Black Badger

My kin gathered up the shell of a person I’d become.

Igor said he went to sleep yesterday just as I’d ordered him to. Because while I was drinking plum wine, I had told him to go straight to bed. So he had no idea what I’d done.

Deltei and Kairos, on the other hand, had seen everything.

Kairos came downstairs from the second floor when he heard my voice and laughed long.

“You awake?”

How many people are crammed into this tiny cabin?

Anyway, the two of them explained the situation.

Colton...

They said I didn’t tell him anything particular....

“You were saying pointless stuff, so I figured the other side would just hang up, but they didn’t.”

Deltei sat across from me, sipping her coffee.

“He even seemed kind of amused.”

Fuck.

I dropped my forehead onto the wooden table.

Closing my eyes, I trembled at the horrific reality.

How am I supposed to show my face to him later....

I pressed my forehead into the table and clawed at my white hair, but my kin continued recounting my disgrace without holding back.

I listened carefully to everything I’d done yesterday. Apparently I’d called multiple people. I hadn’t said too many things that would cause major problems, but it seemed that whenever someone asked me something, I answered honestly.

I answered everything honestly?

What the hell does that mean.

“What did I say!”

“Oh, yesterday I exchanged numbers with Ami.”

Deltei went on with the story however she pleased.

“She’s so cute!”

“Ami is cute, yes. But what exactly did I say....”

“Some of the calls might be recorded on your phone. But it doesn’t seem like you made any major mistakes. So for now, you should probably hear what Yoow had to say first.”

Kairos’s words snapped me back to myself like cold water.

I straightened my back and turned toward the handler.

“Good. Tell me that first.”

Yoow hadn’t explained everything.

He hadn’t fully softened his stance. He said he’d just tell me about the “urgent fire” that was burning. The rest, he said, wouldn’t be useful right now anyway, and in the case of the spatial-transfer array, we had already found the urgent countermeasure.

“What urgent fire?”

My insides went cold.

“There’s another fire besides the spatial-transfer array or the reconnaissance spirit?”

“He said the reconnaissance spirit shouldn’t have been able to enter the Core because of its limited range.”

Oh. Just that alone helps a lot.

“He said our instincts would’ve alerted us if any of our kin had entered the Core. But he also said information is definitely leaking from inside the Core, and he has a fairly good idea why.”

“What’s the reason.”

“In short: there’s a human collaborator.”

My eyes widened against my will.

“And not some random nobody group.”

This was the conclusion first.

After reporting the core point, Kairos began going into detail.

The story went back in time—to before the First War began. To when Kyle and I had begun to lose trust in each other.

To when everyone’s nerves were taut, and each faction was busy strengthening itself in an atmosphere of suspicion.

Kyle had drawn in a few human scientists.

Humans who betrayed their own.

Just as there were Titans who sided with humans, there were also humans who sided with Titans.

Those humans joined Kyle’s side, hoping to become the victors of the war. Yoow knew about their existence but had not bothered to report it to me. They weren’t major political figures—just a handful of scientists. Even if they switched sides, he hadn’t thought anything significant would change.

But when the war began, those scientists opened the portal.

The portal poured monsters onto Earth.

Pitiful creatures who had barely survived in the burning scraps of their world—beneath the charred roots of the blackened World Tree, under waters covered in ash, on sky-islands where ash-rain fell.

Beings that would’ve gone extinct eventually.

Kyle and Rei hid this truth from me until the end....

“If we follow that branch, it becomes a story about the portal, but Yoow said there’s no point going into that now. What matters here is the group of scientists who stood on Kyle’s side and opened the portal.”

“But they must be dead by now. Whether from old age or accidents.”

“Most likely. But just as there are those who carry on the Ice Emperor’s will, there seem to be those who carry on theirs as well.”

Damn it.

A faint headache pulsed as I pressed my fingers firmly to my brow.

This truly was an urgent fire. Something that could grow larger if left alone. Something we couldn’t ignore now that we knew it was burning.

Forget my drunken spectacle—this needed to be reported to Yehyeon immediately.

It was 4:20 a.m., so he’d be asleep, but at least I had to leave a message.

I reached for my phone, but Kairos spoke quietly.

“I already reported the main points to the Commander yesterday, Captain. I want to ask forgiveness for reporting without your permission.”

“Oh!”

My face brightened.

“Forgiveness? You did well!”

“The Commander wants you to keep your schedule free tonight at 10 p.m.”

“Thanks. Where?”

“Here. And you’ll see it in your messages, but the seniors also want to buy you lunch.”

This did not sound like a good sign.

I covered my eyes as memories of last night resurfaced.

“Plum wine is really something one should never drink.”

Deltei snorted.

Igor, who had been sitting in a beanbag chair flicking a joystick, said roughly:

“You don’t even get drunk off anything else.”

“Still... that might be better....”

“But you really didn’t make any big mistakes. The seniors sat around you teasing you, but you just acted like... well, drunk you. Very honest, too.”

What the hell had happened?

“Oh. And before your 10 o’clock appointment, eat dinner with us and talk a bit?”

What the hell did happen?

***

On the way to the lunch place, I made a call.

To apologize for what I’d done yesterday.

I called Lee Seunghyun first. Because the insane version of me had called him yesterday too.

For three whole minutes.

The call barely rang before the line picked up.

[Yes.]

“Lee Seunghyun. I’m sorry. I called you completely drunk yesterday.”

I gripped the wheel tightly with both hands and apologized immediately.

“Did I say anything wrong? I’m really sorry—I blacked out and don’t remember.”

[You did not say anything particularly inappropriate.]

He didn’t sound surprised.

His voice continued in his usual tone.

[You did not say anything particularly meaningful either.]

“Oh god, I’m really sorry. You could’ve just hung up. What did I even say for three minutes?”

[You lectured me.]

A blunt answer.

[Do you remember scheduling training?]

Oh no.

“No.... I’m really sorry....”

[Starting next week, every Friday. Let me know if there are changes.]

“All right.”

If I apologized more, he’d get irritated, so I agreed meekly.

I turned on the left blinker. The ticking sound mixed with his voice.

Checking the estimated arrival time on the navigation, I asked:

“How’s your condition?”

[There will be no problem conducting training next week.]

“That’s a relief. Take care of yourself, and if everything’s fine, see you next week. And again, sorry.”

[Goodbye.]

The call ended.

Judging by his tone and attitude, I really hadn’t made a fatal mistake, right?

Feeling relieved, I parked in front of ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ the restaurant.

I’d apologize to Yehyeon tonight, and Yun, Ricardo, and Ami should already be inside.

Thankfully, Tom and Hesh were on duty and hadn’t answered my calls.

Shu missed the call because she was watching a movie, and Bobby was out on a date with her fling. And at least some sanity had remained in me—I hadn’t called any of the Elders or Jonathan.

So now I just had to eat lunch and then make an apology call to Colton.

Fantastic!

Smiling blankly, I walked inside.

Ding!

Why does this place look so expensive.

“Hilde.”

I was guided to a private room, and the moment I opened the door, my eyes met Yun’s.

“You’re getting sloppy. Making three seniors wait.”

“I apologize.”

I bowed and entered.

Then I froze the moment I saw how the seniors were seated.

The three seniors sat in a straight line facing the door—like interviewers waiting for a candidate.

Why...?

I stared blankly at Yun, Ami, and Ricardo sitting side by side.

After standing there a moment, I nodded and walked toward Yun.

“Then I’ll sit here—”

Snap!

Yun flicked his thumb and middle finger.

The shooter pointed to the seat across from Ami.

“That’s your seat.”

“Yes, sir.”

I obeyed instantly.

“I’m very sorry for being late.”

I sat in the seat facing Ami.

Then I placed both hands neatly on my knees and did not move.

A room prepared for blowfish broth.

The light, clear aroma filled the room as a heavy silence settled. I lowered my gaze diagonally and waited for someone to break it.

...Why is no one talking.

Deltei!

Kairos!

You said I didn’t make any big mistakes!

I screamed inwardly with my lips shut tight. The silence felt suffocating. Their stares burned the top of my bowed head.

Just hit me in the face instead....

“Hilde.”

Thankfully, Ami finally broke the silence.

“If the black-haired Commander and the white-haired Commander fight, who wins?”

“What?”

I raised my head, eyes widening.

The seniors came into view—Badgers warmed by the noonday sun pouring through the rectangular window. They weren’t even glancing at the food. They were all staring straight at me.

No trace of laughter in their eyes.

My mind crawled back into motion.

“Do you mean Kyle?”

Ami nodded.

“...Their skill is almost the same. But why bring this up so suddenly.... No, how did you even know Kyle was a Commander?”

“So if you fight Kyle now, you can’t beat him?”

Why was she asking this?

Bewildered, I slowly nodded.

“Yes. Most likely.”

Was she worried about defeat?

“But you don’t need to worry so much about me losing. I don’t think I would—”

“That doesn’t work!”

Ami suddenly burst.

“Then it’s the same as last time!”

“What? What last time?”

“The result can’t be the same!”

“Ami, I’m really sorry, but I blacked out yesterday, so I don’t really understand—”

“If you draw again, you’re gonna get stabbed again!”

Her voice shook as she shouted, slapping the table with her palms.

“And this time there’s no guarantee you’ll survive!”

“Oh.”

Understanding flickered through my mind.

Don’t tell me yesterday I....

“If you’re unlucky and die right away the moment your heart gets stabbed again—what then?!”

“Senior... did I perhaps yesterday....”

“That’s right~. You told us about how you were dying~.... Good thing we went to see you drunk~. Otherwise we’d never have heard that story~.”

Damn it.

“You’d never have revealed that you shivered in the cold with a sword stuck in your heart until you passed out....”

I had committed a blunder.

I bit my lip and scanned their faces.

Ami was holding back tears. Ricardo was leaning against the wall with hands in his jacket pockets, smiling crookedly.

Yun sat with arms crossed and narrow eyes, observing me.

I spoke with a hoarse voice.

“Ric.”

“If you can’t win, don’t go out there!”

Ami glared, fists clenched.

“If you can’t beat Kyle, then stay in the rear!”

“Ami. That was simply the last memory I recovered. I came back alive afterward, didn’t I? So please don’t agonize over it too much.”

“So staying in the rear isn’t even an option in that thick head of yours~.”

Ricardo scoffed, leaning more comfortably against the wall.

“That stubborn pride about killing your enemy with your own hands or whatever....”

“I won’t deny wanting that, but more importantly....”

There was the fundamental issue.

The reason I couldn’t even consider Ami’s proposal.

“Who else can you send but me?”

Objectively speaking.

“If you don’t use me, what are you planning to use to deal with Kyle?”

Well, nuclear bombs were always an option—but the aftermath was too severe, something to be used only at the very end. Even when Rei lost control, humanity held off using nukes until the final moment.

Same with Kyle.

No one but me could stop him.

If I didn’t step up, the tragedy of the First War would repeat itself....

.......

...Hm?

Doesn’t this sound extremely arrogant?

Realizing this belatedly, I froze.

My eyes darted around, gauging the seniors’ reactions.

Ricardo and Yun looked like they’d heard the most ridiculous thing.

I searched for a way to defend myself.

Right until Ami, who had been trembling with her head lowered, exploded.

Wham!

She slammed the table.

“What do you MEAN use!”

Ami shot to her feet and began pounding my head with her knuckles.

“Hilde, are you a weapon? Are you a weapon?! Are you an object that doesn’t die?!”

“Ah, ow, Ami, that hurts.”

“This hurts? This hurts? Says the guy who got stabbed in the heart!”

This hurts?!

Furious, Ami thwacked my head even harder.

“I’m going to beat some sense into that skull!”