Black Badger

Yehyeon, who had been standing beside me, gave a bitter smile.

But he didn’t nag Yun. Instead, he briefly examined my complexion before speaking.

“Normally, once you pass the promotion exam, there’s no need for a senior and their sub to go on missions together. Since Leeho passed his promotion exam quite a while ago, I think that’s why he didn’t mention it. I assumed you already knew. Perhaps I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No. Thanks for telling me.”

I looked at Yehyeon, who seemed to think he had made a mistake.

“I would’ve found out eventually anyway.”

“Sordi will probably feel even more awkward around me now.”

Yehyeon laughed awkwardly.

“He’s probably already thinking we’ve been running into each other unnecessarily often lately.”

“Hm?”

I blinked.

“Ric feels awkward around you?”

“Yes. Well. He’s my subordinate, after all.”

Ah, is that so?

Now that I thought about it, it wasn’t like Ricardo looked particularly comfortable, but I still found it a bit unexpected. Not that I had any room to talk, considering how tense I used to be around Yehyeon when I had lost my memory—but Ricardo hadn’t seemed especially uncomfortable around Yun.

If anything, since they both used form-shifting weapons, I had thought they might be closer than others.

Yehyeon smiled when he heard that.

“To begin with, there aren’t many employees who feel comfortable around me. And Sordi is very proper with his superiors. Compared to someone like Kudo, who doesn’t really care about hierarchy, he finds me much more difficult to deal with.”

“...Well, Jonathan is....”

“And among the seniors, I’m the only one who can criticize how form-shifting weapons are used. That probably makes him uncomfortable too.”

“Can’t Yun use them as well?”

“I don’t like soft weapons.”

Yun replied indifferently.

“That weapon’s only advantages are versatility and portability.”

That was true.

A form-shifting weapon wasn’t as fast as a gun, nor as destructive as a sword. It scored above average across all categories, but didn’t particularly excel in any.

Conversely, that also meant it didn’t fall below average in any category. That was probably why Ricardo and Yehyeon used it as their main weapon.

But... did Yehyeon teach Ricardo how to use it?

When I asked, Yehyeon smiled again.

“No. There was a time when the military taught that weapon extensively. He probably learned it then. That period—from right before the First War to right after—was its peak.”

“They don’t teach it now?”

“There’s still a niche following.”

Yun answered instead.

“Though there are barely any people who can use it properly.”

While we were talking about Black Badgers’ weapons, evening came quickly.

I stood up, thinking it was about time to leave, but they stopped me and told me to stay for dinner. I didn’t bother refusing. Lately, whenever I go somewhere in the morning, I tend to stay there for quite a while.

Besides, Yun’s cooking was always simple but delicious.

While we talked, I heard about the current situation at headquarters. They said nothing much had changed. If anything, this kind of atmosphere had lasted longer.

That is—Creatures weren’t swarming excessively, land reclamation for territorial expansion was progressing steadily, and skilled Black Badgers were all going out as squad leaders.

“Most of the Creatures came pouring out from the Empire, but roughly a quarter of them seem to have come from entirely different places.”

Yehyeon said.

“We’ve been receiving a lot of help from Jack Black.”

We also talked about the sports festival.

Yehyeon didn’t look happy at all while talking about it.

“The teams are divided into two, and you’ll get a notice through the work app three weeks before the event. Team assignments are random.”

“Completely random? Then you have no idea who you’ll be teamed with?”

“They say it’s random.”

Yun scoffed.

“Do you really think the Personnel Director won’t interfere?”

Curious about the answer, I looked at Yehyeon, but he only gave a meaningful smile and exercised his right to remain silent.

So he does interfere....

The conversation continued with talk about how even regular staff and researchers without enhanced bodies would be divided into teams. I wanted to ask more because it surprised me, but Yehyeon had the expression of an office worker forced into a project he didn’t want, so I didn’t press further.

Yun had apparently returned to his old cycle as well.

In other words, he had started research that neither Yehyeon nor I could understand.

Yun explained the topic, but none of us understood it.

After dinner, I lounged around on the sofa. A peaceful stretch of time followed. Yehyeon even suggested that, if I wasn’t uncomfortable, I could stay the night.

Having passed out at Kairos’s house the day before, I carefully declined.

I seemed to have nightmares roughly every two days.

Since I had slept dreamlessly yesterday, today there was a high chance I would wake up in the middle of the night or talk in my sleep.

So, leaving behind some regret, I got up—

and my phone rang.

“Spitfire sent an invitation.”

As I muttered, Yehyeon, who had been examining the dolls Ami had placed on the back of the sofa, quickly turned his head.

“To where?”

“A classical performance.”

I read the message sent directly by Erich Erhart in detail.

“The piece is Dvořák’s From the New World.”

Yun, who was sitting in a chair beside the sofa, scoffed.

Yehyeon walked over and carefully examined the invitation.

“That conductor is the most famous one these days.”

“Really?”

You even know that?

“I’ve had to attend performances like this often because of my position. My ear isn’t that great, though. The Elders, Jaeyeon, and Yun have good ears.”

“Yun listens to classical music?”

I asked in surprise, and Yun, who had been looking at his laptop, turned only his eyes toward me.

“What do you take me for?”

“I mean, you don’t seem like someone who listens to music much.”

“Yun can play the violin.”

What the hell.

I dropped my phone.

“What’s with his expression?”

Yun said to Yehyeon.

“It’s understandable. Even I’m sometimes surprised when I remember.”

“This is insane....”

I couldn’t hold it in.

“You still play now?!”

“No.”

My senior answered indifferently.

“It was just one of the Choi family’s formalities. You should’ve heard Choi Hyunseok play the cello. I thought he was finally going to beat someone to death with it.”

“Oh.... So he played the cello.”

“For the sake of everyone’s peace of mind, I almost smashed that cello, but Ami stopped me. I still regret not doing it.”

Yun said that as he tapped on his laptop.

“Well, to be fair, Choi Ami’s oboe wasn’t particularly great either.”

Ami came the next day.

It was when I had woken up in the cabin and was practicing holding a sword I still couldn’t properly swing. I thought I had been eating diligently, but muscle didn’t build that quickly, and I was still struggling even to lift the sword.

Even now, whenever I go far, I still have to carry a cane.

An unavoidable sense of loss washed over me. But it wasn’t overwhelming. I knew that if I took my time, my strength would eventually return.

So I was steadily training every day when I heard footsteps.

When I stepped out in front of the cabin, I saw a familiar face.

My eyes widened at the completely unexpected combination.

“Hilde!”

Ami spotted me and came running over, bouncing.

“I heard you came to our place yesterday! That’s so mean, coming when I wasn’t there! I wanted to spend peaceful time with you too!”

“Ami.”

I took in the sight of Ami running along the quiet road.

More precisely, I looked at Ami—and the person behind her.

“And Yoow.... why are the two of you together?”

“Oh. I went to an escape room with Mr. Yoow.”

What?

“It was super fun!”

With who and who...?

An escape room?

“Mr. Yoow is really smart! He said it was his first time, but he was even better than me. We decided to go to a really difficult one next time!”

No.

What is even happening.

I stared blankly at Yoow as he trudged toward us.

Yoow... looked like someone who had had all his energy sucked out by a vampire.

The dark circles under his eyes had deepened.

His hair was messily disheveled. The sharp edge he usually carried was gone, replaced by heavy exhaustion. I dumbly observed the strategist approaching me as if he had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of a Creature.

Then I spoke.

“How did this happen?”

“...My karma.”

Yoow muttered in a hoarse voice.

“I should’ve at least gone insane properly....”

“I actually called Tom too.”

Ami, who had come up to us, lifted her chin.

“But Tom came for a bit and then said escape rooms weren’t his thing and left early. Instead, he said he’ll play his original composition for Mr. Yoow later!”

“An original composition?”

I couldn’t keep up.

“Tom’s composition?”

“Yeah! Tom plays guitar.”

“And he’s going to play it for Yoow?”

“He said he wants feedback.”

Ami said brightly.

“So they even made plans to meet!”

At that point, I couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.

I laughed out loud, then turned away from Yoow, trying to compose myself—but it wasn’t easy. Ami started listing everything they had done today.

So, Ami, Tom, and Yoow had met and eaten pancakes, then Ami and Yoow went to an escape room, and after finishing, they even took photos.

After seeing the photo Ami showed me, I pressed my forehead against the sign in front of the cabin and trembled.

In the photo, behind a delighted Ami, stood Yoow—gloomy and exhausted—like a wandering spirit.

Standing awkwardly in the corner of the frame, Yoow wore an expression that clearly said he wanted to escape this place, and he had some kind of strange headband on.

The type of headband changed in every shot.

My stomach hurts from laughing.

“Ha....”

I finally calmed down after a long while.

“I’m glad you had a fun day, Ami.”

“Yeah!”

Ami beamed.

“Mr. Yoow is so funny! I think people who make black jokes like my brother are really hilarious. We’re going to hang out often! When your body gets better, Hilde, let’s all go out together!”

Then she cheerfully went into the house.

Leaving behind Yoow, who looked like he would collapse if lightly pushed.

I couldn’t even properly say goodbye as I struggled to hold back my laughter. All I could do was press my forehead against the sign and wave my hand.

Yoow stood there like a scarecrow that had been through too much, until I finally straightened up after quite some time.

“Well done....”

I wiped my tears and lightly placed a hand on Yoow’s shoulder.

“So you went to apologize.”

“I would’ve rather paid money... or knelt if they asked me to.”

Yoow muttered in a cracked voice.

He stared blankly at the ground and murmured,

“What kind of new hell is this....”

“Ami’s cute, though.”

Since he didn’t send me any SOS for help, it seemed he was already reflecting enough, so I didn’t bother saying, “That’s what you get.”

From what I could see, Yoow didn’t have the courage to refuse Ami’s requests at all.

“Didn’t you have fun today?”

“Fun?”

Yoow turned his head stiffly.

“Fun? Have you ever spent an entire day with Choi Ami?”

“Well... not the whole day, but....”

“Even the former Supreme Commander and current Advisor says it’s exhausting! Her own older brother only plays with her for half a day before going ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) home! Only someone like that adrenaline-junkie handler can keep up with her energy! There must be plenty of people she could call to hang out—so why does she drag me around everywhere....”

“So are you going to refuse the next escape room invitation?”

“...I’ll go.”

Yoow muttered in a distant voice as he looked up at the sky.

“With what face could I refuse....”

Laughing, I walked back to the cabin with Yoow.

And I told him about the invitation from Spitfire. The strategist frowned but didn’t strongly oppose it.

When I brought up the Third Elder, he snorted and said he was already keeping an eye on him.

“We are still investigating traces of Colton Wiseman as well.”

Then Yoow stared straight at me.

“Are you truly not considering borrowing money from the handler to repay your debt? You are not someone who can remain shameless while carrying debt without a plan.”

“It’d be the same if I owed Kai.”

I smiled bitterly.

“Forget that. I once told Kyle he could freely use my money too. Only now do I realize how immature I was back then. The fact that Kyle accepted money from both me and Kai so gracefully is impressive.”

It was surprising how I was still realizing things even now.

“I really didn’t understand him at all.”

Was that too pointless of a remark?

After saying it, I felt a bit awkward and closed my mouth, waiting for Yoow’s usual grumbling.

But instead of complaining, the strategist quietly observed me sitting in the beanbag.

What.

I blinked at the unexpected reaction, and Yoow let out a sigh.

“Are you sleeping properly?”

I let out a small laugh.

“I don’t think I’ve slept this much in a long time.”

“...Focus only on recovering your body.”

The strategist spoke slowly.

“Other than that, there is nothing you need to concern yourself with urgently right now.”

I knew that, but my mind didn’t settle easily.

Just as I had told Erich Erhart before, I wanted to stay out of their drama—but I didn’t want to lose control entirely either.

Maybe I should walk a fine line.

In the end, I accepted Erich Erhart’s invitation.