Mae saw Hildebert open his mouth to say something.

But the seniors were faster.

The relatively quiet café suddenly turned noisy.

“You collapsed during the sports festival and still learned nothing? Did you think we wouldn’t know you’re still getting heart medication?”

“Did the leadership even approve this?”

“What’s the reason? You do know that if you want to go outside the Core, you can do that even while on leave, right?”

“Uh.”

Hildebert seemed a little flustered by the explosive reaction from everyone around him.

“I’ve honestly gotten a lot better. And of course I got permission.”

“Yehyeon approved it?”

Yun asked back.

Hildebert nodded vigorously.

“He was against it at first, but I managed to get his permission.”

“How?”

Ricardo asked.

Yun added another line.

“Did you get him drunk or something?”

“No.”

Hildebert shot them a look that plainly said, How could you even ask that?

“Do I really look like the kind of cheap person who gets approval by taking advantage of someone after they’ve been drinking?”

“You usually don’t get permission at all~.”

Ricardo fired back.

Wow, scary.

Mae finally realized that the second-generation Badgers really were as difficult to deal with as the rumors said.

She’d heard before that some General Affairs Bureau team lead who didn’t understand field conditions had once rejected that man’s perfectly reasonable request and gotten absolutely torn apart for it.

Not that he had ever been someone you could take lightly in the first place. But after that incident, she’d heard ordinary administrative managers became endlessly polite around Ricardo Sordi.

Squad-leader-level special-duty Badgers and ordinary management staff actually had plenty of opportunities to interact over supplies and report-related matters.

Field reports were one thing, but mission equipment pickups and expense processing also had to go through them.

That meant when she talked with her superiors, she often heard stories about squad-leader-level special-duty officers, and Ricardo Sordi firmly belonged to the category that ordinary staff respected for competence while finding hard to approach.

The junior special-duty Badgers probably felt about the same.

In fact, Hildebert seemed to shrink into himself a little.

Still, he said what he needed to say.

“Honestly, you’re all too sharp not to already know I’ve improved a lot.”

“We also know your condition still turns very bad from time to time.”

“It happens less often than before.”

“I wasn’t talking only about the episodes. And you do tend to overexert yourself.”

Jack Black’s distinctive manner of speech.

So it really isn’t a persona.

Mae took a long sip of her matcha latte.

Jack Black’s unique way of speaking, together with those orange eyes, was one of his signatures, and people online constantly argued whether it was an act or not.

One of her coworkers, a passionate fan of his, got into vicious fights every single time with the people insisting it was a persona.

“Jack Black is the furthest thing from a fake persona-driven man!” was always that coworker’s claim.

Coworker, I think you were right.

Mae thought so, but didn’t type it into the messenger.

If she did, it would only make not being here hurt even more....

“To be honest.”

Hildebert’s voice rang out.

“If I fought any of you one-on-one right now, I think there’s a high chance I’d win.”

Wow.

Mae unconsciously tore her gaze away from her laptop monitor.

She wasn’t the only one startled. The two seniors widened their eyes and stared at Hildebert with expressions that clearly said, Oh really?

Hildebert hurriedly added an explanation.

“I’m not belittling your abilities! Quite the opposite—because you’re among the very best of the Badgers, I can say something like this.”

“I guess I’ll have to start speaking formally to you now~. Hard to act like a senior anymore....”

“Ah, Rick! Don’t do this!”

“Should I become your sub-operator?”

Yun said it with a perfectly straight face too.

“Want to switch positions?”

Hildebert surrendered immediately.

“No. I’m sorry. I misspoke.”

Instead of answering, Yun stretched out an arm and grabbed one of the cactus dolls sitting on the table.

“Turn it on and say that again.”

“Yun!”

Hildebert grumbled, but now that he clearly realized the seniors were teasing him, some of the tension left his body.

For a moment, the oversized special-duty officers busied themselves picking up the cactus toy, setting it down, and flicking the switch on and off.

The scientist slipped both hands back into his pockets.

“You didn’t get Yehyeon’s permission with that story, did you?”

“Not that. We actually sparred, and I won.”

For real?

“That’s why I said what I did earlier.”

“You beat the former Supreme Commander into letting you return to work?”

Yun asked coolly.

The lack of any expression on his face somehow made it even scarier.

“That’s a level of passion that would make the current Supreme Commander cry.”

At that point, Mae turned her attention to the group messenger.

She wanted to briefly tell her coworkers what she had just witnessed. She had no intention of passing along the part about Hildebert declaring his return, since that felt too much like repeating something she’d overheard, but saying that several famous special-duty officers were playing with a cactus toy sounded like harmless fun.

Her coworkers would get a small laugh out of it.

But the moment her eyes landed on the messenger, that thought vanished completely.

Because something even bigger had just been dropped.

The Personnel Director Ju and “Marlowe” incident.

[Red Shirt Survivors / A.T.C: BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS]

[Red Shirt Survivors / A.T.C: Heard Marlowe is waiting for the Personnel Director at the bench behind the New Wing]

[Red Shirt Survivors / BC: Why?]

[Red Shirt Survivors / BC: Is he trying to get back together?]

[Red Shirt Survivors / A.T.C: Thinks the Personnel Director was seeing two people at once when they were dating]

[Red Shirt Survivors / A.T.C: Rumor says it’s going to be a three-way confrontation]

That’s insane.

For a moment Mae completely forgot that a cluster of famous special-duty celebrities was sitting at the table by the opposite window.

A three-way confrontation? Marlowe, the Personnel Director, and his current lover?

Other people’s romance scandals in the workplace were always an irresistible source of dopamine.

And when it involved people they actually knew, it became even more thrilling.

Mae had once eaten lunch with Marlowe together with one of her coworkers. She had even seriously considered transferring under Kang Ju when an offer came from HR.

There was no better dopamine hit than this.

Forgetting all about Hildebert and Jack Black, she typed like mad.

[Red Shirt Survivors / M.A: What do you mean seeing two people at once]

[Red Shirt Survivors / M.A: Didn’t everyone say Pherom might flirt with dozens of people but never actually cheats?]

[Red Shirt Survivors / BC: Honestly that line is kind of funny too]

[Red Shirt Survivors / BC: By my standards that’s already a kind of cheating]

[Red Shirt Survivors / BC: Anyway, keep going]

[Red Shirt Survivors / A.T.C: Sounds like Marlowe heard that around the time they were on-and-off, the Personnel Director started dating the current one]

[Red Shirt Survivors / E: Is that true?]

[Red Shirt Survivors / A.T.C: Nope, impossible to verify]

[Red Shirt Survivors / A.T.C: But you know how Marlowe sometimes goes full sudden-acceleration]

[Red Shirt Survivors / A.T.C: Heard he said if it isn’t explained in a three-way meeting he’ll tear up HQ]

[Red Shirt Survivors / XA: Where does all this information even come from?]

The source of information was always important.

Completely immersed in the story, Mae waited for more explanation.

Then the coworker from Marlowe’s team appeared.

[Red Shirt Survivors / T.W: A senior on our team told me]

[Red Shirt Survivors / T.W: Said Marlowe told him directly while they were working late yesterday]

[Red Shirt Survivors / T.W: He thought it was half a joke, but after he’s been gone for over an hour now he realized]

[Red Shirt Survivors / T.W: What he said yesterday was real]

[Red Shirt Survivors / T.W: That he was meeting them at the bench under the walnut tree behind the New Wing at 3 PM]

Three?!

Mae jerked her head up in shock and searched for the clock.

After darting her gaze around, she found the wall clock framed in yellow.

It was three right now.

[Red Shirt Survivors / BC: MAE!!!!!!]

[Red Shirt Survivors / BC: Holy crap I’m so jealous]

[Red Shirt Survivors / BC: You’re at Banana Soda right now, right? Still there? Please tell me yes]

Ha.

Of course she was still at Banana Soda.

And she knew exactly why her coworker was practically screaming her name and begging her to confirm it.

This place was in the New Wing.

And through the café window, you could see the bench in front of the walnut tree.

No way she was missing this chance.

Mae shot up from her seat and ran toward the opposite window.

The spot right beside the table where the special-duty Badgers were sitting would have the best view.

She couldn’t bring herself to ask them to move, so she plastered herself to the window just behind them.

There!

Mae pressed her cheek so close it nearly touched the glass.

Ah, but the angle’s awkward. I can’t really see.

The window right beside the special-duty officers would be perfect.

Unable to ask them to move, she twisted and leaned this way and that, desperately trying to find a better angle.

Then a familiar voice reached her.

“What are you doing?”

It took Mae a beat to realize Hildebert was talking to her.

“Ah.”

Jack and Ricardo were both looking at her too.

Only Yun remained uninterested, lazily checking his phone.

Mae felt heat rush to her cheeks.

“I was trying to look outside....”

“Did a Creature appear?”

“No! Nothing like that!”

Mae hurriedly answered Hildebert’s question.

Then Jack Black followed up.

“It doesn’t seem like you can see from there. Would you like to use this window instead?”

Coworker.

I talked to Jack Black.

That was what Mae thought inwardly, even as she hesitated for only a split second.

Though really, there was only one answer.

“Then... would it be alright if I intruded for just a moment?”

“Of course. I can move my chair.”

“But what exactly are you looking at?”

Hildebert asked, puzzled.

“A cat?”

As Mae made her way gratefully around toward # Nоvеlight # Jack Black’s seat, she hesitated for a moment over whether she should tell the truth.

But since he’d literally given up his seat, honesty felt right.

“The Personnel Director, his former lover, and his current lover are having a three-way confrontation right now.”

Hildebert inhaled sharply.

“Two-timing?”

“That guy still doesn’t seem like the two-timing type, does he~?”

Ricardo casually added.

“Well... he does move on fast enough that it can definitely look that way....”

“Is the three-way confrontation happening right now?”

“Yes, yes!”

Thanks to Jack giving up his spot, Mae finally had a perfect view, and the moment she stepped up to the window she practically shouted back.

“The Personnel Director just arrived with the person who’s probably the current lover!”

Marlowe rose from the bench as he saw them approach.

Would opening the window make the sound carry?

As she debated it, Hildebert suddenly rose from his chair.

The white-haired man stepped closer to the window and leaned down.

“Wow. It’s real.”

“The one who stood up from the bench works on the same team as one of my coworkers.”

“Ordinary staff~?”

Ricardo asked.

Not expecting him to address her, Mae hid her surprise and nodded.

“Yes. Economics Department.”

“Oh. I think they’re fighting.”

“I’m actually debating whether to open the window.”

“Hildebert. You still need to finish your defense.”

Yun’s cool voice cut through the moment.

The instant she heard it, the back of Mae’s neck prickled.

Even though it wasn’t directed at her, sheer terror shot through her.

Did I interrupt their conversation and make him angry?

Should I read the room and go back to my seat?

Or should I just go outside and watch from there?

A thousand thoughts flashed through her head, and just as her body stiffened—

someone lightly tapped her shoulder.

It was Hildebert.

He smiled as if to say it was fine.

“I’ll watch just this and then finish explaining, Yun.”

Was he comforting me?

Mae stared blankly at Hildebert as he smiled bitterly at his senior.

At the white-haired Badger naturally sliding the window open without losing that apologetic smile.

“Honestly, with all three of them that far below us, I doubt we’d hear anything anyway—”

SLAP!

A tremendous sound rang out.

Mae and Hildebert both snapped their heads toward the scene outside.

Scrrrape, scrape.

The sound of chairs being pushed back as everyone who had been seated stood up.

“Open the window wider.”

Yun said as he approached.

Hildebert obeyed.

The four special-duty officers and one ordinary office worker pressed themselves flat against the open window, drinking in the chaos unfolding below.