Black Badger

Chapter 66

So, I had finally reached the top.

As I thought that, I struggled to endure the pounding headache and nausea that felt like my head was about to split open. Too many things crashed over me at once, making my body ache. I vaguely felt Ye-hyeon place a hand on my arm, his face full of worry.

I crushed the cutlery in my hand with a tight grip and furrowed my brow.

The memories that wouldn't subside.

"Golden Eye is a trait of your kind?"

Refined pronunciation. Movements full of an inimitable dignity. The image of him impeccably dressed in a suit that suited his sculpted face like a glove flashed behind my eyelids.

Every time we talked, he looked at me with those cool blue eyes.

"White hair too?"

"It's just hair color, and everyone's is so varied anyway."

I remembered replying like that while sitting on the sofa. "Don't your kind have quite a few with white hair?"

Among the people I'd seen, he was the sharpest.

Even at a young age, his brilliance couldn't be hidden, so from the moment we first met, he was on the fast track to success. He stepped on every milestone faster than anyone else. That's why he met me.

Me... and us.

"He hangs around with that guy a lot."

Kyle's voice rang in my ears.

"You like that human? He's smart, sure, but not the type to warm up to."

"He probably doesn't expect affection either."

I smiled as I answered Kyle.

"It's just that we can't ignore each other."

Peaceful Earth. An outdoor café bathed in pleasant sunlight. Under the merciless sun, people wore sunglasses and held melting ice cream. Actions slowed in the heated air.

The thick summer scent enveloped my body.

A languid afternoon watching the deep blue sea and white waves crashing. That day's memory swallowed me whole. There had been a time so boringly peaceful. I couldn't move for a while as the revived memory held me. Yeah. There was a time so gentle that I could delude myself into thinking things would continue without issue.

And surprisingly, that peaceful time had lasted quite long.

I watched Colton age. I witnessed the young, ambition-filled man become a battle-hardened heavyweight. As time passed, his influence grew terrifyingly. He called our relationship "friendship" on the surface, even though he didn't know what friendship was.

"Hildebert."

I recalled the time when he had come to look much like he did now.

"Have you made your decision?"

"Yes."

And the tearing feeling in my heart as I answered.

"It was bound to happen someday anyway."

What was?

I couldn't remember that far. I clenched my fist hard, feeling a migraine like my head would shatter. Was it a defense mechanism?

Maybe I instinctively didn't want to recall the unhappy memories. I couldn't remember why that peace broke, why I betrayed my kin, or even how I differed from humans.

Stupid brain. Remember.

Don't turn away from what you've done—remember it.

Remember!

My body shook violently.

"Get a hold of yourself."

Yoon's cold voice snapped me back.

"Hildebert."

His icy tone sharpened my senses.

My perceptions returned to the present. I panted heavily as I took in the seniors staring at me. Yoon, gripping my arm tightly with narrowed eyes. Ye-hyeon, looking at me with eyes full of concern.

The salon was once again filled with noise.

Colton must have blended into the crowd. He wasn't in my sight right now. I tried to steady my ragged breathing and blinked several times.

A drop of sweat from my eyelashes fell down.

"Should I call a doctor?"

Ye-hyeon whispered in a worried voice.

I shook my head sideways, seeing the worry and concern in his large eyes.

"I'm fine."

"You're sweating so much. Your condition... Hilde. Let's step out for a bit."

"I'm okay."

I insisted again.

Then I lowered my eyes to avoid the seniors' gazes fixed on me. I tried to regulate my breathing while ignoring the sharp pain in my head. I couldn't leave now.

How could I, with memories of how I returned and the humans from my past that I met.

There were words I needed to say to him.

Words I had to say...

Yoon said coldly.

"I'll have someone escort you to where Ami is, so rest there."

"I'm really fine."

"Yeah, right. If you collapse, it'll be more trouble, so just listen."

"Give me five minutes."

I really didn't want to leave.

"I'll be fine in five minutes."

The seniors waited silently for five minutes.

I stayed still, focusing only on my body. It seemed some intense defense mechanism had kicked in. As Yoon said, I couldn't lose it here. I stopped digging into the past and listened to my heartbeat.

Focusing on my heartbeat always helped calm me down.

Five minutes later, I lifted my head with even breaths.

"I'm okay now."

The seniors stared at me.

I ignored their sharp gazes and straightened my neck. People had started moving busily again, and Colton was out of sight.

Where did he go?

"He..."

"Not now."

Ye-hyeon answered before I could finish.

I turned my gaze and met the Supreme Commander's eyes. There was still concern in them, but it was a different kind from before.

The Supreme Commander said in a low voice.

"Go when he calls for you."

I couldn't help but let out a scoff.

"Yes. That's the kind of person he is. I remember. It must have gotten worse over the years."

"You seem to know him better than I thought."

Ye-hyeon muttered half to himself, eyes half-lowered.

"I only know you two are acquainted; I don't know the details."

"I don't remember everything either. Just the time we spent like friends."

"Friendship?"

Yoon raised an eyebrow as if he'd heard the strangest thing.

I let out a short laugh. This reaction was expected. Colton Wiseman was a man even colder than Yoon.

Innate coldness and cruelty. Far worse than Yoon in his thirst for power. A dangerous human who hid his nature with born elegance and charisma, possessing the sharp intellect to achieve his ambitions. Yoon at least cared for Ye-hyeon and Ami. Colton saw everyone as chess pieces.

Except for one person.

Even that, I wasn't sure if it was truly an exception.

I lifted my lowered eyelids to suppress the nausea.

"He calls it friendship, but it was probably just a polite relationship where we saw each other often and it wasn't bad for either side. Why it was like that isn't clear. Suddenly too many things are coming back; my head's a mess."

"You look like you're about to puke right now."

"Honestly, a bit."

"How about we knock you out and drag you out?"

Yoon asked Ye-hyeon so naturally.

How could he say that to his deputy mentor who looked like he might vomit? I looked at my mentor with an expression saying he was too much, but he ignored my gaze.

Ye-hyeon looked at me with worried eyes and slowly shook his head.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and habitually scolded his mentor.

"You shouldn't treat a patient like that, Yoon."

"It's okay for a patient who won't listen."

"There's someone I need to find too."

I leaned back, resting my arms on both armrests of the chair.

I blinked my sweat-beaded eyelids several times. My blurry vision cleared again. The salon seemed the same at a glance, but upon closer look, the atmosphere was completely different from before Colton's appearance.

In the unique ambiance, I scanned the brilliantly lit venue. There was a face I was looking for. Not the Colton I'd just seen.

The one who had been standing beside him, but I hadn't paid attention to yet.

"Jae-yeon."

As soon as the thought became words, I spotted the owner of the name.

He sat sloppily next to Colton, who was elegantly seated at a corner table in the salon, conversing with a heavyweight politician across from him. He was staring at me. A crooked smile curved his lips, elbow lazily hooked over the chair's backrest.

Fox-like upward-slanting eyes and a well-shaped nose.

Black curly hair and a black suit with white stripe patterns. He looked like a sleek model. His handsome, fox-like impression remained the same.

Yeah. Those eyes and nose were his features. Jae-yeon always boasted long eyes and a handsome nose, whether as a woman or a man.

And his eyes always burned with intense hatred.

A hatred no one else could evolve beyond, mercilessly devouring those around him. But why did he hate me especially more? I couldn't remember that either. From the barrage of texts he'd sent, it seemed I'd done something for sure.

Jae-yeon curved his long eyes into crescent moons without taking them off me.

Then he blew a kiss into the air.

Damn.

I muttered to myself while still watching Colton Wiseman—the one still insanely mad—and his sole exception (probably).

"Seeing his face makes me want to puke."

"Right?"

Yoon agreed.

"Just looking at him makes me queasy. At least we can communicate. I get why you survived meeting him."

"He's the one building a cabin for me."

My stomach churned at the recalled fact.

"Can't we just blow up that thing of ours?"

Ye-hyeon let out a deep sigh.

Turning my gaze, I noticed the white-skinned superior looking paler than usual. Now, he seemed in worse shape than me. His complexion made me think it could lose even more color.

The elegant superior lowered his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

"So you know Jae-yeon too."

"Yes. I haven't remembered much... But are you okay, Commander? Your face looks awful."

"I'm fine."

"You're not."

Yoon's cold voice overrode Ye-hyeon's husky one.

The mentor glared at Ye-hyeon, brow deeply furrowed.

"You've never been okay when tangled up with that bastard."

Come to think of it, Jae-yeon especially hated Ye-hyeon.

Why Ye-hyeon? No, why me? Though I wanted to ask, what about Ye-hyeon?

What happened between him and that fox demon-like guy.

Well, even without anything, Jae-yeon's hatred was lethal enough. He had enough hatred inside for all humanity. But to hate someone "especially more" than others, there must have been some trigger.

I wanted to ask a lot, but I knew it wasn't the time yet. Besides, right now, I was busy dealing with the flood of my own memories.

The cooling Darjeeling tea and buttered bread on the table.

Ye-hyeon, staring silently at the teacup in front of him, whispered.

"With his master beside him, even if he causes trouble, it'll be after the salon ends."

"That really reassures me."

"Hilde."

I quietly met Ye-hyeon's gaze.

My superior, looking at me steadily, narrowed his always sorrow-tinged eyes.

"He came to see you."

"Yes. I thought so."

"Whatever slip-up you make, you won't die. We agreed not to kill you no matter what."

So that's the agreement.

Is that why he doesn't need to hide what he knows from me now? Because of this agreement, he brought me, who earned Jae-yeon's hatred, into the Core and didn't kick me out again?

My guess seemed right, but I didn't ask again.

Instead, I nodded slowly.

"Thank you."

"Still, be careful. Not being able to kill you doesn't mean he can't hurt you."

Ye-hyeon's bitter smile etched clearly in my eyes.

His uniquely pained eyes held a weary resignation unlike usual.

"Be careful. He's at the top now."

*

An hour later.

Colton Wiseman, my old friend, called me in his characteristically smooth way.

He summoned me to his table through Poden. My god. I'd completely forgotten about Poden. I'd blacked out on it entirely, but thinking back, yeah. This guy was the one who handed me the invitation.

The man stood frozen before the elderly gentleman exuding cold charisma.

I watched the flustered Poden stiffen, then turned my gaze to Colton seated at the table.

The man, expressionless, lowered his eyes and lifted his teacup.

"Wiseman."

Hello.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Hildebert Talev."

When I first met him long ago, I had greeted him like that.