Black Badger

Hildebert was sprawled face-down on his bed.

Ricardo let out a sigh as he looked at the junior clenching the bedsheet between his teeth, eyes screwed shut. He usually tried not to sigh, but the world rarely cooperated with such intentions.

Fortunately—or unfortunately—Hildebert didn’t hear it.

He didn’t seem to realize Ricardo had come in either.

He probably didn’t have the presence of mind to notice.

Only someone other than Hildebert registered Ricardo’s presence. The Ice Dragon, who had been sitting on Kairos’s bed, turned to look at him.

The dragon smiled, eyes curving.

“A child who doesn’t listen.”

Ricardo walked quietly toward Yun’s bed.

“I’m sorry for intruding without permission.... If I’m interfering with the treatment, I’ll leave.”

“Not at all. Sit.”

The dragon replied lightly, then gestured with his chin toward the opposite bed—Yun’s bed.

One hand remained open, hovering over Hildebert.

No matter what, Ricardo had no intention of sitting on Yun’s bed. He wouldn’t have sat on Black Jack’s either, but Yun’s was absolutely out of the question.

Still, he needed to stay close, so he moved to the space between Yun’s bed and Hildebert’s.

Hildebert had his head turned away from the Ice Dragon.

As if he refused to show his contorted face to the dragon as well. Ricardo didn’t feel entirely guilt-free about ruining that effort.

But this was all his own doing.

If he’d just said he was in pain earlier, plainly and promptly, Ricardo wouldn’t have had to come in like this.

“Why....”

As Ricardo bent down and wiped away the cold sweat, Hildebert cracked his eyes open.

The junior grimaced, forcing out a hoarse voice.

“I....”

Whatever he was about to say was cut off by a groan that tore free instead.

Hildebert buried his face into the bed. Sounds spilling out in broken fragments. Feet kicking uselessly against the mattress.

Ricardo watched silently as the man clawed at the bedsheet, tearing at it while choking out low, suffocating noises.

“If he endures it, there will be no aftereffects.”

The Ice Dragon spoke as if to soothe Ricardo.

“I’m doing my best to minimize the pain, so wait just a little longer. It’s painful, but he uses his body well—he won’t go into shock.”

“Yes.... Thank you for taking care.”

The dragon merely smiled.

Ricardo didn’t move for a while. He stayed there, quietly watching Hildebert struggle. Only after the rigid tension in his body eased slightly did he resume wiping away the sweat.

The junior looked up at him through narrowed eyes.

Everything except his eyes was buried in the sheets.

After brushing away the sweat clinging to his eyelashes, Ricardo let out a small snort.

“At times like this, you never cry....”

Even though he’d cried freely when facing enemies.

Despite tearing the sheets apart in pain, Hildebert wasn’t crying now.

As Ricardo stared down into those yellow eyes, the gaze drooped.

Was he trying to say sorry? Or asking him to leave?

Ricardo couldn’t tell—but he had no intention of honoring either. The green-eyed man simply kept watching his junior.

The dragon, who had adapted astonishingly well to the modern world, broke the silence.

“A Swordmaster, you see, is like a first-magnitude star—one that swallows the light of others.”

Ricardo lifted his head to look at the dragon.

A being so human it was unsettling.

Fortunately, that same being—slow and merciful in temperament—offered him comfort.

“I already bored you with explanations earlier, but only a handful of human names ever reach our ears. By the time we hear them, that human is usually already dead.”

“Someone talented enough to make everyone around them look small.... I know that well.”

“Ten hours isn’t that long.”

The dragon said what only a true dragon could say.

“It’s but a fleeting instant. Without this pain, he would have needed years to recover his stamina. That would be far more dreadful.”

That was true, but—

“Don’t fret too much. The fact that all it demands is pain—how fortunate that is.”

Ricardo knew.

But knowing didn’t make the sight before him any easier to bear. He looked down at Hildebert again and wiped away the cold sweat several more times.

Eyes closed, body curled in on itself.

His clothes were already soaked through with sweat.

I could use a cigarette.

It was about time to switch out anyway.

“May I send someone else in~?”

As Ricardo rose and asked, the dragon smiled kindly.

“Do as you wish.”

“He won’t like it—but since he’s in too much pain to even speak, what does it matter?”

True enough.

Nodding in agreement with the Ice Dragon’s wisdom, Ricardo quietly left the bedroom.

***

Carl Dow entered.

The Ice Dragon tilted his chin, indicating the same seat, and Carl bowed politely before taking it.

Meaning—he sat on Yun’s bed.

He looked down at Hildebert in silence, then gently wiped away the sweat. Having removed his mask before entering, Carl showed little expression. He simply sat there calmly, watching over the junior receiving treatment.

The one who spoke first was the dragon.

“You should be careful this year.”

Carl raised his head to look at him.

“You can see the future as well?”

“I can sometimes see things like the flow of life. Especially when it cuts off so abruptly, as it does with you.”

“So it’s not illness.”

Carl smiled faintly.

The dragon wasn’t surprised, nor did he look away.

Lowering his gaze back to Hildebert, Carl spoke gently.

“Then it’s likely death in the line of duty.”

“I can only say it doesn’t look like a natural death.”

“I have no intention of abandoning my enhanced body just to die of old age. So as long as it’s not illness, I’m satisfied.”

Many Badgers dreamed of a painless death—one that came while saving others.

They hoped that end would be far in the future, of course. Good Badgers neither welcomed death nor feared it. Perhaps after seeing so much of it, they’d come to understand the strange peace that resided within.

After struggling so desperately to avoid death, one couldn’t simply accept it lightly.

“I’m not saying you’ll definitely die. Only that the likelihood seems high. The future isn’t fixed, after all.”

“A fascinating thought.”

“Be careful toward the end of July, the beginning of August.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

After offering a polite bow, Carl added quietly,

“And thank you for looking after the youngest....”

His words cut off as Hildebert suddenly grabbed Carl’s arm with surprising strength.

Was it from the pain?

Looking down, Carl met yellow eyes staring up at him.

Carl smiled.

“It’s not a prophecy.”

The grip tightened.

“All it means is you need to be extra careful during missions.”

Even so, the unease didn’t fade from those golden eyes.

Carl bent a little closer.

“But you’re lucid enough to follow the conversation. That’s reassuring.”

Hildebert’s brow furrowed further, clearly displeased with that response.

After sitting for about as long as Ricardo had, Carl stood. He silently greeted the Ice Dragon, then left the room.

Yun was standing outside.

“Check the generator and the portal status.”

“Yes. And I sat on the bed for a moment. My apologies.”

Yun looked at Carl with pitch-black, unreadable eyes.

“Fine. You’re the exception.”

It was said after a brief silence.

“You knew that when you sat down.”

The only Badger Yun ever addressed by name—aside from Hildebert—smiled faintly.

Yun turned and entered the bedroom.

“Do your job properly.”

“Yes.”

Carl went to carry out his assignment.

***

Yun sat on his own bed and looked down at Hildebert.

The junior was biting down on what was likely the towel Carl had given him.

With arms crossed, Yun watched him in silence. Hildebert slowly opened his eyes.

Beads of sweat clung to white eyelashes.

Yun met the golden gaze briefly—then looked away. His black eyes remained fixed on Hildebert’s mastoid process.

“Staring there won’t show you anything.”

The dragon said with a small laugh.

“At least, not yet.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

Yun replied without emotion—though it was undoubtedly sincere.

“I don’t understand what it means to ‘open mana channels’ in the first place.”

“Judging by that, you came to see it for yourself.”

“Partly. I also came to check on him.”

“Don’t lie. There are no aftereffects, and it’s merely passing pain. You’re not worried in the slightest.”

Yun smiled faintly for the first time.

The smile vanished just as quickly.

“Practical temperament.”

Hildebert coughed.

Whether he’d tried to speak and the pain seized his throat, or tried to laugh and sucked in air instead—it was unclear. In any case, he coughed, then let out a strangled sound as if struck.

Yun lightly patted his back twice.

“Endure it.”

Hildebert glared at him while biting into the blanket.

Yun spoke casually.

“Good. You’re doing fine.”

Hildebert exhaled something close to a sigh through clenched teeth.

Yun continued observing the area near his aide’s mastoid process for a while longer.

Then he left the room, and Kairos took his place.

***

The men rotated in shifts.

The two women waited while sorting trash. They were preparing to leave. This wasn’t a place meant for extended stays, and if Hildebert recovered without issue, there would be no reason to remain.

Ami’s penguin, though....

“I guess I’ll have to give up....”

The round-eyed Badger muttered as she meticulously separated the trash they’d accumulated.

“We probably wouldn’t have seen them anyway. It was too dark.”

“Why don’t you ask the dragon later? Going to where the penguins are would be nothing for him.”

Sophia said as she tied off a bag tightly.

“That’s why I made him cocoa, wasn’t it?”

Ami’s eyes widened.

“You noticed?”

“He seemed like a kind old man who likes good humans. Nothing to lose by asking.”

Sophia tossed the tied bag into a corner.

Then she straightened up. Short strands slipped free from her tightly bound hair.

She tucked them behind her ear.

“You never know. You might get a present from Santa.”

After finishing the cleanup, they returned to the dining room.

There, the female Badgers joined the male Badgers who’d been kicked out of the bedroom.

The treatment would be finished soon.

That was why the Ice Dragon had driven all the men out.

“This is the most exhausting phase, when his strength is lowest. At least this once, preserve his pride.”

That was what the dragon had said before sending them all away.

With bedside care no longer possible, everyone gathered in the dining room.

Yun assigned tasks. He went to check the portal status and contact headquarters. Carl moved the remaining aviation fuel into the portal zone. Ricardo and Kairos swept the base once more, then brought everything they needed to take back into the portal zone.

The Badgers prepared so they could leave the # Nоvеlight # moment Hildebert recovered.

With nothing left to do but wait, they returned to the dining room.

Yun came in as well.

“Seems something came up at headquarters.”

The dry man, who’d entered without a sound, said as his eyebrows lifted.

“They told us not to return immediately—stand by for now.”

“Huh?”

Ami blinked.

The others stared at Yun.

“What kind of thing?”

“No details. The communication here is painfully slow.”

Yun frowned irritably.

“It doesn’t seem related to Hildebert. They’re assessing the situation internally and said they’ll issue new instructions in a day or two.”

The Badgers raised their brows at the squad leader.

But no one asked further questions. Everyone knew they wouldn’t get a satisfying answer anyway.

So they nodded and took seats around the dining room.

And waited quietly for the treatment to end.

Silence settled heavily, like wet laundry.

A few minutes later, it was broken by the sound of the bedroom door opening.

“Looks like it’s done!”

Ami shouted, her face lighting up.

“I heard the door open!”