Black Badger

“It’s moving.”

Back inside the station.

Yehyeon, having received word from headquarters, spoke.

“Estimated arrival in an hour and a half.”

“There’s still some time, then.”

Ju smiled.

“We can rest for an hour and then slowly start preparing to receive our guests, right?”

There wasn’t the slightest trace of tension in his voice. Ricardo let out a sigh but didn’t add anything. Yehyeon glanced at the Personnel Director, as if acknowledging that his words weren’t entirely wrong, then turned his head away.

“Is the Core still there?”

Jonathan Kudo suddenly asked.

Yehyeon lifted his eyelids.

The man pressed his earbud with a finger, stayed still for a moment, then removed his hand.

“Yeah.”

“Why is it taking this long?”

Jonathan leaned forward.

“It’s been over six hours since the Core formed.”

“We’re the ones getting impatient. From their perspective, there’s no rush.”

Yehyeon answered vaguely.

His gaze drifted toward the station windows. He didn’t look particularly inclined to make his subordinate fully understand what he meant. At Jonathan’s question, his expression grew thoughtful.

Whether it was Hildebert or the Elders, now that they had entered the final round to settle things, there was no reason to break the Core in a hurry.

What mattered was the result of the final match.

And true to themselves, the Elders hadn’t shown the last game. They had entered a translucent cocoon and hidden their battle within it.

In this situation, the only thing they could do was wait for Hildebert—who had gone to tie the knot—to return safely.

Is Kyle on the train?

Those who had joined the pursuit of Hildebert—currently declared dead—had roughly the same thought.

Though the thread of speculation didn’t stretch far.

“What’s that sound?”

Yehyeon whipped his head around.

Ricardo already had his finger hooked on the rifle’s trigger.

“Trucks.”

“Several of them.”

Ricardo answered briefly, and Ju added,

“To transport what’s on the train?”

The men had already crouched beneath the station windows, listening to the engines drawing closer.

Trucks kept rolling in as if the station were some kind of warehouse yard. They were all identical models—large freight vehicles.

“Ah... Renting trucks that size can’t be cheap....”

“Right. And it’s obvious the drivers are civilians. If we step in and detain them, that’ll be a problem, won’t it?”

“Conceal yourselves.”

Yehyeon ordered quietly as he moved toward the station entrance.

“If they spot us, the train won’t enter.”

The men slipped out of the building without a sound.

Then, in unison, they moved toward an abandoned container behind the smoking booth.

They would wait there until the train arrived.

“And Will?”

Ju asked in a hushed voice.

Though it had been a long time since he’d been in the field, he moved lightly as a feather.

Even sniper Carl Dow—master of erasing his presence—would have admired that gait.

If Yun had been there, he might have snorted and said, “Must be a skill he picked up juggling multiple relationships.” But there was no one present to make such a cynical remark.

Yehyeon replied evenly.

“I told him to hide on his own. He’ll be fine.”

After that, silence sank over them.

The drivers who got out of the trucks smoked and chatted as they walked toward the station, but none of them noticed the Badgers concealed nearby.

And so began an hour and a half of waiting—for both the drivers and the Badgers.

***

“Just so you know, I still can’t release aura stably.”

That was what Kysis had told me before we began sparring.

“I can only let it out briefly and unstably.”

“That’s enough.”

When I answered with enthusiasm, the knight curled one corner of his mouth.

“Getting to the point of releasing it is the hardest part.”

I vaguely understood what he meant as we sparred.

At the same time, I began to understand why the concept of aura had transformed into something out of legend. This technique required turning the principles of swordsmanship we commonly knew on their head.

To reach the /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ level of Swordmaster, one must produce clean sword strikes.

You could tell immediately when a Swordmaster unleashed one. Even the sound as it extended from the blade was different.

To fire a strike that didn’t lose power mid-flight, you had to concentrate your strength into a single point.

You braced your core, channeled the power of your entire body through your arm into the sword, and as you swung, not a single trace of that force could waver if you wanted that distinctive sound.

A strike released like that could easily cleave a pillar of a castle.

Aura was the opposite.

“Don’t think of it as firing a strike. Think of evenly coating the blade with the power you prepared for the strike.”

“What?”

I couldn’t help but ask.

How is that even possible?

“A sword strike is made by compressing the force from your center and the force generated during the swing, isn’t it? If you don’t swing, how do you coat the blade with that power?”

“That’s why aura became a word of legend.”

Fwoong!

The tip of my hair was cut off diagonally.

I stared dully at the beautiful blade of the man standing before me.

“But it’s not a fictitious realm.”

“I know.”

I grumbled while swinging my sword back and forth.

“I’ve seen it.”

“You’ve seen it?”

Kysis’s voice sharpened.

“When?”

“When, you ask?”

What kind of absurd question is that?

I was so dumbfounded my speech shortened.

You showed it to me in such a cruel way the first time—

...When was that?

“Why.”

Kysis’s voice grew louder.

Not because he raised it—but because he stepped closer.

“What’s wrong now?”

“Ah. Am I crying again?”

I must have been hit with some tear-inducing attack by a monster.

Thinking that, I rubbed my eyes.

It was strange enough that tears kept spilling out at random.

But I had no idea why I was suddenly so angry.

Once again, I failed to understand myself.

I can feel anger.

Somewhere near my core...

“You’re angry.”

Kysis let out a small laugh.

For some reason, the moment he confirmed my anger, he seemed relieved.

“Your swordsmanship’s stagnating, so you’re taking it out on me?”

“I don’t think that’s it.”

“So you even lie and claim you’ve seen aura? That’s not like you.”

“It’s not a lie.”

“Whose aura did you see? Which Swordmaster’s?”

“Yours.”

Kysis stared at me.

Why—

I was about to ask, but too late.

He reached out, grabbed my chin, and turned my face this way and that, examining me.

Acting like my father.

Of course, if I said that out loud, my tongue would be cut off. Not figuratively—he’d literally cut it and then call Cecil to neatly reattach it.

Knowing that, I just stared back blankly and let him have his way.

“That’s a lie.”

Kysis said after a moment.

I answered darkly.

“You’ve never shown it?”

“I’ve never even spoken of it to anyone.”

“Then I must have had a prophetic dream.”

“You really did smoke something. Upset about the promotion?”

“Think whatever you like.”

After answering flatly, I swung my sword in a surprise attack.

But Kysis stepped back just enough to foil my attempt to cut his hair to the exact same length mine had been trimmed. One corner of his mouth lifted, then he retreated in a few quick steps and raised his sword again.

“Coming.”

“I thought you were scared.”

“You got promoted and already you’re arrogant.”

Kysis’s smile lengthened.

His blade, so fast it was invisible and appeared only as a single line, reflected the sunlight.

“Let’s see how much you’ve improved.”

Good.

I have to learn aura.

As quickly as possible...

I tried to calm the inexplicable urgency surging through me and raised my sword.

Then I kicked off the ground and charged at Kysis.

***

I got praised!

Not the kind of ceremonial praise either. Kysis genuinely seemed surprised. I couldn’t help humming to myself as I recalled what had just happened.

Those violet eyes widening in shock.

Those blinking eyelids.

Had I ever surprised Kysis like that before, aside from my entrance exam?

I thought of the expression he wore after the spar ended.

Kysis told me we’d continue tomorrow. Then he said, in a plain tone, “You’re good.”

I had known him long enough to be certain. That was sincere.

Not encouragement for a child.

‘How did you improve this much?’

Heh.

‘At this rate, you’ll devour me soon.’

Then the Swordmaster fell silent, lost in thought.

Ah.

Now that I’m Knight Commander, I should really control my expressions.

But I couldn’t get my facial muscles under control at all.

I walk lightly across the training grounds, the cool breeze brushing against my cheek.

I shouldn’t brag, but I very much want to grab someone and brag.

Still, it feels awkward to say something like that in front of those who hold swords.

Should I go brag to someone who isn’t a knight?

Where is Deltei...?

“Commander!”

I was scanning the area with the corner of my mouth threatening to rise when a familiar voice seized my attention.

I lowered my hand from my face as I saw the ordinary knights approaching in a cluster.

“Yvon. Ishus.”

“What, are you that happy about becoming Knight Commander?”

Ishus grinned at me.

“Your cheeks are practically ascending.”

“Congratulations once again.”

Yvon ignored Ishus’s casual tone and spoke properly.

“You have taken the seat you deserve.”

“Thank you.”

Meeting my subordinates helped me barely regain control of my expression.

Suppressing the urge to boast, I spoke with them instead. We talked about their swords, heard about a dispute between the ordinary knights and the senior knights, and I was told that Byung Yeong-baek, who had come all the way to the Imperial Capital to congratulate me, was preparing to return.

I heard updates about the other ordinary knights and shared a little about myself as well.

While we were talking like that, something caught at the edge of my vision.

Something was moving at our feet.

A round, massive thing crawling across the ground...

“Tig!”

I jumped back violently.

“Why are you here!”

“What?”

My two subordinates looked startled.

“Tig what?”

“It’s just a rather large pill bug.”

Yvon bent slightly, reaching to pick it up, but grabbed my shoulder instead.

“What...? Is it some pill bug you know? It’s not a monster....”

“A pill bug?”

How could you say that about Tig.

Even His Majesty, who once spent a brief time in my cabin, had said something just as indifferent...

.......

No.

It wasn’t the Emperor.

It looked similar, but I distinctly remember it wasn’t His Majesty.

...Then who was it?

“Commander?”

“...Looking closely, it really is just a pill bug.”

“Of course it is!”

Ishus said incredulously.

“What did you think it was?”

My mentor upgraded it.

I thought that without being able to give a proper answer. At first I’d been a little shocked, but thinking about it again, I felt slightly grateful. He must have heard me say something absentmindedly and taken it upon himself to modify it. For a fleeting moment, I found his action a little childish. A little cute.

I was in such a good mood that I truly thought that.

My mentor...

Just a little...

Cu—

Thud!

“Are you really okay?”

“No.”

I almost had a truly dreadful thought just now.

To clear my head, I stomped my foot reflexively and shook my head hard.

After scattering the strange thought, I looked at the confused knights.

“I should wash up and sleep a bit more. The sun’s setting anyway.”

“You should. We heard that the Imperial orders will start coming in earnest from tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Sir Kyle asked me to pass that along.”

Yvon said with a faint smile.

“It’s a relief that both of you now have someone you can rely on.”

For a moment, it felt strange to see Yvon mention Kyle’s name and smile so calmly.

But that peculiar sense of dissonance faded quickly. I knew well that Yvon respected Kyle and was always courteous toward him.

There was nothing strange at all—so why had it felt strange?

After thanking them, I left my subordinates and went to wash.

I’d drunk a lot yesterday, and I felt so happy that I might not be entirely in my right mind.

After one more night passes, I’ll get used to this place too.

It’s beautiful and dear to me, but perhaps this feeling that I need to return somewhere else will also disappear.

The next day.

I had been listening to Kyle explain my duties all morning and stepped out for a short walk when Hekate approached.

“Congratulations on becoming Knight Commander.”

Her green hair fluttered in the wind.

Her orange eyes—similar to Kairos’s—were something you could only find outside the Imperial Capital, a reminder of the complexity of her bloodline. She had once told me they were inherited from her grandmother.

Hekate herself had been born and raised in the Imperial Capital.

I’d heard she was often mistaken for someone from a conquered people, but she had risen through discrimination and scorn with sheer skill.

Her sword strikes were not perfect, but she was more than an excellent Sword Expert.

Proud...

Unbending...

‘From the moment I received eternal life, I have been waiting for a death met in honorable battle.’

What is this?

I smiled at the sight of her, but a strange scene suddenly surged up.

Hekate was standing with her sword, smiling bitterly.

We were on a snow-covered mountain.

‘I didn’t expect my opponent to be you, Commander. But thank you for giving me an ending that wasn’t dull.’

A memory of pulling a sword from her body.

“Hangover.”

I covered my mouth as I spoke.

“I feel sick.”

“Hah.”

Hekate let out a dry laugh.

“Did you drink again yesterday?”

I didn’t have the composure to answer.

I fled. I locked myself in my bed during mealtime.

The Imperial Palace gleamed beautifully in the clear air.

It felt particularly splendid and dear to me—but separate from that, I decided I needed to resolve these strange symptoms quickly.

It isn’t magic. That leaves monsters.

After steadying my stomach, I returned to my newly assigned office and quickly found out where Kairos was staying.

A handler so popular lately that he hides his presence with a mage’s help whenever he enters the Imperial Capital.

It seems that effort isn’t particularly effective this time.

Probably because he came riding Noya.

Unlike the famously docile Ice Dragon, the Lightning Dragon and Fire Dragon are known for their tempers.

And beside the Fire Dragon—now the most famous in the Empire—stood Kairos.

No matter how many times I see it, it’s an overwhelming creature.

As I approached the crowd, I looked at the dragon towering above the throng.

A powerful monster that even a Swordmaster couldn’t afford to take lightly.

Its red scales, known for their flame-resistant properties, were beautiful. For a moment I forgot that I had come to see Kairos and simply admired the Fire Dragon, which was idly examining its own claws.

That being is so prideful that it allows no one near it except Kairos.

I stared blankly at its crimson wings, and only came back to my senses when I saw Kairos mount the Fire Dragon with his characteristic smile.

Damn.

I need to ask him before he takes off somewhere again.

I raised my voice.

“Kai!”

The people who had gathered to see Kairos whipped their heads around.

Nobles, handlers, and mages stared at me wide-eyed.

Kairos, seated on the Fire Dragon, also looked at me and widened his eyes.

Those vivid orange eyes.

They looked straight at me.

Kairos’s brows drew together as if in confusion.