Black Badger

Chapter 8

The Supreme Commander looked at me, sitting there tensely, and asked.

"You must have a lot of questions. Feel free to ask anything."

His unexpected opening line made me blink once.

Did I look stupid? The Supreme Commander, whose face had been blank with fatigue, wore a faint smile.

I stared at the lightly smiling man.

"...Uh, in that case...."

"Yes."

"What should I do now?"

Ye-hyeon blinked.

Had he not expected such a question? But it was what I was most curious about right then. What should I do now? I was a person with no money, no memories, no connections—literally nothing to my name. On top of that, I seemed to be a potential bomb for this organization.

The Supreme Commander answered slowly.

"This meeting will ultimately be about that."

"Ah. That's a relief. It's what I was most curious about."

"Before I get to the conclusion, I'll explain the background that led to it. That way, it'll be easier for you to understand."

If he offered, I would have been endlessly grateful.

I nodded obediently.

The explanation began.

"There have been two wars."

Ricardo had mentioned it on the first day I arrived here.

"Portals opened, and what we call creatures poured in. You encountered one yourself just a week ago.... The two wars that broke out were fights between humanity and the creatures. During the First War, humanity developed a defensive barrier called the core and escaped the crisis. At that time, borders disappeared, and living areas were divided by the core barriers. The largest among them is the Center Core, where you are now."

It was roughly the story I'd expected.

I nodded as I listened to the commander's matter-of-fact voice. I didn't know why the portals had suddenly opened, but that must have been why the borders vanished.

The matter-of-fact explanation continued.

"The Second War broke out when the core barriers, which were defensive shields, became unstable. It wasn't as devastating as the first. The Black Badgers were well-organized, and there were many brilliant scientists. The Second War ended quickly. Afterward, the world adapted to the new environment and reached the present."

I vaguely recalled the explanations from Ricardo and Ami. Ami had participated in both wars. Ricardo had survived the Second War.

However, even with augmented bodies, there weren't many surviving war heroes....

"Now that I've given a brief overview of the era, shall we move on to explaining this organization?"

Ye-hyeon breezed through the transition.

"We are called the Black Badgers."

Black honey badger?

"You can think of us as a special military unit created to combat the creatures. All of us have aging suspended, and we possess extremely strong regenerative abilities. Those conditions are prerequisites for safely transplanting an augmented body. During the First War, everyone heading to the front lines received augmented bodies. In the Second War, volunteers participating in the war got them. After the wars ended, we began selecting Black Badgers separately for augmented body transplants."

Aha.

This was also roughly what I'd expected. Those with augmented bodies were under strict national management, so I figured they were selected separately.

"Now, the badgers are eliminating the creatures that occasionally slip through the gaps in the cores and expanding the cores. That's a brief explanation—do you have any questions?"

The question came from an unexpected direction. I'd planned to just listen, but I straightened my back.

My questions weren't organized.

I tried to refine the swirling doubts in my mind. I worked to summarize the questions. If I asked briefly, I'd get clear answers.

After much deliberation, I finally posed a question.

"Can the augmented body be removed?"

Feeling Ye-hyeon's steady gaze on me, I added an explanation.

"Well.... I realize that I, who appeared out of nowhere, am an extremely problematic existence. I've heard that if my existence gets exposed to the media, it'll cause an uproar. So, I thought you might want to remove my augmented body. That would solve the problem."

"It's a good inference, but the aftereffects of removing an augmented body are too severe."

Ye-hyeon gave a bitter smile.

He interlaced his long, pale fingers and placed them on the desk.

"Unless someone causes a really major incident, we don't remove a badger's augmented body. It takes an excessively long time to return to a normal life after removal. And there's no guarantee of returning to normal at all."

"But it is possible, right? So, if we take on the risks and remove my augmented body...."

No matter how I thought about it, this seemed the most reasonable solution.

I turned my head this way and that, then blurted out my unrefined inner thoughts.

"Compared to having my existence erased, removing the augmented body from my body seems better for me."

A sinking silence fell.

The atmosphere shifted.

The Supreme Commander's already large eyes widened further. I met his pitch-black pupils. He was clearly shocked by my words, but I couldn't read any other emotions.

The ticking of the clock's second hand wrapped around my body.

I was aware that I'd been too frank. But I didn't think I'd said anything wrong. If this were any major organization with power, they would definitely try to eliminate me.

Even though my memories were all gone, I didn't think I'd lost my judgment. An unregistered serial number missile appeared for something no one even knew existed? And that information hadn't leaked out yet? Naturally, they'd dismantle and bury the missile without anyone knowing.

So....

"Mr. Hilde."

My name was called heavily, and I looked at Ye-hyeon.

Now, instead of surprise, an unreadable emotion filled the Supreme Commander's eyes.

"What do you think about yourself?"

"Pardon?"

Why did he ask something like that?

I stared blankly at his face.

"Uh.... I don't think much about it. Since I don't remember anything except my name, there's nothing to think about regarding myself."

"Then wouldn't most people become more obsessed with themselves?"

"Is that so? I've lived comfortably without any inconveniences for the past week, so I didn't have a reason to think about myself."

"Aren't you curious about what kind of person you were before?"

Why was the conversation rolling this way?

Even as I thought that, I seriously pondered my answer. Of course I was curious. No more fragments of past memories had surfaced, but I was still curious about what kind of life I'd lived.

But I wasn't desperate enough to obsess over my past every day.

I slowly rubbed my neck.

"I am curious, and I'm trying to recall the past, but I'm not obsessed. Curiosity won't solve anything."

"I see."

"Yes."

The Supreme Commander fell into thought.

In the returning silence, I scanned the man across from me. He had undone his interlaced fingers and was lowering his gaze to the documents on the desk. His half-lowered eyes moved slowly to the side.

His pitch-black pupils rolled sideways, dot by dot.

The man quietly read the text, then slowly closed the documents.

"Well, forgetfulness can be a blessing."

A murmur that sounded like a soliloquy.

While I blinked, he lifted his head.

Ye-hyeon met my eyes with an inscrutable expression.

"You probably won't need to remember everything."

Why did he say something like that?

If only he had explained more to someone as clueless as me....

Perhaps my inner thoughts showed, as a small smile appeared on Ye-hyeon's previously blank face.

"Mr. Hilde."

"Yes."

"We won't discard your augmented body, and we won't eliminate you without a trace."

Huh.

Then what were they planning to do? Keep me locked up like this forever?

"We won't keep you confined to a hotel room either. No need to worry."

My thoughts must have shown again this time.

I smiled awkwardly, and Ye-hyeon curved his eyes gently.

"We've prepared a solution that's not so extreme. I explained about the badgers earlier, remember?"

"Yes? Yes."

"Do you remember?"

"Yes. Of course."

"I want you to become a new recruit badger."

What?

I dumbly opened my mouth.

Ye-hyeon let out a small chuckle.

"If you become a proper Black Badger, possessing an augmented body won't be a problem. We were just about to select one new badger. The timing works out perfectly."

"Uh.... Um.... Thank you for the offer. But am I the right person for that? I just ran for my life from a creature...."

"That's a perfectly normal reaction. It's one of the key qualifications for a Black Badger. Being a normal person."

"But...."

"I'm not forcing you. Badgers gain youth in exchange for not being able to die a natural death."

My open mouth didn't know how to close.

Ye-hyeon erased his smile and observed my reaction with businesslike eyes.

His following voice held no emotion.

"A badger's end is inevitably miserable. For a Black Badger, a happy death is either the euthanasia they choose themselves or an instant death during a mission without feeling pain. One or the other. It's a high-risk job, so even without aging, the average lifespan is similar to that of ordinary people. And while those around you age and die, you remain young, so the mental suffering that comes with it is considerable. Objectively speaking, it can never be called a happy life."

Ye-hyeon spoke coldly, as if it were someone else's affair.

I kept silent and stayed frozen in my seat until he said something like, "So if you don't want to become a badger, we'll look into other options. You'll have to stay in the room longer, though."

The office was comfortable, unlike the job he'd described. A faint scent of old books wafted through the air. A transparent glass wall covered one side, and through the window, a clear blue sky was visible.

Thinking about it again, how on earth had I ended up in this situation?

The moment Ye-hyeon lowered his eyes, suggesting I think it over, I found my answer.

"I don't mind. If it solves the problem, I'll gladly become a badger."

Ye-hyeon raised his head and looked at me.

I met his large eyes and replied.

"I don't have anything special to lose anyway."

An unreadable emotion flashed through the man's eyes again.

I never found out what it was. I didn't dare ask, and he had no intention of explaining.

The expected silence enveloped the office. The man was quiet for a long time.

Only when the light slanted across the desk did he break the silence.

"Understood."

It might have been an illusion, but his voice seemed tinged with affection and pity.

And so, the relationship between Ye-hyeon and me changed to that of superior and subordinate.

*

I wondered if the people who'd brought me here were waiting outside.

The answer came quickly. As soon as Ye-hyeon said to come in, the office door opened, and familiar voices poured in. I saw the HR Director, Ska the advisor, Ricardo, and Ami entering the office.

Ami approached me with her eyes wide open.

"How did it go?"

"You're going to be their junior now."

Ye-hyeon smiled brightly.

Ami's face lit up. Smiles also appeared on the faces of Ska and Ricardo, who had followed her.

"Really? That's great!"

Her voice was filled with genuine joy, and for some reason, my heart warmed.

"Now Hilde is my junior!"

Ami's bright exclamation rang in my ears. The woman ran to my side and grinned. Ricardo lightly patted my back. His light touch clearly held a bit of affection.

Thank you. For being so happy about this.

Seeing these people I'd grown strangely attached to over the past week, a smile formed on my face.

I should thank them properly once we got closer.

Even the HR Director....

The HR Director Joo smiled with an inscrutable expression.

"Congratulations on becoming a member, Mr. Hilde."

"It happened so suddenly. Thank you."

"No, no. Ah. You must have felt confined waiting a week like that. Now that the important matters are settled, shall we quickly handle the formalities?"

Hm?

I looked at him with a puzzled expression, and Joo curved his eyes gently.

The HR Director, with a smile that seemed like flowers might bloom behind him, said.

"Mr. Hilde's mentor will be Choi Yoon."

Thud.

Ami dropped her smartphone on the floor.

At this timing?

But it wasn't a coincidence. Ska and Ricardo, who had hands on my shoulders, whipped their heads around.

Two pairs of eyes simultaneously widened.

The tall men stared at the HR Director with blank faces.

What?

I blinked in confusion at the sudden reaction.

What's going on?

"...Why Yoon of all people?"

Ye-hyeon asked in a subdued voice.

The Supreme Commander seemed exhausted by just that one word. He held his head with a pale hand.

Why was he acting like that?

The HR Director Joo cheerfully ignored the stunned people who had lost their words.

"Because Mr. Yoon is the perfect fit to be Hilde's mentor."

"Yoon? I think Yoon is unfit to be anyone's mentor...."

"That might be true for most juniors. But he'll get along well with Hilde."

"HR Director."

Ricardo looked at Joo with a strange expression.

"Did Hilde do something wrong to you~?"

"No? I really think the two will get along, so I made this decision. You all know. When I handle personnel matters, I exclude personal feelings. I've never misjudged compatibility."

"But Yoon is a bit.... No, I don't think he even likes teaching anyone to begin with...."

"Exactly."

Ami answered firmly to Ska's cautious point.

She looked straight at Joo with her round eyes and added.

"Brother Yoon hates teaching people!"

"But this time, he'll do well."

"What on earth makes you judge that...."

"Intuition."

"...HR Director, this time you should double-check that intuition...."

"Enough."

The ongoing conversation stopped at Ye-hyeon's tired voice. All eyes turned to one place. I, who had been looking at Joo, also turned my head.

The Supreme Commander declared without lifting his gaze.

"Let's proceed as the HR Director judged. Hilde's mentor is Yoon."

"Ugh! Commander!"

"Yeah. My intuition has been right so far, so it'll be right this time too."

"Well~.... If the Commander has decided that...."

Ami was shocked, Joo smiled, and Ricardo shrugged. Ska, who had been silent, shoved his hands into his pockets with a troubled expression.

And I felt terrified.

I stared in bewilderment at the Supreme Commander, who was sighing deeply while frozen in place.

What kind of guy was this Choi Yoon that made everyone react like this?

Even back with the HR Director, there had been a similar reaction, and in the end, the HR Director I met wasn't a normal person. He wasn't bad, but he wasn't exactly normal either.

Yet this Yoon, who even made the battle-hardened Supreme Commander sigh, who was he?

Who was he!

"Mr. Hilde."

At Ye-hyeon's call, I stopped my inner scream.

"Yes, yes."

"If Yoon gives you trouble, tell me without hesitation. I control Yoon the best, after all. He usually listens to me."

Ye-hyeon's tired voice echoed in my brain.

What? Control him? A word you'd use for a beast, why use it for a person?

I stared ahead with an exasperated expression.

This was a bad feeling.... Nothing but bad feelings.

Who the hell was Choi Yoon? Why had someone like this become my mentor? Feeling my mind go blank from the unexpected reactions, I couldn't bring myself to stand up from my seat for a long time.