Kairos was in the train carriage.

He had been reading the message that had come from Yoow. The message from Hildebert was still unopened. Because the notification preview was turned on, he could roughly see the first part of what it said.

Kairos deliberately did not press it.

Instead, among the pile of accumulated messages, he opened the newest one.

[You do realize this is partly your responsibility. That’s why I told you that if you were going to take a profession that gains fame, you should cut ties with us completely.]

The handler let out a small snort of laughter without realizing it.

There was no doubt the message had been sent after seeing Hildebert’s reaction.

[Frankly speaking, if you were still unknown like Igor, do you think the Captain would have left you behind?]

A fair point.

[Didn’t you step in front of the camera knowing all those possibilities?]

That was true.

Kairos knew that fact very well.

He also clearly understood that Hildebert did not favor others over him. Even so, the sense of disappointment could not be helped.

Even if he had to disappear, couldn’t he have chosen a slightly less drastic method?

No matter how unstable the cameras were, he could have at least given him some warning beforehand.

After thinking for a moment, Kairos replied.

[You’re not wrong. Even so, I believe this is still a situation where I have every right to feel disappointed.]

He had no intention whatsoever of letting his emotions interfere with the work.

[I won’t let it affect the mission. If anything unusual happens, contact me.]

Almost the instant he finished replying, a message came from Igor as well.

It seemed Hildebert had been quite shaken. Judging by how everyone was contacting him one after another.

Thinking that was actually rather good news — he tended to be honest with his own feelings — Kairos opened Igor’s message.

[I get that you’re angry and you have every reason to be, but listen to the Captain’s pathetic excuses later.]

A statement fitting of a steadfast knight.

[And you probably aren’t angry at me at all, but I’ll make excuses anyway. This was the Captain’s decision.]

[I had no choice.]

[Everything quiet over there?]

Kairos curled his lips into a long smile and was about to reply.

At that moment hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Fast approaching footsteps.

Kairos rose from his seat and slid the carriage door open with a rattling sound.

“Aah!”

Ami, who had apparently been about to knock, had her hand raised when she startled and widened her eyes.

“How did you know it was me?”

Kairos leaned against the doorframe and smiled.

For all that, he had spent quite a lot of time with Ami. Enough to memorize her light, distinctive footsteps.

Seeing how she stared at him with round eyes in curiosity, it didn’t seem like an emergency situation had occurred.

The handler asked,

“Senior. Did something happen?”

“That junior!”

Ami suddenly shouted.

“Did you get the message? You got the message, right?!”

“Yes.”

He answered briefly.

“Just now.”

Ami had been about to say something excitedly, but when she saw his reaction she clamped her mouth shut with a gasp. She rolled her lips inward and stared up at Kairos with startled eyes.

Only after the red-haired man gave a gentle smile did she speak.

“You’re mad!”

“Yes.”

Kairos smiled at his mentor.

“I received the message. Though I declined the call he suggested.”

“Gasp.”

Ami looked shocked by the added sentence.

But understanding quickly filled her black eyes.

“Still, that makes sense.”

“Yes. I will not let it interfere with the mission.”

“I’m not worried about that! My vice-handler is more professional than anyone.”

Kairos let out a small laugh at Ami’s words.

Before he could even turn and invite her inside, Ami raised her hand and lightly tapped her left eye.

“How’s your eye?”

Kairos gave a soft smile.

“It’s fine. I can judge distance well now, can’t I?”

“That’s true.”

After losing sight in one eye, he had trouble with depth perception.

Because of that, Kairos struggled somewhat when shooting. It also affected other tasks, so he and Ami had spent considerable effort correcting the margin of error in his sense of distance.

But now even shooting posed no problem.

He had internalized the difference between what he saw and the actual distance.

It was almost like a medal earned from commanding a Remnant Wraith.

Thinking Hildebert would probably grab him by the hair if he knew, Kairos blinked when he heard Ami sigh.

“But your right eye gets tired easily.”

“It’s still manageable. Lately I haven’t had to stand in front of cameras much, so if anything my eyes feel less strained.”

“That’s good. Because I think Kyle might be there.”

Ami said quietly.

“And if that happens, we’ll have to hold him off again like last time.”

Probably.

Kairos had boarded the train thinking the same thing.

That it would be best if they were the ones to deal with Kyle...

“Do you think we can?”

Hmm.

Since interference with his control was possible, they could probably endure for a while.

But fifteen minutes seemed to be the limit.

Even last time, if a number of lucky circumstances had not overlapped, his head would have been cut off on the spot. If it were Kyle without absorption it might be different, but facing a Swordmaster charging at full strength while absorbing power was not easy.

Only if Hildebert were there...

Fortunately, night had now fallen.

Half of the creatures lined along the boundary of Center Core were not nocturnal. The other half were creatures that could be used both during day and night.

In other words, the chances were high that this night would pass quietly.

Of course they couldn’t let their guard down.

But at least the probability of an immediate battle was not very high.

When he conveyed that fact, Ami’s expression brightened.

“That’s a relief!”

She stepped into the carriage and lowered her voice to deliver new information.

“I’ll tell you what came up from Core5.”

After receiving the information, he and his mentor spent some time devising a plan to oppose Kyle — more precisely, to endure until reinforcements arrived.

Only after they had simulated several possible situations did his mentor change the subject.

As she stepped into the corridor, apologizing for disturbing his rest, she turned her head and said,

“But Kyle knows me, right?”

“Yes.”

“When he calls me something, translate it for me!”

Ami said in a slightly expectant voice.

“I’m curious what that insanely strong Swordmaster calls me.”

Would knowing change anything?

Kairos thought that, but obediently replied that he would.

His mentor had always been unusual.

He suspected the name would be something like “flying Badger,” but he didn’t bother saying it aloud as he saw her off.

Then he returned to the messaging application.

After waking up, he stroked Milk, who had climbed onto his knees, and typed a reply to Igor.

***

The expressions of the people who heard my explanation did not grow any darker.

It seemed they had expected an answer like this.

They probably didn’t even fully understand Yoow’s words since they had no idea what aura actually was.

And if a full battle against Kyle broke out, their lives would be on the line as well.

Unless it turned into a duel solely between me and Kyle.

“I see.”

Ska only gave that heavy response, without showing any particular surprise.

“Then we’ll have to plan our strategy assuming both sides are evenly matched.”

“Yes.”

The problem was that they had Meierbold.

While I held Kyle back, someone would have to deal with Meierbold.

Meierbold was skilled enough to control combustion reactions, which meant he could render firearms useless — making him an extremely dangerous enemy.

Even among the top Black Badgers in Core5, several had been helpless against him.

Of course, if a larger number of people faced a mage with thorough preparation, the story might change...

We were sharing thoughts like that when Ska’s PC alarm rang.

Twice.

The aide’s face brightened when he checked the alert, then immediately darkened.

“What is it?”

“A piece of trash has taken your position.”

When Yehyeon asked, Ska grumbled.

“I’m certain that idiot will cause trouble someday.”

“The line got cut.”

Yehyeon replied indifferently, crossing his legs and folding his arms.

“Political posts have the lifespan of flies anyway. I wouldn’t be surprised if the head changes in a few hours.”

“You could return.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. It means you can handle it however you want. It’ll change again as soon as things over there are settled.”

“That’s why he’s struggling so hard right now.”

Ska let out a sigh.

Without taking his eyes off the screen, he continued,

“I almost want to drag Yun here and shut his mouth for a while. If he stays in place until something happens and starts issuing orders on his own, my head already hurts thinking about it. Ah, I shouldn’t say things like this in front of subordinates. Anyway, Hilde, the voice extraction file has arrived, so check it. Yoow, please confirm it too.”

That was a quick topic change.

Startled, I hurriedly stood up.

Yoow and Igor, who had been tapping their phones, also raised their heads.

While the seniors cracked their joints with loud pops, we gathered together and listened to the conversation between Meierbold and Mou.

A young handler shouting repeatedly that Meierbold needed to conserve mana.

If someone was shouting that to a Grand Archmage, the matter was certainly not small.

What were they planning to do?

My insides twisted as I frowned, and Ska — after hearing Yoow’s explanation — suddenly jumped to his feet.

“So the point is that Meierbold is preparing to use a large spell.”

“Yes. He withdrew in order to conserve mana. And it’s not common for a Grand Archmage to need to conserve mana.”

“So something could happen at any moment. Good. Everyone except Mr. Yoow and the advisor, get out. Go wash up and rest immediately.”

“Me too?”

I pointed at myself in surprise.

But Ska was merciless.

The aide glanced at me and said,

“Yes. Unless we had plenty of time. But the enemy could appear any second. Wouldn’t it be more efficient to let you rest now and put you in front of Kyle later, rather than keeping you here while we plan strategy?”

“Ah. That’s true.”

With no grounds to argue, I awkwardly stood up.

I had dozed a little on the way to headquarters, but my body still craved sleep.

We were pushed out into the corridor together.

Ricardo, Jonathan, and William.

Igor and me.

Naturally, before leaving the office we properly put on our decontamination suits and gas masks.

The corridor was utterly devoid of human presence.

As we stepped into the bleak hallway where not even all the lights were on, the door slammed shut behind us.

BANG!

Silence settled heavily.

I briefly assessed the situation, then abruptly turned my head to look at the senior standing there with a sulky expression.

There was something I had to say to him.

“Ric.”

Green eyes rolled toward me.

“I... have something I need to tell you.”

Ricardo raised an eyebrow slightly, indicating I should speak.

When he lifted his eyebrows, the corners of his eyes drooped a little. In that respect, this expression of Ricardo’s looked somewhat different from Yun’s.

Strange thoughts drifted through my head because I was afraid to speak.

Complaining inwardly, I forced the words out to the senior who didn’t look in a particularly good mood.

I had to.

Reports like this were better made as soon as possible...

“About... your house...”

“What?”

The irritated response made my heart shrink.

But I gathered my courage and continued.

“I destroyed your house, didn’t I.”

By throwing a grenade.

Ricardo immediately stared at me with an expression mixed with shock and disbelief.

Jonathan and William also stared at me, but I deliberately ignored their reactions.

“I was planning to compensate you for everything.”

“Comp... ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Are you serious right now?”

“What? Of course. But that’s not the important part.”

I had to say the core issue.

The most important fact.

Something William, who was also listening closely, needed to hear.

I took a deep breath, shut my eyes tightly, and said,

“The politician’s mansion I intended to use as a financial resource was hit by a nuclear bomb and disappeared without a trace.”

The three seniors stared at me, speechless.

“So... could you perhaps wait a little patiently?”

Once my frozen accounts were released, I should be able to cover William’s detective agency expenses and the furniture in Ricardo’s house.

Of course the furniture would all be expensive.

Still, it wasn’t as if I had been poor before...

The biggest problem was the Core machine I had purchased from Chairman Choi with an advance payment.

But I decided to worry about that later.

Colton’s mansion couldn’t have been the only one he owned.

Chairman Choi would surely extend the repayment period to curry favor with me now that I had successfully walked the tightrope...

“Hilde.”

Ricardo’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

“You’re not a beggar again, are you?”

Again...?