Black Badger

I felt sorry for Heath in an instant.

Just a few seconds ago, I’d thought his cold tone was unnecessarily cruel. Now I didn’t. Now I just pitied him for not knowing anything. He was hating Rose because Rose was toying with him.

Rose was an expert at acting clueless and naïve. People underestimated her because of it—and that helped her achieve her goals.

Heath had probably been toyed with in the same way, tricked by that ignorant façade, and ended up hating her.

“What do you want?”

The chairman spoke the moment the door closed.

“You didn’t send that email because you truly wanted a factory tour.”

“That’s correct.”

The acceptance mail must’ve been sent by Rose.

“I want to see how Green Dream is produced.”

“Then you came for nothing. Even a famous Badger can’t get in there. Unless you’re the Supreme Commander, maybe.”

“And what would I, a Badger, do with it? That’s a shame. Since the meeting was scheduled, I thought you were considering it positively.”

“My wife scheduled this meeting without consulting me. If you had expectations, I apologize. As you can see, communication between us is lacking.”

As he said that, Heath shot a glance at Lacy—Rose pretending to be Lacy.

Rose put on a look of shock, fear, and hurt, then lowered her gaze with guilt-laced eyes.

“I—I’m sorry. I was only going to receive the guest myself, and... and I was planning to get prior approval no matter what before arranging a tour.”

“The fact that you thought I’d approve it at all is ridiculous.”

Despite my presence, Heath vented his dissatisfaction at his wife without restraint.

“How many times have I told you to know your place?”

Rose’s face flushed red.

Her pale face dyed crimson, she let out a panicked little sound and began furiously scribbling letters across the notebook resting on her knees.

“I...”

Wow.

The instant I read the scribbles in the notebook, a chill ran down my spine.

[CommanderCommanderCommanderCommander]

She was writing it in the imperial language.

What looked at first glance like a nervous tic was, in fact, behavior born of excitement she couldn’t contain.

Please calm down, Rose.

Thankfully, she maintained flawless acting.

“I’m sorry. I won’t make the same mistake again. And I’ll explain properly! So you won’t have to worry about it, Chairman.... After escorting Mr. Taleb to the reception room—”

“Is this some ploy to drag a handsome man into your bedroom?”

“Absolutely not!”

Her acting skill was almost on par with Jaeyeon’s.

“Never.... Please believe me!”

But did he really need to badmouth his wife like this in front of a complete stranger?

I faintly furrowed my brow. Of course, Heath didn’t care about my reaction at all. He turned fully toward Rose and started interrogating her about who the man who’d visited yesterday was.

Rose skillfully acted terrified.

At the same time, she scribbled frantically with her pen like someone who couldn’t endure her anxiety.

[Commander!Commander!Commander!Commander!Commander!]

Terrifying.

Seeing her again after so long made it even worse.

I need to wrap this up quickly and talk to her separately.

The moment I decided that, I cut into the conversation.

“You’re being rather harsh.”

The couple’s argument stopped dead.

The pharmaceutical company chairman slowly turned his head to look at me.

His eyes demanded that I immediately spit out an excuse for misspeaking.

I smiled gently.

Pitiful, clueless bastard.

“It seems my presence caused a misunderstanding. Since this was my mistake due to my lack of awareness, please don’t blame your wife too harshly.”

“Do you have a hobby of inserting yourself into other people’s family affairs?”

You were the one airing them out in front of me.

Hiding my true thoughts, I widened my soulless smile.

“My apologies for overstepping. She seemed quite distressed.”

“And what does that have to do with you?”

“When someone in front of you is being unfairly spoken to, isn’t it only right, as a fellow human being, to help?”

“She’s my wife, not yours.”

“Judging by your attitude, it doesn’t seem like you think of her as your wife.”

Now that it was clear I could get the access pass through Rose, I held nothing back.

“And I’ve heard that you prefer men.”

Heath’s brow creased sharply.

“So you’re just another bottom-feeder trying to catch Lacy’s eye.”

“My wife? No.”

That would’ve been a disaster.

“Absolutely not.”

I put my soul into that answer.

If I casually agreed to that and Rose misunderstood, my life would become very difficult.

She might not misunderstand. But there was a very small chance she would. I still didn’t fully understand how Rose’s mind worked.

Rose—pretending to be Lacy—lifted her lowered face and looked at me with a wistful gaze.

Why are you looking at me like that.

“How absurd.”

Heath clicked his tongue after seeing the expression on Lacy’s face as she looked at me.

“Do I look stupid enough to believe that?”

“No, I really mean it.”

As her gaze deepened, I grew desperate.

“Please believe me. She was never my target to begin with!”

“Target?”

“Yes! Someone else was the target, not her!”

So stop misunderstanding, Rose!

My desperate shout echoed through the reception room.

Everything froze.

Until the echo of my voice fully faded, neither of them moved an eyebrow. They just stared at me stiffly.

I only realized I’d said something strange when the chairman’s eyebrow arched.

Heath made an odd expression.

“That sounds like you’re saying I was the target.”

Ah.

Well....

I’d just confessed my true intentions.

Doesn’t matter anymore.

I nodded while meeting the chairman’s piercing stare.

“That was the case, but it’s fine now.”

The moment I leave this mansion, I need to ask Igor for Rose’s number.

As I was thinking that, Heath’s eyebrow lifted higher.

“It’s fine now?”

“Yes. I apologize for taking up your time when you’re busy.”

“Why?”

“Huh?”

After behaving like that, did he not think asking “why” was shameless?

Momentarily at a loss for words, I realized he wasn’t going to move on until he got an answer, and replied offhandedly.

“Because your character seems lacking. Does that satisfy you?”

“.......”

“I’ll be leaving now, Chairman. My apologies for taking up your valuable time.”

“Come to the mansion by 5:30 p.m. tomorrow.”

What?

“We’ll discuss things in more detail then.”

Discuss what?

You said it was fine now. Why do I have to see you again tomorrow?

I wanted to ask—but Heath abruptly stood up and strode out the door. I stared blankly as the pharmaceutical company chairman passed me and exited.

No.

At least explain before you go. Why do I have to come tomorrow?

“Why do I have to come tomor—”

Thud.

The oak door cut off my words as it closed.

Stunned, I listened to the sound of the chairman’s shoes fading away. He didn’t hesitate for a second as he left the reception room behind.

I couldn’t understand what had just happened over the past few minutes.

Then, in a corner of my mind, Igor’s voice started ringing.

‘Pull the woman in and push the man away. Then things’ll basically work out.’

...Was that the “push”?

This?

This kind of thing??

This???

***

Anyway, due to a series of incomprehensible events, I found myself naturally left alone with ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Rose.

It made things easier.

Wisely, Rose pulled me out of the reception room.

Pretending to be Lacy, she led me out of the room and, after apologizing for showing me an uncomfortable scene, politely mentioned that she would explain more about Green Dream when the time was right.

I immediately accepted the proposal. After a polite greeting, I followed her to the study.

She definitely said "study."

But when we arrived, it was her bedroom.

A cold, bluish room.

I was horrified when I saw the canopy bed in the center of the room.

"Wait."

Thud.

Before I could retreat and exit the room, the door slammed shut behind me.

I turned quickly, and Lacy, standing in front of the door, flashed a smile.

Ah.

It's Rose.

"Ro..."

"Commander."

Her voice trembled.

She approached me with eyes that seemed on the verge of shedding tears.

"Commander."

Her pixie cut.

The style hadn't changed. A slender figure with a thin body. Pale skin contrasting with her jet-black hair. She had stubbornly kept this style since her time in the Empire.

Only the eye color had changed.

Well, she probably couldn't keep the color of her eyes from Earth.

"Hello."

I greeted Rose, who was about to grab my hand with a dazed look.

"It's been a while, Rose. How have you been?"

"Yes. Ah, Commander..."

"Alright, Rose. You remember, 1 meter?"

Rose stopped exactly 1 meter away from me.

I nodded and extended my palm.

"Shall we shake hands?"

If I didn't do this, she would clasp my hand with both of hers and kneel.

Rose nodded with shaky eyes. I ignored her moist eyes and shook her hand. Her hand was still thin and lacked flesh, with calluses here and there.

Looks like she's been working consistently.

After all, it wasn't by accident that she married the chairman of a pharmaceutical company producing Green Dream.

When I let go of her hand, Rose clasped both hands together, still not taking her eyes off mine, as if praying.

Accustomed to this kind of reaction, I didn't pay attention and glanced around the bedroom.

"Rose."

At a glance, there were only Lacy's belongings.

"Yes, Commander. Please speak."

"Are you married?"

Rose knelt down.

"Commander!"

"Rose. No kneeling."

When I said it quickly, my subordinate who had knelt down in desperation sprang to her feet.

I couldn't help but let out a short sigh.

The silver earrings jingled with her hurried movements. Rose, unable to close the distance, desperately leaned her upper body toward me.

"I can explain everything!"

"No. I think I have a rough idea, so there's no need to explain that part."

I was trying to joke lightly, but it seemed like I was going to make her cry.

I quickly shifted the conversation.

"You're still doing it on purpose, creating hatred and misunderstanding to catch people off guard, huh?"

Rose covered her mouth with her slender fingers.

She laughed happily.

"Yes! That makes things so much easier!"

Her eyes, placed under long lashes, sparkled with joy.

"I've been having such a fun time this time too!"

"That's good to hear."

"I'm so happy I was in the right place!"

The woman who had gouged out about fifty pairs of eyeballs looked happier than anyone, clasping her hands together.

"They're so easy to deceive, I don't think there’s any information I haven't obtained! You're here because of the Green Dream leak, right?"

She’s still competent.

Although she's a fanatic, aside from her incomprehensible worship of me, she was a perfectly sane person. It always amazed me. When she wasn't in front of me, she was just a perfectly ordinary, reasonable person. A sophisticated, quick-witted acquaintance with whom you could share a pleasant conversation.

But she never showed that side to me.

Anyway, I nodded and smiled faintly.

"That's right."

I ignored Rose’s reaction as she inhaled sharply and covered her mouth.

"How long have you known about this? I heard you got married two or three years ago, so you’ve been paying attention since then?"

"Yes, yes! I’ll explain everything from start to finish!"

"Thanks. But can we talk here? It feels a bit weird for me to stay in your bedroom for too long."

"I'm fine with it..."

"I’d rather sit in a chair next to the bed."

"If that’s more comfortable, please sit there!"

"And you can take out the lenses."

She probably hadn't done the iris color modification procedure.

Rose, who had been about to leave, suddenly froze.

After sitting in the chair, I smiled at her.

"Aren’t the lenses uncomfortable? I like your natural eye color."

It was ruby-red.

Such a strong color would be too striking to display on Earth. Red eyes attracted more attention than my golden ones. Even though iris modification surgery had become quite common, that color of eyes was still rare.

But now, there was no one to see them, so... it might be a good time to give her eyes a rest...

Woosh!

"No, hey!"

I stood up in a panic.

Rose had collapsed on the floor, bleeding from her nose.

I grabbed a tissue and rushed over, kneeling beside her and frantically pulling out more tissues.

Squelch squelch squelch!

"Calm down! This is really a sickness!"

Is it normal to bleed from your nose just because I praised her eyes?

I vowed never to compliment Rose’s eyes again as I pinched her nose with the tissue. I held her nose until the bleeding stopped, berating myself for my foolishness. I regretted speaking so rashly after meeting her after so many years.

I should have thought before speaking.

Ugh. How am I going to bring up Yoow with her?

With a slightly helpless feeling, I sat by Rose’s side.