People did not give me a detailed explanation.

In an instant, I had gotten a job, and I ended up relying on the lounge for one more night.

“Just sleep there until today. Starting tomorrow, your mentor... in other words, under Mr. Yun’s guidance, your residence and everything else will be decided.”

Ju smiled brightly.

And then, with an innocent face, he added ominous words.

“Enjoy the one day of freedom you have left.”

One day of freedom?

The color drained further from my face, but Ju offered no explanation. Ska, Ami, Ricardo, even Yehyeon only looked at me with pity.

Why are you all making those faces. I am just about to take my first step — please put on a good expression.

In any case, the interview ended.

And Yehyeon bought me a phone.

I tried to refuse, but was ignored. The Commander, in an overwhelming act of generosity, paid out of his own pocket for a phone.

“It’ll be delivered to the lounge by evening.”

Then he said this:

“I’ll give you my private number.”

Ah. This does not feel good.

“If Yun gives you trouble, do not hesitate to contact me right away.”

At this point, I reconsidered discarding the enhanced body.

Had I made a tremendously wrong choice?

But it was already too late to undo it. I prayed that this spreading sense of dread was just baseless worry.

Barely collecting myself, I nodded.

When Ska began reporting to Yehyeon about media matters, I left the office.

I returned to my room, half out of it. Ami trailed after me down the corridor.

“Hilde! You have to stay sharp!”

Her eyes widened and she clenched her fist.

“I’ll give you my number too, so if my brother does something wrong, tell me without holding back!”

Her clear voice only deepened the ominous feeling. My rising anxiety sprouted like bamboo shoots, so much that I forgot to look around. Ricardo, with a cheerful grin, added fuel to it.

“Lucky you~... I do not even know the Commander’s private number. Almost nobody knows his second number~.”

Heh heh heh.

Ami made a strange point: “Ric, even if Yehyeon gave you his number, you would refuse it.” I did not fully grasp what she meant, but one thing was certain — the Commander would not have given me his private number without a reason.

No, no.

I forced myself to hope.

Ami seemed so normal, so surely her brother was not completely crazy. And I had heard she was very close to Yehyeon. Since Commander Yehyeon was recognized by everyone as a good man, then this Yun who was close to him surely could not be that bad.

That hope burned away almost to ashes.

Still, I slept soundly. Today, too, the blanket was soft and clean. It was a shame that ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ starting tomorrow I would not be sleeping here anymore.

But what about my home?

As I dozed off, I worried a little. I still had no money. If they told me to leave here immediately, I would have nowhere to go.

Could I get an advance on my salary? Thinking that, I drifted into a dreamless sleep.

***

When I woke, a message had come. From someone I did not know.

To be precise — from someone whose name only I knew.

[Research Building, 2nd floor, Café Senabi. 3 p.m.]

That was all.

No unnecessary information. No pleasantries, no self-introduction. Just that. I could hear the sound of my hopeful thoughts collapsing.

For a while I stared gloomily at the text.

I might go insane.

No — still... the Personnel Director never misjudges people.

Anyway, I had no plans until 3 o’clock. I fiddled with my phone until it was time to leave. I replied to Yehyeon’s text ([Here’s my number. Don’t hesitate — message me whenever you need.]), and also replied to Ricardo, Ska, and Ami’s messages.

Each matched their personality.

[Stay alive, newbie~. Call me when you’re hungry.]

[Looking forward to working with you, Hilde. If things are tough, you can always contact me anytime.]

[Hilde! Message me! (flapping sparrow)]

I smiled faintly at the emoticon Ami attached.

Then I headed to the Research Building at the appointed time.

It was not hard to find. Leaving the Main Building, my view opened wide. Walking to the right brought me to the Research Building.

The sky was high and clear, no clouds.

A cool breeze brushed me as I tried to get familiar with the grounds.

People in various clothes passed me by. The place was so neat that it was hard to believe a creature had appeared here only a few days ago.

It will take quite a while just to memorize the layout.

I arrived at the Research Building around 2:45. Unlike the Main Building, there were almost no people in suits.

The café was full of casually dressed people.

I ordered an iced Americano and sat in a corner. The closer it got to 3, the faster my heart raced.

Please, let this person at least be someone I can communicate with.

Please let them be the type who will accept a bit of coaxing if I plead.

Clack.

A plastic cup landed on the table, and someone sat across from me.

“Hildebert?”

At the low, flat voice, I looked up with a start.

I faced a plainly handsome face.

“You’re Hildebert Taleb?”

“Y-yes.”

Truly handsome.

I stared blankly at the man sitting opposite. Choi Yun was a cold-faced beauty. A neat sky-blue shirt, a white lab coat. Black hair and dry eyes. He evoked the image of a mineral.

Leaning back in his chair, he met my eyes with gaze empty of warmth.

Colder eyes than anyone I had met so far.

Not someone I should trifle with.

I instinctively shrank back.

“I am Hildebert Taleb, newly assigned. Please feel free to call me Hilde... I look forward to your guidance.”

“You know my name?”

“Yes. Senior Choi Yun...”

“Just call me Yun.”

The answer was indifferent.

Meeting his unblinking gaze, I nodded.

“Yes.”

So it was true that people here addressed each other by name.

Yun reached for his coffee. Every movement of his was dry.

After gulping down a sip lazily, he spoke.

“I heard the situation yesterday. You still don’t remember anything?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. No useful memories have surfaced...”

“Useless memories have, then?”

I nodded politely.

“Fragments do. A madeleine and lemonade left on a window frame. Looking down at the night view from a rooftop. Things like that.”

“In what situations do those surface?”

“I’m not sure. But it seems they come when I encounter something similar.”

“You have no trouble using things like a phone?”

“No. Mostly.”

I did not know why he was asking, but Yun seemed satisfied with my answers. He nodded, then shoved his hand into his lab coat pocket.

He stayed silent, as if sorting his thoughts.

The quiet brought the café’s noise washing over me — chatter, cups clacking against tables.

I stayed tense until he spoke again.

He raised his eyelids.

“I get the idea. Then let’s take care of the annoying part first. You have no money, right? No place to stay?”

“Yes.”

Truly nothing, except the few things kindly given to me.

“Then let’s handle the housing issue. Normally, rookies stay in dorms designed for easier adaptation to enhanced bodies, until they can control their strength. But since you’re already adapted, you don’t need to. For inspection records, we’ll log that you spent some time in the dorms.”

Oh? If there are dorms, I’d like to stay there.

Before I could speak, he continued.

“So choose between two. Move into the Badger housing block here, or live in the cabin by my house until you find your own place.”

“Cabin?”

My eyes widened.

Why is a cabin by my mentor’s house even an option.

Was he telling me I had to live there? Or that it was better than the housing block? Or maybe that I should live there and pay him rent?

As I sat there confused, Yun explained.

“It’s my property, but I never use it. I wanted to demolish it but kept putting it off. It’s convenient for me if you’re close by, so if you stay there until you find a place, it’s better. I sometimes have people clean it, so it should be tidy.”

“Ah.”

I still did not fully understand, but I roughly got it.

“Then... could I buy that cabin?”

Installments... salary advance... If possible... I cautiously asked.

I did not want to miss this chance. I was already troubled about having no place to live, but now, at perfect timing, here was a neglected house. I hoped he would sell it to me instead of tearing it down.

The dorms seemed fine too, but there was no guarantee I could stay there forever.

At my words, Yun’s brow twitched faintly.

“...I could sell it. Or if you want, I could just give it to you. But it’s not fit to be a permanent home. Not dirty, but flimsy.”

“Did you just say I could have it?”

I must have misheard. Things never go this smoothly.

Maybe he read my thoughts — Yun crossed his arms and said flatly:

“Yes. But I added something important: it’s not a house you can live in long-term.”

“I am in such a desperate situation that I would go anywhere with just a roof and toilet.”

“If an earthquake or hurricane comes, it’ll collapse immediately.”

“Then I’ll just have to get away somehow.”

“The heating won’t work well. No soundproofing either. Well... not my concern anyway.”

“Right. That’s my problem. I’ll handle it.”

I agreed fervently.

Why is an unused cabin a burden to him anyway?

But I pretended to agree wholeheartedly. Senior, this is a win-win! Get rid of your troublesome cabin, and grant me a blessing I can’t even comprehend!

Yun brushed off my desperate eyes without emotion.

“Were you always like this?”

What do you mean, my personality?

I wanted to ask, but being the one in need, I held back.

Instead, I gave him a harmless smile.

“What do you mean, sir? If you don’t like it, I’ll try to change. And as you know, I couldn’t even remember my own face until recently...”

“Enough. Oh, I just remembered. The cabin has one more drawback.”

What is it?

Honestly, if there were no more drawbacks, that would be stranger.

He ignored the determination in my eyes.

“I live with Yehyeon and Ami. Which means, if you stay in that cabin, you’ll be neighbors with the top commander.”

Oh. I see.

Yes, that was concerning. Yehyeon was a good man, of course. Even in our short meeting, I could tell.

But he was also my top superior. It would not be easy to relax if I ran into him outside work.

Still — if the cabin was free?

Even paying a fortune might come with the same inconveniences. If the only cost of free lodging was that drawback...

I felt incredible luck rolling into my lap, and relief that my mentor looked more decent than expected. I smiled.

“That’s a handicap I’ll manage to overcome.”

Yun crossed his arms, watching me dully.

As I kept smiling, he eventually let out a strange sigh.

“Fine then. The cabin’s yours. Move in tonight if you want.”

“Yes! Thank you so much! I’ll repay this debt somehow!”

“I did warn you.”

I almost bowed my head to the table in gratitude, but Yun cut in firmly. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

He looked at me, struggling to control my beaming face.

“It’s not a house for long-term living. Don’t come to resent me later.”

Resentment? No. Meeting a mentor like you makes me want to kneel and thank the heavens.