Black Badger

It was certain that we could exert influence over the creatures.

It was probably by utilizing what I alone called my sixth sense, or rather the "connected sense" with distant individuals. In fact, at that moment, I could vaguely guess which direction Kyle was in.

The problem was that I had completely forgotten how to apply that sense.

It was certain that some creatures came from the world I was in. I didn't remember when exactly they arrived on Earth, though.

Would more memories come back if I encountered more creatures?

As I explained what I knew, Yoon crossed his arms and remained silent.

Then he said abruptly.

"Are you going to play it twice?"

"...After the emotional shock fades a bit. I haven't found all the Easter eggs yet."

"Let's look at it first."

He handed over the game chip without hesitation.

Now I was curious about the game developer too. If I left it to Yoon, he would uncover something. Even if it was just the date the game was made.

I wanted to know everything that could be known. The production date, the production method, the unique features of this game.

The man nodded at my request to tell me anything.

Yoon took the game chip from me.

*

It was almost the end of November.

The days grew chillier, and the daylight hours shortened even more. The city started to feel the end-of-year atmosphere. Until the mission day arrived, I focused on training without any stray thoughts.

It felt good that my body was getting a little faster bit by bit. It was also good to train until I was exhausted and then fall asleep like passing out.

Lately, whenever I dreamed, it was nightmares, so I tried not to dream if possible.

Even dreams that weren't nightmares weren't entirely welcome. While I dreamed, fragments of memories from the previous world kept popping up unexpectedly. It seemed like the influence of From E, and after dreaming about Ray and Kyle, I wanted to quit everything.

Some memories were painfully detailed.

Kyle, who scoffed confidently when people said no one returned alive from the castle.

Ray, who didn't blink an eye facing the bizarre apostate but freaked out at the sound of dripping water echoing in the castle.

Me, laughing at them and then eating their shares of pie.

What was the point of remembering such things now?

So I was glad that mission day, which grounded me in reality, was approaching.

I wanted to do something to help someone. Or even if it wasn't direct help, something that would benefit society in the long term.

Of course, that wouldn't erase the mistakes I'd made.

I counted down the days to mission day and waited.

*

Mission day.

I arrived at the train station at 8:30 a.m.

To catch the 9 a.m. train and arrive at the arena around 7 or 8 p.m. when the match started. Center Core was ridiculously vast. Even taking the fastest high-speed train.

Moreover, this station was quite far from headquarters.

The station was quiet. Now, every breath produced a white puff of vapor. Even though I'd layered civilian clothes over my thin combat uniform as instructed, the chill seeped in.

Still, being in the morning sunlight felt nice.

Spotting the senior standing in the white-frosted station building wasn't hard.

In the empty station, the senior argued loudly with someone over the phone.

"Get lost, you bastard!"

Barbie Winter was in the middle of a fight with her boyfriend.

"Shut up! I'm the idiot who took you back then!"

Should I pretend I hadn't arrived?

She had her back turned, so she probably hadn't seen me yet. I wasn't so oblivious as to approach and greet her in this situation.

I backed away stealthily, rolling my eyes.

I should hide in the bathroom and come out later. Check my outfit in the mirror or something.

"Present? Come get it! Take it all!"

Until the other seniors arrived...

"Those crappy things!"

"Junior."

I whipped my head around at the voice from behind.

"Step aside for a moment."

He was a tall, slender man.

I took in the senior with tired blue eyes and thin silver hair.

Asil Fisher. Former detective. Barbie's junior but senior to Aki, and until last month, he'd worked at a different core, not Center Core.

He wore a worn gray jacket and held a steaming cup of coffee in one hand.

I bowed my head quietly.

"Nice to meet you, Senior. I'm Hildebert Talev." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Let's get out of sight first."

He walked slowly and stopped behind a station pillar.

His series of weary movements was amusing. I could see what Ami meant when she said he felt similar to Iho Chang. Iho was the type who laughed loudly and enjoyed drinking parties, while Asil was the type who smiled tiredly and then went home.

I hurried over as he nodded toward me to come behind the pillar.

"Looks like another rough romance."

As I stopped beside the pillar, Asil took a sip of coffee and muttered to himself.

I looked at the man with pale skin and blinked once.

"You seem like the type for fiery relationships."

"His tastes in men are weird."

He must have been drawn to strong personalities.

The blonde senior was still arguing. It seemed a bit calmer than before, but her voice full of irritation kept drifting over.

I turned my head only after I heard "Don't call again."

Asil said to me as I checked on Barbie's situation.

"Ask her directly for the details later."

"Yes. I'll ask when I get the chance."

I gave a sensible reply.

Then I turned my head and met the senior's eyes.

"May I ask you some questions too, Senior?"

His pale blue eyes slowly turned toward me.

I let the senior I'd just met observe me quietly. The former detective who, as Ami described, "seems prickly on the outside but is actually a really good person." But for some unknown reason, the badger who'd grabbed Yoon by the collar out of nowhere.

He shot me a look that said he'd seen all kinds of weird newbies.

"What are you curious about?"

"Just this and that... I want to get to know you, Senior."

When I stated my honest feelings directly, the bewilderment in his eyes deepened.

The senior, who looked to be in his early to mid-thirties physically, stayed silent for a while.

"Just ask whatever when it's convenient."

"Asil."

The sound of heels clicked.

The noise grew louder quickly. I looked at the senior with elegantly styled blonde hair pinned up in an unusual way and heavy makeup.

The deeply plunging V-neck black jacket and bright red lipstick suited her well.

"And the weird newbie."

That's me.

I smiled as I watched the senior skillfully light a white cigarette and put it in her mouth.

Barbie Winter had been at a safe point in D Zone. Meaning she'd witnessed with her own eyes the safe point being surrounded by creatures.

Surprisingly, she had been a fairly senior badger. According to Ami's description, the lively, fun-loving, emotionally honest woman who had childish and careless sides narrowed her eyes at my grinning face.

With the cigarette between her fingers, she looked me up and down and said.

"Your civilian clothes suck."

"Ugh."

That's harsh.

It was an unexpected attack.

It hit me a bit. I thought I'd picked a decent baseball jacket.

I let out a hollow laugh and rubbed my neck.

"Sorry. I'm not really into clothes..."

"Not you. Of course yours suck too, but Asil, you... Are you on your way to a crime scene in the financial district?"

"I'm the one who has to talk to the police anyway, so it doesn't matter."

Asil drained his coffee and rolled his eyes upward.

"I'm not going inside the arena like the others."

That's right.

It wasn't for nothing that the mission instructions said to wear civilian clothes over combat uniforms. Since we were regulars for this mission, we couldn't completely hide our identities, but it was best for the three of us to blend in as much as possible among the spectators. Me, Barbie, and Ricardo, who hadn't arrived yet, had to enter the arena that evening.

Into the crowd of spectators enjoying the creature versus illegal augmentees matches.

The problem was that I didn't have suitable clothes for that.

"Get a leather jacket."

Barbie advised, biting down on the white cigarette with her red lips.

"A black one. It'd suit you."

"Ah, yep. Thanks. I'll keep that in mind next time I shop."

"If the call's over, let's board."

Asil peeled his back off the pillar.

He pointed toward the station entrance with the hand holding his Americano.

"Ricardo's coming too."

Finally.

He'd arrived. I turned my head in the direction Asil was looking.

And I widened my eyes at the senior walking into the white station.

He was someone I'd seen almost as often as Ami since falling into this world, but Ricardo walking from the just-arrived train looked unfamiliar. Black mask, black flight jacket with many pockets, pitch-black boots. And the silver piercings that stood out even more because of that outfit.

On his hand was the snake-shaped ring he always wore.

It was quite different from his usual style of clothing.

The green-eyed man stopped in front of the train, saw us, and waved his hand vigorously.

I started walking while looking at his elongated smiling eyes and muttered my inner thoughts.

"Thug..."

He really looked like a delinquent dressed like that.

*

There were hardly any people on the express train to the outskirts either.

Since we'd booked the best car, we each got a private compartment again. We decided to spend the time until arrival doing personal preparations in our compartments. For lunch and dinner, only those who wanted to would meet in the dining car.

In fact, the only ones who came to the dining car at lunchtime were me and Asil.

A quiet, pale dining car with a few civilians visible.

Asil bought me a lunch box.

He waved off my thanks and, while eating lunch, asked about my background.

"Ah, you were at another core during the self-introductions."

"Yeah, only a few badgers attended the self-introductions."

Was that so? Hadn't it filled the auditorium?

And wasn't it supposed to be all personnel if possible? As if reading my thoughts, the silver-haired senior added a rough explanation.

"Badgers at other cores besides Center Core, or outside cores, or even in Center Core but far from headquarters, didn't attend."

"Ah, that makes sense. I was short-sighted."

"So what did you do to become a badger?"

I recited the fake administrative history Yoon had told me.

Asil's expression darkened a bit upon hearing my fake past. The administrative Hildebert Talev had lived a somewhat unfortunate life.

But it was all fake, so there was no need to stiffen up like that.

I quickly added that I'd grown up happily and changed the subject.

Asil answered my various questions readily. Why he'd decided to become a police officer, what kind of cases he'd handled as a detective. Listening to his rough but detailed answers gave me courage.

If the atmosphere was good after my last question, I'd ask about Yoon.

"Why did you quit the police and become a badger?"

But this question was a landmine.

Asil's face quickly darkened. An unnatural silence fell in an instant.

And that ended our conversation. I apologized for asking a sensitive question, and while he grumbled that it was fine, I had to eat lunch while watching his mood.

Then, until arrival, I read a mystery novel provided on the train.

The train only reached the destination after darkness had fully fallen.

While walking from the train to the abandoned building used as the arena, I heard about Barbie's love life.

She liked a type of man who was hard to handle.

When she saw my uncomprehending face, she explained.

"If I had to pick among badgers, it'd be Jason or Senior Ricardo."

"Ah."

Jason Tvain and Ricardo Sordi.

I looked at Ricardo's back, who was walking a few steps ahead, guiding the way.

Tvain and Ricardo...

"In other words, you don't look at the software at all and only at the hardware..."

"Hilde~..."

Before I could finish the words that slipped out thoughtlessly, Ricardo's voice came.

"You seem to have adapted to organizational life now~?"