Black Badger

With my mouth tightly shut, I got into the warlock’s car.

As soon as the door closed, I heard the lock click.

I couldn’t bring myself to meet Kairos’s orange-colored eyes and cast my gaze out the window instead.

“That time.”

Regardless of whether I reacted, Kairos began speaking.

“Did the Emperor know about this?”

“Well. I never told him separately. But considering who he is, even if he did know, it wouldn’t be surprising....”

“Kyle and Rei didn’t know you were going in that often, right?”

“How would they know. Kyle had resentment toward me until the end, and Rei—his entire family was almost executed.”

“What about Chancellor Jacques or Sir Kysis?”

My throat closed up at the familiar names.

I stared meaninglessly at the underground parking lot passing by.

It really should be time for the longing to fade, but those old names still carved small scratches inside me whenever I heard them.

My answer came out locked.

“They wouldn’t have known. It was a chaotic era.”

“You.”

There was faint anger in Kairos’s voice.

“You have a tendency to take on everything alone.”

I lowered the elbow I had resting on the window frame and cautiously glanced at him.

“Are you angry?”

“Do you need to ask?”

...Great.

My heart shrank at the cold reply. I was far more afraid of people like this getting angry than when Colton or Yun got angry.

Kairos silently drove with a furrowed brow, then let out a deep sigh.

“I doubt nagging will make you realize your mistake.”

“They’re all things long past, so I didn’t bother saying anything. The inhalation rejection never healed even after more than a hundred years.”

I muttered, then added timidly:

“And you know, you’re... not particularly fond of people, right?”

For the first time since we got in the car, Kairos looked at me.

He blinked those sun-like eyes.

“Me?”

“Yes. No, I don’t mean you’re immoral, or socially inept. But haven’t you always {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} liked other living beings more than people?”

Of course, Kairos always had good manners. He instinctively knew how to attract people’s interest and read what they wanted.

And he used that ability to save countless citizens of the Empire.

But now and then, there were moments when he didn’t seem very human. I never shared that impression with anyone else, but it was something I felt.

Kairos asked, faint surprise in his voice:

“Is it noticeable?”

“At least to me. You love all living things, so you feel compassion toward people too, but among all living creatures, people are the ones you seem least interested in.”

“I can’t deny it. Though I don’t see what that has to do with the topic.”

Not letting it go easily, huh.

I gave a bitter smile.

“It’s an excuse. I brought it up so I could say that’s why I didn’t bother telling you.”

“That hurts my feelings. You are the exception to that rule.”

Why.

And since when? In the old days, he certainly didn’t treat me as that special.

I blinked twice and let out a hollow laugh.

“So I’m being treated like a Creature, then?”

Kairos gave a bright smile but didn’t answer.

It had been a joke—was it true?

I was inwardly flustered when the red-haired warlock returned to the original topic.

“Do Igor, Deltei, and Yoow know about this?”

“Igor doesn’t. The others know.”

“So the scholar knew, and still let you transfer energy?”

“He didn’t know I went in that often. Every time I went to transfer, he looked pretty displeased.”

“I should tell Igor.”

“Don’t.”

I said quickly.

Kairos didn’t even blink.

“If I don’t tell him, how is he supposed to assist you?”

“You know I rarely inhale unless it’s a life-or-death situation.”

“As long as the spatial-transference issue isn’t resolved, such situations will happen more often. This time it seems a Usurper showed up—there’s no guarantee that won’t happen again.”

“There aren’t many Creatures like a Usurper. And Igor isn’t even a Badger. He doesn’t need to assist me.”

“If I relay that to Igor, his reaction should be noteworthy.”

“Kairos!”

I raised my voice, then barely grabbed hold of my rationality.

I pressed my forehead to calm myself, trying not to shout again.

“If anything happens to my body, I’ll tell you immediately. So don’t tell Igor.”

“Alright.”

The quick answer sounded suspiciously like this was the answer he wanted.

“You promised, Captain.”

“.......”

Why do I feel like I just got maneuvered.

It’s not like the warlock asked for anything unreasonable.

But I really didn’t expect him to get this angry.

He never used to be like this. I wondered how he changed so much as I watched the road slide by behind us.

We were on our way to Igor’s house.

Igor’s place was a bit far from headquarters. The reason he hadn’t come out to pick me up was apparently because he didn’t have a suitable car. He used to have one but sold it. Because he had no money.

What kind of life has he been living?

I made a mental note to ask him later and help him out if things were hard, when Kairos broke the silence again.

“What are you planning to do about Yoow?”

“Oh.”

Relieved at the change in topic, I relaxed and answered.

“I’ve thought of something. Listen.”

“Go ahead.”

“We’re going to drink plum wine together. For real this time.”

Kairos’s eyes rolled toward me, then away.

“A drunken-truth strategy?”

“Exactly. What do you think?”

“I doubt the scholar would drink in the first place.”

A reasonable point.

“And I don’t want you drunk in front of him.”

“Why. You think Yoow might stab me?”

“Is there a guarantee he won’t?”

True, there wasn’t. I didn’t think it would kill me, but apparently even that was unacceptable to him.

If I said “I’ll be fine,” I’d probably get scolded again. He still didn’t seem fully over his anger.

But I had no alternative plan....

At the stoplight, Kairos turned his head toward the passenger seat.

“Emotional transference would be most effective.”

“Huh?”

I blinked and stared at him.

“What?”

“You know, what you did to me.”

Heat rushed to my face.

I tried desperately to calm it as I looked at him.

“Why bring that up? I told you it was an accident. I don’t want to do it again.”

Kairos burst out laughing.

“A shame. It would work for sure. Your emotions were unforgettable—more sincere and intense than anyone else’s.”

“Hey!”

I couldn’t help shouting.

“That’s harassment!”

“Is it? Does it work the other way? You’re the one who transferred it.”

“I’m sorry, okay? So drop it. I won’t do that again. I only ever did it to you, and I’m not doing it again. Not with Yoow either.”

Still chuckling, the warlock started driving again.

“Alright. I’m pleased. I just mentioned it because it’s the most guaranteed solution.”

“Why would that make you pleased.”

Grumbling, I leaned my cheek against the passenger window.

The cold pane cooled the heat still lingering in my face.

I sat quietly like that for a while, drained. Snow was falling, and the sunlight was clear. The snow melted the moment it touched the asphalt.

If I hadn’t been pushed back by the Usurper and inhaled three or four times, I wouldn’t have been found out.

I used to fight it on equal footing.

The fact that I’d weakened enough for it not to recognize me scratched at my pride. Last time we traded strikes, it even asked my name. And I’d held my own without inhalation.

And having to finish it with a bomb left a bad taste. If I had to fight it anyway, I wanted to end it with my sword.

Starting today, I need to train immediately.

As I steeled myself, my phone rang loudly.

“Del. We’re on the way.”

[A crazy man barged in!!]

The Saint’s terrified voice echoed through the car.

[A handsome East Asian man!! He’s facing off with Igor right now!!]

Yun.

Already.

I didn’t even ask; I just ordered:

“Kairos. Floor it.”

Instead of answering, Kairos stepped on the accelerator.

The red sports car shot forward along the snow-melted road.

***

Yun had said this once before. That next time, we should spar without weapon restrictions.

I never imagined it would happen like this.

Igor’s house was shoved deep into an uninhabited zone. Good thing, because while stopping Yun, we had practically blown half the house apart.

A house whose ceiling was gone, snow falling onto the wooden floor.

Standing in the middle of that house, I understood why Yun was considered the Badger with the greatest killing ability.

A marksman knew how to use anything as a weapon. Pots, cooking oil, the shower head, the toaster—those everyday objects turned into lethal weapons in his hands. His use of terrain was stunning. The gas pipe burst, the hot-water pipe burst. Violent explosions erupted in places I couldn’t have imagined, and I had to frantically smother the fires with my sword strikes.

Only after half the house collapsed did Yun calm down.

Only after I grabbed both his arms.

“Senior.”

Panting, I looked at Yun’s cold face.

“I didn’t know you were this skilled. You’re incredible.”

“What’s that?”

Held by me, the marksman tilted his chin toward Igor instead of answering.

“One of your lackeys?”

“A former knight under my command.... And also the homeowner.”

“Should I slice off his neck?”

Igor growled, pointing the tip of his sword at Yun’s throat.

My subordinate was radiating murderous intent. Naturally so. When Kairos and I arrived, Igor was trading dozens of blows with Yun.

By then, a third of the house was already destroyed.

Igor had been one of my strongest knights. Their skills must have been close. Neither had suffered a major wound.

Deltei, terrified, was clutching the chained Yoow.

The scholar’s vicious eyes glared this way.

The tension in the air strangled the breath out of me.

I needed to stabilize this.

Still holding down the sociopath who might explode any moment, I issued an order.

“Igor. Stand down.”

Without a word, Igor sheathed his sword.

Though he didn’t stop sending a beastlike glare.

Ignoring the burning stare from behind me, I met Yun’s eyes.

“Senior.”

Instead of replying, Yun raised one eyebrow.

“Uh... may I let go of your arms?”

“Of course. Let them go.”

“After I let go, would you listen to me for a moment?”

“Listening isn’t hard.”

Don’t fall for it.

This meant he could listen to my words even while beating Yoow senseless and kidnapping him. It did not mean he intended to quietly obey anything I said. Yun was exactly that kind of man.

Unable to release his iron arms, I smiled faintly.

“Please give me two minutes.”

At my plea, Yun’s gaze sharpened.

He stayed silent for less than a minute.

Then, just as Igor muttered a low curse, Yun concluded dryly:

“Fine.”

Thank goodness.

“I’ll stay still for two minutes. Do whatever you want.”

“That disrespectful brat, talking like—”

“Don’t move, Igor. Kairos. Go stand by Yoow.”

“Sure.”

I stopped Igor from stepping forward and ordered Kairos.

The warlock immediately walked to Deltei and Yoow.

Kairos positioned himself as Yoow’s guard. With someone that skilled watching him, Yoow wouldn’t escape easily.

After confirming the situation, I turned back to Yun.

Black hair whipping in the snowstorm.

A crisp shirt that somehow hadn’t torn in the chaos. Clean-cut features set in the winter sunlight.

I took all of it in.

A man graciously holding back his boiling kill instinct for two minutes.

Facing him squarely, I adjusted my sword sheath.

Then bowed deeply at the waist.

“I’m sorry. My subordinate’s mistake—I apologize on his behalf.”

“Captain!”

“Hildebert!”

Igor and Yoow shouted at the same time.

Deltei sucked in a sharp breath.

Kairos did not react. The house fell into a silence born of shock. Among all these different reactions from my kin, I did not straighten my bowed back.

I didn’t move or speak, simply waiting for the man before me.

Yun didn’t move for a long time.

Only when Igor muttered, “What are you doing,” did Yun speak.

“Straighten up.”

I straightened.

“Why are you apologizing.”

“Because it was my subordinate’s mistake. It’s my responsibility too.”

“Captain.”

Igor growled behind me.

“Why does someone like you bow to that low-quality human.”

“Hildebert!”

Yoow’s furious roar split the cold air.

“You should know your place!”

Kairos stretched out an arm to stop Yoow from rushing forward.

But Yoow grabbed Kairos’s arm, veins bulging as he yelled.

“How easily does the back of the man our kin follow bend like that?”

“Yoow, calm down.”

“Even if you lost the duel, you shouldn’t have bowed. At the very least, you should have bowed where your subordinates couldn’t see!”

Deltei tried to stop him, but Yoow kept screaming.

“You are our leader!”

The clattering of chains.

“And yet how can you—before a human—!”

“Yoow.”

I cut him off.

Turning my head, I whispered as I looked at him.

“You shouldn’t have harmed the innocent.”

If he had stabbed my heart, I wouldn’t be doing this.

“You should have aimed your hatred at the right target.”

“I—”

“Even if you branded my skin with a mark, you should never have touched the innocent. How is it shameful to bow before the family of a victim? This is the consequence of your sin.”

Yoow froze. Igor’s fiery stare softened, and Deltei lowered her gaze, covering her mouth.

But I couldn’t respond to any of it.

The fury rising in me cooled everything with its chill.

“It’s your full, undivided sin. Do you think I ever wanted to be this angry at you? I wanted to kneel in front of you comfortably and apologize.”

“...Commander.”

“Keep your mouth shut.”

I cut him off and turned toward Yun.

“You don’t even deserve to lift your head in front of this man.”

Yun was the victim’s family.

Yoow was the perpetrator.

So it was right to snap Yoow’s knees if needed and make him bow before Yun. To press his forehead to the floor and beg for his sin to be forgiven.

But old bonds pulled my arm inward without end.

I couldn’t give up the chance to let Yoow offer a sincere apology.

Even though I knew this was a deeply selfish desire.

Even though I knew how cruel a request this was to Yun....

“I’m truly sorry.”

Unable to surrender it, I bowed deeply to Yun again.

“Please grant my subordinate a chance to atone.”

Yun stood in front of me for a long time, saying nothing.