Black Badger

Chapter 226: Second Year-End Party (1)

Leeho and I were snickering as we watched the scientists replay the footage.

The scientists were absolutely ecstatic about John Mühlen’s deployment. Apparently, right before I arrived they had all been on the verge of bursting into tears, but once the situation was resolved safely, the atmosphere flipped 180 degrees.

It was funny.

I was watching the video, accepting various bits of merchandise people kept shoving into my hands, when suddenly the surroundings went quiet.

“Wow!”

A roar followed.

“The return of the shining star!!”

John Mühlen had returned.

Everyone in the Science Division stopped what they were doing /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ and applauded.

The star of the commotion walked inside as if he didn’t hear the heated cheers. As he slowly wandered toward the table, he looked just a little gloomy.

I guess he is feeling remorse?

“Thank you for your hard work!”

“You did amazing! You were so cool!”

“I’m in love, John! I’m your fan!”

“Ba-zu-ka John Müh-len!”

“Hand-some John Müh-len!”

“Slime Slayer. His name is John Mühlen.”

“Hildebert was the one who cut the slime.”

Leeho, who had been listening to the scientists’ fangirling, said that abruptly.

Barely a second after his muttering ended, someone shouted:

“Please thank Hilde too, Mr. Mühlen!”

“That won’t be necessary.”

It came out of my mouth reflexively.

“I’m busy, so I’ll just—”

I jumped up, planning to escape.

But my escape failed. My mistake was sitting comfortably right next to Yun’s desk. I had forgotten John Mühlen’s desk was right next to Yun’s.

I spun around and made eye contact with Mühlen.

Just pretend I didn’t see him.

I tried to walk past, but Mühlen stepped in front of me.

“...Martin.”

[John! Congratulations on your safe return! As Eben said, the one who subdued the Creature was Hildebert Taleb standing right in front of you!]

“...Hildebert Taleb.”

Oh god.

Seeing John call my full name made me tremble.

Oh god!!

“...Thank you.”

What the hell!!

Don’t do that!!

Ignoring my sheer panic, the scientists screamed in delight.

Applause filled the Science Wing once again. Someone set off fireworks. Martin spun around like a disco ball, flashing bright lights. Leeho Chang was grinning as he watched me suffer.

In that joyful atmosphere, I was the only one trembling like a terrified mouse.

At least until Yun clicked his tongue and pushed me out the door.

***

Time passed, and I did what I had to do.

After receiving the information from Erich Erhart—that You (Yo) was targeting the Commander—

I got Yehyeon’s permission and contacted Lee Seunghyun. I figured he needed to know too. He was, after all, Yehyeon’s biological father.

People next door apparently didn’t think there was any need to inform him.

When I asked Yehyeon if I could pass the message to Lee Seunghyun, he looked at me with a strange expression.

The child gave a subtle smile.

‘You may. He certainly won’t care at all.’

I really want to go back and beat up the past Lee Seunghyun.

In any case, I left a message asking him to call me at a convenient time. I figured one more sharp pair of eyes watching You wouldn’t hurt.

The straight-laced disciple called not long after.

[What is it.]

I briefly explained the situation.

[Understood.]

He answered plainly once I finished.

And that was it.

No follow-up questions. No irritation. No surprise.

It was very much like him, but still a little annoying.

After that I spent my time keeping watch for You in various ways.

Meanwhile, the year-end party approached. The TF’s second assignment would come after the party. Until then, I was only assigned to supply runs and supply depot construction.

Honestly, that was normal for a first-year. Strictly speaking, this was how things were supposed to be.

Of course, the seniors no longer considered me an ordinary first-year.

During the last supply-depot task, they dumped everything on me.

‘You can go alone, right?’

The most senior guy had a particularly bad personality.

He blocked the others from working and jerked his chin at me.

‘You go by yourself.’

I didn’t object.

Honestly, that was easier for me too. Creatures were still targeting me. Dragging along people who might trip me or pick a fight was a waste of effort.

I didn’t report this behavior to the higher-ups.

The seniors were, overall, fine. Most of them came up to me saying they enjoyed the video and thanked me for all the hard work.

So, I did those light tasks, trained, and helped the Video Division and Science Division in my spare time. Because of that, clearing From R was delayed.

Well...

If someone asks me not to make excuses... I really have none.

Ding-dong!

“Hello~....”

“Ric. Thank you for coming. It’s an honor to have someone so important in such a shabby place....”

“Let’s just go inside~.”

“Yes, sir.”

Wearing a pitch-black coat, Ricardo was quickly ushered into the cabin.

Last time, Ricardo said he didn’t plan to read the messages.

But after thinking it over, I decided to tell him everything anyway. He’d been watching over me the entire time I cleared the first three games. So it only felt right to share the messages contained in the remaining two.

And it didn’t seem like he minded.

“Would you like some coffee?”

Ricardo immediately refused.

We dove straight into the game.

I had already discovered the Easter egg and prepared the answer.

The messages that would be revealed ahead scared me a little, but the From R game was genuinely well-made.

You run while avoiding the inquisitors trying to cut off your head, collecting the “eyes of the sinful” to strengthen the influence of the god the protagonist worships.

People praised the game, and I agreed. The graphics, the BGM, the controls — all excellent.

But the chill never left me while playing.

Rose...

She had been a criminal.

“Some of the messages are... written like someone mentally unwell, so don’t be too shocked.”

“Guess the developer was a bit unwell~.”

“More than a bit.”

She had been a heretic.

Not a quiet heretic — a fervent, fanatical one. She went around doing insane things to worship her beloved golden spores, or seeds, or whatever.

Her cult collected the eyes of the fallen “children of Yggdrasil.”

Among the children of Yggdrasil, they sought out those who committed crimes — murder, rape, and the like — and plucked out their golden eyes. Their ultimate mission was to sanctify those eyes and bury them into the earth.

I never bothered wondering how such a doctrine was born.

The children of Yggdrasil were usually skilled, so most heretics died attempting extraction. But Rose didn’t die. She managed to collect fifty pairs of eyes.

She had been exceptional enough for the Empire to take note, and she received eternal life in hiding.

Eventually, Rei caught her.

[The slogan hanging in the Empire’s underground prison.]

That was the Easter egg question.

I hadn’t tried to memorize it, but as the Knight Commander, I couldn’t help but know the phrase.

‘Those who once lifted their heads to look upon the golden leaves,

What did they lack that they curl their bodies

and plunge into the deep bowels of the earth?

Look. This place is vaster than your lifespan.’

Once I entered the line, the screen turned black and a message appeared.

“This is a little scary.”

“Why did someone like this leave a message for you~?”

“People like her always look for something to worship.”

Her object of worship had vanished, so she looked for a replacement.

[Commander.]

Ha.

[When I first jumped into the dimensional transit, I honestly didn’t expect anything.]

She was the first to jump into the final dimensional transit.

Her crimes were deep, so no one pulled her out of the underground prison. But she escaped on her own, helped escort the Imperial citizens, and volunteered to be the first of the final evacuation group.

She had been my trump card when I was removing certain hardline politicians.

[I didn’t have any desire to live longer. But after arriving on Earth, everything changed.

Because I was able to serve you, Commander.

This is an unbreakable destiny. Do you remember? I told you repeatedly — when I was a child, I survived because of you.

The one who prevented the collapse of the western fortress Bedlium was none other than you.

Just as the fortress was about to fall under the advancing monsters, you arrived on a moonless night.

Sometimes I recall the memory of clutching my mother’s pants, watching you ride in.

Your golden eyes shining like a wolf in the endless darkness. Your sleek black horse and dull armor.

And when dawn broke, the relaxed smile on your face as you walked toward the fortress, your subordinates following behind.]

I’ve heard that enough to lose my ears, Rose.

It’s time to stop saying that to me.

Thinking back, I think I did tell her to stop. Around the time the first war on Earth broke out, I definitely told Rose to please stop saying that line. That it was embarrassing and annoying.

Did she not listen?

[I wish I could have met you sooner, to devote myself to you even a moment earlier.]

Didn’t I tell you to stop this too?

[I learned too late how beautiful untainted golden eyes are. Ah, but who can I blame? All of it is my fault for only ever knowing tainted golden eyes.]

Her incomprehensible testimony went on and on.

I scrolled with half-dead eyes. Even after I disappeared, she apparently hadn’t changed at all.

People die if they change too suddenly — but she’s a person who needs to change.

Ricardo was speechless next to me, letting out hollow laughter.

Only on the last page did something readable appear.

I straightened up and read Rose’s line.

[When are you coming back? The fortress tactician’s condition doesn’t look very good.]

Huh?

So this game was made relatively recently?

[Just in case, I will leave the tactician’s vault password here for contingencies.

The digital password is “Little boy and Fat man.”]

A shiver crawled over me.

It was a feeling I hadn’t felt while reading her delusional testimony. It was a feeling I never imagined I’d have while playing this game.

With my mouth open, I stared at her final message.

Little boy and Fat man.

Those were the nicknames of the first two nuclear bombs humanity ever created.

“...Hilde~?”

I couldn’t reply right away.

Realization hit me.

You (Yo) truly hates me now.

And has been breaking for quite some time — at least since before this game was made.

That password was probably chosen while thinking of me, resenting me for humanity’s failure to achieve victory.

I realized again that someone who once supported me more firmly than anyone now hates me passionately.

It hits harder than I expected.

I really do have a talent for getting hurt every time.

“...Turn it off and just go to sleep~.”

Ricardo took the game console out of my hand.

“Go wash your face~.”

“It’s not even nine yet, senior.”

I didn’t have a meltdown, but I wasn’t exactly clear-headed either.

Following Ricardo’s instructions, I fumbled my way to bed.

And just like that, I finished playing all the From series I had.

***

And then the day of the year-end party arrived.

The day I’d get to see the faces of the new recruits.

“Year-end party!”

Ami shouted, holding an ice cream.

“It’s the year-end party!”

Please, Kairos... please don’t cause trouble....