Black Badger

“Eh.”

Chen spoke.

“What are you talking about. Did watching the live broadcast make you depressed?”

When Hildebert did not answer, Chen arched his brows.

He bent at the waist to peer at the screen, then scratched his head.

“You probably just got startled hearing the news so suddenly. It’ll calm down soon. It’s not like Black Badgers dying on duty is anything new.”

“...It wasn’t a death during a mission.”

“Yes. Which is why it’s an even bigger mess. And besides, haven’t you all known each other for less than three years anyway? You weren’t close with Jack Black at first either, were you?”

“...Let me be depressed for fifteen more minutes.”

Hildebert answered in a sullen voice and flopped face-down onto the floor.

Chen blinked down at Hildebert, who had rolled onto his side and gone completely still.

The man’s expression plainly said he had no idea why his superior was digging into the ground like this. After a moment, he shrugged.

“So you’re getting up in fifteen minutes, right?”

“Yeah.”

“There’s a mountain of work. You can’t slack off any longer. We’re short on hands, so even the Commander will have to move around more.”

Hildebert did not respond.

Chen did not seem to expect one. Muttering that he must have paid far too much for that license plate no matter how he thought about it, he left.

The next to approach was Yoow.

Yoow planted his hands on his hips and quietly looked down at Hildebert.

“What’s done is done. You’ve already hurt people as much as you could. The only way to apologize is to come back alive, so don’t look back.”

Hildebert did not lift his head.

Curled up like a worn sleeping bag, he answered with his back turned.

“I know. Thanks.”

“...And about that contracted knight. I’ve been warning him for a long time.”

Yoow let out a sigh.

“If you choose fame, you have to accept the price that comes with it. In fact, before the Commander arrived, he had been cut off from contact with his own kind. You remember that, don’t you?”

“I know.”

“He’s not someone who craves belonging. He’s not the type to feel deprived.”

“But he’ll feel betrayed by me.”

Hildebert muttered darkly.

“You know how quickly we got close after I came back.”

Yoow exhaled heavily.

“Then what, you should have brought him along? He would’ve been spotted by Jack Black’s fans who are everywhere, his identity exposed, and your death proven false.”

“...Yoow. Just let me dig into the ground alone for a bit.”

“Yes, well, suit yourself. When you abandoned me, you didn’t feel this sorry. But for a contracted knight who wasn’t even that close to humans before, you’re this apologetic. I understand perfectly.”

Hildebert slowly pressed his palm to the ground and pushed himself up.

His white hair spilled to the side; he swept it back behind his shoulder and turned his head.

“Sorry.”

“This is what they call forcing someone to accept a bow, isn’t it? It’s fine. I already stamped a seal on your abdomen and vented all my resentment.”

“The Core device?”

Hildebert exhaled something close to a sigh and brushed his white hair back.

Yoow raised one brow, then lowered it.

“Rose and Igor are checking the factory site. It shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“Sukhoi and Spitfire?”

“They’re both moving busily, but in the process of blocking Falcon’s forces trying to enter CIS headquarters, both sides took hits. So it won’t be as fast as you’d like.”

“...Still, let’s push the speed as much as possible.”

There was no longer any gloom in Hildebert’s voice.

The man, golden eyes lifted thoughtfully toward empty air, slowly rose to his feet.

“I started this prepared. I have to see it through.”

With his left hand, he firmly massaged his right.

At the same time, he rotated his left ankle, then turned to face his strategist.

“We also have to pull out Kyle’s siphons.”

“I don’t know if word of this has reached him yet.”

Yoow spoke slowly, releasing a breath.

“I just hope he doesn’t get excited after hearing it and take drastic action.”

“Kyle?”

Hildebert asked in surprise.

“Kyle?”

He burst into laughter.

Yoow’s eyes widened as Hildebert laughed freely.

After laughing for a long moment, ignoring the other’s reaction, Hildebert narrowed his eyes and looked at his strategist.

“He won’t believe it for even a second.”

He said it with a smile still lingering.

“So don’t worry about that.”

Rather, he joked that he was more worried about being killed by the very people he had hurt once he returned alive. Then Hildebert walked back into the house.

***

“Have you read it?”

Ska asked without preamble.

The Personnel Director closed the door and carefully took a seat opposite him.

“Yes.”

With elegant fingers, he untied the blue ribbon.

“As you said, Aide-de-Camp, he left quite a few words behind.”

“For each person?”

“No. There’s a section written to everyone in the common tongue, and after that a postscript addressed to Jack. The postscript is written in an unknown language, so I cannot read it.”

Kairos, who had been staring at the table, turned his head.

Ju met those orange eyes filled with surprise and smiled bitterly.

“Do you want to see it now?”

“...No.”

Kairos answered carefully.

“I’ll receive it at the end.”

“Can you read the common-language part aloud?”

Ska asked again.

“Yes.”

At the Personnel Director’s reply, everyone seated in the conference room straightened.

Ju glanced around at the faces present.

“Doesn’t Aide Gilbert need to attend?”

“He’s too busy handling the situation and taking calls in my place right now.”

Ska’s voice sounded tired.

“I’ll tell him later. Please read it.”

Ju did not ask again.

He unfolded the finely rolled paper and quietly began to read the will.

[The leaders will judge properly who is allowed to read this will, won’t they?

I speak belatedly.

I am truly sorry.

If biological evidence suggesting my death remains, there is a high probability that I am alive.

I apologize for not telling you in advance. There are eyes everywhere, and I believed that if I spoke beforehand, the chances of the plan going awry would increase.

We are not in ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) a situation where we have much room to correct a disrupted plan.

You may already have lost all affection for me because I acted on my own, but I offer this pitiful explanation nonetheless.

The strategist told me not to write too much even in a will.... He said that if I truly cared about them, I should conceal it completely. But I could not bring myself to do that, so I offer this apology through what is, at present, the most secure method available.

I will return as soon as possible.

I did not act this way because I thought little of the others.

If I regarded humans as insignificant life-forms, I would not have gone this far to stand against them.

Do you know this feeling?

Until you learn in detail, those who belong to a group are perceived only by the name of that group.

The tribes of the south. The mages of the west. The villagers beyond the river.... Only like that.

But as you come to know the people within it one by one, the group gradually collapses, and only individuals remain.

There are no longer southern tribes or western mages. There are only Kit of the tribe and Yates the mage.

I have experienced that several times.

When I first came to Earth, and when I returned to Earth....

I’ve digressed.

I will say just one final thing.

Take care of yourselves.

Because of my selfish decision, those reading this will have been caught in the enemy’s sniper scopes more than once.

So please live in a state of alert for the time being. It is best to act assuming the worst. There is nothing wrong with adding caution upon caution.

For now, I earnestly ask you to be wary not only of Creatures, but of human malice as well.

It may be troublesome, but once this will has been delivered to those who need it, please burn it immediately and tie the blue ribbon back onto the will I originally wrote.

I will update my real will after I return.

Thank you.

Please stay healthy.

From Hildebert.]

“That’s the end.”

As Ju finished speaking, Jonathan and Kai struck the table at the same time.

Ricardo, expressionless, pulled a cigarette from his inner pocket and placed it between his lips.

Ami cried as she buried herself into Yun, while Yun snorted.

Yehyeon did not lift his face from his hands.

Ska, who had been listening with his eyes closed and his forehead resting against his fist, slowly opened his eyes.

“What did the original will say?”

Ju took out a lighter from his pocket and burned the portion he had read.

After clearing away the blackened ashes, the Personnel Director read the will Hildebert had written long ago.

“‘A life I faced with forgotten memories — thanks to all of you, I lived happily.

I was happy enough to grow full of lingering attachments. Thank you.

If the world allows it, please become my precious bonds again in the next life.’”

Jonathan sprang to his feet.

“I’m going to CIS headquarters.”

“Ric. Stop him.”

Ska gave the order without raising his voice.

“And the rest of you, get out, calm down, and come back. Nothing will work in this state.”

The conference room grew chaotic.

Yun dragged Yehyeon and Ami out. Ricardo ran after Jonathan, who had stormed outside. Kai tapped Sophia’s shoulder and stood, fists clenched.

Only Kairos did not move.

The Personnel Director, as Hildebert had requested, rolled the original will neatly and tied it again with the blue ribbon.

Then he handed the final unburned sheet to Kairos.

“It’s a letter written to you.”

Kairos accepted it.

The red-haired man read the Imperial script written in neat handwriting.

A letter penned in the cursive used within the Imperial Palace.

[I’m sorry. You must have had some idea....

I watched footage of your race a few days ago.

We weren’t that close in the Empire, but I often watched you soaring alongside Noya.

The sense of freedom and exhilaration in your eyes as you cut through the sky back then was in your eyes in the video as well.

I understood immediately why you have so many passionate fans. When you run the track, you shine like you did when you flew through the sky on Noya.

Even knowing nothing about racing, watching the video made it hard to believe you had ever left the track.

I didn’t leave you behind because of that past.

But I did think I couldn’t bear to watch your identity be exposed and your brilliant achievements be tainted for absurd reasons.

You may not realize it because you’ve lived almost your entire life under people’s attention, but eyes are always on you.

For that reason and many others, I decided that for now I had to push you out of the front line.

Please understand that I did not cut you off entirely.

I know I am particularly harsh with you. I’m truly sorry.

I hope you do not regret running the track after reading this letter. I loved watching that version of you in the video.

Stay well until I go to face Kyle.

You may feel betrayed enough that you don’t even want to see my face, but when I go to face Kyle, I hope you will come with me.

I will return as quickly as possible. I’m sorry to make you wait without a promise again.

And I know this is selfish.

If I return and ask for forgiveness, will you forgive me?

FROM. H.]

That was the end.

Kairos remained frozen in his seat, staring down at the letter for a long time.

He did not move until the Personnel Director lightly placed a hand on his shoulder.

***

“Captain!”

A demon knight called out to Kyle.

“Have you heard the news?”

Kyle, who had been leaning long against a rock with a pipe in hand, turned his head. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Hooook— white smoke slipped from his mouth.