Looks like we came out the opposite way from the seniors. Even after leaving the hall, there were hardly any people in the corridor. From far away, I could hear the sound of footsteps as groups poured out, voices rumbling like a low hum.

Are we going home straight away?

If so, that means I’d be riding in Yun’s car again. I stopped in the corridor, waiting for the man who was checking his phone. The hut was more than satisfactory, but the problem was that without a car, transportation was terribly inconvenient.

I didn’t have a car, and I couldn’t even remember if I had ever gotten a license.

Really, I must look like a strange guy.

I was thinking that when Yun approached.

“Stay still for a bit.”

He looked around the corridor, then pointed toward a recessed area stacked with unused chairs.

“Go sit there and wait.”

“...Do I really have to go hide in that corner?”

“There’s more than a few people who’ll want to grab you and talk your ear off.”

He explained as he watched me obediently heading for the dusty chairs.

“If they catch you, it’ll just get troublesome.”

“Yes, sir.”

Whatever the reason, I was ready to listen.

I slipped into the shadows and sat down. Yun left without further explanation. I leaned my head against the wall and exhaled a long breath.

Will I be able to do well?

Was my self-introduction just now all right? I wasn’t sure if I answered the questions properly. Yun hadn’t given me any feedback at all.

Would it kill him to give me at least some evaluation....

I grumbled inwardly about my mentor’s coldness while, on the side, thinking about what to have for dinner.

Then I heard voices.

“What’s this supposed to be?”

A voice laced with dissatisfaction.

“We didn’t even recruit any rookies recently, did we?”

They were talking about me.

My wandering thoughts snapped back.

I stiffened, pressing my body against the wall.

Footsteps drew closer. I froze when several of them stopped just nearby.

I quietly shifted deeper inside, plastered myself to the wall, and poked my head out slightly.

I caught sight of the back of a blond head.

It was the owner of that voice — his lips moved as he spoke, confirming it.

I couldn’t see whoever was standing opposite him.

The men began talking in the corridor.

“And what the hell? They call in all the Badgers just to hear some rookie’s self-introduction?”

“But hasn’t this happened before? Sure, this rookie’s weird, but still.”

“Before, the Personnel Director just went through the motions. He didn’t make a big fuss like this.”

True enough. The second voice mumbled agreement.

The blond man went on irritably.

“The Commander himself ordering us to attend this crap? That bastard doesn’t even know what position he holds.”

“Exactly. Embarrassing. Has he gotten bored these days? It’s been almost five years since we last reclaimed territory.”

“Bored? It hasn’t even been that long since a creature appeared near HQ.”

“But why’s Yun that rookie’s mentor?”

“That part’s the strangest.”

The blond sneered, malice heavy in his tone. His voice dripped with hostility toward Yehyeon.

What? I blinked as I listened, holding my breath. I thought they had complaints about me — but no, it sounded more like they hated Yehyeon.

Or rather, that blond man detested Yehyeon with a shiver-inducing intensity.

Why? Because Yehyeon was the top superior? Or did he hate Yehyeon’s methods?

As I tried to guess the reason for that overflowing hatred, the blond spat again, voice sharp.

“Isn’t that bastard just a parachute placement Yehyeon shoved in?”

He’s exactly right.

So easily seen through. I looked up at the ceiling, feeling a mix of futility, fear, and resignation.

Of course. A little paperwork manipulation couldn’t fool everyone so easily....

“That’s impossible,” a third voice cut in.

“The Black Badger selection process is brutal. Recruiting a human weapon isn’t child’s play. If it were really nepotism, the instant the media caught wind, heads would roll. No matter how unqualified that kid might be, Yehyeon isn’t stupid enough to risk that.”

“He was stupid enough.”

“I hate him too, but he doesn’t chase personal gain.”

“Yun gives him cover, though.”

The second voice, who had been agreeing with the blond, now added.

But the third voice rebutted,

“Covering for Yun and sneaking in a parachute rookie are completely different. And there’s no reason to plant this rookie as a Badger in the first place.”

Another voice, husky, joined in.

“They explained the recruitment already, but maybe there are other problems. Didn’t they say something about recovery issues? We’ll have to see what exactly’s wrong. And what his skills are.”

“No way he’s normal.”

The blond scoffed.

“If he were normal, there wouldn’t be such a fuss.”

It seemed to me the blond had made up his mind to hate Yehyeon and everything Yehyeon did. But annoyingly enough, he kept hitting close to the truth.

Was he actually perceptive?

His poisonous voice continued.

“Not just skills — probably issues elsewhere too—”

Footsteps interrupted.

The men fell silent. The approaching steps were precise and orderly — paired with another, lazy and unhurried.

I heard the blond and the others clamp their mouths shut as both sets of footsteps stopped.

A familiar voice came.

“What.”

Yun’s dry tone.

“What are you staring at?”

“Ah, seniors~...”

The slick, drawling voice was Ricardo’s.

“Been a while....”

Ricardo? What was going on?

He must have come with Yun. But my thoughts cut off as the group addressed them.

“Hey. What’s with him?”

The blond’s voice again.

“The rookie? And you’re his mentor?”

“He’s the rookie, and I’m his mentor. What more do you want to know?”

Yun’s reply was listless.

As always, infuriating. He was equally rude to everyone — not just me. Maybe the only exceptions were Ami, and the Commander.

“Since when are you a mentor? When was that rookie even recruited?”

“Didn’t I say it was the Personnel Director’s decision?”

Yun’s bored voice shot back.

“If you’re so curious, go ask him. Do I look like the kind of guy who bothers tracking recruitment schedules?”

“You don’t even know when your own rookie was recruited? The whole process looked shady.”

“Don’t care.”

Yun lied as easily as breathing.

And yet, no one seemed inclined to doubt him. His answer was so natural it was like air. Even the gossiping men seemed to believe him, dropping the matter.

Instead, the second voice asked,

“Then why are you in combat gear?”

“Going to hunt a creature.”

Still that same flat tone.

“If you’ve said your piece, get going.”

“A creature? What creature? You only deal with ones near HQ. There aren’t any right now.”

“Must be chasing butterflies.”

The blond cut in, cynical.

“Since the typhoon’s headed for the Commander’s residence. So of course, they’ll hunt even ones they normally ignore. Even if there’s no real threat, they’ll deploy emergency manpower. After all, our dear Commander might be in danger.”

“You really do love Yehyeon,” Yun replied, voice emotionless.

My mentor truly was a natural-born master of rude remarks.

“No other Badger spends this much time thinking about Yehyeon.”

Bang!

The blond slammed his boot against the marble floor. The sound reverberated off the walls. No one reacted.

A brief silence.

When the echo finally faded, I heard the three men shuffle off, grumbling.

I listened as their steps receded, the blond spitting one last line between clenched teeth:

“Let’s see what kind of bastard your rookie is.”

Why does that fire land on me?

“If he’s even half as rude as you, then—”

Why are you taking it out on me?

I could never be as rude as this man. Didn’t you see my polite introduction?

But the protest stayed only in my head.

I kept listening to the footsteps fade, until silence and the faint sound of rain outside returned.

Gone.

Even after I was sure, I couldn’t bring myself to leave the shadows. I felt like I’d overheard something I never should have.

Guess I’ll just crouch here until someone comes looking for me.

Ricardo’s head suddenly popped into view.

“Gah! What the—!”

“What do you mean, ‘what’....”

I jumped back, startled by his sharp green eyes, and he narrowed them with that trademark sly smile.

“What are you doing in there~?”

“I told him to sit there.”

Yun walked up.

His cold, unreadable eyes locked on me as he beckoned with his index finger.

“Come out.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Heard it all, didn’t you?”

Ricardo grinned at me as I shuffled out, rubbing my neck awkwardly. The corridor was empty again, save for the two tall men watching me.

Ricardo, in his pitch-black combat gear like the day we first met. Yun, in the same uniform.

Yun wore black frighteningly well.

“Let’s go.”

Unfazed by my wide-eyed reaction, my mentor spoke.

“Before the typhoon hits your house.”

“Yes. Uh... but why is Ricardo here?”

“What, should I leave instead?”

He was just as difficult as ever.

I forced a bright smile — smile, Hildebert, smile — smoothing things over.

“I’ve been miserable not seeing you, senior.”

“Silver-tongued as always.”

“Enough. Step on it or we’ll be late.”

Yun turned and started walking.

As always, without explanations. I hurried after him. Ricardo lazily followed, tossing out, “Yes, senior.”

We headed quickly and silently to the underground parking lot. No familiar faces intercepted us as we reached the car I had ridden that morning.

The black Lamborghini gleamed as sleek and beautiful as ever.

As soon as I shut the backseat door, the car started.

***

I couldn’t see ahead at all.

Sheets of rain blanketed the car. My mouth half-open, I stared at the disaster outside. Our destination wasn’t far — but I was beginning to doubt we’d even reach it.

Was this really okay?

The windshield was practically opaque. The howling wind battering the car was no joke either.

What if we just got blown away, car and all?

But despite my fear and my white-knuckled grip on the seatbelt, the car sped on. Even as the tires slipped and the speed dropped, it never stopped moving.

Before long, I realized we’d reached a familiar road.

For someone with almost no memories, the sensation of familiarity was itself strange. Even without seeing clearly, the surroundings felt uncannily known.

“That’s your hut—?”

Ricardo broke the silence from the passenger seat, eyes half-open.

I followed his gaze.

Through the downpour, a tiny silhouette stood. Dwarfed by the massive shapes around it.

My sweet home.

The moment I saw it, a strange emotion surged up. Was this what longing felt like? At the end of a long day, I was awash in the feeling of coming home.

With joy in my voice, I said,

“Yes! That’s—”

Craaaash!

A deafening blast — something flew into the sky.

A black silhouette tore into the storm with a roar.

My eyes widened as I watched the shadow lift on the whirlwind.

What the hell was that?

“Your roof’s flying off,” Yun said from /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ the driver’s seat.

“I warned you.”

“...Huh?”

“Oh dear~.”

What?

“Poor thing....”

“...Excuse me?”

“Get out. Just don’t get knocked out by debris when you do.”

What?

Get out?

...And what flew off just now—

That was my hut’s roof?