was right.

Now, I had things to lose.

"You insolent brat."

The Prime Minister fiddled with his white beard, like mountain lilac blossoms, and grumbled.

"I tell you to drop by when you have time, but you never listen."

"Aren't you busy?"

I grinned at the duke, who gracefully sipped his black tea.

The meeting had just ended.

I'd been assigned to guard outside the conference room where all the high officials gathered. It was usually the job of knights from the southern or eastern divisions. Not dangerous, but a prestigious mission. Today, the Prime Minister had specifically named me, letting me enjoy this luxury.

It was because I'd caught his eye during that series of events a few years ago.

I was grateful he often assigned me such easy duties.

"But this building isn't a place I can just visit on my own."

"Just say my name and come in."

I could only smile at the duke as he set down a cup that probably cost more than three months of my salary.

The duke leaned back lazily in his chair and waved his hand dismissively.

"Sit."

"It doesn't look good if others see, Grand Duke."

"Where are the others right now?"

The duke furrowed his brow, as if to say he wouldn't repeat himself.

It was nearly impossible to sway this man's stubbornness.

Especially in situations like this. With a small sigh of resignation, I sat across from him.

If anyone saw, my head would roll immediately.

But this stubborn old man never heeded my protests.

The Prime Minister, who had the emperor's trust, looked at the lowly knight sitting across from him and nodded toward his chin.

"Drink the tea before you go."

"Don't you have... work?"

He ignored me.

If I refused the tea, this hot-tempered old man would surely curse me as a rebellious pup. So, with yet another sigh of resignation, I drank the tea.

The price of these leaves was about equal to my monthly salary.

I hoped no one would witness this and make an issue of it.

I offered up yet another silent prayer and savored the tea's aroma when the duke suddenly said,

"Receive Eternal Life."

I scalded my throat with the hot tea.

I nearly shattered the cup as I trembled, clutching my throat and coughing. The duke looked at me with eyes full of pity.

Who drops a bombshell like that while someone's drinking tea?

I wiped away the physiological tears.

"Pardon?"

"You must have heard from Sir Kisis already? That the Imperial Clan has succeeded in obtaining the Benediction of the World Tree."

"...Grand Duke."

"He told you to receive Eternal Life too, right?"

Grand Duke Zack smiled at my speechless state.

It was a smile that let me imagine just how much of a delinquent he'd been in his youth.

"You know that witch who won't leave Sir Kisis's side has received Eternal Life. And that Lady Hecate will receive it tomorrow."

"Did you assign me this duty to persuade me to accept the Benediction?"

"Persuade?"

The man asked back in a tone implying I'd said something utterly absurd.

"Do I need to persuade you?"

...Nobles.

Their arrogance never ceased to amaze me, no matter how many times I saw it. I lowered my eyes and let out a long breath.

It wasn't anything new. The saintess, the eldest daughter of the marquis house, the archmage—they'd all made similar proposals laced with threats.

They seemed completely unable to understand my aversion.

Well, even I didn't fully understand myself.

Ray and Kyle, who knew my entire past, had eagerly joined in the persuasion efforts.

I thought of the many faces I'd met in the Imperial Capital and sighed.

"I heard you refused, Grand Duke..."

"That's right. Until that damned emperor issued an imperial decree to me."

"Ah. So you had no choice."

"Exactly. So now it's your turn to experience it."

You old coot.

"At least your body's still young."

As he said that, the duke picked up a cigar from the neatly arranged ones on the table.

He put one in his mouth and offered another to me.

This would leave the smell on me, and I'd get caught.

I opened my mouth to refuse, but his gaze silenced me.

"Light it."

"Yes, sir."

"After you finish, go to the Knight Commander and say you're ready to receive Eternal Life."

The duke commanded as he inhaled the cigar.

"Under the supervision of Duke Zack..."

At that moment, the clear bell rang through the spacious room.

The duke and I sprang to our feet almost simultaneously.

We couldn't ignore that sound.

It was a signal that set nerves on edge.

The emperor was coming.

A herald that the sovereign of the empire was approaching.