Black Badger

My hands felt idle.

Looking at Colton, who sat across from me smoking a cigar, brought back memories of times when I used to sit face-to-face with him, sharing cigars like this. Cigars were something Kyle had enjoyed quite a bit too. They evoked that old nostalgia, so whenever I received a box from Colton, I would leisurely share them with my comrades.

That old time?

Was there a time before I met Colton? As I tried to recall, my head started aching again. I let out a soft sigh and gave up on grasping at memories that wouldn't surface.

Instead, I lowered my eyes halfway and greeted him.

"Long time no see. Nice to see you."

Your face, at least.

"Seeing a familiar face again feels strange. Just a few months ago, I didn't even know who I was."

"And now?"

Colton asked slowly.

I barely suppressed the urge to raise one eyebrow.

That guy. He asked lazily even though he knew the answer—nothing had changed about that.

I replied sullenly.

"I don't remember."

"Tragic news."

"You tell me."

I didn't beat around the bush. There was no point in dancing around it now; it wouldn't benefit me at all. The information asymmetry was too severe.

He didn't call me here just to mock me to my face about my lost memories. He wasn't that inefficient. There must have been a purpose for seating me in this spot.

The others in the room were probably just spectators to our conversation. Neither Eric nor Yekaterina showed any intention of breaking the silence, and I didn't pay them any particular attention either.

Colton opened his mouth leisurely.

"I don't know how much you remember. But you haven't forgotten me, it seems."

"Honestly, I had forgotten you too."

I confessed frankly, shrugging my shoulders.

I didn't feel sorry about it. I knew he wouldn't be hurt by it at all.

"The moment you walked into the salon today, the memories came back. Even then, it's not everything."

"Touching."

"Yeah."

I chuckled lowly as I responded.

It was ridiculous. The first familiar face I encountered after falling from the portal was neither Kyle nor any other human—it was Colton Wiseman.

The rush of familiarity, contempt, admiration, and revulsion that hit me as soon as the memories resurfaced was equally absurd. How could such contradictory emotions have surged all at once? Well, come to think of it, I'd always felt that ambivalence toward him.

This connection I thought would snap easily turned out to be so tenacious.

Without wiping the faint smile from my face, I brought up a mutual acquaintance.

"I heard Kyle's awake."

Colton exhaled a slow stream of gray smoke.

"The problem is, I can't even properly remember things about Kyle. I hear he's out to capture and kill me, the traitor to our kin, but I don't remember how or why I betrayed my kin."

"How did you know he was awake?"

"I heard it from a Badger outside the Core."

I wasn't sure how much to reveal, but Ye-hyeon didn't stop me, and Colton didn't probe deeply.

Instead, the friend at the pinnacle of power asked a strange question.

"Did you only realize after hearing it?"

I didn't understand the question.

I lifted my head and blinked a couple of times. The room was filled with the scent of mahogany. The people silently fixed their eyes on me, waiting for my response. Feeling their sharp gazes, I racked my brain.

But no matter how I thought about it, I couldn't grasp the intent behind the question. Was it a reprimand for not anticipating based on various signs? Or was there another meaning?

He wouldn't have phrased a reprimand like this...

Unable to find an answer, I decided to be honest again.

"Yeah, I only realized after hearing it. Why ask something like that?"

"You've forgotten so much."

Colton's words sounded more like a murmur to himself than a response.

"That was your greatest trait."

"What exactly?"

"Being connected."

His succinct answer jolted a fragment of a faded memory to the surface.

"You've even forgotten what you hid until the war broke out."

They knew nothing.

Look at this. Vitality on the verge of exploding. The sense of being connected. The vivid sensation of life flowing through the body.

Kyle's voice surged up, clouding the sensation. I struggled to accept the flood of memories.

Right, we hid it to the end. No human knew about that trait until the war broke out.

But exactly how did we sense each other's presence?

A stabbing pain made me close my eyes and rub my temples with my fingers.

I wanted a cigar.

I foolishly brought my fingers to my lips, then realized they were empty and dropped my hand dejectedly.

From my left, Eric let out a small laugh.

"You smoke, huh?"

"Cigars."

The headache lingered, making my words unintentionally curt.

As I kept frowning, Eric gestured to the red-haired man standing beside him.

"Shashinsky. Give him one."

The red-haired man approached me silently.

Right in front of me, the cigar case he held neatly clicked open. It was a kind gesture. The cigars lay aligned like slender chocolates. The man called Shashinsky expertly cut the one I selected and even lit it with a match. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Eric accepted the greeting with an elegant smile.

"Have a pleasant conversation."

Right. We were in the middle of talking.

I rolled the cigar smoke in my mouth and turned my gaze forward.

The heavy aroma overwhelmed the headache as I replayed the fact that had just surfaced. There was a reason the Creatures kept pinpointing my location. A reason they knew I had returned.

Even though I'd forgotten how to feel that connection.

"It's a strange trait. I can't quite remember what it felt like."

"Then I'll do my best to help you recall that part."

"Huh?"

His unexpected words made my eyes widen.

"Is that possible?"

"I'll try."

"What kind of effort?"

Every time you said something like that, nothing good ever happened.

I shot him a distrustful look, and Colton chuckled. But there was no explanation. I didn't bother hiding my incredulous expression.

Anyone with a conscience... well, you didn't have one. But anyone with intelligence would have trembled at such a proposal from you.

"I don't know what kind of help it is, but can I refuse it for now?"

Colton wasn't surprised.

Without even glancing my way, he placed his cigar in the ashtray.

"You'll regret it."

This was maddening.

His arrogant attitude was unchanged. The worse part was that he wasn't one to make empty promises. He wasn't the type to fabricate lies just to maintain his pride.

And right now, he had no need to uphold any facade.

"At least explain it properly."

The man with his white hair neatly combed back obliged my request.

"Kyle will come for you soon. Probably in person. But we can't afford to repeat the horrors of the First War."

Ah. I thought I saw where this was going.

But it was still hard to believe. Not everything made perfect sense yet. I put the half-smoked cigar back in my mouth and stayed silent for a moment.

Then I asked.

"You want me to stop him?"

"If you don't want to die by your kin's hand."

"But is that possible? Was it ever? I don't even know how to shoot a gun right now."

Eyes turned toward me. Jae-yeon, standing behind Colton, raised one eyebrow. Eric's retainers blinked in surprise at my words. Yekaterina's retainers—where had I seen them before?—narrowed their eyes and glared at me.

Even Eric and Yekaterina looked at me with expressions questioning if what I said was true.

Only Ye-hyeon and Colton remained unfazed.

Colton replied calmly.

"You were never good with guns anyway."

"Really? I figured as much."

"What's your current skill level?"

This question wasn't directed at me.

Colton turned his head left to look at Ye-hyeon. Ye-hyeon, who had been sitting with his legs crossed and hands clasped on his thigh, met Colton's gaze.

My superior spoke in his husky voice.

"I've never sparred with him directly, so I can't say precisely, but I've heard it's inconsistent. His body can't keep up with the memories, and the memories themselves aren't complete."

"And his activities inside the Core?"

"I haven't assigned him any yet."

"Shouldn't he train a bit?"

Colton scolded me nonchalantly.

His words didn't faze me, but Ye-hyeon's cool assessment hit hard.

It felt awkward to respond to my superior, so I gave an embarrassed smile to my friend.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll do my best."

"Once the Supreme Commander's approval comes through for activities inside the Core, we'll discuss that too."

Colton set down his cigar.

Hearing words that signaled the end of the discussion, I blinked.

Was the meeting over? I still had so much to hear.

But as the other Elders prepared to leave, it was clear the meeting was concluding.

I could understand Akwoo's attitude. What was the point of revealing the truth to someone who couldn't even perform properly? Since his body couldn't keep up, regaining memories wouldn't magically make him a ghost of his former self. It wouldn't enable him to stop Kyle charging in to kill him. He meant we'd talk more once the situation changed. It was a very pragmatic approach, true to his nature.

The man rose, straightening his pitch-black jacket collar.

Begging to continue the talk here wouldn't change anything.

I sat still, watching Eric and Yekaterina rise leisurely. Kyle and Colton. The two names I'd recalled.

Kyle, who mocked human ignorance, and the man with cold blue eyes who looked at me with clasped hands...

"You are my Ace Pair for victory."

I broke the silence more slowly than the people starting to move.

"Colton."

The people halted and looked at me.

"So, in the end, was I really your Ace Pair?"

Colton looked down at me wordlessly.

I waited for his answer with a sly smile. I didn't remember why or how I'd betrayed my kin, but it was now clear I'd ultimately sided with the humans. In the end, the one I'd raised my hand for wasn't Kyle, but Colton.

Not the kin who smiled triumphantly at me, but the one who nagged me not to waste time on useless things.

My old friend broke the silence.

"Yes."

It was a weighty response.

"If you regain your true strength, you'll be someone's Ace Pair again in the future."

"Huh?"

"Like this..."

Colton drew out the words as he took a step.

"As long as you don't remain in a state where you can't even detect things like this."

BOOM!

Three walls crumbled, and Creatures burst in.

There were four of them. Creatures resembling horses with torn snouts. Their faces were enormous, enough to smash through walls, and indeed, the elegant wallpaper collapsed helplessly, revealing the bluish night view.

The intruders were quickly slaughtered.

I watched as the Elders' retainers butchered the Creatures without batting an eye. Eric's retainers moved in perfect sync, like reflections in a mirror. Yekaterina's retainers indifferently turned their heads and swung their right arms, stabbing the Creatures' vital points without flourish.

Jae-yeon drew her gun and burst an eyeball.

But the sound of shell casings didn't stop. The shooting continued until the Creature's pupil was pulverized. Once the pupil was destroyed, she thrust her hand into the socket and pulled the trigger several more times. I watched in disgust as flecks of flesh and blood splattered onto Jae-yeon's pristine suit.

After venting her frustration, Jae-yeon removed her gloves and stuffed them into her pocket. Ignoring her ruined suit, she brushed back her jet-black hair.

Then Jae-yeon grinned at Ye-hyeon.

Ye-hyeon sighed, and Colton didn't spare her a glance.

"Farewell, Prometheus."

Eric, who hadn't blinked an eye no matter what happened behind him, draped his coat over his shoulders and smiled.

All three Elders were terrifyingly detached. They strolled leisurely, facing the wind blowing in through the collapsed walls.

I let out a hollow laugh with the cigar smoke and returned the greeting.

"Yes. Thanks for the good cigars."

"You seemed to like them. I'll send you a box as a gift. You're a boring person, but an important one too."

What a real pervert.

Eric and his retainers were the first to leave the reception room. After exchanging nods with his retainers, I watched Akwoo pass by my side.

Colton walked past indifferently, eyes fixed ahead, followed by Jae-yeon shooting daggers with her gaze.

As I was about to bid them goodbye, Colton said softly.

"Welcome back to life."

I watched his retreating figure with a faint smile.

"Yeah."

"I'll provide the appropriate help, so adapt quickly."

I'll give you a call sometime. Colton replied lightly and exited the reception room. The crisp sound of his shoes faded away.

Oh, right, I was going to ask for your number anyway. I responded casually in my mind, only realizing something after the footsteps had receded.

Wait a minute. Didn't he say earlier he'd help me recall that sense of connection? I refused that, but did he ignore it?

Why hadn't that guy changed at all?

He was still unbelievably the same. Staring blankly at the door they exited through, Yekaterina brushed past me from the right.

She glanced at me with her steadfast green eyes.

"I hope we can see each other again as soon as possible. I believe you'll approach your training diligently."

Her retainers followed her as she walked away.

He glanced at me without smoothing his furrowed brow. Our eyes met briefly in the air, but the man turned his head without a word.

Ah. Even this gesture felt so familiar. But since I couldn't recall it immediately, we probably weren't close.

Where on earth did I meet him...

Ah.

There he was in a small memory fragment that surfaced. Across from me, wearing the black special suit like my comrades.

He was familiar, alright. But I didn't remember his name or details, and the odd sense of déjà vu hadn't fully dissipated.

What was it?

The frustration of a familiar word just out of reach made me frown at the spot where he'd disappeared. It felt like the answer was right there, unlike other memories. If I just thought a bit more...

As I pondered, someone stopped beside me.

"Hilde."

It was my superior's voice.

"Let's go too."

I turned to look at Ye-hyeon.

At the same time, I pinpointed the source of the déjà vu.

"Did the Commander have a brother?"

Yekaterina's retainer bore an astonishing resemblance to Ye-hyeon.

"That guy who just left..."

But I couldn't finish the sentence.

Because I saw the businesslike expression melt from Ye-hyeon's face, his eyes clouding over, filling with a depth of sorrow I'd never seen before, his wavering gaze finally dropping under its weight.

Silence enveloped us.

The silence, composed of my surprise, the seeping night breeze, and Ye-hyeon's grief, was broken only after a long moment.

"I don't have a brother."

His voice was faint, like a dying candle flame.

"That man is my father."

Unable to find a response, I stared at Ye-hyeon for a long time.